Jen Reiner is a business development strategist that has spent the last 20+ years in marketing, service design, and program management.  She currently owns her own business management consulting firm, Align, that enables organizations to adapt and grow by enhancing customer experiences, launching new services, creating strategic plans, and innovating business models. 

In this episode, Sam and Jen discuss what holds businesses back from innovation, the value of diversity of thought, and letting go of perfection and accepting ambiguity in your career and in life. Jen knows how to ask the right questions and provides valuable insight into how you can too.

Time Stamps

Intro [0:17-1:11]

Professional & entrepreneurial background [1:11-8:47]

Finding your niche [8:47-11:50]

Transitioning into starting your own business [11:50-15:12]

Letting go of perfection & accepting ambiguity [15:12-20:23]

The value of diversity of thought [20:23-23:52]

Advice to your younger self  [23:52-28:06]

Intentionally looking for feedback [28:06-30:21]

What holds businesses back from innovation [30:21-34:28]

Important questions to ask yourself [34:28-37:11]

Conclusion [37:11-37:48]

Links

www.alignltd.com

www.linkedin.com/in/jennreiner

www.boostpoint.com

In our first episode with two guests, Sam sits down with the founding partners of Infantree, Ryan Martin and Ryan Smoker.  The Infantree is a creative agency focused on the power of brand communication that has done impressive rebranding, marketing, and design work with many local businesses here in Lancaster, PA. Ryan & Ryan discuss their approach to brand building as well as their experiences starting their business and transitioning as it, and they, have grown in the last 11 years.

Time Stamps

Intro [0:17-0:52]

Entrepreneurial background [0:52-5:38]

Finding experiences before starting a business [5:38-10:42]

Infantree’s humble beginnings [10:42-13:22]

The dream behind Infantree [13:22-18:45]

Growing & business partners [18:45-23:58]

Branding is more than a logo [23:58-27:27]

From a partnership to a team [27:27-31:19]

Intentional company culture [31:19-38:56]

Keeping motivation to run your business [38:56-44:37]

What Infantree does for their clients [44:37-48:18]

“Brand” is a feeling [48:18-51:58]

Conclusion [51:58-52:53]

Links

www.Infantree.com

www.Boostpoint.com

In this episode, Ellen Weber provides insight into the mind of an angel investor. Ellen is the Executive Director of Robinhood Ventures, an angel investment group that has been investing in early-stage, high growth startups since 1999.  As a founding member of Robinhood Ventures, she has over twenty years of entrepreneurial experience from starting her own businesses to helping almost 90 companies get started themselves. Sam and Ellen’s conversation highlights how to stand out to angel investors, when to raise capital, and the successful traits and common mistakes of entrepreneurs.

Time Stamps:

Intro [0:17-1:50]

The motivation behind Robinhood Ventures [1:50-5:42]

Understanding how angel investors think [5:42-9:55]

How to stand out to investors [9:55-12:06]

Making monetary assumptions when starting a venture [12:06-17:08]

Finding balance between doing it yourself and getting support [17:08-18:59]

When to raise capital [18:59-21:36]

Mistakes entrepreneurs make [21:36-22:40]

Milestones to set when starting a venture [22:40-25:45]

Why hiring your first salesperson is difficult [25:45-27:01]

Final advice for entrepreneurs from an investor perspective [27:01-27:48]

Conclusions [27:48-28:32]

Links:

www.facebook.com/elleneweber

www.robinhoodventures.com

www.boostpoint.com