SCORE Houston's Podcast

SCORE Houston
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

Our podcast features three series: Mentor Conversations — In-depth interviews with experienced SCORE mentors, including former CEOs, industry leaders, and successful entrepreneurs sharing their decades of business expertise. Small Business Success Stories — Real journeys from Houston small business owners who have built thriving companies, often with SCORE mentoring support. Lessons from the Greats — Insights from renowned business leaders and successful global companies, distilled into practical guidance for small business owners. Topics include: starting a business, business planning, financing and SBA loans, marketing and digital strategy, leadership, scaling and growth, financial management, resilience, adaptability, AI for small business, and Houston's evolving business landscape. Whether you are launching a startup, navigating challenges, or scaling your business, this podcast delivers actionable insights to help you succeed. Connect with a free SCORE Houston mentor at scorehouston.org Join the conversation at scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com New episodes weekly. Subscribe and follow on your favorite platform.

  1. 6d ago

    Cancer Scientist to Sugar-Free Chocolate Founder | SCORE Houston Ep. 36

    Dr. Beata Lerman spent nearly 20 years as a cancer research scientist with patents in cancer immunotherapy. Then a personal cancer diagnosis led her to build a sugar-free chocolate company safe for diabetics. On this episode of the SCORE Houston Podcast, host PV Bala talks with Dr. Lerman about leaving biomedical research for small-business manufacturing, the science behind sugar-free chocolate, and how SCORE mentors Jim Davis and Jim Nordhaus helped her grow from a 200-square-foot kitchen into a full manufacturing facility and retail café. Her company, Sinless Treats (now rebranding as D'Ora Fine Chocolate), is a Houston-based maker of sugar-free, chemical-free chocolate designed to support blood sugar management and reduce inflammation, now expanding into ingredient supply for other consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. What we cover: Leaving cancer immunotherapy research to found a food manufacturing companyThe science of sugar, insulin resistance, and metabolic healthDeveloping the product and scaling a chocolate manufacturing operationStartup capital, the breakeven timeline, and self-funded growthMarketing lessons for small-business owners: SEO, GEO, and avoiding costly agency mistakesHow SCORE Houston mentorship supported her path to SBA's Houston District Small Business Manufacturer of the Year0:00 Intro 1:01 Guest introduction 2:13 Beata's science background 3:40 Leaving research to start Sinless Treats 5:30 The sugar debate 7:41 Cancer diagnosis & the science of sugar 9:33 Learning to make healthy chocolate 11:01 Product testing & feedback 13:54 Early days in a tiny kitchen 17:07 Scaling up & compliance 19:05 Startup costs & financing 20:26 Breaking even & revenue growth 23:18 Quality control 23:38 Marketing lessons 27:19 Retail cafe launch 28:30 Vision & rebrand to D'Ora 30:08 Closing thoughts 30:27 Outro  🔗 D'Ora Fine Chocolate: https://sinlesstreatschocolate.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo-3Yz_BoAs-jE5PDFLiFSlERzLQB0dshlAAPeb7p7cOnaWKI6k  🔗 Free SCORE Houston mentoring: www.score.org/houston  🔗 Subscribe FREE  for more Small Business Success Stories: [: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYwZdflYjHJeI8oTA_fRJw]  🔗 Listen on your favorite podcast platform:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DTCZlN... Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b4a.  Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    Cancer Scientist to Sugar-Free Chocolate Founder | SCORE Houston Ep. 36

  2. Jul 7

    From Corporate Careers to Kitchen Gardens: How Three Houston Entrepreneurs Built Garden Girls with SCORE Mentoring. Ep 35

