Grow A Small Business Podcast Troy Trewin

In this episode, Troy interviews Sondre Rasch, the Co-Founder, and CEO of SafetyWing based in San Francisco, United States of America. Sondre has set up his own business, to provide health insurance for remote teams and digital nomads and remove the role of geographical borders as a barrier to equal opportunities and freedom for everyone.
From running a venture-funded startup company that benefits the Freelancers on the platform, now growing a health insurance business for remote teams and digital nomads. SafetyWing was established in 2018 and has been in operation for 5 years. Growing with 22 billion ish and over 150 people.
Sondre says starting a health insurance agency that provides benefits for Freelancers in this remote world of work necessitates preparing for the challenges and opportunities that come with it. “People have problems, people have arguments with each other and then you become like mediators slash psychologists and chief and it's just it's not building product”, he says, but having the correct model and understanding of what you’re doing, having an ideal solution, and proper worldview, he succeeded. “The benefit is that if you can be relentless, and resourceful across that barrier, you have very few competitors”, he added. 
This Cast Covers
Offers health insurance for remote teams and digital nomads. Previously running a venture-funded startup called “Superside”- a great Freelancing platform. Shares his history of working for the Norwegian social safety net that helped him create his own online-base business. Starting in 2018 with a couple of hundred thousand dollars to 22 billion ish in revenue and growing with over 150 people. Following the “standard playbook” in venturing solves many problems. Creating a product that people would love. How to secure the best quality customers through “word of mouth” and “mimetic desire”. The 3Fs can be the breakthrough of venture stages. The relevance of influencer marketing these days. Recommendation on how to add people to the team and build a sustainable and kickass culture that helps with the growth. Links: 
Sondre’s Linkedin Sondre’ Twitter Additional Resources: 
SafetyWing Hackers & Painters Book by Graham Paul





Quotes:
“Success is completing the product, and the SafetyWing is to be a success.” —Sondre Rasch
“Make a product that people love so much, and then find top influencers and let them write about your product.”—Sondre Rasch
“Just follow the standard playbook in venture stages.” —Sondre Rasch
“The benefit is that if you can be relentless, and resourceful across that barrier, you have very few competitors.” —Sondre Rasch
“Hire people based on their general ability than their particular experience.” —Sondre Rasch

For this week’s Quick Fire Friday episode, Michael interviews Andrew May, the Founder & CEO of Strive: Stronger based in Sydney, Australia. He’s recognized as one of the world’s leading human performance strategists and leadership coaches. A best-selling author. In-demand keynote speaker. Top-rating podcaster. Leadership and transformation specialist. And, mental skills coach for elite athletes and sporting teams, CEOs, Founders, and entire organizations. Seeing his life purpose as waking people up to a better way of living working and leading, Andrew is now helping small-medium business owners manage energy and high-performing team.
According to Andrew’s research, many of their clients are struggling with work/life balance, which is affecting their productivity and morale. Employees are caught in a never-ending cycle of busyness and reactivity. Have felt exhaustion and showed signs of burnout. Felt disconnected, disengaged, and psychologically unstable. And this has been amplified due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, macroeconomic instabilities, geopolitical issues as well as shifts to the “new normal” of work. Andrew helps small-medium business owners and their employees by managing and improving the three big components of energy: first, physical energy, second, psychological and emotional energy, and lastly, social energy.
A key takeaway that small-medium business owners can learn from Andrew, is the emphasis on the subject that business owners should realize that healthy and sustainable well-being and productivity behaviors are essential to the success of any organization. Thus, effectively managing and improving the physical, psychological and emotional, and social energy which builds healthy and sustainable well-being, and productivity behaviors can ensure ripple effects throughout the organization.  
This Cast Covers: 
The significance of managing and improving energy and high-performing team in an organization. The three components of energy and its ripple effects throughout the organization. Suggestions on how to manage energy amidst adversity. A widespread struggle with life/work balance that’s affecting productivity and morale. Interconnectivity of the three components of energy. The “big factor” supplements the three components of energy. The importance of down-regulate in building more energy.  Building a strong culture and safe environment inside the organization. Have a team where people learn grow, develop, and result. Developing meaningful relationships and solidarity inside the company. Links:
Andrew’s Linkedin Andrew’s Company Website Additional Resources:
MatchFit: The Complete Manual to Getting Your Body and Brain in the Best Possible Shape for Work, and for Life.  
 
Quotes:
“You can train your body as well as your mental skills to get fitter, faster, and stronger, but not in a pressurized environment.” —Andrew May
“Sustainable high-performing team has both a really strong culture and psychologically safe environment.” —Andrew May
“Have a team where people learn, grow, develop, and result.” —Andrew May
“If you’re serious about running a small business, then start taking yourself with utmost care.” —Andrew May
“The one big factor that gives you more energy to go on is aligning your work/life with your purpose.” —Andrew May

In this Grow A Small Business Podcast episode, Troy interviews Travis Lamance, from Dallas Texas, United States. Travis is the CEO of Haven Aero. He started his humble aviation career with an A&P license he got in 1999. He worked for several individuals for a few years, later on, Travis then launched his maintenance business. Years went by, and with his garnered experience in the aviation business, he decided to combine it with his entrepreneurial aspirations. Launching two successful unique aviation companies, Flight Mechanix and Haven Aero.
To build, run, or grow a business, you need money or more specifically, capital. It’s hard generating funding, it’s twice as hard especially if you’re starting a capital-intensive industry such as aviation. However, that’s not a problem for Travis, he took a partnership and minor credit and he built from there. Travis also utilized the concept of sweat equity in marketing their business, gaining popularity and fame through appearances in podcasts and social media; preserving cash and budget. 
Looking back at all of it now, Travis would tell himself on day one of starting out, “Be patient, be persistent, and stick with it, it’ll all come to fruition.” You don’t have to be in a race to get to the finish line. You can arrive there at your own pace, enjoying the view along the way; don’t forget the goal is nothing without the journey it took to get there.
This Cast Covers:  
Increased demand for private aircraft since the pandemic. Taking the next necessary big step to grow the scale of your business. Winning the daily battles to win the war. Successfully launching and legalizing your startup to the government to start operations. Getting the right team around you and the right people in the room. Marketing creatively to abide by the limits of a capital-intensive budget. Being smart with money, not putting all your assets in one basket. Figuring out the business's cash flow to not draw in more debt. Seeing returns on hiring a coach that is willing to get critical about you. Staying lean and mean, contemplating carefully whether to hire the next person on the team. Links:  
Travis’ Linkedin Travis’ Company Website Additional Resources: 
Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins, Jerry I Porras
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

 
 
Quotes:
“The biggest challenge is getting the right team around you and the right people in the room.” — Travis Lamance.
“Marketing is a lot more about creative marketing.” — Travis Lamance.
“Things don't get solved smoothly and permanently when you just fix them with money, you've got to fix them at the root.” — Travis Lamance.
“You got to get an outside impartial person to come in there and give you brutal feedback about where you suck and where you don't.” — Travis Lamance.
“Be patient, be persistent, and it'll all come to fruition.” — Travis Lamance.

In this episode, Troy interviews Samantha Dybac, host of the Influence Unlocked podcast and the CEO and founder of The PR Hub, rated 2022 Sydney’s No 1 PR Agency. Samantha started her career in brand marketing as a University student with Aussie success story Nad’s Hair Removal, the foundations for her learning of and passion for the intersection of founder storytelling and brand PR. She's based in Sydney, Australia. Samantha started the business in 2013 as a side project while working in government relations alongside former NSW Liberal leader, Kerry Chikarovski. The PR Hub is a public relations and corporate communications agency. It has successfully carved out a niche and reputation for representing award-winning entrepreneurs, business leaders and high-growth, challenger brands, trusted to develop their personal & company brand stories, and then develop and execute sophisticated communications strategies that help them get recognised and support key objectives like capital raisings, stock exchange listings, partnership announcements, international expansion, acquisition and more.
For Samantha, success includes many things including growing an amazing team where she can contribute to their learning and personal growth, while helping tell the stories of The PR Hub’s impressive client roster. 
Samantha also shares some insights into her own personal journey as a Mother and solo business owner and why the recruitment and onboarding process are critical to business success. 
This Cast Covers:
How Troy and Samantha have known each other The big misconception around PR and Marketing Revenue dropping to about 80% at start of COVID The difficulties of having a fast-paced, high-growth environment Years ago made plenty of mistakes recruiting people and how it was solved The hardships of balancing family and work Links:
Samantha’s Linkedin Samantha’s Instagram Additional Resources:
Trello No Bullsh!t Leadership Podcast Atomic Habits by James Clear  
 
Quotes:
“Get yourself out there, go and meet people within the industry that you operate in, send emails, call people, make a list, and new social channels that are relevant again to your business and your audience.“ —Samantha Dybac
“You need money to live and to have a lifestyle but it's never been the key driver for me in building businesses.“ —Samantha Dybac
“I don't call myself a publicist anymore. I have a passion for PR in the sense that it's all about building relationships, connections, and networking, and helping great people get their products and services out there on a broader scale. So those businesses can grow. That's my passion.“ —Samantha Dybac
“If you're not focusing on the things that are bringing in the revenue, you actually can't grow your business.” —Samantha Dybac
“You don't always have to say yes to everything that looks like an opportunity that knocks on the door.” —Samantha Dybac

In today’s Quick Fire Friday episode, Rob interviews Rachael Evans, the Founder & CEO of the Workshop Whisperer. She is a world-leading visionary business pioneer, speaker, author, and advisor. Rachael started her marketing and sales career at an early age. She has grown her own multi-dollar companies in male-dominated global industries. Driven by her passion and desire of helping others, Rachael is now helping auto repair shop owners across Australia and New Zealand to achieve business and lifestyle success.
After the Global Financial Crisis, Rachael saw a gap in the market. She then identified a need for coaching in the auto repair shop industry. And with her marketing and business growth, tactics, and strategies she had acquired and developed from her own experience and previous business, along with her skills in creating online programs, she developed a unique online training program that helps auto repair shop owners in terms of cash flow management, productivity, efficiency, and leadership problems. Rachael helps them improve the financial reward, but also the lifestyle reward by coaching, changing money habits, setting up new systems, generating additional profits and savings, and providing practical real-life examples through peer groups. 
A key takeaway that Rachael recommends to all business owners is to implement a four-day workweek. The need for space for business owners and employees to relax and to restore and achieve work-life balance has numerous benefits in terms of productivity. Burnout is prevalent, thus, having the space to relax and enjoy life the way we want it to be can cause a healthier, happier, and more communicative workforce. 
This Cast Covers: 
The “pain points” are why auto repair shop owners struggle to become great business owners. Benefits of choosing a specialist business coach rather than a generalist business coach. Developed a “world-class curriculum” -the solution to the problems of auto repair shop owners. Discuss how poor leadership can be a bottleneck to business growth and development. Asserted that problems revolving around the auto repair shop industry are more on internal rather than external. Improving the four major areas in the auto repair shop industry can ensure success. The reinforcement of a solution that has quick results, attracts business owners. Learning from real-life examples rather than sticking to old systems can be a great source of profits. Reasons why business owners should implement a four-day workweek. Three benefits in making space for the employer, team, and overall business. Links: 
Rachael's Linkedin Rachael’s Workshop Whisperer Website Additional Resources:
Poor to Profit: An Auto Repair Shop Owners Guide to Financial Success by Rachael Evans  
 
Quotes:
“It is vital that if you're going to invest good money in a coach, they understand your industry intimately because they've walked in your shoes at some point in their own business”. —Rachael Evans
“Marketing problem is rarely the actual issue, it is the productivity, efficiency, and leadership problem.” —Rachael Evans
“We just need to be biting off one small piece of the elephant at a time, not trying to do something for three years down the track.” —Rachael Evans
“As business owners, you need space to relax, to restore, and also to be able to think for the business instead of just all of that below-the-line stuff every day.” —Rachael Evans
“We want a life for ourselves and for the people who actually devote an enormous part of their life to working for us.”—Rachael Evans

In this episode, Troy interviews Victor Peña, Founder and CEO of OmniPrint International. He’s based in Orange County, Southern California, USA. Victor is an electronics engineer, and naturally, he’s heavily involved with technology. He was a technician, managing the in-room internet in hotels all around the county. Discovering he loves the print industry, he transitioned to his newfound niche in print engines and printing on-demand T-shirts, turning it into a successful multimillion-dollar business. 
Offering the best digital printers and printing technology with the best digital DTG (direct to garment) printers on the market, Victor Peña and his company, OmniPrint International, empower small-medium business owners around the world with their continuous innovation, high-quality prints, and the ability to be able to print on a wider range of fabrics, paving the way for business owners to sell their products at a better price. Since his start in 2004, they now have a roster of 70 full-time team members, earning $16 million in revenue in 2021, up from zero when they started 19 years ago.
Victor heavily emphasized that marketing is the number one thing that any business should invest in and that focusing on having the best-engineered product simply isn’t enough. Because having the best widget and the best technology is of no use if the product isn’t known. So it goes to show that a better-marketed product will always be the greater product.
This Cast Covers: 
Empowering business owners with the technology of the company. Development of the technology and the software of a product. Constant optimization and planning to scale the business. Focusing on creating bigger goals and bigger targets. Becoming a better leader and running a more organized organization. Investing money into marketing should be a top priority. Funding the startup with the pre-sales model of financing approach. Putting on money on other forms of investment such as multi-family real estate. Being able to attract, incentivize, develop, and retain top talent. Finding the best leverage you can get with the money you have. Links:
Victor’s Linkedin Victor’s Company Website Additional Resources:
The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone Valuetainment The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz  
 
Quotes:
“We have to make sure that we're always optimizing and figuring out how to grow and scale businesses.” — Victor Peña.
“Focus every year on creating bigger goals and bigger targets.” — Victor Peña.
“Marketing is the number one thing that any business should invest in.” — Victor Peña
“Culture is defined by every single team member.” — Victor Peña.
“Pick someone that has crushed it and has done well at what you want to do.” — Victor Peña