Is the way you handle your business finances helping you grow or holding you back?

From starting out in a small Alaska town to running a thriving, multi-location accounting firm, Tanya Akimenko has seen firsthand how financial missteps can derail even the most promising small businesses.

As the founder of Golden Apple Agency, she helps business owners across the U.S. organize their finances, save on taxes, and build lasting wealth.

Avoiding Common Financial Pitfalls

If you’ve ever mixed personal and business expenses or judged your company’s health by your current bank balance, you’re not alone. But it could be costing you.

Tanya shares the red flags she spots most often in small businesses and the simple steps you can take right now to get organized, protect your cash flow, and make better financial decisions.

Structuring Your Business for Tax Savings

Your business structure plays a huge role in how much you keep and how much you hand over to the IRS.

Tanya walks you through when to move from an LLC to an S corporation, why $100,000 in net profit is the magic number, and how the right setup can cut your payroll and self-employment taxes by over 15%.

Enjoy this episode with Tanya Akimenko…

Soundbytes

17:03 - 17:13 “You have to have logical thinking when it comes to taxes, because tax has so much gray area. How you interpret it. It's not always black and white.”

08:05 - 08:25 “So I sold my house, moved in with my mom, hired a bunch of people, and started training. There were a lot of growing pains. It took a lot to realize that just because you're great at something and you think you can train people, it's not the case.”

08:26 - 08:47 “It takes a special kind of person to do tedious work, like accounting. And then it also takes another type of person to actually talk to clients. That's not always the same person. So I was like, okay, so I can't duplicate me. I have to separate positions for different people.”

Quotes

“With taxes, you don't need just knowledge, you actually need some wisdom.”

“If you're not growing, you're shrinking.”

“Accounting is not really math. It's more of a puzzle.”

“Finances are the heartbeat of your company.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://www.goldenappleagencyinc.com/ 

Connect with Tanya Akimenko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyaakimenko/ 

Connect with brandiD

Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

76% of buyers Google you before they reach out.

If your brand isn’t showing them the real you, it might be holding you back more than you think.

In this episode, I sat down with Chris at FlowChat to talk about one of my favorite topics: how personal branding and your identity as a founder shape every part of your business, from the copy on your homepage to the culture inside your team.

What Personal Branding Really Means

Personal branding isn’t about being loud online or showing up a certain way. It’s about alignment. I define personal branding as a cocktail of three things: your essence, your reputation, and your marketing. That combination is what creates an authentic brand people connect with. 

In this conversation, I share how tools like 360 brand feedback help founders uncover their true strengths and why that feedback often holds the key to differentiation.

Why Founder Identity Shapes the Entire Business

Whether you’re a solopreneur or leading a growing team, your identity sets the tone for everything. From the moment a client lands on your site to the way your team handles support emails, your brand is shaped by who you are. 

In this episode, I talk about how understanding your values, energy, and purpose helps create a brand that’s not just consistent, but powerful.

Enjoy this episode…

Soundbytes 17:05 - 17:19 “Every touch point a potential customer or an actual customer has with your company is an interaction that's going to leave that customer with a point of view, with an opinion about your brand.”

02:32 - 02:59 “So I define personal brand as a cocktail, and it's a mixture of your essence, your personality, your true self, your reputation, because that always supersedes you, and then combining that with marketing, and marketing is a million different things. So, what are you comfortable with, and how are you comfortable marketing your product or service? So that's how I define personal branding. It's, it's a mix of several things.”

Quotes

“One thing I believe wholeheartedly is that the attributes of a founder are very much the attributes of a company.”

“You can't do personal branding properly if you don't tap into who the person is behind the company.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with brandiD

Easy Tips to Adjust your website: https://buildmybrandid.com/website-tweaks/ 

Personality Quiz: https://content.leadquizzes.com/lp/jqgbMsr00g 

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

From Our Guest Host, FlowChat

Website: https://www.flowchat.com/

Connect with FlowChat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flow-chat/

What would you do if your first major order, worth $400,000, fell apart in your customer’s hands…and there was no one to refund you?

For Mike Watts, it wasn’t the end. It was the beginning of a comeback story that transformed a product idea into an America-made brand built on grit, values, and legacy.

Mike is a serial entrepreneur with six product-based startups and over $80 million in retail sales under his belt. He’s the founder of LoveHandle, the smartphone accessory brand that’s stayed 100% family-owned and self-funded, despite opportunities to scale faster with outside investors. He also forged a partnership with Daymond John, without ever appearing on Shark Tank.

