In this episode of Startup Sandwich, host Ric Phillips sits down with marketing expert, author, speaker, and lecturer Sanjay Dhebar to unpack what entrepreneurs often misunderstand about marketing.

Sanjay explains why going viral is not a reliable business strategy, why marketing is much more than social media, and why the best organizations are marketing-led and sales-driven. He shares practical advice on building a marketing plan, understanding your value proposition, identifying your target audience, creating consistent branding, measuring success, and knowing when to outsource support.

The conversation also explores Sanjay’s own entrepreneurial journey, from leaving a secure full-time role to building a business around teaching, training, consulting, and strategic planning. He shares honest lessons on partnerships, patience, grit, adapting in a changing economy, and using AI to improve business efficiency.

If you’re a founder, startup owner, side hustler, or entrepreneur trying to grow your business, this episode offers practical insights on marketing, sales, branding, and long-term business growth.

In this episode of the Startup Sandwich Podcast, Ric Phillips, communication specialist at YEDI, sits down with Abimbola Akinnuoye, Founder of Leading Ladies Connect and Co-Founder of Karisverse, to talk about the real challenges women entrepreneurs face when building and growing a business.

From visibility and storytelling to funding, confidence, community, and brand growth, this conversation explores why so many women in business still downplay what they do and why that can hold them back. Abimbola shares her perspective on women entrepreneurship, the importance of showing up and telling your story, and how women founders can build credibility, access opportunities, and grow beyond the “small business” mindset.

Abimbola is the Founder of Leading Ladies Connect https://leadingladiesconnect.com/ , where she builds spaces that help women grow, get visible, and access real opportunities, and Co-Founder of Karisverse, an experiential media and marketing agency focused on storytelling and brand visibility. She works at the intersection of community, entrepreneurship, and media, and has built a global network of over 12,000 women while curating high-impact experiences that connect women directly to funding, partnerships, and visibility.

Startup Sandwich podcast is powered by the York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI), a designated learning institution that helps aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs build real businesses through practical education, mentorship, expert guidance, and a supportive entrepreneurial community. Learn more at yedi.ca.

Before you start a business, one critical question matters: is your idea actually viable?

In this episode of the Startup Sandwich Podcast, powered by the York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI), Rick Phillips speaks with Fabio Crespin from United Way about the reality of entrepreneurship, how to evaluate a business idea, and why a good idea alone isn’t enough to build a successful startup.

Many entrepreneurs start a business based on passion or inspiration, but without understanding whether there is real market demand. In this conversation, Fabio shares insights from years of working with entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and social enterprises to explain how founders can think realistically about business viability, market signals, and long-term sustainability.

In this episode we discuss:

• How to know if your business idea is viable
• Why most business ideas fail before reaching the market
• The importance of market demand and real market signals
• Balancing entrepreneurial determination with honest feedback
• What social enterprises are and how they work
• Real examples of businesses creating jobs for people facing employment barriers
• Why sustainable business models matter more than grants
• The role of mentors, communities, and support networks in entrepreneurship
• How automation and economic changes are shaping the future of work
• Why more people are turning to entrepreneurship and small business ownership

🎧 Startup Sandwich Podcast is powered by the York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) www.yedi.ca , a global leader in entrepreneurship education and startup training. The podcast explores the real stories, challenges, and lessons behind building successful businesses and entrepreneurial ventures.