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This episode of Small Business Origins features Kat Polsinelli, founder of Agent Services Plus and host of the "A Real Chat with Kat" podcast. They have an insightful conversation about Kat's origin story, from getting pregnant at 16 and overcoming an abusive relationship, to finding purpose in entrepreneurship and coaching. Listeners can expect to learn about limiting beliefs, rebuilding after trauma, the importance of networking and collaborating, and Kat's unique approach to business coaching.
Main Discussion Points:
- Overcoming trauma and limiting beliefs
- Leaving an abusive relationship and starting over
- Finding purpose in helping others through entrepreneurship
- The importance of networking and collaborating
- Taking a collaborative approach to business coaching rather than one-on-one
Guest Bio: Kat Polsinelli
Kat is a passionate individual with a goal of helping others get out of their head and into what they love. She is a business organizing powerhouse and a personal development strategist. She uses her personal stories and the skills she has developed as a unique way to approach helping others. She strives to help others feel more seen not only by others but by themselves as well but helping them grow their mind as well as their business.
Key Quotes:
"If you don't work through them, it's going to eventually affect you. And for some of us, it can be very dramatic, and it can tear businesses down. It can tear relationships apart." [00:08:38]
"I love sharing people's stories, other podcasts. I share their websites, like, anything I can because if someone in my group coaching or someone that's listening finds that they connect better with them, that's who I want them to connect with." [00:22:39]
Links Mentioned:
Agent Services Plus Online
Facebook
Instagram
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins
Every Business Needs a Wingman
John Kelley's Links
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In this episode of Small Business Origins we speak with Marissa Fernandez, founder of Marissa Fernandez LLC, an executive coaching company. Tune in as we discuss Marissa's journey from climbing the corporate ladder to starting her own business, how coaching can help both individuals and companies perform better, and mindset shifts around money and confidence that are critical for entrepreneurial success.
Main Discussion Points:
- Marissa didn't initially consider entrepreneurship. She followed a traditional corporate path inspired by her parents' careers (timestamp 00:09:44).
- Getting laid off from her CMO position during the pandemic, though difficult, prompted Marissa to reflect and realize where her true passions and talents lie - in developing teams and talent (00:15:51).
- Marissa suggests giving yourself a timeline (she gave herself 6 months) when trying out entrepreneurship, so it feels less daunting (00:17:29).
- Pricing coaching services higher actually helps attract more committed clients (00:30:20).
- Coaching is most useful for ambitious, high-performing people who want to reach their full potential (00:35:53).
- Examining money mindset and beliefs around stability and earning potential is key for entrepreneurs (00:41:53).
Guest Bio:
Marissa Fernandez is the founder of Marissa Fernandez LLC, an executive coaching firm. She has over 15 years of marketing leadership experience at major companies like Procter & Gamble, the NFL, and others.
Tweetables:
"If somebody reacts and says, that's a lot of money, when I say whatever the price is, I don't try to talk them out of that thought. It is a lot of money. And my clients who are ready to make that investment in themselves then show up to each coaching session, ready to grow, unafraid to look at their blind spots..." (00:30:43)
Links Mentioned:
Marissa Fernandez Online
Marissa Fernandez Instagram
Marissa Fernandez LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
Wingman (Sponsor)
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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**Trigger Warning** We discuss some pretty heavy topics such as veteran & first responder suicide, mental health, life stressors, etc... We also use some colorful language. Nothing here is overtly offensive, but you should use caution listening around children, or those sensitive to these subjects.
Join us as we discuss veteran and first responder mental health with Wes Drake from Camp Comrade and Jason and Patty Corthell from Guardian Grounds Ranch. These guests represent non-profit organizations focused on supporting veterans and first responders through initiatives related to mental health, community, and healing spaces in nature.
Why is this important? Answering the call to serve, whether in the military or as a first responder, comes with tremendous sacrifice and exposure to traumatic situations that can have lasting psychological impacts. Too often, the invisible wounds of mental health struggles go untreated for these heroes. Providing adequate mental health support for veterans and first responders is crucial - they put their lives on the line to protect us, and we owe it to them to ensure they get the care and resources they need to heal from the mental and emotional tolls of their service. By prioritizing veteran and first responder mental wellness, we can help prevent issues like PTSD, depression, substance abuse, and suicide from devastating those who have already given so much for their communities and country.
Key Discussion Points:
- The importance of community, camaraderie and peer support for veterans and first responders (timestamps 00:29:07, 00:29:58, 00:57:10)
- Why spouses and family members also need support and resources (timestamps 00:27:30, 00:36:01)
- How traumatic experiences can impact mental health for veterans, first responders and their families (timestamps 00:52:02, 00:53:54)
- The lack of dedicated inpatient and counseling resources tailored for veterans and first responders (timestamps 00:46:47, 01:19:07)
- How sharing stories and being vulnerable helps reduce stigma around mental health (timestamps 00:31:01, 00:55:55)
- The vision to provide trauma-informed counseling, peer support spaces and inpatient facilities specifically for veterans and first responders (timestamps 00:50:15, 01:18:00)
Guest Bios:
Wes Drake - Co-Founder of Camp Comrade, a non-profit providing recreational camps and peer support for veterans. Wes has experience as a combat veteran in the Army.
