Therese Merkel - Tricky Foods

On the the Goal of Being a Business OWNER and not a Business OPERATOR: "How do I build a machine that works without me so that I can still be involved in this business, but I'm not the one working Friday, Saturdays and weekends?"

The food business can be tricky.  You've got health codes to deal with, so people don't get sick.  You've got the whole issue of spoilage, so you need to keep product moving.  Then you've got the fluctuating prices of your ingredients.  Add in the challenges of employees, and property and customers and different tastes and you have a very challenging business.

That is why it is so incredible to chat with people like Therese Merkel, of Tricky Foods.

Therese Merkel always loved cooking and has brought that passion to her charcuterie board business for Madison, Wisconsin (soon the world) visitors to love. Therese’s journey from a traditional tech career at Epic to building a thriving cheese and charcuterie business is filled with twists, hustle, and a whole lot of Wisconsin pride. She shares how she turned her culinary passion, and a timely Instagram trend, into a storefront that’s more than just a stop for cheese boards.  She added a wine and beer bar, event space, and catering hub that celebrates all things local.

In this candid conversation, Therese opens up about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, from bootstrapping her business with just $10,000, to navigating Madison’s real estate market, negotiating everything from kitchen rent to employee wages, and learning how to build systems that let her step back from day-to-day service and focus on expansion. She discusses the inspiration behind launching shippable charcuterie boards using Wisconsin cheeses, the powerful impact of authentic social media marketing, and the ongoing challenge of scaling up while keeping her signature brand of creativity and local spirit.

Listen as Therese explains how she used her persistence, skills, and a bit of luck along with her incredible wit and charm to get things done in such a blisteringly fast way it must be heard from her to be believed.  Therese is nothing less than amazing and you will be inspired after just listening to her tell the tales.

Enjoy!

Visit Therese at: https://www.notsotrickyfoods.com/

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Driven by Money, Not Passion

08:51 Considering Investing in a Storefront

13:36 Unexpected Offer for Dream Space

19:30 Adjusting Business Hours

24:38 Indifferent Sports Parent

28:28 Madison's New Entrepreneurship Hub

34:05 First Experience with Delegation

41:51 Creative Holiday Charcuterie Artists

43:32 Navigating Bureaucracy for Permits

49:29 Prioritize Engagement Over Acquisition

55:55 "Profitable Meat Shipping Realization"

Podcast Transcription:

Therese Merkel [00:00:00]:

Opposed to using. As opposed to using like Harry and David or like 1-800-FLOWERS. They can support a local company and shippable boards that only uses Wisconsin cheeses. And we're from Wisconsin. It just feels like a good way. It. It's serendipitous with like, my feel on community and supporting local and like the. The local economy.

Therese Merkel [00:00:19]:

Here.

James Kademan [00:00:28]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link [email protected] we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie, and today we're welcoming, preparing to learn from Therese Merkel of Tricky Foods. We're talking foods today, so that's always a good thing. How's it going today?

Therese Merkel [00:00:54]:

It's going good. Yeah. Nothing really crazy going on such a sweet podcast.

James Kademan [00:01:00]:

I know, right?

Therese Merkel [00:01:01]:

You're right. This is probably the most exciting thing I've done today.

Danielle Burken - Danielle Burken Marketing

On the How Marketing with Human Design Helps Your Business: "You're attracting the clients that you want to work with because you are showing up as the version of yourself that really trusts in the work that you're doing."

We all have a voice.  In marketing our business, we often try to sugarcoat or use an inauthentic voice that may not really align with us.  Or really even sound anything like us.

If you’ve ever wondered how to find greater alignment in your work, or felt frustrated by “cookie-cutter” marketing formulas that just don’t fit for your personality, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Danielle shares how she went from running a successful food blog to managing a marketing agency, and ultimately discovered the power of applying human design—a system based on your birth details—to help entrepreneurs market and run their businesses in a way that genuinely feels right for them.

