SUMMARY:

In this deep-dive episode of Homegrown Hustle, host Matt Eichmann sits down with Dr. Mike Porter, Clinical Professor of Marketing at the University of St. Thomas, to unpack the real mechanics of reputation management—beyond buzzwords and surface-level branding.

Drawing from decades of experience in public relations, marketing strategy, and MBA education, Dr. Porter explains why reputation is not what you say—it’s what stakeholders believe, and how businesses of all sizes must strategically manage perceptions across customers, employees, media, competitors, and even regulators.

This episode explores the PESO Model (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned media), the difference between brand and reputation, how word-of-mouth actually works, why targeting everyone is a losing strategy, and how reputation directly translates into financial goodwill and long-term business value. Essential listening for founders, executives, marketers, and anyone building something that needs trust to scale.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Reputation is the management of stakeholder perceptions, not marketing slogans

• Brand is what you want people to believe; reputation is what they actually believe

• Every employee influences reputation—not just customer-facing roles

• The PESO Model explains how paid, earned, shared, and owned media must work together

• Word-of-mouth must be earned, engineered, and supported by strategy

• Targeting everyone weakens reputation—focus on high-value stakeholders

• Earned media and third-party credibility outperform self-promotion

• Reputation directly impacts business valuation and goodwill

• Buying a business means inheriting its reputation—good or bad

• Personal reputation compounds over time, especially in tight business ecosystems

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Welcome to Homegrown Hustle

00:41 – Meet Dr. Mike Porter & His Background

01:22 – What Is Reputation Management?

02:41 – Defining Stakeholders (It’s More Than Customers)

04:12 – The PESO Model Explained (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned)

06:17 – Employees, Culture, and Internal Reputation

07:02 – Why Word-of-Mouth Is Not a Strategy by Itself

08:16 – Strategy vs. Tactics in Marketing Communication

10:15 – Reputation for New Businesses: You Never Start at Zero

12:24 – Why You Shouldn’t Try to Influence Everyone

13:19 – Traditional PR vs. Influencers and Social Media

15:00 – Credibility, Earned Media, and Third-Party Trust

17:01 – Driving Traffic to Owned Media for Conversion

18:21 – Creating an Environment That Enables Sales

19:52 – Scaling Marketing as Businesses Grow

21:34 – Reputation, Relationships, and Market Dynamics

23:39 – Personal Reputation in Business Communities

25:04 – Buying a Business and Inheriting Reputation

26:15 – Goodwill, Valuation, and Reputation as an Asset

27:19 – Learning From Lost Customers

28:26 – Prioritizing the Stakeholders That Matter Most

29:43 – Brand vs. Reputation (Mic Drop Moment)

30:03 – Closing Thoughts & What’s Next

GUEST RESOURCES:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-porter-apr-fellow-prsa-he-him-2a033/

Website: https://researchonline.stthomas.edu/esploro/profile/mike_porter/overview

SUMMARY:

In this episode of Homegrown Hustle, host Matt Eickman welcomes back Dr. Brad Canham for a deep, practitioner-meets-academic breakdown of why traditional business plans often fail entrepreneurs—and what to do instead. Anchored in the Business Model Canvas, the conversation explores effectuation, customer discovery, value propositions, and the emotional realities behind purchasing decisions. Dr. Canham bridges entrepreneurship theory with real-world application, demonstrating how founders can move faster, learn earlier, and design businesses around customers rather than assumptions. From pricing psychology and qualitative customer interviews to organizational power dynamics and scaling realities, this episode reframes entrepreneurship as action-oriented sensemaking—not prediction.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Traditional multi-page business plans are often obsolete before they’re finished; early-stage founders need action, not over-planning

The Business Model Canvas offers a holistic, one-page framework that aligns customer needs with business capabilities

Entrepreneurship operates through effectuation—building with available means and small commitments rather than fixed end goals

The value proposition sits at the center of the business and must prioritize customer problems, not founder passion

Customer discovery conversations should focus on emotional, social, and functional pain—not selling

Pricing clarity emerges through real dialogue, not competitor copying or internal assumptions

Qualitative insights (language, emotion, behavior) often outperform quantitative data in early validation

As companies scale, organizational structure and power dynamics can suppress critical frontline knowledge

