The Small Business School: Recent Episodes
Craig Staley
Craig Staley, a 20-year retail veteran and eCommerce practitioner interviews successful small business owners from a variety of industries with one objective, to find out what makes them successful. Whether you have owned a small business for decades or are a budding entrepreneur you will discover ideas and learning lessons that others have implemented to grow their business.As small business owners a lot of the time it feels like we are just figuring stuff out and while there is a lot of truth to that, it doesn’t have to be this way. The Small Business School will help you find answers to questions like – How do I attract more customers? How do I pick the best location for my business? Should I start an online only business? How do I make it through the tough times? How do I use social media effectively? How do I scale my business from 1 person to 100? All of these are questions that are currently rattling around my brain when it comes to my business so I will be learning right along with you.The best way to learn is through experience and these business owners have experienced many challenges, successes and failures that have shaped them and their businesses. Sit back, grab a notepad and pen, maybe a glass of wine or whiskey (not if you’re driving) and let’s learn from these teachers that are gracious enough to open up and tell their stories and help us to grow.
My guest today is Tia Berens. She is a passionate service-driven entrepreneur, travel junkie, new mom, and active community member involved on several non-profit boards in the Black Hills. In 2019, she founded the Barn at Aspen Acres; a large, modern wedding and events center with its roots in the wide-open spaces of Spearfish, South Dakota. We have talked about the beginnings, best moments, and challenges of the Barn at Aspen Acres. She also shares how to manage client's expectations and how did she tackle the planning and building of her beautiful premier wedding venue.
Today's Guest
Tia Berens
Tia Berens is a passionate service-driven entrepreneur, travel junkie, new mom, and active community member involved on several non-profit boards in the Black Hills. In 2019, she founded the Barn at Aspen Acres; a large, modern wedding and events center with its roots in the wide-open spaces of Spearfish, South Dakota. Tia thrives in the dynamic social environment of her business and finds her true passions ignited when she is able to help others celebrate the biggest moments of their lives. Tia enjoys sharing her entrepreneurial spirit and life’s everyday adventures
Website:
- www.blackhillsbarn.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @thebarnfounder and @blackhillsbarn
- Facebook: @tiaberens and @blackhillsbarn
- LinkedIn: @blackhillsbarn
My guest today is Mickie Kennedy. He is an expert at helping small businesses, authors, and startups increase their visibility and credibility. Mickie founded eReleases 22+ years ago after realizing that small businesses desperately need a press release service they can actually afford, giving them access to the media and to a national newswire – all with a personal touch. We have talked about the beginnings, best moments, and challenges of the eReleases. He also shares how press releases work, some tips for writing a winning press release, some reasons why press releases fail, and how local businesses could use a press release to get local media coverage.
Today's Guest
Mickie Kennedy
Mickie Kennedy is an expert at helping small businesses, authors, and startups increase their visibility and credibility. Mickie founded eReleases 22+ years ago after realizing that small businesses desperately need a press release service they can actually afford, giving them access to the media and to a national newswire – all with a personal touch. Mickie lives in Baltimore County, Maryland.
Website:
- https://www.ereleases.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @ereleasespr
- Facebook: @ereleases.press.release.distribution
- LinkedIn: @lavender-menakaya
- Twitter: @ereleases
- YouTube: ereleases
My guest today is Lavender Menakaya. She is a Nigerian American born in Texas and grew up in Silverspring MD. She is currently based in Alexandria Virginia. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, and high-end professional organizer and is committed to providing you with an opulent home through her de-cluttering and organizing services. We have talked about the reason why she started Lavender Organizes, the best moments and challenges of her business. She also shares the effects of an organized space to her clients and her ways of finding new clients.
Today's Guest
Lavender Menakaya
Lavender Menakaya is a Nigerian American born in Texas and grew up in Silverspring MD. She is currently based in Alexandria Virginia. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, and high-end professional organizer and is committed to providing you with an opulent home through her de-cluttering and organizing services. She found her calling at a young age, and she started Lavender Organizes in 2018 to share her talents with others. She brings years of experience and attention to detail to her work to provide her clients with individualized results. She’ll organize any room in your home and donate your unwanted items, leaving you with an inviting, pleasant, and balanced space. Remember, your space affects your mood and energy levels, so a room that is organized can be both inviting and inspiring. She is also the author of “Mangoes in the Rain”.
Website:
· www.lavenderorganizes.com
Social Media:
· Instagram: @lavenderorganizes
· Facebook: @lavenderorganizes
· LinkedIn: @lavender-menakaya
· Snapchat: @chinemecherie
· YouTube: Lavender Menakaya
Links and Resources:
Lavender Organizes Podcast
Mangoes in the Rain
My guest today is James Patrick. He is an award-winning photographer, best-selling author, entrepreneur coach, podcast host, and public speaker based in Phoenix, AZ. He is the founder of FITposium, an annual conference guiding fitness entrepreneurs to grow their careers. We have talked about the beginnings, best moments, and challenges of the FITposium. He also shares the secret on how to grow a brand in the fitness industry and his advice to a new entrepreneur that is looking at everything he does but does not know where to start.
Today's Guest
James Patrick
James Patrick is an award-winning photographer, best-selling author, entrepreneur coach, podcast host, and public speaker based in Phoenix, AZ. He is the founder of FITposium, an annual conference guiding fitness entrepreneurs to grow their careers. James has received a bevy of awards for his work as a photographer, marketer, and entrepreneur. Leveraging his diverse experience, James has presented on stages coast-to-coast in the United States and has been interviewed for numerous TV, radio, magazine, newspaper, and podcast features. James Patrick’s mission is to create art and opportunity for others.
Website:
- https://www.jamespatrick.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @jpatrickphoto
- Facebook: @JamesPatrickPhotography
Links and Resources:
Beyond the Image Podcast
My guest today is Luci Dumas. She is an award-winning PPA Master Craftsman Photographer, business coach, and podcaster. She has enjoyed a successful, profitable, and creatively satisfying full-time career for over 38 years. Her first 12 years were as a high-end wedding photographer. Luci switched to portraits and is the “ baby whisperer" photographing Children, and Families in San Diego. We have talked about the beginnings, best moments, and challenges of The Profitable Photographer. She has shared some of her photography packages, her marketing strategy to target her ideal customers, and her business' sales process.
Today's Guest
Luci Dumas
Luci Dumas is an award-winning PPA Master Craftsman Photographer, business coach, and podcaster. She has enjoyed a successful, profitable, and creatively satisfying full-time career for over 38 years. Her first 12 years were as a high-end wedding photographer. Luci switched to portraits and is the “ baby whisperer" photographing Children, and Families n San Diego. Her “superpower” is selling 3 to 8 wall portraits and albums to almost every client. A teacher at heart, she also loves coaching supporting other talented photographers and creatives who are passionate about creating the business of their dreams or just want to make a great business even more successful. The Profitable Photographer Podcast is her new addition to her career which has had listeners in over 73 countries so far.
Website:
- lucidumascoaching.com
Social Media:
- Facebook:@LuciDumasCoaching
- Instagram: @theprofitablephotographer_pod
- LinkedIn: @lucidumas
- Twitter: @acclinton1
Links and Resources:
The Profitable Photographer Podcast
My guest today is Anita “AC” Clinton. She is a speaker, purpose strategist, author, and the go-to person for all aspects of purpose. She is passionate about helping Purpose-Seekers connect to their purpose, and transition to Game-Changers. Anita is the Founder and President of Anita Clinton Enterprises, LLC, and Be Great Global. She is also the host of the Be Great Global Podcast and the author of “Destiny Starter: How to Discover What You Are Called to Do and Do It!” She recently presented her first TEDx talk in April 2021 entitled, Ignite Your Zone of Greatness. We have talked about the beginnings, challenges, best moments, and the inspiration behind Be Great Global. She also shared more about figuring out someone's zone of greatness and provided helpful tips for aspiring speakers.
Today's Guest
Anita "AC" Clinton
With almost two decades of creative design, brand development, marketing, editorial, and business development experience, Anita “AC” Clinton is the go-to person for all aspects of purpose. Her passion resides in helping Purpose-Seekers connect to their purpose, and transition to Game-Changers. Despite setbacks, roadblocks, and wrong turns along the way, she is living proof that anything can be accomplished with tenacity, determination, and perseverance. She is the Founder and President of Anita Clinton Enterprises, LLC, and Be Great Global, where she creates the Be Great Global Podcast, books, and training programs to help intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs find happiness, fulfillment, and money doing work they actually love. She recently presented her first TEDx talk in April 2021 entitled, Ignite Your Zone of Greatness. In addition, she is the author of “Destiny Starter: How to Discover What You Are Called to Do and Do It!”
Website:
- https://www.anitaclinton.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @ACEnterprises1
- Instagram: @acclinton1
- LinkedIn: @acclinton1
- Twitter: @acclinton1
Links and Resources:
Be Great Global Podcast
Destiny Starter: How to Discover What You Are Called to Do and Do It!
My guest today is Arjun, a New York City-based entrepreneur originally from West Windsor, New Jersey (aka Princeton Junction). Since high school, Arjun has been networking with some of the most well-known entrepreneurs and even worked on a few projects and startups of his own. We have talked about the foundation, challenges, and the future of Hello Woofy. He explained why Hello Woofy is the Tesla Model 3 for Digital Marketing for Underdog Small Business Owners. We have talked more about what improves engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, the sweet spot for how often we should be posting per week, and the biggest mistake Small Business owners make when posting on social media.
Today's Guest
Arjun Rai
Arjun is a New York City-based entrepreneur originally from West Windsor, New Jersey (aka Princeton Junction). Since high school, Arjun has been networking with some of the most well-known entrepreneurs and even worked on a few projects and startups of his own. Upon graduation, Arjun pursued his career opportunities and came to New York City where he enrolled at the New York Institute of Technology in 2011 with scholarships and grants. Following a few weeks into college, Arjun launched his second startup, fuelbrite.com, a social media agency focused on small businesses and startups, and a student-focused organization, TheBizDen. After interning at a PR and ad agency in the summer of 2012, Arjun quickly saw the need for yet another startup within the tech space and raised a seed investment round to build it out. That startup became Wrkbench.io which was a virtual collaboration space designed for creative and visual people (we liked to say we make visual conversations). After spending a few years and learning the ins and outs of running a venture-backed startup, Rai set out to modernize another industry related to his former passion of social media. The startup would be known as HelloWoofy.com which is a social media management platform driven by artificial intelligence to help small to medium-sized businesses with digital marketing.
