EWH University for Small Business Podcast

In this episode of the EWH University for Small Business Podcast, Joseph Hastreiter sits down with Heather Silva to explore one of the biggest transitions every entrepreneur faces—growing from a solo business owner to leading a successful team. Heather shares her journey from being a solo hair stylist to building and leading a thriving team, along with the leadership lessons, challenges, and mindset shifts that made it possib...

In this episode, we ask a powerful question: what's your wish for where you want to be 10, 20, 30, or even 40 years from now after a lifetime of running your business? Time will pass faster than you think, and the life you'll have then will be the direct result of the decisions and commitments you make today. Too often, we get caught up in the daily grind—so busy making a living that we forget to build a life. This conversati...

Are you afraid of ChatGPT—or just unsure what it really is? If you're a small business owner and not using this powerful tool, you're missing out on opportunities to save time, reduce costs, and grow your business. In this episode, we dive into what ChatGPT is and explore real-life examples of how business owners are using it to streamline processes, enhance marketing, and tackle everyday tasks. From creating detailed spreads...

Starting a small business is tough, but getting off to the right start can make all the difference between success and failure. In this episode, we'll share essential tips and strategies to lay a solid foundation for success. Whether you're launching a new venture or giving your current business a fresh perspective, this show is packed with practical advice and actionable steps. Get ready for another great show filled with fuel, in...

Change, adaptation, and innovation are essential to growing a business—but staying relevant gets even harder the longer you're in business. In this episode, we sit down with Dan Meyer, founder of BizTimes Milwaukee, who's grown and evolved his company for 30 years in one of the most disrupted industries: publishing. If you want real-world lessons on navigating change, adapting, innovation and building long-term success, this ...

After living through a painfully bad sales and customer service experience, I was reminded of a powerful truth—we're all in leadership. Whether you're in sales, service, operations, or management, your ability to influence, communicate, and lead others matters. In this episode, I share the experience we've all lived through, and how it reveals the simple, universal formula we use with teams and businesses to improve communica...

In this episode, I'm talking about how we doubled the size of the family business I grew up in—and the key insights that can help you double the size of your business too. Success leaves clues, and what we learned in our family business—and then built on—can help you build on your own success. If you're ready to grow, these takeaways will give you the tools, mindset, and strategies to take your business to the nex...

In the spirit of Father's Day—and in honor of the man this university was named after—this episode is dedicated to the lessons I learned from my dad that helped us double our family business. After college, I joined the business he built from the ground up, and the greatest gift of my life was not just learning from him, but doing it with him. In this show, I'll share the strategies, insights, and golden nuggets I learn...

On the entrepreneurial journey, breakthroughs often come from those powerful aha moments—when things finally click and you see the path forward. In this episode, we unpack the six core aha insights every business owner needs to grow, scale, and lead more effectively. While business can feel complex, it really comes down to six key areas—six problems to solve or opportunities to unlock. When you understand these, you tak...

What does it really mean to grow the value of your business? In this episode, we unpack the true job of a business owner—not the manager, the leader, or the talent, but the one responsible for building long-term value. You'll learn what it looks like to wear the owner hat, think like a chairman or CEO, and focus on the outcomes that actually grow a business that's profitable, transferable, and built to last. Because at the en...

Do you feel like you have to do everything yourself to keep your business running? You're not alone. Many business owners get trapped in the mindset that no one else can do it as well—or fear what might happen if they delegate. But real growth doesn't come from doing more—it comes from learning how to lead more. In this episode, we break down what it truly means to work smarter, not harder, and why stepping fully into t...

Have the goal of selling and exiting your business someday? In this episode, we explore the entrepreneur's journey from start-up to scale to exit—and what it really takes to create a business that's both profitable and valuable. Because before you can sell something, you have to build a business that's truly worth the value you want for it when you exit. Whether you're just getting started or already thinking about exiting&md...

In this episode, we'll unpack what it really takes to become a top workplace and how to apply those lessons to build a great team and create a business your people love being part of. No one can replicate your culture—and when done right, it becomes one of your most significant competitive advantages. Plus, we will learn from a company I knew inside and out: the family business I grew up in, was a partner for 15 years, and he...

In Part 2 of our conversation with Chuck from Tri-County Contracting, we dive into how they scaled through better teamwork, smarter hiring, building systems, and sharpening their marketing. Chuck shares how improving meetings, training, streamlining processes, and strengthening communication helped them grow with intention. We also began unpacking a tool they used to refine their marketing, which helped fuel continued growth—...

Success leaves clues—and in this episode, Chuck from Tri County Contracting joins us to share how they laid the financial foundation to scale their business. We explore how they gained control of their finances, dialed in their bookkeeping, and used financial statements to drive better decisions and, most importantly, become profitable. Chuck also discusses how re-evaluating their pricing strategy was a critical move to incre...