Small Business Big Deal Podcast

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with Katie Dooley, owner of Paper Lime Creative, a branding and design agency in Edmonton, AB. Her company creates stunning visual branding that shows off businesses’ unique personalities. Their print design services make getting a brand out into the world effortless and enjoyable. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/media/ep-39-design-agency-owner-helps-businesses-create-stunning-branding/1490/ About our guest: https://paperlime.ca/about/ What we discuss on this episode: 0:56 – Meet Katie 1:29 – Entrepreneur dreams 3:45 – Making the transition 7:25 – Changing her life 10:00 – Growing pains 11:03 – Structuring her business 12:09 – Brand strategy 16:02 – Companies she works with 17:32 – Growth 18:47 – Continuing education 21:26 – Managing the work 26:11 – When to hire a marketing company 36:40 – Advice

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with Dennis Crosby, owner of Crochet Media Group, an online subscription that focuses on the arts and crafts niche, especially crocheting. Find out how his business is thriving, even during COVID. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/media/ep-38-online-magazine-business-booming-even-during-covid/1484/ About our guest: https://denniscrosby.com/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:32 – Meet Dennis 12:55 – How he ended up working on a magazine 19:53 – Why he continued magazine 24:45 – Building teams 29:06 – Hiring 34:16 – Personal development 40:59 – What’s next

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with J.B. Morris, founder of Concierge Wealth Management based in Boston. Find out how he helps high earners in their 30s and 40s develop financial plans. Read more here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-37-concierge-wealth-owner-helps-clients-achieve-financial-goals/1475/ About our guest: https://www.conciergewm.com/team/julian-morris What we discuss on this episode: 1:19 – Meet J.B. 2:19 – Becoming a financial advisor 3:28 – The financial industry 7:30 – Owning a business 13:20 – Work-life balance 18:04 – In person versus virtual 24:00 – Financial planning 33:38 – Mental toughness 38:58 – Advice 40:38 – Contact J.B.

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with Todd Bertsch, owner of Evolve Marketing and a leader in the web design industry. Find out how this self-described “true-born leader” created his company. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-36-how-a-true-born-leader-created-his-own-marketing-team/1468/ About our guest: Todd is an award-winning web designer, author, educator, and lecturer, and speaks regularly throughout the region on various web-related topics. He holds a BFA from The University of Akron in graphic design. His web experience and marketing strategies are what separate him and Evolve from others in the web industry. Helpful Resources: https://www.evolvemarketingteam.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddmbertsch/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:29 – Meet Todd 3:29 – Why entrepreneurship 7:34 – Work-life balance 17:54 – Delegation 20:29 – First hire 25:38 – Accounting 29:08 – What he wishes he knew 33:01 – Failure 33:36 – How his business is different 39:33 – Advice for new business owners 42:05 – Contact Todd

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with Laura Wright, a master sales coach who is helping “badass business women” make more money and know their worth. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/entrepreneur/ep-35-sales-ninja-helps-badass-business-women-know-their-worth/1463/ About our guest: Laura Wright is a Self-Published Author, Speaker, Growth Strategist, Master Sales Coach and co-founder of The Sould Sisters. She has closed a cool $43 million and then some over the past 20 years and she’s the founder of EPIC at Sales, but, for a time Laura Wright’s life was anything but epic. After her real estate company crashed and burned in 2008, Laura found herself over $500,0000 in debt and doubting her ability to rise up from this setback, until she remembered two of her greatest gifts: the power to see the potential in ANY situation and the ability to close just about any sale with love. A few years later, Laura has made a name for herself in the coaching industry as the go-to “Sales Ninja” for service-based women in business, helping her clients scale to six-figures within months and cross seven-figures in record time. Join her Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesouldsisters What we discuss on this episode: 1:05 – Meet Laura 4:19 – Don’t give discounts 5:40 – How she became a business owner 8:06 – College burnout 14:53 – Building a business plan 27:05 – Hire before you’re ready 31:42 – Getting your spouse on board 35:48 – New businesses and knowing your worth 43:26 – Bringing on a partner 50:36 – The Sold Sisters

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with John Briggs, founder and CEO of Incite Tax. John graduated from Brigham Young University with a Master of Accountancy in Tax. He worked on corporate taxes and trusts in Orange County, Calif., with Deloitte & Touche, one of the four largest national accounting firms. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-34-accounting-firm-owner-helps-businesses-navigate-tricky-tax-system/1456/ About our guest: https://incitetax.com/about-the-team/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:09 – Businesses 4:15 – Anti-tax 6:40 – Scary IRS letters 11:40 – Entrepreneurship 16:47 – Work-life balance 23:07 – Personal development 28:20 – Making an impact 33:32 – Company culture 38:42 – Employees 39:37 – Dream gifts 40:26 – New entrepreneurs 44:26 – Contact John