Website:
- https://hellowoofy.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @arjunraime
- Instagram: @arjunraime
- LinkedIn: @arjunrai
- Twitter: @arjunraime
- TikTok: @arjunraime
My guest today is Kris Ward is the leading authority in building your business by building your team. Kris is the founder of the Win The Hour, Win the Day philosophy. She helps entrepreneurs create their W.I.N Team (what is next) team using her signature Super Tool Kits so you can get your Idea to execution and make your ambitions come alive! She shared about the foundation, challenges, and philosophy behind your book Win the Hour Win the Day. We have also talked about the time is right to start building a team, the most common mistakes people make when building their team, and what should business owners implement tomorrow to reduce the reliance of their business on them.
Today’s Guest
Kris Ward
Kris Ward is the leading authority in building your business by building your team. Kris is the founder of the Win The Hour, Win the Day philosophy. She helps entrepreneurs create their W.I.N Team (what is next) team using her signature Super Tool Kits so you can get your Idea to execution and make your ambitions come alive! After the loss of her husband, Kris returned full-time to her work as a marketing strategist. She was thankful to see that her business had not only survived her absence but was thriving. Now, Kris has completely changed the landscape for entrepreneurs by sharing the successful practices that allowed her absence. Kris has been interviewed by one of the original sharks from Shark Tank, Kevin Harrington, and ABC’s The Secret Millionaire – James Malinchak. She has been featured on award-winning podcasts, radio, and TV shows. You can hear Kris on her own podcast – Win The Hour Win The Day, where she has engaging conversations with dynamic guests covering a variety of business topics so you can get to your next win now!
Website:
- https://www.winthehourwintheday.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @krisward.ca
- Instagram: @kriswardlive
- LinkedIn: @kriswardbuildyourteam
- Twitter: @krisward
Links and Resources:
Win the Hour Win the Day Book
Win The Hour Win The Day Podcast
Win The Hour Win The Day Free Masterclass
My guest today is Ryann Dowdy. Ryann helps 7 and 8 figure CEOs generate daily sales on demand WITHOUT more of their time, by building and training high-performing sales teams. Ryann is passionate about helping successful business owners take back control of the revenue in their business, their time, and their freedom by building a profitable sales team. She shared information about the difference between social selling and traditional sales. She also talked about hiring a sales team; from the process to develop high-performing sales teams, things you should avoid when hiring a sales team, what makes a great salesperson, and the most important thing you do to set a new salesperson up for success.
Today's Guest
Ryann Dowdy
Sales Expert, Ryann Dowdy, helps 7 and 8 figure CEOs generate daily sales on demand WITHOUT more of their time, by building + training high-performing sales teams. Ryann is passionate about helping successful business owners take back control of the revenue in their business, their time, and their freedom by building a profitable sales team. With her business partner, Kelly Roach, they are on a mission to free CEO’s from the role of the salesperson in their business. Before starting her own business, Ryann spent 15 years in the corporate world building multi-million dollar sales organizations for start-ups in the digital marketing and advertising space. From the sales rep to individual contributor to Director of Sales - Ryann has mentored, managed, and trained thousands of sales reps. Ryann’s first crack at entrepreneurship was Uncensored Consulting, where she helped hundreds of women get their first clients, leave their day jobs, and take back control of their lives. By teaching tried and true sales strategies that aren't dependent on social media or trendy tactics, Ryann focuses on the art of building relationships and human-to-human connections. Now, building her second business, she’s on a mission to change the lives of CEOs - by giving them back their time, financial peace, and the ability to multiply their revenue through a high-performing, empowered sales team.
Website:
- https://dailysalesondemandforceos.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook:@socialsellersacademy
- Instagram: @socialsellersacademy
- LinkedIn: @ryanndowdy
- YouTube: Daily Sales on Demand for CEOs
My guest today is Steven Goodman. Steven Goodman has provided insightful solutions to the challenges of business succession, wealth preservation, and charitable planning, focusing on the needs of owners of closely-held businesses and high-net-worth individuals. He currently serves over 200 clients. He shared more about succession planning, life insurance, will or trust, and wealth preservation. We have also discussed his business background, the biggest challenges he had to face, how he overcome those challenges, and the best moments of his business.
Today's Guest
Steven Goodman
For more than 30 years, Steven Goodman has provided insightful solutions to the challenges of business succession, wealth preservation, and charitable planning, focusing on the needs of owners of closely-held businesses and high net worth individuals. He currently serves over 200 clients. Steven Goodman has authored numerous trade articles for leading trade journals, and has paired with some of the most respected names in banking and finance-among them, JP Morgan Chase - to sponsor some 150 seminars about business succession and wealth preservation. His accomplishments have brought the attention of such publications as the New York Times. Steven Goodman is a CPA who was vice president of the Trust and Investment Division of JP Morgan Chase and a supervisor for KPMG Peat Marwick. He holds an MBA from Fordham University.
Website:
- https://www.shgplanning.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @steven.h.goodman
- LinkedIn: @stevegoodmanshg
My guest today is Maureen Mwangi. She is the brand growth strategist behind some of America’s most beloved brands, like L'Oréal, Chobani, Dove, and Lays. She is the creator of Big Brand Academy, The Product Profit Lab, and Startward Consulting - a consulting firm dedicated to teaching product-based entrepreneurs the sales and marketing strategies they need to scale with scientific precision, so they can turn their product brands into household names. She shared more about her consulting business; its early stage and the clients she serves. We have also discussed more the strategies she learned working with big brands. We have also tackled the giant leap of e-commerce over the last year, as well as why eCommerce is the right channel for her product and business, and the most important marketing and sales strategies for each phase of a product-based business life cycle.
Today's Guest
Maureen Mwangi
Maureen Mwangi is the brand growth strategist behind some of America’s most beloved brands, like L'Oréal, Chobani, Dove, and Lays. She is the creator of Big Brand Academy, The Product Profit Lab, and Startward Consulting - a consulting firm dedicated to teaching product-based entrepreneurs the sales and marketing strategies they need to scale with scientific precision, so they can turn their product brands into household names. Maureen’s zone of genius is her rare ability to connect with a market and turn real data into brand growth strategies that drive multi-million dollar growth. Her non-profit organization Taji Foundation supports boys in Kenya to get the education they need to lift their families out of poverty and build generational wealth.
Website:
- https://www.startwardconsulting.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @mauryn.mwangi
- Instagram: @maureenmwangiofficial
- LinkedIn: @maureenmwangi
My guest today is Shanynn Lee. She is the Win Without Pitching Director of Coaching. She spent a decade in senior marketing and communication roles in Fortune 500 companies before moving to a business development leadership role at a well-regarded Seattle design firm. We have discussed why pitching your services bad and what is the best alternative. She also shared the advantages of specializing when it comes to winning new business. We have also talked more about the Win Without Pitching book and the author Blair Enns. Lastly, she also shared the challenges she faced as the Director of Coaching of Win Without Pitching.
Today's Guest
Shanynn Lee
Shannyn Lee is the Win Without Pitching Director of Coaching. She spent a decade in senior marketing and communication roles in Fortune 500 companies before moving to a business development leadership role at a well-regarded Seattle design firm. She also spent four years at Catapult New Business where she worked with agencies of various disciplines and sizes, building and leading their business development programs. Her time on the front lines of agency business development coupled with many informative years on the client side has given Shannyn a unique perspective into what marketers are looking for in agencies and what agencies must be doing in order to compete and win. Shannyn’s empathetic and encouraging coaching skills have helped her clients translate the lofty Win Without Pitching ideas into real behavioral change with lasting results.
Website:
- https://www.winwithoutpitching.com/
Social Media:
- LinkedIn: @shanynnlee
- YouTube: Win Without Pitching
Links and Resources:
The Win Without Pitching Manifesto
My guest today is John Lefebvre. He is an author, musician, environmental and social activist, and philanthropist. He is also retired from practicing law. He came to public attention when his company landed the big one on the dot com wheel of fortune with NETeller, an online money transfer platform for the internet gambling industry, which did an IPO in 2003 and achieved a market cap of $2 billion. In 2007, he was arrested in America for dealings with that business. We have discussed the history of his business, his lowest point and the highest point in life, and his happiness. it was a really fun conversation with John and I think you are going to enjoy it!
Today's Guest
John Lefebvre
John Lefebvre is an author, musician, environmental and social activist, and philanthropist. He is also retired from practicing law. He came to public attention when his company landed the big one on the dot com wheel of fortune with NETeller, an online money transfer platform for the internet gambling industry, which did an IPO in 2003 and achieved a market cap of $2 billion. In 2007, they were arrested in America for that business. That does make a fascinating story, but now, he is mostly interested in our future. Although he came to public attention for winning the DotCom run for the roses, it was generosity that really caught peoples’ attention and kept it. Lots of people get rich, but sadly few pass it around. His focus is the responsibilities of freedom, including the responsibilities of wealth, and the principles that we might adopt to fulfill our promise as a thoughtful species.
Website:
- https://www.johnlefebvre.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @thoughtfulspecies
- Facebook: @thoughtfulspecies
Links and Resources:
The Music of John Lefebvre
Writing By John Lefebvre
My Guest today is Seth Donlin he is the founder and principal strategist of Awen Coaching and we talk about a variety of different topics. We start off with imposter syndrome and we've talked about this on the show before, but I feel like each person has a little bit different take on it and Seth had some interesting facts that I found really surprising I think you're gonna find interesting as well. And then we talk about other things on the marketing side of things. We also talk about how to tell your story, whether it's through your website or social media or print ads or whatever it is, but how important it is to tell a story and and how you could do that. So all that and more today with my guest Seth Donlin.
Today's Guest
Seth Donlin
Seth Donlin is the Founder and Principal Strategist of Awen Coaching, a leadership and communications coaching practice specializing in helping service-based businesses and sport & fitness professionals build their authority, expand the reach of their message, and grow their business and income. A serial entrepreneur, Seth became a partner in his first business while still in undergrad, helping to build the alt-weekly into the largest weekly newspaper in the city. Awen Coaching is his third business, working closely with its sister agency, Awen A/F, a strategic marketing firm serving solopreneurs, startups, and small businesses. Together, both arms of the Awen brand are a result of their founder's undying passion for communications, entrepreneurship, and fitness. Seth is a long-time student of mixed martial arts and traditional Japanese combat arts, an avid trail runner and Obstacle Course Racing competitor, a budding mezcal connoisseur, and a rabid fan of the Boston Red Sox. A New Englander at heart, Seth now resides in beautiful Sonoma, California with his two foundling cats, the family dog, his awesome wife, and his amazing young daughter, who he is raising to one day become either president of the United States or owner of a Michelin-starred Irish pub.
