Podcasts about Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping to a $4.2B Global Powerhouse: Inside G-P with Founder & CEO Nicole Sahin What does it take to turn a complex, “impossible” idea into a multi-billion-dollar global infrastructure company — without raising a dollar of venture capital for the first eight years? On this episode of The Jess Larsen Show on Innovation & Leadership, Jess sits down with Nicole Sahin, Founder & CEO of G-P (Globalization Partners), the company that pioneered the global Employer of Record model and grew it into a $4.2 billion category leader serving companies in 180+ countries. Nicole's story is both unconventional and deeply intentional. Before launching G-P, she helped companies like Tesla and NetSuite expand internationally — witnessing firsthand the pain, delays, and cost of setting up entities around the world. Her solution? Build the entire global legal infrastructure once, then let customers plug into it instantly. What followed was a masterclass in conviction: —turning down venture capital until G-P was already thriving, —scaling through explosive growth (30 employees → 200 → 1,100+), —reengineering the company during the pandemic as global hiring transformed overnight, —and launching Gia, a fully AI-powered global HR and compliance platform built on 13 years of proprietary data. Nicole opens up about the truth behind her success: the spiritual practices that kept her grounded, the brutal decisions required to scale leadership, the moments of doubt, the “dark night of the soul,” and the discipline of following intuition even when her entire team disagrees. Her approach blends operational rigor with mindset mastery — a rare balance in a founder who has built a category-defining global company. This conversation is both entrepreneurial strategy and personal philosophy — a blueprint for founders who want to build massive companies without sacrificing integrity, clarity, or themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2012, Daniella Kallmeyer began her eponymous brand with $7,000 and a goal to create a line of elevated wardrobe staples. Fifteen years later, her ethos remains the same and she's getting her flowers for the brand she's built—in fact, this year Kallmeyer was nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. On this episode, Daniella discusses bootstrapping her brand, what it was like in the room at the CFDA awards (hint: Rihanna was sitting next to her), and why she credits so much of her scrappiness to her time spent ghost-designing for QVC.

Let us know what you thought of this episode and any other comments you may have. In this episode, I sit down with Adreana Alvarez, founder of Love Her Shop, and her son Adrian, founder of Aero Shorts—their story is the kind that reminds you why family businesses really are unique.Adreana started with a problem every active mom recognizes: leggings that were overpriced, see-through, or constantly sliding down mid-workout. With encouragement (and engineering-minded problem-solving) from her husband, she built a better option—then built a movement around it. What began as pop-ups at gyms and farmers markets became an online explosion during COVID… and before she fully realized it, she'd sold over $1M out of her garage.But this isn't just a “quick growth” story. It's a community-first story—rooted in her dad's journey from a third-grade education to building restaurants that became gathering places, and carried forward through Adreana's decision to create a brand that is high quality, affordable, and purpose-driven. The name Love Her came from a moment outside an ER that reframed everything: this business wasn't just a brand—it was a mission to give back to women.Then there's Adrian—watching his mom print labels, pack orders, and make post office runs—and realizing, “If she can do it, I can learn it.” He takes what he learned in the warehouse and on sourcing trips and applies it to his own niche: affordable team shorts that help underfunded teams look and feel unified. And yes—he shares how Aero Shorts has been successful enough to help him pay for college while he still pursues broader business experience.We also get real about what it's like to work with family: the code-switching, the boundaries, the respect, the conflict, and the pride. Three generations deep, the common threads are clear: fearlessness, values, and the decision to put people at the center—without losing the business fundamentals.You can find Love Her Shop on line by visiting the website, www.lovehershop.com00:00 – The garage-to-growth moment Orders explode overnight, and Adriana realizes the side hustle is turning into something real.02:05 – Meet Adriana + Adrian: three generations of entrepreneurship Introductions, family-business roots, and how entrepreneurship was “normal” in their household.10:05 – The origin stories: restaurants → promo business → Coca-Cola lessons Adriana's dad builds community through restaurants, Adriana builds and sells her first business, then learns distribution and operations at Coca-Cola.28:25 – The COVID pivot: severance gamble → online launch → $1M wake-up call Bootstrapping the website, community activation, and the surprise discovery that sales crossed a million.40:20 – Purpose + product: engineered leggings, accessible pricing, giving back Stitching-as-contour, high-quality/low-price commitment, tariff transparency, and the “Love Her” mission moment.54:10 – Aero Shorts + working with family: building a brand, boundaries, values Adrian's team-short niche, funding and growth, paying for college, and how they code-switch between family and business.To learn more about the Capital Region Family Business Center visit our website HERE. To learn more about River City Bank and how they can benefit your family business, visit www.rivercitybank.com

In this episode, Nik Suresh returns to the show to discuss his first year running a bootstrapped services company. And no, he probably will not throat punch or pile drive you.Nik explains why he moved away from hourly billing to fixed pricing, why writing code is often the least profitable part of a project, and how to spot "status games" in the tech industry. We also dive into the current state of AI, why bad leadership is the real problem behind failed tech initiatives, and trade stories about MMA and boxing.We debunk the myth that starting a business has to be miserable, explore the performative nature of "hustle culture" in Silicon Valley, and break down why engineers often struggle with consulting sales.

I share the story behind getting our first dedicated Podsqueeze office in Portugal. I talk about the challenges of moving from a co-working space, hunting for a budget-friendly place, and doing DIY renovations with my co-founder. I explain how we furnished the space cheaply, set up a gym and podcast studio, and optimized for productivity. I cover office design debates, internet installation struggles, and plans for future meetups and collaborations. If you want a tour or have ideas, let me know!My twitter: https://x.com/wbetiagoMy Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiago-ferreira-48562095/Timestamps by PodSqueezeIntroduction and Episode Context (00:00:05)  Why Leave Home and Move to a Co-working Space (00:01:28)  Choosing the Right Co-working Space (00:02:39)  Benefits and Challenges of Co-working (00:03:53)  Deciding to Get Their Own Office (00:04:54)  Finding and Securing the New Office (00:05:56)  Planning the Office Layout and Functions (00:07:07)  Solving the Echo Problem and DIY Acoustic Panels (00:08:22)  Designing and Furnishing the Office (00:09:25)  Buying Second-hand Furniture and Equipment (00:11:54)  Setting Up the Gym and Office Desks (00:12:54)  Decorating and Balancing Design vs. Function (00:15:08)  Setting Up Utilities: Internet, Water, Electricity (00:16:11)  Internet Installation Issues and Going Viral (00:17:32)  Settling In and Realizing Office Needs (00:19:28)  Future Plans for the Office Space (00:20:30)  Community, Meetups, and Inauguration Plans (00:21:27)  Reflections on Bootstrapping and SaaS Benefits (00:23:39)  Conclusion and Call for Feedback (00:24:30)

In this hands-on labs episode of This Week in NoCode + AI, JJ sits down with David, CEO and solo founder of Formula Bot, for a practical, live walkthrough of how AI is changing the way teams analyze data.If you want to learn by doing, this episode is for you. JJ and David dive directly into the Formula Bot platform, connect real data sources, and show how AI can act as a true data analyst — answering questions, generating reports, and uncovering insights without complex dashboards or manual spreadsheet work.You'll see how Formula Bot evolved from a simple Excel formula generator into a full AI-powered data analysis platform that integrates with tools like Google Analytics, data warehouses, and more. David walks through key features including data connectors, automated reporting, web scraping, and enrichment — all designed to help teams move faster from raw data to decisions.David also shares his journey bootstrapping Formula Bot to over $1M in revenue as a solo founder, what he learned along the way, and how he thinks about AI competing with (and complementing) tools like ChatGPT.Whether you're in finance, accounting, marketing, or running a small business, this episode shows exactly how AI can simplify data analysis and unlock insights you may be missing today.Links & Resources

Watch This NEXT: https://youtu.be/FA8kGL3JXx8  Apply to Work with Voics: https://www.voics.co/schedule-youtube Join Aura: https://www.aura-app.ai/ Guest: Dan MartellYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@danmartell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danmartell 0:00 — Preview & Intro3:06 — How to Start a Business Properly5:51 — Free Models and Validation8:35 — Bootstrapping vs VC Funding12:00 — Building Products People Actually Need14:46 — Prioritization and Systems20:25 — The Shift That Unlocked Content Growth29:01 — Consistency and Long-Term Success32:10 — Storytelling and Personality in Content41:20 — Rapid-Fire Business Beliefs45:39 — Selling Ideas the Right Way47:54 — Choosing What Content to Publish51:40 — Communicating Simply at Scale55:04 — Improving Through Feedback58:58 — Health and High PerformanceSupport the show

If you're in B2B SaaS, you probably feel it already: the old way of “just hire more SDRs and send more emails” is broken.Everyone has the same tooling. Everyone is running the same sequences. Everyone is “personalising at scale” with the same prompts. Yet pipeline quality is down, efficiency is under scrutiny, and suddenly… go-to-market (GTM) design has become a first-class strategic problem.Few people are better positioned to talk about this shift than Harrison Rose.Harrison co-founded Paddle, helped turn it into one of the UK's fastest-growing software companies, and has now raised a $13M Series A (led by Notion Capital, with participation from Robin Capital, Inovia, Salicap, Common Magic, Andrena and more) to build GoodFit – an AI-driven GTM data platform.Here's what's covered:00:47 | What GoodFit actually does — mapping your entire market and scoring every account01:32 | Paddle origins → the first-principles GTM problem that later became GoodFit03:31 | From internal tool to standalone company — recognizing the “product inside Paddle”04:18 | Who buys GoodFit — why B2B tech is the first adopter (and why the market is much bigger)06:28 | Second-time founder advantage — credibility, networks, and selling before the product exists08:29 | Choosing investors — why Notion, avoiding echo chambers, and constructing a syndicate13:24 | Bootstrapping for four years — optionality, profitability curiosity, and knowing when VC is the right path18:34 | AI's real impact on go-to-market — why most teams are just automating bad outreach22:25 | The GoodFit vision — deciding who to sell to, why, and how (and leaving execution to others)35:34 | Leaving Paddle — identity, founder evolution, and learning to lead differently the second time around46:40 | Giving back — why Harrison opens his inbox for “weird, gnarly, unsaid” founder questions

