Simply Business Podcast

In this episode, I am joined by John Rabold, President and Chief Development Officer of Granite Management. He was recently named President of this entrepreneurial-minded organization. John shares the story of his rise as a leader in the real estate and property management firm. It is a compelling testament to the power of pursuing entrepreneurial dreams, transitioning from private equity to signi...

Dee Dee Taylor shares the emotional journey that led her to creating 502 Hemp in 2018. She’s incredibly knowledgeable of the industry and the political structure around it. She speaks about both technical and legal aspects of this topic. From hemp-based biofuels to legalization of Cannibas, we cover a variety of topics. We get a peak inside the legislative process and a variety of challenges she h...

Denise O'Donnell saw a need to disrupt the status quo.. She felt like traditional CFO roles were stifling creativity and inhibiting growth. She founded Scope in 2021 to provide fractional c-suite support for organizations not ready for a full-time executive. She's now one year out of her traditional 9-5 job and is striving to build a business that brings balance and purpose in her life. She has di...

After a career in the military, Shawn Ritchie found himself looking to build a new chapter in his life. Utilizing his training, he went to school to become trained and certified as a security professional After several years of operating as a contract security professional, he decided to launch his own business, Bluegrass Protection Services. In this interview, Shawn shares some of the stories of...

Katie Daniel is not your ordinary fitness center owner. Not only did she not have experience in the industry, nor was she a trained athlete. She simply had a passion for doing something different... A fitness center designed for bad-a$$ women who wanted a unique experience. She started the business a year before the pandemic. Fortunately, she already had momentum and was able to keep going through...

Mark Pfeifer left the "comfy" world of a corporate paycheck to launch a business. But not just any business, a business with a real purpose. He set out to build a business that would not only be fun an meaningful, but he also wanted to do something truly unique - provide worthwhile meaningful jobs to adults with special needs. Enter "Wigglewow", a dog treat company like no other. I was so moved by...

David Cooper and his brother have been entrepreneurs since middle school. For the past several years they have built a successful FedEx TSP business. In addition to that business, they have a traditional trucking company, a transportation brokerage service, and have recently started a consulting and coaching business for the linehaul industry. Learning to pivot and adjust to the market demands not...

Shemika Whiteside is the Founder and Executive Director of Zora's Cradle. I was so touched by her organization and what they do. Her team serves expectant mothers in need, especially homeless and migrant women. She serves a very much under-served portion of our community. She is also a licensed therapist and serves both mothers and fathers in that role. She shares some of the challenges she has fa...

Abbie Fish was born to be a swimmer, and it is more than just in her name. In this interview, she shares her journey from competitive swimming at the highest level to her entrepreneurial endeavors in creating an online swimming instruction platform. Abbie took her passion - competitive swimming and found a way to turn it into a profitable entrepreneurial endeavor. She shares stories of how she has...

Roland O'Daniel talks about the challenges of running a non-profit organization. Cash flow is always a top concern. Learning how to smooth out the highs and lows is critical for them. He also speaks of the challenge of marketing a non-profit. There's a careful balance required between promoting the organization and fulfilling the mission. Creating a sustainable model is of paramount importance.

In this episode, meet Isaiah Fritz, the 25-year-old business owner who founded his company at 15. And this is no run-of-the-mill company. His company has grown into a global e-commerce platform. Isaiah discusses some of the challenges of being a business owner. He puts a paramount on trust, and has been challenged to address issues when he's found issues with this on his team.

Danny took the leap into entrepreneurship in 2016 when he founded Elevator Solutions, Inc. He shares some of the surprises of being a new business owner. He talks about the challenges of making the transition from being a good technician to being a good businessperson. He also speaks to the importance of culture in the success of a business. His compassion for his team is evident when he shares ab...