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Danny Maloney is the CEO and Co-founder of Tailwind. Tailwind gives over 1.5 million businesses worldwide the marketing team they need through A.I. that drafts ads campaigns and posts for you so you can accomplish far more in far less time.  Prior to founding Tailwind, Danny spent a number of years working at Google and YouTube on new product initiatives including Street View and the YouTube Creators Program, and then worked on the turnaround team at AOL after it spun off of Time Warner,  leading up to it later being acquired by Verizon. In this episode, we talked about his journey from employee to co-founder and CEO and how his previous roles have shaped his entrepreneurial journey. We also talked about: The Importance of AI in Marketing and how AI is revolutionizing the marketing landscape. The Importance of Pivoting to better meet market demands and technological advancements. Funding Journey for Tailwind, from bootstrapping to angel investing and eventually partnering with a growth equity firm. Tips and advice for businesses considering seeking angel investors, based on Danny's personal experience. The challenges and importance of seed funding Investor relationship building An overview of Tailwind and what it can do The challenges that small businesses face with running ad campaigns The role of AI in marketing  Support for non-native English speakers with Tailwind If you’re interested in how funding works for a tech startup OR for how AI can help with small business marketing, I invite you to have a listen.  There’s some very valuable information here.   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Tailwind Website: tailwindapp.com Danny’s Email: danny@tailwindapp.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kyle Kuderewski, Operations Manager for webstreet.co, discusses passive investing and alternative investments in online businesses. Topics include his transition from engineer to investor, WebStreet's business model, investment criteria, market trends, and their shift towards crowdfunding options for non-accredited investors.

Molly Rose Speed is an expert in creating what everyone wants more of -- time freedom. She is the creator of Virtual Assistant Academy and the Founder of Virtual Assistant Management, which provides trusted VA certification and placement in the online market.    Molly Rose is also a military spouse and solo world traveler who believes in creating a business and a life that allows you to do more of what you love. In this episode we talk about Molly Rose's transition from a traditional 9-5 to the world of online business and what inspired her dive into the virtual assistant space. We also talk about: Growth challenges and self-doubt Molly's approach to certifying VAs in the absence of a standard industry benchmark The dual focus of Molly's training: imparting specific VA skillsets and guiding on setting up a VA business The difference between her business academy and her tech academy Business identity and targeting the right client The importance of communication skills for success as a VA. A day in the life of Molly Rose Speed Hiring Domestic vs. International VAs Gender and age dynamics in the VA Industry Emerging needs in the market for VAs It’s an interesting business model and there’s a lot of wisdom wrapped into this episode.  I invite you to have a listen. Resources Mentioned: Website:  Virtual Assistant Academy Website:  Virtual Assistant Management Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mollyrosespeed  Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever set goals for yourself or your business, only to fall far, far short and feel extremely disappointed with yourself?  I know I have. In this insightful podcast episode with Cody Limbaugh, we delve into the world of goal setting and personal transformation. Cody Limbaugh has been a Strength & Conditioning Coach for nearly 20 years. He's coached people from all walks of life, from youth teams to retirees, from Olympic athletes to elderly patients recovering from joint replacement surgeries.  Cody is also the author of the counterintuitive book, “Stop Setting Goals!”  Which grabbed my attention because we’re taught, especially as senior managers in the corporate world that goal setting is everything … even if we fail to achieve those goals. Cody and his wife Tali co-host the Live All Your Life Podcast. Now they're using their 30+ years of combined coaching experience to help couples re-ignite their spark through fitness, nutrition, and intimacy practices through their FitTogether coaching program at howtofittogether.com. We talk about: Cody's personal journey, from transitioning from a mortgage banker to a personal trainer and coach The difference between engineering goals and the traditional SMART goals paradigm, and why the latter may not always be the best fit for achieving your aspirations.  The concept of radical honesty in relationships and how it helps individuals and the relationship evolve The unique challenges and dynamics of working together as a couple in a business. The E-Myth concept of structuring a business with defined roles and duties. Cody’s unique perspective on focusing on the trajectory towards your vision, cultivating daily habits, and celebrating small victories along the way.  