Website:
- https://www.awencoaching.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @sethmdonlin
- Facebook: @sethdonlin
- LinkedIn: @sethdonlin
- Twitter: @SethDonlin
- Tiktok: @sethdonlin
My guest today is Mark Ritter. He is the CEO of MBFS and Nu Direction Lending and an expert in all things credit union and small business lending. We discuss the stages of his business; the early years, the biggest challenges, the best moments, and the mistakes and lessons he learned. We also discussed the process of small business loans, the advantages of approaching a credit union for a loan versus a traditional bank, the biggest mistake he sees small businesses make when looking for financing for their business, and his advice for someone who is just starting out and wanted to get a small business loan.
Today’s Guest
Mark Ritter
Mark Ritter is the CEO of MBFS and Nu Direction Lending. He is an expert in all things credit union and small business lending. Both organized are owned by credit unions and designed to help credit unions fund more loans to real estate investors and small business owners in their communities. In 2002, Mark started Members 1st Federal Credit Union’s business lending program as “one person and a desk” with no policies, products, staff, systems, or business members. That program grew to be one of the top ten in the nation in the number of loans, balances outstanding, and loan participation for federal credit unions. After ten years at Members 1st, he took on the challenge of being the CEO of a business lending credit union service organization (CUSO). Mark was the fifth CEO in five years for the organization, which lost money every month of its existence. In the past eight years at MBFS, Mark increased the number of credit unions the company services by over 8x, grew the revenue by 15x, and ensured positive cash flow every full year he’s been at the CUSO. More importantly, MBFS has helped countless credit union members gain the financing they need for small business and real estate investment needs.
Website:
- https://www.mbfs.org
Social Media:
- LinkedIn: @markrittermbfs
My today's guest is Rachel Eubanks she is a Copywriter and the founder of Inspire To Engage. I pick Rachel's brain about all things, copywriting and she gives some great information about fear a small business owner and you're just starting out and trying to develop your style and tone of the copy that you want from your brand. What are some steps you can take to do that. And then if you're to a point where you want to outsource that copywriting to someone like Rachel, what can you do to set that person up for success, how do you best communicate the style and tone that you're looking forward to your copywriter. She also gives helpful tips to structure social media post to improve engagement. All that and a lot more with Rachel Eubanks.
Today's Guest
Rachel Eubanks
Rachel Eubanks is a copywriter that sees the writing potential in every small business owner. After all, who knows their businesses better than the people who live and breathe them every day? Rachel's also a mom, wife, daughter, podcast host and former public school teacher who realizes that an educator is the ultimate marketer. She drinks too much caffeine (a problem she's working on) and loves fresh flowers in her house. You can learn more about Rachel, her copywriting services and podcast at her site - inspiretoengage.com.
Website:
- https://www.inspiretoengage.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @inspiretoengage
- Facebook: @inspiretoengage
- LinkedIn: @racheleubanks
Links and Resources:
- Podcast: Inspire to Engage
My Guest today is Ciara Stockeland she is a Serial Entrepreneur and Profit First Certified Coach. She has so much experience in scaling businesses about some of the things you can do to scale a business, and we also talk about if your goal is to sell your business, how do you even go about doing that, what are some things you can do to prepare the business, to put it up for sale. She love helping inventory based businesses understand their numbers while helping them build strategies for growth and also helping to make more sales without extra overhead, crazy spending, added stress, or complicated tech. So all of that and a lot more with Ciara Stockeland.
Today's Guest
Ciara Stockeland
Ciara Stockeland, has owned and operated businesses since her early teens. As a serial entrepreneur, her business mindset and tenacity led her to opening her first store, Mama Mia, a high-end maternity store located in Fargo, ND in 2006. Shortly after, she developed and opened MODE a designer outlet store located next to Mama Mia. In 2008, Ciara chose to merge her two concepts into MODE and developed the concept into a franchise. Her vast experience in both retail and wholesale industries led her to launch the first to market wholesale subscription box for boutique retailers, which she built and sold within 18 months. Most recently Ciara has launched the Boutique Workshop, a coaching program for retailers. Ciara has been recognized as a Small Business Champion through SCORE and most recently was awarded the Outstanding Franchise Small Business Award. She is active with SCORE, an organization that is the largest network of expert business mentors across the nation. Additionally, Ciara has been an active member of the International Franchise Association and an advocate for small businesses with her seat on the United States Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council. She has twice had the opportunity to testify before two U.S. Senate Committees regarding the “joint employer” standard for businesses and its effect on small businesses and franchises. Additionally, in 2015 she represented small businesses at a White House Summit on Worker Voice and again in 2018 for a Summit on Economics. Through her coaching program, the Boutique Workshop, Ciara strives to motivate boutique owners to dream big and build simply. She was recognized by Prairie Business Magazine in 2015 as a recipient of the 40 under 40 for her leadership in business and its 2016 40 Under 40 Women in Business. She currently resides in Grand Forks, ND with her husband Jim, their two amazing children Harrison and Isabella and her Great Pyrenees Bentley.
Website:
- https://ciarastockeland.com/
- https://www.theboutiqueworkshop.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram1: @ciarastockeland,
- Instagram2: @joinboutiqueworkshop
- Facebook: @ciarastockeland
- LinkedIn: @ciarastockeland
Links and Resources:
- Free: Inventory Genius Masterclass
My today's guest is Scott Schober he is a Cybersecurity and Wireless Technology expert. Scott talk about the target breach that happened years ago, that's when everybody started really pouring resources into Cybersecurity and making sure of their safety. We also talk about small business and what can small businesses do to keep themselves safe. I asked him on what we can do to help and protect some of the family members whether it's a Parents, Grandparents or other older generation for people that might be after their data. I was really amazed and surprised by Scott's answer and I think you'll be surprised as well by a lot more great information.
Today's Guest
Scott Schober
Scott Schober is the President and CEO of Berkeley Varitronics Systems, a 49-years-old, New Jersey-based provider of advanced, world-class wireless test and security solutions. He is the author of three best-selling security books: Hacked Again, Cybersecurity is Everybody’s Business, and Senior Cyber. Scott is a highly sought-after author and expert for live security events, media appearances, and commentary on the topics of ransomware, wireless threats, drone surveillance and hacking, cybersecurity for consumers, and small business. He is often seen on ABC News, Bloomberg TV, Al Jazeera America, CBS This Morning News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more networks. Scott also serves as the CSO and Chief Media Commentator for Cybersecurity Ventures and sits on several cyber advisory boards for various companies.
Website:
- https://scottschober.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @ScottBVS
- Facebook: @scottschober
- LinkedIn: @scottschober
- Twitter: @scottschober
- YouTube: Scott Schober
Links and Resources:
- Cybersecurity Products
- Cybersecurity Books
- Hacked Again T-Shirt
- Hacked Again Bundle
- Senior Cyber: Best Security Practices
My Guest today is Annie P. Ruggles a founder of the Non Sleazy Sales Academy. She has a great personality. We have a great conversation as she talk about how to best position your business, she also gives a lot of actionable tips on how to overcome sales avoidance and why it even happens to begin with. Annie is the daughter of an award-winning motivational speaker and an always-ahead-of-his-time business strategist, and the granddaughter of a legendary used-car salesman, a perspicacious wordsmith, a singing waiter, and a cafeteria caterer with a raving fan base. So definitely she was literally born for this. I also asked her about the “Know, Like, Trust” marketing method and how we can implement it in our sales system.
Today's Guest
Annie P. Ruggles
For almost a decade, Annie P. Ruggles has harnessed her Hulk-like disdain for hard-sales, tacky self-promotion, and overly competitive sleazeballs as inspiration to help people find better ways to grow their small businesses. As the Founder & Dean of The Non-Sleazy Sales Academy, she's guided hundreds of people toward making deeper connections, lasting impressions, and friendlier, more lucrative transactions and conversations.
Website:
- http://www.anniepruggles.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @anniepruggles
- Facebook: @anniepruggles
- LinkedIn: @anniepruggles
- YouTube: Annie P. Ruggles and the Non-Sleazy Sales Academy
Links and Resources:
- Free Masterclass
- Sales For Empaths
My Guest today is Janis Isaman she is a movement specialist and the founder of My Body Couture. She talks about her transition from the corporate world and a job and career that had really nothing to do with health into the health profession and how that came about, along with different things and treatments. Janis run a business that dedicated on helping people feel better, move better and live better and also work with people who have pains. She crafted a business for a solution to a problem that she once had, and take a chance to help, a chance to learn and a chance to connect.
Today's Guest
Janis Isaman
Janis Isaman, founder of My Body Couture, helps people feel better in their body. Like most business owners today, she sees clients online and in person, and her speciality is helping people rid themselves of pain. She’s highly certified in both fitness and nutrition modalities and has been quoted as a lifestyle expert in Reader’s Digest, Prevention and Woman’s Health. But she’s not just a textbook of knowledge with a wall full of certifications. She’s a very real person, who has lived through her own lifestyle and body challenges. In her one to one sessions, she therefore provides practical solutions for her clients, taking the time to get to know their lifestyle challenges and provide reasonable solutions with her lively personality and approachable manner. This is a woman you want to know!
Website:
- https://www.mybodycouture.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @mybodycouture
- Facebook: @mybodycouture
- LinkedIn: @mybodycouture
- Twitter: @mybodycouture
- YouTube: Janis Isaman
Links and Resources:
- My Body Couture Shop
Today, La'Vista and I talked about what self-care looks like during this past year of Covid. Also if you feel like you're burning the candle at both ends, as an entrepreneur. She talks about some steps that you need to take right now to be able to incorporate more time for yourself. All that and much more with my guest today, La'Vista Jones.
Today's Guest
La'Vista Jones
La’Vista Jones is a multifaceted resource, helping her clients bring order to the chaos of life and business. She believes the price of success doesn’t have to include burnout or broken promises to yourself. By discovering a better way to run your business, you can get back to making yourself and what you love a priority.
La’Vista is the founder and CEO of 31 Marketplace, an agency that blends systemization and self-care - making both simple, personal, and effective.
Website:
- https://www.thirtyonemarketplace.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook:@lavistajones
- Instagram:@lavistajones
- LinkedIn:@La'Vista Jones
- youtube:@La'Vista Jones
My guest today is Charlene Walters, she is a mentor and author of launch your inner entrepreneur. Today we talk a little bit about what imposter syndrome is and what you can do to overcome it. If you’re an entrepreneur and you’ve tried something new, likely you felt imposter syndrome before even if you didn’t know exactly what it is so, Charlene is going to help us with that today. She also talks in her new book, there is some different workbook-style activities, and she takes us through one of those activities that maybe can help us as we work through our entrepreneurial journey so all that and a lot more today on the podcast with Charlene Walters.
Today’s Guest
Charlene Walters
Charlene Walters, MBA, PhD, is an entrepreneurship coach, business and branding mentor, trainer and author of Launch Your Inner Entrepreneur. She serves as a mentor on Entrepreneur magazine’s “Ask an Expert” forum and through her own consulting business (Charlene Walters, MBA, PhD, LLC), is featured among other CEOs, Influencers and Celebrities on the BAM Network and was recently selected as one of 150 Marketers to Follow by Rubicly.
