Entrepreneur Island

Amazon is killing small businesses all over America because of their monopolistic practices forcing small businesses to compete on an unfair playing field. Tony explains how they do it and what you can do to avoid being one of Amazon's small business victims.

Merger/Acquisition and valuation specialist, Alan Pawlowski, partner at Nextpoint LLC discusses current market conditions, the increase in distressed businesses, how to determine if your business is in a death spiral or positioned for a turn around, the importance of accurate timely accounting, how to value your business and much more. Also, we are looking for a volunteer to be in a future episode where we value your business live. 

There are 400,000,000 guns in circulation in the USA and only 330,000,000 people in America. During 2020, gun sales are on a record pace with over 19 million sold in the first six months of the year. Many people who have never considered having a gun in the past are now asking "should I buy a gun?" Jeff Benty, owner of Just Holster It, answers that question and also talks to us about the changing demographic in customer base, how the CEL CORE program helped him increase sales $350,000 and how his hobby became a full time business.

Brian Grunert, Grammy winner, six time nominee and owner of White Bicycle shares with us why branding and marketing during the post covid recession is more important than ever, how to get brand recognition and "cut through all the noise", how he uses his Grammy winning design skills to improve his clients branding, he shares his new album cover design which features Jimmy Sweeney, who was an early influence on Elvis Presley (sounds just like him). Brian also discusses his idea for a Gen X haircut truck and promises to share the hilarious (and somewhat embarrassing) story about his encounters with Weird Al Yankovic only if you ask him.

Fireside Chat: In this episode, Tony talks about the divisiveness culture we live in and what you can do to avoid it. He also shares the latest on the economy and what his clients are experiencing post quarantine as well as what they are seeing (or not seeing) in 2021.

With 50% capacity restrictions and fall coming, the restaurant model is broken. Nick Pitillo, owner of Osteria 166, Villaggio, Stock the Freezer and the new venture Chalet Valet will explain how he continues to innovate as he "kicks the can" in order to avoid becoming part of the wake of upcoming restaurant failures. In this very entertaining episode, we discuss how all restaurant business models need to change, the struggles in the town of Ellicottville, predictions on state restrictions for restaurants, and how Nick upset his mom so much she refused to make him sauce for 2 years. Also, Nick gives a shout out to the CEL, Erin McGee and the Ravioli Ride with Danielle Nyhart at Danifit. Enjoy!!  

In this fireside chat, Tony discusses the logic behind using a neti pot daily to defend against Covid, his daily covid fighting health regiment, the death of malls, struggling Starbucks, increasing sales with your current customer base, the struggle to find new clients and how to outlast your competitors!

Sleep specialist, Soda Kuczkowski, owner of Start with Sleep will convince you that getting the proper amount of deep sleep can improve your health, stress levels, weight, mood and your business. In this episode, we discuss a shortcut to better sleep, define sleep success, share the ideal daily routine to maximize sleep, statistics on why sleep matters and much more.

Erin McGee, Managing Director of the University at Buffalo Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) shares the secret to why the program has been successful for over 30 years, filling the big shoes of her predecessor, Tom Ulbrich, changes needed to keep the programs going during the quarantine, the power of the CEL community, recruiting for class this fall and working from home. If you are interested in signing up for the CEL's CORE program discussed in this episode, click here!  There are limited seats available!  

StaffBuffalo partner, Lauren Lewis discusses why women have been hit the hardest by job losses during the pandemic, unemployment at the macro and regional level, how to handle the $600 unemployment supplement, how much easier it will get to find great candidates with higher unemployment, working remote and much more.

