On this episode of Empowering Entrepreneurs, we have the pleasure of hosting Nikki Rausch, the Sales Maven . Nikki shares her journey from not initially aspiring to be an entrepreneur due to witnessing financial struggles in her family's tool store, to unintentionally embarking on her entrepreneurial path. She found her calling in teaching people how to sell and started her own business after not landing a sales job. Nikki talks about her realization that something was missing in her life while ...
Aug 01, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 40
On this episode of Empowering Entrepreneurs, Glenn and Julie are joined by special guest Alan "Blake" Blakeborough, co-founder of Tax Titans . Tax Titans is a company that specializes in helping small businesses and individuals with tax filings, and it is staffed by veterans or spouses of veterans. During the episode, Blake discusses the lack of networking opportunities for solo practitioners and small firms in the accounting industry, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and camaraderie....
Jul 25, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 39
On this episode of Empowering Entrepreneurs, Glenn and Julie invite special guest Michael Hsu to share his journey as a successful entrepreneur. Michael emphasizes the importance of learning from successful individuals who have already navigated similar paths and the value of networking and building connections. Michael reflects on his initial foray into accounting, which was initially driven by his mother's persuasion, only to realize it wasn't the right path for him. However, he persevered, st...
Jul 18, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Zack Geist is our guest. He is the founder and owner of Student Loan Tutor , the US's largest student loan advisory company. Zach shares his journey to entrepreneurship and how books inspired him to achieve success. He stresses the importance of finding one's sufficiency number and how serving others is personal sufficiency. Zach discusses his experiences with networking marketing, selling something they didn't have, and overcoming rejection. He also talks about his dedication to serving clients...
Jul 05, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 37
We get an inspiring glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship with Pamela Katz , the founder of Your CBD Haven . Pamela shares her journey of starting her own business and educating people about the benefits of CBD. With her passion for helping people and her background in advertising and marketing, she has managed to create a comfortable haven for her customers while inspiring older folks to pursue their dreams and start their own businesses. She emphasizes the importance of branding, marketin...
Jun 21, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Entrepreneurship is a challenging but rewarding journey and for those looking to embark on this path, having a support system and a clear sense of purpose is crucial. With a focus on the importance of finding one's passion and purpose, guest Marc Scheff from Marc Scheff Coaching shares his journey from the tech industry to coaching and art, and emphasizes the importance of finding one's passion and purpose in life. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone looking to embark on the challenging and...
Jun 07, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Janel Sykora, founder of Thought Leader Creative , shares her inspiring journey towards entrepreneurship and valuable insights for those looking to take the leap. She emphasizes the importance of starting a side hustle before quitting a day job and understanding one's niche and customer to add value and succeed as an entrepreneur. As someone who loves helping CPA firms achieve their goals, Sykora believes that passion and problem-solving should be the driving forces behind entrepreneurship, not ...
May 17, 2023•23 min•Season 2Ep. 34
The accounting industry can be a lonely and overwhelming place for many professionals. The high level of responsibility can lead to a feeling of isolation and an inability to focus on growth and expansion. However, one solution to this problem is recognizing the need for a strong operations person in the accounting firm, as Glenn Harper did after seeing the success of clients who had one. Harper, who runs the EmpowerCPA business alongside his partner Julie Smith, realized that a common factor am...
May 03, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Listeners will gain valuable insight into the challenges faced by small law firms and learn how to effectively manage a team while balancing a successful career and household responsibilities as a working mom. Guest Elle Smith, Director of Operations and Client Experience at a law firm, shares her experiences in leadership positions and emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and listening. The episode also delves into the significance of healthy conflict and tension for growth and h...
Apr 19, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 32
Genevieve Piturro shares her inspiring journey from corporate America to founding the nonprofit organization, Pajama Program. She believes in the power of human connection and finding one's purpose, and her superpower is connecting heart to heart. Piturro shares insights on balancing emotional journeys with business, teaches the importance of face-to-face communication, and helps individuals and businesses find their purpose. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking for inspiration, guid...
Apr 05, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Entrepreneur Dani Beit-Or shares his journey from starting a small business in high school to pursuing his passion for real estate investing in the United States. Discover how Dani and his wife took a leap of faith, moving to California with just a few thousand dollars, driven by the promise of new opportunities. We'll discuss how Dani's company, Simply Do It Real Estate Investments, empowers investors to find success in the real estate world by simplifying the process and offering invaluable me...
Mar 22, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Glenn and Julie have the pleasure of chatting with the amazing Dr. Christopher H. Loo from the Financial Freedom for Physicians podcast . Together, they explore the entrepreneurial journey, focusing on how doctors and other incredibly talented folks dive into the business realm. It is a super informative discussion, full of useful tips, down-to-earth advice, and some really interesting ideas to help entrepreneurs like you make your way through the ups and downs of building and expanding your own...
Mar 08, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Glenn Harper and Julie Smith have an inspiring discussion with successful CPA and entrepreneur Phil Yeager about his incredible journey. Phil shares his struggles and successes in his journey, and what it took to turn his vision into a successful business. He also provides invaluable lessons he has learned along the way, from pivoting to teaching classes online to finding the right employees. Hear inspiring advice from Phil on how entrepreneurs can overcome the valleys and reach the peaks. Runni...
Feb 22, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Kelli Risse is a mindset coach, stress management coach, and speaker who has a master's degree in dance education was an elementary educator for 15 years and started a direct sales health and wellness business before beginning her own coaching business. Kelli created a weekly porch dance routine during the 2020 pandemic to bring joy to her community and left teaching to pursue a career in direct sales and eventually start her own business. Kelli believes that the current generation needs to be t...
Feb 08, 2023•43 min•Season 2Ep. 27
We had a couple of interesting things happen over the past week. A few articles came out and they just kind of corroborated some things that we hear our new clients say when they come into our advisory office. One of them is that 70% of entrepreneurs and small business owners do not have an accountant. Most entrepreneurs handle "the books" themselves. But what it comes down to is that even if you can type in data, are you putting it in the right spot? Is it going to generate a report that's goin...
Jan 25, 2023•15 min•Season 2Ep. 26
It's a new year and a new beginning for all of us as entrepreneurs. Here's our opportunity to start the year in the right direction. In this episode, we talk about the importance of planning and goal setting, the benefits of engaging with and seeking advice from trusted advisors, and how to create and implement a personal and business manifesto. We dive into the unique challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship and empower aspiring entrepreneurs to take action and bring their vision to life. We ...
Jan 11, 2023•12 min•Season 2Ep. 25
As we enter into season 2 of our podcast, we enjoy getting feedback from you, our listeners, that you are getting value from our great guests sharing their stories on their "how," their "why," and their "would, could or should haves." It's been a great experience for us to sit across the table or sit on a Zoom call with them and really watch people have "aha moments." Because as entrepreneurs, we don't necessarily have time to sit back and reflect or have awareness of where we were and where we ...
Dec 28, 2022•16 min•Season 2Ep. 24
From medical supply sales, to now interior design, Maura's entrepreneurial journey is one to learn from. As Maura notes, "Know that there's a whole world out there of other things you can do. You just have to be committed to that and to learning those businesses." We welcome Maura Ginnobile, the owner of The Home + Haven Co and Everwoods Cabins Rentals. Her start in medical supply sales (which she hated but loved the money), led her to her entrepreneurial career in interior design. And what a st...
Dec 07, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Today’s business landscape for entrepreneurs is complex and changing. Navigating and maneuvering it is critical. Having a mentor provides an opportunity for guidance and advice that will allow you to take on entrepreneurial opportunities that you otherwise may not have. Running a business doesn’t have to run your life. Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business. Stop letting your busi...
Nov 23, 2022•8 min•Season 1Ep. 22
A big thanks to Ernie Villany from Boulder Valley CPAs for spending time with us on this episode. Little known fact - he appeared on Late Night with David Letterman not once, but twice! Ernie talks about his big move from NY to Colorado. It was a big chance, and he had lots of chances for it not to work - but he talks about HOW he made it work. Did you always want to be an entrepreneur? - According to Ernie, it was hard to avoid, as it was always a family thing. What would he say makes him succe...