Harlem Candle Company founder Teri Johnson started pouring candles in her Harlem kitchen with no budget and no team—just a clear sense of purpose. That focus helped her turn handmade gifts into a nationally recognized brand rooted in culture, design, and storytelling. In this episode, she shares how she validated demand early, built trust online without samples, and made tough decisions to protect her peace and profits.For more on Harlem Candle Co and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

A granola shot that goes down like bourbon and lands like a health upgrade. We bring Gita, the founder of Gut BFF, into the studio with Gabby to taste three flavors, Honey Glow, Apple Cinnamon Raisin, and Chocolate Peanut Butter, and dig into the big idea behind the crunch: 20 different plant ingredients per bag, designed to help you get closer to the 30-plants-per-week guideline from the American Gut Study.Gita shares how food-first changes helped her navigate insulin resistance and post-COVID cholesterol concerns, and why prebiotics plus probiotics beat supplements alone. Think of probiotics as seeds and prebiotics as fertilizer; feed both and you generate short-chain fatty acids that support immunity, brain energy, digestion, and overall wellness. We get practical about how people really eat granola, on yogurt for texture, by the handful at 4 p.m., or as a lighter cereal, while calling out what makes this different from the usual sugar bombs: popped ancient grains for clean crunch, nuts and seeds for fiber and protein, and restrained sweetness that lets flavor win.If you're building a consumer brand, there's a playbook here. Bootstrapping forced fast feedback loops, farmers markets, yoga studios, sampler three-packs, while an FDA-inspected regional facility bridged the scary gap between home production and big co-pack runs. We talk pricing, local retail rollout, and smart timing for a raise, plus how to scale without losing quality or shelf life. There's also a cultural shift powering demand: Gen Z is leaning into gut health and clean labels, not just because of dietary restrictions like celiac or alpha-gal, but because they want snacks that feel good and actually taste great.By the end, you'll know which flavor stole the show, how to hit your plant diversity goals without overthinking breakfast, and why taste is the most underrated health strategy. Try the sampler, top your favorite yogurt, and tell us your winner. Subscribe, share with a friend who lives on “healthy” snacks, and drop a review with your flavor pick, what should the next berry be?

What if losing your life savings on your first investment at age 27 became the catalyst for understanding why 90% of startups get stuck for the same psychological reasons? That's exactly what happened to Dave Hersh, founding CEO of Jive, board partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and author of Reignition. Dave grew Jive from an open-source project to a NASDAQ IPO, bootstrapping to $12 million over five years before raising venture capital. But when he watched Atlassian, a comparison company that started at the same time, stay on their original trajectory and become worth over $20 billion while Jive eventually died on the public markets, he realized fear and insecurity had driven his capital decision rather than genuine strategy. That painful lesson shaped everything Dave now teaches as an executive coach and General Partner at Metamorph Partners. After working with hundreds of stuck companies, he discovered that 90% of failures trace back to the same psychological patterns. Not cash. Not product market fit. Not competition. Subconscious patterns driving decisions without founders knowing. The statistics are sobering. Between 80 to 95% of founders suffer mental health issues while running their companies. Even successful founders have an 85% chance of experiencing depression or struggles for up to 10 years post-exit. Only 15% are truly thriving after they sell. Dave introduces his inner board meeting framework, which helps founders identify the internal parts driving major decisions. The child wanting safety. The hero wanting to save everyone. The warrior that cannot let go. When you understand these patterns, you can work toward compromises that break through stalemates. The conversation covers when and why to raise capital versus bootstrap, the transition process between identities that most founders skip, and the human-first competitive moats that will define success in the AI era. For founders navigating capital decisions, stuck companies, or the complex terrain after exit, this episode offers a different lens on what actually determines outcomes. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/davehersh FOR MORE ON DAVE HERSH:https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehersh/https://one-in-ten-thousand.beehiiv.com/ FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFERhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today! Episode Highlights with Timestamps [00:00] - Introduction: Dave Hersh's journey from dot-com era to executive coaching [02:30] - Growing up in Newport, Rhode Island with no entrepreneurial modeling [05:15] - First entrepreneurial experience: selling ninja weapons to neighborhood kids [07:45] - Arriving in New York on September 10th, 2001 and founding Jive [12:00] - Bootstrapping to $12 million over five years without outside capital [16:30] - The Facebook moment and decision to raise venture capital in 2006 [21:00] - Why founders equate raising money with success and the 10% reality [25:45] - The Atlassian comparison and what could have been a $20 billion outcome [30:15] - Mental health statistics: 80-95% of founders suffer while running companies [34:00] - Post-exit malaise: 85% of successful founders struggle for up to 10 years [43:00] - Identifying internal parts: the child, hero, warrior, and insecure parts [51:30] - Human-first moats in the AI era Guest Bio Dave Hersh is an executive coach, speaker, and investor based in San Francisco with over 30 years of experience in strategy, startups, and conscious leadership. He was the founding CEO of Jive, which he grew from an open-source project to a NASDAQ IPO. He also spent two years as a Board Partner (investor) at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. He is the author of Reignition, a playbook for helping startups get unstuck and find their breakthrough, and is working on a new book about enlightened leadership in the era of AI. Dave currently serves as General Partner at Metamorph Partners. Host Bio Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster. Related Episodes Episode 366 - Jodi Hume: Founder Exits and the Emotional Journey Behind Major Business Decisions: Explore the psychological dimensions of exits and what founders need to prepare for beyond the transaction. Episode 350 - Tom Dillon: When NOT to Take Venture Capital Money: Discover alternative funding sources and how to evaluate whether VC is right for your business model. Episode 302 - Laurie Barkman: Preparing for a Successful Exit with Business Transition Insights: Learn the practical steps for getting your business exit-ready. Episode 328 - Richard Manders: Post-Exit Transitions and Finding Purpose After Selling Your Company: Understand how successful founders navigate identity after major exits. Social Media Follow DealQuest Podcast:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/Website: https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Follow Dave HershLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehersh/ Newsletter: https://one-in-ten-thousand.beehiiv.com/ Keywords/Tags founder mental health, post-exit depression, startup psychology, venture capital decision, inner work for CEOs, executive coaching entrepreneurs, identity after exit, bootstrap versus venture capital, founder burnout, stuck companies, inner board meeting, conscious leadership, Jive Software, Andreessen Horowitz, Reignition book, founder transitions, ego in business, capital raising psychology, entrepreneurial mental health, exit preparation, business identity, human-first leadership, AI era leadership

What happens when your dream business nearly destroys you, and then teaches you everything you needed to know about money?   We don't usually talk about this. The early days. The subway rides hauling coffee beans across Chicago. The polar vortex brought us to the edge of bankruptcy. The moment we realized we'd been doing money completely wrong.   But Perry asked us to get real. So we did.   In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we're pulling back the curtain on our entrepreneurial journey, from bootstrapping a coffee shop with zero financial backing to discovering the principles that would eventually reshape how we help business owners build wealth.   You'll hear: Why we delivered coffee beans on the subway before our shop even opened (and what that taught us about building a business with no money) The brutal wake-up call that came during a Chicago polar vortex—and the single lesson that saved everything What our financial planner told us contradicted everything we thought we knew about "saving for retirement." The three things every entrepreneur needs to survive (hint: passion isn't enough) Why we were told we were "too entrepreneurial" to get hired and how that rejection became our biggest opportunity   Key Quote: "We were naive about how hard it would be. But that naivety is also what kept us going when smarter people would have quit."   This isn't a polished success story. It's the real version—the good, the bad, and the ramen. If you've ever wondered whether you're cut out for this entrepreneur thing, or if you're doing money all wrong, this one's for you.   Coming next week: Part 2 dives into what's broken in the financial planning world and how we're using Profit First, Infinite Banking, and AI to help business owners build wealth differently.   Resources mentioned: Find Your Flow Quiz — 10 questions to discover your financial personality Financial Nervous System Diagnostic — A deeper 54-question assessment Get more info about Perry Marshall's Roundtable here. Profit Planning Network 2026 — Join our community of business owners building profitability and wealth   00:00 Introduction 00:45 The Coffee Shop Dream 03:20 Bootstrapping with Nothing 06:15 The Polar Vortex Wake-Up Call 09:30 Discovering Liquidity Over Retirement 11:45 The Three Things Every Entrepreneur Needs 13:00 Preview of Part 2   Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bC5j2xh8y_g 

Trust Battery mit Andreas Lehr vom Happy Bootstrapping PodcastIm Engineering-Kiosk-Adventskalender 2025 sprechen befreundete Podcaster⋅innen und wir selbst, Andy und Wolfi, jeden Tag kurz & knackig innerhalb weniger Minuten über ein interessantes Tech-Thema.Unsere aktuellen Werbepartner findest du auf https://engineeringkiosk.dev/partnersDas schnelle Feedback zur Episode:

