Greg Sands, founder of Service Street and Mudlick Mail (now Upswell), shares insights from his 30+ years revolutionizing the automotive repair industry. Drawing from his restaurant background, Sands transformed customer service in auto repair by focusing on lifetime customer value, beautiful facilities, and innovative direct mail marketing. He discusses his approach to identifying and developing talent from outside the industry, his successful partnership model that has helped create multiple millionaires, and his perspective on the future of automotive repair amid technician shortages and the rise of electric vehicles.

In this episode of Passionately Curious, we sit down with Kamille McCollum, President and COO of BODYBAR Pilates, to discuss her journey from pilates enthusiast to franchise leader. Kamille shares how she discovered BODYBAR as a marathon runner, initially skeptical but quickly converted after experiencing the intense workout. Starting as a franchise owner in Fort Worth in 2016 while juggling life with four young children, she and her husband Matt later partnered with founder Laurie Gatlin in 2019 to expand the franchise nationwide. Despite launching right before the pandemic, they used the slowdown to strengthen their systems and training materials. BODYBAR has since experienced remarkable growth, approaching 50 locations with aims to reach 100 by the end of next year. Kamille discusses the challenges of real estate acquisition, brand building in new markets, and maintaining strong community engagement. She also offers insights into managing a business with her spouse, adapting marketing strategies for different demographics, and the future of BODYBAR, including potential international expansion and brand acquisitions.

This episode features Alia Alston, founder of Icebox Cryotherapy, the first brick-and-mortar cryotherapy franchise in the US. After suffering spinal injuries from a car accident in college, Alston discovered cryotherapy as an alternative to surgery and pain medication. She opened her first location in 2012, focusing initially on athletic recovery before realizing her broader market included people seeking natural pain management solutions. Despite early skepticism and challenges sourcing equipment from Ukraine, Alston persevered, eventually becoming a US equipment representative. She began franchising in 2018, growing primarily through customer referrals. Alston discusses the challenges of franchising, particularly in teaching business fundamentals to passionate but inexperienced owners. Through a partnership with Impact Brands, she revolutionized their marketing approach, implementing trackable, data-driven campaigns across all locations. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Alston shares her experiences dealing with gender bias and building a successful business while balancing family life.

In this Halloween-themed episode, hosts Annie and Matt interview Kelly Knight, founder of Modern Mystic Shoppe in Atlanta. Knight shares her journey from marketing professional to spiritual entrepreneur, detailing how she transformed her tarot reading practice into a seven-figure retail business. She discusses key strategies that led to her success, including becoming "the mayor" of her trade area through community engagement, hosting weekly "Sunday School" events, and developing her own branded product line. Knight openly shares both triumphs and challenges, including a failed expansion to New York, and explains how she combines practical business acumen with spiritual intuition to make business decisions. The conversation offers valuable insights about organic growth, community building, and self-awareness in business leadership, making her story relatable to entrepreneurs across various industries despite her unique market niche.

In this episode of Passionately Curious, hosts Annie Burch, Matt Courtoy, and Eric Goodstadt sit down with Hensley Ellefritz, founder of Reboot Consulting. Hensley shares how she started her consulting business during the pandemic, leveraging her experience from leadership roles at companies like Equinox, Pure Barre, and Club Pilates. Reboot Consulting focuses on helping fitness and wellness businesses grow through sustainable strategies, customer retention, and personalized sales systems. In this insightful conversation, Hensley discusses the importance of human connection in business, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and how fitness studios can stay relevant despite shifting market trends.

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Hosts Annie Burch, Matt Courtoy, and Eric Goodstadt sit down with Tim Ross, founder of Mudlick Mail (now UpSwell Marketing), to explore his remarkable entrepreneurial journey. Tim shares how he turned a side project into a multi-million-dollar business, reflects on the challenges of growing a company during the 2008 financial crisis, and offers actionable advice for business owners at every stage of growth. From humble beginnings in his garage to building a $46 million company (and eventually leading it to become a $100 million powerhouse) Tim’s story provides inspiration, practical strategies, and honest insights about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

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In this inaugural episode of Passionately Curious, our hosts introduce the podcast and discuss its mission.

They dive into the inspiration behind the show’s name, rooted in UpSwell Marketing’s core value of being “passionately curious.”

The conversation explores the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, offering listeners insights from their collective experiences and a preview of future episodes featuring expert guests and industry knowledge from within the UpSwell team.

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