A Hard Knock Podcast

Ryan Brooks
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  • Entrepreneurship
  • Weekly

Hosted by Ryan at Hard Knock Labs, this podcast empowers BIPOC & marginalized entrepreneurs to turn obstacles into opportunities. Join us to explore vital topics like design thinking, business model innovation, & customer relationship mastery. Learn actionable strategies to understand customers, refine value propositions, scale efficiently, & make a lasting impact. Every episode blends insights, success stories & practical tips to help you build & scale a thriving business that contributes to a more equitable society.

  1. 02/21/2024

    Interview with Hazel Bevins from INT.D - Part 1

    Summary In this episode, Ryan Brooks interviews Hazel, co-founder of INTD, a design firm that specializes in research, brand development, and spatial experience design. Hazel shares her journey into entrepreneurship and the challenges she faced along the way. She also discusses the importance of collaboration and understanding the needs of big brands. Hazel emphasizes the role of passion in making entrepreneurship easier and advises aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on their long-term goals. She also addresses the concept of being multi-passionate and how to navigate multiple interests in business. Takeaways Collaboration is key in entrepreneurship, and it is important to find common ground and value with the people you work with. Understanding the pain points of big brands and being able to articulate your approach and solutions is crucial in landing projects with them. Entrepreneurship can be easier when driven by passion and a deep sense of responsibility for the business. Short-term sacrifices are often necessary for long-term goals in entrepreneurship. Being multi-passionate can be challenging, but it is important to find ways to align your various interests and prioritize your goals. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:06 Begging to be on the podcast 02:03 Introduction to INTD 03:01 Working with placemakers 04:01 Journey into entrepreneurship 04:31 Initial challenges 08:58 Forming opinions on design 10:43 Collaboration and delegation 13:31 Learning business speak 23:26 Landing projects with big brands 27:13 Advice for collaborating with larger organizations 31:19 Entrepreneurship doesn't have to be hard 42:44 Passion and long-term goals 43:07 Being multi-passionate

  2. 02/14/2024

    Interview with Monica Rivera of You Wanna Do What!?

    Summary Monica, a business coach and consultant, shares her journey of starting a coaching business and the importance of personal branding. She discusses strategies to overcome imposter syndrome and provides tips for building a compelling personal brand. Monica emphasizes the significance of personal branding for women and offers advice on packaging and monetizing skills. In this conversation, Monica discusses the importance of niching down and finding a specific focus for your business or personal brand. She emphasizes that niching down allows you to serve a specific audience and become known for your expertise. Monica also talks about the challenge of balancing multiple passions with practical business sense, and how defining your vision and making strategic decisions can help in finding that balance. She shares her future vision and goals, including speaking at corporations and facilitating workshops to change company culture. Monica also mentions her desire to write a book and inspire her niece to embrace unconventional paths. Lastly, she offers advice for women aspiring to start their own business or personal brand, emphasizing the power of saying yes to yourself. Takeaways Personal branding is crucial for building a successful business and connecting with your target audience. Imposter syndrome can be overcome by increasing self-awareness, giving it a name, and creating an evidence bank of your accomplishments. To build a compelling personal brand, start with a clear vision, identify what you want to be known for, and find your unique value proposition. Women can package and monetize their skills by identifying the problem they can solve, understanding their target market, and adding their own personal touch. Taking action is the antidote to fear and imposter syndrome. Consistent action builds confidence and helps overcome self-doubt. Niching down is important for success in business or personal branding, as it allows you to serve a specific audience and become known for your expertise. Balancing multiple passions with practical business sense requires defining your vision and making strategic decisions. Having a clear vision for the future and setting goals can help guide your actions and shape your success. Saying yes to yourself and believing in your abilities is crucial for achieving your goals and overcoming challenges in entrepreneurship. The next guest should be asked about their hardest day and how it has shaped their lived experience. Chapters 00:32 Introduction and Background 01:46 Inspiration to Start a Coaching Business 05:38 Overcoming Hurdles in the Early Stages of Business 07:21 Strategies to Overcome Imposter Syndrome 14:49 The Importance of Personal Branding 17:49 The Significance of Personal Branding for Women 23:08 Building a Compelling Personal Brand 31:28 Strategies to Navigate Imposter Syndrome 39:29 Packaging and Monetizing Skills 44:58 The Importance of Niching Down 46:03 Balancing Passions and Practicality 51:48 Future Vision and Goals 54:18 Upcoming Projects and Initiatives 55:22 Advice for Women Starting Their Own Business 57:05 Question for the Next Guest

