Side Hustle to Small Business: Recent Episodes
Hiscox
A weekly podcast from Hiscox, the small business insurance experts. We’re changing the conversation around the side hustle and featuring founders at various stages of their small business journey. These entrepreneurs are pushing the envelope while keeping their values and have learned a few lessons along the way. Listen each week for conversation, context, and camaraderie. Hosted by Sanjay Parekh, produced by Edgewise.Media.
With a background in media production, Joshua Lipkin, like many people in the media space, found himself freelancing. When he landed a large contract, he decided it was time to found GreyLee Creative, a full-service production and post-production company that focuses on crafting high-quality visual content that captivates and engages audiences. Sanjay and Joshua discuss Joshua’s transition from freelancer to business owner, finding your niche in the business, and starting Atlanta’s Editor Collective, a community of over 800 editors. Takeaways:* When to transition from freelance to business owner * Why you should build a networking community * Determining what to focus on when growing your business * The importance of relationships in growing your business
Chapters 00:00 Introduction and background
5:50 Shifting from freelancer to founder
11:08 Starting Atlanta Editors Collective
18:35 Advice for other entrepreneurs
21:15 Closing and contact
Find out more about Joshua and GreyLee Creative at https://www.greyleecreative.com/ At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #mediaproduction #creativeservices #freelancing
Gary Mendelson is currently on his seventh career. After working on Broadway, Gary transitioned to retail ownership, before becoming a Massage Therapist and the Founder of The Massage Garage, a full-service massage practice focused on delivering results-driven massages to get you moving again. Sanjay and Gary discuss Gary’s theatre background the inspiration for his career, how lessons he learned in the retail space translate into healthcare, and how addiction has molded him into a better person and business owner. Takeaways:* How various backgrounds can inform your current work * The importance of wellness in entrepreneurship * The importance of education in pain management * How a passion for helping others drives work and personal fulfillment
Chapters00:00 Introduction
9:16 Moving states
12:25 Transferable skills in business
15:49 Advice for other entrepreneurs
17:21 Closing and contact
Learn more about Gary and The Massage Garage at https://themassagegarage.net/ At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #massagetherapy #entrepreneurship #healthcare
What does it really take to build a profitable arcade business from scratch and scale it into a franchise? In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, Sanjay sits down with Paul Baillie, Co-Founder of Shift Arcade, to unpack the journey of building a modern arcade brand through bootstrapping, smart growth, and strategic franchising. Paul shares how Shift Arcade went from a simple idea into a thriving entertainment business, the realities of funding a startup without outside investors, and the lessons learned while preparing to franchise. This conversation is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs looking to turn passion-driven ideas into scalable businesses. Topics include:* Building an arcade business from the ground up * Bootstrapping versus raising capital * Creating memorable customer experiences * Preparing your business model for franchising
Chapters00:00 Introduction
2:45 Building Shift Arcade
9:41 Overcoming nerves
12:18 Expanding the business
19:19 Advice for other entrepreneurs
21:02 Closing and contact
Learn more about Shift Arcade at https://shiftarcade.com/ At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #franchising #bootstrapping #startupjourney
In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, Sanjay speaks with Stephanie Lee Jackson, founder of Practical Sanctuary, about how sensory-aware interior design can transform daily life, especially for neurodivergent individuals. Stephanie shares her journey through multiple career shifts and why creating calm, supportive spaces is essential for mental health, productivity, and well-being. What you’ll learn:• What sensory interior design is and who it’s for• Practical ways to reduce sensory overwhelm at home and work• Why boundaries are essential for entrepreneurs and creatives• How to navigate multiple career shifts while building a business Chapters00:00 Introduction and background
15:35 Balancing multiple businesses
18:30 Writing a book
27:30 Reflecting on the business
29:27 Closing and contact
Learn more about Stephanie and Practical Sanctuary at practicalsanctuary.com At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #interiordesign #entrepreneurship #sensorydesign
Mic Foster is the founder of No Gifts Please, an online registry platform focused on creating meaningful experiences for children, over gift-giving. Mic shares how watching unused toys pile up after his daughters’ birthdays sparked the idea for a platform that helps families rethink gifting, reduce waste, and create more meaningful celebrations. Mic and Sanjay dive into Mic’s background as a serial entrepreneur, the lessons learned from multiple startups, and the moment he realized the world didn’t need more toys, it needed a better way to give. They also unpack how No Gifts Please survived explosive early growth, the operational challenges that came with scaling fast, and how Mic stayed grounded during intense periods of pressure and uncertainty. What You’ll Learn:* How serial entrepreneurship shaped Mic’s approach to building No Gifts Please * Why solving a personal pain point can unlock powerful business ideas * The realities of extreme startup growth and how to survive it * Lessons in leadership, resilience, and long-term vision
Chapters00:00 Introduction and background
8:18 Overcoming nerves
14:38 Starting No Gifts Please
23:46 Work-life balance
25:51 Technology and Apps
31:10 Advice for other entrepreneurs
32:08 Closing and contact
Learn more about Mic and No Gifts Please at https://nogiftsplease.com/ At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #startupgrowth #founderstory #smallbusiness
What does it really take to turn a food truck into a franchise? In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, Chris Brady, co-founder of Timber Pizza, shares how he and his partner grew their business from making pizza out of a 1967 Chevy to operating a restaurant brand with multiple franchised locations across the United States. Chris walks through the early scrappy days of the business, the moment they realized Timber Pizza could scale, and the practical realities of building a franchise system from scratch. This conversation goes deep on what founders often underestimate about franchising, how to protect brand quality as you grow, and what needs to be in place before expanding beyond a single location. What you’ll learn:• How Timber Pizza evolved from a mobile operation to a franchise model• The systems and processes needed before franchising• Common mistakes founders make when scaling too quickly• How to maintain brand consistency across multiple locations• What Chris would do differently if he were starting again Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background
9:32 Franchising the business
28:13 Health and Wellness
29:17 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:46 Closing and contact
Learn more about Timber Pizza at timberpizza.com. At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #smallbusiness #franchising #foodbusiness
In this episode, Sanjay speaks with Greg Cantori, founder of Little Deeds Accessibility Solutions, about how his background in the nonprofit sector led him into the construction space, and ultimately to building a growing accessibility-focused business. Greg shares how years of working in nonprofits shaped his understanding of impact, why accessibility for older adults is both a social need and a business opportunity, and how simple home modifications, like installing shower grab bars, can dramatically improve quality of life. What you’ll learn:• How nonprofit experience can translate into strong entrepreneurial skills• Why accessibility is an increasingly important (and underserved) market• How to move from service work to a scalable business model• What it takes to expand a local business into a national service• How purpose and profitability can coexist Chapters 00:00 Introduction
4:02 Building Little Deeds
8:51 Scaling revenue
16:30 Moving internationally while running a business
27:16 Reflecting on the business
29:22 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:44 Closing and contact
Learn more about Little Deeds Accessibility Solutions at littledeeds.com At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com. #entrepreneurship #accessibility #nonprofit
In this episode, Marisol Colette, founder of Sol Reflections, shares how she combined two seemingly different passions, therapy and fashion styling, into a single, transformative business. Tune in as Sanjay and Marisol discuss how she approached pricing her services, what it took to hire a full-time employee for the first time, and how she built a model that supports both personal expression and emotional wellbeing. Whether you’re growing a service-based business or trying to merge multiple passions into one career, this conversation offers practical insight and honest reflection. What you’ll learn:• How Marisol combined therapy and fashion into one aligned business• How she approached pricing when her services evolved• What founders should know before hiring their first full-time employee• The mindset shifts that help creatives build sustainable businesses• How personal identity and entrepreneurship connect Chapters:00:00 Introduction and background
5:30 Starting the business
13:53 Maintaining multiple businesses
20:12 Overcoming nerves
21:50 Hiring
24:55 Balancing work and life
28:35 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:17 Reflecting on the business
31:49 Closing and contact
Learn more about Marisol Colette and Sol Reflections: solreflection.com #entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #womeninbusiness At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com.
Rachel Lundberg is the founder of Thrive Yoga and Wellness in Oregon City, Oregon, a wellness center that aims to reconnect and nourish your body and mind. Rachel and Sanjay discuss her early journey into yoga, her approach to building a supportive and inclusive studio environment, and why community connection is essential for long-term success in the wellness industry. What you’ll learn:• How Rachel transitioned into ownership at Thrive Yoga and Wellness• Why community plays a central role in wellness-based businesses• How early personal experiences can shape an entrepreneurial path• Practical lessons for growing a mission-driven yoga or wellness studio Chapters:00:00 Introduction
2:18 Buying an existing business
8:15 Rachel’s yoga background
10:43 Shifting roles
18:09 Successes and failures
23:57 Exercise and wellness
26:16 Reflecting on the business
27:58 Closing and contact
Learn more about Rachel and Thrive Yoga and Wellness here: https://www.thriveyogaoc.com/ #smallbusinesss #yoga #hiscoxbusiness At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com.
Jodi Peterman is the owner of Elizabeth Erin Designs, a full-service interior design firm known for creating timeless, functional spaces tailored to each client’s lifestyle. What began as Jodi’s passion for design has grown into a respected business serving clients with a commitment to exceptional service and practical, elegant solutions. In this episode of the Side Hustle to Small Business® Podcast, Jodi shares her journey as a design founder and entrepreneur. She and Sanjay discuss how to choose the right interior designer, the importance of staying within budget, and the realities of balancing business ownership with maintaining mental health and managing stress. What You’ll Learn:• How to evaluate and select the right interior designer for your project• Strategies for creating beautiful spaces without going over budget• What it takes to grow and manage a successful design business• How entrepreneurs can maintain balance, reduce stress, and protect their well-being Learn more about Elizabeth Erin Designs at https://elizabetherindesigns.com Chapters:00:00 Opening and introduction
8:16 Finding the right client
16:57 Pleasing your clients
19:48 Staying in budget
21:03 Balancing life and work
23:39 Balancing offices across the country
26:44 Advice for other entrepreneurs
28:05 Closing and contact
#SmallBusiness #InteriorDesign #HomeDesign At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Lesle Lane is the third-generation owner of Studio 13 Corporate Photography, which began as a family business founded by her grandparents and has evolved into a respected photography studio known for its craft, consistency, and client-focused approach. Her leadership continues a legacy built over decades, with a focus on adapting to new technologies while honoring the studio’s original artistic vision. In this episode, Lesle shares her inspiring journey from taking over the studio in 1992 to navigating the challenges of running a multi-generational business. She and host Sanjay discuss how youth sports can lay the foundation for entrepreneurship, how to maintain quality and consistency as you hire, and what it takes to preserve a legacy while continuing to grow. What you’ll learn:• How to successfully lead and evolve a multi-generational family business• The connection between youth sports and entrepreneurial resilience• Strategies for maintaining quality and consistency when hiring• The story behind Studio 13 Photography’s long-term success Learn more about Studio 13 Corporate Photography at https://www.studio13online.com/ Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Background
7:28 Taking over a family business
11:49 Maintaining family legacy
14:00 Shifting the business’s focus
15:50 Expanding the business
18:55 Incorporating AI into the business
23:43 Work-life balance
28:43 Reflecting on the business
30:43 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:55 Closing and contact
#SmallBusiness #Photography #Podcast At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Miriam Schulman is the Founder of Schulman Art, which began as a resource for creative entrepreneurs and has evolved into a comprehensive coaching service helping artists turn their talents into sustainable businesses. Her innovative approach supports artists’ success through mentorship, educational resources, and community-building. In this episode of the Side Hustle to Small Business® Podcast, Miriam shares her inspiring journey from working in corporate finance to launching Schulman Art. She and host Sanjay discuss monetizing creativity, building supportive communities for artists, overcoming challenges as a creative entrepreneur, and her book "Artpreneur". What You’ll Learn:• How to transform a creative passion into a sustainable business• Strategies for monetizing and marketing artistic work• Building supportive communities for creative entrepreneurs• The story behind launching Artpreneur and empowering artists Learn more about Miriam and Schulman Art at https://www.schulmanart.com/ Chapters:00:00 Introduction and background
8:30 Overcoming nerves
12:00 Building a coaching business
15:33 Challenges artists face
19:42 Balancing life and work
25:58 Incorporating AI into your business
27:55 Reflecting on the business
29:55 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:32 Closing and contact
SmallBusiness #SideHustle #art
Brian Parenteau never planned to work weekends, but bartending sparked his passion for the restaurant industry. Rising through the ranks and gaining experience helping launch new venues, Brian realized it was time to take control and build his own business.
Now the proud owner of four unique restaurants and bars in Florida, Brian shares his candid journey through first-year losses, pandemic pivots, and elevating his concepts to stay ahead in a competitive market. He also offers practical insights into buying versus starting businesses and how staying humble helped him succeed.
If you’re interested in entrepreneurship in the hospitality industry or love stories about turning passion into profit, this episode is a must-watch.
