Month: May 2021

Shaniqua Davis was tired of not landing jobs she felt qualified for.  So she woke up one day and decided to do something about it.  She founded Noirefy, a platform that helps match diverse tech talent with companies interested in finding those resources.  The platform is free for job seekers, and revenue for the company comes in the form of finders' fees.  Revenue also comes in the form of coaching and consulting with companies to foster more diverse and inclusive workplaces, so that they become a more attractive workplace to hire and retain that talent.

Shaniqua joins The Savvy Entrepreneur to share the story of how she founded the company, some of the challenges of mostly bootstrapping a startup, and dealing with the sensitive issues surrounding diversity and inclusion.  It's an inspiring story, showing how people like Shaniqua are helping our world change and improve, one step at a time.

Click on the arrow to the left to listen to Noirefy and Shaniqua's inspiring story!  Or, if you prefer, read the show transcript here.

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Matrix4 was originally Patricia' Miller's grandfather's company. It made plastic parts. And when he turned over the business to Patricia, it was struggling.

She completely turned the company around.  In the process, she created what she calls the first product design and manufacturing “house.”  The house combines all four key production phases:  design, engineering, tooling, and manufacturing.  The goal was to drive industry growth and innovation, and usher in a new era of culture, leadership and sophistication.

Patricia, the CEO of Matrix4, joins The Savvy Entrepreneur radio show to share her journey and how she rebuilt Matrix4, mixing the best of the old and the new.

The story of the “House of M4” is inspiring, full of great insights on taking on a turnaround situation, building a culture, and revitalizing American manufacturing!

Click on the arrow to listen in!  Or, if you prefer, you can read a transcript of the show here!

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Taralinda and Dale Willis, the Co-Founders of Curate Solutions, prove once again that the opportunities for creative businesses are almost unlimited.  Curate Solutions is a Wisconsin-based startup that makes local government data more accessible through its AI platform.

Taralinda, the CEO, joins The Savvy Entrepreneur to share the story of how they came up with the idea, how they found their first clients, and how they basically bootstrapped their way to success.  She offers tips for creating and building a business, finding helpful resources (including a stint with Madison's famed Gener8tor accelerator program).  She also provides incites on pivoting to meet customer needs, scaling a startup business, and generally staying nimble.

Her candor is refreshing, and the story of Curate Solutions is a great listen!  Click on the arrow to hear the show, or click here if you'd prefer to read a transcript of our interview!

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Franchising is a popular way to start a new business.  Scott Majeski, a franchising consultant who is the Managing Partner of FranNet for Chicago and NW Indiana, joins The Savvy Entrepreneur to talk about franchising basics. FranNet advises its clients on franchising, helping match them with the right franchising option.  Scott likens the business model to a real estate agent — there is no charge to the buyer, and the franchising company pays FranNet for a successful match with a new franchisee.

Scott shares all the franchising basics: the pros and cons of franchising, as well as what makes franchisees successful.  He speaks from experience, having built and operated a successful PuriClean disaster recovery franchise himself.  He talks about some of the common misconceptions about franchising, the kind of people who are a good fit for franchising (and those who are not), the most common mistakes franchisors make, and some of the costs associated with franchising.

It's a good, practical overview of franchising for those considering this option.  Click on the arrow to listen, or click here if you'd prefer to read a transcript of the show!

 

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Dr. Anthony Orsini, Founder of The Orsini Way, dedicated his career to helping people have difficult, compassionate conversations after an incident during his medical training.  His senior, whom he knew to be a very compassionate doctor, completely botched delivery of the news to a father that his baby had just died.  Dr. Orsini reasoned that, if someone this humane could still fail to deliver difficult news effectively, then there must be a need out there.

He spent the next 10 years researching the best ways to deliver bad news, and experimenting with how to teach others.  Since then, he has become increasingly known for The Orsini Way, which helps people — both healthcare providers and business leaders — to have difficult yet compassionate conversations.

He joins The Savvy Entrepreneur to share his story and research — it's a fascinating listen.  He also offers tips to help everyone have better conversations  — click on the arrow to hear more! Or, go here if you prefer to read a transcript of the show!

You can also read his book or catch his podcast, “Difficult Conversations,” to learn even more.

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