Website:
- https://ownyourother.com/
- www.charlenewalters.com
- www.launchyourinnerentrepreneur.com
Social Media:
- Facebook:@Charlene Walters
- LinkedIn:@Charlene Walters
- YouTube:@Charlene Walters
- Twitter:@Charlene Walters
Links and Resources:
- Trello
- Postmuse
- Photowonder
Today's Guest
Shaun Provost
Ironman. World Class Triathlete. Marathoner. Runner. Gymnast. The original Live Unbreakable Athlete. She’s the sassy, sarcastic red-head who leads all things Live Unbreakable. From planning your nutrition to coaching you through your workouts, analyzing your training data to preventing or working through injury - Shaun is the spunky, athletic spitfire who will help you reach, and surpass, the goals you set out to achieve.
Website:
- https://liveunbreakable.com
Social Media:
- Instagram:@livingunbreakable
- Facebook: @livingunbreakable
- LinkedIn:@shaunprovost
My Guest today is none other than Carole Baskin of the Tiger King Documentary on Netflix. I talked to Carole about a number of things concerning Tiger King and her Big Cat Rescue Sanctuary. I asked Carole why she decided to do the documentary in the first place and looking at the past year would she do it all over again. It was fun getting to talk to Carole and getting a behind the scenes look at what went into the making of the Netflix series The Tiger King.
Today's Guest
Carole Baskin
Carole Baskin is the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue. She runs a real estate business and manages 100+ volunteers and interns from around the world and 10 staff and contractors. She has run this Tampa based non profit since 1992 and has garnered international attention to the plight of captive big cats on CNN, Animal Planet, Discovery, U.S. News & World Report, People Magazine, The Today Show, Sports Illustrated, Netflix, Wondery, all of the local media outlets and many more national and international programs. She is the host of the Cat Chat Show, a live interview with cat experts from around the world.
Website:
- https://bigcatrescue.org/
Social Media:
- Instagram:@bigcatrescue
- Facebook: @bigcatrescue
- LinkedIn:@bigcatrescue
- Snap Chat: @bigcatrescuer
- TikTok: @bicatrescue
- YouTube: Big Cat Rescue
Links and Resources:
- Get Involved With Big Cat Rescue
My Guest today is Kyle Spyrides. Kyle is a photographer based out of Perth Australia. I talk to Kyle about the nuts and bolts of being a photographer from how he prepares for shoots to how to best handle difficult clients. Kyle also talks about his life and how his Grandparents made a large impact on who he is today and the advice they gave him that guided him down his path.
Today's Guest
Kyle Spyrides
A younger me grabbed a hold of the words my grandfather told me with every cell in my body and I have been running with it ever since. “Decide your destiny” he told me with an abundance of accomplishment and joyful confidence. The smile on his face resembled a childlike grin which was fitting as he would also say “Never let the child in you die”.
That message was not only delivered to my ears, it pierced all the way through to my heart and reminded me of what I had heard about a much, much younger me. My family would not hesitate to mention how I was a very unusual young child. Unusual in the way I would interact with absolutely anyone and everyone who was qualified as a fully grown adult.
With a resounding confidence whilst standing at the traffic lights I said “Hello Mr, what’s your name?” to 7 foot Kane the wrestler look a like gentlemen. There’s no surprise that this made my parents very nervous. To be fair I am not sure what content I was consuming at that age so I’m not sure who’s to blame for the one incident at a restaurant where I yelled “Hey Chickybabe can I get another Cola?” to the waitress - all this from a 2 year old, that’s why it was a bit unusual. That same beaming confidence, interested in other is what I pursue everyday whilst fusing that energy with my passion in business and capturing images that are as valuable as the last image of a loved one tucked away in a returning soldiers wallet.
Business Photographer Perth Headshots and Branding Photography Soul Gazing Photography is a business that focusses on visual storytelling who consider your journey. Further than that I care about capturing your vision and the essence of what you are trying to convey. I am driven to create the media that connects you to your target audience. I aim to represent you and what you stand for in the best light possible.
My business came about as a natural development from my deep interest in powerful imagery. My ambition is to move people with my photography by creating photographs that would draw you in and peak your interest as you peel back the layers behind that moment in time. Visual interpretation has the ability to change moods, evoke emotion and call for action like nothing else.
Website:
- https://www.soulgazingphotography.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @soulgazingphotography
- Facebook:@soulgazingphotography
- LinkedIn: @KyleSpyrides
- YouTube: Kyle Spyrides
My Guest today is Brittney Lynn Founder of the Human Connection Agency. Brittney helps her clients land interviews with top publications like the New York Times. I first heard Brittney on Pat Flynn's Podcast SPI. She shared such great strategies I knew I needed to get her on the show. She shares a ton of great strategies from how to position yourself to how to pitch prospective podcaster or producers.
Today's Guest
Brittney Lynn
Brittney Lynn is a PR strategist for online entrepreneurs worldwide. She has over ten years of experience working in the online marketing industry and has a passion for helping others grow their reach, revenue, and impact through strategic PR. She's also the host of the Human Connection podcast, which dives deep into the topic of how entrepreneurs and small business owners can be better at building real, authentic relationships with their audience. Brittney has landed clients at Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, US News & World Report, and the Washington Post, to name a few. She's based in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and pup.
Website:
- https://brittneyllynn.com
Social Media:
- Instagram:@brittneyllynn
- Facebook:@brittneyllynn.com
- LinkedIn:@brittneylynn
- Podcast: The Human Connection Podcast
Links and Resources:
- Brittney's Pitch Templates
- Loom
- Convert Kit
- Asana
- Nicole Jackson Miller
My Guest today is Paul Higgins Founder and High Performance Mentor of Build Live Give. Paul is a master of LinkedIn with over 2 million views of his posts. He shares his strategies to create highly effective LinkedIn posts that attract new leads. Is your LinkedIn page just barely filled out? When is the last time you even looked at it? If your answer is yes and a long time then Paul has some great tips for you to get your page looking top notch! That is really the tip of the iceberg if you sell B2B you are going to want to grab a notebook for this one because Paul has a ton of great strategies for you.
Today's Guest
Paul Higgins
Paul Higgins is a High Performing Business Mentor, podcaster, and published author who helps 7 Figure Business Owners with Sales & Teams so they can BUILD LIVE & GIVE He has 27 years of experience in Sales & Marketing, finishing up an 18-year gig at The Coca-Cola Company as a Director. In 2011 he left to manage his health. He has founded three businesses with a successful exit in 2019. He had a successful transplant from his best mate in 2019. With his newfound energy, he loves to mentor business owners, spend time with his teenage children, and play golf.
Website:
- https://paulhigginsmentoring.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram:@paulhigginsmentoring
- Facebook: @paulhigginsmentoring
- LinkedIn:@paulhigginsmentoring
- Twitter: @paulhiggins555
- YouTube: Paul Higgins Mentoring
- Podcast: Build Live Give
See Full Show Notes
Today is my first episode with out a guest. It is just me and you today. I wanted to give you a review of my business and the podcast in 2020. We will discuss a few episodes that really stood out to me in 2020 and take a look at what is in store for the Podcast and my business in 2021.
Links to the episodes from 2020 I discuss during this episode
- Episode 008: Creating a Thriving Culture with Phil Cohen
- Episode 13: Persevering with Krista Garrett
- Episode 15: Scale Your Business Using Virtual Assistants with Nathan Hirsch
- Episode 26: Overnight Success with Andrea Lake
- Episode 30: Podcast Guesting to Attract and Win Clients with Kristin Molenaar
Website:
- https://www.hgsitedesign.com
- https://www.10xyourleads.net - Reputation Management Webinar
- https://www.craigstaley.com
Podcast:
- https://www.craigstaley/podcast
Social Media:
- Facebook: @hgsitedesign
- Instagram: @craigstaley
- Instagram:@hgsitedesign
- LinkedIn: @craigmstaley
My guest today is David Wachs CEO of Handwritten. David has been an entrepreneur since a young age selling candy door to door as a kid to eventually starting a text marketing company before iPhones were a thing. Today though we talked about his current business Handwrytten a scale able robot based solution that writes notes with a real pen and look like you wrote them!
David talked about the early decision to build their own robots after they found scaling with their current solution wasn’t feasible. He also went into depth on their process from receiving a customer order to getting it in the mail for them. They are constantly trying to improve their processes, really fascinating stuff.
David Wachs
A serial entrepreneur, David's latest venture, Handwrytten, is bringing back the lost art of letter writing through scalable, robot-based solutions that write your notes in pen. Developed as a platform, Handwrytten lets you send notes from your CRM system, such as Salesforce, the web site, apps, or through custom integration. Used by major meal boxes, eCommerce giants, nonprofits and professionals, Handwrytten is changing the way brands and people connect.
Prior to his current initiatives, David founded Cellit, a mobile marketing platform and mobile agency. Under David’s leadership, Cellit became a leading player in the mobile marketing space and invented the concept of mobile customer relationship management (Mobile CRM). Cellit developed one of the most robust and widely used mobile marketing platforms in the world, delivering millions of SMS and MMS messages to consumers daily. Cellit was sold to HelloWord (f/k/a ePrize) in January of 2012.
David is also a frequent speaker on marketing technology and has presented for the Direct Marketing Association, South By Southwest, Advertising Research Foundation, and the National Restaurant Association. David has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Variety, Washington Post and many more. Both Handwrytten and Cellit were on Inc. Magazine’s Inc 500 list of fastest growing companies. David now also writes for Inc. Magazine with his column “Stepping Away from the Day to Day”.
Website:
- https://handwrytten.com
Social Media:
- Facebook: @handwrytten
- Instagram: @handwryttennotes
- Twitter: @handwrytten
- LinkedIn: @handwrytten
- YouTube Channel: Handwrytten
Today’s guest is Melanie Marconi Founder and CEO of Vida a curated co-working space in Portland Oregon. She talks about what changes she made to adjust during the pandemic. She also talks about the amenities they offer their members. I was really surprised at some of the amenities. They really take a wholistic approach.
Melanie Marconi
A longtime entrepreneur, philanthropist, and passionate advocate for change, Melanie Marconi is committed to helping women achieve their most ambitious personal and professional goals.
Melanie launched her first company, BDI Development Group, at the age of 23. This mission-driven company is a boutique consulting firm that provides fundraising, event planning, and strategy services to nonprofit organizations across the country. Since taking on the leadership role at BDI Events in 2004, Melanie has achieved annual business growth of 10% to 30% while setting and achieving long-term strategic goals, developing nationwide partnerships, and managing day-to-day company operations. Three years ago, she and her partners launched a spinoff business, Where Will They Stay?, to help clients find and secure custom hotel room blocks for their guests.
