Today on the show, Sherman Merricks of Dynasty CrossFit and Lasso Framework Marketing, joins us for an awesome conversation! He is a wealth of knowledge and we could have talked about so many things, but in this episode... we discuss whether or not brands should speak out (and whether or not they can stay neutral) during life-altering and world-impacting events, his Facebook Live skills and using the platform to have raw and real conversations, working toward and living a debt-free life, coronav...
Jun 15, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 104
Podcast Fam! Today on the show we have Jess Mather of Rehabited on the show. She is a strength and rehab professional who had already taken advantage of video platforms like Zoom in the past. Her goal was to have low overhead, flexibility to travel and be remote, but still attend to her awesome clients. She has been doing this already for 5 years, so hear what the coronavirus impact meant for her since she was already a step ahead of the curve! Connect with Jess Mather of Rehabited at https://ww...
Jun 12, 2020•34 min
Get Ready! On Monday at 8am, Sherman Merricks, founder of Dynasty Crossfit and LASSO Framework Marketing joins us on the show. Here is THE SIDE HUSTLE, our quick rapid-fire question session, to get warmed-up! GET NOTIFIED of new episode releases by texting WHOAGNV to 484848 Ask Alexa to play W.H.O.A. Podcast Subscribe to my channel for all my content: COLLINAUSTIN.TV CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Sherman Merricks https://www.facebook.com/sherman.merricks https://www.instagram.com/sherm5/ https://www.f...
Jun 11, 2020•6 min
Ladies and Gentlemen... here he is, making his 3rd appearance on the WHOA GNV Podcast, Mr. Mitch Glaeser. Mitch is always working on something great. The coronavirus has served very much as an accelerator of what was already going to happen. The Emory Group Companies manage several different types of businesses, so join us as we get a great overview of the many different ways they have been affected and how they've navigated many of the situations. Plus, we hear how one of my vlog visiting San F...
Jun 11, 2020•36 min
(Recorded on May 19, 2020) Meet Kandra Albury of local non-profit, Kids'n Capes! Most of our local non-profits really rely on community events to take place in order to raise money for their organizations and their purposes. Kandra had to cancel their annual fundraiser, the Blue Tie Gala because of COVID-19. So, how has she adjusted to these circumstances? How is she getting her very important message out there? What has the financial impact been like? What does Kandra think the long-term impact...
Jun 10, 2020•35 min
Today on the show, we have Casey Hahn of Florida Farm Bureau Insurance joining us. Hear how COVID-19 has impacted Casey and his office and where things stand today as things are beginning to open back up a bit. For the most part, it has been "business as usual" but Casey tells us about the challenges of building a relationship with clients when you can't meet with them face to face. Casey is celebrating his 10 year anniversary! Hear how the landscape has changed over these past 10 years. How hav...
Jun 09, 2020•32 min
Paul Prusakowski was introduced to the world of prosthetics at an early age. A single moment in his life opened his eyes to this new world and he never looked back. He knew he was going to be a prosthesis. As destiny would have it, he ended up at FIU for school where a professor implanted the idea in his head... "bring computer technology into this profession." Hear Paul's incredible journey and let us introduce you to another one of Gainesville's great entrepreneurs that is investing in the suc...
Jun 08, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 103
Purpose-Filled Podcast Pop-Up 1: GEORGE FLOYD, SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE, PRIVILEGE, RIOTS, AND MORE | ALEX WILLIS | WHOA GNV Podcast Being comfortable with being uncomfortable… There are PLENTY of things that I am comfortable talking about, but this isn’t one of them. I almost let the scenarios building up in my head (what you may have heard referred to as “my limiting beliefs”) keep me from posting… Those limiting beliefs are…“I’m not strong enough in this subject to discuss it.” “People close to m...
Jun 05, 2020•1 hr 41 min
Get Ready! On Monday at 8am, you will meet Paul Prusakowski of OPIE Software and Gainesville Prosthetics! Not only does he have an awesome last name (he himself spelled it wrong on a job application once, lol), but he has an amazing story that I know you'll be inspired by. GET NOTIFIED of new episode releases by texting WHOAGNV to 484848 Ask Alexa to play W.H.O.A. Podcast Subscribe to my channel for all my content: COLLINAUSTIN.TV CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Paul Prusakoswki https://opiesoftware.com...
Jun 04, 2020•15 min
Podcast Fam! Today, we have Crysta Brown of FTG Food Truck! Hear how Crysta and her team have adjusted to COVID-19! They have come up with unique ways to keep dollars coming in... like going to neighborhoods to serve food (they recently did this in my neighborhood! We dive into this and so much more! Listen to this great episode with Crysta and find out where FTG Food Truck will be next and check out their menu here: https://ftggainesville.com/ ------- Join us as we discuss the daily changes and...
