She spent two decades working in 2 languages, hosted several awards shows and interviews entertainers for major networks. Now, Emmy Award winner and Puerto-Rican influencer Pili Montilla shares how she leveraged her background to begin a co-owned fashion business! At the heart of Pili's story is a message of pitfalls as an actress plus aligning her own values when representing major brands like Walmart, Lexus and Starbucks. Take a few minutes to hear what drives her business success from a diversity lens. 

What inspires someone to leave a six-figure career and launch their own transformational leadership coaching business? How does one break into business coaching? Michellea Millis Rucker, Founder/CEO of Transforming Your Practice, LLC.,. is our guest and gives us the back story of her leap. From assisting non-profits and education to being an Entrepreneur herself, Michellea's journey is unique and will reveal learning experiences for any future business coach. 

The code of conduct for MMA-style training camps and facilities align closely to successful business models: Trust, Embracing failure, Emotional control and Fundamentals. They are also pretty close to our BBB 8 Standards of Trust! This is why we invited Sensei Scottie C. Jackson of PKIMMA San Antonio to walk us through (or kick our way through) the values of operating a mixed martial arts facility. What brought a retired Air Force officer trained as a software engineer into the MMA/Jukido world- and what lessons does he pass along to his "little dragons" that business operators can utilize?

Dog training in 2022 has truly adapted! With record adoptions during COVID, many families turned to professional dog trainers. As we learn, not all organizations practice a positive-reinforcement model, nor take time to truly understand their 4-legged clients. Our guest Glenda Herrin of Heeling Hounds Dog Training welcomed us to her ranch and gave us a glimpse of how she develops 1:1 relationships with pets (and their owners) to ensure a happy home and outcome. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Glenda also walked us through her transition from career Military to a field she truly "digs"!

The pandemic allowed the greatest remote work experiment the world has known. According to Ergonomic Trends, 68% of Americans now prefer a hybrid work model that consists of some sort of remote working. Enter: flexible office space rentals. Just like many industries, coworking operators took a hit during COVID-19 but is experiencing a major resurgence thanks factors like: proximity to the suburbs, office sites by the hour and management thru a single app. We welcome Luis Escobar, President/CEO of VenturePoint Everywhere who will share his entrepreneurial journey and his vision for flex space in the next few years.

Over $10 Billion dollars in insurance claims were paid out to property owners in Texas as a result of Winter Storm Uri. What did we learn? What does this teach us about risk mitigation for a future event? Who do we contact when we see insurance fraud? We chat with Melissa Herman from TDI (Texas Department of Insurance) on what small businesses should look for in their insurance companies. We also ask a few questions to learn more about TDI and their specific role in ensuring a level playing field. GUEST: Melissa Herman, Manager of P&C Division SHOW NOTES: TDI Help Line: 800-252-3439 http://www.TDI.Texas.gov 

Our guest this week is Interim President/CEO Rudy Garza, talking everything from winterization to small business initiatives and scams. SHOW NOTES: CPS Energy (210) 353-2222 general information (210) 353-2782 Approved solar vendor program www.cpsenergy.com

Hundreds of thousands of dollars are lost annually to unsuspecting buyers or sellers of timeshares. Many times, we need experts, agents or companies to help timeshare owners navigate the choppy waters. But not all timeshares are the same and not all companies are playing a fair game.  Our guest is J. Andrew Meyer, an attorney with Florida-based Finn Law Group who specializes in this area. Andrew will help us break down the common tactics scammers use against timeshare seekers and owners. We will also discuss what they are seeing and tips to help avoid a fraudulent situation. 

Think about your last hotel stay (if you can remember). You wanted everything to be just right, after all, it was your home away from home. From the booking process to service, cleanliness to price, COVID-19 severely disrupted the hotel business. Smaller hotel operators struggled to keep rooms booked, yet maintained operations and safety for employees. So what does their recovery look like? We sit down with Sarah Japalucci, Director of Sales and Marketing for Holiday Inn of Temple-Belton, Texas. They are a recent BBB Torch Award for Ethics finalist and shared some insight into what makes their hotel unique and the charm of the Temple area. 

What are the advantages of living, working, and playing in a mixed use community? Business park? While the amenities may seem attractive to small business, Brooks in San Antonio is amping up the tired business model. A former U.S. Air Force base, Brooks houses International headquarters, hotels, apartments and a variety of small businesses into a dynamic ecosystem (with its own zip code). Connie Gonzalez is the newly minted Chief Strategy Officer for Brooks and shares what she sees for 2022 and beyond.  SHOW NOTES: www.livebrooks.com