Oct 26, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 20
In a recent Barna survey , working mothers shared that they are feeling overwhelmed, navigating workplace shifts, and desiring time to prioritize self-care. So we thought we talk to a group of working moms (and their kids!). We talk with... Nicole Thousand, from Thousand CPA Janel Sykora , from Thought Leader Creative Rebekah Scott , from Rebekah Scott Designs Brittany Casarez, from Boulder Valley CPAs and our own Julie Smith Running a business doesn’t have to run your life. Without a business p...
Oct 12, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Growing a business? It takes more than just a founder to make it happen. Learn how to build an internal and external team that will keep the business going strong. When you start out as an entrepreneur, you probably are going to need mostly an external team. And the external team would be the people that you've hired to navigate the spaces that you just have no idea about. And that would be legal, your business advisory, and accounting. You've got to have insurance people, you've got to have ban...
Sep 28, 2022•15 min•Season 1Ep. 18
How can structure equal freedom? Dave Lukas is our guest, and he dives into this and more. You'll find with a lot of successful entrepreneurs and even those that you see and look up to as top entrepreneurs and visionaries and founders. Structure equals freedom. And a lot of people don't understand that. They hear that and like, what do you mean structure equals freedom? The more discipline and structure you have in your regiment, the more you can get done, and the more productive you can be. So ...
Sep 14, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Will Hill Consults was started from a passion for seeing firms and firm leaders make positive change come to life. Will has spent over 20 years working with firms to operate more efficiently, and in ways that drive value to their customers. This experience combined with a passion for truly seeing change take place led Will to launch Will Hill Consults in 2022. As Will explains in this episode, the coaching and consulting services from Will Hill Consults are separated into 2 categories: What they...
Aug 24, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 16
She's a driving force for promoting and helping individuals identify and achieve their physical fitness, nutrition and bodybuilding goals. Her social media platforms have been growing and influencing countless followers. We welcome Lexie Maitland as our guest. You're a fitness fanatic, which is kind of exciting. How did you get involved with that? I've always been athletic. Growing up, it's kind of been like my identity. Everybody has always known me to be a very active, sports-driven individual...
Aug 10, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Contract Diagnostics is a nationwide consulting company, not a law firm, and the ONLY company that specializes 100% in physician contract review. Jon's team of contract review specialists has served many thousands of physicians in all specialties across all 50 states. Contract Diagnostics was formed in 2011 and has been Jon’s passion ever since. He is dedicated to the education of physicians in the non-clinical (business) aspect of medicine. Had you been an entrepreneur before? Growing up as a k...
Jul 27, 2022•49 min•Ep. 14
As she notes on LI, Kristen Deese is ..."Systems Genius, Business Coach, CBC and Co-Author of When Your Business Partner is Your Spouse, I am the brains behind the Braun of our plumbing, HVAC and remediation company. I’ve been in the trades, running the behind-the-scenes functions, serving all our businesses as the CFO, for nearly 20 years." She continues - "What really gets me FIRED UP is coaching and training other business owners in our industry how to make more profit. There are plenty of pe...
Jul 13, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Our guest is Kyle Morris, a serial entrepreneur, and owner of The Golf Room and The Golf Room Everywhere. He played professional golf for what would have been about 8 to 9 years and then played 40 weeks a year and 20 countries, traveling with his kids and wife. But things had to change. We were traveling the first six months of my first born Adler's life. He was sleeping in hotel rooms. He was born on June 9th. We left on June 23rd, and he didn't sleep in his own bed until the middle of November...
Jun 22, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Adam Tarnow is our guest. He is the founder of Adam Tarnow & Company, a leadership development firm located in Dallas, TX. They develop customized training to equip professionals with the soft skills they need to become excellent leaders. What does Adam do for his clients? Curation is a word that I'm starting to really grow comfortable with. When I first thought about what I wanted to do as a consulting firm focused on leadership development, I was thinking that I would develop my own custom...
Jun 08, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 11
We welcome Glenn Dunlap, who is the Co-Founder & CEO of Peerview Data, a SaaS firm that specializes in benchmarking and comparative analytics solutions for CPA firms. And like most entrepreneurs, Glenn runs several companies. Prior to launching Peerview Data, Dunlap was a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Milestone Advisors, an accounting and advisory firm, where he provided business strategy, corporate finance, and part-time CFO services to emerging market companies. In 2006, Dunlap also ...
May 25, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 10
