Grit Daily Podcast

Join Dr. LL on Small Biz Stories as she interviews Sabir Semerkant, founder of Growth by Sabir and a billion-dollar eCommerce strategist who has worked with industry legends like Gary Vee and Neil Patel. Sabir shares actionable insights and candid advice for entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to scale, adapt, and thrive in today's digital marketplace. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, Sabir's wisdom and proven methods will inspire you to test, learn, and grow, one percent at a time. He convinces us that we need to just ONE thing better (at a time). Nail it - then move on to the next thing to improve. Sabir is currently running a program called Rapid 2X, and in 2024 alone he helped 29 brands across 17 different product categories and the average brand experienced a 108% increase in growth in the first 21 days alone.

In this inspiring episode (S5:E12) of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Luis Angel Torres Rodriguez, founder of Societal Bridge, Inc., to explore how positivity, the importance of life-long learning, and how second chances can transform the lives of returning citizens. Drawing from his own experience and award-winning advocacy with programs like NJ LEAD, Luis shares how he's changing the narrative for individuals reentering society after incarceration, offering support, opportunity, and a judgment-free path to growth. Discover how Societal Bridge helps people reset their lives, build new skills, and find meaningful work, proving that everyone deserves a chance to thrive. Connect with Luis and learn more about his work: Societal Bridge, Inc. TikTok: @louie.t8 ✅If you're moved by these stories of resilience and hope, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share Small Biz Stories for more real conversations that make a difference. #podcast #nonprofit #inspiration #learning #incarceration #prisoner

Discover how to thrive in the new era of eCommerce with revenue optimization strategies that go beyond traditional marketing. Host Dr. LL sits down with Matthew Stafford, renowned founder of BuildGrowScale.com and the “eCommerce Wizard” behind the success of brands like ESPN, Discovery Channel, and Women's Health Magazine. His experience has also allowed him to help hundreds of ecommerce brands scale past the million-dollar mark - with many hitting the $10 million mark. In this episode, Matthew reveals how to optimize your customer's shopping experience, increase lifetime value, and boost sales—even after the game-changing iOS 14.5 privacy update. Learn actionable tactics to build high-converting stores, overcome ad tracking challenges, and master the Revenue Optimization Economy. Whether you run a growing brand or an established store, this episode delivers the insights you need to maximize profits and future-proof your business. *️⃣It would be FABULOUS if you liked / subscribed to our show ‪@Midlifesuccess‬ !   #smallbusiness #digitalmarketing #shopping #success Learn more about Matthew Stafford: Website:  https://buildgrowscale.com/book-a-call  

In this episode of Small Biz Stories, host Dr. LL welcomes Christine Bernat, a certified EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) practitioner and holistic healing and stress management coach, to share her innovative approach to finding calm, focus, and healing in the fast-paced world of small business. Christine specializes in helping entrepreneurs and professionals overcome anxiety, stress, and self-limiting beliefs using her unique blend of EFT tapping, mindfulness, and energy work. Discover Christine's trademarked “new chill technique” called "Snap Tap Zap" that can help you reset your mind, boost your mental health, and unlock greater clarity and productivity-no matter how busy your schedule. Christine Bernat offers private sessions, group workshops, and online programs designed to support your journey toward emotional freedom and resilience. Christine is currently focused on THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF LOVE FOR DADS because dads are being left out of the help and healing equation! Learn more about Christine's work and book a session at ✨christinebernat.com✨ or connect with her on Instagram and Facebook. If you found value in this episode, don't forget to subscribe, like, and share Small Biz Stories for more inspiring conversations and practical tools for your business and well-being! #EFT #Healing #personalgrowth #selfcare #stressmanagement

S5:E9 Are old habits and limiting beliefs holding you or your business back? In this episode of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Marc Mathys, CEO of Reset-it, to explore how the innovative "neuro quantum" approach-blending neuroscience and quantum physics-can help you Reset, Reown, and Restart the way you work. We discuss how our brain's wiring and subconscious conditioning shapes our professional life, and practical strategies to break free from invisible chains. All this so that we can create new, empowering mental patterns. Marc shares how the observer effect from quantum physics proves that shifting your focus can transform your reality, and invites listeners to open their minds to a revolutionary mindset and self-agency coaching method that leads to a more sustainable, fulfilling business and life. Learn more about Reset-it here: ✴️https://reset-it.ca/ Comments, likes, and subscribing to our show makes a huge difference. We'd love it if you did! #personalgrowth #neuroscience #attitude #limitingbeliefs #success

