Shows
First To Arrive, Last to LeaveEmpowering Women in Business: Kate Isler's Journey of Entrepreneurial Success and SupportLearning to raise your hand can change the trajectory of your life.In today's episode, we are joined by the incredible Kate Isler, an entrepreneur and advocate for women in business. Kate shares her journey of trial and error, acknowledging both her successes and failures in various aspects of life, including relationships, parenting, and career choices. Kate discusses the importance of recognizing that nobody has a perfect life or career, but rather it is about learning from experiences and taking action. Inspired by her travels to different parts of the world, and to finally have...2023-09-2139 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveGrowing a Marketing Company Through the Pandemic and BeyondAfter getting laid off, Terry Hoffman found herself interviewing for her next role. However, it wasn't until her recruiter told her she thought she should consider entrepreneurship that Terry really started to consider the idea.It ended up that entrepreneurship was the right path for her, and after talking to a few mentors, Terry decided to try it. Marketing Refresh was born and Terry hasn't looked back. Terry shares the ups and downs of running her business and why she decided to move her company from Houston to a virtual setting. She also talks about...2023-09-0738 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveBuilding a Family Business One Event at a TimeAfter getting laid off during maternity leave, Kate Winsor decided enough was enough. At this time, her brother also had his own business but was struggling in the day-to-day operations. At that moment, she decided to help him with Cadence Studios, and this family business grew. Kate joins Courtney and Erin on this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave to discuss her journey from employee to entrepreneur and how she has had to learn to embrace the unknown. She also talks about the uniqueness of her business and why being a...2023-08-3147 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveGrowing an Empire From Her Own StrugglesMiddle school girls can be cruel, and that was what ultimately led Kelly Foreman to find a better way to style her curly hair.In this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave, Kelly, CEO and Founder of MopTop joins Courtney and Erin to discuss her journey from frustration over the products that were out there to finally creating her own. She talks about the ups and downs of bringing your own product to market, and why being in all retails stores sometimes isn't such a good thing. She discusses the obstacles had to...2023-08-2454 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveWhat's Holding You Back From Taking Control of Your Dreams With Brittany TraylorWhat's holding you back from taking control of your dreams? If you have any excuse at all this is the episode to listen to as we sit down with Brittany Traylor or Traylor Transpo. In this episode, we'll be diving deep into the journey of our guest, Brittany, as she breaks through barriers, overcomes challenges, and defies stereotypes to achieve greatness. From growing up in the foster care system in Germany, to moving back to the states to reconnect with her family, not knowing English, Brittany ended up working in trucking industry and then starting her own...2023-08-1747 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeavePivoting to Prosperity: How a Specialized Architecture Firm Found Their NicheHow long would you fight for the success of your company? In reality, many business owners give up too soon, and it's the exact reason why Josh Kunkel is thriving with his company.Josh is the Founder + Managing Principal at Method Group, and joins Courtney and Erin on this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave to talk about his journey from suddenly becoming an entrepreneur, not being able to win any contracts to finally getting the break he needed on a multi-million dollar deal. They discuss the ups and downs of success, and...2023-08-1048 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveTaking a Leap Into a New Industry as a First-Time EntrepreneurIt all started with an idea and a dream she expressed to her daughters, and then her daughters wouldn't let her walk away from it.After falling in love with baking and always volunteering to make the baked goods for the kids' events, Daphne left a successful career in law to pursue her dream of owning her own bakery. This also came after a nudge from her daughter reminding her that she had encouraged them to live their dreams, but she was still sleeping on hers.Daphne launched Subarz and found herself submersed in an...2023-08-0331 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveScaling a Business with Digital Marketing: Strategies, Technology, and Team CollaborationGrowing a company is no easy feat, especially when you're growing exponentially in a short amount of time.On this episode of Frist to Arrive, Last to Leave, Courtney and Erin are joined by Cheryl O'Hern of Spin Markket + Digital. Cheryl talks about leaving a Fortune 500 company in 2012 and going out to start her own company. She