Small Business, Big Engine

Small Business, Big Engine

By Grant FisherBusinessEntrepreneurship
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Small Business, Big Engine episodes

  • From Etsy Ads to Large-Scale Installations - Lindsay Burgess - Green Wallscapes

    What does it take to turn a side hustle into a thriving national brand? In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, host Grant Fisher sits down with Lindsay Burgess, better known as the Moss Boss, to talk about how she built Green Wallscapes, one of the largest preserved moss wall companies in the United States.

    Lindsay’s journey didn’t start with a five-year business plan or a big round of funding. It started with a simple DIY project in her home and a few dollars a day in Etsy ads. Fast forward to today, and Green Wallscapes has completed more than 1,000 moss installations for clients across the U.S. and Canada, scaling from small custom logos to massive commercial projects covering thousands of square feet.

    In this conversation, Lindsay shares the behind-the-scenes story of what it really takes to grow a creative business from scratch, including the struggles, mistakes, and systems that made the difference along the way.

    You’ll hear about:

    • The origins of Green Wallscapes and how a passion project turned into a full-time business

    • What those early Etsy ads taught her about testing the market and building momentum

    • The tipping point where she had to hire help and why delegation became essential for survival

    • How she scaled operations from hand-gluing moss in her house to running a 2,500 sq ft studio with a team of nine

    • Why processes and documentation matter when every project is custom and no two client needs are alike

    • How supply chain challenges and tariffs tested the business and what she learned about resilience during those times

    • The culture shifts that come with building a team and why she chose quality people over chasing maximum scale

    • Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood while rejecting the endless hustle culture

    • Her honest take on growth, money, and happiness - and why “bigger” isn’t always “better”

    Throughout the episode, Lindsay is candid about the reality of scaling a niche creative business. She explains how her background in marketing and branding gave her an edge when selling to clients, why her team now goes through “moss school” to meet Green Wallscapes’ high standards, and how she’s reframed success to prioritize balance and sustainability.

    This isn’t just a conversation about moss walls. It’s about entrepreneurship, leadership, and the evolving definition of success. Whether you’re a small business owner, a creative entrepreneur, or someone thinking about scaling your side hustle, Lindsay’s story will give you practical lessons and a fresh perspective on what it means to build something that lasts.

    To learn more, visit greenwallscapes.com or follow @greenwallscapes on Instagram.


    About Small Business, Big Engine
    Hosted by Grant Fisher, Small Business, Big Engine explores the real stories of entrepreneurs, creators, and small business owners who are building powerful engines for growth. Each episode dives into the strategies, challenges, and lessons that shape their journey, giving you actionable insights to fuel your own business.

    If you enjoy this episode, hit follow on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leave a review to help more listeners discover the show.

    43 min
  • The Travel Hacking Strategy Every Business Owner Should Know - Ross Alcorn - Itinerary Boss

    If you're a small business owner putting thousands of dollars on a credit card each month, this episode might save you tens of thousands in free travel... and completely change how you think about business spending.

    Today I’m joined by Ross Alcorn, founder of Itinerary Boss and host of the World Travel Made Easy podcast. Ross helps entrepreneurs turn everyday expenses into first-class travel by using the right credit card strategies, automation, and systems. If you're still using a debit card or a rewards card that sounded good in a commercial, this is the conversation you need to hear.

    Ross didn’t start in travel. He spent years in medical device sales, living out of hotel rooms and running himself into the ground. After realizing he was planning trips for friends better than most travel agents and wasting money on the wrong cards, he decided to build a business that gave others the freedom he was chasing himself.

    Now, 18 months in, he’s helping business owners unlock the hidden value in their monthly spend, build systems to avoid burnout, and create more freedom without sacrificing growth.


    The hidden cost of the wrong credit cardRoss explains why many business owners are missing out on thousands in free travel by using cards that don’t align with their biggest expenses. You’ll learn how a simple card change can lead to 3-4x the point value on the same spend.


    Beginner-friendly credit card strategyForget confusing point systems and endless card comparisons. Ross simplifies what really matters: how much you spend, where you spend it, and which card gives you the best ROI. He also shares his top picks.


