Making It Work

Finding a factory to make your product is a bit like dating. Seduction, quality time, being stood up... it's all part of the game. Our panel of entrepreneurs share their stories and advice on maintaining a manufacturing relationship that is often long distance and cross cultural.

In the fourth episode of Making It Work we speak to Brian Munoz of Penny Luck Shoes, Tivan Amour of SaveMySales, Dana Donofree of AnaOno and David Patrick of Shark Wheel. With personal accounts, and a heart-wrenching story or two, we talk about what it takes to find your perfect match as well as that delicate balance between quality and profit margin.

So when should you commit to a supplier? And when should you keep looking? Tune in to find out.

SHOW NOTES

Whether you start a business with your BFF, or call your dad "boss", working with friends and relatives often walks the fine line between great times and disaster. We hear from our panel of entrepreneurs if they think it's worth turning your business into a family affair.

In the third episode of Making It Work we speak to Danny Catullo of Catullo Prime Meats, David Patrick of Shark Wheel, Aqila Augusta of Edge Entity and Diana Ganz and Jeanne Foley of SuitShop.

With personal accounts about what happens when you combine personal and work life, we talk about freeloading relatives, employing your kids, and that time Uncle Don saved the day.

So when exactly should you put your cousin on the payroll? Tune in to find out.

SHOW NOTES

It's one thing to lose your job. It's a whole other ball game to be the one doing the firing, especially if you're running a small business with a close team. Far from fun, more than one of our entrepreneurs describes terminating an employee as the worst part of the job.

In the second episode of Making It Work we speak to David Patrick of Shark Wheel, Dana Donofree of AnaOno, Heidi Hale of Heidi J. Hale Designs and Aqila Augusta of Edge Entity.

From handling gross misconduct to providing opportunities for redemption, we discuss the delicate art of preparing for and giving someone the boot. Our entrepreneurs share candid tales about the measures they've had to take to hold employees accountable and to keep their businesses up and running.

So, what's the best way to break the news when it's crunch time? Tune in to find out.

SHOW NOTES

From living off savings and instant ramen, to carving a minimal salary out of the company budget, we meet five entrepreneurs and get their sound advice on the delicate matter of paying yourself as a new business founder.

In the first episode of Making It Work we speak to Dana Donofree of AnaOno, David Patrick of Shark Wheel, Aqila Augusta of Edge Entity Hair Care and Diana Ganz and Jeanne Foley of SuitShop.

With insights into the inner workings of their companies, we talk about sweat equity, the risk of paying by plastic, and the ephemeral joy that comes from hardship and deprivation in the strive for success.

So when exactly should you cut yourself your first paycheck? Tune in to find out.

SHOW NOTES

Want to know what it's really like to run your own business?

Making It Work puts you in a room with entrepreneurs who want to kick out conventional wisdom and take you through the highs and lows of starting a company from scratch.

This is not a podcast about success stories. So if you're a self-starter and want it straight, this is the series for you.