How I Built My Small Business
Anne McGinty
2025 Communicator Award of Excellence in the Educational Series category2024 + 2025 People's Choice Podcast Awards Finalist Nominee x 2Named "One of the Best Business Podcasts" by RamseyIn 'How I Built My Small Business,' we explore real-life entrepreneurship and building a meaningful, balanced life. The show’s guests (diverse in industry, experience, and background) open up about the real stories behind building a business: the wins, the mistakes, and the values that shape their choices.This is not a business show focused on the numbers of the game. It’s about the founder’s journey and their way of thinking. If you are looking for a show that talks about top line, bottom line, profit margin, and mainly financial info… this is not the show for you. While you’ll find some episodes in Season One (and sporadically thereafter) that include financials, the host’s interest is more in the human(s) behind the business.Sometimes an episode is a masterclass, other times it’s an honest, heart-opening connection between two people. There’s always curiosity, growth, and learning through storytelling… with a sprinkle of life wisdom.Every guest has started a business at some point in their journey, and the line-up includes a 50/50 split of women and men.Whether you're a founder, dreamer, curious individual or lifelong learner, I hope each episode makes you think or leaves you with at least one spark that inspires your own path or broadens your perspective.Thank you for listening. Let’s learn together.My Website: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcginty/Behind-The-Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Episodes
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5 snips
Aug 20, 2024 • 31min
Naomi Crawford - LUNCHETTE'S Secrets to a Sustainable Food Biz
Naomi Crawford, the founder and CEO of Lunchette, shares her journey in creating a sustainable restaurant in Petaluma, California. She discusses the challenges of launching a grab-and-go model and maintaining family balance. Naomi dives into implementing effective zero-waste policies and the importance of local sourcing. She also reflects on personal growth, vulnerability in entrepreneurship, and how aligning business practices with community values can drive success. Her insights illuminate how doing good can benefit both the environment and the bottom line.
Aug 13, 2024 • 45min
Karan Singh - Mastering Entrepreneurial Mindset: Insights from GINGER and HEADSPACE HEALTH Co-Founder
Today we have a special guest, Karan Singh, chatting with us about his journey in starting and growing a business in the mental health space. Karan is the co-founder and former chief operating officer of Ginger, a leading mental health and coaching platform that merged with Headspace in 2021 to form Headspace Health in a multi-billion dollar transaction.Although Headspace Health is far from a "small" business, Karan's journey started small, and the lessons, wisdom, and insights he shares are valuable for everyone.Under Karan's leadership, Ginger was recognized by Fast Company as One of the World's Top 10 most innovative companies in healthcare and was named a World Economic Forum technology pioneer. Karan also volunteers on the Dean's Advisory Council at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and was the recipient of MIT's Social Impact Fellowship.This episode is sponsored by Pareto Labs, an online business education platform.Connect with Karan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karanvsingh/Headspace Health: https://www.headspace.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Aug 6, 2024 • 51min
Rachel Platten - The Untold Story of her Singer-Songwriter Journey
Rachel Platten chats about the business of being a singer-songwriter. Rachel is the Emmy Award-winning, multi-platinum singer-songwriter of the global sensation Fight Song, which has been streamed over a billion times worldwide. Stand By You was certified platinum in the United States, and Better Place has been a ballad at countless weddings. Her songs have literally been anthems for millions. Rachel, modeled for Aries advertising campaign, has performed with Candlelight Concerts, New Year's Rockin' Eve in Times Square in New York City, and has been an avid supporter of a growing list of charities, including a dedication to Musicians on Call.Her newest album, I Am Rachel Platten, will be released on September 3rd of this year and will give the world a glimpse into the other parts of her life, the real and the raw side that so many keep hidden. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend that you pre-save her upcoming album HERE.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jul 30, 2024 • 32min
Jeremy LaDuke - DIY Marketing Secrets for Local Businesses from EPIC NINE’s Team
Today we have Jeremy LaDuke with us on the show. This interview is, in part, about Jeremy's journey starting a boutique marketing firm, but it's also an opportunity for him to share advice that could help anyone improve their do-it-yourself marketing. Jeremy is the founder CEO of Epic Nine Marketing Outfitters, a 15-person boutique marketing firm with two goals in mind to help great local businesses thrive and to create a wonderful workplace for creative people. Jeremy is also the author of Climb, a how-to book for local businesses to navigate the world of marketing. He is a board member for the Sky City Entrepreneur Center and the Loudoun County Education Foundation. His business, epic Nine, won Pigeon Forge Chambers 2023 Best Non-Tourism Business of the Year Award and has been nominated for the Best of Blount County's 2024 Small Business of the Year. Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jul 25, 2024 • 43min
Jenny Sauer-Klein - ACROYOGA’s Global Success: Lessons You Can’t Miss
Jenny Sauer-Klein's journey as a serial entrepreneur has seen her start four influential ventures, including AcroYoga, Scaling Intimacy School of Experience Design, Play on Purpose and The Culture Conference. Jenny co-founded AcroYoga, a global phenomenon blending acrobatics and yoga, which has captivated millions worldwide, including Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and Silicon Valley innovators. Professional athletes and Silicon Valley innovators. Her other ventures focus on creating transformational experiences and deep connection. Throughout her career, Jenny has been a sought-after speaker and consultant for top organizations including Google, airbnb, dropbox and UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Her insights and work have been featured in major media outlets such as the New York Times, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc Magazine and Tim Ferriss' book Tools of Titans.This episode is sponsored by Pareto Labs, an online business education platform.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jul 23, 2024 • 25min
Will Stults - The honest truth about starting an e-commerce business! A growing trend from smartphones to DUMB WIRELESS?