In 2017 Melanie was seeking a space for her growing team and realized that there was nothing available to support the day-to-day needs of working women like her and her colleagues. In early 2018, after receiving much social validation of her concept and vision, she committed to building and launching VIDA. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism and Communication, with an emphasis in Public Relations, from the University of Oregon. She is also active in the nonprofit community, having served as a volunteer, donor, and board member for several different nonprofit organizations around the country. She has also presented on productivity and work/life integration to a range of different audiences at workshops, conferences, and through podcasts and webinars.
Since becoming a single mom eight years ago to her daughter, Ellie, Melanie has been searching for innovative ways to get the most out of each day. VIDA stemmed from her desire to have all of life’s daily needs in one beautiful space, surrounded by other inspiring women entrepreneurs.
Website:
- www.vidacoworking.com
Social Media:
- Facebook: @vida_makelifework
- Instagram: @vida_coworking
- LinkedIn: @melanie-marconi
- YouTube Channel: Vida Co-Working
Today’s Guest is Matt Yahes Founder and CEO of Extend Your Team a Virtual Staffing Agency. Matt talks about how his life as an entrepreneur changed when he transitioned to using VAs in his business. He also gives advice on how to evaluate your processes to figure out what your first VA hire should be.
Matt Yahes
As the founder of Extend Your team, a Virtual Assistant company, Matthew Yahes helps entrepreneurs and operators of all company sizes grow their business by getting out of the grind.
Matthew was working 14 hours a day on his eCommerce portfolio, managing a team of 6, was buried in operations, and it was affecting his marriage. The situation was not tenable.
He had enough and finally figured out how to hire an A+ player overseas who could run the operations better than him so he could focus on growth. He realized that the core issue is people look for a "Virtual Assistant" and not a "Real Professional".
In 45 days, Matthew went from working 14 hours to 3 hours a day and now it's 3 hours a week.
Matthew built his past two companies with a 100% remote workforce and now helps others do the same. In his spare time he snowboards well, kiteboards poorly, and enjoys life with his incredibly patient wife.
Website:
- www.extendyourteam.com
Social Media:
- LinkedIn: @yahes
- YouTube Channel: Extend Your Team
Today’s guest is Connie Vanderzanden Founder of Profit with Connie. Connie is a cashflow and business mentor. Connie talks about the top Key Performance indicators you should be paying attention to. What you should do to have a sound financial plan going into 2021 and maybe most importantly steps we can all take to increase the profitability of our business. All that and much more today with our guest Connie Vanderzanden.
Connie Vanderzanden
Connie Vanderzanden is on a mission to help entrepreneurs live the lifestyles they desire by learning the simple steps, structure and discipline to create and save money. With 34 years of accounting and bookkeeping experience, a variety of industry knowledge and her own real-life business growth journey since 2001, Connie developed the Going Beyond Revenue Cash Handling System, focusing on cash flow planning that creates profitable and sustainable businesses. Connie is a true Oregonian, born and raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where she spends time with her husband of 34 years and their “fur kid”.
Website:
- www.profitwithconnie.com
Social Media:
- LinkedIn: @connievanderzanden1
- Instagram: @connie.vanderzanden
- YouTube Channel: Profit with Connie
Today’s guest is Aman Agarwal founder and president of Sanpram Transnational. Aman is a former business executive and engineer who worked on self-driving trucks in Silicon Valley. Aman is bringing up the average IQ on today’s episode. We talk about uplifting topics like how AI could replace jobs and how we will all eventually need to answer to our robot overlords.
Today's Guest
Aman Y. Agarwal
Aman is the Founder and President of SANPRAM Transnational, an executive education company, and a passionate teacher and writer. He was formerly an engineer, building self-driving trucks in Silicon Valley. Besides engineering, he has also been a business executive at two tech companies worth over $1 billion each. These days he is working to help non-technical business people survive and thrive in a tech-driven future.
Website:
- www.sanpram.com
Social Media:
- LinkedIn:@mngrwl
- Twitter: @mngrwl
Links and Resources:
- Honoring the Self: Self-Esteem and Personal Transformation, Nathaniel Branden
Today’s guest is Kristin Molenar Founder and CEO of Yes Boss. Yes, Boss is a PR company focused on getting their clients guest spots on podcasts. Kristin talks about why podcast guesting can be a great way to get your target clients to buy from you. She also gives some surprising advice on why you should strategically make sure you don’t know how to do all the processes in your business.
Today's Guest
Kristin Molenaar
Kristin is an entrepreneur-enthusiast who lives by the mantra "work less + make more". She enjoys helping entrepreneurs ditch the vanity metrics for true connections. She's the CEO of YesBoss, a digital agency that helps service-based business owners book podcast features, so they can generate new leads in just one hour per week.
Website:
- www.yessbossva.com
Social Media:
- LinkedIn:@kristinmolenaar
Links and Resources:
- Asana
- Slack
- Google Suite
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown
- Profit First, Mike Michalowicz
- Fix This Next, Mike Michalowicz
- Run Like Clockwork, Mike Michalowicz
Today we have an expert in all things automation on the show he is Will Christensen Co-Founder of Data Automation. Will shares his expertise on a variety of automation topics. If you are thinking you are overwhelmed and need a few extra hands, hiring might not be your first step. In fact, you may be able to find a few hours in your day just by automating some of your repetitive processes. Will walks a through a few popular DIY automations that you can get done with a tool called Zapier.
Today's Guest
Will Christensen
With over a decade of business development experience, it’s safe to say Will Christensen has an elevated passion for fulfilling what the end user desires and efficiently working towards faster iterations. Considered by some to be the “Tony Stark of Software,” he enjoys tinkering with cutting-edge technology, apps and systems, and loves to create innovative solutions for businesses and individual clients. He is the co-founder of DataAutomation, which customizes both automation and integration processes for e-commerce sellers. Will also heads up business development for RoundSphere, a tech incubator dedicated to developing new opportunities through software. Prior to his present endeavors Will has garnered extensive proficiency in advertising, media management, and product development.
Website:
- https://dataautomation.com/
Podcast:
Automate, Delegate, Eliminate
Social Media:
- Twitter:@DataAutomation1
- Facebook: @DataAutomation2016
- LinkedIn: @Will-Christensen
Links and Resources:
- Zapier
- Otter.ai
- Trello
- Zen Desk
- The E-Myth
Today we have a sales expert on the show her name is Sarah Mae Dickinson CEO of SMD Coaching. Sarah shares her expertise on a variety of sales topics including why having an elevator pitch is so important for your business and the best way to deal with objections.
Today's Guest
Sarah Mae Dickinson
Sarah Mae Dickinson is a Sales Coach for entrepreneurs and freelancers looking to further their career or business regardless of their industry. She grew up outside Pittsburgh, graduated from Penn State University and spent most of her life in the Northeast before moving back to North Alabama with her husband. She has spent the last 15 years in sales of all kinds and brings that experience to her clients looking to learn new skills that can be used immediately. She focus on teaching coaching clients how to create and implement more effective processes to increase and automate overall sales and productivity for their business while simultaneously creating more freedom in their life.
Website:
- https://www.sarahmaedickinson.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @sarahmaedickinson
- Facebook: @sarahmaedickinsoncoaching
- LinkedIn: @sarahmaedickinson
Links and Resources:
- SMD Coaching Elevator Pitch Freebie
- Hubspot
- Salesforce
- Zoho
My guest today is Andrea Lake she is a serial entrepreneur having run 14 businesses since 1999. Andrea was also a contestant on The Apprentice in 2006. So being election day of course I had to ask her at least one question about President Trump. All that aside Andrea is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to running a business and gives some great advice for anyone looking to do the same.
Today's Guest
Andrea Lake
Early internet guru. First web company in 1999. Has started 14 companies, including: StickerJunkie, Delinquent Distribution (which owned the sales rights for merch on Minecraft World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and more), Power Chick Mafia, and TEEacher. She and her companies have been featured in Wired, Inc., Entrepreneur, Forbes, as well as on television on: Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey show, among others. Speaking Credits include Summit, YPO, CU Boulder, and Harvard. She is also known for her deep run as a contestant on The Apprentice.
Website:
- https://andrealake.com/
- https://stickerjunkie.com/
- https://teeacher.com/
- https://powerchickmafia.com/
- https://quarantini.rocks/
- http://yogajunkie.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @andrealake101
- Facebook: @andrealake101
- Pinterest: @andrealake101
Small Business School Listener Offer:
15% off your entire order at stickerjunkie.com when you use Coupon Code SBS15 30 days after the airing of this episode.
Links and Resources:
- Minimum Viable Product "MVP"
- Jinx.com
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Minecraft
- Barnana
Imagine you walked into a business and asked the owner how much are your services and they replied, whatever you can afford. Likely that would be the first time you had ever heard that, right? Well if you ever walk into Rhett Ruehle’s Chiropractic Clinic that is the experience you will have. He allows his customers to pay based on what they can afford and that is how he has run his business for over 10 years. That story and a lot more on the show.
Today's Guest
Rhett Ruehle
From an early age Dr. Rhett knew he wanted to become a chiropractor. Having been adjusted since shortly after birth, it always amazed him with what could be accomplished with a few small adjustments. Following great success as a patient, he chose to pursue his chiropractic degree after graduation from Briar Cliff University. Midway through school at Northwestern College of Chiropractic, he discovered an amazing way to run an office – a system that made regular care not only affordable, but readily available. This new path totally shifted his paradigm of what chiropractic could offer. Following visits to numerous chiropractic offices throughout the country, Dr. Rhett was ready to open Ruehle Family Chiropractic in his hometown – bringing it’s residents a new idea on health. While that discovery was nearly a decade ago, the passion to help others through regular chiropractic care has only intensified. He looks forward to helping your whole family perform at their best.
Location:
3215 Gordon Dr, Sioux City, IA 51106
(712) 224-3949
Get Directions
Website:
- https://ruehlechiro.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @Ruehle-Family-Chiropractic
Ever wonder what is the best way to enhance your public relations in your community? Or What social media platforms your business should be active on, do you really have time for all of them? Carey Balogh the Chief Executive Groupie of the Public Relations firm Brand Groupies answer these questions and more in today’s episode.
Today's Guest
Carey Balogh
In 2015, Carey founded her full-service branding agency BRAND GROUPIES to guide brands toward success with a cohesive, 360-degree approach to marketing, connecting the right creative buzz-worthy initiatives to meet her clients’ goals with the “big picture” always in mind. Carey boasts 20+ years of experience in brand development and management, public relations, social media, marketing, and high-profile events in fashion, design, hospitality, food/beverage, and entertainment. As a PR Director, Carey has worked with international powerhouse clients including Gucci, Calvin Klein, and Hublot Watches (LVMH) in New York City and Milan.
