Mind the Business: Small Business Success Stories — an all-new podcast from QuickBooks and iHeart. Listen now!

Thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs start a new business each year. They’re doing it to follow their dreams and make a difference — not because they know the first thing about running a business. Sound like you? You’re not alone! Lots of new business owners don’t feel totally confident running the business side of the business. And while there are an infinite number of articles claiming to have the information you need to launch your new business, there are hardly any insights into what it truly takes to be your own boss. 

That’s where we come in. Presenting “Mind the Business: Small Business Success Stories,” an all-new podcast from QuickBooks, in collaboration with iHeartRadio, that delves into the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship in every episode. Join hosts Jannese Torres (Yo Quiero Dinero) and Austin Hankwitz (Rate of Return) as they interview small business owners who have been there, and done that. Listen and learn valuable lessons from their experiences that can guide you through your own small business journey.

You can start listening right now. Bookmark this page and check back every other week for a brand-new episode, or find new episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

Episode 1: How to Raise Capital and Find Funding For Your Small Business

You have to spend money to make money. But you have to have money to spend it. In this episode, Austin and Jannese discuss the types of funding available to small businesses. And Ami Kumordzie, founder of Sika Health, shares her story of beating the odds as a Black woman by raising $6.2M from investors during a pandemic. 

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Episode 2: Knowing Your Best Audience For the Best Marketing Strategy

Having a great product or service is a great start. But customers can’t buy from your business if they don’t know it exists. That’s where a solid marketing strategy comes in. In this episode, Jannese and Austin discuss how they use social media to build their brands. And viral marketer Andrea Casanova shares her story of immigrating to the US and building a successful marketing agency. 

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Episode 3: Money Management to Keep You on the Right Track

The goal of your business is to make money — but unless you’re diligently managing your finances, you could be leaving money on the table. Tracking cash flow, managing expenses, and cutting unnecessary costs are smart ways to keep your money management in check. In this episode, Jannese and Austin share how business accounts can help. They’re joined by Jessica Spaulding, founder of Harlem Chocolate Factory, who shares how she had to adjust her accounting practices as her business grew. 

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Episode 4: Keeping Your Head Above Zero

You’ve come to expect instant gratification. If you want to buy something, you can purchase it instantly from your phone (and even have it delivered within the same day). If you want to know the answer to a question, you can Google it and find out within just a few seconds. If you want to make a profit from your new business — well, that’s going to take some time. As a new business, it could take years to see a profit, which can be discouraging. But that doesn’t mean your business can’t be successful. Emily Doyle and Mei Kwok, founders of Dune Suncare, join hosts Janneese and Austin to share some of the early decisions they made that resulted in substantial growth for their business. 

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Episode 5: The Duty of Delegation

As a small business owner, you probably wear a lot of hats. Maybe even all the hats. But balancing all those hats simply isn’t sustainable long term. Hats are going to get dropped one way or another. Enter delegation. As your business grows, it’s important to delegate some tasks and responsibilities so you can focus your efforts on what matters most. In this episode, Janneese and Austin sit down with influencer Christen Nino de Guzman, creator of Clara for Creators, to hear how she learned to navigate work/life balance through the art of delegation. 

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Episode 6: How to Be a Better Boss

Running your own business means being your own boss — but it also means being a boss to others. Part of operating a successful business is creating and maintaining a good relationship with your employees. In this episode, Kevin Wong, co-founder of Lunar Hard Seltzer, joins Janneese and Austin to share how he transformed his two-man team into a growing business that hires in multiple cities. 

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Episode 7: The Economy Changes But Your Profitability Doesn't Have To

The pandemic, paired with a period of economic downpour, has made for a challenging few years for small businesses. In this episode, Janneese and Austin sit down with Gulaid and Davina Ismail, co-founders of INI Sips, to talk about how their dream of owning a local coffee shop shifted after COVID-19. The couple pivoted into e-commerce to salvage their business… and grew in ways they never anticipated. 

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Episode 8: Weigh Your Options When Scaling Your Business

Your business is up and running smoothly — finally! Now it’s time to grow, right? Unfortunately, growing your business may be easier said than done. The tools you used to survive the first few years might not serve you as you transition to the thriving stage of business. You might need to make some foundational changes to support the growth you want to achieve. In this episode, Chris Triebes, founder of The WC Social Club, shares how he scaled up. 

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