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with John Bernatovicz, founder and president of Willory, a staffing and consulting firm focused on HR and payroll. With over 22 years’ experience within the payroll and HR niche, John has focused his working career on understanding the needs of his clients, candidates, and partners. He is not satisfied until he finds what his clients and candidates are looking for. He thrives to grow, challenge, and develop the Willory team. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-33-staffing-firm-founder-shares-secrets-to-professional-success/1449/ About our guest: https://willory.com/home-company/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:18 – Meet John 5:55 – Aspirations 7:25 – Burn out 10:02 – Mission and vision 12:02 – Growing businesses 14:53 – Talent acquisition 17:35 – Culture 19:08 – Failure 21:00 – Signs to change direction 23:31 – Work-life balance 27:38 – New book 29:45 – Advice for new entrepreneur 30:42 – Contact John

On today’s podcast, we’re talking with Lauren Goldstein, founder and CEO of the boutique business strategy consulting firm Golden Key Partnership. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-32-the-business-doctor-helps-clients-get-unstuck/1440/ About our guest: https://www.goldenkeypartnership.com/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:34 – Meet Lauren 2:29 – How she started 6:15 – How she helps clients 8:27 – Her team 11:30 – Hiring people 14:06 – Tools she uses 18:44 – Work-life balance 24:35 – Hustle culture 25:45 – Continued education 27:41 – Misconceptions 31:32 – Types of clients 34:07 – Contact Lauren

On today’s podcast, I’ll share the number one mistake I made in my business when I was starting out and how you can avoid this problem. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-31-the-number-one-mistake-i-made-in-business/1435/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:10 – Boundaries 2:50 – Making money 4:28 – Work-life balance 5:53 – How to protect your time 7:47 – Take email off your phone 8:32 – Hire an assistant 9:47 – Information overload

On today’s podcast, meet Mike Michalowichz, creator and author of Profit First, which hundreds of thousands of companies across the globe use to drive profit. Find out how he made a fortune, lost it all and is now helping others. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/entrepreneur/ep-30-business-owner-and-author-shares-his-profit-first-approach/1426/ About our guest: https://mikemichalowicz.com/ Connect with Mike: https://mikemichalowicz.lpages.co/small-business-big-deal-podcast-page/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:34 – Meet Mike 3:35 – Crash and burn 6:11 – His first book 8:50 – Being profitable is OK 11:59 – Key foundations to business 13:54 – Finding your niche 17:23 – Work-life balance 19:34 – Educating himself 21:29 – Worthwhile investments 23:32 – Best investment in his business 24:39 – Contact Mike

On today’s podcast, meet Dr. Sabrina Starling, a business psychologist who teaches business owners how to take back their lives and hire A players on their team. From finding “A-Ha” moments to getting rid of warm body employees, she explains what makes a business successful. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-29-business-psychologist-teaches-owners-how-to-take-back-their-lives/1422/ About our guest: https://www.tapthepotential.com/ What we discuss on this episode: 3:08 – Dr. Starling’s business 14:00 – Work-life balance 21:29 – Boundaries 24:50 – Pay attention to your energy 28:11 – Learning as you go 30:52 – Team members 32:40 – Coaching 40:25 – Shared values 42:20 – Contact Dr. Starling

On today’s podcast, meet Kim Kiel, a sales and direct response strategist and founder of the boutique copywriting agency, Kim Kiel Copy. Find out how she created her business around her family’s needs. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/freelance/ep-28-how-kim-kiel-designed-a-copywriting-business-around-her-life/1415/ About our guest: https://www.kimkiel.com/ Get the Ultimate Checklist for Magnetic Copy that Attracts & Sells: https://www.kimkiel.com/magnetic-copy-checklist What we discuss on this episode: 1:19 – Starting her business 2:13 – Nonprofit industry 6:48 – Quitting her job 8:37 – Entrepreneurs in her life 10:18 – Work-life balance 12:34 – Clients 15:27 – Online influencers 18:53 – Best investments 23:27 – Home life 27:58 – Focus 29:59 – Inspiring clients 34:35 – Giving back 37:25 – Contact Kim

On today’s podcast, meet Rob Minnick, a third generation business owner of Minnicks: Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Insulation in Maryland. Find out how his passion for people and love for his family keep his company thriving. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-27-third-generation-business-owner-is-a-leader-in-hvac-industry/1407/ About our guest: https://minnicks.com/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:18 – The family business 5:05 – His father in charge 5:50 – Rob’s roles in the business 12:36 – Learning to be an owner 16:00 – Coaches and mentors 19:00 – Brothers 22:13 – His time 24:32 – Minnick’s difference 29:44 – How people can become an HVAC technician 33:16 – Apprenticeship 35:44 – Advice for someone entering this industry 36:55 – How to contact Minnick’s

On today’s podcast, meet Alexa Hallberg, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and business badass. Find out why she has made it her mission to help other women in business. See the show notes: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/entrepreneur/ep-26-serial-entrepreneur-wants-to-help-other-women-business-owners/1398/ Connect with Alexa: https://alexahallberg.com/ https://lexandcompany.co/ What we discuss on this episode: 2:09 – How Alexa created her photography business 5:37 – College 7:03 - Skills 10:06 – Adding a studio 13:36 – Big, exciting things happening 28:51 – Opening her store 32:32 – Marketing 34:09 – Mentors 35:30 – Education 43:50 – Advice for new entrepreneurs 47:02 – How to contact Alexa

