(0:00:00) – #GirlPower (10 Minutes)

The Entrepreneurial You host, Heneka Watkis-Porter welcomes Shiloh Johnson, the founder and CEO of ComplYant Technology Platform, a digital tax assistant tool. Shiloh is one of only ten black women to raise over ten million dollars in venture capital funding. After acknowledging the sponsors, the conversation shifts to Shiloh’s background and the founding of ComplYant Technology Platform. The biggest challenges for small business owners managing taxes are lack of time, accruing late fees, and not treating the business like a business.

(0:09:50) – Taxation for Small Businesses (3 Minutes)

Taxes in America are location-based and multiple tiers of government authorities require payment of taxes and fees. A variety of deductions, grants, and credits are available to small businesses to incentivize economic growth. The registration process for businesses is not as difficult as many people think, and there are services to help guide people through it. Furthermore, budgeting and filing payments are important considerations for small businesses.

(0:12:49) – Securing Funding for Underrepresented Entrepreneurs (6 Minutes)

This portion of the conversation focused on how compliance technology platforms can help small business owners effectively manage their taxes. The platform provides users with an algorithm that can identify the various tax types that apply to their business and calendar those taxes out for the entire year. The platform provides budgeting systems and methods to save money to pay bills. The conversation then shifted to discuss the fundraising process for compliance and strategies for securing VC funding. The speaker advised underrepresented entrepreneurs looking to secure funding for their projects, suggesting that they work on themselves to present themselves confidently.

(0:18:47) – Confidence and Self-Belief in FinTech (8 Minutes)

A discussion on self-confidence and standing out in the business world was explored. It was noted that it is important to enter a room with confidence and not be afraid to be yourself – to be proud of who you are and your own culture. The conversation then shifted to the evolution of compliance since receiving funding and the plans for the future. It was mentioned that the goal is to make compliance simple for small business owners, with a focus on making it easy for them to answer yes or no questions and move on with their day.

(0:26:33) – Benefits of Compliance (8 Minutes)

Confidence plays a major role in securing funding for small businesses. This chapter explored the importance of fraud protection and compliance in the FinTech industry and discussed the impact of technology on small businesses. The conversation also focused on the lack of representation of Black women in the FinTech industry and how the founder of Compliance (Shiloh Johnson) is working to make a positive impact. Finally, listeners get a coupon code for a free trial of the Compliance product, as well as an invitation to send feedback and connect with the host on social media.

Shiloh:https://www.facebook.com/complyantapp;https://www.instagram.com/ComplyantApp/;https://twitter.com/ComplYantApp; https://twitter.com/shilohajohnson

(0:00:00) – Non-Technical Course Creator (13 Minutes)

This week’s episode features Alyssa Marshall, the cofounder of Owwlish, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) that helps non-technical creators embed online courses into their websites without the help of a developer. Alyssa shares the story of how she went from being a dentist to becoming an entrepreneur. She explains that while studying dentistry; she was exposed to Tim Ferriss’ audiobook, which opened her eyes to the world of entrepreneurship and started her dreaming of alternative paths for her future. Alisa and her husband then brainstormed ways to make the process of managing an online course easier for her, which led to the creation of Owwlish.

(0:12:40) – Building Software for Nontechnical People (7 Minutes)

Owwlish, a learning management platform, was created to give nontechnical people an easier way to create and set up online courses without the need for a developer. It allows users to embed courses into their website with a snippet of code, without having to manage a second website experience for their course learners. Amish is the only platform that integrates with all nontechnical platforms, like Wix, Squarespace and Webflow, to help people to get their courses online without a lot of technical hassle.

(0:19:36) – Seamless Software Experiences (6 Minutes)

This conversation discusses the amount of development effort and thought that goes into creating software, and how that’s often taken for granted. The speaker brings in their background as a former dentist to explain how this experience has influenced their approach to developing an educational platform – namely, their awareness of the user experience and their understanding of the needs of course creators. They also discuss how the ‘reality distortion field’ of Steve Jobs enabled him to create the Apple products we know and love.

(0:25:18) – Creating an Online Course (11 Minutes)

This conversation covers two main topics: attention to detail and working with people. Attention to detail is essential in dentistry, as a millimetre can be the difference between successful treatment and failure. The speaker also talks about perfectionism and how to shift it to 80% good enough. Working with people involves reading between the lines to understand their hopes, dreams, needs, and fears. Finally, advice is given to those wanting to create an online course but have limited technical knowledge: start simple, give yourself a tight deadline and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

(0:36:38) – Software Development (5 Minutes)

Alyssa Marshall, one of the people behind the SaaS ‘Owwlish’, speaks about the gradual process of improving the user experience. Alyssa shares it is necessary to take a step forward and get user input to continue making improvements. It is also important to keep up with the standards of other platforms as they improve. Alyssa is passionate about her business and is excited to see what her audience can achieve with courses. To support our audience, she is offering two months free of Owwlish to listeners: Landing page:owwlish.com/heneka

(0:41:34) – Entrepreneur New Podcast (1 Minute)

This episode featured a conversation with Alyssa Marshall, and the topics discussed included improvements on an existing product. The speaker then encouraged the listener to share their thoughts on the podcast and provided contact information and a website to find more information. The episode concluded with a scripture from Proverbs 3:5-6.’