    SCORE Houston Podcast: Subscribe/ Follow FREE:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYwZdflYjHJeI8oTA_fRJw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DTCZlN... Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b4a.  Houston small business success stories don't get more inspiring than this. In this episode of SCORE Houston Podcast, host Dr. Jeffrey Ricken sits down with the founders of Garden Girls — Nicole Shah, Jen McDonald, and Jill Oliver — three Houston entrepreneurs who transformed a shared passion for gardening into a thriving boutique kitchen garden design company. Coming from established corporate careers in law, pharmaceutical sales, and speech pathology, these women share how they made the leap from stable professions to small business ownership after 40, the startup challenges they navigated, and how free SCORE Houston mentorship helped them accelerate their growth. Discover how SCORE mentors Art O'Connor and Greg Helma guided Garden Girls through critical business decisions — from hiring the right accountant and photographer to shaping their expansion strategy. This conversation delivers practical small business insights on startup funding, marketing on a limited budget, building a team, and balancing entrepreneurship with family life. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a small business owner navigating growth, or considering a mid-career pivot, this episode offers actionable guidance on mentorship, partnership dynamics, and building a small Houston business from the ground up. KEY TAKEAWAYS Passion can become a profitable small business with the right strategyFree SCORE mentorship accelerates business growth and decision-makingIdentify weaknesses early and hire experts (accountant, photographer, specialists)Word-of-mouth and community networking can replace expensive advertisingIt is never too late to start a business — these founders launched in their 40sPartnership synergy — combining legal, creative, and operational skill sets — strengthens a businessTIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction & Welcome 00:40 — Meet the Garden Girls: Nicole, Jen & Jill 01:39 — Career Pivots from Law, Sales & Speech Pathology to Gardening 02:47 — Founding Garden Girls in 2022 05:14 — Building a Turnkey Garden Design Business 09:19 — Marketing, Networking & Word-of-Mouth Growth 11:22 — Overcoming Startup Challenges: Bookkeeping & Hiring 13:20 — Working with SCORE Mentors Art O'Connor & Greg Helma 15:08 — How Mentorship Exceeded Expectations 17:24 — Jill Oliver on Networking & Community Building 19:29 — Gardening Through Houston's Climate Challenges 22:01 — Balancing Business Ownership & Family Life 23:14 — Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 23:49 — Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Garden Girls 24:15 — SCORE Houston Contact Info & Free Mentoring  Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    From Corporate Careers to Kitchen Gardens: How Three Houston Entrepreneurs Built Garden Girls with SCORE Mentoring. Ep 35

  3. Jun 30

    How Do You Fund a Deep Tech Startup Without Venture Capital? Ep 34

    SCORE Houston Podcast: Subscribe/ Follow FREE:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYwZdflYjHJeI8oTA_fRJw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DTCZlN... Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b4a. In this episode of the Go Houston Podcast, host PV Bala of SCORE Houston sits down with Dr. Bryton Praslicka, Founder & CEO of Fluxworks LLC — a Conroe, Texas deep tech startup manufacturing revolutionary magnetic gears that transmit power using magnets instead of metal teeth, with no lubrication, less noise, and far less maintenance. 🚀 What You'll Learn in This Episode: How Dr. Praslicka turned his Texas A&M PhD research into a NASA-funded startupHow Fluxworks LLC won a $1.69 million Army SBIR contract while still in graduate schoolWhy magnetic gears are critical to NASA's Artemis moon mission and the International Space StationHow to fund a deep tech startup without venture capital using SBIR grants, SBA loans, and pitch competitionsWhat it takes to land contracts with NASA, the US Army, and the Department of DefenseLessons learned from the Rice University Business Plan CompetitionWhy Dr. Praslicka turned down a $2 million investment offerHow Fluxworks LLC became profitable in 2023 and relocated to Houston, Texas🏆 Guest Highlights: ✅ Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree ✅ 2026 SBA Houston District Innovation Award recipient ✅ Rice Business Plan Competition winner ✅ Supplier to NASA, US Army & Department of Defense ✅ Technology aboard the International Space Station Subscribe for more inspiring Houston small business success stories every week! 👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribe Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    How Do You Fund a Deep Tech Startup Without Venture Capital? Ep 34

  4. Jun 23

    Ep 33: SpaceX Business Lessons: What Small Business Owners Can Learn from Elon Musk's First Principles Thinking.

    SCORE Houston Podcast: Subscribe/ Follow FREE:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYwZdflYjHJeI8oTA_fRJw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DTCZlN... Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b4a. What if the same engineering principles that took SpaceX to the top of the global launch industry could help your Houston salon, bakery, contracting firm, or retail shop run leaner and more profitably? In this episode of the SCORE Houston Podcast, we translate Elon Musk's exact operational frameworks — step by step — into actionable strategies for Main Street business owners. This isn't about getting to Mars. It's about the physics of building a business that actually works. 🔩 THE 10 SPACEX PRINCIPLES FOR SMALL BUSINESS: First Principles Thinking — Strip everything down to its core atoms before accepting industry assumptionsThe Idiot Index — Measure the markup between raw materials and finished cost; high ratios mean you're subsidizing someone else's inefficiencyRuthless Simplification — The best part is no part; the best process is no processThe 10% Add-Back Rule — If you weren't forced to add back at least 10% of what you cut, you didn't cut deep enoughVertical Integration — When suppliers overcharge, build the capability in-houseStandardization — Build a Model T, not a custom car; make the customer adapt to your efficient processBuild, Test, Learn — Failures are data points, not disasters; crash the rocket and gather the dataUrgency — If a timeline is long, it's wrong; launch the simplest version fastMissionaries, Not Mercenaries — Hire people who care about the mission, not just the paycheckLead from the Front — Spend 50% of your time in the operation, not behind a desk; all bad news should be given loudly and often🔄 THE FLYWHEEL: First Principles finds the waste → Vertical Integration eliminates it → Standardization makes it profitable → Repeat. 💡 Closing question to sit with: "How fast are your feedback loops?" Are you waiting months to see if a new idea works, or are you finding a way to crash the rocket, gather the data, and get back to reality today? 🤝 You don't have to build this alone. SCORE Houston offers free mentoring from experienced business professionals. Visit score.org and connect with the Houston chapter. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Intro & SCORE Houston Overview 0:15 – Why SpaceX & Elon Musk? 1:15 – First Principles Thinking 2:00 – The Idiot Index 3:49 – Ruthless Simplification 4:23 – The 10% Add-Back Rule 5:09 – Vertical Integration 5:31 – Real Cost Savings Examples 6:11 – The McDocker Story 6:33 – Local Business Applications 7:12 – Standardization Strategy 8:31 – Build, Test, Learn 9:46 – The Urgency Principle 10:45 – Balancing Speed & Customer Trust 11:07 – Hiring Missionaries, Not Mercenaries 11:45 – Lead from the Front 12:46 – Money as Fuel 13:08 – The SpaceX Flywheel 13:48 – How Fast Are Your Feedback Loops? 14:24 – Free Mentoring at score.org Houston Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    Ep 33: SpaceX Business Lessons: What Small Business Owners Can Learn from Elon Musk's First Principles Thinking.