James and Danielle dive deep into what human design is, how it differs from traditional personality tests, and why knowing your own design can clear the noise and confusion so common in the modern marketing world. Danielle offers up real-life stories from her own journey and client work, discussing the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of authenticity, and even the tough conversations she faced when leaving her day job to take the leap into business ownership.

Listen as Danielle explains how using Human Design can be a great way to bring your own voice into your marketing for your business.

Enjoy!

Visit Danielle at: https://www.danielleburken.com/

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Personalized Business Marketing Strategy

07:14 Journey from Blogger to Marketer

13:24 Human Design Holistic Wellness Success

17:06 Human Design: Understanding Your Type

24:33 "Understanding Human Design Differences"

27:20 Clarity Through Actionable Planning

36:53 "Human Design Marketing Strategy Shift"

38:16 Aligning Content with Human Design

46:23 "Attracting Genuine Marketing Enthusiasts"

52:14 Authentic Marketing through Collaboration

57:10 Entrepreneurial Loneliness and Accountability

01:03:04 Pursuing Side Business Dreams

01:05:31 Pursuing Passion Beyond Stability

Podcast Transcription:

Danielle Burken [00:00:00]:

I do everything through the lens of human design. So for audience members who haven't heard about human design before, it is a tool similar to, let's say, Enneagram, disc assessment, Myers Briggs, those personality type tests. However, this goes a layer deeper because it's based on your birth date and time. And when we apply it to marketing, business becomes so much easier.

James Kademan [00:00:28]:

Oh well, easy business is best. You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. We are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link [email protected] and today we're welcoming preparing to learn from Daniel Burken of Daniel Burken Marketing. So Daniel, how is it going today?

Danielle Burken [00:01:02]:

I'm good, how are you?

James Kademan [00:01:03]:

I am excited because I was poking around your website.

Danielle Burken [00:01:07]:

Yeah.

James Kademan [00:01:07]:

And you do marketing, but it, it goes a little deeper than that.

Danielle Burken [00:01:10]:

It does a lot deeper. I do everything through the lens of human design. So.

James Kademan [00:01:15]:

Okay.

Danielle Burken [00:01:16]:

For audience members who haven't heard about human design before, it is a tool similar to, let's say, Enneagram Disc Assessment, Myers Briggs, those personality typ tests. However, this goes a layer deeper because it's based on your birth date and time. So it's not answering any questions which I feel can sometimes skew your results.

Chris Gantz - Patriot Properties Property Management

On the How the Internet Has Changed the Real Estate Industry: "Now you have the democratization of that MLS book, right? So that value is completely gone for the broker because everybody can see everybody everywhere at all times."

Investing in Real Estate is often a great way to add to your investment portfolio.  There are a few main ways to invest, and one of them is to own property that you pay for someone else to take care of the property.  This includes preparing the place for rent, marketing the property, and finding some sweet people to rent the place.  Chris Gantz of Patriot Properties knows property management and real estate investing. Unlike the usual interviews with investors and agents, Chris brings a boots-on-the-ground perspective, sharing what it’s really like to manage thousands of units across Wisconsin—including multifamily buildings, self-storage, mobile home parks, and short-term rentals.

This is the guy doing the things that the other investors pay people to do.  Chris is the real deal and explains in candid detail what you need to look for when hunting for your property manager.  He also discusses a few things to look for in the rental property you are looking to acquire.

Chris delves into Patriot Properties’ innovative decentralized model, how technology is transforming the industry, and the strategies his team uses to stay ahead of the competition—like same-day showings and rapid application processing. He also explains the challenges and perks of active management, pricing strategies, the ever-evolving rental market, and how landlords can maximize returns in both cash-flow and appreciation-focused markets.

Listen as Chris explains tips for finding off-market deals and managing tenant relationships (including some wild stories!). If you’re thinking about investing in real estate or want to learn what it takes to truly succeed in property management, you won’t want to miss Chris’s thoughtful insights and candid stories from the field.

Enjoy!

