Scale Tales

Big News for PMPs – Earn PDUs with Scale Tales!   In the last episode, Alicia Butler Pierre, creator of Scale Tales and CEO of Equilibria, Inc., made a big announcement. Scale Tales is now available for PDUs!   This makes it easier than ever for Project Management Professionals (PMPs) to stay certified! If you are a PMP, you can earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) just by listening to Scale...

***Exciting News for Project Management Professionals!***   Are you a certified Project Management Professional looking for new sources to earn your Professional Development Units (PDUs)?   If so, then you're in luck!   We're thrilled to announce that listening to Scale Tales episodes just got even more rewarding! As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting your professional development, we've...

When a cash-strapped market-research firm in Cambodia teetered under debt, poor data quality, and the real risk of collapse, one leader rebuilt it from the inside out. Laurent Notin, the Bottleneck Coach, led that turnaround, driving the company to become debt-free, scale revenue toward $1.3M, and build a nationwide network of 350 interviewers while later turning those playbooks into coaching for...

This podcast is the brainchild of Alicia Butler Pierre, the producer of Scale Tales and the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc. We're turning the microphone toward her - she's this episode's guest. After leading a business for 20 years, she has many of her own success stories to share. And you're about to hear one of them.   In this scale tale, Alicia recounts the time when the CEO of an already suc...

When a public-health crisis hit, one connector turned a patchwork of government resources into a lifeline for tens of thousands of small businesses. Jesse Torres — former Regional Director of the Los Angeles SBDC, California Small Business Advocate, and founder of ArroyoWest — used decades of cross-sector relationships to help distribute PPE at scale and protect small business livelihoods.   Jesse...

Life is full of surprises, and you never know when or how opportunity will show up. David Smith had a successful 20-year career in the high-end car business. During a chance conversation with one of his co-workers one day he learned about the universal necessity of roofing businesses. He scheduled an interview with a roofing company, was hired immediately, and within six months he left to start hi...

"You owe it to yourself to give it your all, to chase those dreams, and to never give up." This quote comes from our next guest, Jet van Wijk. She's the founder and CEO of the Laptop Lifestyle Master program.   Jet began her hospitality management career, working her way up in the corporate world at Hilton Hotels before taking a major leap of faith and relocating from Amsterdam to Bali. In Bali, s...

What started as a vision to empower mothers to work from home while also taking care of their children grew into a marketplace that provides a platform where 50,000 beneficiaries can showcase their environmentally and socially conscious products and services.   The name of that marketplace is Market for Good and Tali Goldman is its founder and managing director. As an Israeli-born citizen of Singa...

"Change your business model, you could change your life." Eric Anderson, our next guest, said this and after listening to his story you'll understand why. Eric is a direct marketing and sales expert known for his captivating live presentations that drive rapid business growth and scale.   His secret?   Magic!   Yes, you read that correctly. Eric is also a magician. A professional magician to be ex...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs and executives alike found themselves faced with challenges involving business continuity, operational integrity, and remote or hybrid workforce management.   But imagine having to start up a business during the pandemic with the full knowledge that the exit plan involves shutting down completely in five years or less. That's what happened to Laquisha Mi...

There's nothing like an idea whose time has come. If you're feeling stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and hesitation, constantly putting off your dream business because of fear or uncertainty, then you are not alone! Our next guest is Alex Knight, a female mechanical engineer who made a bold move to leave behind a life of comfort and familiarity to answer a calling.   That calling involved starting S...

Keeping attention spans is challenging for adults and children alike. The digital age introduces all sorts of devices for delivering and consuming information. When Dr. Pauldy Otermans, a neuroscientist, observed that the children of many of her friends appeared tethered to either digital tablets or mobile phones, she was inspired to create Teddy AI.   Teddy AI is a digital study buddy designed to...

