Ask Brien Show

By Peter Bronstein and Traci DeForgeBusiness Entrepreneurship Management

Ask Brien Show episodes

June 10, 2022Founder Advisors with Mitchell Posada
In today’s episode, we are joined by Mitchell Posada, the managing partner at Founder Advisors. Founder Advisors focuses on businesses that help humanity and are purpose-driven. Their company encourages entrepreneurs to bring their best selves and sees great success in those who have the emotional intelligence to work through the challenges of getting a business to market. Mitchell discusses the different things that his company looks for when investing in start-ups. He also provides some great tips for innovative strategies founders can do to push their business forward if they aren’t quite at the level for funding.
IN THIS EPISODE:

[7:40] Introducing Mitchell Posada & his background

[14:00] Parallels from the year 2000 when the stock market was chasing vs. time now

[17:00] What is the company looking for in an entrepreneur to support?

[22:30] How do you know if a person can execute or not?

[24:45] What does proof of concept look like?

[27:40] Innovative things founders can do to push their business forward.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

It’s essential to work through the ups and downs that come with starting up a company. Things aren’t always going to go perfectly, so having the emotional intelligence to face that roller coaster is critical!

To gain proof points, businesses can partner with other companies and even focus on more prominent companies to get word of mouth out and find consumers interested in the product.

Finding an investor (like Founder Advisors) who will cheer you on and support you throughout the process can push and help make your business a success. Having a team stand behind you and root the company on is vital!

LINKS MENTIONED:

Mitchell Posada’s LinkedIn

Mitchell Posada’s Website

Founder Advisors
35 min
June 03, 2022Purity Coffee with Andrew Salisbury
In today’s episode, we are joined by Andrew Sailsbury, founder and CEO of Purity Coffee. Purity Coffee is a company that produces health-focused coffee. Andrew decided to research coffee after he started noticing his wife was having health issues, and he assumed it was because of coffee. After 18 months of research with experts, he learned that the benefits of coffee are huge, especially around antioxidants. We talked about what factors have contributed to their exponential growth and Andrew discusses how every decision is based on their North Star of Health. Andrew shares how his company started, how he made the shift from owning a software company to starting a coffee company, and how he plans to expand the company in the future.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[5:30] Introduction to Andrew Salisbury, and his company Purity Coffee

[8:56] What are the health benefits of coffee?

[12:30] Andrew talks about how the Purity Coffee company was created.

[16:00] Investment into the company and the focus on de-risking the business.

[17:09] Growth with the company, how they are self-funding and what revenue expectations they have.

[21:25] - Andrew discusses the next areas for growth and how they will build out the brand.

[22:25] Marketing strategies to continue to see future growth for Purity Coffee.

[24:54] Andrew discusses the product line from the beginning to the current phase of business.

[33:16] Andrew discusses the expansion plan for Purity Coffee.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Purity Coffee has a non-negotiable focus on health. Every decision they make is based around their North Star, which has helped them stay focused on their path and create exponential growth.

When shifting from owning one type of business to a completely different type of business, there needs to be adequate research. Self-funding has been huge for Andrew with Purity Coffee so that he could make the decisions that align best with his goals for the company.

Not swaying on the vision of the company creates trust with customers. Knowing how best to market the business creates success. Purity Coffee knows that their coffee on a shelf next to hundreds of others won’t get the consumer to buy. Instead, they partner with health-conscious businesses and rely on word of mouth to grow the company.

LINKS MENTIONED:

Purity Coffee Website

Purity Coffee Facebook

Purity Coffee Instagram

Purity Coffee Twitter
36 min
May 27, 2022Arrow AI with Rolan Reichel
In today’s episode, we are joined by Rolan Reichel, founder and CEO of Arrow. Arrow is artificial intelligence that solves a real problem for millions of businesses which is finding and attracting the right users at the top of the funnel without paid ads. We discuss Rolan’s career background in advertising, what motivated him to start Arrow and how it helps small business owners with content creation. Tune in to learn more about exactly how Arrow works, and who the ideal user is. Plus, Rolan shares Arrow’s future plans for integration partners.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[09:50] What is Arrow and what does it do?
[13:54] Rolan shares three qualities you need to be successful.
[21:26] Rolan explains how Arrow helps small business owners who don’t have any marketing in place.
[25:45] How did Rolan develop a business monetization for his business model?
[34:15] Rolan shares future plans for Arrow.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
In the last 15 years, there has been an explosion of platforms and data. A lot of companies invested in automation development. Unfortunately, a lot of investment and development of automation has gone to the biggest companies, but powerful technology can come in tiny packages and everyone can use it.
Paid advertising is a train wreck. At the moment, paid advertising struggles with privacy problems, it’s difficult to understand and quite expensive for small businesses. That’s why content marketing is a better option for small business owners.
Small business owners need to create content. It’s essential for your business, but content creation is very time-consuming. You can use software like Arrow that helps you to curate content and publish it in an automated way.

LINKS MENTIONED:
Rolan’s LinkedIn Profile
Rolan’s Twitter
Rolan’s Facebook Profile
Rolan’s Instagram
Arrow Website
Arrow on YouTube
38 min
May 20, 2022Building a Business as a Visionary & Innovator With Wanda Toro Turini
In today’s episode, we are joined by Wanda Toro Turini, podcast host of Rock-It Fuel Podcast, and the Founder of Ketchwords, and Bull’s Eye Innovations. Ketchwords is a texting platform that allows audiences to text for information and get in their email inbox instantaneously. Wanda shares her story of how she started her first business, the struggles of bringing an innovative product to the market that wasn’t ready for it, and rebranding EcoFiles into Ketchwords. Tune in to learn more about what Ketchwords is and how it helps business owners to add to the audience experience and measure audience engagement. IN THIS EPISODE:
[07:25] What is Ketchwords?
[12:02] How is Ketchwords different from a hashtag?
[20:35] Pivoting back and the emotional attachment that comes with it.
[25:45] Rebranding EcoFiles to Ketchwords and how has it been beneficial?
[28:04] Wanda’s definition of success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Business owners spend thousands of dollars on printing educational material but don’t know if anybody picks it up or winds up in the garbage. There is no way to measure it. Plus, people don’t like to carry paper materials around.
The issue with telling your audience to follow you on social media is that you don’t own that lead. The algorithm owns that lead. Your audience might follow you, but it is the algorithm that decides if your content will be shown.
Being a visionary and innovator are common traits of an entrepreneur, but they are the blessing and the curse. Because sometimes you can come to market too quickly or be the first one to market, and people might not be ready for your product or service yet.

BIO:
Wanda has a Doctorate in Pharmacy and served patients in the critical care and emergency medicine setting before venturing into the business world as a marketer for oncology treatments. In 2005, she left a high paying executive opportunity in the pharmaceutical industry and leapt into the world of entrepreneurship. Dr. Wanda began her entrepreneurial journey in 2005 pioneering innovative solutions for multi-billion dollar healthcare companies.
As a Rock Star in marketing and audience engagement, Wanda invented Ketchwords.com, which is a texting platform destined to be THE Gold Standard Lead Gen Tool for all experts who love to share their knowledge with audiences. As an expert speaker herself, Wanda was frustrated with seeing people engaged in her presentations and not having an easy way to continue the conversation. Wanda first used Ketchwords to connect with all of those Anonymous Fans in her audiences. She used her marketing skills to master the tool and massively boost the ROI of every appearance. She grew her consulting business to $4.2 Million and was able to expand her team, hire her husband, incorporate travel into her business and, best of all, invest over $100,000 into her fertility journey.
LINKS MENTIONED:
Wanda’s LinkedIn Profile
Wanda’s Facebook Business Page
Ketchowords Website
To receive Wanda’s Guide send a text LEADS to 411321 (for listeners in the US) or (for the listeners outside the US) via Whatsapp to +1 9097 411 321
32 min
May 18, 2022 Finance Business With Robin Saacks
In today’s episode, we are joined by Robin Saacks, the CEO of Timac Business Systems. Timac Business Systems is business management software that helps small businesses to improve internal controls within the company, and generate meaningful financial and management reports. We discuss what business management software is, how it helps small businesses, and when to upgrade to business management software. Tune in to learn more about how to build a good financial foundation for your company, important things to know about the financial side of the business, and what expenses you can write off when you are working remotely. IN THIS EPISODE: [08:40] What is business management software? [10:40] Three most important things small business owners should know regarding finance. [17:53] The best way to set yourself up for financial health and a good financial foundation. [21:04] Writing off home office expenses and what to be aware of. [31:06] How to build a business when you have no money. KEY TAKEAWAYS: If you don’t have the right software in place for your business, you are losing to your competitors. With good business management software, you can get a complete picture of your business, including cash flow, inventory, what items are slow-moving, etc. A lot of small businesses forget to reconcile their bank and so miss out on an opportunity to deeper understand their business cash flow. Nowadays, 90% of the process can be automated via software that automatically integrates with your bank. When starting out a business, separate yourself individually from the corporate as an entity. Also, have a separate bank account to keep liabilities separate from yourself in the corporation. LINKS MENTIONED: Rovbin’s LinkedIn Profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinsaacks/ Timac Business System Website – https://www.timacinc.com https://www.albanyfarms.com
37 min
May 06, 2022Time Management With Peggy Sullivan
In today’s episode, we are joined by Peggy Sullivan. Peggy is the author of the book “Happiness Is Your Responsibility”, speaker, mindset coach, and founder of a nonprofit for women called SheCAN!. We discuss time management and how it is related to our happiness, the science behind happiness, and Peggy shares a few tips on how to improve your time management skills. Plus, Peggy tells us how she went from being always late to teaching people how to plan their day-to-day schedules better, and so create time for things that matter most to them. Tune in to learn more about Peggy’s book “Happiness Is Your Responsibility” and how most people don’t realize that simple things can increase your dopamine and serotonin which make you feel happy.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[08:27] Peggy’s career background.
[16:00] Peggy shares her tips on determining priority tasks on your to-do list.
[23:35] #1 thing that most people don’t schedule in their calendars (and they should).
[27:20] Peggy gives advice on how to get better at time management.
[31:52] Peggy’s biggest challenges in starting and growing her business.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Knowing your values is your pathway to happiness. Values are all about things that make you happy. If you don’t have everyday rituals that are based on your values and you can incorporate them into your life, then you are missing out on a quality of life.
Time management is about practice. Through practice, you can learn how to change your behavior and your habits which will result in better time management.
Your brain can transmit neurotransmitters that will make your body feel good. It’ll give you energy. It’ll make you feel happy. That can be achieved through simple things like exercise, eating healthy, or getting a good night’s sleep. That increases dopamine and serotonin, which makes you feel good.

