Tremaine Wills is an MBA, financial services agency owner, certified financial education instructor, and financial planner. Her mission is to help individuals, entrepreneurs, and organizations manage their finances better and escape financial stress.  She also aims to help one million people become accredited investors and grow their net worth to $1 million.   Tremaine has been featured in reputable outlets like Forbes and Business Insider and has experience working with organizations like NASA and Teach for America.   After studying business at Hampton University, Tremaine work ..read more

Vernon Oakes hosts the leading weekly national radio program for the U.S. cooperative community and is a general partner in Everything Co-op Communications, LLC, a media company focused on cooperative business models.    Vernon shares his journey, starting with his upbringing in Bluefield, West Virginia, and his experience attending Bluefield State College.    He delved into real estate, property management, and eventually, co-op housing, specifically limited equity co-ops.   Vernon explains that co-ops are businesses owned and controlled by their members. A well-known ..read more

Dee McCoy is an event planner who worked with Akia on the design, décor, and aesthetic elements of the conference to make the environment engaging and visually pleasing, especially since it was a gloomy day outside.    Dee’s reasons for attending the event were threefold: to pour back into her business, to reconnect with her own work after focusing on clients' needs, and to introduce her daughter, a young entrepreneur, to the business world with a Christ-centered foundation.   She learns that clients often struggle to understand hotel jargon, and her goal became to bridge that g ..read more

Crystale Spearman is the founder of Eye Imagery, a photography business primarily focused on headshots for entrepreneurs and business owners.   Crystale organizes a monthly event called “Smize and Socialize” for female entrepreneurs, business owners, and bloggers, where they can network and get free headshots.   Crystale discusses Eye Imagery, focusing on her work with headshots, primarily for entrepreneurs and business owners who need professional photos for business cards, websites, and social media.   She emphasizes the importance of professional headshots for entrepreneurs ..read more

Gresham Harkless shares the harsh truth about sales in entrepreneurship – not every conversation will lead to a sale. It's crucial to accept that not every potential client will become a customer, no matter how much effort is put into the process.   Gresham discusses how candidates sometimes get cold feet due to the perceived risks, even when they see the opportunity and believe in the business.   He reflects on how often sales that seem certain don’t close, while those that seem unlikely can unexpectedly succeed.   He also mentions that in franchise sales, it's common to speak ..read more

Gresham Harkless discusses how challenging it can be to stay motivated, even when doing something like working out. He compares this to the challenges faced in business, such as losing clients, broken systems, and missed deals.    He emphasizes the importance of not comparing oneself to others, which can lead to frustration and distraction.   Gresham shares a lesson from a coach who identified three types of people: starters, maintainers, and finishers.    Throughout the journey, Gresham mentions how doing the hard, consistent tasks, even when they’re uncomfortabl ..read more

In this special episode, Gresham Harkless mentions how impatience can be both a superpower and a downfall for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs often want success quickly, but sometimes they give up or pivot too soon before seeing the long-term results.   Gresham notes that consistency is significant in business success, particularly in franchising. He refers to people with backgrounds in the military or government often succeeding in franchising due to their ability to execute tasks consistently.    Moreover, Gresham discusses how his journey involves learning about himself, focusin ..read more

Dan Craddock is a serial entrepreneur, running Sure Shot Screen Printing, launching a brewery called The Barking Barley, and having a creative agency, Metro Nova Creative.   Dan has been in the design and branding world for over 20 years. He’s passionate about making branding accessible to small business owners to help them succeed, believing that their success directly impacts community growth.   Dan shares his approach to educating clients about the branding process. He points out that while clients may be tempted to opt for cheap or AI-generated logos, those options lack the strat ..read more

Chloe Markham is an award-winning wellness coach, yoga teacher, and joyful living coach. She is the founder of The Yoga Revolution and Joy Unplugged, programs designed to promote mindfulness, movement, and mindset to help people experience happiness every day.    Chloe launched a Substack six months ago, where she writes about wellness, joy, and mindfulness, and she encourages others to join her there as it serves as an antidote to social media.   She describes herself as a "modern-day classical philosopher," helping clients use yoga and other tools to elevate the ..read more

Ashley Mason founded Dash of Social, a digital marketing consultancy specializing in social media management, SEO, paid ads, and public relations. She focuses on service-based businesses. Outside of work, she enjoys running and reading.   Ashley explains how Trello has been a game-changer in her business. Initially a pen-and-paper person, she switched to digital tools for project management and loves the visual, creative aspect of Trello.   Ashley emphasizes the importance of networking, particularly through a local Facebook group for women entrepreneurs. Consistently participating i ..read more