Rising Tide Startups

What happens when the longtime hosts steps into the spotlight himself? Kevin Prewett is the host of the Rising Tide Startups podcast and the founder of Podbrand Media. After nearly a decade behind the microphone interviewing hundreds of entrepreneurs, he is stepping into a new chapter. What once lived alongside a long career in nonprofit leadership is now becoming his primary focus, helping founders and businesses use podcasting to build trust and tell real stories. Kevin’s path into podcasting began unexpectedly in January 2018. While working in the nonprofit sector and living across four countries on three continents, he started a podcast simply to stay close to the startup world and ask better questions. That curiosity grew into a viable business when a guest asked him to host their company podcast. Now, as he transitions out of nonprofit leadership, Kevin is doubling down on the work that never stopped pulling him in. In this episode, the roles reverse as guest host Steve Collins steps in as Kevin takes the hot seat. They reflect on Kevin’s transition from nonprofit leadership to entrepreneurship, the lessons learned from years of founder conversations, and the patterns that separate those who push through the dips from those who fade.   Key Takeaways: Conversation Beats Scripts. The strongest insights surface when curiosity leads the conversation and follow-up questions replace rigid lists. Consistency Wins Long-Term. Most efforts fade early, but discipline over time is what carries ideas past the initial excitement. Relatability Builds Trust. Lessons land harder when they come from people still close enough to the struggle to feel real. Ideas Need Execution. Creativity only matters when paired with consistent ollow-through and the willingness to iterate. Discipline Outlasts Market Shifts. Long-term success comes less from timing and more from personal discipline. Mentorship Requires Honesty. The most valuable mentors have lived the work and are willing to tell you the truth. Character Scales. Trust, integrity, and reliability quietly shape reputations that grow alongside the business. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Kevin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-prewett  Podbrand Media: Podbrandmedia.com   Closing thought: "You can be consistently disciplined with a bad idea and it won't work. But if you have an idea that has a market and potential, discipline is everything." - Kevin Prewett​   Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Explore https://naviqus.com now to get your business off to a strong start in 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own company or brand podcast? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

Consistency is Key.   Most people spend weeks overthinking their first LinkedIn post, waiting for the perfect idea or brand. Jessie Van Bruegel believes that the approach is backwards. As a content strategist and creator who’s posted daily on LinkedIn for nearly four years, he’s built a business helping experts productize their knowledge into scalable info offerings, backed by purple-branded visuals that are hard to miss. In this episode of Rising Tide Startups, host Kevin Prewett talks with Jessie about quitting a tech unicorn job in Amsterdam during the pandemic and becoming one of LinkedIn’s most recognizable voices. After struggling to monetize on Twitter despite building 10,000 followers, Jessie committed to a 30-day LinkedIn streak in April 2022. He’s still going, and that consistency has helped drive millions in revenue for his clients. Jessie breaks down why the hook matters most, how he separates ideation from creation to keep content sustainable, and why “the things only you can say” will be the differentiator in 2026. He also shares his Monday scheduling routine, his authority-content formula, and what’s behind his lead magnet posts, including how 40% now hit 1,000+ comments. Plus, why he calls himself the “ultimate guinea pig,” testing AI workflows and YouTube growth before teaching what works. Key Takeaways: Say the Things Only You Can Say. Generic content is a commodity. Specificity, personal experience, and a unique perspective create markets where you have no competition. Focus on Inputs, Not Outputs. You can't control views, likes, or shares. You can control how often you post, how deeply you research, and how consistently you show up. Separate Ideation From Creation. Use different parts of your brain for different tasks. Collect ideas continuously, then schedule dedicated time to write and produce. The Hook Is Everything. If the first two lines don't create a curiosity gap, nobody reads the rest. Spend 80% of your effort on the hook and visual. Build Systems, Not Habits. Entrepreneurs aren't content creators—they're business owners. Marketing should be a scheduled task, not an all-day activity. Volume Negates Luck. Compress six months of work into three weeks. Post more, learn faster, and identify what works through rapid iteration. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR   Connect with Jessie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessievanbreugel/  Authority Figures: https://authority-figures.com/    Closing thought: "In 2026, if there's one content lesson I want to give everyone: say the things only you can say. If you remove your name and profile picture from a post and someone else can copy it word-for-word, it's not specific enough." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective content creation and lead generation!

