Small Business Stories

S6:E8 Loralyn Mears, PhD , aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here. Core pattern: People assume their capability will speak for itself, then accidentally leave their "first impression story" to chance. When that happens, others decide what you mean, what you're worth, and...

S6:E7 Loralyn Mears, PhD , aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here. Overview There's a specific kind of fatigue that comes from "doing the right things" and still feeling ignored. You show up consistently, you post, you refine the offer, you keep building, and yet tractio...

S6:E6 Loralyn Mears, PhD , aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here. When the world feels heavy and your business still needs you to show up, it's easy to live in a constant state of pressure. This episode is a calm conversation about building something real, staying stead...

S6:E5 Loralyn Mears, PhD, aka, "Dr. LL," loves bringing you entrepreneurs, small business owners, and actionable advice to you every week. Thank you for joining us! When the world feels overwhelming, clarity isn't a luxury. It's a survival skill. This conversation is for anyone trying to lead, build, or simply stay grounded in uncertain times. 👤 Guest: Luz Gonzalez Founder, EQ Refined Emotional i...

S6:E4 Starting a business can feel overwhelming, especially when the rules keep changing and the pressure never lets up. This conversation is a reminder that growth doesn't come from shortcuts, it comes from patience, learning, and staying human. 👤  Guest: Nivedita Lahiri, PhD Founder, Counsel Academy STEM educator and small business owner helping students build strong foundations in science, mat...

S6:E3 When growth gets hard, shortcuts start to look tempting. This conversation is about what happens when you don't cave into the pressure to take shortcuts. Dr. LL chats about wellness in keeping with January's theme. 👤 Guest: Jessica Lowery Founder, The Power of Elderberries Values-driven wellness entrepreneur and product innovator ⚠️ Core Problems Discussed Growing a product business without...

S6:E2 If you're carrying a lot right now, like work stress, business pressure, and "life stuff," this episode is a breath of steady encouragement. Season 6 is focused on health & wellness for real-world entrepreneurs, and this conversation is about something deeper than the gym: it's about how community and consistency keep you going when motivation disappears. In this episode, we talk about what...

S6:E1 When everything feels like too much, small business owners don't need more noise. They need steadier conversations they can trust. In this episode, we sit down with Lily Kunning , founder of Haven Herbs , to talk about wellness and business driving connections in a way that's practical, grounded, and genuinely human. If people don't trust you, they won't buy from you. If they don't remember...

S5:E40 If people don't trust you, they won't buy from you. If they don't remember you, they won't find you again. In this episode of Small Biz Stories,  Robert Kennedy III breaks down how storytelling, video, and authentic communication help small businesses move from invisible to influential. 👤Guest: Robert Kennedy III CEO, Kinetic Communications Storytelling, video, and communication strategist...

E5:S38 Most small businesses don't have a marketing problem: they have an  audience clarity problem. In this episode of Small Biz Stories , Dr. LL sits down with Nathan Yeung , founder of Find Your Audience , to break down why perfectionism, feature overload, and poor framing keep brands invisible and how to fix it. 🔹 What You'll Learn Nathan shares practical insights on: Why 80% execution beats...

S5:E37 Small business owners: your phone experience is part of your brand. In this episode, Jessica Volker (Business Development Director at Responsive Answering Service) sits down with Dr. LL and breaks down why "scripted and offshore" support is driving customers crazy. She shares how human-first answering, smart automation, and better processes can protect your reputation and capture more leads...

S5:E36 In this episode of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Cary Prejean , founder of Strategic Business Advisors, to unpack a bold but proven claim: most business owners are the biggest bottleneck to their own growth. With decades of experience helping companies scale profitably, Cary explains why micromanagement kills morale, how lack of systems traps founders in the day-to-day, and what...

S5:E35 In this episode of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Iri Greco , co-founder of Brakethrough Media, to talk about why stock photos are killing your brand – and what to do instead. Iri shares how she builds authentic, human-centered photo 📸 and video 🎥 for small and mid-size brands, why the future of marketing is less content but more meaning, and how solopreneurs can get high-qualit...

