Small Business War Stories

What was Brian's journey to become a successful artist? How did he end up selling his pieces at Willie Nelson's ranch? How does Brian make sure he has something to offer to people with any level of budget? All of this and more in today's episode!

What makes Silas Pollitt want to uproot everything and move every few years? What are the differences between working at high-end restaurants and starting your own pizza restaurant in a town of 5,000 people in Northern Vermont? What is it about the restaurant industry that attracts "misfits, pirates, and marauders" who tend to struggle with mental health issues? All of this, jiu-jitsu, mushroom foraging, and more in today's episode.

Chicago Music Exchange has become an institution and a destination for guitar fans visiting The Windy City. How did CME get here? How is the store surviving and thriving in an era where more and more people are buying instruments online? What happens when an expensive guitar breaks? Who are the celebrities who frequent CME? Does CME really have a guitar in the store that is priced at over $250,000? Great stories and plenty of laughs in today's episode!

Wow! We recorded an episode in the same room where Etta James recorded At Last...a new high for the show! What is Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation? Why did the Rolling Stones record their iconic record 12 x 5 in this room? What kind of ghosts are in the building that housed Chess Records? All of this and more in today's episode!

I finally got to interview a food truck owner! And what a show it was...so much gold in this one. Why leave your well-paying job to start a food truck? What makes is worthwhile? What are pitfalls to watch for? This and more in today's episode.

Why was cutting part of his finger off a positive turning point for Patch Rubin? Why do Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Gary Clark, Jr. love Wide Sky Guitars? This episode follows Patch's path to becoming a guitar maker....and we also touch upon the psychology of bouncing back from setbacks and keeping going as a core value.  

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you or your loved ones were harmed and needed your help? Would you be an asset or a liability? Justin Hurzeler and his partners started Atomic Legion to help regular people answer: "asset." When he is not going on SWAT calls or riding an ambulance as a first responder, Justin uses Atomic Legion as a vehicle to share his knowledge about trauma response, rappelling, firearms, self-defense, butchering of animals, and many other skills. What is the Vanguard? What kind of person attends Atomic Legion events? How has Justin seen people transform as they learn? All of this and more in today's episode.

We are excited to have Mike and Jordan back on the show! Two years ago, we sat down with the founders of GoodWood NOLA to talk about their growing shop and the way they are impacting the custom furniture design and fabrication space. What happened with their business in those two years? Why are they getting a bigger shop? What has gone right and wrong? Check out today's episode to learn more!

Jane and Bob went through a lot to open their high-end wine and spirits shop just steps from Frenchmen St. in New Orleans. What happened that almost derailed their opening? What amazing musicians have played the stories Steinway piano in their home? All of this and more in today's episode.

Josh used his marketing chops to grow his family's HVAC business into a multi-million dollar operation. How did he do it? How did he use reviews to power his growth? Josh teaches you all of his secrets and shares his stories from the front line of small business marketing in today's episode.

Nic and Diane Atwood are serious about real estate in Austin. They work closely with their clients and they help people find special opportunities and off-market properties. They are also awesome people, and connect the community through a weekly open mic they host in South Austin. Which major artists launched their career at the Irie Bean open mic? What crazy transaction stories do Nic and Diane have to share? All of this and more in today's episode.

Matt Richards takes old wooden radios from the early 20th century and turns them into guitar amplifiers. We sat down with Matt at a special time in his journey....he is making the leap to Square Amps being his full-time pursuit. What is it like to source old radios? How does an introvert look at self-promotion? Who are some of the artists who have played Square Amps? All of this and more on today's episode.

SouthPop is an Austin institution! The South Austin Museum of Popular Culture is a funky, colorful, and amazing non-profit. Leea Mechling and her team serve as keepers of the torch for the history of popular culture in Austin, a city with a rich trove of stories, characters, songs, and art. What is it like to run a non-profit? What happens when the pipes break? What crazy stories has Leea been witness to? All of this and more in today's episode.

Noel Escobar is a craftsman and bootmaker in Austin, Texas. He was born into the trade in South Texas, and has established himself as a presence in Austin for decades. Why do celebrities and everyday people from all over the world visit Noel to have custom boots made by him? What does Noel do to foster community? What kinds of events does he host? All of this and more in today's episode.

What a special episode! Colorado whiskey, great conversation, and an original song at the end. Th podcast itself was fantastic, and talked about dealing with the psychology of the blank page, getting out of our own way, and how to create (and complete) things/projects from scratch. Make sure you stick around until the end...Nick will put goosebumps on your arms and a knot in your throat with his original song "Señorita."

Grant and Karen are living the dream. And they also have their struggles, like all of us.  In this episode, they share their story of how they became an in-demand guitar pedal company. From Grant's days as a touring drummer, to Karen's visual design skills, to the way they use social media and Google Analytics to grow their business. They also have some cool music stories and mighty challenges that they have overcome in their journey. This is a very inspirational episode...Grant nor Karen knew anything about how to make guitar pedals when they started...now they have a thriving business!

Brett and his brother just won't give up. When their original idea for a drink had to be shelved because of a prohibitive required volume, they came up with another concept and successfully launched Moontower Matcha. We talk about matcha tea, the ins and outs of starting a beverage company, how to find distributors, and we also dive into how to connect with social media influencers to promote your brand. Lots of good tactics in this one!

Casey Carroll is really, really good at facebook ads. And it can be a complicated, overwhelming world. In this episode, we dissect how to figure out what is important for you to get started with Facebook ads for your small business. By the end of the episode, you will have a six-step guide that you can follow to tackle this seemingly daunting task. You are good at learning things...learning this will transform your business!

Mercer is the man! You'll be really impressed by his story of constant reinvention and learning, but that's not all. Mercer will help you understand how to start demystifying online marketing, so you can start really making your marketing work for you. We had a fun talk, but more importantly, I learned a lot, and so will you :)

Tara Dawn Chapman went from being a CIA agent to cold-emailing a bee farm. The email included her squat and deadlift numbers (beekeeping is hard work!). The rest, as they say, is history. Tara launched Two Hives Honey by putting hives in people's backyards. She then partnered with the hosts by harvesting the honey while teaching them beekeeping. Always wanted to know about bees? Are you interested in a badass female entrepreneur making her vision happen? Tune in!