Today we have Nicole Stevenson talking with us about what it takes to start and run a street fair. Nicole is the co-founder CEO of Dear Handmade Life, a company that produces Patchwork Show Festivals in nine cities twice a year, reaching over 500,000 attendees in a marketplace for over 15,000 artists and small business owners. Her business also produces the Craftcation Conference, an incredible five-day event with over 200 craft and business workshops in Ventura, California. That conference h...

Alex Salz and Buzz Bonneau talk with us about their journey starting an international wetsuit brand.Alex and Buzz are two avid surfers who started and still run FERAL Wetsuits, a mostly direct-to-consumer brand from Ocean Beach in San Francisco. FERAL designs and produces the Vans Surf Team wetsuits, has collaborated with Volcom, and Stab's editor-in-chief, Michael Chiaramella, was quoted saying "it's my favorite of the entire wetsuit test. Their business has been featured in Surfer, Stab, Va...

Alison Hotchkiss is one of Vogue’s top 50 “Best wedding planners around the world,” and has topped over half a dozen other prestigious lists.Alison is the founder CEO of Alison Events. She is a destination wedding planner, event producer, luxury concierge, and now a third-time author of “Gorgeous Gatherings” a large format coffee-table book that showcases some of her most stunning events and is an explosion of visual inspiration with practical tips and how-to for anyone designing a bespoke ev...

Ali Navid about his journey from the corporate world to crafting Thriving Mindsets financial education programs. Ali was a former banking VP and private wealth advisor who managed client relationships with high net worth individuals and only working with wealthy people did not align with his personal values. So, he made a transformative leap into offering the same high caliber financial education, but to thousands of regular everyday people at a very reasonable cost. He places the...

This episode is Anne McGinty's reflection on how hosting the 'How I Built My Small Business' podcast has been so far and offers additional insights into the process.She answers the questions:How has podcasting been?How do you find your guests?Are you monetizing?How is the show performing?Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or other major streaming platforms.If you have a comment, a question you wish I’d asked, an idea for an episode or want to say hi, I'd love to hear from you! For inquiring...

In this episode, the podcast host, Anne McGinty, shares anecdotes from her upbringing and the motivation behind starting her podcast.Links to references in her episode:BUNAC - Work visas for other countries for people ages 18-30 The Pop Nation - Gourmet ice pop businessSF Holiday Lighting, Inc. - Christmas lighting businessSubscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or other major streaming platforms.If you have a comment, a question you wish I’d asked, an idea for an episode or want to say hi, I'd ...

Matt is the New Zealand's Olympic surf coach and founder CEO of THE ART OF SURFING, a business that provides high-performance, personalized surf coaching, academy memberships and remote coaching worldwide. He's not just a former professional surfer; Matt's an inspirational figure who's story is as compelling as it is educational. His programs are designed to help surfers (of all abilities) fulfill their potential by fine-tuning their personal style while mastering technique.Matt has been...

Matt and Libiss Skinner are the co-founders of the Charleston Hemp Collective and High Rise Beverage Company, both which have been guided by their commitment to highest quality ingredients. Their CBD brand makes tinctures, topicals, gummies, pantry items and beverages.After only five years in operation, Charleston Hemp Collective brings in a couple million dollars a year. After only two years, High Rise Beverage Company has a $40 million valuation. They started both businesses in their mid-la...

Jim is the founder, owner, and farmer-operator of the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch, a fall destination for many families in the Bay Area and a well -known agritourism enterprise in Sonoma County. Jim is a member of 4 -H, which promotes positive youth development, mentorship, and education, and FFA, the Future Farmers of America, an organization that encourages leadership in agriculture.Not only does he run an incredibly successful pumpkin patch, but he is also in charge of managing over 800 acres o...

Amy is the co-founder and CEO of Teaspoon, a nationwide boba chain that opened its first store in Los Altos, california, in 2016 and started franchising two years later. Since then, the brand has expanded to 45 Teaspoon boba shops nationwide and counting. Her business has been featured in Style Magazine, Restaurant Magazine, Chef's Warehouse and more. Send us a Text Message.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or other major streaming platforms.If you have a comment, a question you wish ...

Brian Dutt, in the heart of New York City, talks with us about what it's like starting and growing a video creation platform and app. Brian is the founder CEO of BeeRoll, a tech platform that empowers leading brands to weave authentic stories through user -generated content. For nearly a decade, Brian worked in the corporate world as an analyst executing strategy and business development with companies including HBO, Comedy Central, Paramount, Comcast, and more. Then in 2017, he combined...

Rachel is the co-founder of Maptote, a Brooklyn based small business that has been making fun and functional products with unique location-centric designs. With a tale that stitches together art, fashion, and sustainability, Rachel recounts the leap of faith that propelled a single Brooklyn map tote bag and an initial $600 investment into a diverse collection of over 600 products at 800+ store globally. Maptote has collaborated with Museums, L’Occitane, Pendleton, HBO, Martha Stewart and many...

Skip Abed bought the Santa Barbara Sailing Center at twenty-seven years old back on April 1, 2000 after working there for eight years. Skip saw a vision for the myriad of ways he could improve the Santa Barbara Sailing Center and over the past twenty-three years, he's gradually put them in place growing the business from about ten boats to over forty. His business has been named the American Sailing Association School of the Year twice now, and he is passionate about making the sport of...

