This Is Small Business

• Don’t Dig in the Desert: How to Find Flow, Take Smart Risks, and Lead Like a CEO

  What if risk isn’t about jumping off a cliff — but learning how to build the bridge as you go? That’s exactly what Lauren Goldstein, the Founder and CEO of Golden Key Partnership, had to figure out after walking away from a decade in medicine with no backup plan.Host Andrea Marquez explores how to take smaller, intentional risks that actually move you forward, how Lauren built a thriving business with no business background, and why letting go of control is essential for growth. Lauren also unpacks how redefining success helped her build a business that fits the life she actually wanted — instead of trapping her in one that didn’t.If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin or unsure what your next move is — this episode will show you how to get unstuck and grow into the business (and life) you actually want.Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at [email protected] – you might hear it in a future episode.In this episode, you’ll hear:(02:51) What makes someone walk away from their dream job after 10 years? Lauren shares the moment that changed everything.(08:57) Can you build a business without knowing what you’re doing? Lauren opens up about learning on the fly, YouTubing her way through early client projects, and building confidence over time.(11:00) What if the thing holding you back is actually your brain trying to “protect” you? Lauren explains how understanding the brain helps her reframe fear, spot self-sabotage, and take smarter risks.(13:45) Can tiny habits really change the trajectory of your business? Lauren shares how “The Slight Edge” philosophy helped her build long-term momentum.(18:31) How do you come back from failure and redefine success? Lauren helps founders reconnect to their deeper vision — and separate their worth from their business.(24:06) Why do so many entrepreneurs stay stuck in businesses they’ve outgrown? Guilt, obligation, and fear of letting go — and how to move through them.(25:27) What’s the smarter way to take risks without doing it alone? Lauren’s advice on finding flow, mentorship, and the right people to build with.(28:10) What if you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop when things are going well? Lauren shares how she interrupts old patterns, rewires her mindset, and stays grounded in growth.

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• The Business of Reinvention: Why Experimenting is Kim Kerton’s Superpower

  What if the riskiest move isn’t going all in but walking away when something no longer fits? Kim Kerton didn’t leave her media career with a clear plan. She left because she knew something wasn’t right. What followed was a search for a business idea that took her through yoga, ceramics, and creative experiments in remote Tasmania, all of which eventually led to her podcast and business, Unemployed and Afraid. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks how Kim redefined risk not as betting it all on one big idea, but as giving herself permission to experiment, try, pivot and start again. You’ll hear how she used creative detours to find clarity, why walking away can be the smartest move and how she turned vulnerability into her growth strategy. If you’re stuck waiting for the perfect idea, this episode will show you how experimentation can be a powerful and intentional part of building something meaningful.Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at [email protected] – you might hear it in a future episode.In this episode, you’ll hear:(02:06) How do you bounce back after a failed first venture? Kim shares her crash course in marketing, management and resilience.(04:50) Burned out but unsure what’s next? Hear how Kim left a corporate career and gave herself time to experiment.(08:12) What happens when your purpose doesn’t show up on time? Kim reflects on her early experiments and what they taught her about creativity and identity.(12:30) What makes an idea stick? Kim breaks down how she came up with the idea of Unemployed and Afraid, knew podcasting was the right fit, and why she built it like a business from day one.(18:15) Is working solo all it’s cracked up to be? Kim explains why she chose to diversify and go back to a company she once left.(21:12) Struggling to tell the difference between a rough patch and a red flag? Kim shares how she makes the call to pivot.(23:50) What does failure actually mean? Kim reframes it as momentum and explains how she got addicted to building, not just succeeding.(26:48) Can a 10% hunch lead to your next big move? Kim’s advice for anyone waiting to feel “ready” to start.

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• Scaling a Business while Staying Authentic: How Fly by Jing Rewrote Narratives

  What if the riskiest ingredient in your recipe for success was your own story? Jing Gao walked away from a secure tech career with no safety net to rediscover her Sichuan roots through food. She launched a fast-casual restaurant in Shanghai, apprenticed under a Michelin-caliber chef, and transformed a home-kitchen supper club into a crowdfunded CPG phenomenon—all to challenge stereotypes and rewrite the narrative around Chinese cuisine. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks how Jing had the courage to price her chili crisp at a high price when they first launched despite widespread belief that Chinese food “shouldn’t cost that much,” to reclaim her birth name, and to find a manufacturer that was willing to use the ingredients she preferred. If you’ve ever wondered whether sticking to your roots can pay off, Jing’s story proves that conviction is more than just a risk – it’s the secret ingredient.Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at [email protected] – you might hear it in a future episode.In this episode, you’ll hear: (01:44) Have you ever lost touch with your roots and wondered how to find them again? Jing shares how a diasporic childhood led her back to Sichuan cuisine.(06:22) Would you quit a secure tech job with zero backup? Jing talks about walking away from stability to follow her culinary passion and launch her first venture, Boaism. (09:52) What do you do when you realize your first venture isn’t your true calling? Jing closed Baoism to apprentice under a Sichuan master chef and deepened her knowledge of ingredients before launching her next chapter: a food pop up called Fly by Jing.(13:48) How do you test demand before you even have a product? Jing bottled her sauces for her travel pop-up, spotted a market gap, and crowdfunded.(18:58) Have you ever hesitated to charge what you’re really worth? Jing defied the stigma that “Chinese food should be cheap” by pricing her chili crisp at a premium and reframing it as the must-have “hot sauce.”(22:12) What happens when authenticity becomes your brand? Jing reclaimed her birth name during the pandemic, built customer trust, and sold out six months of inventory overnight after a New York Times feature.(24:18) How do you scale from crowdfunding success to retail distribution? Jing on launching on Amazon, landing in Whole Foods, and forging dream collaborations.(27:47) When should you take the next leap? Jing talks about blending deep research, unwavering conviction, and a touch of “delusion” to keep pushing forward.

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• Betting It All to Scale: How Volcanica Coffee Left Comfort Behind

  What happens when you risk a profitable side hustle for the chance to scale? Maurice Contreras, the founder of Volcanica coffee, spent 15 years building a side hustle and then bet a big portion of his retirement savings and personal funds (plus zero-interest credit cards) to build a 14,000 sq ft roastery after his son pushed him to think bigger. Host Andrea Marquez walks you through how Maurice sketched a full business plan on his flight home from a Costa Rican coffee farm, taught himself HTML, CSS, and SEO to turn a freezer-stocked garage into a booming e-commerce hub, and calculated every penny before deciding that real growth meant risking the comfort of what he’d already built. If you’ve ever wondered whether comfort is the enemy of growth, Maurice’s story proves that the greatest leaps often come when you risk what you’ve already earned.Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at [email protected] – you might hear it in a future episode.In this episode, you’ll hear: (02:19) Can a seventh-grader selling leather belts foreshadow a lifetime of entrepreneurship? Maurice made his first profit long before college.(04:04) Is marketing billion-dollar brands enough? After two decades in wireless marketing, Maurice felt the pull to build something of his own.(05:28) Can a single trip redefine your career? A Costa Rican coffee-farm visit led Maurice to draft a full business plan on his flight home.(07:19) How do you transform a freezer-stocked garage into an online empire? Maurice taught himself HTML, CSS, and SEO to launch Volcanica’s e-commerce hub.(12:14) What tells you it’s time to quit your day job? Hitting $100K in net profit – and an office relocation – gave Maurice the push to quit his day job.(15:43) What justifies a nine-month payback on an investment? His son’s roasting-plant proposal and razor-sharp profit models made the risk unavoidable.(21:56) How do you juggle rapid growth, family life, and massive overhead? Maurice leveraged retirement funds, credit offers, and bold vision to scale at lightning speed.(25:03) Can calculated risk become your superpower? Maurice reflects on why deep research, resilience, and embracing discomfort are the keys to entrepreneurial growth.

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• How a Serial Entrepreneur Launched a Business from His Dorm Room

  What do you do when your only options are a job you don’t want or a business that doesn’t exist yet? Angus Willows, the founder of Kangaroo Hanger, chose the harder path — and made it work. As a college student with a 3D printer under his bed, he designed a better hanger, taught himself how to file a patent, launched a second business to fund it and bet everything on a TikTok challenge that changed his life.But this isn’t just a story about going viral. It’s about building something real without a safety net and how you could trust yourself long before the world gives you permission. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks how Angus bootstrapped his way from a scrappy cardboard prototype to retail shelves and why he kept going, starting business after business, even when the stakes got higher. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re ready, Angus’ story might show you that readiness isn’t the goal — resilience is.Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at [email protected] – you might hear it in a future episode.In this episode, you’ll hear:(02:30) Can entrepreneurship start at six years old? Angus shares how selling bow ties as a kid sparked a lifelong obsession with inventing.(04:46) Would you major in something you’re bad at — just for the challenge? Angus explains why struggling through engineering made him a better builder.(06:26) What problem do you want to solve? Angus shares the frustrating dorm room moment that sparked the idea for Kangaroo Hanger. (08:40) Could adding less make your product sell more? Angus talks about the power of simplicity.(11:25) What if your side hustle exists just to fund your dream? Learn how Angus started a second business to avoid getting a full-time job after graduation and fund Kangaroo Hanger.(14:46) Is it possible to write your own patent? Hear how Angus did it — with a book and no legal training.(16:32) What happens when you give yourself 30 days to go viral? Angus’s TikTok experiment and how going viral helped him reach his pre-order goal. (22:34) When does going retail make more sense than selling direct? Angus explains how shipping costs drove a big strategic shift and how to get into retail.(24:57) How many businesses can one person build? Angus talks about his third company — and what he’s learned from jumping into new ventures and taking risks.(27:07) How do you manage the stress of debt as a founder? Angus shares his mindset around pressure, calculated risk, and staying grounded.(28:15) Not sure you can bet on yourself to take a big risk? Angus explains how self-trust is built — and why it starts with the smallest decisions.

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