Weave Connected

Today I’m talking with our winner of the Launch a Business Challenge, LaQuinda Renee. For our first ever business challenge, I couldn’t think of a better candidate. LaQuinda has spent much of her adult life pursuing the goal of starting a rather specific business-- a traveling dance business. From time in the peace corp to a masters in ethnochorelogy, LaQuinda has found a way to make her dreams come true. Just listen to the conversation and you’ll want to dream as big as her, too. The idea has been ruminating in her mind for years, aging like fine wine. She’s tweaked it here and there. Started a version of it, then took a step back, like we often do. The Launch a Business Challenge helped her to take care of all of the logistics she needed to get this thing into the next phase. Listen to what the business is like today and where she wants to take it.

Step one of launching a business is creating your business plan. This includes research, buyer personas, and so much more. You can’t expect to be successful without doing some heavy lifting up front. We’ll go over some basic elements, though we recommend you spend a good chunk of time here. Review a few of the episodes that launched before the challenge if you’d like a deeper dive into market research and product development.

Step six of launching a business is establishing the books. You can’t keep a business running if its finances aren’t healthy. But most entrepreneurs and business owners didn’t go to school for finance. Good news is, if you’re diligent, keeping your books updated and clean doesn’t have to be hard. You establish a system early on and follow it diligently.

Step five of launching a business is developing your social media. It’s really part two of building your online presence. You need to be found wherever your potential customers want to find you. And each social media platform is different. It’s also a big shift when you go from a user of social media to a manager of social media.

Step four of launching a business is building your online presence. The biggest aspect of this is your website. Being found online is crucial to establishing yourself as a professional and legitimate business. So, when someone finds you, what are they supposed to do on your website? The hardest part about building a website is establishing the purpose or call to action.

Step three of launching a business is defining your brand. You know your goals, your product, your buyer, your market strategy, now how do you present your product to your buyer? Your brand communicates so much to your buyer. A picture is worth a thousand words, and the visual queues your target audience gets from your brand can give them a lot of information about you.

Step two of launching a business is crafting a go-to-market strategy. You’ve gathered a lot of information through your research, now you need to see how that information will affect your execution. What does it mean for your business model and operations?

Welcome to a special series on the show! With everything that’s gone on in 2020, we wanted to be a source of hope, inspiration, and motivation to get out there and help you get an idea off the ground and launch a business. In fact, our goal is to help you launch a business in 3 days! All you need is an idea or solution that you’ve been chewing on. Maybe you haven’t known what the next steps are. Or maybe you’re someone who needs external accountability. Either way, we’re here to bring out the entrepreneur in you! Buckle up, because it’s going to be a busy 3 days.

2020 could go down in history as the year of COVID or murder hornets. At Weave, we want to help define 2020 and 2021 as the years of entrepreneurs.So many things have been injected into the market that have changed the way we live and do business. But with the introduction of such changes and difficulty always comes innovation and development.On October 26, join us for the Launch A Business Challenge. We’re launching 7 new podcast episodes that will guide you through the process of taking that idea, conducting research and turning it into a real life money maker. Listen to each episode wherever you get your podcasts. And make sure to check out our templates and eBook online. All of these resources were built to help you establish your business in 3 days. That’s all it takes!Once you’ve finished, you’ll be eligible to win $1000 and a year of Weave to help you in your first year. We can not wait to help you follow your cause, establish new innovations, and build new traditions.

Today I’m talking with Marcus Wing. No one has been more affected by COVID than event producers. In 2 days, Marcus lost 98% of his business. Did he have a minute where he almost ripped his hair out? Yes. But he probably didn’t let it last much longer than that. Though this may be a novel and big shift in the market, it’s not something you’d go without experiencing during your life as an entrepreneur. Something someday will turn your world upside down. What will you do about it? Listen to how he responded to this dramatic and sudden loss, what he’s done to creatively pivot, and how he’s never let his spirits get down. Let’s get to the good stuff.

Today I’m talking with Debbie Boone. Did you know that most veterinarians made that job decision when they were kids? And they followed through! Not very typical, seeing as those of us who wanted to be astronauts may not have actually pursued that path. But the thing about any career path is that there are revenue creating behaviors that you and no one else can do. You’ve got to attend to those puppies, teeth, knees, cuticles, or hair. But everything else? It can be delegated. Listen to Debbie talk about how important it is for you to do those things, focus on your brand, and make sure that those you delegate to are true to your brand.

Today I’m talking with Gretchen Figge. Many of us become entrepreneurs because we’re really good at something, no longer want a boss, and want to turn that skill or passion into a business. To make any business successful, you need that skill, the entrepreneur dream, and the management mind. And a big part of the management mind is finances-- knowing your numbers. For 20 years, Gretchen has consulted small businesses on knowing their number. Before we get to the good stuff, I’ve got a little one year old who has recently learned how to walk and may have had one too many falls this morning. You may hear her in the background when I wasn’t quick enough to mute myself.

