Your first marketing hire can make or break your brand’s future.

The newest episode of Building Up Your Business is now live, and it’s one every founder needs to hear.

I sat down with Fractional CMO Vanessa Ting to unpack how to build your marketing function before you can afford one. We talked about how to choose your first marketing hire, when to bring them on, and why understanding your customer isn’t just a task—it’s your most valuable strategy.

Vanessa shares real-world advice for founders who want to grow with purpose, stay profitable, and build a brand that connects deeply with the people it serves.

🎧 Tune in now to the latest episode of Building Up Your Business with Vanessa Ting, available on all major podcast platforms.

#BuildingUpYourBusiness #MarketingStrategy #StartupGrowth #FractionalCMO #BrandBuilding #Leadership #CustomerInsight #ConsumerGoods #Ecommerce

Have questions? Ask Vanessa.

http://www.cpggrowth.com

To PEO or Not to PEO with Jeff KrumholzPEOs (Professional Employer Organizations) can be powerful tools for scaling companies — but they’re also one of the most misunderstood.In this episode of Building Up Your Business, I sit down with Jeff Krumholz, U.S. Navy veteran and HR/payroll expert, to unpack everything leaders should know about PEOs — what they do, when they make sense, and how to evaluate the right fit for your business.💡 We cover:What a PEO really is (and what it’s not)How co-employment works without losing controlThe key financial metrics to evaluate before you signWhy not all PEOs are created equal — and how to find the right partner for your stage of growthWhether you’re a startup founder, HR leader, or scaling CEO, this episode gives you the clarity to make smarter decisions about HR, benefits, and compliance — and avoid some costly mistakes along the way.🎧 Listen now.Have more questions? Ask Jeff.https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkrumholz/

The hardest part of scaling your business isn’t strategy — it’s evolution.

In this week’s episode of Building Up Your Business, I sit down with Tanjina Shapiro, a powerhouse Drop-In COO who helps founders grow without burning out their people or losing customer trust.

We unpack the real journey of scaling — from Seed → Scale → Sustain — and what it takes to evolve as both a leader and a company.
💡 When to shift from doing to leading
💡 How to move from control → trust
💡 Why the “right people in the right seats” can make or break your next stage of growth
💡 And Tanjina’s CARE Framework — Clarity, Alignment, Rhythm, and Energy — for leading through change

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your business (and your team) thriving as you grow, this conversation will hit home.

🎧 Listen now.
#Leadership #ScalingUp #FounderJourney #Delegation #OperationsLeadership #FractionalCOO #BuildingUpYourBusiness

Tanjina Shapiro

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanjinashapiro/

The future of workforce management is here and it’s powered by AI.

AI isn’t just a buzzword, it’s reshaping how we recruit, manage, and grow our teams. In this week’s episode of Building Up Your Business, I sit down with Melissa Knoblock from Job&Talent to dive into how AI is transforming workforce management.

We cover:

✅ Clara, the AI calling agent making 3,500 calls per minute

✅ How AI-powered insights give leaders smarter decision-making tools

✅ Why streamlining feedback drives engagement and retention

✅ The balance between tech efficiency and the human touch

If you’re curious about the real impact of AI in recruiting and workforce management, this conversation is a must-listen.

🎧 Tune in now, links below.

Melissa Knoblock

https://www.linkedin.com/in/knoblock/

Founders, raising money isn’t as glamorous as it looks, it’s a legal and financial minefield.

That’s why I brought in Leslee Cohen, Managing Partner at All Rise Legal Counsel, for the newest episode of Building Up Your Business and it’s live now!

We dig into the realities of early-stage fundraising, including: ⚖️ Why investors won’t touch you without the right legal structure.

🚩 The biggest red flag on your cap table (and how to avoid it).

💡 The hard truth: investors care more about profit than your product.

📊 Why your pitch deck is your sales piece but disclosures are your insurance policy.

If you’re planning a raise, this episode will give you the roadmap to protect your business, your equity, and your sanity.