She co-founded Frolic!, a children’s rock ‘n’ roll-themed play space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that was named “Best Play Space in NYC” by TimeOut New York Kids and acquired by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Carey received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland and a Masters in Fashion Promotion from the Marangoni Institute in Milan.
Website:
- https://brandgroupies.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook: @BrandGroupies
- Instagram: @brandgroupies
- LinkedIn: @brand-groupies
- TikTok @brandgroupies
Links and Resources:
- Brand Groupies Podcast
- MAMADRAMA - Single - MILF (Moms in Leather Forever)
- Hootsuite
- Canva (Affiliate Link)
Have you ever dreamed about what would happen if your business took off and 10, 20 or even 30 years from now would your kids want to take over the family business? How would you handle it? Would you be able to fully give up control and step back and let your kids run it? Well that is the position Marty Indursky of Encon Mechanical found himself in years ago when his son David came into the family business. Marty has some practical advice for anyone who finds themselves in the position of handing over the reigns of their business to the next generation.
Today's Guests
Marty & David Indursky
David was raised in the business. He interned every summer at ENCON starting in high school and experienced every single job, learning from the ground up. David feels incredibly fortunate to be in a generational business.
David came on full-time in 1993 and worked his way up to president. He’s most thankful for having an incredible working relationship with his father Marty – who founded ENCON in 1968 - for over 26 years which is rare for generational family businesses.
David’s vision is for ENCON to continue to lead the industry over the next 50 years, both in the use of technology, growing the team, and working with customers who appreciate the value of partnering with ENCON.
“I give so much credit to our team and am really proud of their work and the degree of complex projects they have completed,” says David. “Some of our top performers have been with the company over 40 years.”
While Marty taught David to be a problem-solver early on, at the same time his mother Micki taught him compassion. This “figure it out” mentality mixed with his compassion for people and charity is a common thread throughout the company, and a value instilled in their team. While ENCON has always supported charities and the local community, David has taken it to the next level with the creation of ENCON’s Rock & Bowl charity bowling event to benefit the Make -A-Wish Foundation, and David was recently named Chairman of The Board of Make-A-Wish New Jersey. David and the team are proud to have donated over half a million dollars to charities nationwide.
Website:
- https://www.enconmech.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook:@enconmech
- Instagram @enconmech
- LinkedIn @encon-mech
- YouTube
Links and Resources:
- ERP
Today's guest John Eyres is a cold calling expert and President of Business Connections Consulting. John helps his clients develop a program to attract new clients and increase business. John is focused on helping his clients grow their business through cold calling. If you are like me and not really a big fan of cold calling clients John shared some valuable strategies that will help you prepare the next time you sit down to make calls to land a new client, like how to format your script and get past gatekeepers to your actual target.
Today's Guest
John Eyres
Cold calling strategy specialist, author, speaker and business owner John Eyres helps individuals overcome their fear of cold calling and improve results. John is committed to helping people realize their potential and power to master their phone calling talents to achieve their business goals, create new business, close more deals and make the money they desire. John crafted an 18-page workbook entitled The Art and Science of Cold Calling, to teach people the fine points of telemarketing, thus have an edge on their competition. John is the author of a new book Master Your Cold Calls, 52 Ways to Increase Sales. John’s training systems are taught through 1on1 and group coaching, seminars and learning programs. John’s past and current professional affiliations include: Experts for Entrepreneurs (E4E), Facility Operators & Service Providers, (FOSPA), St. Louis Ambassadors, Business Development Group, Mastermind Group of St. Louis.
Website:
- http://www.busconcon.com/
Social Media:
- Facebook:@john.w.eyres
- LinkedIn @jweyres
- YouTube Channel
Links and Resources:
- Swank Audio Visual
- John's Book, Master Your Cold Calls
My guest today is Christian Giordano President of Mancini Duffy a century old architecture firm based in New York City. Christian talks about Mancini Duffy’s tech first approach to architecture and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted how they think about designing workplaces moving forward.
Today's Guest
Christian Giordano
Christian is driven by a quest of disruption and innovation. He approaches each new undertaking—be it a design project, a business initiative, or an industry‐wide effort—with a desire to push boundaries, do it better, and solve tough challenges. Throughout his efforts, he brings a balance of more than 25 years of experience working within the building industry along with an innate ability to think progressively, often times far beyond what others in the industry are thinking or doing. It is this quest that brought him to Mancini more than five years ago.
Leveraging the firm’s 100‐year‐history spanning architecture, interiors, and planning, Christian saw a unique opportunity to recalibrate the firm’s approach— emphasizing technology to transform the way designers across disciplines work—while capitalizing on its deep New York City roots and proven technical ability delivering built work. He set ambitious goals for the firm to revolutionize the way things are done and opened the call to action to every team member— from design to finance and from operations to marketing—to see that vision come to life.
A year after joining the firm, he was appointed President and in 2017 became its majority shareholder. In all this time, he continuously pushed limits to elevate the firm by activating this vision. To redefine Mancini as a top design firm, Christian promotes his larger vision with Mancini as the catalyst of industry‐wide change. Drawing inspiration from some of the technology companies Mancini works with—like Google, Peloton, and Commvault—he brings the focus to technology that can move the world of design forward. But the technology to do this doesn’t always exist just yet. Today, under Christian’s leadership,
Mancini totals more than 90 designers across two regional offices—two‐and‐a‐half times the 35 designers in a single New York City office when he joined the firm in 2013—all circling around the vision of being a technology‐first design firm. Each person is inspired to push the boundaries of technology to deliver better design solutions, better results for the firm’s clients, and better ways of doing things for the industry. In 2018, the firm officially opened its Design Lab, the epicenter of its research and development efforts. Where it previously resided in an office which Christian gave up so it could be used for these efforts, the new Design Lab brings together designers, technologists, and clients to leverage technologies like Virtual Reality, Video Game Engines, Drones, Generative Design, Artificial Intelligence, and many others to further break barriers limiting design capabilities.
What began primarily as an internal incubator has quickly grown to change the way the design process is facilitated. Under Christian’s stewardship, the firm has completely changed the design process. Mancini immerses its clients in Virtual Reality walk‐throughs, a client walking through their future space using Virtual Reality and Mancini’s proprietary Toolbelt software which makes any virtual environment fully interactive to users. Video Game Engine‐rendered models, or even Augmented Reality virtual elements so they can envision the firm’s proposed designs in as real a way as possible.
Today, Mancini continues to be recognized as an industry‐leader,
Canva Design Software
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows entrepreneurs easily create graphics.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Today’s interview is with Christina Barnett of Legendairy Milkshake Bar in Nashville Tennessee. Christina talks about the success of The Legendairy Milkshake Bar from lines out the door and down the street when they opened to being featured on the cooking channel and having celebrity customers like Trisha Yearwood and celebrity chef Jet Tila. Finally she talked about what the future holds for the Legendairy Milkshake Bar.
Today’s Guests
Christina Barnett
Christina graduated with a business degree from The University of Alabama, specializing in marketing & advertising. Her greatest strength is her knowledge on how to grow a business and maintain relevancy through ever-changing trends and challenges.
Location:
171 3rd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201
Get Directions
Website:
- https://www.legendairymilkshakebar.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @legendairymilkshakebar
- Facebook: @legendairymilkshakebar
Small Business School Listener Offer:
10% off your entire order when you mention The Small Business School Now now through December, 31 2020.
Links and Resources:
- University of Alabama
- iPhone with Portrait Mode
Today's Guest is Dale Furtwengler, CEO of Teaching Confidence. Dale is a wealth of information. He talked about how you can improve your confidence level in certain areas of your life. He also gives some tools on how to more confidently navigate our lives during the time of uncertainty we live in today.
Today's Guest
Dale Furtwengler
Dale is a former CPA, 3 yrs with a national firm, 17 yrs in corporate as CFO in a variety of industries, 20 yrs providing part-time CFO services, 6 yrs focused on helping companies get higher prices regardless of what their competitors or the economy were doing (author of Pricing For Profit), 3 years teaching confidence including a trilogy of books on the topic, online courses including a program to certify others to teach confidence.
Website:
- https://www.teachingconfidence.com
Social Media:
- Facebook: @dale.furtwengler.9
- Facebook: @teachingconfidence
- Twitter:@dalefurtwengler
- LinkedIn: @dalefurtwengler
Links and Resources:
- Dale's Books
- Dale's Blog - For Our Kids
Canva Design Software
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows entrepreneurs easily create graphics.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Today's Guest is Cathy Sexton CEO of The Productivity Experts. Cathy is a CPA by trade and recovering workaholic. When the stress of over working herself in the corporate world became to much and started impacting her health, Cathy knew she need to make a change. That's when Cathy went out on her own and began helping clients improve their processes and productivity. In this episode Cathy give entrepreneurs a few tips on how to improve your productivity. She also gave advice on what you should do when you don't feel like you can get everything done in a week.
Today's Guest
Cathy Sexton
Productivity and Profit Specialist, Speaker, Author and Coach, Cathy Sexton helps Stresspreneurs, individuals and organizations increase productivity and profits. Delivering high-impact principles through speaking, coaching, training and special resources, Cathy empowers people to achieve their life and business goals, make the profit they desire and still have time for family and friends. Cathy founded The Productivity Experts in 2003 after winning her own battle with workaholism and a stress-induced, life-threatening illness. Cathy is committed to helping people accomplish more, with less stress. Professionals can now avoid burnout, spend more quality time with their family and make the money they deserve. Cathy's Easy Processes are taught through 1-on-1 and group coaching, seminars and her unique “I.G.N.I.T.E.™” and “Prescription for Success™” programs. Attendees and participants learn how to take control of their thoughts, processes, and tools to achieve better results, faster. Cathy is the author of “The Productivity Habit – a 10-week journal to become more productive”, “52 POWERFUL Success Strategies to Ignite Productivity” and co-author of 4 other books.
Website:
- https://TheProductivityExperts.com
Social Media:
- Facebook: @theproductivityexperts
- Instagram: @cathyasexton
- Twitter: @cathysexton
- Pinterest: @Cathys101
- LinkedIn: @cathyasexton
Links and Resources:
- Google Suite
- Outlook
- Focus at Will
Canva Design Software
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows entrepreneurs easily create graphics.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Today's Guest is Josh Boone Founder and CEO of Pure Web Results, a digital marketing consultancy based in Dayton, OH. We talked about a variety of topics from what branding is outside of a cool logo to successful social media strategies for small business owners to implement.