What You’ll Learn:
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How to turn hospitality experience into business ownership
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Pros and cons of buying vs. starting restaurants
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Navigating first-year financial challenges
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Adapting strategies amid a pandemic
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Building a distinct brand with elevated concepts
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Tools and apps that streamline restaurant management
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & Background
05:13 Humbling Roots
07:55 Buying vs. Starting a Business
10:04 Lessons from First Year Losses
12:42 Pivoting Through the Pandemic
16:14 Creating Elevated & Edgier Concepts
18:14 Bartender to Entrepreneur
23:12 Inspiration from Sam Malone at Cheers
26:20 Embracing Humility
28:45 Best Apps for Restaurateurs
30:07 Closing
SmallBusiness #Insurance #Side Hustle
At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Explore inspiring stories and practical advice from entrepreneurs by listening to more episodes of the Side Hustle to Small Business® Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@HiscoxSmallBusinessInsurance/podcasts
Joselyne Walter has seen her fair share of corporate jobs. In these environments, even with large budgets, she found that there was a gap in resources. It was then that she got the idea for The Digg Agency, a marketing agency that helps organizations execute high scale projects. By leveraging AI, Joselyne efficiently scaled her business during its early stages, paving the way for long-term success.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Incorporating AI into your business
- Having a safety net
- Prioritizing family while growing a business
Chapters
00:00 – Intro
4:44 – Starting The Digg Agency
8:40 – Managing Work-Life Balance
9:50 – Maintaining Exercise Practices
11:55 – The Impact of AI
13:30 – Challenges of Incorporating AI
14:36 – Upcoming Trends and Tools in AI
15:48 – Impact of AI on Teams
16:56 – Reflecting on Past Mistakes
17:56 – Advice from Joselyne
21:31 – Closing & Contact
Learn more at: https://www.thediggagency.com/
smallbusiness #AI #agency
At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Aquila Mendez-Valdez is the Founder of Haute in Texas, which began as a personal blog and has evolved into a full-service public relations agency empowering women-led businesses. Her innovative approach combines storytelling, strategy, and community to help brands grow with authenticity and purpose. In this episode, Aquila shares her inspiring journey from launching a business while pregnant to scaling her company into a thriving agency. She and Sanjay discuss hiring your first employee, creating a franchise model, and the importance of surrounding yourself with a strong, supportive community. What You’ll Learn:• How to build a business while balancing family and entrepreneurship• When and how to hire your first employee• What it takes to develop a franchise model• The power of community in sustaining business growth Learn more about Haute in Texas at https://hitpr.com/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and background
5:53 Overcoming nerves
11:31 Growing a company culture
13:42 Differentiating your company
17:23 Advice for small businesses
20:12 Scaling the business
24:52 Balancing work and life
30:08 Closing and contact
#SmallBusiness #PublicRelations #Podcast At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Patty Durrell is a Physical Therapist and the Founder of Rock Solid Fitness, based in Dunedin, Florida. Having seen gyms close around her while working with clients in other facilities, she decided to open Rock Solid Fitness to create a sustainable, client-focused environment. Her innovative approach combines expert physical therapy with fitness training, supporting clients’ long-term health and performance. In this episode of the Side Hustle to Small Business® Podcast, Patty shares the challenges of running a gym during COVID-19, training and empowering staff, and her thoughts on business partnerships. What You’ll Learn:• Strategies for managing and growing a fitness business• Training staff to provide consistent, high-quality client experiences• How Patty overcame the challenges of running a gym during a pandemic• Building successful community connections Learn more about Rock Solid Fitness at https://www.rocksolidfitnessfl.com/ Chapters:00:00 Introduction and background
5:31 Overcoming nerves
8:25 Finding your first clients
15:14 Surviving COVID
20:33 Balancing work and life
27:31 Reflecting on the business
30:09 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:01 Closing and contact
#Fitness #Entrepreneurship #SideHustle At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Katherine Klimitas is the Founder of KAK Art & Designs, which began as a childhood hobby painting animals for her parents’ veterinary clients and has evolved into a thriving business specializing in pet portraits and graphic design. Her innovative approach supports artists and pet lovers alike through personalized artwork and creative design solutions.
In this episode of the Side Hustle to Small Business® Podcast, Katherine shares her inspiring journey from using art as a way to engage during childhood limitations to building a successful creative business. She and host Sanjay discuss turning a passion into profit, developing a unique artistic style, and growing a business centered on creativity and connection.
What You’ll Learn:
• How to turn a personal hobby into a thriving creative business
• Strategies for marketing and selling custom artwork
• Building a brand that connects with clients emotionally
• The story behind KAK Art & Designs and Katherine’s unique artistic journey
Learn more about KAK Art & Designs at https://kakartnola.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and background
11:10 Building the business and getting clients
15:00 Finding the proper rates
17:00 Setbacks in the business
19:22 Dealing with rejection
21:55 Balancing life and work
23:46 Engaging with community
25:43 Reflecting on the business
28:40 Technology and app suggestions
30:22 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:49 Closing and contact
SmallBusiness #art #graphicdesign
At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Robert Carnes is a freelance copywriter and author who started his copywriting business while working full-time in marketing. What began as a creative outlet has grown into a thriving freelance practice, helping clients craft compelling content and develop their brands. In this episode of the Side Hustle to Small Business® Podcast, Robert shares his journey from balancing a full-time marketing career with a side hustle to building a successful copywriting business. He and host Sanjay discuss the evolving role of AI in writing, strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome, and the lessons he’s learned as an author and entrepreneur. What You’ll Learn:• How to launch a copywriting business alongside full-time work• Leveraging AI tools to enhance creativity and efficiency• Building confidence and overcoming imposter syndrome as a writer• Tips for turning writing skills into multiple revenue streams Learn more about Robert Carnes at https://www.jamrobcar.com/ Chapters00:00 Introduction and background
5:52 Scaling the business
8:28 Using automation in the business
10:44 Robert’s authorship
19:37 Work-life balance
23:30 Overcoming nerves
31:47 Closing and contact
At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
After more than a decade leading operations and project management, Keith Williamson decided it was time for a new challenge. He founded Order and Scale Consulting, an agency helping businesses improve project management, workflow design, and team development. In this episode, Keith shares what it’s like to launch a consulting business, why networking matters more than ever, and how putting yourself out there can open new doors.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
6:07 Building the business
17:24 Work-life balance
19:57 Finding clients and networking
29:21 Overcoming nerves
30:39 Closing and contact
Learn more about Keith and Order and Scale Consulting here: https://www.orderandscaleconsulting.com/
SmallBusiness #podcast #SideHustle
At Hiscox, we provide customized insurance solutions for small businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering you to take risks with confidence. With over 100 years of expertise, we offer coverage options like general liability and professional liability, helping you protect what matters most. Learn more at hiscox.com.
Bradley Taylor is the founder of The Donut Trap, a donut, coffee, and ice cream shop in Saint Paul, Minnesota. After returning home from college in Los Angeles, he noticed the lack of quality donuts in his community and set out to fill that gap. What began as an idea has grown into both a storefront and a donut vending machine. Beyond serving sweets, Bradley is dedicated to empowering Black youth and people of color to explore and pursue entrepreneurship.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
4:37 Building The Donut Trap
7:54 Overcoming nerves
10:41 Opening a storefront
13:01 Expanding into vending machines
18:43 Creating the branding and mission
21:46 Work-life balance
23:25 Staying creative
24:35 Staying involved in the community
26:53 Looking to the future
27:36 Reflecting on the business
29:46 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:46 Closing and contact
Ash Fox is a New York City–based proposal planner and photographer. With a background in fine arts, she began her career taking on freelance commercial photography projects while still in college, which soon opened doors into nightlife and music photography. Everything shifted when she was asked to capture a proposal, an experience that sparked her passion for photographing and also planning unforgettable moments.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
8:03 Proposal tips
15:38 Overcoming nerves
17:55 Marketing your business
20:40 Expanding the business
23:04 Work-life balance
26:41 Reflecting on the business
30:08 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:22 Closing and contact
Learn more about Ash Fox and her work at https://www.ashfoxproposals.com
Side Hustle to Small Business is presented by Hiscox, a leading small business insurer. Learn more at Hiscox.com
#Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #WeddingBusiness
Amy Anaiz has spent over 25 years building a career as a professional photographer. When the pandemic paused events and disrupted her usual work, she saw an opportunity to explore new creative ventures. That’s when she founded OZAIZ, a homewares brand born from the idea of making candles last beyond a single use. Today, Amy balances running OZAIZ alongside her established photography business, all while raising a family.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
9:40 Marketing the company
12:17 Managing the business
16:39 Work-life balance
21:40 Motherhood and entrepreneurship
23:57 Reflecting on the business
28:06 Advice for other entrepreneurs
29:44 Closing and contact
Derek Hales was working in marketing and SEO when he and his wife set out to buy a new mattress. Frustrated by how hard it was to choose the right one, he launched a side project comparing mattresses. What began as a hobby quickly grew into NapLab, a mattress-review company that uses scientific data to break down mattress performance and help people make smarter buying decisions.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
6:43 Overcoming nerves
7:52 Revenue from review sites
13:11 Building the testing model
14:58 Hiring practices and scaling
19:26 Work-life balance
24:17 Helpful technology and apps
27:45 Reflecting on the business
31:58 Advice for other entrepreneurs
32:56 Closing and contact
Learn more about Derek Hales and NapLab: https://naplab.com
Jeff Gillis, founder of WineLikes, turned his lifelong passion for wine into a tech startup designed to change how people discover their next bottle. After years in the hospitality industry, Jeff realized the demanding lifestyle no longer fit the parent he wanted to be. Inspired to build something different, he created WineLikes, a social app that connects wine lovers, makes recommendations easier, and helps people enjoy wine without the overwhelm. In this episode, Jeff shares how he built the app, the role of technology in modern wine culture, and how he balances entrepreneurship with family life.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
5:12 Building the app
9:50 Balancing life and work
15:46 Running social media for the company
17:17 Technology and apps
24:00 Advice for others in the industry
25:29 Advice for other entrepreneurs
28:21 Closing and contact
Josh Blakeley began his career in teaching before moving from Australia to the United States. After coming across an ad for a digital marketing course, his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to enrol. That decision set him on a new path. Today, Josh is the founder of Landscape & Hardscape Contractor Marketing, a firm dedicated to helping contractors and landscapers grow their businesses.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
9:56 Choosing a niche
12:33 Pitching yourself to clients
14:47 Josh’s book
19:17 Balancing life and work
26:38 Reflecting on the business
28:10 Advice for other entrepreneurs
29:15 Closing and contact
Merit Khan has been an entrepreneur for as long as she can remember. Her first taste of business came as a young girl selling greeting cards door-to-door, an early lesson in the power of connecting with people. Over the years, that spark grew into a full-fledged career built on her ability to engage, inspire, and persuade. Today, Merit is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a sought-after keynote speaker, accomplished sales trainer, and stand-up comedian.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
14:34 Starting the business
16:16 Overcoming nerves
27:09 Health and Wellness
30:25 Reflecting on the business
31:59 Closing and contact
Payroll is one of the trickiest parts of running a business, but for Christina Hageny, it became her calling. She first discovered payroll while working as an administrative assistant, and despite encouragement to move into HR, she stuck with it. In 2020, Christina launched her own firm, Valor Payroll Solutions, and today she helps small businesses handle payroll with ease and confidence.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
11:19 Payroll across different industries
13:31 Scaling the business
17:58 Bootstrapping the business
20:34 Balancing work and life
25:32 Reflecting on the business
29:39 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:39 Closing and contact
Garden guru Nick Cutsumpas, better known as Farmer Nick, is a Michigan-based plant coach, urban gardener, and landscape designer. He talks about how his mom encouraged him to start a garden, sparking a deep love for greenery that quickly blossomed into a full-time career and an impressive social media following. He hosts several Netflix shows and has been featured on the Food Network. Chapters00:00 Introduction and background
5:27 Overcoming nerves
8:15 Creating Farmer Nick
14:33 Managing a large business
19:49 Cause-based marketing
21:38 Building a National business
26:47 Reflecting on the business
29:18 Advice for other entrepreneurs
29:56 Closing and contact
Matt Remuzzi entered the accounting industry twenty-five years ago when he founded CapForge. What began as a solo venture launched from a spare bedroom in his home has since evolved into a thriving business. Today, CapForge employs a team of over 90 people who help more than a thousand clients grow their businesses and meet their obligations with professional bookkeeping support.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
13:30 Overcoming nerves
17:34 Maintaining quality while scaling
20:03 Pricing
23:27 Work-life balance
29:39 Reflecting on the business
31:48 Advice for other entrepreneurs
34:05 Closing and contact
Cat Lepetit has always had a deep love for the beach. After spending 20 years in the cosmetics industry, she felt it was time for a new chapter. That’s when the idea for Sun Drunk was born, a beach goods company focused on simplicity, peace of mind, and sustainability. With a mission to help protect our oceans and keep beaches clean, Sun Drunk is all about making it easier to enjoy the coast while caring for it too.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
7:48 Overcoming nerves
11:23 Designing the products
16:23 Building a customer base
19:56 Giving back
22:25 Overcoming stress
25:32 Looking back
28:02 Advice for other entrepreneurs
29:57 Closing and contact
Justin Abrams is a lifelong salesman, with a career in the industry spanning over a decade. However, when Justin and his friend Michael tried to pivot into the tech startup space, they found they were facing challenges getting into market. It was at that point that the two were asked to design a web application. This opportunity turned into what would become Cause of a Kind, a successful web development company.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
8:22 Overcoming nerves
11:25 Building the business
14:52 Using AI
19:23 Balancing life and work
26:26 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:23 Closing and contact
Nikky Wainwright has been reselling anything since she was in college - books, clothing, shoes, you name it. However in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, she noticed that while some businesses were suffering, reselling was going strong. It was at this point that she went all in on Diva’s Treasure Closet, a a luxury, designer, and vintage e-commerce business. Starting out online, Nikky has now opened her own boutique in Atlanta.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
6:46 Choosing your inventory
10:38 Social media strategy
15:50 Balancing life and work
20:24 Growing the business
22:53 Reflecting on the business
25:19 Advice for other entrepreneurs
27:42 Closing and contact
When Jaya Iyer couldn’t find science-themed dresses for her daughter, she realized that other parents must be feeling the frustration. Wanting to empower her daughter and others, she launched Svaha USA, a STEAM-based fashion brand that creates clothing for the entire family. What started as a mission to challenge gender stereotypes in kids' clothing has grown into a thriving business known for its bold, brainy designs.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
7:00 Challenges when starting the business
14:13 Creating the clothing
20:30 Fulfilling orders
23:18 Building a mission-driven brand
25:31 Balancing family and work
30:16 Reflecting on the business
31:34 Advice for other entrepreneurs
33:11 Closing and contact
Brittane Rowe is an off-Broadway actress by trade, but when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Broadway, she found herself with time for deeper, more meaningful conversations with her family. Inspired by those moments, Brittane teamed up with her brother Brandon and sister-in-law Jane to create Awkward Games, a card game company designed to spark joy and strengthen relationships.