then grew her company from just a few employees to over 37, all during the pandemic, by convincing businesses that digital marketing was no longer just a nice to have, but a must.She also talks about building a...2023-07-2736 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveThe Dynamic Duo: Embracing Different Perspectives for Client ExcellenceA 2-year partnership is hard to come by in the world of entrepreneurship, let alone a 12-year one. It’s the story of Hazel Geary and Rachel McFadden, co-founders of Drio.Hazel and Rachel join us for this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave to discuss their journey as business owners and friends and what building a successful company has been like. They also talk about the ability to hone in on their strengths. They discuss their growth as a company and how it all began when Rachel took her engineering background and tau...2023-07-2045 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveLeading with a Servant's Heart: Supporting Team Members in their Personal EndeavorsOn this episode of First To Arrive Last To Leave, we dive into the fascinating journey of our guest, Jackie Clayborn, CEO of ONC National. Jackie talks about how her entrepreneurial bug came while watching her parents both build their own companies. She also discusses the importance of aligning goals within a team and shares valuable insights on leadership and mentorship. Drawing from their own experience in the automotive business, Jackie discusses the transformative power of effective leadership and credits their former boss for her personal growth. Jackie also talks about why she decided to...2023-07-1337 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveOvercoming Delegation Challenges and Scaling Goals with Cheyenne SmithBeing the first in an industry can be a blessing and a curse, and Cheyenne Smith, Founder of Blk Hive Media and Dakota Ridge has found herself mostly loving the challenge.On this episode of First To Arrive Last To Leave, we dive into the world of entrepreneurship and the challenges of navigating finances, funding, and scaling a business. Cheyenne opens up about her personal journey of starting a business and the financial struggles they faced along the way. We also discuss the importance of being financially aware, calculating true gross margins, and finding opportunities...2023-07-0640 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveExploring the Intersection of Sports and Business With Jarvis HillCan you apply what you learned while playing sports to business? Actually, the intersections are endless, and Jarvis Hill wrote a book helping kids to understand that everything they learn from playing sports can be applied to the business world once they graduate.Jarvis joins Courtney and Erin on this episode of First To Arrive, Last to Leave to talk about his book, 'Sports Biz: There's More To Sports Than You Think,' and why he's so passionate about helping kids learn that focusing on becoming great at a sport can set them up for...2023-06-3049 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveThe Power of Analytics: Achieving Business Success Through NumbersBefore everyone was talking about data analytics, Robin Sturgis was already in the thick of it, helping venture capital firms make smart decisions through data.When Robin was doing some data freelance work while also raising three teenage daughters, she found the opportunity for more and decided to hire and form her own company. Since then infoFluency has grown, and Robin has used her own experience with numbers and trends to make the changes within her own business to scale and grow. She has since moved on to creating dashboards and helping specific industries understand...2023-06-2238 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveGrowing a Thriving Business While Working a Corporate Job With Nickquolette BarrettWho says you can't have your cake and eat it too?Or in Nickquolette Barrett case, you can have your corporate job, a pension just around the corner, and a thriving business. Or as Nickquolette likes to call it, her Angel Investor.Nickquolette Barrett is the Get Hired Strategiest, who first started helping people with their resumes so they could quickly climb the corporate ladder. As her clients continued to see more and more success, Nickquolette found herself in a bind where she had to figure out if she should leave her corporate job for...2023-06-1540 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveFrom Negative Revenue to 7-Figures In Just a Few Years With Jennifer ScottHow many times would you get knocked down before walking away from your company?For many it's one to a few, but there aren't many people who will still be standing after several. However, that's the story of Jennifer Scott, who had just set out to say that quitting wasn't going to be an option. Jennifer's story is incredible from finding out one of her business partners was arrested for embezzlement, to having several of her key employees leave to start their own company, to getting sued after she tried to take over a sinking...2023-06-0955 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveBouncing Back After Disaster Struck With Josh JohnsonNo one will