Could you run a business with your life partner, happily?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   After catching an Oprah Winfrey show with Robert Kiyosaki, Graeme bought all of Kiyosaki's books to improve his financial literacy — and he even roped in his new girlfriend (now wife and business partner), Leanne. They quit their jobs on the same day and started their entrepreneurial journey, together.   The Carling Group invests in and partners with established businesses with growth potential in the healthcare, technology, sport, renewable energy, and real estate sectors. In this episode, Graeme and Leanne share stories of their shared upbringing, how they resolve fights, and why they left the corporate world and never looked back.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: The Carling Group Connect on LinkedIn: Graeme Carling; Leanne Carling Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

What legacy are you creating for your kids?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   After her husband died unexpectedly, Amanda transitioned from a corporate career to full-time parenting in 2020. Based on the financial principles introduced to her by her late husband, she dreamt up her own version of a “give-save-spend” bank. In need of a pandemic hobby, she tried selling it on Etsy. She was thrilled by her first sale — and slightly surprised when the sales kept coming — when they didn’t slow, she realized this was how she could pass down the financial legacy with her sons and with the world.   Amanda remarried in 2019, and together, she and her husband Dan are working to continue that legacy for their three sons. Small Legacies is a children’s gift brand that focuses on thoughtful, practical items enhancing a child’s development and fostering peace within parents’ homes.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Give, Save, Spend: Small Legacies TEDxOshkosh: In Defense of Participation Trophies Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Have you started (or stalled) on using AI in your business yet? This is the show for you — a reminder you need to start while it's early!   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Meet Matt Swalley. He is co-founder at Omnekey. They are a marketing platform that leverages AI powered content to maximize your ad performance. They help a wide range of organizations, from fast-growing startups to larger enterprise companies. We have experience helping E-Commerce, FinTech, B2B, SaaS, and fundraising companies succeed in a competitive ad environment.   In this episode, our Matt — you know, the non-marketer in the room — learns that while AI makes some aspects in business easier, it still needs human touch and won't be replacing our jobs anytime soon. Nicole brings a diagram and a challenge for this episode...Can Matt find the show notes when AI writes them vs when the editor does?   So what do you think? Who wrote this one?     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Omneky Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Founders & CEOs: Has your team been nagging you to create content? Wondering if you should start posting those things called reels? Short clips? Maybe even TikTok?! This episode is your sign!   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   He started his first company when he was eight, he built a YouTube channel with 10K subscribers when he was 12, and he was Chief Marketing Officer at a company with investors like Gary V. In today's episode, you'll meet Jake Hurwitz. He is the founder of Thursday Labs. A studio that creates founder-driven content where they will distribute 700+ pieces of content across 15+ channels over a 4 month period! And all you have to do is show up to record.   In this episode, Jake dives deep into why content strategy is important for business impact and how you can leverage that to get a more valuable audience.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Thursday Labs Connect with Jake on LinkedIn: Jake Hurwitz Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Ever considered throwing in the towel and getting a “real job?” Hundreds of Founders and Startups are glad today’s guest didn’t give up.   After realizing it was hard to land a position at a venture capital firm, he decided to build his own fund...all while growing a family too.   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Meet Mike Cardamone. He is CEO and Managing partner at Forum. Where they’re investing in 100 businesses this year! He focuses on developing Forum’s investment strategy with the mission to make the B2B SaaS journey easier, more accessible, and successful for early-stage founders. Working with hundreds of founders since Forum’s inception, he has helped portfolio companies navigate the fundraising process and optimize their position in the market.   In this episode, Mike shares that one time he wondered if he should get a “real job” and what it's like to grow a large family while building a business. He shares tips on balancing family life and business life and a story of how one investor reminds us all, that it really does matters who we surround ourselves with.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Forum Ventures Follow Mike: Twitter Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