Return guest, Lori Miller from Developing Professionals simplifies all of the new Covid-19 rules and regulations needed by business owners to safely bring employees back to work while avoiding as much risk as possible. In this episode, we cover working from home, crisis management planning, what companies are not focusing on as they react to all the Covid rules, hiring HR help and all of the templates you need. She was kind enough to share all of the return to work policies and templates needed to make it easier for you to have everything you need! They include: Employee Health Screening form template, Sample memo to go to employees about screening procedures, Return to Work PPT deck guide that can be customized based on individual business’ plan, NYS Business Reopening template that every organization needs to have posted on-site and the Safe Work Playbook – for those that want to do a deep dive and ensure all parts of the business is covered. 

PPP specialist, Steve Turner CPA, Principal from The Bonadio Group breaks down all of the PPP updates that became law as part of the PPP Flexibility Act. In this episode we discuss, FTE's, filling out the application for forgiveness, the deferment of the social security component of employer payroll taxes and much more.

With less inventory in the housing market during the quarantine, there was an increase in demand and prices. James Wangelin, the manager at Towne Housing Real Estate and the owner of Cellino Wangelin Construction, explains how he took advantage of that, the new way to sell houses post quarantine, how to think like an entrepreneur, building a construction company out of need and the BRRR strategy to buying houses.

Tony records a fireside chat. He discusses how social distancing will quickly turn into "so-so" distancing as quarantine ends and how to best protect your business from being one of the many that will fail during the current recession.

If you show up to the Transit Drive-in too early for your movie this summer, you may find yourself a participant in one of over 40 graduations, a wedding, a church service or even a concert. Owner, Rick Cohen discusses how the Covid-19 crisis has made the Transit Drive-in more than just a place for movies, he also discusses why he still needed to cut operations by 50% and the importance of providing a community service by opening the drive-in during the pandemic.

Face it, face masks are here to stay. Wes Froebel, owner of Minuteman Press is making them fun and functional. Learn about how this pivot helped save the business during the quarantine. Tony thanks Audrey Hall one more time in the intro for the previous interview that received the most email/text responses!

Bed bugs are "hitchhikers" and considering no one is travelling, there are no hitchhiking critters to worry about during the Covid-19 quarantine, rats and mice, well, that's a different story. Buffalo Business First 30 under 30 winner, Audrey Hall, President of Ecoserve Pest Control talks about pest control during Covid-19, keeping the customers and employees safe, and the 30 under 30. This interview completely "falls off the rails" once Tony opens a gift Audrey sent prior to the interview with the request to not open until the interview (you'll probably want to watch this one). If that isn't enough, please wait until the end for cameo appearance of Audrey's beautiful daughter, Dakota playing her role as CTO (Chief Toddler Officer).

On April 27th, John Tyson of Tyson foods said the supply chain was breaking, three weeks later, prices for beef, chicken and eggs are rising at record pace. John Hogg, owner of Straight Forward Consulting and supply chain specialist shares his opinion on the supply chain, food shortages and prices. He also discusses the opportunities created by the Covid-19 situation and shares a supply chain strategy and metrics report.

Covid-19 has changed the rules for everyone. The individuals who understand and act upon it the quickest will be the ones who survive and thrive during the recession which Tony explains has already started.  During this episode, Tony uses the cheese metaphor from the book Who moved my Cheese written by Dr. Spencer Johnson  to explain that our cheese has moved, we need to find new cheese and how to do it. 

While many businesses in the health and fitness industry like Golds Gym are filing for bankruptcy, Master Chong's World Class Tae Kwon Do made the pivot to virtual classes for their students and in the process lost very few. Michael Mertens, the Executive Director will share how they made very quick, proactive adjustments to the business model to ensure they will not only survive the Covid-19 quarantine, but will come out stronger once the quarantine is over. Tony also thanks Lori Miller of Developing Professionals one more time.

As unemployed workers receive an extra $600 from the U.S Government, many are deciding to stay home because they are making more or about as much as they would if they were back to work. Many employers are struggling to get enough employees back now that they have received their PPP funding. Lori Miller, owner of developing professionals will tell us how business owners should handle this situation. She will also share some of the latest changes including an infectious disease control template you will need as an adder to your employee manual and the latest Covid-19 changes to FMLA for NYS that affect businesses with as few as one employee. Tony also thanks Dave Merrell of North Forest Office Space for being a part of the previous interview. 

