Small Business Squad

Vincent Aguirre

A space for advocates of small business, supporters of buying local, and business/ nonprofit leaders to share knowledge, collaborate and gain valuable information. This community is for small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and advocates of local economies everywhere. Together we will strengthen local economies, keep dollars in our community, and stay competitive against large corporations. This community is committed to advocating for small businesses and supporting local economies. Please find us on our Facebook Group, Youtube, and at BecomeDistinct.com. We also encourage you to invite your awesome friends and connections who would greatly benefit from this group. read less
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Episodes

Unlocking Video Marketing Success: Simple Strategies for Every Business
Mar 11 2024
Unlocking Video Marketing Success: Simple Strategies for Every Business
Video Marketing Made Easy and Impactful 🎥🌟Dive into the world of effective video marketing without the need for high-end equipment or complex editing. Learn how to create engaging content simply using your smartphone, and understand the importance of concise messaging – keeping it under 60 seconds for maximum platform compatibility.Discover the power of LinkedIn for professional outreach and TikTok for broader demographic engagement. Embrace the ease of list building for business growth, and explore how basic video tools like a budget-friendly tripod or microphone can enhance your content quality.Join me in exploring how straightforward, yet creative approaches in video marketing can lead to significant audience engagement and business growth, even if you're just starting out!Small Business SquadSelfie Stick / TripodMicrophoneTranscript:Today is not going to be how to produce really fancy videos with a 3, 000 camera and edit it and make a YouTube following like Mr. Beast. Anyone know who Mr. Beast is? Yeah. It's not, that's not that. This is how you can have tangible impact immediately. with the lowest barrier to entry. And if there's anything you leave with today, it should be the fact that you can get started.Because getting started is literally the hardest part. You don't have to worry about editing, looking good, creativity, all these things. You just have to get started. And I'll kind of give you some information, some numbers to prove that, both some personal experiences, and then also some stats from the internet.But before we get started, let's talk about my very complex, crazy life. Born and raised outside of Chicago. My son Xavier is about two years old. My wife Shelby's from the Putnam County area we've been married since 2019 and Yeah, my family's really important to me Uh, my mom moved down here during COVID and, uh, she's loved it here.Uh, even with COVID lockdown, she's been able to build community. And she works at, uh, RIDPATH as a noon aid. So she gets to know all the little ones. Uh, and Shelby's family, um, Emily and Shane, they've been around for a long time. Emily was at RIDPATH for a while and Shane's with the USDA. So Distinct is what pays my bills.Although sometimes it feels like it's the thing I'm giving the least attention to. But we build and maintain high quality, affordable websites. For small businesses and nonprofits this year. We're kind of pivoting into just general support for small businesses and nonprofits are our unlimited website support.It's been a big hit for all of our clients. They love that they can send us an email and we do it for them. So now we're expanding that to other things like bookkeeping or organizing your files or administrative assistance. So kind of taking that same model and expanding it really excited. We're working with.Three clients in this new realm, one of which is helping them take videos that they refuse to post without editing and editing the videos for them because they feel they need that. So really, if you're, if you're going through something with your business right now and you're like, man, I wish I could pay someone else to do this.We can probably do it way more affordably than you think. And we can save you a lot of time and money. I'm also serving on city council, uh, which plays a direct role in my experience with video. Uh, one of my theories when running was I think local politics is slightly m
Beyond the Launch: Discover Your Business Strengths & Weaknesses
Apr 8 2022
Beyond the Launch: Discover Your Business Strengths & Weaknesses
