How I Built My Small Business

Anne McGinty

Welcome to 'How I Built My Small Business,' where we dive deep into conversations with guests who've carved out their own path to success. But, we're not only about the creation of businesses. Alongside entrepreneurs, I also chat with experts offering perspectives that'll benefit anyone striving to lead, learn, or improve.
This podcast is both a creative outlet and a platform to share knowledge from incredible people. My guests open up about the raw, heartwarming details of their journeys, offering expertise, simplifying business know-how, sharing money-making ideas, and imparting life wisdom—all through the power of storytelling.

By listening to these interviews and stories, my hope is that you find even one little takeaway that sparks or inspires your path.
While most of my guests make $1 million to $20 million net profit a year, some make more and some make less, but there is a lesson worth learning in each one. I also bring in special guests from brokering and mergers, mindset and meditation, entertainment and marketing, among others. So, the line-up is diverse in niche, experience and perspective - and so, so fun.
Special episodes include:
No College, No Problem
Big business founders with a focus on helpful small business topics
Expertise in hyper-niche fields
The connecting piece is that every one of my guests has started their own business at some point in their journey.
Thank you for listening.
Season 2 drops January 21, 2025. Follow the show so you don't miss out!
My Website: https://www.annemcginty.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcginty/
Behind-The-Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost

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Top 10 How I Built My Small Business Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best How I Built My Small Business episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to How I Built My Small Business for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite How I Built My Small Business episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Ross Jacobson - Is Pivoting into Entertainment at 29 Madness? Uncover How 3311 PRODUCTIONS Turned a Tape-Librarian into a Producer in Just Four Years!

How I Built My Small Business

03/26/24 • 40 min

Ross Jacobson is the co -founder CEO of 3311 Productions, a company of film lovers who take movie making seriously, but not themselves.
Ross went from the entry level job as tape librarian at Magical Elves, the producer of Top Chef and Project Runway, to leading the company in just four years. Ross is a film industry veteran who has brought films to Cannes, Sundance, Telluride, Berlin, Toronto, and Comic -Con, and has been a part of Emmy and Peabody winning TV shows.
3311 Productions has produced many films including In A World , The Assistant , Brigsby Bear , and many more.

Subscribe on Apple Podcast , Spotify or YouTube.
Let’s connect!
Subscribe to my newsletter: Time To Live: Thriving in Business and Beyond
Website: https://www.annemcginty.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemcginty
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemcgintyhost

Jack Brewster - How NEWSREEL is Tackling Misinformation in Today’s News Landscape

How I Built My Small Business

10/29/24 • 43 min

Let's dive into a topic that affects all of us - how cellphones, social media, and AI are fundamentally reshaping the way we consume news and engage in politics.

Jack Brewster is the Founder and CEO of Newsreel, an app designed to make news more accessible for young people and those that are digitally exhausted. As a Fullbright scholar in Germany, he researched how young people consume news and how journalism can adapt to these changing behaviors. He is also the Enterprise Editor at NewsGuard, which rates the credibility of news sources and works to combat misinformation in media.

Before founding Newsreel, Jack was a reporter at Forbes Magazine, where he covered politics and online extremism. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, VICE, Fortune, and Newsweek.

Jacks’ reporting has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, CNN, and The Washington Post.

Connect with Jack Brewster:
Jack Brewster on LinkedIn
Try Newsreel here
Newsreel on Instagram
Podcast recommendations from Jack:
Plain English with Derek Thompson
Up First
The Daily

A Balanced News Diet from Jack (Both Liberal and Conservative):
AxiosAM
The Rundown - an AI newsletter
Mainstream Conservative - The Dispatch, The National Review
Tortoise - British media publication
Nate Silver’s substack

If you’re looking for a new news diet starting point, UpFirst gives the headlines in a succinct manner

Harshal Chokhawala - ZYMOCHEM’s Game-Changing Bio-Based Materials: Affordable and Sustainable!

How I Built My Small Business

09/24/24 • 42 min

Today we have Dr. Harshal Chokhawala chatting with us about starting a biotech company.
Harshal is the CEO and Co-Founder of Zymochem, which he founded in 2015 and recently celebrated a major milestone by closing a Series A funding round in January this year.

As a speaker at the SynBioBeta conference in San Francisco and the Rethinking Materials conference in London, he is passionate about about bringing sustainability to everyday materials and reducing humanity's dependency on plastic.

After hearing that microplastics can be carried through the placenta from mother to baby, Harshal doubled down on his mission to bring breakthrough technology products to everyday materials.

Zymochem recently introduced Bayse, a biodegradable, bio-based super absorbent polymer that can be used to make diapers, the third-largest item in landfills. He aims not only to tackle the hygiene industry, but coatings, textiles, and plastics.

Zymochem has partnered with well-known including Toyota and Lululemon.

Hayes Hitchens - MOONDANCE ADVENTURES: Unplugging Teens with Life-Changing Adventure Travel

How I Built My Small Business

02/18/25 • 51 min

In today’s episode, Hayes Hitchens talks with us about his journey starting and building Moondance Adventures.

Moondance is a teen adventure travel program that sends over 2000 teenagers each summer on trips across five continents and over twenty countries with a commitment to foster personal growth, leadership skills, problem solving, decision making and a love for the outdoors.

For some backstory, Hayes was the dean of students and director of summer programs at my school and I remember him talking about starting Moondance Adventures when I was in the 7th grade.

So, this is a super meaningful reconnection and WOW - to see what he has accomplished is just so inspiring and heart-warming.

Geoff Smart - The Power of WHO from New York Times Bestseller

How I Built My Small Business

01/21/25 • 53 min

Today we’re diving into why building and scaling a business—and achieving more freedom and free time—starts with the “who” in your business.