Rent is due during Covid-19 quarantine and many of the 670 tenant small businesses at North Forest Office Space are not allowed to operate. David Merrell, President, explains how they created a customer engagement team combining empathy with proactivity to improve payment, the advantages that North Forest has over other commercial office space in a post Covid-19 world, expansion plans and much more. Tony also thanks Domenic Berardi for the previous interview.     

Three of the four occupations ranked with the highest Covid-19 risk are in the dentist industry. Dr. Domenic Berardi of Berardi Dentistry shares how the industry is about to be turned upside down due to the risk of Covid-19 exposure. In this episode, he discusses his entrepreneurial family, the business model changes and added costs that may create a shortage of dentists, disbursing the "mist" when drilling in teeth to protect the employees and clients, expectations on protective equipment, how to keep the "personal touch" and when we can finally get a teeth cleaning again. Tony also thanks Jeff Kruzska from BS&P CPA's for the previous episode interview.  

You have your Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and now you need to track it to make sure you maximize the forgivable amount. Jeff Kruszka, Principal at BS&P CPAs, answers some of the FAQ's of PPP so the average business owner can understand and walks us through his simple spreadsheet (and shares a copy for anyone who wants it) so we can avoid the need to open a separate bank account or add another line on the chart of accounts.  Tony also thanks Charlie Cho, Supercuts franchisee for coming on the previous episode.

When most restaurants are closed or failing, Chiavetta's is thriving during the Covid 19 crisis. Kathleen Chiavetta, Director of Business Development of Chiavetta's Chicken BBQ shares how the company made daily adjustments to create a winning Covid 19 business model. She also discusses keeping the staff safe, growing the business, spending time with her family and 4 cats and counting woodchuck holes. Tony also thanks Rosanna Berardi, owner of Berardi Immigration Law one more time for coming on the previous interview.

All the borders are closed and Rosanna Berardi, owner of Berardi Immigration Law is still open for business. In this episode, Rosanna shares how she remained true to her company values during the very painful layoff of employees, she predicts when the borders to Canada will reopen, shares her vision of what post-corona immigration looks like, life without Disney, her new venture and much more. Tony also gives one more shout out to Babcia's Pierogi in the introduction. Please support our small businesses!  

Fifty percent of sales for Babcia's Pierogi happens at the Broadway Market during Easter season. This year, due to the Corona crisis, the Broadway Market is only allowing curbside delivery. Find out how owners, George and Linda Lund have quickly adjusted to sell the 200,000 pierogi in inventory. Also, discussed in this episode is how to play Covid 19 friendly tennis. Tony starts the episode by discussing a new vodka drink he created as he once again thanks Jason Barrett from Black Button Distillery for sharing his time on the previous interview.   

Jason Barrett, the owner and head distiller of Black Button Distilling shares how his company quickly adjusted from making vodka and other drinking grade consumables to thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer! 

Luke Cellino, President of Cellino Plumbing and HVAC, discusses keeping the employees and customers safe, UV filtration systems that kill viruses, sharing all cash and financial reports with the employees, marketing opportunities and introduces special guest Rex (Luke's dog)!

Ethan Cox, Co-owner of Community Beer Works shares how they had to pivot during the corona crisis in order to sell all the kegs of beer that the restaurants no longer needed. He also discusses keeping the employees safe, brewery grade sanitizer and the drive up garage.

Guest Neil Carroll, owner of Vidwheel shares the do's and don'ts so you can get the most out of your audio and visual set up during the Corona Crisis. Neil shares the most common mistake people make and gives Tony an impromptu Webcam Assessment and Recommendations coaching session. During the interview, he offers a free analysis to all my listeners - be sure to take advantage!  

