So often we’re told that the path to getting things done is to power through! But when you’re working to better your business, sometimes “powering through” can become nearly impossible. You work yourself to the point of mental and physical exhaustion. And what happens next? That productivity we were working so hard towards takes a nosedive, progress comes to a screeching halt and you find yourself scratching your head in frustration. So how do you break this cycle and get yourself back on...

Public. Relations… have you ever stopped to think about those words and what they really mean? It is literally the way that your business, your brand, is viewed by people who could make or break your reputation. That’s a big deal. And it can be a daunting task to handle your own media relations, busy event schedule and keep your marketing strategy revved up. It sounds like you need a public relations professional. I know you may be thinking “I just cannot afford to hire a PR person.”...

Decisions. We make hundreds of them everyday. Sometimes our more simple decisions come down to packaging. I think we’ve all looked at two bottles of wine and chosen the one with the best label, the branding that caught our eye, the one we just couldn’t resist. Your customers have the same decisions to make. If they’re considering your business and your competition, sometimes it comes down to who has the best branding, the best packaging. Now there’s no need to be modest about this; you...

What’s the most important thing to consider when it comes to building your business and brand? Take a moment and really think about this… Is it your marketing plan? Your clientele? Budget management? The location of your business (if you have a storefront)? These are all key elements of any successful business plan, and you really can’t neglect any of them. When it comes down to it, the single most important aspect of your business is, drumroll please, your mindset. I know this might seem...

Guru. We’ve all heard the word and I’m sure you have a few gurus you look up to for everything from home repair advice to tried-and-true marketing secrets to style influence. Sound familiar? Of course it does! We go to these gurus, these influencers, these people who are authorities in their own field for advice because they provide quality information and products time and time again. Now let’s be honest, we all want to be that guru, that authority, the person your ideal client or customer...

We have all had those periods in our lives when we've second guessed ourselves and it's kept us from pursuing an opportunity that we know is meant for us. The question is how much longer are you going to let your destiny pass you by? Because face it, when you've got big plans, especially if you're someone looking to grow or expand your business, you must hop on it soon. Because the longer you wait, the more likely your opportunity is to pass on to someone else. Don't let that happen. Take a...

I'd like to think I've got a pretty keen mind for business. I know my market and I've learned how to implement a solid marketing strategy. But when it comes to writing copy material for my website and other platforms, I'm not going to lie, it's pretty difficult. It's sometimes a challenge even when I know what message I want to communicate to my audience but I can't quite find the words. Let me ask you, do you sometimes suffer with writer's block? Are you coming across authentically to your...

It doesn’t really matter what kind of challenges, disappointments, or successes we experienced in 2016—we all have the opportunity for major success in 2017. YOU absolutely have what it takes to make this an extraordinary year. There’s just one thing you need to do: get really clear on what you are dreaming about and what you desire and only focus on all things necessary to manifest your desires. What would your life look like if you really went for it? If you accomplished the things you...

It was tough enough to come up with the words for my book, let alone write it, have someone else stare at it and edit it and then send it along to someone to set it up for print. I hadn't even figured out how best to market my book, Hustle! Why Now is the Time to Unleash your Passions let alone come up with a plan to stand out in the market place among other authors. Quite frankly I still haven't figured it out. So that's why I invited Susan Friedmann onto my show, Hustle & Heart Radio,...

Dare to be Prosperous. Yeah, I know sometimes #prosperity can seem like a place you'll never get to. Sometimes it can feel like we have to fight our way through a battlefield and it can be so easy to get sidetracked and forget about our goals. Then self-doubt starts to creep up on us and those ugly thoughts come to mind, "can I really do this?" .."who am I to aim so high?". "Maybe i should settle for what I've got?" We've all had those thoughts. So has every successful person who NOW truly...

Steve Harvey, successful businessman, comedian, talk show host, you name it, he's done it, posted a video on Facebook encouraging people to "JUMP". Jump for your goals and dreams. My reply is simple. YES, YES! How many times have I said..you have to #Jump...you'll never FLY with two feet planted firmly on the edge. Embrace your fear, hold onto to your faith and jump. Your parachute will open along the way! Hah...I didn't name my company JumpFLY Media Inc for nothing! I'll be talking more...

A three in one dream come true for creators and Makers. It's a CNC MILL, a LASER ENGRAVER, a 3D-PRINTER...it's BoXZY, the creation from brothers, Joel and Justin Johnson. These brothers have been working diligently to bring this concept to life through challenges, difficult times, financial dilemmas and turbulence. Yet, they never let their doubts, curb their mission or pursuit of their goals. This much needed solution for inventors and creation makers, kept the brothers on pace to create...