Visit Chris at: https://patriot-properties.com/

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 "Instant Self-Showing Rental Advantage"

05:52 Apartment Leasing: Act Fast Strategy

12:36 Operational Success Determines Investment Outcomes

18:07 Madison Real Estate Investment Surge

22:43 "Challenges of First Property Investment"

29:56 Real Estate Market Evolution Gaps

32:30 "AI Transforming Company Operations"

39:51 Balancing Maintenance with Convenience

43:36 Maintenance Included: No Chargebacks Policy

52:08 Strengthening Client Relationships

54:10 "Value Add Strategy Explained"

01:04:09 Unconventional Property Account Management

01:05:49 Client Communication and Strategy Adjustment

Podcast Transcription:

Chris Gantz [00:00:00]:

I would say so. You know the Burr method, right? House hacking, I think that's always a great way. One of the things I've always said is, in my opinion, you know, one of the fastest ways to make money in real estate is to fix and flip. So if you can find the single family home, you're going to live in it, or the duplex, you're going to live in it, fix it up. While you live there, you're putting in all the sweat equity, do as much work as you can. Foreign.

James Kademan [00:00:33]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. We are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link funded drawincustomers.com and today we're welcoming Slash, preparing to learn from Chris Gantz of Patriot Properties. We're going to be talking about property management. So, Kris, how is it going today?

Chris Gantz [00:00:59]:

Good, good. Excited to be here.

James Kademan [00:01:01]:

Yeah, thanks for being on the show. I'm excited here because I've interviewed quite a few people in the real estate...

Peter Shankman - Bestselling Author and the Founder of Help A Reporter Out (HARO)

On the Value of ADHD in Business: "Faster Than Normal has sort of become the bible for ADHD and the concept that ADHD is a gift, not a curse."

The data on entrepreneurs, even C-Suite executives is clear.  We happen to lean towards having ADD or ADHD or some form of attention deficit.  I'd argue it isn't a deficit, it is more short term focus as an advantage, as it allows for thinking fast, moving fast, making faster decisions and overall, accomplishing more.

Peter Shankman, author of Faster Than Normal and founder of HARO (Help a Reporter Out) talks with us today about the limitations of ADHD, as well as the value of owning the diagnosis.

He takes us through his entrepreneurial journey that includes many startups, some exits and a few great books.

Listen as Peter explains all that he has done and how he has been able to do it, despite his label of having ADHD.

Enjoy!

Visit Peter at: https://sourceofsources.com/

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 From AOL to Dot-com PR

04:36 Startup's Fall and Rebirth

07:29 Backlink Spam and Subscriber Cull

11:56 "ADHD as a Gift: Life-Changing Impact"

14:29 Massive Exposure and Bold Stunts

17:32 Chaotic Printer Smashing Event

21:20 Harrow's Origin: Networking Made Easy

23:58 Email Ads: High Open Rate Value

28:47 Tree Insurance Confusion

32:09 Private Equity's Destructive Impact

33:46 "Entrepreneur's Transition Challenges"

38:02 Unexpected Breakfast Encounter

40:17 Harnessing Your Brain's Potential

42:59 "Early Riser: Avoiding Traffic"

Podcast Transcription:

Person [00:00:00]:

And I think that too many companies sort of forget that they initially started to solve a problem. Right. And maybe, look, maybe I'm just, you know, naive, but I kind of feel that if you work on something to solve a problem, you'll have much better success than you would if you work on something just to make money from it. Agreed. Money will come if you're doing it for the right reasons, I think is the best way to put it right. And so if you're doing it for the right reasons, the money will come.

Person [00:00:44]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link funded drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie Calls and Call Extraordinary Answering Service as well as the Bold Business Book. And today we are welcoming Slash, preparing to learn from Peter Shankman. Peter, I got to read this. You got a lot going on. We got six time best selling author, serial entrepreneur and the founder. This is the most important part that I've found at least of help a reporter out also dubbed the world's most authentic marketing expert. So that's not something you get dubbed a lot or every day.

Person [00:01:26]:

So Peter, how's it going today?

Person [00:01:28]:

It's going well. I'd love to know who said that.

Person [00:01:30]:

Yeah, who did say that? I don't know. It was in your bio. So I just figured somebody important did or somebody observant will call him.

Person [00:01:38]:

There you go.

