Everyone’s journey to entrepreneurship starts somewhere. How did yours beginning or how will it begin? Your starting point will be as unique and individual as you are; however, it will be the catalyst for an amazing journey. It may even be the inspiration someone else needs to launch their own entrepreneurial journey.

In our latest installment of “This Is Their Story”, our guest began her entrepreneurial journey as a homeless, expecting mother living out of the back of her car. Challenged by an amazing woman to set four goals, Christine McKay decided one of her goals was to graduate from Harvard. When she shared that goal with others, they just laughed.

That experience along with having little money, dealing with a bad marriage taught Christine that she needed to “renegotiate” her life. This began with putting herself through college as a single mother, and lead to her starting a successful career in corporate America as a negotiator. Not to mention graduating from Harvard with her MBA.

Fast forward to today…Christine McKay is now the founder of Venn Negotiation, which she launched during the COVID pandemic. Christine is also an author and pod caster.

Christine’s story is inspiring and demonstrates how preserving through life’s obstacles is a recipe for success. Listen in as she shares her story and some amazing advice gained along her journey that is sure to help you navigate through or even “renegotiate” your entrepreneurial path.

Here is more about Christine:

Business Negotiation Strategist, Christine McKay, author of “Why Not Ask? A Conversation About Getting More,” has worked on behalf of numerous small and mid-sized companies and negotiated with many of the Fortune 500.

Christine launched Venn Negotiation to find common ground, level the playing field, and resolve complex issues for her clients. With over 25 years of experience, both international and domestic, Christine improves profitability and operational effectiveness through strategic contract integration.

Check out more about Christine and Venn Negotiations at:

Website: http://www.vennnegotiation.com (www.vennnegotiation.com)

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/venn-negotiation/ (www.linkedin.com/company/venn-negotiation/)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VennNegotiation/ (www.facebook.com/VennNegotiation/)

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vennnegotiation/ (www.instagram.com/vennnegotiation/)

The Venn Zone podcast: https://venn.zone/ (https://venn.zone/)

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Your Idea Could Be the Next Successful BusinessYou have a great idea that could lead to more financial freedom, wealth, and happiness in your life.

You don’t need a degree in business to be a successful entrepreneur. You don’t need to know everything to get started. You need your idea, a basic road map, and a bit of education to start the ball rolling to achieve the financial and personal goals you have always wanted for yourself and family.

Your education can start for free by going to http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com). As you invest time into this free training, you will gain the knowledge and enthusiasm you need to start your own business because you will now have a road map showing you the exact steps you need to follow to take your business from an idea to realty. Get started today at http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION? Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

Your business needs a strong relationship with a bank to help you navigate and process the inflows and outflows of the cash running through your business everyday.

Today we are joined by Caleb Dimick, Senior Vice President of Retail and Commercial Banking for the Bank of Idaho to discuss various aspects of business banking. Caleb shares his knowledge and experience gained from over 12 years in the banking industry so you can better navigate the vast (and sometimes unknown) waters of business banking.

You will gain insight into the basic topics of:

Why a business account should be used

What information you need to setup your business account

Your knowledge of business banking products will be expanded and you will learn how to better work with a banker, as Caleb discusses:

Various business banking products that are available

What a merchant account is and why you might need one

What information to share with your banker and what a banker should be doing to support your business

Finally, you will learn the basics of business lending options, as Caleb highlights:

What commercial lending options are available

Things to consider when choosing a bank for your lending needs

What is needed to qualify for lending, including the 5 C's of credit

What a personal guarantee is and why banks may require it

With the information and perspective Caleb shares, you will be ready to tackle and discuss any of the banking needs your business may need.

You can find out more about the Bank of Idaho at: https://www.bankofidaho.com/ (https://www.bankofidaho.com/)

Need help from Caleb? You can reach him at 208-716-3829

Here is more about Caleb:

Caleb Dimick joined the Bank of Idaho in December, 2015 as the Commercial Banking Manager at the Downtown Capital branch and now works as a member of the executive management team as the Senior Vice President of Retail and Commercial Banking. Caleb works directly with Jeff Newgard, CEO, in driving the loan, deposit and income growth for the Bank of Idaho. He most recently came from Wells Fargo in Idaho Falls where he spent 3 years managing business relationships and lending for Eastern Idaho Businesses and professionals. Prior to Wells Fargo, Caleb worked as a Commercial Loan Officer for D.L. Evans Bank in Idaho Falls since 2008.