Should you raise money or bootstrap your business? It's one of the biggest questions every founder faces — and the wrong decision can shape the entire future of your company. In this episode, I share the lessons I've learned from speaking with hundreds of founders about funding, and what I've personally applied in building Foundr and my ecommerce brand, Healthish. You'll learn when it makes sense to take on capital, when to stay independent, and how to make this decision from a position of strength — not pressure. Here's what you'll take away: • The real trade-offs between funding and bootstrapping (speed vs. control) • Why money amplifies what already exists — and can't fix bad unit economics • What investors actually look for: traction, margins, and market size • 5 questions to ask before raising: Do I need funding to scale or survive? Is this a $1B opportunity? Do I have product-market fit? • Real founder stories — including Toy Guru's Shark Tank collapse and BigCommerce's billion-dollar exit — that show both paths in action • Creative alternatives to equity funding: Kickstarter, grants, partnerships, and strategic capital If you're stuck wondering which path to take, this episode will help you make a clear, confident decision based on your goals — not hype. This is a brand new solo series I'm testing, and I'd love your feedback. Email me directly at nathan@foundr.com — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it. SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://your.omnisend.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+ Start your $1 trial → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING? → Starting from scratch? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → Already have a store? Apply here → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES YouTube → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/foundr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.foundr.com/podcast⁠

In this episode of Talk Commerce, host Brent Peterson interviews Elijah Khasabo, co-founder of Vidovo, an influencer platform that connects brands with creators. Elijah shares his journey from community college to entrepreneurship, discussing the challenges and successes of building a business in the influencer marketing space. The conversation covers topics such as viral marketing strategies, the importance of engagement over follower count, the role of AI in video marketing, and tips for preparing for holiday marketing campaigns. Elijah emphasizes the significance of consistency in content creation and the value of being curious and open to learning.TakeawaysElijah Khasabo is the co-founder of Vidovo, an influencer platform.He believes in bettering oneself by helping others.The power of social media can significantly impact business success.Viral marketing can be achieved through creative content strategies.Engagement metrics are more important than follower counts.Consistency is key in content creation and audience building.AI in video marketing raises questions about authenticity.It's never too late to start creative marketing efforts.Building a community-driven platform can lead to organic growth.Learning from other founders is crucial in entrepreneurship.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Elijah Khasabo and Vidovo01:45 The Founding Story of Vidovo05:29 Viral Marketing and Content Creation09:20 Sourcing Talent and Influencer Engagement13:13 The Importance of Consistency in Content Creation16:03 AI in Video Marketing and Authenticity17:56 Preparing for Holiday Marketing Strategies

#707 Want a business that turns fresh asphalt into a “blank canvas” — and pays well for satisfying, repeatable work? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel talks with Cinco Winston, founder of Trueline Striping in Central Texas, about how he left a stable construction career, skipped the franchise route, and bootstrapped his own parking lot striping company to cash flow within two months. He shares how he trained with an out-of-state pro, bought only the essentials to get started, and strategically targeted customers who actually value curb appeal and recurring maintenance. Cinco breaks down startup costs, pricing, profit margins, seasonality, and why he's still running lean while planning for future growth. If you've ever wondered how “unsexy” service businesses quietly generate great income and freedom, this conversation will open your eyes! What we discuss with Cinco: + Leaving construction to start striping + Choosing independent over franchise + Training with an out-of-state striping company + Bootstrapping equipment and startup costs + Hitting cash flow within two months + Discounting early jobs to gain clients + Targeting customers who value curb appeal + Door knocking and in-person sales + Managing seasonality and recurring clients + Profit margins, salary, and plans to scale Thank you, Cinco! Check out Trueline Striping at TruelineStripingTX.com. Follow Cinco on Instagram and LinkedIn. To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textHow do you build a beverage brand when the margins are slim and you have no outside funding and growth depends on you?You make sales your North Star. Every single day.In this episode of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford, I chat with Ollie Puddick, founder of Innerbloom, a functional beverage brand that's gone from farmers' markets to over 300 retail doors across Australia and New Zealand in just a few years.Ollie quit his job as a professional firefighter at the end of last year to go all-in on Innerbloom. No safety net. No investors. Just relentless focus on the one thing that keeps the lights on: sales.And he's brutally honest about the mistakes he made along the way.You'll hear:

Welcome to MAFFEO DRINKS. For many years, I've been known as the "built bottom-up" guy. But many people misunderstand what bottom-up actually means. Bottom-up means building at a pace that doesn't jeopardize your future. Doing the right things on the ground while managing expectations from above.That's it. It doesn't matter if your brand is small or big. It's a mindset.I'm Chris Maffeo, Drinks Leadership Advisor. 20 years in drinks across 30+ markets. I've been in the boardroom but chose to stay connected to the field. That's where I founded MAFFEO DRINKS.We help drinks leadership bridge the gap between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations. Stakeholders want numbers. Your team wants direction. You are caught in the middle. And that's where we come in.This podcast is about honest conversations with drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, CEOs, F&B directors. But this isn't a show about biographies. Every guest is here to show their thinking, not their resume.We talk commercial strategy, route-to-market, distributor relationships, trade marketing, and all the plumbing of brand building that nobody discusses on stage. How the industry actually works, not the conference version. How to master the unscalable things while building scale.Beyond the podcast, we offer Bottom-Up Intel & Principles: episode deep dives that you can buy for a monthly subscription (Patterns from drinks builders for the leaders building with them).And for leadership teams who want a thought partner who has been in their chair and still walks the field, we offer advisory.Find out more at maffeodrinks.com.And remember that brands are built bottom-up.

In this episode, we once again talk about AI, and oh boy do we get off topic.Here's the AI tool Rick mentioned for recording your screen (we'll talk about that in a future episode)Here's the AI report Rick mentioned

Cette semaine, pas d'invité, juste nous et un livre qui m'a retourné le cerveau : Rework de Jason Fried et David Heinemeier Hansson. 

Raju Patel founded eShow over 25 years ago after building a speaker portal for a magazine company and realizing he had a repeatable software product. What began as a one-man shop in suburban Chicago evolved into a robust event-management platform serving associations that needed complex, multi-module functionality. His business grew steadily as he delivered registration, booth management, speaker portals, and onsite systems for demanding event teams.  Today eShow has 125 employees, more than 14 integrated modules, and supports hundreds of events each year for 300+ customers, including large association conferences with tens of thousands of attendees. The company has always been profitable, self-funded, and built through careful reinvestment, steady hiring, and deep product expansion. Raju rebuilt the platform multiple times, including a shift to a modern stack. Still independent with over $10 million in revenues, Raju is now building a VP-level leadership team, exploring practical growth capital, and planning a hybrid event model that blends in-person and virtual experiences. His story highlights long-term passion, practical growth, and a deliberate shift from hands-on founder to capable CEO after decades in the game. Key Takeaways Deep Domain Focus – Serving the most complex association events created defensible differentiation. Slow, Steady Compounding – Year-over-year growth came from incremental improvements, not big bet. Passion Over Money – Raju built for love of the work, not an exit, which sustained him through decades of change. Multiple Rewrites Needed – Long-term SaaS requires full platform rebuilds, and Raju completed two with a third underway on a modern stack. Late-Stage Professionalization – Hiring VPs, defining ICPs, and strengthening leadership came only after passing the $10M threshold. Quote from Raju Patel, founder of eShow "Looking back after 20 years running this as a small business in software,  think I would have figured out how to pull a little bit more money out. It would have given me a better peace of mind."  "I wouldn't have even known how to spend if I pulled a million out back then, it would have been wasted. I was very frugal and investing in my business every year."  "But now I could figure out how to spend a million dollars, on savings and other personal spending that would be meaningful. It would be liberating. I deserve it, so I'm going to spend a little bit more, not be frugal. I can be frugal in my business and in my personal life not be so frugal!" Links Raju Patel on LinkedIn eShow on LinkedIn eShow website Podcast Sponsor – Full Scale This podcast is sponsored by Full Scale, one of the fastest-growing software development companies in any region. Full Scale vets, employs, and supports over 300 professional developers, designers, and testers in the Philippines who can augment and extend your core dev team. Learn more at fullscale.io. The Practical Founders Podcast Tune into the Practical Founders Podcast for weekly in-depth interviews with founders who have built valuable software companies without big funding. Subscribe to the Practical Founders Podcast using your favorite podcast app or view on our YouTube channel. Get the weekly Practical Founders newsletter and podcast updates at practicalfounders.com. Practical Founders CEO Peer Groups Be part of a committed and confidential group of practical founders creating valuable software companies without big VC funding.  A Practical Founders Peer Group is a committed and confidential group of founders/CEOs who want to help you succeed on your terms. Each Practical Founders Peer Group is personally curated and moderated by Greg Head.

You can have the dream, you can have the vision, but if you don't have the money…? Today, I'm joined live on stage with four brilliant women who have scaled different types of businesses in different types of ways: Lori Harder, Veena Jetti, Janice Omadeke, and Kelly Kussman! We get into powerful funding strategies for female founders, so you can lean into the best one that works for your business. Our expansive conversation will provide the money habits, operations, and systems we wish we had known sooner to scale faster and smarter. Whether it's bootstrapping for as long as possible, fundraising for the first time ever, or finding the right investor, you'll discover how to finance your big dream!   HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 Meet the women behind the 2025 PW Event Finance Panel with Lori Harder, Veena Jetti, Janice Omadeke, and Kelly Kussman! 15:40 The top three priorities to bootstrap a product-based business. 20:15 What made Lori decide to fundraise for glōci? 24:30 One operational system to help you scale faster. 31:50 What do investors look for beyond the numbers? 38:50 When is the right time to take on money + what should you look for in outside investors? 44:45 Preparation steps for when you know you're ready to start fundraising. 53:55 Realistic funding paths for a service-based business.   RESOURCES + LINKS Join the waitlist for the 2026 Powerhouse Women Event HERE   FOLLOW Lori: @loriharder Veena: @veenajetti Janice: @janiceomadeke Kelly: @kelly_ward_kussman Powerhouse Women: @powerhouse_women Lindsey: @lindseymarieofficial Visit the Powerhouse Women website: powerhousewomen.co Join the PW Community Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/powerhousewomencommunity

Your hiring process is broken. You are hiring for skills when you should be hiring for the one thing you can't train: behavior.In this episode, Reanna Werner (Founder of Savion HQ) reveals the brutal reality of entrepreneurship—from being "ruined" for the corporate world to managing the two things that keep every founder awake at night: their people and their money.If you've ever felt held hostage by a toxic employee or paralyzed by the fear of a lawsuit, this conversation is the wake-up call you need.

