Sarah Ford loves boots. It’s a key ingredient in many startup stories, a passion for the product. We talk to Sarah Ford about her business journey, from Harvard Business School to management consulting, from the crafting of bespoke boots in a live setting to the evolution into e-commerce. Sarah is an example of grit, determination, agility and creativity.

In the world of special events, he is a legend. Today on the show, a chat with world-renowned event designer David Beahm. David Beahm. Famous for his white beard and round glasses, he truly is an unforgettable persona. And if you’ve had the good luck to attend one of his remarkable events, then you know his gifts are truly special. But how did the man become the myth? It was the year 2000, and Hollywood IT girl was getting married to Hollywood royalty: the wedding of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. There was to be more than 1000 guests at the legendary Plaza hotel, and David Beahm was tasked with making their dreams a wedding reality. We talked to David about his small business journey, being a leader at the forefront of the burgeoning events industry, and the magic that can come from live events.

Plot twist!  In this week’s episode, host Angela Giovine turns the mic on herself to share her small business journey.  Angela leads Happenings Media, a media organization devoted digital, social & experiential marketing and media. She is passionate about small business, which led to the development of this podcast. Angela is joined by Jessica Kartalija, evening news anchor for CBS Philadelphia.  Angela talks to Jess about her journey from corporate America to small business ownership. After her interview with Jess, long-time friend employee, KC Schafer puts Angela in the hot seat.   Let's continue the conversation on social media.  Find us on Instagram (@extraordinarysmallbusiness) or Facebook (/extraordinarysmallbusiness) and let us know what you thought. Have more questions?  We'd love to hear them!

Tessa Miller has owned and operated The Nest in Reno's up-and-coming West District for 10 years. She often supplies the most sought-after vintage shops in San Francisco with her finds in Nevada's rural sprawling estates, mining moguls, ranchers, casino billionaires, Tahoe's lakeside mansions, and her informed eye at estate sales, garage sales, and more. We talked to Tessa about resilience, vision, and the art of making you passion a business.

Who doesn’t love cupcakes?  That’s the thought that former NFL stars Michael Griffin and Brian Orakpo had one day as they enjoyed some tasty treats.  Griffin and Orakpo both spent part of their professional football careers playing for the Tennessee Titans, which is where the original Gigi’s Cupcakes was located. So when the time came to move on from professional football, the pair was ready to enter the entrepreneurial world.  They joined forces with their college friend Bryan Hynson and together, they trio became “The Cupcake Guys."

It is dizzying to think about the way the internet has shaped, and reshaped, the way we do business, make money, and lead our lives. One of the more interesting aspects of e-commerce is the ability to be really successful and profitable in niche businesses. Ben Scrivens was a horror movie enthusiast from an early age. Age 4 to be exact. Little did he know that this hobby, combined with his creativity and ability to wield a little bit of coding, would help him to create one of the premier destinations for horror genre fans on the internet.     Ben started Fright-Rags.com in 2003 with one idea for a t-shirt. Since then he has grown it from a one-person operation from the spare room of his apartment to a 7-person business operating out of the old morgue in Rochester, NY. The Fright-Rags story is a fantastic example of the success that can come from combining the power of the niche with the power of the internet.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness Twitter: https://twitter.com/extraordinarysb Online: http://extraordinarysmallbusiness.com/ Join the #extraordinarysmallbusinesschallenge on social media!

There are over 1.5 million registered nonprofits in the United States alone.  And just like the world of business, nonprofits come in many shapes and sizes. While profit may not be a driving force when it comes to many nonprofits, there are many similarities between small businesses and small nonprofits, from living your passion to people management to planning for the future. Today we will touch on many of those topics with Jen Andruzzi, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of the Joe Andruzzi Foundation.   In 2007, Jen’s husband, former New England Patriots three-time Super Bowl-winning offensive guard Joe Andruzzi, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Burkitt’s lymphoma, ending his football career.    Joe would go on to beat the disease, and he remains cancer-free today, but a new passion grew from his own battle: helping less-fortunate patients and their families. After witnessing first-hand the stress cancer can cause, Jen and Joe formed the Joe Andruzzi Foundation to help cancer patients and their families meet life’s day-to-day challenges.

Taxes.  Business structures.  These seemingly straightforward topics are actually ANYTHING but simple.  Large corporations all across the world employ teams of people to develop the ideal business structures for legal protection and tax advantages.  But what about small businesses?  Enter Ross Brunson. Ross has devoted his entire career to assisting small business owners in these important matters.  And as a business owner himself, Ross has seen firsthand, how the digital age has transformed his industry.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness Twitter: https://twitter.com/extraordinarysb Online: http://extraordinarysmallbusiness.com/ Join the #extraordinarysmallbusinesschallenge on social media!

Today, email marketing is a tool used by all businesses, big and small. But back in 1998, Tom Kulzer was a college student looking for an automated way to keep in touch with his clients. AWeber was born, as many great businesses are, out of a desire to fix a personal problem he faced. Today, with over 20 years of success, 100 employees, and over 100,000 customers served, AWeber is recognized as one of the early players that helped define the email marketing industry. How did AWeber did continue to grow, scale, and truly thrive as a bootstrapped business alongside competitors who chose the path of venture capital? Tom Kulzer gives us a peek behind the curtain. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness Twitter: https://twitter.com/extraordinarysb Online: http://extraordinarysmallbusiness.com/ Join the #extraordinarysmallbusinesschallenge on social media!

How did craft brewing company Yuengling survive almost 200 years, through prohibition and the dawn of the mega brewery? This is the story of how Yuengling deployed character, community, grit, and resilience to become the largest craft brewery, the 6th overall largest brewery, and America’s oldest brewery, all while maintaining 100% family ownership? We had the honor to chat with Debbie Yuengling.  Debbie shared with us her memories of the company from childhood, what drew her into the family business, what aspects of their business and culture have given them such staying power, and how family can work together to succeed, generation after generation.    Join the #extraordinarysmallbusinesschallenge on social media! Instagram: instagram.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness Facebook: facebook.com/extraordinarysmallbusiness Twitter: twitter.com/extraordinarysb Online: extraordinarysmallbusiness.com   This episode was made possible by ClickFunnels.  Software that will LEVEL UP your small business.  Check them out—> http://extraordinarysmallbusiness.com/clickfunnels