Girl on Purpose with Vivian Tenorio

Diana Hardeman starting making ice cream out of her tiny New York kitchenette in the summer of 2009. She wanted a better pint and began crafting ice cream that dreams are made of - innovative flavors with only the finest and freshest local ingredients. She immediately gained a cult following and launched MilkMade's ice cream of the month subscription service at the end of 2009. Diana and the Milkmaids hand-source, hand-craft, and hand-pack every pint before hand-delivering them each month to their loyal members. MilkMade Ice Cream currently serves Manhattan and Brooklyn, and will soon launch its mail order membership service.

- What’s Your Personal Mission Statement
Wow that is a loaded question. It’s easy to create a mission statement for a business – but one statement that defines my life will take some thought. My initial response is -- to make every day better than the last. For myself and everyone I touch – my family, my friends, colleagues, our MilkMade customers, even those I meet on the street. Also – spend as much time at the beach as possible.

- Biggest Business Mistake
Mistakes are never mistakes – they become a part of the story, they are a cause for improvement, they help define what you/your business are today. I have hundreds of things I could point to as mistakes – from day 1 to today – but I don’t view them as such – I view them as part of what make who I am today, and what MilkMade is today.

- How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty
By putting one foot in front of the other.

- Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything
Greatest decision that changed everything was to go for it. To start MilkMade – to commit to trying it out, making it work, with brazen tenacity.

- Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Three books. Different genres for each.

1. Brand Hijack – Alex Wipperfurth. Provides great case studies for brand building.

2. The E-Myth – Michael Gerber. Probably 15 people told me to read this book before I finally did. Great coaching for small business and solo entrepreneurs.

3. Daring Greatly – Brene Brown.  More psychology related – empowering us to put ourselves out there, be vulnerable, and let go of the outcome.

- Plus much more...

Homesweet Homegrown was started by Robyn Jasko, founder of Grow Indie, and author of Homesweet Homegrown: How to Grow, Make and Store your Own Food No Matter Where You Live, and her husband and partner in crime, Paul David, and her 8 month old son, Ajax.

All natural, vegan and GMO-free, Homesweet Homegrown is the first hot sauce to use chia seeds as a natural thickener and preservative without the use of gums. All of the peppers in Homesweet Homegrown sauces are grown without the use of pesticides in nearby Kutztown, PA. and feature organic ingredients. They recently partnered with Victory Brewing Company to include Victory Storm King Stout in their line of Punch Drunk Sauce.

More about us: In 2012, Robyn and her husband Paul, along with her Illustrator Jenn Biggs (also of Philly) trekked around the country via Amtrak for an cross country book tour but before they left, Robyn planted way too many pepper plants. They returned to a bumper crop, all begging to be made into hot sauce. So they started making hot sauce and selling it along with Robyn's book at farmer's markets and local events.  It sold out each time, so in Spring of 2013, Robyn posted another kickstarted project to raise $850 for her crop of pepper plants, and the project took off, raising more than $53,000 to become the highest selling hot sauce in Kickstarter history.

- What’s Your Personal Mission Statement
Our main mission is to promote homegrown, non-gmo food, and help empower people everywhere to eat better and to vote with their dollar.

- Biggest Business Mistake
Listening to all the people who told me what I wanted to do couldn’t be done.

- How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty
Gardening! And, running---- Being outside in the fresh air, even just for 10 minutes--- changes your perspective and can turn any situation around.

- Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything
Deciding to stick with organic ingredients----After several bottlers told me it wasn’t possible, I ended up sourcing my own organic ingredients and changed the system for the better. Now, my bottler is looking into organics for their other lines. The chain reactions of our positive perseverance always amazes and inspires me.

- Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset
This changes all the time, but right now, my favorite is Get Big Fast and Do More Good: Start Your Business, Make It Huge, and Change the World

- Plus much more...