  5. Jun 16

    Episode 32: How to Start & Grow a Small Business | Free Mentoring, Social Media & Community Networking

    Follow SCORE Houston Podcast on your favorite platform: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts tap Follow! 🎵 Spotify: Spotify — tap Follow! 📻 Amazon Music:  Amazon Music— tap Follow! ▶️ YouTube: YouTube — Subscribe and hit the bell! How do you turn a family BBQ restaurant into an award-winning small business?  In this episode of Small Business Success Stories, SCORE Houston mentor Dr Jeffrey Ricken sits down with Marie and Justin Bock — owners of Ryan's Smokehouse in Webster, Texas. Justin and Marie left South Dakota, uprooted their family, and took over a 24-year family restaurant from Marie's aunt. With zero prior business ownership experience, they grew sales 15–20% annually, expanded from 1 to 7 employees, and were named the 2026 SBA Houston District Family-Owned Small Business of the Year.  In this episode you'll learn: ✅ How to buy an existing business and grow it fast ✅ How free mentoring from SCORE & SBDC helped them succeed ✅ How to use social media to grow a small business ✅ How to find and keep good employees ✅ How to build community presence without a big marketing budget ✅ Whether to buy a business or start from scratch  ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Meet Marie & Justin — Ryan's Smokehouse 01:56 Moving from South Dakota to Texas 03:44 Buying a family business vs starting cold 05:04 Getting mentorship from SCORE & SBDC 06:44 Forming an LLC — what you need to know 07:50 Secret sauce: social media & community networking 10:30 Finding the right employees 14:13 Overcoming the employee-to-owner mindset shift 16:36 Buying vs. starting a business cold 20:43 What's next — expanding to a second location 21:31 Closing thoughts & how to reach SCORE Houston #SmallBusiness, #BusinessMentoring, #HowToStartABusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth, #Entrepreneur, #SCORE, #SBA, #BBQRestaurant, #BusinessOwner, #SuccessStory, #SocialMediaMarketing, #HoustonBusiness, #FamilyBusiness, #StartupAdvice Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    Episode 32: How to Start & Grow a Small Business | Free Mentoring, Social Media & Community Networking

  6. Jun 10

    Ep 31: Small Business Lessons: How One Woman Built a Houston Breakfast Empire

    Follow SCORE Houston Podcast on your favorite platform: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts tap Follow! 🎵 Spotify: Spotify — tap Follow! 📻 Amazon Music:  Amazon Music— tap Follow! ▶️ YouTube: YouTube — Subscribe and hit the bell! In this episode of Small Business Success Stories at SCORE Houston, host and SCORE Mentor PV Bala sits down with Sarah Lieberman, founder of Dandelion Cafe — Houston's beloved breakfast and brunch destination with three locations across the city. Sarah shares how she left a career in oil and gas to follow her passion for hospitality, launched her first cafe with just $40,000, no collateral, and a lot of grit, and grew it into a thriving small business that survived two hurricanes and a global pandemic. You'll hear the real story behind securing startup funding with no bank loan, the pivot that took her from coffee shop to restaurant, how SCORE mentorship shaped her business plan, and what it takes to reach break even, scale to multiple locations, and land a spot on Good Morning America. Sarah is the 2026 SBA Houston District Small Business Person of the Year — and her story is proof that drive, flexibility, and community are the real ingredients for success. 🎙️ Host: PV Bala, SCORE Mentor, SCORE Houston 🍳 Guest: Sarah Lieberman, Founder, Dandelion Cafe Houston Topics covered: how to start a restaurant, small business funding, SBA loans, micro-lenders, restaurant startup costs, coffee shop vs. restaurant profit, scaling a small business, small business mentorship, SCORE Houston, Houston entrepreneurs, breakfast restaurant business, women in business, small business success stories. Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    Ep 31: Small Business Lessons: How One Woman Built a Houston Breakfast Empire

