Main Street Success Stories

Did you know that only 50% of small businesses make it to year five? That statistic fires me up! In this solo episode, I’m diving into the real reason so many entrepreneurs struggle—ignoring their numbers. I’ll take you behind the scenes of my own business journey, including a humbling moment when my payroll checks bounced (yes, it happened!). But more importantly, I’ll show you why understanding...

Welcome to Main Street Success Stories , where we inspire and equip creative entrepreneurs to stress less and earn more. In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Jenna Harding , a former actor-turned-social media expert who’s now empowering entrepreneurs to attract paying new clients on Instagram without spending endless hours glued to their phones. Jenna shares her journey from the stage to...

In this episode, Jennifer Kok sits down with Jamie Trull, a financial literacy educator and former Fortune 500 finance executive turned entrepreneur, to tackle one of the most challenging aspects of business ownership—managing money. Jamie shares her journey from corporate finance at Coca-Cola to launching her own business, fueled by her desire for flexibility and independence. Key takeaways inclu...

In this episode of Main Street Success Stories , Jennifer Kok chats with Brooke Norlin, a seasoned Virtual Assistant (VA) with a knack for helping business owners streamline their operations and amplify their online presence. They dive into Brooke’s journey from early days in social media to her current role as a VA. The conversation focuses on actionable strategies for locally-owned businesses to...

In this episode of Main Street Success Stories , host Jennifer Kok dives into her personal entrepreneurial journey, sharing how she overcame challenges during the 2008 recession by pivoting her business model. Jennifer provides insight into resilience, adaptability, and innovation, essential traits for small business success. If you’re a small business owner, Jennifer’s story will inspire you to a...

In this episode, Jennifer Kok interviews Stacy Sloan, founder of 3 Little Birds Granola, who shares her inspiring entrepreneurial journey. Stacy reflects on her path from culinary school to creating a clean-label, allergen-free granola that has expanded into K-12 food service markets across multiple states. She candidly discusses the challenges of starting as a hobbyist, the fear she faced when tr...

Molly Bossardt with Bread to Butter Digitial Marketing, started her business in 2020 with a focus on helping small-town businesses—particularly wineries—modernize their marketing strategies.  She emphasizes the importance of niching , which allows her to cater to wineries’ unique challenges, such as family ownership structures and the need to engage a younger audience.  Molly advocates for a 360-d...

In today’s episode, we sit down with Tanya Thompson, founder of The Aroma Labs, as she opens up about how a journey through grief inspired her to start a business that now spans multiple locations. Tanya’s story is both touching and empowering, offering insights into how she skillfully turned a personal loss into a thriving business with a unique approach to customer involvement. Episode Highlight...

In a conversation between business coach Jennifer Kok and entrepreneur Brittani Clancey, we learn about Brittani's business, Fashion Pact , a unique thrift store in Anchorage, Alaska. Her business donates 30% of every sale to local charities, with customers choosing the recipient charities at both the donation and purchase stages. Brittani’s business journey began after 10 years as a stay-at-...

In this episode of "Main Street Success Stories," Jennifer Kok sits down with Samantha Irwin, founder of Kaizen Consulting and Hospitality Bootcamp, to explore the critical role of customer experience in driving business growth. Samantha shares her journey from middle school teacher to boutique hotel owner and how these experiences shaped her approach to customer service and business con...

In this episode, we dive into the entrepreneurial journey of Lori Sanborn, the owner of Urban Threadz Boutique, as she shares her experience transitioning from a salon owner to running a successful online boutique. Lori opens up about her challenges and triumphs, offering valuable insights for locally owned businesses. Key Topics Covered: Starting from Scratch : Lori shares how she began Urban Thr...

Meet Ciara Stockeland, a seasoned entrepreneur and profit strategist, to discuss her journey from a third-generation entrepreneur to a successful business consultant. Ciara shares her highs and lows, from building a seven-figure business to losing everything and rebuilding with a new focus on financial health and strategic growth. Listen in to learn how to manage inventory, understand your financi...

