Brian chats with Carl Richards, CFP and creator of the Sketch Guy column in the New York Times. Carl shares how he became an accidental artist by using a Sharpie to help a client understand a complex idea with a simple sketch. He also tells how he landed his famous column by saying yes to an opportunity and figuring out the rest later. On the episode, you’ll hear Carl’s driving concept of groundlessness and why he believes profit equals permission for entrepreneurs. He also shares the importance of more people doing “their thing” in the world -- and how he’s following suit by doing more of what he loves. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses forcibly insert opinions. For Carl, a mission-driven business goes beyond making widgets for the sake of making widgets. Mission-driven businesses are tools to forcibly insert opinions into the world -- a metaphor he heard from someone else years ago and latched onto. “What I’m interested in is how I can use the business as a tool to forcibly insert an opinion into the world, and I think that another word for that opinion could be mission,” he said. Profit equals permission. Beyond thinking of businesses as opinions, Carl also likes to think of them as art projects, in which businesses can be used to influence what exists in the world. In his case, Carl is always looking for his next art project, and he’s recently realized that his prime goal in business is to get permission to do the next project. And that permission shows up on an income statement as profit. “All I want is enough profit to do the next art project,” Carl said. “That’s the goal. The goal of the current project is to earn permission to do the next.” Aim for groundlessness. Carl’s business operates using a set of principles called the code, one of which is called groundlessness. He named the concept after hearing Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön describe trying to tie up all the loose ends but still the ground is shifting. “I’m only interested in questions I don’t know the answers to,” Carl said. “I’m only interested in the path that there is no path. Because if not, it’s not me.” For Carl, the concept of groundlessness has come to mean that if he does have ground beneath his feet, it’s not the kind of work he should be doing. Instead, he’s interested in what he calls the most intimate form of risk. “You’re literally saying to someone, ‘Here’s a piece of me. Judge it through your dollars,’” Carl said. “That’s a very intimate form of risk, and to me, it’s the only form of risk I’m interested in because it means we’re doing the thing we were put here to do.” Get clear about what you love to do. Carl’s unique and zest-filled approach to business means he has no plan to retire -- at least in the conventional sense. He plans to keep working, while being more diligent in the projects he takes on and delegating or deleting everything that he doesn't love. His approach to “retirement” came a few years ago when his teenage son asked what things he would stop doing when he retired. When Carl listed a few things, his son then asked if he would be more or less successful if he stopped doing those things today. The answer was yes. “He goes, ‘I don’t mean to be silly here, but why are you still doing those things today?’” Carl recounted. “So I’ve been on this kick of asking how I can get more and more clear about what I want to do.” Resources + Links Carl’s weekly New York Times column Carl’s Books: The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money and The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Things with Money Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chödrön Carl’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

In this special episode, host Brian Thompson shares how to build a proper foundation for your business to ensure it can support long-standing success. He outlines eight essential tasks to check off when starting a company that can help minimize risk and give you a solid foundation. Episode Highlights Starting a business can be daunting and setting up a solid foundation to grow from is critical for future success. Here are eight first steps to start your business on solid ground. Step 1: Pick your company name. As new parents know, picking a name isn’t as easy as it may sound. A business name can ultimately help -- or hinder -- your success.  A good business name not only communicates who you are and what you do but also drives branding and marketing efforts. When thinking of business names, it helps to clarify your vision and purpose, know your ideal clients, and how you’ll add value. Creating a one-page business plan can also help you think clearly. “Remember that a name doesn’t have to be perfect. You can change it as you need to.” Step 2: Pick a business structure. Your business structure is the legal framework of the company you’re building. Common small business organizational structures include limited liability companies (LLC), partnerships, and S corporations. The type of business structure you choose will impact numerous aspects of your business, from the paperwork you need to file to how you pay taxes. “While taxes shouldn’t be the only concern when picking a business structure, you’ll want to consult with a tax professional to make sure you’re making the best choice for your situation.” Step 3: Register your business. Once you have a business name and structure, it’s time to register your business. In most states, you can register with the Secretary of State’s office. However, if you want to protect your name on a national level, consider registering with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Also, don’t forget to make sure your company can be found on the web! Before registering, check website domain registrars like GoDaddy and Google Domains to ensure your domain is still available. Step 4: Apply for your Employer Identification Number. Similar to a Social Security number, your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax number used to identify your business. You can use it to