Today's Guest
Josh Boone
Josh is a results-driven business expert with more than 15 years of marketing and leadership experience in the B2B and B2C industries. Previously, Josh was Co-Founder and COO of Catapult Creative, an award-winning digital agency in Dayton, Ohio. He has been an independent consultant for over a decade. He loves tea, traveling, and prefers whiskey over beer.
Website:
- https://www.purewebresults.com/
Social Media:
- LinkedIn: @joshboone
Links and Resources:
- SEM Rush
- Ahrefs
- google analytics
- 1000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
- Principals by Ray Dalio
Canva Design Software
Canva is a graphic design platform that allows entrepreneurs easily create graphics.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Today's Guest is Eric Seropyan owner of This is my South Bay a digital agency that specializes in SEO. Eric talks about his top three keys to focus on if you want to get serious about SEO. I love when I get to learn something new and today I learned that was one of those days for sure. Did you know that social media impacts your SEO? I sure didn't!
Today's Guest
Eric Seropeyan
Eric Seropyan is owner of a digital marketing agency called This Is My South Bay. He also teaches search engine optimization at Orange County Search Engine Academy.
Website:
- www.thisismysouthbay.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @thisismysouthbay
- Facebook:@thisismysouthbay
- Twitter: @mysouthbay
- YouTube: @thisismysouthbay
- LinkedIn: @eric-seropyan-56957426/
Links and Resources:
- SEM Rush
- Ahrefs
- Magestic SEO
- google keyword planner
- google analytics
Bluehost
Powering Over 2 Million Websites Worldwide Including My Websites!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Today's guest is Nathan Hirsch, co-owner of Outsource School. Nathan has been growing businesses since 2009 primarily using virtual assistants. His current business, Outsource School teaches other business owners how to do the same thing. Nathan talked about his keys to successfully outsourcing. He also talks about why they chose to hire team members in the Philippines along with a ton of other valuable lessons.
Today's Guest
Nathan Hirsch
Nathan Hirsch is a 30-year-old entrepreneur that's been scaling businesses since 2009. Nathan's first business, Portlight, sold over $30 million in sales through Amazon. Nathan then co-founded FreeeUp.com with an initial $5,000 investment in 2015, scaled it to $12M per year in revenue, and it was acquired in 2019. Today, Nathan is a co-founder of Outsource School, a company working to educate entrepreneurs on how to effectively hire and scale with virtual assistants through in-depth courses. With all of his businesses, Nathan has hired and scaled with hundreds of virtual assistants and freelancers from all over the world. He shares his roadmap for scaling businesses with virtual assistants through Outsource School. Nathan has built himself into a social media personality online, he has appeared on over 300+ podcasts, and has spoken to thousands about remote hiring at industry events.
Website:
- www.outsourceschool.com
- Email: support@outsourceschool.com and nathan@outsourceschool.com
Social Media:
- Instagram:@realnatehirsch
- Facebook: @outsourceschool1
- Facebook: @nathan.hirsch
- Facebook: @FreeeUpNathanHirsch
- Twitter: @SchoolOutsource
- Twitter @realnatehirsch
- LinkedIn @outsourceschool
- LinkedIn @nathanhirsch
Links and Resources:
- Upwork
- fiverr
- FreeUp
- Simply SOP
- Slack
- Trello
- Jira
- Whats App
- Viber
Today's Interview is with Bernard Gleton, Owner of Netware Technical Solutions and the host of The Genesis Project Podcast. In this episode Bernard talks about the book that changed his mindset from over analyzing to testing and making improvements. He also talked a lot about his decision to try out for the Canadian Football League even though the last time he played football was in his senior year of high school. Such a great story and a fun conversation with Bernard. I know you're going to enjoy it!
Today's Guest
Bernard Gleton
Ex-pro athlete turned tech entrepreneur and podcast host. Bernard had his share of ups and downs, and even more twists than normal. After a short stint in the CFL, he turned to IT and hasn't really looked back since then. Bernard started an IT consultancy and services company over 10 years ago helping businesses leverage technology to help their bottom line. His newest venture is as a podcast host of The Genesis Project Podcast, where he interviews incredible people, pushing the entrepreneurial agenda forward and helping people to start their entrepreneurial path.
Website:
- https://genesisprojectpodcast.com/
- Email: Support@netwaretechnicalsolutions.com
Social Media:
- Instagram:@genesisprojectpodcast
- Facebook:@genesisprojectpodcast
- Twitter:@podcastgenesis
Links and Resources:
- Ready Fire Aim by Michael Masterson
- CFL - Canadian Football League
- E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
Today's Interview is with Krista Garrett owner and operator of Garrett Music Academy. Krista and her team teach students of all ages and abilities anything from piano to voice or any instrument you can dream of both in person and remotely. The thing I love the most about interviewing people for this podcast is getting to hear their story. Krista's is one of perseverance. She had three major events happen to her business that could have easily caused her to give up and close her doors. She did the opposite she sought help and because of it now her business is stronger than ever.
Today's Guest
Krista Garrett
Owner of the Garrett Music Academy, married with 3 children, two of whom are twin girls Graduated from Suitland School of Performing Arts for Piano and Vocal Performance Received Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Maryland Received Master’s degree with honors at Johns Hopkins University for Developmental Psychology Former adjunct professor at Montgomery College and the College of Southern Maryland Has taught private lessons at the Garrett Music Academy for over 12 years Director of the ARC of Southern Maryland therapeutic music program Specializes in early childhood music and developmental and cognitive disability programs
Website:
- garrettmusicacademy.com
- gmacommunity.com
- iamflawsome.me
Location:
2021 Chaneyville Road
Owings, MD, 20736
DIRECTIONS
Social Media:
- Facebook: @garrettmusicacademy
- Instagram: @thegarrettmusicacademy
Links and Resources:
- Krista's Email: krista@iamflawsome.me
Today's Interview is with Paul Samakow, Esq. Lawyer and Owner of Samakow Law Offices in the Washington DC area. Paul passed the bar exam started his law practice and never looked back. Paul has successfully run his law offices for 40 years now and has begun sharing his business knowledge with other small business owners. Paul wrote a book, Step by Step Achieve Small Business Success, and packed his 40 years of small business in an easy to ready guide to running a small business. In the episode Paul talks about his super power which I feel is something we should all strive to get better at. He also shares a strategy he coaches his business clients to use to market their business. If I asked you to guess the strategy it wouldn't likely be your first, second or even third guess.
Today's Guest
Paul Samakow
Paul, an attorney in Virginia and Maryland, never worked in a law
firm. Rather, he started his own practice 40 years ago and has built it
into a multi-million-dollar practice with seven offices around the
region, protecting people who big businesses and insurers belittle or
ignore.
Paul has been a lifelong entrepreneur. He started in High School with
a photography business that within a year blossomed into taking group
pictures of virtually every public swimming club’s “teams” in the
region. He even once photographed the “runner up” to Ms. America,
asking her when they met if she was a model “or something.”
Since high school Paul describes himself as a “marketing junkie” and
claims to have devoured virtually every book on sales, marketing, and
the psychology of persuasion that is out there.
Paul has hundreds of business clients and he shows them, and
aspiring entrepreneurs simple steps to help their business grow, with
the goal of parlaying their past work into success into double or triple
their prior revenues while working considerably less. He is the author
of 5 books. Check out his book for small businesses Step By Step,
Achieve Small Business Success.
Website:
- https://www.stepbystepbook.biz
- https://www.samakowlaw.com
Locations:
Tyson's Corner, VA
8230 Old Courthouse Rd. #430
Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: 703-761-4343
DIRECTIONS
Wheaton, MD
2730 University Blvd. #504
Wheaton, MD 20902
Phone: 301-949-1515
DIRECTIONS
Baltimore, MD
3604 Eastern Avenue, 1st Floor,
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: 410-779-3585
DIRECTIONS
Paul's Phone Number: 301-500-0000
Social Media:
- LinkedIn:@paulsamakow
Links and Resources:
- Step by Step Achieve Small Business Success
Today's Interview is with Lynn Power, CEO of Masami a direct to consumer hair care line. Lynn spent 30 years as an Advertising executive most recently the CEO Of J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency, NYC. Lynn talks about her transition from advertising executive to entrepreneur. She also give some great advice to small business owners who are going toe to toe with some of the giants in their industry.
Today's Guest
Lynn Power
Lynn is a longtime ad agency executive with a love for beauty. She's been fortunate to work on many iconic brands, including the Gillette Venus global marketing launch, Clinique global, L'Oreal Natural Match launch and VIVE relaunch, Nexxus repositioning, Vichy positioning and La Roche-Posay and St. Ives.
She has done lots of other categories too including American Express, Hershey's, Campari, Kimberly-Clark, Nestle, T. Rowe Price. . .
She loves building teams, reinventing cultures and disruption.
Website:
- https://www.lovemasami.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram:@lovemasamihair
- Facebook:@lovemasamihair
- youtube:@lovemasamihair
- Pinterest:@lovemasamihair
- TikTok:@lovemasamihair
Small Business School Listener Offer:
20% off any purchase on Masami with coupon code SBS20 for the next 30 days for 30 days from episode launch.
Links and Resources:
- Google Analytics
- Shopify
- Gorgias Shopify Plug-in for Customer Service
- YOTPO Plug-in for Reviews
- Tone Plug-in for for Email Text Marketing
Today's Interview is with Melody Tholstrup, Owner of My Size Marketing in Madison, Alabama. Melody spent a number of years taking care of clients while working for other agency owners. When the agency she was working for closed her clients still wanted her help and that is how My Size Marketing was born. Melody gives some great advice about what small business owners aren't doing consistently when it comes to advertising. Really enjoyed my conversation with Melody, I always love talking Marketing and she knows her stuff!
Today's Guests
Melody Tholstrup
Melody Tholstrup – Owner of My Size Marketing & Marketing Coach Melody has always had a passion for helping small businesses grow. Working in the marketing industry for over 25 years, she feels blessed to have worked with a wide variety of clients ranging from retail shops & medical practices to schools & non-profit organizations.
Because of her love for empowering entrepreneurs, in 2017 Melody created MAP: Marketing Accountability Partners, a unique marketing coaching program specifically targeted towards busy and overwhelmed small business owners. An avid networker, Melody has been and continues to be active in several area professional organizations. For the last 12+ years, she has been an member in the Women’s Economic Development Council (WEDC) where she has served as Committee Chair for the Leadership Training, Outreach and Communications committees. She is also a member of the Public Relations Council of North Alabama (PRCA), the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Huntville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and the South Huntsville Business Association.