"It doesn't have to taste bad to be good for you", that is the motto of my next guest. Naomi Homison is the Managing Director of The Pittsburgh Juice Company. She invited me inside her unique juice store for a discussion about her organic, raw, and cold-pressed juices. Not only does Naomi serve some of the best juice I've ever sipped on, but she tells me how she turned her career around from architecture and time in the Peace Corp in Peru to landing in this niche field of Juicing in...

There was a time when it was uncommon to find women having anything to do with beer or brewery's, let alone owning and operating one. You might remember, the 70's gave us Laverne & Shirley, based in Milwaukee. Today we have the modern version as they joking refer to themselves, Linda & Sandy. Linda Nyman and Sandy Cindrich are the proud, successful, female owners of Penn Brewery in the North Side of Pittsburgh. Not only do these women have a love for craft beers, but they have savvy...

You've probably heard the phrase "too big to fail", but what about "too small to succeed"? Sonny Bringol heard this term and expanded his company, Victorian Finance, LLC to more than 13 states and more than 20 offices from just a one man operation from his home. Not bad for a man who started as a Chemical Engineer. Sonny has built a brand, culture, and company that is one of a kind. He truly understands the value of home ownership, as well as the value of human resources and that is just one...

Are you motivated by your mission in life? Moved to hustle by a driving force that feeds your vision and stirs your soul. Regina Koetters tells me that's how she lives every day. Motivated by her mission to serve. Regina owns Marty's Market, a unique food destination and shopping experience where they serve up exquisite, hard to find food in the strip district of Pittsburgh. When she's not sourcing organic foods and speciality items, she's busy thousands of miles away serving us in the U.S....

Getting close and personal to your customers’ needs is a sure fire way to attain customer loyalty and respect. My guests on this episode of Hustle & Heart TV understand this philosophy and know how to keep their customers uplifted and comfortable! Meet Sophia Berman and Laura West of Trusst Lingerie, this pair is revolutionizing the way women experience wearing their bras, in fact they have coined the term "supporting the world's favorite assets". Even more exciting, these young...

They say there's no business like show business. In my 50th episode, my guest, Magician & Comedian, Lee Terbosic is a pro when it comes to putting on a show, equally important in today's climate, he is also a pro when it comes to the business side of entertaining as well. Lee certainly seems to have a ton of tricks up his sleeve! He performs for corporate events, colleges, on stage at local venues and has received national recognition when he performed on that infamous X on stage at...

In life, we all have goals, some are short term, some long term, some are ambitious, and others are reserved. Photographer, filmmaker and creative personality, Emmai Alaquiva tells me when he's working on a project, his goal is to extract the subject's soul through the lens. I'd have to put that in the ambitious goal category! His passions for his craft didn't begin in the classroom, in fact, this Emmy Award Winning talent, never took formal classes, his art has been honed in the experience....

Have you ever heard the quote by Robert Frost, "Two roads diverged in the wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference?". This quote is a perfect summation of my next guest, Attorney Edgar Snyder. In the early 80's when he was just getting started in his profession, Edgar discovered the power of advertising and used it as a catalyst to gain clients, popularity, and a certain amount of local celebrity, but it also made him a magnet for the naysayers in his...

What lights you up? What leaves you singing and dancing in your unique zone of genius? What gives you the most joy to create and has your heart skipping and beating in a joyful rhythm? No one knows this better than my wonderfully talented guest, multi Grammy nominated musician, Marsha Ambrosius. She is a singer, songwriter, producer, and she was an absolute joy when she sat down with me to speak about her life. She tells me all about her start with Floetry, working with the late, great,...

Cancer & Comedy, Leukemia & Laughter...you wouldn't think these words go hand-in-hand, but for comedian Matt Light they do. Matt Light is a stand up comedian who got his start in Pittsburgh, sharing his jokes and stories from the stages in the Burg. It was no laughing matter however, when he received a phone call that changed his life forever. His doctor told him he had cancer. Instead of taking a break from the spotlight, his cancer became his opening line and for Matt, laughter...

  Some people feel turning 40 is a negative time, a fearful time, a time to rest. Not my next guest! Dr. Vonda Wright believes going over the hill is a positive time, a fearless time, a time to be restless! Get rid of the black "over the hill" balloons and start running up the mountains of life and in your business. Take it from Vonda, an orthopedic surgeon, speaker, author, the founder of the Women's Health Conversation Conference and Medical Director of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex,...

The spirit of an entrepreneur is a rare and exciting energy. It comes in all aspects of business and even in Politics. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has championed the spirit of the entrepreneur by earmarking programs and initiatives to promote economic development at its core level. What we used to call Mom and Pop stores has spawned a new generation of small business owners who remain eager to do business in their neighborhoods and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Mayor Peduto didn't come...