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Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background
8:10 Getting the first sales
9:31 Getting the product into stores
11:56 Overcoming nerves
14:48 Shark Tank
24:09 Game development
26:40 Balancing work and life
28:50 Running the business in NYC
31:43 Reflecting back on the business
34:07 Advice for other entrepreneurs
35:28 Closing and contact
Kwadwo Som-Pimpong founded Crafted Glory, a handcrafted furniture company, after buying his first home in Asheville, North Carolina. Drawing on his engineering background, he mastered the mechanics of furniture making and honed his craft. What began as a personal project has grown into a business that serves customers across the country. Today, Crafted Glory is known for its commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and thoughtful design.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and background
6:29 Overcoming nerves
8:12 Pricing your work
10:22 Training as a woodworker
16:30 Viewing the business longterm
20:56 Balancing work and life
25:31 Finding a coach
31:50 Reflecting on the business
33:18 Advice for other entrepreneurs
34:37 Closing and contact
Erica Levin is a serial entrepreneur, having started three businesses in her life. During the pandemic, while her daughter was starting to eat solid foods, Erica decided to start making her own baby food that incorporated flavors from around the world and introduced allergens early. From there, she has built Globowl, a baby and toddler food company with a mission to inspire adventurous eating for life.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and background
4:45 Starting Global
12:05 Overcoming nerves
13:05 Funding the business
16:23 Making mistakes
20:55 Entering the food space
23:41 Plans to grow the business
27:02 Mission-oriented brands
29:02 Work-life balance
32:25 Reflecting on the business
34:47 Closing and contact
Jo Skillman is a Houston-based Creative Director and the Founder of Jo Skillman LLC. Known for her thoughtful, cause-driven work, she’s partnered with clients like the City of Houston. With expertise in both design and copywriting, Jo brings a well-rounded, strategic approach to every project.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and background
6:35 Overcoming nerves
13:20 Working across multiple industries
18:21 Balancing two sides of the business
21:44 Using AI in your work
25:58 Balancing work and life
29:20 Reflecting back on the business
31:18 Advice for other entrepreneurs
33:20 Closing and contact
Jennifer Bower is a mom of two, a veteran, grad student, and the Founder of Fortuna Money. After a career in the Air Force, Jennifer got into the banking world which gave her the knowledge and know how to launch Fortuna Money, a financial coaching service. On this episode, she shares tips and tricks on how small businesses can better manage their money, identifying bad spending habits, and keeping personal and business expenses separate.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and background
5:54 Building the business
11:48 Overcoming nerves
13:31 Choosing the right clients
20:25 Financial mistakes as Founders
22:26 Work-life balance
25:37 Reflecting on the business
28:20 Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:55 Closing and contact
After the birth of her first child, Courtney Boylan quickly discovered that postpartum essentials, such as nipple shields and nursing pads, were typically not made with aesthetics in mind. She believed that with everything that mothers were going through postpartum, they deserved beautiful products. It was then that she founded Le Lolo, a postpartum brand thoughtfully designed to support and celebrate new mothers.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and Background
9:43 Overcoming nerves
11:17 Designing the right product
14:19 Naming the company
16:01 Brand evolution
18:24 Running the business
21:09 Setting boundaries
23:36 Reflecting on the business
26:05 Advice for other entrepreneurs
26:43 Closing and contact
Kathleen Minogue is a creative at heart and a former educator who never imagined a future in finance. But during the dot-com boom, an unexpected opportunity at JP Morgan changed her trajectory. While working there, she noticed a striking gap: those seeking venture capital rarely came from creative fields. It wasn’t until she helped crowdfund a film she produced that she discovered the power of crowdfunding and found her true calling.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and background
5:31 Entrepreneurial background
7:03 Overcoming nerves
10:12 Going from side hustle to small business
20:06 Mistakes in crowdfunding
23:34 Setting boundaries
25:55 Reflecting back on the business
31:05 Advice for other entrepreneurs
32:03 Closing and contact
After several years working as a licensed psychotherapist, Arianna Smith launched a copywriting side hustle in 2019. Her goal was to help fellow therapists write copy that feels clear, human, and approachable. By simplifying clinical language and focusing on genuine connection, Arianna has grown that side hustle into a thriving business, one that now surpasses her therapy practice.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction and background
6:55 Finding clients
8:45 Growing a side hustle while working full-time
14:46 Why this business is essential
18:01 Balancing a side hustle
21:14 Expanding the business
23:50 Advice for clients
27:15 Structure of the business
30:15 Reflecting on the business
33:47 Advice for other entrepreneurs
35:04 Closing and contact
With a background in college athletics and academia, Dr. Carrie Graham pivoted her career after earning her Ph.D. in Adult Education. As a professional, she had attended many training programs, and realized that these programs were lacking any sort of personalization to the attendees. It was then that she became an Adult Learning Strategist and Consultant, who specializes in helping small businesses creating more engaging and tailor-made training programs.
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction
4:50 Starting the business
9:50 Overcoming nerves
11:32 Identifying effective training
16:06 Treating your employees right
19:24 Using training to develop company culture
23:10 Finding your first client
25:14 The future of the business
27:18 Reflecting back on the business
30:24 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:21 Closing and contact
D’Nai Walker is not a naturally organized person. It wasn’t until she discovered professional organizer Marie Kondo that she got into the practice. When she was laid off, she started doing it on the side, until she was encouraged to go all in. She founded D'Clutter by D'Nai, an organizing company that specializes in senior downsizing, home organization, and productivity solutions.
-Chapters-
00:00 Intro
5:52 Overcoming nerves
7:49 Determining your path
8:31 Finding your first clients
10:04 Navigating client work
13:58 Marketing tools
16:41 Staying organized in your small business
20:52 Setting boundaries
22:53 Health and Wellness
26:08 Technology and apps
27:37 Reflecting on the business
29:21 Advice
30:25 Closing and contact
Doug Bard and his father, Bob, have been inventing for most of their lives. However, their greatest idea yet is that of tape. Specifically, moving tape where you can always find the end of the roll. It’s called Wave Tape. Now, as they reimagine a simple solution to a universal issue, the duo is continuing to find success in the market.
-Chapters-
00:00 Intro
6:02 - Entrepreneurial background
7:17 The history of Wave Tape
11:25 Sales and distribution
18:14 Overcoming nerves
19:28 Balancing full time work with a side hustle
21:48 Exercise routines
22:53 Helpful technology and apps
23:53 Marketing the product
27:34 Long term vision
29:19 Reflecting back on the business
30:22 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:18 Closing and contact
Jordan Lawson has always loved drawing, coloring, and creating art as a whole. When he was in college, he was inspired by an art entrepreneurship class to start his own business. However, when he graduated, he started working for the government instead. After nine years there, he was ready to make the leap. Jordan founded Ground Zero Studios, a branding studio that helps organizations stand out from their competition.
-Chapters-
00:00 Intro
7:26 Overcoming nerves
11:36 Making the leap into entrepreneurship
14:16 Building a branding studio
18:37 Getting clients
22:31 Managing stress
25:11 Using AI as an artist
28:39 Reflecting back on the business
30:34 Closing and contact
After spending many years as an Executive Assistant, Ethan Bull unexpectedly faced layoffs, forcing him to reconsider his career path. With his severance package as a financial cushion, Ethan and his wife, Stephanie, launched ProAssisting, a fractional EA company. Their business focuses on connecting highly skilled EAs with top-level executives, offering flexible, high-quality support without the need for a full-time hire.
-Chapters-
00:00 Intro
4:32 Entrepreneurial background
6:35 Starting ProAssisting
14:51 Keeping up with technology
16:16 Using AI in the company
19:44 Delegating tasks to an assistant
22:16 The future of the business
28:17 Work-life balance
31:51 Looking back on the business
34:27 Advice to other entrepreneurs
36:23 Closing and contact
While browsing the Golf subreddit, David Paxton saw a lot of people posting deals on golf gear. Looking through these deals was fun, but it was also time-consuming if you were looking for a specific item. So Paxton created Daily Golf Steals, automating the deals to help golfers find what they wanted faster. He still runs the business as a side hustle while working a full-time job.
-Chapters-
00:00 Intro
2:52 - Entrepreneurial background
4:53 Building DailyGolfSteals
9:14 Overcoming nerves
10:27 Keeping costs low
12:13 Using automation tools
16:30 Marketing tools
18:17 Managing work-life balance and setting boundaries
24:34 Looking to the future
27:07 Advice for other entrepreneurs
28:55 Closing and contact
Kris Louis entered the world of audio/visual by chance while job hunting during the 2008 recession. After several years in the industry, his frustration with the way his employer operated pushed him to take the leap of quitting to start his own successful AV company. Kris credits failure for shaping his journey, teaching him to stay open to multiple paths rather than limiting himself to a single direction.
-Chapters-
00:00 intro
3:26 Entrepreneurial background
5:57 Starting the business
9:20 Failure within the business
11:45 Staying innovative in the AV industry
14:23 Transitioning from employee to business owner
17:09 Revenue
18:31 The impact of COVID-19
20:38 Challenges in the business
22:44 Team culture
27:31 Managing stress
30:05 Reflecting back on the business
31:06 Advice for other entrepreneurs
31:50 Closing and contact
Rachel Donnelly was just starting her career and raising two small children when her parents passed on. As she struggled with settling estates, bank accounts, and other various paperwork, she knew there had to be a better way. It was at this time that Rachel thought of the idea for After Light, an end-of-life and legacy planning service. With six years under her belt, Rachel has now written the book “Late To Your Own Funeral” which is out now.
-Chapters-
00:00 Intro
8:05 Finding the first client
10:13 Transitioning from side hustle to small business
11:42 Overcoming nerves
13:32 Balancing life and work
15:26 AD
15:48 Entrepreneurial past
16:43 The future of the business
20:02 Building potential competitors
23:48 Advice for other entrepreneurs
25:53 Reflecting on the business
26:52 Dealing with burnout
27:49 Contact and Rachel’s new book
Monisha Longacre has many titles. She is an author, a fractional COO at two different companies, and the founder of priorigami, a productivity app aimed at helping entrepreneurs be the most productive they can be. As an expert in productivity, Monisha shares her insights on timeblocking, managing multiple roles, and being transparent with your employees. Monisha is the author of "Practical Productivity: A Guide to Surviving Life's Juggling Act" which is out now!
-Chapters-
00:00 Introduction
4:26 Launching a side hustle
6:18 Advice on delegating work
8:10 Balancing multiple part-time jobs and side hustles
9:53 Learning to say no
13:06 Timeblocking
16:30 Looking ahead in the long term
17:26 Comparing small and large organizations
19:39 Overcoming nerves
22:33 Managing time in a day
25:41 Advice to those wanting to start a side hustle
27:32 Reflecting back
28:56 Closing and contact
Bobby Aldridge, a sports kinesiologist based in California, has been an athlete and has worked with athletes for as long as he can remember. After having two hip replacement surgeries, Bobby was inspired to create his business BAMmetrics Systems, and within that, “The Bobby Aldridge Method”, a method he uses to help athletes alleviate pain, avoid injury, increase mobility, and improve functional movement.
-Chapters-
00:00 - Intro
4:30 - First entrepreneurial experience
9:36 - Starting BAM metrics
12:28 - Managing your time with a side hustle
14:51 - Exercise and wellbeing
16:05 - Details of BAM Metrics
20:34 - Marketing the business
22:45 - Moving the business online
24:35 - Building partnerships in business
25:45 - Overcoming nerves
28:00 - Reflecting on the business
32:38 - Closing and contact
As an experienced marketer, Amy Moudy Comeau has seen her fair share of marketing emergencies. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit while Amy was working in health care marketing, it seemed like every day brought a new crisis. It was at this time that Amy started sending out weekly inspirational emails to her team, which lead to her writing the book Every Storm Runs Out of Rain, which offers a peek behind the curtain of these challenging times.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro and background
7:23 - Making the leap into entrepreneurship
16:08 - Building a personal brand
19:42 - Avoiding a personal crisis when leaving your company
21:31 - Overcoming nerves
23:15 - Dealing with self-doubt
26:07 - Advice for leading through a crisis
29:14 - Closing and contact
00:00 - Intro
7:38 - Entrepreneurial History
8:51 - Transition into a full-time business
10:56 - Finding your first customers
12:40 - Overcoming nerves
14:54 - Hiring staff members
18:47 - Balancing speed and creativity
21:23 - Implementing sketching into your business
23:24 - William’s favorite stories
26:12 - Work-life balance
28:10 - Technology recommendations
30:12 - What would you do differently?
31:54 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
33:44 - Closing and contact
With a background in the nonprofit and fundraising space, Grace Nelson was pursuing her MBA when she started taking on consulting jobs on the side. After graduating, what started as a few side projects quickly grew into a full-fledged business. Now she is the CEO of Magenta Strategy, a consulting firm that specializes in helping nonprofits develop strategic, sustainable fundraising solutions that drive long-term impact.
00:00 intro
3:09 - entrepreneurial background
11:09 - Navigating the nonprofit world
13:35 - Challenge Forecast
17:25 - Nonprofits vs. For profit’
22:20 - Reflecting on entrepreneurial journey
24:38 - Growing as a leader
26:20 - Establishing boundaries
28:30 - What is one thing you would do differently?