Join Dr. LL on Small Biz Stories as she sits down with Michael Pilla, founder of Pilla Creative Marketing, to uncover a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to web design that actually works. Michael shares his proven method for creating websites that not only look great but drive real business results-cutting through the fluff to help small business owners attract customers and grow their brand online. He shared two "wow" insights that really grabbed me regarding websites and their importance: You'll never know about the business you're not getting You're one click away from oblivion If you're ready to stop wasting time and start building a website that delivers, I know a guy ... !  ✴️ https://pillacm.com/ ✴️ If you like what you see and hear, please subscribe and give us a thumbs-up! #SmallBusiness #WebDesign #MarketingStrategy #DigitalMarketing

S5:E7 Join Dr. Darryl Stickel, the world-renowned "Trust Architect," as he shares breakthrough insights from his acclaimed trust-building model—developed as a Big 4 consultant, author, and thought leader with a PhD from Duke University. Despite navigating life with visual impairment, Dr. Stickel demonstrates that true vision goes far beyond sight, inspiring leaders to embrace vulnerability, foster genuine relationships, and cultivate high-performing, resilient teams. In this uplifting podcast, hear actionable guidance for transforming workplace culture, strengthening mental health, and unlocking the power of trust to create extraordinary organizations and connections. *️⃣ We're building trust with our community. To do so, we encourage you to like this video and subscribe to our channel @MidlifeSuccess

In this eye-opening episode of Small Biz Buffet, we sit down with Eric Vincent, the "Excuse Killer," who just makes sh*t happen! He is the visionary founder of ProcurementCon and Black Ink Creative Partners. Eric shares his journey from the school of hard knocks to becoming a beacon of hope for small business owners everywhere. Discover how Eric's "The Deets" program is revolutionizing small business support, offering so much more than just a newsletter. Learn about the invaluable insights he's gleaned from his own experiences and how he's made them freely available to help others grow their businesses. Eric's infectious enthusiasm and knowledge (yup - he is constantly researching & learning) and no-nonsense approach to business have not only captivated Dr. LL as our host but also led to an exciting new collaboration. This could be THE podcast that "started it all!" Tune in to hear about the birth of "How, Why, What?" - the new podcast where Eric and Loralyn join forces to dive deep into the world of small business success. And we strip out all the nonsense that gets in the way of all that. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur looking to navigate the choppy waters of small business ownership. Get ready for practical advice, inspiring stories, and a healthy dose of real-world wisdom that you won't find in any textbook.

Unlock the Secrets to Building Unbreakable Business Relationships! Join us on Small Biz Buffet as we sit down with renowned sales consultant and relationship selling expert, James Jacobi!

Welcome to a journey down a health path. This podcast is dedicated to exploring the world of chiropractic care and holistic health. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Lipman, the founder of Physical Evidence in Florida. With a wealth of experience as both a chiropractic physician and a patient, Dr. Lipman offers a unique perspective on managing musculoskeletal pain. Throughout our conversation, we delve into Dr. Lipman's personal journey with significant injuries and how they shaped his understanding of pain management. He shares his philosophy on treating dysfunction rather than merely addressing symptoms, emphasizing the importance of identifying the mechanical compensations that contribute to pain. Dr. Lipman also discusses various innovative therapies that have emerged in the field of chiropractic care, including Deep Tissue Laser Therapy, Whole Body Cryotherapy, and Mechanical Motion Therapy. We explore how these approaches can help individuals achieve better health outcomes and maintain functional movement. Whether you're curious about chiropractic practices or seeking a deeper understanding of pain management, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of the healing journey.

Jennifer Moscato is the President of One-Third Stories, an innovative language-learning solution designed for children and the adults who are teaching them. In a clever "sneak attack," the stories begin in one language but slowly morph into another language so that people learn words and their context in a natural way. This improves learning and retention, plus it's fun! Jennifer was joined by her husband, Darren Moscato, who plays a supporting role with the operations of the business. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." They share some of the lessons learned (the hard way) as entrepreneurs. And they talk about the "drill and kill" method at schools - which isn't working. *APOLOGIES for the suboptimal audio quality of our guests' microphone - we did our best to improve their sound.

