The Entrepreneurial Web

Join Jeremiah and his guest, Wil Loushin as they discuss MMA and the entrepreneurial mindset.

Listen in to this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Jeremiah has guest Will Loushin on today. The message of the week mentions how you need to position yourself so that you don't get knocked down, and this applies to MMA and business. Will is a gym owner, and he is an MMA trainer; he specifies that Grindstone Athletics in Virginia Beach gets you ready to fight. After the short intro, the guys got chatting about their past experiences in some classes. Will was once a Marine and has plenty of combat experience.

Will is also a jiu-jitsu instructor, kids only. Will is originally from Colorado but ended up in Virginia. When he joined the military, he was 18, and after returning from combat, he met an MMA fighter. In 2013 Will's wife suggested that he get more involved in Jiu-Jitsu given that she noticed how much he loved it. He began by training kids and seeing how the jiu-jitsu provided income, opened his eyes to take the craft more seriously. 

Will opened grindstone four years ago but then covid hit and made things rough. Now things are getting back to normal, and their numbers are rising. Will was holding online classes for a while, via Zoom and he noticed that couples whose spouses didn't show interest at first are now training. As Will was setting up Grindstone, he luckily used the GI Bill funds to help fund the business. He made it clear that he isn't the sole proprietor; it's a group of them that own Grindstone.

Jeremiah wants to start an academy; he said that during the pandemic, he had a studio. Unfortunately, many schools closed during the pandemic. In Jeremiah's view, some that definitely should not have gone. He wants to open something that will mix fitness and martial arts. Everyone at the Grindstone gym is very passionate about the style they perform; Will says that the gym isn't a cookie-cutter gym. If there are people who don't fit Grindstone, the gym has the power to refuse admission. There is an old-school vibe to Grindstone; it's dirty and grungy. He emphasizes that he is passionate about MMA, not there to sell something. They are there to provide quality. Will says that when the uncertainty of the pandemic hit, that is when his Marine Corps training came in handy; instead of feeling sorry for himself, he was trying to find a solution.

Grindstone is the mentality of the gym, work hard. Focus and discipline are the two main things for Will that can be applied to many facets of life. Grindstone plans on moving to a bigger facility so that they can run multiple classes at the same time.

Running it back this Friday at noon with my guy and top NYC cameraman, Tom Justino.

He was my wing man for my first ever Facebook Live and we're at it again this week talking the current state of production, what gear you need & his podcast, Toll Switch.

No one has given me better advice when it comes to video, audio & photography than Tom over the years.

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Jeremiah is broadcasting this week from his restaurant, Della, in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn.  Tom gives the advice to not get anything more than what you absolutely need when it comes to equipment.  Jeremiah and Tom discuss the new iPhone 13, which does not make many improvements to the photography features introduced in iPhone 12.  Even though the photography features on newer iPhone models are excellent, post production is generally still needed for a professional-grade photo.  Jeremiah and Tom tend to upgrade their iPhones every two years.  They recommend Moment lenses to enhance iPhone photography and discuss whether these lenses will work homogeneously with upgraded Portrait Mode features.  Jeremiah asks Tom about any pointers for improving videography.  Tom says that audio quality makes all the difference in the world for enhancing video, referencing a scene in Taxi Driver as an example.  Always save background noise in case you wish to use it in a finished video mix.  Software such as Adobe Premiere Plus can be useful for editing video.  Jeremiah and Tom will be back after the break.            

Segment 2

Back from the break, Jeremiah asks for Tom’s take on how much the industry has changed since the start of the pandemic.  Tom notes that we have been more accepting of lower quality standards than we normally would have pre-pandemic - Zoom audio and video quality, for example.  As long as you can give the viewer/listener what they’re there for, then that’s all that matters.  They will forgive the audio/visual hiccups.  Jeremiah notes that over the last two weeks in Midtown Manhattan, daily activities are as close to normal as they’ve been in the last year and a half.  It may never fully go back to what it was pre-pandemic, but the volume of people has been much higher.  Tom says this transition to the new normal means he needs to navigate the grey area between art and commerce.  People and brands are going to want to tell stories together, which provides a lot of opportunities for photography, especially on social media.  Tom is going to continue focusing on fine art photography while also finding ways for his photography to tell stories for brands.  Social media is a great way to prop up brand stories, whether it’s sharing a mission, promoting a pop-up location or directing to a detailed website.  Jeremiah mentions Google My Business, which is an effective way to integrate all social content into a singular platform.  Tom recommends using message boards and forums on brand websites to further your message.  More to come after the break.                   