Alyssa:https://www.facebook.com/owwlish;https://www.linkedin.com/company/owwlish/;https://www.youtube.com/@owwlish

Scaling Remote Staffing

This episode of The Entrepreneurial You podcast featured Rob Buffington, the owner of an accounting firm and a remote staffing company servicing homeowners association management companies. Rob discussed his journey into remote staffing and his strategies for managing employees remotely. He also reflected on his experiences in the property management space and explained how his early mistakes with employees led to successes with remote staffing. Additionally, Rob shared his thoughts on the Jamaican culture and the importance of providing support for employees

The Benefits of Remote Staffing

This conversation focuses on recognizing when something is wrong and how to effectively level up. It is discussed that the golden rule does not always apply when it comes to treating employees, as they often need the structure, check-ins, and training that the speaker does not. It is also discussed that when looking to make a change, it is best to look at it from the outside as if starting from scratch. The conversation then shifts to the advantages of remote staffing, specifically in Mexico with its proximity to the United States and the pleasant customer service experience customers receive when speaking with employees.

Remote Staffing Solutions for Businesses

This conversation explored the idea of remote positions and the potential cost savings associated with these positions. The speaker discussed ways to view a job description in a new way and consider whether technology automation or AI could be used to fill the role. They emphasized the need to go back to the basics when considering a new hire and explore all possible options, including remote positions. The speaker also discussed their company’s role as a headhunter and the services they provide to clients, such as payroll taxes, health insurance, and benefits.

Giving Back Through Business

In this episode, the speaker discusses why giving back is important to him and the projects he is involved with. These include an orphanage in Guadalajara, Mexico, an organization that manufactures shoes for children in developing countries, and a foundation that educates young people about human trafficking. The speaker explains that businesses should be charitable with their profits and not their business and that charity and business principles can go hand in hand. Finally, the speaker stresses the importance of knowing what work product is expected and measuring it rather than micromanaging hours for remote staff.

The Benefits of Learning From Mistakes

This conversation focuses on the learnings and experiences of the speaker with Rob Buffington and how it relates to staffing issues. The speaker reflects on their own mistakes of wanting employees to be like them and not taking the time to teach.

Contact Rob: https://www.facebook.com/rob.buffington.56; https://www.instagram.com/gordianstaffing/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbuffington/

Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Rob Buffington. What’s the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com

According to the Scriptures: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs ‭16:24

Scaling a Digital Business

‘The Entrepreneurial You’ welcomes Gaurav Sharma, the founder and CEO of Attrock, a results-driven digital marketing company. Gaurav shares his journey of growing his agency from a five-figure to a seven-figure income in just two years, increasing leads by ten times, conversion rate by 2.8 times and traffic to 300,000 per month through content marketing, SEO, influence marketing, landing page optimization, sales funnel, and LinkedIn. Gaurav shares his experience of working with SaaS businesses, local businesses, and e-commerce brands to help them grow their traffic, leads, sales, and authority.

Scaling a Business Team

This episode follows the journey of an entrepreneur who shares his experience of starting an agency in 2012. He realized that most agencies were just selling silver and gold packages, but not taking care of clients. He decided to start selling custom packages and began with one person on his team. By 2020, the team had grown to forty people and the entrepreneur was able to scale his success. They discussed customer relation management (CRM) and the unique selling proposition (USB), which helped the entrepreneur to build a successful agency.

Inbound and Outbound Lead Generation Strategies

This episode discussed the importance of inbound lead generation compared to outbound lead generation. It was explained that outbound lead generation is focused on personalized emails and follow-ups sent to a validated email database, while inbound lead generation is about building a brand through webinars, podcasts, blog posts and guest posts. The buyer persona is primarily focused on software companies and e-commerce businesses in the US and Europe, and the return on investment for inbound lead generation is higher but takes longer.

Creating a Successful Digital Agency

We explore the importance of emotional and financial support for developing a successful digital marketing agency. The speaker and his team focus on creating a comfortable environment for their team, building trust between team members, and using timesheets and attendance software for tracking productivity. The speaker also emphasizes the need for building relationships with clients and avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. Finally, contact details are provided for listeners interested in reaching out to the speaker for further information.

Growing and Improving Client Relationships

Here we look at the success story of Guarav and the knowledge he was able to take from his experience at a digital agency and improve upon it. Guarav’s focus is on building and improving client relationships, tailored to their individual needs. The episode ends with an invitation for feedback and a reference to the scripture, “Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.” Psalms‬ 147:7‬ ‭

Contact Guarav:https://twitter.com/Gaurav_Sharma11; https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravsharma11; https://www.instagram.com/gaurav_sha/

Give Away: SEO services

Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Guarav Sharma. What’s the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com

Chapter Summaries:

(0:00:00) – Advocating for Body Positivity (11 Minutes)

In this episode of the Entrepreneur You podcast, host Anika Middleton-Pearson engages in a conversation with Salihi Selami, a beauty expert who uses her platform to advocate for body positivity, clean beauty, and sustainability. They discuss Selami’s company, Sugar Sugar Wax, and how it was created to provide an easy hair removal system that anyone can use. Selami also shares her experiences with the Jamaican culture and its embrace of slow living and positivity. They go on to discuss body positivity and how it can affect confidence issues, especially in hair removal.

(0:10:36) – Empowering Beauty and Environmental Consciousness (9 Minutes)

This conversation dives into the importance of creating a product with a message of empowerment, inclusivity, and environmental consciousness. The speaker discusses how the idea of creating a product stemmed from recognizing the need to make conscious consumer decisions and the need to set an example. The speaker then describes the process of product development, with a focus on the ideation phase. They discuss the challenge of coming up with ideas and the importance of being aware of the product’s impact on the environment.

(0:20:04) – Creating a Product (12 Minutes)

This conversation focuses on developing a successful product. They give attention to the importance of conducting market research and understanding user experience in order to create a competitive edge. We also discussed prototyping, with the example of a sugar wax product being used to illustrate the importance of creating a product that is significantly better than existing products. It highlighted the importance of first impressions, with the suggestion that a product must be ‘market ready’ rather than ‘half-baked’ in order to build a loyal customer base.

(0:31:41) – Product Development in the Beauty Industry (7 Minutes)

In this episode, Salome discusses her journey from coming up with the idea of a beauty product to the successful product launch. She shares the various challenges she faced, such as sourcing ingredients, prototyping, testing, and partnering with a lab. Salome also encourages entrepreneurs to start small and go into it with a lot of heart, as the beauty industry is highly competitive and takes a lot of hard work. She shares ways to connect with her on social media and invites listeners to reach out if they have questions.

(0:38:55) – Approaching the Beauty Industry With Heart (3 Minutes)

In this episode, the speaker discussed the importance of making a good first impression in the beauty industry. It is essential to create something perfect from the start that will help you build a strong customer relationship. The speaker shared tips on how to stay connected with the podcast and upcoming topics. To end the episode, the speaker shared a scripture from Psalm 7:17.

Contact Podcast Host:linktr.ee/heneka_watkis_porter

Exploring Real Estate

‘The Entrepreneurial You’ covers tips for real estate beginners with a conversation with Luke Andrews, a real estate entrepreneur. Luke shares his story of how he got started in real estate, the low barrier to entry into the industry, and how many people enter the business looking for good money and flexible hours without realizing the actual work involved. The episode also includes a word from the sponsor ‘The Jamaica Stock Exchange’, which is voted by Bloomberg as the best-performing stock market globally.

The Need for Collaboration in Entrepreneurship

This conversation discusses the realities of being an entrepreneur and how flexible hours don’t necessarily mean optional hours. Advice is shared on how to become a real estate agent and how to be a successful investor. It is highlighted that it is important to focus on value and not on the split, and also to not have an overly arrogant attitude when starting. It is also mentioned that it is important to be vulnerable and to ask for help, as no one can stand alone. Lastly, it discusses how to get people to help you in getting what you want

Real Estate Investing Win

The speaker discusses the importance of finding a good business partner, sharing their experience of how one opportunity led to the purchase of forty rental properties. He also highlights the importance of leveraging their first deal and how it lead to financial gain, as well as providing intangible experiences and knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of seeking the advice of people who have done it before and his and his partner’s shared goal to provide quality and affordable housing for as many people as possible.

Real Estate Investing

This episode focuses on the realities of real estate investing and the importance of avoiding common mistakes. The speaker encourages being proactive in the investment process, asking questions and thinking outside the box. They also share their journey and have written a book to help others avoid the same mistakes they made. The book is free to download and is available at ten investormistakes.com. The episode also encourages vulnerability as a key to success and has several calls to action to follow the podcast, connect with the speaker, and access their coaching services.

