Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business

Nikolas Hulewsky
  • 4.9 (85)
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  • CADA SEMANA

Welcome to Nikonomics—the show for entrepreneurs and Wantrapreneurs, looking to make their first million. I bring firsthand experience, having bought and sold over a dozen businesses, achieved multiple 7-figure exits, and generated over $100 million in revenue. Each week, I blend humor with real insights from successful entrepreneurs, sharing growth strategies, deal insights, and unique business ideas you won’t find elsewhere. Ready to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality? Hit play and let’s get to work. Follow me on Twitter @CoFoundersNik or YouTube @NikonomicsPodcast.

  1. HACE 1 DÍA

    226 - 50,000 Subscribers, $10M in Revenue, 1 Insanely Creative Business Idea with Michael Clark

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Michael Clark. We dive into the incredible story behind The Flower Letters, a subscription business started with his wife, Hanny Clark, that mails immersive, physical story letters to subscribers. What started as a small idea in April 2020 with World War II love letters has exploded into a multi-million dollar venture, projecting $8-10 million this year! Michael shares how they bootstrapped this unique concept, scaling to over 50,000 subscribers by focusing on daily profitability and smart advertising strategies, leveraging a prepaid option for cash flow. You'll hear why he considers this direct mail business, despite his FinTech background, the most complicated he's ever built, managing over 900 inventory pieces in-house. We also discuss their "long game" vision, transforming The Flower Letters into a mission-driven company with potential for TV shows, audiobooks, and more, while carefully integrating AI only for artistic elements.  Questions This Episode Answers: How did The Flower Letters grow from 33 subscribers to over 50,000 with multi-million dollar revenue? What advertising strategy was key to their rapid customer acquisition and how did they manage a $30 CAC? How does a subscription business like The Flower Letters prioritize daily profitability and manage cash flow through prepaid options? Why is a seemingly simple direct mail business considered the "most complicated" venture by a FinTech entrepreneur, and how is its fulfillment handled? How do The Flower Letters leverage a "long game" strategy to build a mission-driven company with a growing catalog of stories and future content expansion? Enjoy the conversation! __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered: 00:00 Rapid Growth and Business Model Overview 03:02 The Origin Story: From Idea to Execution 05:53 Marketing Strategies and Customer Acquisition 08:46 Financial Insights and Business Economics 12:06 Creating a Unique Customer Experience 14:58 Operational Challenges and Fulfillment Process 25:07 In-House Fulfillment and Customer Service 27:58 The Importance of Storytelling in Business 30:21 Creative Storytelling and the Role of AI 36:38 Revenue Growth and Business Strategy 38:59 Building a Sustainable Business Model 42:47 Leveraging the Postal Service for Success 44:45 Community Engagement and Pen Pal Ideas 46:43 Launching a Podcast and Sharing Stories

    50 min

  2. HACE 3 DÍAS

    225 - The Business That Legally Eliminates Your Tax Bill with Kriss Bergethon

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview serial entrepreneur Kriss Berg (https://x.com/Krissbergtweets) about his $10 million revenue business empire and revolutionary wealth building flywheel strategy! Discover how this commercial real estate investor generates massive cashflow from his e-commerce health supplements business and innovative telemedicine platform featuring GLP-1 medications, semaglutide (Ozempic), testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Learn Kriss's game-changing approach to tax optimization as he reinvests business profits into commercial real estate investments like car wash businesses and gas stations to maximize bonus depreciation tax benefits and achieve zero income tax liability. This real estate tax strategy has transformed his net worth and created a sustainable passive income stream. From his early days running a construction business to living off the grid after reading The Four Hour Workweek, Kriss shares his entrepreneurship journey and proven methods for identifying undervalued businesses ripe for business acquisition and rapid scaling. We explore practical business ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs, including parking lot striping, stump grinding, and other service-based businesses that build entrepreneurial skills without requiring massive startup capital. Key topics include understanding cap rates, EBITDA multiples, business valuation, the power of active vs passive losses, real estate professional status, 1031 exchanges, depreciation recapture, effective delegation strategies, and achieving work-life balance while building generational wealth. Questions This Episode Answers: How does Kriss Berg's flywheel business model generate high cashflow while achieving zero tax liability through strategic real estate investments? What is bonus depreciation for car washes and gas stations, and why don't these commercial properties require real estate professional status for tax write-offs? What are proven strategies for finding and acquiring neglected businesses with strong value-add opportunities and multiple expansion potential? How can entrepreneurs use commercial real estate cash flow and appreciation to compound wealth building over decades? What low-capital business opportunities like home service businesses, parking lot maintenance, and equipment-based services offer the best ROI for new business owners? How do cap rate investing and NOI optimization create superior returns compared to traditional stock market investing? What delegation frameworks and operational systems enable business owners to transition from working in the business to working on the business? __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered:00:00 The Tax Revelation: A Surprising Discovery 02:51 Building a Business Flywheel: Cash Flow and Investments 05:47 Understanding Bonus Depreciation: A Tax Strategy Unveiled 09:06 The Journey into Commercial Real Estate: From E-commerce to Car Washes 11:51 The Power of Passive Income: Lessons from a Real Estate Mogul 14:39 Navigating Entrepreneurship: Mistakes and Lessons Learned 17:58 The Shift to E-commerce: Finding Opportunity in Health Supplements 20:53 Telemedicine and Health Innovations: The Next Frontier 23:50 The Importance of Delegation: Building a Sustainable Business 27:06 Starting from Scratch: Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 30:04 The Reality of Growth: Compounding Success Over Time