Segment 3 

Jeremiah asks Tom, if a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a video worth?  Jeremiah says the hardest thing to maintain when scaling a business is intimacy.  Video has the potential to scale intimacy much more effectively than a photo can.  Sam agrees that it’s easier for a viewer to invest in video/film and that it takes a unique type of person to get lost in a photograph in the same way.  Jeremiah asks Sam what strategies he employs for growing his business.  Right now Tom says that getting back into things is so new, he focused on putting his fine art out and hoping that it attracts customers interested in working with him.  He adds that he has had more time during the day to focus on work since his kid is back to in-person school and afterschool activities.  Prior to that he was doing a lot of his writing at night and getting outside to shoot whenever he could.  He started working with Fort Hamilton Distillery by meeting up with him on numerous occasions in the Windsor Terrace/Kensington area.  Tom remarks that of Jeremiah’s restaurant businesses were able to prosper through the pandemic because people tend to turn to food for comfort.   Jeremiah and Sam will come back for their final segment after the break.          

Segment 4

After the break, Jeremiah asks Tom about his podcast, Toll Switch.  Tom was inspired to create a storytelling studio without constraints, where the stories could be translated to different mediums.  From this came Toll Switch, a series of one-act teleplays taking place in New York City in the 50s.  It’s allowed Sam to tell all of the stories he’s wanted to tell.  The video companion pieces to the show are filmed in black and white to recall the style of noir films of the era.  The show can be found on all major podcast platforms.  Tom would like to grow the show by connecting more to the NYC theater world, to utilize the top-tier acting talent.  The end goal is to eventually be able to work with a major network.  Learn more about Tom at his website JustinoPictures.com and on Instagram at @bullfella.  Learn more about Toll Switch at TollSwitchStudios.com and @tollswitch on Facebook, Instragram and Twitter.

This Friday at noon I'll be discussing 3 of my favorite topics - entrepreneurship, podcasting & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - with business owner & bjj practitioner, Robert Johnstone.

Robert is a partner in Speakeasy Podcast Network & an old training partner of my bro, Jacob Fox. 

We'll dive into why podcasting is smart for business owners, what it takes to get one together, the type of services Speakeasy provides & how jiu jitsu informs your professional life.

Watch the live video on Talking Alternative Broadcasting or listen live on talkradio.nyc.

Segment 1

Jeremiah kicks off the show with a quote from Gary V: “Every business is a media company.”  Jeremiah welcomes Robert Johnstone to the show.  He is the partner of the Speakeasy Podcast Network.  Jeremiah asks Robert how he got into podcasting.  Robert got into podcasting due to jiu jitsu and finding out that Joe Rogan had a podcast.  He was in the Marine Corps at the time, working on F18s and teaching martial arts. Once he was out of the Marines he used his knack for marketing learned from growing up in a small town and being fascinated by the ad booklets he’d receive in the mail.  He wanted to get into business with a focus on marketing and started by selling advertising at a local newspaper.  He got into digital marketing with his business partner because while the company didn’t have capital, others were impressed with how they were marketing the company.  This led to the creation of Wayne Media Group, the parent company of Speakeasy, which did digital marketing for clients on a local level.  They were benefitting tremendously from using podcasting to market their business, and clients began asking them for help establishing their own.  Podcasting eliminates the need for a broadcasting background and traditional media support.  One thing led to another and for the last two years, Speakeasy has helped clients launch successful podcasts.  They help them set their goals, give them best practices and help market podcasts to their intended audiences.  As a result Speakeasy has been able to build a team of intelligent employees specializing in podcast marketing.   After the break, Jeremiah and Robert will continue to the conversation about building a successful team.  