A two-hour feedback session with the SEO Gets founder changes MetaMonster's direction. Meanwhile, Andrew realizes he's burnt out on AI and capitalism and Sean defends Spider-Man Magic cards against gatekeepers. Also: surfing vs hiking debates, fractured ankles, the three C's of career satisfaction, and why JetLag's Magic episode was terrible.Links:Andrew's Twitter: @AndrewAskinsAndrew's website: https://www.andrewaskins.com/MetaMonster: https://metamonster.ai/Sean's Twitter: @seanqsunMiscreants: http://miscreants.com/Margins: http://margins.so/Sean's website: https://seanqsun.com/For more information about the podcast, check out https://www.smalleffortspod.com/.Transcript:00:00:01.15SeanWhat's up?00:00:02.51AndrewI miss you It's been too long.00:00:03.76SeanI miss you00:00:05.97Andrewi did that Long time. Been a long time.00:00:09.78Seantoo. Long time. Yeah.00:00:13.45zAndrewWhen did we last like actually talk other than a couple of quick Slack messages?00:00:17.87SeanLike last year, pretty much.00:00:19.81Andrewdon't think it was that long.00:00:20.14SeanThis one. My brain's in 2026 already. It's it's cold. i i look outside at like four o'clock. It's already dark.00:00:28.96AndrewMy three of my best friends in Atlanta and I have a group chat that we started when I moved here. And it's it's titled See You in 2026, which like started as a joke because like my one friend quit his job and had a little bit of travel planned. And like I had a little bit of travel planned and they, the couple in the group chat had some travel planned. And so it was just kind of a joke. And now our friend who started the group chat, who quit his job,00:00:56.88Andrewhe is currently in seoul south korea he he is actually like we're actually not going to see him until 2026 pretty much he did00:00:59.48SeanWhoa, cool.00:01:05.52SeanSorry, did you say he was in Seoul, South Korea or Seoul?00:01:10.83Andrewseoul i said seoul south korea did did fuck that up okay did i say south k-kir-olina no i maybe i did that would be wild00:01:13.50SeanOh, I don't know why heard South Carolina. That's okay. We'll go back to the tape. We'll see if I was crazy or if you were crazy. No, i've definitely misheard you. I definitely.00:01:24.85SeanWe'll go back to the tape later.00:01:25.18AndrewHe's in South Korea right now in Seoul.00:01:26.62SeanCool.00:01:27.26AndrewApparently it's cold.00:01:29.54SeanYeah.00:01:30.14AndrewI forget how far north it is, but he's...00:01:32.06Seanyou should You should ask him how crazy things were when Korea won the League Legends finals again. Yeah, kind of curious.00:01:40.80AndrewOoh, okay, will do. Yeah, he's been... But dude's been traveling all fucking over the place. I'm so happy for him.00:01:48.26SeanNice.00:01:49.12AndrewYeah, he seems like... lighter and happier which is good to see yeah yeah00:01:52.72SeanNice. That's good. That's good. Do you feel lighter and happier with less hair on your head?00:02:01.66AndrewI am uh okay the I am no is the answer I feel like I'm a bit in a uh phase that I feel like I end up in every few years where I'm like questioning and trying to rediscover my personal style. And that often starts with trying to find a haircut that I like.00:02:24.41Andrewmy My typical haircut is just like the very standard white guy, like a little bit short on the sides, a little bit slicked over on top.00:02:24.10Seanmean,00:02:33.51AndrewAnd I just, know I always come back to it and then I go, this doesn't feel like me. And then I try something else and I'm like, well, this also doesn't feel like me.00:02:43.31AndrewSo... yeah i don't know i i'm trying i'm trying a messy fringe this time thanks00:02:48.07Seanit looks good. I like it. Yeah. Yeah. I think it looks good. I think i like it looks good. You got you got like your oversized, boxy, drop shoulder t-shirt, the haircut.00:03:00.87SeanVery trendy. Very trendy.00:03:02.34Andrewi just watched a youtube video where like three people roasted a guy for wearing a uniqlo erism like boxy t-shirt and i was like fuck i thought that00:03:08.64SeanHaters. Haters. Haters. They're so comfortable. Haters.00:03:12.39Andrewthey are so comfortable yeah00:03:12.84SeanGet over themselves. Haters. oh Yeah. Don't take me back to skinny jeans, you know? was terrible time.00:03:21.28Andrewi feel like they weren't they weren't advocating for skinny but they were also like they were basically saying if you're gonna go boxy you need to it needs to look intentional like you're intentionally trying to be boxy like if you have like one boxy thing and then one more skinny thing it can look weird And like fit still matters. And that like the most timeless look is something kind of in between. It's not like crazy baggy, but also not crazy skinny.00:03:49.69AndrewBut then that's also kind of boring. I don't know.00:03:52.68Seani think I think there's ways to make all of it work.00:03:52.83Andrewdon't know.00:03:56.37SeanIt just kind of depends on silhouette and whatnot. I like this look, by the way. I actually think this is this is a very nice like haircut on you, especially with the with the earrings.00:04:06.02SeanYeah.00:04:07.38AndrewThanks, dude. I appreciate that.00:04:08.23SeanYeah. Yeah.00:04:09.50AndrewI only got like two words of it because you're breaking up for me a little bit right now.00:04:13.48SeanOh, really? Okay.00:04:15.39AndrewBut00:04:15.50SeanWe'll try that again.00:04:16.02SeanI actually think it it looks really good. I think it, yeah, especially with the earrings and whatnot.00:04:21.82Andrewthanks. Appreciate it00:04:23.75SeanYou look like five years younger. That's cool.00:04:26.49Andrewit. I don't know if I want to look five years younger as part of this. i'm like I want to own being in my 30s.00:04:31.01SeanI see.00:04:32.59AndrewAnd I'm OK.00:04:34.21SeanYou still look like you're in your 30s.00:04:35.90Andrewokay00:04:35.93SeanYou still, just like,00:04:37.38AndrewSo you're saying before I looked like I was approaching 40. I00:04:41.06Seanjust like your late thirty s I guess that business means approaching for... I don't know. I haven't seen you in so long that I... My image of you is just your, like, 20-something-year-old profile picture in Slack at this point. So, I don't know.00:04:55.90Andrewi i jumped on a call with a friend earlier today who I hadn't talked to in a long time. And we hadn't had like a video call in at least six months, if not longer. And he was like, whoa, because I just got in the haircut. He hadn't seen me with earrings. I last week talked, I had a f...

When 19-year-old Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen walked into a bank hoping to secure a loan to buy a property, she was denied on the spot. That “no” pushed her into investing and ultimately led her to co-found Female Invest, a global platform empowering women to take control of their financial futures. In this episode, Anna joins Ilana for a raw, honest conversation about the reality of fundraising as a female founder, from enduring 107 rejections to breaking global crowdfunding records and facing the backlash that followed. She shares what it truly takes to scale a mission-driven company, rise above bias, and empower women financially on a global scale. Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is an entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Female Invest, a financial education platform that has empowered women across more than 100 countries. She's a leading voice in closing the financial gender gap through education, representation, and access. In this episode, Ilana and Anna will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (02:51) Her Early Interest in Finance and Investing (05:15) Turning Down McKinsey to Build Female Invest (09:10) Challenges and Misconceptions in Entrepreneurship (11:07) Launching a Facebook Group That Grew Like Wildfire (13:35) Why Money for Women Is Deeply Political (15:29) Bootstrapping to Success After Near Bankruptcy (22:14) Anna's Y Combinator Experience (25:02) The Reality of Fundraising as a Female Founder (30:35) Raising $24M After 107 Rejections (34:01) Facing Backlash, Anxiety, and Hate (38:08) The Biggest Financial Mistakes Women Make (44:12) Lessons and Advice for Founders Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen is a Danish entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of Female Invest, a financial education platform that has empowered women across more than 100 countries. A Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, she helped bootstrap Female Invest from a small Facebook group into one of the most engaged financial communities in the world. Anna is also the bestselling author of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds and a leading voice in closing the financial gender gap through education, representation, and access. Connect with Anna: Anna's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anna-hartvigsen-46352611a  Anna's Instagram: instagram.com/anna.hartvigsen  Resources Mentioned: Female Invest: https://www.femaleinvest.com  Anna's Book, Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: A Feminist's Guide to Investing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0744077303  Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW WAY for professionals to fast-track their careers and leap to bigger opportunities.  Check out our free training today at https://bit.ly/leap--free-training

In this episode of Mastering eCommerce Marketing, Eitan Koter sits down with Andrew Maff, founder and CEO of BlueTuskr. Andrew has worked inside ecommerce brands and now leads a team that supports them across ads, SEO, Amazon strategy, and more.Eitan and Andrew talk about why relying on one sales channel, especially Amazon, can put a brand at risk. Andrew explains how to diversify in small steps, how to test demand before building a full website, and how to use SEO to bring in traffic that Amazon rewards.They also get into rising ad costs, how real shoppers move across platforms, and why a top down view of performance makes more sense than chasing ROAS in each channel.Andrew closes with advice for Q4 and beyond. He shares how to keep new customers engaged in the new year without pushing constant discounts.A simple and clear conversation about building a more stable ecommerce business.Website: https://www.vimmi.net Email us: info@vimmi.net Podcast website: https://vimmi.net/mastering-ecommerce-marketing/ Talk to us on Social:Eitan Koter's LinkedIn | Vimmi LinkedIn | YouTube Guest: Andrew Maff, Founder at BlueTuskrAndrew Maff's LinkedIn | BlueTuskrWatch the full Youtube video here:https://youtu.be/j0eAcX4lsi4Takeaways:Diversification is essential for e-commerce brands.Brands should not rely solely on Amazon for sales.Understanding your customer acquisition channels is crucial.SEO can significantly enhance DTC and Amazon performance.Bootstrapping your DTC strategy can save costs.Providing value to customers is key for retention.Video marketing is effective for engaging younger audiences.