ever claim owning a business is easy, but when you also have mother nature against you, building through a disaster can be extremely difficult.The great Josh Johnson joins us on this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave to discuss his journey into entrepreneurship, and how a combination of growing too fast along with Hurricane Katrina created an almost impossible situation to overcome. Josh talks about what it was like second-guessing himself and feeling like he was about to lose everything, and what he did to come back even stronger.2023-06-021h 04First To Arrive, Last to LeavePrioritizing Business Development: Building Connections Beyond Design With Ari KrzyzekOn this episode of First To Arrive Last To Leave, Courtney and Erin talk with Ari Krzyzek, CEO of Chykalophia, a creative and web agency. Ari shares her journey of building her company with her husband and how they continued to scale their business through various challenges. She also shares how she had difficulty building a team and relinquishing control when hiring designers and the value of mentorship in navigating business basics and boundaries. Additionally, they discuss expanding networks and the importance of evaluating whether investing time into up-leveling your network is worth it. We...2023-05-2633 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveHow to Rebuild After Niching Down Your Services With Chris BotvidsonJust because you can do it, doesn't it mean you should do it.That's often a hard lesson to learn for entrepreneurs, and many times as you're growing your business, you find yourself doing all of things. However, you then get a point where you've spread yourself so thin, that gaining momentum can be extremely difficult.It's the story of Chris Botvidson, who built a marketing company and found him and his staff doing all of things, but found it was too much. It was then that he decided to just focus on video and...2023-05-1946 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveFollowing a Knowing To Create a Life of Her Dreams With Cheryl Polote WilliamsonWe can often feel that we're stuck in a career path, or in a business, but what would be like if you listened to that internal voice, higher voice, (whatever you want to label it), and went with what we were feeling called to do?It may sound crazy, but it's the choice that Cheryl Polote Williamson has made time and time again and that has led her to a pretty incredible life. Cheryl's not just an entrepreneur, but a best-selling author (15x), a producer, playwright, magazine owner, speaker, and so much more.She joins...2023-05-1255 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveFinding Connection and Peace Through the Wilderness with Tami GilmoreMany of us know we're supposed to be out in nature more, but many of us don't take the time to make this a reality. It's a mission for Tami Gilmore, founder of Wilderness Therapy Retreats, to help people reconnect with nature, and themselves to find more peace in their lives.Whether it's a burned out mom, or a busy executive, our lives have lost enjoyment and connection because we're just trying to get through the days.On this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave, Tami shares her journey from a therapist to...2023-05-0543 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveOvercoming Fires and Debt To Build a National Brand With Brent ReavesGet your seat belts ready as this is quite a ride.On this episode, Courtney and Erin welcome Brent Reaves, co-owner of Smoke John's BBQ, a nationally recognized brand located in Dallas, TX. Brent's talking about continuing to build his father's legacy through the restaurant that his parents started, and his driving factor to get through all that life has thrown at him. When he took over the restaurant over 10 years ago, he discovered they were losing over $8000 a month. Instead of closing up shop, he decided to go old school and walk flyers around...2023-04-2853 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveHow Following a Passion Led to Multiple Businesses With Sammi BivensWhen knocking on the door for opportunity doesn't lead to an opening, you build your own door.That's the story of Sammi Bivens, CEO of the Marketing Maven, who has consistently found a way to build her own doors for her passion of marketing. Sammi shares how she first landed in the entrepreneurial world through jewelry and how her sales skills led her to learn how to create and grow an online store.She also talks about how her desire to learn marketing at a corporate level, made her find opportunities within the company she...2023-04-2133 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveAvoiding Burnout and Learning to Narrow Your Focus with Shelyna TinglinBurning the candle at both ends. It's a term known all too well for entrepreneurs, and one that left our guest, Shelyna Tinglin, in the hospital. Shelyna Tinglin is a dual career realtor and coach who once struggled with burnout. After experiencing stress that landed her in the hospital, she talks about having to make a tough decision: which career to prioritize. Choosing real estate over teaching, she learned the importance of niching down and understanding her target audience's problems. By identifying the needs of small brokerages and other potential clients, she was able to...2023-04-1335 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveLeaving the 'Good' and 'Safe' Job to Build Her Own Empire With Daris FrenchaHow hard are you working building other people’s dreams?It was a question Daris Frencha had to ask herself as she found herself loving sales and people, but her hard work was building a company that wasn’t hers. After she started working a side job with a company, selling legal benefits, she realized she was capable of starting something on her own.Daris shares her story on this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur, and why she first hesitated leaving a very ‘good’ job and good...2023-04-0746 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveHow To Come Back After a Business 'Failure' With Erin GregorWe're getting real and personal in this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave when the tables are turned to hear our co-host Erin Gregor's story. Erin shares how her journey of entrepreneurship has been one accidental venture after another. She also shares how curiosity has been her driving factor for continuing to build and grow businesses, and why sometimes that can be a great thing and other times, a bad thing.She also gets raw and real about a venture that, on the outside looked like it was a huge success, but in...2023-03-3031 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveLessons Learned After Two Exits With Alane BoydAfter working for a company where she felt the staff wasn’t pulling their weight, Alane offered to help hire the right team and build the company to the potential she believed it had.What ended up happening was beyond her wildest dream as she ended up becoming a co-owner, building another company, and exiting from both.During her ‘retirement’, Alane started a passion project, wrote several books, and ended up helping other companies, which launched an entirely new company. Eventually, she and her husband were pulled back in the world of tech by building a soft...2023-03-2339 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveHelping Entrepreneurs Build Long-Term Wealth With Kelly KunstIf there's one thing you can see almost immediately after meeting Kelly Kunst, is her passion for helping entrepreneurs make smarter financial decisions and build wealth for not just their immediate family, but for generations.In this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave, Kelly joins Courtney and Erin to share her journey into entrepreneurship, and how her grandfather instilled the desire to not just create a business, but create something that had a huge impact on others.Kelly shares her story of moving from medical sales to the field of wealth management, and...2023-03-1541 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveSetting the Path To Break Out of Corporate AmericaWhat would it take for you to use your strengths and expertise to your own business? For Aliah Henry, there was a plan in place, and on the exact date, she set out, she finally branched out to her own company. In this episode, Aliah joins us to talk about her journey from employee to employer, and the steps she took to ensure a successful career as a business owner. She shares some of the lessons she learned along the way, some of her biggest obstacles, and how has shifted her company out of only services.2023-03-0851 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveWhen You Get THE Offer For Your Business With Ted Hill'You always at least take the call when someone wants to buy your business', it's the advice from Deb Purvin, former banker and business numbers extraordinaire, that rang in Ted's ear when he got an interesting call about his business.In this podcast, Ted Hill, talks about building a business with his dad and the challenges that came with it, in addition to running the business on his own, and how Goldman Sach's 10K program changed everything for him.He also talks about why he never dreamed he would sell Life Benefits, Inc, but that...2023-03-0154 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveEducating the Next Generation Through Gaming With Maria Burns OrtizAlthough many parents try to encourage their kids to limit their time gaming, the right games can have an immense impact on growth and education. 7 Generation Games focuses on combining educational research, advanced game design, and innovative technology into video games that produce results.Maria Burns Ortiz, CEO at 7 Generation Games, has been one of the driving forces behind this unique business, where game developers can share their passion for education and development. Maria joins Courtney and Erin on this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave to talk about her journey of creating...2023-02-2236 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveChanging the Recruiting Model With Katie McConnell OlsonWhen you see something could be done better in an industry, do you have the courage to be the disrupter?Katie McConnell saw an opportunity within the recruiting industry and decided to change her approach to a more collaborative one. Although it meant less money to her