30:20 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
32:34 - Closing and contact
Joselyne Walter has seen her fair share of corporate jobs. In these environments, even with large budgets, she found that there was a gap in resources. It was then that she got the idea for The Digg Agency, a marketing agency that helps organizations execute high scale projects. By leveraging AI, Joselyne efficiently scaled her business during its early stages, paving the way for long-term success.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
4:44 - Starting the Digg Agency
9:03 - Managing work-life balance
10:12 - Maintaining exercise practices
12:17 - The impact of AI
13:52 - Challenges of incorporating AI
14:58 - Upcoming trends and tools in AI
16:10 - Impact of AI on teams
17:18 - Reflecting on past mistakes
18:18 - Advice from Jocelyn
20:45 - Encouraging words
21:53 - Closing and Contact
Candess Correll started her career as a Software Engineer by day, and NFL cheerleader by night. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Candess found she was ready to retire from cheerleading. Around the same time, inspired by the reality television series “Selling Sunset”, she decided to make the leap into entrepreneurship by launching her real estate career. Now, Candess is a successful realtor with over $6 million in sales and mentors other young realtors. - Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:02:55 Computer Science to Cheer Captain
00:06:25 Transparency for Flexibility
00:08:53 Selling Sunset
00:11:03 Confidence in Corporate
00:14:44 Security in the Unknown
00:18:08 Building Hustle with Brand
00:19:56 Empowering Young Women
00:21:52 Opportunities Worth Chasing
00:24:34 Managing Expectations
00:26:58 Define Your WHY
00:28:38 Closing
Diane Helbig, the Founder of Helbig Enterprises and host of the Accelerate Your Business Growth podcast, specializes in helping small business owners achieve success. As an expert in business growth, Diane helps businesses that struggle with sales, accountability, systems and productivity. Tune is as she joins Sanjay to explore common business mistakes, how to decide whether to expand your business, hiring the right help, and more. - Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:03:55 Facing a Startup Head on
00:06:07 Systems and Structure for Growth
00:12:24 Common Revenue Mistakes
00:15:06 How to Let Go of the Reigns
00:17:14 Market Expansion 101
00:21:10 Slow-Walk Responsibilities
00:26:26 Be Particular with Partnerships
00:30:55 Closing
In 2007, Sarah Martin McConnell founded Music for Seniors, a Nashville-based nonprofit, inspired by her mother’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. Recognizing that older adults often experience greater isolation than other groups, Sarah, a musician herself, saw an opportunity to make a difference. The organization offers live, interactive music programs designed to engage, entertain, and educate seniors, fostering health and well-being. - Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:03:09 Writing with Walter Hyatt
00:06:22 Caroling for Profit
00:08:17 Tumbling Staircases
00:14:28 Charge for Your Creativity
00:18:13 Follow Your Bliss
00:21:24 Support of Music City
00:25:27 COVID Courtyard Concerts
00:28:45 Finding the Experts
00:31:00 Closing
Today we are joined by two entrepreneurs to discuss work-life balance. Dr. Alice Rizzi is a Psychologist based in New York City, specializing in helping individuals overcome fear and self-doubt, manage their stress, and gain confidence. Adam Walker is a long-time entrepreneur, having founded multiple companies over his career. Join us as we discuss determining your values, setting boundaries, and useful tips on achieving work-life balance.
- Chapters -
00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:04:58 Defining Work-Life Balance
00:06:33 Personal Values Impact Life
00:08:38 Getting Out of Sync
00:09:41 Physical Health Issues
00:12:52 Does Tech Affect Work-Life?
00:15:03 Finding Balance in Busy-ness
00:17:22 Tools for Task Management
00:19:55 Less Work = Higher Quality
00:20:38 Reflect for Successful Balance
00:21:36 Closing
Kevin Sandlin is a Serial Entrepreneur based in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the course of his career, he has started eleven businesses, and as a result, is no stranger to failure. Currently, Kevin is the Chief Operating Officer of Transcend LV, a low-voltage wiring and cabling business. In today’s episode Sanjay and Kevin take a deep dive into what failure means for an entrepreneur, how to overcome it, and mistakes to avoid going forward.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Entrepreneurial Background
3:33 - History of Failure
10:14 - Changing outlook on failure
13:15 - An investor's role in overcoming failure
18:00 - Support for entrepreneurs around failure
22:36 - Managing risk
27:03 - Closing and contact
Josh Russell is a musician-turned-photographer. After touring for ten years in the country rap space, building his skills as a musician, as well as photographer and videographer, Josh decided to go all in on photography. Now he owns Josh Russell Photography, a photography company based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Plus, through his coaching business, Josh teaches other photographers on how to overcome Imposter Syndrome and build their businesses.
- Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:04:33 The Hustler Mentality
00:06:28 Genres of Entrepreneurship
00:07:56 Shedding a Business
00:11:07 Get Rid of Imposter Syndrome
00:13:34 “If You’re Not Terrified, You’re Not Charging”
00:17:04 Entrepreneurialism and ADHD
00:22:14 Comfort in the Uncomfortable
00:24:33 Extensions of AI
00:26:45 Side Hustling with an iPhone
00:27:51 Focus = Fast Growth
00:31:08 Closing
Ashley Mikkelsen is passionate about teaching Spanish. However, when she had her first child, she realized that it was difficult to balance teaching and motherhood. It was at this point that she transitioned her side hustle of creating educational resources for other Spanish teachers to her full-time job. Srta Spanish looks to provide Spanish teachers with resources to amplify their classes through reading, games, lesson plans, and more.
- Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:02:23 Long Lines of Educators
00:04:30 Impact of Great Teachers
00:06:20 Professional Learning Communities
00:08:49 Budgeting in Your Side Hustle
00:12:34 Side Hustle to Full-Time Hustle
00:15:18 Data Tools for SEO
00:18:15 Learning other Languages
00:22:07 Bumping Elbows with Elites
00:27:03 Balancing Business at Home
00:28:59 Outsourcing for Optimization
00:32:24 Closing
This episode kicks off a three-part series where we take a deep dive into a topic alongside seasoned professionals. In this episode, we’re focusing on marketing strategies for small businesses. We are joined by Jon Katinsky, the President of Hothouse, a branding and design house, as well as Javier Santana, the Chief Experience Officer of Chemistry Agency. We discuss social media marketing, influencer marketing, and emerging marketing trends. - Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:07:44 The Attention Economy
00:09:02 Unify Your Marketing Voice
00:13:44 Balance Between Branding and Performance
00:20:08 Competitive Audits and Analysis
00:25:39 The Affect of Influencer Marketing
00:34:28 Enhancing Customer Experience
00:36:07 Marketing Mistakes
00:39:39 QA & QC for Marketing Process
00:42:46 Emerging Strategies
00:45:38 Closing
Brian Parenteau never wanted to work weekends. However, when he found himself bartending at a local restaurant, he quickly fell in love with the industry. As he rose the ranks within the restaurant space and found himself helping organizations open new restaurants, he realized he could do it on his own. Fast-forward to today, Brian is the owner of four restaurants and bars in Florida, with hopes of expanding into other states. - Chapters- 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:05:13 Humbling Roots
00:07:55 Buying VS Starting Businesses
00:10:04 First Year Losses
00:12:42 Pandemic Pivots
00:16:14 Elevated And Edgier Concepts
00:18:36 Bartender to Entrepreneur
00:23:34 Sam Malone at Cheers
00:26:42 Living Humble
00:29:07 The Best Apps
00:30:29 Closing
D.R. Fay is the Founder of Mouthy Broad Media, a podcast production company that specializes in editing, graphic design and strategy. Beginning her career as a musician, D.R. travelled Asia for close to a decade before coming home to the States and transitioning into corporate roles. When she was 62, while those around her were retiring, D.R. ventured into entrepreneurship and hasn’t looked back.
- Chapters -00:00 - Introduction
06:59 - First entrepreneurial venture later in life
09:37 - Overcoming nerves
11:29 - Managing stress & health problems
21:00 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
23:21 - Closing and contact
Matt Gluckman has worn many hats. From working at a produce stand to running a real estate company, Matt has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Now, Matt owns Think Fitness Life, a remote personal training company, with his business partner Eric. From his past job experiences, Matt has mastered the skills of communication and thrives on helping individuals become their best selves through personal training.
- Chapters -
00:00 - Introduction
04:49 - Matt's work history and transferable skills
11:14 - Overcoming nerves
12:47 - Having a business partner in a different state
15:32 - Balancing stress
17:33 - Setting boundaries
22:37 - What Matt would have done differently
26:02 - Advice to other entrepreneurs
26:35 - Closing and contact information
Aaron Ryan loves all things creative, but has found that writing has been his number one source of inspiration and drive. He is the author of The Dissonance series, a science fiction series based on the idea of aliens visiting earth. Since having started writing a year ago, Aaron has already penned six books in the series. Writing has not only become his creative passion but also the driving force that propels him forward in his life and career. - Chapters -00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:03:35 What’s A Kool Aid Stand?
00:05:57 The 80’s Comic Books
00:11:29 Writing A Book Every Sixty Days
00:15:24 Dissonance: The Lack Of Harmony
00:17:19 Do You Believe?
00:21:48 Pear-Shaped Men
00:25:36 Entrepreneurial Blurred Lines
00:27:02 Listening To The Voice Within
00:30:15 Endorsement Does Not Equal Trajectory
00:33:10 Closing Remarks
Kate Wallace and Blake Chasen first met while working at the same startup. Through their work together, not only did they come to realize that they have great synergy in the office, but also personally as well. With a background in writing, Blake found his niche in custom storytelling online during the pandemic. Now, the couple owns Avenue Stories, an AI-powered storytelling app for children that allows you to custom build characters and stories. - Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:02:24 Side Hustle, Small Business, Marriage
00:05:41 Peddling Up The Ladder
00:09:57 Excitement Outweighing Risk
00:10:50 Burning Out And Growing Up
00:14:38 NFTs Are A NO
00:16:51 Shifting The Infield
00:20:43 Failure Will Fix It
00:24:39 Fundraising Frenzy
00:30:52 Opportunity In AI
00:34:08 Closing
Winnifred Tataw has been writing for as long as she can remember, and has been a professional author for eight years. During the pandemic, Winnifred was looking for ways to better support the indie publishing industry. It was then that she decided to launch Win’s Books Publishing, which officially opened in April of 2024. Now, Winnifred and her team support a handful of authors through their publishing process.
Dawn Kennedy is an attorney, author, and podcaster. In 2020, her husband Mike received a roaster and some coffee beans for Christmas. After tasting his coffee, Dawn bet him he could sell it online. Not expecting much, they made a Facebook post and ended up selling eleven bags. From there, Convoy Road Coffee Roasters was born. Fast-forward to this year, Dawn and Mike have five employees and bring in six-figures of revenues annually. - Chapters -00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:02:23 Coffee: The Cottage Food
00:04:40 Bottlenecks of Business
00:08:18 Transitioning from Side Hustle
00:10:10 Illicit Deals
00:12:27 Growing Organically
00:15:33 Certified Coffee Cuppers
00:19:29 Working hard or hardly working?
00:21:10 Origin of the Month
00:23:10 Overcoming Fear, Moving Forward
00:25:10 “Well, that’s cute.”