Person [00:01:39]:

Let's. We got a lot of ground to cover and I think we both have a little bit of adhd. So let's roll with it here. Let's start out with the first business you started because it mentioned in your bio that you had sold a couple businesses. Yeah, I don't know how far back you want to go.

Person [00:01:56]:

So first company I started in the late 90s when the mid-90s I started my career with I had one full time job. I worked in America Online and I helped start and launch the AOL newsroom back when AOL was the Internet. The I left AOL in the late 90s and launched a PR firm that focused on the dot com world because dot coms were blowing up at that point with clients rangi...

Molly Hildebrandt - Hildebrandt Consulting LLC

On Learning and Knowing Thyself: "Being able to help people tap into their unique energy source will help them then be able to figure out where do they get energy? What are the energy drains?."

Every professional athlete has a coach.  The great athletes typically have an incredible coach.  With business professionals, it is no different.  But how do you choose a coach?  What will the coach help you with?

Molly Hildebrandt has a lifetime of experience in the business world and experience, first hand, some challenging times.  Challenging enough for her to stop, rethink where she was heading and make a shift.  With this awareness she made moves to build a business to help other professionals.

We all know that entrepreneurship can be stressful, challenging and sometimes make your mind go a little crazy.  This is where a professional like Molly can help.

Listen as Molly explains a simple mental test to help you understand who you are, so you can then determine what you can do best to get into the groove of building your successful empire.

Enjoy!

Visit Molly at: https://www.mollyhildebrandt.com

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Unlocking Personal Energy Sources

06:38 Discovering Your Intrinsic Self

12:39 "Overloaded Mental Load"

19:39 Avoiding Burnout Through Prioritization

26:08 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Struggles

30:25 "Motherhood and Business Expectations"

33:04 "Building Genuine Self-Esteem"

40:52 From Bullying Roots to Leadership

43:35 Choosing Executive Coaching Over Personal Training

52:26 "Handling Criticism and Self-Esteem"

56:10 Empowering Leadership Development Autonomy

59:16 "Parenting: Recognizing Teen Growth Moments"

01:04:39 Mother-Daughter Bonding Through Communication

01:10:32 "Growth Amid Relationship Challenges"

Podcast Transcription:

Molly Hildebrandt [00:00:00]:

Leaders and parents to discover who they are intrinsically, their uniqueness, so they can truly and intentionally lead from who they are, that the whole authentic leadership.

James Kademan [00:00:11]:

Yeah, you know, we love that word authentic.

Molly Hildebrandt [00:00:13]:

We love authentic. So authentic leadership. But then we really start to work through different thought processes and understand how their mind and their brain work so that they can dissolve and get to the root issue of various mental wellness hurts, hurdles and challenges. To really help them start stepping into mental resilience and to be able to hold their thought process regardless of what's going on with the kids or with.

James Kademan [00:00:42]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. We are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link [email protected] and today we are welcoming Slash, preparing to learn from Molly Hildebrandt of Hildebrandt Consulting. Molly, how is it going today?

Molly Hildebrandt [00:01:05]:

Oh, fantastic. Thank you for having me.

James Kademan [00:01:07]:

Thank you for being on the show here. Let's just start out with the basic foundation. What is Hildebrandt Consulting?

Molly Hildebrandt [00:01:13]:

Hildebrandt Consulting is a leadership development company.

James Kademan [00:01:16]:

All right.

Molly Hildebrandt [00:01:16]:

I facilitate leaders and parents to discover who they are intrinsically, their uniqueness, so they can truly and intentionally lead from who they are. That the whole authentic leadership.

James Kademan [00:01:28]:

Yeah, you know, we love that word, authentic leadership.

Molly Hildebrandt [00:01:30]:

We love authentic. So authentic leadership. But then we really start to work through different thought processes and understand how their mind and their brain work so that they can dissolve and get to the r...

James Hatfield - LiveSwitch

On the Sealing the Deal Conveniently: "And now people are selling home services from the comfort of their call center, comfort of their truck."

