66 episodes

This is Small Business explores the journey to success for small business owners by diving deep into the pivotal moments they have faced and conquered along the way. Brought to you by Amazon, this show is delivered through the unique perspective of a curious millennial trying to figure out what it takes to be a successful small business owner today. Episodes feature small business owners and industry experts from all walks of life who offer trends analysis, life lessons, and a different point of view. This is Small Business invites you to dig deep and find the tools you need to start, build, and grow your small business.

This Is Small Business Amazon

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 46 Ratings

This is Small Business explores the journey to success for small business owners by diving deep into the pivotal moments they have faced and conquered along the way. Brought to you by Amazon, this show is delivered through the unique perspective of a curious millennial trying to figure out what it takes to be a successful small business owner today. Episodes feature small business owners and industry experts from all walks of life who offer trends analysis, life lessons, and a different point of view. This is Small Business invites you to dig deep and find the tools you need to start, build, and grow your small business.

    Why Public Relations Matter

    Why Public Relations Matter

    Accidents happen, we make missteps, sometimes our brands are tarnished. So how do we prepare for the inevitable and mitigate impact? Indya ‘Icy’ Wright, the Founder and CEO of Artiste House, a PR firm that prioritizes diversity, inclusivity, and representation, has some answers.
     
    According to Wright, “all we can do is try to minimize the results of what happened, rectify it, and if things go well, move forward.”

    In this episode you’ll hear:

    (02:35) How do you figure out what your story is?
    (05:22) How do you determine which issues to take a stance on publicly?
    (07:52) You never know when a crisis will strike, how do you prepare?
    (08:27) After a crisis, how do you deal with the potential loss of business?

    • 9 min
    Do You Have What It Takes to Own Your Own Business?

    Do You Have What It Takes to Own Your Own Business?

    If there's one thing we’ve learned over the many episodes of this show, it’s that owning and operating your own business is hard. You have to overcome challenges you didn’t even know existed.

    Thinking of becoming an entrepreneur or you’re wondering if you should stick it out? We have Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, scholar, speaker and consultant, who studies the science of maximizing human potential, to guide us through. “I do think for every market need, for every human desire, there is an entrepreneur who is inspired and equipped to meet that need and to help for people to connect with that desire”

    And Pamela Wirth, of Hello Health, will share what she’s learned on her path to entrepreneurship. Learn from an expert and those who have been there!
     
    In this episode you’ll hear:

    (03:49) Why connecting with others is one of the most important traits of an entrepreneur

    (05:23) What qualities you need to be an entrepreneur 

    (08:17) If you can't go all in on your business because you need the financial security of a 9 to 5, how else can you start your business journey?

    (10:24) How do you start a business if you have too much on your plate?

    (12:56) An entrepreneur is also a leader, so what qualities do you need to be a great leader?

    (15:38) What are some hurdles that entrepreneurs might have to overcome when they're thinking about starting a business?

    (18:45) What are some of the qualities you need to help you get through the tough times?

    • 20 min
    Business Loans Dos and Don’ts

    Business Loans Dos and Don’ts

    Money is such an integral part of your business. So when the time comes and you need to secure more, where do you start? Who do you turn to? We’ve got Iman Cotton, a loans officer with CDC Small Business Finance to guide us through it. Iman says that a good place to start is by thinking, “something that sounds too good to be true, probably is.”

    Learn how to best prepare you and your business for a loan.

    In this episode you’ll hear:

    (01:39) How do you find a good lender?

    (03:29) What documents do you need to apply to a small business loan?

    (04:31) Mistakes small business owners make when they want to apply for a loan.

    (07:34) Now that you have the loan, what happens if you’re struggling to pay it back?