    46 min

  3. HACE 6 DÍAS

    224 - Business Broker Reveals Which Businesses AI Can't Touch (Buy These Now) with Jackie Ossin Hirsch

    MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview business broker Jackie Hirsch (https://x.com/SMBJackieHirsch) to get the real lay of the land in the current M&A market and small business acquisition landscape.  Jackie, whose Florida business brokerage company did over $40 million in transactions last year, shares crucial insights on SBA loan changes 2024 and how new SBA 7a program rules are impacting first-time business buyers and licensed businesses like HVAC companies and survey businesses. We dive deep into why it's always been a seller's market in lower middle market deals and discuss common, costly business acquisition mistakes, like a buyer who lost millions because of due diligence delays and poor SBA lender choices. Jackie pulls back the curtain on the kinds of cashflow-generating businesses attracting private equity and individual buyers today, from materials testing companies to underground construction and the booming private chef services market. This business broker interview explores how AI impact on business is shaping the acquisition landscape and why, even with tariffs 2024 and market uncertainty, there are always small business deals to be made. You won't want to miss her incredible "real deal" stories about business deal interventions and sellers with criminal backgrounds, highlighting why building a strong seller relationship and business deal negotiation skills are paramount to getting any M&A transaction across the finish line. Perfect for entrepreneurs, business buyers, search fund professionals, and anyone interested in entrepreneurship through acquisition or business valuation strategies. Questions This Episode Answers: What recent SBA policy changes are affecting business acquisitions and seller financing? How can first-time buyers avoid "boneheaded mistakes" in an M&A deal and business due diligence? What types of profitable businesses are currently attracting the most buyers in a seller's market? How is AI automation impacting different business sectors and acquisition strategies? Why is building a strong seller relationship so crucial for closing business deals and post-acquisition success? What are the new SBA standby rules for seller notes and personal guarantees? Which recession-proof businesses and AI-resistant businesses are trending in 2024 business market? __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered: 00:00 The Ever-Persistent Seller's Market 02:52 Current Trends in M&A and Market Dynamics 05:44 Navigating Changes in SBA Regulations 09:04 Challenges in Selling Licensed Businesses 12:01 Real Deal Stories and Lessons Learned 14:52 The Importance of Relationships in Business Transactions 22:07 Building Trust in Business Transactions 24:53 The Role of AI in Business 27:48 Emerging Business Trends 31:35 The Future of Food Services 35:29 Navigating Buyer Red Flags

    43 min

  4. 27 AGO

    223 - How He Paid Off a $2M SBA Loan in 24 Months with Garth Fasano

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Garth Fasano (https://x.com/garthfasano). Garth shares his incredible entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) success story of acquiring a call center business and crushing it, paying off his SBA loan in just two years through strategic small business acquisition! We dive into how he scaled by dramatically improving lead conversion rates for small businesses through clever integrations with platforms like Thumbtack and Angie's List. This business acquisition success story showcases how proper ETA business strategy can transform a traditional call center into a thriving enterprise. This rapid success paved the way for Garth to pivot his company into Rainmaker AI, an innovative AI-powered sales platform that's revolutionizing AI sales automation for SMBs. He discusses the future of AI voice technology in end-to-end sales solutions, the concept of recursive learning with their Rain Brain technology, and what this means for the evolving role of humans in sales. We also explore the exciting, yet challenging, landscape of the post-close search entrepreneur community and how search fund strategies are evolving. This business acquisition case study demonstrates how buying an existing business can create significant wealth through smart operations and AI transformation. Questions This Episode Answers: How can a business pay off an SBA loan in just two years after small business acquisition? What is the most effective way to improve lead conversion rates for small businesses? How is AI sales automation transforming small business customer interactions? What is "recursive learning" in the context of AI-powered sales platforms? How can Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) create significant wealth for entrepreneurs? __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered: 00:00 Transforming Sales with AI Integration 10:00 The Journey of Acquisition and Growth 19:57 Innovating Sales Processes for Small Businesses 29:52 The Future of AI in Sales and Customer Interaction