Caleb is a graduate of Idaho State University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. He also studied at BYU in Provo, UT for almost 4 years before moving back to Idaho. He enjoys participating in the community and has been actively involved as a Board Member with the Development Company in Rexburg, past chairman of East Idaho Falls Rotary Club and served as Treasurer of the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce. Caleb enjoys golfing, snowboarding, gardening and boating with his family. He resides in Shelley, Idaho with his wife, two daughters and one son.

Your Idea Could Be the Next Successful BusinessYou have a great idea that could lead to more financial freedom, wealth, and happiness in your life.

You don’t need a degree in business to be a successful entrepreneur. You don’t need to know everything to get started. You need your idea, a basic road map, and a bit of education to start the ball rolling to achieve the financial and personal goals you have always wanted for yourself and family.

Your education can start for free by going to http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com). As you invest time into this free training, you will gain the knowledge and enthusiasm you need to start your own business because you will now have a road map showing you the exact steps you need to follow to take your business from an idea to realty. Get started today at http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION? Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

The other day we shared some business best practices on our social media pages, including:

Keep detailed accurate records

Find the right professionals to team with – delegate

Create habits that set you up for success

In this episode, Dannielle discusses why keeping detailed and accurate records is important aspect of successful business operations.

We get it...this is not the fun ("sexy") part of doing business. However, this is a critical component of running a successful business, for the following reasons:

Enables you to monitor the progress of your business as you strive to reach your goals

Provides important data and insights to optimize your marketing efforts

Acts as a resource for new strategies

Helps you manage/monitor your accounts, interest, tax and operating costs

Shows you cash on hand as well as working capital

Monitors company growth rate and profit.

Shows how your business performs against your competitors

Show about hidden and unexpected costs

Protects you legally/financially in the case of disputes or audits

Legal disputes are often won by the party that has the most proving evidence

Helps you maintain positive customer and vendor relationships

When an audit comes up you are covered knowing that everything is accounted for and in its place

Allows the accurate preparation of your business financial statements and tax returns

The end goal is to have accurate financials that can be prepared often or ad-hoc

Quarterly strategy sessions

Bank loans

Mergers and acquisitions

Staff decisions

No one likes the shoe box accounting

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT

Website: http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acent101/ (https://www.instagram.com/acent101/)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aCent101 (https://www.facebook.com/aCent101)

**

Many business ideas never come to fruition. Why? FEAR!!!

Our personal and professional experience has taught us that many budding entrepreneurs never take the leap into entrepreneurship because of fear. Fear of failure! Fear of the unknown! Fear of not knowing how to start!

This fear holds them back from creating the wealth and lifestyle they have always wanted.

We want to replace that fear with knowledge and confidence by helping you take the first step on your entrepreneurial journey. Go to http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com) to grab our free training on how to create and use a business plan. As you invest time into this free training, you will replace fear with the knowledge and enthusiasm because you will now have a road map showing you the exact steps you need to follow to take your business from an idea to realty. Get started today at http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com)

We are thrilled to bring yet another segment of “This is Their Story”. Today, we are joined by the Joe Mikaele Ah-Kuoi, founder of Strive Lane. As with all our “This is Their Story” guests, Joe has a unique story of what lead him to become an entrepreneur. Joe’s journey began at a young age with his parents teaching him personal development and leadership. Years later as a schoolteacher, Joe realized there was a lack of leadership development being taught in the education system. Joe watched as youth were thrust into leadership roles without understanding where to begin or how to lead.

Seeing this “gap”, Joe began developing a framework to teach leadership fundamentals and good character to youth, which is how Strive Lane all began. Joe explains why he was willing to leave his full time career as a teacher to pursue the path of entrepreneurship.

Learn why leaders are not born but are developed and why all leadership begins with self-leadership.

Need help developing your support group?

Want a boost to push you out of your comfort?

Listen to the amazing advice Joe shares about these two important topics.

