Success Trails Podcast

In this episode I speak with the husband and wife duo behind The Bridge Lemont. With no experience in the event venue space this couple has transformed an old building into a gorgeous and profitable wedding venue. In this episode we discuss: >The importance of learning your industry from others who have had success >Marketing a new business through social media >Balancing a business toget...

Do you know the origin of the word amateur? Today’s guest Sarah, of Sarah Crost Creative talks about starting a small business, and then starting over again. We discuss the joy of being a professional amateur and what customer service traits transfer across industries.  Sarah’s service mindset was an asset when she started in the hospitality industry, helped her shine in wedding photography, and c...

Monica Lefever owns Evolet Eve Wine Shop which is an experience like no other in the way to shop for artisan wine and craft beer. The space is designed with family in mind, so whether or not you have your kids, you can get the wine shopping experience.  Monica’s shares about major roadblocks due to the pandemic and the sudden drop of bank funding she experienced. She also shares about how importan...

This episode features two smart and energetic women in Meghan Cox and Bridget Nolan of Sunshine Social Media.  In this episode you will learn: -How  Sunshine Social Media grew  its business early on -How a match made in heaven was made by Megan in connecting with Bridget -The importance of not comparing yourself to other businesses in your field -Great tips on social media for your business! And m...

Adam Pratt owns the unique business Chaos To Memories https://chaostomemories.com located in Wheaton Illinois. With 20 years of experience in technology and design, Adam helps clients organize their  family photos, preserve their memories, and tell their story.  In this episode we discuss: >Why Adam is against discounting and likes giveaways >What Adam learned from his time at Adobe when it...

Nicki Anderson has accumulated knowledge over the years with her different roles from business owner to running a local chamber of commerce.  In this episode Nicki discusses: >Being proactive versus being reactive >Insights from working within the chamber of commerce  >Focusing on where you are spending your time >Not burning bridges And much more!

Listen as owner of Red Hive Market Bridget Johnson discusses: >Why customer relationships are the reason they are business and why they are able to expand >Importance of getting to know your customers so you can understand what they want >Running a business with a spouse and the challenges that can bring And much more! For more information about Red Hive Market check them out: https://red...

In this episode I chat with Tony Russo who after over 17 years in the real estate business as a broker, Tony recognized a shift in the way people want to work as the concept of “office space” evolved. He saw a need for more coworking spaces and set out to provide this option to their very own community. Since opening TeamUp in April of 2019, he has enjoyed seeing the members network and help each...

In this episode I chat with small business owner Juliana Cancelo who along with her mother owns Bocaditos Cafe. You will learn how she navigates a family business and keeps her personal and professional relationships strong. We also discuss how her experience in marketing has helped their business and what tips she would pass along to you! As a mother and wife Juliana has a journey in business own...

Steve and Katie are a husband and wife duo who are the owners of Beyond Measure Training in the suburbs of Chicago. Steve took a leap of faith and opened his facility right out of college without any business knowledge. In this episode we dive into what his experience was in being such a young entrepreneur. We also talk about what its like to work with your spouse and how you can use masterminds t...

Villa Park native and University of Illinois, Chicago graduate, Joe Fontana got his start as a valet working at over 140 restaurant and bar venues including some of Chicago’s staples such as The Redhead Piano Bar, Ranallis, Mothers, and the Italian Village. After finding a passion for the industry, Joe worked his way up from barback, to server, to bartender to manager at the late Doc Ryan’s in Elm...

Marie Herman went from dabbling into a side hustle to turning it into a full time fix figure business. Marie Herman is now the owner of MRH Enterprises LLC, which provides speaking, writing, and training services, as well as corporate consulting to help office professionals advance their careers. In this episode Marie talks about how she has grown her business by strictly word of mouth and creatin...

Eric Schlickman never planned to get into the restaurant business. In fact, he started his career in the architecture field. It was during a car ride with his wife and a conversation centered around the fact that a local landmark deli was going to be closing that led him to the restaurant industry. In this episode Eric talks about running two businesses and how he uses his design and architecture...

Kevin Walker is an entrepreneur who owns multiple businesses and different concepts. Kevin owns 3 Mexican themed restaurants called El Famous Burrito and 1 juice and smoothie bar called Extract Juicery. In this episode Kevin shares his experience in running multiple successful businesses and how to make sure your employees are in the right seats within the business. 

Jan Barbeau started doing travel on the side as a fun extra gig. She then started doing events for her church and eventually turned it into a real business in Events By Jan. In this episode Jan shares about her challenges during Covid, the importance of listening to your customers and the power of a strong team. 

Mike Scorzo decided to make his dream job a reality. After spending years in the education world Mike took a leap and decided to open his bakery Masterpiece Bread. In this episode Mike shares some great insights on the importance of customer service, being prepared and how to attract new team members. 

Couple Doug & Lacie developed their business plan for a wine room during the beginning of COVID. Understanding their current roles with their careers might be massively changed they decided this was their time to take the jump. 

Jon is the perfect example of a business owner who learned the trade through a mentor. In this episode Jon talks about not being afraid to go for it! He talks about what you need to do to work with the higher end demographic and succeed. Jon is someone who thinks about how he can make life easier for his customers and that has led to his success.

Tanya Smith is a mother of 2 and all-star entrepreneur. As a former VP of a software company, she traveled the world and lead their marketing and growth efforts In, 2016 she took the plunge and opened her own business Addelise named after her two daughters. In this episode, Tanya will share what its like to start a business from the ground up, the importance of mentors and the importance of automa...

Female  entrepreneur powerhouse Mara Hauser has so many lessons to share! She discusses what it was like being a young female business owner. Mara talks about the importance of finding a community of like minded individuals to help your success in business. We discuss making sure team members are in the right seat on the bus as you develop your culture. I love Mara's ideas for what she calls...

Jay DeMarco has opened multiple successful restaurants in the Chicagoland suburbs. Despite not having a college degree, Jay has worked his butt off to go from a young guy working at the famous Rosebud to opening his first restaurant. Jay shares great lessons in hospitality, building a team and opening multiple locations. 

Being a business owner is flat out tough. But when you can share the struggles and successes with others it is a tremendous help. In today's episode I get to chat with all three of the owners of the Rustic Fox in Martyn, Lisa and Nicole. Each one of them brings a different strength to the group which is the reason they have been able to have the success they have had. The Rustic Fox is a 2000...

How does a guy from Belgium and a woman from Chicago come together to for success? In today's episode we talk to the husband and wife owner of Lekkco, a chocolate spread brand who have been growing their business at a rapid rate! 

Who doesn't love pretzels?! Joe Fatla recently founded Pretzel Crack, which is a craft snack pretzel business. Joe is new into the business game and his insights are great for those who are just starting out or have been a veteran in business. 

Sarah Coe has been in the interior design business since 2003. She built her business in the Indianapolis area before making the move to the Chicagoland suburbs to where she now owns and operates Sarah Coe Designs.  Sarah shares great insights on how she was able to grow her business in two different cities and how she delivers great service to her clients.