The Savvy Entrepreneur

Three Dog Logistics was originally named Direct Mail Logistics and was a very small player in a very large logistics industry. Founder John Kennedy shares the story of how he partnered with marketing goddess Pat Veverica and her company, What's Your Plan, to completely transform the company.

They worked together, creating a new brand for the company that played on John's fondness for dogs. They used playful and creative marketing on budget.  And together, they turned the company from $500K in revenue and 10 customers to a game- changer in a very mature industry.  And in the process, landed Three Dog Logistics on the Inc500 five times.  As they share the story, there are lots of learnings for other entrepreneurs. It's a fun story, and a great listen!

Click on the arrow  to the left to listen! Or if you prefer, read a transcript of the show & interview.

Steven Clayton, Founder & CEO of NetBlaze, has been in and around digital marketing for many years. He's seen small businesses waste a lot of time and money on digital marketing that doesn't produce.

 

He joins The Savvy Entrepreneur Show to share his 80/20 rules of digital marketing.  He has lots of practical tips to help small businesses maximize the impact of their digital footprint, cost-effectively.

Click on the arrow to listen. It's chockful of free, practical advice!

Accelerators have been successful in helping many startups. Finding the right one can mean the difference between success and failure. And accelerators vary in terms of industries served, and the type and quality of support provided.

Gener8tor, an accelerator based in Madison, Wisconsin (which has since expanded to several other mid-market cities) has been named one of the top 10 accelerators in the country.  That's no small feat.  Gener8tor is the only accelerator receiving that accolade that's based in the U.S., and only one based in a mid-market city, so you know they're doing some things right!

Troy Vosseller is the Co-Founder of Gener8tor, as well as the founder of Sconnie Nation and Sconnie Beer.  He joins The Savvy Entrepreneur Show to talk about how and why Gener8tor was founded, and some of its many innovative programs. He also shares advice on how to find the right accelerator for your business, as well as how to get accepted into that accelerator.

Click on the arrow to the left to listen to Gener8tor's story and learn more what's it's like to be part of an accelerator.

Brett Jacobson has mastered the Art of the Pivot, across industries and within businesses multiple

times.  He talks about how he approaches pivoting, both when and how.  He also talks about his latest venture, Giddy, a wearable ED device, and how his gamble is paying off big.

Click on the arrow to the left to listen as he shares his story and tips to master the art of the pivot.

Joey Frayne joins The Savvy Entrepreneur Radio Show to talk about Wisconsin's Qualified New Business Venture Tax Credit. He's worked with entrepreneurs his whole life, starting with working in the family's pizza franchise as a kid.

Now he counsels startups and small businesses of all kinds through his role as Investment Technology Manager at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, or WEDC.

We talk about what the WEDC does, and some of its programs.  In particular, we focus on the Qualified New Business Venture Tax Credit.  The program is not a direct subsidy to small businesses.  Instead, it's a tax credit for those who invest in small and startup tech businesses, thereby boosting small businesses indirectly.  Investors can include angel firms, venture capital firms, family offices, or high net worth individuals.

Joey talks about how the program has grown and helped hundreds of small Wisconsin companies.  And for those not in Wisconsin, Joey assures me that many (if not most) other states have similar programs.

Take a listen by clicking on the arrow to the left!  You can also learn more about the program here.  You can also learn more about other Wisconsin resources to help entrepreneurs by listening to this podcast.

Jeff Hodges is a self-described community agent of change.  As the founder of the One Sound Foundation and a key organizer in several other Chicago community support organizations, he makes the lives of his friends and neighbors better every single day.

One Sound Foundation evolved out of the work Jeff started doing with the Chicago Public Library.  Later, he partnered with DePaul University, teaching kids about digital music.  And he's also involved with several other community development initiatives, including the Imani Community Development Corporation,  which was founded by his father.

Click on the arrow to the left to take a listen -- you'll be drawn in by Jeff's vision and enthusiasm.  And you'll quickly understand why starting and growing community nonprofits requires top-notch entrepreneurial skills.

Lil Roberts knows a thing or two about accounting, finance and tax.  She co-founded Xendoo in 2017, and it has grown steadily since then.  Xendoo is an accounting and bookkeeping company for businesses with less than 20 employees.

Working with many small businesses over the past few years, she's seen some common mistakes and misconceptions.  She's particularly passionate about is the importance of balancing cashflow with profitability.  All too many small businesses just operate from their checkbook, and that means they don't see the whole picture.  She has seen many businesses that are overall profitable, but still run out of cash and go out of business.

Take a listen as Lil very clearly and simply takes us through the concepts of cashflow vs profitability, and then shares some tips to make sure your business stays profitable AND has healthy cashflow!  Or you can read a transcript of our interview here.

David Liebman, J.D., SIOR, has been in and around commercial real estate for over 35 years.  He's the Managing Broker of Merit Partners LLC, and is an Illinois and Wisconsin licensed commercial broker who has earned the prestigious SIOR designation.  He specializes in buyer and tenant representation, site acquisition, leasing, purchases and build-to-suits of industrial and commercial buildings and land.

Listen in as he joins The Savvy Entrepreneur Radio Show to share his top commercial leasing tips.  He also shares insights about how the covid-19 pandemic has changed commercial leasing, and what future changes are still likely to come.

Click on the arrow to hear some great tips to save you money and headaches before leasing your next office, warehouse, or manufacturing space!

David also mentions in the podcast two helpful resources, including a recent blog post with tips for commercial leasing in the pandemic, as well as a CBRE study with powerful recommendations for designing the office of the future.  Enjoy!

Bill Miksch founded WDMA Insurance Group.  He says fear was the basis of his decision to become an entrepreneur, but if you listen to his story, his path actually sounds more typical -- he tried lots of other paths, but found he just didn't fit in anywhere else.  WDMA Insurance Group focuses on employee benefit issues, and health and benefits insurance.

Bill talks about building a book of business, balancing larger clients with smaller ones.  He also talks about cold calling, and how he pushed through his aversion to it.   He also shares some tips on designing employee benefit programs.

 

Click on the arrow to take a listen!

Ron Wajer and Mark Akerly are co-authors of a small but mighty business book entitled "Food for Thought." Both are long-time successful small business consultants.  Mark is President of The Sigma Resource Group, and Ron the President of Business Engineering.

They joined The Savvy Entrepreneur Radio Show to talk about how they turned lessons learned from building their own businesses into a book.  "Food for Thought" is a compilation of their combined 60+ years of business experience to help others build their businesses.

They offer tons of great insights for starting and building a professional services business.  But frankly, some of it is just great life advice!

Click on the arrow to take a listen!  And consider buying their book -- it's an excellent read:  "Food for Thought."