Moving From Product Function To Lifestyle Brand  When businesses start, the owners are generally consumed with product functionality and find that elusive product-market fit.  Successful businesses get through this stage quickly.    Businesses that become SHARE leaders move beyond this.  They think bigger.  They tap into broader industry trends and have their brands positioned as central to those broader lifestyles.    In the world of Hardscaping, that broader trend is referred to as "outdoor living."  No company has become synonymous with premium outdoor living hardscaping products more than Techo-Bloc.  On this episode, we sit down with Paver Peter Baloglou and Ryan Ravalli from Techo-Bloc, and as always, we covered a ton of ground:   *  Organizational Culture *  Effective sales processes for contractors *  Hardscaping industry challenges and opportunities  *  Continuous learning   We hope you pick up a nugget or two, we sure did.  If you like what you hear, drop us a line with some feedback, and be sure to subscribe.

In this episode of the Hustle or Bust podcast, powered by Paverart, we interview Dean Dzurilla. He is a 3x founder and a sales expert.

A friend of ours has a fantastic saying:  If you want to learn how the lion lives, you go to the jungle, NOT the zoo!  The same is true in business.  Seeing customers, suppliers, and team members in THEIR environment is needed to understand what challenges they experience, which yields opportunity for all.  That's the value of a field trip, getting out of YOUR environment and into theirs.  We talk through our intentions and past experiences with the Field Trip idea.

Episode #19 of the Hustle or Bust Podcast introduces you to an unbelievably inspiring couple:  Jeff & Alice Fisher.  

In 2011 Jeff was undergoing a medical procedure, and during that procedure suffered a severe stroke that left him paralyzed and completely unable to speak.  Searching for answers, medical pros, and anything that could provide a glimmer of optimism, in the next decade Jeff & Alice tell their story of re-building.  Truly inspiring and a testament to the couple's tenacity to Never Give Up.  

There are coaches or consultants that come into businesses to provide an outside perspective.  Often times these are lengthy, expensive engagements with no real "skin in the game" for the consultant.   In this episode of the Hustle or Bust Podcast we present an alternative method, aimed at getting to 80% of the value with 20% of the time.  A hyper focused view of the business with a skilled, trusted advisor you trust and respect.  But be ready for the mirror you will confront, and be ready to take on the real behavior change needed to make the deep dive worthwhile.    And don't forget to keep your advisor in the loop...... their counsel is invaluable, and selfless.

Welcome to episode 17 of the Hustle or bust podcast, the Economic Storm: What'dya Gonna Do 'Bout it? Were gonna dive into 3 areas critical to these challenging economic times. Your digital footprint, your reputation, and taking a solid risk assessment of all areas of your business.

Growth is about disrupting the status quo.  It's about defining your baseline and then up-ending your normal routine and behaviors to create new activity that drive growth.  This episode of the Hustle or Bust Podcast we talk about getting out of your comfort zone as you build your growth plan.

Episode #15 we introduce you to Marklyn T. Johnson:  Comic, Host,, Motivational Speaker and 2 Time Author.  Marklyn takes us through his journey from corporate to solo entrepreneur, the struggles, challenges and crafting his own definition of success that leaves him at peace and fully energized.

One of the most controversial topics, with judgement, excessive opinions?  WORK LIFE BALANCE.  How to gain it?  How to manage towards it?  At what stage of your career does it matter?  We dive deep into this topic in the context of small business management, careers, and various family stages.  There are no easy answers for this topic, but this much we DO know:  It comes down to the INDIVIDUAL, and that is their view on what is right in the context of their own definition of success.

It's important to take a VERY hard look at yourself and your business from time to time.  On this episode we do that and critically evaluate the PAVERART summer, our failures and wins.  We talk about a new phenomena we dubbed:  The Man Child, and talked about a great young man who at the age of 16 has already compiled 2 years under his belt, and what that could mean for his future.