Contact Luke:linkedin.com/salesandnegotiationcoach

https://www.instagram.com/lukeandrewsre/

Give Away: e-books: One is for people looking to invest in real estate; the other is for real estate agents who are new to the industry.10investormistakes.com

Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Luke Andrews. What’s the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com

According to the Scriptures: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalms‬ ‭9:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Contact Podcast Host:linktr.ee/heneka_watkis_porter

Exploring the Power of Challenger Brands

The Entrepreneurial You podcast discusses the concept of a ‘challenger brand’ with Mike Sullivan, the president and CEO of Loomis, the US leading challenger brand advertising company. Sullivan defines a challenger brand as any brand that is not the market leader and outlines the three states of a challenger brand: state of the market, state of mind, and state of readiness. He then discusses the importance of humility and focus when it comes to competing in the market, and the importance of talking to customers to identify positioning in the market.

The Power of Challenger Brands

Underdogs’ in the market can have a competitive advantage over category leaders by flying under the radar, being underestimated and being more nimble. Inspired stories of challenger brands succeeding against all odds gives us hope. Companies like Dollar Shave Club Warby Park, Red Bull and REI have all been successful in their respective markets by understanding their customer base, hiring people who are like their customer base and reflecting that back to their customers. An example of this is REI, which shut all its stores on Black Friday to support its environmentally conscious customers.

Strong Brand Through Values

This conversation focuses on the importance of culture in building a strong brand and how leaders can define, build and maintain their culture. Examples of successful brands that have stuck to their values, such as Chick-fil-A and their founder Truett Cathy, are provided. It is suggested that leaders need to get clarity on their brand and their values and be willing to take calculated risks. It is also suggested that leaders should take time to listen to their customers, peers, competitors and their intuition to get clarity and make decisions. The importance of having a trusted network of peers and advisors is also discussed.

Challenger Brands

This conversation focuses on the topic of building challenger brands. Mike Sullivan, President and CEO of Lewis, a leading advertising agency, encourages dreamers and believers to take risks and invest in themselves, regardless of their current situation. He advises aligning oneself with others who have already succeeded and listening to one’s heart. He also mentions his book, The Voice of the Underdog: How Challenger Brands Create Distinction by Thinking Culture First, co-authored with Michael Tuggle.

Contact Mike:Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOOMISagency; https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltuggle; YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/theloomisagency

Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Mike Sullivan. What’s the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com

According to the Scriptures: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalms‬ ‭107:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It is time for another episode. I am Heneka Watkis-Porter, the host and creator of The Entrepreneurial You podcast. Welcome to my live audience viewing on Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube; to my regular listeners big up yourselves, and a special welcome to you if you are tuning in for the first time. Over the past few weeks, I have had conversations around Design Centred Entrepreneurship; Running a Fulfillment Centre in China; Leveraging Private Equity to Build a Winning Global Business; Becoming…The Complete Man and so much more. This week, I am excited about talking with a teenager who is already making waves in trying to solve the problem of hunger through his charitable organization.

My guest on episode 306 of The Entrepreneurial You is Camden Francis. Camden is an 18-year-old entrepreneur at heart who founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called Beyond the Crisis. Camden is currently working on a Tech start-up with a friend from Harvard. Already a talented public speaker, he has spoken on the Drew Barrymore Talk Show about his nonprofit and been on Bloomberg’s radio podcast and other podcasts including NPR’s All Things Considered. Furthermore, Camden has also been interviewed by larger news channels such as CBS and PBS.

Contact Camden: www.beyondthecrisis.org

Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Camden Francis. What’s the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com

According to the Scriptures: “Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” 1 Chronicles‬ ‭29:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬

Contact Podcast Host: linktr.ee/heneka_watkis_porter

It is time for another episode. I am Heneka Watkis-Porter, the host and creator of The Entrepreneurial You podcast. Welcome back to my regular listeners, and a special welcome to you if you are tuning in for the first time. Last week I spoke with Irina Poddubnaia. Irina is a SAAS founder and a business consultant specializing in Operations and Processes Optimization. This week, I am excited about talking with the Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship and Chief Entrepreneurship Officer at Ball State University.

My guest on episode 305 of The Entrepreneurial You is Michael Goldsby. Mike is Stoops Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship and Chief Entrepreneurship Officer at Ball State University and co-author of Design-Centered Entrepreneurship which provides a research-driven, step-by-step approach to creative problem-solving.

Contact Mike: https://www.facebook.com/Mind2Momentum; https://www.instagram.com/mind2momentum/; https://twitter.com/Mind2Momentum; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnVg8O0YVEX8Yj1HBTvyGBg; https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind2momentum

Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Mike Goldsby. What’s the standout moment for you today? Send us your feedback at henekawatkisporter@gmail.com or on social media @henekawatkisporter. Remember to follow this podcast on your favourite podcast app or connect with me for all things Podcasting at henekawatkisporter.com

According to the Scriptures: “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” Psalms‬ ‭50:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Contact Podcast Host: linktr.ee/heneka_watkis_porter