Most employees talk about leaving the corporate world someday. Amber Goetz didn’t just talk about it, she actually did it. Her path there was anything but typical. Before building her SEO agency, she spent years as a programmer, TV host, and stunt driver, racing cars and motorcycles for commercials and television. Later, she walked away from a secure marketing job to rebuild her own agency on her own terms. In this episode of Rising Tide Startups, Amber shares why the slow pace and red tape of corporate life finally pushed her back into entrepreneurship. She runs The Active Media, an SEO and web development agency that helps businesses jump from being buried in search results to showing up where customers actually click and call. She explains how AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini have changed how people search, why keyword-based pricing no longer works, and how she now builds campaigns around effort, aggressiveness, and real outcomes.​ Amber talks about how local service businesses can win against bigger brands by treating their Google Business Profile like a true storefront, and why clear communication and strong boundaries with clients keep her business from feeling like a job again. She also shares what living in southern Utah has taught her about people who actually act on big ideas, and her dream of launching a podcast featuring her clients and writing a book to help women grow their authority online.   Key Takeaways: Get clear on what you do best. Naming your core skill and obsessing over it is the first step out of the golden handcuffs.​ Update how you price SEO. Flat keyword packages no longer match how people search, so build offers around time, intensity, and results.​ Let data lead your decisions. Test, measure, and adjust campaigns based on performance instead of guessing what should work.​ Treat Google Business Profile like your storefront. Local businesses that keep it active and complete can outrank much bigger companies.​ Protect your boundaries. Saying no to clients who ignore your time and process keeps entrepreneurship from feeling like another corporate job.​ Define your ideal client early. Knowing exactly who you want on the other end of the phone shapes your messaging, pricing, and red flags.  Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR   Connect with Amber: The Active Media: theactivemedia.com Goetz Go: goetzgo.com   Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

Most 20-somethings are still figuring out their first job. Noah Tidwell dropped out of college, bought a moving company, ran it for five years, sold it, and launched a new business helping home service owners automate their operations. All before most people finish grad school. In this episode of Rising Tide Startups, Noah shares how he discovered his real passion wasn't running a moving company but solving the operational headaches that kept him up at night. The inefficiencies, the manual processes, the time sucks that every blue collar business owner deals with but doesn't have time to fix. So he sold his company and built Solo Operator to do exactly that. Now he's helping small home service businesses get their time back by implementing systems, automations, and processes that actually work. Noah talks about the discipline it takes to focus on high leverage activities, why he hires fast and fires fast in the home service space, and his vision for Solo Operator Labs where he takes equity stakes in businesses instead of charging monthly retainers. He also shares lessons from his dad (who was a previous guest on this podcast), why nobody will ever care about your business as much as you do, and his dream of backpacking through Europe once he builds a business that runs without him. Key Takeaways: Focus on signal, not noise. Identify your highest leverage tasks each day and complete them before anything else. Do what you actually love. If you're dreading most of your work, it's time to pivot toward what energizes you, even if it means starting over. Nobody will care as much as you. You can't expect employees to have the same drive as a founder. Accept that and set realistic expectations. Partner for ownership, not just payment. Taking a piece of the business instead of charging fees aligns incentives and opens doors when cash is limited. Small businesses need systems to survive. Whether you want to grow or exit, having documented processes and automation in place isn't optional anymore. Build a business that runs without you. True freedom means being able to step away and know everything still works. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Noah: Solooperator: solooperator.co  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-tidwell-18645b2a2/ Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

What if equity could move as fast as code? Most founders spend thousands on lawyers, cap table management, and outdated infrastructure just to raise money and distribute equity. Joris Delanoue thinks that's ridiculous. As co-founder and CEO of Fairmint, he's building the rails to move private equity onto the blockchain, turning cap tables into smart contracts and making ownership as easy to transfer as sending an email. In this episode of Rising Tide Startups, Joris shares his journey from being a serial entrepreneur in France to a blockchain pioneer in Silicon Valley. After selling multiple companies and experiencing the pain of locked-up investments and cap tables that were impossible to manage, he moved to the US with one goal: to fix capitalism. What started as an idea for a startup exchange using SPVs evolved into Fairmint, a platform that's already moved over $1 billion in equity onto the blockchain. Joris breaks down why blockchain is the superior technology for securities, how Fairmint is deintermediating traditional finance without sacrificing compliance, and why privacy features like zero-knowledge proofs are unlocking trillions of dollars in institutional capital. He also discusses the shift from infrastructure as CapEx to OpEx, and how transfer agents are suddenly the most sought-after role in finance. Additionally, he shares his belief that entrepreneurship changes the world faster than politics ever will. Key Takeaways: Blockchain is a superior infrastructure for equity. Just like cloud computing replaced private servers, blockchain will replace traditional financial rails because it's faster, cheaper, and more efficient. Cap tables should be smart contracts. Moving equity onto the blockchain eliminates intermediaries, reduces costs, and makes ownership programmable and liquid. Compliance is a feature, not a bug. Being an SEC-registered transfer agent means investors don't lose their assets if they lose their private keys. You can always recover securities with proper ID. Infrastructure can become a profit center. With the right tokenomics, what used to be operational expenses can now generate revenue instead of costing money. Equity should be accessible to everyone. Employees, contractors, partners, and community members who contribute value should be able to participate in the financial upside. Entrepreneurship beats politics. As a founder, you can impact billions of people through what you build, the values you embed, and the vision you execute.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR   Connect with Joris: Fairmint: https://www.fairmint.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delanoue/ Closing thought: "The worst thing you can do is not know what to do and start chasing rabbits. Sometimes it's just better to do nothing." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective content creation and lead generation!