Every business owner wants to make a profit, but are you taking a deliberate approach to reaching that goal? Let us introduce you to someone who helped change our business through his Profit First system and give you more insight to how this approach has been adopted by companies around the world. See the show notes: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-25-a-proven-profit-first-system-with-ron-saharyan/1390/ Connect with our guest: https://profitfirstprofessionals.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-saharyan-3846a8 https://amzn.to/3sEwqSF What we discuss on this episode: 0:55 – Background on Ron 5:45 – Mike’s past experience and failures 6:51 – Learning more about this system 9:11 – What is Profit First? 12:06 – Starting in a basement 15:28 – Outsourcing 18:40 – Moving to a bigger space with bigger team 22:43 – Being deliberate with spending 26:30 – Giving employees a purpose 31:03 – Ron’s advice for business owners 33:36 – How to learn more about Ron

On today’s episode of the Small Business, Big Deal podcast, our guest is Aimee Rosenow, owner of Evoke Creative Topeka. Find out why she left one business and started another and how her work-life balance has changed. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/media/ep-24-boutique-business-owner-focuses-on-work-life-balance-and-helping-women/1383/ About our guest: Aimee is a family-oriented, small business consultant focused on helping retail shops and boutiques clearly demonstrate their brand through website design, email marketing, and social media. As a former boutique owner and mom of three, Aimee comes to her clients from a place of empathy and understanding. Her experience gives her a unique perspective and drives her mission of giving boutique owners back the time to do the things they truly love. What we discuss on this episode: 1:02 – Meet Aimee 2:30 – Friendship and business 3:27 – Children’s boutique 5:29 – Work-life balance 8:45 – Getting back into business 10:22 – Boundaries 15:55 – Advice 20:29 – Turning down clients 23:14 – Networking 28:18 – How to contact Aimee 30:06 – Bonus content

On today’s episode of the Small Business, Big Deal podcast, our guest is Ariel Unselt, owner of Chinell’s by Ariel and sister company, The Rogue Florist. Find out why she left her 9-to-5 job and how she became a florist. Read more: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-23-why-ariel-unselt-left-her-job-to-become-a-florist-and-business-owner/1376/ About our guest: https://chinells.com/ What we discuss on this episode: 1:09 – Why Ariel left her 9-to-5 job 5:31 – When she realized she could run a business 7:19 – Her husband’s reaction 11:13 – How she found clients 12:52 – Why she does weddings 14:35 – Touching stories 17:44 – Her team 21:11 – Working on her business 23:30 – Changing directions 28:57 – Advice for entrepreneurs

On today’s episode of the Small Business, Big Deal podcast, our guest is Kate Bagoy, a business coach and founder of SixFigureFreelancers.com. Find out why her personal mission is to inspire and empower people to lead lives by design, not default. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-22-how-to-ditch-the-9-to-5-and-become-your-own-boss/1368/ About our guest: http://katebagoy.com What we discuss on this episode: 1:45 – Meet Kate Bagoy 2:59 – Fear of entrepreneurship 5:25 – First steps to starting a business 9:30 – Coaching people through stress 11:31 – When to connect 15:01 – Paid versus unpaid marketing 18:18 – Getting clarity on what you want 21:45 – Seeing more entrepreneurs? 23:44 – How to balance your time 27:33 – Self-care routine 31:23 – Six-Figure Freelancers

Many companies small and large end up dealing with fraud at some point, but a family business never expects one of their employees to steal more than a half-million dollars. That’s exactly what happened to the Stevenson Company, the metal works company behind many beautiful designs around Topeka and beyond. Owner Joe Pennington opens up about the experience and the hard lessons learned. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-21-a-half-million-dollar-lesson-on-fraud/1346/ About our guest: https://www.stevensoncompanyinc.com/contact/meet-the-team What we discuss on this episode: 0:53 – What is the Stevenson Company? 2:40 – How Joe got involved in the company 5:15 – Did you ever expect to own the business? 7:37 – What do you wish you knew earlier? 8:25 – Employee stole a half-million dollars 18:49 – Helping other businesses with fraud. 22:56 – His book 25:26 – Lessons learned about fraud 29:16 – Why his employee was always at work 32:49 – Projects he’s proud of 37:55 – Work-life balance 40:52 – Will the family business be passed down? 43:57 – Bonus Content

On today’s episode of the Small Business, Big Deal podcast, our guest is Rich Tarwater, owner of Tarwater Farm and Home. Find out how he expanded the family business and what advice he has for his children. Read more and get additional resources here: https://tracyjepsonpodcast.com/podcast/ep-20-how-faith-and-family-helped-rich-tarwater-expand-his-business/1337/ About our guest: http://tarwaters.com/about-us.html Everything we discuss on this episode: 1:05 – Tarwater Farm and Home 2:57 – Taking over the business 8:32 – Leadership and his team 13:43 – Difference in his business 15:51 – Personal and work time 20:18 – Failure 25:20 – Expansion 31:45 – Covid 38:28 – Advice for young entrepreneurs 40:05 – Bonus content