Locally Owned

The Street Smart Entrepreneur
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Locally Owned — We are the go-to podcast for small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners who want to master the art of goal setting and turn their visions into reality. Each episode dives into actionable strategies for achieving success, featuring interviews with real SMB owners who are in the trenches, getting it done. What makes us different is that we bring real local business owners to the show who are prepared to share stories of their business journey. You will hear real events and situations that they figured out how to overcome and thrive. Strategies that work for Fortune 500 companies are not actionable for local businesses. When you listen to an episode, you will learn how to set goals, implement effective business strategies, and overcome obstacles, stay motivated, and build bigger goals helping you reach your dream company. None of the ideas and strategies expressed here are out of reach to the local business owner. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, this podcast is packed with practical advice to help you achieve your goals.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep 37 The Business They Never Planned to Build

    n this episode of Locally Owned, I interview Jenise and Dell Burton, founders of SugarPlum Kids Spa and Salon in Trussville, about leaving a burned-out teaching career and a capped-out corporate IT path to build a kid-focused spa and natural hair salon. They share how fasting and prayer led to an unexpected business idea sparked by their five-year-old daughter’s request for a spa party, why they “moved in silence” before opening, and how their risk-taker/planner dynamic strengthened both their marriage and their business. They explain how the concept evolved from parties into a steady revenue model through kids’ natural hair services, why systems and culture matter for customer experience, and what they learned about hiring, leadership, and not letting fear stop the first step.00:00 Meet the Burtons01:06 Life Before the Leap02:05 Corporate Ceiling and Burnout07:01 Chasing Greater Together11:03 Dreamer vs Planner12:34 A Five Year Old Spark16:28 Prayer Fasting and Clarity19:31 What SugarPlum Kids Is25:00 Moving in Silence28:53 Finding the Right Location31:31 All Inclusive Spa Parties32:59 Parents Relax Party34:00 Target Market Word Mouth35:31 Business With Spouse42:05 Same Team Mindset43:26 Hardest Startup Season46:20 Systems Standards Culture47:56 Handling Crying Kids51:28 Hiring Leading Staff56:42 Owner Designs Experience58:32 Lessons Opening Day59:36 Where To Find Them01:00:23 Do It Dont Fear01:03:45 Final Wrap WebinarWebinar Registration Link: https://yourgoalmind.net/webinar-registration

    1h 6m

  2. 5d ago

    Ep 36 Escape the Owner Trap: Build a Business That Runs Without You (Team & Systems Roadmap)

    Escape the Owner Trap: Build a Business That Runs Without You (Team & Systems Roadmap)The script uses an ocean undertow metaphor to explain the “owner trap,” where small business owners start with energy and simplicity but get pulled into doing technical work, admin/sales, and higher-level management all at once, becoming the bottleneck that causes many businesses to stagnate or fail. It argues most failures aren’t due to effort or talent but to not recognizing this cycle and the unsustainable load on the owner. The solution is a mindset shift from being the worker to building a company on teams and systems, hiring in the right order: first a technician (and document training), then a customer service rep to run the office, with the owner acting as operations manager. Next steps include hiring two outside sales reps to drive growth and later an operations manager, ultimately creating a business that can run without the owner and is more valuable to sell.00:00 Ocean Undertow Metaphor01:07 The Owner Trap Explained01:37 Sobering Failure Stats02:36 Day One Simplicity03:33 Reality Hits Fast06:20 Hiring Makes It Worse07:41 Three Jobs One Rope09:07 Mindset Shift To Systems10:16 The Unsustainable Cycle11:00 Build The Team In Order13:35 Stay In Your Lane15:36 Scaling Beyond The Trap17:01 Ocean Revisited Hope17:59 Don’t Stop Halfway18:49 Build A Sellable Business19:35 Final Challenge And WrapWebinar Registration Link: https://yourgoalmind.net/webinar-registration

    21 min

  3. Jun 11

    Ep: 35 - Stop Settling: How Great Companies Find Great People

    Why Hiring Feels Impossible (and the Surprisingly Simple Fix) | Conner Klassen on Home Service HiringThe host of Locally Owned interviews Conner Klassen, founder of Home Service Hiring, about why local business owners struggle to find and keep good employees. Drawing from his upbringing in a family window-cleaning business and a year of 100% turnover, Conner argues the core issue isn’t a lack of good people but insufficient applicant volume and weak screening. He explains that hiring is sales—selling opportunity—and shares how social media ads can generate hundreds of applicants, shifting owners from desperation to selection. He emphasizes reputation and how businesses treat people, plus a vetting rule of “multiple people, multiple channels, multiple days” to uncover red flags early. Conner also shares lessons from repeated sales failures, outlines how his company screens applicants and provides a 45-day good-fit guarantee, and offers his book The Ten Hiring Sins.00:00 Hiring Myth Busted01:06 Meet Conner Klassen04:17 Turnover Wake Up Call07:20 Genius With 1000 Hands09:18 Recruiting Is Volume12:12 Good People Are Rare15:30 Define Your Ideal Hire17:23 Social Ads For Applicants20:20 Sales Nos To Lessons27:59 Reputation Recruits Talent32:08 Multiple People Days Channels36:31 Pre Interview Screening39:21 Gold Refining Analogy40:47 Boredom Needs Challenge44:57 Mentor Challenge Accepted47:45 Learning Facebook Ads50:01 From Skill to Business52:47 Courage Over Readiness55:14 Beyond Indeed Recruiting58:29 Weeding and Shortlists01:01:46 Good Fit Guarantee01:04:39 How to Work Together01:06:56 Host Closing ReflectionsConnect with Conner:Home Service Hiringhttps://homeservicehiring.comNeed help figuring out the next stage of leadership in your business?If you've reached the point where you know more of the same isn't the answer, but you're not sure whether you need an office manager, operations manager, salesperson, or something else entirely, let's talk. Click the "Let's Talk" link in the show notes and schedule a conversation. I'd love to help you identify the next step toward building a business that can grow beyond you.Let's Talk:https://calendly.com/dpastor-streetsmartentrepreneurship/discovery

    1h 10m

  4. Apr 25

    EP 34 Unlock the Secrets of Door-to-Door Success with Dillon Hatfield

    In this episode of Locally Owned, the host interviews Dylan Hatfield of Hatfield Cleaning Solutions in Dothan, Alabama, about building a pressure washing business through hard work and door-to-door sales. Dylan shares how growing up in a below-average income family shaped his work ethic, how he worked his way up over 12 years in a factory to a well-paying supervisor role, and why he left stability to try commission-only solar sales in Arizona. After eight volatile months that drained his savings and led to $25,000 in credit card debt, he pivoted to pressure washing due to its low barrier to entry, using his door-knocking skills to land early jobs, earn 205 five-star Google reviews, and surpass $100,000 in his first full year, while planning to scale through hiring and leadership growth.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:25 Growing Up Working Class03:09 Factory Career Climb04:31 Solar Sales Risk and Debt06:29 Pivot to Pressure Washing07:46 Hard Knocks Reflection08:55 Why Leave Stability12:37 Failure and Growth Mindset15:50 Choosing Pressure Washing18:42 First Yes and Early Wins19:58 Owner Operator Workflow20:59 Reviews First Strategy23:52 Door Knocking Advice25:13 Door Knocking Basics26:10 Volume and Follow Up27:01 Likable Sales Questions28:11 Factory to Owner Growth31:32 Leadership and Team Mindset33:42 Learning and Applying Advice39:14 Scaling Roles and Hiring42:33 Letting Go of Perfection46:41 Services and Local Focus48:27 Contact and Closing Thoughts50:17 Final Takeaway

    52 min

  5. Mar 19

    Ep 33 Why Boring Businesses Win! Joe Dan Reed and Scaling the Laundromat Biz

    How Joe Dan Reed Built a Laundromat Empire: Pickup & Delivery, Systems, and Scaling “Boring” BusinessesHost Dave interviews entrepreneur Joe Dan Reed, co-author of Splash ’Em Out Laundry, operator of nine laundromats in Kentucky, and creator of a major laundromat-focused YouTube channel. Joe Dan shares his path from early hustles to building a house-cleaning company, carpet cleaning operations, and eventually laundromats and pickup-and-delivery laundry, including a 20,000-square-foot warehouse processing about 20,000 pounds weekly and specialty work like horse blankets and boutique hotel linens. He explains scaling through SOPs, quality assurance, strong managers, automation, and leadership habits that enable the business to run without him. They discuss hiring standards, avoiding overpaying for laundromats, evaluating locations, calculated risk-taking, and why “boring” service businesses can be rewarding, community-driven, scalable, and sellable through repeatable systems and accountability.00:00 Meet Joe Dan Reed01:11 Early Hustles and Lessons02:31 Broadcasting to Business04:07 Starting a Cleaning Company05:35 Scaling Services and Carpet Work06:48 First Laundromat Breakthrough08:02 Warehouse and Delivery Scale09:26 Opportunity Mindset Recap10:57 Hiring to Grow the Team13:09 SOPs and Quality Control19:26 Automation and Multi Store Systems22:59 Risk Tolerance and Money Thinking24:23 Evaluating and Buying Laundromats29:18 Maintaining Brand Quality30:53 Hiring Deal Breakers32:30 Starting YouTube Journey33:59 Why Boring Wins37:16 Advice To Younger Self38:22 Content Consistency Tips41:18 Keep It Simple43:44 Customer Doubt Signals45:19 Fire Bad Customers46:46 Accountability Always47:37 Pricing Integrity50:12 Where To Find Joe Dan51:38 Pickup Delivery Future52:45 Systems Build Freedom