Yes, liquor stores are considered essential businesses! Tim Delaney, owner of Elma Wine & Liquor shares with us how he keeps his staff safe, how the business has been operating during the Corona crisis and what consumers are buying. 

No need to rush over to the supermarket for more toilet paper, the trucks are moving smoothly throughout the United States. Listen to Tim Vogt, co-owner of Ag Logistics discuss the supply chain and how Ag Logistics is managing to operate during the Corona crisis.

Nick Pitillo owner of Osteria 166 and Villagio had to lay off all 60 employees due to Coronavirus. Hear his story and the entrepreneurial pivot he's making to rehire as fast as possible by creating Stock the Freezer.  Stock the Freezer is a website where you can get all of your Italian favorites for $7 cooked to order and frozen! 

In this podcast, Tony shares the 4 steps to terminating an employee who once was a fiercely loyal always reliable employee or a FLARE and has turned into a fiercely loyal but isn’t producing or FLIP employee.

Tony explains how we are currently setting ourselves up to be victims of ageism and risking our jobs and businesses because of it. Also, a special thank you to Rosanna Berardi, owner of Berardi Immigration Law for hosting my book signing. 

Winter is coming! The recession happens on average every 6 years, we are now in year 10 without one. Tony explains what the inverted yield curve is and why it's getting so much news. He then explains a more important question to answer than "When is the recession going to start?" He finishes by sharing three ratios that will help your company become recession proof.

During this podcast, Tony explains why Ryan O'Reilly went from playing below average for the Buffalo Sabres to becoming the 2019 MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the champion St. Louis Blues in just one season. He then shares the simple secret so you can create a Stanley Cup-like winning team for your business.  

Tony explains why becoming respectfully candid will improve the lives of all those you are being candid with while enriching yours in the process. Tony then tries something new because he has more time after breaking his toe by extending the podcast when he "free forms" after the ending credits.  

Tony shares a story that dates back to the 14th century to warn you that if you are not careful, you can end up in the same predicament as the donkey in the story. He then offers advice to avoid it.

Tony shares a recent experience on why it's important to check social media and google the applicants you're serious about hiring.

Profit sharing programs are a complete waste of money if they are based on net income. Tony shares three simple steps for you to create the most effective KPI (Key Performance Indicator) incentive program for all your employees.

Brian Grunert shares his story on how his passion for music and design helped him become a Grammy winner (and 6 time nominee) and how that eventually turned into a full time brand design business - White Bicycle. During the conversation, Brian shares a great story about meeting one of his idols Rush drummer Neil Peart (twice) and also explains his transformation from operating a business using gut instinct to operating one with the help of accurate, timely financial reporting.   Link to  White Bicycle website   

Tony shares an important rule - the NIECE (Net Income Effect by Cutting Expenses) rule that every business owner (and his/her team) needs to understand and apply to their business. If applied properly, it will increase profits significantly faster than by increasing sales.

Tony interviews three of his clients - Gary Andolora, CEO of MBMS, Chris Scinta, owner of Allied Circuits and Joel Shapiro, owner of JMS Technical Solutions to share their experiences on how they increased their sales significantly by spending more time selling to existing clients. Tony ends the podcast with a challenge for you.  

Tony discusses the power of Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) and explains KPI's for every employee will make it easier to ensure their activities are contributing towards the company goals and 2018 strategic plan. If done right, you will now have an easy way to incentivize and will never need to give arbitrary year end bonuses ever again. He also offers his help if you want to get there faster (716) 912-1982. Happy New Year!

The most common mistake leaders who oversee employees is making excuses for bad employees. Everyone is guilty of it including Anthony. In this episode, he shares some real life experiences and offers solutions on how to fix the problem. 

Tony shares a very important rule that few small business owners know about and unknowingly break making it far more difficult to operate their business as they grow.

In this episode, Tony explains a very easy way to protect your business from the inevitable loss of a key employee by creating very effective procedures that allow for greater ease of transition.