    Delegation and automation that actually saves timeRoss shares how he built out systems using ClickUp, AI agents, and virtual assistants to grow faster without burning out. From podcast production to social media workflows, he explains how he decides what to keep and what to hand off.


    How to build a business that supports your lifeBurnout taught Ross the importance of designing a business around your lifestyle, not the other way around. He explains how he audits his time monthly, sets up systems to stay lean, and keeps the long-term vision in focus.


    Using AI to scale smarterFrom Zoom AI Companion to custom workflows in ClickUp, Ross shares the exact tools he’s using today, plus how he avoids the trap of experimenting with too many apps and not enough strategy.


    Why podcasting accelerated his business growthLaunching a podcast helped Ross grow his network, land affiliate deals, and establish himself in the points-and-miles space. He shares why it’s one of the smartest moves he made early on—and how it continues to open doors.


    What’s next: community and clarity for business travelersRoss is building a private community for business owners who want expert answers without digging through endless Facebook threads. He talks about how he’s shaping this space based on client feedback and what it will offer.

    • Business owners with $5K or more in monthly spend

    • Founders who want to travel more and work less

    • Entrepreneurs feeling stuck in the weeds or close to burnout

    • Anyone who’s never optimized their points strategy

    • Listeners curious about AI tools, ClickUp, Zapier, or automating daily tasks

    • 🌐 ItineraryBoss.com: Free cheat sheet on points and miles

    • 🎙️ World Travel Made Easy Podcast: Weekly episodes on travel strategy

    • 📧 Sign up for his newsletter on the site

    • 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rossalcornru

    If you found this episode helpful, do me a favor: subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who should be getting more out of their business spending.


    39 min
  • The Smart Way to Scale a Team Without Breaking Your Business - Travis Hann - Pender and Howe

    What if hiring faster isn't the answer? And slowing down is the smartest move you can make?

    In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, Grant sits down with Travis Hann, co-founder of Pender & Howe, a modern executive search firm built for scale, transparency, and high performance. Travis shares the story behind starting the firm inside a legacy recruitment company, how they separated in 2022, and what it’s been like building a digital-first hiring platform in an industry that’s notoriously slow to change.

    If you’ve ever struggled with when to hire, how to hire, or whether you’re hiring the right kind of person, this conversation will hit home.

    Travis doesn’t just run a recruitment firm, he’s actively scaling one. With 11 full-time employees and over 20 contributors, he’s navigating the same decisions his clients are. He shares how he built the operational infrastructure before scaling, why his team uses tools like CRM integrations and client-facing dashboards to eliminate hiring black holes, and how the company is using strategic assessments and a retention-focused guarantee model to place leaders that actually stick.

    Grant and Travis dive into:

    • The spark that led Travis to launch Pender & Howe

    • How they structured the business to scale without chaos

    • What "digital-first" hiring actually looks like in practice

    • Why hiring slowly and intentionally has been their competitive edge

    • The internal systems and tools that have helped them stay nimble

    • Why delegation is so hard for founders (and how Travis is learning to let go)

    • How to know if your next hire is solving a real business problem

    • What makes one hire derail a small team, and how to spot it early

    • The impact of AI and remote work on new grads and entry-level talent

    • Why great candidates rarely come from job boards

    • What Travis has learned from replacing founders and building leadership teams

    You’ll also hear Travis explain why culture fit isn’t just a buzzword, and how one wrong hire can shift everything in a 10-person team. He shares what he looks for in A-players (hint: it’s not a perfect resume), why so many people ignore the small signals during interviews, and how to structure your hiring process to actually learn what matters.

    Whether you’re hiring your first employee or your fiftieth, this episode will give you practical insight into how smart businesses approach recruiting, growth, and building great teams.

    Want more from Travis Hann?
    Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-hann
    Learn more about Pender & Howe: https://penderhowe.com

    Liked this episode?
    Please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with another small business owner or founder who’s scaling a team. Every review helps more people find the show and helps us spotlight more brilliant guests like Travis.


    39 min
  • Building a PR Firm That Thrives Without Burning Out - Lauren Cockerell - Kwedar and Co

    In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, I sit down with Lauren Cockerell, founder and president of Kwedar & Co., a boutique public relations and communications firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. Lauren’s journey from solo consultant to leading a team of eight offers a, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to scale a high-touch service business.