Sometimes a setback does more than stop you; it reroutes you. Petra Zink is a Brand & Business Growth Strategist, Keynote Speaker, and Author who helps executives and founders turn their reputation into scalable revenue. She's the founder of impaCCCt and The360Talent.Co, host of the Trusted Authority™ Podcast, and author of Trusted Authority: From Unknown to Known. Originally from Austria, Petra has been living in Australia for 16 years after coming for a six-month stay. Her journey started after being put on a performance improvement plan instead of getting the promotion she expected. Petra developed the impaCCCt framework based on a simple observation: when she asked recruitment candidates what they wanted, they all said "I want to make an impact," but few could explain what that actually looked like. Petra turned that insight into a challenge: how do you turn something so abstract into a process anyone can follow? The result was her impaCCCt framework, built around three pillars—Clarify, Communicate, and Commercialize. Petra also shares why foundation work is essential, how she condensed her program into an intensive full-day immersion, and why working out loud with experiments beats playing it safe.  Key Takeaways: Your Beliefs Plus Your Behavior Build Your Brand. If you don't believe you're good enough, you won't take the actions to reshape how you're seen. Get Reps In Before Seeking Perfection. Start with small experiments rather than waiting for the perfect business model. The Three O's of Credibility Matter.  Build your own credibility. Tap into other people's credibility through association. Create on-the-go credibility by working out loud. Foundation Work Is Unsexy But Essential. Positioning yourself takes time and isn't visible, but without it, your marketing assets mean nothing. Speed Creates Better Results. The faster you get assets out there, the quicker you get feedback to refine what works. Work Out Loud With Stretch Goals. Set ambitious experiments and document the journey publicly so people can help you. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Petra: LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/petrazink impaCCCt: https://www.impaccct.com/ Trusted Authority™ Podcast: https://www.impaccct.com/trusted-authority-the-podcast Closing thought: "People often think they have to have the perfect idea or the perfect business model to get started. You’ll never start perfect, because there’s always something new to learn." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2025! Podbrand Media - Every company or brand needs its own podcast? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

What if one random podcast episode on a Tuesday completely changed your career trajectory? Agne Maria Moa is a content strategist at Notus, one of Europe's leading personal branding agencies, where she helps founders build their LinkedIn presence. Her journey started when she accidentally listened to a podcast by Rory Vaden about how personal brands impact sales. The next day, she posted her first piece of content. While still a university student in Lithuania, Agne worked unpaid for six months at an early-stage agency while her peers worked as baristas. Agne takes a different approach that goes beyond chasing virality. She's learned that breakthrough comes from pushing through when you have zero engagement and nobody's responding. She starts with deep interviews to understand clients' backgrounds and goals before creating anything. Rather than copying what works for others, she helps founders figure out what makes them unique and builds strategies around their personal experiences. This conversation gets into building a personal brand from scratch. Agne shares how she dealt with impostor syndrome as a student with no experience, why she did things differently when everyone questioned her, and how focusing on value attracted opportunities.  Key Takeaways: Do Something Different to Build Success. Building an extraordinary life means doing what others aren't doing, even when it feels uncomfortable. Push Through the Uncomfortable Period. Breakthrough happens after you gain momentum, but you have to keep posting when nobody's engaging. Strategy Before Content. Understand your goals, target audience, and what makes you unique before creating posts or chasing engagement. Personal Stories Beat Tactical Advice. Content that ties personal experience to insights performs significantly better than generic how-to posts. Don't Chase Virality at the Expense of Positioning. High engagement doesn't matter if it positions you wrong or attracts people who won't become clients. Test Different Content Pillars. Mix tactical advice, personal stories, industry insights, and aspirational content to find what resonates. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR   Connect with Agne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnemokrikaite/ Calendly: https://calendly.com/agne-mokrikaite/30min   Closing thought: "In order to be successful in life, you need to do something completely different to what other people are doing." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand? Podbrandmedia.com can help. Affordable and effective content creation and lead generation!