Today I'm talking with former head of core XM at @qualtrics, former @google, and now president of Great Learning talk about how to best develop a product.Ideating is fun. You've probably thought, "I could solve that problem better" or "I could produce a better X." In today's episode you'll find it's not as easy as that. Focusing on the obvious problem may lead to a failed business venture. Listen to entrepreneur, product expert, and professor, Milind Kopikare, talk about how you can uncover your customer's unmet need and develop a solution to a social or emotional problem (those not so obvious issues).

Today I’m talking with Ike Bennion, product marketer and entrepreneur. Ike has phenomenal understanding of how to help you check your business idea’s viability. As a self proclaimed data nerd, he’ll walk you through how to collect data on a budget so you can make the informed decisions that are crucial when starting a business. This is a great episode to help you prepare to enter our Launch a Business Challenge coming soon. If you’ve had a business idea, use his steps to help validate your idea. Then, when the challenge launches, work on officially starting your business to enter to win money for your business and a year of Weave!

Today I’m talking with Jon Grover, a SaaS product expert. You may or may not be considering starting a business or software company, but you’ll want to at the end of this episode. 2020 has inserted new problems and frustrations into the market, all of which need a solution. Hear Jon talk about his process to approaching product creation, how and when to ideate, and all of the inputs you need to make those two things run smoothly.This episode and the next few are going to focus on this process to help prepare you for our challenge coming up. We want to make 2020 the year of the entrepreneur. So, whether you currently have an idea or not, we’re going to help you get there so you can Launch A Business In 3 Days with us. We’ll guide you through taking your idea and turning it into a business. You’ll start the business you’ve always meant to, guided by a crash course, and you can enter to win $1000 and a year of Weave!So join us for these next few episodes to make sure you’re ready for the challenge.

Today I’m talking with Devin Pearce. So many of our guests have talked about times when they needed help with their business and reached out to get professional help from a coach. We thought it only appropriate to respond with an episode all about coaching-- why get coaching, finding the right coach, and getting the most out of coaching. Devin is a ICF certified coach and has worked with business owners around the world. We’ll dive into what makes coaching so great, why Devin believes everyone should have a coach, and the information you need to help you make the right investment in the coach best suited for you. If you’d like to get in touch with Devin about coaching, visit devinpearce.com and you’ll be directed to his LinkedIn profile where you can DM him. Happy coaching!

Today I’m talking with Chad Flemming, entrepreneur and optometrist. Before he was anything, he was an entrepreneur. It’s been a defining characteristic. So, he didn’t see going into Optometry school, graduating, and opening a practice as anything other than an entrepreneurial move. In addition to everything he does as an optometrist, he’s truly stepped into the title of Entrepreneur with so many things he chooses to do outside of his business. If you need any self-imposed limits broken, come listen to this conversation with Chad.

Today I’m talking with Quinell Dixon. Quinell is a father, choreographer, and entrepreneur. Back when he was a teenager he dabbled in business by creating a clothing line. It brought him so much pride and satisfaction to see others sporting the things he created. He is now a full time entrepreneur and has a channel on YouTube all about creating a successful hustle, even during an economic downturn, global pandemic, and all around crazy time to be launching a business. If you need the strength and motivation to start your business now, Quinell is your man. He’s beyond positive and extremely hard working.Go visit Quinell’s etsy shop, Embargo Brand, and get your custom hat! Enter the code WEAVE10 for 10% off of your order.

Today I’m talking with Will Humphreys. Will is a successful physical therapist in Arizona. He’s owned multiple practices, runs a YouTube channel, and is in the final stages of publishing a book. But he didn’t get there without some serious work and navigation through some bumpy roads. As a result, he also chooses to spend much of his time coaching entrepreneurs. Listen to his experience and why he’s now so passionate about everyone needing a coach and business networking group.

Today I’m talking with Sean Foster, soon to be founder of Plunj. That’s P L U N J. Over the past few years, Sean has done a lot of personal research into cold/hot therapy- otherwise known as contrast therapy. He’d go to a nearby river and take a cold plunge after running. After a while, he noticed some pretty awesome side effects. His anxiety was calming down. And when his wife started joining him for cold showers, her insomnia dissipated. These were two, huge, life altering changes for them and their family. It’s amazing how your performance, attitude, and life overall changes when you’re less anxious and you’re well rested. So, you can imagine how this lit a flame under Sean. He then started making plans to create Plunj. With the way COVID-19 has affected the economy and work places, his path has been accelerated a bit. Listen to how he’s laying the groundwork and how he’s keeping his head high amidst this pandemic.