Jason Corthell - Jason is a fourth generation firefighter and Marine Corps Veteran. He is the President and CEO of Guardian Grounds Ranch and enjoys the pursuit of a better life for veterans and first responders.
Patty Corthell - Co-Founder of Guardian Grounds Ranch. As spouse of a veteran & first responder, Patty provides crucial perspective and support.
Key Quotes:
"I think it's a, like, bullsh*t answer when people say, hey, you know, they're just a wife of a first responder or husband of a first responder, like, they're not a part of that, you know, they they're not an actual veteran." (00:03:54)
"Everything happens for a reason, and we always wind up so much better in whatever it is that we wind up doing even if we thought it was something different." (00:06:51)
"When I see my family struggle, I'm like, this is because of what I do for a living. Like, it has to be." (00:27:40)
Links Mentioned:
Guardian Grounds Ranch
GGR...
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Tune in as John The Marketer interviews Brian, the founder of a successful parking lot litter cleanup business. Brian shares how he started the business over 40 years ago with just $250 and has grown it to generating over $600K in annual revenue. He discusses the equipment needed, pricing models, target customers, and why he chose to write a book to teach others the business instead of franchising.
Key Discussion Points:
- How Brian got the idea to start a parking lot litter cleanup business from seeing his father do similar work when he was young (00:03:38)
- The specialized hand tools and cost to start the business (00:13:15 - 00:15:34)
- Typical pricing structure and how much money can be made in this business (00:11:03 - 00:12:21)
- Target customers are commercial property management companies (00:09:47)
- Why a book for teaching the business instead of a franchise model (00:17:30 - 00:19:14)
- Brian's most successful student who has built a nationwide parking lot litter cleanup business (00:21:06)
Tweetables:
"Fortunes can be made cleaning up after others. So, that kind of sparked an idea." (00:03:38)
"It's recession proof. It's pandemic proof. People litter. They always have." (00:32:25)
Guest Bio:
Brian Winch is the creator and author of Cleanlots - America's Simplest Business. Brian grew his dad's side gig into a six-figure business starting with little money, skills and education. He can show you how to start and operate a simple business based from home and make money from a green service that's almost as easy to do as going for a walk.
Links Mentioned:
Cleanlots Online
Cleanlots Facebook
Cleanlots YouTube
Cleanlots LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
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In this episode of the Small Business Origins podcast, we sit down with Richard Blank, CEO and Founder of Costa Rica's Call Center. Hear our discussion on outbound lead generation and sales appointment calling, inbound customer support, how Richard got his start, and some best practices for effective communication on sales and support calls.
Guest Bio:
Richard Blank is the CEO and Founder of Costa Rica's Call Center, a full-service BPO call center providing lead generation, customer service, social media support and more for US companies. He founded the company 15 years ago and has grown it to over 300 seats.
Key Quotes:
"I believe in synergy. I believe in circles, and I also believe in the sanctity of a meal together, breaking fast, you know, feeding ourselves, making ourselves stronger." (15:37)
"Why call them gatekeepers, and why give them such a bad rap? These are the first impressions of Emerald City. As long as you understand the protocol and you can give an excellent first impression with that company name spike, you have a chance. Get them out of that trends." (41:44)
"Leaders remember small details about you, or they dress in case your mother shows up so I can go downstairs and thank her for raising such a fine young man who's been with me for 3 years." (16:39)
Main Discussion Points:
- The importance of building relationships in sales, not just trying to force a sale
- Techniques for effective communication and rapport building on sales and support calls
- Why it's important to treat everyone in an organization with respect, not just decision makers
- How to get referrals and repeat business through exceptional customer service
- Why taking time to understand the local culture is key when doing business abroad
- How Costa Rica’s Call Center vets clients to avoid unethical business practices
Links Mentioned:
Costa Rica's Call Center
Beefy Marketing
John Kelley's Links
Small Business Origins Online
Our Sponsor - Wingman
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In this episode we gain amazing insights from Entrepreneurs from Richard Guzmano, founder of Business Credit Consultants. Tune in as we discuss Richard's journey into entrepreneurship, how he helps small businesses with financing and advisory services, common mistakes entrepreneurs make with funding, and more.