    56 min

  6. Mar 10

    Ep: 32 The 4 Best Habit Building Hacks

    Build Habits That Stick: Start Small, Stack, Schedule & Track (Locally Owned)In this episode of Locally Owned, the host explains that motivation may start goals, but habits determine results, sharing a personal trick for getting back to the gym by giving himself permission to do just one rep. He argues the best way to build habits is to start ridiculously small, then grow consistency over time, applying the approach to business tasks like cold calling. He breaks down how habits form through cue, craving, response, and reward, and shows how awareness of what you’re really craving can help replace bad responses with better ones. Key strategies include scheduling habits on the calendar, habit stacking, redesigning your environment to change cues, pairing “need to do” tasks with “want to do” rewards, and tracking progress. He closes by linking habits to a bigger life vision using his SHARING template and offers a 12-module course with three free modules at yourgoalmind.net.00:00 Falling Off the Gym01:20 Habits Beat Motivation02:56 Start Ridiculously Small03:55 Small Habits in Business04:44 The Habit Loop Explained05:54 Craving the Real Reward07:25 Schedule Your Habits08:44 Habit Stacking Chains09:48 Design Your Environment10:54 Temptation Bundling11:32 Track Progress for Motivation12:57 Connect Habits to Vision13:23 Sharing Template and Course14:48 Final Wrap UpMy Email: dave.p@yourgoalmind.comyourgoalmind.net

    15 min

  7. Feb 14

    Ep 31 The Lies We Believe About Why We Can't Achieve Our Goals

    6 Goal-Setting Myths Holding You Back (and the System That Actually Works) | Locally OwnedIn this episode of Locally Owned, the host breaks down six common myths that prevent people—especially small business owners—from achieving their goals and explains that success is driven by a clear vision and a repeatable system, not personality, luck, or constant motivation. The myths addressed are: goal setting is only for high achievers; failure means you shouldn’t try; people can be successful without goals; free information is enough so a course isn’t needed; goals require extreme discipline; and motivation must come before action. Using analogies like driving to California, using a GPS instead of a compass, and climbing Mount Everest, the host argues that failure is part of learning, progress creates motivation, and consistency with boring, repeatable actions is what produces results. The episode also includes a promotion for an online goal-setting website and course the host is building based on the system used to grow, scale, and sell a company and to train employees, featuring tools, exercises, community support, weekly live Q&A, and workshop-style cohorts; the first three modules are offered free via yougoalmind.com. The episode closes by emphasizing that the goal is not just to achieve more, but to become more of who you are created to be, and encourages listeners to start taking small steps immediately.00:00 6 Goal-Setting Myths That Keep You Stuck (Intro)00:58 Myth #1: Goal Setting Isn’t Just for “High Achievers”02:10 Myth #2: “What If I Fail?” — Why Failure Is Part of the Process03:30 Myth #3: Success Without Goals Can Cost You Everything05:12 Myth #4: Free Info Isn’t Enough — You Need a System (and a Guide)06:02 Course + Community: YourGoalMind.com (Quick Break)08:35 Back to the Myths: Myth #5 Discipline vs. Boring Consistency09:20 Myth #6: Motivation Is Unreliable—Action Creates Motivation10:25 The Real Truth: Clarity + Systems + Small Steps (Wrap-Up)11:45 Final Thanks & Sign-Off

    12 min

  8. Feb 9

    Ep 30. The Hidden Power Of Likability

    The Hidden Power of Likability in Business Success: Build Trust & LoyaltyIn this episode of 'Locally Owned,' we explore the concept of likability in business, emphasizing its role in building trust and customer loyalty. Through personal anecdotes and practical examples, we illustrate how being easy to work with, trustworthy, and communicative can enhance customer relationships and increase long-term business value. Discover actionable tips on creating rapport, being reliable, and making your business easy to engage with, ultimately driving repeat business and referrals. Learn why likability, though not on your balance sheet, might be your business's most valuable asset.00:00 Introduction: The Power of Likability in Business00:49 A Lesson in Likability: The Dripping Equipment Story03:36 Building Rapport: The Key to Business Success06:42 The Formula for Building Trust and Likability08:52 Practical Tips for Enhancing Customer Experience15:49 The Importance of Integrity in Business16:51 Conclusion: Creating Long-Term Business Value

    21 min
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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to Locally Owned — We are the go-to podcast for small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners who want to master the art of goal setting and turn their visions into reality. Each episode dives into actionable strategies for achieving success, featuring interviews with real SMB owners who are in the trenches, getting it done. What makes us different is that we bring real local business owners to the show who are prepared to share stories of their business journey. You will hear real events and situations that they figured out how to overcome and thrive. Strategies that work for Fortune 500 companies are not actionable for local businesses. When you listen to an episode, you will learn how to set goals, implement effective business strategies, and overcome obstacles, stay motivated, and build bigger goals helping you reach your dream company. None of the ideas and strategies expressed here are out of reach to the local business owner. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, this podcast is packed with practical advice to help you achieve your goals.

Information

  • Creator
    The Street Smart Entrepreneur
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Locally Owned

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