get a business license, open bank accounts, obtain credit lines, and pay taxes. Technically, you don’t need an EIN unless you have employees or plan to form a partnership, LLC, or corporation. But even if you don’t need an EIN, it doesn’t hurt to have one. It can keep your personal Social Security number private. “You can apply online in just a couple of minutes and reduce the chance of identity theft.” Step 5: Get a business license and permits. All sorts of complex rules exist with different licensures. Depending on what type of industry you’re in, a federal, state, or local agency may regulate your business. You’ll likely need a state, county, or city license, and you may need permits or state registrations to do business across state lines. “Make sure to research your state, county, and city regarding regulations for your particular type of business.” Step 6: Open bank accounts and set up a cash flow system. With the regulatory hurdles out of the way, it’s time to look at the operational side of your business. It’s essential to get a business account and set up your cash flow system. Opening separate bank accounts will keep your business and personal assets separate, which is critical for tax and legal purposes. It also establishes your company as a separate entity should you need a loan and allow you to set up merchant accounts for faster payment. Having an account is one thing, but successfully managing your cash flow is another. Mike Michalowicz’s Profit First System is a great way to ensure that your business is profitable, that you’re ready for your quarterly tax bill, and that you’re paying yourself a reasonable wage. Step 7: Get an accounting system. While you’re addressing operations, it’s a great time to set up an accounting system like QuickBooks or Wave. These systems allow you to start tracking your business income and expenses right away. They also help you take advantage of tax deductions. “As a tax attorney, I represented clients who didn’t keep good records before the IRS and it was brutal. It’s much easier to start the habit early.” Step 8: Find the proper insurance. Now that you have a business, you’re going to want to protect it. One way to do that is by getting the appropriate type of insurance. Common types of business insurance include general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, and home-based business insurance. “While your business structure will protect you from personal lawsuits, you’ll want to make sure your business is protected as well.” Resources + Links Articles “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses.” Eric Ries. “One-Page Business Plan Templates.” Susan Ward, The Balance Small Business. Websites Fizzle U.S. Small Business Administration United States Patent and Trademark Office “Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online.” IRS Tools The Profit First system by Mike Michalowicz Relay Quickbooks Wave More From Brian “Purpose And Profit: 4 Keys To Creating A Profitable Mission-Driven Business.” Forbes. “Can I Deduct That As A Business Expense?” Forbes. “Should I make an S-Corp Election?” BT Financial. Episode 7: Being Profit First with Mike Michalowcz Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

Brian Thompson chats with Elle Moxley, the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. The institute seeks to better the lives of Black transgender people through organizing, advocacy, and community. Elle founded the nonprofit institute in response to the murders of transgender women of color.  On the episode, Elle shares how the Marsha P. Johnson Institute resulted from her vision for her own life and the wider world. She also discusses the racial tensions following the murder of George Floyd and how she combats exhaustion by pursuing joy daily. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses support the collective. Elle defines a mission-driven business as one with an intention of more than just making money as well as a company that supports a collective rather than just an individual. “It is one that is driven towards supporting people with the same rigor and regard as its enterprise endeavors,” Elle said. “Mission-driven businesses really account for the full experience that people are having.” At the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, that mission is to illuminate the root cause of violence against transgender women of color, especially Black transgender women. The mission strongly aligns with Elle’s personal values. “I really wanted to do my part, not only as a Black trans woman, but as a Black person in the world to interpret the reasons why murder takes place in communities that are already so intensely interrogated,” she said. Use your vision to guide your business. Like many entrepreneurs on the podcast, Elle didn’t set out to start a company, nor did she know whether she had the skills and leadership qualities for her current role. But Elle did have a big vision for her life and the world -- a vision that others didn’t always share. Founding the Marsha P. Johnson Institute and her other ventures helped Elle realize that vision. It also helped her to become the best version of herself that she could be. “The only way I could do that was to start my own businesses and to actually be the person behind the vehicle in which my dreams were presented to the world,” Elle said. Combat exhaustion by cultivating joy. Elle’s work can be emotionally exhausting, especially as murderers continue to target Black transgender women and some people attempt to minimize the impact of her work. To keep motivated, Elle looks for joy, which she defines as the opposite of constant frustration and fear. “The joy is something that I never really get exhausted from,” she said. “That’s the real work I aspire to do daily: How can I create more joy for myself and the people that I love?” Resources + Links Marsha P. Johnson Institute: Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok Forever Free Productions / Black Beauty Elle’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too. 