  7. Jun 2

    Episode 30: How to Start a Business: Expert Advice on Planning, Funding & Sales

    Follow SCORE Houston Podcast on your favorite platform: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts tap Follow! 🎵 Spotify: Spotify — tap Follow! 📻 Amazon Music:  Amazon Music— tap Follow! ▶️ YouTube: YouTube — Subscribe and hit the bell! In this episode, Dr. Jeff Rickon sits down with Martin Estill — serial entrepreneur, former Chief Revenue Officer, and SCORE Houston volunteer mentor — for an in-depth conversation about how to start, grow, fund, and scale a small business. With 30+ years of real-world experience across oil & gas, software, retail, and B2B marketing, Martin breaks down the exact mistakes most entrepreneurs make — and what to do instead. In this episode you'll learn: ✅ How to write a business plan (and why most people skip it — and fail) ✅ Where to get funding for your startup — from your own pocket to angel investors & venture capital ✅ How to get your first customers using referential sales (without paying for ads) ✅ The #1 mistake new entrepreneurs make going from idea to execution ✅ How to build a sales & marketing strategy that actually works ✅ When and how to scale your business and delegate effectively ✅ How to find a business partner and structure equity deals ✅ How to sell or exit a business for maximum value ✅ Why SCORE mentoring is the best-kept secret for small business owners 🕐 Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction  03:00 – Martin's background in oil & gas entrepreneurship  07:00 – The 3 biggest mistakes small business owners make  12:00 – How to write a business plan  18:00 – How to fund your business (funding hierarchy explained)  25:00 – How to get your first customers (the bullseye model)  32:00 – How to scale, delegate & sell your business  38:00 – How SCORE mentoring works & how to get free help Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

  8. May 26

    They left Mexico City and Built Houston's Music Hub/ The Band Room Ep 29

    Follow SCORE Houston Podcast on your favorite platform: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts tap Follow! 🎵 Spotify: Spotify — tap Follow! 📻 Amazon Music:  Amazon Music— tap Follow! ▶️ YouTube: YouTube — Subscribe and hit the bell! How did two passionate educators turn a love of music into a thriving Houston small business? In this episode of the SCORE Houston Podcast, host Dr. Jeffrey Ricken sits down with Tamara Richter and Fernando Cervantes, co-founders of The Band Room — a music school and community space in Houston, TX. Special thanks to SCORE Mentor Art O'Connor for guiding The Band Room on their entrepreneurial journey through free, confidential business mentoring. Learn how they:  Started a small business from the ground up  Leveraged free business mentoring through SCORE with mentor Art O'Connor  Combined education + music to build a creative community Grew their business with the help of the SBA (Small Business Administration) Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a small business owner, or just love Houston's creative scene — this episode is packed with inspiration and real-world advice. Get FREE small business mentoring at: www.score.org/houston  Topics Covered: How to start a small business in HoustonFree small business resources & mentorshipMusic school business modelEntrepreneurship tips for beginnersSCORE mentoring success storiesSmall Business Administration (SBA) programsSubscribe/ Follow for weekly small business success stories, entrepreneur interviews, and free business advice from SCORE Houston mentors. Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes. Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.

    They left Mexico City and Built Houston's Music Hub/ The Band Room Ep 29
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Our podcast features three series: Mentor Conversations — In-depth interviews with experienced SCORE mentors, including former CEOs, industry leaders, and successful entrepreneurs sharing their decades of business expertise. Small Business Success Stories — Real journeys from Houston small business owners who have built thriving companies, often with SCORE mentoring support. Lessons from the Greats — Insights from renowned business leaders and successful global companies, distilled into practical guidance for small business owners. Topics include: starting a business, business planning, financing and SBA loans, marketing and digital strategy, leadership, scaling and growth, financial management, resilience, adaptability, AI for small business, and Houston's evolving business landscape. Whether you are launching a startup, navigating challenges, or scaling your business, this podcast delivers actionable insights to help you succeed. Connect with a free SCORE Houston mentor at scorehouston.org Join the conversation at scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com New episodes weekly. Subscribe and follow on your favorite platform.

Information

  • Creator
    SCORE Houston
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 SCORE Houston's Podcast
  • Show Website
    SCORE Houston's Podcast

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