Main Discussion Points:
- Richard's origin story - Started off delivering items as an independent contractor, then became a dispatcher and started his own delivery company (00:04:44)
- How Richard helps entrepreneurs today - Prepares small businesses for financing, provides advisory services, acts as a fractional CFO, connects businesses with lending partners (00:15:58)
- Biggest funding mistakes entrepreneurs make - Not planning for enough operating capital, using high-interest merchant cash advances (00:24:37)
- Providing well-rounded financial guidance to entrepreneurs - Helping with budgeting, growth planning, debt management in addition to lending facilitation (00:36:54)
Guest Bio:
Richard Gusmano is an award-winning entrepreneur who has a proven track record of owning, operating, and scaling businesses in diverse industries, including Logistics, Health Insurance and Health Care Consulting, Real Estate Development, Manufacturing, and Hospitality. For over ten years, he has been the visionary founder and Lead Consultant at Business Credit Consultants (BCCUSA.com), acknowledged as the Nation’s foremost small business Fintech Advisory for monthly payment credit facilities. Drawing from his firsthand experience of the challenges business owners face daily, Richard’s profound understanding underpins BCCUSA’s approach. The teams’ genuine desire to relate and to empathize with entrepreneurs’ needs fuels their commitment to offer tailored solutions, while fostering strong bank relationships that support and uplift businesses in their endeavors. To transform the outdated lending approach, BCCUSA created Lendotics, a proprietary AI-powered Digital Loan Qualifying System (LQS). It analyzes a business’s financials through a secured platform, giving owners complete transparency regarding their lending eligibility within minutes. The system also predicts the best credit options for business owners and suggests steps to improve credit eligibility.
Company Bio:
Business Credit Consultants prepares small businesses for financing, provides advisory services, and connects entrepreneurs with lending partners. Services include acting as a fractional CFO, helping with growth planning, and debt restructuring.
Key Quotes:
"Really it was where we are now and where we've been since 2011 is a culmination of a career and experience in dealing with all different types of business." (00:09:42) - Richard Gusmano
"The biggest mistake that we see, John, is that when people start their businesses and they got great ideas and they've identified a good market, they haven't really truly identified the amount of capital they need to make it through." (00:28:32) - Richard Gusmano
Links Mentioned:
BCCUSA Online
Richard Gusmano LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
Wingman
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In this episode of Small Business Origins, we talk to Tomball Economic Development Corporation's second success story: Shane Nobles, founder of Pain Train Salsa based in Tomball, Texas. We talk about so much, but the story of transitioning from being a coach to a salsa king couldn't be any more interesting than this.
Tune in to hear:
- How Shane first got inspired to make his own salsa while working as a bartender at Pappasito's (5:55)
- Starting out selling 49 jars at local farmer's markets in Tomball (9:40)
- Expanding to multiple farmer's markets across Houston and the scaling challenges (12:13)
- Transitioning the business from a side hustle while teaching to a full-time endeavor (20:14)
- Obtaining those first retail accounts with local grocery stores (14:12) and larger chains like HEB, Spec's and Central Market (22:56)
- The production process over time - going from home kitchen to commercial kitchen to upgrading with new equipment as the business grew (41:26)
- Managing the supply chain complexities selling a fresh, perishable product (44:55)
- Funding and building a new production facility to meet demand (48:35)
- Giving back to the Tomball community and local schools (36:25)
- Goals for the future including a "Welcome to Tomball, famous for creamy avocado" water tower (55:09)
Shane Nobles is a Tomball, Texas entrepreneur and founder of Pain Train Salsa. He started the business in 2014, selling jars of his homemade salsa at local farmer's markets. Since then, Pain Train Salsa has expanded across Texas, now selling in major grocery store chains while still maintaining Shane's commitment to an all-natural, handcrafted product.
Pain Train Salsa is a Tomball, Texas-based salsa company making ultra-fresh, all-natural salsas and avocado sauces. Founded by Shane Nobles in 2014, Pain Train started out selling at local farmer's markets and has grown to become one of the top-selling local brands across Texas grocery stores. Their flagship product is the Creamy Avocado salsa.
Tweetables:
"I have it shelf life tested in FSNS lab in San Antonio. I did it for 3 months. I was like, if it you know, we can't sell in 3 months, we're in trouble." (45:16)
"If you wanna buy Pace Picante Sauce, then, hey man, they got a whole section for you. But if you want the good stuff and I tell people I go, it's only expensive the first time you buy it." (30:51)
Links Mentioned:
Pain Train Salsa Online
Tomball Economic Development Corporation
Beefy Marketing
Visit Tomball
John Kelley's Links
Small Business Origins Online
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This episode is brought to you by the Tomball Economic Development Corporation and features one of their recent success stories, Peter Licata, co-founder of The Field, a co-working space, and office building in Tomball, Texas. Peter shares his journey into commercial real estate and entrepreneurship. Listeners can expect to learn about:
- The benefits of a co-working space for entrepreneurs vs traditional office space
- Peter's hands-on approach to managing and developing commercial real estate properties
- How the Tomball Economic Development Corporation supports local businesses
- Updates on The Field's expansion plans including a new retail center
Key Discussion Points:
- Coworking spaces provide flexibility, lower cost, and amenities compared to traditional office spaces (00:14:11)
- Peter and his family take a personalized approach to managing their properties compared to third-party property managers (00:07:25)
- The Tomball Economic Development Corporation has been tremendously helpful, backing up their support for development projects (00:25:51)
- A new 15,500 square foot retail center next to HEB will be completed by May 2023, with new dining options coming to Tomball (00:27:44)
Guest Bio:
Peter Licata is the co-founder of The Field, a co-working space and office building in Tomball, TX. He has over 15 years of experience in commercial real estate.