Brian Thompson chats with Laura J. LaTourette, CFP, the founder of Family Wealth Management Group. As a self-made entrepreneur, Laura has prioritized building her fee-only financial planning firm while living fully as her authentic self. Her comprehensive planning and wealth management approach demands the same kind of determination, self-reflection, and bold spirit from clients. On the episode, Laura shares strategies she’s used to build her successful, long-standing firm and the lessons she wishes she had learned a little sooner in her entrepreneurial journey. She also discusses why now is the time to build wealth for the LGBTQ+ community and how being vocal and visible can inspire compassion. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses come from the heart. Laura defines a mission-driven business as one that comes from your heart and reflects who you are authentically as a person. Although she didn’t define her financial planning firm as a mission-driven business at first, when she came out as a lesbian in 1994, Laura knew she wanted to help people like her. “I worked with women in transition -- women through divorce or being widowed,” Laura said. “Then I also found my LGBTQ community needed help with understanding the language of financial planning, so I just kind of took off from there on an organic basis.” Keep a firm line between advising and therapy. One of the benefits of being an entrepreneurial financial planner is the ability to show up authentically, which helps Laura build trust with clients and form real relationships. Laura is clear that working with her means a long-term commitment. “It’s a long-term relationship,” she said. “It’s not a transactional situation.” Having that type of client relationship requires both Laura and her clients to be vulnerable, and Laura will share part of her story to help her connect with clients. However, she is careful to make sure an appointment does not turn into a therapy session. “If they go so far that it seems like they’re really giving me too much information, I do talk to them about financial therapists,” she said. It’s time to build wealth for the LGBTQ+ community. As a new wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeps through the country, stoking fears that marriage equality might be the next right overruled by the Supreme Court, it’s now a priority to create a “rainbow network” that builds wealth and provides financial education for the LGBTQ+ community. “We’ve got trans kids dying, and we’ve got LGBT elders not able to find a safe place to live during their ending days, so we’ve got trouble on both ends,” Laura said. Laura called on the LGBTQ+ community and allies to become visible, vocal advocates on business boards and in places of power. Laura lives this advice by serving as an ambassador in the financial services industry and by sharing her perspective with clients who sometimes find it uncomfortable when she mentions her wife. “The more you make them uncomfortable, at some point, then they start getting comfortable,” Laura said. “They may not be able to advocate for me yet, but I can at least bridge an opening of their heart.” Resources + Links Family Wealth Management Group Laura’s financial industry leadership: CFP Board Ambassadors, FPA PridePlanners Laura’s Social Media: Twitter, LinkedIn Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too. 

In this special episode, host Brian Thompson shares practical steps for conducting a mid-year review that sets you and your business up to thrive in the second half of the year. You’ll learn how to clean up some of your central tasks to ensure the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 are as stress-free as possible. You’ll also hear why Brian advocates for small habits repeated over time and the benefits of taking a mid-year pause. Episode Highlights This year may feel especially stressful for fans of the Mission Driven Business, and one way to find calm in chaos is to focus on what you can control. For small business owners, that can mean tackling some of the big, end-of-the-year tasks now by conducting a mid-year review. “Unfortunately, too many small business owners wait until the end of the year to clean up the different aspects of their business. By that point, it’s a numerous and overwhelming task, so let’s knock out some of these tasks now.” Step 1: Review your successes and challenges. Once you’ve gotten clear on your emotions, it’s time to review your successes and challenges. This is a great time to celebrate your successes, appreciate your progress, and gain insight into what’s working and what areas could use improvement. “Instead of thinking that things need to be perfect, or that you can’t change your mind, pick a direction and take the next right step.” Step 2: Review your business cash flow. Cash flow is the lifeblood of your business, and conquering cash flow takes thought and intentional systems. One good cash flow system is the Profit First system, which leverages entrepreneurs’ natural tendency to make decisions based on their bank account balance. “Using this system allows you to continually monitor how close you are to your targets for revenue and profit, and lets you know in real time whether there’s a problem.” Step 3: Review essential reports. A new step on the mid-year review checklist is to review your essential reports, which include your balance sheet, reconciliation reports, and profit and loss statements: Your balance sheet covers your assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity. Your reconciliation report ensures