A Bright Idea

This week, I’m joined by cousins Valerie Zweig and Taryn Pellicone of Prescription Chicken - A chicken noodle soup delivery business based in Washington, DC. Valerie and Taryn always knew they’d work in the food industry. As young girls, they would help their families host dinner parties, attend cooking camps and would eventually work to develop fast-casual and dining restaurants… But being entrepreneurs was not in the cards…until Valerie caught a bout of Laryngitis and couldn't find a delivery option for chicken noodle soup to give her the relief she needed. That’s when she called in her little cousin Taryn with the bright idea to make their own chicken noodle soap. With a dream, a concept, and some determination, the founders started prescription chicken in September 2016. Now - prescription chicken is not only a soup delivery business. It can also be found in grocery stores and online. Not to mention, their newest product Cookstix - which is a new and sustainable take on chicken broth. In this episode, we discuss how this simple idea turned into a thriving business, the challenges and triumphs that come with being food entrepreneurs, and the beauty behind forgetting about being perfect and just starting. Resources:Website: Prescriptionchicken.comSocials: @prescriptionchickenChapters:00:00 Navigating Stress and Risk in Business01:32 The Culinary Roots of Prescription Chicken05:41 From Personal Experience to Business Idea14:36 The Journey of Starting Prescription Chicken22:48 Scaling the Business and Learning from Experience30:49 Funding and Financial Growth Strategies36:36 Innovating in the Chicken Stock Market41:42 Challenges and Growth in Entrepreneurship46:36 Advice for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs48:35 Future Plans and Innovations

In this episode of A Bright Idea Podcast, I sit down with Cedric Singleton, managing partner at J.Galt Financial Suite. We discuss the importance of building business credit, the differences between corporate and entrepreneurial environments, and the common pitfalls that small businesses face. Cedric shares insights from his extensive corporate career and emphasizes the need for effective management, simplified business planning, and strategic marketing to ensure business success. The conversation provides valuable advice for entrepreneurs looking to thrive in their ventures. Takeaways Small businesses can learn from the structured approach of large corporations. Cash flow management is crucial for business sustainability. Separating personal and business finances is essential to avoid financial pitfalls. Effective management and leadership training can significantly impact business success. A simplified business plan can be more effective than a lengthy one. Marketing is vital; businesses must actively promote themselves to succeed. Investing in team training can enhance productivity and morale. Identifying a clear strategic goal is key to business planning. Accountability within a team is necessary for executing business plans. Entrepreneurs should seek expert advice to navigate business challenges. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cedric Singleton and Jaygalt Financial Suite 01:32 Cedric's Corporate Journey and Transition to Entrepreneurship 11:03 Lessons from Corporate America for Small Businesses 17:04 Understanding Financial Challenges Faced by Small Businesses 26:13 Building Business Credit and Financial Independence 33:02 Understanding Financial Challenges in Small Businesses 35:47 The Importance of Effective Management 40:03 Scaling Your Business: Starting Small 51:13 Crafting a Concise Business Plan 01:00:09 Navigating Marketing Mishaps Sponsors: Chosen Financial Group - https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial/advisor/bilal-afolabi/ Digital Career Opportunities Worldwide - https://www.dcowmember.com/

On this week's episode- we’re Joined by the founder of Chosen Advisory Group, and Wealth Management Advisor Bilal Afolabi Bilal was born in Togo, Africa, and moved to Hartford, Connecticut at 8 years old. Bilal started his wealth management journey at 19 years old through a nationally ranked internship program at Northwestern Mutual. He was the number one intern in the Northeast, ranking Top 10 nationally out of twenty five hundred interns in 2014 and 2015. Today Bilal Afolabi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, a Chartered Financial Consultant, and founder and wealth management advisor at Chosen Advisory Group where he specializes in working with pre-retirees/retirees and the emerging affluent. Bilal is a nationally ranked speaker on financial planning, speaker at the national medical conference, and has been in articles from the certified financial planning board. He currently serves on the Goodwin University School of Business Advisory Board to assist in shaping their curriculum and improving enrollment for new students. For his hard work, Forbes recognized him as Best-In-State Top Financial Security Professional in 2023, and he was awarded Bilal as the youngest ever 4 under 40 in the state of Connecticut in 2016. In this episode- Bilal and I discuss his upbringing, how he worked to achieve a healthy relationship with money, and how his client can make their money work for them. 00:00 - Introduction 2:41 - What would you 8-year-old self think of your success? 4:14 - Background on being from Togo 6:40 - What jobs did your parents have in Togo? 7:55 - How would your parents describe you as a kid? 9:50 - Adjusting and assimilating to American culture 13:10 - Establishing friendships in the USA 14:32 - How did you decide on college and your career?19:26 - 35th Street Builders sponsorship 20:18 - What was your and your family's relationship with money? 25:40 - Wealth management journey and your goals 29:15 - Lessons from your internship at Northwest Federal 30:30 - Working full-time for Northwest Federal 33:40 - Career before starting Chosen Advisory Group 35:50 - Intrapreneurship 36:30 - Steps taken to starting your own firm 40:15 - Leadership style 44:45 - Target audience and why retirees & boomers are your top clients 47:55 - What makes C.A.G. different from other firms?49:35 - How to set up families and next generation for success 53:45 - Behaviors and lessons of highly successful people 54:45 - Savings advice for solopreneurs 58:30 - Relationship with money today 1:01:00 - Conversations about money, and how he is setting up his family for financial success 1:04:00 - Social media contact 1:04:50 - Rapid fire questions and answers Show notes: Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilalafolabi/ Website: https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial/advisor/bilal-afolabi/ Today's Sponsor: Ready to build your next app? 35th Street Builders can help you do that. Click here to schedule a free consultation -⁠ https://www.3sb.io/

