The Son of a Poor Man Podcast

Tom and Ty talk AI. Artificial Intelligence (or Machine Learning, to be technically correct) is getting a lot of attention, both good and bad. But no matter what you think of it, it's here to stay, and there are a lot of things AI can help you do in your business. 

Tom and Ty revisit the Teeter-Totter principle. Ty's hat business has allowed him to step away from one of his other side jobs, though not yet his day job. Ironically, the side job he has been able to teeter-totter away from is the job he was doing for Tom. But Tom's cool with it.

Brian joins Tom to talk about some less than ideal conditions in locations they've worked. Both agree no matter what the situation is, always remember you're there to help someone solve a problem or make his or her life a little bit better, so stay focused on that.

Tom and Ty talk about "The Coast," and how it can quietly creep up on you and cause you a lot of trouble in your business. Don't sit back and think you've got this; you need to be always working to advance your business.

Tom and Ty wish you all a very happy New Year, and we hope 2026 is a great year for you and your business. 

Tom and Ty talk about some of the preconceptions you might have when you're hiring new staff, and how to make sure you're not inadvertently overlooking some people who might be extremely helpful to your business. 

Tom, Brian and Ty get together to wish you all a merry Christmas, and to share some stories about business experiences they've had over the year.

Tom and Ty talk about side hustles you can start with very little effort. You can use an easy side hustle to bank cash to start a more involved business, or just as a way to fund your hobbies or get to the next level.

Brian is back again for another installment of The Life of Brian. Tom and Brian talk about what it takes to get to "No. 1," or what being No. 1 even looks like. They also go off the rails and talk about the Postal Service, insurance, and a bunch of other stuff, too, as you'd expect.

Tom and Ty talk about the sketchy offers that seem to increase by the day from people who purport to be willing to help businesses increase their visibility and Google rankings. But the thing is, you don't need to pay those people to achieve great results. Tom gives you some pointers on what to do to get to the next level.

Tom sits down with Joe Taylor, owner of ApeScapes Landscaping AND Juicy's Burgers, Dogs and More, to talk about serial entrepreneurship and what it takes to keep not just one small business going, but several at a time.

Tom and Ty talk about the importance of saying "thank you." It's as important for you to thank those who trust you to do work for them as it is for those who you donate to for fundraisers or other charitable events to thank you for your donation.

Tom has Braxton Inniss from The Factory back to see what's changed since he last talked to him, and it turns out there have been some pretty big things happening for Braxton. They get off topic and talk baseball (a lot), but Braxton still has some great advice for business owners who might be having trouble finding the fire that caused them to get into business in the first place.

Tom talks about how he collects the myriad thoughts fighting for attention in his muddled brain by "warboarding," which is a process in which he writes down those crazy ideas, then goes back and reviews them at a later time to pull out the ideas that can work and comes up with a plan.

Tom and Ty talk about the things they're thankful for -- the people who have helped them find success in their respective businesses.

Sometimes a hobby can turn into a successful career. If you have a passion for something -- in Ty's case, it's building custom cowboy hats -- you might be able to use that skill to start a business. Ty is hoping that will work for him, but he's starting small and working at a day job, which is currently his primary source of income. He's hoping to eventually use the theory from Episode 29, the Tee...

Brian is back! Tom and Brian sit down to talk about the great experiences they've had with good customers, and why good customers keep them excited about going to work each day. As is generally the case when these two get together, though, they stray from the topic and venture into strange and unexpected territory. But despite their cognitive dissonance, they manage to bring you great stories abou...

Software is not just a luxury these days -- it's almost a necessity. The good news is that there are a lot of choices out there, and that keeps the prices down, and there are also tons of different programs that can be tailored exactly to what you need. Take a look at what's available that can help make keeping track of the business side of your business easier.

Tom sits down with Ben Martinez, who started helping others deal with injuries and ailments through physical training, and now also trains amateur MMA fighters. His own battles with a chronic knee injury led him to learn how to heal through exercise, and he has built a business using these skills to help others achieve their passion.

The business side of your business isn't the fun part -- but it's just as important as the stuff you like to do and the reason you got into a business in the first place. 

Tom talks with Brody Sim, a 20-year-old dirt-track racing phenom who has had more than his share of adversity in his 15-year racing career (yes, you read that right -- he's been racing one vehicle or another for 15 of his 20 years). Through all the trials and tribulations, though, his mantra has been, "Never give up." His journey may be different than anyone else's, but his story is one we can all...

Tom and Ty talk about when to give discounts or offer sales, and it might not be what you're expecting. Discounts and sales can be a good way to get more business when you need to, but they can also be detrimental to the success of your business. Tune in to find out what their philosophies are on cutting their prices.

Sarah John looked at the Cheyenne community and saw a need for a bookstore. It was a time when the big name bookstore in town had closed, and so had a few locally owned bookstores, and there was certainly a need for one. So she took a break from nursing to open Bonsai Books. Shortly afterward, that big name bookstore returned to town, but Sarah's Bonsai Books remained profitable and successful, ev...

Tom knows he doesn't always do things by the book, and Ty is finding himself trying new things in his new business, and sometimes people look at what they're doing and say, "that's a stupid way to do that." But as Tom points out repeatedly, if it's stupid but it works, it's not really all that stupid. It all boils down to trying new things, and sometimes, that new thing isn't really stupid -- it's...

Tom and Ty talk about the importance of knowing what your superpower is, and how to use it to improve your business. Maybe even more importantly, also knowing what your Kryptonite is, and how to keep it from wrecking what you've built.