Franca Borgia is a visionary, artist, and author. As a polyglot, she is hyper-aware of cultural sensitivies and the power of nuance: words have impact. She uses her artistry to create intricate, conceptual installations that are featured in several hotels and museums around the world. Her home - and her heart - is in Venice. This podcast was a special treat as we recorded it live as she strolled through Venice's famous landmarks and inserted quips about the city's rich history as we talked about mind-blowing ideas. For example, her monthly book series, could potentially go on for decades because she is unbound by spatial or contextual limitations. Her new book, "The Metabolism of the Mind," challenges conventional thinking about how fueling our bodies needs to go beyond the basic necessities of food and water. It is - and we are all - forms of energy that connect with each other to spark new forms. This is a fascinating discussion. I urge you all to open your minds and listen to Franca's incredible insights. You can find her on Instagram @r.a.r.a._international and on the web ...   https://francaborgia.com 

Denise Drinkwalter is one of those laid back, "take it as it comes," type of person that you can instantly relate with. Her Canadian roots and career in education as a teacher and principal offer immediate connection points and the confidence that she is going to help you get there - wherever it is that you are going. She is a life coach focused on middle-aged women transitioning from one life phase to the next, like rediscovering themselves, empty nesting, leaving a spouse, or finding a new one. Denise helps her clients reconnect with who they are and what they want out of life. Her philosophy is to do something daily that is, "for you, by you, or because of you." This mantra puts self-care into the spotlight and reminds all of us that taking the time to refuel is not only a good thing to do, it's essential. Find her at https://DeniseDrinkwalter.com 

Danielle Perlin-Good has deep experience in digital marketing and ghostwriting. She takes her clients on a journey of personal discovery and healing as the "Soul-Aligned Ghostwriter." Danielle exudes cautious optimism and a time-proven process that takes her clients step-by-step through getting their book idea out of their heads on onto the digital shelves of amazon. For many, this can be a daunting process but she makes it simple and helps every aspiring author get their story out! 

Dr. Brenda Boston is the President of the Dr. Marie Barney Boston Foundation which was founded by her late mother. It offers more than a scholarship to help students attend college, it also teaches accountability, responsibility, and giving back to the community. To date, since the foundation launched in 2015, they have helped 35 students with tuition in their respective pursuits of higher education. This nonprofit Foundation operates nationwide and is poised to continue enabling students to achieve more through the support of the community.

Jennifer Holmes founded Joyous Journeys - all because she was interested in "voluntourism" and "eco-tourism" but couldn't find the services that she needed to play her offshore vacations. She, like so many others, enjoys taking vacations but also wants to give back while she's holidaying. Whether it is for a day, a few days, or even the focus of the whole trip, Jennifer plans exciting excursions that enable people to do anything and everything from research with baby whale sharks to irrigation projects that help people access clean drinking water. Ecotourism is growing: globally, it's a $174 billion industry. The Grit Files dug into why Jennifer does what she does and what we can all learn from it.

Annie Mork is the founder of Jobs For Therapists, which is a job board made for theraplists including SLPs, PTs, OTs, and Psychs. She is helping connect recruiters and job seekers in the therapy world in a more meaningful way. Her training is in speech therapty where she now has a telehealth practice supporting children with speech challenges, many of whom are on the Spectrum with Autism. Annie offers some great tips on how to engage with your child - and that doesn't mean banning electronics from playtime.

Meet Brilly Semenova - a disability self-advocate who does not take 'no' for an answer. She has the tenacity, spunk, and knowledge of an entire team of advocates. As a child, she was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and now has difficulty with daily living. But that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her Master's in Organizational Leadership and Nonprofit Management. Brilly is determined to change the narrative for the disabled, and she'll do it single-handedly if she has to. Good thing that she doesn't have to go it alone.

Accolade Wines is innovating everything from its bottles to its technology and production processes. Like bubbles? They have a new Prosecco ... and there are so many new ideas that will pop later this year. Enrique Morgan, managing director of the Americas, shares his gritty tales of beginning his wine journey selling to California gas stations to taking the helm of one of the largest wine companies in the world with a portfolio that is lauded worldwide.

Colin Darretta is a "reformed investment banker," serial entrepreneur, investor, and a journalist for Forbes, Inc, TechCrunch, plus other major media. He is the CEO and co-founder of Innovation Department, which spurs the brands of the future. Colin also co-founded FINN, which recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. He lamented all the virtue signaling out there where "hustle culture" is a straight path to burnout for entrepreneurs who should be seeking health, wellness, and balance - in addition to moving their startups forward. 

Christine Span, founder & CTO of Nylas, has evolved over the last decade growing her software company which is essentially like "the plumbing for the internet" connecting code. She talks about how the highs are super high and the lows are super low but that foundation at MIT prepared her for the mental fortitude that she was going to need to lead her team on this journey. "Leadership is work and you have to work at leadership," is a lesson that she learned along the way.  Along the way, she's discovered the power of yoga and rock climbing to challenge her mind as well as calm it.