Jun 04, 2020•34 min
Today on the show, we have Co-CEO, Darin Cook, of Infinite Energy joining us. In today's show, we hear how Infinite Energy, an organization of 300+ has been navigating the impact of the coronavirus... What did they do to prepare and take action? What's involved with getting a team of 300+ transitioned to a remote lifestyle? How are they communicating effectively with a team that size and with everyone being spread out remotely? Will team members expect to stick to a remote lifestyle post-pandemi...
Jun 03, 2020•36 min
Podcast Fam! In this episode, we have Jorgia Wooten of Crime Prevention Security Systems on the show! Not only have they been one of our incredible sponsors this year, but they are also a company that has been putting deep roots in this community! They have been here for 45 years! How have they been navigating the fact that many people don't want strangers in their homes during this time to do system installs? What's been the impact on sales? On cancellations? We dive into this and so much more!...
Jun 02, 2020•34 min
Oh man, does it feel good to be BACK in this studio!! On this episode, we have Jordan Spiesman and Brad Stumpff of UF Mover Guys! We hear how this venture came to life, pandemic impact, "what sticks" post-pandemic, and more! 3:20 How UF Mover Guys started 11:53 What are each of your strengths within the business? 17:04 How do you tackle the seasonality of your business in a college town? 20:21 How has the moving industry changed? 25:00 Dealing with changes from the pandemic and creating a safe w...
Jun 01, 2020•59 min•Season 2Ep. 102
Meet Noah Wilburn of I Am Creative, LLC! I love my fellow content creators out there who are out to help build up our community! Noah is one of those people! How did COVID-19 impact his new business? Where were the opportunities? Hear about his collaboration with GCM and our local restaurants, High Springs Brewery, and others to help build awareness and help them get through this trying time. Connect with Noah at I Am Creative at https://www.iamcreativellc.com/ -------- Join us as we discuss the...
May 29, 2020•32 min
We're back in the studio with UF MOVER GUYS! Get to know Brad Stumpff and Jordan Speisman as we get ready for the newest episode to be released Monday at 8am! GET NOTIFIED of new episode releases by texting WHOAGNV to 484848 CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: UF MOVER GUYS (352) 415-0886 ufmove@gmail.com https://www.ufmoverguys.com/ CHECK OUT OUR LAST EPISODE: WHOA GNV’s Influence That Brought Mike Bertulfo Back to Gainesville | Women’s Lift Lab | WHOA GNV - https://youtu.be/mqilO-C2T9I CONNECT WITH OUR PO...
May 28, 2020•9 min
Meet Jeff Burdge, Director of Talent Management at Exactech! Through most of these episodes, we have been talking to a lot of small business owners about the impact of COVID-19, but what about some of Gainesville's larger organizations that have hundreds of team members? Exactech makes implants for patients and one of the first things that stopped when COVID-19 started hitting communities was elective surgeries. In this episode, we hear how Exactech navigated the initial impact on sales, company...
May 28, 2020•42 min
Businesses aren't the only ones that have been affected by COVID-19. In today's episode, we hear how two young ladies, Sarah and Kendall, from the University of Florida have navigated the impact of this virus AND how they have found a unique way to give back to our community. What started as a small gesture to help those in need of masks has blown up and these ladies are receiving order after order for their masks where the proceeds are going back to helping those in need. Want to order a mask? ...
May 27, 2020•33 min
Hey Podcast Fam! Excuse my poor British accent. I used to live in England and thought I would give it my best shot since we had Tom Snogles of Sun Power Lawn Care and Gainesville Holiday Lights on the show! :) Tom's team found a unique way to offset the time of the year when the grass isn't growing that much... Installing holiday lights! We talk about working in a very seasonal business. We hear the protocol that Tom set in place for his team due to COVID-19. Have you seen articles about people ...
May 26, 2020•42 min
Today's podcast episode features Alex Quintero of GNV Entertainment! When you're a company that brings entertainment to events, what do you do when the events STOP? We've talked to some previous guests whose businesses been significantly impacted because of the cancellation of events. So, how has Alex pivoted? What does the FUTURE of the event industry look like in Alex's opinion? What advice does Alex have for the businesses out there? Find out in today's episode! Connect with Alex Quintero eve...
May 22, 2020•32 min
Podcast Fam! We really went down a rabbit hole, or should I say snake hole, on this one! We have Bob Guerriere of Ancient Reproductions join our show. He raises snakes. Does his wife like having these snakes around? In what ways has COVID-19 impacted his business? How do you ship a snake via FedEx?!?! We dive into the impact this virus has had on supply chains, demand for product (in this case... snakes), and more. Need a pet snake? Connect with Bob at https://ancientreproductions.com. -------- ...
