BiggerPockets Business Podcast

Do you think you’re too inexperienced to start a business? Do you think you don’t have the required education to be an entrepreneur? Do you think you don’t have the marketing chops to create a successful venture? Do you think you don’t have enough money to launch a million-dollar idea?If so, this is the episode for you…Sean Pour—founder of SellMax.com, a national used-car buying service—tells us about how he started his business at 14 years old, in attempt to help his parents keep their business afloat. What started out as an effort to help his family has, over the past 10 years, turned into a big business. Sean buys and sells thousands of cars per month all across the United States.In this episode, Sean talks about getting started even before he had a high school education, how he taught himself the coding and marketing skills necessary to get the business off the ground, and how he was able to bootstrap the company without any capital. He also discusses how to build your network and find a great mentor without spending any money... and even potentially MAKING money in the process!Listen for Sean’s amazing explanation about why too much education can actually hamper your likelihood for massive success and why those without a formal education often achieve much more.Check him out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: How Sean started a business in uncertain times How he learned a lot more from running a business than from school Sean's focus on affordability and starting on a budget How he started this business at 14 years old His #1 pieces of advice for those starting a business at a young age How their business model achieves a 10-20% profit margin Why he thinks marketing is the most important thing to a business And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Wordpress Carvana Shift CarMax Upwork Link to the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow65 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you long for the day you can leave your full-time job working for someone else? Ever think to yourself, “What if I take all this time and energy to build something for myself?!” Or are you exhausted just thinking about building a brand from scratch, starting at the bottom of the ladder and working your way up all over again?If so, this is the episode for you…Erik Cabral -- founder of creative agency On Air Brands and the entrepreneur experience PodMAX -- tells us all about his “a-ha moment” that led him to leave a stable, high-paying corporate career to begin his entrepreneurial adventure. He walks us through the early days reaching out to literally everyone he knew to get invited to networking events; and his journey to “the front of the room” as an influencer and revered expert in brand building. By adding value helping like-minded people build their own unique brands, he now has global reach working with clients to enhance their marketing, online presence, podcasts, and live streaming strategies.In this episode, Erik talks about the importance of putting your ego aside, remaining consistent, and simply showing up to gain traction. He reminds us that the relationships we nurture through networking are front and center in any business. And he teaches his key principles in building a powerful brand, which he calls “The 4C’s” : Clarity, Community, Connection, and Collaboration.Make sure you listen to the end, where Erik shares a great personal story that went viral around the globe. Check him out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: The power of networking How he found mentors Working with Gary Vee's team for a live event Why "Why?" is the most important question His 4 C's: Clarity, Community, Connection, & Collaboration How his podcast company works How their business evolved by catering to the needs of the community And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets BiggerPockets Podcast Matt Faircloth Stitcher SiriusXM Gary Vee Zoom H6 Recorder Tim Ferriss'Podcast Equipment The Sasha Group Vayner Media Check the full show notes here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/bizshow64 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you feel like you don’t have the knowledge and experience to start your own business? Perhaps you're looking for a way to leverage your full-time job to find the right business opportunity? Or maybe you’re looking for ideas on how to create a grassroots marketing and branding effort without a lot of out-of-pocket costs?If so, this is the episode for you…Lance Korhorn—full-time firefighter and entrepreneur—walks us through how he was able to start Ladder 34, a business focused on recycling old fire hoses that were destined for the dump. Not only was he able to save tons of waste from the landfill, but he has recycled that “trash” into financial and philanthropic treasure.In this episode, Lance talks about how every fire hose is a story and how he has been able to build a business around preserving those stories—turning old hoses into belts, wallets, mats, and other items that delight customers and carry on the legacy of the lifesaving equipment. And not only is this a business supporting Lance and his family, but it's also supporting firehouses and firefighters around the country who are putting their lives on the line every day.Lance tells us how he came up with the idea for the business, how he struggled to create his first prototypes, and how he’s had to learn how to start, build, and grow a business every step of the way through trial and error.Make sure you listen to the end, where Lance reveals the power of storytelling, and how it’s helped grow Ladder $34 million-dollar business.Check him out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: How he built a store with a simple step-by-step process How he threw out products just to see how they're received How he built his team and started outsourcing advertising How he gets 80-90% profit on many products How to work with family members How they financed their business How he segments his time And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Shopify Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow63 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you looking to build a business around something you love and are passionate about? Do you want to ensure that the business you’re working on has massive profit potential? Are you concerned that you don’t know how to do both of these things simultaneously?Today’s guest tells us how he was able