Shows
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs204: Inside the Billion-Dollar SBA Lending Journey of Ami KassarIn this week’s edition of the AmiSights Podcast, the MultiFunding team discusses the company’s journey to nearly $1 billion in secured funding. While Ami is proud of this incredible financial milestone, he is even more inspired by the impact it’s had—helping small businesses grow and supporting the people behind them.I'm proud of everyone here, and thank you for everything you all do to help us reach this milestone. We've been through a lot of sweat and tears, and we've helped a lot of people through a lot of different stuff to get there. About 95...2025-06-1731 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs196: Unlocking the Mind with BreathworkIn this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Mark Worster,founder of The New Mysteries, a transformative global community that uses plant medicine and methods such as breathing to guide people on their journey of self-discovery and liberation.Mark started his entrepreneurial journey in the IT space before he entered the transformative medicine realm. As an entrepreneur of several successful companies, he explains how no matter what system you have in place, you still need a base foundation with your finances. “You got to have the base firm and solid,” he said. “If you'r...2025-02-2547 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs188: Mastering Business Acquisitions: Solving Loan ChallengesIn this week’s AmiSights Podcast, we dive into Joe McAleer’s journey and experience as Senior Director of Business Financing at MultiFunding. Joe talks about how he knew MultiFunding was the right fit from his first visit 11 years ago. He shares insights into MultiFunding’s unique approach, where the team acts as analysts first to ensure every loan opportunity is carefully evaluated and presented in the best light.
“We are so hands-on; you know we are analysts before we are brokers. We dig in, we understand things, and we make sure that we're positioning an opportunity—or a loan reque...2024-11-1229 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs186: Driving Innovation in SBA Lending with Lynn Ozer, President of MultiFundingIn this week’s episode of the AmiSights Podcast, Ami has the pleasure of interviewing co-host Lynn Ozer, President of MultiFunding and fondly referred to as the "SBA Queen." Tune in as Lynn shares her journey to MultiFunding, which began about three and a half years ago, leading her to a role where she could support the incredible group of lenders that Ami assembled and connect with the entrepreneurs who turn to MultiFunding for guidance.
“They always say when a door closes, a window opens,” she said. “Well, this was the best window I ever walked through and foun...2024-10-2924 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs185: Redefining Entrepreneurial Banking: The MultiFunding & Owners Bank AllianceIn this week’s edition of the AmiSights Podcast, Ami talks with Erik Nilsen, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategic Partnerships at Owners Bank. Erik has a deep Product Management & Digital Banking background that was acquired from years of banking and fintech leadership. He is responsible for acquiring and managing strategic partnerships that help with the growth of Owners Bank. Owners Bank is a division of Liberty Bank based in Middletown, CT, which is one of the most innovative and established banks in the country.
We've been looking for a bank that offers our clients lines of cr...2024-10-2224 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs184: The MultiFunding Mission: Empowering Small Businesses Every Step of the WayIn this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, Heather Hoover and Julie Zarr discuss their roles and experiences at MultiFunding. From navigating the world of finance to providing tailored solutions for small businesses, they explain how working with passionate entrepreneurs makes their jobs both rewarding and exciting. Tune in to learn how these amazing women found their way to MultiFunding and why they love being a part of each client’s success story!
“We never have a boring day. When you learn about the blood, sweat, and tears that our clients have put into building their businesses, and...2024-10-1529 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs181: Mastering Financial Solutions: How MultiFunding’s Advisors Empower Small BusinessesOn this week's episode of the AmiSights Podcast, Fran Miller and Nick Lasorsa from MultiFunding's loan team join Ami and Lynn to discuss the company’s culture and mission, along with their experiences navigating the ups and downs of the financing industry.
“You have to have all the tools in your tool shed and be comfortable and sort of get your hands dirty to a degree,” Miller said. “And being in that position, I think, simply put, it's not for everybody. There's ebbs and flows of this business…some can ride that wave and others don't enjoy that up and down.”
The main...2024-09-2427 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs165: Bridging Gaps: Empowering Latino Entrepreneurs with EOSIn this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast, we talk to Cesar Quintero, certified Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS) Implementer and Founder of The Profit Recipe, where he helps entrepreneurs and their leadership teams build a business by design with EOS based on the book “Traction.” He explains how he was drawn to entrepreneurship at a young age.
"I launched something a little more dear to my heart and purpose is I launched an online entrepreneurial platform in Spanish for Latin America. So helping, Latin's because I think it's underserved and most, most of Latin America, they would do so...2024-05-2834 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs121: Fletcher Helps Us Solve Hard Hiring Problems and Understand Behavior AssessmentsIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Fletcher Wimbush, Founder, CEO, and Lead Executive Recruiter for The Hire Talent, a talent assessment company that solves difficult hiring problems primarily for companies with 0-250 employees. Fletcher tells us how he got into the industry and shares how to find the top talent.
“I spent literally my entire life since I was 16 thinking about this,” he said. “My father was a management consultant, like a business coach. And he developed these really cool behavioral aptitude assessments. He was an introvert – like a research...2023-06-2730 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs119: As an Entrepreneur, Beware of Letting Your Stress Get To Your EmployeesIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Jessica Harrington, owner of Journey to Yourself, a company she started in 2020 that provides a six-month series of interactive corporate workshops focusing on habits and tools for employees as well as 1:1 coaching for employees on stress management. Jessica tells us how keeping the small stuff under control and nipping aggravations in the bud early on can prevent burnout or damaged relationships.
"My mindset on stress is that a lot of it is self-caused on how we perceive it and how we're handling it...2023-06-1328 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs117: How Running a Business Goes from Checkers to Chess for This Female EntrepreneurIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Angela Pointon, Owner and President of 11outof11, a digital marketing agency that offers outsource content marketing services and HubSpot expertise and training. Angela tells us about what makes her tick and the inspiration behind her book, “Stop Blending In: The 7 Steps for Achieving Thought Leader Status and Standing Out in Your Field.”
She explains that when she was working for an agency, she was working 60-70 hours a week, commuting an hour each way and hardly seeing her then-very young children. While she cl...2023-05-3032 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs116: What an Ecommerce Marketing Guru Did When the World Shut DownIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Jon MacDonald, founder and president of The Good, an ecommerce conversion rate and customer experience optimization advisory that helps brands understand the clicks and movements of their website visitors, and use that data to convert more existing visitors into buyers. Jon also tells us how he spent his extra time during the pandemic writing a step-by-step book, “Opting in to Optimization.”
“I said, ‘If I come out of COVID, what is the one thing that I could really do for the business that is go...2023-05-2336 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs115: Are You Navigating Economic Landmines Successfully?In today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Chris Earley, an ex-franchisee, founder and president of Liberty Inspection Group, based in Media, Pennsylvania. Chris tells us how he started his own home inspection company after getting his feet wet with a franchise. He also talks about diversifying his business to make it through the fluctuating real estate market. If your business is or isn’t experiencing shifts because of economic factors, let Chris’ story inspire you on how to navigate economic landmines.