Company Bio:
The Field offers flexible coworking spaces and private offices for solopreneurs to small companies. They take a hands-on approach to property management. The Field was created out of a former bank building in Tomball by renovating and updating the space.
Key Quotes:
"It's important to us to build the project the right way or redevelop it the right way. Do little things that, in our opinion, will bring value, not only to the tenants that are going into the projects, but then also the community." (00:07:40)
"I 100% honest, I heard mixed things. I heard, oh my gosh. It's a nightmare to deal with. I heard, oh, no. They're, you know, they're fine. [...] For us, for our group, Tomball, the EDC, the chain they've they've been amazing. It's it's been really refreshing." (00:24:41)
Links Discussed:
Tomball Economic Development Corporation
The Field
Beefy Marketing
John Kelley's Links
Small Business Origins Online
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In this episode of Small Business Origins, host John Kelley interviews Rick DellaRatta, founder of Jazz for Peace, a nonprofit organization that uses jazz events to raise funds and awareness for other outstanding causes around the world. Rick shares how his lifelong passion for music led him to realize the power of jazz to bring people together across boundaries. On September 11, 2001, witnessing the attacks inspired Rick to found Jazz for Peace. He discusses how the organization works with small community causes to organize jazz events that support their fundraising and outreach goals.
Main Discussion Points:
- Rick's early years growing up in a musical family and starting piano lessons
- Studying jazz and traveling as a musician around the U.S. and internationally
- Seeing music's ability to connect with people regardless of background
- Being inspired on 9/11 to use jazz to help outstanding causes and bring more peace
- How Jazz for Peace partners with small local causes to organize custom jazz events
- Raising money, awareness, supporters for community organizations in need
Guest Bio:
Rick DellaRatta is now considered by many to be one of the finest Singer/Pianists performing today and one of only a handful of Jazz Artists who can make a successful musical presentation to a large audience without having to abandon the true art form of Jazz. Through his life long endeavor to help advance people to their highest potential through the understanding of Jazz as well as spreading peace worldwide through his "Jazz for Peace World Tour", Rick DellaRatta is considered to be an innovator and a visionary.
His unique and original piano playing and composing has been compared in print to Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Joe Zawinul, Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk while his signature vocal sound and style has been likened to Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Joao Gilberto, Ivan Lins, Michael Franks and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Dr. Billy Taylor put Ricks impact in perspective when commenting on Ricks "Thought Provoking CD - he said: "Rick DellaRatta is one of the people who is taking Jazz to the next level".
Company Bio:
Jazz for Peace is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Rick DellaRatta in New York City in 2002. Its mission is to use jazz performance events to provide substantial funding and well-deserved prestige to outstanding causes and their communities while nurturing cultural enrichment, community goodwill and global cooperation. Over its 20-year history, Jazz for Peace has directed over $1 million in funding plus donated supplies to deserving organizations across the U.S. and in over 30 countries.
Key Quotes:
"Music has a power, has a healing power, it has a communication power, it go breaks through boundaries and barriers, has all these magical qualities are in music." (00:23:42)
"Why don't I take all of this that we already know and do something with it? You know? Do something with it." (00:25:00)
"When you see the people we've, helped, most of most of them are organizations you've never heard of...There's a charity that helps birds. I mean, anything you name it and we've played for it." (00:41:28)
Links Mentioned:
Beefy Marketing
Jazz for Peace Online
X (Formerly Twitter)
Instagram
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Summary
Bullseye the Clown shares his journey from being bullied as a child to becoming a clown and using his platform to raise awareness about bullying. He discusses the impact of clowning on people's lives, particularly in senior living communities and schools. Bullseye also talks about his humanitarian trips to Russia, Morocco, and Mexico, where he brings joy to people in need. He emphasizes the power of laughter and the importance of controlling one's own destiny. Bullseye is working on establishing a 501C3 organization to fund his clowning missions and spread his message further.
Takeaways
Clowning can have a powerful impact on people's lives, bringing joy and laughter to those who need it most.Bullying can have long-lasting effects, but individuals have the power to control their own destiny and overcome their past experiences.Clowning can be used as a tool to raise awareness about bullying and teach children how to navigate and stand up to bullies.Establishing a 501C3 organization can help fund humanitarian trips and expand the reach of clowning missions.Chapters
00:01:15 Origin Story and Career Aspirations
00:03:29 From Stand-Up Comedy to Clowning: A Journey of Transformation
00:09:00 Clowning as a Form of Connection and Antidote to Bullying
00:13:09 Using the Clown Persona to Combat Bullying and Support Humanitarian Initiatives
00:15:54 John Kelley's Seminars and Travel Plans
00:17:07 Interactive Clown Performance to Address Bullying in Schools
00:20:55 The Power of Overcoming Bullying and Building Confidence
00:23:59 Discussion on Meeting Patch Adams and Overcoming Bullying
00:26:41 Embracing the Clown Persona in Public
00:30:19 Clowning for a Cause: Bringing Joy to Unseen Communities
00:35:29 The Power of Clowning in Healing and Bringing Joy
00:38:44 Interview with Bullseye the Clown on Overcoming Bullying and Finding Purpose
Tweetables:
"Nobody has the authority to bully you unless you give it to them. And you give it to them by not saying anything, by allowing them to do it. And you can take back that authority at any time." - Bullseye The Clown
"How can you deal with these children and truly get this message across if it wasn't something a fire that you had to walk through and something you had to deal with personally?" - Bullseye The Clown
Links Mentioned:
Bullseye The Clown Online
Beefy Marketing
John Kelley's Links
Small Business Origins Online
Wingman (Sponsor)
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What our children do today, will be their origin story tomorrow. So we interviewed Beth Probst, founder of At The Core, to learn about how they help high school students with career counseling and planning for life after graduation. They discuss the origin story of At The Core, how Beth helps students explore potential career paths aligned with their strengths and interests, the importance of career and technical education programs, and why many students feel lost when making decisions about college and careers.