    We talk about what Lauren calls the “messy middle,” that critical stage between solopreneurship and sustainable growth, and how she navigated it without burning out or compromising her values. From letting go of control to learning how to hire the right people, Lauren shares the lessons she’s learned as a small business owner trying to do meaningful work in a crowded market.

    You’ll learn:

    • Why Lauren walked away from the corporate world and started her own PR firm while 8 months pregnant

    • The early fears she had about hiring her first team member, and the mentor advice that gave her the push she needed

    • How to know when you’ve become the bottleneck in your business

    • What to look for (and avoid) when hiring for a small team

    • The power of PR for B2B companies, especially those who think they’re “too boring” to be featured

    • How storytelling can unlock growth, momentum, and visibility for legacy businesses

    • Lauren’s framework for working with clients as thought partners, not vendors

    • Why a “heck yes or no” policy saved her from repeated hiring mistakes

    • The overlooked PR opportunity most small businesses miss

    Whether you're a creative entrepreneur, a founder growing a service business, or a leader in a traditional B2B industry looking to improve your visibility, this conversation is packed with insight. Lauren breaks down the inner workings of running a successful PR agency while staying rooted in empathy, client trust, and long-term relationships.

    She also shares one of the most compelling PR success stories from her firm, how a family-owned furniture company went from an overlooked product launch to being celebrated in local and national media once the real story was uncovered.

    Topics we cover in this episode:

    • Scaling a service-based agency

    • Small business hiring best practices

    • Leadership growth in creative businesses

    • Public relations strategy for B2B companies

    • Why storytelling is a competitive advantage

    • How to build a team you can trust

    • Client relationship management

    • Ideal client profiles and red flags

    • PR tools, platforms, and common mistakes

    • Turning a one-time event into long-term momentum

    About Lauren:
    Lauren Cockerell is the founder of Kwedar & Co., a communications firm specializing in helping legacy B2B businesses clarify their message and earn the visibility they deserve. Her agency supports clients across industries including manufacturing, insurance, and professional services. She’s also the host of The Impatient Entrepreneur podcast, where she offers candid insights for fellow founders learning to scale their businesses with heart and hustle.

    Connect with Lauren:
    🌐 Website: https://www.kwedarco.com
    📱 Instagram: @kwedarco
    🎙 Podcast: The Impatient Entrepreneur

    40 min
  • You’re Doing Too Much - How to Delegate Without Losing Control - Jordan Eaton - Boss Assistants

    What if the reason your business isn’t growing… is you?

    In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, host Grant Fisher sits down with Jordan Eaton, the founder of Boss Assistants, to talk about one of the most common reasons small business owners stay stuck: trying to do it all.

    Jordan built Boss Assistants after seeing too many entrepreneurs crumble under the weight of admin, client work, and everything in between. Her agency helps business owners get out of the weeds and back into their zone of genius through a mix of virtual assistant support, automation, marketing help, and system design.

    Whether you’re burning the candle at both ends or wondering when it’s finally time to ask for help, this episode gives you real talk and practical strategies to stop being the bottleneck in your business.

    • How to know when it’s time to hire a VA (before you burn out)

    • The biggest mindset shift you need to delegate effectively

    • What “conscious delegation” means, and why it works

    • Why Jordan hires only full-time employees (not freelancers)

    • The red flags she looks for when choosing clients (yes, she interviews them)

    • How Boss Assistants onboards clients fast without sacrificing quality

    • Common delegation mistakes that cost business owners time and money

    • Where AI fits (and where it doesn’t) in building a sustainable business

    • The ROI of virtual assistants, from inbox management to lead generation

    • How to keep the human touch in a digital-first, remote-work world

    Jordan Eaton is the founder and CEO of Boss Assistants, a Canadian-based agency serving small business owners across North America. Her team of full-time virtual assistants and marketing professionals helps entrepreneurs build businesses that support their lives, not consume them. With a background in executive support and firsthand experience with entrepreneurial burnout, Jordan now helps others reclaim their time, reduce their stress, and scale more intentionally.