Very thankful for her continued success, Melody also tries to give back anyway she can. That’s why for the last 10+ years, she has served as a volunteer Marketing Coach & Workshop Instructor for The Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship. She also serves on the board for the Distinguished Young Woman of Madison County scholarship program. Melody is very fond of the color red, is a Wonder Woman super fan, and is blessed with a very supportive engineer husband and 2 amazing “young adult” children who inspire her every day. Her advice to her clients and fellow entrepreneurs is, “Remember, perception is reality…make sure your brand always reflects your ideal perception of your business.”
Website:
- https://www.mysizemarketing.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram:@mysizemarketing
- Facebook:@mysizemarketing
- LinkedIn:@melodytholstrup
Links and Resources:
- Map Marketing Work Shop Sign-up
- Free MAP Marketing Strategy Session
- SBA: Catalyst Center (where Melody volunteers as a business coach and trainer.)
- FREE Engage in Entrepreneurship Class at the Catalyst Center
- Zoom
- Canva [Affiliate Link]
- Mail Chimp
- Quickbooks
Today's interview is with Shiloh Johnson of ComplYant Tax software. Surprisingly Shiloh is the first ever CPA to develop a Tax App. Complyant teaches businesses when, where and how to file their business tax returns. As the founder of a start up and single mother Shiloh wears a lot of hats. Shiloh talks about trying to find balance when life when you are busy with clients, seeking capital and developing an app all while raising a family.
Today's Guest
Shiloh Johnson
Shiloh Johnson is a practicing CPA, who works with small business owners and early entrepreneurs to make sure they understand relevant tax rules and requirements. Shiloh founded ComplYant in 2019 and participated in Seneca VC’s Advance Cohort. She fights for the little guy. She believes that the color of your skin should not impact your likelihood of success. Everyone deserves complete and accurate fiscal guidance and financial success. Shiloh helps small businesses to operate more efficiently by unlocking solutions to their toughest tax challenges.
Shiloh holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting, a Masters Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University. She holds a Certified Public Accounting certificate. Shiloh is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, American Institute of CPAs, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, and the National Association of Black
Accountants.
Website:
- https://complyantapp.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @complyantapp
- Instagram: @shilohajohnson
- Facebook: @complyantapp
- Twitter: @complyanta
- Twitter: @shilohajohnson
- LinkedIn: @complyantapp
- LinkedIn: @shilohjohnson84
Small Business School Listener Offer:
50% off a monthly subscription for 6 months when you use coupon code SBS50.
Links and Resources:
- Square Space
- Mail Chimp
- Zapier
Today's interview is with Phil Cohen of Cohen Architectural Woodworking in St. James Missouri. Phil story is a true rags to riches story. He started out making porch swings and kids trucks but shortly grew his business into a multi million dollar business building cabinets for hospitals, hotels and retail. In fact is likely you have seen Phil and his team's work in person and never realized it. Phil provided value in today's episode that only 40 years of experience and continuous learning can provide.
Today's Guest
Phil Cohen
Phil has won many accolades over his lifetime, but there is only one that really matters to him and that is “Christ Follower.” He attributes the company's success to what he calls the “Jesus Experiment” and using God’s word to determine the path and culture for growing Cohen. He believes the main products we produce aren’t the physical things we create, rather it's the people whose lives we help build. He started the company in a neighbor’s ten-by-ten pigpen with a few rickety tools. Now Cohen operates in a 53,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility and has worked on projects in every state in the US. The company has more than seventy employees. Phil has been married to Gina, his wife of 43 years, and says she is the closest thing he’s found to heaven. Together they have nine children and fifteen grandchildren.
Website:
- https://cohenwoodworking.com/
Social Media:
- LinkedIn: @cohen-architectural-woodworking
- Facebook: @cohenwoodworking
- Podcast: Build Something Beautiful (Yet to be released)
Links and Resources:
- The Wheel of Life by Paul J. Meyer
- Jack Welch Crotonville
Today's interview is with Cathy Thayer and Jacob Whalen of Fabric Bash in Omaha, Nebraska. Cathy and Jacob talk about how their business almost ended before it started due to the government shut down in 2019. Cathy is Jacob's Mother in law so I asked them about what it's like running a business with family. If you are looking to run a business with a family member they have some good advice on how to make it work. You can tell they have a great relationship, it comes through in the episode. It was a great conversation I think you will really enjoy!
Today's Guests
Cathy Thayer
Married 33 years to Doug, retired AF, mother of 8, Grandmother of 3, sewing over 32 years. Purchased Fabric Bash in January 2019
Jacob Whalen
Married 3 years to Cathy's 3rd daughter Anna, 1 kiddo, Graduate of SCC Lincoln, certified Janome and APQS sewing machine repair, Co-owner Fabric Bash January 2019.
Location:
11019 I Street Omaha, NE 68137
Get Directions
Website:
- https://www.fabricbash.com/
- Fabric Bash Etsy Store
Social Media:
- Instagram: @fabricbash
- Facebook: @fabricbash
- Pinterest: @fabricbash
Small Business School Listener Offer:
15% off all fabric and notions with coupon code FBPodcast now through July, 15 2020.
CLICK HERE << and apply coupon code FBPodcast at checkout.
Links and Resources:
- Janome Sewing Machines
- APQS
- 316 Strategy Group
- Waze
Today's Interview is with Aaron and Deb Gress, owners of Vintage Beef a farm to table beef supplier based out of Charter Oak, IA. Deb and Aaron talk about how they decided to start marketing their beef direct to consumer when one of their sons refused to eat store bought ground beef. They polled their Facebook community to an overwhelming response and the rest is history. They have steadily grown their business until the last few months when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and things really took off. Now they have orders for beef all they way out to November 2021. It was fun catching up with them and they provided a lot of great thoughts on running a successful business.
Today's Guests
Aaron and Deb Gress
Aaron and Deb Gress have been raising cattle and farming for over 20 years in western Iowa. Three years ago they ran out of beef in their freezer and had to purchase beef at the grocery store. They realized after purchasing the beef at the grocery store, how exceptional their product was and decided to offer farm to table beef in large and small quantities direct to the consumer. The business has steadily grown the last three years with rapid growth during the last three months. They have gained many new customers and recently added “Country Living” Apparel to their website. They plan on continuing to expand significantly over the next couple years to try and meet demand. Aaron and Deb have three sons, Dawson 17, Peyton 13, and Teagen 9, who also help out with the family business. In their spare time they like to watch college sporting events, go to their boys activities, travel, and work out.
Website:
- https://www.gressfarms.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @vintagebeeffarms
- Facebook: @vintagebeeffarms
Small Business School Listener Offer:
10% off any country living apparel with coupon code APPAREL10 now through June, 30 2020.
CLICK HERE << and apply coupon code APPAREL10 at checkout.
Links and Resources:
- Leonard Limousin
- Tiefenthaler Meats
- Quickbooks
- Mailchimp
Today's interview is with Dave Selden, Owner, Operator and as his email signature states"Chief Janitor/Creator" of 33 Books. Dave talks about how over time his passion for beer and design became a successful small business with a product line of 50+ skus and distribution across the united states and really world wide. Dave's signature products are his pocket sized journal that provide you an easy way to record tasting notes from a variety of food and beverages. When I say variety I mean it, check out his website. He has tasting books for beer, wine, cheese, salami, oysters, scotch just to name a few. This was a fun episode to record as we both sipped on a glass of whiskey or is it whisky? I am not sure but grab one of Dave's books I am sure he will set you straight!
Today's Guest
Dave Selden
Dave Selden is a Portland, Oregon-based graphic designer and creator of the "33" series of pocket-sized tasting notebooks. He's an avid runner, woodworker and beer geek in his spare time, which is fleeting these days, thanks to the recent arrival of his second child. He hails from the great state of Iowa and smokes his own bacon, two facts which may or may not be related.
Website:
- 33books.com
- Etsy Site
- Amazon
Social Media:
- Instagram: @33booksco
- Facebook: @33booksco
- Twitter: @33booksco
Small Business School Listener Offer:
20% off your order now through June, 30 2020.
CLICK HERE << Just clicking on the link will activate the offer for you.
Links and Resources:
- Ship Station
- Tess Rose Lampert
Today's interview is with Holley Stofferahn Owner of Holley Stofferahn Photography In this episode Holley discusses how she has used in person networking and Facebook Groups to grow her business. She also talks about how she worked on pricing her services along with a variety of other topics.
Today's Guest
Holley Stofferahn
Holley Stofferahn Photography, Holley specializes in the portraiture of, Children, Family, Tweens, Seniors, Headshots and Personal Brand Photography for small business and entrepreneurs.
She is based in Omaha, NE and very passionate about helping small business and entrepreneurs with creating digital content for their business. Holley understands how hard it is to run a small business, and all the different hats small business owners have to wear. She also understands how important time is to a business. When Holley creates content for your personal brand, your not just getting content your also getting time back.
Website:
http://www.holleystofferahn.com/
Social Media:
- Instagram: @holleystofferahnphoto
- Facebook: @holleystofferahnphoto
Links and Resources:
- Pixieset
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Canon 5D Mark iii
- Worth Every Penny by Sarah Petty (Mentioned as Know Your Worth)
Today's interview is with Ashley Marie LeBaron owner and operator of Ashley Marie Soap in St. George Utah. In this episode Ashley talks about a mentor that helped her learn the soap business and taught her through her actions to always pay it forward to others. She talked a lot about what made her successful at social media how small business owners need to use their local small business development center because it is a great resource.
Today's Guest
Ashley Marie LeBaron
Ashley's journey started when she set out create Christmas presents for her large family one year rather than buy them something generic. That's when she discovered soap making. She bought a soap making book and her first batch blew up in her face, literally. She tried again and it worked, her whole family loved the thoughtful gift, so she tried a few more batches. She posted them for sale on Facebook and after her first sale, the rest was history.
Website:
www.ashleymariesoap.com
Social Media:
- Instagram: @ashleymariesoap
- Facebook: @ashleymariesoap
- YouTube: Ashey Marie Soap
Small Business School Listener Offer:
10% off any bar of soap use coupon code: SOAP in checkout.
Links and Resources:
- Small Business Administration
- Vista Print
Today’s interview is with Vince Coleman, Owner and Operator of Coleman’s Haberdashery, Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In this episode Vince talks about how he turned a hobby into a business that turned a profit in the first year. Vince and I recorded this episode in April during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Vince had a great outlook about the pandemic and even though his business had been impacted he looked at this time as an opportunity to pivot and grow.
Today's interview is with Allison Brown, DNP Owner and Medical Director of YouTurn Skin Care. In this episode we discuss a variety of topics from how to grow your business with patience to trusting your gut and much more. Allison also talks about the one thing you need to do if you are entering a partnership in business.
For full show notes or to learn more about Allison and her business YouTurn Skin Care go to craigstaley.com/podcast
If you would like to be considered to be a guest on The Small Business School please go to craigstaley.com for more details