“The franchise was good for us for a couple yea...2023-05-1631 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs114: The 5 I’s of Leadership and How It Drives Your Top and Bottom LinesIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Marissa Levin, a five-time, 30-year entrepreneur, speaker, best-selling author, mindset expert, and globally recognized growth and spiritual strategist. In today’s episode, she tells us about her latest venture, I5 Conscious Leadership, a leadership education and consulting firm guided by a mission to elevate the consciousness of the world through leadership.
"At the heart of all of us is a beautiful spirit, and my spirit is definitely one that is here to uplift and empower others," she said. "My lifetime legacy mission – LLM –...2023-05-0937 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs113: A Serial Entrepreneur Takes His Horrific Accident and Turns it Into a BusinessIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Joe Torres, CEO and president of Developmental Therapy Associates, based in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. He also runs a software development company and a real estate group and holding company. In this episode, Joe tells us how a near-fatal incident changed the trajectory of not only his career but also his life.
In 2012, he was riding his motorcycle to the gym when he was hit head-on by another vehicle, changing his life forever. He spent a month in the hospital and...2023-05-0231 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs112: Maximizing Business Value: Benefits of Thinking about Exit Strategies from the StartIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Tom Bronson, founder and president of the Business Transition Summit, as well as Mastery Partners and Mastering Mergers and Acquisitions. All three companies empower business owners to maximize business value and serve business owners in different capacities to help them achieve their dream exit. In this episode, we focus on what every business owner needs to know about business exit strategies for business success.
“I am what most people call a serial entrepreneur. I have owned, operated, and sold 100 businesses in my care...2023-04-2546 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs110: Demystifying Stakeholder Capitalism and Helping Build Thriving Stakeholder BusinessesIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Kent Gregoire, Co-Founder of Stakeholder Business, which is on a mission to help entrepreneurs transform their companies for maximum impact. In addition to his work with Stakeholder Business, he is also the Founder and CEO of Symphony Advantage. Being one of seven certified conscious capitalism consultants around the world, Kent wants to create more opportunities and solve more problems for stakeholders. The main topics of today’s discussion will be conscious capitalism and stakeholder capitalism.
"Conscious capitalism is a way of being able...2023-04-1144 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs109: How One Entrepreneur Did a 180 from Running Salons to Launching a Tech AppIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to serial entrepreneur Celeste Trapp, who has started an exciting new venture after nearly 20 years in the salon business. Celeste has begun her next venture as the CEO and Founder of Whoz, a SaaS social invite and engagement app to help companies and associations engage and retain their valued employees and members.
After working more than 10 years in marketing, Celeste founded Hair M – one of the first high-end men’s grooming salons – in October 2003. Based in Portland, Hair M had seven salons at its peak...2023-04-0433 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs108: Why Contract Lawyers are so Important to a Small Business Owner with Donya GordonIn today’s podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Donya Gordon, a contract attorney who focuses on commercial contracts, eCommerce M & A transactions, contract dispute resolution, distress business sales, and escrow services. The main focus of today’s conversation is what an entrepreneur should do to prepare for a successful transaction before the deal arrives on the attorney's desk.
After working with prominent law firms and as a judicial clerk for several years, Donya went out alone a couple of years ago without any outside financing. As a result, she is a on...2023-03-2830 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs107: Controlling How You Scale Your Business with Josh WatsonWelcome back to the AmiSights Podcast! Today we welcome our new Co-Host, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka the SBA Queen. On this episode, we talk to Josh Watson, founder of EIS Automation, a Las Vegas-based manufacturing automation company focusing on product handling and end-of-line solutions. This is a must see episode for entrepreneurs in exponential growth mode. We discuss how to finance growth and how saying no can lead to success.
Josh, who grew up in the printing industry, worked for a larger company when he decided to go out on his own in 2012...2023-03-2138 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs77: How The Employment Market Has Changed Post-Pandemic, with Marcia O'ConnorOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Marcia O'Connor, CEO and Founder of the O’Connor Group, on how the employment market has changed post covid and what employees have to do to stay ahead.
Marcia started The O’Connor Group with $10K of her own savings. It was time to build the company she’s been talking about doing for the prior 10 years! One day her then 6-year-old son looked up at her and said “Mom, can I see you more”. You can imagine how she felt, and said ‘Yes, yes you will”. Marcia had gone on vacation that Jul...2022-08-0923 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs76: The Challenges of Managing a Commodities Business Through and After the Pandemic, with Andrew GeislerOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Drew Geisler, president of Mainline Metals, about how he is managing supply chain issues and the challenges of managing a commodities business through and after the pandemic.
Andrew started his career in the steel industry at the age of 19, when he was hired by Mainline Metals as a co-op student. Under Bob Dubin’s tutelage, Andrew learned the art of cold-calling and how to find and sell surplus and excess steel. Once graduated from Drexel University with a degree in materials engineering, Andrew was hired by Mainline Metals.
Andrew’s rig...2022-08-0223 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs75: What Makes Forums Great & What to Avoid, with Mo FathelbabOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Mo Fathelbab, Founder and president of Forum Resources Network, and co-founder of Harvard Business School Alumni Forums, to discuss what makes forums great - and what to avoid.
Mo is the author of two best-selling books, Forum: The Secret Advantage of Successful Leaders and The Friendship Advantage - 7 Keys to Building Relationships that Transform Culture and Drive Productivity.
Prior to that Mo served as executive director of Entrepreneurs' Organization (1991-1997) where he created the peer to peer Forum program content and initiated 100s of CEO Forums. Mo has worked w...2022-07-2620 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs74: Ben Clark: How Learning Differences Pushed This CEO Into EntrepreneurshipToday on AmiSights, the podcast, we have the CEO & Owner of B-Unlimited, Ben Clark! In 1994, B-Unlimited began as a screen printing company in the hills of the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Ben purchased the business in 2006 with big dreams of elevated artwork, thoughtful print, and impeccable service.
In this episode, Ben shares what it was like growing up with learning differences. He discusses his struggles and frustrations through college when trying to find his path. Ben explains that his learning differences were a good thing because that pushed him into entrepreneurship. When faced with failure, Ben...2022-07-1920 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs73: Ryan Surace: Have You Outgrown Your Current Accounting Process?On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Ryan Surace, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of Surace & Stanton, on how to know if you have the right accounting department.
With over 15 years of experience, Ryan is especially skilled in providing high quality accounting and taxation services across a range of industry sectors. His experience in the financial arena gives him particular strength in auditing and assurance, taxation, analytics, business planning and budgeting, SEC compliance and filing, succession planning, and internal accounting functions. His clients are small and mid-sized companies across a range of sectors including manufacturing, wholesalers, construction contractors, and rea...2022-07-1222 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs72: How to Ditch Expectations, Uphold Your Values and Embrace a Work-Life Blend with Tamara LoehrOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Tamara Loehr, Co-Founder of Beusail Academy, a serial entrepreneur very much focused on impact - all about giving back and helping bridge the gap in female entrepreneurship.
Tamara is a globally recognized entrepreneur, mum of two young girls, wife and artist (former songwriter and forever painting).
Tamara started her first business at the age of 19 years old after graduating from university with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. This marketing agency is still in operation and services national and international clients, as well as the businesses she owns under her i...2022-07-0522 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs71: Why Words Matter with Wendy PeaseOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Wendy Pease, owner and president of Rapport International, to discuss why words matter.
Wendy Pease is the owner and president of Rapport International, a language services company that provides high-quality translation and interpretation services with a specialty in global marketing, legal, and medical services. Throughout her career, she has worked with hundreds of companies to help them communicate across more than 200 languages and cultures.
Wendy is a frequent speaker, writer, blogger, trainer, advisor, and master networker. She’s the author of the book “The Language of Global Marketing”, and the ho...2022-06-2819 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs70: Acquiring a Second Business During the Pandemic with Russell HunterOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Russell Hunter, owner and CEO of Colorado Mountain School, an entrepreneur who bought a business during the pandemic - we’ll discover what he’s learned and how it’s going.
After graduating with an accounting degree, Russell spent a very short nine months working as a Public Accountant. He chose to step off the tracks and become an outdoor educator and mountain guide. After two decades of leading others in the mountains, Russell saw an opportunity to become an owner of a mountain guide service and an avalanche education school.
A...2022-06-2121 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs69: Curated CEO Peer Groups for high-performing CEOs, with Jim SchleckserOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jim Schleckser, CEO of Inc. CEO Project, to discuss the most important lessons learned by his clients during the pandemic.
Jim helps leaders grow their companies by helping them open their point of constraint, the kink in the hose through curated CEO Peer Groups. He has extensive leadership experience with organizations in both public and private environments and across multiple industries. Jim has built, acquired, and led several companies, including international businesses with multiple operating business units. Prior to founding the Inc. CEO Project, Jim was the president of Spirent Communications...2022-06-1418 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs68: What it Was Like to Acquire a Business During the Pandemic with Smriti SinhaOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Smriti Sinha, owner of Natural Healing House, on what it was like to buy a business during the pandemic and how it’s going.
Smriti Sinha (Sims) is an entrepreneurial leader, who is passionate about building innovative products by marrying consumer-centered creativity with analytical business strategy.
Smriti recently transitioned from leading innovation and product development at Fortune 100 companies, to the exciting world of e-commerce.
She runs a small business in the health and wellness niche, called Natural Healing House. Natural Healing House offers physician grade vitamins and su...2022-06-0716 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs67: Lifestyle Investing and Why it's Important in an Inflationary World with Justin DonaldOn this interview, Ami Kassar interviews Justin Donald, Lifestyle Investor® and Entrepreneur, on what lifestyle investing mean and why is it important in an inflationary world.
Entrepreneur Magazine calls Justin Donald the “Warren Buffett of Lifestyle Investing.” He’s a master of low-risk cash flow investing, specializing in simplifying complex financial strategies, structuring deals, and disciplined investment systems that consistently produce profitable results. His ethos is to “create wealth without creating a job.”
In the span of 21 months, and before his 37th birthday, Justin’s investments drove enough passive income for both he and his wife Jennifer...2022-05-3118 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs66: Challenges Swim Schools Faced During the Pandemic and How the U.S. Swim School Association Helped Overcome Them, with Lisa ZardaOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Lisa Zarda, Executive Director of the U.S. Swim School Association, on the challenges swim schools faced during the pandemic and how her association helped them overcome them.
Lisa’s career in association management spans over twenty years and includes receiving her certified association executive designation in 2010 as well as the Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP) designation in 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, in Exercise & Sports Science with an emphasis in Recreation Management and a minor in Business Administration from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI.
Over the years sh...2022-05-2415 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs65: Homeless Teen to Achieving the Entrepreneur Dream with Natasha MillerOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Natasha Miller, Founder and CEO of Entire Productions, about her new book and her transformation during the pandemic.
Natasha Miller isn’t your average CEO. She sits at the helm of Entire Productions, the go-to experience design, event and entertainment production company in San Francisco, and has been on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America for three years in a row. Natasha’s passion and commitment to giving back drive her invariable contributions and participation with numerous charitable organizations. She is also performing as a jazz vocalist and a tr...2022-05-1721 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs64: Empowering Teens and Tweens to Thrive with Dorian Wiederholt KassarOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Dorian Wiederholt Kassar, teacher and coach, about his new coaching business and what made him start it.
Dorian is a business owner, teacher, and coach. Since 2017, he has worked with over 4,000 teens and tweens sharing the principles and practices of mental health, connection, and authenticity. Dorian has trained with incredible mentors in the fields of coaching, martial arts, social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and healing. Through them, he learned the paths of peace, joy, connection, power, and abundance.
Dorian leads workshops and gives presentations at many schools in the San Francisco...2022-05-1018 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs63: John & Mark Cronin of John's Crazy Socks: How A Young Man with Down Syndrome and His Father Bootstrapped Their Way to the World's Largest Sock StoreOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews John & Mark Cronin, co-founders of John's Crazy Socks, about their journey working together, building their company, and the highs and lows.
John Cronin and his Dad, Mark X. Cronin are the co-founders of John's Crazy Socks, a social enterprise with a mission to spread happiness. In five years, they bootstrapped their start up into the world's largest sock store with multi-million-dollar sales in 88 nations. John may have Down syndrome, but he always says, "Down syndrome never holds me back."
More than half of their employees have a differing ability...2022-05-0324 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs62: Running Have Lights Will Travel through the Pandemic with Kyle McClellandOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Kyle McClelland, President at Have Lights Will Travel, on his story of running a business through the pandemic.
Kyle got his start at Have Lights Will Travel in 2005, after asking Reg Willison, founder, when he was going to hire him. Kyle started work the very next day, and after his graduation from the University of Reno four years later, he asked Reg another question – when would he sell him the business? The pair worked out an arrangement, and in 2017, Kyle finished buying out Reg and became the full owner of Have Lig...2022-04-2622 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs61: Business Strategist, CEO Coach, and Author, John Dame, Discusses Running Dame Leadership Through the PandemicOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews John Dame, Owner & Managing Partner, Dame Leadership, on everything he has learned coaching clients throughout the pandemic, and what's next!
JD received a B.S. in marketing from Pennsylvania State University in 1973. He pursued a career in radio broadcasting for 32 years. His time spent in broadcasting was leveraged as a rich learning platform for his evolution as a business strategist.
JD’s reputation for insightful evaluation, planning, and a passion for driving results have grown his involvement with companies and organizations internationally. He has a fine-tuned understanding of the ris...2022-04-1918 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs60: How to Get On Top of Your Numbers & Stay in Control of Your Business, with Brooke LivelyOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Brooke Lively, CEO and Founder of Cathedral Capital, on the best advice for business owners about how to get on top of their numbers and stay in control of their business.
Brooke is the CEO and Founder of Cathedral Capital, a team of CFOs and Profitability Strategists who help entrepreneurs turn their businesses into profitable companies. After earning her MBA in Investments and Corporate Finance, Brooke built a 7- figure company in under 2 years. As a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), she and her team work with Hall of Famers, INC 5000 businesses...2022-04-1226 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs59: How Great Food Truck Race All-Star Winner, Daniel Shemtob, Managed Through the PandemicOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Daniel Shemtob, Restaurateur & Chef, on managing his businesses throughout the pandemic.