Mature businesses benefit from traditional planning—but only after stability and scale are achieved

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Welcome Back & The State of Entrepreneurship

02:45 – Why Business Plans Fail Early-Stage Founders

04:40 – Introduction to the Business Model Canvas

06:30 – Effectuation vs. Prediction: How Entrepreneurs Actually Build

08:25 – Understanding the Value Proposition (The Center of the Canvas)

11:10 – Entrepreneurship vs. Corporate Management

14:05 – From Startup to Scale-Up: When Structure Becomes Necessary

17:15 – Cost Structure, Pricing, and Customer Willingness to Pay

20:00 – Customer Discovery: Talking Without Selling

23:30 – Emotional & Social Drivers Behind Buying Decisions

27:00 – Truth, Attention, and Ethical Marketing

30:20 – Educating the Unaware Customer

34:45 – Crafting Value Propositions That Convert

38:10 – Founder Bias, Power Dynamics, and Subjugated Knowledge

43:30 – Creating Feedback Loops Inside Growing Organizations

46:00 – Final Framework & Closing Thoughts

GUEST RESOURCES:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradcanham/

SUMMARY:

In this high-level conversation, host Matt Eickman sits down with Umut Kaplan, Director of Business Development at Coccinella, to unpack what real growth looks like behind the scenes. Moving beyond surface-level sales tactics, Umut explores strategic partnerships, long-term value creation, and the mindset required to scale organizations sustainably. Drawing from real-world leadership experience, the episode dissects how modern business development intersects with culture, systems thinking, and disciplined execution. This conversation is a masterclass in intentional growth for operators, founders, and executives navigating complexity at scale.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Business development is a long-term value creation function, not just sales

Sustainable growth requires alignment between strategy, culture, and execution

Strategic partnerships outperform transactional relationships over time

Leadership clarity directly impacts scalability and team performance

Systems thinking is essential when operating in high-growth environments

Growth without operational discipline introduces hidden risk

The best BD leaders think like owners, not closers

CHAPTERS:

00:00 The Importance of Thoughtful Gifting

02:51 Origin Story of Coach Nella

05:39 Cultural Exchange and Its Impact

08:49 Family Background and Entrepreneurial Spirit

11:31 Understanding Olive Oil Consumption

14:27 Quality vs. Quantity in Olive Oil

17:25 Educating Consumers Through Tasting Events

19:31 Exploring the Olive Oil Industry

22:28

Quality Standards in Olive Oil Production

25:49 The Evolution of Olive Oil Offerings

29:24 Corporate Gifting and Customer Relationships

34:02 The Importance of Personalization in Gifting

39:04 Standards of Excellence in Business

43:57 Lessons from Family Values

48:39 Starting a Product Business: Key Insights

53:13 The True Meaning of Hustle

58:06 Building Relationships and Trust

GUEST RESOURCES:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/umut-kaplan-0222ba149/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coccinella_usa/?hl=en

Website: https://www.coccinellastore.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoccinellaUSA/

SUMMARY:

This conversation explores the themes of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the cultural dynamics that influence Dr. Brad Canham and Matt Eickman. The speakers discuss the importance of excellence, the role of impatience in driving innovation, and the impact of AI on society. They emphasize the need for experiential learning in entrepreneurship education and the significance of teamwork and ethics in achieving business success. The discussion also touches on the challenges of navigating uncertainty and the importance of reflection in personal and professional growth.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Entrepreneurship is driven by a desire for excellence.

• Innovation requires an open-minded perspective.

• Impatience can lead to rapid innovation.

• AI is fundamentally changing our cultural landscape.

• Experiential learning is crucial in entrepreneurship education.

• Teamwork is essential for business success.

• Ethics and practical wisdom are vital in decision-making.

• Reflection helps individuals process experiences and learn.

• Navigating uncertainty is a core entrepreneurial skill.

• • Creating learning opportunities is essential in uncertain times.