bottom line, the long-term trust and relationships she created with her clients ended up paying off in the long run.Katie shares her story about deciding to do the model better and on her own, and how she took that leap of faith. She also discusses, some of...2023-02-1445 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveThe Secret to Hiring the Right Team with Jolene RischFinding and building the right team is more important now than ever, and in a world where talent won't stick around in a job that doesn't match, how do you ensure you're finding the right fit?Jolene Risch joins us to discuss her journey from stay-at-home mom to building Risch Results, a strategic search firm that aligns top-performing talent with a company's culture and values. She shares how her interest in people from an early age sparked her ability to match talent, not just from a skills perspective but from a cultural fit perspective, to the right...2023-02-0847 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveWhen Your Business Becomes Overwhelming With Sasha CrabtreyEvery business owner has been there when they find themselves burned out and overwhelmed from wearing too many hats, wondering if they're cut out for this business ownership thing.Enter Sasha Crabtrey, Founder of Remote COO, a company that helps businesses by managing their daily operations, giving owners the freedom to focus on their core competencies and growth. Sasha shares her journey on this episode of First To Arrive, Last to Leave to talk about what it's been like running her own business for over 17 years. She also talks about going into the Goldman Sachs 10...2023-01-3137 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveTackling a Whole New Industry and the Fastest Growing Sport in America With Jill ChristiansenPickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, and after getting re-introduced to it a few years ago, Jill Christiansen decided to take her graphics design expertise and jump in.Jill shares her journey moving from a thriving services-based company that was B2B to creating a product and moving into the B2C sector. She discusses where she began and how she was able to carve out her own niche in the market.She also talks about the challenges of growing a business in an entirely new industry and some of her biggest lessons learned...2023-01-2445 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveThe True Meaning of Perseverance and Believing in Yourself With Albert MarquezDo you have what it takes to persevere no matter what comes your way?It may seem easy to think yes. However, when several things don’t go your way, would you still keep going?In this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave, Albert Marquez, Founder and COO of 1 US Construction, visit Courtney and Erin to talk about his journey from a comfortable government job, to franchise owner and now the owner of his own construction company. He discusses how taking a huge leap when his job was going to make him travel le...2023-01-1755 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveHelping Businesses Find an Extra $100K of Profit With Leslie HasslerCould your business use an influx of $100k in profit? It may seem too good to be true, but it's what Leslie Hassler of Your Biz Rules does on a frequent basis. Leslie joins us on First to Arrive, Last to Leave to talk about some of the biggest mistakes business owners are making when it comes to running their businesses, and why she's able to find so many opportunities for missed profits.She also talks about her journey as an entrepreneur, and what led her to help others find joy in their businesses. Plus...2023-01-1054 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveUtilizing the Power of Community to Grow a Business With Christy NelsonIn this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave, Courtney and Erin are joined by Christy Nelson, owner of MakIt TakIt, a crafting company in Lincoln, Nebraska. Christy shares her journey from a blogger to several years later, building her own crafting store by offering parties, classes, etc to local creatives.She also shares how her love for creating and helping others led her to launch her own camp where people from all over can come and hang out, and learn from some of today's top experts in the crafting industry.Christy shares her...2023-01-0344 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveWhen You Have No Choice But To Create Your Own Opportunities With Michael BattagliaWhat happens when you're not quite ready for retirement, but the options offered to you are becoming fewer and further in-between? Well, in the case of Michael Battaglia, you start your own business.In this episode of First to Arrive, Last to Leave, Courtney and Erin are joined by InsureYouToo's Founder, Michael Battaglia. Michael shares his story of when it was becoming harder to find a job, he had to make a decision to either give up, or play the hand he was dealt by creating his own business.He discusses what it has taken...2022-12-2743 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveEducating Clients About a Problem They Don't Know They Have With Jim SteinmarkWhen seeking a new business opportunity, Jim Steinmark went to