Will Stultz chats with us about the ups and downs of starting an e-commerce business. Will is the co-founder of Dumb Wireless, an e-commerce site that consolidates all of the world's best non-smartphones and accessories and sells about $100,000 worth of dumb phones and accessories per month. They also offer their own SIM cards, their own MVNO network and have collaborated with the Unplugged tag to offer solutions that can help people break free from their technology dependency. Dumb Wireless has been featured in the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, BBC and on CBS National.This episode is sponsored by Pareto Labs, an online business education platform.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jul 16, 2024 • 38min
Amy Wilkinson - STANFORD GSB Lecturer and CREATOR'S CODE Author Shares the Future’s Most Crucial Skills
Amy Wilkinson talks with us about the skills needed for the future and gives a glimpse into what is being taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Amy is the founder and CEO of Ingenuity, a lecturer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business and the author of the international bestseller The Creator's Code. She has written articles for Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Inc. Magazine and dozens more. Amy has been featured on NPR, is a top-ranked keynote speaker, and her TEDx talk on the Secret of How to Think Like an Entrepreneur has been described as a must-listen full of amazing content.Follow Amy Wilkinson on LinkedInSubscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jul 9, 2024 • 39min
Eric Henry - 30% of clothing never gets sold?! 12-Employee TS DESIGNS shares blueprint for starting a climate-friendly clothing line
Eric Henry is the owner of TS Designs (a 12-employee business) and Solid State Clothing and a trailblazer in environmentally friendly supply chain practices WhereYourClothing.com . His commitment to sustainability has extended to a TEDx talk he gave at Elon University, where he educated the crowd about the state of the apparel industry. He was awarded the 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year by his local chamber, is the president of the North Carolina Business Council and has sat on the board of over 10 different organizations. He is an inspiration for the entire textile industry. This episode is sponsored by Pareto Labs, an online business education platform.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jul 2, 2024 • 50min
Danielle Connor - A successful local coffee shop can make how much?! RETROGRADE COFFEE ROASTERS reveals secrets.
Danielle Connor shares her story and what she has learned going from employed barista to starting her own cafe and coffee roasting brand.Danielle is the co-founder of Retrograde, a popular local cafe Sebastopol, California and with a separate roasting facility in Petaluma.Retrograde was the first Certified Green coffee roaster and cafe in Sonoma County. Danielle takes a value-based approach in everything she does as a business owner, placing a focus on the people she works with and the quality of her products.Listen in to see how Beauty's Bagel Shop owner helped launch Danielle into her own coffee shop and her friend into Rolling Sloane's bakery; how friends at Blue Bottle Coffee and Andytown Coffee Roasters contributed to her success; how fond childhood visits to the Antique Society in Sebastopol made her want to move there; and why she chooses to work with Sweet Maria's and The Coffee Shrub for her beans.This episode is sponsored by Pareto Labs, an online business education platform.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
Jun 25, 2024 • 52min
Jacques Spitzer - Unlocking Marketing Magic: Mind-Blowing Insights from RAINDROP AGENCY, 4x Emmy and 2x Superbowl Ad Genuises!
Jacques Spitzer shares the secrets of how to create high performance marketing content that people actually enjoy watching. Jacques is the founder-CEO of Raindrop, an eight-figure, four-times Emmy Award-winning and two-times Super Bowl ad-producing creative agency that is also behind the top-performing ad in YouTube history.Their ads combine the best of entertainment and advertisement and have generated over a billion dollars in sales for clients, and he shares the formula in this episode. The San Diego Business Journal named Raindrop Agency as "one of the best places to work and Jacques as one of the most influential people in San Diego. The Los Angeles Times named him as one of California's most visionary CEOs.Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.Let’s connect!Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and BeyondWebsite: https://www.annemcginty.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcgintyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost
