Small Business Origins – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode of the Small Business Origins podcast features guest Alexis Haselberger, a time management and productivity coach from San Francisco. She shares her personal journey into entrepreneurship and coaching, as well as advice for improving efficiency, prioritization, planning, focus, and more. You'll hear all about how she got started, and how she can help you.

Main discussion points:

- Alexis' transition from working at startups to starting her own business

- Common time management myths and mistakes

- Strategies for productivity, planning, prioritization

- Building sustainable habits

- Managing distractions and notifications

Guest Bio:

Alexis Haselberger is a time management and productivity coach who helps people do more and stress less through coaching, workshops and online courses.  Her pragmatic, yet fun, approach helps people easily integrate practical, realistic strategies into their lives so that they can do more of what they want and less of what they don't.  Alexis has taught thousands of individuals to take control of their time and her clients include Google, Lyft, Workday, Capital One, Upwork and more.

Key Quotes:

"I had worked in startups and I was familiar with entrepreneurship...I just didn't think about it for me." (00:05:47)

"There are a number of different traits, tendencies, scales where they have something to do with how we get things done. And knowing about ourselves helps us to build sustainable strategies." (00:20:39)

"I teach science backed habit strategies that help us with that...we also talk about strategies and teach people strategies so that they can sort of create focus out of thin air when you need to because sometimes you need to." (00:28:32, 00:29:47)

Links Mentioned:

Guest Website

Guest Instagram

Guest Facebook

Guest YouTube

Guest LinkedIn

Beefy Marketing

Trust Your Wingman (Sponsor)

John Kelley's Links

This episode we speak with Tiago Fiara, a solopreneur, business coach, and consultant from Portugal. Hear Tiago's journey from working at Google to becoming an entrepreneur, the common traps entrepreneurs fall into, and advice for starting and growing a business.

Main Discussion Points:

- Leaving corporate jobs to pursue entrepreneurial dreams

- Dealing with "shiny object syndrome" and lack of focus

- Importance of getting a business coach/consultant

- Steps for identifying your target customer and finding product/market fit

- Leveraging your existing network to generate leads and sales

Guest Bio:

My name is Tiago Faria, and I help coaches, mentors, consultants and other professionals in the help industry to unearth premium dream clients from their current follower/subscriber lists. My “Anti-Marketing Method” is based on 3 pillars: turning generic services into irresistible offers, turning your contact network into your own sales team, and uncovering dream clients that are hidden in your current audiences.

Key Quotes:

"It takes a lot of time to do something that is extremely necessary, but most of us avoid it...talking to people first." (Tiago at 02:39)

"The power of everything that works in business world is to be consistent and choose something simple and just do it until it works." (Tiago at 19:53)

"I focus more on people that work in this kind of industry, people that generate results for others, service providers, coaches, consultants..." (Tiago at 27:23)

Links Mentioned:

Tiago's Website

Tiago's YouTube

Tiago's Facebook

Tiago's LinkedIn

Tiago's Podcast YouTube

Beefy Marketing

Our Sponsor: Wingman

John Kelley's Links

Small Business Origins Online

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

An important part of what we do here at The Beef is introducing you to businesses whose services you’ll love. Today, we get acquainted with Will Patterson from Rehab Garage! Tuning in, you’ll hear the story of how Will started his first business at the tender age of 12, raising money to buy his first car and falling in love with the repair and restoration process. You’ll also learn what sparked his interest in starting his shop after his years in construction and manufacturing and what his goal has been from the beginning: to create and meet realistic expectations for people whose cars hold meaning for them! Get inspired by Will’s story of growth springing from on-the-job education before taking a page out of his book and learning to ask for help. As Will point out, it takes incredible fortitude for your business to survive the challenges that come up along the way. Thanks for tuning in! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• The most famous celebrity Will knows: Richard Rawlings.
• Challenges that Will encountered in having his own plane to fly and having lots of friends he wanted to take along.
• The first business he started, repairing sidewalks at the age of 12.
• Will’s background, growing up in foster care as a teenager before entering the military.
• The story of how Will purchased his first car for $500 and repaired it at the local shop.
• His work in construction prior to nutrition supplies and manufacturing.
• Why he got really angry watching Fast & Loud, sparking the idea for Rehab Garage.
• What Will wants most out of his shop: to do something where expectations are realistic.
• How the shop has grown from its inception, with plans to extend the space by double.
• Why the shop is so immaculate, which Will attributes to his military background.
• Why he doesn’t treat his staff like normal employees but as experts in their fields.
• Why his interest in cars isn’t about them being cool, but that they hold meaning for people. 
• His belief that rush hour traffic is an example of how we can work together as a society.
• Where his education comes from: exposure, not a college degree!
• Why it's a high ticket kind of business: he has the experience, technology, and network.
• The restoration piece of his job and why Will tailors his service to what people need.
• Why he finds sourcing parts and supplies the most difficult parts of his job.
• The emotional rollercoaster of restoring a vehicle, which he holds a client’s hands through. 
• Hear the story of Jay Leno’s limousine style Rolls-Royce and how he brought it to Will.
• Will’s message to other business owners: let people help you!
• A reminder that it takes fortitude not to give up and to find business success.
• Why you’re in a far better position to build a business yourself than being given one.