Rochelle Webb is a clinical assistant professor of entrepreneurship and marketing at Loyola Marymount University. She’s not only an academic powerhouse, but also the visionary founder and CEO of Optimist Made, connecting global designers to the American market. With over a decade in corporate America, Rochelle’s expertise in global brand marketing has earned her accolades, including media plan of the year and a Grand Effie. An alumna of Columbia Business School and UC Berkeley’s Haas School...

Ross Jacobson is the co -founder CEO of 3311 Productions, a company of film lovers who take movie making seriously, but not themselves. Ross went from the entry level job as tape librarian at Magical Elves, the producer of Top Chef and Project Runway, to leading the company in just four years. Ross is a film industry veteran who has brought films to Cannes, Sundance, Telluride, Berlin, Toronto, and Comic -Con, and has been a part of Emmy and Peabody winning TV shows. 3311 Productions has...

Melissa Martinelli is the founder and CEO of Superfrau.  Melissa was an immigration lawyer and pivoted to crafting delicious Super Sodas made from surplus  fresh whey that is generated during the youghurt fermentation process. She has been featured on the Boston Globe, was a speaker at the Tufts University Food and Nutrition Innovation Institute, and her company @drinksuperfrau has been touted as a top key player in the growing upcycled foods industry.   Listen to her journey, the highs and...

In this special episode, join me, Anne, and my husband Mark as we co-host a journey down memory lane, reflecting on the origins and evolution of San Francisco Holiday Lighting, Inc, a full-service holiday lighting and decor installation company. Mark, with a background in carpentry, and myself, formerly a sales representative for a nationwide oral and body care company, share the story of how we built our business. Tune in for valuable insights as we reminisce on the lessons learned during...

Kelsey is the owner of Shelter-Co, a full scale event production company with luxury canvas tents and beautiful furnishings to boot, that has gained a reputation for well-designed, thoughtful, and environmentally conscious productions. Prior to starting Shelter Co,  Kelsey cold-called Alison Hotchkiss of Alison Events to see if she had any job openings. After five years of working for Alison, Kelsey was ready to branch off on her own and created a tangential offering that allowed her to...

Loren is a Parter at Business Exits and has sold over $300 million worth in businesses over the past six years. Prior to brokering business deals, Loren was the founder CEO of a technology strategy consulting firm that he exited after thirteen years. After his own terrible experience as a seller, Loren was motivated to create a better and more authentic process and entered the world of Mergers and Acquisitions. As a seasoned broker, he’s currently expanding his reach into the broader middle...

Arlene is a true force in the wellness realm. As the owner of All Worlds Health and Pediatrics, a dedicated teacher at the Osteopathic Cranial Academy, and the heart behind the All Worlds Foundation, Arlene is not just an integrative physician; she’s a catalyst for healing, empowerment, and spreading peace, joy, and love. She has been described as a compassionate doctor and miracle medicine woman, and is consistently booked months in advance. She is releasing her first book, I AM Intuitive: A...

Adam Rosendahl is the visionary founder and CEO of Late Nite Art . As an Experience Designer and Artist, Adam weaves a variety of art forms and cutting edge facilitation to foster deep connection and trust for a very impressive list of teams and conferences around the world. From Outward Bound USA to the Scaling Intimacy School of Experience Design and Partners for Youth Empowerment, his journey reflects a commitment to positive intelligence and leadership. Adam's impact extends to crafting a...

While serving as a personal life stylist for a wealthy LA client, Simone was tasked with curating gifts for special events and holidays. In 2014, she seamlessly melded her experience and artistic vision, birthing her eponymous gift box business, Simone LeBlanc. She has helped notable clients such as the Obamas, Jamie King, Taylor Swift, and more with curating gifts for their family and friends, the media describing her as the "gift giver extraordinaire." Her business has been featured in The...

Nick chose life experience and industry exposure over a formal higher education and learned how to manage and run a restaurant. Then, in 2011, a longtime-local "Seb-Mex" eatery Papas and Pollo was threatening closure in Sebastopol, California.  Nick saw the potential to bring back a community restaurant, negotiated seller financing for three years, and turned the restaurant into a thriving community hub that supports his family's binational lifestyle. Listen along to his incredible story and...

Chelsea Bay Dennis is a graphic designer, certified life coach, and storytelling even creator with nearly twenty years of experience. She was a co-owner of a four person graphic design firm and also a solo entrepreneur that found a win-win solution for clients and herself. Listen as she provides nuggets of wisdom that anyone interested in graphic design can use to get clients and keep them coming back. As the founder of C.Bay Design, The Conscious Entrepreneur, and Expand Storytelling,...

Chad went from being a self-taught photographer hobbyist that took photos of his family's travels and memories the way many of us do. In 2008, after experiencing reduced hours and a shrinking paycheck at his job, he boldly launched Chad David Kraus Photography. Since then, he has photographed over 1000 weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and several iconic Broadway shows and red carpet events with images featured in the New York Times and on Times Square billboards as well. Check him out on...