New Business Jump Start Show

Sarah Nagourney is a songwriter, producer, manager, artist development strategist and host of the podcast, SHE CREATES NOISE, about women in the music industry. She mentors young artists, providing advice and guidance to those seeking career development in the music industry.

Sarah shared her journey from being a singer-songwriter to becoming a platinum-selling songwriter, and now an artist development strategist. She started early, booking music gigs at age 13 and later launched her own record label and jewelry business with her brother. She discussed the evolving nature of the music business, the impact of streaming, the importance of self-promotion, and the need for artists to also be good businesspeople.

Crossing over to the topic of entrepreneurship, Sarah gave advice on nurturing ideas, starting small, and leveraging personal networks to get ventures off the ground, drawing parallels from her experience running a jewelry business with her brother. She also talked about the challenges of translating social media engagement into sales, the importance of persistence in building a personal brand, and the importance of maintaining a can-do attitude when launching new ventures.

Website: https://www.sarahnagourney.com/

Podcast: “She Creates Noise”

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Trevor Blake is a serial entrepreneur, physicist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, Three Simple Steps. He described starting his first company, Qual Medical, which he built over six years and sold for $105.5 million. Trevor emphasized that with the right business model, quick exits are possible in today's market, and he has repeated this process multiple times throughout his career.

As an entrepreneur who has founded seven businesses, Trevor encourages entrepreneurs to embrace the uncertainty and adaptability required in starting a new business, rather than relying on corporate experience or detailed planning. He emphasized the importance of learning multiple skills to avoid hiring expensive specialists and advised treating current employment as paid training for future business ventures.

Trevor explained his approach to building and scaling businesses which relies on a hub and spoke business model, comparing himself to an orchestra conductor who relies on independent contractors as instruments to create harmony. In this model, contractors and vendors work on a flexible schedule based on specific tasks.

Trevor also discussed business structure and cash flow management, emphasizing that companies should focus on being capital efficient rather than lean, and highlighting the importance of understanding cash flow over cash itself.

Website: https://scienceofmakingit.com/

Book: Three Simple Steps -  https://www.amazon.co.za/Three-Simple-Steps-Success-Business/dp/1936661713

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Beth Crittenden is a financial guide, helping individuals and profitable business owners alike to get clear with their finances. She helps people with budgeting, bookkeeping, and managing the inherently unpredictability of small business income.

Advocating a balance between substance and success in business, Beth returned to the show and shared her perspective on how to determine if a business idea is successful, emphasizing the importance of defining personal success criteria rather than simply focusing on profit or website quality.

Beth discussed her background transition from teaching to financial consulting, explaining how she developed her business organically over five years after losing her previous career. Beth emphasized treating business building as a marathon rather than a sprint and highlighted the value of maintaining a spiritual or growth-oriented mindset in business interactions.

She advised new business owners to give themselves grace and time to develop, noting that wearing multiple business hats requires adjustment periods that traditional employment doesn't account for.

Website: https://bethcrittenden.com/

Instagram: @HiBethCrittenden

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethcrittenden

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Amanda Sima is an entrepreneur, business owner, patented inventor, and host of the podcast “Brain on Loan.” She has built and scaled companies from the ground up while challenging outdated industry norms. Expanding her creative and entrepreneurial footprint, Amanda is also the founder of Working Girl Productions, a film and television production company focused on developing original content and bringing bold, story-driven projects to life.

The conversation covered practical advice about patent protection, the importance of seeking patent attorneys, and Amanda's free advice platform "Brain on Loan" where she provides guidance to entrepreneurs facing business challenges.

Amanda founded a collegiate apparel company that secured more than 150 NCAA licenses and expanded into thousands of SKUs on Amazon, establishing a strong presence in a highly competitive market. As an inventor, Amanda developed and patented a spill-proof lid—an innovation born from solving a simple but widespread consumer problem. That invention ultimately placed her at the center of a high-stakes, multi-jurisdiction legal battle involving intellectual property rights and professional accountability.

She explained the differences between design patents and utility patents, recommending utility patents for novel functional products and provisional patents as a cost-effective option for inventors testing market viability.

Amanda also discussed her current film and television production company, Working Girl Productions, where she's developing unscripted concepts and a series based on her experiences as a female entrepreneur.

Site: https://brainonloan.com

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/brain.on.loan

Podcast: Brain on Loan

Also mentioned during the show:

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Jason Fishman is the CEO of Digital Niche Agency and host of the podcast "Test Optimize Scale" who uses his background in paid social media advertising to help businesses with investment crowdfunding. Yes, it’s possible to raise millions of dollars with minimum investments between $100 and $1,000.

Jason explained how he transitioned from traditional user acquisition marketing to specializing in investment crowdfunding campaigns, where digital marketing is used to raise capital from investors through regulated portals like StartEngine and WeFunder.

He outlined his 8-Point Plan approach for running successful crowdfunding campaigns, emphasizing the importance of starting with first-degree network investments, building social proof, and using targeted advertising to reach the right audience. Jason shared specific metrics and strategies, including the average investment amount of $1,718 and the need for 100,000 visits to offering pages to successfully raise funds.

Discussing growth marketing strategies for fundraising campaigns, Jason emphasized the importance of starting with a first-degree network to create momentum and build credibility, using the example of how crowd psychology affects investment decisions. Practical approaches include leveraging email marketing, social media, and personal networks like friends and family to raise funds.

Site: www.digitalnicheagency.com

Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigitalNicheAgency

Podcast: Test. Optimize. Scale.

Also mentioned during the show:

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David Guttman is a serial entrepreneur and business mentor with over 30 years of experience and host of the David Guttman Podcast.