00:26:58 The ROASTMASTER
00:30:04 Closing
When Michelle Choairy’s son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, she found that there were not enough resources out there for parents going through the same thing as her. This is when she founded Wisdom4ComplexKids, an organization focused on providing resources and building community with parents of children with similar needs. Now, Michelle’s goal is to create the best life for her family and other families who have complex children. - Chapters - 00:00:00 Introduction and Background
00:03:14 A Lack of Resources
00:05:26 The Catalyst for Change
00:08:55 “This is Awful”
00:10:57 Complex Kids
00:12:18 Deep Dive on Diagnosis
00:15:19 Putting Yourself Out There
00:16:57 The Big Picture
00:19:47 It Takes a Village
00:23:42 Misinformation
00:28:05 They Need You
00:29:40 Closing
Stephanie Shanks has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, from selling livestock in her youth to owning a message therapy practice. It wasn’t until her first child was born that she discovered her passion for photography. With the encouragement of her community, she founded Staphanie Shanks Photography in 2011. When she realized she wasn’t charging enough, she changed her rates and increased her revenue tenfold.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background5:56 Photography background7:54 Going all in9:17 Setting rates12:47 Overcoming nerves14:38 Investing back in the business16:25 Balancing life and the business18:04 Finding your personal style21:11 Managing stress23:37 Setting boundaries25:15 Looking back25:50 Advice for other entrepreneurs26:28 Closing
Jeff Revilla started his entrepreneurial journey in the early 2000’s by opening a mail order skateboard shop. After that business went under during the 2008 financial crisis, Jeff’s entrepreneurial spirit never went away. In June of 2024, he opened Poduty Live, a podcasting and live event theater based in Tarentum, Pennsylvania. This space allows Jeff to connect podcasters and local and virtual talent to excited audience members.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and background6:02 Finding the right space for your new business11:43 Overcoming nerves13:23 Revenue18:02 Managing a side hustle while working full-time21:18 Looking back on the business22:57 Advice for other entrepreneurs26:28 Technology recommendations28:07 Closing and contact
Formally a courtroom attorney, Amity Gleason first gained an interest in jewelry design when she was getting married. As someone with an appreciation of gothic style, she found most jewelry on the market didn’t match this style and instead followed the same cookie cutter patterns. This inspired her to start Amity Alexandra Jewelry Design, a jewelry company focused on making one-of-a-kind pieces that don’t break the bank.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and background
6:57 - Jewelry making process
10:35 - Overcoming fears and finding clients
14:11 - Work-life balance
16:14 - Building your brand
18:58 - Saving money
22:08 - Entrepreneurship and parenthood
25:39 - Setting boundaries
27:36 - Looking back
28:30 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
30:05 - Closing and contact
As a military spouse, Bonnie Conrad was tired of starting at a new job everywhere she moved. In 2018, she decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship by founding I Built This, a furniture building company. Through selling furniture, she discovered digital marketing and decided to dive into it full-time by founding Second You. In 2023, she merged her business with Inn8ly, a website technology company, to expand her impact in the digital space. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and background
8:10 - Entrepreneurial background
10:59 - Overcoming nerves and starting the business
13:15 - Balancing life and entrepreneurship
15:31 - Merging with another business
20:00 - Helpful technology and apps
20:40 - Looking back
23:46 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
25:53 - Social media strategy advice
26:49 - Closing and contact
Ryan Klee is the Co-Founder of Rootstock, an organization dedicated to helping ambitious leaders and businesses expand their brands and scale their operations. Rootstock achieves this by harnessing the power of strategic thinking, refining compelling narratives, and sharing those stories with broader audiences. With a background in PR, Ryan grew tired of the traditional 9 to 5 routine and, along with a colleague, launched the business in 2021. Chapters00:00 - Introduction and background
3:30 - Venturing into entrepreneurship
7:46 - Finding clients
9:18 - Origin of the company name
10:13 - Shifting business models
17:41 - Resonating with clients
22:30 - Looking back
26:31 - Advice for fellow entrepreneurs
28:34 - Closing and contact
With a background in marketing, Chris Van Nostrand never envisioned himself becoming an entrepreneur. It wasn't until his late 30s, seeking a change, that he decided to transform his lifelong passion for powerlifting into a full-time career. This shift coincided with the pandemic, bringing numerous learning opportunities along the way, including owning a virtual business and customer acquisition. - Chapters - 00:00 - Introduction
3:10 - Entrepreneurial background
6:22 - Funding the business
7:30 - Impact of the pandemic
8:50 - Overcoming nerves
10:28 - Finding your market and services offered
14:55 - Tracking costs and customer acquisition
17:52 - Making the leap into full-time entrepreneurship
26:58 - Health and Wellness
29:47 - Reflecting back on the business
32:00 - Closing and contact
When Samantha Mittman Besnoff started college, she had dreams of being an accountant at a one of the big 6 firms. However, after having children, she discovered that she wanted the flexibility that a traditional 9 to 5 cannot offer. She then turned her side hustle of helping folks with their taxes into her full-time gig. Now, Samantha runs Your Financial Maven, a successful accounting business. She also hosts the Your Financial Maven podcast. - Chapters -
00:00 - Intro
4:15 - Entrepreneurial Background
8:28 - Overcoming nerves
12:10 - Your Financial Maven podcast
14:49 - Managing stress
20:12 - Looking back on the business
23:44 - Technology recommendations
25:02 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
26:46 - Closing and contact
Monica Helvie started her career as a licensed therapist in community mental health, but found it challenging to balance her personal life with her work, causing her to experience intense burnout. In 2018, she decided to open her own private practice, giving her the freedom to set her own hours and choose her clients. Using the skills she learned with her burnout experience, Monica specializes in helping clients navigate their own experiences with burnout. - Chapters -00:00 - Intro
3:02 - Entrepreneurial background
4:44 - Community Mental Health
5:41 - Making the leap into entrepreneurship
8:09 - Overcoming nerves and managing stress
14:17 - Setting boundaries
19:30 - Looking back on the business
22:20 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
23:50 - Closing and connect
Tiffany Hopkins is a certified health coach and nutrition specialist. Having experienced substance abuse in the past, Tiffany has found her passion in helping individuals, and more specifically mothers, take back control of their lives by quitting alcohol. She is the founder of two companies: her own private counseling practice and Mind and Body Restoration LLC, a sober health coaching business. - Chapters -00:00 - Introduction
4:21 - Entrepreneurial background
8:52 - Business challenges and nerves
12:35 - Looking back on the business
16:36 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
21:22 - Closing and Connect with Tiffany
Bryson Tarbet is an elementary school teacher turned entrepreneur. While completing his Masters, Bryson discovered that many programs do not give you the necessary skills to become an elementary school teacher. To help solve this issue, Bryson founded That Music Teacher, an online platform that supplies elementary school music teachers with educational resources for their students and personal development content for themselves. - Chapters -00:00 - Intro
04:39 - Entrepreneurial background
07:08 - Overcoming nerves
08:31 - Family reaction
12:08 - Going all in
14:15 - Building a team
15:10 - Looking back on the business
17:17 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
18:56 - Determining the name of the business
20:10 - Monthly membership
25:05 - Closing and contact
Tim Holmes is the founder of Kingdom Quest, a toy company based in Columbus, Ohio. While working for another business, he discovered 3D printing and began creating small pieces that he would use dowel rods to connect. Initially, he didn’t think this would interest anyone, but after visiting local schools and STEAM events, the product, which is called Nurkl, gained traction fast and officially launched at the end of 2023. - Chapters -00:00 - Introduction
03:43 - Sports background
07:28 - Entrepreneurial background
08:58 - Start of business and issues with business partners
17:09 - Managing stress
20:38 - Setting boundaries
23:45 - Looking back and regrets
25:21 - Advice for fellow entrepreneurs
27:16 - Closing and connect
Matt Gluckman has worn many hats. From working at a produce stand to running a real estate company, Matt has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Now, Matt owns Think Fitness Life, a remote personal training company, with his business partner Eric. From his past job experiences, Matt has mastered the skills of communication and thrives on helping individuals become their best selves through personal training. - Chapters -00:00 - Introduction
04:27 - Matt's work history and transferable skills
10:52 - Overcoming nerves
12:48 - Having a business partner in a different state
15:34 - Balancing stress
17:36 - Setting boundaries
22:40 - What Matt would have done differently
26:05 - Advice to other entrepreneurs
26:38 - Closing and contact information
D.R. Fay is the Founder of Mouthy Broad Media, a podcast production company that specializes in editing, graphic design and strategy. Beginning her career as a musician, D.R. travelled Asia for close to a decade before coming home to the States and transitioning into corporate roles. When she was 62, while those around her were retiring, D.R. ventured into entrepreneurship and hasn’t looked back. - Chapters -00:00 - Introduction
06:59 - First entrepreneurial venture later in life
09:37 - Overcoming nerves
11:29 - Managing stress & health problems
21:00 - Advice for other entrepreneurs
23:21 - Closing and contact
Paige Stuart had been renting a storage locker for eleven years when she decided it was time to sort through and organize her belongings. This experience left her feeling so inspired that she founded Neat Organizing. Neat Organizing specializes in decluttering spaces, providing unpacking assistance for those who have recently moved, transforming rooms into more functional and pleasing areas, and more. ---[00:01:42] How Unpacking a Storage Unit Catalyzed a Business[00:03:20] Learning Curve of Entrepreneurship[00:05:32] Finding Clients: Social Media, Networking, Referrals[00:07:06] Overcoming Imposter Syndrome[00:09:32] Handling Client Emotions[00:10:38] Six Weeks On, Six Days Off[00:12:40] Building Her Team[00:13:46] Finding Time for Sun and Socializing[00:15:16] Managing Accounting, Bills, and Expenses[00:17:10] Hindsight Advice? Delegate More.[00:18:50] Paige’s Repeat Clients[00:20:58] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs[00:21:30] Connect with Paige
Nick Courtright envisioned a life for himself in academia. However, after losing out on a teaching position in 2018, he was forced to dive deeper into his side hustle, book publishing. From this, Nick founded Atmosphere Press, an author-forward publishing company that has published over 1200 books. Now, Nick says losing out on that position in 2018 was the best thing that could have happened to him.
When Dominique Elkind became a mother, she noticed a lack of third spaces available to parents of very young children. While on her second maternity leave, Dominique decided to take on a entrepreneurial venture vastly different from her career as a UX Designer, by founding Nixi City, a play centre for children aged 0-5. Not only is Nixi City a space for children, but includes a cafe for parents to meet and connect.---[00:01:35] Dominique’s Design Background[00:02:25] Side Hustling During Maternity Leave[00:03:30] Entrepreneurial Experience at Google[00:06:25] Founding Nixi City, a Children’s Play Space[00:08:35] Identifying a Market Gap[00:11:15] Scaling and Franchising[00:12:37] Balancing Work and Family[00:14:05] Setting Boundaries [00:17:25] Sleep and Wellness[00:19:48] Challenges of a Physical Space [00:22:55] Finding Product/Market Fit[00:24:35] Selecting Real Estate for Nixi City[00:26:33] Dominique’s Advice: Find a Community of Potential Customers[00:27:36] Utilizing Design Skills[00:29:31] Connect with Dominque
David Gaz has always wanted to be a nice guy. As a partner at his previous branding firm, where his client base included many Fortune 500 companies, he quickly realized that he still wanted to provide branding services, but for organizations that he saw as doing good in the world. It was at that point that he started The Bureau of Small Projects, a branding company that provides services to entrepreneurs, non-profits, and small companies.---[00:01:34] Meet David Gaz[00:03:06] Kindness is Contagious[00:04:46] The Bureau of Small Projects[00:06:31] David’s Ice Cream Truck Venture[00:10:23] Navigating a Non-Compete Contract[00:15:51] Partnerships Vs. Solo Decision Makers[00:17:36] Embrace the Stress[00:20:20] Losing One Million Dollars[00:24:33] Following a Path vs Chasing a Goal[00:30:26] What would David re-do?[00:33:53] David’s Advice: Just start[00:35:13] Connect with David
It’s no wonder Joe Koufman sees himself as a matchmaker; three couples have gotten married after being introduced by Joe. In 2014, Joe realized that matchmaking is not only for couples, but can be used in the business world as well. Within 19 days of leaving his last job, Joe landed his first client for what would become Setup, an organization that matches marketing agencies to established brands. ---[00:01:27] Joe Koufman’s Background[00:03:47] How a Sales Background Influenced Joe[00:06:01] A Family of Entrepreneurs[00:07:51] A History of Matchmaking[00:09:20] Turning Matchmaking Into a Business[00:11:50] Early Days of Setup and First Customers[00:14:35] Setup’s Revenue Model[00:15:42] Pursuing Hobbies[00:18:19] Setting Email Boundaries[00:19:57] 50 Pull-Ups Each Morning[00:21:35] Sleep Struggles[00:22:56] Setup’s Growth and Team Structure [00:25:29] Writing a Book [00:30:00] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs [00:32:19] Connect with Joe
COVID-19 was a turning point in many peoples lives, including Kate Jacoutot’s. After working as a marketing freelancer for various companies, Kate noticed that she was making more money and had more control over her schedule than working a traditional 9 to 5. However, to learn more, she worked at a few different marketing agencies until deciding to launch ModusMark, a brand and messaging consultancy in April 2020, in the midst of the pandemic.---[00:01:33] Kate Jacoutot’s Background[00:02:46] Stumbling Into Freelance Work[00:06:33] Decision to Start Modus Mark in 2020[00:09:26] Overcoming Fears and Discovering Her Worth[00:11:00] Kate’s Entrepreneurial Support System[00:13:07] Managing Stress While Starting a Business[00:14:43] Prioritizing Date Nights[00:16:44] Kate's Daily Routine[00:18:48] ModusMark’s Growth: Team and Technology[00:21:00] Growing From Mistakes[00:23:30] Advice For Prospective Entrepreneurs[00:25:48] Finding A Niche: Cybersecurity[00:27:30] Connect with Kate
Justus Hillebrand never planned on becoming an entrepreneur. After graduating from a Ph.D. program, he had wanted to become a history professor. However, after becoming a research assistant, Justus found himself doing contract work for large-scale clients such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. After falling in love with the work, in 2022, he decided to incorporate his business, Digital History Consulting Inc. ---[00:01:16] Justus Hillebrand's Background[00:05:07] Early Entrepreneurial Experiences[00:07:24] Transition to Entrepreneurship[00:11:31] Balancing Work and Family Life[00:14:01] Managing Workspaces and Time[00:16:12] Reflections on Entrepreneurship[00:19:33] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs[00:22:59] Connect with Justus
When Kera Sanchez’s mother passed away in 2022, she felt that there was much left unsaid and grieved the conversations her and her mother would never get to have. After jotting down some topics she felt she will miss out on, Kera decided to build and publish a journal specifically for those grieving, the Letters Legacy Journal. In February, Kera also published the first edition of her magazine, Get Griefy Magazine.---[00:00:00] Introduction[00:01:13] Kera's Background[00:05:22] Entrepreneurial Beginnings[00:06:25] Teaching and Entrepreneurship[00:08:05] Publishing Journey[00:09:27] Overcoming Nerves[00:11:02] Balancing Teaching and Business[00:14:24] Handling the Weight of Grief[00:16:00] Learning and Support Systems[00:18:04] Authenticity in Business[00:20:28] Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs[00:21:47] Connect with Kera[00:22:29] Closing Remarks
After the birth of her first daughter, as well as the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nivia Lopez knew that she didn’t want to go back to her in-person 9 to 5. After trying a few different gigs, such as dropshipping and virtual assisting, Nivia realized her passion lies in digital marketing. Now, Nivia has grown a company where she has the freedom to work remotely and have a healthy work-life balance.
Shawnti Refuge is the founder of Shawnti Refuge Journals, a collection of journals she created after navigating a mental health crisis in 2018. With the help of therapists, she found journaling to help her heal, and now wants to help others do the same. With the hope of ensuring no one feels the way she did, Shawnti launched the business in 2021. Now, she hopes to take it full-time in the near future.
After Michele Riechman had her third child, she started to notice that it was challenging to keep up with her children, and that even going up one flight of stairs would leave her breathless. With a background in Physical Therapy, Michele decided to start her business as a personal trainer for women over 40. Michele says that by going back to the basics of fitness, women can feel empowered to take care of their bodies.