What if getting laid off was actually the push you needed to build the life you wanted? Lauren Gibson is a writer and email marketing strategist who helps founders, agency owners, and coaches grow through newsletters and community-building. She's worked across human rights, tech, and entrepreneurship, including the co-founder of Ethereum on a DeFi project. After traveling to 44 countries, earning her MBA at Georgetown, and getting laid off from the NFT market in 2023, Lauren turned what could have been devastating into the catalyst she needed to build her own business. This episode is packed with unique insights on the psychological challenges of transitioning from employee to entrepreneur, especially for highly educated professionals. She's discovered that people with advanced degrees often struggle more because they've been trained to value their worth through employer validation. Her journey from relief at being laid off to building a profitable business in under a year shows that sometimes the scariest moments become the biggest opportunities. Lauren also shares how she overcame analysis paralysis, dropped her ego to take on pro bono work, and built her business through organic marketing. Her insights on the future of work, email lists versus social media, and why consistency beats passion offer practical wisdom for anyone considering the entrepreneurial leap   Key Takeaways: Higher Education Can Make Entrepreneurship Harder. Advanced degree holders often struggle more because they're conditioned to seek employer validation. You Can't Connect the Dots Looking Forward. Planning everything perfectly leads to paralysis; start doing and figure it out as you go. Drop Your Ego and Do Free Work Initially. Pro bono clients help you build testimonials and transition from employee to business owner mindset. Consistency Beats Passion in Business. Passion fades regularly, but consistent daily actions keep you moving through tough times. Email Lists Are 42x More Valuable Than Social Media. Focus on building your email list since subscribers are more likely to convert. Connections Drive the Future of Work. As AI automates tasks, human connections become the primary differentiator and value creator. Structure Your Day Like a Company Would. Without a boss setting your schedule, create your own daily routines and stick to them.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Lauren: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linkwithlauren/ Letter Launched: https://letterlaunched.com/ Website: https://laurenrosegibson.com/   Closing thought: You can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards."  Steve Jobs Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2025! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

What if the problem isn't finding talent, but that we're all looking for it in the wrong places? Nick Petros is a serial entrepreneur who's appeared on Rising Tide Startups three times now, and for good reason. He's got that restless entrepreneurial itch that sees better ways to do things everywhere he looks, even when it's been "extremely expensive to operate this way." Nick's latest venture is Freely, a platform that's trying to replace the resume and revolutionize how companies find fractional talent. But this isn't his first rodeo. He previously built MyDash, a data integration service, and PinchForth, which started as a growth marketing agency before evolving into something much larger. What sets Nick apart is his experience watching the agency space become "toxic really fast." He's seen how the race to the bottom pricing and endless competition for the same clients create a system where nobody really wins. His experience building Pinchforth taught him that founders don't need agencies to just "do it for them," they need specific expertise delivered by people who are genuinely skilled at what they do. This insight led him to realize that the real problem isn't a lack of talent, it's that we're stuck in outdated hiring models that focus on resumes instead of actual skills. Key Takeaways: Skills Matter More Than Resumes. The most successful professionals are evaluated on performance and abilities, not educational backgrounds or credentials. Fractional Work Is the Future. Remote work is creating opportunities for people to build careers serving multiple clients instead of one employer. Marketplaces Create Race-to-the-Bottom Pricing. Traditional platforms like Fiverr commoditize services and force providers to compete on price rather than value. Pre-Qualified Leads Change Everything. When providers pay to connect with businesses, both sides are more serious about creating value. Most Agencies Got Lucky, Not Smart. The biggest agencies succeeded by riding the wave with amazing brands rather than driving their growth. Businesses Want Line of Sight, Not Options. Companies prefer choosing from three qualified providers over sorting through 600 random applicants. Community-Driven Expertise Builds Trust. Platforms work better when users establish expertise by helping others rather than just promoting themselves.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Nick: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickpetros/ My Dash: https://www.mydash.ai/ HireFreely: https://www.hirefreely.co/ Closing thought: "Work the way you want to work." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2025! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

Sometimes the best lessons come from someone who's just one step ahead. After 300+ episodes and founders from over 30 countries, Kevin Prewett is hitting the reset button on Rising Tide Startups. Not starting over, just getting refocused on what matters most: that leap from cubicle to startup. In this episode, Kevin explains why he's shifting direction. He's learned that while successful founders have amazing stories, sometimes their lessons are harder to apply when you're just starting. Instead, he wants to focus on people just slightly ahead in the journey. Still working day jobs, still building nights and weekends, still figuring it out. Kevin embodies this approach. He keeps his full-time job while building side ventures that all trace back to his original podcast - Rising Tide Startups. His story proves you don't need to quit everything to start building something meaningful. This reset focuses on the transition moment that most people can actually relate to. Here are the key takeaways from the episode: Find mentors who are just slightly ahead of you. Learning from someone 10 steps ahead is inspiring, but someone 2-3 steps ahead gives you a roadmap you can actually follow. You don't have to choose between stability and building something. Kevin has monetized multiple side ventures while keeping his day job, proving you can have both. Free content builds everything else. Start by giving value, and everything else follows. Narrowing your focus creates deeper connections. After featuring all types of founders, Kevin is zeroing in on the cubicle-to-startup transition because that's where people need the most help. Consistency wins over intensity. Two episodes per month keeps the momentum without burning out. The leap is the story that matters most. That moment when someone stops dreaming and starts building is where real inspiration lives.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Kevin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-prewett/  Website: https://www.podbrandmedia.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podbrandmedia/    Closing thought:"Sometimes the most powerful move isn't jumping off the cliff—it's building your wings while you're still on solid ground." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation.  Let Podbrand create a podcast that “makes you money!”

