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Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Damon Haley Co‑founder of Glow and Flow Beauty, discussing his transition from entertainment and sports marketing into the beauty-supply industry, his mission to elevate service for Black and Brown communities, and the franchising model he is rolling out nationwide. Hosted by Rushion McDonald on Money Making Conversations Masterclass, the conversation highlights Haley’s business philosophy, community-driven approach, and long-term vision to create ownership opportunities through franchising.
When Maxine Clark left a top job in retail to start a make-your-own stuffed animal store, people thought she'd lost her mind. Investors doubted it. Friends questioned it. Retail experts couldn't understand how it would scale.But drawing on more than 20 years as a retail executive, Maxine built a massively successful shopping “experience,” where kids could stuff, dress and personalize their own stuffed animals. Today, Build-A-Bear has generated billions in sales, survived the decline of malls, weathered the financial crisis, and become a global brand.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How a failed errand—and an offhand comment by a kid–inspired a business plan How Maxine leveraged two decades of retail experience to launch Build-a-Bear How Willy Wonka and Walt Disney were early inspirations How she built a wedge against competitors How she got through the financial crisisHow she knew when to step down as CEO– and how to collaborate with her successor TIMESTAMPS: 05:52 - A mom Who Worked for Eleanor Roosevelt 09:18 - The Impromptu Interview That Changed Maxine's Career16:00 - Becoming One of the Few Female Fortune 500 Executives18:43 - Why She Walked Away From Payless21:27 - The Beanie Baby Disappointment That Sparked Build-A-Bear26:14 - Designing the First Store: “Make it Like Willy Wonka.”37:53 - Opening Day — and a Line Out the Door39:53 - Defending the Brand Against Copycats and Lawsuits45:53 - Scaling to Hundreds of Stores and Going Public58:25 - Letting Go: Stepping Down as CEO and Building a LegacyThis episode was researched by Rommel Wood and produced by Kerry Thompson, with music by Ramtin Arablouei, and edited by Neva Grant. Follow How I Built This:Instagram → @howibuiltthisX → @HowIBuiltThisFacebook → How I Built ThisFollow Guy Raz:Instagram → @guy.razYoutube → guy_razX → @guyrazSubstack → guyraz.substack.comWebsite → guyraz.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
For Climate Monday, an update on the Garden Grove chemical incident that led thousands to evacuate. California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez is proposing a bill that would require big home improvement stores to publicly report ICE activity on their properties. Plus, how to volunteer for the 2028 Olympics in L.A. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com
If you're a shopping addict, you can now feel like you're shopping without buying anything!
The New York Knicks are NBA Champions, and Knicks fans are buying merchandise at a record pace! On WFAN's Carton Show, Craig Carton and Chris McMonigle reveal incredible numbers from Michael Rubin and Fanatics, including how the Knicks are on pace to become the best-selling championship team EVER.
Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Duvo and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol says the chain can add as many as 10,000 net new U.S. locations by shifting to smaller, cheaper-to-build stores under 1,000 square feet.Dollar General reports that same-day delivery is already a profitable business, contributing 70 basis points to Q1 comparable sales growth across roughly 18,000 stores, and announces a delivery subscription pilot launching later this year.Walmart launches international shipping to Mexico through Walmart.com giving shoppers there access to hundreds of thousands of products with duties and fees shown at checkout.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.
Founder's Sale by Outdoor Vitals (Early-Bird List): https://bit.ly/4v2qWkYJeremiah and John sit down with Ben McMillen, owner of Hilltop Packs, to talk about the world of cottage gear, building a backpacking business, and what sets small outdoor brands apart from the big manufacturers. Ben shares the story behind Hilltop Packs, the importance of customer connection, company culture, American-made gear, tariffs, product innovation, and the surprising item that became one of Hilltop's biggest sellers.Whether you're a gear nerd, small business supporter, or backpacker looking for insight into the outdoor industry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most recognizable cottage brands in backpacking.#Backpacking #HilltopPacks #CottageGear #BackpackingPodcast #HikingGear #ThruHiking #OutdoorIndustry
Stores that accept federal food assistance will have to stock even more foods to meet the Trump administration's push toward healthier eating. Several Libertarian candidates face challenges to their attempt to appear on the November ballot in Iowa. And, this weekend is the first opportunity for people to see a restored Grant Wood mural in Sioux City.
Tony gets into three more things: the latest update on the Midland, TX shooting leaving 1 dead, 11 injured, and the suspect dead, Papa John's closing 44 stores across 17 states, and Dolly Parton launching a ‘Cup of Ambition’ coffee brand for travel stop opening. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Where in the world am I? In San Diego, talking about Sao Paolo, Brazil Welcome back to the Dr. Mary Travelbest Guide podcast. The FAQ is: Leslie asked, "After my injury/ operation, I'm concerned about travel. Can you tell me how hard it is to resume my former Step (1-5) for Travel? How should I set my expectations for future travel after I am healed? Answer: The step for your next travel may be different than your last trip. For example, you may have been on an African safari, and that was a Step 5. Now you have had a broken bone, or you have had surgery, and you are wondering how to get back out there on your next adventure. You may need to re-group, drop down a step or two, and figure out your confidence again. You can always go on an overnight trip to a nearby city and start with Step 1 travel once again. There may be some things you missed or never saw that you've been meaning to visit, and now would be a good time to do so. I am not a medical doctor, so follow your doctor's advice on travel. 60-second confidence challenge Your challenge today, Confidence Challenge in Sao Paulo If you like today's Confidence Challenge, my book series delves deeper into health and wellness, while moving through the 5 steps to solo travel, from easy to more challenging, with foreign language communication tips and ways to improve your fun while solo, including areas like Sao Paolo, Brazil. You can find the series at the link in the description. See Book A for addressing this concern. Look for Part C, which is coming soon. Find it on the website at https://www.5stepstosolotravel.com/ or on Amazon. It's a several-part series. Today's destination is São Paulo, Brazil. São Paulo is the capital of Brazil and home to 22M people, a Step 5 destination. São Paulo is worth seeing for women who like culture, neighborhoods, museums, and food, but it is not the easiest first-choice city in South America for a solo woman over 50. It can feel gray, crowded, and tiring. The traffic is real. The scale is real. The safety concerns are real. But if you stay in the right area, move with intention, and do not try to conquer the whole city, you can have a rich two-day visit that feels strong, smart, and independent. I booked a cheap place on a travel website in São Paolo near the airport. Please listen to my mistakes at the end to understand why not to do that. If you just arrived, you may want to take the metro into town. Get a 24-hour pass for about $.