Our guest, Dr. Geoff Smart, is the Chairman and Founder of ghSMART, a leadership advisory firm specializing in helping companies make high-impact hiring and leadership decisions. With over $100 million in revenue, ghSMART’s hiring strategies are in high demand because they deliver results.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Who is the world’s expert on hiring?”—just ask ChatGPT, and Geoff Smart’s name will surely come up. He’s the New York Times bestselling author of Who, Leadocracy, and Power Score: Your Formula for Leadership Success.

Geoff’s mission is to help leaders amplify their positive impact on the world. His expertise has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek, and he’s a regular contributor to Psychology Today.

Simone LeBlanc - Ups and downs of a gift box business? 16-employee SIMONE LEBLANC

How I Built My Small Business

02/06/24 • 50 min

While serving as a personal life stylist for a wealthy LA client, Simone was tasked with curating gifts for special events and holidays. In 2014, she seamlessly melded her experience and artistic vision, birthing her eponymous gift box business, Simone LeBlanc. She has helped notable clients such as the Obamas, Jamie King, Taylor Swift, and more with curating gifts for their family and friends, the media describing her as the "gift giver extraordinaire." Her business has been featured in The New York Times, In Style Magazine, Vanity Fair, Goop, Architectural Digest and more. Turning gift-giving into an art form, she's now the go-to for Hollywood's über-stylish, sharing her creative journey on Instagram @simoneleblanc.
Tune in to hear her story - from personal stylist to building a thriving brand.

Farnoosh Torabi is SO MONEY: Mastering Mindset, Wealth, and Financial Freedom

How I Built My Small Business

11/07/24 • 46 min

Today we’re joined by Farnoosh Torabi, America’s leading personal finance expert who is dedicated to helping others become unapologetically rich.

Farnoosh is an award-winning financial correspondent, television personality, and best-selling author of You’re So Money, A Healthy State of Panic, Psych Yourself Rich, and When She Makes More.

Her Podcast So Money was ranked a Top Female-Hosted Podcast by Entrepreneur Magazine, described as "a Podcast Your Wallet Will Love" by The New York Times, and has been downloaded over 35 million times, earning multiple Webby awards.

She is a former CNBC host and has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, and numerous major news and talk shows.

Andy Hunter - Saving Indie Bookstores: The Innovated Model Behind BOOKSHOP.ORG

How I Built My Small Business

02/04/25 • 43 min

Andy Hunter is the founder CEO of bookshop.Org
In todday's episode, he talks about his innovative solution to save indie bookstore.

Quoting the New York Times, “The rapid rise of Bookshop.org during the shutdown has been hailed as a boon for independent stores.” B-Labs announced the company as one of the “best for the world,” and in the top 5% of all B-Corps.

The business model is brilliant on so many levels, and I can’t wait for you to hear what he has to share.

Andy is also the co-creator of the websites: Literary Hub, Electric Literature, Crime Reads, and BookMarks - combined annual readership of about 30 million people. And, worked as an independent publisher at Catapult, Counterpoint and Soft Skull Press.

Jason Feifer - Unlocking Opportunity with ENTREPRENEUR Editor-in-Chief

How I Built My Small Business

10/22/24 • 31 min

Jason is the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine and is widely recognized as an authority on business and adapting to change. He's the author of the bestselling book Build for Tomorrow, host of the Help Wanted and Problem Solvers podcast and has been named a "Top Voice in Entrepreneurship" on LinkedIn.
With decades of experience in national media, Jason has held editor roles at Men's Health, Fast Company, Maxim and Boston Magazine and has written about business and technology for the Washington Post, Slate, New York Magazine and many more.
Connect with Jason Feifer:
Twitter: @heyfeifer
Instagram: @heyfeifer
Facebook: @heyfeifer
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasonfeifer
Website: jasonfeifer.com
Newsletter: jasonfeifer.com/newsletter

Brian Dutt - How do non-engineers build successful apps? Empowering 10,000+ Creators (Everyday People) at BEEROLL.IO

How I Built My Small Business

04/16/24 • 29 min

Brian Dutt, in the heart of New York City, talks with us about what it's like starting and growing a video creation platform and app.
Brian is the founder CEO of BeeRoll, a tech platform that empowers leading brands to weave authentic stories through user -generated content. For nearly a decade, Brian worked in the corporate world as an analyst executing strategy and business development with companies including HBO, Comedy Central, Paramount, Comcast, and more. Then in 2017, he combined his interests in storyboarding, video editing, and screenwriting and launched Beeroll.

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FAQ

How many episodes does How I Built My Small Business have?

How I Built My Small Business currently has 76 episodes available.

What topics does How I Built My Small Business cover?

The podcast is about Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, How To, Startups, Podcasts, Education and Business.

What is the most popular episode on How I Built My Small Business?

The episode title 'Chad David Kraus - How a Self-taught photographer's hobby turned into a seven figure business with CHAD DAVID KRAUS PHOTOGRAPHY' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on How I Built My Small Business?

The average episode length on How I Built My Small Business is 35 minutes.

How often are episodes of How I Built My Small Business released?

Episodes of How I Built My Small Business are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of How I Built My Small Business?

The first episode of How I Built My Small Business was released on Jan 2, 2024.

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How I Built My Small Business

Anne McGinty

Top 10 How I Built My Small Business Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does How I Built My Small Business have?

What topics does How I Built My Small Business cover?

What is the most popular episode on How I Built My Small Business?

What is the average episode length on How I Built My Small Business?

How often are episodes of How I Built My Small Business released?

When was the first episode of How I Built My Small Business?

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