Humans of Growth: Stories & Strategies Behind Business Growth & Business Development

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Sam Miller, CEO and co-founder of Kasheesh, a fintech app that lets users split purchases across multiple credit, debit, and gift cards.

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What if launching a lending business was as easy as launching an online store?

This episode is a must-listen for SaaS founders, fintech operators, or anyone obsessed with scalable systems and underserved markets.

What happens when you build a business so good… you don’t need to market it?

In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Terry Kerr and Liz Nowlin to unpack how Mid South Home Buyers became one of the most trusted turnkey real estate companies in the country—without relying on traditional marketing channels.

We explore how they grew from managing their first few properties to thousands under management, using trust, referrals, and operational excellence to create a growth flywheel that runs on reputation.

What we cover:

This episode is a masterclass in scaling through integrity, clarity, and consistency—without dumping dollars into paid ads.

If you’ve ever Googled “business loan” and ended up confused or denied—this episode is for you.

We sit down with Ray Smith, CEO of Trycera, to unpack why most founders are denied funding (and don’t know why), how to build real business credit that doesn’t touch your personal score, and what lenders are actually looking for in 2025.

You’ll learn:

Whether you’re a startup, service business, or brick-and-mortar founder, this episode will give you the tools (and roadmap) to unlock funding without the fear, fluff, or frustration.

Get help acquiring business funding.

Smart companies are scaling faster than ever through AI with leaner teams and better margins.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, we unpack how automation, AI, and strategic operations are transforming growth for service-based businesses. From financial advisory firms to fast-moving startups, we explore how leaders are using systems—not headcount—to unlock scale.

You’ll learn:

The companies winning right now aren’t the ones working harder—they’re the ones working smarter.

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RESOURCES:

Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com

Learn more about INVST at invst.com

Most nonprofits market through guilt-ridden storytelling.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Daniel Morford, Senior Director of Marketing and Events at The Pando Initiative, to explore how one education nonprofit rebranded itself, rebuilt trust with donors, and scaled into 40+ schools—without relying on trauma stories or outdated fundraising tactics.

Inside the episode:

Daniel doesn’t just talk theory—he’s in the trenches building marketing systems that scale. This episode is for anyone building a brand with limited resources, big vision, and a mission worth celebrating.

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RESOURCES:

Learn more about the work the Pando Initiative does at Pandokids.org.

Get connected to Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-morford-187a45137/

Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com

What happens when a former burnout entrepreneur, bankruptcy survivor, and accidental TikTok influencer becomes the only marketer at a fast-growing financial services company?

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Whitney Catalano, Marketing Manager at Financial Gym, shares how she turned personal financial failure into a marketing superpower—and how she’s rebuilding the growth engine of a beloved but outdated brand.

We talk about:

Whether you’re a solo marketer at a startup, a brand leader rethinking your funnel, or a founder navigating content strategy in the chaos of modern platforms—this episode is packed with lessons on growth, trust, and sustainable marketing.

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RESOURCES:

What if your most powerful customer acquisition strategy wasn’t paid ads, cold email, or trade shows… but authentic LinkedIn content and a spaghetti-covered toddler?

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock interviews Caleb Avery, founder and CEO of Tilled—a fast-growing Stripe alternative that helps SaaS platforms launch embedded payments and generate new revenue streams in weeks.

We dive into how Caleb built a high-converting marketing engine that:

Caleb also breaks down what’s working on LinkedIn in a sea of AI spam, why personal storytelling drives real pipeline, and how to turn marketing into a long-game growth multiplier—not just a cost center.

Topics covered include:

Whether you're a startup founder, growth marketer, or B2B SaaS leader, this episode is packed with practical strategies to drive pipeline, retention, and revenue.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Leah Keggi , Marketing Manager at Spearhead Global, one of the fastest-growing companies in spirits packaging and design.

With over a decade of experience in alcohol marketing, Leah has worked across beer, wine, and spirits—supporting everything from emerging CPG startups to legacy liquor brands. Now at Spearhead, she helps alcohol brands rethink their packaging not just as a product necessity, but as a powerful marketing and brand positioning tool.

We explore how the alcohol industry is contracting post-COVID, what that means for brands trying to scale, and how strategic packaging design can become a brand’s most powerful sales asset—especially when combined with omnichannel marketing, social media campaigns, and category-specific messaging.

You’ll also hear how Spearhead shifted their B2B messaging from "packaging supplier" to "brand partner"—resulting in higher engagement, stronger lead generation, and deeper customer loyalty. This episode is packed with insights for B2B marketers, CPG brand managers, alcohol marketing teams, and anyone navigating the intersection of sales enablement and brand storytelling.

In this episode, we cover...

Need help with marketing for your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com to get connected to a top-tier marketing agency.

What happens when you lose everything in the 2008 crash?

You rebuild smarter.

In this episode of Humans of Growth, Jorge Vazquez, CEO of Greystone Investment Group, shares his raw, unfiltered journey from financial advisor to real estate mogul. We talk through the pivotal moment he had to choose between securities and social media, how he leveraged MySpace to kickstart his real estate career, and the painful but powerful lessons of losing 22 properties and starting over with $10K and a borrowed couch.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why most businesses fail to build resilience—and how Jorge created a recession-proof model

How social media forced him to pick a lane (and why it was the best decision he ever made)

The compounding power of property management and monthly cash flow

How Jorge uses his real estate business to fund a nonprofit teaching youth financial literacy

What it really takes to grow a vertically integrated real estate brand (without selling your soul to scale)

If you care about growth that lasts, you’ll walk away with lessons on grit, strategy, and staying grounded.

Want the SparkNotes to this episode? Check out this Domino Growth article on GraystoneIG.com