Segment 2

Jeremiah comes back from the break to ask Robert more information on Wayne Media Group.  They do marketing for small businesses with personal approach.  For example, they’ll take on a company’s social media management, Google business page management, photography and videography, and helping with their marketing strategy from a holistic approach.  What they want to accomplish by staying local in Louisville, even though there are benefits of outsourcing, is they always want to be there and want their clients to be spoken for locally.  They want their clients to know that they will always be a phone call away.  Everyone on his team are real people who will knock on your door to help out with your marketing.  Speakeasy now has in-person services where clients can come to the podcast studio to see how the shows are produced.  Jeremiah discusses how difficult it is to scale intimacy - offering a level of intimacy where clients feel like they’re talking to you and that you’re hearing them.  As you expand nationally and internationally, that feeling of intimacy can start to go away.  In 2011 when Jeremiah was opening multiple business at the same time, they were short on marketing budget and felt like there were no middle ground marketing services companies on offer.  Robert says that Speakeasy offers this for small, scrappy businesses and one of the reasons they can do this is by building and maintaining a work culture where their employees are treated well and made to feel like they are contributing positively to clients’ business.  That culture then spreads to the clients. Jeremiah says a key to establishing a niche business is to focus on what competitors are not offering, and to make yourself visible in that space.  He thinks Speakeasy is offering this type of niche service to small businesses. Robert says Speakeasy saw that need for a niche and can now offer smaller companies marketing opportunities that are otherwise seemingly only available to larger companies with big marketing budgets.  Podcasts in particular can be started on a very small budget. After the break Jeremiah will ask Robert more about what Speakeasy can offer in terms of podcast development and marketing. 

Segment 3 

Back from the break, Robert offers pointers on how best to develop and market your podcast.  “The best way to start your podcast is to start your podcast.”  Record yourself a lot, listen to yourself and take notes on how you can improve your voice.  Stay consistent with it: try to record every week if you can.  Keep on top of your goals and objectives for the podcast.  Identify the audience you want to speak to and develop a strategy for growing that audience.  Start with your niche and you will eventually be able to expand the audience.  Jeremiah mentions how his podcast started off focusing a lot on jiu jitsu, and the show took off with that niche audience and grew from there.  Robert says one group of businesspeople who benefit greatly from podcast are real estate agents.  The most successful ones grow their audience by talking about more than just real estate - ghost stories for example.  Jeremiah mentions fellow TalkRadio.nyc show Rediscovering New York as an example of a real estate professional using their platform successfully.  Robert says three three things local podcasters should know they will gain from having a podcast.  #1: business-to-business networking capability.  #2: Content generation that you can use across your other marketing and social platforms.  #3: you’ll build a strong brand image for your company.  Jeremiah adds you’ll also realize that podcasting is genuinely fun to do.  Robert adds that podcasting is a good way to grow your business from a content perspective, without necessarily having to worry about hard numbers.  After the break Jeremiah and Robert will talk about jiu jitsu.   

Segment 4

Wrapping it up for today is a discussion between Jeremiah and Robert on jiu jitsu.  Jeremiah says jiu jitsu 101 is having a strategy.  Similar to business, podcasting and life, jiu jitsu needs to have a strategy or else things can be very chaotic.  Robert responds saying it’s extremely important to have a plan, similar to having a content plan for a podcast.  It’s also important to go in with a clear head so you can focus on implementing your plan.  To close out, Jeremiah asks Robert for some parting wisdom.  Robert says it’s invaluable to be able to work through emotional turmoil.  He learned this in the Marines and this has stayed with him during his life and career.  You will make mistakes and you will experience pain, but if you make it through, you will be successful.

This Friday noon I'm getting the firewood ready with Frank "Chopper" Wells

He’s a fighter in the truest sense & had many bouts, but his journey to independence as a businessman is perhaps his toughest battle yet

Tune in live on talkradio.nyc to learn why they call him Chopper

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Jeremiah introduces Frank “Chopper” Wells to The Entrepreneurial Web. Frank shares about his own nutrition company. Frank shares his journey to where he is today. He shares how he was introduced to Jiu Jitsu and MMA and what really intrigued him about the sport and what he has done with that training. He also shares his travels to different countries and where he trained and got certified. Frank got verified on general nutrition and used that to not only help himself but help others understand how food affects their bodies. 

Segment 2

The two start the conversation about having a good relationship with food while having to cut weight to make weight for fights. Frank relates how eating healthy is hard but creating a sustainable way to eat puts you into a mindset where it becomes easier over time. He also shares that he does not eat healthy 100% of the time, that he has his moments where he has a slice of cake or something that isn't as nutritious as he usually eats and he explains that it is okay to do that. They mention covid and talk about how it has affected the world, in relation individuals weight affects them on the daily. Frank shares the unhealthy habits he sees and shares how to regulate them and have a different outlook on relationships with food. 