to blend his passion with massive profits... and how we can, as well!Alex French—co-founder of Bizzy Coffee, the most popular cold-brew coffee brand sold through Amazon and retailers—knows firsthand how important it is to do something you love while also ensuring that there is market demand for your business. On this episode, he teaches us how we can identify which of our passions can be scaled into a profitable enterprise and how to validate our ideas quickly and inexpensively using Google.Alex also tells us how we can use influencers to get feedback on our business ideas and how they can spread the word to potential customers, too. Finally, he walks us through the basics of selling on Amazon, including how to use the platform to dominate in your product category.Make sure you listen for Alex’s powerful tip—one that cost his investors over $1M to learn—on what to do when you find your business veering off-course.Check him out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: How he used Google Trends to find a great product idea How he does market research What led to choosing cold brew coffee How he tests his ideas very inexpensively and very quickly How he got big influencers to promote his brand new product Develop their product step by step How a rejection led him to selling on Amazon Learn about where they are now and what's next for their company And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Google Adwords Smart Passive Income Podcast Entrepreneur on Fire Podcast Indiegogo Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow62 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever thought about creating a brick-and-mortar retail operation from scratch? Ever wonder what hoops you have to jump through to get a liquor license and launch a business selling alcohol? Ever wonder how to do consumer research before opening a local store?Ashley Kehr—real estate investor, entrepreneur, and co-host of BiggerPockets' Real Estate Rookie Podcast—is in the process of building and launching a local liquor store, and she shares with us her step-by-step plan. In this episode, Ashley tells us how she found and hired an expert consultant, how she applied for and got a state liquor license, and how she was able to purchase the real estate and design it for her business.And she did it with a whole lot less cash than you might expect!Ashley provides a ton of great tips for any budding entrepreneurs looking to take that next step toward creating their own business. She talks about the value of networking, asking the right people the right questions, and the biggest roadblock that many of us need to overcome to get started. And make sure you listen for Ashley’s amazing tips on how to advertise your local business, as well.Check her out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: Using an industry expert to navigate licensing Leveraging your network to market through word of mouth Buying the real estate your business will use How Ashley's setting up her network of alcohol distributors How to succeed in a new industry by "asking the right people the right questions" Setting up a business that will run on autopilot! And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets BiggerPockets Rookie Podcast Rookie Podcast 12: What Works (and Doesn’t) in a Recession & the Untold Story of J Scott’s Messy First Flip BiggerPockets Real Estate Show Indeed.com BiggerPockets Business Podcast 56: From Poverty to Millions Through Laundromats with Dave Menz BiggerPockets Rookie Facebook Group Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow61 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show, learn how to identify a personal passion and/or need, combine it with your professional skillset, and launch a business that energizes you and your community.Tammeca Rochester sits down with J and Carol to reveal the story behind Harlem's first and only indoor cycling studio, Harlem Cycle.From the genesis of her idea, to hiring contractors and renting space, to her pricing strategy focused on "packages and commitments," Tammeca shares a ton of great tips for anyone looking to bootstrap any type of business today.Download this one, and be sure to subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won't miss us next week!In This Episode We Cover: Tammeca's concise "elevator pitch" for her business Launching a side business as a parent with a full-time job Writing down her business plan right at the start Negotiating a commercial lease Working with designers to shape the look and feel of her studio Putting the consumer's desires front and center from the beginning Getting rejected for a business loan Why free giveaways don't convert into paying customers Connecting entrepreneurship with family ("It's OK to bring your kids to work!") And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets SoulCycle Flywheel Sports Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow60 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever thought about taking over an existing business? Would you like to purchase a business with no money out of your pocket? Have you ever considered what it would take to expand a local business nationally?All these questions—and more—are answered on this week’s podcast.Ryan Novak, owner of ChocolatePizza.com, graduated college and then went back to buy the small, local chocolate shop that he had worked in since he was 14 years old. He negotiated a no-money-down deal that left him as the sole owner of the shop—and an opportunity to grow the brand nationally.Using the power of the internet, Ryan has grown ChocolatePizza.com to a seven-figure company, shipping chocolate treats and gifts all around the United States. And at the same time, he has grown that local shop into a successful business in and of itself.On this episode, Ryan talks about how he acquired Chocolate Pizza, how he used what he learned in business school to grow and expand with over a dozen employees, and how he is now using the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic to extend his brand even further. He tells us how he’s evolved his product offering to surprise and delight his customers and get people talking about the company to expand his reach.In addition, Ryan tells us how he’s giving back to his community. And specifically how he is using a local mentorship program he’s created to build a win/win for his business—hiring local high-school students to train them in business, while at the same time getting the benefit of low-cost employees, who