Daniel Shemtob’s success is fueled by deep seeded passion, eccentric creativity, and love for community. Being raised to value hard work & intentional effort has helped him get to where he is today.
Despite skipping college and foregoing studying at any of the world’s most renowned culinary institutions, Daniel's success has never been hindered by a lack of traditional education.
From food trucks, fast casual restaurants, to fine dining, all styles of catering and his work w...2022-04-0518 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs58: Managing Logistics and Supply Chain Issues with Mike ReganOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Mike Regan, Co-Founder and Chief of Relationship Development at TrazAct Technologies, on managing his business throughout the pandemic.
Mr. Regan is well known and active within the logistics industry. He serves on the Boards of numerous industry groups such as the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC), as the Chairman of the Advocacy Committee. He’s also active in several industry organizations, such as the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), where he is a 2014 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the YPO/WPO...2022-03-2931 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs57: The Pros and Cons of Global Outsourcing with Brad StevensOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Brad Stevens, Founder/CEO of Outsource Access, about the pros and cons of global outsourcing.
Brad Stevens is a lifetime entrepreneur, 9-year EO Member and Founder/CEO of Outsource Access, an offshore virtual services firm he built to over 400 employees in just over two and a half years that was the only outsourcing firm to win Inc Magazine’s “Best in Business” award for making an impact beyond the P&L. He also co-founded a service called 1on1connections.com that connects together member organizations and conferences at scale. His prior company...2022-03-2226 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs56: The Current State of the Mergers and Acquisitions Market with Gerald BrissonOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Gerald Brisson, President and Owner of Transworld Business Advisors of Houston, on the current state of the mergers and acquisitions market.
Gerry has thirty years global business experience which includes managing international business units, directing global marketing, directing global procurement, sales, and operations. Gerry has been involved in hundreds of negotiations across 5 continents and dozens of business sales. He has held executive leadership positions in 3 Fortune 500 companies covering 50+ countries across North America, Latin America, Central America, The Caribbean, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
He started Transworld Business Advisors of Houston...2022-03-1522 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs55: How Tony Conant Managed the ARA Throughout the PandemicOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Tony Conant, CEO of the American Rental Association, on managing a trade association through the pandemic.
Tony is the Chief Executive Officer at American Rental Association; a trade association representing 11,000 rental locations and over 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers to the equipment and event rental industry. He is responsible for enabling operational excellence across the organization and building capabilities to support ARA’s strategic plan.
His professional experience includes over 20 years working in operations and supply chain functions at world-class companies such as Intel, BASF, Whirlpool and Bank of America. Prior to...2022-03-1026 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs55: How Tony Conant Managed the ARA Throughout the PandemicOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Tony Conant, CEO of the American Rental Association, on managing a trade association through the pandemic.
Tony is the Chief Executive Officer at American Rental Association; a trade association representing 11,000 rental locations and over 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers to the equipment and event rental industry. He is responsible for enabling operational excellence across the organization and building capabilities to support ARA’s strategic plan.
His professional experience includes over 20 years working in operations and supply chain functions at world-class companies such as Intel, BASF, Whirlpool and Bank of America. Prior to...2022-03-0826 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs54: Managing an Events Rental Business During the Pandemic with Ian GoffOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Ian Goff, owner of Goff Tents & Events and Purdon Rental, about his story managing an events rental business during the pandemic and what he learned.
Ian Goff, CERP, is the owner of Goff Tents & Events and Purdon Rental, both full service party and event rental stores throughout Central Kentucky. Ian also has over 20 years of experience in various aspects of the event rental industry including manufacturing, installation, event coordination, and strategic planning for large scale festivals and concerts.
Goff has served as President of the American Rental Association's Kentucky c...2022-03-0114 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs53: Tim McDiarmid’s Journey of Managing a Restaurant Through the PandemicOn the episode, Ami Kassar interviews Tim McDiarmid, Founder and Owner at Tim the Girl Catering, The Good Kind & Ivy Hall Events, on managing a restaurant through the pandemic.
Tim grew up in Canada and always dreamt of being a chef. She loved watching her mother cook and aspired to one day work in a restaurant in New York City.
As a young woman, Tim headed to the “Big Apple” in search of fulfilling her dreams. She lived and worked in New York for nearly 20 years in every restaurant position imaginable from front of house, back...2022-02-2224 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs52: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic about Finance and Accounting with Jason KrugerOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jason Kruger, President & Founder of Signature Analytics, on what the pandemic has taught businesses about accounting and finance, and what the future holds.
Jason is a leader and business advisor focused on helping business owners, leaders, and executives improve performance by providing greater visibility into their financials so they can achieve their goals through value-added financial information.
Signature Analytics’ 5-step process for client success focuses first on goal and roadmap development, ensuring confidence in timely and accurate accounting, and finally through bringing clarity to a company’s financial information thro...2022-02-1516 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs51: Managing a Speaking Bureau During the Pandemic with Gail DavisOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Gail Davis, founder and president of GDA Speakers, about managing a speaking bureau during the pandemic and what she learned.
Gail Davis’ decades of experience in corporate marketing and event management served as the launchpad for GDA Speakers. Before establishing the company in 1999, she spent 20 years managing the events of the Dallas-based global technology conglomerate─Electronic Data Systems (EDS)─founded by Ross Perot. While at EDS she discovered Nando Parrado, a heroic survivor of the 1972 Andes plane crash. Parrado presented an unforgettable speech at EDS’ marquee event.
Shortly after his succ...2022-02-0824 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs50: Daniel Marcos Helps Leaders Scale Smarter, Without DramaOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Daniel Marcos, co-founder and CEO of Growth Institute, on the evolving platform for virtual learning for entrepreneurs, what has changed and where does he see it going?
Daniel is the co-founder and CEO of Growth Institute, the leading online executive education company for C-level executives at fast-growing firms. He is a keynote speaker and a CEO Coach, with a mission to help 1 million entrepreneurs scale their impact and reduce drama in the process.
He is a member of YPO and EO and is a certified coach in the Scaling...2022-02-0117 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs49: Make Your Leadership Team More Disciplined, Focused and Successful with Herb CoglianoOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Herb Cogliano, International Business Growth Advisor & Certified Scaling Up Coach, discussing how companies remain flexible during these uncertain times, examples of companies that have done well through the pandemic as well as companies that have done poorly.
Herb Cogliano spearheads his own advisory practice based on the award-winning books Scaling Up and the Rockefeller Habits. As an international business growth advisor and experienced CEO Scaling Up practitioner, he has learned firsthand what it takes to overcome many business challenges. Herb is pursuing his passion of working with leaders of growth companies t...2022-01-2522 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs48: Versatile and Highly Customizable Technology Solutions with Deborah Moses EltonOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Deborah Moses Elton, CEO of VerisVisalign, on how digital transformation evolved over the pandemic, and how it impacts businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Deborah is the CEO of VerisVisalign. The local IT services company is a long-term Microsoft Partner, specializing in Microsoft technologies and process optimization. The company is a certified woman-owned enterprise, with certifications from PA, MD, DE (WBE), the Federal government (WOSB), and the National Council of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She attended Montgomery County Community College (Pennsylvania) and Temple University, and has furthered her career with certifications...2022-01-1821 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs47: The Great Game of Business with Rich ArmstrongOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Rich Armstrong, President at The Great Game of Business, discussing some of the most exciting transformations he has seen when companies have used the Great Game of Business.