From Costly Mistakes to a Manufacturing Advantage

Mike shares the hard-earned lesson every product-based entrepreneur needs to hear: control matters. 

After his overseas supplier cut corners that cost him $400K, he made the bold decision to bring manufacturing in-house. That shift gave him full control over quality, fulfillment, and product development. If you’re relying on third-party suppliers, this story might change how you think about risk, ownership, and scale.

How to Build a Brand That’s Rooted in Real Relationships

Forget chasing investors or quick wins. Mike grew LoveHandle by focusing on what most overlook: relationships. 

Whether it was handing out branded samples at trade shows or pre-printing logos for every exhibitor to spark conversations, his approach was personal, thoughtful, and wildly effective. 

Today, his company is still 100% family-owned, run by a team that includes his wife, kids, and even his mother-in-law. If you’ve ever wondered how to grow while staying true to your values, Mike’s story is proof that it can be done.

Enjoy this episode with Mike Watts…

Soundbytes

17:32 - 19:44 “They told us, don't send samples to the show….But I'm really more of an ask forgiveness than permission kind of guy. And so I kept sending samples…Then one of those made it to my dream shark Daymond John, and he started using the product. Loved it. And then he started ordering them from my website… I saw the order come in…So I called right away…They're like, Oh, you want to talk to Damon? Great. No chance…So I made some custom products that said, Rise and grind with a nice foil card on there. I sent him a box of 500…It was a big hit…And then I just kept sending them. And then, eventually, one day, the phone rings and it's Damon and his team calling. They say Mike, I really respect your hustle…I got more deals than I could say grace over, but I like you and I like your product, so let's work out a deal.”

11:53 - 12:25 “We were growing very quickly right up until 2020, when COVID happened, and everybody got quarantined. Now, all of a sudden there's no trade shows. So every order we had canceled, and then our entire market dried up.”

Quotes

“We dumped $400,000 worth of product into the dump.”

“I'm really more of an ask forgiveness than permission kind of guy.”

“If you never quit, you're guaranteed success.”

“If you didn’t almost lose everything, you probably didn’t start a great company.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://www.lovehandle.com/ 

Connect with Mike Watts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-watts-21402578/ 

Connect with brandiD

Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Your website has 5 seconds to make a first impression. Is yours working for you, or against you?

If your homepage is cluttered, confusing, or unclear, chances are your visitors aren’t sticking around. And in today’s digital-first world, that could be costing you more than you think.

This is an episode where I take part in a Super Learning Session with Page Two, a publishing company. We covered everything authors and experts need to know about building a website that feels clear, compelling, and conversion-ready.

Clean, Cohesive Design That Keeps People On Your Site

If your website feels cluttered or chaotic, visitors won’t stick around. In this session, you’ll learn how to use white space, color, and font pairings to create a sense of clarity and calm. We talk about why less is more when it comes to design and how to make sure every visual element on your site works for you, not against you. 

Because when your design is clean and intentional, people feel confident exploring what you have to offer.

Content That Speaks Directly to Your Reader

Your website shouldn’t start with a paragraph about you. It should start with a reason for your visitor to keep reading. I share how to write homepage content that’s focused on your audience, not just your accolades. You’ll learn how to highlight what makes your work different, guide visitors toward a single clear action, and turn casual browsers into book buyers, email subscribers, or future clients.

Enjoy this episode…

Soundbytes

03:05 - 05:20 “So if you think of walking into an art museum or going into a botanical garden or going into a restaurant that's very nicely designed, we have visceral reactions to the spaces we're in. And websites also create visceral reactions for people.”

03:52 - 04:04 “I wouldn't use more than three different fonts on a website, so you might have one for headings, one for the actual text, and then maybe a different font for call to actions.”

Quotes

“Great design is in the details.”

“Clean design can just exude a very calm emotion in somebody that's looking at your website and make them want to stay on there.“

“Just put the minimum of what you want on a web page. The beauty of a web page is that you can put as much text on it as you want–but that's also the negative of a webpage.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with brandiD

Easy Tips to Adjust your website: https://buildmybrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Personality Quiz: https://content.leadquizzes.com/lp/jqgbMsr00g 

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

From Our Guest Host

Website: https://pagetwo.com/ 

Connect with Page Two on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-two/

What if the fastest way to grow your business was simply…asking?