Jan Receski is the founder and CEO of @OnPar Now. A state-of-the-art indoor golf instruction and practice space located in the newly renovated Terminal building in the Strip District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jan wasn’t always a golfer.. the first time she ever picked up clubs was in a golf elective in college.. but after a 30 year career with The Hillman Company, a prominent Pittsburgh Family office where she worked in Data systems, she realized the profound impact golf has on both business and personal relationships. While discovering this, she also noticed golf left many people outside of the circle - those people being women. The led Jan to take matters into her own hands… create a space where all people can enjoy golf and the benefits the sports have on strengthening relationships. With an idea in the midst of a global pandemic and cashing out on her 401K to build a dream - Jan built OnPar Now from the ground up. In this episode, Jan and I discuss the idea that started it all, the bet she took on herself, and the team of people who stood behind her to ensure this aha moment came to life. 00:00 - Intro 01:45 - Background 05:05 - What did you think your purpose was going to be when you were in college? 07:05 - Working in information systems in Pittsburgh, PA for 30 plus years 09:30 - How 'OnPar Now' came to be 13:35 - Where did your fight to create 'OnPar Now' come from? 15:18 - 35th Builders sponsorship 16:20 - How did you get support when your business was created at the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic?17:00 - Golf and business: Why women should be out on the course 22:40 - Success stories from 'OnPar Now' clients 24:25 - Chosen Advisory Group sponsorship 25:00 - Building 'OnPar Now' from the ground up 35:50 - Creating the 'OnPar Now' dream team 38:10 - Advice to women who have bright ideas that might rock the boat 41:25 - Being a mother 42:50 - Growth plans for 'OnPar Now' 43:50 - How can people find you and 'OnPar Now?' 45:40 - Rapid fire questions Today's Sponsors: Ready to build your next app? 35th Street Builders can help you do that. Click here to schedule a free consultation -⁠⁠ https://www.3sb.io/ Take control of your financial freedom: Schedule your complimentary consultation at www.chosenadvisorygroup.com today.

On this week’s episode, we are joined Chelse Prejean - founder of Smoky Mmmeats a plant based meat company based in Washington, DC. Smoky meats believes that when it comes to feeding and providing a more sustainable future, we don’t have to sacrifice quality. Our positive choices no matter how small can have a huge impact on our health, our local communities, and our planet. Smoky Mmmeats provides their customers with nourishing plant based meats that not only have natural ingredients and a sustainable packaging, but the best tasting quality plant- based meats possible. If you were to ask Chelse if she’d work in the plant based food industry around 10 years ago, she would have said no. Growing up, Chelse was into the sciences. She is a chemical engineer by trade and while working in the field, discovered that she had a new found passion for not only making plant based food but selling these foods to a consumer. In 2021, she decided she’d leave the engineering field and start Smoky meats full time. Chelse grew up on the outskirts of Houston, Texas and lived a very stereotypical country life. Her father was a cowboy and she spent many days attending rodeos or going to families farms where they not only owned livestock like chickens, pigs, cows, and horses, but also hunted what they ate. Also plant-based, Chelse still missed the classic Texas recipes she grew up with, so as an engineer she saw a problem and began to solve it, but this time she did it right in her kitchen. She recreated plant based versions of the animal proteins that her Texas cowboy dad taught her how to smoke and grill growing up. Learn more about Smoky Mmmeats: Smokymmmeats.com Instagram: @smokymmmeats ​

On this week's episode- we’re joined by Terrance Diggs, a Baltimore - area based designer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and all around creative. He is most notably making his mark as creative director of the streetwear and lifestyle brand, D17. Founded in 2016, the Towson University graduate has used his combined passion for athletics and design too create a diverse portfolio of designs for Maryland creatives and brands. He’s partnered with several athletic teams in the Maryland area as well as worked for Asics on global social media campaigns such as the 2020 Olympics, BAPE, and denim tears just to name a few. D17 is more than just a clothing brand. It focuses on three pillars, Athletics, Design, and Community. Through its apparel line, D17 also advocates for both local and youth sports in the Maryland- Virginia area. Terrance’s success begins with his consistency and also the art of the cold call…Through out this episode you’ll hear how Terrance bootstrapped his company by cold emails, sending free gear to prospects, and the tried and true…sliding in the DMs