This Is Small Business

In Episode 2 of " This is Small Business Next Generation ," hosts Andrea Marquez and Mitch Gilbert break down the various stages of the  Rice Business Plan Competition  (RBPC) and explain how the competition will unfold over three days. They talk about the mentorship and extensive feedback the RBPC offers their competitors (talk about a major advantage!) and give you a little insight int...

On Episode 1 of “ This is Small Business Next Generation ”, host Andrea Marquez gets you acquainted with her new co-host Mitch Gilbert, founder of  OYA Femtech Apparel , a past winner of the  Rice University Business Plan Competition  and one of the first 200 Black women to raise over $1M in venture capital. Mitch and Andrea get you up to speed with the RBPC by talking to some of th...

Are you ready to witness the ultimate battle of wits and innovation as entrepreneurs compete for up to $3M in prizes in one of the largest and richest intercollegiate startup competitions? Look no further than " This is Small Business Next Generation " - a podcast miniseries brought to you by Amazon that follows the  Rice University Business Plan Competition (RBPC) . Join Andrea Marquez, a fu...

In this special bonus episode of  This is Small Business , Andrea Marquez travels all the way to Las Vegas for Movement Evolutions where she hosts a panel of inspiring and diverse voices in podcasting. Andrea engages in insightful conversations with Mike Sargent, co-host of  Brown & Black Podcast , Kulap Vilaysack, co-host of  Add To Cart , Lee Adams, Audio Producer of The ...

In this special bonus episode of This is Small Business , host Andrea Marquez goes to the Veteran Edge conference by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, an event dedicated to Veterans and military spouses who are small business owners, to sit down in a live interview with Matt Butler, the founder of Rollers and co-founder of Tally Tumbler . Matt shares his story as a veteran-turned-e...

On Episode 28 and the season finale of the second season of  This is Small Business , Andrea explores what it means to be a Latinx entrepreneur by talking to a Latino business owner that she admires: Miguel Leal, the Co-Founder and CEO of  SOMOS Foods . Miguel shares all of the learnings he picked up along his entrepreneurial journey and talks about the importance of representation, shar...

On Episode 27 of  This is Small Business , Andrea looks into what could be the future of your business, that is, if you eventually want to merge your small business with another business. Andrea talks to a familiar guest from season one, Danyel Surrency Jones, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of  POWERHANDZ Inc. , about her own journey merging POWERHANDZ inc. with another business as wel...

On Episode 26 of  This is Small Business  and the seventh of our This is Small Business Minisodes series, Andrea continues her discussion on product iteration but this time we dig deep into how you can work on different versions of your products without breaking the bank. Founder of  Princeton Popcorn Company , Robert Ralph aka Farmer Bob, talks about how you can iterate without needing to create...

On Episode 25 of  This is Small Business , Andrea discusses product iteration – more specifically how do you find out when it’s time to offer additional products? First up, President of Hot Taco Inc. Leslie Pierson (who’s running this business for her son who created a card game called Taco vs Burrito when he was 7 years old) walks us through the process of creating a second product and why they d...

On Episode 24 of  This is Small Business  and the sixth of our This is Small Business Minisodes series, Andrea talks about how you can ensure diversity within your business. Jennifer Kim, Founder and CEO of Workflow, talks about how you can create a workplace culture that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion and how to implement diversity into your hiring process in a way that’ll ensure you’r...

On Episode 23 of  This is Small Business , Andrea talks to two inspiring entrepreneurs who have successfully integrated social impact into their business model to find out how you can make a positive impact in your community while growing your business. First up, Founder & CEO of  Iya Foods  Toyin Kolawole walks us through her journey of giving back through her business and how that helped her...

On Episode 22 of  This is Small Business  and the fifth of our This is Small Business: Minisodes series, Andrea discusses all the pros and cons of a business partnership and whether you should consider getting one with sisters and co-founders of  Easy Peasie  Dorielle Price and Jamelah Tucker. And because business partnerships aren’t always so easy peasie, Andrea also talks about how to approach c...

