STARTUP or SHUTUP! | Small Business & Entrepreneurship Podcast with Colin Fraley

Founder interviews meet creator economy strategy. In this deep dive, PK Fire reveals how they transitioned from software engineering to building a thriving event and community business—and how that founder mindset applies to launching any venture. Learn the business validation techniques behind community building, the power of early partnerships, and why today's best entrepreneurs are doubling dow...

Jason VanDevere shares his experience with silent retreats and how they have shaped his perspective and goals. He discusses the impact of silent retreats on his clarity, goal-setting, and overall happiness, emphasizing the shift from self-focused goals to others-focused goals. Takeaways Silent retreats provide clarity and perspective Shift from self-focused goals to others-focused goals Chapters 0...

The conversation emphasizes the importance of cultivating empathy and understanding others' perspectives, highlighting its impact on various aspects of business and life. Takeaways Cultivate empathy Understanding others' perspectives Chapters 00:00 Cultivating Empathy for Success

The conversation delves into the challenges of overcoming self-doubt and ageism in the online business world, highlighting the journey of empowerment and resilience. Takeaways Overcoming self-doubt Empowering older professionals Chapters 00:00 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Ageism in Online Business

A rapid-fire interview with a nail technician covering personal preferences, industry trends, and elevator pitch for her salon. Takeaways Nail technician preferences Industry trends Elevator pitch for salon Chapters 00:00 Personal Preferences and Rapid Questions

The conversation delves into the use of social media for marketing and brand promotion, highlighting the impact of Instagram on booking success. It also explores the role of happy clients as promoters and the influence of community in client engagement. Takeaways Social media as a marketing tool Leveraging happy clients for promotion Chapters 00:00 Marketing, Community, and Brand

Thinking about how to start a nail business in Chicago ? In this episode, Owner Nasjali Cruz of NBN Nails (NBN Chicago) breaks down exactly how she built a bookings-driven studio in Lakeview—covering Gel-X, structured gel, acrylic , pricing strategy, policies that prevent no-shows, marketing that fills the calendar, and when to expand beyond nails. What you’ll learn Step-by-step: turning nail skil...

🚀 Startup founders, side-hustlers, and builders: this episode features Andrew Ackerman —entrepreneur, author, and startup strategist—breaking down what actually moves the needle from idea → execution → traction . We talk about startup success , entrepreneur mindset , business strategy , product-market fit , fundraising basics , customer discovery , and the real-world decisions founders face when...

Founder and People Ops leader Abby Gates (Sproutwise) joins Startup or Shutup! with host Colin Fraley to show early-stage teams how to hire their first employees, build a 10-day onboarding plan, and turn values into an operating system that scales. We cover fractional HR vs. project support, lightweight performance cycles, compensation basics for seed/Series A, and scrappy recognition rituals that...

In this powerful episode, host Colin Fraley sits down with Carol Tice , an award-winning business journalist turned online entrepreneur, to unpack how getting fired became the best thing that ever happened to her. Carol shares how she transformed her career setback into a multimillion-dollar success story — building a 1,500-member paid community for freelance writers , scaling it to nearly $6 mill...

Rob Finlay is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and bestselling author of Beyond the Building and Hey, Dad… , a life-advice book inspired by his journey as a father of four. Over the past 25+ years , he’s built and successfully exited four companies , pioneered debt optimization strategies in commercial real estate, and founded Thirty Capital and Defease With Ease , helping advise billions in trans...

In this episode of Startup or Shutup! , host Colin Fraley sits down with Ken Barton — a former Chicago volleyball teammate turned real estate investor and now tech founder of Offa , the Seed-stage app connecting investors to off-market properties faster (think Tinder for real estate deals). Ken shares how he went from buying his first property in Orlando to spotting major pain points in the real e...

Entrepreneurs waste countless hours doing everything themselves — but delegation is the real growth hack. In this episode of Startup or Shutup! , host Colin Fraley sits down with Renee Hastings , CEO of Executive Help Now! and host of Renee Speaks , to uncover how she scaled a virtual assistance agency that helps leaders free up time, grow faster, and even launch successful podcasts. Sponsored by...

In this episode of Startup or Shutup! , host Colin Fraley sits down with Melinda Jackson , founder of Melinda Jackson Public Relations , to talk about building a PR agency rooted in authenticity, earned media, and organic storytelling . From her upbringing in North Carolina , to breaking into the entertainment industry in Los Angeles , Melinda shares her journey of burnout, reinvention, and creati...

How Dinora Built Luxuria: Chicago Nightlife, Beauty Business & Trans Latina Entrepreneurship What does it take to build a nightlife empire rooted in beauty, identity, and community? In this episode of Startup or Shutup! , Colin sits down with Dinora — a trans Latina powerhouse, professional beautician, and cofounder of Luxuria Productions , one of Chicago’s most vibrant queer nightlife collect...

In this episode of Startup or Shutup! , host Colin (@NurseColin) sits down with global travel entrepreneur Vincent Wong — founder of Chubit Travel and VYVEM Tours — to unpack his inspiring journey from Brooklyn to Colombia. Vincent shares how he turned his personal passion for travel into a full-time business, what it takes to run international companies, and why Medellín changed his life. We talk...

In this electrifying episode of Startup or Shutup , Nurse Colin sits down with DJ, rapper, performance artist, and FUTUREHOOD co-founder CoolMomWallace —a Chicago-based creative force known for turning dance floors into portals. Fresh off his Boiler Room Chicago set (which Colin attended live), CoolMomWallace opens up about blending music, ritual, and queer identity to transform nightlife into som...

When life falls apart, could sharing your story online help you heal — and help others do the same? In this powerful episode of Startup or Shutup , host Nurse Colin sits down with Marissa Wilkenson (@Rizz326) , a small-town girl from Quincy, Michigan , who transformed her heartbreak into hope by sharing her raw, honest journey on TikTok. Her viral videos about self-love, mental health, and rebuild...

What does it take to go from politics to platform — and turn followers into financial freedom? In this episode, Nurse Colin sits down with Milo , a former politician turned unapologetically bold content creator. They dive into his journey from campaigning to creating, how he built multiple income streams, and what people still get wrong about making money online. Milo shares the behind-the-scenes...

Guest: Jay Muñoz Thinking about starting a podcast? 🎙 In this first episode of Startup or Shutup , host Colin Fraley interviews experienced podcaster Jay Muñoz (host of Poison Touch Advice Hour and Baby Daddies ) to walk through exactly how to launch your first podcast. Jay shares practical tips on: How to start a podcast with no experience The best podcast equipment for beginners Podcast recordin...