Rich Armstrong has thirty years of experience in improving business performance and employee engagement through open-book management and employee ownership, with service as a business coach and as a current executive at SRC Holdings Corporation, a thirty-seven-year old employee-owned company and one of the United States’ top one hundred largest majority employee-owned companies. Rich has been instrumental in the ongoing development of SRC Hol...2022-01-1117 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs46: Justin Rosenberg: One Restauranteurs Story Through the PandemicOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Justin Rosenberg, founder and CEO of honeygrow, on lessons learned from managing a chain of restaurants during the pandemic.
Justin is the Founder and CEO of honeygrow, a fast-casual stir-fry and salad concept founded in Philadelphia in 2012. With a mission to create a unique, spirited brand focused on simple, wholesome foods, Rosenberg has led the company's creation and growth, which will consist of 26 units by year end.
Prior to launching honeygrow, Rosenberg worked as an Asset Manager and Manager of Energy Services for PREIT in Philadelphia, where he was r...2022-01-0414 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs45: Learn How To Launch a Bestselling Book with Anna DavidOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Anna David, the New York Times bestselling author of two novels and six non-fiction books, on if someone wants to write a book, why should they do it and what should they do next?
Anna David is the New York Times bestselling author of two novels and six non-fiction books. She’s been published in the New York Times, Time, LA Times, Vanity Fair, Playboy, Vice, Cosmo, The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed and Salon, among many others, written about in Forbes, Martha Stewart Living, Entrepreneur, Allure, and Women’s Health and has appea...2021-12-2127 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs44: Everything You Need To Know About Podcasting with Chris KrimitsosOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Chris Krimitsos, Chief Creative Officer at Podfest Multimedia Expo, on everything our listeners need to know about podcasting - and more!
Chris holds the Guinness World Records™ title for the largest attendance for a virtual podcasting conference in one week, and is a leading expert on podcasting and on-demand audio. His international conference, PodFest, is the longest-running continuous in-person podcasting event in the world and attracts thousands of attendees from over 50 countries each year. Running parallel with that event, Chris also successfully birthed VidFest, as part of his efforts to build the...2021-12-1419 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs43: Small Business Help From SCORE with Bridget WestonOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Bridget Weston, CEO of the SCORE Association, about SCORE: How can people sign up to mentor, how people can find help, and how mentoring and SCORE have changed as a result of the pandemic.
Bridget is the CEO of the SCORE Association, which provides free mentoring and education to current and aspiring small business owners through its network of 10,000 volunteers. A respected thought leader in the small business landscape, Ms. Weston has testified before the House Small Business Committee and appeared on MSNBC. Ms. Weston earned her MBA from Temple University...2021-12-0717 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs42: Transform Your People, Your Business, and You Life with Steve BakerOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Steve Baker, Vice President of The Great Game of Business, Inc., to discuss the Great Game of Business: What it is and how it works.
Steve co-authored Get in the Game as well as the update of the number one bestseller, The Great Game of Business—20th Anniversary Edition. Known for his engaging and irreverent style, Steve is a top-rated, sought-after speaker and coach on open-book management, strategy and execution, leadership, and employee engagement.
His audiences range from Harvard University to the Department of Defense, and he is a regula...2021-11-3020 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs41: More Than Just "Hire A Bookkeeper"— Hire An Entire Accounting Department, with Dennis NajjarOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Dennis Najjar, co-founder of AccountingDepartment.com, to discuss how a business owner knows when they have the right level of accounting and bookkeeping support.
As one of the two founding masterminds behind AccountingDepartment.com, Dennis Najjar, CPA, CGMA took his extensive expertise in public accounting and his process-driven approach to problem solving and transformed it into AccountingDepartment.com. Throughout his career, Dennis has worked exclusively with small, medium, and start-up businesses, giving him the knowledge and experience to oversee the AccountingDepartment.com team in helping clients with strategic business planning for f...2021-11-2331 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs40: Where the Public and Private Sectors Meet, with Rhett ButtleOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Rhett Buttle, Founder of Public Private Strategies, on the Biden Administrations' small business agenda: How things are going and what's next?
Rhett Buttle is the Founder of Public Private Strategies (PPS). PPS creates opportunities where the public and private sectors meet bringing together diverse allies including foundations, associations, corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to solve pressing societal challenges. By harnessing the power of the private sector, PPS build coalitions, activate campaigns, and create strategic partnerships to drive desired policy and market outcomes. Rhett is also a Senior Fellow at The Aspen In...2021-11-1632 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs39: Eric Weaver on Supporting Small Businesses & Advancing JusticeOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Eric Weaver, Senior Advisor to City First Enterprises, the Aspen Institute’s Business Ownership Initiative, Community Capital Advisors, and Accion Opportunity Fund, on assess to capital to the underserved: what's going on and what's changing.
Eric brings over three decades of experience in community economic development and community development finance. After graduating from Harvard University, he began his career as a relief worker in El Salvador, bringing aid to internally displaced refugees during the civil war there in the 1980s. He then worked as a community organizer and project manager at an...2021-11-0922 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs38: Grow your Business with Dedicated Offshore Talent, with David NilssenOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews David Nilssen, CEO of Doxa7, about his new company and why global outsourcing is important.
David is the CEO of Doxa7, which helps businesses build and scale up high-performing, global teams. In 2007, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) named him the National Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and his businesses have been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work” seven times. They have also been included on many Inc 5000 lists, including the Inc 500 in 2008.
As an investor, David has provided funding to companies in neuropharma, online travel...2021-11-0224 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs37: Bringing Buyers and Sellers Together, with Andy CagnettaOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Andy Cagnetta, CEO of Transworld Business Advisors, on what's going on in the mergers and acquisitions market as well as tips and tricks for buyers and sellers.
Andy came down to Florida in 1995. While looking to buy a business, he encountered a company named Transworld Business Brokers. He continued his search for a business but was offered a position at Transworld as an agent. He joined the company and quickly became one of South Florida’s top performers.
Now over 40 years old, Transworld Business Advisors is the number one bu...2021-10-2624 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs36: An Alternative Path to Growing Lasting, Private Companies with Dave WhortonOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Dave Whorton, founder of the Tugboat Institute®, to discuss some of the observations, decision-making patterns, and business lessons learned coming out of the pandemic.
Dave founded Tugboat Institute® in 2013 to connect, support, and inspire purpose driven leaders of Evergreen® businesses. Dave is responsible for all aspects of Tugboat Institute including setting the long-term strategy, curating the experiences, and developing relevant programming for Tugboat Institute along with championing and celebrating the importance of Evergreen companies. Dave believes Evergreen leaders and their businesses are simply capitalism at its best.
Prior to foun...2021-10-1924 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs35: Win with Walmart, with Jeff ClapperOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jeff Clapper, President & Owner of 8th & Walton, on everything that’s changed with Walmart in the last year.
Jeff is the President & Owner of 8th & Walton and enjoys leading the company's mission to educate suppliers on becoming better partners with Walmart. His retail career began in magazine publishing, as the Newsstand Sales Director for Pack-O-Fun, Inc, a 55-year-old publisher of six consumer crafting magazines, calling on key national retail accounts including Walmart. He later led the business as Publisher and independently brokered its sale to Amos Press, Inc. in 2006. In 2007, Jeff la...2021-10-1217 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs34: Cultivate Business Growth Through Personal Growth with Robert ClinkenbeardOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Robert Clinkenbeard, CEO of The Radix Group, about the Radix Group & Scaling up: what it is, how it works, and how he helps businesses and people with it.
Robert co-founded one of the largest landscape companies (ILM) in the South West Region of the United States back in 2001. The company grew to 350+ employees with 5 branches and revenue of more than $20MM. The company had a very successful exit back in 2016. Robert is now CEO of The Radix Group, which has offices in Greenville, Phoenix, and the UK. The Radix Group specializes i...2021-10-0523 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs33: Double and Triple-Digit Growth in Profitability, with Karie KaufmannOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Karie Kaufmann, Business & Executive Coach and Scaling Up Strategic Planning Facilitator, about Scaling Up, what it is, how it works, and how she helps businesses and people with it.
Karie is a master coach and facilitator, having coached over 1,000 high growth companies since 2005. Her clients have achieved double and triple-digit growth in profitability, accomplished through implementation of the Scaling Up framework and Rockefeller Habits. She helps business leaders work through roadblocks and growing pains, build amazing teams, and enable sustainable growth… all while enjoying the ride.
She is an int...2021-09-2820 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs32: Build a Brand That Creates Irrational Loyalty with Deb GaborOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Deb Gabor, Founder and CEO of Sol Marketing, on branding in this current world - best cases and worst cases of company responses to the pandemic.
“Leading Expert" doesn't come close to describing Deb Gabor's passion for brands. More accurate? Brand Guru. Brand Impresario. Brand Evangelist. She's written the book on branding (twice!) with bestsellers Branding is Sex and Irrational Loyalty. She's the founder and CEO of Sol Marketing, a strategy-led marketing firm obsessed with solving major business and branding problems for clients in every industry. Companies throughout the world use Deb...2021-09-2128 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs31: LinkedIn Marketing with Colleen McKennaOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Colleen McKenna, Founder and CEO of Intero Advisory, on how LinkedIn marketing and hiring have changed and how business owners should be taking advantage of it.
Colleen launched Intero Advisory for individuals and companies focused on increasing their sales and talent initiatives. Since 2011 Intero Advisory, a LinkedIn consulting, coaching and training firm has been engaged by more than 600 companies who have increased their presence, revenue, and hiring opportunities applying Colleen’s insight, strategy, and techniques and to tens of thousands of business professionals.
Her membership site, blog, and podcast re...2021-09-1418 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs30: Become a Transformational Storyteller with Mikki WilliamsOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Mikki Williams, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, TED Speaker, Storyteller, Executive Speech Coach, and Vistage Master Chair, about how presenting online is different from presenting in person and how she teaches these skills.
Mikki Williams is a CSP, certified speaking professional, a member of the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame, and a TEDx speaker. A global celebrity speaker and transformational storyteller, she was chosen as one of the best speakers in the country by Meetings and Convention Magazine along with Tony Robbins, Bill Gates, and Lou Holtz.
Mikki is a...2021-09-0718 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs29: The Philosophy of Frientorship® with Claudia WilliamsOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Claudia Williams, Chief Frientorship® Officer, Executive Coach & Leadership Mentor, Speaker & Workplace Trainer, and Author about her philosophy of Frientorship, how it works, and how it evolved during the pandemic.
Claudia improves the lives of leaders and their teams so they can thrive together to deliver superior business results and lead fulfilling lives. In her role as a Vistage Chair, she increases the effectiveness and enhances the lives of CEOs, key executives, and those they influence and impact, including their teams, customers, and clients. Claudia brings together a select, non-competitive group of CE...2021-08-3117 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs28: Helping CEOs and Businesses Tell Extraordinary Stories with Steve DobbinsOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Steve Dobbins, Founder and CEO of The Dobbins Group, on how marketing has changed and evolved throughout the pandemic.
Steve is a seasoned marketing and communications pro, with a passion for compelling content, brand building, audience engagement, purpose-driven business, and growing dream teams. For more than 20 years, Steve has worked side-by-side with CEOs, helping them grow their brands and blow through their goals. His areas of expertise include content strategy, digital media, social media, event marketing, visual branding, experience design, media relations, product development, and global marketing.
Clients have...2021-08-1717 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs27: Small Business Success Delivered Daily with Anita CampbellOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Anita Campbell, Founder and CEO of SmallBizTrends.com, on challenges small businesses have had in her community during the pandemic and how they're coming out of it.
Anita is the Founder and CEO of Small Business Trends LLC. She bootstrapped the company from a nascent idea. Previously she was a General Counsel and CEO of a technology subsidiary of Bell & Howell. She founded this site in 2003 and was named one of the 30 Small Business IT Influencers to Follow in 2020 by BizTech Magazine.
Small Business Trends is an award-winning hub...2021-08-0319 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs26: Create The Life You Deserve with Megan BruneauOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Megan Bruneau, M.A., therapist, executive coach, writer, speaker, and podcast host about emotional issues and mental health among entrepreneurs coming out of the pandemic.
Megan has a master of arts in counseling psychology and a bachelor of arts in psychology and social work. With 12+ years experience providing crisis support, therapy, and coaching, she’s a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #6420) in the province of British Columbia and sees clients globally as a coach. By sharing her personal experiences alongside her professional expertise, Megan seeks to change the way people relate to the...2021-07-2724 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs25: Turning An Idea into a Nonprofit with Megha KulshreshthaOn today's episode, Ami Kassar sits down with Megha Kulshreshtha to learn all about her nonprofit, Food Connect!
Megha is the Founder and Executive Director of Food Connect, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the gap between surplus food and hunger through collaboration and technology. Food Connect has helped distribute over 3 million on-demand meals through their last mile transport and logistics support in the hunger relief space. Megha has over 10 years of experience in data, technology, and process solutions. She started her career in Finance as a Data Analyst and then as a Portfolio Analyst for US...2021-07-2017 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs24: An Opportunity to Reinvent Yourself and Your Businesses Future with David AndersonOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews David Anderson, CEO of Off Madison Ave, Founder of LighthousePE, Global Board Chair of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), Author, Speaker, and Executive Coach, on what he learned leading EO through the pandemic and his positive outlook on this rare opportunity.
David is an experienced entrepreneur whose leadership path has taken him from president of his college fraternity to the White House. Along the way, David has seen leadership at the highest levels and the lowest. He has experienced success, but also failure. Having learned from many successes and the hard knocks of bu...2021-07-1321 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs23: Lessons Learned from the ARA President during the Pandemic, Beth Hoff BlackmerOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Beth Hoff Blackmer, Owner and President of Aspen Rent-All, Inc. on lessons learned as president of the ARA through the pandemic.
