Cincinnati Business Podcast

Most business owners set their prices by copying whatever everyone else charges, then wonder why revenue never turns into profit. Gino DiGiovanni, a certified business advisor with the Hamilton County Small Business Development Center (SBDC), breaks down the five numbers that actually determine whether a business survives: startup costs, direct costs, sales volume, overhead, and retail price. Usin...

Your brand is already showing up in AI search results — and you probably didn't write any of it. Brian McHale, CEO of Brandience, has watched brands lose control of their narrative to ChatGPT and Gemini not because they said the wrong thing, but because they said nothing specific enough. In this conversation, he explains why staying silent on a topic is no longer an option and what the first s...

Every investor wanted the same thing from John Cavanaugh's student networking platform — sell ads, harvest the data, print money. When he said no, they told him he wasn't fit to run the company. He walked away from $14 million in buyout offers and shut it down rather than hand vulnerable college students' mental health data to the highest bidder. That decision became the foundation for...

What does it actually take for employees to unionize, and what can business owners legally do about it? In this episode, Brian sits down with Kathy Carnes, labor-management attorney and professor at Northern Kentucky University, who has spent her entire career on both sides of the union debate. From running elections at the National Labor Relations Board to representing companies against unfair la...

What do you do when you know it’s time to change, but you are not sure what the next move should be? In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Podcast, Brian Erickson sits down with Kurt Kersey to talk about reinvention, entrepreneurship, leadership, burnout, faith, and what it looks like to keep moving forward when business gets hard. Kurt shares the story of leaving a comfortable career, buildi...

Cybersecurity and AI can both feel overwhelming for business owners, especially when every new headline makes it sound like you either need enterprise-grade protection tomorrow or you are already behind. In this conversation, Brian Erickson sits down with Jon Salisbury and Mike Camp from Nexigen to break down what actually matters for businesses in Cincinnati and beyond. They unpack what cybersecu...

If you feel like business growth is supposed to come from the perfect strategy, this conversation is a reality check. Dave Knox has spent years building and advising high-growth startups and entrepreneurial ecosystems, including leading Blue North in Northern Kentucky and helping create places designed for “collisions” where the right people meet at the right time. In this episode, we talk about h...

Are you looking for a marketing unicorn who can do it all? In this episode, Betsy Wolking, President of AMA Cincinnati and Director of Marketing at Foster and Motley, joins Brian Erickson to debunk the biggest myths in business marketing. Betsy shares why a Director of Marketing is actually a high-level project manager rather than a one-person production house. We dive deep into the realities of m...

Dana Dunmyer shares the unlikely path from pastoral ministry to building enterprise technology at GE in the early days of the internet, and why he believes faith and leadership are meant to be integrated, not compartmentalized. You will hear practical leadership lessons for business owners and executives, including:- How to make high-stakes decisions when you do not have the full roadmap, just the...

Can artificial intelligence ever truly replace the human touch in marketing and creative work? In this episode, Tobias Brauer — Executive Creative Director turned brand strategist — joins Brian Erickson to unpack what “good creative” actually means. Together, they explore how AI tools are reshaping marketing, where they fall short, and why emotional resonance and storytelling still matter more tha...

Veteran sales strategist Sean O’Shaughnessy joins the Cincinnati Business Podcast to unpack 40 years of wisdom on what really drives B2B sales success — trust, process, and people. Sean shares how he helps small and mid-market companies go from chaos to scalable systems , why most businesses fail at defining their Ideal Client Profile, and how AI is transforming sales — not by replacing people, bu...

Most jobs are never listed, and nearly 80% of new opportunities come from referrals. But what if networking as we know it is broken? In this episode, Amy P. Vaughan — creative entrepreneur, author, and CEO of Together Digital — reveals why introverts often make the best networkers, how to close the “networking gap,” and what really builds meaningful business relationships. Amy shares her journey f...

Data isn’t just for tech giants like Apple and Google — it’s the hidden key to small and mid-sized business success. In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Podcast , Brian Erickson sits down with Kyle Carter, founder of Zenylitics , to explore how data can uncover blind spots, simplify decision-making, and even save businesses from costly mistakes. Kyle shares real stories — from urgent care c...