Tweetables:

“I want to do something where people’s expectations are realistic. They’re told upfront: this is the real situation, this is what the real cost could be, and your car may or may not be worth doing.” — Will Patterson [0:20:50]

“If we think of one thing that everyone in the world is connected to right now, it’s their cars.” — Will Patterson [0:29:10]

“One way to become successful is by surrounding yourself with people that will help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and get help. Just make sure to give it back along the way somehow.” — Will Patterson [0:56:56]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Rehab Garage

Rehab Garage on Facebook

Will Patterson on LinkedIn

Twice a year, Tomball, Texas celebrates its Germanic heritage during a special celebration called the German Festival-- and from what we can tell, nothing goes better with German culture than beer! Altstadt Brewery played a central role in one of the biannual German Festivals, and today on the show we get together with Head Brewer, Craig Rowan, and Houston Regional Manager, John Slaughter, to talk all things beer, brewing, and community. You don’t need to know a whole lot about beer to enjoy it, and many fans are often shocked to learn just how complicated the brewing process is. Our conversation today covers a bunch of different topics, from the complexity of the brewing process and the history of Altstadt to the trip to Germany that started it all. We unpack why brewing beer is more complex than wine cultivation, the process for imitating the water profile of specific towns in Europe, and why the quality of beer decreases the further it travels from where it was made. Our guests also share their views on how to market beer, why they don’t believe in smearing their competitors, and why a good beer speaks for itself. There’s nothing quite like seeing people enjoying a product that you spent years crafting, and the sense of community at German Fest makes it all the more inspiring. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on the science of beer and the passionate people behind the product!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today’s guests John Slaughter and Craig Rowan from Altstadt Brewery.
• An overview of the biannual German Festival in Tomball Texas.
• The story behind the name Beefy Marketing.
• How Craig became the Head Brewer at Altstadt Brewery.
• Insight into why brewing is such a complex process.
• Why Craig strives for consistency at Altstadt Brewery.
• The differences between microbreweries and mass-produced brands.
• Why beer is an acquired taste, and the many elements that make any brand unique.
• How to use marketing in a positive way that doesn’t smear your competitors.
• The role that temperature plays in the taste of beer.
• How John became the Houston regional manager of Altstadt Brewery.
• An overview of Altstadt Brewery and how it was founded.
• The four ingredients found in beer and the infinite ways they can be combined.
• How you can replicate the water profile of a town thousands of miles away.
• Why beer doesn’t travel well and how pasteurization changes the taste of beer.
• The beauty of beer and the wonderful community atmosphere during the German Festival.

Tweetables:

“[When] I got to Altstadt, they invested a lot of money in my education. I’m very grateful. Even the experiences of being thrown to the wolves, being allowed to fail, and really learning lessons from your failures more than anything. It's just great. A lot of that is what led me here.” — Craig Rowan [0:16:31]

“Every new thing I learned just unlocked all this other stuff that I didn't realize I didn't know, right? It's just a spiderweb of new things. Every new thing you learn just leads you to a bunch of things you're ignorant about beer.” — Craig Rowan [0:17:17]

“Beer is one of the most complex alcoholic beverages out there. It's more complex than wine.” — John Slaughter [0:17:28]

“Even if you don't know anything about beer. If you taste a beer, and it tastes good, you're gonna buy that beer, if you have the ability to buy it.” — John Slaughter [0:45:12]