Jennifer has 21 years of decorated experience leveraging the power of strategic design. Most recently leading design as Global Brand Design Director for leading Brands at Kimberly Clark. Jennifer’s unique visionary leadership enabled her brands to engage and penetrate meaningful connections with consumers by utilizing design as a business tool and leveraging global synergies while learning from regional (local) markets. Jennifer now uses her global experience to look through the lens as Co-founder of FlapJacked Protein Pancakes, where her acute sensitivity to consumers needs and desires drive the opportunity for her daily breakfast passion.

Career Highlights: Jennifer has spoken in industries top design conferences; named an inventor on over a dozen patents; named "Brand Inventor of the Year, 2011" by Brand Packaging Magazine; earned Global Pentawards; earned several Effie’s in Advertising; has been recognized and published in CA, Print, HOW, GDUSA, Advertising Age, and many other publications.

- What’s Your Personal Mission Statement
Live life to the fullest. In areas where I can’t, I choose to live and love life vicariously through those who can.

- Biggest Business Mistake
Getting too excited too quickly and not being patient enough.  We have made a few rash decisions early and locked ourselves into exclusive situations that weren’t ideal. Sales take time and the promise isn’t alive until the PO comes through. We have learned to be more patient.

- How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty
I worry just as much as the next person, but the key for me is not letting business stress mix into my personal life. Half of my career has been spent working for myself, so I’ve learned over time how to keep work separate from personal.  Being married to my business partner makes it tough, but we try not to talk business past 8:00 p.m, otherwise our minds work all night long. We all need to take a break. I release my stress through physical activity… I run.

- Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything
The best decision so far has been to keep complete ownership of our company and bootstrap as long as possible. Having full ownership of our company, not having to answer to investors or other partners makes decision-making easy. We have two distinct target markets and channels with a lot of opportunity to grow prior to considering a trade of shares for services or cash.

- Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset
My most recent read is “Cooking up a Business” Lessons from Food Lovers Who Turned their Passion into a Career – and How You Can, Too. by Rachel Hofstetter.  This is perfect for our situation not only because it’s about food companies, but it’s about local companies and people that we have personally met.  It’s a great read on real stories in the industry.  What better way to learn than from relevant examples!

- Plus much more...

Heath Hall is President and Co-Founder of Pork Barrel BBQ. A BBQ lover by birth, Mr. Hall learned the finer points of low and slow cooking as a kid watching his Dad work his magic on the many grills and smokers in their family’s backyard.

As President of Pork Barrel BBQ, Mr. Hall oversees the day to day operations of America’s fastest growing barbecue company, which sells Pork Barrel BBQ products across America and operates a Pork Barrel BBQ Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia that Food & Wine Magazine named one of America’s top new BBQ restaurants in 2012. He is the creator of the company’s national award winning line of BBQ sauces and spice rub, including Pork Barrel BBQ Original BBQ Sauce which was named by Men’s Health Magazine as the nation’s best BBQ Sauce and Cook’s Illustrated Magazine as America’s Supreme BBQ Sauce.

He is head pitmaster of the Pork Barrel BBQ Competition BBQ Team which has won numerous competitions including the 2011 Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle in Washington, DC and the 2012 Sam’s Club National Barbecue Tour in Pleasantville, NJ. Mr. Hall has cooked in the most prestigious barbecue contests in the world including the American Royal Invitational, American Royal Open, Memphis in May, the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational and the Sam’s Club National Barbecue Championship. In 2011 the team was named the Perdue National Chicken Champions.

Additionally, Mr. Hall has appeared on numerous local and national television and radio programs as a BBQ expert and guest chef including ABC’s hit reality show Shark Tank, Fox & Friends, Good Morning America, Fox 5 DC and the BBQ Central Radio Show.

Mr. Hall received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Truman State University and holds a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Maryland. Before joining Pork Barrel BBQ, Mr. Hall was Strategic Operations Director for Leadership for America Operations at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC where he specialized in national security, foreign policy and judicial issues. Prior to joining The Heritage Foundation, Mr. Hall worked as Senior Legislative Assistant to United States Senator James M. Talent where he advised the Senator and developed policy positions and legislation on wide array of issues.

Mr. Hall lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife Nisha and his two Black Labs Sam and Bones.