    • 9 min
    Strategies for Success as a Woman in Business

    Strategies for Success as a Woman in Business

    Being a woman in business can come with its challenges but with the right tools – it can become a journey of empowerment and growth. Just ask Katy Luxem, the CEO and founder of Big Dill Pickleball, who stands out in the sporting goods industry with her products. She’ll share the story behind why she started Big Dill Pickleball, some insights on how to succeed in ecommerce, and how she dealt with being a female founder in a male-dominated industry. You’ll also hear from Deepa Purushothaman, the Founder of re.write, Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School and the author of The First, The Few, The Only. Deepa has spent most of her time helping women in the corporate world, so she accumulated a ton of advice that she’ll be sharing with us – like the importance of community.

    Unlearn some ideas about what it means to be a woman in business and learn the benefits that can come from being a female founder.

    In this episode you’ll hear:

    (01:31) How Katy started Big Dill Pickleball

    (03:20) How using branding and differentiation is essential if you want to succeed in ecommerce.

    (05:20) The importance of building community and having a supportive network as a female founder.

    (07:42) What you need to unlearn about what it means to be a woman in business.

    (10:48) How to navigate issues that are out of your control.

    (12:33) The benefits of being a woman in business

    • 16 min
    How Networking Can Help You Build and Grow Your Business

    How Networking Can Help You Build and Grow Your Business

    Having a solid network can help you meet the right people that will help you grow your business. Just ask Robbie Samuels, a networking expert who got his first few clients by tapping into his network. Robbie shares all his networking secrets so you can know how to get the most out of any networking event and break away from the transactional feeling that comes with it. “I believe that our network is an untapped resource,” he says. “And if we're trying to find people for our programs and to pilot new things – 80 percent of the people that we need to sell to or connect with, we already know. It's a matter of reaching out to that network.”

    Learn what a successful networking event looks like and what you should be doing before and after to ensure that you’re taking advantage of everything that networking has to offer. 

    In this episode you’ll hear:

    (02:00) Why networking can be uncomfortable and how to overcome that by reframing your mindset.

    (04:28) Bagel vs Croissant: How body language can make networking easier.

    (06:41) How to prepare for a networking event.

    (07:55) How committing can help you stand out.

    (08:52) How to use your network to grow your business.

    • 12 min
    How to Use Social Media to Reach Your Audience

    How to Use Social Media to Reach Your Audience

    Social media can help you connect with your audience authentically and foster meaningful growth. Just ask Sahra Nguyen, the founder and CEO of Nguyen Coffee Supply, who uses storytelling to keep her audience engaged. Sahra explains how she figured out what content her audience wants and what performs best on each platform. You’ll also hear from Kat Norton, the CEO of Miss Excel, who went viral on social media and used her online presence to successfully start her business. Kat digs deeper into how to keep up with trends and how to plan your content efficiently. 

    Learn how Kat and Sahra used social media to their advantage and discover actionable strategies – like how to follow trends and create content – to elevate your online presence and reach your audience.

    In this episode you’ll hear:

    (02:16) How Kat used social media to start Miss Excel

    (07:06) How Sahra connects with her audience through social media by sharing her story and being authentic

    (09:24) Sahra talks about the challenges to centering the founder’s story in your brand’s social media

    (10:19) How Sahra uses data to figure out what type of content works for each platform

    (12:41) How experimenting with your social media content can make you go viral and how to take advantage of that virality – even if the content doesn’t align with your brand

    (15:50) How to keep up with trends

    (18:33) How to create social media content efficiently

    • 22 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
46 Ratings

46 Ratings

Art729 ,

So glad I found “This Is Small Business” podcast

I love the format! A little different than the usual interview style pod. Useful information, clearly shared, in an interesting way! (Glad Jenna Kutcher mentioned it! )

Josh 949 ,

Small Business Simplified

I love the podcast format. It tells small business stories while focusing on a main business topic. Andrea also does a great job summarizing the key takeaways at the end.

AdventureWolf ,

An Inspiring Collection of Shared Business Experiences

It can feel lonely being a small business owner with the weight of everything resting on your shoulders. This is Small Business has managed to bring together beautiful and inspiring stories of the successes, and struggles, that small business owners experience. Andrea Marquez does a lovely job of telling these stories, and educating listeners on some of the finer points along the way. I’d give it 10 stars if I could, already looking forward to the next season!

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