Learn more about Strive Lane

Web: https://www.strivelane.com/ (https://www.strivelane.com/)

Facebook: @Strive Lane – Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders

Instagram: @strivelane

Find Joe on LinkedIn at Joe Mikaele Ah-Kuoi Jr

**

Many business ideas never come to fruition. Why? FEAR!!!

Our personal and professional experience has taught us that many budding entrepreneurs never take the leap into entrepreneurship because of fear. Fear of failure! Fear of the unknown! Fear of not knowing how to start!

This fear holds them back from creating the wealth and lifestyle they have always wanted.

We want to replace that fear with knowledge and confidence by helping you take the first step on your entrepreneurial journey. Go to http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com) to grab our free training on how to create and use a business plan. As you invest time into this free training, you will replace fear with the knowledge and enthusiasm because you will now have a road map showing you the exact steps you need to follow to take your business from an idea to realty. Get started today at http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

Stuck in the weeds? Feeling overwhelmed with all you must do as a business owner? YES!!! Well, this episode is for you.

Today we are joined by Simon Severino, CEO and founder of Strategy Sprints, to discuss some practical ways to help you get out of the weeds. Simon discusses the “Sprint Philosophy” he uses with clients to help them find the key items in their business they need to focus on so they can improve their business and increase their profits.

Simon shares the importance of focusing on daily, weekly, and monthly habits to help identify time wasters and focus on your numbers to ensure your strategy is producing the best results. He also discusses the importance of transitioning from a business operator to a business owner by learning to delegate.

We all know about the concept of ROI (return on investment). But what about the concept of ROL or return on luck? Well, Simon shares why certain businesses appear to be luckier than others and how we can improve our own ROL.

Simon’s insights are powerful and will help you improve success in your business.

Here is a little bit more about Simon:

Simon Severino helps business owners in SaaS and services discover how to be able to run their company more efficiently which results in sales that soar. He created the Strategy Sprints® Method that doubles revenue in 90 days by getting owners out of the weeds. Strategy Sprints is a global team of certified Strategy Sprints® Coaches which offers a customized strategy to help clients gain market share and work in weekly sprints which results in fast execution. He is also a Forbes Business Council Member, a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine, and a member of Duke Corporate Education.

To learn more about Simon and Strategy Sprints go to http://www.strategysprints.com (www.strategysprints.com)

Don’t forget to join Simon’s private Facebook group “Entrepreneurship in Sprints” by going to https://www.facebook.com/groups/entrepreneurshipinsprints (https://www.facebook.com/groups/entrepreneurshipinsprints)

Be sure to mention our podcast as how you heard about the group.

Also, be sure to check out his podcast “Strategy Sprints”.

**

Many business ideas never come to fruition. Why? FEAR!!!

Our personal and professional experience has taught us that many budding entrepreneurs never take the leap into entrepreneurship because of fear. Fear of failure! Fear of the unknown! Fear of not knowing how to start!

This fear holds them back from creating the wealth and lifestyle they have always wanted.

We want to replace that fear with knowledge and confidence by helping you take the first step on your entrepreneurial journey. Go to http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com) to grab our free training on how to create and use a business plan. As your invest time into this free training, you will replace fear with the knowledge and enthusiasm because you will now have a road map showing you the exact steps you need to follow to take your business from an idea to realty. Get started today at http://www.startupempowered.com (www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

In this episode, we are joined by the founder of Ops Authority, Natalie Gingrich, to discuss the concept of being adaptable in your entrepreneurial journey. Natalie shares how she was adaptable during her journey of leaving a six-figure corporate career to pursue the road of entrepreneurship.

Natalie discusses the three phases of business from building, to growing, and then scaling; and how entrepreneurs need to adapt their roles at each phase. Marketing and operations are critical parts of each business and Natalie shares how must individuals have a strength in one area; thus, they need to surround themselves with people who are strong in the area they are weakest. This is not all…she discusses the four layers of business found in a successful business, plus so much more.

Natalie’s insights are thought provoking and will help you flex your adaptability muscle to be more successful.

Natalie’s Bio:

Natalie Gingrich is the founder of The Ops Authority, where she certifies and mentors women who leverage their natural skill set of operations and administration. She's driven to help women earn an income with ease while doing what comes most naturally to them.