Key Discussion Points:
- The problem Beth aimed to solve: high school students graduating with lots of uncertainty and questions about what to do next (00:15:47)
- Beth's process for career counseling students through 1-on-1 interviews and assessments (00:32:36)
- Ideal age for students to work with At The Core (00:37:11)
- Helping students become more "career literate" and explore options (00:19:53)
- Importance of career and technical education programs in high school (00:23:55)
Company Bio:
At The Core provides 1-on-1 career counseling and assessments to help high school students determine the best college and career path aligned with their strengths and interests. Their guided self-assessment process aims to give students clarity and confidence around post-high school decisions. At The Core has been operating since 2012.
Tweetables:
"I believe that every student should use their their high school years as a time of exploration so that they make these amazing concrete clear decisions at the end of high school about what comes next." - Beth Probst
"Most high school students are career illiterate. And so, John, how can a student ever kind of have their eyes on the kind of career that's right for them if they really don't know very much at all about real world careers?" - Beth Probst
"I think I would really be interested in trying to learn how to do that. And so she was the first person that I ever trained, got her up and running, so now we were doubled. And now, now we're a team of 15." - Beth Probst
Links Mentioned:
At The Core Online
At The Core on X
At The Core on Instagram
At The Core on Facebook
At The Core on YouTube
At The Core on Pinterest
Beth Probst on LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
John Kelley's Links
Small Business Origins Online
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In this episode of Small Business Origins, we speak with Alise Saunders, a digital nomad who travels the world while running multiple online businesses. Hear Alise's journey from unsatisfying corporate career to becoming a location-independent entrepreneur, how she funds her nomadic lifestyle, tips for transitioning to working remotely, and the transformative power of long-term travel.
Key Discussion Points:
- Dissatisfaction with corporate career despite high salary and societal markers of success (00:00:42)
- Following your heart's desire to discover what will bring real joy and meaning (00:01:20)
- Funding nomadic lifestyle through online business income, early retirement funds, strategic savings decisions (00:01:45)
- Traveling full-time internationally can lower cost of living compared to US (00:02:06)
- Many accommodation options for digital nomads including apartments, RVs, vehicles, etc. (00:02:28)
- Identifying and transforming limiting beliefs that hold you back from bold life changes (00:29:18)
- Seizing opportunities to live your dreams now instead of waiting for "someday" (00:47:49)
00:00:00 Small Business Origins Podcast Interview with Alise Saunders
00:00:29 Interview with Alise Saunders from Tales From an Untamed Soul
00:01:20 Finding Your Way Back: A Journey of Reflection and Rediscovery
00:09:42 Finding Fulfillment through Travel and Entrepreneurship
00:15:13 The Digital Nomad Lifestyle: Working from Anywhere in the World
00:23:34 The Value of Experiencing History Firsthand as a Digital Nomad Parent
00:27:02 The Journey to Unlearn Limiting Beliefs and Embrace the Digital Nomad Lifestyle
00:35:29 Conversation about becoming a digital nomad and living a fulfilling life
00:52:07 Exploring a Life of Freedom and Purpose
Key Quotes:
"I feel like I'm still missing fire. I'm happier, but I wanna live on fire." (00:11:40)
"A lot of us are just dead people walking around. Right? We're not fully living." (00:31:14)
"What we forget so often is that tomorrow may never come." (00:47:49)
Links Mentioned:
Untamed Soul Online
Untamed Soul Instagram
Untamed Soul Facebook
Alise on LinkedIn
Untamed Soul on Pinterest
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
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This episode of Small Business Origins features Natalie Clays, a franchise owner of Allen Carr's Easyway. Allen Carr's Easyway is an international company that provides seminars and programs to help people quit addictions like smoking, alcohol, and more.
Natalie shares her personal story of being a longtime smoker who struggled unsuccessfully to quit until she tried the Allen Carr method. She explains how the Allen Carr approach focuses on reframing your psychological perspective on smoking rather than using scare tactics. Natalie outlines what to expect at one of their seminars, why having facilitators who have personal experience with addiction is so important, and how the program gave her a "lifeline" to be free of cigarettes easily and happily.