David shared insights on starting a business in 2026, emphasizing how AI tools like Genspark, Claude, and Manus have made entrepreneurship easier by providing access to knowledge and legal services. He discussed his powerful TED Talk about being misdiagnosed with terminal cancer at age 24, which led to a transformation in his approach to leadership and business. David also mentioned his work with mentees who are young entrepreneurs achieving significant business success, and his upcoming book "Life Maxing" which he's co-authoring with an 18-year-old mentee using AI to accelerate the writing process.

He explained that effective leadership requires being at least 30% therapist, emphasizing that leaders should focus on nurturing relationships with their team rather than viewing it as babysitting. David noted that when leaders prioritize their coworkers, the business will inevitably improve, provided they hire the right people with appropriate qualities.

Additionally, David discussed his approach to hiring, emphasizing the importance of humility and curiosity as key qualities in candidates. He advised asking open-ended questions during interviews to assess these traits and stressed the importance of having a good moral alignment with leadership. David also shared his philosophy on maintaining professional relationships with colleagues and the benefits of using AI for business planning and idea generation.

Site: https://www.guttmanmedia.com

Social Media: @RealDaveGuttman

Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSs5QCPsRAA

- or - Search for “How six words changed my life | Dave Guttman | TEDxSDSU

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Summer Morris is a Certified Public Accountant and Quickbooks online expert with her own accounting firm in Northern California.

Summer described the process she works through when she meets with clients who have all of their financial reports but don’t understand what those numbers mean. She shared the most common questions asked as well as the relationship between the Profit and Loss statement and the Balance Sheet, including specific examples of reconciling credit card and loan accounts in QuickBooks.

Summer noted how she helps clients understand their financial statements through one-to-one sessions, called Clarity Sessions. Paid consultations like this can help any business self-select clients, establish value, and build trust without requiring a full commitment.

In Summer’s business, her Clarity Sessions provide personalized insights for her clients whether they’re dealing with bookkeeper transitions, seeking financial literacy guidance, or needing help interpreting their QuickBooks data. Summer noted that while some clients use YouTube for financial education, the unstructured nature of online content makes it less effective than personalized guidance tailored to specific business needs and experiences.

Contact

Site: https://summermorriscpa.com/

Also mentioned during the show:

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Janine Avila is an experienced Business & Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. With expertise in both corporate executive roles and home-based business management, she specializes in helping small business owners and entrepreneurs excel in their businesses.

Focusing on time management strategies, Janine discussed the importance of making time rather than finding it, emphasizing the need to protect and prioritize one's time. She shared her philosophy of scheduling important activities to ensure goals are met, while maintaining flexibility when necessary.

The conversation covered practical tips for prioritizing income-producing activities and avoiding distractions from social media and email notifications. She discussed how to protect valuable time by saying no to non-essential activities, using color-coded calendars, and maintaining boundaries with others' requests. Janine also shared her planning approach, which involves looking at a 3-week cycle by examining the previous week for follow-ups, the current week for tasks, and the next week for preparation.

Discussing the importance of preparation and time management in meetings and projects, Janine introduced the concept of "green room" preparation time before meetings. She also emphasized the importance of respecting others' time and explained her system of categorizing appointments as "pencil," "ink," or "Sharpie" people based on reliability.

Contact

Site: https://www.janineavila.com

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (214) 984-0040

Also mentioned during the show:

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Mike DeJong is a multi-business owner, keynote speaker, and author of "Grow Smart: Your Path to Freedom - Mastering the Transformation from Operator to Owner." He shared his journey from corporate America to franchise ownership, highlighting the challenges of transitioning from being an operator to a business owner. He emphasized the importance of building systems and processes rather than just hustling to grow a business smartly.

Mike also discussed the concept of the "operator trap" and the need for business owners to shift their mindset to overcome this challenge. The conversation touched on how new business owners can navigate the transition from their expertise in one area to managing multiple aspects of running a business.

Mike discussed three archetypal business leadership roles: GSD (Get Stuff Done) people, Architects who focus on processes and policies, and Hunters who excel at marketing and sales. He explained how recognizing one's primary leadership style can help business owners fill gaps in their operations and delegate tasks more effectively. Mike emphasized the importance of understanding and leveraging different leadership strengths rather than trying to do everything oneself.

The discussion also touched on:

Site: www.mikedejong.com

Email: [email protected]

Also mentioned during the show:

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Cammy Lawlor is a Speech-language Pathologist and owner of Idaho Speech & Swallow Services, discussed her journey of starting a private practice dedicated to providing patient-centered speech, voice and swallowing therapy.

Cammy shared her career journey, explaining that she initially studied communication and worked in sales and marketing. Inspired by a family member's stroke recovery, she pursued a degree in speech-language pathology and later decided to start her own practice during COVID-19. She detailed her initial marketing strategies, including visiting doctor's offices with bagels and coffee to introduce her services, offering free voice classes at community centers, and leveraging personal connections to build referrals. Cammy explained how she grew her practice over five and a half years to include five therapists, and discussed her current focus on mentoring staff while balancing business growth and patient care.

She discussed her approach to client outreach, explaining how she used a simple Google Doc system for follow-ups and offered informal meet-and-greets with refreshments to make potential clients more receptive. She described securing a consistent opportunity teaching voice classes at a YMCA's Parkinson's program through a connection, which later led to speaking engagements and additional clients. Cammy explained that her most successful outreach strategy involved getting referrals from doctors through mutual patients, which made cold outreach more effective than direct solicitation.

Site: https://www.idahospeechswallowservices.com/

Email: [email protected] 

Also mentioned during the show:

To get your Free Guide, The 5 A.I. Tools Guide

Visit https://www.newbusinessjumpstart.com