what’s in your accounting software matches your bank statements. Your profit and loss statement allows you to do a full review of the first half of the year. Step 4: Make tax projections. You’d probably rather not think about taxes, but the mid-way point in a year is an excellent opportunity to review your tax situation. You’ve already made two estimated tax payments and can track where you are and make projections. “If you find that you’re behind on estimated tax payments, you still have the year to catch up, calculate how much you’re short, divide that by the six remaining months, and add that amount to your monthly tax bucket.” Step 5: Analyze your expenses. Now that you’ve reviewed your buckets and profit and loss statements, it’s an excellent time to analyze your expenses. To do this, print your expenses for the last six months and any recurring expenses. Add up all of your costs, multiply that number by 10%, and cut expenses by that number. “Remember that just because you have a tax deduction for expenses, you still lose money if you’re purchasing something you don’t use.” Step 6: Write down your next actions. As you perform your own mid-year review, you’re likely to gain insight into the changes you want or need to make. It’s essential to write these changes down and develop an action plan with the steps you’ll take to accomplish your goals. Try  limiting the changes you want to make to two or three goals. “You’re more likely to find success taking little steps each day rather than trying to run several miles simultaneously.” Resources + Links Episode 7: Being Profit First with Mike Michalowicz Episode 8: Eradicating Entrepreneurial Poverty with Ron Saharyan Episode 14: Living Your Passion with George Kinder Goals are only guesses, Behavior Gap / Carl Richards / The Sketch Guy Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too. 

Brian Thompson chats with Damian Pelliccione, CEO and co-founder of Revry, a global, LGBTQ-first streaming network with free live TV, movies, series, news, and more. Through Revry, Damian champions diversity and inclusion in the media and entertainment industry. On the episode, Damian shares their journey to becoming a first-time CEO and the corresponding struggles with imposter syndrome. They also highlight the importance of working on yourself and setting good boundaries, and how being your authentic, unapologetic self gives your business the best chance of thriving. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses leave a legacy. For Damian, Revry’s mission is to be the driving, positive force in media for queer culture. To meet that mission, Revry creates content reflective of the entire LGBTQ community, which is not homogenous by race, gender, sexual orientation, or language. Revry also lives out its mission by having an incredibly diverse workforce that is reflective of the audience it wants to serve. “We’ve attracted the most diverse, talented team on the planet, and I’m very proud of everyone who works for us,” Damian said. But the mission of Revry goes beyond the workforce and content that it produces today. While Damian is proud of how far the company has come, they envision that Revry will ultimately be part of their legacy. “You realize this is going to be bigger than me; this will live beyond me,” Damian said. “This legacy that hopefully we are building with this business will resonate well beyond my years, and that is the coolest thing I could ever do with my life.” Fail big. Fail fast. When Damian talks to young entrepreneurs, they emphasize the need to fail big and fail fast -- but also to learn from failures. While starting over or starting something new is part of the entrepreneurial process, it’s also important to build resilience. “You may have to scrap the whole thing and start over and try something new, but that’s okay,” Damian said. “The difference is the resilience to never give up, to keep going.”  Learning from failure and adapting is part of Damian’s own entrepreneurial journey. Damian believes that their “false starts” before Revry were crucial to getting them to where they are today in both work and life. “Had those not existed for me, had I not had those experiences, had I not taken the time to listen to them and evaluate what went wrong … there’s no way I’d be sitting here talking to you,” they said. Be unafraid and unapologetic in business and life. Damian was clear about their biggest takeaway for entrepreneurs: “Live out loud. Be unapologetic. Be vulnerable. And be unafraid.” One way Damian lives their life in this manner is by dressing to impress themself. One way that they do that is by wearing heels on public stages, panels, and conferences. “There’s something about putting on that shoe that gives me the vote of confidence,” they said. “I feel powerful, and I feel fabulous. That’s the energy that I want to exude when I’m doing something in a public forum.” By not holding back from their true, authentic self, Damian believes they’re permitting others to also live as their authentic selves. But even more, that living authentically has made them even more respected professionally. “Business is evolving to the point where that level of authenticity is going to be such a tenant to company cultures and will hopefully soon be equated in a datapoint to show this is how you really build a brand,” Damian said. “You are the brand.” Resources + Links Revry: Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn QueerXFest: Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn Damian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too. 