Her father decided to sell the business in 1999 after his manager became ill. With urging from some family friends, Beth decided to step into the business in August of 1999 with absolutely no background in the rental industry. Taking a big step into the great unknown, she purchased the business from her father in January of 2000. Thankfully in the fall of 1999, she attended a regional ARA event as well as the...2021-07-0619 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs22: Attracting and Retaining Top Talent with Kathleen Quinn VotawOn this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Kathleen Quinn Votaw, Founder and CEO of TalenTrust on how businesses need to be rethinking their people strategies as we get back to the "new normal".
Kathleen is the Founder and CEO of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm that has helped companies nationwide address immediate needs and drive long-term growth since 2003. She is the author of Solve the People Puzzle and a regularly published columnist and popular speaker on topics related to HR strategies and workplace culture.
Kathleen has overcome a multitude of personal and bus...2021-06-2920 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs21: How Companies are Repivoting with Scaling Up Business Coach, Bill GallagherOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Bill Gallagher, Scaling Up Business Coach and Podcast Host, on how companies are repivoting.
Bill is a business coach and master facilitator with over 30 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience. Bill has spent the last 15 years coaching and training others in leadership and performance and previously led 4 companies of his own and been a partner or executive in 2 others. Bill discovered the Rockefeller Habits and Scaling Up 20 years ago, has used them in his own companies.
Today, Bill coaches leaders and teams across more than 25 cities in 11 countries and th...2021-06-2219 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs20: Greg Crabtree, a CPA Who Puts Consulting FirstOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Greg Crabtree, Partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram, on how he helps companies manage their books, and what's different about his unique approach.
Greg Crabtree has over 40 years of in-depth experience, not only as a CPA, but also as a speaker, author, entrepreneur and financial expert. He is known for working with his clients on cash flow planning, business consultations, strategic planning facilitation, success planning, and transaction advisory services. Greg’s firm, Crabtree, Rowe & Berger, recently merged with Carr, Rigs, and Ingram, where he is now Partner in Charge. The CPA firm is...2021-06-1529 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs19: Multiply your Revenue and Reduce the Time it Takes to Manage your Business with Dale RobinetteOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Dale Robinette, Business Growth Strategist, Founder of the RevX Formula, Vistage Master Chair, and certified Scaling Up Gazelles Coach to discuss what Dale has learned coaching business owners through the pandemic.
Dale Robinette has a 25-year history of successfully helping companies, across multiple industries ranging from start-ups to Fortune 50, achieve exponential growth. He is an expert at developing concise and actionable strategies that will allow your company, and its management team, to achieve results previously considered unattainable.
Dale’s career originally focused on penetrating the electronics industry. He joined the...2021-06-0825 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs18: Discover your True Pricing Power with Casey BrownOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Casey Brown, President of Boost Profits, on pricing - specifically, has the pandemic changed how businesses should think about pricing, if at all?
Casey Brown is the President of Boost Profits, a firm that helps companies generate more sales at higher prices for improved profits. For over two decades, she has formulated and executed pricing strategies, pioneered innovative pricing content, and coached and trained teams to drive culture change and dramatic, sustainable results.
With degrees in Chemical Engineering, Spanish and Business and career experience in engineering, Six Sigma and p...2021-06-0125 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs17: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big, with Bo BurlinghamOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Bo Burlingham, contributing writer for Forbes and author of five books, about Small Giants, how these companies have performed during the pandemic and what we can learn from their philosophy.
Bo has been writing about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship for 38 years, mostly for Inc. magazine, where he served as executive editor and then editor at large. He is currently a contributing writer for Forbes. Along the way, he has authored five books, the most recent being Finish Big: How Great Entrepreneurs Exit Their Companies on Top. He previously authored Small Giants: Companies T...2021-05-2522 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs16: Growth through Mergers & Acquisitions with Jessica FialkovichOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jessica Fialkovich, President of Transworld Business Advisors - Rocky Mountain, on how to buy a business, how to sell a business and the status of the mergers and acquisitions market.
Jessica became a first-time entrepreneur at the age of 25 and since has been able to successfully establish, develop and sell multiple small businesses in a number of different industries.
In the last eight years as the President of Transworld Business Advisors - Rocky Mountain, Jessica has been able to build her business brokerage firm from a two-person team to o...2021-05-1821 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs15: Carey Smith, from Big Ass Fans to Unorthodox VenturesOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Carey Smith, Founding Contrarian of Unorthodox Ventures to discuss if Carey has been investing in businesses throughout the pandemic, and if so, how has his outlook changed.
A career entrepreneur, Carey Smith founded Big Ass Fans in 1999 and served as its CEO, or Chief Big Ass as he preferred, for 18 years. While other companies made and lost their fortunes, Carey’s contrarian business practices and relentless pursuit of new markets and high-quality products led to sustained, rapid growth. By 2017, Carey had grown the fan and light manufacturer to nearly $300 million in ann...2021-05-1119 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs14: A Guide for Driving Growth in your Family Business with Jonathan GoldhillOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jonathan Goldhill, Founder and President of The Goldhill Group about his new book, Disruptive Successor: a Guide for Driving Growth in your Family Business.
Jonathan Goldhill is an adviser, coach, consultant, trainer, facilitator, and business therapist with 30 years of experience in his craft. He has been guiding closely-held and family-owned businesses since 1987.
His passion for advising entrepreneurs and family businesses ignited a year earlier when his family’s business, one of the largest manufacturers of men’s clothing in the U.S. ceased operations and failed to survive into the fou...2021-05-0418 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs13: Becoming Editor in Chief of Inc. Just Weeks Before the Pandemic, with Scott OmelianukOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Scott Omelianuk, Editor in Chief of Inc. magazine and Inc.com, on his experience coming in as Editor in Chief just a few weeks before the pandemic hit.
Mr. Omelianuk recently joined Inc. as Editor in Chief, where he oversees the brand’s recognition programs, events, and content, and is charged with creating new lines of business to support the entrepreneurial community. Though in the role for less than a year, he has already redesigned Inc.’s digital and print properties, launched a data product for firms looking to invest in small...2021-04-2716 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs12: Using Artificial Intelligence, Workforce Analytics, and Science-Backed Data to Hire with Dave NastOn today's episode, Ami Kassar sits down with Dave Nast, CEO of Nast Partners, to discuss how HR has changed during the pandemic, specifically how hiring has changed, and how to build teams virtually.
David Nast is the CEO and Managing Partner of Nast Partners- based in the Greater Philadelphia area. David uses artificial intelligence, workforce analytics, and science-backed data to help businesses stop guessing and erase bias in their talent and execution decisions.
Dave is a 3-time CEO, a Workplace Behavior Expert, and an Award-Winning Business Coach with over 30 years of experience in Human...2021-04-2031 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs11: Attract More Customers through Science with Dr. Rebecca HeissOn today’s episode, Ami Kassar interviews Dr. Rebecca Heiss, author, founder and CEO of the 360-review mobile application, icueity, and professional speaker on her journey as a professional speaker and what happened in March 2020 and how she adapted.