Referrals aren’t just nice to have–they’re the most trusted and efficient way to land new clients. But most business owners either forget to ask or are concerned about appearing too pushy.

This week, we’re joined by Brandon Barnum, CEO of HOA.com and author of Raving Referrals. After growing his income 10X in only 18 months by mastering referrals, Brandon now helps business owners grow through genuine relationships, strategic partnerships, and repeatable systems.

How to Ask for Referrals Without Feeling Salesy

Brandon shares a simple 3-step framework you can start using right now. You’ll learn how to set the stage early in a client relationship, spot the moments when people are primed to refer you, and ask in a way that feels natural and service-led. If you've ever hesitated to ask, this conversation will show you exactly how to do it confidently.

How to Make Referrals a Core Part of Your Business

If you want consistent referrals (don’t we all?), Brandon walks through the systems and habits that keep your brand top of mind. From building your personal “Top 50” referral list to using simple co-marketing strategies with trusted partners, you’ll learn how to create a referral engine that keeps working in the background, without adding to your daily workload.

Enjoy this episode with Brandon Barnum…

Soundbytes

16:11 - 16:24 “Find people that are serving your perfect prospects every day. They're already talking to the people that you want to help, and what you want to do is package yourself as the solution to their challenges.”

20:28 - 21:12 “There's three places that you get your business and referrals. Number one, your clients. Number two is your social sphere, and that's everybody on social media. It's also everybody that's in your phone…and number three, professionals and businesses that serve your perfect prospects every day. I call that complimentary businesses.”

08:59 - 09:12 “Step one is set the stage. Step two is to listen for the referral triggers, and then step three is to A, S, K, to G, E, T. You got to ask the right way at the right time when someone is a peak referral state”

Quotes

“84% of B2B sales start with a referral. So if you're selling to business owners, you better be working by referral.”

“When someone's referred to you, they're 400% more likely to hire you.”

“The biggest gap that I see when it comes to referrals is that people don't ask for them.”

“People don't refer you because they want to help you. They refer you because they want to help solve the challenge of someone else.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://ravingreferrals.com/

Connect with Brandon Barnum on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbarnum/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

What if the real key to scaling your business isn’t strategy or capital, but empathy?

That’s the belief driving today’s guest, David Steele. With a career spanning finance, hospitality, and the arts, David is the Founder and CEO of One Wealth Advisors, Executive Chairman of Flour + Water Hospitality Group, and Managing Partner at Great Gold Hospitality Group. He’s also a playwright, visual artist, and advocate for the power of people in business.

People Over Profit: How to Build a Team That Grows With You

If you want to build a business that lasts, start by investing in your people. David shares how he’s created a culture where turnover is almost nonexistent by treating every team member like a future owner. Whether you’re leading a small team or scaling fast, you’ll take away practical ideas like profit-sharing instead of bonuses, transparent P&L reviews, and a long-term goal of shared equity. Because when people feel valued and have a real stake in the outcome, they’re far more likely to stick around and help you grow.

Think Restaurants Are Risky? Here’s What Actually Causes Failure

You’ve heard it before: “Restaurants are too risky.” But David challenges that assumption with a powerful reframing: it’s not the industry that’s the problem, it’s the lack of business planning. 

Whether you’re in hospitality or any creative venture, his method applies. Start with a story. Build a 10-year model. Make sure the capital pays back in 3 years or less. If the numbers don’t work, don’t move forward. This approach has helped him grow eight successful restaurants and it might just change the way you assess risk in your own ideas.

Enjoy this episode with David Steele…

Soundbytes

11:17 - 11:56 “I figured one thing out, and all polymaths in business have probably figured one thing out. That is, they know how to activate a coalition of people around a singular idea… Everything that has ever been created in the history of humankind that's been great has been because people symbiotically came together to do it.”

14:08 - 14:22 “I just think the most important variable in any partnership is the most important variable in any real, sustainable relationship, which is always seeking to find empathy for the person you have a relationship with.”

Quotes

“Treat people well. People just want to feel valuable. That's all they want.”

“I have a goal with any business I start, which is to never lose a single employee for the life of the company. Now, it's a ridiculous goal. It's absurd.”

“I still have some of those clients that I started with in 1991.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://davidsteele.xyz/ 

Connect with David Steele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-steele-76088a/ 

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Most people think branding starts with your logo. But it actually starts with you.

This episode is all about how you can uncover what truly sets you apart by asking a few simple (but powerful) questions. You’ll learn how to turn client feedback into messaging that actually resonates, and how to create a brand experience that makes people feel connected the moment they land on your site.