Key Discussion Points:
- Natalie's 20-year struggle with smoking addiction and failed quit attempts before Allen Carr
- How Allen Carr's approach avoids scare tactics and reframes your psychological perspective
- What to expect at one of their 6-hour seminars and follow-up support offered
- Importance of facilitators having personal experience with smoking addiction
- How the program provided Natalie an easy, happy way to quit after feeling terrified about life without cigarettes
Guest Bio:
Natalie Clays is a franchise owner of Allen Carr's Easyway across 4 countries - USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. She struggled with a 20-year smoking addiction herself until having an "easy" breakthrough quitting experience at an Allen Carr seminar in 2003. Natalie was so impacted she decided to join the company herself to help others quit smoking. She has now facilitated Allen Carr seminars for over 15 years.
Company Bio:
Allen Carr's Easyway was founded in London in 1983 and now operates across over 50 countries worldwide. Their mission is to help free people from addictions like smoking, vaping, alcohol and more through a non-scare-tactics, psychological reframing approach perfected by founder Allen Carr. The program's centerpiece is a 6-hour, in-person or virtual seminar led by facilitators with personal addiction experience. Allen Carr's Easyway also offers unlimited follow-up support, online content and a money-back satisfaction guarantee.
Key Quotes:
"This addiction is 99% psychological, 1% physical. So you can stick a patch on your arm. You can pop a pill. You can take a lozenge or a gum or a spray or a vape, but they all only address the physical addiction to the drug." (00:15:31)
"When you withdraw from the drug nicotine, you go below a 100%, and which nonsmokers don't have. When you light up a cigarette and you replace you top up the drug levels of nicotine and you get that boost back to normal again." (00:21:59)
"I was terrified. I was terrified of life without cigarettes because it it's like how will I cope? How will I function? I kind of thought I'd be forever deprived and miserable." (00:36:52)
Links Mentioned:
Allen Carr's Easy Way Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Natalie Clay's LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Wingman
John Kelley's...
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In this installment of Small Business Origins, we listen to the entrepreneurial journey of Taryn Tyler, the visionary behind Teacher Turned Trainer, a dedicated dog training venture nestled in the heart of Kansas City, MO. Transitioning from a career in teaching to becoming a maestro in canine education, Taryn unveils her transformative path, imparting wisdom on how to effectively train and comprehend the intricate behaviors and necessities of our furry companions. Furthermore, she illuminates the array of services she provides to assist pet owners in nurturing well-behaved and happy dogs.
Key Quotes and Discussion Points:
"I was out on a walk with Sinclair, my pit bull...and I was just watching him walk, like thriving in his in his environment and not freaking out about other dogs and other people in the park and things like that. I'm like, this is what I wanna do. Like, I wanna work with dogs like Sinclair." [00:11:30]
On common misconceptions about dog training:
"I would say the biggest misconception that I've seen is, I think some people have the mindset that dog training you only need if your dog is showing unwanted behaviors. Whereas I am under the thought that I think every single dog could use some training." [00:26:14]
On whether dogs can be "too far gone" behaviorally:
"I think it I think it's a case by case situation...if you've exhausted all of those options and even a trainer is like, I don't think this is the best situation, then you have to do what's best for your family and for the dog and just Mutual decision of just trying to figure out what's next." [00:37:47]
Key Takeaways:
- All dogs can benefit from some level of training, whether it's basic obedience or help with more significant behavior issues. It's never too late to start.
- Make sure to find a trainer who uses positive methods aligned with your values.
- Look for opportunities to make training engaging - it should be rewarding for both you and your dog.
- Be patient, get to know your dog's unique needs, and build trust. With time and consistency, you'll start to understand each other better.
Links Mentioned:
Teacher Turned Trainer Online
Teacher Turned Trainer on Instagram
Teacher Turned Trainer on Facebook
Beefy Marketing Online
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
Every Business Needs a Wingman
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In this episode, speech pathologist Katie Schwartz discusses how she started her business helping clients improve their communication and public speaking skills. She shares how she discovered a need for her services in her community and how she has expanded her business over time. Listeners will learn about the variety of services Katie offers, from improving accents to teaching leadership skills.
Guest Bio:
- Katie Schwartz is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist based in Durham, NC
- She founded her business, Business Speech Improvement, to help clients communicate more effectively in professional settings
- Services include improving accents, teaching public speaking skills, enhancing leadership communication abilities, and more
Key Quotes:
"I help my clients learn to communicate more effectively and more efficiently." [00:05:50]
"I have been doing this so long that I can give a good estimate of how many sessions somebody is going to need." [00:12:26]
Main Discussion Points:
- How Katie discovered a local need for her communication coaching services
- The story of how she landed her first client with one cold call
- The variety of services she offers clients to improve their professional communication
- How state licensing regulations limit some of her services across state lines
- Her use of eBooks and LinkedIn posts to share helpful communication tips
- Options for both individual and corporate communication training services
Links Mentioned:
Business Speech Online
Business Speech Facebook
Katie on LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
Wingman
John Kelley's Links
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In this episode of the Small Business Origins podcast, host John Kelley interviews Dan Henk, owner of The Abyss Fine Art and Tattoo Studio and Dead Guy LLC. Dan shares his inspiring story of overcoming homelessness, health issues, personal loss, and other hardships on his journey to becoming a successful tattoo artist, author, and entrepreneur.