  
  

  CHAPTERS:

  00:00 The Drive for Excellence in Entrepreneurship

  03:00 The Role of Ideology in Innovation

  06:04 Cultural Perspectives on Innovation and Work Ethic

  08:59 Defining Innovation vs. Invention

  11:48 The Impact of AI on Society

  14:53 Navigating Change in a Rapidly Evolving World

  18:02 The Adoption Curve of New Technologies

  20:59 Experiential Learning in Entrepreneurship Education

  22:10 Experiential Learning in Entrepreneurship

  23:58 The Role of Collaboration in Learning

  26:15 Understanding Different Types of Knowledge

  28:10 Navigating Ethical Dilemmas

  30:15 Learning from Experience

  32:13 Disturbing the Status Quo

  33:59 The Importance of Reflection

  36:20 Managing Reactions and Responses

  40:23 Opportunities in Uncertainty

  
  GUEST RESOURCES:

  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradcanham/

  Website: https://marketvines.com/

  
  

  
  

  
  

SUMMARY:

In this episode of Homegrown Hustle, host Matt Eickman sits down with Joshua Swisher of Northface Construction to peel back the layers of what truly protects a home in the harsh Minnesota climate. Far from just a discussion about shingles, the conversation dives into the "symptoms" of home failure—most notably ice dams—and why they are actually heat, air, and moisture problems rather than simple roofing issues. Joshua shares his expertise on the evolution of building codes, the high-leverage power of attic insulation, and how a proactive approach to home efficiency can offset massive financial risks.

The duo also explores the "gap" in the traditional roofing industry: wildlife and pest exclusion. Joshua explains why standard code-compliant roofs are often still vulnerable to animal entry and highlights the massive opportunity for education and cross-industry partnerships between roofers and wildlife experts. Whether you are a new homeowner trying to navigate your first winter or a seasoned contractor looking to provide more value, this episode offers a masterclass in building for longevity and peace of mind.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Ice dams are symptoms, not the problem: They are caused by inefficient heat and moisture management within the home's attic and eaves.

The 1% deductible trap: Many homeowners don't realize their deductible is often 1% of the home's insured value, not 1% of the total loss, leading to higher out-of-pocket costs.

Efficiency as risk mitigation: High-leverage upgrades like spray foam and updated insulation (R-values) significantly lower operating costs and the risk of interior damage.

Quality underlayment is king: A roof’s ability to withstand hydrostatic pressure during an ice dam depends more on the quality of the install and underlayment than the shingles themselves.

The Wildlife Exclusion Opportunity: Most roofing manufacturers don't prioritize animal-proofing, creating a niche for contractors to offer "premium pest packages" through specialized partnerships.

Code is the baseline, not the ceiling: Building to current industry standards doesn't always guarantee protection against wildlife or extreme weather.

CHAPTERS:

[00:00] Introduction to Homegrown Hustle and Guest Joshua Swisher.

[00:23] The Ice Dam Myth: Why it’s a heat and moisture issue.

01:10] The staggering cost of ice dams: Emergency services vs. long-term fixes.

[02:49] Insurance Realities: Understanding modern deductibles and insured value.

[04:46] The Life Cycle of Homeownership: Navigating costs in the first year.

[05:39] 1980: The pivotal turning point in energy building codes.

[06:41] Joshua’s "Wholesale Spray Foam" strategy for maximum efficiency.

[07:11] Identifying a crisis: Dealing with active leaks.

[08:50] Best Practices: Screwing through shingles and maintaining warranties.

[09:50] Hydrostatic Pressure: How water moves sideways during an ice dam.

[10:30] Beyond Code: The importance of ice and water shields.

[11:49] The "Through the Roof" protocol for watertight installs.

[13:10] Bridging the Gap: Why roofers don't typically wildlife-proof.

[15:17] The Education Opportunity: Upselling longevity and brand trust.

[18:16] System Warranties: GAF products and the Golden Pledge standard.

[20:30] Scaling the Team: Internal vs. external installer management.

[21:14] Closing: Hustling through the holidays and final thoughts.

GUEST RESOURCES:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NorthfaceConstruction

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/northfaceconstruction/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/northface.construction/

Website - https://northfaceconstruction.com/

SUMMARY:

In this technically rich and practitioner-level conversation, home inspection expert Reuben Saltzman joins host Matt Eickman to dismantle common myths around ice dams, attic insulation, ventilation, and pest intrusion. Moving beyond surface-level homeowner advice, this episode explores the building science behind why homes fail in winter—highlighting how heat transfer, air leakage, disturbed insulation, and animal activity interact to create cascading structural problems. From one-and-a-half-story homes and rodent-driven thermal failures to Minnesota energy code requirements, Saltzman delivers a no-nonsense, systems-based framework for understanding—and preventing—ice dams, attic mold, and moisture damage before they become catastrophic.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Ice dams are caused by two conditions only: heat reaching the roof deck and snow accumulation—everything else is secondary.

One-and-a-half-story homes are inherently vulnerable to ice dams and are often cost-prohibitive to fully fix.

Air sealing—not insulation or ventilation—is the primary driver in preventing attic-related failures.

Adding insulation without air sealing can actually increase the risk of frost, mold, and ice dams.

Pest activity (especially squirrels and mice) significantly degrades insulation performance and accelerates heat loss.

Roof ventilation treats symptoms, not causes, and has minimal correlation with ice dam prevention.

Snow removal via roof raking is the only universally effective short-term ice dam prevention strategy.

Minnesota energy code legally requires air sealing before adding attic insulation—yet many contractors ignore it.

Homeowners often delay action until interior water damage appears, despite earlier warning signs.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – What actually causes ice dams

02:00 – Why winter is the best time to fix attic issues

03:20 – The structural damage progression of ice dams

06:00 – Why roofs leak under pooled water

08:00 – Why one-and-a-half-story homes are fundamentally flawed

09:10 – Roof raking: the simplest prevention method

10:45 – How rodents destroy insulation efficiency

12:30 – What a “perfect” attic should look like

14:15 – Insulation depth, settling, and real-world standards 16:00 – Why almost every attic has mice

17:30 – Air sealing vs. insulation: the real hierarchy

21:20 – Minnesota energy code and contractor shortcuts

23:50 – Pest control: reactive vs. preventative thinking

28:15 – Ice dam safety and homeowner injury risks

30:30 – Why ventilation is wildly overvalued

34:15 – The myth of “heat rises” in attic airflow

35:15 – Fitness, family, and closing reflections

GUEST RESOURCES:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinnesotaHomeInspections

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/structuretechhomeinspections/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubensaltzman/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/inspectorreuben

Website: https://structuretech.com/

SUMMARY:

In this high-signal episode, host Matt Eickman sits down with Tim Brown, CEO and Founder of Hook Agency, to dissect what actually drives scalable growth in home service businesses heading into 2026. Moving beyond surface-level marketing tactics, Tim reframes growth as a leadership, systems, and mindset challenge—where marketing only amplifies what already exists operationally.

The conversation explores agentic AI as an operational advantage (not a silver bullet), the compounding power of Google Business Profile dominance, and why referral ecosystems outperform paid leads at scale. Tim introduces the concept of the “Local Referral Mafia,” a grassroots growth engine rooted in trust, proximity, and social proof. Equally important, the episode dives deep into CEO psychology—letting go of control, allowing failure, shifting from operator to investor, and using leadership as a form of time compression.

This episode is a masterclass in modern growth: blending AI, local SEO, referrals, pricing strategy, and executive self-development into a coherent framework for building durable, scalable companies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Marketing does not fix broken operations; it only accelerates what already exists
• Google Business Profile optimization is one of the highest ROI growth levers in local markets
• Consistency beats novelty—layer marketing channels instead of constantly switching tactics
• Referrals close at the highest rate and require intentional systems, not luck
• The “Local Referral Mafia” creates defensible, low-cost lead arbitrage
• Agentic AI is best used first for internal automation, not customer-facing shortcuts
• Leadership is the primary bottleneck to scale, not tactics or tools
  
• Allowing team failure is a prerequisite for sustainable growth
• CEOs must shift from operator mindset to shareholder mindset
• Self-development is not optional—it defines the ceiling of the business
  

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Influencer Economics in Home Services

02:10 – The Future of Marketing Agencies & Agentic AI

06:30 – Nine Years of Growth at Hook Agency

09:55 – Niches, Focus, and the 2026 Plumbing Play

11:10 – Layering Marketing Instead of Channel Jumping

14:20 – Private Equity, Paid Traffic, and Playing a Different Game

17:20 – Google Business Profile as a Growth Weapon

20:00 – The Local Referral Mafia

27:45 – The CEO as Chief Energy Officer

29:15 – Letting Go of the Truck

32:20 – Leadership, Failure, and Self-Development

38:30 – Who Not How, Gap vs Gain, and Time Compression

41:05 – Thinking Like a Shareholder

44:45 – Agentic AI: Reality vs Hype

47:30 – AI, SEO, and the Decline of Clicks

54:30 – Pricing With Marketing Spend Built In

56:20 – Zero-Budget Growth Strategies

01:01:40 – Final Advice for Founders Entering 2026

GUEST RESOURCES:

Website: https://hookagency.com/website-design/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/hookagency

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hookagency/ | https://www.instagram.com/timishness/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hookagency/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hook-agency/

#HomeServiceMarketing #LeadershipOverLeads #HookAgency #TimBrown #MattEickman #HomegrownHustle #CEOPlaybook #LocalSEO #ReferralMarketing #AgenticAI #FounderMindset #ScaleWithSystems #MarketingStrategy #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth

SUMMARY:

In this episode of Homegrown Hustle, host Matt Eickman sits down with Sierra Blake, Adjunct Professor at Augsburg University and Founder/CEO of Saint Lucie, the company behind the rapidly emerging “sauna serum.” Sierra unpacks the neuroscience, physiology, and cultural anthropology behind sauna and cold-plunge practices—tracing them from ancient rituals to modern wellness movements fueled by COVID-era behavioral shifts. She breaks down her journey “from research to ritual” as she moved from academic study and IRB-approved research design to the creation of a startup at the beginning of a national sauna renaissance. The conversation spans addiction recovery research, business development, community-based entrepreneurship, product innovation, and the sociocultural forces shaping the explosive growth of bathing culture in the U.S. A masterclass in evidence-based wellness meets practical entrepreneurship.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Sauna and cold exposure have ancient multicultural origins rooted in ritual, community, and spiritual practices.
• Modern sauna growth surged post-COVID due to shifts in health behaviors, isolation, and the search for new third-spaces.
• Scientific research (especially Finnish longitudinal studies) shows significant reductions in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events—but more controlled studies are needed.
• Entrepreneurship thrives at the intersection of academic curiosity, personal experience, and unmet need.
• The sauna industry in the U.S. is in its early stages, filled with collaboration, idea-sharing, and rapid innovation rather than competition.
• Saint Lucie sauna serum was developed to solve real, unaddressed problems (dry hair/skin during heat exposure).
• Execution—not ideas—is the differentiator between those who succeed and those who don’t.
• Community groups and founder circles play a critical role in supporting new entrepreneurs in emerging industries.
• Behavioral psychology reveals how large-scale events (like COVID-19) permanently reshape leisure, wellness, and consumption patterns.
• “Hustle,” as defined by Sierra, is continually pushing buttons, pulling levers, and doing your best—a process of ongoing experimentation and forward motion.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Introduction

01:47 – The Research Journey

03:30 – First Sauna Experiences

05:15 – The IRB Study

06:45 – Ancient Sauna Origins

09:24 – The Modern Sauna Boom

11:18 – The Finnish Study

14:40 – COVID & Health Behavior Shifts

17:00 – Third Spaces & Bathing Culture

21:00 – The Sauna Economy

23:45 – Creating St. Lucie

26:45 – Product Development

31:00 – First Sales

33:10 – Community & Collaboration

36:45 – Competitors & Market Validation

39:20 – Entrepreneurial Conditioning

44:00 – Founder Mastermind Groups

46:30 – Future of Sauna Culture

49:25 – Pricing & Buying Saint Lucie

52:15 – How to Use the Serum

54:20 – Who Buys the Product

55:30 – Defining Hustle

GUEST RESOURCES:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565143112373

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopsaintlucie/?hl=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__sierrablake/

Linkedin; https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierracanham/

Website: http://www.shopsaintlucie.com

#HomegrownHustle #SaunaCulture #ColdPlunge #EntrepreneurLife #SaunaSerum #SaintLucie #WellnessScience #StartupJourney #FounderMindset #BathingCulture #MinnesotaBusiness #ContrastTherapy #HealthOptimization #HustleMindset