Segment 3 

Jeremiah talks about the good habits that pro fighters practice and how these habits put individuals in better shape both physically and mentally. Frank shares how he has helped individuals get into fighting from business backgrounds. He shares how he has taken hectic schedules and gotten to help and see change in clients. The two talk about balance and how it is not only about diet, but also about sleep and rest.  

Segment 4

Frank shares both his most memorable and his first fights and how he has grown from them. He also talks about what goes through his head when he faces resistance, he encourages those who want to see change to make change. Frank tells the story behind his social media names for both business and his personal life that show a little insight to his journey to where he is today.

Join Jeremiah and his guest as they talk about business,  taking risks, and of course, Ju Jitsu!

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Jeremiah is joined by Rodrego Crespo, a black belt and partner for Gregor Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Rodrego tells his story of traveling back and forth between San Paulo. He continues to share how his media company was made and what they provide. Rodrego shares how he has seen the difference between living and working in Rio, San Paulo, and America. He gives insight to what he was interested in working with at the time of starting out in 2005, and how it was hard to start because social media was not as popular as it is today. Rodrego shares about his partners and how he still has business partners in different parts of the world and what that looks and feels like for an entrepreneur. 

Segment 2

Jeremiah and Rodreigo talk about Rodregos involvement with fashion and luxury brands. Jeremiah asks how he got into art and creative content, and Rodrego tells that he not only studied it in university but also got a job involved with advertisement that expanded his horizon. He shares it was when he got involved with an upper scale company when he truly saw the heights his career could reach. Jeremiah asks about how he manages to balance and trust all his business partners. Rodrego tells both the good and the bad experiences that he has faced over time, and how he has learned and evolved over time in managing all his responsibilities. Rodrego tells how over time he has learned to say “no” and the confidence that he has gained by choosing confidently. Jeremiah emphasises the weight of trust and how it truly will affect business partners and the growth of a company. 

Segment 3 

Jeremiah and Rodrego talk about what it means being an entrepreneur, having multiple businesses, and still having time to do what you want. The two talk about the beauty about being able to step away from the company while still being involved in it. Jeremiah talks about how the pandemic had affected Rodrego and his companies. Rodrego tells how they flourished during the pandemic and expanded, he spoke about his Jiu Jitsu company and how that not only began but grew after partnering with Gregor, a guest of Jeremiahs on previous episodes. 

Segment 4

Jeremiah restates the highlights of the show, bringing up how important the people you surround yourself with are, as well as remembering to let go of some of the responsibilities. Jeremiah continues to talk about how he has seen so many entrepreneurs that they don't let go, but it is impossible to do it all when creating a company. Giving up some responsibility to a partner shows trust and lets the process flow much more smoothly.

Many people begin their Jiu Jitsu journey for reasons of self defense, with the end goal of being able to control an untrained antagonist.

But once you join a school and develop a community, the ante gets raised and your attention shifts to being able to implement your techniques on a knowledgable, resisting opponent.  For many, this is the pinnacle of your training experience.

Marketers these days are faced with a similar challenge. 

Sure….it’s easy to say you’re a good marketer when you’re providing results in high economic times with little resistance, but how do you perform when businesses are struggling to stay afloat amidst a whimsical regulatory environment and waning consumer confidence?

This Friday at noon I’m honored to welcome back to the show RKCMO president & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Ryan Kovach.  This week we’ll be discussing ways in which businesses & agencies can be nimble & strategic under the pressure & constraints the current situation is presenting, and still execute effective marketing.

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Starting off today’s show, Jeremiah delves into a brief discussion about martial arts, a topic covered in the last show, before introducing his guest this week Ryan Kovach, RKCMO president and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt. Jeremiah explains that Ryan has previously been on the show, and on that episode Ryan talked about his business. Jeremiah asks the first question of the show, asking about Ryan’s background. This gives Ryan the floor to talk about how he came from an entrepreneurial family and how his family has been in business through all kinds of crises, however, in his opinion, nothing has been like running a business within the current pandemic. This prompts Ryan to delve into how he has customers across the United States with different political views and mindsets. This is difficult to navigate, he explains, because people are only in agreement that they hate the other side. He feels, however, that as a business owner it is not his place to judge his clients. 