Ethan King founded stuff4GREEKS.com after joining the Greek community at his college. What started as a school project is now a successful business that has been around for over 20 years. The company offers advanced personalized apparel for those in fraternities and sororities on college campuses. On top of stuff4GREEKS.com, Ethan founded Zeus’ Closet, a retail location offering personalization of clothing.
Erin Sims and John Mills established Connect-Empower when they noticed a significant gap in the system, particularly in the accessibility of support and resources for the elderly. Recognizing that senior individuals often struggled to tap into the full array of available services, Connect-Empower was founded with the primary goal of enlightening clients about various healthcare services at their disposal.
As a C-Suite Executive working over 60 hours a week and doing contract work on the side, Lindsay May found herself facing burnout. Looking for a change, Lindsay decided to fully commit to her marketing side gig. Now, she operates Happy Marketing Co., a thriving marketing agency. Within just four months of this transition, Lindsay not only achieved her revenue targets but also surpassed the salary she earned in her previous C-Suite role.
Sam Westfall had two different careers prior to starting his business: a tank mechanic in the military, and an IT Specialist. Now, Sam is combining those two experiences by starting Archery N Motion, an archery range and equipment supplier based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Archery N Motion specializes in moving target platforms, which give shooters the practice they need without wounding animals.
Join us as we explore the unique journeys of three passionate individuals who not only found joy in their hobbies but also managed to turn them into thriving businesses. John, the Founder of Unite Creative Company, helps organizations build connections through video production. Sam advocates for autism awareness with Autism Rocks and Rolls, a non-profit he founded when he was just 20 years old. Jonathan, the Founder of Botset Designs, elevates businesses through logo design, upgrading their branding.
Bryan Clayton has been working in lawn care since he was a teenager. As a way to get him out of the house, his dad encouraged him to cut neighbors’ lawns for some extra cash. Fast forward to a decade ago and Bryan co-founded the technology company GreenPal, an app that connects lawn care professionals to those who need the services at a click of a button. GreenPal is now an 8-figure business and Bryan only sees it growing from here.
Eleven years ago, Jaci Lund quit her job in PR knowing that she wanted to do something different, but with no idea what that was. Three months later, from her kitchen table, she started Treebird Branding, a branding firm “centered around human connection, and elevated through creativity”. Now, eleven years later, Jaci staffs ten employees and has worked with countless clients creating timeless designs and maintaining strong relationships.
Julie Marateck is many things: a freelance copywriter, a photographer, and even a public speaker. However, her true passion is stand-up comedy. Julie first joined the Atlanta stand-up scene six years ago, and she says that it has helped her not only become more confident in herself, but also helped her become a better copywriter and marketer. And while stand-up is not the most lucrative venture, Julie‘s love for the game keeps her going.
Nadia Liu Spellman grew up immersed in the restaurant industry. During the 1980s, her parents owned a thriving Chinese restaurant in Boston, attracting notable patrons such as Julia Child and Yo-Yo Ma. As an ode to her parents, she later established her own restaurant, Dumpling Daughter. Today, with three thriving locations across Boston, Nadia has become an accomplished entrepreneur who eats, sleeps, and breathes dumplings.
Growing up in a family business, Andy O’Brien learned that “the truck never unloads itself.” It took years for Andy to unlearn the do it all yourself mindset. In his current business, ActionCOACH of Central Texas, Andy incorporates new ideas daily. By outsourcing tasks that he doesn’t enjoy, setting clear communication boundaries among his family members, and making time for exercise, Andy is redefining how to do business as a family.
In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, we delve into the large and complex world of family businesses, exploring how two entrepreneurs navigate their family businesses, past and present, to ensure that the business is successful. We discuss the role of communication in resolving conflicts within the business and explore how shared values can be the driving force behind sustained success.
Abbey Griffith is the Owner of Clarity Fitness, Georgia’s first body-positive fitness centre. An Industrial Engineer by trade, Abbey decided to open Clarity after recovering from an eating disorder and seeing a lack of accessibility and inclusiveness in the fitness sector. According to Abbey, “there's a big opportunity in the fitness space to shift how we're addressing movement and shift how we're addressing our bodies.”
After working in corporate graphic design, Joel Aultman decided to tackle entrepreneurship by founding Monster Munkey. Originally a graphic design firm, Monster Munkey now focuses on the creation of “Crazy Carts,” small drift carts that originated from the company Razor. Now, Joel is working on how to make the carts bigger, faster and more powerful, with a longer lasting battery.
David Sturgess is the Founder of Foundry Counseling, a counseling clinic he opened after working in hospitals for nearly a decade. Starting as a side hustle to tackle student debt, Foundry Counseling is now David’s full-time gig where he treats approximately 20 patients a week. Sanjay and David discuss dealing with self-doubt, understanding your clients, and overcoming obstacles.
David Walker is the Founder of iCell Consulting LLC, a consulting firm specializing in telecommunications analysis. After a successful career in telecommunications, David decided to start the business by pursuing his skill of analyzing telephone records. Working with multiple telecommunications companies, David has helped solve over 200 criminal cases, bringing him across the country over the last decade.
Genie Burnett is a licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in eating disorders. As someone who has suffered from eating disorders in the past, Genie was inspired to build her career around helping those who need it the most. After seeing a gap in the funding system surrounding eating disorders, Genie started the Manna Fund, a non-profit that aims to match medical scholarships to those suffering from eating disorders.
Jill W. Fox is the Founder of Fox Social Media. Jill initially learned social media to keep an eye on her then-teenagers. In 2010, Jill founded the company after working with her children’s sports teams to run their social media pages and falling in love with the process. Now, Jill runs a six-figure company planning and managing social media for her clients. Her advice? Make sure you love what you do.
Ford Gunter is the founder of Easy Morning Media, a video production company based in Houston, Texas. Since a young age, Ford was interested in print media, even creating a neighborhood newspaper when he was a child. While he was working as a journalist in print media, a friend approached him about making a documentary. From there, he fell in love with video production and Easy Morning Media was born.
Anike Mlemchukwu has always known she wanted to work with children. After settling into a career as a special needs teacher, and seeing first-hand the problems faced by caregivers, Anike got the idea to start Lapapoe Special Needs, an online platform that connects children’s caregivers with the help and services they need. After originally launching in London, the company was rebuilt in Atlanta earlier this year.
In 2014, Daphne Valcin started her business as a life and business coach, even after being warned by those already in the community. In Daphne’s first month, she made $72 but continued her work and is now a successful entrepreneur. Daphne and Sanjay discuss continuing entrepreneurship throughout motherhood, pursuing a different path than initially planned, and following your dreams even after being discouraged by the community.
Brooke Monaghan has always known she has wanted to work for herself. However, when she went to start her consulting business, she was initially very scared. In today’s episode, Brooke and Sanjay discuss how to overcome fear when it comes to the risk aspect of running your own business, building relationships, and asking for help. Her advice? Either do it and maybe fail or don’t do it and absolutely fail, but always know your worth.
Racheal Allen, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in coaching large-scale organizations, specializes in crafting efficient policies and operations. As the Founder of Operations School, she leads a renowned boot camp for startup founders, while also offering consulting and public speaking. Sanjay and Racheal discuss operational efficiency, avoiding burnout, and the essentials of entrepreneurship.
Yong-Soo Chung always knew he wanted to own a business. While working on Wall Street, he dreamed of running a hedge fund. When he left finance and bought a one-way ticket to California, his dream of owning a business remained unchanged, but the product he offered shifted. Since 2015, Yong-Soo has founded three companies: Urban EDC, a carry gear brand; Growth Jet, a third-party logistics provider; and Spotted By Humphrey, a curated dog boutique.
Daniel Roberts is the founder of VidLoft, a cloud-based video solution that includes gear, training, and editing at a tenth of the price of traditional video production, allowing more companies to be video-first organizations. Having formerly owned a video production company prior to founding VidLoft, Daniel shares what he learned about founding and selling a company, managing cashflow, and discovering your niche.
Though Rob Friedman trained and practiced as a lawyer, his passion was coaching and playing baseball. In 2014, he dove into the world of content creation. His niche? Not just baseball, but pitching specifically. Pitching Ninja was born. Since starting Pitching Ninja, Friedman has amassed over 400,000 Twitter followers, 100,000 Instagram followers, and appears on TV networks like Fox Sports and Peacock as a Pitching Analyst.
Bonnie Mauldin has been hustling since she was a kid. At eight years old, she was knocking on doors offering to shovel driveways. After graduation, she entered the medical field, but quickly discovered it was not for her. Now, Bonnie owns two successful businesses, The Mauldin Group and Mauldin Production Company. Having learned a lot along the way, Bonnie shares her tips on changing careers, side hustles, and running multiple businesses.
It takes a lot to start a small business, and often, individuals face many barriers along the way. Today, we are diving deep into a common barrier many entrepreneurs face when jumpstarting their small business: a lack of funds. Through interviewing three individuals who have successfully raised money to launch their businesses, we will answer the following questions: How can I raise money for my small business? What tools are out there to help with my money-raising goals? What challenges might I face while doing so?
Ada Teme is the Founder and Owner of Cherish August, a destination event planning firm that has been in business for over two decades. Ada and her team at Cherish August want to ensure that your event is tailored perfectly to your needs, whether a small gathering or a large event. Ada and Sanjay discuss charging the appropriate amount, balancing your time, and working around your full-time job.
After working in Silicon Valley, Ebony Peay Ramirez quickly realized that young girls are not being taught entrepreneurial skills like their male peers are. So she launched Build Her World, an online platform aimed at helping girls aged 9-13 to build ideas and develop entrepreneurial skills. Sanjay and Ebony discuss the next generation of leaders, career transitions, and having a creative outlet.
In early 2021, sisters Sarah Flores and Sabrina Lozano were at a crossroads. At the time, Sarah was a student and Sabrina was a travelling COVID nurse. After seeing an ad for a food truck on Craigslist, they decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship by opening Loli’s Streatery in May of 2021 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Loli’s Streatery specializes in Tex-Mex fusion, with their signature dish being the Original Loaded Mexican Street Corn Bowl.
Jean Tully had a career as a paralegal, but in 2012, decided to follow her lifelong passion of photography. She founded Pearlescent Photo, a photography business dedicated to helping women and girls look and feel their best. Jean and Sanjay discuss starting a business different from your day job, believing in yourself, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance while owning your own business to ensure your relationships still take priority.
Jennifer Stewart is the founder of Gateway Productivity, a company aimed to help you master the technology you work with regularly and learn new technologies. Before starting Gateway Productivity, Jennifer worked in entertainment management and finance but found her passion was helping people master their productivity. Sanjay and Jennifer discuss starting a new business, leaving partnerships, and going virtual.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - it’s all anyone seems to be talking about. From ChatGPT creating travel itineraries based on a prompt of a few sentences, to audio engineers mixing new music with well-known artists' voices, AI is impacting all industries. But what about small businesses? We spoke to three owners to understand how AI impacts their business and if this technology should be considered a friend or a foe.
Eileen Lee is the founder of The Lola, a digital community and an all-inclusive co-working space in Atlanta. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, The Lola’s focus is on personal growth and development while providing meaningful networking opportunities for women. Sanjay and Eileen discuss starting a business just before the pandemic, the trouble with brick and mortars, and building inclusive spaces.
Yvonne Mashburn Schmidt is the Founder of The Georgia Genealogist, a genealogy business that specializes in Georgia and Deep South Research, Genetic Genealogy, and Forensic Genealogy. Yvonne is certified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and holds an additional certification from Boston University. Yvonne and Sanjay discuss charging the proper rates, accepting payments, and the challenges of a work-life balance.
Daniel Roberts is the founder of VidLoft, a cloud-based video solution that includes gear, training, and editing at a tenth of the price of traditional video production, allowing more companies to be video-first organizations. Having formerly owned a video production company prior to founding VidLoft, Daniel shares what he learned about founding and selling a company, managing cashflow, and discovering your niche.
Jaliyla Fraser is the Founder & CEO of Fraser’s Mathematics Solutions. What started as a STEAM summer camp for students, Fraser’s Mathematics Solutions now provides high-quality mathematics learning for administrators, teachers, and parents to help the students in their lives succeed. Fraser’s Mathematics Solutions also produces school supplies for students to help them reach their full potential.
Dr. Shinika McKiever is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The McKiever Group Creative Company, an agency that provides organizations with creative business solutions, including leadership development, non-profit management, and entrepreneurial solutions. Sanjay and Shinika discuss quitting your full-time job to take on entrepreneurship, setting boundaries, and rebuilding and rebranding your business.
Even before COVID, companies have been adopting and adapting the remote work model. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of remote work and speak with three different entrepreneurs who have had to evolve their businesses to fit the changing needs of their employees and clients. Join us as we uncover the opportunities and challenges of getting the job done remotely and embrace the future of work.
Darius Davie is the Founder of Groom Guy, a wellness hospitality agency that specializes in everyday and special occasion self-care for men. With locations in Washington DC and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Groom Guy offers a fresh perspective on men’s grooming and wellness. Sanjay and Darius discuss the importance of cold emailing, understanding your employees, and managing multiple locations.
Co-Founders Robby, Billy, and Justin were running a successful web design agency when a client came to them with a very specific request for a website with a page builder tool. After discovering a market for this, the three founded Beaver Builder, a WordPress Page Builder Plugin in 2014. Robby McCullough joins Sanjay’s of today’s episode of Side Hustle to Small Business to discuss taking risks, finding your niche, and creating a work-life balance.
Hannah Smolinski has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. From selling homemade bracelets in the second grade, to founding her company Clara CFO Group in 2017, Hannah knows how to attract and retain clients. In this conversation, Hannah and Sanjay discuss burn out, managing cash flow, knowing your worth as a self-employed professional, and taking on additional side hustles to maximize profit.