-5 Or just buy individual tickets. Metro here is free for people over 60, so just show your passport upon arrival at the station. I have a story at the end about that also. If you are planning to go, here is a 2-day itinerary, along with a few of my comments. Day 1: Start with the easier parts of the city Morning: Avenida Paulista and MASP area Begin on Avenida Paulista because it is one of the city's best-known and most practical starting points for a solo visitor. It is central, busy, and lined with museums, cafes, shops, and hotels. MASP is one of the city's landmark museums and a strong anchor stop, rather than just wandering without a plan. São Paulo's official visitor materials also highlight Paulista as one of the city's defining areas. Midday: Long lunch instead of overpacking the day Do not try to "do São Paulo" in one sweep. Build in a proper lunch near Paulista or Jardins. This city can wear you out. Traffic, sidewalks, noise, and decision fatigue are real. Afternoon: Parque Ibirapuera Head to Ibirapuera Park for a calmer second half of the day. Official city materials list it among the major attractions, and it is a better late-afternoon choice than pushing deeper into more chaotic areas when your energy is lower. Evening: Dinner close to your hotel This is where I would be critical. São Paulo is not the city where I would tell a solo woman to "go out and see what happens" at night. Have dinner in a well-reviewed area near where you are staying, and use a car service back if needed. Day 2: Morning: Liberdade Liberdade is one of São Paulo's signature neighborhoods and gives you a different side of the city. Go in the morning, when you are fresh, and the area feels more manageable. It is photogenic and culturally distinct. It felt like an asian-like atmosphere for me. I felt the Japanese and other asian cultural influences, which made it different than other parts of the city. What to watch out for: Do not confuse "interesting" with "relaxing." Some parts can feel crowded, messy, and overstimulating. Keep valuables out of sight and do not stand around consulting your phone at the curb. Lunch: Stay put, then move intentionally Have lunch there or in a nearby planned stop. Avoid zigzagging across the city without a clear reason. In São Paulo, too much transit can waste time and cause more hassle. Afternoon option A: Municipal Market, if you like food stops The Mercado Municipal is iconic and worth considering for a focused visit, not an all-day outing. Go, sample, look around, then leave. Afternoon option B: Easier finish in Jardins or back to Paulista If you want a smoother second day, return to a more polished area such as Jardins or the Paulista zone. This is the better choice if you are tired, jet-lagged, or feeling cautious. Evening: End early I would lean toward Paulista/Jardins rather than picking a cheaper stay in a less convenient area. That is not because those neighborhoods are risk-free. They are not. It is because being in a more established, service-rich area usually makes solo travel simpler and lowers friction. São Paulo can be rewarding, but it is not a city to treat casually. Official advisories warn about crime, including street crime, and São Paulo's own Metro provides a dedicated safety reporting channel, which tells you something important: security is an active issue, not an afterthought. "São Paulo is not the city to improvise, but it is a city that rewards a solo woman who travels with judgment." This is not the kind of destination I would describe as easy. It is not relaxed. It is not as charming as some other cities in Brazil. And it is definitely not a place where I would suggest that a solo woman just show up and wander around without a plan. But here is the honest part. Interesting does not always mean comfortable. Some areas can feel crowded and overstimulating. So go early, stay alert, and do not stand on a sidewalk corner looking down at your phone like a lost tourist. São Paulo can be rewarding, but it is not casual travel. You need to pay attention. I would not wear flashy jewelry. I would not hold my phone out while walking. I would not arrive in a brand-new neighborhood after dark. And I would not assume that a place is fine just because it looks busy. Busy does not always mean safe. Another point for women over 50: choose your hotel area carefully. I would spend a bit more to stay in a better-located neighborhood rather than save money and make every outing harder. In a city like São Paulo, convenience is not a luxury. It is part of your safety strategy. São Paulo is better for the traveler who can say, "I do not need this city to entertain me every minute. I just want to experience it intelligently." If you go, keep your schedule realistic, stay alert, and let the city come to you in pieces. You do not need to conquer São Paulo. You just need to experience the right parts of it with confidence. I was able to store my luggage at the airport for the day for about $10. Worth it, so I did not have to carry it all day. The storage is in Terminal 2: Arrivals. Turn left. Luggage storage- "Guarda-Volumes", near parking garage entrance at far end of terminal. There is an express train from Luz to the city every 2 hours. It's called. "GRU Airport train " Or CPTM. Take the free GRU SHUTTLE BUS. See show notes for many details. Espresso aeroporto, 60 mins long was the ride. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo_Museum_of_Art https://artsandculture.google.com/story/RAURhHm2wnzb1g https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jardim_da_Luz https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g303631-d311969-Reviews-Pinacoteca_do_Estado_de_Sao_Paulo-Sao_Paulo_State_of_Sao_Paulo.html When I first arrived in Luz, I got off at Luz station. Beautiful building. Ornate. The Portuguese Language Center was located there, too, in the Parque de Luz. The police were guarding, but felt safe. Beautiful trees and a fresh smell after the rain. Walked to the Pina Art Museum. Lots of school groups. Modern. Plus some traditional: films, sculptures, paintings, 3d designs. Walked over a bridge to a long street still close to Luz. Walked about a mile. Stores and parking garages mostly. Optical, toys, and industrial products. Found Church of San Bento. Praying for them and others in this beautiful building. No video allowed. —————— My three Sao Paolo missteps: Spilling yogurt all over me early in the morning. Table, clothes, floor, everywhere. What a mess. Be more careful around yogurt containers. In the San Bento metro station, the Woman at the counter would not give me free subway access. She sent me to the ticket booth to buy a ticket. I showed my passport there, and she said, Go back there. So I did. I told her my age. Finally, she smiled and let me pass. Maybe I looked too young for the free transport. Booking a room near the airport that was not in a good neighborhood. Lots of reasons not to walk at night. Bars on the doors and windows here. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you on the next journey. AI was used to select some of the suggestions for this episode. Connect with Dr. Travelbest 5 Steps to Solo Travel website Dr. Mary Travelbest X Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast Dr. Travelbest on TikTok Dr.Travelbest on YouTube In the news
Charles Rucker built his identity on football, bodybuilding, sponsorships, and a public brand. Then it all collapsed. A career-ending accident. Stores shuttered. A marriage that left him shrinking himself until he didn't know who he was anymore. So he drove away from everything and spent months alone rebuilding from the ground up.In this episode, Charles opens up about the moment his nervous system unlocked on a drive to Tampa, how identity loss nearly destroyed him, what it actually means to find peace, and why he's now pouring everything into helping other men do the same through King Circle and his upcoming book Heal Your Reality.This is a conversation about earning your identity back, not chasing it. About what happens when a man finally stops performing and starts living.Topics covered: Rebuilding identity after loss and divorce Performance identity in sports and business Why love alone isn't enough to save a marriageShrinking yourself and losing who you are in a relationship What peace actually feels like and why you'll fight to keep it Men and emotional vulnerability King Circle men's group and coaching Journaling, video diaries, and practical tools for healing Faith, boundaries, and letting the wrong people go Redefining success on your own termsCharles Rucker is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker, and founder of King Core Labs and Ruck Nutrition. Find him at charlesrucker.com and on Instagram @IAmCharlesRucker.Subscribe to The Relentless Pursuit Podcast for weekly conversations with people who refused to quit.00:00 Finding Peace Again00:46 Podcast Welcome Intro02:15 Catching Up Life Updates02:43 Canada Calm New Perspective04:20 Expectations Communication Love08:00 Men Vulnerability Space12:29 Fatherhood Softens You13:43 New Ventures Coaching16:29 Rebuilding Expanding Identity19:01 Loneliness Boundaries Seasons24:40 Stop Caring Opinions26:50 Redefining Success After 202029:58 Disappearing To Find Self31:17 Letting Go Old Identity32:01 Grief After Letting Go32:55 Divorce And Identity Shift34:49 Bodybuilding Control Trap36:46 Family Time Over Training38:57 Loss And Living Present42:39 From Football To The Wreck46:01 Performance Identity Patterns48:02 What Do You Love51:52 Divorce Public Fallout01:01:01 Tampa Reset And Healing01:04:15 Embracing Suffering Lessons01:08:12 Opinions And Social Media01:09:23 Handling Public Opinions01:10:09 Friends Faith and Bridges01:11:00 Faith Beyond Labels01:13:31 Closing the Chapter01:16:25 Rebuilding Into Freedom01:18:24 Feeling Again and Grace01:23:49 King Circle for Men01:29:56 Helping Others Find Peace01:38:40 Rapid Fire and Relentless Pursuit01:42:00 Where to Find Charles01:43:02 Final Healing Message#RelentlessPursuit #CharlesRucker #IdentityCrisis #MensHealth #Divorce#Rebuilding #MindsetShift #HealYourReality #KingCircle #Bodybuilding#MensMentalHealth #FindingPeace #PersonalDevelopment #Entrepreneurship#RealTalk
Topics: Honorary Doctorate, Stress Toys, Breaking Animal News, Stress Toys, The Kingdom, Stores, Not Gonna Bail, Odyssey, Total Eclipse BONUS CONTENT: Living Unoffended Rankin Quotes: "Just name it and claim it." "The things Jesus says do are practical and doable and result in less anger and anxiety." "The Lord uses ordinary all the time." "More than ever being an actual human cuts through."