Segment 2

Returning to the show, Jeremiah and Ryan have a conversation about blue belts versus black belts, and how some blue belts are almost to the same level as some black belts. They then move to talking about the current unemployment situation in the United States. Ryan then starts talking about how this situation pertains to marketing, launching into a personal story. He describes how he and his wife both got diagnosed with COVID-19 in November, he says, before getting COVID-19 once again the following year. During his experiences with this disease, he believes the thing that helped the most was maintaining his physical health. Next, Ryan goes into, in his opinion, why he believes we need to return to normalcy. He talks about how this pandemic has required people to be innovative in order to reduce risk, but that being innovative can be very difficult for some businesses and that there are only so many measures these businesses can take.

Segment 3 

After the break, Jeremiah gives a brief summary of the past conversation. This prompts Jeremiah to talk about how he and his wife have had lots of difficulty running their business during this pandemic, as they are understaffed and have lower numbers of customers. Jeremiah then asks Ryan how to market to get new business, especially if already overwhelmed. Ryan gives his opinion on this, using a Jiu Jitsu analogy. Next, Ryan talks about how COVID-19 deaths over the past few months are lower, even with the delta variant. Jeremiah describes how he was driving through Brooklyn when he heard about the new mandates, and for a second, considered moving to another city where he can have his restaurant. It is not sustainable for businesses to have to close repeatedly, Jeremiah explains. Ryan talks about how, if vaccinations are required for your staff, you should have them get vaccinated. 

Segment 4

After the last break, Jeremiah recaps the last segment. This is the time, Ryan explains, to beef up your marketing. Then, he talks about how in some cases, it might be time to productize. He gives the example of productizing a certain sauce from Jeremiah’s restaurant, and getting it on the shelves of the local grocery store. Returning back to the topic of marketing, Ryan talks about how these regulations being put in place mean that it is time to market as much as possible. Market that you are open for business and following regulations, Ryan says. He continues, emphasizing that, in his opinion, communication is the key to returning successfully. They then wrap up today’s show, and Jeremiah thanks Ryan for his insight.

This Friday at noon I’m going live with Frank Pepe!

We’ll be talking brazilian jiu jitsu, imposters & how to be the most bad ass person you can be!

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Starting off today’s show on the Entrepreneurial Web, Jeremy introduces his guest of the week Frank Pepe. Frank talks about how he’s been doing jiu jitsu for two years, and how during those two years, jiu jitsu has opened up a new world for him. Emphatically, he describes that his confidence levels have been through the roof. Before he started doing this practice, Frank says, he would have described himself as a team sport guy, but the fact that jiu jitsu is an individual sport has allowed him to grow further and work on his mental health. Frank and Jeremy then compare the trust that is built in jiu jitsu to the trust that is built within business. In the comparison, Frank details how often in jiu jitsu you are put in the position to trust that others are not going to hurt you. Similarly, in business, you must trust that the people around them are going to help each other out.

Returning to the show, Frank and Jeremy have a discussion about the pros and cons of using LinkedIn. This prompts them to make a slight shift in conversation, and to talk about how often people who are just starting out in their career are great in theory but not yet in practice. Next, they discuss how, due to the nature of jiu jitsu, they both feel that their worries and problems dissolve when they work on the mat. Compared to running or lifting weights, they say, during which you can check your phone and there’s generally no problem solving, in jiu jitsu, you have to completely and actively focus on the task at hand. The conversation then drifts to how in both jiu jitsu and in business, when you find yourself in a bad spot, if you allow yourself to go with the knee-jerk reaction and try to change something immediately, you may end up in a worse or equally bad position. Patience is key, they say.

After the second break, Frank and Jeremy discuss how jiu jitsu is like a mythology; we pass down generations of information through movement and technique. At some point, they describe, you don’t have to speak anymore. Jeremy then asks Frank how jiu jitsu relates to his current career, considering that his occupation is translating and relaying information. This leads Frank to talk about how jiu jitsu is essentially translated from one person who is more skilled to someone who is less skilled. He describes examples of people he worked with who did not know the fundamentals yet. Thus, he says, translating main elements of jiu jitsu is similar to how he translates in his work. Jeremy and Frank then talk about the idea that if you really wanna be good at something then you should try teaching it. There’s a lot of value, they say, training with someone less skilled than you. They even connect it to business, pointing out that surrounding ourselves with people who don’t necessarily know as much is helpful to learning in that context as well.