a conference and found a group of people who seemed to be genuinely excited about running their companies. When he wanted to find out more, he discovered that they were all service-based industries in the home sector. They were people like window washers, painters, etc.Jim was then introduced to new technology in the outdoor washing industry. We all know that we should keep the exteriors of our buildings and homes clean, but most of us think of power washing. Although power washing works when it comes...2022-12-2043 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveThe Key to Analyzing Growth OpportunitiesWe often say we want to 10X a business, but could your business really handle 10x in sales? It’s common to want the numbers and growth that everyone tells you that you should want, but the truth is, you should really sit down and focus on what is best for you. The answer may surprise you. This is just one of the things we cover in today’s podcast with Christina Rossini of R Squared Electric. Christina joins us to talk about her journey of revitalizing an electrical company that had gone a bit stagnant to letti...2022-12-1347 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveLearning How Values Can Transform a Company Ashley WaychoffSome people ramp up for a long time getting ready to say goodbye to their corporate job. Others decide it's time to make the leap while eating lunch in their car. Ashley's story is one of a random moment where she decided enough was enough, and it was time to take control of her future and schedule.Ashley shares her story of growing to multiple employees, and how her hiring tactics have changed from employee #1 to employee #5. She also discusses what she implemented in her business to make sure she was attracting the right team....2022-12-0644 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveBecoming a Technology Company (When You Don't Have a Technology Background) With Morgan KatzWhen Morgan was working her corporate job, she repeatedly saw a need for large event companies to be able to track how their season tickets were being utilized. Finally, she decided to take on the task herself and launched her first company. She quickly realized, though, that the solution wasn't just about helping companies sell their tickets, but helping them track their usage of them. Not coming from a technology background, Morgan had to quickly become a technology company. Two Saas solutions later, Morgan continues to grow her company, Event Finders, and she joins us...2022-11-2941 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveLessons From a Female in a Male Dominated Industry With Ieshea HollinsStarting and building a business is hard enough, but as a woman, sometimes it can feel like the odds are stacked against you.In this episode of First To Arrive, Last To Leave, Courtney and Erin are joined by Ieshea Hollins, of Direnzic. Ieshea is a Cybersecurity expert and started her company as a way to help people who may have the odds stacked against them because of cyber issues. Her main mission is to educate the world from large corporations to parents about the dangers of a forever-evolving industry.Ieshea shares her journey of...2022-11-221h 00First To Arrive, Last to LeaveDo You Know the Most Important Numbers in Your Business?Deb Purvin never let being a woman hold her back from any of her ventures. After graduating from Harvard, and working in banking, she found herself in real estate. After building up her own portfolio properties in several states, she sold off everything to spend more time with her family while sailing around the world.Eventually, her entrepreneurial spirit got the best of her, and she found herself buying an entire ski resort in the Northeast. After turning the business around by creating a co-op with other businesses within the town, Deb sold her company again.2022-11-1557 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveThe Crooked Path of Entrepreneurship With Super Dave QuinnAfter a change in leadership inspired Dave to finally go out on his own, the path to entrepreneurship wasn't exactly a straight path. Dave shares his story of starting a company that may not have worked out, but lead him to his current companies, D1 Experts and Texas Economic Development Connection. Dave shares how he found his opportunity to help attract new companies to the great state of Texas, and how his company thrived during the pandemic. He also shares how once he tasted entrepreneurship, even though it was harder than he ever dreamed, there was no g...2022-11-1542 minFirst To Arrive, Last to LeaveGrowing From a Hobby to Contracts With Some of Today's Biggest RetailersWelcome to First To Arrive, Last To Leave, the podcast where we talk to Goldman Sach's 10,000 Business Grads to learn more about what it takes to build businesses that become the heart of their community.In this episode, we meet hosts Erin Gregor and Courtney Radloff and learn more about Courtney's business, Purveyors of Fragrance. Courtney talks about her journey from a Skin Therapist to making candles in her kitchen for fun, to closing huge contracts!She also discusses how some words of encouragement and a huge order came from a thank you note.2022-11-1139 min