THE STERN TRUTH: Business Unfiltered

Marshall Stern
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  • Entrepreneurship

The Stern Truth: Business Unfiltered is the no-BS podcast for overwhelmed small business owners & entrepreneurs who are tired of the noise, the hype, and the so-called “experts” telling them how to grow their business. Hosted by Marshall Stern, a seasoned business owner and coach with over 35 years of experience, this podcast cuts through the confusion to bring you real, practical advice that actually works. If you feel stuck, exhausted, and like you’re doing it all alone—this is for you. Each episode delivers honest conversations, actionable strategies, and straight talk about what it really takes to grow and lead a thriving business. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just The Stern Truth you need to move forward with confidence. It's time to stop spinning your wheels and start leading your business like the unstoppable force you are.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep. 91 The Stern Truth: Time to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone?

    Why do we stay in our comfort zones? Is it because we’re scared to move forward into the unknown? When we step outside of our comfort zone, we tend to grow. If we push ourselves, we tend to grow. I know I grew after I closed my sign and graphics business and focused on my coaching business and this very podcast.  That commitment to change is what I call an ONtrepreneur Method shift, going from being uncomfortable being uncomfortable to being comfortable being uncomfortable. If that doesn't make sense, stay with me. I made the decision last year to step into the uncomfortable. I chose to start speaking more. Opportunities came up this year, and I couldn’t be more excited about them. It goes back to episode 88, the “Leap of Faith Day” episode with Carmen Leibel where we both took significant “Leaps of Faith” to change our careers. We did something different to go after our respective passions, and those leaps paid off. So, my question to you is, what does that look like for you? What could that leap of faith be for you? And what I think is the most important question - is it time for you to step outside of your comfort zone?  There’s no better time than now. I would love to hear your feedback on this or any episode. Send any comments or questions to me at marshall@marshallstern.net.  Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 91 The Stern Truth: Time to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone?

  2. Jul 14

    Ep. 90 The Stern Truth: Level Up Your Leadership & Business With Lucas Mattiello

    My guest this time around on the Stern Truth is Lucas Mattiello of Level Up Living. Lucas has worked through anxiety and doubt through the years to put himself out there and level up his leadership. That created the impetus for helping others build their confidence through speaking and increasing their visibility.  We talk about how a big responsibility of business owners is to be seen, to let others know they exist. Lucas and I go deep into this topic during this episode, because, really, you can’t help people if they don’t know you exist. As a business owner, as a leader of any kind, you need to put yourself out there. Leadership, at least my definition of it, is what you do when no one else is watching. The quiet, behind-the-scenes work you do that no one sees when you are creating a path for yourself and others.  Lucas started his business for a few reasons, one of them being that there was no public speaking training program at universities. Another part of it was bringing in the mental health aspect to confident leadership. Lucas has struggled with this first-hand, but that lived experience turned out to be a strong asset for him. Lucas’ golden nuggets were so useful, and even things I’ve mentioned on the Stern Truth before. Talk about problems and be there to help them. Be of service to others. Show your authentic flavour. Embrace polarity because not everyone will like you. I drop a few golden nuggets in here too. One was a quote that I was reminded of during our talk: "The best time to have planted a tree was 30 years ago. The second-best time is now.” And don’t skip the hot tub at the gym because you might get some great ideas in there.  Connect with Lucas here: Website: levelupliving.com  I would love to hear your feedback on this or any episode. Send any comments or questions to me at marshall@marshallstern.net.  Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 90 The Stern Truth: Level Up Your Leadership & Business With Lucas Mattiello