Brian Thompson chats with Yana Tallon-Hicks, a pleasure-positive sex therapist, educator, and writer. On the episode, Yana shares her unexpected journey to becoming a relationship therapist and business owner. She also gives tips for using a sliding scale fee model and offers insight into the process of writing her upcoming book, Hot and Unbothered: How to Think About, Talk About, and Have the Sex You Really Want. Episode Highlights Make money in a way that aligns with your values. Yana defines a mission-driven business as one that pays attention to its values and goals so that it can make money in a way that aligns with those values and goals. “It’s a business that pays attention to what their values and goals are every step of the way, to the best of their ability,” she said. “Because at the end of the day, a business needs to make money … and I think that it can still be done with their mission and your values.” Be intentional about structuring your time. Yana’s career spans her incorporated work as a relationship therapist, sex writing, and education projects. Juggling all of these responsibilities requires a lot of balance, and she blocks out time dedicated to specific projects, like writing her new book and general administrative tasks. Yana is also a co-parent, which has prompted her to keep her schedule regimented to ensure she can be fully present for her child when she’s with him. While she felt busy before she had her child, she’s found being an entrepreneur and a parent has helped her unlock a new level of efficiency. “Having a kid really helped me get into much better balance,” Yana said. “I actually think I’m doing more work, more efficiently, and better.” Set clear expectations from the start. Being part of the LGBT+ community, Yana knows that she’ll run into her therapy clients more often than some therapists might, so she lays out ground rules and expectations upfront. For instance, Yana asks current clients not to follow her on social media, and her intake form includes a paragraph that clients may see her while out in public. She is also clear about her use of a sliding scale fee model and has prices listed on her website and intake form. Her clients have been very responsive to the model, and people who can pay the highest amount generally do. “Business owners assume that if you do a sliding scale, people will always pay the bottom of your scale, and that is just not true,” Yana said. “The trick is you really do need to be truly okay with whatever people choose.” Resources + Links Yana’s Website Hot and Unbothered: How to Think About, Talk About, and Have the Sex You Really Want Yana’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

Brian Thompson chats with Coss Marte, a former inmate turned business magnate. Coss is the founder of CONBODY, the first fitness method developed in prison. Through CONBODY and his two other ventures, Coss is fulfilling his mission to aid and uplift the formerly incarcerated community. On the episode, Coss shares how he found his passion for fitness after losing 70 pounds during his incarceration as well as his struggle to start a company as someone in and out of the prison system. He also discusses how his “figure it out and survive” motto has spurred him to create three ventures, including one in the legal cannabis industry. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses do good from front to back. Coss defines a mission-driven business as one that doesn’t just say it's doing good upfront -- but also does something good on the back end. “You want to make money and do good as well,” he said. For Coss, the tripartite mission of CONBODY is to destigmatize the formerly incarcerated community, ease their transition back to society, and change the criminal justice system -- all barriers he’s faced as a formerly incarcerated person himself. “I saw the pain I had to go through, and I really didn’t want people who were my friend or my people that were coming out of the system to go through that,” he said. You don’t need a formal business plan. Coss created his business plan for CONBODY while in solitary confinement. He didn’t have a formal mission, list of values, or vision statement. But he did write down the extensive workout he used to get fit while incarcerated and how he could turn that into an opportunity. “I did what I wrote,” Coss said. “I came home and I started doing it in the local park where I grew up, and eventually, one person turned to two, to three, to five, to six, and my mission started evolving.” If you don’t ask, you don’t eat. Coss’s mother always told him: If you don’t ask, you don’t eat. It’s a strategy he took to heart when developing CONBODY. “When I came home, I validated by getting one customer in the street, and just stopping them and talking to them and telling them what I’m doing,” Coss said. “I got a gazillion nos, but fortunately enough, I’ve had a few yeses.” Coss eagerly shares his mother’s advice with fellow entrepreneurs who have smart but unvalidated business plans. That includes Ivy League MBA students who have incredible, technical business ideas but have yet to ask whether anybody wants their products. “You gotta ask,” Coss said. “If you go to the market and nobody wants this shit you just lost a lot of time.” Resources + Links CONBODY: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube Second Chance Studios: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn  CONBUD: Instagram, Facebook, Forbes write up Conbody the book Coss’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

