Nothing Small About Business

Branding photography and AI for small business are the focus of this episode of Nothing Small About Business, where host Sara Press talks with branding photographer Eric Bohl about what actually makes a brand's visual content work. Eric breaks down why understanding a client's brand identity has to come before the camera ever comes out, how website photography differs from social media photography, and why props, multiple outfits, and video content create the variety a brand needs. The conversation moves into how AI tools can streamline content creation and marketing strategy, the basics of prompt engineering, common AI prompting mistakes, and how AI is changing SEO and online visibility for small businesses. If you're an entrepreneur trying to elevate your brand's visual content and use AI tools more effectively, this episode is built for you.Perfect for fans of: branding photography tips, small business marketing podcasts, AI for entrepreneurs, content creation strategy, visual branding, website and social media photography.Follow Sara Press on LinkedINEmail Sara: [email protected] more about Eric Bohl: https://www.eric-bohl.com/Key TopicsWhy understanding a client's brand identity has to come before the photoshootWebsite photography vs. social media photography — what actually differsUsing props and multiple outfits to create variety in a branding shootWhy video content belongs in your branding photography packageBuilding client confidence and comfort in front of the cameraCurrent trends (and the clichés worth avoiding) in branding photographyHow AI tools streamline content creation and marketing strategyPrompt engineering basics and best practices for AI-generated contentThe role of AI in SEO and online visibility for small businessesCommon AI prompting mistakes — and how to avoid them

In this episode of Nothing Small About Business, host Sara Press sits down with Beth Mazza, author of Entrepreneur Like a Mother, for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build a business as a woman entrepreneur and mom. Beth breaks down how to design a business around your life instead of the other way around, why networking and a trusted "kitchen cabinet" of advisors matter more than any funding round, and how she pushed past imposter syndrome to write her book and grow her brand. This episode is a must-listen for founders scaling a business, women in entrepreneurship, and anyone balancing motherhood and career while building something of their own — packed with practical business strategy, leadership lessons, and real talk on using AI to work smarter, not harder.Perfect for fans of: business podcasts for women, founder interviews, small business growth strategy, entrepreneurship and motherhood, women in leadership podcasts.About Beth MazzaBeth Mazza is the author of Entrepreneur Like a Mother and an advocate for women building businesses that fit their real lives.ConnectLoved this episode? Subscribe to Nothing Small About Business, leave a review, and share it with a founder in your circle. For more on scaling your business with intention, follow Sara Press and Press Edit on Instagram: @withsarapress

Host Sara Press sits down with fashion entrepreneur Cydney Mar to talk QVC success, product development, and the market feedback every founder needs to hear.Full Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Nothing Small About Business, host Sara Press interviews fashion and product development expert Cydney Mar about her journey from national figure skater to successful entrepreneur and QVC seller.Cydney walks Sara through the life-changing accident that redirected her career, how she built her first fashion business from the ground up, and what it actually took to land, and succeed, on QVC. The conversation covers product development, market feedback, branding, and manufacturing, along with the strategic planning every entrepreneur needs before launching a product.Whether you're building a fashion brand, developing a new product, or trying to break into retail and TV shopping, this episode is full of practical startup tips and business strategy you can use right away.What You'll Learn (Key Topics)Cydney Mar's journey from competitive figure skating to fashion designThe accident that changed the course of her career, and how she rebuiltStarting a fashion business from the ground up, grassroots styleBreaking into TV shopping and building a QVC success storyProduct testing, quality control, and working with manufacturing partnersThe most common mistakes early-stage entrepreneurs makeNavigating regulatory and product testing hurdlesBranding and marketing tips for product-based businessesWhy understanding your customer matters more than your own opinionBalancing innovation with practicality in product developmentHow to build a sustainable, resilient business modelSound Bites"I was hit and I thought I was going to bleed out.""I feel very lucky for how my life has turned out.""The market never lies, it tells you what they love."Chapters00:00 Introduction to Cydney Mar's inspiring story02:01 The life-changing accident and recovery process03:49 Transition from skating to fashion design05:49 Starting her own fashion business grassroots style07:53 Journey into TV shopping and QVC success12:12 Insights into product testing and quality control16:50 Helping entrepreneurs develop and launch products21:06 Common mistakes and how to avoid them25:00 Navigating industry regulations and testing30:04 The importance of market feedback and pivoting34:03 Final tips for aspiring entrepreneurs

