The Small Business Safari
Have you ever sat there and wondered "What am I doing here stuck in the concrete zoo of the corporate world?" Are you itching to get out? Chris Lalomia and his co-host Alan Wyatt traverse the jungle of entrepreneurship. Together they share their stories and help you explore the wild world of SCALING your business. With many years of owning their own small businesses, they love to give insight to the aspiring entrepreneur. So, are you ready to make the jump?
Episodes
What happens when a business owner reaches their breaking point? In this raw, unfiltered conversation with business coach Ellen Tyler, we explore the reality behind those make-or-break moments that define entrepreneurial journeys.
The episode opens with host Chris Lalomia sharing his recent experience making the painful decision to let go of a 12-year employee after months of declining performance. This leads...
Ever wondered how some businesses seem to have plenty of cash while others with similar revenue struggle to make payroll? The secret lies in understanding the financial gap between money coming in and money going out—and nobody explains this better than Cashflow Mike.
In this eye-opening episode, Mike Milan shares his remarkable journey from state trooper to financial expert, revealing how accident reconstruc...
Ever wonder what keeps your friendly neighborhood business attorney up at night? Hint: it's watching entrepreneurs shake hands on partnerships without proper documentation, then having to pick up the pieces when it all falls apart.
Brandon Woodward, founder of Woodward, Kelly, Fulton and Kaplan, cuts through the legal mystique to deliver straight talk about protecting your small business. With 25 years o...
James Holivsky of The Fran Dream shares his journey from corporate America to helping athletes and professionals find the right franchise fit, revealing what makes a successful franchise owner and which concepts offer the best opportunities today.
• After 25 years in corporate America, James helped grow a restaurant chain from 1 to 100 stores before partnering with NFL players on various concepts
• Athlet...
Charles and Clay Gridley, the father-son duo behind Six Bridges Brewing, share their journey from homebrewers to successful craft brewery owners with two locations in Georgia's Johns Creek and Milton areas. They reveal how strategic infrastructure planning, distribution partnerships, and community engagement have helped them thrive for seven years in a competitive market.
• Started as homebrewers before ...
Derek and Andrea Johnston share their journey from enjoying a charcuterie board on their first date to founding The Gathering Board, a successful charcuterie business started during the pandemic.
• Started business without formal planning after discovering no similar services existed in their area
• Built their website in three days and received their first non-friend order while grocery shopping
• In...
Justin shares his entrepreneurial journey from math teacher to software sales professional to exterior cleaning business owner, revealing how a layoff turned his side hustle into a full-time venture.
• Started with just $4,000 investment and his wife's blessing to "go fail"
• Prioritized education by traveling to learn from industry veterans rather than figuring it out alone
• Discovere...
Mindset coach Renata Mazu reveals how mental blocks prevent business growth and success despite having the right strategies and knowledge. She explores the psychology behind why entrepreneurs sabotage themselves through fear, past trauma, and unconscious patterns that keep them stuck.
• Most business owners know what to do but are held back by mindset issues and "head trash"
• Our past experienc...
What happens when a fallen preacher finds redemption behind prison walls? Kit Cummings shares his extraordinary journey from respected church leader to rock bottom, and how this painful path ultimately led him to discover his true calling.
With unflinching honesty, Kit reveals how the pressures of leading a 5,000-member congregation led to personal struggles that cost him everything. After a life-changing car...
Fernando Melo shares his incredible journey from Brazilian immigrant to successful business owner with M&M Home Exteriors, providing roofing, siding, gutters, windows, doors, painting and deck services throughout Atlanta.
• Fernando's dream to visit America and Disney World as a child led to his immigration in 2000
• Started with zero English skills, sleeping on a stranger's couch while atte...
Michael shares his journey from Enterprise Rent-A-Car to real estate entrepreneurship, highlighting how each career step taught valuable lessons about leadership, influence, and customer service. His decision to leave corporate America wasn't about dissatisfaction but about creating a life and business fully aligned with his and his wife Cristi's deeper goals.
• Starting as a rental car agent and wi...
Christi shares her remarkable journey from military police to Phoenix PD sex crimes detective to successful real estate entrepreneur in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Her story reveals how transferable skills and authentic networking can lead to success in an entirely new field.
• Began career as Military Police after ROTC college scholarship
• Spent nearly 22 years with Phoenix Police Department, primarily in the ...
Every job is a sales job, and every interaction is a sales interaction. Learning to understand needs, help people, find solutions collaboratively, and remove the "ick factor" from the sales process transforms how we approach all our business relationships.
• Sales begins with selling yourself authentically and consistently
• Your body language constitutes 80% of communication, even in virtual se...
Ryan Lee joins the podcast to discuss his journey o to successful landscape lighting entrepreneur, he discusses how focusing on a specific niche can lead to massive business growth in home services.
GOLD NUGGETS
Dominate a niche. By dropping every service except landscape lighting, Ryan positioned himself as the expert, commanded premium pricing, and built a brand that buyers noticed.
Marinate your price. Share pric...
Liz Steblay joins us to share her expertise on successful solopreneurship, drawing from her experience building multimillion-dollar businesses without employees. She reveals the essential strategies that help independent consultants and service providers build wealth and create sustainable businesses.
• Definition of solopreneur: self-employed person without employees who doesn't aim to grow beyond thems...
Lance Cayko shares his remarkable journey from North Dakota farm boy to Colorado architect, builder, and developer, revealing how one summer job at age 13 sparked his entrepreneurial path.
• Finding his passion in construction after quitting farm work with his father after just one week
• Learning the multiplier concept and business fundamentals from his first mentor, Bruce
• Working in different trad...
Rosco Graves, founder and CEO of Polaxis, shares his journey from corporate finance to entrepreneurship and explains how fractional CFO services can transform small business operations and profitability.
• Building trust with clients starts with understanding their unique needs and personalities
• The value of storytelling in financial services—translating numbers into meaningful narratives
• Why &quo...
Collin Graves shares his journey from Air Force mechanic working on B-1 bombers to founding successful cloud computing and data analytics companies. He discovered his entrepreneurial path by identifying specific pain points for construction companies, creating cloud-based file-sharing solutions, and eventually building North Labs, where his team develops data analytics systems that transform businesses.
• Bui...
Will transformed his background in digital marketing to create a thriving dog waste removal business, turning a simple concept into a multi-million dollar enterprise within just a few years. His journey proves that finding underserved niches and applying sound business principles can create extraordinary opportunities even in seemingly ordinary services.
• Started with digital marketing background before real...
Al Levy transformed his family's heating business into a multi-trade powerhouse spanning four generations by developing comprehensive systems, training programs, and clearly defined organizational structures.
• Building operating manuals that defined processes objectively in writing
• Creating a corresponding training center to transform willing apprentices into skilled technicians
• Implementing...
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