Rebecca knows fear. As a biologist and stress expert, Dr. Rebecca Heiss is dedicated to helping us become self-aware and overcome our instinctual limitations – the ancient, often subconscious fears that hold us back from our optimal performance and our happiest lives. Her research has been designated “transformative” by the National Science Foundation and it is waking up audiences around th...2021-04-1322 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs10: Loren Feldman's Journey from Journalist to Employee to EntrepreneurOn today’s episode, Ami Kassar interviews Loren Feldman, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of 21 Hats on his journey from journalist to employee to entrepreneur, what he has learned, and how we can help.
Loren Feldman is the founder and editor-in-chief of 21 Hats, an online platform for business owners. He hosts the 21 Hats Podcast, which has been tracking the experiences of six business owners in weekly conversations throughout the pandemic crisis, and he edits the 21 Hats Morning Report, a daily email newsletter for entrepreneurs. Previously, he was a senior editor covering entrepreneurship at Inc, Forbes, and the New York Ti...2021-04-0629 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs9: Small Business Growth with Matt GrammerOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Matt Grammer, the Founder and CEO of Kentucky Counseling Center on his story, what changed when the pandemic hit and how he pivoted.
KCC was formed in 2014 with a $250 investment and ranked #92 on the Inc. 5000 list in 2019. “I started KCC because I was frustrated with my father’s experience getting treatment for schizophrenia. When he finally found someone that could help, there was a 6 month waiting list and the doctor didn’t accept his insurance. Mental health care should be easy to find and affordable to receive.” - Matt Grammer
Record...2021-03-3018 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs8: The Importance of Delegation with Emily MorganOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Emily Morgan, the founder of Delegate Solutions, on how she gets entrepreneurs comfortable with delegation and how to make delegation effective.
Emily and her remote team help leaders and their teams to strategically clear their plates so they can focus on higher-impact activities! She is the founder of Delegate Solutions, a Strategic Support(TM) Firm and the designer of the “Delegate Method” which helps leaders identify areas of their work they can delegate or automate for maximum efficiency. She’s helped hundreds of busy entrepreneurial leaders master delegation and design systems to supp...2021-03-2315 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs7: The New President of MultiFunding, Lynn OzerOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Lynn Ozer, the new President of MultiFunding on her transition from the corporate banking world to the more entrepreneurial MultiFunding.
Lynn Ozer is a strategic and highly accomplished financial executive with vast expertise in small business lending departments, training existing and aspiring lenders on SBA’s loan origination policies and procedures, and advocating on local and national level for policies that prioritize small business. To this day, she serves on the Small Business Board of The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
As the first woman to chair the board of...2021-03-1620 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs6: Learn What Coaching Can Unlock with Randy Haykin of The Gratitude NetworkOn today’s episode, Ami Kassar interviews Randy Haykin, Founder and Chief Purpose Officer of The Gratitude Network. Randy explains The Gratitude Network, what is it, and how we can get involved!
Randy is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, philanthropist and educator, and “wine angel” who lives and works in the Bay Area. Randy currently coaches CEOs and is a Vistage Chair, overseeing a peer group of 16 growth-stage CEOs in the Bay Area.
In 2011, Randy founded the philanthropic venture entity The Gratitude Network to mentor social entrepreneurs globally. Today the organization has nearly 70 volunteers and has wo...2021-03-0927 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs5: Advocating For Policy Change with Karen KerriganOn today's episode, Ami Kassar interviews Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council on her efforts in Washington D.C. to help small businesses through the pandemic, the hot issues today, and what's next!
For twenty-five years Karen Kerrigan’s leadership, advocacy and training work has helped foster U.S. entrepreneurship and global business growth. She is president & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council and is the group’s chief advocate for its members.
Kerrigan regularly testifies before the U.S. Congress on the key issues impacting entrepreneurs, investment and the econom...2021-03-0222 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs4: The Power of Referrals & Digital Lead Strategy with Eric Keiles of Square 2 MarketingOn today's episode, Ami Kassar speaks with Eric Keiles, Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Square 2 Marketing, to discuss marketing lessons learned during the pandemic, and what has changed forever.
Eric Keiles is a leading sales and marketing strategist focused on pioneering a new marketing methodology. Eric, along with his business partner Mike Lieberman, coined the concept, Reality Marketing™ to describe how businesses can utilize cost effective inbound marketing tactics to achieve dramatic revenue growth. They are leading the revolution in how entrepreneurs change the way they think about marketing their companies. Marketing Sherpa has called the duo “...2021-02-2320 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs3: Save Time and Grow your Business with James BeckwithThis week, Ami sits down with James Beckwith, President & CEO of Five Star Bank, to discuss what his bank has done during the pandemic, lessons learned, and opportunities that have arisen.
James Beckwith is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Five Star Bank and its holding company, Five Star Bancorp. With more than 20 years of experience, James joined Five Star Bank in 2003 after serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at National Bank of the Redwoods, in Santa Rosa, California. James works with those who share his mission to improve the Capital Region and wa...2021-02-1616 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs2: Life Lessons with JeVon "JT" McCormick of Scribe MediaOn today’s episode, Ami interviews JeVon "JT" McCormick, discussing the impact of the pandemic on his business, and how his life lessons have pushed him through. JeVon was born the son of a black pimp father and a white orphan mother. Today, he’s the CEO of a multi-million dollar publishing company that was recently ranked the #1 Top Company Culture in America by Entrepreneur Magazine.
He’s made millions in the stock market (even though he didn’t go to college), he was the President of a software company (even though he can’t code) and he’s curre...2021-02-0926 minAmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and EntrepreneursBob Coleman TrailerIt’s already February 1st, 2021 and you’ve guessed it! We’ve pivoted yet again and are excited to launch our new AmiSights Podcast. This week’s special guest is Bob Coleman, Editor of the Coleman Report, a trade newsletter for small business bankers and a nationally recognized expert on small business financing. In our inaugural podcast, Ami sits down with Bob and discusses what the SBA has done during the pandemic, the differences compared to the Great Recession, the PPP, the EIDL, and their thoughts on what’s to come.
The weekly AmiSights Podcast will feature dynamic int...2021-02-0101 min
AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs1: What the SBA has done during COVID & Thoughts on What’s Next with Bob ColemanIn our inaugural podcast, Ami sits down with Bob Coleman, Editor of the Coleman Report, to discuss the PPP first and second round, the EIDL, what the SBA did from the start of the pandemic, and their thoughts on what’s next!
Author of “Money Money Everywhere and Not a Drop for Main Street“. Coleman is the Editor of the Coleman Report, a trade newsletter for small business bankers. He is the nationally recognized expert on small business financing. He has appeared on Fox Business News and CNN and has been quoted by all major financial media outlets...2021-02-0119 min
Coleman Small Business Lending PodcastEpisode 11 -- Ami Kassar, Founder and CEO, MultiFundingDecember 14, 2015
By Bob Coleman
Editor, Main Street Monday
Main Street Monday -- Why Transparency is Critical for Main Street Borrowers
Ami Kassar, CEO and Founder of MultiFunding, is a nationally renowned small business advocate and leader. He is committed to ensuring that small business owners have the best possible access to the capital they need to help grow and manage their businesses.
Kassar has been featured in renowned publications including the New York Times, The Huffington Post, INC., The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Forbes, and has appeared as a guest on Fox Business News. Kassar is the 2014, 2013 recipient of...2015-12-1400 min