- What’s Your Personal Mission Statement
Reward lives in the house of risk.

- Biggest Business Mistake
Our biggest business mistakes came from having no real world experience in the food world prior to starting Pork Barrel BBQ. As a result we entered into a lot of early deals with brokers, distributors and retailers where we ended up getting the short end of the stick just because we wanted to get on a new store shelf. Over time we have learned that there are deals worth walking away from if the negatives outweigh the positives. We’ve also learned that by walking away from the first offer you sometimes get a better second offer.

- How Do You Handle Business Stress and Uncertainty
The best way to handle stress and uncertainty is to be as prepared as you can possibly be. The more prepared you are the less likely you are to encounter uncertainty which lessons the likelihood of stress. In those times that you still encounter stress and uncertainty take a step back and look at the big picture and don’t rush into any immediate decisions if time allows so you can be sure you are making the best decision to tackle the stress and uncertainty head on.

- Greatest Business Decision That Changed Everything
There is no question that the decision that changed everything for Pork Barrel BBQ was our decision to accept the offer from Mark Burnett Productions to appear on Season One of Shark Tank. Our world changed overnight and has allowed us to take the company to places we could never have even dreamed about.

- Best Book For The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Shark Tales by Barbara Corcoran.

- Plus much more...

Jen Groover has been tagged by SUCCESS Magazine as a “One-Woman Brand”, a “Creativity and Innovation Guru”, and a leading “Serial Entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur Magazine. Jen Groover’s name has quickly become synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship and evolution. She has gone from guest hosting television spots, to inking deals with some of the industry’s biggest heavyweights. Jen recently made history at the New York Stock Exchange, as member of the first all-female group to ring the opening bell, representing women’s leadership and economic independence. Her influence and leadership has aligned her with amazing brands, such as USANA Health Sciences, Avon, Verizon and SkyMall, for which she acts as a spokeswoman.

Her success skyrocketed with the creation of the Butler Bag, the world’s first compartmentalized handbag, and has not stopped since. Jen spring-boarded the Butler Bag’s success into an entire lifestyle brand, found at a variety of price points and well known retailers, which led to the creation of subsequent lifestyle brands, Leader Girlz, and Empowered by Jen Groover. Leader Girlz teaches young girls the importance of empowerment through play, while the recently launched “Empowered by Jen Groover” brand, including her one hour PBS special and forthcoming book, comprises a variety of consumer products that encompass her quotes and inspire people to live life with passion and purpose. The success and momentum of Jen Groover’s empowerment movement has led to the development of Jen’s upcoming, highly integrated tech platform, “Empowered for Purpose,” which will serve as a foundation for further expansion of the “Empowered by Jen Groover” brand.

Jen is a top business and lifestyle contributor and content creator for major television networks such as ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC, Fox News, Fox Business News and The CW. Jen also contributes editorial pieces to several prominent business magazines and online resources including The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, Positively Positive, The Daily Love, and HealthyStyle NY. Her products, brand and work have been featured in hundreds of media outlets including O! The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, People, US Weekly, SUCCESS and Entrepreneur, to name a few.

Jen’s passion for inspiring others to realize their greatest potential on all levels is the driving force behind her many successful brands. Jen’s diverse experiences and businesses span many different industries and she has no desire to slow down anytime soon. She constantly motivates and inspires through her keynote speaking engagements for corporations, universities and organizations all over the world. Jen continues to strive toward her ultimate goal, which is to innovate in every industry she is inspired to play in, while empowering others to achieve their goals. Jen is more than a more than a multifaceted, multitalented individual – she is, undoubtedly, a force to be reckoned with. Jen believes in active participation and lives by the belief that “if you are going to complain about something you better be willing to do something to inspire change.”

- How and why she started her businesses
- How to gain confidence
- How to find your purpose in life
- Plus much more...

Rachel Hofstetter is the author of “Cooking Up a Business” (Penguin, 2013). She was so inspired by the entrepreneurs she wrote about that she left her food editor career to launch guesterly, a software platform that enables anyone to create a playbill for life’s special events. Today, you can find her sharing guesterly with the world by day — and recipe testing at night!