On Episode 21 of  This is Small Business , Andrea takes on a topic that not a lot of people like to talk about – parting ways with a business partner. First up, Founder and CEO of  SwiftPaws  Meghan Wolfgram talks about her own experience parting ways with her business partner, the many conversations that took place, and how she kept the business running during that process. Next, Naveen Thomas, D...

On Episode 20 of  This is Small Business  and the fourth of our This is Small Business: Minisodes series, we continue our conversation on shipping and fulfillment with a twist – what if you want to start manufacturing your own product?  Epic Water Filter ’s Co-founder Ash Heather gives us the inside information on when you should consider manufacturing your own product, how to protect your busines...

On Episode 19 of  This is Small Business , Andrea talks about sourcing your products with Chevalo & Monique Wilsondebriano, co-founders of  Charleston Gourmet Burger . More specifically they dive into shipping and fulfillment considerations you should make when you aren’t manufacturing your own product. Chevalo & Monique discuss where to find suppliers when you’re first starting out, quest...

On Episode 18 of  This is Small Business  and the third of our This is Small Business: Minisodes series, Andrea dives into why it's so hard for us to take time off, even when we know we need it. She speaks with Professor of Psychology and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, Art Markman about why vacations are a crucial part of your business and how to set up you...

On Episode 17 of  This is Small Business , Andrea talks about setting goals and mechanisms for your business in a way that lead to success with Renee Manzari, founder and CEO of  Livity Yoga . With big goals like diverting a million yoga mats from landfills by 2026, Renee breaks down all the planning and mechanisms that go on behind-the-scenes in order to make big goals like that less daunting and...

On Episode 16 of  This is Small Business  and the second of our This is Small Business: Minisodes series, Andrea continues her conversation on money with Allen Lau, co-founder and former CEO of Wattpad, and Executive director of WEBTOON, to talk about raising venture capital and angel investments and when you should start considering them. Join Andrea for this short but informative deep dive that’...

On Episode 15 of  This is Small Business , Andrea Marquez tries to demystify the fear around all things money by talking about some ways to approach funding your small business. First up, Detara Williams, co-founder of  Darlyng & Co. , talks about her personal relationship with money and some really helpful tips on bootstrapping, loans, and her personal favorite and current funding method: pit...

On Episode 14 of  This is Small Business  and the first of our This is Small Business: Minisodes series, Andrea talks to Christina Wallace, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, about the top three mistakes Christina sees early-stage entrepreneurs make. Join Andrea for this Harvard-level crash course filled with helpful takeaways that are going into her small business playbook. Did you know...

On Episode 13 of  This is Small Business , Andrea talks to Justin Forsett, former NFL player and founder of the company  Hustle Clean , about getting your small business off the ground (especially if it’s your first venture into the world of business). Justin talks about establishing your “why,” creating a “huddle” for your business, and the essential points that are often overlooked when starting...

Amazon’s  This is Small Business   is back for a second season with weekly episodes that dig deep into the pivotal moments that small business owners face and conquer on their journey to success. Andrea Marquez, a curious millennial and possibly a future small business owner, continues to investigate what makes a successful small business boom by talking to industry experts and small bus...

On the Season Finale of  This is Small Business , Andrea sits down with Danyel Surrency Jones, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of  POWERHANDZ Inc. , as they listen to highlights from previous episodes. Danyel Surrency Jones shares her valuable insights as a CEO/entrepreneur on how to start, build, and grow a company and discusses how each of these moments resonates with her and relates...

On Episode 11 of  This is Small Business , Andrea tackles getting ready for the holidays with  Fort Boards  Founder, August Graube, and Edward Anderson, a Professor for Management of Innovative Technology. The holidays are coming – busy sidewalks and shoppers walking home with their “treasures” – are you ready for them? This is a question that all small businesses need to consider as they prep for...

On Episode 10 of  This is Small Business , Andrea learns a few tricks for hiring a super team when she speaks with Kyle Goguen, Owner and Founder of  Pawstruck , and hiring expert Dr. Brad Smart, Author of ‘Topgrading.’ Hiring is one of the trickiest – but most important – aspects of running a small business. Assembling the right team of people at the right time can mean the difference between gro...