“It just blows my mind. Every time I see something like this. People walking around with stuff we put so much work into. It’s worth all the strife you go through for it.” — Craig Rowan [0:46:41]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Altstadt Brewery

The atmosphere between today’s three guests is electric, and you’ll laugh as much during this episode as you’ll learn from it! Loren and Lindsey are the co-founders of Doormat DeCoir, and Alex is their marketing manager and social media ambassador (and their best friend). Did you know that there are 15 steps involved in making a Doormat DeCoir doormat? Yes, it’s hard work (especially when you invent your own process as they did!). But if you have a door, you need a doormat, so you might as well make it a high-quality, customized one while you’re at it. Tune in today to hear how Doormat DeCoir came into being, what sets the business apart from other doormat businesses, and the ups and downs that have come along with it!  

Key Points From This Episode:

• The guests each share their go-to karaoke songs (and John gives us a little rendition!).
• Loren’s first entrepreneurial venture (in second grade) and the first business that Lindsey founded.
• The story of how Doormat DeCoir came into being.
• Factors that differentiate these doormats from other types of doormats.
• Why making doormats is hard work.
• Customize your own doormat!
• Doormat DeCoir size and price ranges.
• Some of the biggest orders that Doormat DeCoir has received.
• Environmentally friendly practices that Doormat DeCoir has introduced into their business.
• Where you can buy Doormat DeCoir products and the special they are currently running.
• How you can support Doormat DeCoir and what you’ll get in return.
• Why Doormat DeCoir has so many repeat customers.
• Examples of phrases people request for their doormats.
• Doormat DeCoir’s number one selling doormat.

Tweetables:

“What sets us apart is that we don’t paint any of our doormats.” — Alex [0:13:09]

“Doormat DeCoir went green!” — Lindsey [0:26:34]

“People learn real quick after shopping with Doormat DeCoir that it’s the perfect gift for any occasion.” — Loren [0:35:13]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Doormat DeCoir

Doormat DeCoir on Instagram

Doormat DeCoir on Facebook

John Kelley on Instagram

John Kelley on TikTok

Beefy Marketing

Beefy Marketing on Instagram

Beefy Marketing on YouTube

Beefy Marketing on Facebook

https://www.podcastawards.com/app/signup Please nominate our show under 3 categories: People's Choice, Best Male Hosted and Best Business! We sure would appreciate it.

Today we're getting into the important topic of mental health and the progress made in the field of EMS and first responders around this issue. We can all use a few words of encouragement to make it through some of the tough seasons that are bound to come around from time to time! Joining the show today is Clint, a seasoned professional from different sectors in the world of first response, having worked in the fire department as well as an EMS. The idea here is to open up the dialogue about common issues that many of us face. Clint took his passion for writing and his experiences in the field and dedicated himself to a new project; what started out as a script for a feature film has transformed into a series of interviews and stories compiled into a dedicated web series. Clint talks about how this evolution happened, his hopes to still make a film once he raises enough money, and we also get to discuss the environments that many of us came up in and how these are progressing. So, to hear it all from Clint and the important and exciting strides he's making for our community, be sure to listen in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The benefits of a quick check-in with yourself and how you are feeling. 
• Clint's favorite meal to cook and why he loves breakfast foods!
• A look back at Clint's winding path, time at the fire department, and desire for new challenges. 
• The rise in conversations around mental health in the last few years. 
• How Clint approached writing about mental health and the evolution of this into a YouTube channel!
• What to expect from the documentary series and the types of stories Clint wants to tell.
• Looking back on John's experience of losing a best friend to suicide.
• Why conversation and communication are so important for supporting and learning.  
• The importance of including the dispatch departments in these conversations. 
• Why small words of thanks or affirmation can impact us so deeply.  
• A look at the funding process for Clint's project.
• How to find and connect with this amazing project online!