I sat down with John Lee Dumas on his podcast, Entrepreneurs on Fire, to talk about what personal branding really means.

Your Brand Is Built From the Inside Out

Your brand is more than a logo or a tagline—it’s your reputation, your essence, and how you make people feel. I share how my Greek family values shape the culture at brandiD and why infusing personality into your website is key to building trust online. If you want your brand to stand out, you need to start with what makes you, you.

You Don’t Have to Be an Extrovert to Be Visible

Here’s something that surprises a lot of people: most entrepreneurs are introverts. And that’s not a weakness—it’s a strength. In this episode, I share how I work with introverted founders to build brands that feel aligned, not performative. From getting clear on your values to identifying the platforms that actually work for you, visibility becomes much easier when you stop trying to be someone else.

Enjoy this episode…

Soundbytes

09:41 - 10:01 “When you've got confidence and passion about what you're doing, it's impossible not to talk about it with energy and with just an extroverted energy underneath it. Whenever I talk about the things that I love to do, it's impossible for me to be introverted.”

26:16 - 26:26 “No matter what revenue someone is making, or, you know, the level of visibility they have, we are all struggling with the same things at the end of the day.”

Quotes

“People always think a brand is just their logo, and it's not. Their brand is so much more than that.”

“The last thing we want to help someone do is do something that they're uncomfortable with, because that's going to be inauthentic.”

“It’s okay to share some of those little hiccups that we all inevitably have as humans and business owners.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website?  Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

From Our Guest Host

Website: https://www.eofire.com/ 

Connect with John Lee Dumas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eofire/ 

If you’ve ever felt unsure about how much of yourself to share in your brand… this episode is for you.

This is a special episode where I joined Michael Levitt on his podcast, Breakfast Leadership, to talk about something most people overthink: how to build a personal brand that actually connects. We unpacked what personal branding really means, why it’s not about boasting, and how sharing your story can help you attract better-fit clients.

Whether you’ve been in business for years or you’re just starting out, this conversation will challenge the way you think about visibility, reputation, and what it really takes to stand out.

Personal Branding Isn’t Bragging — It’s About Being Understood

So many people stay quiet online because they’re afraid of sounding self-promotional. But the truth is, people don’t just want to know what you do–they want to know who you really are. We talk about why your past experiences, values, and even career pivots are worth including in your story. Take a look at your own LinkedIn or About page: is it helping people understand you…or just giving them a list of facts?

Can Being Too Polarizing Lose You Clients?

I share my take on whether or not you should be polarizing—and whether it can help or hurt your personal and business brand. We talked about the difference between standing out and turning people away, and why losing the wrong clients is often a win. If you’ve been keeping things neutral out of fear of alienating people, this part of the conversation will give you permission to show up with more honesty, clarity, and confidence.

Enjoy this episode…

Soundbytes

17:01 - 17:41 “Three-quarters of Americans are actually more likely to trust someone with an established personal brand, and that same percentage is more likely to buy a service or a product from a personal brand that they know. And that applies to big companies too. When you have a sense of what that company, or the founder of that company stands for…”

"If we know that a company is supporting, let’s say, a local shelter, or whatever else it might be. We're more likely to support them."

21:44 - 22:10 “A lot of times in today's world, especially the last few years, as things have evolved, we're self-centering a lot because we don't want to make waves. And I'm not ever saying make waves for wave's sake. I'm just saying, find ways to really put your values out there and the causes that you're passionate about in a way that is true to who you are. And that’s what really helps attract your ideal clients.”

Quotes

“Three-quarters of Americans are actually more likely to trust someone with an established personal brand, and that same percentage is more likely to buy a service or a product from a personal brand that they know.”

“It's okay to be polarizing.”

“Take some time every now and then. Have a coffee date with yourself, and really just kind of set your own GPS and figure out where you want to be in five years, and how you're going to get there.”

“The more we help people connect with us and truly show up as ourselves, the more likely we are to grow our businesses and convert people from browsers to buyers.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? 

Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

From Our Guest Host

Website: https://www.breakfastleadership.com/

Connect with Michael Levitt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldlevitt/

Think negotiation is just for boardrooms and big business deals? Think again. 

Negotiation is everywhere, whether you’re asking for a raise, buying a car, or convincing your kids to brush their teeth. And if you’re doing it without empathy, you’re leaving results (and relationships) on the table.