LINKS MENTIONED:
Peggy’s Facebook Page
Peggy’s LinkedIn Profile
Peggy’s book Happiness Is Your Responsibility
40 min
April 29, 2022Business Law With Jay Razzouk
In today’s episode, we are joined by Jay Razzouk, the owner of ProSCALE Legal. Jay is a lawyer with a legal coaching business that provides legal templates to coaches and other experts who want to build a solid legal foundation without spending thousands of dollars. We discuss what inspired Jay to start his legal business, how it is different from buying templates off the internet, and the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make when it comes to legal issues. Tune in to learn more about how Jay transitioned from a 9-5 job to starting his own business, what he wishes he would have done differently, and the importance of adapting online marketing in your business.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[11:24] Jay shares how he started his legal coaching business ProSCALE Legal.
[15:20] Jay explains what it is like to work with ProSCALE Legal versus buying legal forms off the internet.
[25:02] The experience that made Jay pivot into his current business model.
[33:06] Jay gives advice to those who want to take the leap and transition from the corporate world and start their own business.
[41:33] Three biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make when it comes to legal issues.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
It doesn’t matter what type of business you have. You need to have basic skills in selling and marketing.
A lot of people spend their whole life helping to grow somebody else’s business, but they have nothing to show for it, they have not built a legacy for themselves. They’re not doing what they’re called to do and when they turn 40 or 50, they face a mid-life crisis.
Build a solid foundation for your business so that once you quit your 9-5 job, you can take off running. Start networking, figuring out how to position your service/product, and how to message and communicate with your ideal clients.

LINKS MENTIONED:
Jay’s LinkedIn Profile
Jay’s Facebook Page
Jay’s Instagram
ProSCALE Legal Website
39 min
April 22, 2022Business Basics With Alex Grossman
In today’s episode, we are joined by Alex Grossman, who is an expert in selling different types of businesses. Alex shares common reasons why people decide to sell their businesses and how some business owners make bad decisions because of emotional attachment. We discuss what is a business evaluation, why it is important, what should be included in the evaluation, and how some business owners might be disappointed by the final evaluation. Tune in to learn more about different ways to sell a business, which is the best one, and how you can find potential buyers.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[04:55] Good and not-so-good reasons to sell a business.
[13:16] How to value a business before selling?
[15:58] What are intangible assets and why are they important when selling a business?
[25:52] Ways to sell a business.
[33:23] How to find buyers when selling a business?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
The worst time to sell a business is when it’s not making money.
The hardest thing about selling a business is evaluation because there are so many factors that need to be considered. For example, revenue sales, type of business, tangible and intangible assets, competitive analysis, and so much more.
One of the easiest ways to sell a business and find potential buyers is to do it online. But other options are to do it locally, hire a broker or ask your attorney.