Gas station attendants Vinnie Vardaman (Charles) and Luke Taylor (Luke Taylor) serve various customers (Andrew, Branson). Listen to Luke's podcast STORES: https://www.patreon.com/storesthepodcast Subscribe to E1 on Patreon: www.patreon.com/c/e1podcast Ending song - "Sugar We All End Up in Diapers" (from Podcast About List): www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aOQ7h9S4kI Join the E1 Discord: discord.com/invite/xTBVk23
While every brand was raising prices during inflation, Elina Wang cut hers—and nearly tripled revenue. The co-founder of ESW Beauty turned a juice bar epiphany and a $25,000 bank loan into a $20 million business across 10,000 retail doors, fully bootstrapped and profitable from day one. She did it by making the contrarian bet on retail-first when every founder around her was chasing DTC—then survived Covid wiping out every purchase order overnight while going through a co-founder breakup at the same time. In this interview, Elina breaks down the real cost of getting into major retail, why she deliberately chose wholesale over DTC from day one, and the pricing move that took ESW Beauty from $4 million to $11 million in revenue. What you'll learn in this interview: • Why she bet on retail over DTC from day one—with just $5,000 left after her first trade show • How a $25,000 SBA loan, a scrappy juice bar booth, and aggressive hallway pitching landed $250K in purchase orders • The contrarian pricing move: why cutting price from $6 to $4.99 per mask nearly tripled revenue • How Covid wiped out every PO overnight—and how Faire and gifting programs kept the business alive • Why 95% wholesale requires 70%+ gross margins—and the hidden retail fees most founders discover too late • The in-store promotional math: clip strips, end caps, and PDQ displays that cost $25–75K each but drive real velocity • How she navigated building a business with her co-founder after they broke up—and why they kept going anyway • Why it took three years of persistence to crack Target—and what metrics finally convinced the buyer • The leadership shift every founder dreads: how she learned to let go and trust a team after running everything herself • What she'd tell founders about choosing a co-founder before anything else If you're building a CPG or beauty brand, trying to crack retail without burning through cash, or wondering what profitable bootstrapped growth at eight figures actually looks like, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about distribution, pricing strategy, and what it takes to survive the moments that would end most companies. 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. WANT TO GROW YOUR BRAND WITH META ADS? Join the Foundr Operators Waitlist → https://foundr.com/operators 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/ CONNECT WITH ELINA WANG Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/esw.beauty/ Website → https://eswbeauty.com/ 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
Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Duvo and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Walmart and Wing add seven new metro markets to their drone delivery expansion plan, targeting operations from 270-plus stores by 2027.B&R Stores, a family-owned Midwest grocer, deploys Simbe's Tally autonomous shelf-scanning robots to capture real-time inventory data and free associates from up to 30 hours per week of manual auditing tasks.Grocery Outlet partners with Afresh to roll out AI-powered ordering across its fresh, center store, and general merchandise departments, becoming the first retailer to deploy Afresh's full-store, multi-category solution across its roughly 550 locations.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.
In this episode of The Lexy Show, Lexy Silverstein sits down with Jeanette Spiezio, founder of Sustainable Haus Mercantile and co-chair of Beyond Plastics New Jersey, to talk about zero waste living, refill stores, sustainable habits, and making eco-friendly living more accessible in everyday life.Jeanette shares how a curiosity about the ingredients in conventional laundry detergent led her to create a clean living lifestyle store offering over 3,000 low-waste products and refillable essentials. From reusable household swaps and toxin-free products to the hidden dangers of plastics, receipts, PFAS, and microplastics, this conversation dives deep into how small everyday choices can create massive environmental impact over time. Whether you're just beginning your sustainability journey or looking for practical ways to reduce waste, join us on this week's episode of 'The Lexy Show' to learn more about living intentionally.Check out more from Lexy on Instagram and tiktok @lexysilverstein and check out Lexy's website https://elexyfy.com/
Opportunity in America - Events by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
Gina Schaefer — founder and co-owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores — speaks at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America's prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.
Kate Kauffman is the owner of Grease & Glitter Studio, a Vermont-based creative design studio serving retailers throughout New England and beyond. She specializes in visual merchandising, store flow and layout optimization, and striking window displays. Drawing on more than 10 years of industry experience with brands like Anthropologie and West Elm, Kate helps independent retailers elevate their customer experience, increase foot traffic, and drive sales.In this episode, Kate shares how her years at Anthropologie and West Elm shaped her approach to merchandising, storytelling, and customer flow. Michelle and Kate dive into the psychology behind store layouts, visual merchandising strategies for independent retailers, creating impactful displays on a budget, and why merchandising is so much more than making a store “look pretty.” They also discuss the future of merchandising, retail creativity, and the importance of building memorable shopping experiences that keep customers engaged and shopping longer. What's Inside:How visual merchandising and customer flow directly impact sales Creative ways to build impactful displays without huge budgets Lessons from Anthropologie and West Elm that independent retailers can use todayMentioned In This Episode:Grease & Glitter on InstagramGrease & Glitter on WebsiteGrease & Glitter on FacebookSupport the show
Anne Beiler want to support her husband’s business by selling some homemade goods at the local food market. I guess it worked. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients so here’s one of those. [Seaside Plumbing Ad] Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast. Dave Young here with Stephen Semple and he whispered the topic in my ear and I don’t really have a clue. Auntie Anne’s- Stephen Semple: Pennsylvania Really? Dave Young: Yeah, I know. Stephen Semple: Pretzels. Dave Young: Remember, I don’t get around much. Auntie Anne’s pretzels. Yeah. And so I have an Auntie Anne. Stephen Semple: Oh, There you go. Dave Young: She’s my oldest living relative right now, and I like pretzels. So take it away. Stephen Semple: Anti-Anne’s is pretty big. They have like 2000 locations, 40 states, 26 countries. They do like 800 million in sales. It’s a bit of a deal. And it’s very homespun in terms of the branding, the showmanship, even the products. And some people consider the founder, Anne Beiler, to be kind of like the first lady of the American food court. Although I don’t know whether that’s really accurate, because we’ve had some other women entrepreneurs who are pretty early on in it. Dave Young: But this is primarily like mall food, food court kind of fare. Stephen Semple: Yes. Yes. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: And in 1992 and in 1994, she was named Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year. Dave Young: All right. Stephen Semple: So pretty big deal. And the interesting thing is she was a stay-at-home mom with Amish roots from rural Pennsylvania. Dave Young: Oh, really? Okay. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And what she wanted to do was support her husband’s counseling service. And so, she borrowed $6,000, and she took an empty stall at a local food market, and she was selling drinks and pizzas and these soft pretzels. And really these soft pretzels came from, it was a regional taste that came basically from Pennsylvania’s German heritage. The big soft pretzel is kind of a German, is a German thing. Dave Young: Sure Stephen Semple: because it goes great with beer. Dave Young: Yeah. I concur. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And these soft pretzels, basically you can date them back to the sixth or seventh century in Central Europe, but they remain mostly regional until kind of like the late ’80s, here in North America. Here’s the thing. That was really great about the pretzels that she was selling. She can make them for about seven cents, in terms of the ingredients, and she was selling them for 55 cents. Dave Young: Nice. Stephen Semple: Right. But standing out and figuring out how to display them and whatnot really became the challenge. And she sought to upgrade them, and what she wanted to do was do something beyond kind of that German heritage. And she started doing things like adding sugar and baking powder and more butter. And ultimately she found this way to make them these really buttery, fluffy, decadent, slightly salty, slightly sweet pretzel. So it suddenly evolved away from that German heritage. When she got that recipe right, sales surged. She had a weekend where she sold like $2,000 out of this little stall at a farmer’s market of just the pretzels. Dave Young: That’s amazing. Stephen Semple: Yeah. So then she decided, okay, I’m going to lean into the pretzels. Let’s just do the pretzels. Let’s get rid of everything else, do the pretzels. But what I want to do is kind of create this warm, familiar identity. Dave, you often talk about naming things, right? And that’s when she decided, I’m going to call it Auntie Anne’s, because you know what everybody has? Dave Young: An Auntie Anne. Stephen Semple: An Auntie Anne. Dave Young: Yeah, we do. Stephen Semple: Yeah. It also echoed how her 30 nieces and nephews addressed her. They all addressed her as Auntie Anne. Dave Young: I love that. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Yeah. So initially she was just doing things in farmer’s markets and then she decided to move into a mall. She thought, okay. She moved into the mall. This was suggested to her by a church friend and it was met with skepticism. She actually had a really hard time getting into a mall. Mall manager really doubted that this single item pretzel stand could cover the rent, and he dismissed the concept. He said, “No way.” But she was pretty determined. She proposed an upfront short term agreement, where she would basically do a three-month lease. “I’ll pay the money upfront. You can kick me out at the end of three months.” So it’s November 1989 and Auntie Anne’s opened some Park City Center in Lancaster. And basically,, they showcase live pretzel twisting and there’s the aroma. So people are seeing people twist the pretzels and they have this really great way that they displayed them and whatnot. Dave Young: Kind of flip them up in the air and let them land, and you do the little knot thing. Stephen Semple: And it was a hit within two years, like so much of a hit, within two years there were a hundred Auntie Anne locations and malls across America. Dave Young: No, that’s fantastic. Stephen Semple: Now here’s the part that I loved. This on skeptical mall manager, his name’s Monte Zanko, eventually became a franchisee. Dave Young: I don’t think this will work. Now I’m interested. Yeah. Stephen Semple: That was probably my favorite part of the whole story. But what I found that was cool about this is, she’s got her farmer’s market thing and she’s selling all sorts of stuff. And what she noticed was, the thing that really made money and sold really well was the pretzels. And then went back and said, “Okay, how do I improve on the pretzels?” Kept working on improving on pretzels and then they really sold like crazy. And if you think about it, this was around the same time that Cinnabon was coming out. So this idea of being able to survive in a mall with a single product was a pretty innovative idea. Dave Young: That’s really cool because that’s not easy. Mall stores, man, unless you have something that’s proven, and you’re going to have to prove it somewhere, she did it there. Stephen Semple: She did it there. And also there’s the whole, showing it being made like it’s that- Dave Young: You’re making an experience, right? It’s not like somebody just reaches under the counter and pulls out a pretzel. Stephen Semple: And again- Dave Young: There’s a show going on. Stephen Semple: Yes. And today that’s a little bit more common, because we’ve got restaurants where there’s seating in the kitchen and things along that line. But in the late ’80s, that wasn’t. And it’s interesting. I attend a course called the Strategic Coach. It’s a quarterly coaching program. It’s created by Dan Sullivan. And one of the things Dan talks about is businesses have a front stage and they have a backstage. So the front stage is the customer experience. What’s the customer see? The backstage, all the support things. And he’s often talking about one of the clever things you can do is, how do you bring elements of your backstage into your front stage so it becomes part of the customer experience. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story, and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off and trust me you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: So the front stage is the customer experience. What’s the customer seeing backstage to all the support things? And he’s often talking about one of the clever things you can do is, how do you bring elements of your backstage into your front stage so it becomes part of the customer experience. Now when you do it, you’ve got to add the showmanship. If you’re a pizza place, the person’s got to throw the dough in the air, even if that’s not really the way you do it anymore. If it’s food being chopped, like I love watching these YouTube videos today of these Japanese bartenders who are doing the stuff with the knife and things like that [inaudible 00:10:23]. Dave Young: Oh, yeah. You could have Benihanas or something. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Oh, it’s incredible to watch. So she was, from what I can tell from research, she was like one of the very first because Benihana was just coming on this scene. She was one of the first to embrace this idea of let’s show people how this is being done, which then draws a crowd and also makes people more interested in the product. Dave Young: Well, here’s the thing. It gives us a little story to tell. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Right? I watched them do… You’re going to go tell people that you watched them make these pretzels. Stephen Semple: Oh, next time we’re in the mall, Dave, let’s go by and check it out, right? Dave Young: I’m thinking to myself, okay, you said this is going to be kind of a short episode, but I think we can go someplace with this. Okay? Stephen Semple: Yep. Dave Young: What’s the best pretzel you ever had? Tell me about the best pretzel you ever had. Stephen Semple: Christmas, 1999, Germany. Dave Young: Okay. See, so here’s the thing. That’s the perfect answer. Stephen Semple: Literally at a Christmas thing in Germany, drinking. Dave Young: Here’s why that’s the perfect answer. It’s because there’s a context to it, that it wasn’t at a mall. Stephen Semple: No. Dave Young: Right. It wasn’t one of those. But you can go to the mall and get a pretzel, and relive that Christmas. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: In your mind, you can go, oh, this tastes almost like the one… It’s not quite as good. It’s almost like one. Stephen Semple: Actually not 1999, 2001. Sorry. But, yeah. Dave Young: I equate that to, in the Whiskey Vault at the Whiskey Marketing School at Wizard Academy, you and I wrote songs. And some of you like to talk about all the tastes and weird tasting notes and smelling notes that you get in the whiskey. And for me, it’s always about the story. This is the whiskey that my dad drank, or this is the whiskey that Steve and I shared in Florence, except he’s not taking me to Florence. But I’m saying we could have that memory, but it comes back to the context around the product, or the drink, or the pretzel. And if you can do something that makes somebody remember it. And if you can’t, then you give them the little story, the front of the room, the front stage, the main stage. Is that what did you call it? Stephen Semple: Well, it’s front stage and backstage. You don’t think about it. Dave Young: The front stage and backstage. Stephen Semple: And where this came from, Dan is Dan had a theater background, right? Dave Young: Oh yeah. Stephen Semple: As a producer, you’re sort of familiar with front stage, backstage, but it’s this whole idea of sometimes consciously, consciously bring that backstage into the front stage. And look, we can do it easier than ever before, because I talked to a lot of my clients about social media postings. You’re repairing the roof to the RV, show it being torn apart and rebuilt, and what you’re doing. That’s bringing your backstage into your front stage and people find that stuff interesting. Dave Young: May I share another one? Stephen Semple: Sure. Dave Young: This is something we’re actually doing at Wizard Academy. Stephen Semple: Because these are great ideas for people to think about. Dan believes every business has this opportunity to do this. It’s one of the things that they teach. So anyway, please, please. Yes. Dave Young: So when’s the first time you went to Wizard Academy? Your very first trip. Stephen Semple: I can’t remember the year. It’s funny. I always forget what… I’m terrible at remembering years, but I remember the first time stepping on campus. Absolutely. Dave Young: Yeah. And so we have that in our records. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: All right. And can you name all the times in between? Stephen Semple: No. Dave Young: And, we have that in our records. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Our front stage experience that brings the backstage in, and this is something we just started doing. In fact, I haven’t even worked out really the… It could be time-consuming with the middle to large group is we’ve actually created Wizard Academy Passports. And you get to stamp your passport with all the times you’ve been for each different class, and then we’ll date them and sign them in front of you like you’re at, not the TSA, but the customs office or something. And we make a little ceremony out of it, and celebrate all the times you’ve been. And if it’s your first time, you get your passport, and you get to stamp it and now you take it with you and you’re looking forward to the next one. Stephen Semple: Well, and the thing that’s interesting about that is it makes it also a tactile experience. Dave Young: Oh, absolutely. Yeah. I’ve got a little Kodak printer. So we take a picture of you. It doesn’t have to be a serious picture like a regular passport. Stephen Semple: So one of the things that they don’t do this any longer at the Strategic Coach, what they used to do. So again, talking about tactile experiences and things along that lines, is they had a visioning exercise that they would do and what they would actually do in that moment that they would start the visioning exercise, they would start popping popcorn. Because the whole exercise, like you’re supposed to envision being in a movie theater, watching a movie of your life and things along that lines. Well, nothing brings somebody back to a movie theater than- Dave Young: The smell. Stephen Semple: The smell of Popping popcorn. Dave Young: Yeah, exactly. Stephen Semple: Right? But again, it was like… Now that’s not backstage/ front stage. That’s more like sent recalls and things along that lines. But I just want to add this. This is probably the most important message from all of this. Way too many businesses think what they should do is extend the number of products that they sell. It’s actually easier to become famous for one thing. It’s harder to become famous for many things. And the number of businesses out there, like big businesses, that have tried to extend their brand and have it fail is incredible. So this narrow focus, while initially everybody thought, “That’s crazy,” actually was their success because she could become famous for one thing, the best pretzels. Dave Young: Right. Yeah. I love it. I love it. I’m glad Auntie Anne has seen such wild success. Is it a franchise or is it- Stephen Semple: It is a franchise. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: Yep. It’s a franchise. And as I said, they’ve now got like 2000 of them. Dave Young: So you, too, can be Auntie Anne. Stephen Semple: That’s true. You can. You can. Dave Young: Okay. All right. Well, thanks for the Auntie Anne pretzel story. I’m getting kind of hungry sitting here. Stephen Semple: Yeah. There you go. Dave Young: We’ll see you next time. Stephen Semple: All right. And pretzels go great with beer. They go great with beer. Dave Young: Sure. Sure they do. Why wouldn’t we? It’s almost 8:30 in the morning. Stephen Semple: There you are. Dave Young: That sounds like a great breakfast. Stephen Semple: Breakfast of champions. Dave Young: Pretzels and beer. Thanks, Stephen. Stephen Semple: Great. Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a big fat, juicy five star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.