Today I’m talking with Kendall Coomans. When you start a business, you start from scratch. And whether you have a proclivity for sales or charisma doesn’t matter-- you need to develop it. Building your clientele is no easy task. Nor does it happen overnight. Kendall has been a stylist for 18 years and in this episode she talks about what it took to gain, build, and retain that clientele, especially amidst a pandemic.

Today I’m talking with Jeff Lyman, Weave’s Chief Product Officer. Prior to Weave, Jeff served as Chief Product Officer at Vivint Smart Home where he was responsible for building multi-million dollar product lines across the firm's security, video, and automation verticals. Before that, Jeff held various leadership roles at Nike. Listen to how a product guy shares lessons on how to sell. Because selling is so crucial for every business, no matter who you are, you’ll have to learn sooner or later. And see how his product knowledge shapes his perception of the world today.

If you’ve recently founded a startup or if you’re thinking about it, you’ll love today’s episode. Today I’m talking with venture capitalist Curt Roberts. Curt sees hundreds of ideas every year. Most of them aren’t new. So why would an idea get funded? Because it’s orders of magnitude better than what currently exists and there’s a path forward. Listen to how he talks about evaluating a business, what makes for a solid business strategy, and how you can work toward getting funded. Keep in mind, very few people do get funded by VC firms. Everything we discuss is still directly applicable to a self funded or bank funded business venture.

Today I’m talking to Weave’s CEO and co-founder, Brandon Rodman. It was during the last recession that he began working on a company that would eventually lead to what Weave is today. In fact, a lot of companies were started during that recession. But how is it done? Adaptability, scrappiness, and passion are Brandon’s key things. Listen to how his background in door to door sales helped him develop those attributes that then helped him launch a business at the beginning of a recession.

Today I’m talking with Vanessa Perkins. Vanessa is a professional makeup artist and has worked in fashion, advertising, fitness, bridal and commercial. She has been the key makeup artist for many photoshoots and commercial productions, and has worked at the Sundance Film Festival the last few years. Her specialties include full glamour, editorial, and natural looks. Vanessa transitioned from corporate work to full time mom to self employed. Listen to how she talks about conquering impostor syndrome in all of its different forms.

Today I’m talking with Beth Hardy and Chelsea Udell with Heart Tones Birth. Beth started the company for doula services back in 2015. Not unlike entrepreneurs in other industries, doulas face a high burnout rate because many of them go solo and stay solo. Most don’t last more than 3 years. Beth’s passion for the field pushed her to realize she needed a partner so she could continue to do her work. Looking for a partner who shares your same vision, ideals, and focus is daunting, and vulnerable. You wonder if someone is really going to want to step into the ring with you. But she found Chelsea and they’ve been a great tag team. Listen to how a partnership helped Beth better understand her business and services.

Today I’m talking with Jesse Harding. Jesse is a serial entrepreneur. He’s worked on several software startups, as the idea man, the advisor, the coder, and so much more. He’s worn all of the hats. There have been projects that have failed, projects that have succeeded, and projects that have taken longer than anticipated. Through it all, Jesse sees each venture as a way to express his creativity. He experiments. He tweaks. He chases his hair-brained ideas into card game creation. Because there’s no lack of ideas, he’s not afraid to pick up an idea and pivot if necessary. There’s more where that came from. Listen to how he fosters a space for creativity and a mentality of abundance.

Today I’m talking with Jessica Atkinson, a co-founder of Hygiene Edge. As a dental hygienist, Jessica has involved herself in every aspect of her line of work from clinical hours to education to lobbying. It would be an understatement to say that she’s passionate about what she does. That passion fuels her to educate in the traditional sense-- teaching hygiene students-- but also to educate her peers and dentists on how hygienists can practice to the full scope of their abilities to better serve patients and allow dentists more focused time for their expertise. Listen to how she talks about the importance of including others in your cause, those that help you with your ideas, but also those that play a crucial role in pushing that idea forward.

Today I’m talking with Steve Arntz, co-founder of a new startup called Campfire. However, as you listen to the episode, you’ll hear him refer to BookClub. Steve and his cofounder, Todd Ericksen, move fast. Their company started as BookClub, but they saw within a few months how that could limit future offerings. So, not long after this interview, they officially launched their rebrand. It’s fascinating to hear how he helped launch this SaaS startup. And you’ll love his 3 takeaways at the end.

Today I’m talking with Sarah Grover, founder of Utah Furniture Deals. As a mom and nurse, owning a retail business was not an imagined future. But Sarah loved interior design and decorating, and she loved a good deal. Throw in her competitive spirit, and it’s no wonder she now has a retail business with design services. What is a surprise is how fast it all happened. You’ll hear her talk about the simple things she did in the beginning, how she quickly identified her target audience, and how she’s taken advantage of that momentum.