  3. Jul 7

    Ep. 89 The Stern Truth: What Are You Pushing For? With Julia Pazmandy

    Julia Pazmandy believes that there are three parts to every human - the body, which is physical; the mind, logic and ego; and the soul, which is heart, passions and feelings. She takes these three parts to help people create an awareness of who they are and what they want. In this episode, we talk about how that relates to burnout in entrepreneurs and small business owners. Julia says that money is a driving force and that we exchange our energy for it. And she’s experienced it herself, during a time she was running two businesses, basically running on coffee and vibes. A frightening experience and a hospital visit turned things around for Julia. She got spiritual, and she got serious about changing her life. Julia gives us a few signs of burnout to watch out for that she saw in herself. And, as always in an episode of the Stern Truth, she gave us some insightful golden nuggets. Once you’re secure, you feel more confident. Once you're confident, you perform better. I can’t tell you how much I agree with this golden nugget.  “What are you pushing for?” is a question that Julia presents to people to simply get them aware. What is your goal? Why are you working so hard? This leads so well into what I always say, that everything goes back to your “why.” This is another episode where you’ll want a paper and pen handy, my friends. Julia knocks it out of the park, one after another, golden nugget after golden nugget, reminding us balance doesn’t mean equality. It’s all about being present with others. Connect with Julia here: Website: joy-place.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julia-pazmandy-732928206 Instagram: @your_joyplace  Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 89 The Stern Truth: What Are You Pushing For? With Julia Pazmandy

  4. Jun 30

    Ep. 88 The Stern Truth: June 30 is Leap of Faith Day With Carmen Leibel

    It’s June 30th, what Carmen Leibel and I have dubbed Leap of Faith Day! Carmen is my guest on this episode. She started as a news anchor in Edmonton, Alberta, but, during the pandemic, she grew concerned about the isolation she was seeing. For Carmen, there was a lack of strong communication and leadership, and she knew that she could help. It wasn’t easy for Carmen to change her career – in fact, it stressed her out to take the leap. Leaving a stable job with a great network wasn’t easy. But with cheerleaders in her corner like her family and her business coach, she took a huge risk. She started up a pilot program with the goal of helping kids feel more comfortable speaking in front of others. The goal that Carmen had was to create more confident communicators. Carmen’s business, Project Five, helps people understand their voice and feel confident using it. Now, she’s helped over 5,000 youth and hundreds of professionals, proving that her big risk paid off. Carmen leaped into a new career while I shut down my sign business, locking the doors for the last time. Two different leaps but both with satisfying paths. We both knew that June 30th held significance for us, and that’s why we’ve named it Leap of Faith Day. Carmen gave golden nugget after golden nugget in this episode: bet on yourself, believe in yourself, and listen to your gut. And know your audience! I really love that one because anyone, and I mean anyone, can benefit from better communication. See Carmen’s work here: Website: www.projectfive.ca Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 88 The Stern Truth: June 30 is Leap of Faith Day With Carmen Leibel

  5. Jun 25

    Ep. 87 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday With Alex Papaconstantinou

    My guest on this Business Therapy Thursday episode is Alex Papaconstantinou. Alex is a  somatic educator and body worker, bridging the gap between bodywork and psychotherapy. She’s turned more of her attention to this business in the last year and tells us how she wants to feel less scattered. Alex admits it’s still early in her career and has a lot to learn. She says there’s so much noise and doesn’t know what to look at or what advice to follow. Our discussion gets into how overwhelmed with choices you are when you own a business. For instance, those “programs” that cost $20,000 and can help you grow your business to nine figures? Watch out for those ones. Sustainability in her own business is something Alex brings up a few times this episode. Alex herself has been invited to teach at universities, offers in person and online sessions, intensives, and group work but wants to feel less scattered. Some great advice I’ve gotten (and given) is to slow down to speed up. You don’t need to stop everything, but slowing down brings you a better understanding of what’s happening. I tell Alex to not feel the pressure to do everything. Pick a primary focus, then make a list of everything else you need to do and put those tasks into different months, while holding yourself accountable for them. Accountability can be incredible to help you focus and reach your growth goals while still showing up authentically.  Join us at the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle and get great insights from other business-minded people: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 87 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday With Alex Papaconstantinou