Tweetables:

“So often I think it's easy for us to neglect our own mental health, and to forget that we need to stop and check-in on ourselves and take care of ourselves sometimes.” — John Kelley [0:01:31]

“I wanted to open up a dialogue between us, get us talking to each other. I guess being more accepting of each other's problems.” — Clint [0:10:02]

“My way of dealing with things has always been writing, so I wrote a script and it had a lot to do with mental health and EMS, and so I really wanted to make this movie.” — Clint [0:10:44]

“What I would like to do is hit a new department every week, talk to somebody new about their struggles with their mental health. I want to go everywhere, see everybody.” — Clint [0:16:46]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Clint

Beyond the Lights Website

Beyond the Lights on YouTube

Beyond the Lights Email

John the Marketer on Instagram

Beefy Marketing

Beefy Marketing on Instagram

Beefy Marketing on YouTube

Beefy Marketing on Facebook

Welcome back to The Beef! In conversation with us today we have Kyle from ProjectZero, where professional counseling meets a peer support group for veterans and first responders. During today’s discussion, we hear the story of how ProjectZero came to fruition, how it benefits those who take advantage of the services offered, and what the two different avenues of support look like. Kyle describes the different techniques used to connect the relevant people to the services they need, and explains how campfire storytelling enables veterans and first responders to open up in ways they cannot do elsewhere. We touch on vulnerability and discuss the possibility of approaching mental health from a maintenance perspective, rather than an emergency one. His approach is to always want the best for people, but never to consider them broken. Join us today to hear what that means, find out how the veteran in your life can find the mental health care they need, and learn how you can get involved. Thanks for joining us! 

Key Points From This Episode: 

• Ice breaker question: What's your favorite scary movie?
• Mental health services offered by ProjectZero to veterans and first responders.
• Kyle’s career background leading up to being deployed into the military.
• How meeting veterans and seeing their progress motivated him to support them.
• How Texas is one of the worst states for offering mental health services.
• Why they use word of mouth for professional mental health services, but market adventure-based therapy more publicly.
• How campfire storytelling enables veterans and first responders to talk about things they can’t mention elsewhere.
• The professional services you get access to which are totally confidential and anonymous.
• The unscripted approach of just sharing stories with one another. 
• Why it’s so important that service providers have an understanding for veteran’s backgrounds.
• How peer and professional relationships differ and why it is dangerous to blur the line.
• Why it’s often the ‘straw that breaks the camel's back’ when it comes to mental health.
• How they approach people wanting the best for them, but never assuming that they are broken.
• What changed when Kyle heard the lesser-told stories of veterans. 
• Vulnerability and how a little goes a long way.
• Why the emphasis on mental health can also be on staying good.
• Reading, podcasts, and exercise.
• The power of sustaining where you are at instead of always moving forward.
• Who qualifies to be a part of ProjectZero: prior and current first responders, caregivers, and spouses if there is space available.
• How to support ProjectZero: connect them to qualified counselors, donate gear and food, volunteer.
• Where to find ProjectZero online.

Tweetables:

“Honestly, from my service in the military, watching people that I served with, and then meeting people along the way; that was the biggest catalyst, watching the meter move on and how they were successful, and those who are unfortunately no longer here with us. How can we make a difference in some way we know how?” — Kyle Shutic [0:12:24]

“On our professional services side, you can go talk to somebody. It’s completely anonymous, and completely confidential. It doesn’t cost you anything. You go to, on average, thirteen sessions, some one-on-one, and some group.” — Kyle Shutic [0:20:02]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

ProjectZero

ProjectZero on Instagram

John Kelley on Instagram

John...

Welcome back to The Beef! During today’s episode, we’re setting a new bar for our guests with Boe Bowen from Bowen Law Firm - pun intended. He's joining us in conversation today to tell his story, and reveal the ups and downs of working across many areas of law. Boe attributes his success to his wife having believed in him since they met as teenagers, and celebrates the team of lawyers that enable him to work on such a wide variety of cases. We touch on having difficult conversations with clients, and which areas of law are his most and least favorite to work on. You’ll hear about in-office dynamics and why hiding hiccups from the boss is never a good idea, before hearing about merch, events, and where you can find Bowen Law Firm. Objectivity is a theme of this discussion, and Boe tells the story of how he sometimes goes as far as to recommend that clients don’t move forward with their divorce. His goal is for his clients to make money, not himself, and while he may be accused of bad business for that reason, he loves the work that he does! Thanks for tuning in.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today’s guest, Boe Bowen, with Bowen Law Firm. 
• Icebreaker question: who drives?
• Dropping out of high school, joining the navy, and eventually becoming an attorney.
• What his firm offers including family law, estate planning, civil litigation, and more.
• The price tag and time attached to each different kind of case.
• Why adoption cases are his favorite to deal with.
• Why most people want to fight in a divorce case, and why objectivity is important.
• Having hard conversations with clients and telling them the difficult truths.
• The six lawyers in his office and what the typical process of engaging with them is.
• Why hiding problems from the boss creates an even bigger problem.
• Their Champions location: 14202 Champion Forest Drive and 13103 FM 1960 West, Suite 216, Houston, Texas.
• How to reach them via phone on 713-574-7777 between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
• The areas where Boe is able to practice law in Texas and the US.
• How he uses his merch with clients and beyond.
• The event he is hosting at his newly renovated office, most likely on 7 May.
• How long it takes to become an attorney.
• Why you should definitely get involved with CERT. 
• The Stop the Bleed class that is offered at Bowen Law Firm for clients and visitors.
• Approaching conversations where they are not the right fit.
• Why it’s so important to stay objective.
• How to keep up to date with all the events he hosts online.
• How to listen to his radio show.