Some of the valuable lessons he's learned about teaching and overcoming imposter syndrome.  If you're looking to reframe your approach to goals and find inspiration in personal transformation, this episode is a must-listen. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Podcast:  Live All Your Life Podcast (Spotify) Website:  howtofittogether.com Book:  Stop Setting Goals by Cody Limbaugh (affiliate link) Book:  See You At The Top by Zig Ziglar (affiliate link) Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don Finley gets to use his skills every day to help startups take new and emerging technology and turn them into viable, sellable products.   He is the founder of FINdustries, a leading product development agency with a focus on the tech and financial sectors.  And his expertise in fusing science, art, and technology has helped propel his agency to the forefront of the industry.  Bolstered by a global network of 60+ partners and 16,000 developers, FINdustries has helped clients generate over $1 billion in annual revenue.  We talk about: Strategic product development that focuses on bridging the gap between technical and business acumen in the market The limitations in translating scientific research into marketable products The importance of understanding how products fit into people’s lives Use cases for AI in startups, its accuracy and limitations and whether it will result in the stagnation of human learning Examples of AI as a collaborative tool The challenges of managing long product development cycles Navigating the challenges of project-based businesses Entrepreneurship as self-development and redefining work-life balance Advice for startups There are a lot of invaluable insights into the evolving challenges and opportunities in entrepreneurship in this episode, especially for those looking to scale their project-based businesses.  I invite you to listen in. RESOURCES MENTIONED LinkedIn Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dfinley/  Company Website:  FINdustries Email:  don@fin.dustries.com  Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting out at age 25, Tanya Alvarez self-funded her first New York ad agency, using credit cards, and achieved zero to 1 million in revenue in the first year.  Along the way, she traveled to 42 countries, completing the Boston and NYC Marathons and a Half Ironman, all while battling a rare brittle bone condition.  Since that first year, Tanya has founded, bootstrapped, sold and invested in five companies.   In this episode we talk about Tanya’s journey of self-funding her first ad agency and the strategy she used.. We also talk about: Selling her first business Challenges that arise when clients owe you money The story behind her current business, OwnersUp and its growth  The challenges of setting up a multi-lingual, remote team that can take over while the owner is away Why setting strategy is important to create the type of business you want More about some of the other businesses, Tanya has successfully participated in or founded and the associated challenges Why it’s important to align your decision making with your values Accountability, growth, mindset challenges and some of the common entrepreneurial stages we go through as business owners How being part of a supportive group can help with motivation and overcoming challenges There is a lot of wisdom packed into this short interview.  I invite you to listen in. RESOURCES MENTIONED Website:  https://ownersup.com/  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyaownersup/  Want regular access to tips, techniques and advice from experts about growing your business?  Sign up here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, Kristian Hansen accidentally bought a pair of women’s jeans.  In the process, he discovered a problem that needed to be solved in a way that didn’t replicate existing challenges within the fashion industry. Fast forward to today, where Kristian gets called “the Jeans Guy” and for good reason. Kristian is the co-founder and CEO of Slø (pronounced “slow”).  At Slø, Kristian and his team are redefining what it means to build companies through community. Having generated a $360,000 pre-seed and a 100,000 person wait list ($10M projected revenue) with $0 ad-spend, they are starting the slow fashion revolution. Kristian is a mission-driven founder currently on a journey to solve the climate crisis through eco-conscious capitalism, the power of consumerism, and data. Not to mention he has 700K followers and 6.8M likes on TikTok. In this episode, Kristian shares how those lady’s jeans and what he did with them, kicked off a series of events that lead to the founding of Slø We also talked about: Eco-conscious capitalism and consumerism Slow versus fast fashion Some of the business challenges of moving away from product standardisation and how that affects strategy and scalability Getting engagement through feedback The value of community and listening to them The power of TikTok and some of the concerns around its future RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website:  https://slojeans.co/ TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@kristianfrommntn WeFunder Round:  https://wefunder.com/slo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode I’m talking with Justin Chen, co-founder of PickFu, who is interested in good information about customers and potential customers.  PickFu is a consumer research platform companies use to get fast, reliable feedback from real people. And companies can use this data to help them make better data-driven decisions about their products.  We talked about: The story behind PickFu The primary function of PickFu in aiding decision-making processes The importance of continuous learning and internal debates in shaping growth strategies The role AI plays in the process and some areas where using AI would be counterproductive Justin’s personal journey from corporate employee to entrepreneur The significance of patience and customer feedback in the SaaS industry Some of the challenges that arise when transitioning from small startup to a business that’s growing There is some good wisdom here for anyone wanting to take their business to the next level, so I invite you to have a listen.   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website:  https://www.pickfu.com/  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinchen/  If you're interested in how quizzes can help you gather customer feedback and what else they can do for your business, download my free Grow Your Business By Asking The Right Questions With Quizzes guide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Collaborations that bring benefits to everyone involved are so cool to be involved in. Recently, I jumped on a call with this week’s guest, Therman Trotman, to see whether I could help out the people he works with. Therman is a family man, an Army veteran and IT guy with 16 years of experience.  He teaches project managers how to implement Microsoft Sharepoint.   And he had some questions about how the financial side of project management works.  I’ve got a lot of project management experience, so when he reached out for someone to talk to, I put up my hand. An hour and a half later, we were still talking.  And we ended up with enough material for this podcast (which I’m sharing with you today) and for his podcast.  And we will definitely be talking again, because there was a lot more we could have covered. We talked about: People over technology and why that matters Why working better and living better are worth focusing on How Therman was able to take skills he developed over the years and turn them into a business that supports his family and gives him the lifestyle he wants How getting started managing a team can seem like a no-go zone, and why starting small can help Entrepreneurship, bright shiny object syndrome and project management How project management disciplines can help you achieve business goals Project management and/or procurement as potential careers  If you’re interested in how project management can help you with your business, I invite you to have a listen. Or if you know someone who is wondering what career to choose, point them to this episode, where they will gain a bit of insight into project management and procurement as disciplines. RESOURCES MENTIONED: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/therman-trotman-15790b33 Website:  https://www.thesphelpdesk.com/  Book:  10X Is Easier Than 2X:  How World Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More By Doing Less (affiliate link) Book:  Traction:  Get A Grip On Your Business (affiliate link) SPI Pro Community:  https://onlinebusinessliftoff.com/spi-pro (affiliate link)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever struggled with creating an online presence for your brand new business?  Especially if you have zero experience with website building or how to build a sales funnel? Anhely Millan, the voice behind Sustainability for Kids, has “been there, done that” and learned how to turn those challenges into learning opportunities. Anhely is on a mission to provide education in sustainable practices and develop collaboration opportunities for the greater good of our planet. She discovered her passion for education when she was a Chemistry teacher for a secondary school while studying Applied Chemistry at University. That experience made her want to continue educating children in complex topics. In early 2022, Anhely founded Sustainability for Kids and published her first educational book 'The World Behind Recycling' with the aim of providing children the knowledge and tools to embrace sustainability in their day-to-day activities. Join me as we dive into Anhely Millan’s journey of setting up her website with zero knowledge, navigating through many, many iterations of that website and her “aha” moment with Canva, all thanks to her hairdresser! We also talked about: The pressing need for a shift in mindset amongst entrepreneurs AND people who care about sustainability, prioritising collaboration over competitiveness The challenges faced by entrepreneurs when setting up online platforms The role of family, acquaintances, and sometimes even a hairdresser in a business journey The importance of resilience in business, fueled by passion and purpose The impactful role that community support and validation plays in an entrepreneur’s journey RESOURCES MENTIONED: Canva (affiliate link) Sustainability for Kids website Anhely’s LinkedIn Profile Made By Many Hands website Migrant Women In Business website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.