Mind The Business: Small Business Success Stories

Building a thriving business isn't always about rapid expansion. When should you hit the accelerator on growth, and when should you pump the brakes? Jannese and Austin are in Nashville, Tennessee to talk with Taku Zhou and Sibusiso Ajayi of TKZ Architecture LLC to explore this crucial entrepreneurial crossroads. The duo shares candid insights from their journey building TKZ Architecture, revealing the moments they knew it was time to scale – and importantly, when it wasn't. They discuss how they balanced the allure of growth against the need to strengthen their foundation through refined workflows, established protocols, and market positioning. Tune in as we unpack the strategic decision-making that goes into sustainable business expansion and learn the telltale signs that you're ready for growth and how to execute that transition successfully. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: QuickBooks.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our second installment of the Small Business Starter Kit series - we’re tackling a topic that’s sometimes tricky, sometimes confusing, but ever-present: taxes. Hosts Austin and Jannese have an insightful conversation with entrepreneur Isabella Rosal who started 7th Sky Ventures, an exporter and distributor of craft spirits, beer, and wine. Having lived and worked in two different countries and started a company in a heavily-regulated field, Isabella is no stranger to navigating the paperwork-laden and jargon-infused maze of properly understanding taxes for a newly formed small business. Join us as she shares her story and provides valuable insight into how to tackle your business’ taxes - so they don’t tackle you.    Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: QuickBooks.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In business, every decision you make can change the trajectory of your company - so it’s important to be as informed as possible. The intel you collect as you learn and grow is vital to informing how and why you run your business in the future. On this episode, hosts Jannese and Austin share their own experiences with using data to inform the paths they carve forward as they sit down with Brandon Littleton who started Bag Lady’s Fry Joint with his brother. The two started their business from scratch, with just a family recipe and an idea. Join us as Brandon explains how hard lessons - and hard data - inform the decisions they’ve made so you can do the same with your own findings.    Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: Quickbooks.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The long-term success of every small business starts with looking at its history and identifying the hits and misses along the way. In our premier episode for Season 3, hosts Austin Hankwitz and Jannese Torres sit down in person with Sherrice Rose, owner of Potentia Therapeutics in her clinic in Tampa, Florida. Together, they look back at her journey of buying an existing physical therapy clinic and making it her own. Hear the lessons she’s learned along the way and discover how studying her business's history helps her forge a path forward. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: Quickbooks.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Change is inevitable in business, but understanding how each decision impacts your entire operation is crucial. In this LIVE bonus episode, Jannese and Austin sit down with Will Lucas. Will is the founder and CEO of Creadio, a marketing and production agency, and CEO and founder of the private social club TolHouse. He also hosts the podcast “Black Tech Green Money.” Learn invaluable lessons on attracting and retaining great employees with competitive pay, keeping prices attractive, and ensuring customer satisfaction—all while fostering business growth. Plus, Will, Jannese, and Austin answer audience questions about starting a business and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: QuickBooks.com QuickBooks for Solopreneurs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No Solopreneur is an island. Even as we run our own businesses, the importance of building a community of other business owners is paramount. From sharing advice and support to building a thriving and competitive marketplace, networking and building connections can take your business to the next level. Jannese and Austin talk with Ciara Imani May who runs her own hair brand and is passionate about taking care of her customers and uplifting her community. In this episode we’ll explore why small business networking as a solopreneur with a solid network allows you to have the best of both worlds: to be your own boss but still have a supportive community around you. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: QuickBooks.com QuickBooks for Solopreneurs For a recap from this week’s episode visit: Episode 7 Recap with Ciara Imani May of Rebundle. Or learn more about this topic at this resource: How Networking Can Help You Leverage the Wisdom of Other Entrepreneurs See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For small business owners, it’s important to celebrate every success, but it’s also important to remember that behind every accomplishment there are plenty of hardships, missteps, and valuable lessons. Going into business for yourself is not easy and often comes with economic ups and downs and hard-to-decipher tax codes - among many other challenges. That’s why persevering and learning how to adapt and overcome any problems that arise is so important for every entrepreneur. On this episode, Austin and Jannese talk about the hurdles they faced and unexpected problems that arose in the initial phases of launching their businesses. Entrepreneur Taylor Randal of Softpaw Vintage details her journey of starting a business and sticking through the challenges to find success, even when an unexpected tax bill threatened to derail her entire enterprise. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: QuickBooks.com QuickBooks for Solopreneurs For a recap from this week’s episode visit: Episode 5 Recap with Taylor Randal of Southpaw Vintage Or learn more about this topic at this resource: 7 Cash flow problems & solutions for small businesses See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The lifeblood of a small business is its customers. Going the extra mile to provide easy payment methods and clear communication can mean the difference between a couple of sales, and a couple hundred. Jannese and Austin discuss what they love to encounter as customers patronizing a business, and the customer service strategies for their own endeavors. And Jordan Rose joins the conversation to talk about how she built her Etsy shop, Fresh Prints of SF, based on inclusivity and catering to demographics that are too often uncatered to. We’ll learn about the financial incentives to earning a customer’s trust and keeping them happy as you turn your target market into a community. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: Quickbooks.com QuickBooks for Solopreneurs For a recap from this week’s episode visit: Episode 3 Recap with Jordan Rose Or learn more about this topic at this resource: How to Give Great Customer ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.