Is it better to roast or toast your competition online? In this episode, we dive into fascinating research from NKU professors Dr. Jose Torres and Dr. Ahn Dang, who studied how brands like Wendy’s and Coca-Cola use humor on social media to boost engagement. We explore: Why roasting works for big brands but can backfire for small ones How “neutralization messages” can prevent backlash What local bu...

John McCarthy is a talent expert, author of The Purpose Promise , and the founder of AG Management and PurposePromise.org. In this episode, we explore why so many professionals feel stuck at work—and what to do about it. John breaks down how self-awareness, reflection, and alignment with your purpose can help you find meaningful work and avoid the “treadmill of disengagement.” We also explore the...

Too many business owners are their business, which makes it nearly impossible to sell. In this episode, M&A advisor JT Harp, from Transworld Business Advisors, shares what founders need to understand if they ever want to exit successfully and create long-term value. We dive into succession planning, brand independence, and how to think beyond just building a great product. Whether you're t...

In this powerful episode, Chuck Mingo and Troy Jackson from Undivided reveal how business, faith, and community leaders can be catalysts for racial healing. From early experiences with race to launching a national movement, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how honest storytelling and courageous conversations are helping create spaces of true belonging. They break down what Undivided is,...

Most business owners feel powerless when they see their health insurance premiums skyrocket year after year. But what if you could actually get money back from your plan? In this episode, we sit down with Scott Hetzel from Assured Partners to break down the hidden truths behind group health insurance—why some businesses get slammed with 50% rate hikes and others get paid by their plans. If you’ve...

Season 1, Episode 021 Is Podcasting the Secret Weapon for Business Growth? (feat. Patrick Jones & Brian Erickson) From Xavier University baseball to coaching with the Baltimore Orioles to launching a thriving recruiting business — Patrick Jones reveals how podcasting changed his career. In this episode, Patrick breaks down: Why podcasting is the hardest but most powerful content medium How he...

What if your towel is dirtier than your toilet seat? After a career in professional soccer across the UK, Iceland, and the US, Tyler Collishaw made an unexpected pivot—launching Epiphany, a consumer product that tackles invisible problems lurking in your home and gym. In this raw, practical, and energizing conversation, Tyler shares how he went from a near-MLS draft pick to emailing 1,000 CEOs (an...

Discover what Cincinnati business leaders are missing when it comes to HR! In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Spotlight , we dive deep with Melissa and the team from HR Elements to uncover how human resources can be a game-changing asset for small and medium-sized businesses. You’ll learn: ✔️ Why HR isn’t just compliance — it’s strategy ✔️ Common HR pitfalls that are costing companies big...

Who will shape the future of Cincinnati? In this exclusive two-part episode, Cincinnati Business Podcast sits down separately with mayoral candidates Brian Patrick Frank and Cory Bowman to hear their bold visions for the city. From tackling corruption scandals to fixing infrastructure, education reform, business development, and bold new ideas for Cincinnati’s future — nothing is off the table. 🔥...

What if improving your business performance didn’t mean working harder —but thinking smarter ? In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Podcast, host Brian Erickson sits down with Dr. Teresa Anderson, an interventional psychiatrist using cutting-edge technology called PR-TMS (Personalized Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation). Dr. Anderson explains how this mind-blowing innovation can sc...

In this episode, we sit down with Chandler Lyles—entrepreneur, marketer, and co-founder of High Beam Marketing—to break down the real truths behind digital advertising, scaling businesses, and why most entrepreneurs waste their marketing budget. 💡 Learn how to actually create influence, why emotional resonance trumps flashy graphics, and how Chandler turned a failed restaurant into a powerhouse a...

In this episode, we sit down with Carlos Sanchez, owner of Continental Roof Company. Carlos a powerhouse in networking, leadership, and how to build healthy, connected teams in Cincinnati . Discover how he transformed challenges into stepping stones, built a lasting legacy, and continues to influence business culture with heart and purpose. 🎙️ Carlos dives deep into the importance of mentorship, b...