Send us Fan MailWe break down how certain convenience store and gas station real estate investments can produce a massive first-year tax deduction using 100% bonus depreciation and fund-level leverage. We also map out who can use the losses, what returns can look like, and how to plan for depreciation recapture with smart exit options like DSTs and 1031 exchanges. • how C-stores can qualify for 100% bonus depreciation when gasoline revenue meets the threshold • why leverage inside the fund can turn $100,000 of equity into a much larger K-1 tax loss • how rental losses can offset passive real estate income and other passive income streams • when Real Estate Professional Status can open up active income and portfolio income planning • how failed 1031 exchanges and boot can be partially neutralized with the right loss strategy • what to expect in years two through exit, including projected hold periods and cash-on-cash returns • how depreciation recapture works and why rolling into a DST can help manage the tax hit • why DSTs can make sense for passive investors, debt replacement, and diversification by hold period The way to get a hold of me is first my email is Larry at 1031financial.com. The firm is 1031financial.com. And the way to get a hold of Lary directly is 516-350-2643. *Go to https://www.prosperlcpa.com/apply, and I will send you a personalized video illustrating what may be possible based on your situation.
Queensland University of Technology professor of marketing and consumer behaviour Gary Mortimer told 3AW Breakfast hosts Ross and Russel the closure of Barbeques Galore was likely due to a variety of factors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
FREE: Find out why you're brand isn't ranking in AI with a Remarkable Digital Free AIO Audit Here The best eCommerce Australia founder stories start with a problem nobody else has solved.Amanda Phoenix moved from Vancouver to Melbourne with $3,000 to her name, had a motorcycle accident, and sewed her first product from a $5 polka-dot tablecloth she bought at Spotlight. Today she runs Peak Moto - Australia's leading women's motorcycle gear retailer with stores in Melbourne and Brisbane and a fast-growing eCommerce store.In this episode of the Ecommerce Australia Podcast, Ryan Martin sits down with Amanda to trace the full founder journey: From living on a chicken farm in regional Victoria on a working holiday visa, to a presale campaign that flooded her Gmail with 200 orders in a single evening, to rage-quitting a marketing agency job and opening a 29-square-metre hole-in-the-wall with no running water and a four-hour daily limit imposed by the absence of a toilet.Amanda shares hard-won lessons on eCommerce SEO, finding the right marketing agency, why she walked away from wholesale (B2B) to go all-in on direct-to-consumer, how she negotiated her first commercial lease to exit penalty-free, and why community, not advertising, has been the biggest driver of growth for Peak Moto.If you're an Australian eCommerce founder, a product-based business owner, or thinking about opening a bricks-and-mortar store alongside your online store, this episode is essential listening.What You'll Learn• How Amanda bootstrapped Flying Solo Gear Company from zero - no money, no network,no plan• Why a presale strategy turned a hobby into a real eCommerce business overnight• The exact lease negotiation that let her exit her first store with 30 days notice and no penalty• Why she dropped B2B wholesale and went D2C — and what it meant for margins• How to build a community that sells for you without paid advertising• What to look for (and watch out for) when hiring an eCommerce marketing agency in Australia• Bricks-and-mortar lessons: why smaller is smarter when opening your first retail locationEpisode Timestamps00:00 Welcome — the full circle moment02:00 Amanda's background: strength coach, national team, total burnout04:30 Why Australia? Selling everything for $15K CAD and booking a one-way ticket06:00 Chicken farm in regional Victoria — the working holiday visa reality08:30 Moving to Melbourne: nearly run over by a tram on Day 110:00 The motorcycle accident that created Flying Solo11:30 The $5 Spotlight tablecloth, a borrowed sewing machine, and the first bum bag13:30 The Yarra Valley petrol station moment — what are you wearing?15:00 Kill Switch Pack: carbon fibre, Kevlar, and the world's toughest bum bag17:30 Flying Solo born in one day at the cafe downstairs20:00 The presale that changed everything: 200 backpack orders in one evening22:00 Word of mouth, Mailchimp, and growing without paid ads24:00 Rage quit → first retail space → 29sqm with no toilet27:30 Importing MotoGirl, Revit saying yes when everyone else said no29:00 Why Flying Solo became Peak Moto31:30 Founder advice: smaller MOQs, ditch B2B, test before you scale36:00 How Peak Moto built a community that drives word-of-mouth sales40:00 Bricks and mortar lessons: leases, location, lifestyle44:00 How to find a good marketing agency — and the red flags to watch forLinks & MentionsGuests→ PeakMoto — Women's Motorcycle Gear (Melbourne & Brisbane)→ Flying Solo Gear Company→ Amanda Phoenix on InstagramMentioned in this episodeRevit Motorcycle Gear — peakmoto.com.au/brands/revitMotoGirl — UK women's motorcycle gear brandPulp Digital — Meta ads agency (shoutout: Bella)
The crew discusses a massive new update out of Kmart Australia, where it looks like a bit of common sense is finally returning to the retail giant! Stores across the ditch are officially undergoing a major layout change to fix some of shoppers' biggest pet peeves. While Aussies are celebrating the revamp, there is unfortunately no word yet on whether these highly anticipated changes will make their way over to Kmart stores in New Zealand. Love the show? Rate us 5-stars on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and follow Si, Lana & The Breakfast Club on rova so you never miss an episode of our award-winning show!
Corner stores have been slowly disappearing from Calgary neighbourhoods... but, thanks to changing community expectations, and an update to YYC development rules, there's potential for a comeback. This week, Loren chats with CBC Calgary journalist Helen Pike, who's been talking to retailers, developers, and the City of Calgary on what's happening.For more on the history and the future of corner stores in Calgary, check out Helen's YouTube story and CBC web story.