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com Maurice Doyle returns to MAFFEO DRINKS to dissect the drinks industry's inflection point, where COVID's artificial peak has given way to a "new reality" of capital constraints and complexity.Drawing from his veteran experience across major spirits and scale-up companies, Maurice reveals how brands can achieve growth without abundant funding by focusing ruthlessly on strategy, particularly what NOT to do.The conversation explores the tension between principles and tactics, why "I don't know" might be the most powerful leadership phrase, and how misaligned expectations between bottom-up brand building and top-down objectives create systemic friction.Maurice's core insight: in a world where 95% of your target market isn't buying at any given moment, success comes from matching physical availability with mental availability while resisting the siren call of premature retail listings.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Industry Veterans Discussion02:30 Current State of Drinks Industry - The Inflection Point08:15 Capital Challenges and New Reality Post-COVID12:45 Strategic Focus: The Power of Saying No18:20 Principles vs Playbooks - Beyond Cookie Cutter Approaches25:10 Getting Out From Behind the Desk Philosophy32:40 Capital-Efficient Growth Strategies38:55 Balancing Long-term Strategy with Short-term Pressures If what we discussed hits home and you want support from us, get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or check maffeodrinks.com for the key insights from this episode.

In this episode, Tyler and Rick discuss the challenges faced by Leg Up Health during open enrollment, including issues with email communication and the impact of AI on consumer behavior. They explore the current health insurance landscape, the importance of product strategy and customer experience, and the role of content in engaging customers. The conversation also touches on shifts in search traffic and marketing strategies as they adapt to changing consumer needs.

In Episode, Axel welcomes back the very first guest ever featured on the Multifamily Wealth Podcast — Chris Grenzig, founder of JAG Capital and JAG Property Management.Chris shares his story of bootstrapping a property management company from scratch, why he intentionally started small, and how he built out systems, and a service model that actually works for investors.He also discusses how his background in institutional asset management shaped the way he approaches underwriting, operations, team structure, and investor communication. This episode dives into the realities of building a PM company the hard way — from taking on the first dozen units, hiring slowly and deliberately, and not taking short cuts.Whether you're a small operator thinking about bringing PM in-house, or a growing GP looking to improve your operations, Chris's insights on structure, staffing, and cost discipline are highly tactical and immediately useful.Join us as we dive into:Why Chris decided to build a property management company from scratchHow he scaled from a handful of units to a real operational teamThe biggest lessons learned from institutional real estateHow to think about headcount, roles, and responsibilities in PMWhy small operators often underestimate the true cost of PMThe systems JAG built to improve communication, transitions, and service qualityThe most common mistakes GPs make when evaluating PM companiesAre you looking to invest in real estate, but don't want to deal with the hassle of finding great deals, signing on debt, and managing tenants? Aligned Real Estate Partners provides investment opportunities to passive investors looking for the returns, stability, and tax benefits multifamily real estate offers, but without the work - join our investor club to be notified of future investment opportunities.NH Multifamily Fund III Details:Download The OM For The NH Multifamily Fund IIIAccess The Deal Room For The NH Multifamily Fund IIIConnect with Axel:Follow him on InstagramConnect with him on LinkedinSubscribe to our YouTube channelLearn more about Aligned Real Estate PartnersConnect with Chris:Follow him on InstagramConnect with him on LinkedinSubscribe to our YouTube channelLearn more about JAG Capital Partners

Join us for a profoundly honest and strategically insightful conversation with Elliot Kallen, a 40-year veteran entrepreneur and Founder of Prosperity Financial Group, which manages over $500 million in assets.In 2015, during a critical phase in his business-building journey, Elliot's 19-year-old youngest son, Jake, committed suicide, a devastating event that coincided with the challenges of growing his venture. Despite the tragic loss, he persevered,  continued to scale, and kept his business running.Elliot's journey is the definition of resilience. He shares the raw truth of scaling a business—including being forced to sell a cash-strapped venture and navigating the treacherous waters of uncontrolled growth—all while enduring the devastating personal loss.This episode is essential listening for any founder who knows that growth doesn't always equal cash flow and that true leadership is forged in crisis.In this episode, we discuss the high-stakes reality of entrepreneurship:The "Apple" Struggle: The common pitfall where a business looks successful externally but is cash-strapped and struggling internally.The Power of Adversity: Why true growth and priceless insights don't come from success, but from overcoming failure and navigating difficult times.Financial Sanity: The significance of sound financial planning for entrepreneurs, including understanding your burn rate and common mistakes when building personal and business wealth.Hiring to Elevate: Strategies for hiring people who genuinely complement your weaknesses to drive sustainable scale.Legacy Through Loss: How Elliot channeled a personal tragedy into founding A Brighter Day, a national nonprofit providing crucial mental health support for teenagers.Elliot is also the Amazon #1 best-selling author of DRIVEN: How to Elevate Your Success as an Entrepreneur. This is a must-listen for anyone seeking practical, hard-won wisdom on staying motivated, financially sound, and resilient under immense pressure.Support the showRemember to subscribe for free to stay current with entrepreneur conversations. Want the episode freebie or have a question for our guest or Vincent? Interested in becoming a guest or show partner? Email us.This Episode is Brought to You By: Coming Alive Podcast Production: www.comingalivepodcastproduction.com Music Credits: Copyright Free Music from Adventure by MusicbyAden.

This week, in Episode 271, we welcome another new voice to the podcast: Channon Kennedy, who takes us inside the side hustle that's become her second full-time job. Channon is the inventor and patent holder of the Morgan Square, a clever measuring tool—here's a demonstration—that's racking up awards, expanding its distribution, and carving out space for a woman founder in a traditionally male-dominated industry. This is a true bootstrap story. Channon's numbers are modest enough that she still does most of her own fulfillment at night after her day job as a banker—and she loves it. “Every time I get an order,” she says, “I feel like I'm wrapping a Christmas present. I'm just so excited that somebody wants something that I've created.” Plus: Paul Downs checks in with an update. After posting his best year ever in 2024, he was blindsided when sales suddenly stalled earlier this year, forcing him to lay off a third of his employees. Sales have since rebounded, but now he's staring at a backlog and a different dilemma: Does he hire aggressively to meet the higher demand—or play it safe until he sees how 2026 begins?

Beekman 1802's founders turned crisis into opportunity, building a $92 million skin care brand by starting small, staying disciplined, and leading with heart.For more on Beekman 1802 and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

We explore how poker shaped Andrew Macleod's thinking and how those mental models helped him build Emilia's Crafted Pasta into a debt-free, multi-site brand. From scouting Italy to opening under budget and growing slow, we show how to balance soul with margins.• Poker as a mirror of risk and behaviour• Bootstrapping events and earning trust without capital• Finding the pasta gap and validating with travel and craft• Raising seed from relationships built on delivery and discipline• Securing a first site through persistence and landlord alignment• Opening lean, surviving the quiet months, building word of mouth• Frameworks for skill acquisition and early career risk-taking• Balancing hospitality warmth with unit economics• Cross-functional accountability and consequence visibility• Choosing independence, optionality, and long-term brand depthPlease like and subscribeAnd post a review, we'd really appreciate itIf you want to know more about starting a food business, head to www.jaygreenwood.co.ukSupport the show

#669 How do you build a beloved, nationally-recognized ice cream brand from scratch — and then turn around and create a completely different company redefining dietary fiber in America? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel sits down with Jeni Britton — founder of the iconic Jeni's Ice Creams and now founder of Floura — to talk about creativity, curiosity, and the emotional side of entrepreneurship. Jeni shares how she started with nothing but vision, passion, and a gelato machine from a local Italian market, how she bootstrapped her way from a farmer's market stand to 90 stores and 10,000 grocery doors, and why she believes emotion, intuition, and integrity are the true drivers of a lasting brand. From building a fellowship-style team to navigating growth, trust, and leadership, this conversation is packed with wisdom for founders who want to build something meaningful — and do it their own way! What we discuss with Jeni: + Starting Jeni's in a farmer's market + Vision born from scent and storytelling + Bootstrapping with no capital + Turning produce waste into fiber products + Launching Floura and “bridging the fiber gap” + Importance of emotion in business + Building a fellowship-style team + Trust and communication in leadership + Learning to step back as founder + Success driven by passion and curiosity Thank you, Jeni! Check out Jeni's Ice Creams at Jenis.com. Check out Floura at Floura.com. Follow Jeni on Instagram, here and here. To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to hear from more incredible entrepreneurs? Check out all of our interviews ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Summary: What happens when you look at a wine label and realize you don't know what's in it? Kristin Taylor did, and she didn't like the answer. So, with no vineyard inheritance and no Napa trust fund, she started a wine company from scratch. From selling cases door-to-door in Denver to landing in hundreds of stores nationwide, Kristin and her co-founder built Mom Juice Wine, a clean, low-sugar, women-led wine brand that's rewriting the rules of the industry. In this episode, Kristin shares how she turned a few thousand dollars and a big vision into a thriving business, why transparency matters in wine, and how community-powered distribution can outperform any marketing budget. If you're a founder, creative, or anyone who's ever been told "that's not how it's done," this story is your permission slip to prove them wrong. Key Takeaways Clean Wine Revolution: Why Mom Juice uses fewer than nine ingredients instead of the typical forty found in mass-market wines. Bootstrapping to Breakthrough: How Kristin started door-to-door in Denver before scaling nationally. Community as Distribution: How local partnerships and storytelling became Mom Juice's growth engine. Women Leading the Industry: Overcoming bias in a traditional, male-dominated business. Old World Meets New World: Balancing authentic winemaking with modern sustainability. Scaling with Soul: Launching a wine club, introducing a non-alcoholic line, and raising their next funding round the right way. Resources Mentioned Mom Juice Wine: momjuicewine.com KT Winery: ktwinery.com Girls Inc. of Metro Denver: girlsincdenver.org Real Good Denver Newsletter: realgooddenver.com Connect with Kristin Taylor LinkedIn: Kristin Taylor Hines TikTok: @thewineslinger Offers Real Good Denver listeners get 15% off the new Mom Juice Wine Club using code GOOD15. Perfect for gifts, holidays, or your personal stash of clean wine delivered to your door.