LINKS MENTIONED:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgrossmanla/
36 min
April 15, 2022Multi-Media Business with Reenita Malhotra Hora
In today’s episode, we are joined by Reenita Malhotra Hora. Reenita is a founder, executive-level content, operations & marketing leader, and prolific writer. We discuss her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges she faced along the way. Reenita gives advice to new entrepreneurs on how to turn a hustle project into a profitable business and how to pick the right vendors for your business. Tune in to learn more about how to balance the creative and business side of entrepreneurship if you are a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[08:06] Reenita’s career and business background.
[16:34] The current project Reenita is working on right now.
[20:20] Advice for new entrepreneurs who want to turn a hustle project into a profitable business model.
[26:08] Lesson Reenita learned about delegating while trying to grow a business and saving cash flow resources.
[28:57] Challenges of balancing the creative and business side of entrepreneurship.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
If you want to have a successful podcast, the podcast itself must be interesting, the show must be appealing, and you must target the right audience at the right time.
If you are a first-time entrepreneur, you might feel like you need to have a perfect business plan, office, business cards, etc. It’s nice to have, but you don’t really need that. Don’t spend money on things that are not necessary for your business.
Having discipline in a creative business is essential for balancing the creative and business side of entrepreneurship.

LINKS MENTIONED:
Reenita’s LinkedIn Profile
Reenita’s Website
Reenita’s Instagram
Reenita’s Twitter
Reenita’s Podcasts: True Fiction Project Podcast and The Shadow Realm Podcast
BIO:
Reenita Malhotra Hora is a founder, executive-level content, operations, & marketing leader, and prolific writer. With multiple years of experience in media, entertainment, communications, tech/innovation, and wellness industries in the USA and Asia, she grows organizations, ranging from early-stage startups through mid-size businesses, through storytelling, creative marketing, and business strategy.
She has served as Head of Marketing at SRI International, Silicon Valley’s pioneer science and deep tech research institute, VP of Content at hibooks/Otto Radio producer/presenter for Bloomberg, and award-winning host for RTHK Radio 3 in Hong Kong. Reenita founded, built, and sold Ayoma, a health and wellness brand, and has written seven books – five non-fiction and two fiction. She has contributed to The Hindu, South China Morning Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNN, Asian Investor, Times of India and National Geographic Kids, Cartoon Network Asia, Disney, and more. She is a limited partner in the How Women Invest fund which specifically invests in women-owned companies. She is working on her next novel and has recently launched Chapter by episode, a digital publishing platform for immersive chat fiction stories with diverse themes.
42 min
April 08, 2022Children’s Learning Business With Rashi Bahri
In today’s episode, we are joined by Rashi Bahri – the CEO and Founder of Shoonya. Rashi has been working in the world of media for more than 20 years. She has an MSA in filmmaking and she has always been drawn to education. In 2017, she started her own company, Shoonya, which focuses on helping children learn different languages and cultures through gamification. We talk about what inspired Rashi to start Shoonya and how it’s different from other competitors. Tune in as we discuss how to increase the lifetime value of a product and expansion challenges.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[08:31] Rashi shares more about her company Shoonya.
[10:12] How is Shoonya different from its competitors?
[16:09] The concept behind Shoonya and why children love it so much.
[19:23] How Rashi is planning to expand her business model.
[24:45] Rashi shares the strategy behind 60 000 app downloads.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Children need to learn 500 words in order to speak a language. Shoonya breaks the words into bite-size learning activities which makes it easier to learn the language.
The best age to learn a second language for a child is the age of 10.
Most language learning apps are structured for adults. They teach you one sentence and then ask you to translate it into another sentence. But that’s not how children learn. Children need the gamification aspect in the learning process.

LINKS MENTIONED:
Rashi’s LinkedIn Profile
Soonya Website
BIO:
Rashi Bahri
Rashi Bahri Chitnis, a Hollywood media executive is the visionary behind Shoonya, an ed-tech company based out of Santa Barbara with a mission to foster the next generation of global citizens by exposing them to cultural diversity and world languages. She is the winner of the 2021 Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award, in Science and Technology and her team is well known for their outstanding stellar execution.
Rashi has a background in media, having worked in film and television in both Hollywood and India. She has produced and managed various television content, production, post-production, commercials, music videos, broadcast design, and corporate communication. Her direct clients were Discovery, ABC, Warner Bros, and Lifetime Television. Her other television stints are story-producing reality shows like Mark Brunett’s “The Restaurant” and FOX’s “Trading Spouses”.
Her directional short films, “Secret Ingredient” and “Sarah” have premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2009 & 2012.
She holds an MFA Degree from the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts where her thesis film as a sound-designer won the Student OSCAR in 2004. During her Masters, she won various scholarships including the well-known AAUW (American Association of University Women) International grant.
35 min

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