The Business Grind Show

Legos, the classic interlocking blocks toy, wasn’t always a hit. First introduced in wooden form and later shifting into the colorful plastic blocks we know and love today, Legos went through tumultuous times to stay on top. From reviving the company after owing millions of dollars to overcoming PR nightmares, we discuss the countless (and largely unknown) challenges the company faced. We also cov...

If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will. With work-life balance at a premium, balancing priorities is a must. But the question is always, how? In this episode, we discuss Greg McKeown’s Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, a book about directing your most precious resources (time and energy) on doing only what is essential. We review the power of saying no, the importance of...

Here’s some free legal advice: trademark your s**t. If anyone knows anything about new business formation, it’s Ariana Smith. Founder and managing attorney of AC Smith Law Firm, Smith helps entrepreneurs and small businesses secure their intellectual property via trademarks, contracts, more. We sat down with Smith to discuss her legal journey, how she started two legal firms, and what key advice s...

Most businesses fall into two buckets: those built for scale, and those built for maintaining a lifestyle. We peel back the layers of lifestyle businesses, a venture created solely for founders to maintain and enjoy a particular way of life. Breaking down the basic principles of creating a lifestyle business, we discuss key points to determine if this business type is right for you.

Consistent winners are also the biggest losers. We’re conditioned to think that great ideas always turn into successful businesses when in fact, entrepreneurs fail more times than most. In this humbling episode, we dig through our past to uncover lessons learned from every L and how we used them to come out closer to the top the next time around. We discuss avoiding unnecessary stress with kill fe...

If you decide to leave a good job and start your own business, Mr. Hugh Johnson advises staying away from wet blankets. As founder and president of HAMJ accounting services, Mr. Johnson learned not to share his dreams with everyone, especially those that would deter him from pursuing them. We walk through how he started his business with limited capital and tight deadlines, and succeeded by keepin...

If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that there’s more than one way to work. But even pre-Covid, Tim Ferris was always in favor of dramatically changing the way we operate in the workplace. In this episode, we discuss Ferris’ best-selling book, 4 Hour Work Week, and the dramatic recommendations he suggests to improve your life. From reducing daily email checks to speed reading, we delve int...

Trying to make a good business decision? Check your ego at the door. We review the movie, Ford vs. Ferrari, a historical sports drama depicting the fierce battle between the two automobile giants. Along the way, we uncover character types and questionable business scenarios influenced by egos rather than expert advice and data.

Did you know Ikea is a non profit? With so many types of nonprofits (and their close cousin, not for profits) it can be a confusing business setup. Simone Wellington, community outreach manager for various non profits, joins us to discuss the benefits, challenges and misconceptions of nonprofits, and why they’re important to society.

Email marketing isn’t sexy, but it is essential to a business’ success. Mailchimp may be a common name now, but during its 17 years of growth, the company was unlike any of the glorious startup valuations we’ve become accustomed to. Join us as we discuss Mailchimp’s beginnings, how they grew their business without venture capital, and how they continue to over serve their customer base of small to...

Great ideas don’t always turn into great businesses. We discuss the chaotic dot com era and Startup.com, a documentary that covers the rise and rapid fall of one company, Govworks. Startup.com may be 20 years old, but the lessons we uncover from this cautionary tale are still relatable when starting a business today.

Starting your own business can get pricey real fast, but it may not be as expensive as you think. We discuss some of the initial startup costs to consider when developing your idea. From creating a digital presence and advertising your services, to getting incorporated and hiring your first team members, we provide a quick primer on what it takes to be the boss.

You know how to start a business, but do you know how to sell it when the opportunity arrives? We review the book “Built to Sell”, by John Warrillow, a guide on building businesses that can succeed without you. We discuss relatable stories from the book including traits to make your business sellable, how to separate yourself from the product, and how to position your exit strategy in front of inv...

You might think Apple was the sole pioneer in the smartphone industry. But have you heard of Research In Motion? Better known by their BlackBerry brand, BlackBerry RIM paved the way for instant messaging, working on the go, and corporate connectivity. We discuss the company’s humble beginnings, its wildly drunken success, and the final return to its roots.

How do you know when to leave a job for a side hustle? Lynya Floyd, life coach, writer and media consultant, describes the path she took to make this challenging transition. Comparing her journey to a symphony, Floyd walks through all of the instruments she had to sync up to fully pursue her passion. Sharing valuable tips on pricing your worth and building up an online presence, she reminds hersel...

Franchising is one of the many ways to start a business and build wealth — but is it worth it? More than fast food joints, franchising has a long history as well as opportunities in different industries. From startup costs to brand recognition, we discuss the pros and cons of investing in a franchise and why it could be beneficial for certain personality types.

What’s the difference between vegetarian and vegan? Jason John and Monica-Wright John, founders of Plant Based For You, explain the diet differences as well as why they created a business around healthier living. Starting their story in the 90’s and growing their careers and family, the Johns outline their motives for the vegan life as they build their brand through word of mouth, maintain respect...

We review The Founder, a film that uncovers the beginnings of McDonald’s franchising business. We’ll discuss important business lessons like how to pick the right business partners and innovate during profitable times, as well as share our opinions on the film.

From selling homemade wax concoctions out of her home to getting beauty counters in Sephora, Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s […]

Business cycles are made of high and low seasons. We chat with Ashley Fouyolle, graphic designer and founder of UNWRP, who started a seasonal business creating designer gift wrapping paper. Fouyolle explains the challenges around attracting customers past the holiday season, the pains and lessons learned from business growth, and the power of online resources to overcome blindspots

Co-founder & COO of Kreyol Essence, Stéphane Jean-Baptiste shares his entrepreneurial inspiration around bringing natural and ethical Haitian beauty products to the mainstream. We discuss starting a business with your romantic partner, turning an idea into an MVP, focusing on customer needs, and more.

Success starts in the mind. In our second book review, we discuss the popular work, Think and Grow Rich, uncovering how to create material success from abstract thought. From understanding different kinds of imagination patterns to sidestepping procrastination pitfalls, we draw connections between desire and accomplishment.

Is it better to have a strong culture or a flawless strategy? We’ll discuss the common clash of each principle using real-world examples and explain why it’s important for growing businesses to strive for balance.

Starting out in a college dorm room and growing into a multi-million dollar company, Dell has spent the last 30+ years reinventing itself to remain a key player in the technology space. In this case study, we review pivotal points in the company’s history and discuss takeaways that can be applied to today’s modern business climate.

Live events may have taken a hit during COVID-19, but there are still ways to thrive in this changing business climate. We chat with Mark Testa, CEO of Mark Stephen Experiential Agency, as he reflects on his past successes and shares key strategies to remain top of mind for his clients.