Rust Belt Startup

Sometimes the standard for service in a given industry is god-awful, or terrible. Sometimes if you're just 'bad' you'll have all the work you can handle. So let's talk about how you can go from 'terrible' to 'bad' to 'mediocre' to 'amazing' using a technique from the founders of Air Bnb. In this episode we talk about the 10-star experience. What is it? How do you build one, and why should you care? It's a shorty episode designed to help you build a base of people who LOVE what you do.

Sometimes you capture a conversation that needs to be heard, and this interview with Pastor Mike Ballman is one of them. Mike is the founder of the Oneida Square Project, which is a kind of social enterprise incubator and the pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Utica, NY. This episode is a little different from the others because we get a little heavy and while we do talk about the rise of social enterprise, we really focus on Mike's story, creating opportunities, being an advocate, deploying empathy and how to face down adversity in it's many forms. You'll find this story inspiring, moving and hopefully it will help you to think about how you can create opportunity for others, and impact your own community in your own unique way.

In this episode I have a chat with artist and photographer Janelle Bonagurio. We'll talk about how she first became a professional photographer and got her first clients before she even had a proper camera. We'll talk about pricing, finding mentors and dealing with high-stress situations (weddings). And we'll back away from the business and talk about how weddings have changed over the years as well as how having a family has changed the way she works with clients. You can find her online at http://www.janelleshootsphotos.com or on Instagram. Music is by Jordyn Edmonds - gracias.

Making a product is hard. Keeping up with demand after you're on Shark Tank is even harder. In this episode I talk with Ashley Robinson, Co-Founder of Tranquillo Mat. We taped this episode a couple of months back in front of a live audience and talked about building a product overseas, getting on Shark Tank and We had this hour In our hour-long conversation we dissect: Her first startup - which was an app that used big data to help women pinpoint when they were most fertile Raising money on an idea vs. raising money with an actual product - Working with Angel Investors Launching Tranquilo What it’s like to be on Shark tank Working with China Big Highs and Low Lows Finding Customers Building a rocking ad campaign Working with a remote team ….and more. Learn more or pick up a Tranquillo Mat for the newborn in your family at tranquillomat.com As always, music for this episode is provided by Jordyn Edmonds.

This episode is a mini-sode, a shorty, a toolbox episode. Two weeks ago, I attended VoiceCon - a conference in NYC all about the future of Voice - from Alexa to Google Home, Siri and beyond - what's coming down the pipeline and what are the opportunities and concerns that businesses (and you as an individual) should have as we jump into conversations with our computers. This episode is a collection of takeaways from that that day. - Voice and Privacy - Sonic Branding - What makes a good Voice App? - What's Next Stay tuned for Episode 5 where we'll be back to our regularly scheduled interviews!

What happens if you run 2-miles a day….every day….forever? That’s just one of the projects Rick Gloo is tackling in his quest for continuous self improvement. RIck is a guy who has one foot in software development and the other in health & wellness. So this episode is going to be light on business but heavy on hacking your habits to make them stick and maybe improve yourself in the process. Rick went from someone who was less-than-active and less-than-healthy to plants-only ultra marathoner and we’ll talk about that process as well as what it’s done for his life. In our hour-long conversation we dissect: Self-motivation Moving towards a plant-based diet Why you should find a mentor - and how Ultra-Marathoning Hacking Your Habits Maximizing Minimums ….and more. You can find Rick on Instagram and oh yeah, he’s got his own Podcast - check it. As always, music for this episode is provided by Jordyn Edmonds.

Ever wonder how you could kick-start a minor league baseball team through crowd funding? I didn't think it was possible, but my next guest Brett Orzechowski did it. He's a professor, a writer and an entrepreneur with some great ideas on how small cities can double down on what makes them unique and grow at the same time. In our hour-long conversation we touch on: How the Ecstacy boom in the Hamptons helped to fuel a local small business (and not by selling drugs) How small cities sometimes have to deal with big-city problems - and what they can do about it. Crowdfunding a Minor-League baseball team How small cities can attract and retain young talent Music for Rust Belt Startup provided by Jordyn Edmonds - he’s rad.

We're live! In this inaugural episode, I go deep with Erin Miller (no relation) of Out There Productions. Out There Productions specializes in working with startups to get their name ‘out there’ through hype, explainer and crowdfunding videos. The three co-founders also spent the last 8 months on the road in a converted school bus (‘The Cool Bus’) which served as a mobile production van as well as home as they criss-crossed the US. In our hour-long conversation we touch on: Education, college and the school of hard knocks Making your first film High school hustle: zines and popcorn A chance encounter with a hero Finding a Scenius and the birth of the ‘Cool’ Bus ‘Van’trepreneurship Getting yourself ‘out there’ and selling yourself You can connect with Erin via the web at (https://www.otpros.co/) or on Twitter at @erinthemiller Music for Rust Belt Startup provided by Jordyn Edmonds - he’s rad.

In episode 0 we'll explain what we're trying to accomplish with this new podcast, the format, the flow, and why you should care. New episodes for Rust Belt Startup will be released every other week and will contain long-form conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, educators and people who are starting movements across the country to re-make their cities and towns. All the deets are in the pod. Thanks for coming along on this journey!