Most people avoid cold calls. Gabe Lullo built a multi-million dollar company on them. Gabe Lullo didn’t take a traditional route to the top. He started in the trenches, working the phones as an SDR, and built his way up to CEO of Alleyoop, a global sales development firm making over 11 million cold calls a year. Along the way, he juggled rejection, resilience, and yes—actual juggling. In this episode of Rising Tide Startups, host Kevin Prewett sits down with Gabe to unpack the real story behind scaling a sales-driven company from scratch. With a degree from the Barney School of Business and more than a decade running his own sales, marketing, and training firm, Gabe brought deep experience in recruiting and leadership before ever stepping into the CEO seat. He shares how those early roles, from executive search to culture-building, shaped how he leads today. Gabe also unpacks why sales development should be treated as its function, why cold calling still works, and how product-market fit makes or breaks a sales strategy. Beyond tactics, the conversation explores leadership, culture, and building teams that scale. Gabe shares why every hire interviews with him personally, how he empowers leaders to own decisions, and the mindset that’s carried him from startup days to leading a 100+ person team. His story is grounded in grit, but it’s also filled with systems and structure that anyone can learn from. Key Takeaways: Cold Calling Isn’t Dead—It Just Needs a Human Touch. Despite spam filters and caller ID, phone calls are still the fastest way to book meetings when done correctly. Leadership can be earned from the ground up. Experience at every level of a company builds the kind of perspective and empathy that drives strong, effective leadership. Sales Is About Grit, Not Just Technique.  Red Apples, Green Apples, Rotten Apples. This is a powerful metaphor for: 10% are “red apples”—ready to buy. 10% are “rotten apples”—never going to convert. 80% are “green apples”—undecided, and this is where great salespeople shine. Success in sales comes from nurturing the green apples through timing, perspective-shifting, and persistence. Rejection builds resilience. Facing consistent “no’s” in business teaches adaptability, sharpens communication, and strengthens long-term confidence. Don’t scale without product-market fit. No amount of leads or marketing can fix a poor offering. Sustainable growth starts with a clear value proposition and a validated market need. If you’re not excited to sell it, neither will your team be. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Gabe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lullo/  Alleyoop’s: https://alleyoop.io/  Closing thought: “You can start at the bottom, take every hit, and still build something extraordinary—if you stay hungry and never stop showing up.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  We create podcasts that actually make you money!

What can the “Indiana Jones of Entrepreneurship” tell us about how AI is shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs? Evan Kubicek, also known as Coach K, is a social entrepreneur, educator, and business coach dedicated to helping people, businesses, and communities grow. As a senior faculty member at Eastern Illinois University, he shares strategies that drive transformation in his students, their companies, and their communities. Beyond the classroom, Evan is the Executive Director of the Business Incubator Elevate, a Fractional Chief Impact Officer, and a business advisor with multiple organizations. His experience spans retail, humanitarian aid, international startups, and consulting across numerous countries. In this episode, Evan shares his insights on AI’s role in business education, how students perceive authenticity in digital content, and why adaptability is the key to success. He also discusses the shifting expectations of graduates entering the workforce, from flexible work environments to the evolving definition of career stability. Through his experiences as an entrepreneur and educator, Evan highlights the need for resilience, continuous learning, and strategic thinking in today’s fast-changing world. Whether you're a student, an entrepreneur, or a business leader, this conversation offers valuable takeaways on the intersection of AI, education, and career growth. Key Takeaways: AI is reshaping how students learn and work, but many still struggle with trusting its authenticity. Learning how to use AI for market research, automation, and creative projects is becoming essential. Young entrepreneurs must balance technology with human connection and emotional intelligence. The job market is changing—flexibility, purpose, and meaningful work are becoming top priorities for graduates. Entrepreneurs and job seekers alike need to understand how to add measurable value to stand out. Success isn’t just about financial growth—it’s about building strong relationships, solving real problems, and staying engaged in meaningful work. Entrepreneurs need to focus on solving meaningful problems, not just making money—without purpose, success feels empty. If your business is just moving files and emails, AI will replace you.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Evan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evankubicek/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evankubicek/  Elevate CCIC, Inc.: https://elevate217.org/  Closing thought: “Entrepreneurship is about building something bigger than yourself, not just escaping a job or chasing wealth.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