Today I'm joined by my friend Kimberley Yurkiewicz, owner of Measure Twice, an independent gift shop in Brooklyn, New York. Kimberley has worn a lot of hats in the consumer gift industry. Over the years, she worked retail managing large gift shops. She had a successful career as a sales rep. She worked closely with brands behind the scenes, mentoring them as they made decisions about their product line and pricing and more. And for the last seven years, she's owned and operated her successful brick and mortar shop Measure Twice, alongside her husband.Last time we had Kimberley on the podcast was 2024, so it has been a minute. In this episode, we are catching up about buying patterns, rising product costs, what brands are getting right and wrong when pitching stores, and why industry standards still matter. As wholesale sales strategies continue to evolve, we also get into a really important conversation about pricing. If you have been nervous about raising your wholesale prices, Kimberley shares some incredibly honest perspective from the retailer side that I think will be reassuring for a lot of you to hear. Towards the end of the episode, we also talk about what independent retailers are craving right now, specifically what she is craving. Products with personality, points of view and brands that aren't afraid to stand out in the marketplace. It was really great catching up with Kimberley and having this candid but fun conversation about her shop, the state of the industry, and more.Today's episode is brought to you by our Is Wholesale Right for You private podcast! This free 12-part audio series will help you decide whether wholesale is a good next step for your specific business. After listening to this audio series (in less than an hour), two things will be true. You'll know whether you want to pursue wholesale for your product business, and you'll have the confidence and action steps to get started with wholesale. Sign up for the private podcast today!SIGN UPYou can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/445 Quick Links:Free Wholesale Audio SeriesFree Resources LibraryFree Email Marketing for Product MakersPTP LABSPaper Camp
What happens when you hit rock bottom and have to rebuild everything?In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster, David Ezell sits down with entrepreneur and Inked Stores founder Jay Sapovitz to discuss the highs, lows, and hard truths behind building a successful business and life.Before becoming the CEO of a multi-million-dollar company, Jay battled a gambling addiction that nearly cost him everything. After walking away from a promising career and starting over from scratch, he rebuilt his future through discipline, honesty, resilience, and entrepreneurship.Jay shares the lessons he's learned from recovery, launching multiple businesses, navigating failure, leading teams, surviving COVID pivots, and scaling Inked Stores into a thriving e-commerce brand.Whether you're an entrepreneur, business leader, founder, or someone navigating a difficult chapter, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom about perseverance, growth, and what it really takes to succeed.Connect with Jay:LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysap/Ink'd Stores: https://inkdstores.com/#Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #StartupLife #Leadership #Recovery #SmallBusiness #FounderStory #PersonalGrowth #BusinessOwner #HowToRideARollerCoaster
Buddhismus im Alltag - Der tägliche Podcast - Kurzvorträge und meditative Betrachtungen - Chan - Zen
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Kevin Brasler, Executive Editor at Consumers' Checkbook, joins Lisa Dent to discuss how shopping at outlet stores might not be saving people as much money as they think. Later, he addresses when someone should fix an appliance versus when they should buy a new one altogether.
Buddhismus im Alltag - Der tägliche Podcast - Kurzvorträge und meditative Betrachtungen - Chan - Zen
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In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast host Troy Trewin interviews Tim Rexius shares how he lost nearly everything during the GFC, delivered pizzas at night, and sanded floors to fund the launch of Rexius Nutrition. He reveals how relentless networking, smart risk-taking, and a commitment to learning helped him grow multiple businesses, including three successful gyms. Tim also explains how Omaha Protein Popcorn evolved from a struggling idea into a global brand stocked in over 30,000 stores across 16 countries. Along the way, he discusses leadership, marketing, building a strong team culture, and why entrepreneurs must remain lifelong students. This inspiring conversation is packed with lessons on resilience, growth, and creating opportunities from adversity. 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 Tim Rexius, the hardest thing in growing a small business is access to capital. He believes many entrepreneurs have great ideas and the willingness to work hard, but securing funding is often the biggest challenge. Tim notes that borrowing money has become increasingly difficult, and when funding is available, the interest rates and repayment terms can be tough. He advises business owners to find creative ways to generate income while building their business so they can cover overhead costs and avoid making poor decisions under financial pressure. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Tim Rexius says one of the business books that has helped him the most is Think Big, Shut the F Up and Work. He also credits Masters of Selling by Tony Robbins as a life-changing book that helped him understand communication, sales, and human behavior. Tim believes that learning how to sell effectively is one of the most valuable skills an entrepreneur can develop because it influences every aspect of business growth and success. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Tim Rexius shared invaluable entrepreneurial wisdom across several platforms, including his standout appearances on The Management Blueprint Podcast, The Deep Wealth Podcast, and the Phat Muscle Project Podcast, where he breaks down real-world scaling strategies and leadership frameworks. His home base at timrexius.com also offers direct access to Rexius Business Consulting, where he mentors entrepreneurs globally on franchising, retail expansion, and building strong team cultures. For broader small business growth, the Grow a Small Business Podcast hosted by Troy Trewin — the very show Tim featured on — delivers weekly deep-dives with founders tackling the same challenges. You can also follow Tim on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn at @timothy_d_rexius for ongoing, no-BS business insights from someone who built a $50M brand from nothing. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Tim Rexius shares that the most powerful tool for growing a small business is building genuine relationships, as he personally visited three gyms every day for three years to meet potential customers, proving that consistent human connection outperforms any paid marketing strategy. He also emphasizes leveraging social media to level the playing field, noting that a strong personal brand and winning attitude can make a C-class location just as successful as an A-class one, which he demonstrated by growing Omaha Protein Popcorn to over 30,000 stores across 16 countries. For direct mentorship and structured business guidance, Tim offers Rexius Business Consulting at timrexius.com, where he coaches entrepreneurs on scaling, franchising, and turning employees into entrepreneurial partners using his proven Entrepreneur Creation Framework. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Tim Rexius would tell his day-one self to stop waiting for the perfect moment and instead start hustling immediately, because delivering pizzas at night and sanding floors on weekends while building his first store taught him that grit and relentless action will always outwork privilege and perfect timing. He would also remind himself that it is far easier to turn customers into friends than friends into customers, so invest every ounce of energy into showing up, meeting people, and projecting a winning attitude — because the right mindset attracts the right opportunities. 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: It's a lot easier to turn customers into friends than friends into customers — Tim Rexius You can have a C-class location but an A-class person, and still build a wildly successful business — Tim Rexius People really want to be surrounded by winners, so put on a winning attitude and watch the right opportunities find you — Tim Rexius
Buddhismus im Alltag - Der tägliche Podcast - Kurzvorträge und meditative Betrachtungen - Chan - Zen
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Buddhismus im Alltag - Der tägliche Podcast - Kurzvorträge und meditative Betrachtungen - Chan - Zen
Copyright: buddha-blog.onlineBitte laden Dir auch meine App "Buddha-Blog" aus den Stores von Apple und Android.Please support me on Patreon
On the phone-in: Our guests, Tristan Cleveland and Mike Cole, talk with listeners about ideas to re-develop shopping malls that have lost many of their stores. And off the top of the show, we hear from farmers in New Brunswick who protested in Fredericton yesterday against cuts to provincial veterinary services. We also hear about the new Humane Society building in Charlottetown, PEI.
Rouses is expanding to Chalmette. A grocery store opening might not sound like major news, but the right store can change the rhythm of a neighborhood. How many stores do you go to each week to get everything you need? CBS News fired veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley following a heated staff meeting where he directly confronted the program's new leadership.