In this inspiring episode of the Stuck In My Mind Podcast, host Wize El Jefe sits down for an illuminating conversation with Suzanne Roberta Martens—entrepreneur, beauty industry veteran, and founder of the luxury clean beauty brand Adesse New York. This episode is a masterclass in resourcefulness, resilience, and the power of pursuing your dreams—no matter the obstacles. From Industry Titans to Indie Trailblazer The episode opens as Wize El Jefe introduces Suzanne Roberta Martens as someone who has not only worked for global icons like Estee Lauder, Avon, and Revlon but has also boldly stepped out to carve her own path within the competitive world of cosmetics. Listeners are treated to the backstory of a woman who dreamed of her own beauty brand since college, a vision fueled by her fascination with the ever-evolving beauty landscape. Working at the leading edge of brands reformulating their products for safety and wellness, Suzanne Roberta Martens learned every aspect of the business—from concept to market, branding to formulation, and manufacturing to positioning. She recounts how her specialty in skincare and color cosmetics paved the way for her to develop innovative approaches to product creation, especially as the industry transitioned towards clean ingredients. The Power of AI and Agility A key highlight of their discussion is the transformative role of technology. Both Wize El Jefe and Suzanne Roberta Martens share their experiences integrating AI into their creative and business processes, accelerating everything from product development to audience engagement. For Adesse New York, leveraging AI means not only tracking consumer trends but also using predictive modeling to ensure product launches meet real customer desires. Unlike larger corporations bogged down by long product development cycles, Suzanne Roberta Martens's agile team harnesses tech to innovate and adapt swiftly—something essential for indie brands seeking to disrupt established markets. Bootstrapping and Breaking In What makes Suzanne Roberta Martens's journey particularly inspiring is her candor about starting with almost no funding. She explains that, far from being a setback, this forced her to be inventive. By identifying a major gap—clean nail care in an industry otherwise moving towards wellness—she conceptualized Adesse as a skincare-for-nails brand. Approaching contract manufacturers with a vision, not capital, she convinced partners to work in small production runs. Her unique perspective, treating nail care as skin care and using high-quality color pigments, enabled Adesse to stand out immediately. Through strategic partnerships with top beauty subscription companies, Adesse achieved massive exposure early on and quickly scaled from selling thousands to tens of millions of bottles. Suzanne Roberta Martens reflects on the exhilaration and terror of leaving the security of corporate America, betting on herself—and how the sense of truly helping people reclaim their nail health propelled her forward. Making Clean Beauty Accessible Wize El Jefe and Suzanne Roberta Martens dive deep into what sets Adesse New York apart: clinically effective, clean, and vegan nail formulas free from harmful toxins. Their conversation explores why avoiding ingredients that penetrate the body through the nails is vital, especially for conscious consumers already committed to health in other areas of life. A Pivotal QVC Moment—and the Pandemic Pivot Listeners are taken behind the scenes of Adesse's big break: being selected as one of just 400 out of 20,000 brands to debut on QVC. Suzanne Roberta Martens recalls the grueling safety testing, the anticipation, and the heartbreak of COVID-19 shutting down the studio just as she was set to go live. Not to be deterred, she pivoted to a makeshift home studio, adjusting her expectations—and wardrobe!—and successfully launched a nail care solution exactly when the world desperately needed it. This segment is a testament to the entrepreneur's tenacity and ability to turn setbacks into opportunity. Carving a Niche Among Giants How does an indie brand thrive in the shadow of billion-dollar conglomerates? By staying nimble, deeply tuning in to consumer needs, and using digital platforms to level the playing field. New selling channels, from Amazon Live to direct-to-consumer apps like Whatnot, allow agile brands like Adesse to reach global audiences and control their destiny, without gatekeepers. Suzanne Roberta Martens shares her excitement about the democratization of retail and how indie founders today have unprecedented potential to build relationships with customers around the world. Redefining Success and Building Community The conversation shifts to the meaning of success. Suzanne Roberta Martens admits her early ambition was all about landing major retail partners. Today, she finds fulfillment in directly serving her loyal customers—their feedback, stories, and advocacy matter more than any department store shelf. The two discuss how genuine community and word-of-mouth have become the true engine of sustainable business, mirroring Wize El Jefe's own podcasting journey. Key Takeaways for Aspiring Entrepreneurs For listeners dreaming of launching their own ventures, Suzanne Roberta Martens shares priceless wisdom: it's not a lack of resources, but a lack of resourcefulness that holds most people back. She urges entrepreneurs to be persistent and consistent, pushing forward through long stretches without any obvious wins, trusting the process and the impact. Visions for the Future The episode closes as Suzanne Roberta Martens teases exciting new products and market launches for Adesse, outlines her vision for the future of truly clean beauty (grounded in transparency and consumer-driven standards), and reflects on the legacy she hopes to leave: pioneering clean nails and empowering people to feel proud of their hands. Listeners will walk away inspired by Suzanne Roberta Martens's example—proof that relentless perseverance, a commitment to positive impact, and the courage to leap even when unprepared can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Whether you're an aspiring founder or simply passionate about personal growth, this episode is an essential listen. To explore Adesse New York's range and story further, visit adesseny.com or find them on Amazon and social media. And remember: sometimes, having no resources is the very thing that makes you resourceful. Stay bold, stay resourceful—stay wise!

242 | Sam teilt wie sich Tiefs im Gründerleben anfühlen, Alex analysiert Elon Musks 1 Mrd. Dollar Gehaltspaket - in welcher Welt leben wir, wenn er seine Ziele erreicht? Plus Geschäftsideen!Sponsor dieser Folge ist HOLVI: Flexibles Banking für ein Business jeder Größe. Klick hier: ⁠https://www.holvi.com/de/lp/holvi-flex/?utm_source=digitaleoptimisten&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=autumn_awareness_flex⁠ Finde eine Geschäftsidee, die perfekt zu dir passt: ⁠digitaleoptimisten.de/quiz⁠Kapitel:(00:00) Intro(01:48) Psychologische Tiefs als Gründer(15:23) Elon Musk Pay Package(27:32) NEO Robot: Genial oder Fail?(39:30) Shopify vs. Amazon - was machen sie mit ChatGPT(53:34) Geschäftsidee von Alex: Reverse Listing Real Estate(58:36) Geschäftsidee von Samuel: Pilgern24Shownotes: Gute Übersicht zu Elon Musks Pay Package: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2025/09/29/the-trillion-dollar-man-comparing-musks-2018-pay-plan-to-his-latest-tesla-award/?utm_source=chatgpt.comNeo Robot Vorstellung: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVcBa6NXAbkShopify Integration in ChatGPT: https://www.shopify.com/de/chatgptMehr Kontext:Elon Musk, eine mögliche 1.000-Milliarden-Dollar-Vergütung und die Frage, in welcher Welt wir leben, wenn er seine Tesla-Ziele wirklich erreicht – darum dreht sich der Kern dieser Unicorn-Ideas-Folge. Alex und Samuel sprechen über Musks gigantisches Pay Package, die Bedingungen dahinter (8,5 Billionen Bewertung, Robotaxis, Optimus-Roboter, Full Self Driving), die Folgen für Arbeitsplätze bei Uber, Amazon & Co. und die wachsende Machtkonzentration in den Händen eines einzelnen Unternehmers.Parallel dazu geht es um AI, Automatisierung und Deep Tech: humanoide Roboter wie Neo und Optimus, Teleoperation als Übergangstechnologie, die Trainingslogik von AI-Modellen und das Spannungsfeld zwischen Hype, echter Innovation und Sicherheitsrisiken. Samuel bringt Beispiele wie BauGPT und Deep-Tech-Startups in Europa ein, Alex nimmt Shopify vs. Amazon im Kontext von ChatGPT-Integration auseinander und erklärt, warum Plattform-Modelle unterschiedlich von AI profitieren.Stark persönlich wird es beim Thema Bootstrapping & Cashflow: Samuel spricht offen über Druck, Gehälter, Kreditlinien, ausstehende Rechnungen und die Balance zwischen Wachstum, Profitabilität und mentaler Gesundheit. Daraus entstehen zwei neue Geschäftsideen: „Reverse Listing Real Estate“ (Käuferinteresse an Häusern vorab sichtbar machen, statt klassischer Inserate) und „Pilgern24“ als moderner Rahmen für digitale Auszeiten, Pilgerwege und bewussten Disconnect für überlastete Professionals.Keywords:Elon Musk, Tesla Pay Package, Optimus Roboter, Robotaxis, AI Automatisierung, Deep Tech Europa, BauGPT, Shopify vs Amazon, ChatGPT Integration, Bootstrapping, Cashflow Management, Kreditlinie, Reverse Real Estate, Pilgern, Mental Health für Gründer, Digitale Optimisten, Unicorn Ideas Podcast.