Listen now!

Chat directly with Leslee if you have questions.

https://calendly.com/lesleecohenallriselawyers/30-minute-meeting

Drowning in data—but starving for insight?

The newest episode of Building Up Your Business is officially live!

I sat down with Tony Carnesi, CEO of Carnegie Consulting, to talk about how leaders can stop wading through endless pages of reports and start using clear, one-page dashboards that actually drive decisions.

Inside this episode:
Why every C-suite member needs tailored reporting
How to simplify financial data without losing accuracy
Why practices like cycle counting are the secret to trustworthy numbers

If you’re ready for reports that work for you (not against you), this episode is a must-listen.

Tune in now and start building with good numbers.

#BuildingUpYourBusiness #Leadership #FinancialReporting #CFO #CSuite #DataDriven

Talk to Tony more:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycarnesi1/

What happens when you combine the clarity of Business Intelligence (BI) with the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
You get smarter leaders and better decisions.

In the latest episode of Building Up Your Business, I sit down with Peter O’Sullivan, CEO of Highbeam, to talk about how companies can:
✔️ Organize their data so it’s AI-ready
✔️ Use BI tools to transform overwhelming reports into real insights
✔️ Avoid overspending on ads by connecting marketing + financial data
✔️ Treat AI like a “14-year-old Einstein”—brilliant, but still learning

If you’ve been wondering how to actually put AI to work in your business (beyond the hype), this conversation is for you.

Talk to Peter more:https://www.highbeamanalytics.com/

Ever wonder why some customers buy—and others disappear?

The latest episode of Building Up Your Business is LIVE, and we’re diving deep into the real reason behind customer decisions (hint: it’s not just logic).

I’m joined by Keith Finger, Chief Revenue Strategist at Revenue Insight, to break down the full customer journey — from first awareness to long-term advocacy — and how understanding it can unlock serious growth.

Whether you're B2B or B2C, you'll walk away with insights on:
✅ Mapping the full customer journey
✅ Identifying emotional drivers that impact buying
✅ Reducing friction across the sales cycle
✅ Gathering feedback from both buyers and those who walked away

🎙️ This episode is packed with practical strategies you can use today.
Talk to Keith! www.GetRevenueInsights.com

#CustomerJourney #SalesStrategy #B2BMarketing #CustomerExperience #BuildingUpYourBusiness #PodcastLive #EcommerceGrowth

What do VR gaming, AI research, and family legacy memoirs have in common?

✨ Carrie Purcell. ✨

In our next episode of Building Up Your Business, I sit down with Carrie—a multi-time founder, award-winning innovator, and doctoral researcher in AI—to talk about how her eclectic background is shaping what comes next.

She’s:
Co-founded an award-winning VR gaming company (before the word “metaverse” went mainstream)
Led groundbreaking work in immersive tech and AI
Been named one of Toronto’s Top 50 Female Leaders
And now? She’s preserving legacies through audio storytelling with her newest venture, AudioLife Memoirs

We talk about what it means to evolve, to build something personal, and to align your next chapter with everything you’ve already learned.

If you’re someone who’s juggling past experience with future vision—this episode is for you.

https://audiolife.io/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-purcell-/

#CarriePurcell #FounderJourney #AI #ImmersiveTech #Entrepreneurship #PodcastPreview #BuildingUpYourBusiness #Innovation #Storytelling #AudioLifeMemoirs

Sick of flaky freelancers?The fix is here, our latest episode is LIVE!I sat down with Paris Bland, founder of Digital Executive, to talk about how to actually hire high-performing remote talent, especially from South America’s creative powerhouse.💡 Why screening calls matter 💡 Where to find world-class designers + marketers 💡 How to build a hiring process that worksIf you're scaling your team, you need this episode.#PodcastLive #SmartHiring #RemoteWork #CreativeTeams #BuildingUpYourBusiness #DigitalExecutive #SouthAmericaTalentConnect with Paris to discuss [email protected]/