Brian Thompson chats with Hannah Olson, an advocate for people with disabilities and co-founder and CEO of Chronically Capable and Disclo. Through her companies, Hannah helps people with disabilities navigate their careers and companies manage employee health disclosures and accommodation requests. On the episode, Hannah discusses why she chose entrepreneurship after her aggressive treatment schedule for Lyme disease resulted in her having to leave her dream job. She also shares advice she received while fundraising and why disabilities are something to be celebrated. Episode Highlights The mission is at the center of mission-driven businesses. Hannah describes a mission-driven business as one that puts its mission at the center of everything it does. At her companies, she goes one step further by hiring people who are also centered around the mission of empowering and employing people with disabilities and chronic conditions. “It’s less about the excitement of the business, but more so, at the end of the day, who are we helping? Who are we serving?” Hannah said. One business idea can lead to another. In May 2019, Hannah and her co-founder launched their first venture, Chronically Capable, to help people with disabilities and chronic conditions connect with inclusive employers. The company grew quickly, but as it did, Hannah learned about an unmet and unique need for HR professionals to manage employees’ health conditions and accommodation requests in safely and privately. Hannah and her co-founder quickly realized they could turn that need into a business opportunity. They raised funding and launched their second venture, Disclo, in May 2022. Disclo takes the mission of Chronically Capable one step further by bringing compliance tools to HR managers. “We initially thought the problem was just being able to find a job and an employer who cared, but we realized there was a much, much bigger problem because if you get the job, how are you going to keep the job?” Hannah said. “But when it comes to compliance, it’s not a nice-to-have anymore; it’s a must have.” Sleep is a key business strategy. The entrepreneur culture espouses the value of hustle, but Hannah pointed out that you can’t hustle hard without adequate sleep. That’s why she said sleep is the foremost business strategy she has to share with listeners. “Sleep is so important for anyone, but especially for me as someone who has been recovering from a very, very bad illness and also as someone running a business,” Hannah said. “This hustle culture has this mentality that we have to be working, and the times you’re not working, you’re not doing anything. But if you don’t sleep, you’re not going to work well the next day.” Learn from no. When Hannah was raising funding for Disclo, she received about 120 rejections. After the first few, she took the advice of a friend to ask people who said no either to provide feedback she could use to adapt and change or to introduce her to three other people. “I started adopting that practice and I learned so much in a very short time,” Hannah said. “I was able to fundraise very, very quickly. In a month we went from not having any luck to people knocking at the door.” Resources + Links Chronically Capable: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn Disclo: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,  Hannah’s Social Media: Twitter, LinkedIn Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.

Brian Thompson chats with Danika Waddell, founder of Xena Financial Planning. As a certified financial planner, registered life planner, and certified student loan professional, Danika focuses on helping women who are in tech or otherwise receive equity compensation. On the episode, Danika shares her journey to starting her fee-only firm in 2020, including why she made the entrepreneurship leap and how she’s managed the extremely fast growth. She also discusses the importance of having difficult conversations with clients and how she defines success. Episode Highlights Mission-driven businesses are meaningful. For Danika, the idea of a mission-driven business comes back to doing meaningful work. When she started in the finance industry nearly 10 years ago, that sort of meaning was missing from her job. “When I got into this industry almost a decade ago, what I was doing previously was very transactional, and I just felt there was something very lacking,” she said. Danika wanted to have more meaningful relationships with clients, leading her to pivot from accounting to starting her own financial planning firm. Now, she regularly gets the opportunity to have a deep connection with clients. “There’s something just so satisfying about having the types of engagements with my clients in exactly the way I want to have them, and being able to show up for my clients in a way that I’m not restricted by my employer or anything like that,” she said. Uncertainty can lead to growth. Danika wasn’t expecting to start her business. After a crisis at her old firm, she decided very quickly to try entrepreneurship. She first defined the types of clients she wanted to serve and how she wanted to serve them, then she created a space for herself and her clients to be fully who they are at all times. “I’m thrilled about what happened because I was comfortable enough that I probably would have never done this if I wasn’t forced to,” she said. Define success by impact - not dollars. Danika emphasized that making money is not the priority of her business. While she does take into account revenue and sustainability, she measures her success by impact - not dollars. “I definitely do not define success by the numbers,” Danika said. “I do define success by the impact I’m having on clients.” For instance, Danika felt great success in supporting a long-term client through a car purchase. As she thinks about growing her business further, she wants to help more people feel that kind of empowerment. “I’m not done,” Danika said. “Success to me will look like reaching more people. I don’t know how that’s going to happen yet, but I know that it is going to happen.” Resources + Links Xena Financial Planning Danika’s Social Media: Twitter, LinkedIn Brian’s Social Media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook    About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast  Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and certified financial planner who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit. On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.