Rebecca Matchett is a serial entrepreneur, fashion innovator, and now tech founder who's built her career around solving real-world problems. From co-founding Alice + Olivia to developing a patented women's sizing system called TrioFit, Rebecca has consistently combined creativity and practicality to build impactful businesses. Now, she's channeling that same drive into Synchrony—a new social app designed to help neurodivergent adults connect and combat loneliness in meaningful ways. On this episode we talk about: How Rebecca transitioned from fashion and retail into tech entrepreneurship The story behind founding Alice + Olivia and what she learned about branding and innovation Why ideas alone aren't enough—and how to validate your market before launching The challenges and benefits of self-funding vs. outside investment How Synchrony is using technology to address the loneliness epidemic among neurodivergent adults Top 3 Takeaways Great businesses start by solving problems you truly understand—personal experience is a powerful indicator of market need. Validation matters more than inspiration. Don't build before you know who actually wants your product. Bootstrapping gives you control, focus, and creative freedom that investors often limit. Notable Quotes “Ideas are easy. Execution and validation are what separate entrepreneurs from dreamers.” “When you solve a problem for yourself, you're often solving it for thousands of others.” “Connection is the most human need we have—and we're building a tool to make that accessible again.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we talk about whether Rick's expertise with traditional inbound marketing will work for LegUp Health.

Andrew Gazdecki is the founder of Acquire, previously known as MicroAcquire, the largest startup acquisition marketplace. I've spoken to many indie hackers about selling their businesses, many of whom have done so using Andrew's platform. Before starting the Acquire, Andrew spent 8 years bootstrapping Bizness Apps to $10m ARR before being acquired by a private equity firm. You might also know of Boostrappers.com, the site Andrew started, sharing stories of bootstrappers. Finally, he also wrote a book called Getting Acquired, which tells his story and outlines exactly how you can sell your business.Timestamps00:00 - Intro01:20 - Startup and acquisition trends Andrew is seeing03:34 - Ideal time to sell your business05:10 - Should you build to sell?07:19 - How to make your business look good to a potential acquirer08:59 - Twitter/X and bootstrapping10:24 - How would Andrew Gazdecki start a business today11:52 - The best marketing channel for a bootstrapped business12:56 - The most unlikely acquisition outcome13:35 - Which business types have the highest multiples15:26 - The future of acquire.com15:56 - RecommendationsRecommendationsBook: Impossible to InevitablePodcast: All In PodcastEntrepreneur: Jack Dorsey

Courtney Claghorn, Founder and President of SUGARED + BRONZED shares how she transformed a $1,000 side hustle into a 40-location beauty brand spanning seven states. What began as a solution to her frustration with overpriced spray tans is now a brand on track to do $50M in ARR in 2025. In this conversation, Courtney opens up about bootstrapping for nearly a decade, the hard lesson of hiring the wrong "experts" after raising capital, and the series of personal crises that forced her to shift her focus from hustle to ROI. She shares what it's really like to rebuild a company's culture from the inside out and how learning to trust her gut over polished resumes became her biggest leadership advantage. Now 15 years in, Courtney reflects on balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, trading cortisol for breathwork, and redefining success on her own terms. Key Takeaways and Topics - How SUGARED + BRONZED started with $1,000 and a portable spray-tan machine - Bootstrapping to profitability during a recession - Why intuition often beats "expert advice" - The painful lessons of hiring for prestige over humility - Rebuilding company culture after leadership missteps - Surviving pandemic shutdowns and rebuilding stronger - Finding balance and presence after burnout - Breathwork and spirituality as tools for leadership clarity - How Courtney approaches growth, hiring, and decision-making today - The ROI of creating a joyful, values-driven workplace The Failure Factor Podcast was brought to you by Off The Field Coaching. Explore working with one of our coaches at http://offthefieldcoaching.com Hosted by Megan Bruneau: therapist, executive coach, speaker, Forbes contributor, and host of The Failure Factor. For more info, visit https://meganbruneau.com Follow SUGARED + BRONZED: https://www.sugaredandbronzed.com https://www.instagram.com/sugaredandbronzed/ Courtney: https://www.instagram.com/courtneyclaghorn Megan: IG: https://www.instagram.com/meganjbruneau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-j-bruneau-m-a-rcc Subscribe to the podcast newsletter at https://thefailurefactorpodcast.com

In this episode, Casey sits down with Daniel O'Donnal, Owner of Saela Pest Control, for a deeply human conversation on leadership, identity, and what it means to build something meant to last. From bootstrapping a business from scratch to a nine-figure exit, Daniel reflects on 17 years of grit, partnership, and the belief that real success is measured by the lives you impact, not just the profits you earn.He shares lessons learned from his partners, Andrew and Blaine Richardson, and the moments that nearly broke them; going without paychecks, homes on the line, and the humility of starting over. But the heart of this episode is not the sale; it is the story behind it. Daniel opens up about faith, mentorship, and adoption, and how the calling to expand his family changed everything he thought he knew about love, leadership, and capacity.This conversation explores what happens after the win, how to reframe identity beyond achievement, and why the best leaders make others believe in themselves first. A powerful reflection for entrepreneurs seeking meaning beyond the scoreboard.00:00 | House fire and adoption: when life interrupts01:19 | Why Daniel originally said no to this interview02:35 | The early years of Saela and a 17-year timeline04:22 | Building for legacy, not for sale05:33 | Why they sold: timing, mission, and stewardship07:00 | Choosing the right buyer and honoring employees09:19 | The emotional cost of stepping away10:59 | Identity crisis after the exit13:01 | Casey's own journey through leaving a company18:06 | Reframing self-worth and learning to slow down20:15 | Daniel's upbringing in Mexico, Guatemala, and Texas21:17 | Mission to Brazil and meeting Andrew Richardson22:55 | The power of mentorship and certainty28:08 | One phone call that changed Daniel's life forever32:08 | Leadership through belief: Andrew's lasting impact35:12 | Parallel paths: Casey and Daniel's early career struggles37:49 | Business as a spiritual game39:50 | The leadership question that shifts everything42:21 | Excellence, culture, and disproportionate rewards43:55 | Bootstrapping: no outside capital, all-in growth44:46 | Raising four kids while building a business46:40 | Why they adopted: a spiritual nudge and a leap of faith50:22 | Meeting the girls — and becoming a family of eight53:42 | Angie's selfless act and the reality of adoption55:13 | The hardest year of their family's life56:39 | Beauty through struggle: what people don't see57:49 | Casey's own adoption story and shared lessons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Tech Leader's Playbook, Avetis Antaplyan sits down with Sam Goodner, the serial entrepreneur and former CEO of Catapult Systems — Microsoft's top-ranked consulting partner at the time of its acquisition. Sam shares his 30-year journey from starting a small IT consulting firm in 1993 with just $17,000 in the bank to scaling multiple companies to eight- and nine-figure exits, including turning a parking tech startup into a unicorn.Through vivid stories and practical lessons, Sam reveals the disciplines behind operational scalability, decentralized leadership, and what it truly takes to build a company that can run — and grow — without its founder. He discusses his book Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision, the frameworks he used to recession-proof his companies, and how he transformed chaos into predictable growth. From his military lessons in Switzerland to his role as an angel investor mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, Sam offers a masterclass in clarity, systems, and execution — proving that growth isn't luck, it's discipline.TakeawaysGreat businesses scale through clarity, disciplined execution, and time, not luck.Founders often become the bottleneck — true leadership means empowering others to decide and own outcomes.Operational scalability starts when the company can run and grow without the founder.Create rules of empowerment: if a decision is right for the customer, company, ethical, aligned with values, and you're accountable — act.Codify best practices with playbooks, especially for sales and hiring.Hire people better than you, then get out of their way.Mentorship and coachability accelerate growth more than any funding round.Recession-proofing begins before the downturn — diversify industries, services, and recurring revenue streams.Every company needs to define what it's best in the world at and its unfair advantage.Founders should spend 95% of their time on the business, not in it.Focus on discipline and systems, not just ideas — execution is where companies win.Success evolves from climbing mountains to helping others climb theirs.Chapters00:00 Intro: Scaling Beyond Chaos01:30 From Developer to Founder: The Birth of Catapult Systems03:20 Bootstrapping to Profitability in the 90s06:00 Why Raising Money Isn't Always the Answer07:30 Investing in Flash Parking: Spotting a Unicorn in an Unsexy Industry12:00 The Power of Coachability and Mentorship16:50 Breaking Founder Mode and Achieving Operational Scalability21:00 Building Playbooks for Sales and Talent Acquisition26:00 Decentralized Decision-Making and the Rules of Empowerment37:00 The Swiss Army Precision: Inside Sam's Book “Like Clockwork”43:00 Recession-Proofing Your Business51:00 Balancing Focus and Diversification55:00 Defining Your Unfair Advantage57:00 The Aha Moment: Realizing You're the Bottleneck59:00 The Third Chapter: Giving Back and Mentoring Entrepreneurs01:01:00 Closing Thoughts: Build Systems, Empower People, Stay DisciplinedSam Goodner's Social Media Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samgoodner/Sam Goodner's Websites:https://samgoodner.com/

In a time when resources are scarce and the industry feels uncertain, building a studio from the ground up can seem impossible. Yet, what if inclusive leadership and adaptive design could become your strongest assets? In this episode, we're going to discuss how leading with empathy and crafting meaningful experiences can make all the difference in what "purpose-driven games" can mean for both players and teams. Episode Shownotes Link: https://rengenmarketing.com/425  

If you only know Emma Hernan from Selling Sunset, buckle up—because that's just part of her story. Emma isn't just a reality TV star and luxury real estate agent; she's a self-made business powerhouse who started investing in her family company as a teen and went on to build a vertically integrated food empire from scratch. In this episode, Emma opens up what it's really like running a family business, and why she believes in being her own rich boyfriend. Of course, we talk Selling Sunset too—how the show's fame reshaped her life, the financial realities behind filming, and the drama that's about to explode this season. Bonus: if you're watching on Spotify or YouTube, you'll spot her adorable dog trying (and succeeding) to steal the spotlight.

Ray Blakney, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Live Lingua, explains how losing everything became the catalyst for building multiple seven-figure education businesses from scratch. Beginning as a computer engineer, he launched one of the first live-teacher online schools and scaled several ventures without outside funding. Ray shares how resilience, discipline, and purpose allowed him to turn setbacks into lasting success. Through his Productized Education model, he shows how experts can transform their skills into scalable online schools that create real impact and freedom. In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Ray dives into rebuilding after failure, designing systems that allow businesses to operate independently, and leading with authenticity. He illustrates overcoming challenges through real-world examples, emphasizes the value of bootstrapping, and explains how to build structures that amplify human potential. The conversation highlights the importance of persistence, learning from mistakes, and creating ventures that endure. Quotes: “Success isn't about what you make. It's about what you build that keeps working when you stop.” “I lost everything in a single night, and that's when I learned how to build something that lasts.” “Systems don't replace people. They free people to do what only humans can do—teach, inspire, and connect.” “Defeat the self of yesterday—that's how you grow as a leader and as a person.” “Bootstrapping forces you to build real value because every mistake costs you personally.” Resources: Follow Ray Blakney on Facebook Connect with Ray Blakney on LinkedIn Turn Your Skills into Scalable Online Schools with Ray Blakney

Ruta Sudmantaite and Emma Davies have built their careers across marketing, consulting, and now tech entrepreneurship. After meeting as teammates at a B2B SaaS company, they went on to become fractional CMOs, podcast co-hosts of Blame It On Marketing, and founders of their own startups - Lava Metrics, a marketing analytics platform, and Thesmia AI, a low-cost AI assistant for HR teams.In this episode, we talk about building while bootstrapping, the realities of fractional consulting, what it's like to start companies with your friends (and partners), and how they bring kindness, candor, and community into every room they enter.Here's what we cover:How Ruta and Emma went from coworkers to fractional CMOs and co-foundersThe differences between starting a consulting practice and a tech companyWhy they believe “two heads are better than one” in fractional workBuilding products without outside funding - patience, scrappiness, and first customersHow to disagree kindly, give feedback, and earn trust with in-house teamsWhy executive presence doesn't have to look like a suit or a scriptCreating community through honesty: confessions walls, career couches, and real talkThe power of female allies, industry besties, and personal boards of directorsAnd yes, Ruta's side business selling sourdough starter - and what it taught her about SEOKey Links:Guests: Ruta Sudmantaite: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rutasudmantaite/Emma Davies: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmadavies1989/ Host: Jane Serra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeserra/Thesmia AI: https://www.thesmia.ai/Lava Metrics: https://lavametrics.com/Blame it on Marketing Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3X0IiwUIupVa4tCNg8AMpR?si=5d01dceb2c6d4c86Ruta's Epic UK Sourdough co: https://getsourdough.co.uk/––Like WIB2BM? Show us some love with a rating or review. It helps us reach more

Most companies talk about purpose. Beekman 1802 made it their operating system.In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I sit down with Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, co-founders of Beekman 1802, to explore how a small act of compassion grew into a multimillion-dollar skincare brand rooted in community and purpose.After losing their Manhattan jobs during the 2008 recession, Brent and Josh moved to a farm in upstate New York and agreed to take in 80 homeless goats from a neighbor. That decision led to their first product, a bar of goat milk soap, and to a philosophy of entrepreneurship built on kindness and long-term thinking.Together, we talk about scaling a values-driven company, turning The Amazing Race into PR that fueled their growth, and how to make purpose authentic instead of performative. We also explore why kindness and discipline can coexist, and how the best brands instill a sense of belonging. —Where to find Dr. Brent Ridge: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-ridge-md-0641791/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brent.ridge.12/Where to find Josh Kilmer-Purcell: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-kilmer-purcell-956b0b10/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josh.kilmerpurcell.5/—Where to find Eric:• Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ —In This Episode We Cover:(00:00) Intro(02:18) The Beekman 1802 origin story (04:25) How goat milk soap became their first product and sparked research on skin health(05:36) How Brent and Josh partnered with a local soap maker (06:58) Why Brent and Josh bootstrapped Beekman 1802 and how they found their market(12:48) How Brent and Josh enlisted neighbors to fulfill their first national order(16:58) A heuristic for decision making (18:01) The power of thinking beyond transactional relationships (19:30) Why Brent and Josh see kindness as a competitive advantage (22:28) How to stay kind without getting taken advantage of(24:20) The business upside of Cloudflare's decision to give its product away(25:23) The step-by-step approach Beekman 1802 used to scale without outside funding(28:33) How Brent and Josh made kindness a core operating principle at Beekman 1802(35:04) Why authenticity can't be bought and purpose shouldn't be confused with morality(40:44) How Beekman 1802 stays true to its values while working with investors(42:44) The crucial difference between being nice and being kind(45:54) How Brent and Josh turned The Amazing Race into a million-dollar win and free PR (49:10) How Brent and Josh's upbringings shaped their values and resilience(50:20) The role of family, community, and optimism in Beekman's enduring success(52:31) How Brent and Josh think about succession and protecting the brand(56:02) Other companies Brent and Josh admire(56:58) The reception to G.O.A.T. Wisdom and how timeless lessons still apply today—You can find episode references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠—Production and marketing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pen Name⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Dmitriy Peregudov, founder of Gift Baskets Overseas, shares his inspiring 28-year journey from sending flowers to loved ones in Russia to leading an $11M global gifting company with 120+ team members. He talks about building a business rooted in patience, perseverance, and people-first values. Dmitriy discusses how focusing on customer experience and team culture fueled long-term success. He also explains the role of SEO and AI in modern marketing and why brand trust matters more than ever. From overcoming fraud challenges to achieving a 64% Net Promoter Score, his story highlights sustainable growth and resilience. A must-listen for entrepreneurs who believe slow, steady, and thoughtful growth wins the race. Other Resources: An easy way to measure if your customers love you in 21 minutes – use the Net Promoter Score (NPS). And it's FREE. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Dmitriy Peregudov, the hardest thing in growing a small business is having the patience and perseverance to push through the early, slow stages while learning things outside your comfort zone. He explains that growth often requires focusing on areas you don't enjoy, making tough decisions, and knowing when to let go and replace yourself in certain roles. Understanding every part of the business—even the ones you're not good at—is essential, because only then can you hire the right people and build a strong foundation for long-term success. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Dmitriy Peregudov's favorite business books include Further, Faster by Bill Flynn, which provides clear frameworks for business growth, and Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, which inspired him to build a people-first company culture. He also recommends The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom for understanding balance in life and business. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Dmitriy recommends the Harvard Business Review (HBR) Podcast for case studies and expert discussions, and Lex Fridman's Podcast for deep, thought-provoking conversations that go beyond business into leadership and innovation. He also appreciates podcasts like Built to Sell Radio for real-world entrepreneurship lessons. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? He highly recommends HubSpot, calling it a game-changer for small businesses. From marketing automation to CRM and workflow management, it helped his team streamline communication, improve sales processes, and enhance customer relationships. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? According to Dmitriy Peregudov, the advice he would give himself on day one of starting out in business is simple yet powerful — “Just do it.” He believes that too many entrepreneurs hesitate, overthink, or wait for the perfect moment, but real growth happens only through action. Taking the first step, learning from mistakes, and adapting along the way are far more valuable than waiting for ideal conditions that may never come. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.     Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Success in business comes from patience, perseverance, and focusing on what truly matters — Dmitriy Peregudov Growth isn't always about getting bigger, it's about getting better with every challenge — Dmitriy Peregudov The best way to build a loyal customer is to fix their problem so well they never forget you — Dmitriy Peregudov  

Thanks to GoDaddy for sponsoring this video! Head to https://godaddy.com/codiesanchez to get started with GoDaddy Airo® today. Main Street Over Wall Street is where the real deals get done. Join top investors, founders, and operators for three days of powerful connection, sharp strategy, and big opportunities — live in Austin this November 2025. https://contrarianthinking.biz/msows-bigdeal I sat down with Kendra Scott — yes, *that* Kendra Scott — to unpack how she turned $500 and a side hustle into her billion-dollar brand Kendra Scott. We talk about how she bootstrapped from her spare bedroom, sold jewelry door-to-door with a baby on her hip, and built an empire by staying authentic when everyone else chased trends. You'll hear the raw, unpolished truth about scaling a business, why passion and persistence matter more than perfect timing, and how she's now flipping the script as an investor and founder of Yellow Rose. If you're building something from scratch or just need a reminder that grit beats glam, this one's for you. 00:00 Intro 01:17 Bootstrapping and Scrappy Mindset 02:55 Lessons from Failure and Persistence 13:01 The Power of Connection in Retail 21:56 Disruptive Marketing Strategies 31:09 Balancing Success and Personal Life 38:55 Balancing Motherhood and Business 40:18 Creating a Business Utopia 42:16 Facing Business Challenges 44:47 The Birth of Kendra Scott Retail 47:33 Embracing Authenticity in Business 50:22 The Inspiration Behind Yellow Rose 55:32 Working with Dolly Parton 01:07:13 Shark Tank and Entrepreneurial Insights 01:11:14 Final Thoughts MORE FROM BIGDEAL: