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 mid sized businesses.

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 investors.

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 herself that it’s all about the orchestration that makes success stick.

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 in their relationship, and strive for balance between both worlds.

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 […]