She spent 15 years in corporate operations and leadership. Her entire professional life has been built around human resources, project management, process development, and people leadership. Natalie ended her corporate career as the Chief of Staff for a Fortune 150 CEO. With legacy being her driver and her kids getting older, Natalie left corporate America in search of balance. She matched her drive, leadership, and operational skills to create her own business.

In her first 3 years of business, Natalie scaled dozens of online and small businesses to 7 and 8 figures, worked alongside industry icons, and developed diverse teams. She merged her corporate career with her entrepreneurial learnings to create the Director of Operations Certification Program, the only strategic operations certification for leaders.

She continuously pours into operations experts on her weekly podcast, The Ops Authority.

To learn more about Natalie and Ops Authority go to http://www.directorofops.com (www.directorofops.com)

Also be sure to check out her podcast “The Ops Authority”

**

Ready to follow your passion to a six-figure income?

Then start your business out on the right foundation by grabbing our free training on how to create and use a business plan. Entrepreneurs who take time to formulate a plan and then leverage their plan are more likely to scale faster and achieve success sooner than those who don’t. Save time, save money, and propel yourself to success with our free training. To learn more, check out:

https://www.startupempowered.com (https://www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

In this segment of “This is Their Story”, we are joined by Kay Louis the founder of Touch of Soi LLC. Kay began her entrepreneurial journey as a Message Therapist 9 years ago. Motivated by a desire to create a way for individuals, especially women, to enjoy and actively practice self-love, Kay began looking for ways to provide a tangible product to her clients. At the age of 22 she began Touch of Soi LLC, after doing her research, developing and testing her products, and taking the leap even though she had fears and did not have everything completely figured out.

In her own words Kay states, “I design different types of products which intentionally serve a purpose of encouraging Self-Love in an everyday routine. I understood that everyone’s journey is unique, which means that Self-Love is interpreted differently. This is why the products that I create are designed with a luxuriously modern aesthetic to keep the use of the products on the journey simple and user friendly for most individuals.”

Kay’s journey is unique; however, the advice and experiences she shares are very relatable…from using a support system, overcoming the obstacle of self-doubt, being “open to failure”, and so much more. Kay’s passion and authenticity will motivate you to keep moving forward in your entrepreneurial journey.

To learn more about Kay and Touch of Soi, LLC check out:

Website: http://www.touchofsoi.com (www.touchofsoi.com)

Instagram: @touchofsoillc

Facebook: Touch of Soi LLC

**

Ready to follow your passion to a six-figure income?

Then start your business out on the right foundation by grabbing our free training on how to create and use a business plan. Entrepreneurs who take time to formulate a plan and then leverage their plan are more likely to scale faster and achieve success sooner than those who don’t. Save time, save money, and propel yourself to success with our free training. To learn more, check out:

https://www.startupempowered.com (https://www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

Having a support system is critical as an entrepreneur. We cannot stress this point enough! The entrepreneurial path can be long and lonely at times so having support from family, friends, coaches, and others is vital.

Also important is understanding what is it like to be the person providing that support. What support should you provide? What support should your entrepreneurial family member or friend require of you?

In this episode, we are joined by co-host Darin and his wife, Megan, to discuss these challenging questions and so much more. Megan shares her insights on and perspective of Darin’s entrepreneurial journey. In addition, they both discuss the emotional stresses they each faced and how they addressed it so each of them felt supported along the way.

This episode is for you if you are wanting support from a family member or friend or if you are the family member or friend needing to support an entrepreneur. You will hear both sides of the story. Entrepreneurs will gain new insight on what to expect from their family/friend support, while family members and friends will learn tips on how to provide the best support possible.

Ready to follow your passion to a six-figure income?

Then start your business out on the right foundation by grabbing our free training on how to create and use a business plan. Entrepreneurs who take time to formulate a plan and then leverage their plan are more likely to scale faster and achieve success sooner than those who don’t. Save time, save money, and propel yourself to success with our free training. To learn more, check out:

https://www.startupempowered.com (https://www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT AT http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

In this segment of “This is Their Story”, we are joined by Brooke Allison who is a multiple six figure Mind Shift Expert and Achievement Strategist. Brooke helps ambitious entrepreneurs scale to 6 figures, five figure months, and a quarter of a million dollars by creating a business and a mindset that is fiercely unstoppable!

Brooke is the epitome of unstoppable! She believes that no matter what life throws at you, obstacles that come up, your circumstances do not dictate your future and your power! After going through an abusive relationship, food stamps, and overcoming an extremely negative mindset, Brooke decided this was not her truth and was no longer going to let her outside circumstances hold her back.

You do not want to miss Brooke’s story and all the golden nuggets of information she shares, including “where you are going is always bigger than what you are going through”, “listen to the nudges that come”, and so much more. Her story and the energy she exemplifies is sure to inspire you on your entrepreneurial journey.

Don’t forget to grab Brooke’s free gift “10 Strategies to $500k” at:

https://brookeallisoncoaching.mykajabi.com/10Corestrategies (https://brookeallisoncoaching.mykajabi.com/10Corestrategies)

Here is a little more about Brooke:

She is…someone people are drawn to on a daily basis because of her contagious energy! She studied at Webster University and graduated with a BFA Degree in Visual Art (with an Emphasis in Photography) and a minor in Dance.

One of her biggest achievements is, she just got back from a 6-month trip where she traveled all over Europe, to 10 countries all by herself. She has now returned to the States and is excited to make a bigger impact and scale her reach. In 2020, she has set herself a challenge to become a published author and get involved in more charitable causes that are dear to her heart.

Learn more about and follow Brooke:

Website - http://www.brookeallisoncoaching.com (www.brookeallisoncoaching.com)

Free FB group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/234054850431447/ (bit.ly/fiercelyunstoppable)

Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/brookeallisonn (www.instagram.com/brookeallisonn)

FB business page - http://www.facebook.com/brookeallisoncoaching/ (www.facebook.com/brookeallisoncoaching/)

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-allison-wandling-68700186/ (www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-allison-wandling-68700186/)

Podcast- Fiercely Unstoppable (brookeallisoncoaching.com/podcast)

**

Ready to follow your passion to a six-figure income?

Then start your business out on the right foundation by grabbing our free training on how to create and use a business plan. Entrepreneurs who take time to formulate a plan and then leverage their plan are more likely to scale faster and achieve success sooner than those who don’t. Save time, save money, and propel yourself to success with our free training. To learn more, check out:

https://www.startupempowered.com (https://www.startupempowered.com)

HAVE A QUESTION:

Email us at [email protected]

CHECK US OUT at http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)

Success along the entrepreneurial path comes by achieving predetermined milestones or goals. These steppingstones of success can be big or a succession of many small ones. Regardless, the end result is still the same…achievement of a desired outcome you have determined will help you achieve success along your journey.

For many entrepreneurs, hiring an employee is one of the “success” milestones they have set for their business. This can be an exciting and yet very frighten next step.

Today we discuss this important, exciting, and yes scary operational fundamental of hiring an employee. Listen in as we discuss many important concepts such as the four things you should consider when hiring your first employee. We all will discuss many important operational components you will need to have in place before making your first hire, including what federal and state registration will be needed, choosing a payroll system, creating an onboarding process, and so much more.

Our hope is this episode will eliminate the fear so you can take this next step with confidence.

Don’t forget to share your questions with us by emailing [email protected]. Everyday Joe will be joining us once a quarter to have your questions answered on our podcast.

**

Hiring employees is just one of the topics we cover in detail in our entrepreneurial course called the “Business Startup Blueprint”. This course (playbook) is jammed packed with information on a wide range of important topics regarding starting and growing your new business. We know starting and operating a business is tough. We have been there! Also, we have spent countless hours helping other entrepreneurs do the same thing. You will not find a more comprehensive guide than the “Business Startup Blueprint” to provide you with a step-by-step process for starting and growing your business. We discuss not only the “how” of each step but the “why”. Are you ready to eliminate the fear that is holding you back from starting or growing your business? Then check out our free training on how to create and use a business plan to start your business the right way and accelerate the growth in your current business. Get started by signing up at:

https://www.startupempowered.com (https://www.startupempowered.com)

For more about what we are all about at aCent101 go to our website:

http://www.acent101.com (www.acent101.com)