Never in his wildest dreams did Osita Ifezue think he would one day be known as a serial entrepreneur. But that's exactly what happened. The seeds of his entrepreneurial journey sprouted in Lagos, Nigeria in 1999. 25 years later, he founded several businesses, some of which that took root and thrived and others that failed.   A common thread Osita noticed in his failed ventures was a profit-first...

India is only one of two countries in the world with over a billion people in population. Competition in this environment can be fast-paced, cutthroat, and toxic. But, as Jahnavi Gurjer proved, it's possible to rise to the top of your field without engaging in negative behavior.    Jahnavi is the co-founder of Vital Science Consults, a company that is recognized in the top 10 organizational change...

Are you familiar with value-based pricing? It could very well be the key to unlocking revenue in your company. Nile Frater discovered this when he made a bold move to charge $10,000 USD upfront for his startup SEO agency.   In this scale tale, Nile describes the scary beginnings of Masse SEO – a digital marketing agency he founded after successfully building, scaling, and selling a tech company. H...

In the world of AI, the art of human book-writing seems to be dying. However there is still tremendous value in books, especially business books. Not only do books serve as a medium for sharing your knowledge and expertise, it also serves as a platform to scale your message and impact.   As entrepreneurs and business owners, we all have ideas but getting them into a manuscript might seem daunting....

Performing an online search for "branding" is bound to lead to all kinds of tips, strategies, and advice. But what really works? What can take your brand to the next level? The answers to these questions stump many of us entrepreneurs and small business owners.    We know we have a great product or service because of referrals and recommendations, but if there are not enough people to know about i...

Resistance builds muscle. No one knows that better than Beate Chelette, the Growth Architect behind Chelette Enterprises and The Women's Code. Her path to entrepreneurial success follows the hero's journey as she immigrated from Germany to the U.S.     In this scale tale, Beate chronicles a series of natural disasters and the profound personal and financial loss she suffered after starting a photo...

"Necessity is the mother of invention." This seems to be a recurring theme in Max Emma's entrepreneurial journey. As a CEO of several current and past successful businesses, it's easy to see where he is now without an appreciation of the hard work, tenacity, and perseverance it took along the way. He even overcame the shame of bankruptcy and bounced back stronger than ever before.   Now he's shari...

You don't get to be considered in the top 1% of your field by giving up easily or being a slacker. No one knows that better than Kathleen Black, CEO of Kathleen Black Coaching & Consulting.   She's a savvy entrepreneur who, refreshingly, places a high value on business operations. Kathleen credits this as the basis for her success in multiple businesses. She says, "When systems are clear, people a...

At the beginning of his musical career, one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time struggled financially due to constant talent suppression. Had he not left his hometown and accepted a chance opportunity to perform abroad, the world may never have known his musical genius.   Similarly, our podcast host and producer Alicia Butler Pierre, whose talents have often been described as "unorthodox,"...

Growing up, Troy Trewin always knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. He witnessed the successes as well as the struggles of his family's business, so he had a leg up on what it took to grow and scale a company. So, after three years of working for one of the world's top accounting firms, he started two internet companies.   When he realized he grew weary of running service-based businesses, Troy d...

Picture it – the year is 1990 and Curt Anderson is full of hopes and dreams. However, those dreams are deferred when he accepts his father's request to take over their family-owned floral business. At the time the business was bankrupt and in desperate need of financial resuscitation.   Curt spends the next several years grinding and doing everything he can to save the business from ruin. Just whe...

Cheryl Taylor is no stranger to managing projects on a large scale. When she landed a contract to replace a 17-year-old jail technology, she jumped at the chance! Not only did she complete that project 10 months ahead of schedule, but the project even won an innovation award.   That kind of success results from a career that spans telecommunications, energy, healthcare, education, and more. She's...

"Never take advice from someone who has nothing to lose by giving it." - Darrell Evans   That comes from Darrell Evans, an investor, business coach, and digital marketing expert. He graduated over 20 years ago with a finance degree and entered financial sales before moving into the mortgage industry. He later founded a successful mortgage company and a digital marketing agency, using early digital...