    Boss Assistants supports clients with everything from inbox cleanup, calendar management, and customer service, to social media, podcast editing, and lead gen, without the complexity of managing freelancers or hiring full-time staff on your own.

    If your inbox is out of control, your calendar is packed with low-leverage tasks, and your stress levels are spiking, this conversation is your sign: you don’t have to keep doing it all yourself.

    Jordan breaks down the exact process her team uses to integrate with new clients quickly, create calm out of chaos, and help founders regain creative focus. This isn’t a conversation about fluffy mindset. This is about building systems that free you up so your business can scale without you working 24/7.

    She also shares how she’s navigating the rise of automation and AI tools, and where the human touch still matters most in virtual support.

    • Website: https://bossassistants.com

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-eaton

    If this episode gave you something to think about—or made you breathe a little easier, please leave a 5-star review wherever you’re listening. It helps more small business owners find the show and build their own powerful engines.

    29 min
  • Small Business Big Engine - Trailer

    What if the secret to small business growth isn’t grinding harder, but building smarter?

    Small Business, Big Engine is the show where real small business owners share how they’ve built momentum. Hosted by Grant Fisher, a longtime product designer and founder of SingleStack, the podcast takes you behind the scenes of companies across industries, from solo service providers and franchisees to brick-and-mortar owners and creative entrepreneurs.

    Each week, Grant sits down with business builders who are doing more than just staying afloat. They’re creating systems, hiring with intention, building visibility, and getting creative with how they serve their customers. These aren’t polished highlight reels. They’re honest, tactical, and often surprising conversations about the challenges and wins of running a small business in today’s world.

    You'll hear stories like:

    • How Andrea Boddeker, a Card My Yard franchise owner, transitioned from independent business ownership to franchising, and the unexpected marketing challenges that came with managing a hyper-local, high-touch service

    • How Reed Hansen of MarketSurge built a results-first marketing agency by helping small business clients plug the gaps in their lead systems, starting with something as simple (and costly) as missed phone calls

    • How Darcy Cudmore went from freelancing on Fiverr to running his own successful PR agency, and why trust, relationships, and simplicity drive everything he does

    • How Jeff Shiffman and Kate Finan of Boom Box Post created a thriving post-production sound studio by intentionally crafting a culture of generosity in a hyper-competitive industry

    • And how Elyse Petersen of Tealet is using blockchain to disrupt global tea trade and connect farmers directly with consumers, all while navigating the challenges of transparency, scaling, and market education

    The show also features guests like:

    • Jonathan Fisher, who opened a beverage company during the pandemic and shares what it really takes to stay resilient when the hype fades

    • Brady Lowe, a hospitality entrepreneur who shares why thoughtful engagement is the most overlooked growth strategy in the next decade

    • Robert Kennedy III, a storytelling expert who helps business owners communicate in ways that actually connect with their audience

    • And many more creative and resourceful leaders who aren’t waiting for permission, they’re building their own engines

    Whether you’re trying to increase your visibility, get more leads, manage your team better, or simply create a business that doesn’t run you into the ground, this podcast is for you.

    You’ll walk away from each episode with ideas you can actually put into practice. We cover topics like:

    • Marketing and content strategy for small teams

    • Automation tools and systems that save time

    • Client experience and retention tactics

    • Hiring, delegation, and leadership for small teams

    • Building authority in crowded industries

    • What AI can (and can’t) do for your business

    • And how to grow without burning out

    If you’re tired of vague advice and cookie-cutter growth hacks, you’ll find Small Business, Big Engine refreshingly real.

    Grant brings a direct, no-fluff approach to every conversation, asking the questions most business owners don’t get asked — about their decisions, failures, experiments, and wins. It's a podcast built for business owners who are learning as they go but aren’t content to stay stuck.

    New episodes drop every week. Subscribe now and start learning from entrepreneurs who are in the trenches, building smart, sustainable businesses on their own terms.

