Online Business Launchpad | Start An Online Business | Online Business Growth

“I don’t have a story.” Sara Lohse hears those words almost every day, and she doesn’t buy it for a second. Her proof? A spot on one of the biggest finance shows around — landed by offering to tell the story of a regrettable tattoo she got on holiday in Ireland. As Sara puts it, “you don’t need to have that massive story. You just need to tell it to people...

"I had no idea that even existed. I didn't even know that you could do that. What a dream job!" When Lindy Alexander first discovered that travel writers could be flown around the world to write about their experiences, it opened a door she never knew existed. But her journey into travel writing didn't begin with exotic destinations. It started much closer to home, with a curiosity about writing,...

“If you want to write a book in five minutes, I’m not the coach for you.” That strong declaration from Dr. Rhonda Lawson sets the tone for an enlightening and refreshingly honest conversation about authorship. In this episode, Rhonda shares what it truly takes to write, publish, and promote a successful book. From navigating self-publishing to leveraging AI responsibly, this disc...

“It doesn't have any friction with the real world. It doesn't have the contact with the real world that we do, you know, to like immerse ourselves in experience.” That’s how Emily Aborn describes the difference between AI and human writers — and it perfectly sets the tone for this conversation. If you’ve been wondering how freelance writers (or anyone who uses their w...

Neil Shoney’s origin story is the kind that makes you sit up straight: six months into launching a major fitness exhibition, he had sold less than 50 tickets, while already committed to over 200,000 pounds of outgoings at 21 years old. Facebook ads were a last-ditch roll of the dice, but after spending around 110 pounds and seeing ticket sales come in, everything clicked. “So if I keep...

“Like there’s this weird thing of the disappearing lawn guy… he shows up two or three times and then just drops off the face of the earth.” If you’ve ever hired a service provider who mysteriously vanished, you’ll appreciate this episode. Bryan Clayton took that exact frustration and turned it into a multi-city marketplace now used by 300,000 people every week....

Jared Bauman didn’t expect to compete for his own name online. But when a state representative with the exact same name started appearing everywhere in search results, it forced him to confront something bigger: search engines — and now AI tools — don’t guess who you are. They connect dots. And if your digital presence isn’t clearly connected, someone else may become...

“If I really want to make wealth for myself, I need to bet on myself .” That’s how Juzbi Walia explains the moment she stopped playing the corporate game and started building her own. And that same energy runs through this whole episode:  sell with integrity, don’t slime people into a ‘yes’, and stop guessing what your audience is thinking. If you’ve...

"I was working 18-hour days, seven days a week, and my mum said, 'You're making good money, but we have something you don't—free time.'" Sara Vezensek had the kind of job most people fantasize about—flying on private jets, managing superyachts, and earning big. But it came at a cost. In this episode, she shares how she walked away from the dream lifestyle to build a business on her ter...

"Just because someone’s great at marketing doesn’t mean they can teach." When Jasmine Jonte invested in a high-ticket online course and discovered it was badly designed and nearly impossible to learn from, she had an epiphany: great teaching is a  skill — and it’s one most experts don’t have. So, she used her background as a teacher to build a business that helps...

“When New Zealand won the America's Cup, it wasn’t the biggest budget that won, it was one key question: Will it make the boat go faster? ” That same philosophy drives Colin Clapp’s content strategy in a world now ruled by AI-driven search. If you’ve been told that SEO is dead, buckle up because Colin is here to explain why that couldn’t be further from the trut...

“When I was six, my grandmother gave me a blank book and said, ‘This is for your first novel.’ I didn’t write in it because it had to be perfect.” That’s how Emily Aborn’s writing journey began.  And it’s a relatable tale for anyone who's ever struggled with perfectionism in their content. In this episode, Emily shares why copywriting success is...

If you’re feeling stuck, maybe it’s not because you’re doing something wrong, but because you’re using the wrong business model. That’s exactly what happened to Stefanie Carlstedt. She’d built a business that looked successful on the outside.  But it felt completely off on the inside … and she was burning out. Then came a moment that changed everythi...

“I told him not to pay a cent—and definitely not to shut his website down.” What would you do if you got a scary letter using legal language, claiming you owed $700 for a photo on your website? In this episode, I share a true story about an old client who received one of these copyright trolling threats, and how we handled it. From sleuthing image origins to proving usage rights,...

“Most people think SEO is dead. But it’s not. It’s just evolving into something far more interesting.” John Horn doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of digital advertising in 2025. In this episode, we take a look at how businesses can stop wasting money on paid ads and how to prepare for the next wave of AI-driven advertising platforms like ChatGPT. Whether you’re run...

"I asked Ron if AI was going to eat his job for lunch—he said yes  and no.” That mix of realism and optimism sets the tone for this episode. When AI started disrupting his on-camera spokesperson business, Ron Desi didn’t panic—he pivoted. And he used the same technology that threatened his income to build a completely new opportunity, including an email list of 1300 pe...

“It feels like we’re standing on the side of the interstate naked, holding a sign that says ‘Look at me!’” That’s how visibility expert Tracy Beavers describes what it’s like to show up online when you’re building a business. If that sounds uncomfortably familiar, this episode is a must-listen. Tracy breaks down how to grow your audience and email li...

"Sometimes it’s not about legal advice—it’s about understanding the process. And that’s something you can learn without going to law school." –  Shatrasha Butler Shatrasha Butler didn’t just go to law school—she’s on a mission to make legal knowledge  actually useful for small business owners. In this episode, we unpack the legal must-knows...

"Sometimes being an outsider is actually your best kept secret." Gloria Chou knows a thing or two about being an outsider—and turning that into a superpower. In this episode, she shares how she went from cold-calling journalists with no connections to getting clients featured in major outlets like  Forbes and Vogue . If the idea of PR feels overwhelming or off-limits, you’ll want...

“If you look deep into nature, you'll find the blueprint for a thriving business.” That’s the philosophy Matthieu Mehuys has cultivated—literally—from the soil up. From his beginnings on a Belgian family farm to founding a globally scalable regenerative design business, Matthieu shares how he turned a health crisis and a backpacking breakdown into a sustainable busine...

Dan Hafner got the grandaddy of all sticker shocks when he saw the quote to develop an app. That moment of sticker shock was all it took for him to go from app dreamer to no-code doer. In this episode, we explore how Dan turned a DIY project into a successful business—and how you can use no-code tools and AI agents to do the same. Dan Hafner is a no-code expert, app agency founder, and host...

“Everyone—from the engineer to the CEO—should take part in supporting customers. It changes how we build everything.” That insight from fractional CTO Brian Childress isn’t just memorable—it’s a blueprint for building better tech businesses. In this episode, Brian shares how embedding customer support into  every role improves product development, tea...

“Pretty doesn’t mean it’s going to work.” That quote from marketing veteran James Hipkin cuts to the core of a major problem for online business owners: too much noise, too little strategy. With four decades of top-tier marketing experience across four countries, James joins us to unravel the confusion and teach you how to swap chaos for clarity, without falling for the nex...

Are you bringing in revenue, but your business still feels like it’s drowning? In this episode of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, host Trudy Rankin sits down with accountant and financial strategist Chidi Egbujie to unpack the #1 cash flow mistake that silently sinks good businesses—and how to avoid it. “Every number has a story,” Chidi says.  And he goes on to...

"If you’re not using analytics, you’re just shooting in the dark.” Philippa Gamse doesn’t mince words—and she’s right. In this episode, Trudy chats with digital marketing strategist and analytics expert Philippa Gamse, who unpacks the powerful, often overlooked role analytics plays in business growth. “People look at the numbers and glaze over,” Phil...