The business is growing. You’re overwhelmed. Welcome to the small business black hole. For Alan Pence, founder of the Owner Institute, building a multi-million dollar company didn’t come from working more hours or saying yes to everything. It came from realizing that what got him to $1M in revenue was exactly what was keeping him from going further. Like many founders, Alan hit the wall. The point where the systems broke down, burnout started creeping in. That wall? He calls it the “small business black hole.” In this episode of Rising Tide Startups, we sit down with Alan to unpack the patterns he’s seen across hundreds of businesses. He explains why burnout, blurred vision, and stalled growth are symptoms of a deeper issue: the business is built around the founder instead of beyond them. Alan shares how to shift from being stuck in the day-to-day to building a company that scales sustainably—with clear systems, empowered leadership, and a renewed sense of purpose. Whether you're hitting a revenue ceiling, burned out from doing everything yourself, or wondering if your business is building a life you want—this episode is for you. It’s honest, practical, and filled with the kind of insights you’ll wish you had five years ago. Key Takeaways: Founders often become the bottleneck. Many businesses stall because the owner is doing too much or holding on too tightly. Start with personal vision. You need to know what kind of life you want before you build a business to support it. You can't scale if you try to do everything. At each stage, the owner must shift roles, delegate, and level up skills. Hire for what drains you. Free up your time and energy by handing off tasks that wear you down. Understanding your numbers helps you grow without guessing or overspending. Common Barriers at Different Stages $1M Stage: Founder is doing too much. Needs to focus on sales and delegate everything else. $2–5M Stage: Growth requires key operational hires to handle increased complexity. $5–10M Stage: Need to build a real leadership team with specialized functions (sales, ops, HR, etc.). $10M+ Stage: Owner must extract themselves from what they’re best at and structure scalable systems. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Alan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanpentz/  Owner Institute: https://www.ownerinstitute.com/    Closing thought: “Small businesses stay small for a reason. That reason is the owner.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

What happens when you follow your gut, not a roadmap? For Heintze Malack—known to her friends and followers as Heinz—entrepreneurship didn’t start with a business degree or a polished pitch deck. It started with paper boats and a big imagination. Now the founder of the fashion brand The Twentieth, Heinz has built a business from scratch by turning scrolls into sales and ideas into brands. Through smart content, bold storytelling, and Meta Ads that actually work, she’s crafted a community-powered brand with viral moments and sold-out launches, all without following a script. In this new episode of The Rising Tide Startups, we sit down with Heinzte to talk about taking chances on things without guaranteeing they’ll work. Heinz shares how faith, curiosity, and emotion have guided every leap, from a spontaneous three-month trip that turned into a permanent move to launching a brand without investors or industry connections. She talks TikTok virality, launching campaigns that convert, and the art of balancing remote work with her dream of opening a community bakery. This episode is full of laughter, life lessons, and honest reflections on impostor syndrome, grit, and staying creative even when things feel uncertain. Whether you’re a founder, a dreamer, or somewhere in between, Heinz’s story will remind you that it’s okay to start before you feel ready and that purpose often shows up when you least expect it. Key Takeaways: Entrepreneurial spirit often shows up early. Childhood moments of creativity and initiative can reveal a future in business. Bold moves create momentum. Taking risks before you're fully ready often leads to the biggest breakthroughs. Career pivots start with curiosity. New passions emerge when you step into unfamiliar tasks and stay open to change. Authentic storytelling builds connection. People relate more to real, behind-the-scenes journeys than to polished marketing. The best products solve your problems. If you've felt the pain point, chances are others have too. Remote businesses rely on local trust. Strong, on-the-ground partnerships are key to sustainable operations.  "Start before you're ready and refine later. Waiting for perfect conditions can stall your progress. Action is what builds momentum.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Heintze: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hcvmalack/  The Twentieth: https://www.thetwentieth.co/  Closing thought: “Success isn’t about having it all planned out—it’s about showing up, staying curious, and letting your story lead the way.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

What if you could grow a business without ads or cold calls? That’s exactly what Mike Faraci set out to prove and did. Now the Founder & CEO of Red Button Media, Mike helps brands rise above the noise with authentic, story-driven video content. But his path didn’t start with a marketing budget or a polished campaign. It started with one camera, a clear message, and a commitment to post on LinkedIn for 500 days straight. In this episode of the Rising Tide Startups, we talk with Mike about how he built a media company from scratch without spending a dime on ads or picking up the phone for cold outreach. Mike shares how he developed systems around strategic content, how to speak to a “Target Viewer Persona,” and why trust-building starts with showing up as yourself online. This isn’t just a conversation about content strategy, it’s about discipline, self-belief, and doing the unscalable work when no one’s paying attention. Whether you're a solopreneur, startup founder, or just tired of growth tactics that feel fake, Mike’s story is a reminder that showing up with purpose and consistency can still beat the algorithm. Key Takeaways: Consistency beats perfection. It’s not about being flawless, it’s about being there. Show up regularly and let the momentum build. Content replaces cold calls. Done right, consistent content creation brings in warm, inbound leads—no ads, no chasing. Trust is built through familiarity. Every scroll-by impression adds up. People trust faces they recognize. Be visible. The cost of silence is high. If you're not showing up, your competitors are. Inaction has a price. Put a face to the brand. Personal content outperforms faceless brands. Relatability wins. Capture attention instantly. You’ve got only 3–5 seconds to lead with value or lose the moment. If you're not creating content in 2025, you're already behind. Organic visibility isn’t optional anymore, it’s the baseline. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Mike: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mikefaraci  Red Button Media:: https://www.hittheredbutton.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themikefaraci/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mikefaraci  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mike.faraci  Closing thought: “If you’re not building a founder-led brand, you’re leaving trust, visibility, and opportunity on the table. Mike proves that showing up consistently isn’t optional—it’s the new competitive edge.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

Ken Mack doesn’t follow the traditional path of entrepreneurship—he skips the startup phase entirely. Instead of building from scratch, he focuses on acquiring and scaling existing businesses, often using little to none of his own capital. In this episode of the Rising Tide Startups podcast, we chat with Ken Mack, an investor, also known as “The Eccentric Entrepreneur” due to his unconventional approach to building wealth. Ken shares his strategy of acquiring established companies, from his beginnings in Glasgow to managing a diverse portfolio of businesses worldwide. Ken dives into the tactics that have helped him scale rapidly, focusing on the power of leveraged buyouts (LBOs) and seller financing to minimize personal financial risk. He emphasizes the importance of tracking key metrics like Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Lifetime Value (LTV) to ensure sustainable growth.  Beyond financial strategies, Ken discusses the mindset shifts required for success—embracing discomfort, thinking long-term, and continuously learning. He also highlights the importance of strategic networking for finding new opportunities. Ken's journey is a powerful reminder that wealth is built by seizing opportunities where others see obstacles and that the right mindset can turn even the most unconventional paths into success stories. Here are the key takeaways from the conversation: Established businesses are safer bets. Proven cash flow and systems reduce the risk compared to starting from scratch. Leverage other people’s money (OPM). Using LBOs (leveraging buyouts) and seller financing allows for business acquisitions without tying up personal capital. Target retiring business owners. Baby boomers represent a goldmine of acquisition opportunities. Cash flow is king. Focus on cash flow over profit margins for sustainable growth and debt management. Efficiency and remote management. Building reliable teams and systems enables managing multiple businesses from afar. Mindset is everything. Getting comfortable with risk and embracing the unknown is essential for success. Entrepreneurship is a ‘lifestyle,’ not just a career choice. Success comes from discomfort and pushing limits. Buy businesses at 1x free cash flow, and sell at 2–3x EBITDA. This increases valuation before exiting. Start small, gain experience, and build networks. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Ken: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenmackofficial  Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/KenMack/  Instagram:: https://www.instagram.com/kenmack/  Website:: https://www.kenmack.com/    Closing thought: “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—buy an existing business and scale it.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2025! Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

This Episode - Turning an Unlikely Business into a Multi-Million Dollar Success Meet Will Milliken, president of a fast-growing dog waste removal company and founder of the President of Swoop Scoop® and founder of Poop Scoop Millionaire™. What started as a small side hustle has become a booming business with multiple locations and a thriving online community for aspiring entrepreneurs. Will shares how he transitioned from digital marketing to home services, why the pet waste removal industry took off, and the key strategies that helped him scale. With a focus on exceptional service and customer care, Swoop Scoop® has grown into a leading company serving thousands of satisfied clients. We also cover the marketing strategies that work (and don’t), building a standout brand, and the importance of fast customer response times. Plus, Will shares the surprising lessons he learned from a failed partnership with Pizza Hut and how he’s preparing for national expansion. Key Takeaways: Standardized, flat-rate pricing works best: customers prefer knowing costs upfront. Fast response time is critical: answering inquiries quickly sets businesses apart in home services. Professional branding (uniforms, truck wraps, CRM systems) increases trust and allows for premium pricing. Scaling starts with predictable lead generation. The biggest bottleneck is acquiring customers consistently. Marketing experiments matter. Facebook ads, Google SEO, and wrapped trucks work best, while some partnerships (like pizza box ads) miss the mark. Standardized operations make scaling easier. A clear system for hiring, training, and customer acquisition makes franchising a real possibility. Track Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) vs. Customer Lifetime Value (LTV): understanding these numbers earlier could have cut growth time in half. Anticipate bottlenecks as you scale: hiring, vehicle acquisition, and equipment logistics become challenges as the business grows. If you don’t know how to acquire customers, your business will struggle. If you're not willing to start a poop scooping business, you're probably not going to start any business. Will’s journey proves that even the most unexpected businesses can be wildly profitable with the right systems and mindset. Ready to think outside the box (or the yard)? This episode will change the way you look at service businesses. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Will: Swoop Scoop: https://swoopscoop.com  Poop Scoop: https://www.skool.com/poop-scoop-millionaire  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-milliken Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Scoop-Start  Blog: https://scoopstart.com/    Closing thought: “Big opportunities come from solving everyday problems. Price smart, systemize, and scale—success will follow.” Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