After the final break, Jeremy and Frank talk about how jiu jitsu studios were like during the pandemic. When pandmeic first hit, studios closed for a few months and then started slowly opening up over the course of the pandemic. Over fall, they say, it just exploded. Jeremy talks about how before jiu jitsu studios were open again, he found himself practicing in empty apartments, basements and even a motorcycle shop. The main reason why these studios close, they talk about, is because jiu jitsu is the opposite of social distancing. Returning to an earlier topic, Jeremy and Frank talk about how people may be overly confident when they first start out but once they’re in the studio it’s a different story. When you have major opposition or adversity, they say, it might be different. Jeremy then wraps up the show with a few notes about the pandemic.

If you think you’ve had it rough, I implore you to check out this week’s show with author, Justin Reeves.

His story offers perspective on what sheer determination can create, and his book drops very soon!

‍

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

Starting the podcast, Jeremy introduces his guest Justin Reeves. Following the introduction, Justin gives a brief summary of his journey to where he is today. Jeremy and Justin delve into some of the specifics of Justin’s journey, including how he started a book publishing company in his homeless shelter. As they continue talking, Justin briefly discusses how his life was changed following his brother’s suicide. JD the author. Raising three kids as a single dad.

Got good grades but didn’t go all the way through and got his GED. not a 9 to 5 job nothing wrong with it but and come from a background where he was encouraged to do it despite his background. Ask about recording studios. I went to school for audio engineering and used to rap. Didn’t work out just because things don't go as planned doesn't mean you don’t have a purpose. Entrepreneurial learning creative backgrounds Jeremy comments. They bond over having to fend for themselves? Bag of snakes in the middle of room 40 running and won't know and 40 will run and they will say snakes and 10 will stand at perimeter and watch and 5 will try to capture snakes. Which person am I. I watched someone get killed at 9 and community and Post Traumatic Streets Disorder. Normalizing things that traumatized him. You’re just going through it

Welcoming us back after a break, Jeremy gives a brief summary of the past segment before asking about Justin’s book Post Traumatic Streets Disorder. Mind becomes accustomed to it he is trying to shift life to success, trying to shake bad habits, take you through journey and all things he;s been through gotta let go ou=f old ways always on defense. People have unrealistic expectations, Jeremy says. Hoping book serves as a reference finding hope when he makes it through. Battle depression and many battles getting raw emotions while going through these things. Tried to kill himself and didn’t die. How to write a book self publishing he self published and he talks about inspiration

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Opening up the show, Jeremiah introduces his guest Ryan Gerardi and they have a conversation about navigating various social media platforms. Specifically, Jeremiah and Ryan bring up clubhouse, it’s similarities to twitter, and its general popularity over time. They talk about how, essentially, clubhouse removed a lot of friction by making communication smoother. Shifting to a new topic, Jeremiah and Ryan talk about the relationship between marketing and sales, marketing and businesses, and talk about marketing in general. They also clarify that, though it is important, social media isn’t necessarily the same as marketing nor is it the most important aspect of running a business.  

Segment 2

Following the break, Jeremiah gives a short summary of the first segment. Next, Jeremiah asks about Ryan’s martial arts training. Ryan talks about how he currently has his first degree black belt. Next, Jeremiah talks about the Jujutsu studio that he just opened. He talks about how COVID affected his martial arts studio, and how he transitioned to making instructional videos for his clients so that they could continue training from their own home. Jeremiah goes into how he treats his martial arts studio as a business, and in fact, feels that he treats every project he launches, including this podcast, like a business. Ryan comments on this tendency, stating that Jeremiah possesses entrepreneurialism. 

Segment 3 

After the break, Jeremiah and Ryan discuss Ryan’s business. Ryan launches into a brief summary of his journey to his current career from his car business. Specifically, he describes that he has always had a talent for working with technology, and realized that he also wanted to teach others, and therefore, eventually ended up pursuing his current career in managing media and public relations for small businesses and professionals. Next, they talk about making podcasts and offer their advice for those wanting to start their own podcast. They also discuss how entrepreneurship requires creativity, and that a lot of people who have the entrepreneurial edge tend to be artistic in some way. 