- What are your top 3 business tips for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Pick something that makes your life easy as it grows (ie, non-perishable granola instead of pesto)
Test, test, test your product with real users and customers
Bring your enthusiasm!

- What has been your biggest business mistake?
Not going on a vacation before we started!! But seriously, nothing feels like a mistake. There are learning opportunities, but we’re grateful for the aha moments they provide, and then we move on. Starting a business is about learning constantly.

- What do you think is the difference between people who talk about starting businesses and those who actually do it?
As I traveled the country on my book tour, this was actually the #1 thing I heard…
“For years I’ve wanted to start X, Y, Z!” Maybe it’s a business, maybe it’s writing a book. But it’s always hypothetical. I always say “Start this weekend then!” But people always have something planned this weekend, and then it’s the holidays, and then something comes up… just get started. When I had the idea to turn an article I wrote at O, the Oprah magazine into a book, I set aside the next two weekends and wrote my proposal. When we decided to start our company guesterly, I reached out to friends and family that day to ask for designer recommendations. Just get started!

- What has been greatest business decision you made that changed everything for the better?
I saw this story many times in my book, and it’s something I repeated myself: go into business with a partner you really truly trust and get along with. For me, that’s my husband Lorne, but it can be a best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. Having a very strong relationship makes everything easier.

- Best book for the entrepreneurial mindset?
I am loving The One Thing by Gary Keller—and of course, if you’re searching for inspiration I have to recommend Cooking Up a Business! It’s a fun, fast read that will get you itching to start your own business.

- How and why she started her business
- How she found manufacturing after a year of having no luck
- How changing her packaging increased sales by 20-30%
- Why social media is so important for her business
-How she works with bloggers to help spread the word
- Plus much more...

Revolutionizing the nut butter category, Danielle has developed and implemented the strategic rollout of the NuttZo™ brand, as well as, managed NuttZo™’s rapid growth period in which sales grew from $23K to $778K in less than 5 years.

Danielle has more than 20+ years of sales and marketing experience. Previously, Danielle held the position as Senior Account Manager and Director of New Business where she managed over $1.75 million dollars in advertising sales; growing her account list from $50,000 to $1M in less than 5 years.

Danielle is also the Founder of Project Left Behind; a project-based 501-c3 non-profit that supports the educational endeavors and health/nutrition needs of orphaned children worldwide.  She is an avid runner, traveler and yogini and resides with her family in San Diego, CA.

- How and why she started her business
- How she got her product on the Dr. Oz Show
- Her first experience dropping off samples at Whole Foods Market
- Why she started her non-profit - Project Left Behind
- Plus much more...

Susan Petersen started making baby moccasins in 2009 after becoming frustrated by the lack of well-designed baby shoes. Using her second child, Gus, as a mocc-tester, and a bag of scrap leather she picked up at a yard sale, she began experimenting with designs. Working at her kitchen table, on a shoestring budget, Susan persisted through some disastrous attempts until she had created a pair of moccasins that not only looked adorable on Gus’ chubby little feet, but stayed on his feet as well.

- How and why she started her business
- How she got her moccasins into the hands of Kourtney Kardashian
- Her experience on ABC's Shark Tank and her tips for those thinking about going on the show
- Greatest business decision that changed everything
- Her secrets for growing her instagram following
- Top 3 tips for aspiring entrepreneurs
- Plus much more...

Guy Kawasaki is the former chief evangelist of Apple and special advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google. He is the author of APE, What the Plus!, Enchantment, and nine other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.
 
On Today’s show Guy will share:

- His biggest business mistake
- His greatest business decision
- What he learned from Steve Jobs
- He shares about his book What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us
- His best social media tips
- A day in the life of Guy Kawasaki -  Guy at home
- Plus much more...

Useful links:
http://www.viviantenorio.com/020-guy-kawasaki-founder-of-alltop-author-speaker-investor-and-business-advisor


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