Christina Richards is the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of Virtana - a software company specializing in cloud services. She took the road less traveled. Indeed, Christina calls it the "dark side" where she took a deep dive into engineering then evolved into marketing. With her role today, she has the opportunity to influence rising professionals in STEM and has a message (or two) for aspiring techies and marketers which can be distilled down to, "You don't know where life will take you - keep learning." She shares how mistakes can be fuel for better things ahead. Tune in for some words of wisdom!

Dr. Deborah Jonas is the director of SRI's Center for Education Research & Innovation. Yes, she has access to astronauts and researchers of the highest caliber in the world - but she focuses her efforts on community learning. Deborah shared her thoughts on how we can better support students to "fail productively" and essentially to fail forward so that our next generation of leaders learn how to learn by working through problems versus being given the answers. She had some insights into how colleges are challenged by the breadth of the diversity and needs of the students they need to support today - and she surprised me with her shoe choice!

What a breath of fresh air! It's so easy to feel intimidated, especially when it comes to things like interior design, "Will my home meet your standard?" But Jeanelle Ditto, founder of Blush Interior Designs, is one of the most fun, accessible, down-to-Earth, and overall joyous people that you'll ever meet. No judgment! She offers listeners great advice on how ups & downs are part of an entrepreneur's journey and encourages everyone to STICK WITH IT. Jeanelle also shared some interior design tips that we can all benefit from.

Lorrie Thomas Ross is a breath of fresh air. She's The Marketing Therapist(R) and founder of Wild Web Women and Web Marketing Therapy. She understands the value of relationships and follows the mantra, "to lead with love." Her best advice for other female founders out there is to, "Always do what you do best and let others do the rest."

Welcome to another episode of Grit Files! Joining us today is Ken Babcock, Co-Founder and CEO at Tango. Tango's free-to-use product is a Chrome Extension that automatically creates written, step-by-step how-to guides in real-time without requiring video recording. Users complete their process in the browser while Tango transcribes actions, URLs, and screenshots. The resulting how-to guide can be easily pasted or exported to commonly used knowledge bases and learning management systems. They are inspired by a world where work is easier to get done, and learning on the job is frictionless. Tune in to learn more on this!

In this episode, we are joined by Sami Wunder, a leading international relationship and dating expert working with ambitious, high-achieving women, helping them attract lasting romantic love. Sami serves a highly engaged, global clientele of over 80K followers across 55 countries. Her clients range from Hollywood celebrities to UK TV stars to CEOs, bankers, lawyers, doctors, renowned authors, leading entrepreneurs, etc. She has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Time Magazine, Business Insider, Glamour, Thrive Global, The Huffington Post, New Zealand Breakfast Radio Show, UK Channel 5, Fox News, The Daily Mail, Elite Daily, The Metropolitan, and many others. Tune in to learn more about the different elements that make a healthy and long-lasting relationship!

John Glowacki, CEO of Combat Control Foundation, shares some deeply personal insights on life, loss, and leadership. He served our country in the role of combat control - for those unfamiliar with the role, it's like air traffic control but in a military application. Next year, a move feature a fallen combat control veteran will be released starring Jake Gyllenhaal and it will put this important but not well known military function and rising foundation on the map!

For something a little different, Loralyn Mears recorded this podcast live from Collision Conference in Toronto. She highlighted some of the key insights around the downward trend of venture capital investment and spotlighted some key innovations. WebSummit does an incredible job organizing this event and, as usual, they were spectacular and made the media, sponsors, startups, and attendees all feel like royalty. 

Chris Beck is the VP of the Family Law division of Soberlink. Their mobile sobriety technology helps document sobriety in real-time to ensure that a child is being co-parented by a sober guardian. Think of it like a breatholyzer on demand, all to keep children safe. This is especially important when parents are divorcing and fighting for custody of their child when one, or both parents, have alcohol usage disorder. Soberlink also provides treatment services with access to professional counselors. Chris has been passionate about fostering children impacted by addiction. He works on treatment solutions to enable the future reunification of the biological parent with their child. And he's also adopted several children in need who have been affected by addiction.

Josh York, founder of GYMGUYZ, the global leader in personal fitness. He's elevated in-home training to a new level. But he had a rocky start and he openly shares how he's tapped into his unstoppable mindset, honed through fitness, to make the magic happen. Josh will challenge you to stop making excuses - and to just get it done. "Easy never pays well - you've got to do the work."