    1 min
  • How Boom Box Post Created a Culture of Generosity in a Competitive Industry - Jeff Shiffman and Kate Finan - Boom Box Post

    In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, host Grant Fisher sits down with Jeff Shiffman and Kate Finan, the co-founders of Boom Box Post, a boutique audio post-production studio based in Burbank, California. Known for their award-winning sound design work on projects for Netflix, Nickelodeon, Disney, Amazon, and more, Jeff and Kate are reshaping what it means to run a creative studio that’s nimble, inclusive, and fiercely independent.

    Boom Box Post started as a leap of faith, a breakaway from the corporate world of Warner Bros. to build something smaller, more agile, and more aligned with their values as creatives. What followed was the transformation of a literal auto body shop into a state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos equipped facility with a culture unlike anything else in the sound design world.

    In this conversation, we explore how Jeff and Kate built their studio from the ground up, why they prioritize design-focused storytelling, and how they’ve maintained strong client relationships with some of the biggest names in entertainment. We dive into their paid apprenticeship program, their 50/50 gender parity hiring approach, and how fostering a generous, collaborative culture has helped them thrive in one of the most competitive corners of the entertainment industry.

    You’ll also hear their candid take on the rise of AI in audio post-production, why transparency and kindness still give them a competitive edge, and how they’re future-proofing their business by expanding into features, podcasts, and digital sound libraries.

    Whether you’re a creative entrepreneur, studio owner, sound professional, or just curious about how top-tier studios operate behind the scenes, this episode is packed with practical wisdom on how to build a creative business that lasts.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why Jeff and Kate left a major studio to build Boom Box Post
    • How they transformed an old auto shop into a world-class sound facility
    • What it means to be a “design-focused” audio post studio
    • How they created a company culture centered on generosity and collaboration
    • The strategy behind their paid apprenticeship program
    • How they maintain 50/50 gender parity in a male-dominated industry
    • Their thoughts on AI, automation, and the future of sound design
    • How they manage recurring work, client relationships, and creative risk
    • Why kindness and communication still win in a high-stakes industry
    • What’s next for Boom Box Post, from features to podcasts to sound libraries


    Featured Projects Mentioned:

    • Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Netflix)
    • StuGo (Disney+)
    • Wild PAK (Nickelodeon)
    • Invincible (Amazon Prime)


    Resources & Mentions:

    • Boom Box Post Website
    • Boom Box Blog
    • Boom Box Library
    • Kate Finan on LinkedIn
    • Jeff Shiffman on LinkedIn

  • Connect with Boom Box Post:
    → Visit: boomboxpost.com
    → Contact: Use their contact form for inquiries, all messages go directly to Jeff and Kate
    → Follow their blog for weekly insights into sound design, team culture, and creative workflows

    About the Podcast:
    Small Business, Big Engine is a weekly podcast hosted by Grant Fisher, where we explore the stories and strategies of creative entrepreneurs who are building strong, sustainable businesses. Each episode dives into the real-world tools, decisions, and philosophies that power small business success.

    Like this episode?

    Be sure to leave a 5-star review!

    44 min
  • How to Stand Out in a Crowded Marketing Industry - Reed Hansen - MarketSurge

    What if your next five clients were already in your database, you just needed a smarter system to catch them before they slipped through the cracks?

    In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, I’m joined by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge.io, who specializes in helping small and local businesses turn lost leads into booked appointments, without adding more hours to the day.

    Reed grew up in a family-run landscaping business and watched firsthand what happens when great work isn’t paired with consistent marketing. Today, he’s built a career solving that exact problem for other business owners. At MarketSurge, Reed and his team help solopreneurs, service professionals, and lean teams build repeatable systems for local visibility, reputation management, and lead generation using smart automations, proven SEO strategies, and AI-driven tools.

    Whether you're a photographer, HVAC pro, plumber, or boutique agency owner, this conversation is packed with real-world tactics you can apply this week to stay fully booked and build a marketing engine that runs without you.


    What We Cover in This Episode:

    ✅ Reed’s early lessons from a family business, and why marketing made all the difference

    ✅ The "feast and famine" cycle that traps so many business owners

    ✅ Why local SEO is still a goldmine (and how to get your Google Business Profile to work for you)

    ✅ How automation helps you ask for referrals and reviews without lifting a finger

    ✅ The one simple CRM automation that closes leads from missed calls

    ✅ How to collect 5-star reviews at scale, and what to do with them afterward

    ✅ Tips for creating trust at scale through newsletters and podcasts

    ✅ How to differentiate in a crowded marketing agency space

    ✅ Reed’s take on AI: tools that are actually useful for small businesses

    ✅ Templatizing your onboarding process and service delivery to scale smarter

    ✅ The difference between long-tail brand-building and immediate ROI, and when to invest in both


    Who This Episode Is For:

    • Small business owners struggling to stay consistent with marketing
    • Solopreneurs trying to systematize their sales and lead-gen
    • Service-based businesses looking to get more Google reviews
    • Anyone looking for high-leverage, low-effort marketing wins
    • Entrepreneurs curious about using AI without being a developer
    • Founders trying to grow without hiring a full in-house team


    Resources Mentioned:

    • MarketSurge.io - Reed’s company focused on automating marketing for small businesses
    • Inside Marketing with MarketSurge - Reed’s podcast on practical marketing
    • Google Business Profile Get your local presence optimized
    • Tools like ClickUp, Cursor AI, and others mentioned for workflow automation

  • Connect with Reed Hansen:

    • Website: MarketSurge.io
    • Podcast: Inside Marketing with MarketSurge (available on all major platforms)
    • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/reedhansen


    If this episode gave you an idea or an action step, hit “Follow” and share it with someone else running a growing business. Small Business, Big Engine is here to bring you conversations that help you build smarter, grow leaner, and create engines that work even when you’re not online.

    41 min
  • From Fiverr to Founder - Darcy Cudmore’s Path to PR Success

    What does it take to go from $5 gigs on Fiverr to running a digital PR and SEO agency that consistently earns media coverage in outlets like GoDaddy, HubSpot, Entrepreneur, and Forbes?

    In this episode of Small Business, Big Engine, host Grant Fisher sits down with Darcy Cudmore, founder of RepuLinks, to share how he scaled from solo freelancer to business owner with a growing remote team and a reputation for results.

    Darcy started out on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, using every opportunity to build his skills, collect five-star reviews, and earn repeat business. That foundation eventually opened the door to larger clients, agencies, and long-term growth. Today, RepuLinks focuses entirely on organic link building and digital PR, helping clients gain valuable backlinks and expert mentions without paying for placements or cutting corners.

    Whether you're new to PR or trying to grow your SEO the right way, Darcy offers a practical roadmap based on real experience.


    In this episode, you'll learn:

    ✔ How Darcy turned Fiverr gigs into a full-scale business
    ✔ What makes organic backlinks more valuable than ever
    ✔ How platforms like HARO, Qwoted, and Featured help you earn press
    ✔ Why speed, quality, and consistency are key to media outreach
    ✔ What to know before hiring or scaling a small team
    ✔ How to build trust and visibility without a traditional PR budget
    ✔ Why AI is increasing the value of earned, expert-driven content
    ✔ The biggest lessons Darcy learned while growing RepuLinks


    What is RepuLinks?
    RepuLinks is a white-hat digital PR and SEO agency that helps brands grow online visibility by securing earned backlinks through expert quotes, journalist pitches, and organic media opportunities. The team monitors platforms daily, responds with tailored insights, and helps clients get featured in highly trusted publications. This process increases domain authority, builds brand credibility, and drives long-term SEO performance.

    Darcy and his team offer a done-for-you service that delivers guaranteed link volume through consistent, human-centered outreach.


    Who is this episode for?
    This conversation is a must-listen for:

    • Small business owners trying to grow organic traffic
    • Founders looking to build long-term SEO authority
    • Freelancers aiming to move from service provider to business owner
    • Marketers seeking real-world PR strategies that don’t rely on pay-to-play tactics
    • Anyone interested in modern link-building, SEO, and visibility


    Resources Mentioned:

    • Platforms: HARO, Qwoted, Featured, SOS
    • RepuLinks: www.repulinks.com


    Connect with Darcy:

    • LinkedIn: Darcy Cudmore
    • Website: www.repulinks.com
    • Darcy offers free 20 to 30-minute calls for those interested in learning how to manage organic media outreach in-house. No strings attached.


    Enjoyed this episode?
    Make sure to subscribe to Small Business, Big Engine and leave a review. It helps other listeners discover the show and brings more visibility to stories like Darcy's. Thanks for listening.

    39 min
  • The Art of Experience - How to Make Your Brand Unforgettable - Brady Lowe - Taste Network

    How Brady Built a $2M+ Agency With No Full-Time Staff

    Brady shares the evolution of Taste Network, which started in 2002 with wine and cheese pairings and scaled into a multi-city culinary festival that brought together chefs, farmers, winemakers, and food lovers in an entirely new way.

    You will learn how he:

    • Turned relationship equity into his main growth strategy

    • Built community through story-driven events

    • Scaled Cochon555 into a 20-city tour with more than 20,000 attendees per year

  • Exited the event business and shifted into systems consulting and AI-powered coaching


    Why Storytelling Beats Branding Every Time

  • Brady explains why people connect with narrative over names.

    "Narrative is still king."

    He breaks down how crafting a meaningful story—not just for your product, but for your audience—is the fastest path to resonance, referrals, and retention.


    The Offset Strategy: High-Impact Events Without High Budgets

    Brady shares one of his most effective and repeatable strategies for producing high-quality events without breaking the bank. Known as The Offset Strategy, it is rooted in building long-term relationships with aligned vendors instead of short-term sponsorships with random brands.

    "I only included products I’d want in my own house."

    It is a playbook for building brand integrity and curating experiences that feel cohesive and memorable.


    AI Adoption for Operators: Why It Matters

    Brady compares avoiding AI today to refusing the internet in 2002.

    We talk about:

    • Why founders need to engage with AI daily

    • How ChatGPT can replace clunky internal meetings and reports

    • A simple weekly AI reflection ritual that drives team clarity and alignment

    He introduces a 3-question system he uses with his team every Friday:

    • 1. What were my highs and lows this week?
    • 2. What can I do to radically increase revenue?
    • 3. What can I do to radically increase accountability?

    This is a practical and fast habit that can work for nearly any kind of business.


    Brady also breaks down Accelerator, his white-labeled CRM ecosystem built on GoHighLevel, designed for hospitality, creative, and service-based entrepreneurs.

    Accelerator integrates:

    • CRM and pipeline tracking
    • Funnel and landing page builders
    • Multi-channel messaging and engagement
    • Automated review generation and email/SMS marketing
    • Fully built websites with connected automations


    Quotes from this episode

    • "If you are still managing customer touchpoints in spreadsheets or disconnected tools, this part of the episode will give you the systems-level thinking you need to modernize."
    • "If you’re not using AI first, you’re already falling behind."
    • "You can’t throw an epic event if you’re cheap. But you don’t have to go broke if you build the right relationships."
    • "It’s like walking into a restaurant and the hostess doesn’t even look at you. That’s what ghosting your audience feels like."
    • "I want to scale from a lazy $2M to a focused $10M, and I want to take 100 people with me."
    • "Your business needs a North Star. If you don’t have one, you’ll burn out chasing tactics."


    • Who this episode is for:
    • Small business owners who want to scale with purpose
    • Marketing professionals looking to connect more deeply with their audience
    • Event planners and brand builders searching for smarter systems
    • Creative entrepreneurs navigating how to apply AI in their workflow
    • Coaches, consultants, and service providers ready to operationalize growth
    • Anyone building a business with clarity, systems, and a mission


    Resources Mentioned in This Episode

    • Taste Network: https://tastenetwork.com
    • Accelerator CRM Platform
    • Next10 Coaching Program
    • ChatGPT (for team engagement, weekly check-ins, and playbooks)
    • GoHighLevel (the software foundation behind Accelerator)


    How to Connect with Brady Lowe

    • Website: https://tastenetwork.com
    • Instagram: @bradylowe75
    • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tastenetwork
    39 min

About Small Business, Big Engine

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Weekly interviews with entrepreneurs building smarter, scalable businesses. Small Business, Big Engine is for founders who want to grow without burning out. Host Grant Fisher talks with real small business owners using systems, automation, and AI to drive better leads, stronger visibility, and sustainable growth. No fluff. Just practical insights to help you build a business that runs without you.