Segment 4

Wrapping up the show, Ryan elaborates further on what he does with public relations and media and how it can help his clients. He talks about the different plans he has for his program that cost different amounts of money per month. Continuing to elaborate, he explains that in his program they can do one-on-one or group coaching, depending on what plan you go with, to help you come up with your business strategy for public relations and media. As they close the show, Ryan lets us know to look up his name, Ryan Gerardi, in order to find him online. He also lets us know to find his website, ryangerardi.com, which will lead you to his Linkedin. 

Throughout the pandemic, one of the hardest hit industries was the martial arts. In general, martial arts requires close contact with another human(especially Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), and unless someone in your household also trained, your participation during COVID either greatly diminished or all together disappeared. And all those schools that offered sanctuary to the martial artist suffered tremendously during the lockdown, as well.

Similar to Broadway, owners & operators of these academies were given very little information as far as a timeline for reopening, particularly in NYC. With finances diminishing over the extended closure, many did not survive the 16 month shutdown.....but there are success stories.

This week I'm pleased to share the mic with Gregor Gracie to discuss the reopening of his Brooklyn academy along the Brooklyn Bridge Park waterfront. If there's one thing the Gracies are trained to face from a very young age, it's adversity, and this week we'll hear how Gregor's lifelong journey in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu prepared him for what is likely the biggest challenge his school will ever face.

Tune in for this energetic conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Jeremiah introduces the episode by explaining where he is recording today, in the newly opened Gregor Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy before introducing the message of the week, “Jiu Jitsu is like a philosophy, it helps me learn how to face life”. He then introduces his guest for this week, Gregor Gracie the owner of the academy, and a well accomplished martial artist. Jeremiah and Gregor discuss Gregor’s first academy he operated that opened in 2018, before it closed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Gregor explained how his first academy was a great learning experience that allowed him to be able to upgrade his space to his current academy’s location along the Brooklyn Bridge Park waterfront. Gregor goes in depth about what attracted him to that area to open his current academy. The two discuss the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020, and where Gregor’s headspace was in regards to running his academy and how it was impacted by the pandemic. Jeremiah and Gregor discuss the Jiu Jitsu mentality, and how this mindset has helped them throughout the pandemic, as well as their daily and professional lives.

Segment 2

Jeremiah and Gregor discuss how for the longest time due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fate of Jiu Jitsu was very fragile due to the nature of the martial art being a contact heavy sport. The two continued to talk about how the pandemic impacted business, Jeremiah bringing up the issues that occurred with leases and paying rent, as many businesses were unable to open because of the pandemic, leaving the owners unable to pay their landlords, leading to their permanent closure. Gregor brings up how sad it is to see all of the gyms that had to close down because of the pandemic, as he doesn’t like the mindset that one area only needs one gym within it, as he believes that the more gyms that are open and operating the more people that know about Jiu Jitsu. Jeremiah and Gregor discuss Gregor’s business strategies in opening his newest academy during this time, and expanding it at that. Gregor goes in depth at what motivated him to start his own business and open his own academy, rather than focus exclusively on professional MMA fighting. Gregor continues to explain why he enjoys operating a Jiu Jitsu academy, and that he’s happy that he made the transition to running a business because of how much joy it brings him.

Segment 3

Jeremiah and Gregor discuss what kinds of lessons are going to be available at his new Jiu Jitsu academy, and how he has expanded the kind of content available from his previous academy. The two continued to discuss the Jiu Jitsu community, and how the community impacts Gregor, and how it plays into how he operates his academy and what is offered at the academy. Gregor explains the kinds of classes that he offers for kids, and how there is a focus on both self confidence and self defense, both of which Gregor strongly believes that children should know. The two continue to discuss how Jiu Jitsu is very much about working together, and helping each other to improve their skills. Jeremiah explains how much he appreciates Jiu Jitsu because you can always improve and better yourself, and those who you train with are there for the journey with you. Gregor continues off of that point, saying that Jiu Jitsu helps to keep you humble, and to not judge a person by their appearance, an aspect of Jiu Jitsu and the community he appreciates. Jeremiah and Gregor discuss digital marketing, and Gregor’s marketing strategies when preparing for the opening of his academy.

Segment 4

Jeremiah goes in depth about the grand re-opening of Gregor’s Jiu Jitsu academy, as well as the environment of where it is located. Jeremiah and Gregor discuss Gregor’s thoughts on Jiu Jitsu going forward, as well as the future of the Jiu Jitsu community. Gregor goes in depth about his different endeavors within the Jiu Jitsu world, as well as the growth of the competition team he is on.