Sometimes you need to see some things, in order to make sure you can get your client the right stuff.  Most often with contractors that need to give accurate estimates.

Someone needs boots on the ground to measure or just see what they're dealing with.

But what if you could have the client take some live video, showing you the space and what you need to see?  You'd save time, money and get a better connection with your client, working on their schedule.

James Hatfield of LiveSwitch has set up this magic for you and your business.  He explains how the concept came about, how it helps businesses and the challenges that he and his crew had to navigate along the way.

Listen as James explains the value of helping clients help themselves, allowing you to provide better value for your clients.

Enjoy!

Visit James at: https://www.liveswitch.com/

 

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Video Tech Revolutionizes Window Cleaning

03:42 Tech-Driven Business Success Story

07:39 Community Giving and Building

13:08 Global WebRTC Innovator Acquisition

14:54 Situational Awareness Tech Expansion

17:11 Global Live Video Infrastructure Leader

23:07 Seamless Video Recording Anywhere

25:25 Enhanced Call Center Connectivity Solution

29:37 Hypergrowth Challenges and Opportunities

30:26 Risky Marketing Investment Concerns

34:59 Effortless Communication Solution

40:06 AI Enhances Speed and Communication

42:03 Team Pushback on Video Calls

44:52 Enhancing Career Pathways

49:43 Rekindling Success: A 20-Year Partnership

53:03 From Adversity to Entrepreneurial Success

Podcast Transcription:

James Hatfield [00:00:00]:

It's not like a FaceTime call. This is actually the reverse of a FaceTime call, meaning if I'm the homeowner and I receive the text now I'm going to see myself large and the salesperson small. So I get to see and the salesperson will have a virtual background. It's all tuned up to do a virtual estimate. And so now the customer can walk through the home and me or if I'm the salesperson in the call center, hey, I'll record everything. The entire video is recorded. I can take remote photos and tap into your camera, take high res photos, take notes, share my screen if I need to walk you through document, hold up your ID if I need a picture of id. And now people are selling home services from the comfort of their call center, comfort of their truck.

James Hatfield [00:00:42]:

And it's all about speed. To lead.

James Kademan [00:00:50]:

You have found authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link [email protected] we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie Calls on call Extraordinary Answering service as well as the Bold Business book. And today we are welcoming slash, preparing to learn from James Hetfield of Live Switch. We're going to talk about essentially mobile video for for service businesses. Is that right, James?

James Hatfield [00:01:22]:

That's right. I'll take you on adventure from me being on a ladder through technology and nonprofits.

James Kademan [00:01:27]:

Nice. I'm excited because when your crew reached out to me, we actually could have used a service like this during pandemic times. Way back in those days, right. For a hot minute I was working with a guy that was putting together remote window replacement company for your house and getting people to understand how to count their windows. People aren't window experts. This would have really helped so that they could just take a walk with video and the agents on our end could see what they were looking at. So why don't we start with what is the foundation?

Luis Derechin - Nir-Yu (Pronounced 'Near You')

On the Building Upon Your Success: "Any successful company is in the continuous improvement process. We identified what we call the Offshore Team Death Trap—seven systemic failures—and built our process to counteract them."

Hiring locally can be expensive and you need to pay for a space for that employee to work.  Hire remotely and your costs should go down, but your volume and value of work may suffer, dependent on your employees.  Hire overseas and you end up with vaguely incoherent contractors that do less work than a domestic employee, if you count you saying, "Please repeat that..." about a zillion times.  The answer for some businesses may be Nearshoring.  Hiring contractors that have lived in an English speaking world, but also in a world that allows a dollar to go three or four times as far.

Luis Derechin of Nir-Yu has created a company to help you do just that.  Hire, train and utilize a workforce that speaks well and has strong skills at a cost that is a fraction of a domestic employee.

Luis dives deep into the world of remote staffing and the art of building international teams. From early candy-selling hustle as a child in Mexico, to founding Mexico’s first tech startup to be venture funded by U.S. investors, Luis shares his lifelong journey as an entrepreneur—and reveals the key challenges businesses face when hiring remote employees in Latin America.

You’ll hear firsthand the pitfalls of remote talent acquisition, the importance of cultural alignment, and how Nir-Yu’s “Remote Intelligence Framework” solves issues like the “Offshore Team Death Trap.” James and Luis also get candid about managing teams, navigating language barriers, and why a win-win relationship is essential for international staffing success. Whether you’re battling talent shortages, feeling the pinch of rising labor costs, or just curious about building remote teams, this conversation is packed with insight, practical stories, and a bit of entrepreneurial humor.

Listen as Luis explains the pros and cons of utilizing a nearshore team and how it may help your business.

Enjoy!

Visit Luis at: https://www.nir-yu.com/

 

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 From Candy Seller to Tech Entrepreneur

06:50 Simplifying Data Integration Processes

14:34 Custom Job Matching & Vetting

16:53 Remote Hiring Over Project-Based Work

23:55 Cultural Challenges in Remote Work

28:16 Transparent Hiring and Fee Strategy

37:18 Health Insurance Cost Disparity

42:44 Infrastructure Differences in Latin America

48:10 "Importance of Hiring a Tech Lead"

53:02 Company Rehires After Layoffs

57:22 DNA Genome Mapping Challenges

01:02:02 Differences Between US and Europe

01:07:48 Offshore Team Success Guide

Podcast Transcription:

Luis Derechin [00:00:00]:

I would buy Mexican candy and take it over to the US and then sell them to my schoolmates. So that was my first taste of entrepreneurship. Until the principal shut it down. Because no one had lunch money.

James Kademan [00:00:18]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at drawincustomers.com we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie Calls On Call Extraordinary Answering Service as well as the Bold Business Book. And today we're welcoming preparing to learn from Lewis of near you and Louis. We're talking staffing today. So let's just start with there. What is near your?

Luis Derechin [00:00:49]:

Thank you, James. First of all, allow me to thank you for having me on. It's a privilege and an honor.

James Kademan [00:00:57]:

Yeah, happy to have you.

Luis Derechin [00:00:59]:

Thanks. Very excited to talk to small and mid market companies about staffing because what we do is basically hire staff to work remotely for US companies from...

Mei Yung - Ageless Zen Skincare

On the Value of Safe Skincare: "It's not about so much about vanity, but having healthy skin."

Maintenance free is what we all seem to want.  But with some things, we don't get that option.  Our skin, that we do not get a second chance with, is one of those things we need to maintain in order to keep healthy.

Mei Yung Lee, the founder and CEO of Ageless Zen, a skincare company built on a mission of authenticity, transparency, and giving back. Mei shares her personal journey from investor and philanthropist to entrepreneur, inspired by her search for truly natural skincare solutions and her father's legacy as an herbal doctor in Hong Kong. Together, James and Mei dive deep into the world of skincare ingredients, industry regulations, and why many products on the market don’t meet the standards consumers deserve.

Mei details how Ageless Zen’s products are created with scientific rigor, natural ingredients, and minimal preservatives, emphasizing safety and efficacy while supporting non-profit initiatives like funding schools and cancer research. She pulls back the curtain on the challenges of sourcing rare ingredients, the complexities of creating shelf-stable, effective creams without harmful chemicals, and the thought behind her innovative, eco-friendly product packaging.

Listen as Mei details how she started her skincare company and what she has learned throughout the process.

Enjoy!

Visit Mei at: https://agelesszen.com/

 

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Ageless Zen Skincare Startup

03:49 Journey to Natural Medicine Business

07:15 Creating a Pearl-Based Facial Cleanser

10:34 Expertise in Natural Ingredient Synergy

16:08 Natural Skincare Consciousness

18:44 "Natural Oil Soap Development Insight"

22:03 Consumer Empowerment Through Information

25:23 Seaberry's Unique Natural Benefits

28:04 "Balanced Topical Skincare Dosing"

31:35 Eco-Friendly Skincare Packaging

36:35 Night Cream with Peptide Matrix

38:28 Day vs. Night Creams Explained

41:36 Airtight, Eco-Friendly Bottle Design

45:45 "Exploring Natural Plant Benefits"