Sam went from drinking five Red Bulls a day as a civil engineering student in Paris to founding one of the most exciting retail concepts in Canada right now. In this episode, we sit down with the founder of KaleMart24, the health-forward convenience store brand that is quietly taking over Montreal and setting its sights on the US market. We get into how he spotted a massive gap in the North American convenience store industry, why he tested three completely different store formats at the same time before scaling, and how he built a 20-location franchise operation with a core team of three people, two of whom started as cashiers. Sam also opens up about his Dragons Den experience, what actually happens when a Dragon threatens to sue you on national television, how brands pay to get shelf space in his stores, and why he believes the proof of concept has to come before the pitch every single time. If you are thinking about starting a business, scaling one, or just want to understand how someone turns a matcha habit into an empire, this episode is for you. Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/carinebadran/ https://www.instagram.com/taketheleadpodcast/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.carine-badran.kit.com/b8b87327db/
Kim Innes, the founder of the dessert brand Humble Crumble, recounts her extraordinary business journey to Sir Richard Harpin. It begins with tough shifts at a vendor's stall in Spitalfields market in east London and ends with a chain of successful shops devoted to her product, the fruit crumble pudding. She didn't get it right at first in the market stall, she explains. She was too fixated on exotic flavours and she hadn't yet started to cook live on site, creating those appetising aromas. She also had to learn, as a small brand, how to leverage social media though a series of posts that went viral. These cooked up huge demand and people began to seek her out, including the Royal Family. Though looking back, she thinks she could have approached it in a smarter way. She also shares with Harpin her plans for the future, which include a possible move into retail environments like supermarkets.Business Leader is a membership community for ambitious CEOs and founders of mid-sized UK companies, designed to help them grow with purpose through strategic support, peer-to-peer learning, expert coaching, and high-impact events. Sign up for our Business Leader newsletter here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Buddhismus im Alltag - Der tägliche Podcast - Kurzvorträge und meditative Betrachtungen - Chan - Zen
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Rated #1 for the past three years on Forbes annual list of companies with the “Best Customer Service” – a list formed by surveying 158,000 customers over a period of 12 months – The UPS Store has consistently proven an authentic and thoughtful commitment to the improvement of all things most valuable to their customers. And, as you know by listening to the Nordy Pod, improving Customer Service is the top priority for Nordstrom. So, in an attempt to further that pursuit, we felt strongly that Sarah Casalan, President of UPS Stores – a leader who has established and maintained a level of customer service that is considered to be "the best" across all industries – would have more than a few nuggets of wisdom to aid us in our journey. As presumed, insights were gained, and notes were taken. Sarah herself actually has an impressive background in retail, and coincidentally shares a handful of mutual acquaintances with Pete. But the gap between her past and her current role in the world of shipping, printing, and supply chain is not as vast as you might think. In her own words, “we get to serve a profoundly human population in any way”. In their conversation, Pete and Sarah talk about the incredible importance of simplifying your business, innovating from within, and meeting the customer on their terms. Selling clothes or delivering packages, the path to success looks the same: It's all about making customers feel good. Thanks for tuning in to episode 111. We hope you enjoy it! Did you know that YOU can be on The Nordy Pod? This show isn't just a one-way conversation. We want to hear about what Nordstrom looks like through your eyes. Share your Nordstrom experience, good or bad, by giving us a call and leaving a voicemail at: 206.594.0526, or send an email to nordypodcast@nordstrom.com to be a part of the conversation! And, be sure to follow us on Instagram @thenordypod to stay up to date on new episodes, announcements and more.
Joey and Karly went to see Diamond Rio over the weekend, and the show was great. The drummer’s wife came up and recognized Joey from our social media videos. Stores are starting to get digital price labels on their shelves, and people are convinced stores will start using dynamic pricing to raise prices. Cargo shorts are back in style? Both Joey’s son and Nancy’s son recently bought pairs of cargo shorts. We're going on a pizza tour! Come hang out with us at Harby's Pizza on June 9th from 5-7pm. The first 300 slices of pizza are FREE!!! Hot Tea: Morgan Wallen was annoyed with his messed up piano, so he pushed it over mid-concert. Several MLB players were ejected before their game even started. A plane had to make a U-turn over the ocean and return to their starting airport because someone made their Bluetooth device be named “bomb.” Be sure to get to TYS airport EARLY! TSA lines have been extremely long lately. Joey got an alert on his phone that his mother-in-law had called 911. When he checked on her, he found out that her Apple Watch had called 911 while she was on a roller coaster at Universal Studios. Lucky 7 for $50 to the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants Nancy got her tooth pulled on Friday and isn’t feeling too great because of it. She found out that a root canal wouldn’t have helped her issue because her whole tooth was cracked! She will be looking for a new dentist. Joey went through his entire house and labeled and organized all of the charger cables. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to the Video Store Podcast.The balloons are up. The popcorn machine is running full blast. The sno-cone machine is free today.Here at the Video Store Podcast, we're celebrating 100 episodes!For this special anniversary, we wanted to do something worthy of the occasion. No clip-show flashbacks. No “greatest hits” countdown. Instead, we headed behind the counter and pulled out four of the biggest VHS releases of all time, the movies that didn't just dominate the box office, but helped define the home video revolution.These were the rentals everyone wanted. The tapes that were always checked out on Friday night. The films that transformed the VCR from a luxury item into the centerpiece of family entertainment.For our 100th episode, we're revisiting four legendary films that helped build video store culture as we knew it.Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)Directed by Nicholas Meyer, this sequel took the Star Trek franchise in a sharper, more dramatic direction. Admiral James T. Kirk faces his greatest adversary, Khan Noonien Singh, in a tense and deeply personal battle of strategy, revenge, and sacrifice. With Ricardo Montalbán delivering one of science fiction's most unforgettable villain performances, The Wrath of Khan remains one of the greatest sequels ever made.Its real legacy, however, may be what happened after theaters.Paramount made a bold gamble and priced The Wrath of Khan at just $39.95. The result shocked the industry. The tape became the highest-selling VHS release to date.That decision helped reshape home media forever and opened the door for the home video collecting boom of the 1980s.Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones burst onto screens in 1981 with whip-cracking charisma, globe-trotting action, and one of cinema's most instantly recognizable openings. From the giant rolling boulder to the snake-filled Well of Souls, Raiders delivered nonstop thrills while redefining what modern adventure filmmaking could be.When it arrived on VHS in late 1983, priced at the same consumer-friendly $39.95, Raiders generated massive pre-orders and sold more than a million copies within two years. It became one of the first films to demonstrate that a blockbuster could enjoy a hugely profitable second life in home video.It was the kind of movie families brought home again and again, the perfect repeat-viewing experience that made it a cornerstone of early home libraries.The Karate Kid (1984)The Karate Kid was one of those movies families rented over and over again until every line of dialogue was memorized. Released in 1984, the story of Daniel LaRusso, Mr. Miyagi, and the All-Valley Karate Tournament struck a perfect balance of heart, humor, action, and inspiration.On VHS, The Karate Kid became one of the defining family rentals of the decade.Unlike the spectacle-driven blockbusters on this list, its success proved that emotionally resonant, character-driven stories could thrive in the home video market. It became a staple of Friday night rentals, sleepovers, and repeat family viewings.Batman (1989)The summer of 1989 belonged to Batman.Tim Burton's Batman wasn't just a hit movie, it was a full-scale cultural event. Michael Keaton's brooding Dark Knight, Jack Nicholson's unforgettable Joker, Danny Elfman's thunderous score, and Gotham's gothic atmosphere transformed superhero cinema forever.It was darker, moodier, and more cinematic than anything audiences expected from a comic book adaptation.Then came the VHS release.Warner Bros. priced Batman at an aggressive $24.95, making it one of the most accessible blockbuster home video releases of its era. Stores stacked walls of black-and-gold VHS boxes. Cardboard standees filled lobbies. Television commercials hyped its release like another theatrical event.The theatrical release made Batman a cultural obsession. The VHS release made it part of everyday life.Thank You for 100 EpisodesFrom Star Trek II changing VHS pricing forever, to Raiders proving the power of repeat home viewing… from The Karate Kid becoming a family rental institution to Batman turning home video into a national event, these weren't just great movies.They were the tapes that defined Friday nights.They built home video libraries, filled video store shelves, and helped create the culture we celebrate every week here at the Video Store Podcast.To everyone who has listened, shared the show, and stopped by the store these past 100 episodes: thank you!Until next time — be kind, rewind.Thanks for reading Video Store Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com
Joey and Karly went to see Diamond Rio over the weekend, and the show was great. The drummer’s wife came up and recognized Joey from our social media videos. Stores are starting to get digital price labels on their shelves, and people are convinced stores will start using dynamic pricing to raise prices. Cargo shorts are back in style? Both Joey’s son and Nancy’s son recently bought pairs of cargo shorts. We're going on a pizza tour! Come hang out with us at Harby's Pizza on June 9th from 5-7pm. The first 300 slices of pizza are FREE!!! Hot Tea: Morgan Wallen was annoyed with his messed up piano, so he pushed it over mid-concert. Several MLB players were ejected before their game even started. A plane had to make a U-turn over the ocean and return to their starting airport because someone made their Bluetooth device be named “bomb.” Be sure to get to TYS airport EARLY! TSA lines have been extremely long lately. Joey got an alert on his phone that his mother-in-law had called 911. When he checked on her, he found out that her Apple Watch had called 911 while she was on a roller coaster at Universal Studios. Lucky 7 for $50 to the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants Nancy got her tooth pulled on Friday and isn’t feeling too great because of it. She found out that a root canal wouldn’t have helped her issue because her whole tooth was cracked! She will be looking for a new dentist. Joey went through his entire house and labeled and organized all of the charger cables. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Er legt sich lieber mit Investoren an, statt Leute zu entlassen – und hat gemeinsam mit der Luxusmarke Audemars Piguet den wohl größten Hype der Uhren-Geschichte kreiert. Doch bevor Nick Hayek im OMR Podcast dazu kommt, zündet er erstmal genüsslich eine Zigarre an. Dann spricht der Swatch-Group-Chef über… ... die Royal-Pop-Kollaboration von Swatch und Audemars Piguet, Prügeleien vor den Stores und einen besorgten Anruf vom französischen Innenminister ... Konkurrenten von Rolex bis Apple – und warum er weder vor der Schweizer Luxusmarke noch vor der Smartwatch aus Cupertino Angst hat. ... seinen Knallhart-Kurs bei Promi-Geschenken: Ja, sogar VIPs müssen in den Swatch-Shop, wenn sie eine Uhr kaufen wollen ... Ach ja, eine eigene KI hat sein Unternehmen natürlich auch ausgetüftelt und der Chef von Marken wie Swatch, Omega und Tissot findet: Klappt besser als mit ChatGPT. Und falls du dich jetzt fragst: Hat der sie noch alle? Hör selbst…
They say it can't be done and Steven Nunez proves them wrong running his chain of 4 laundromats remotely from over a thousand miles away! In this episode of The Laundromat Millionaire Show learn his tips and tricks for building and managing a team from afar and whether he recommends for new owners to do it too!Our Sponsors: H-M Company Drain Troughs: https://www.draintroughs.com Alliance Laundry Systems: https://go.speedqueencommercial.com/flexibilityCents & LaundroWorks: https://www.trycents.com/Our Guest:Steven Nunez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-nunez-79265123/The Laundry Room Orlando: https://orlandolaundryroom.com/Referenced Links: Our website: https://www.laundromatmillionaire.comEpisode with Charles Measley: https://youtu.be/KS0hQCZ1dGwTimestamps 00:00 Episode 121 Intro – Steven Nunez 01:49 Spotlight: Curbside 2026 Event Discount02:33 Steven Nunez: A Remote Laundromat Operator06:23 Building 1st Store & Expanding to 409:00 Why Choose a Market 1K Miles Away12:20 Navigating Construction Challenges Remotely14:22 Partner & Family Close By15:01 Building a Team from Afar, Managing Operations and Preventing Theft23:17 The Future of Payment Systems in the Industry27:32 Organizational Structure and Employee Roles28:24 Challenges of Pickup and Delivery Logistics & Whether to Move to a Closed Facility35:10 Store Sizes & Property Costs35:52 Finding & Hiring that Key Employee44:54 Incentives & Bonus Structures47:19 Order Management and Accountability48:17 WDF & Delivery Software49:08 Advice for Newbies54:21 Steven's Contact Information
A round-up of the main headlines in Sweden on May 28th 2026. You can hear more reports on our homepage www.radiosweden.se, or in the app Sveriges Radio. Presenter and producer: Michael Walsh
This week on The Queue, the crew accidentally uncovers a fascinating question about the future of themed entertainment. First, Disney faces a new lawsuit over facial recognition technology at Disneyland, sparking debate over privacy, convenience, biometric data, and whether theme parks are becoming too dependent on surveillance technology. Then, we dive into Universal's Epic Universe one-year anniversary and the surprising new "Open Hub" concept that could completely change how theme parks operate in the future. Is Universal quietly building the first true next-generation theme park? Finally, Disney quietly launches new "Disney Store Limited Time" retail locations in malls across America — and fans are unexpectedly emotional about it. Did Disney underestimate how important physical Disney Stores were to fandom and nostalgia? Along the way, the crew discusses: facial recognition in theme parks Epic Universe expansion and innovation Disney vs Universal philosophy the future of immersive entertainment mall nostalgia Disney Store memories technology vs emotional connection and what fans REALLY want from themed entertainment in 2026. Join the conversation and let us know: Would you trade privacy for convenience in the parks? Has Epic Universe changed the industry? And do you miss Disney Stores? Civil discussions encouraged. Email us at show@magicourway.com, call or text 815-MOWICAN (669-4226), or slide into our social media DMs. Every thought and opinion will forever be welcome on this Disney fan podcast. This is show #630. Magic Our Way — Where Every Opinion Is Welcome.
Halei Musil of Crescent, OK shares how her unique award-winning products led her to a surprising cottage food business journey that has enabled her to become an integral part of her local communityGet full show notes and transcript here: https://forrager.com/podcast/168
Are you holding onto mattresses, kitchen supplies, or linens because your adult kids might need them someday? You're not alone—and you're not wrong for wanting to help. But what feels like wisdom or generosity might actually be one of the sneakiest forms of clutter. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp and Grace Church tackle a question that resonates with so many listeners: How do you decide what to keep for your kids and what to let go? The Real Cost of "Just in Case" Storage Before you dedicate precious square footage to items your children haven't asked for, consider this: you might be making decisions based on a future that may never happen, for a person who hasn't requested anything. Grace shares her eye-opening experience of calculating 10 years of storage unit costs—and the painful realization of what that money could have done instead. A Simple Framework for Deciding Kathi offers a straightforward approach: "I have [blank]. Do you want it? And if so, when?" This simple conversation can save years of storing items that your kids may never want—or worse, items that deteriorate while waiting for their "someday" moment. When Donations Feel Impossible The episode also addresses a common frustration: what to do when thrift stores are overwhelmed and Facebook Marketplace isn't working. From Buy Nothing groups to foster care closets and community swaps, Kathi and Grace share creative alternatives for getting items out of your home and into hands that need them today. Key Takeaways Storage costs (even in your own home) often exceed replacement costs Stored items don't always store well—deterioration adds grief to clutter Your house is not a storage unit; your square footage has value If you can replace it for under $50 and it's taking up real space, let it go Have your favorite donation spots mapped out before you start decluttering It's okay to throw things away—they'll be thrown away eventually Whether you're storing things for adult children, struggling to find homes for donations, or simply need permission to let go, this episode delivers the practical wisdom and gentle encouragement you need to reclaim your space.
In this episode, Colton Simpson of Simpson's Market Garden takes free samples to the next level as he shares how she captures new accounts. Subscribe for more content on sustainable farming, market farming tips, and business insights! Get market farming tools, seeds, and supplies at Modern Grower. Follow Modern Grower: Instagram Instagram Listen to other podcasts on the Modern Grower Podcast Network: Carrot Cashflow Farm Small Farm Smart Farm Small Farm Smart Daily The Growing Microgreens Podcast The Urban Farmer Podcast The Rookie Farmer Podcast In Search of Soil Podcast Check out Diego's books: Sell Everything You Grow on Amazon Ready Farmer One on Amazon **** Modern Grower and Diego Footer participate in the Amazon Services LLC. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Step inside a 1980s Kentucky department store as Kayla Rae Whitaker shares the family secrets and ambition behind her novel Returns & Exchanges. Book Gang welcomes acclaimed author Kayla Rae Whitaker to discuss her much-anticipated new novel, Returns & Exchanges. Whitaker's immersive storytelling and meticulous research bring the 1980s era and its consumer culture to vibrant life. Set in Kentucky during the 1980s, this sweeping family drama follows Fred and Fran, a couple whose rags-to-riches ascent as department store owners brings both fortune and unexpected turmoil. As their business thrives, the family's personal lives become increasingly complicated in this messy family saga. Through multiple perspectives and intricate subplots, the novel explores themes of identity, desire, mental health, and the complexities of the American dream in this page-turning story. In this warm and insightful conversation, we discuss: