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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?
272 Episodes
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Send a text What does it take to launch a brand-new community bank in today’s world of mega-banks and endless bureaucracy? Summary In this episode of The Small Business Safari, we sit down with Steve Beecham and Bob Koncerak, the founders behind First City Bank of Georgia, to unpack what it really takes to launch a new community bank in Alpharetta. With the number of banks in the U.S. shrinking from more than 10,000 to roughly 4,300, many small businesses have lost access to local decision-ma...
Send a text What if your team could see exactly what your customer sees—without an app—and turn that video into a tight estimate, clean documentation, and a five-star review? Summary: James Hatfield, blue-collar founder and former KKR-backed CEO, joins us to unpack how LiveSwitch is transforming home services with a dead-simple, no-app live video platform powered by practical AI. What started with a knock from the D.C. Chief of Police to reinvent 911 video evolved into a powerful tool ...
Send a text What happens when a longtime radio producer steps out from behind the mic and into the sales arena? Jerry Payne is betting his next chapter on mentorship, licensing, and disciplined execution. Summary: We put longtime producer Jerry Payne in the hot seat as he leaves radio to build a career in insurance, starting with mentorship and aiming for ownership. Together we stress-test his transition plan—examining runway, early-stage income realities, and how his broadcast communic...
Send a text What if your growth problem isn’t your marketing—or your product—but the offer itself? Summary: John “JD” Dwyer, founder of The Institute of Wow, joins us to reveal how challenger brands out perform bigger competitors by engineering irresistible offers that drive immediate action. We break down how incentive-based marketing, high perceived-value bonuses, and creative positioning can transform conversion rates without cutting prices. JD shares the story of a bank that replace...
Send a text What happens when you stop kicking doors and start building a business that actually moves upward? Summary: In this episode of The Small Business Safari, Chris and Alan push past a door-kicking moment to talk about what really drives sustainable growth: selling value, protecting margin, and executing a strategic plan that actually ships. We draw clear lines between handyman work and remodeling, break down why they are completely different operating models, and unpack the ...
Send a text What happens when a business stops guessing on marketing and starts treating growth like a system? One gymnastics gym went from stalled growth to multi-million-dollar revenue—and the playbook applies to any small business. Andy Seeley tells us how. Summary: In this episode, Andy Seeley breaks down how to choose a marketing agency that won’t experiment on your budget, why niching creates faster and more predictable results, and how AI can turn raw inquiries into booked...
Send a text What does it really take to turn a scrappy New York storefront into a globally recognized luxury brand—and then exit it on your terms? Eric Malka breaks it all down. Summary Eric Malka shares the real story behind building a premium grooming brand from the ground up—starting with a $12,000 shop in New York and evolving through distributor, retailer, service provider, and manufacturer. We unpack the pivotal press moment that drove a 20x sales spike, how disciplined brand and margi...
Send a text 🎧 The Small Business Safari Title: From Service to Skilled Trades: Creating Real Jobs for Veterans Too many veterans leave the military with discipline and grit—but no clear civilian pathway. Marty Strong is fixing that with real skills, real employers, and paid apprenticeships. Summary: We sit down with Marty Strong, founder of Warriors Haven USA, to break down a practical, no-fluff pathway that helps veterans find both purpose and pay through the skilled trades. Mar...
Send a text 🎧 The Small Business Safari Podcast Title: From Bank Teller to CEO: Building Teams That Thrive What if clarity—not hustle—was the real growth lever in your business? Summary: We unpack how clarity, boundaries, and respect transform a stressful, travel-heavy audit model into a high-retention, highly profitable practice—and how those same principles help founders escape the default problem solver trap. Courtney shares how she redesigned operations to protect margin, fil...
Send a text Stop waiting to “feel ready.” Here’s the hard truth: confidence comes last. If layoffs, ageism, or career ghosting have knocked you sideways, this conversation with career transition coach John Tarnoff offers a practical way forward—without applying to 100 job postings. John breaks down why the old career playbook—resumes, cover letters, and cold applications—fails experienced professionals, and how to replace it with mission-led positioning, warm introductions, and a narrowly de...
Send a text What happens when an investor swears off banks, personal guarantees, and risky one-and-done deals? Chris Prefontaine rebuilt from the 2008 crash by creating a bank-free model that produces cash now, cash monthly, and cash at exit. Summary: Chris Prefontaine, founder of Smart Real Estate Coach, shares how losing everything in 2008 forced him to rewrite the rules of real estate. He now buys through owner financing and subject-to deals, prioritizes principal-only terms, and structure...
Send a text What happens when you lose everything in 2008—and still choose to pay everyone back? Rob Stephenson rebuilt not just a business, but a reputation that now wins national NARI COTY awards. Summary: Rob Stephenson, founder of Stephenson Construction, shares how leaving engineering, moonlighting in rental units, and surviving the 2008 collapse shaped his disciplined, integrity-first approach to design-build. We unpack his early pivots from art and engineering, learning the trades out ...
Send a text What happens when a regulatory attorney trades Wall Street stress for barber-chair swagger? Jessica shows how instinct, culture, and system design built a luxury grooming brand that outlasted the copycats. Summary: Jessica, founder of Mad Men Barbershop, shares how she turned gut calls, culture, and brand discipline into a multi-location grooming experience that grew stronger through competition and COVID. We unpack instinct-based decision-making, the split between creative vision...
Send a text What happens when small businesses stop fearing AI—and start using it to remove friction, boost margins, and strengthen customer trust? Summary: We trade fear for facts and show how real small businesses put AI to work without losing the human touch. From “Tina” the chatbot to contact-center triage, sales coaching, and smarter inventory planning, we map where humans still lead—and where bots quietly drive efficiency, speed, and margin growth. We also dig into the changing labor ma...
Send a text 🎧 The Small Business Safari TITLE: From Anchorage to National: Niches, GEO, and Growth | Jennifer Christensen Hook in Body: What happens when ethical AI meets small business marketing? Jennifer Christensen built a national agency from Alaska, proving that data, discipline, and heart can scale together. Summary: Chris Lalomia and Alan Wyatt sit down with Jennifer Christensen, CMO and co-founder of a national marketing agency, to unpack how failure fuels leadership and how GEO (Ge...
Send a text What happens when a corporate sales leader swaps the corner office for family time — and ends up building two thriving brands instead? Summary: A former tech sales leader shares how losing a franchise became the best thing that ever happened. From setting boundaries that shaped the business model to launching a manufacturing arm that wins architectural specs, this episode dives into the discipline, strategy, and relationships that fuel sustainable growth without burnout. 🎥 Watch t...
Send a text Summary: Jeremy LaDuke, founder of Epic Nine, dives into the attention economy and why bold, memorable branding outperforms safe, copycat marketing. He explains how small businesses can set honest budgets, track what really matters, and build brand familiarity that drives conversion — even without perfect attribution. From Liquid Death’s creative risk-taking to networking tips for introverts, Jeremy shares practical lessons every entrepreneur can apply to grow with authenticity a...
Send a text Hook in Body: Chris and Greg met at Accenture and were implementing call center solutions at the nations largest banks, their friendship has been over 30 years and we are excited to share the journey that Greg has taken to this point. Summary: Greg, CEO of Timbers Resorts, shares how he went from Corporate Consultant to Real Estate Business Owner life of ownership, service, and decisive leadership. Luxury fractional ownership vs. timeshare, resilience after hurricanes, and how w...
Send a text 🎧 The Small Business Safari – Episode Title Profit Over Revenue: How 4 Corners CFO Turns Chaos into Clarity Hook: We dig into profit over revenue, how service businesses should structure their books, and why capacity-based budgeting beats guesses. Summary: Danielle Hendon, founder of 4 Corners CFO, shows how niching, clean reconciliations, and cash flow forecasts turn anxiety into action. From culture vs. process tension to bottom-up budgeting, Danielle reframes accounting from...
Send a text Marika Ponton, CPA and founder of Profit Truths, shares how she built, sold, and pivoted her way to helping business owners find clarity, profit, and calm. From Big Four beginnings to entrepreneurial coaching, Marika reveals how small business owners can master their numbers, reallocate marketing spend, and finally take control of cash flow. 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: The Small Business Safari on YouTube 💡 GOLD NUGGETS (Key Moments) Big Four lessons that translate to ...
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