Main Discussion Points:
- Dan's challenging upbringing as an "Army brat" and finding solace in punk rock, art, and imagination
- Becoming homeless at 18 after his conservative parents kicked him out
- Pulling himself out of homelessness by getting a dishwashing job and working his way up
- Pursuing art by attending community college and moving to NYC
- Facing major health issues like brain cancer soon after starting a tattoo apprenticeship
- Bouncing back while still undergoing chemo treatment through sheer determination
- Going through a painful divorce right when his tattooing career was taking off
- Finally finding stability by opening up his own tattoo shop on Long Island
Guest Bio: Dan Henk is a tattooist, author, and illustrator based in Long Beach, NY. He owns The Abyss Fine Art and Tattoo Studio as well as Dead Guy LLC. He has authored three fiction books and continues to create dark, detailed artwork for various bands, magazines, and book covers.
Tweetables:
"If you look at everybody, that's like a big actor. Brad Pitt slept in his car. He was homeless. You look at all these people they went through trying times to get there. It's not like it was a smooth ride." (00:35:31) - Dan Henk
"So that's what you need to do. You need to find something to keep working at, and you need to not give up." (00:35:15) - Dan Henk
"Nobody cares. They might say, hey, well, it kind of sucks, but if you want something to happen, you got to do it yourself." (00:07:50) - Dan Henk
Links Mentioned:
Dan Henk Online
Dan Henk Wikipedia
Dan Henk on X
Dan Henk on YouTube
Dan Henk on TikTok
Dan Henk on LinkedIn
Dan Henk on Amazon
Dead Guy, LLC on Instagram
Dead Guy, LLC on Facebook
Dead Guy, LLC on Pinterest
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
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In this episode, host John Kelley interviews Joe Rivera about overcoming adversity and building a comeback after hitting rock bottom from substance abuse. Joe shares his story going from a high-flying stockbroker making seven figures to losing everything and living on the streets, before eventually rebuilding his life and business. Listeners can expect to learn how Joe developed the mindset and tools to transform his life.
Key Discussion Points:
- Joe's journey getting introduced to opiates, the subsequent addiction and how it destroyed his life and career
- Overdosing twice and still wanting to get high immediately after
- Realizing he was tired of that lifestyle and making the decision to get sober
- The importance of spirituality and building that relationship as the foundation
- Steps Joe took to rebuild his business and create a seven-figure coaching company
- Surrounding yourself with a strong support group and winning mentality
Guest Bio: Joe Rivera
- Went from "Park Avenue to park bench" as a high-flying stock broker before losing it all to opiate addiction
- Achieved sobriety after almost losing his life and has now rebuilt his business into a multi-million dollar coaching company
- Focuses on empowering people to overcome adversity and transform their lives
Tweetables:
"It took six cans of Narcan to bring me back to life. Six f*cking cans of Narcan." (00:04:57) - Joe Rivera (Speaking about overcoming rock bottom to find success)
"If you learn to completely rewire your brain and change your mindset, you could do anything you want in life." (00:12:15) - Joe Rivera
Links Mentioned:
Joe Rivera Online
Joe Rivera Instagram
Joe Rivera LinkedIn
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In this episode of Small Business Origins, host John Kelley interviews Dick Grove, founder of Ink Inc. PR in Kansas City. Dick shares his origin story of getting into the PR industry, building his PR firm over 30 years focused on earned media, and his advice for entrepreneurs looking for good PR.
Key Discussion Points:
- How Dick got his first PR job through showing up in person in New York with integrity and persistence (00:06:07 - 00:07:48)
- Starting his own PR firm focused specifically on earning media coverage vs other services (00:11:10 - 00:12:56)
- Adapting over 30 years to changes in the media landscape (00:17:35 - 00:18:20)
- The importance of hiring smart people and knowing when you need to bring on more expertise as you grow (00:18:37 - 00:19:47)
- Who is the ideal customer for Ink Inc PR? (00:30:32 - 00:31:38)
- Getting in early to help clients craft a media-friendly message (00:49:23 - 00:51:30)
Guest Bio:
Dick Grove is founder and CEO of Ink Inc. PR, an earned media public relations firm based in Kansas City. He started in PR over 50 years ago and built Ink Inc. on a pay-for-performance model focused on guaranteed media coverage.
Company Bio:
Ink Inc. PR is a niche PR firm focused specifically on earned media results and coverage for clients. With senior PR experts around the U.S., Ink Inc. takes a media-centric approach to craft and pitch client stories to secure coverage and publicity.