Today’s guest is Andres Lares, Managing Partner at the Shapiro Negotiations Institute. He’s helped close multi-million dollar contracts – including a $184M MLB deal – and now trains leaders at Fortune 500 companies, pro sports teams, and global organizations on how to influence with intention. He’s also the author of Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions.

Negotiating with Emotional Intelligence

Forget bluffing and bravado. Andres explains why emotional intelligence is the real power play in any negotiation – whether you’re leading a team, buying a business, or parenting toddlers. You’ll learn how to read the room, ask better questions, and use empathy to get what you want without damaging relationships. If you’ve ever felt like your message isn’t landing, this conversation’s for you.

The 3P and PAID Frameworks You Can Use Right Now

Most people wing the negotiation phase and wonder why their deals fall through. Andres shares two simple, repeatable frameworks you can plug into any negotiation today: 3P (Prepare, Probe, Propose) and PAID (Precedents, Alternatives, Interests, Deadlines). These tools help you think clearly, ask the right questions, and walk into every conversation with a strategy that puts you in control. Whether you’re making your next hire or negotiating a partnership, this is your blueprint.

Enjoy this episode with Andres Lares…

Soundbytes

07:46 - 07:55 “So we're no longer teaching how important relationships are. We're just giving the methodology and skills in order to be able to balance the relationship building with the results.”

10:38 - 10:50 “You'll notice, for example, the other person talks much slower, or has a lot of questions early on, or is always asking for information in advance. Well, you start to pick up on those cues, and you start to realize, okay, this meeting's gonna be more effective if I send it in advance.”

17:00 - 17:10 “So if you don't think you're worth $75,000, you're probably not going to be able to make that ask from a salary perspective in a very convincing way, because you don't even believe it.”

Quotes

“Think about every scenario. You negotiate. You negotiate with your kids, you're negotiating salary.”

“The phrase we always talk about is maximizing your objectives while satisfying the other side.”

“There's a relationship component, and an emotional intelligence component, which really has to be at the forefront.”

“I've never actually applied for a job I've got. It's been relationships in my network.”

“People make decisions emotionally, and then they justify rationally.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://www.shapironegotiations.com/ 

Connect with Andres Lares on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreslares/ 

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? 

Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

What if the real growth strategy isn’t finding your niche, but finding yourself?

I joined Rodric Lenhart on the Million Dollar Flip Flops podcast to talk about something I believe most business owners get backwards: we rush to pick a niche before we’ve figured out who we are.

As the founder of brandiD (a personal branding and web agency) and MyPath101 (a self-discovery platform for students), I’ve spent the last 15+ years helping people uncover the story behind their work so they can grow businesses that reflect who they really are.

Why Self-Awareness Comes Before Strategy

In the episode, I share why real growth starts with identity. If you don’t know your values, strengths, and goals, it’s easy to build a brand that looks good on the outside but feels off underneath. When you lead with self-awareness, everything, from your message to your business model, becomes more aligned, more intentional, and more fulfilling.

How to Fix a Website That’s Not Working

We also get into the biggest mistakes I see on DIY websites: too much “me,” not enough “you.” Your homepage has one job: to connect with the person on the other side of the screen. I break down how to write website copy that speaks to your audience, builds trust, and moves them toward action.

Enjoy this episode…

Soundbytes

17:01 - 17:24 “One thing I see going wrong is people start on their homepage by talking about themselves, and they really need to talk about or speak to their client, or at least speak to the pain of their client, and what their potential client might find in working with them, or why they should work with them. So you’ve got to answer that question at the very top of the page, so you can hook somebody in to want to read to the bottom of the page.”

13:15 - 13:23 “I am a big believer that strategy without implementation leads nowhere, just like implementation without strategy leads nowhere.”

14:12 - 14:19 “People are savvy, they want to know who they're buying from, you know? They want to know what that person stands for, even if it's a really large company.”

Quotes

“Anything is possible if you really put your mind to it.”

“Just take time to pause once in a while in life and think about what's really fulfilling you and what's not fulfilling you.”

“We all have choices in life–to live reactively or intentionally. And I think the more intentional we can be, the more satisfying life is.”

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with brandiD

Easy Tips to Adjust your website: https://buildmybrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Personality Quiz: https://content.leadquizzes.com/lp/jqgbMsr00g 

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

From Our Guest Host

Website: https://milliondollarflipflops.com/

Connect with Rodric Lenhart on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodriclenhart/