You Can't Afford Me

Samuel Anderson
  • 5.0 (4)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Making the leap from employment to entrepreneurship can be a scary time. The biggest fear people have is the unknown. Here on the “You Can’t Afford Me Podast” we speak with hustlers and innovators on how to make the most of your journey. If you have questions we have answers.

  1. From Dream Manor To Living Zoo Retreat

    1D AGO

    From Dream Manor To Living Zoo Retreat

    What if your morning coffee came with a giraffe strolling past your window? We sit down with Molly to unpack the bold vision behind Wilde Manor, a restored 1854 estate in Halifax County transforming into a stay-over safari that blends hands-on animal encounters with real conservation impact. This is a rare peek behind the curtain of exotic animal care, hospitality design, and the relentless grit it takes to open a zoological facility from scratch. Molly traces her path from vet tech school to exotic medicine while her husband honed behavioral training and exhibit design—two skill sets that power an experience built for animal welfare and guest wonder. We talk through the tough parts most people never see: zoning battles in one county that shut the door after a year of effort, fifteen-hour supervisor meetings in another, seven-figure insurance requirements, and the daily logistics of housing giraffes in Virginia winters, caring for African penguins, and coordinating specialized animal transport. Along the way, we explore why overnight stays unlock deeper empathy than a quick lap through a zoo and how thoughtful habitats, heated barns, and pasture design balance guest access with animal choice. Money meets mission here. While zoological facilities can generate strong revenue, Wilde Manor hardwires giving into the model: a percentage of every booking supports conservation programs in Africa. Molly shares stories from multiple trips across the continent and explains how ecotourism dollars protect wildlife and communities. We also dig into the mental health benefits of immersion in nature—rolling hills, birdsong, and quiet trails—as a counterweight to the screen-heavy grind of entrepreneurship. If you care about animals, meaningful travel, or the reality of building something original, this conversation delivers practical insight and honest encouragement. Come for the penguins and giraffes; stay for the blueprint on resilience, regulation, and purpose-driven design. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves wildlife, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    25 min
  2. How A Nonprofit Turned A City Into A Movement

    FEB 19

    How A Nonprofit Turned A City Into A Movement

    What if a city could turn movement into its superpower? We sat down with Will, executive director of Sports Backers, to unpack how Richmond’s biggest runs, boldest trails, and friendliest training teams all connect to one mission: make active living easy, joyful, and safe for everyone. You know the finish lines—the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K, the Richmond Marathon, Riverrock—but the real magic is what happens before and after: beginner-friendly coaching, injury-prevention and nutrition clinics, and a culture that helps first-timers turn a 10-minute walk into a lifelong habit. We dive into Bike Walk RVA’s push for protected lanes, safer crossings, and traffic-calming that saves lives and invites more people outside. Will shares the vision for the 43-mile Fall Line Trail linking Ashland to Petersburg—connecting neighborhoods, two HBCUs, schools, and parks with equitable access to recreation and transportation. We talk practical safety, why bikes belong on the road, and how design reduces human error. The throughline is simple: better streets build healthier people and stronger communities. Behind the scenes, Sports Backers runs a lean, mission-driven team that still shows up at 4 a.m. to set barricades and welcome thousands to shared rituals that define Richmond. Will’s path—from unloading trucks to the ED seat—highlights a culture of gratitude, collaboration, and growth. We get honest about nonprofit careers, fulfillment and pay, and why investing in people builds decade-long tenures. Plus, clear on-ramps to get involved: volunteer on a course, coach a youth run club, advocate for safer design, or join a training team and find your pace. Ready to move with us? Listen now, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with the one change your street needs most. Subscribe so you never miss the next step. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    37 min
  3. Why A Nonprofit Newsroom Might Save Your City

    FEB 17

    Why A Nonprofit Newsroom Might Save Your City

    The daily paper used to be how we learned our city. Then the habits moved online, and a lot of essential coverage never made the jump. Michael Phillips, editor and founder of The Richmonder, joins us to share how a nonprofit newsroom is rebuilding local journalism with reader power, foundation support, and old-school reporting that shows up at City Hall, schools, and neighborhood meetings. We dig into what a sustainable business model looks like when clicks aren’t the goal: three revenue streams, free access to keep the public square open, and a newsletter that turns casual scrollers into a loyal community. Michael breaks down why The Richmonder focuses on three pillars—city operations, education, and housing—and how that clarity helps avoid national noise, earn trust, and deliver stories you can actually use. From a school that spiked reading scores to the day a firefighter’s text helped confirm a citywide water outage, he explains how relationships and presence beat press releases every time. We also talk formats that work now. Social media is for discovery; email is the engine; long-form reporting is the value. Video and podcasts humanize policy and carry half the audience, but the secret is flow: short pieces that point to depth, and depth that rewards your time. With AI shrinking the podium of links to a single “winner,” original, well-sourced local reporting matters more than ever. If you care about where your tax dollars go, how your schools are doing, or which restaurant is worth a rare date night, this conversation will give you a blueprint for supporting or launching the kind of newsroom every city deserves. Subscribe to The Richmonder, reply with tips, and if the work helps you, consider donating so it can help your neighbors too. If this resonated, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    52 min
  4. How Smarter Systems, Clear Stories, And Engaged Boards Transform Nonprofits

    FEB 9

    How Smarter Systems, Clear Stories, And Engaged Boards Transform Nonprofits

    Want a nonprofit that runs like a mission-driven powerhouse instead of a tired hustle? We sit down with fundraising consultant Nick Sollog to unpack the real levers that move revenue and impact: clean systems, aligned teams, strong boards, and consistent visibility. From the inside workings of the Virginia Fundraising Institute to gritty stories from the field, we pull back the curtain on what works—and what quietly derails growth. Nick explains why the “first CRM you find” becomes a silent tax on your future, and how clear processes, staff training, and data hygiene make fundraising more predictable. We dive into five practical development tracks, shifting grant landscapes, and the culture shift leaders need to make: paying fundraisers competitively and treating development as strategy, not a cost center. The results are tangible—better pipelines, clearer reporting, and donors who actually stay. We also explore the moments that define an organization’s trajectory. A near-closure board vote that flips to a turnaround. A junior board that transforms volunteers into advocates and lifelong givers. Corporate volunteer days that help rather than distract. Even the unglamorous but vital gift acceptance policy that protects staff time and keeps programs focused. Along the way, we highlight how collaboration beats duplication and why many would-be founders should partner with existing orgs before adding another logo to the landscape. You’ll leave with a grounded playbook: pick the right tools and implement them well, align your story across every team member, recruit boards for accountability and access, design volunteering that creates value, and communicate often so your work is seen and supported. If you care about building a resilient nonprofit that can scale its mission with integrity, this conversation is your next step. Subscribe, share with a board member or ED who needs it, and leave a review to help more leaders find these insights. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    37 min
  5. One Woman’s Journey From Burnout To Community Impact

    JAN 30

    One Woman’s Journey From Burnout To Community Impact

    What happens when a safe room in your grandmother’s house becomes the blueprint for community change? We sit down with Tonya Pulliam, executive director and founder, to unpack a two-part mission: housing and life skills for young adults aging out of foster care, and a rebooted thrift storefront—Sarah’s Den—that quietly meets urgent needs on the sidewalk every day. We start with Virginia’s journey from grim outcomes to the Fostering Futures program, which extends support through age twenty-one. Tonya explains why that extra runway still isn’t enough without stable housing, trauma-informed counseling, and real-world skills like budgeting, employment readiness, and navigating leases. The conversation turns personal as Tanya shares how her grandmother’s humor, standards, and “earn your keep” ethos inform staff culture and the way they celebrate small wins that build long-term confidence. The story behind Sarah’s Den is as human as it gets: a man sleeping on the steps, a request for shoes, and a flood of neighborly generosity that outgrew a computer lab and became a sustainable thrift model. We explore how the store funds outreach while keeping a daily, no-questions-asked rack for anyone who needs clothes now. Tanya also reveals how relationships with developers unlocked entire buildings, creating safer, supervised hallways where young residents can stabilize without predators at the door. Along the way, she talks about burnout, the long arc of impact, and the unexpected messages from former mentees who return as thriving adults. If you care about foster care reform, transitional housing, homelessness, and community-led solutions, this conversation offers practical insight and a grounded path forward. Listen for actionable takeaways on building resilient support systems, staying open to better-than-expected outcomes, and pairing compassion with structure to turn shelters into launchpads. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who works in youth services or housing, and leave a review to help us reach more listeners who want to turn care into change. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    31 min
  6. Tim Hightower On Money, Mindset, And Building A Flag Football Movement

    12/10/2025

    Tim Hightower On Money, Mindset, And Building A Flag Football Movement

    A single scholarship. A rookie Super Bowl. A second act built on patience, process, and purpose. Tim Hightower joins us to share how a less than 1% journey through the NFL became a blueprint for entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and community-building that actually lasts. We start with the long odds at the University of Richmond and the obsessive study habits that carried Tim to the league. He opens up about the financial whiplash of rookie checks, the shock of having no credit, and the hard conversations that come with generosity and boundaries. Expect concrete takeaways on cash flow, setting giving rules, replacing handouts with opportunities, and understanding how money magnifies character. Then we step onto the biggest stage in sports to explore the true speed of the game, how film study becomes fate, and why the playoffs punish even small mistakes. From there, Tim maps a thoughtful life after football: cold-calling schools, learning sales like a sport, and rebuilding identity through service and leadership. Fatherhood anchors everything. He brings his kids into the rooms where deals are made so more is caught than taught, modeling respect, presence, and accountability. Finally, we dig into why flag football is exploding—safer, more accessible, now Olympic—and how Tim’s league “RVA Under The Lights” is designed as more than a game. Think operations, data analytics, content, partnerships, law, and sports medicine—real pathways for the 93% who won’t play pro but still love the industry. If you’re chasing a career pivot, raising competitors with character, or building something that needs to earn trust one on-time kickoff at a time, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs the nudge, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    1h 4m
  7. She Turned Panic Into A Plan And Grew A Multi-Stream Beauty Business

    12/03/2025

    She Turned Panic Into A Plan And Grew A Multi-Stream Beauty Business

    What does it take to build a resilient beauty brand when the ground vanishes beneath your feet? Whitney’s story begins with family scissors and a high school cosmetology license, but the turning point hits hard: her salon closes with almost no notice while she’s seven months pregnant. That gut-punch becomes a catalyst. She finds shared space, leans on loyal clients, and accepts timely help from another stylist who waives booth rent during maternity recovery. From there, the blueprint is refreshingly practical: simple before-and-after photos, consistent Instagram posting, and tagging wedding vendors to expand reach. No hacks—just work that shows. We talk about the rise of her bridal business and how networking—done without the cringe—drove out-of-state bookings. Whitney explains why hiring in beauty is about reliability as much as talent, especially when wedding mornings have no retakes. After a no-show nearly derailed a couple’s day, she rallied a stylist in hours and turned a crisis into a core teammate. Her leadership style is hands-on and human: clear standards, real gratitude, and thoughtful rewards that make people feel seen. It’s not top-down; it’s shoulder-to-shoulder. One of the most moving chapters is her weekly service inside assisted living and nursing homes. A shampoo becomes dignity, touch, and conversation for residents who often don’t get many visitors. The work is tough, the logistics are real, and the meaning runs deep. Alongside in-salon services and weddings, that created three steady income streams that smooth out seasons and keep the team booked. We also get into motherhood, marriage, and the honest math of late nights, blocked family time, and support systems that make the dream sustainable. If you’re building a service brand, this conversation is a masterclass in trust, retention, and growth without the gloss. You’ll leave with tactics you can use today: content that works, networking that lands, hiring that protects your reputation, and the courage to take the right risks. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—we’ll shout out our favorites next week. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    50 min
  8. How A Restaurateur Turned A $10K Bet Into An Outdoor Hospitality Venture

    11/26/2025

    How A Restaurateur Turned A $10K Bet Into An Outdoor Hospitality Venture

    You don’t need a flight to feel far away. In our conversation with Kevin Wilson, we explore how a former sushi chef and restaurant owner is building Camp Yellow Cardinal, a 24.5-acre glamping retreat designed for couples who crave nature without sacrificing comfort. The vision is crisp: geodesic domes spaced for true privacy, king beds, hot tubs on every deck, an “invisible service” model that removes friction, and a ridge-top barrel sauna with a glass end facing the trees. It’s hospitality that feels intentional, not improvised. Kevin walks us through the long road here—risking $10,000 at 24 to co-found Sticky To Go-Go, learning the gritty parts of operations, and later stepping into a corporate role to lead community, brand, and a pandemic webinar engine that served 16,000 people. Those lessons now power a data-informed hospitality plan: land-first economics, a location within 90 minutes of major Virginia markets, pricing that targets accessibility without losing the premium feel, and design choices that favor serenity over squeezing in more units. He breaks down realistic revenue targets, lean operations, and how tech plus thoughtful touchpoints can make service feel human and hands-off at the same time. But the heart of this episode sits beyond spreadsheets. We dig into why couples need time and space to reconnect, how the outdoors can reset a restless mind, and why “work-life balance” is less useful than a clear set of values. Kevin shares the simple rituals he won’t compromise on—breakfast with his son, a date night scheduled every month—and how that mindset shapes the experience he’s crafting for guests. Expect practical detail for builders and entrepreneurs, plus vivid snapshots of what a weekend at Camp Yellow Cardinal will actually feel like: crackling fires, sunset decks, and stars you can almost touch. If this sparks ideas—or wanderlust—follow Camp Yellow Cardinal on Instagram, join the newsletter at campyellowcardinal.com for first access to booking and discounts, and share this episode with a friend who needs a reset. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s your ideal nature escape? Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

    1h 18m
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About

Making the leap from employment to entrepreneurship can be a scary time. The biggest fear people have is the unknown. Here on the “You Can’t Afford Me Podast” we speak with hustlers and innovators on how to make the most of your journey. If you have questions we have answers.

Information

  • Creator
    Samuel Anderson
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    93
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You Can't Afford Me
  • Show Website
    You Can't Afford Me