Meet Lucas Stoltze of ExitLag - the company behind-the-scenes of hundreds of games in countries around the world. They make your game connections faster so that you can communicate with other players sooner - maybe even before the bad guy sneaks up on your game buddy so that can avoid a takedown. Gaming can actually help improve soft skills like communication. Who knew?!

Nick Grewal, serial entrepreneur and investor, is on a mision to make electronic vehicles more efficient and sustainable. He shared a key tip for entrepreneurs, "Don't put your success in someone else's hands. Be prepared to do it yourself." He highlighted how you need to know who you are as a company - and who you're not, and that mistakes are par for the course. Every company has problems - how you solve them defines your success. Nick discusses his current venture, ePropelled, changing the motors on everything from 2- and 3-wheelers to drones.

Meet Ahsan Rizvi, founder & CEO of Kiddom, who is transforming digital education to bolster the success of the next crop of learners. He's got a lot of wisdom to share about managing startup fires and digging in to gut through those infamously tough and gritty, early days of entrepreneurship. He'd know - he built Kiddom from the bathroom of a studio apartment.

Learn. Teach. Serve. That's a powerful motto and corporate culture that GCSIT's CEO, Michael Norring, has instilled in the workplace. It's more than a motto - people stand behind it - and employees are proud of the culture that they're helping create. Michael joins our show and shares some insights around digital transformation and how to lead an organization for growth. Here's the TL;DR - build awesome teams!

Michael (Mikey) shares some details about his "unusual" background and gives us a glimpse into how he, as a serial entrepreneur and software engineer, frames new ideas. As a neurodivergent, he has an insatiable appetite for learning new things and offers a fresh approach on how to combine the new ideas he learns - and that's what makes him an incredible ideator and entrepeneur.

Bryan Fried is the founder and CEO of Pangea Global Technologies. They're been around for more than two decades, but they've never stopped innovating. They're taking LED lighting to the next level embedding private broadband internet access and enabling the commercial scale of crops - indoors - to address the global supply chain and hunger challenges. So, how many lightbulbs does it take to change the world? Tune in!

Meet Michael Esposito - a family man on a mission to be better and to do more. His inspiration, dedication to self-improvement, and commitment to his customers of DenTen insurance isn't something that you see much of these days. Tune in to get inspired. 

Meet the co-founders of Branch Energy: Alex Ince-Cushman and Daniel MacDonald. They're making it easy for consumers to be smart about their energy consumption. They're growing quickly and offfered great advice for founders enduring "slogging through the minutia." They said, "Entropy of the world wants companies to come apart," and they offer advice how to manage it.

Teresa Heath-Wareing found her calling to inspire others when they get "stuck." She faced her personal challenges head-on and emerged stronger than before. Today, she's a TEDx speaker, coach, entrepreneur and best-selling author. Anything is possible!

This is a MUST-listen episode. Genecia Alluora, founder of Soul Rich Woman, will inspire and motivate you. At the brink of death, on the ledge of a 10-story building, she changed her life. Her mother pulled her back from the edge and said, "Turn your mess into your message." And she's never looked back.

Yuliia Mamonov is the Head of Content for Lemon.io, an innovative platform connecting clients to software developers on demand. Here's something you may not know - Lemon is based in Ukraine. Hear a first-hand account about some of the struggles trying to navigate the Russian war of aggression - and please do whatever you can to support Lemon and their staff.

Hair loss? Hair transplant? The field has shifted far from the era of late night infomercials touting the latest miracle cream. Andrew Kashian and his team at Solve Clinics are working hard to make the industry safer and more transparent to enable consumers to make better choices. Most entrepreneurs on our show struggle with growth - Andrew is struggling with hyper-growth and shares his inights on managing that.

Jim Barrood is the founder of Innovation+ and he's always on the cutting edge of what's new. The latest? Psychodelics - an industry which is still years behind the CBD industry but there's a lot of research in this area. 

David Lokshin - and his father - have taken a road less traveled in entrepreneurship. With tenacity times ten, they adopted a "missionaries not mercenaries" philosophy until they found product market fit then never looked back. Trace is a wildy successful personalized sports memories solution: why watch every move by every member of the team when you only want to see your child or the one player you're coaching? SEE: https://traceup.com/ 

Justin Huddy founded Radius Care to help family members manage the care of their loved ones. What's even more exceptional is that Justin has made his app free; it ties into Medicare and helps people find the most cost effective care solutions. Justin shares his thoughts on what he would have done differently as entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey.

Jim Kniest is a gamer, software developer, and entrepreneur. For the last five years, he's been building a unique app which helps people discover their sexual play styles. You can find his app, Halos & Sins, on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09R9BHFPR