During the early days of the pandemic, Nancy and Viviana Sisneros founded their pretzel company, "Knotty Chix," sparked by a random craving of Nancy's. After three attempts, they perfected their first creation: the Hot Cheeto pretzel. Encouraged by the positive feedback of Facebook friends, they started selling their pretzels to the public. Today, three years down the line, Knotty Chix thrives as a flourishing company.
Racheal Allen, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in coaching large-scale organizations, specializes in crafting efficient policies and operations. As the Founder of Operations School, she leads a renowned boot camp for startup founders, while also offering consulting and public speaking. Sanjay and Racheal discuss operational efficiency, avoiding burnout, and the essentials of entrepreneurship.
Brooke Monaghan has always known she has wanted to work for herself. However, when she went to start her consulting business, she was initially very scared. In today’s episode, Brooke and Sanjay discuss how to overcome fear when it comes to the risk aspect of running your own business, building relationships, and asking for help. Her advice? Either do it and maybe fail or don’t do it and absolutely fail, but always know your worth.
Danita Doleman has over 25 years experience providing strategic solutions to businesses in need. She is an expert in connecting people to grant opportunities and to this day, she has helped individuals earn over $8 million in grants. Recently, Danita’s company, SEAS Community Partners, launched “Grants4Biz”, a service which seamlessly connects individuals and businesses to grants they qualify for. Tune in to this episode the learn more about grants for small businesses and resources to identify the right grants for you!
Maria Romano is a Minister, wedding officiant, podcast host, author, and motivational speaker. Through her company, True Love Knots, Maria has officiated over 5000 weddings, and created courses on becoming officiated yourself. Prior to finding her passion in the business of love, Maria's entrepreneurial journey began with a rental car company, granting her extensive expertise in business management.
After earning a degree in Entrepreneurial Studies, Jacob “Jeb” Burt started his career in the food and beverage industry, working at a startup. When the startup folded, he began working freelance gigs to pay the bills. When making the decision to either continue freelancing or get full-time work, Jacob decided to continue down the freelance path and build his company, BURT. Now, Jacob has his own team that specializes in building media brands.
Bonnie Mauldin was been hustling since she was a kid. At eight years old, she was knocking on doors offering to shovel driveways. After graduation, she entered the medical field, but quickly discovered it was not for her. Now, Bonnie owns two successful businesses, The Mauldin Group and Mauldin Production Company. Having learned a lot along the way, Bonnie shares her tips on changing careers, side hustles, and running multiple businesses.
Josh Bernstein joins us today to talk all things freelance. As the owner of Josh Bernstein Media, Josh is an expert in Google Ads and paid search and has been running his own business for over 10 years. Sanjay and Josh sit down to debunk myths about freelancing, give important tips on starting out, discuss maintaining a healthy work-life balance while being your own boss, and suggest when to choose a freelancer over an agency.
Rita Ernst wasn't happy with the work environment in the large corporation where she was worked. With a new baby at home, the stress was overwhelming, so she decided to become her own boss. She is now an Organizational Psychologist and Consultant and founder of Ignite Extraordinary, and author of a book on workplace positivity. Hear what Rita has to say about work-life balance and why networking is so important in finding clients that align with your skills and professional goals.
Kendrick Disch started his branded content studio, Vertical River, in 2019. Before starting his business, Kendrick was a video production manager, studio manager, and photographer. Today, he’s focused on growing Vertical River through ‘sustainable storytelling’ while prioritizing his health as a new founder. By giving equal priority to his business, exercise, and personal relationships, Kendrick sets himself up for success.
As a mom to two young children, Monique Henderson not only planned birthday parties but also cooked for all the guests. When her cooking garnered positive praise, Monique thought, “I could make this a side hustle.” In 2017, she began her catering business, SoulFull Caterers, which serves customers in the Washington DC area. Monique’s goal? Buying a food truck, so she can bring home cooking on wheels to events, fairs, and college campuses.
Yong-Soo Chung always knew he wanted to own a business. While working on Wall Street, he dreamed of running a hedge fund. When he left finance and bought a one-way ticket to California, his dream of owning a business remained unchanged, but the product he offered shifted. Since 2015, Yong-Soo has founded three companies: Urban EDC, a carry gear brand; Growth Jet, a third-party logistics provider; and Spotted By Humphrey, a curated dog boutique.
John DeShazer is the President of LogicSpree, where he works to make Salesforce simple for small and mid-market organizations. As his business and fully remote 11-person team grow, John focuses on alignment. By standardizing work hours, the LogicSpree team achieves two goals: collaborate in real-time and set clear work-life boundaries. This structure also aligns with John’s primary goals: to be stable, happy, have enough, and reduce stress.
Heather Gibbons is a wife, mother, twin sister, and musician. She’s also the co-founder of INMO Creative, a full-service creative agency based in Atlanta. As Heather and her business partner, Simon, establish their agency in its first year of business, they focus on the “simple things.” Together, they’re committed to building a solid foundation of systems and processes that aligns with their beliefs, values, and mission.
With a creative writing and data analysis background, Lauren Ramsey brings her skills to the table as the founder and Chief Engagement Officer at Betsy Bash. Founded in 2010, Lauren and her team help local businesses get more leads and make more sales using social media. She’s taken her business from her hometown of Houston to her new home in Chicago, but her passion has stayed rooted: helping small businesses make a bigger impact.
Jennifer Bourn has been self-employed for 17 years. She started her creative services agency, Bourn Creative, in 2005 and added on a side hustle, teaching courses and workshops in 2017. When Jennifer’s best friend offered her a full-time job, Jennifer was intrigued but also had conditions. She would accept the job, but her side hustle had to stay up and running. A compromise was reached, and now Jennifer has the best of both worlds.
Michael Cox has been in the corporate sales recruiting world for 20 years. But when his recruiting side hustle yielded more profit and control, Michael realized he could open his own business. He founded Zag Worx in late 2019. Starting a business in the wake of a global pandemic with few companies hiring, Cox was forced to innovate. He transitioned from full-service recruiting to offering highly-specific services tailored to his client's needs.
Chris Casseday always loved collecting shoes. Not just shoes in general, but really, really nice sneakers. Twenty years ago, he began selling collectible sneakers on eBay. As his experience and sales volume grew, he founded 513 Kicks. Since 2017, Chris has managed 513 Kicks solo while working full-time as a Director of Operations. For Chris, selling sneakers isn’t just a hobby. It’s a fun — and profitable — side hustle.
Joe Casabona started Podcast Liftoff in 2017. He helps his clients transform their podcasts from a hobby to a revenue-generating machine. In 2022, Joe realized that he was providing too many services to his customers. Instead of a jack of all trades, he wanted to be known as the guy who eats, sleeps and breathes podcasts. He adapted his product offerings and is now learning that, when it comes to your business, sometimes less is more.
During his 26 years in the web design industry, Wayne Pelletier designed thousands of websites. He also learned the patterns that cause frustration and communication breakdowns between web designers and their clients. So when Wayne started his company, Resonant Pixel, in 2020, he employed a different business model that broke the mold of standard website services. Instead of a lump-sum investment, his team uses a subscription-based model.
Morgan Hancock is full of ideas and energy, and her work life reflects those qualities. She’s a commercial real estate agent, US Army veteran, mother of two, and passionate advocate of the arts. Most recently, Morgan founded Bourbon with Heart, a nonprofit with a mission to leverage the influence and popularity of bourbon to raise funds for local charities while also providing a first-class arts experience for Kentuckians.
In 2009, Melissa Zeman said, “Someday, I’m going to open a wine shop that focuses on community.” She got to work, and ten years later, Melissa opened Bottles Up!, a wine shop and experiencein the Lakeview East neighborhood in Chicago. Through in-store events and collaboration with other local vendors, Melissa’s business model has centered around “retail-tainment” — creating, educating, having fun, and, most importantly, connecting.
Growing up in Jamaica, Donald Kelly saw his family members and neighbors selling goods and services on every corner. Naturally, Donald believed that to be an entrepreneur, you had to first and foremost be a salesperson. Since then, he's gained life and business experience while moving to the US, starting a podcast, and writing a book. But Donald still draws on his childhood experience selling mangoes in Jamaica as a metaphor for successful sales.
Rob Kischuk started his career designing video games for Facebook in the days of FarmVille. When Rob was laid off, along with 90% of his team, he asked himself, “What now?” Since then, Rob has started four software-based businesses, one of which acquired funding from Mark Cuban at a serendipitous Super Bowl Shark Tank watch party. Throughout his 10 years in the startup world, Rob has learned to take risks: you never get what you don’t ask for.
Born in France to entrepreneur parents, Nicolas Billaiche learned the value of having a community of fellow business owners. But when he left his corporate career in sales and founded eStreamly, he was bombarded with opinions. Nicolas didn't take this constructive criticism personally but used it to inspire action. With the help of his business partner, he's learned to accept feedback and adapt his game plan but ultimately trust his gut.
When Steve Zehngut earned a degree in film and began working in the entertainment industry, he realized it wasn't for him. He transitioned to a graphic design agency, which wasn't a fit either. Was Steve unemployable? No. He was just a misplaced entrepreneur. In 1995, Steve left the corporate world for good. He founded Zeek, which has grown to become Southern California's leading web, interactive, and mobile development agency.
Maddy Osman draws on past experiences as she manages her SEO content agency, The Blogsmith. Growing up with an entrepreneur dad, she understands that owning a business requires intentional boundaries. Her previous job in the Groupon sales department taught her that rejection isn’t personal. Freelance writing for a Chicago lifestyle blog sharpened her SEO skills. Maddy uses these lessons learned to improve — both herself and her business.
Todd Ward combines his design background and general contracting experience as an independent owner’s representative and project manager. He assists his clients with their building projects — anything from development, to new construction, to remodeling. Todd attracts repeat customers because he knows the only way you can reach a win-win solution is if you know what winning means to the other side.
Family plays a critical role in Nathan Hamilton’s life. His loved ones have been with him at every step of his business journey as he’s grown In A Lifetime Photography, based in Houston, Texan. Nathan’s uncle taught him film photography in high school. The birth of his daughter prompted him to start a side hustle to gain a flexible schedule. Today, his wife and two kids encourage him to dream big, have fun, and get rest.
Though Rob Friedman trained and practiced as a lawyer, his passion was coaching and playing baseball. In 2014, he dove into the world of content creation. His niche? Not just baseball, but pitching specifically. Pitching Ninja was born. Since starting Pitching Ninja, Friedman has amassed over 400,000 Twitter followers, 100,000 Instagram followers, and appears on TV networks like Fox Sports and Peacock as a Pitching Analyst.
ShaVonne Davis is a former classroom teacher who channels her love for theatre arts into her small business, Acting with Mrs. Davis. Acting With Mrs. Davis is a Theatre Arts Education Company that provides after-school programs, classes, workshops, and education consulting. ShaVonne teaches her students culture, self-confidence, and creative expression and understands that when you do good work, success will follow.
Angel Hendrix knew that her season of contributing to her job was over and she wanted to do more, but what was next? She wanted to get into real estate without having to be a Realtor; so she took a notary class, and her business took off from there. Now Angel has several lines of business, is an example of entrepreneurship to her daughter, and is looking to hire some help to take her business to the next level.
Just because your business is thriving doesn’t mean it’s perfect for you. That’s one thing Dr. Karen Jacobson realized as she started to transition from her thriving chiropractic practice to something new. One of the hardest parts of that process was leaving the safety of what is known, for the adventure of what is unknown, and answering the question many entrepreneurs struggle with: When do I take the leap?
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you just quit your job with no plan for what you would do next? In this episode Sanjay talks with Jim Garrison who did just that. Thirty-two years later, Jim has a successful business and reflects on the twists, turns, and lessons he learned along the way. He also has great advice if you are thinking of making the same jump: “Don’t be afraid and start today.”
After getting his first computer at age 9, Larry Dukhovny began his life as a self-proclaimed computer geek. This passion for technology prompted his career path in IT consulting. After freelancing for six years, Larry founded MyBizGeek in 2013. Passionate about believing in yourself and the value of your service, Larry now advocates for building inner confidence to accelerate your business and attract new clients.
When it comes to personality types, there is Meyers Briggs and StrengthsFinder, among others. But Grant Nichols uses a more general term when describing himself: entrepreneurial. He constantly brainstorms new business ideas, researches their market potential, and vets the project’s viability with his friends and family. Grant founded his current business, BluWave Technologies, to help manufacturing companies increase operational efficiency.
Jacari Harris is an author, sought-after speaker, and social media influencer who uses his experience growing up in the foster care system to inspire hope and encourage transformation. As his tenure as Executive Director of the George Floyd Memorial Foundation closes, Jacari Harris is preparing for what’s next: increasing his influence at speaking engagements and growing his coaching business, Stimulating Success.
After spending ten years in the financial services industry, Jennifer Stine knew she wanted to create something of her own. Inspired by her entrepreneurial dad, she founded Fortune Web Marketing in 2007. Over the past 15 years, Jennifer’s company expanded outside her home state of New Jersey with a growing group of colleagues. As president of her company, Jennifer works to create an inclusive and non-corporate environment where her team can flourish.
Lloyd George, better known by his name on all social platforms, “Lloyd Not George,” is a podcast producer and social media influencer. He creates informative content for beginner podcasters and has accumulated over 300,000 views on TikTok. Lloyd balances his full-time job with his podcasting side hustle by using various systems to manage his time, automate sponsor outreach, and engage with fellow online creatives.
Do you think email is dead? Paige Parrino knows email marketing is alive and well. While working at her first corporate job after graduating, Paige saw firsthand the value of email marketing on a business and realized that her skills were in high demand. With her husband deployed and more free time on hand, Paige dreamed, researched, and started her company, Paige Parrino Marketing, which supports e-commerce businesses' marketing efforts.