Sara Press talks with Lake Mitchell about the path from military service, industrial engineering, and bodybuilding into tax strategy and entrepreneurship. Lake breaks down when business owners should start thinking about tax planning, where people commonly go wrong, and why structure matters. In addition to taxes, they cover how Lake built her brand, why personality matters in content, how she manages her time, and the habits that help her run a business without burning out.Key topics:Lake Mitchell shares how her background in industrial engineering, accounting, ROTC, and the National Guard shaped her approach to businessShe explains the through line in her career: strategy, structure, discipline, and executionWhy networking only works if you actually follow up after the eventWhen business owners should start thinking about tax strategyWhy the first 1 to 3 years are usually about profitability, not advanced tax planningThe difference between a tax preparer and a true tax strategistWhy business structure comes before tax tactics like paying kids or using the Augusta ruleHow real estate can create tax advantages through depreciation, cost segregation, and 1031 exchangesWhy tax strategy depends on individual factors like W-2 income, business income, marriage, dependents, and risk toleranceHow Lake built her business through brand trust, not just niche targetingWhy content should attract the right clients and repel the wrong onesThe time-blocking and boundary habits that help her protect energy and stay consistentTimestamps00:00 - How Sara and Lake met through networking and follow-up01:09 - Lake’s background in engineering, accounting, military service, and bodybuilding02:42 - How a braiding business taught her marketing and communication04:41 - Lessons from ROTC and becoming a first lieutenant in the National Guard06:36 - The common thread across all of Lake’s careers: strategy and discipline07:04 - When business owners should start thinking about tax strategy08:46 - The income threshold where basic tax strategies start to matter09:58 - Why the biggest mistake is hiring a preparer instead of a strategist11:34 - Why tax strategy is not one-size-fits-all12:05 - Why structure has to come before tactics like paying kids or the Augusta rule13:40 - Real estate tax advantages from cost segregation and year-one losses15:00 - Why 1031 exchanges help reduce capital gains exposure16:21 - Retirement planning, cash balance plans, and building assets18:53 - How Lake stays current on tax law and IRS changes20:09 - When amending past returns makes sense and when it is not worth it21:18 - The importance of finding a CPA who can explain strategy in plain language22:22 - How Lake built her tax business from personal brand trust24:06 - Why her brand spans health, wealth, family, and fitness25:45 - Niche versus alignment: solving a real problem for the right client27:54 - Learning to love all parts of business, including marketing and content28:29 - How content can attract ideal clients and repel bad fits29:29 - Why coaching and mentorship helped her become a stronger entrepreneur30:26 - Lake’s time-blocking routine and protected calendar31:33 - Why turning off work is a muscle that improves with practice32:37 - Advice on choosing advisors who have actually been where you want to go33:42 - Where to find Lake and reach out directlySara Press: [email protected]

Most networking advice tells you to go to more events, collect more business cards, add more connections. Dana Flanagan says that's exactly backwards.In this episode, Sara Press talks with Dana Flanagan, founder of The Authority Architect and Capital Society, about what actually works when it comes to building your personal brand and growing the right relationships, not just more of them. After two decades building businesses and strategic relationships across real estate, entrepreneurship, finance, and media, Dana has built her career on a simple idea: it's not about how many powerful people are in the room, it's about what happens because the right people were introduced.We get into:- Why most networking fails, and what it actually means to network effectively instead of just often- How to build authority and a personal brand online without adding to the noise of generic advice and recycled frameworks- The difference between visibility and credibility, and why social media should build one, not just chase the other- How curated, quality-first networking creates opportunities that traditional events and cold outreach never will- Practical ways to start building your own authority and network more intentionally, no matter what stage your business is atIf you've ever left a networking event with a stack of business cards and nothing to show for it, or you're trying to figure out how to actually use social media to build credibility instead of just noise, this conversation will change how you think about both.Guest: Dana Flanagan, Founder of The Authority Architect and Capital SocietyHost: Sara Press, founder of Press Edit and host of Nothing Small About Business. [email protected]