  6. Jun 23

    Ep. 86 The Stern Truth: The Power of Co-Leadership With Adera Angelucci

    The “ships” and the “shifts” are what we’re getting into in this episode with my guest Adera Angelucci -  leadership, entrepreneurship, and the shifts that come with them. And Adera promised to be as unfiltered as possible.  Adera is a speaker, a coach, an author, and media strategist. From cruise ships to carrying the Olympic torch across Canada, you would have thought she’s seen and done it all. But she also started a video production company with her partner, which eventually put her on a path to where she is today.  The second book that Adera wrote explores how leaders can be seen and heard when they co-lead. One of the biggest opportunities in entrepreneurship and small business is leadership. But it starts with simply putting yourself out there, with self-leadership and self-discovery. I can’t count on one hand how many golden nuggets Adera gives us in this episode. Go within when you need to figure out which opportunities will serve you best. Keep a healthy cash flow (always an important business aspect, no matter what.) We also get into how business owners often put themselves in a box to keep themselves safe. To break out of that box, she says to listen to the voice inside of you. It’s your intuition, and it will always lead back to your “why.” Check out Adera’s businesses and books here: Coaching Business: www.aderaangelucci.com Video Production Company: www.spirocreative.ca “Co-Leadership” Book: https://a.co/d/00GkrhvD “Free Spirit” Book: https://a.co/d/0dIV06Ep LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aderaangelucci Instagram: @aderaangelucci Facebook: facebook.com/LightUpwithAdera Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 86 The Stern Truth: The Power of Co-Leadership With Adera Angelucci

  7. Jun 18

    Ep. 85 Bonus Episode - The Stern Truth: The Power to Slow Down in Order to Speed Up With Atrina Kouroshnia

    If you’ve been grinding away and wondering why the hustle isn't producing results, you’ll love the advice you get from our guest in this episode. Atrina Kouroshnia is a self-employed mortgage broker. She’s been in the mortgage business for around 14 years. But a few years ago, what started as a personal journey inward transformed into another part of her business: bioenergy healing and women's embodiment coaching. We get into what bioenergy healing actually is (and yes, we talk about the "woo-woo" factor.) Atrina explains why self-regulation is the ultimate real growth strategy for entrepreneurs and what it looks like to slow down when the world tells you to go faster. Atrina shares how years of operating at full speed took a toll on her, as she became short-tempered, dysregulated, and even developed hives. The way Atrina puts it is that her inner work didn't just help her personally; it changed the way she does business now. We also dig into losing momentum and how it holds business owners back from achieving their goals. Atrina says if you lose momentum, you lose meaning. When things get hard, go back to your purpose, your real "why," or your anchor to turn setbacks into growth instead of failure. Her golden nugget is to stop being the "chill" one. Set clear boundaries and expectations in your business relationships, and this can help attract people who are aligned with how you work. That’s smart business advice AND smart mindset advice. Get in touch with Atrina here: Energy Healing Website: www.atrinak.com Energy Healing IG: @atrinak_ Real Estate Website: www.mortgagebyatrina.com Real Estate IG: @mortgagebyatrina.com Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 85 Bonus Episode - The Stern Truth: The Power to Slow Down in Order to Speed Up With Atrina Kouroshnia

  8. Jun 16

    Ep. 84 The Stern Truth: Re-Release - How To Keep Momentum in Your Business During the Summer

    This is a first for me! I have a re-release from last year, episode 16. The thought behind re-releasing is to give an important reminder of keeping momentum up during a busy time like summer. I reinforce that summer isn’t stalling your business. In fact, it can be more of a time for you to work ON your business. If you’re intentional, if you plan, you can build it. From leadership development to new systems or batch learning, get creative. I’ll give you some strategies in this episode to maintain your growth in the summer. Take advantage of the downtime to play around before the September rush. Whether your summer looks like time off or it’s your busy time of year (if that’s the case, you probably already have a great rhythm), plan. Plan for the busy, or plan for the lull. We live in seasons, and so does our business. Keep building that momentum this summer along with other focused business owners – join the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    Ep. 84 The Stern Truth: Re-Release - How To Keep Momentum in Your Business During the Summer
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About

The Stern Truth: Business Unfiltered is the no-BS podcast for overwhelmed small business owners & entrepreneurs who are tired of the noise, the hype, and the so-called “experts” telling them how to grow their business. Hosted by Marshall Stern, a seasoned business owner and coach with over 35 years of experience, this podcast cuts through the confusion to bring you real, practical advice that actually works. If you feel stuck, exhausted, and like you’re doing it all alone—this is for you. Each episode delivers honest conversations, actionable strategies, and straight talk about what it really takes to grow and lead a thriving business. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just The Stern Truth you need to move forward with confidence. It's time to stop spinning your wheels and start leading your business like the unstoppable force you are.

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