are excited to learn and work.Check him out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: The unique real estate strategy of lending and pitching to developers How the recession helped him become an entrepreneur How he developed a plan for a hotel restoration How he focused on building a franchise prototype How he coined the company's core values How he communicates the core values during the hiring process How he created a syndication that is more than just about real estate And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Hallmark CMT CNBC How The Young Founder Of Chocolate Pizza Factory Shares Success Secrets And Supports Youth Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow59 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What differentiates good businesses from great businesses? What is that thing that keeps your customers coming back time after time? How do you ensure that your product or service really stands out from your competitors?More times than not, it’s providing an amazing customer experience.In fact, today’s guest has built his eight-figure business on this principle alone. And he tells us how we can do the same in our business.Josh McCallen—entrepreneur, investor, and business owner—has built his reputation as a luxury resort developer. Over the past decade, he and his investment team have bought, renovated, and turned around several high-end resorts. His key to success is always the same: implementing a customer experience that is second to none.On this episode, Josh tells us how he got started in both business and real estate, as well as when he first recognized the value—and necessity—of defining a world-class experience brand for his resorts. He also shares the three core values that rule over the experience he creates, how he implements those values in his business, and how you can do the same in yours.And make sure you listen through the "Four More" segment at the end to learn about the biggest mistake Josh made (and many people make) when buying a business and how it led him to failure in his first business purchase.Check him out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: His unique real estate strategy of lending and pitching to developers How the recession helped him become an entrepreneur How he developed a plan for a hotel restoration How he focused on building a franchise prototype How he coined the company's core values How he communicates their core values during the hiring process How he created a syndication that is more than just about real estate And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets How to Approach Real Estate Investing Like a Business, With BiggerPockets Contributor J Scott Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow58 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all heard the adage about the importance of multiple streams of income. Today's guest takes that idea to a whole new level...From patents to books to real estate to businesses to licensing royalties, Tim Shiner is truly an investing and business Renaissance Man. And his most recent project is his biggest yet!On this episode, Tim tells us about how—as a "professional opportunist"—he has created dozens of income streams, how he manages his time to juggle all these projects, and most importantly, how you can start identifying opportunities in your life to do the same.Then we delve into Tim's latest project: He has purchased the exclusive rights to license dozens of products related to the "Tiger King" and Joe Exotic brands, sensationalized by the Netflix mini-series over the past several months.Tim tells us about how he hooked up with Joe Exotic's lawyers to negotiate the deal and how he's working with some of the biggest marketing companies in the world to monetize it.Make sure you listen to Tim's story about how he acquired the largest bus in the world, wrapped it in a controversial design, and drove it from Texas to Washington, D.C., to promote the brand!Are you looking for some inspiration for tackling big projects that might be a little bit out of your comfort zone? If so, this episode is for you!Check it out, and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast so you won’t miss our next show!In This Episode We Cover: How Tim came to own the marketing rights to the hit Neflix show "Tiger King" and its star Joe Exotic Building dozens of revenue streams Becoming a "professional opportunist" Why Tim believes money equals freedom His unique real estate investing strategy The tax advantages of having a side business Inventing a beer koozie and making royalties The struggles—and benefits—of working with partners And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets Tiger King Sam Zell BiggerPockets Podcast 221: Buy and Hold Real Estate—What Works and What Doesn’t with Tim Shiner Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow57 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've found this show, you probably have that entrepreneurial itch... and you've probably wrestled with just how to turn that impulse into action.Well, that transition is exactly what today's show is about... so don't miss it.Our guest Dave Menz shares his journey from poverty, to a corporate career, to taking the plunge into business and turning a struggling laundromat into a cash-flowing asset producing generational wealth (then scaling up).And Dave pulled this off with no formal business training!As he says in the episode, "If you want to see me accomplish something, tell me I can't do it."Tell us what you think in a rating or review on Apple Podcasts (it takes just 30 seconds), and subscribe to the BiggerPockets Business Podcast in your favorite podcast app so you won't miss the next one.In This Episode We Cover: Overcoming "programming" from parents and school and choosing a different path Why Dave left his corporate career to start a business Why "the process" is more important than "the product" How he decided on laundromats How he negotiated the purchase of his first laundromat Writing a business plan and getting an SBA loan Starting a business while working full-time How he improved laundromat operations to become profitable Scaling up and acquiring additional laundromats Creating synergy among his businesses Relentlessly focusing on serving his community And SO much more! Links from the Show BiggerPockets BiggerPockets Podcast Guest BiggerPockets Podcast  Check the full show notes here: http://biggerpockets.com/bizshow56 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices