Meeting face to face for interviews with local business owners has been tough amid the Safer at Home orders and a phased re-opening, as we figure out how to get back to business as usual. As a result, this episode of Hustleburg will be a “best of,” as I guide you in a walk down memory lane, featuring some of my favorite moments in the Hustleburg interviews thus far in this “best of” episode.
No Two Paths Are the Same
It’s no surprise that no two entrepreneurs are the same, and that their paths to owning a business would be the same either. In the next clip, you’ll hear from Sheila Lake from her interview in Episode 1, profiling Lake Law Firm, P. A., Kara Wright talking about her photography business, Kara Wright Photography from Episode 3, Sit Means Sit – St. Petersburg’s Elena Elwart from Episode 15, and Eric Olson from PedalPub St. Pete in Episode 17 sharing their stories about how they came to own and operate their respective businesses, ranging from a deep passion for the law to self-described “dumb luck”.
Admit What You Don’t Know
Running a small business on your own isn’t easy as Robynne Swanson of Red Hot Tiki explained in Episode 5. Sometimes you have to admit all that you don’t know.
Getting the Word Out
When you’re first starting out, getting the word out about your business and how you serve the community is often the biggest struggle. Hear a bit about that from FUSE Therapy‘s Amanda Grozdanic from Episode 9.
Franchise Vs. From the Ground Up
It isn’t only a struggle when you’re starting from the ground up, to make the community aware of what you do, as Peter Jaeger shared in Episode 7, as he talked about what it’s like to do so in the franchisee environment with Tread Connection Tampa Bay.
Networking – Online and In Real Life
Successful entrepreneurs know they have to network, both online and in real life. PedalPub St. Pete’s Eric Olson shares with us how he interacts with his fellow local business community to keep PedalPub in their mind’s eye from Episode 17.
The Power of Events
Elena Elwart offers her experience with community events and those centered around your industry in Episode 15, as she discussed her success with them as she started out with Sit Means Sit St. Petersburg.
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is a powerful ally for new businesses. Scott Surridge from SPS Home Inspections shares his experience of creating a quality experience for those you work with and how it benefits your business in Episode 13 of Hustleburg.
Industry Referrals for the Expert
Referrals from within your industry can also help build your business, when you share your expertise with others. Sheila Lake of Lake Law Firm, P.A. shared in Episode 1 how she utilizes social media to add value to the local legal community and the rewards that’s meant for her firm.
Disciplined Routines
A disciplined commitment to routines that help build your business keep you motivated, and Trent Smith explained how he uses routines to continue prospecting for his real estate business in Episode 11.
Different Platforms Yield Different Results
Kara Wright found different platforms on social yielded differing results after moving Kara Wright Photography from the DC area to St. Pete, explaining in Episode 3 that even the locale matters when it comes to the same company using social media in two different locations.
Find Your Niche (and Your Tribe)
Finding your niche is a key to success, when you figure out who you serve and how you’ll serve them, as Peter Yaeger from Tread Connection Tampa Bay found. He shares in Episode 7 who he’s identified as a customer and how he can best serve them.
Creating a New Way of Doing Things
Sometimes that niche comes from creating a new way of doing things, as you see opportunities to get past the idea that that’s the way we’ve always done it. Hear from Amanda Grozdanic with FUSE Therapy in Episode 9 about starting her business by serving her patients in a new and more effective way.
Be Known for Something Specific
If you don’t find a new way of doing things, it can simply be a matter of being known for one thing in particular. Robynne Swanson of Red Hot Tiki explains how something she’s known for, the Scorpion Shot Challenge, works in Episode 5.
Your Reputation Matters
Scott Surridge from SPS Home Inspections shares his secret for sustaining his business in Episode 13… His reputation for providing quality service time and again. This may seem like a no-brainer, but many small businesses struggle with their reputation.
If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast on your favorite player. Each episode is available on its own post, with the entire catalog here. It’s available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast catcher. We listen to this show and our favorites on Castbox. It’s hosted by Podbean. We appreciate your attention, and we can’t wait to have you back for the next episode.
Get Your Questions Answered on Hustleburg
If you have any questions you’d like to have answered on an upcoming Q&A episode, please take a moment to visit beyondyoursidehustle.com/podcastquestion and ask there. If you’re a St. Pete businessperson who’d like to sit down for an interview, please reach out to us here.