May 21, 2020•34 min
Today on the show, we visit with new realtor Adrienne Vihlen with Watson Realty Co. What is it like to start a new career and then have a pandemic show up and shake everything up? How has it been to not only work but build a career in real estate, while homeschooling a five-year-old and seven-year-old? We discuss the increase in virtual tours, building a relationship with clients during this time, your normal everyday beer drive-thru at First Magnitude Brewery, and more. Adrienne wants her brand...
May 20, 2020•33 min
Podcast Fam! Meet Carol Doak of MiniMaid Gainesville, a business she and her husband have had for 26 years! Join us for an episode where we dive into the impact of COVID-19 on their business. What does cleaning in a COVID-19 and upcoming post-COVID-19 look like? Has their been hesitancy from her team members to enter people's homes? What has the impact been like on their sales? What has the response been from clients? Did MiniMaid apply for the PPP and have they been successful in obtaining it? ...
May 19, 2020•34 min
Podcast Fam! Today on the show we have Christopher Floyd of Insight Insurance Group. We talk about the challenge of messaging during the pandemic, as some agents will leverage fear to accomplish their goals and Chris isn't one of those. He also talks about the challenge of connecting with his more senior customers as most of them he has traditionally met with face-to-face, but obviously, in order to protect his clients, he hasn't been meeting with them in person. So, how has he pivoted? How is h...
May 18, 2020•39 min
What do you do when a pandemic hits and you can't hold in-person dance classes? You start creating content on TikTok and holding class via live video! On today's show, we have Mary Mele of IndepenDance Studio. We hear about the initial impact of COVID-19 on her business, the pivots and Tik Toks to continue to keep her students engaged, and some of the neat opportunities that have presented themselves because of the pandemic! For example, adult video classes have GROWN and we discuss why in this ...
May 15, 2020•31 min
Podcast Fam! If you don't know who Elio Piedra is then you must be sleeping under a rock! :) Here is a person that I love and am honored to have as a friend in the community. He has so much heart! Join us for a conversation with one of Gainesville's finest, most energetic, and passionate entrepreneurs. Elio normally has entertainment events booked every night of the week. How has he pivoted? How do you take a business that depends on people coming together and do a complete 180? Hear about all o...
May 14, 2020•30 min
Meet my amazing friend and neighbor, Brinn Strange, of barre studio Auxo Fitness. Fitness studios were definitely amongst the businesses that got hit the hardest due to government shutdowns. They were not allowed to have any clients in their spaces and obviously, that can have a detrimental impact on the business. Brinn discusses the pivots they made out of necessity in order to survive the impact of COVID-19. We hear and discuss how she started using platforms like Zoom to not only maintain cla...
May 13, 2020•31 min
Meet John Coffill of Best Brand Solutions. As a company that has focused primarily on promotional items, he has had to make a pivot into the digital marketing space because of the pandemic. We discuss creating content to share your story and to keep your business's name relevant and how that plays into the digital space. It's all about building those relationships. Now is a time to document this time and invest in building BRAND. Join us for a great episode as we discuss all of this in today's e...
May 12, 2020•33 min
Hey Podcast Fam! Tom Guillot (just recently sold his business and now) manages a bunch of hearing aid centers across the State of Florida! When your business offers a key service for a demographic of the population that is considered high-risk, how do you navigate that? What are the challenges? They have had to furlough employees for the first time ever. They have had to change and make pivots to accommodate patients. We hear about how he and his team have navigated this and we hear Tom's though...
May 11, 2020•30 min
Hey Podcast Fam! Today, we have Emilee, Marketing Director, of Gainesville Harley-Davidson on our show! As a dealership owner, it's always fun to "talk shop" with our friends at Gainesville Harley. These guys have been busy because they just purchased Tallahassee Harley-Davidson right before this pandemic really hit 😳 Many motorcycle riders are out and enjoying this time while others are tucked away at home. How do you curate a customer experience to very different groups of mindsets during thi...
May 08, 2020•34 min
On today's show, we chat with Terra Lafleur, owner of Dos Mamas Catering, to hear how she adapted her business that relied 100% on events to start serving "grab and go" lunches. This pivot was an instant response for Terra and this is how she is generating revenue during this difficult time to pull her team and business through this. Plus, she's exposed her business to new customers because of this. Is this only a temporary solution? Will the new revenue stream stick when things "go back to norm...
May 07, 2020•28 min