How Failing Forward can become a blueprint for entrepreneurial success! Mohamed "Mo"Ahmed, founder of the Boundless Founder community and author of The Inside Out Entrepreneur, shares his journey from a corporate career at Microsoft and AWS to navigating the unpredictable world of startups. After starting his first company in 2017, Mohamed faced tough challenges—including a failed acquisition—that pushed him to rethink his approach to leadership, resilience, and mindset. In this episode of the Rising Tide Startups Podcast, Mohamed talks about how he handled setbacks, pivoted his business, and managed the emotional ups and downs of entrepreneurship. He also explains how his passion for helping others led him to build a community that supports technical founders with the tools and guidance they need to succeed. Through his experiences, Mohamed has learned how to turn failures into opportunities to grow and build something meaningful. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, this episode offers practical advice on staying resilient, finding your purpose, and making progress even when things get tough. Here are the key takeaways from the conversation: The right mindset—resilience, balance, and adaptability—is the most valuable asset for an entrepreneur. A mental conditioning framework can help entrepreneurs understand their journey beyond business metrics, develop mental toughness, and maintain perspective during challenges. Calculating risks and clear thinking under pressure help to prevent mistakes stemming from overconfidence and fear-driven decision-making. Practical tools for resilience allow entrepreneurs to bounce back from setbacks and ensure long-term sustainability. Entrepreneurs must condition loved ones emotionally and financially prepared for challenges. Building and maintaining a strong support system is crucial, including balancing family life with business demands and finding the right mentors for guidance. Entrepreneurship is a balance of chasing success while fearing failure. These opposing forces drive innovation and personal growth. Entrepreneurs need a robust ecosystem—mentors, peers, and supportive families—to sustain them through challenges. Entrepreneurs should ensure their self-worth isn’t entirely tied to their venture’s success to avoid burnout and remain employable. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Mo: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedfahmed/ Mohamed F Ahmed: http://mohamedfahmed.com/ X: http://www.twitter.com/MohamedFAhmed   Special Offer for Listeners FREE Rising Tide Exclusive Bundle ($147 value): The Mindset Guide Mental Robustness and Resiliency Workbook Special Chapter: "Recovery Strategies After Setbacks" Available at: www.boundlessfounder.co/risingtide-special 25% discount on Boundless Founder Community membership using code: RISINGTIDE25 Book Reader's Package: Access to monthly group coaching sessions Exclusive entrepreneurial resilience assessment tool Private community access Register at: www.boundlessfounder.co/risingtide-bonus   Closing thought: “Entrepreneurship is about building something bigger than yourself, not just escaping a job or chasing wealth.”   Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

In this episode of the Rising Tide Startups Podcast, Tekla Tskhvediani shares how she went from Georgia’s corporate hospitality industry to creating a location-independent career in Bali. She talks about what led her to take that leap, the challenges she faced, and how she built a career that gives her both freedom and fulfillment. Tekla explains why the traditional job-hunting approach, like sending out resumes and hoping for the best, doesn’t work anymore. She shares how showcasing your value, thinking outside the box, and aligning your strengths with market needs can open new doors. From her own journey to the lessons she now teaches as a career mentor, Tekla offers advice for anyone looking to create a career on their own terms. If you’ve ever thought about working remotely, switching careers, or just designing a work life that fits you better, this episode is for you. Tekla’s approach is all about flexibility, creativity, and making career choices that align with the life you want. Here are the key takeaways from the conversation: Offering free value and fostering genuine connections can establish trust and credibility before monetizing your expertise. Confidence in pricing and business growth comes from proven results rather than vague affirmations. Clients benefit more from specific, actionable guidance that reduces decision fatigue than from generic advice. A successful coaching business must balance scalability with maintaining personalized, high-quality support. Traditional job applications are outdated—standing out requires creativity, personal branding, and authenticity. Personal career struggles can become a powerful asset when helping others navigate similar challenges. Sustainable business growth relies on consistent value delivery and authentic relationship-building, rather than aggressive marketing. Overcoming mental barriers and self-imposed limitations is often the biggest step toward career transformation. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Tekla Tskhvediani: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tekla-tskhvediani-24b81a105 Website: https://pillar.io/teklatoppings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teklatoppingstestimonials Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2024! Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective content creation and lead generation!

Today, the final day of 2024, we turn the mic around and close out a banner year by hearing from our host.  Kevin Prewett is the founder and CEO of Rising Tide Startups Podcast and Podbrandmedia.com. With a passion for empowering entrepreneurs and brands, Kevin has built a platform dedicated to helping startup founders grow and scale their businesses through the power of podcasting and media. As a seasoned podcaster and media strategist, he combines his expertise in content creation with his commitment to fostering innovation and community in the startup ecosystem. Through his work at Podbrandmedia.com, Kevin assists businesses in leveraging podcasts as a powerful tool for marketing, branding, and audience engagement. Kevin shares a short recap of 2024 and looks ahead at some exciting opportunities for 2025.   Thanks again for playing your part in "helping all boats rise in a rising tide!"