You've launched; the customers and community were excited, yet a few months or years in, something has changed. Join Vince, Ken, and guest Dave Bittner of the Indiana Small Business Development Center, for a discussion on utilizing your business' strengths and recognizing its weaknesses to energize and grow your business going forward.Dave Bittner is a Rural Business Advisor for the West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center.  Dave and the WCISBDC team provide advising, training, and support to small business startups and existing organizations based on the specific need.  Dave’s experience and knowledge were obtained over 25+ years of management in small businesses and large corporations.  He ensured business results by driving high-performing business operations, leadership development, sales growth, excellent customer service, and profitable results.A life-long advocate for civic leadership and entrepreneurship, Ken's career has included small business creation and ownership, the director of an entrepreneurship center and faculty member of a community college, and leadership in the not-for-profit and community development organizations of his community.Over the last decade, as founder and President of Distinct, Vince has worked with over 400 small businesses and nonprofits. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from DePauw University and is an MBA candidate with Quantic School of Business and Technology. He brings a passion for listening to client needs, understanding their challenges, and developing creative solutions that help them grow. Vince has worked with organizations of all sizes from solopreneurs to companies with 400+ employees and ranging from pre-revenue to 40M+/year in revenue. Vince is a proud son of Chicago's South Side and currently resides in Greencastle Indiana with his wife Shelby and son Xavier.
Beyond The Launch: Working On Your Business, Not In Your Business
Feb 7 2022
Beyond The Launch: Working On Your Business, Not In Your Business
You're working hard day in and day out, but are you really getting anywhere?You're not alone. Most business owners get stuck in the day to day operations and never take a step back to see how they can improve their business. Imagine what it would be like if you could take a step back, look at your business from a high level, and make changes that will impact your bottom line for years to come. Join Scott Monnett, Ken Eitel, and Vince Aguirre while we dive into this problem and offer solutions.Scott has had the privilege to serve a variety of communities during 20 years of service in not-for-profit recreation and human service organizations through fundraising, program, and executive leadership. A life-long advocate for civic leadership and entrepreneurship, Ken's career has included small business creation and ownership, the director of an entrepreneurship center and faculty member of a community college, and leadership in the not-for-profit and community development organizations of his community.Over the last decade, as founder and President of Distinct, Vince has worked with over 400 small businesses and nonprofits. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from DePauw University and is an MBA candidate with Quantic School of Business and Technology. He brings a passion for listening to client needs, understanding their challenges, and developing creative solutions that help them grow. Vince has worked with organizations of all sizes from solopreneurs to companies with 400+ employees and ranging from pre-revenue to 40M+/year in revenue. Vince is a proud son of Chicago's  South Side and currently resides in Greencastle Indiana with his wife Shelby and son Xavier.
Beyond The Launch: Essential Business Finance Part 2
Nov 11 2021
Beyond The Launch: Essential Business Finance Part 2
Notes: https://kingdomality.com/becomedistinct.compodcast.becomedistinct.comEven if you have a great product or service, it is not enough. You need to know how to make your business work for you and be profitable.Most small businesses fail after 3 years because they do not know how to manage their finances properly.Making those important business decisions can be difficult, especially if you're not sure what your options are or how much it will cost.Many small businesses don't take advantage of professional accountants or finance experts, which means that they often end up making costly mistakes as they try to navigate their way through this complicated world on their own.The Beyond the Launch series of the "Small Business, Big Ideas" podcast is designed to give you practical advice from real-world experience so that you can avoid common pitfalls and learn how to run a better business without breaking the bank.We discuss financial reports and forecasting, how to stay out of trouble, managing the personality of money, accounting basics, and more!Tiffany holds two degrees in business and is both a Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) and an Enrolled Agent (EA).  She works closely with local businesses and non-profits, helping them analyze their profitability, operational spending, and projected tax liability.  Her firm also provides payroll services to about 40 businesses and prepares 1,600 tax returns annually.  Tiffany has 10 years of experience in Human Resources and is beginning her 5th year in tax preparation.   Tiffany is passionate about employee and client engagement and serving as a solid business resource to the community. A life-long advocate for civic leadership and entrepreneurship, Ken's career has included small business creation and ownership, the director of an entrepreneurship center and faculty member of a community college, and leadership in the not-for-profit and community development organizations of his community.Over the last decade, as founder and President of Distinct, Vince has worked with over 400 small businesses and nonprofits. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from DePauw University and is an MBA candidate with Quantic School of Business and Technology.