    40 min

  5. 25 AGO

    222 - 3 Home Service Businesses You Can Start with Under $20K with Anne McGinty

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Anne McGinty to unveil the top first-time entrepreneur business ideas and small business ideas we would start today as startup entrepreneurs. Anne, who famously earned $150,000 in just 60 days with her Christmas lighting business, shares her proven insights on high-margin business ideas and profitable small business opportunities. I lay out my complete framework for entrepreneur success, focusing on leveraging powerful macro trends, building high-profit margin businesses, and ensuring a quick cash conversion cycle for maximum business cash flow. Home Service Business Ideas: Anne's home service business picks include expanding seasonal business ideas like luxury holiday decor services and Christmas lighting business for ultra-wealthy clients to year-round offerings, creating recurring revenue businesses with low startup costs. Her second home services business idea focuses on exterior cleaning business and detailing for high-end homes, covering pressure washing business, window cleaning business, solar panel cleaning, and gutter cleaning business - emphasizing the power of repeat business with wealthy homeowners and luxury home services. Healthcare Business Ideas: My healthcare business opportunities explore the booming medical business space, particularly elderly care services targeting the aging population trend and ABA clinics for autism services and behavioral health business. The rapidly growing Med Spa business sector offers incredible healthcare entrepreneurship opportunities, including cutting-edge wellness business areas like hormone replacement therapy, longevity business, and the innovative field of functional medicine business. Key business strategies covered: Low competition business ideas with high profit margins  Recession-proof business models for economic stability Passive income business potential through recurring clients Local business opportunities serving high-net-worth individuals  Service-based business models with minimal overhead  Scalable business ideas that grow with demand Questions This Episode Answers: • How can first-time entrepreneurs identify business ideas with "dummy insurance"? What are Anne McGinty's top home services business ideas for targeting the ultra-wealthy market? Why are macro trends like the aging population and wellness industry crucial for new business ventures? What makes the healthcare business space and Med Spa opportunities particularly attractive for entrepreneurs right now? How can you ensure a small business startup provides both substantial profit and business purpose? Enjoy the conversation! __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________This week we covered:00:00 Identifying Lucrative Business Opportunities 03:07 Understanding Macro Trends for Entrepreneurs 05:58 High Margin and Quick Cash Conversion Businesses 08:48 Exploring Seasonal Business Ideas 12:07 The Potential of Healthcare Services 15:03 Building a Business in the Elderly Care Sector 27:52 Architecting a Purposeful Lifestyle 28:50 The Value of Client Relationships 30:47 High-End Service Business Strategies 32:12 Customer Acquisition Techniques 35:02 Exploring Home Services Opportunities 38:19 The Growth of Med Spas 41:41 Innovations in Health and Wellness 44:33 The Future of Functional Medicine 46:59 Macro Trends in Health Spending 49:58 The Role of Entrepreneurs in Healthcare

    56 min

  6. 22 AGO

    221 - From W2 Employee to a $18M Pool Business with Malcolm Marshall

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Malcolm Marshall (https://x.com/malcolmpools). Malcolm shares his incredible W2 to entrepreneur journey from a VP of Finance role at C4 Energy during its hyper-growth phase (from $8 million to $300 million!) to successfully scaling his business, Poolology, an $18 million pool construction and home services business in Central Texas. We dive into the surprising challenges of scaling businesses, the reality of bootstrapping, and how he navigated the shift from a W-2 to full-time entrepreneurship. You'll hear about the "aha!" moments, the hard-earned lessons, and what he would focus on if starting a new business today, especially in the promising field of AI infrastructure. Questions This Episode Answers: • How did Malcolm Marshall go from W2 to entrepreneur and scale his business, Poolology, from a small pool route to $18 million in revenue? • What were the biggest financial stressors and operational challenges during C4 Energy's hyper-growth? • Why did Malcolm leave a high-paying W-2 job with equity to start a small business? • How do pool construction and maintenance businesses acquire customers and what are their typical EBITDA margins? • If starting over, what industry would Malcolm focus on, and what’s the most crucial lesson he learned about team building? Enjoy the conversation! __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered: 00:00 From Corporate to Entrepreneurship: The Journey Begins 02:40 Building Poolology: The Early Days and Growth Strategies 05:53 Navigating Rapid Growth: Challenges and Lessons Learned 08:47 The Transition to Construction: Expanding Services 11:38 Marketing and Customer Acquisition: Strategies for Success 15:01 Future Aspirations: Scaling and New Opportunities 17:52 Reflections on the Journey: What Would You Change?