Ali Green and Mickey Mellen had a history of outsourcing work to one another. After years of back and forth, they realized it would make sense to start a company together. In 2009, they founded GreenMellen Media, a digital marketing agency based in Marietta, Georgia. Since then, Ali and Mickey have opened a physical office, hired a team of six, adjusted their schedules to meet life’s changing demands, and become stronger partners in the process.
For Matt Davis, Man Cave Basics Plus began as a hobby when he would peruse outdoor flea markets and vintage shows. Three years ago, Matt started developing the Man Cave brand in earnest. Throughout his career - from joining and then leaving the family business, to monetizing his fascination with patent prints, to now growing Man Cave Basics - Matt has taken some risks that paid off and some that didn’t, but he learned from all of them.
Brie Sodano taught herself to trade stock options on the side, while working as a director at a Boys and Girls Club. This hobby inspired Brie to become a financial advisor. As she grew her advising practice, Brie realized most of her clients struggled with issues like credit card debt, student loans, and feeling perpetually broke. In response, Brie founded Sheep to Shark, where she helps women take control of their money and find freedom in the process.
Maureen Monte is a Leadership & Team Consultant. In Season 1, Episode 4, she shared her story of transitioning from a career in IT consulting to running her own business. Maureen is back to answer the question, “Where is she now?” Monte is passionate about optimizing sports teams’ outcomes by focusing on each athlete and their unique strengths. This passion inspired Monte’s new book, which focuses on her work with over 1,400 athletes and coaches.
At 29 years old, Ben Knegendorf was driving a forklift at a Walmart Distribution Center and needed to make a change. He’s had quite the journey since then —from flipping real estate sale items on eBay, to selling tiny house products, to his newest business, Dropship Breakthru. Ben believes becoming an entrepreneur helped him overcome imposter syndrome. Hear how he built his confidence as he built his business.
The Underdog Family, or TUF, is a nonprofit based in Denver, Colorado, that provides website design services to small businesses 100% free of charge. TUF utilizes a team of highly skilled professionals as pro bono volunteers. Leading The Underdog Family is founder Chin Weerappuli, who believes that skill-based volunteering is one of the best ways to keep volunteers engaged with the mission of any organization.
Shaina Shiwarski is an avid traveler. Friends would ask her about her latest adventure whenever she returned from a trip, and a lengthy WhatsApp exchange would follow. Shiwarski knew there had to be a better way to share ideas and create friendships across the globe. Shaina created Legends, a private community of global travelers inspired by individual experiences. Legends’ mission is to give people the power to authentically connect with themselves, each other, and the world.
TiWanna Kenney is the founder of Astounding Auctions and shared the story of her side hustle turned small business in Season 1, Episode 5. In this episode, TiWanna is back to answer the question, “Where is she now?” Kenney shares how her business adapted to the COVID-19 event climate, when in-person auctions couldn’t take place and how she continues to be an advocate for diversity in the auction industry.
Priya Vij is the founder of Hapny Home, a new home accessories brand focused on the small design details that have the power to transform your space, starting with cabinet hardware. The name Hapny comes from the names of all the cities where founder Priya has lived and rented apartments - Houston, Austin, Portland, and New York. The Hapny Home launch collection includes solid brass knobs, cabinet pulls, and appliance pulls.
Leslie Zinn is the co-founder and CEO of Arden's Garden - a cold-pressed juice, smoothie, and vegan foods company on a mission to cultivate an oasis of health and wellness. Arden's Garden started in Leslie's mother Arden's kitchen in the early 90s. Twenty-five years later, Arden’s Garden has two production facilities in East Point, Georgia, 17 retail store locations throughout Metro Atlanta, and more than 1,000 partners in the Southeast region.
The tables are turned as host Sanjay Parekh is interviewed by friend, colleague, and podcast cohost Adam Walker. Sanjay started his first entrepreneurial venture in 2000 and has lived in the startup world ever since. Riding the ups and downs of startup culture, securing funding, and hiring staff, Sanjay has focused on being an advocate for other entrepreneurs in his roles as a VC, mentor, speaker, and podcast host.
Maureen Monte is a Leadership and Team Consultant and author of Destination Unstoppable. Maureen began her career as an engineer but eventually realized she was more than a problem solver; she was a "people problem solver". Hear how Maureen turned her side hustle into a full time business and how you can unlock the untapped talent on your team.
This episode originally aired on June 24, 2019.
After serving in the US Army and enjoying a successful career in financial services, TiWanna Kenney found herself on stage hosting an auction. She fell in love with the work and the positive impact it can have on the lives of others. Here’s how TiWanna developed her talent and how she’s bringing diversity and inspiring change in her industry.
This episode originally aired on July 1, 2019.
These are the stories of four entrepreneurs, all a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Though their businesses span industries and states, they all have something in common: they’re navigating the challenges of starting a business while also working towards sustainable growth, success, and happiness as queer entrepreneurs. We’re excited to amplify their voices, share their perspective on what needs to change, and learn their hopes for the future.
Do you strive for fame and fortune? Or do you just want to get your name out there? Allie Hembree Martin can help. Allie is the founder of Fame and Fortune, a social media and public relations agency increasing the online visibility of female CEOs. She works to amplify her clients’ voices using creative and forward-thinking social media strategy and PR. In this episode, Allie will share lessons learned and her predictions for how social media will change over the next few years.
Ariana Escalante has worked as an on-camera spokesperson for many years. When her clients started asking if she could offer full production services, she saw a need for a complete package video content agency. Four years later, she and her fiancé, Jon Gluck, have grown Vydeo into a successful business that provides scripting, filming, talent, and editing. They now have a stellar team and a collection of awesome clients.
Corey Washington's two startups, POPA and Rishari, weren’t supposed to be companies. They were personal projects that transformed into official companies at the suggestion of Corey’s friends and colleagues. Corey now manages POPA, a clothing brand based in Atlanta, and Rishari, a creative agency serving small businesses. In all of his endeavors, Corey is committed to prioritizing perseverance, encouraging fast failure, and listening to your customers.
Delaney Driver started Wilder Mind Events, a wedding planning business in Saint Petersburg, Florida, so she could make more money, choose a schedule that fits her lifestyle, and be in full control of the creative process when planning events. Since starting Wilder Mind, Delaney has tackled the challenges of rescheduled weddings during the pandemic, celebrated small business wins like hiring her first employee, and kept her commitment to happiness along the way.
Cheyenne Crawford has always been behind a camera. Taking graduation photos and prom pictures in high school, she knew that capturing moments was one of her innate talents. After Cheyenne realized that a traditional college path wasn’t for her, a chance opportunity to shift the subject of her photography emerged. She began focusing her lens on real estate. Cheyenne now works full-time capturing homes for sale in Atlanta at her business, HomeStar Photo.
Jen Price fell in love with craft beer during her college summer internships in Boulder, Colorado. In her free time, Jen began educating herself on the craft beer scene. She opened Atlanta Beer Boutique, which included a tasting room and tasting classes, and even started writing a book. When the pandemic had other ideas, Jen pivoted her expertise and launched a second beer-focused business, Crafted for Action.
Matthew Mewbourne has been creating things since high school. Starting with ceramics in high school, he transitioned his maker mindset to candles while at the University of Georgia, becoming a regular vendor at the Athens Farmer’s Market. Matthew and his wife started Rekindle Candle Company after graduation and have since focused on high-quality ingredients, environmental sustainability, and prioritizing value in their wooden wicked candles.
While Saurabh Khetrapal was creating tech startups in Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, he was also advising his friends and colleagues on how to plan meaningful and individualized African safaris in his home country of Tanzania. After exiting his third tech startup, Saurabh decided to combine his two passions—preserving African wildlife and entrepreneurial ventures—into his nonprofit startup Fair Trade Safaris.
Claudine Miles and Kimberlie Milton are friends and experienced educators, who met while working at the same school in Atlanta, Georgia. After a 10-year stint at a top charter school, Claudine was beginning to feel burned out. With the encouragement of now-business partner Kimberlie, Claudine created Restore More Consultants, an education-forward consulting firm rooted in expanding restorative practices, anti-racism, and social-emotional health.
Derrick Knudsen was working at a Fortune 500 recruitment firm in Denver, Colorado when he recognized a gap in the industry. Traditional firms were hesitant to help fill open positions at cannabis companies. In response, Derrick created a boutique recruitment firm, Meta Talent Group, which helps fill roles at cannabis, hemp, and psychedelic-focused companies. Derrick’s firm is focused on recruiting top-tier talent while maintaining its core values: People, Planet & Profitability.
Mary Nakaya and Melissa Porras met at church in Los Angeles, California. While Mary had an art background, Melissa was just excited to play with clay on Mary’s pottery wheel. As their friendship blossomed, they started a ceramic-focused jewelry business: Nomad Artisan Company. Since 2018, Mary and Melissa have expanded their business by going door-to-door to LA boutiques and growing their social media presence.
If you live in the southeast, you’ve seen them - carts with rainbow umbrellas bearing popsicle treats dubbed “King of Pops” - at public parks, live events, and music festivals. Steven Carse, who founded King of Pops in 2010 along with his brother Nick, shares their origin story, how the company innovated through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new programs King of Pops is spearheading, including a “Cartreprenuer” franchise program.
Sean Furey is not your average small business owner. Sean is an Olympic javelin thrower who represented the United States in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. Now retired from full-time javelin throwing, he’s channeled his long athletic career and love of fitness into his business: Furey Athletics. Sean’s side hustle is a coaching and online training resource with the mission of helping athletes and coaches maximize their potential.
Kat Carney knew she wanted to be a photographer – she had always loved taking pictures, particularly in natural settings. She tried being a full-time wedding photographer but found there wasn’t enough variety to suit her. So she started Swell & Stone, and now she plans and photographs adventure weddings and elopements in exciting outdoor locales. Hear what she learned when turning her side hustle into a full-time business.
Elle is a career strategist and founder of Forth, LLC. She helps college students and young adults achieve their dream careers by showing them how to home into who they are and teaching them the skills that make hiring managers go bananas. In this episode, host Sanjay Parekh talks to Elle about the origin story of her small business: how she started Forth, LLC by pitching her skills to student groups at LSU and how she has now developed two distinct ways to help people find a career that they will love.
Coming soon from Hiscox, relaunched and revamped… the Side Hustle to Small Business Podcast. I’m your host, Sanjay Parekh. Throughout my career, I’ve had side hustles, some of which turned into real businesses, but first and foremost: I’m a serial technology entrepreneur. In the creator space, we hear plenty of advice on how to hustle harder and why you can “sleep when you’re dead.” On this show, we ask new questions in hopes of getting new answers. Questions like: * How can small businesses work smarter? * How do you achieve a balance between work and family? * How can we redefine success in our businesses so that we don’t burn out after year three... or even month three?
Every week, I’ll sit down with business founders at various stages of their side hustle to small business journey. These entrepreneurs are pushing the envelope while keeping their values. Keep listening for conversation, context, and camaraderie. Click subscribe to be notified of every new episode, which will be released weekly. I hope you can join me as we redefine and reshape the conversation around side hustles and small businesses.
You have an idea for a business. So, you cash in your 401K and start a business in an industry you’ve never worked in before. It’s not the path most entrepreneurs take but for Alix Peabody this is exactly how she launched her business and set out to change an industry.
Josh Crandal went from building a TV stand in his childhood bedroom to crafting everything from elegant kitchen cabinets to custom living room wall units. It was the overwhelmingly positive reaction of a customer that inspired Josh to pursue a path to entrepreneurship
Greg Frank went to Hollywood to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He eventually found his way to becoming an entrepreneur, using his creative expertise to help launch new brands and products.
For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business
Angela Yungk began her career as a teacher but quickly found herself searching for a new direction in life. Along with her business partner, Angela eventually went on to create Art Hive Magazine. This is the story of how you can break into a new industry with no previous experience and find success.
Steven Jenkins knew someone who had experienced domestic violence. He wanted to help others who had experienced the same so he decided to volunteer at a local domestic violence shelter. What Steven would come to learn was the database the shelter was using was inadequate and the staff was spending too much time on data collection when they could be helping people at the shelter. Here’s the story of how Steven set out to solve that problem, and how he turned a volunteer position into a full time job and eventually a business.
For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business
As Claire Zovko was wrapping up her college basketball career, she took her first yoga class and discovered a new passion. Years later, while practicing law and advancing her own knowledge of yoga, Claire began to teach yoga and eventually found herself in a position to run her own yoga studio. This is the story of how a passion can turn into a business.
For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business
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After serving in the US Army and enjoying a successful career in financial services, TiWanna Kenney found herself on stage hosting an auction. She fell in love with the work and the positive impact it can have on the lives of others. Here’s how TiWanna developed her talent and how she’s bringing diversity and inspiring change in her industry. For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business
Maureen Monte is a Leadership and Team Consultant and author of Destination Unstoppable. Maureen began her career as an engineer but eventually realized she was more than a problem solver; she was a "people problem solver". Hear how Maureen turned her side hustle into a full time business and how you can unlock the untapped talent on your team. For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business
Tina Tran Neville and her parents left Vietnam to come to the United States when she was a young girl. Learn how that experience shaped her journey from US Foreign Service Officer to high school teacher to founder of Transcend Academy, which provides test preparation and college advising services. Tina’s story is what the American Dream is all about.
For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business
Jared Novack met his future business partners at the Syracuse University student newspaper. They would go on to work in the newsrooms of The New York Times and The Boston Globe and eventually launch Upstatement, a design and engineering studio. Hear how Jared and his college friends grew a side hustle into a robust business that is producing creative work for some of the world’s leading brands, products, publishers and non-profits.
For more information about Side Hustle to Small Business visit www.hiscox.com/side-hustle-to-small-business