Jennifer DiVita, an influencer in positive aging and the author of "Not Your Shoe Size," joins us to discuss her journey, her passion for aging positively, and her experience writing a novel. This episode dives into the following five key topics: Positive Aging and Influence: Jennifer shares her background in journalism and her unexpected career shift into gerontology and positive aging....

Our guest today, Heidi Low, embarked on a profound personal journey. She made the courageous decision to leave her corporate job and establish a retreat for bereaved parents, a cause close to her heart after the loss of her terminally ill daughter, Alison. This led to the creation of her non-profit, Ohana Oasis, through which she has been a source of healing for many.  Today, Heidi's focus is...

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Kate Greuneke, founder of The Socialite Agency. Discover how Kate built a successful virtual marketing agency specializing in the home industry, working with interior designers, home stagers, and more. Learn about her journey from early struggles to breaking six figures by finding her niche. Kate shares invaluable insights on relationship-based marketing,...

Owning a business can feel lonely; sometimes, you feel like a hamster on the wheel. I am so excited to share with you today a real case study of transforming a struggling business, a burnout business owner, into a profitable business, and an owner who has found joy in her business again.  Today’s guest I am honored to say is one of my clients, Christina Ellis, Sip Organic Juice Bar, a busy wife, a...

Today’s episode will excite you about your future and the next steps you envision for you personally and your business.  Dawn Pick Benson is a transformational travel coach who helps women undergoing major life changes rediscover themselves, regain their power, and have a blast through travel.  Dawn leads a program called Brave Journey, a 5 step process to help women at any age, in any phase of li...

13 year old Aleksander has taken his passion for dogs and launched a business with his Mom.  This episode will make you smile and fuel your passion and desire to succeed as an entrepreneur.  In this episode with Amy and Aleksander, a mother and son partnership,  started Wagging Riders, a dog bus business that picks up your dogs from your home and takes them to the dog park for daily exercise.  The...

What is the best way to personally connect with your ideal audience?  In this episode I interview Kristi McDonald , a national bridal show planner for IDo Bridal Expo.  Kristi shares with us tips on how to organize an amazing event but also how to utilize events and trade shows to grow your business.  If you are a service based or local brick and mortar business this episode is for you. Kristi sha...

"Spend less time with people who make doing business hard. " Wise words to live by when you are trying to grow your business.   My guest today, Carrie Wilson is the CEO of a women-owned, family owned Commercial Construction Business, an industry where only 9% of the workforce is female.  In this episode she shares how she had to overcome the barriers of being the minority in the room, wh...

This strategy can take your business to the next level. My guest today, Cynthia Kay, has been an entrepreneur her whole life. She started by working in her family business, worked for 13 years in the broadcasting business and has owned and operated a media company for 36 years.  In addition, she has written three books and her newest book releases today: Small Business, Big Success: Proven Strateg...

Growing a business takes extreme attention to detail as well as excellent customer service.  In this episode my guest, Monica Shea, founder of a training program, Agent of Excellence shares how she saw a gap in the training provided for Real Estate Agents and turned her passion for Disney and Real Estate into a business.   She shares that to grow a business, get referrals, and retain customers it...

In today’s episode, I interviewed Elisa Rodriquez with M & I Interiors.  Elise shares how to succeed as a woman, a minority-owned business in a male-dominated industry the challenges she has faced, and what has led to her success.    We discuss her journey of leaving her 20+ year corporate career to go all in her business. Some of the highlights are: Knowing the pathway to funding and what she...

Gina Jacquart Thorsen is the 3rd Generation CEO and co-owner of Jacquart Fabric Products home of the Stormy Kromer brand.  In this episode we deep dive into her experiences and life lessons she learned growing up as an entrepreneur’s kid, the decision to choose to work in the family business, and how you navigate the CEO role after her father retired.  We share: - The rich history of growing a sma...

Join me as I interview Steve and Bernadette Powers, owners of XD Power Fitness.  They purchased an existing business during the pandemic and share the good, bad, and ugly of acquiring an existing business in this episode.  Since taking over this business three years ago, they have doubled their membership, positioned themselves as a community resource, and learned much about entrepreneurship.  The...