Tweetables:

“I’ve had a dream, since I started middle school, to be an attorney. I like to say, since I was knee-high to a duck.” — Boe Bowen [0:07:33] 

“Who takes a high school drop out and turns him into an attorney? That shows what a strong woman can do for a man. Her belief is why I got so far.” — Boe Bowen [0:07:55]

“I’m lucky that I have a great staff. Meaning we are able to offer family law which includes divorce with or without children, my personal favorite, adoptions, and also estate planning which is the sad part of my job. And then civil litigation as well.” — Boe Bowen [0:09:51]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Bowen Law Radio on Email

Bowen Law on Email

Bowen Law Firm

Bowen Law Firm on Twitter

Bowen Law Firm on Facebook

Today on The Beef, we have the privilege of hosting Cat Corchado with Sisters in Service Podcast. A military brat and veteran herself, Cat tells the story of completing 20 years of service, only to find herself stuck for work after her return. After becoming involved with the Women's Veterans Network and meeting many women with similar experiences, she felt motivated to start her podcast, Sisters in Service, which acts as a platform for veterans to share their stories in the hope of inspiring and supporting listeners. Many women with a military background don’t identify as veterans, but Cat believes that if you’ve donned the uniform, you’ve earned your status. Tune in today to learn about her life philosophy and long-term plans, what motivates her to keep the podcast going, and how you can get involved. Thanks for joining us! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Meet today’s guest, Cat Corchado, with Sisters in Service Podcast.
• Cat’s background growing up as a military child, before joining the military for 20 years.
• What she expected leaving the military, and how different reality was.
• The story of how Cat entered the fitness industry after having left the military.
• How the Women's Veterans Network led her to start her podcast, Sisters in Service.
• How Sisters in Service provides a platform for women to share their stories.
• The problem that Cat tackles on her podcast: Inspiring women to identify as veterans.
• Why she believes that if you’ve worn the uniform, you’re a veteran.
• Why you should be using Clubhouse if you aren’t yet.
• The difference in social dynamics in the workplace in comparison to the military.
• Why many veterans become first responders or start businesses of their own.
• The philosophy of ‘always be testing’ and why Cat tries everything for 90 days.
• Her long-term plan to monetize her podcast in order to do more.
• How to reach your goals: One small step forward at a time.
• The different mindset that people have once they have left the military. 
• Why Woven is not sponsoring the Podcast.
• The common thread: Even though they have served, they still want to be of service. 
• Where to find Cat Corchado and Sisters in Service on social media.
• The satisfaction of receiving positive listener feedback.
• How you can help by sharing the podcast with a veteran you know. 
• Why unscripted is always better when it comes to hosting a podcast.

Tweetables:

“The military makes you think that when you retire, to use a sports analogy, a first drawn draft pick. Everyone’s going to be throwing money at you, contracts at you; I left thinking there would be music and balloons and confetti, and there was nothing.” — Cat Corchado [0:07:46]

"After service, no one wants to hear anything you have to say about it, because no one understands. Sisters in Service is a platform that gives women a chance to say ‘This happened, and this is how I got through it’, because there might be other women listening and struggling, and thinking they're the only ones when they're not." — Cat Corchado [0:12:10]

"As veterans, if we don't help each other, no one's going to help us. So, we have to give each other that help, that leg up, that hand up. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!” — Cat Corchado [0:12:52]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Clubhouse

Cat Corchado on Instagram

Cat Corchado on Facebook

Cat Corchado on LinkedIn