    42 min

  7. 20 AGO

    220 - How Claude Code Just Replaced All My Coding Tools with Elizabeth Knopf

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Elizabeth Knopf (https://x.com/@leveragedupside) about the one AI tool everyone is raving about: Cloud Code! We dive deep into why this new offering from Claude is a game-changer for business and automation, even if it looks a bit old-school in the terminal.  We also discuss the latest in the model war, including the releases of ChatGPT-5, Claude Opus 4.1, Grok 4, and Gemini, and share our personal rankings. Elizabeth gives a mind-blowing demonstration of how she uses Cloud Code to tackle massive data analysis automation cleanup and analysis tasks, like processing hundreds of thousands of job scraping entries, all by simply speaking English to the AI. Learn how this tool can remove friction, simplify complex multi-step tasks, and help you build powerful agents for your business. Enjoy the conversation! Questions This Episode Answers: • How has the AI model war evolved recently, and what's the general sentiment? • What are the key differences and improvements in new LLMs like ChatGPT-5 and Claude Opus 4.1? • How do leading AI models like Grok, Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini rank in terms of utility and performance? • What is Cloud Code, and how can it simplify complex data analysis and automation tasks for business users? • How can you install and begin using Cloud Code to manage and analyze local files without extensive coding knowledge? __________________________ Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered: 00:00 Introduction to AI Models and Cloud Code 07:48 Ranking AI Models: A Comparative Analysis 12:08 Exploring Cloud Code: Installation and Setup 18:19 Building Projects with Cloud Code 23:10 The Social Contract of Podcasting 24:08 Project Overview and Data Cleanup Tool 25:56 Data Analysis and Job Market Insights 28:42 Building Automation Tools with Claude 31:58 Classifying Text and Job Data 36:03 Interactive Data Analysis and Visualization 41:06 Automating Data Cleaning and Insights Generation

    45 min

  8. 18 AGO

    219 - The Secret to Standing Out without Going Viral with Nick Gray

    🚨MY NEWSLETTER https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🚨 Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Nick Gray (https://x.com/nickgraynews), a serial entrepreneur known for building and selling multi-million dollar businesses like Museum Hack and author of The Two-Hour Cocktail Party.  Nick shares his unique insights on entrepreneur networking and how to host networking events, even for introverts. We dive into business networking tips and the importance of creating a strong personal online presence with a dedicated website, and how AI tools can help you tell your story.  Discover how Nick continuously increases his luck surface area, how to meet other entrepreneurs, and why focusing on deep connections is the true key to wealth. Questions This Episode Answers: What are the different types of icebreaker questions and how should they be used to build rapport? Why is hosting meetups or cocktail parties crucial for new entrepreneurs to gain traction and build an "army of support"? How can having a personal website enhance your professional reputation and online presence? How can entrepreneurs leverage AI tools to automatically generate content for their personal websites and maintain relevance? What's the secret to manufacturing viral moments and achieving organic growth for your business? Enjoy the conversation! Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback. Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts. __________________________ MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribe Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98y Apple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT __________________________ This week we covered: 00:00 The Importance of Networking for Entrepreneurs 06:46 Hosting Meetups: A Unique Approach to Building Connections 11:57 Creating Value Through Personal Websites 17:42 Leveraging Online Presence for Success 23:13 Leveraging Podcast Appearances for Content Creation 30:13 Innovative AI Tools for Transcription and Content Management 31:05 Building an Online Presence with AI and SEO 37:41 Creating Value Through Personal Branding and Content 41:58 The Art of Manufacturing Viral Moments 45:44 Fostering Connections and Community Engagement FIND OUT MORE BELOW: https://nickgray.net https://patronview.com https://vs3.net https://party.pro https://party.pro/book/

    46 min
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Welcome to Nikonomics—the show for entrepreneurs and Wantrapreneurs, looking to make their first million. I bring firsthand experience, having bought and sold over a dozen businesses, achieved multiple 7-figure exits, and generated over $100 million in revenue. Each week, I blend humor with real insights from successful entrepreneurs, sharing growth strategies, deal insights, and unique business ideas you won’t find elsewhere. Ready to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality? Hit play and let’s get to work. Follow me on Twitter @CoFoundersNik or YouTube @NikonomicsPodcast.

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