Key Quotes:
"I still believe in face to face. I believe that a lot can be accomplished in meeting face to face, shaking hands, talking across a table, having lunch, whatever it is." (00:26:08) - Dick Grove
"The media world has changed dramatically over the last 30 years. Even more so over the last ten to five years, it's changed dramatically. You have to learn to make your services fit and your model fit that in some way or another." (00:17:53) - Dick Grove
Links Mentioned:
INK Inc. PR Online
INK Inc. on X
INK Inc. on Instagram
INK Inc. on Facebook
INK Inc. on YouTube
INK Inc. on LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins Online
John Kelley's Links
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In this episode of Small Business Origins, host John Kelley interviews Cameron McKay, Founder and CEO of Process Street. They discuss Cameron's journey to entrepreneurship, building Process Street from the ground up through bootstrapping and accelerators, and how the product helps businesses systematize and automate workflows. Listeners can expect to learn about the origins of Process Street, strategies for fundraising and growth, and use cases for workflow software.
Main Discussion Points:
- How Cameron got into software engineering and entrepreneurship after realizing normal people create apps (00:05:49)
- Partnering with his future co-founder Vinay by chance in a hostel in Buenos Aires (00:07:34)
- Getting into Startup Chile accelerator to receive funding without giving up equity (00:11:22)
- Fundraising journey - using automation and creativity to get investor meetings (00:17:43)
- Pivoting the company and product based on customer feedback over time (00:25:29)
- Use cases for Process Street - onboarding, offboarding, compliance, knowledge capture (00:51:59)
- Customizability of workflows using conditional logic, rich media, integrations (00:41:04)
Guest Bio:
Cameron McKay is CEO and Founder of Process Street, workflow management software that helps teams work more efficiently. He has led the company from the idea stage through fundraising, growth, and continued product iteration for over 7 years.
Company Bio:
Founded in 2014, Process Street is a SaaS platform focused on standardizing and automating workflows for teams. Headquartered in San Francisco with remote operations across the globe, Process Street serves thousands of customers from startups to large enterprises.
Key Quotes:
"An entrepreneurial mindset is that I'm going to push as hard as I can for as long as I can and know that there's always going to be an out because I can get through it." (00:29:19) - Cameron McKay
"Once you get the idea, it just like, oh, shit, everything that I've been doing manually, I don't have to do that anymore." (00:52:36) - Cameron McKay
Links Mentioned:
Process.st Online
Process.st Twitter
Process.st Linked
Beefy Marketing
Small Business Origins
John Kelley's Links
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In this episode, we speak with children's book author Erica Bud of Big World Publishing. She takes us on her journey into entrepreneurship, her passion for educating children about different cultures, and her innovative use of augmented reality (AR) technology in her books.
About Our Guest:
International travel is Erika’s passion. She started traveling overseas when she was 18 years old, working as an Au Pair. Since then, Erika has traveled to over thirty countries, living in both Spain and Australia. She loves embracing new cultures—eating new foods, learning about the history of the country, seeing remarkable architecture and sites, and meeting interesting people. Erika shares this passion with her son, who already had two stamps in his passport by the age of five and can’t wait to go to the next country.
Erika started the Travel Rangers book series and Planes, Trains, & Kids Abroad travel podcast because she hopes to ignite a passion for travel abroad in both children and adults. She wants to teach them about the fascinating cultures throughout the world and the many diverse perspectives shared by the wonderful people of this world that make it such an amazing place to live.
Tweetables:
[00:07:56] "I started my first business when I was in Australia because I was new there. I’m like, you know what? Here's my chance to start a business." - Erika Bud
[00:20:26] "When they go to the great Barrier Reef, they see there's a 3d pop up of an eel and coral and fish." - Erika Bud
[00:28:38] "It's not necessarily wrong, it's just different. It's just different than the way we do things." - Erika Bud on teaching cultural perspective and empathy to children
Chapters:
[00:00:31] Getting to Know Erika Bud of Big World Publishing on Small Business Origins
[00:02:09] John Kelley and Erika Bud discuss favorite flavors and food experiences
[00:06:24] Introducing Wingman: An All-in-One Marketing Automation Software
[00:07:22] From LAPD police officer to Entrepreneur - The unique journey of Erika Bud
[00:11:35] Starting a Business from Passion: Erika Bud's Journey
[00:15:09] Exploring Cultures: Benefits of Traveling and Learning About Other Cultures
[00:19:28]. Interactive Learning: Erika Bud's Augmented Reality Based Educational Books
[00:24:55] Promoting Cultural Understanding Through Children Literature
[00:29:26] John Kelley Discusses Cross-Cultural Lessons in Erika Bud's Books
[00:31:00] In-depth Discussion on Augmented Reality in Publishing
[00:36:52] Erika Bud on Big World Publishing and Augmented Reality books
Links Mentioned:
Big World Pub Online
Erika on Twitter
Erika on Instagram
Erika on Facebook
Erika on Pinterest
Big World Pub on YouTube
Big World Pub on LinkedIn
Beefy Marketing
Wingman
John Kelley's Links
Small Business Origins Online
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