Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business
Nikolas Hulewsky
Welcome to Nikonomics—the show for entrepreneurs and Wantrapreneurs, looking to make their first million.
I bring firsthand experience, having bought and sold over a dozen businesses, achieved multiple 7-figure exits, and generated over $100 million in revenue.
Each week, I blend humor with real insights from successful entrepreneurs, sharing growth strategies, deal insights, and unique business ideas you won’t find elsewhere.
Ready to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality? Hit play and let’s get to work.
Follow me on Twitter @CoFoundersNik or YouTube @NikonomicsPodcast.
I bring firsthand experience, having bought and sold over a dozen businesses, achieved multiple 7-figure exits, and generated over $100 million in revenue.
Each week, I blend humor with real insights from successful entrepreneurs, sharing growth strategies, deal insights, and unique business ideas you won’t find elsewhere.
Ready to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality? Hit play and let’s get to work.
Follow me on Twitter @CoFoundersNik or YouTube @NikonomicsPodcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 25, 2025 • 56min
222 - 3 Home Service Businesses You Can Start with Under $20K with Anne McGinty
In this lively discussion, entrepreneur Anne McGinty shares her journey of making $150,000 in just 60 days with her Christmas lighting business. She dives into lucrative home service ideas, like luxury holiday decor services for wealthy clients and year-round exterior cleaning. The conversation emphasizes the importance of adaptability and high-profit margins. Additionally, they explore healthcare business ventures, particularly in elder care and autism services, showcasing how purpose-driven businesses can be both fulfilling and profitable.
Aug 22, 2025 • 42min
221 - From W2 Employee to a $18M Pool Business with Malcolm Marshall
Malcolm Marshall, CEO of Poolology, shares his remarkable journey from VP of Finance at C4 Energy to leading an $18 million pool business in Central Texas. He discusses the surprising challenges of scaling, the realities of bootstrapping, and essential lessons on team building. Marshall dives into customer acquisition strategies, the importance of cash flow management, and the complexities of transitioning from a W-2 to entrepreneurship. He also reveals what he would focus on in a new business, especially with the rise of AI infrastructure.
Aug 20, 2025 • 45min
220 - How Claude Code Just Replaced All My Coding Tools with Elizabeth Knopf
In this conversation, Elizabeth Knopf, an AI and automation expert, reveals how Cloud Code is revolutionizing the coding landscape. She shares insights on the latest AI model wars, comparing the releases of ChatGPT-5, Claude Opus 4.1, and others. Elizabeth showcases Cloud Code's ability to automate massive data analysis tasks with simple commands, making complex processes accessible and efficient. Listeners will learn how to install and utilize this tool for managing local files without needing extensive coding knowledge, transforming their business operations.
34 snips
Aug 18, 2025 • 46min
219 - The Secret to Standing Out without Going Viral with Nick Gray
Nick Gray, a serial entrepreneur behind businesses like Museum Hack and author of The Two-Hour Cocktail Party, shares insights on effective networking strategies. He emphasizes the importance of hosting meetups to build a supportive community and deep connections. Nick talks about using icebreaker questions to foster engagement and the role of a personal website in enhancing professional reputation. Additionally, he explores how AI tools can streamline content creation and help entrepreneurs stand out without relying on viral moments.
10 snips
Aug 15, 2025 • 57min
218 - Sam Parr: Getting Fired from Airbnb at 22 to Approaching a 9-Figures at 34
Sam Parr, an entrepreneur and co-host of the My First Million podcast, discusses his journey from running a hot dog stand to founding The Hustle. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining focus on a single venture and shares unique strategies for identifying trends by seeking out unconventional thinkers. The conversation dives into the traits that characterize ultra-successful individuals, revealing the value of curiosity and resilience. Parr also highlights the balance between financial security and personal fulfillment in entrepreneurship.
22 snips
Aug 13, 2025 • 37min
217 - The #1 Rookie Entrepreneur Mistake That Can Bankrupt You in 8 Months with Nik Hulewsky
Two novice entrepreneurs' journeys highlight the stark contrast between success and failure. One thrived while the other faced bankruptcy due to critical mistakes. Essential strategies for new business owners focus on personal involvement and effective customer acquisition. The discussion includes rookie realities to confront and the importance of work ethic as a competitive advantage. Macro trends and scalable systems play a crucial role in growth. A case study on junk removal emphasizes mastering fundamentals to survive the critical first year.
4 snips
Aug 11, 2025 • 26min
216 - AI SERIES: 20 - How to Turn Any Meeting into Action Items Automatically with AI with Olivia Look
In this insightful conversation, automation expert Olivia Look, founder of an agency specializing in streamlining business operations, shares her expertise on using AI to enhance productivity. She explains how Zapier Agents can transform email commitments into actionable ClickUp tasks and automate detailed meeting summaries from Otter AI. Olivia emphasizes the power of simple language for creating complex automations and discusses the AI models that drive these innovative solutions. Discover practical tips to make your meetings more effective!
13 snips
Aug 8, 2025 • 35min
215 - The 3-Step Framework Consultants Use to Fix Million-Dollar Problems with Maurizio Cuna
Maurizio Cuna, a seasoned consultant with over 20 years of experience and author of 'Beyond Slides', shares invaluable insights into solving complex business challenges. He details techniques like the Problem Tree and the "five whys" that help uncover root causes rather than just addressing symptoms. The discussion highlights the importance of balancing urgency with thorough analysis and the growing necessity of soft skills in an increasingly AI-driven world. Entrepreneurs can glean practical strategies for tackling their own business issues effectively.
Aug 6, 2025 • 38min
214 - $150K in 3 Weeks Selling Christmas Lights—In August! with Anne McGinty
Anne McGinty, host of the How I Built My Small Business Podcast, shares her incredible journey from a challenging sales job to founding a seasonal Christmas lighting business with her husband, Mark. They turned a simple idea into a six-month enterprise, generating $100K in just three weeks! Anne reveals their scrappy marketing tactics, like using a spray-painted truck as a billboard, and discusses the strategic decisions that led them to sell the business despite its profitability. Join this inspiring conversation about entrepreneurship and innovative success!
Aug 4, 2025 • 40min
213 - From Amazon PM to $1M Newsletter Business in 9 Months with Nic Conley
Nick Conley, a former Amazon Product Manager turned newsletter entrepreneur, shares his journey of generating $1M in newsletter ad sponsorships within just nine months. He discusses the importance of powerful lead magnets for building trust with subscribers. Discover how he grew his B2B newsletter, The Follow-Up, to over 22,000 subscribers and the benefits of targeting B2B over local newsletters. Nick also reveals tools and strategies for optimizing email marketing and discusses how AI is transforming content creation for newsletters.