S5:E34 In this episode of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with the brilliant, intuitive, plant-loving fractional CFO Natalia Zacharin , a woman (and DEBT-SLAYER) who sees patterns in numbers the way gardeners see growth in spring. What starts as a conversation about debt and bookkeeping unfolds into a deeply relatable discussion on emotional decision-making, confidence, financial empowerment,...

S5:E33 In this episode of Small Biz Stories , Dr. LL sits down with Stephen Sakach , founder of aiCMO.io , to unpack how small businesses can use AI without losing the human, emotional core of their brand. Stephen has spent years sitting between technology, marketing and leadership — and he's using that experience to build an "AI CMO" that doesn't just spit out content, but helps founders think mo...

In this episode S5:E32 of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Jeremy Bower , founder of Givr Packaging, chemical-engineer-turned-eco-entrepreneur, and one of the most refreshingly honest voices in sustainability. Jeremy doesn't just sell boxes — he rethinks packaging from the ground up. You'll hear how his background in paper science (yes, they actually award degrees for this specialty scienc...

S5:E31 In this radiant and deeply human episode of Small Biz Stories , Dr. LL sits down with Dr. Roz , founder of the Love Revolution and creator of the Debt-Free Degree movement. Together, they unpack how love , intention , and emotional presence can transform not only your relationships — but also your leadership, your business, and your day-to-day life. Dr. Roz shares her philosophy of letting...

S5:E30 Tired of agencies that overpromise, underdeliver, and burn your cash? Meet Brandon Willington , the straight-talking founder of WHERE U? [https://whereu.com.au/], who teaches small business owners how to generate their own leads—fast. And profitably. All without losing their minds. From humble beginnings as a broke DJ in Perth to spending $4,000+ a day on ads, Brandon has cracked the code o...

S5:E29 In this eye-opening episode of Small Biz Stories, Dr. LL sits down with Jeff Greenfield , serial entrepreneur and CEO of Provalytics, to unpack why most small business owners are tracking the wrong marketing metrics - and what to do instead. With decades of experience in attribution modeling, Jeff reveals why clicks lie, cookies are crumbling, and why you're probably misjudging your Meta ad...

S5:E28 If "AI" still feels like magic tricks and missed ROI, this episode will flip the switch. Dr. LL sat down with Jim Weldon (Founder/CEO, Prospect.ai) (one of the sharpest systems thinkers she has ever interviewed) to map a practical path to cash with agentic AI. Here's what you'll walk away with: ✴️A meta-model you can explain to your team in 60 seconds so everyone finally understands where A...

S5:E27 In this episode of Small Biz Stories, host Dr. Loralyn Mears chats with Laurie Genevish , founder of My Ideal College, who helps teens and entrepreneurs cut through the noise, plan their next chapter, and make confident decisions about their future. From college prep to career pivots, Laurie shares candid lessons on goal-setting, entrepreneurship, and the art of saying no to distractions. T...

S5:E26 In this punchy, practical episode of Small Biz Stories with Dr. LL , John Horn , CEO of StubGroup (a Google Premier Partner - note that very, very few companies have this distinction and honor!!), breaks down how small businesses can turn Google Ads into reliable profit instead of a money pit. From the Search Terms Report to negative keywords, smart budget math, and review mechanics, John g...

S5:325 In this episode of Small Business Stories, host Dr. LL sits down with Emil Abedian , CEO of Council CPAs and newly minted author of Council to Council. Emil shares candid lessons from 15+ years in entrepreneurship, scaling from a solo CPA to a trusted partner for law firms nationwide. 🚨 Most entrepreneurs make this $100,000 mistake. They treat their business like a job instead of an invest...

S5:E24 In this soul-shifting episode of Small Biz Stories, host Dr. LL sits down with Sofia Rozhko , a powerhouse mindset and visibility coach who helps high-achieving women and visionary entrepreneurs show up as their most authentic selves. With roots in Ukraine and a global impact, Sofia reveals the inner transformation needed to unlock business success from rewriting your self-worth to crafting...

S5:E23 College financial planning meets entrepreneurial reality. Brad Baldridge , host of Taming the High Cost of College, breaks down complex rules into simple moves any small business owner can use to lower net price and avoid bad loans. He sat down with Dr. LL to share some INCREDIBLE cost-savings tips that you, as a small business owner, can do if you have a child in college. KEY TAKEAWAYS [06...