What if your smart device could improve your nutrition?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   After multiple health issues in his family, Ari knew he needed to dedicate his life's work to the health care system — or should we say 'sick care system.' Ari worked with the cellular team at Nokia when they installed the step counter to phones. So when he saw how gamifying strategies started to change the health sector and patients lives — he knew he had to get involved.   Ari Tulla is the CEO and co-founder of Elo Health. They are taking the Smart approach to nutrition that fills your nutrient gaps based on your activity data, wearables, and biomarkers for exact personalization. With the help of a science team, a medical team, and AI, Elo has over 389 million combinations and 100 active ingredients to give you precise and personalized supplements for your exact needs.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Elo Health LinkedIn: Ari Tulla Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Have you ever thought of building an app?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   After building a medical software app for a company that sold for somewhere in the millions, John and his business partner, Jason, knew they needed to change directions. Now, they focus on helping startups bring their ideas to life, filtering through hundreds of pitches to find the ones with the most potential.   And you won't want to miss the part where he tells us about how one app solves dating problems for both Republicans and maybe even Democrats.   John Driscoll has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years with several successful ventures to his name. He is the innovative mind behind Naked Development, a cutting-edge mobile app development firm and creative agency based in Irvine, CA. Among his list of clients are Bank of America, Hyundai, Wells Fargo, the PGA of America, the American Red Cross, and many more.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Work with John: Naked Development Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Do all franchises operate the same way?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Most corporate owners see their franchises as cash cows, but not our guest this week. John knew Foot Solutions was a rising star full of potential. He's is determined to change the way his franchises operate. In this episode, John gives us examples of how he is changing his company's culture, a story of how failing can still be inspirational, and he tells us why custom orthotics aren't just for old people. Maybe even, Nicole.   Meet John Prothro. He calls himself a generalist and is an experienced executive with a background in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and International Business Leadership. Today he is the president and CEO of Foot Solutions; a global foot wellness retailer that specializes in custom orthotics and advanced footwear.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Find a Store Near You: Foot Solutions Books Mentioned: Witness by Whittacker Chambers; War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy; The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky; The Last Lion by Winston Churchill Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Have you ever felt like your brand is stuck or needs a partner?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   In this episode, Deevo tells us what holistic branding means, he gives us a sneak peak at how his team helps you define your brand message, and he shares how a former country music star is using collaboration of music and mentoring to get back in the game. But he can't tell us who that is just yet. At the end, Nicole takes a guess at who it might be. Who do YOU think it is?   Meet Deevo Tindall. He is a fellow podcast host, a holistic brand strategist, and the founder of Fusion Creative. They are not just a marketing agency. Fusion Creative becomes an extension of your team, crafting customized solutions tailored to your unique needs, so you can focus on what you do best while they handle the essential branding and marketing support.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Fusion Creative Follow: Deevo on Instagram Listen: Deevo's Podcast, Unlearn Everything Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

How big is your market? And how do you find your buyers?     This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.     Meet Eli Packouz. He is a serial inventor and two-time founder. He started his first company with his brother and since then they've launched eight blockbuster products. Today, Eli has partnered with Dr. Ralf Raud and Dr. Ana Mascarenhas to create the first device that automatically flosses all your teeth — in only 10 seconds. After five years of research and development, Instafloss is ready to change the world, one smile at a time.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Instafloss Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

What if your next business came with a little guarantee?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Meet Tim Parmeter, fellow podcast host and founder of FranCoach. Whether you're a first time business owner or just looking for your next big idea, FranCoach is helping aspiring business owners find their perfect franchise match. They are partnered with 500+ franchisors that span nearly 60 industries and are partnered with the top funding companies in the industry, helping you from ground zero to the very first day you open your doors for business — did we mention their services are free?!   In this episode, Tim tells us what we need to know about picking the right franchise, he de-bunks some myths about them (yea, you can actually work one part time), and he takes us through how he helps his clients pick the right one...Nicole and Matt may or may not have agreed to start one this year.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: FranCoach Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Is email dead?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.     Meet co-founders of CodeCrew, Alex Melone and Andrei Marin. They are an email marketing agency known for their staggering 1300% ROI for clients. From full-service to strategic copywriting and design, they emphasize the importance of a well-managed and clean email list, steering clear of the common 'batch and blast' approach that can lead to significant issues and damage to an email list's health. Today they share their entrepreneurial journey, from selling toys as a kid to playing video games across continents. We explore the dynamics of a successful business partnership, even when it involves working with a spouse and how playing together just might be the secret sauce to a co-founder relationship.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: CodeCrew Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Is your business creating true freedom for you and your family? His mentor asked him this one question and the answer changed his business forever. Now he's sharing how it can helps yours too.   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Meet Joe Rare. He is a dad, an outsourcing expert, and in his words, an 'underground entrepreneur'. At a young age while attending an Oakland A's day-game, Joe learned the value of time freedom from another entrepreneur. Today he owns multiple businesses — and they're all run by VAs. He says to achieve true time freedom, business owners should be replacing themselves in their business. His company, Level 9 Virtual, is helping business owners just like you, do just that.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Level 9 Virtual Connect with Joe: LinkedIn Book Mentioned: Rich Dad, Poor Dad Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Should you hire another consultant, or a fractional COO or CMO? (And what the heck is the difference?)   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Meet Aimee Schuster. She is the founder and COO/CMO of Bandwidth Strategy. Aimee supports $5M-$100M major revenue companies in creating, growing, and improving marketing departments to execute on lead generation and overall brand awareness. Aimee has sat in full-time positions at companies such as Miller Heiman Group, Yello, SimplyBe, and HomeFinder to provide fractional C-suite solutions to scale and grow their business. In this episode, Aimee tells us what it's like to be a fractional COO and fractional CMO, the difference between consulting and fractional, and how to decide if fractional work is right for you.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Bandwidth Strategy Meet Aimee: Aimee Schuster LinkedIn Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Looking for a formula for more sales? What if it was as simple as adding four words to your sales conversations?     This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.     Meet Tom Jackobs. Tom knows what it's like to leverage shiny object syndrome as a super power. In this episode, Tom shares the story of how his paper route as a 10-year-old led him to entrepreneurship and a successful sales coaching practice. Listen in to how he applies “tension” to give your customers everything they want to buy.     Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Tom Jackobs Tom's FREE Workshop: 3 Keys to Selling Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Why are some business messages effective — while others fall flat?     This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.     Meet Ben Guttmann. He is a marketing executive, a Baruch College professor, and the author of his book, Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win and How to Design Them. Ben has worked with some of the biggest brands like the NFL, I Love NY, and TLC to name a few. In a world filled with distractions and noise, Ben says the most effective messages all share one thing — they are simple. In this episode, Ben tells us about his five principles to writing clear and simple messages. You're gonna want to grab a pen and paper too because Nicole and Matt push for some good examples.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Connect with Ben: Ben Guttmann Get the 1st Chapter Here: Simply Put: Why Clear Messages Win and How to Design Them Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Do you struggle with a never-ending to-do list? Dozens of competing priorities? In this episode, the mics are turned around and Nicole is a guest on Women Road Warriors Podcast with host, Shelley Johnson.   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Nicole Schmied is a four-time entrepreneur and the CEO and Founder of SmartCookie Media, and the Creator of the podcast, The Serial Entrepreneur Show, so she knows what it's like to have a few balls in the air. This episode walks through how Nicole has learned to delegate — not micromanage her team, why using proven data in your marketing is the key to a successful ad campaign, and how she views 'true balance' as a myth.   Through workshops and done-for-you services, Nicole’s SmartCookie Media team creates marketing results in as little as a day. From business owners, politicians, and other go-getters, she has worked with clients across the US, Canada & Australia. Nicole is a first-generation American who lives outside of Chicago in NW Indiana with her husband, Kyle, and their two sons, Luke (6) and Will (2).   Nicole's Favorite Automation Tool: CRM & Marketing Automation Email Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Meet the Hosts: Women Road Warriors Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

They say your net worth is in your network...today's guest proves it. Imagine this: It's the day before you start your new job at Wells Fargo as the branch manger. You call your new boss to tell him you need a higher starting pay...and he says to kick rocks. What now?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   Meet Jermane Cheathem. He is the founder of Creators Learn and the entrepreneur mentioned above. While working at a sales job making over 300 cold calls a day, one sentence from a phone call would change the way he finds leads in the commercial lending space. Instead of calling the people who need financed, he partnered with the companies that sell the equipment. Now, after $50+ million in sales, he helps other sales professionals & entrepreneurs use his mindset, models, and strategy to create financial, time, and location freedom in their life.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Visit: Creators Learn Connect on Facebook: Jermane Cheathem Connect on LinkedIn: Jermane Cheathem Episode Mentioned: How This SaaS Startup is Capturing More Sales with Human Touch, with Alex Levin of Regal.io Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

"If he's so good, why doesn't he work for himself?"   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   How would you react to a CEO making that statement about you and your work? Well, today's guest reacted in a way that would create a ripple effect around the world.   Meet Chris Rock, co-founder of SIEMonster. SIEMonster is a modern security tool to manage threats and risks to your personal information. He is a Cyber Mercenary who has worked in the Middle East, US, and Asia for the last 30 years working for both government and private organizations. Chris Rock has presented three times at DEF CON, the largest hacking conference in the world, and is the author of Baby Harvest, a book based on criminals and terrorists using virtual babies and fake deaths for financial gain.   In this episode, Chris gives us tips to keep your information secure, tells us how hackers use their power for good — or how they can overthrow a government, and that one time he was the only invited TED Global guest — who was uninvited.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Learn More: Chris Rock Visit: SIEMonster Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com

Do you want to know how to leverage your business to become part of the biggest shopping day of the year? And without sacrificing your wallet?   This show is brought to you by SmartCookie Media where we provide end-to-end podcast production and VIP Day marketing services. Book a complimentary content session and ask for our free podcast checklist here.   The myth about Black Friday is that you have to offer a deep discount to win clients — here at SmartCookie we say, "No way!" Today, Nicole shares three ways, with a ton of examples, how your business can become part of the noise on the biggest shopping day without risking your wallet.   Get Weekly Tools to Build Your Business (for free!): The Entrepreneur's Toolkit Connect with Nicole: Nicole Schmied Linkedin; @Nicole Schmied Get Your Data-Driven Marketing Strategy: SmartCookie Media FREE: Content Strategy Session Watch the video on YouTube: 3 Profitable Promotions for Black Friday Have a story to tell? Signup here: www.serialentrepreneurshow.com