50:03 Nonprofit Empowerment & Fundraising Initiative

53:47 Focusing on Anti-Aging Skin Health

55:40 "Product Purchase and Community Support"

Podcast Transcription:

Mei Yung [00:00:00]:

Well, interesting. That's a very interesting question you asked. And I think your listeners should also understand it too. FDA in America actually does not, you know, approve any product. They have a set of guidelines and they assume people will follow that guideline. And you build your product in the facility that is approved by the FDA and they can check the facility, all of that to make sure, you know, that everything is up to that particular standard. But mostly it's up to a skincare company to uphold it. And like, for example, I can tell you currently US company, you know, have about three or four hundred ingredients they're not allowed to use because they're toxic.

Mei Yung [00:00:48]:

They're highly sensitive like you said. But in Canada there's over a thousand or fifteen hundred that matter. Depends on where you look at.

James Kademan [00:01:05]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link funded drawincustomers.com we are locally interwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie Calls on Call Extraordinary answering service as well as the Bold Business book. And today we're welcoming preparing to learn from Mei Young Lee, the founder and CEO of Ageless Zen. So May, how are you doing today?

Mei Yung [00:01:36]:

I am doing great in this beautiful Lake Tahoe.

James Kademan [00:01:41]:

Yeah, that's excellent. Glad to hear it. Thanks for being on the show. Why don't you start with the foundation? What is Ageless Zen?

Mei Yung [00:01:49]:

Well,

Dustin Heiner - Master Passive Income

On the Game of Entrepreneurship: "I love building businesses. One of my favorite things, like it's a game. So I just keep trying to do better at that game."

Passive income seems to be one of the most underrated ways to fulfill your dreams.  Maybe that seems like a stretch, but it has been proven again and again.

There are a few tricks to mastering passive income: 1) Realize it takes time- it is a get rich slow game, 2) Many others have done it and many of them share how they did it, and 3) Just about anyone can do this.

Dustin Heiner joins us for the second time to discuss how he has created his passive income dynasty and how he shares his wisdom with other investors.  The hardest part about anything, investing included, is just getting started.  Dustin explains how he shifted his mindset to get out of the job world and move into the, ironically, more stable real estate investment world.

Listen as Dustin explains the steps for starting your passive income journey, how to start small and build upon your success.  The goal is that one day in the future, think 10ish years, you will not have to work.  You'll still want to, for the love of the game.

Enjoy!

Visit Dustin at: https://masterpassiveincome.com/

 

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Traditional Career Path Critique

05:08 Awaiting News: Anxiety in Office

12:20 Avoid Property Management Pitfalls

18:26 "Understanding Financial Independence How-Tos"

22:23 "Slow Hiring, Fast Firing Strategy"

27:01 Understanding Property Financing Options

33:58 "1% Rent Rule for Purchases"

41:40 Real Estate Tax Strategy Insights

47:13 Real Estate: Unlocking Business Benefits

48:30 Out-of-State Real Estate Investing

56:54 "Free Real Estate Investment Course"

58:58 "Debt-Free Investing Foundations"

01:04:49 Supporting Others' Success

Podcast Transcription:

Dustin Heiner [00:00:00]:

I get a call from the boss's bosses, boss's secretary, like top dog. And she says, Dustin, would you please come in the office? And I paused for a second. Sure. I hung up the phone. I said to myself, why are they calling me the office? Like this isn't normal. If I get laid off, does that make me a failure as a father? The last time I walked to my car, I felt like I was walking on clouds because I knew I would never ever need a job again. If you build the business first, then you have the experts that are doing it as opposed to you hoping that you're doing it right. Especially if you're investing out of state.

Dustin Heiner [00:00:27]:

Anybody that you hear, let's say Instagram or TikTok, the people that have been around since 2020, 2022, they started, oh, I bought three properties and I'm a millionaire, blah blah blah. I've now taught my 16 year old daughter to buy her first property. So she bought her first property three months ago. It's an active loss for you, so you can depreciate. $100,000 is what I did. Everything around real estate, I figure, well, shoot, what else can we do? Well, people need homeowners insurance, maybe I might go down that route. Do you mind if I just give everybody my course for free?

James Kademan [00:00:54]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at https://drawincustomers.com. We are locally underwritten by the Bank of Sun Prairie Calls On Call Extraordinary Answering Service as well as the Bold Business Book. And today we are welcoming slash preparing to learn from Dustin Heiner, the founder of Master Passive Income. And today with Dustin, we're talking two of my favorite subject, business and money. So Dustin, how is it going today?

Dustin Heiner [00:01:29]:

James, I'm blessed man. Thank you so much for having me on the show. Yeah, it's great business and money. I find it's almost a game.

Lisa Grulke and Cat Munson - Animal Center for Emergency and Specialty (ACES)

On the Reality of Working in Veterinary Medicine: "You're gonna have to talk with the family that can't necessarily afford to take care of their animal all the time. You're gonna have to lift a 80 pound dog. There's just certain things where we can make your life easier and better financially, but there's certain things that are just part of the job."

The veterinary field is a challenging one.  For those that are working in the field, you need to work with animals that cannot necessarily tell you what hurts.  On the same side, they are communicating with the variety of pet owners.  Another significant issue comes down to the money.  Many people have left the veterinary profession for other, arguably easier, jobs for similar pay.

The veterinary field is a business that requires the love of pets to be accepted as part of the reason you are in the field.

Add onto the issue of growing demand as populations climb and pet ownership grows along with it and the declining or typically static existence of veterinary care facilities makes the business of veterinary medicine interesting, to say the least.

Lisa Grulke and Cat Munson saw the need, and decided to build from scratch a veterinary practice of their own, the Animal Center for Emergency and Specialty (ACES) in Madison, Wisconsin.  They went full in with a new building, new equipment and processes for everything gained through their individual veterinary paths.

Listen as Lisa and Cat explain how they got to be the admirable veterinary entrepreneurs they are and how they came to make the decisions they did.  The process was seemingly clinical in execution and the result has been nothing shy of amazing.

Enjoy!

Visit Lisa and Cat at: https://acesvetmed.com/

 

 

Podcast Overview:

00:00 Following My Husband's Career Path

06:02 Career-Specific Tracking Schools

08:36 Farm Production Challenges

11:37 Wildlife Conservation Career Challenges

14:48 Veterinary Staff Shortages Escalate

17:31 "Valuing Licensed Technicians' Worth"

20:59 Building Trust Through Relief Work

24:34 Evening Urgent Care Focus

26:34 Demographic Survey for Market Analysis

29:26 Collaborative Emergency Care During Pandemic

33:33 Chemotherapy Misunderstanding Explained

37:14 Optimizing Veterinary Clinic Layout

39:22 Building Transformation Insight

45:24 Networking Through University Program

46:07 Overconfident Small Business Owners

50:46 Relying on Unreliable Fax Machines

55:25 Office Troubleshooting & Cloud Solutions

Podcast Transcription:

Speaker [00:00:00]:

I got into an argument with one of my friends on the playground and said, screw this. I'm not working with people because people are awful. And so then I was like, well, I'm gonna work with animals instead. And I stuck with it.

Speaker [00:00:12]:

You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link [email protected] we are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie, and today we're welcoming, preparing to learn from Cat and Lisa of ACEs Veterinary. So, Cat and Lisa, how is it going today?

Speaker [00:00:37]:

Good.

Speaker [00:00:37]:

Pretty good. A little bit tired, but we're good.

Speaker [00:00:40]:

We're here.

Speaker [00:00:41]:

Let's start out with foundation. Tell us what ACEs is.

Speaker [00:00:44]:

So ACEs, or Animal Center for Emergency and Specialty, is a brand new after hours urgent care in the Madison area. We also have oncology during the week. But our primary focus and where it was born from was extending the reach and availability of care for sick or injured pets.

Speaker [00:01:03]:

All right, does ACEs stand for something? It's an acronym, right?

Speaker [00:01:07]:

Yep, yep, yep. All right,