  3. 01/03/2024

    Hard Knock Podcast: Start of 2024

    Summary In this episode, Ryan Brooks shares updates on his goals and plans for the new year. He talks about creating more content, including tutorial videos and blog posts, to help entrepreneurs in their business endeavors. Ryan discusses the importance of narrowing down his focus and finding his ideal client profile. He shares how feedback from others has helped him rethink his approach and discover new insights. Ryan also mentions his plans to conduct monthly workshops locally to engage with small businesses and share his expertise. Takeaways Create more content, such as tutorial videos and blog posts, to provide valuable information and help others in their business endeavors. Narrow down your focus and identify your ideal client profile to differentiate yourself in a competitive market. Embrace feedback and be open to adjusting your approach based on the insights and suggestions of others. Engage with your local community by conducting workshops and sharing your expertise to build connections and provide value. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setting 03:11 Being in the Zone and Creating Content 09:25 Narrowing Down the Focus 15:11 Learning from Feedback and Adjusting Approach 20:05 Workshops and Local Engagement 25:21 Embracing Feedback and Finding Missing Links

  4. 12/27/2023

    Last Episode of 2023: Setting Goals

    Come and join us for the final episode of A Hard Knock Podcast in 2023. In this episode, Ryan takes a nostalgic journey through his old sketchbooks, sharing his unique process of transforming disappointments and pains into powerful motivations and goals. Get inspired as he unveils the secrets behind his remarkable journey of resilience and self-discovery.

  5. 12/20/2023

    Another Saga of Continuous Experimentation

    On this episode of A Hard Knock Podcast, Ryan isn't feeling too great, but as promised, he's delivering content this week. In response to feeling under the weather, he dives into how content creators usually batch their content for maximum efficiency. Additionally, Ryan shares his experimental approach to his latest offering for consulting clients. Tune in to learn more!

  6. 12/13/2023

    Feedback Mastery: Enhancing Business Through Insightful Exchange

    In this episode, Ryan delves into the vital role of feedback in business growth and innovation. Discover the diverse forms feedback can take, from surveys to behavioral responses, and learn how to set up effective feedback loops. Ryan explores the importance of viewing feedback as a multitude of data points, guiding you on how to analyze and synthesize these insights to uncover meaningful themes. The episode takes a deep dive into the art of giving feedback, introducing the Q-BIQ framework (Question, Behavior, Impact, Question) for constructive and engaging conversations. Ryan also shares his shift from giving advice to sharing experiences, empowering others to draw their own conclusions. Furthermore, learn how to solicit specific, actionable feedback that truly benefits your business decisions. Whether you're seeking to improve a product, service, or your overall business strategy, this episode equips you with the tools to navigate the give-and-take of feedback with confidence and clarity.

  7. 12/06/2023

    Crafting PMF: A Strategic Process for Market Alignment

    In this insightful episode, join Ryan as he unfolds a meticulously crafted process for achieving Product-Market Fit (PMF), blending lessons from his own UX design expertise with key principles from renowned authors. Delve into a systematic journey, beginning with mapping the customer's experience from initial engagement to loyal patronage. Learn about assessing churn rates, prioritizing workflow with a 'Now-Next-Later' Roadmap, and the crucial role of assumption mapping in understanding customer progression. Ryan breaks down the art of transforming these assumptions into testable hypotheses, setting the stage for targeted experiments. Each step is a blend of strategy and creativity, aimed at ensuring your offering resonates deeply with your market. Whether you're fine-tuning a startup idea or steering an established product, this episode is a deep dive into refining your approach to meet and exceed market expectations.

  8. 11/29/2023

    Road Trip Reads: Gleaning Wisdom from Four Unique Books

    Join Ryan on a reflective journey in this episode as he shares insights from his Thanksgiving road trip, not just the journey through miles but through pages. Dive into the profound lessons from Joshua Medcalf's "Chop Wood Carry Water," where the art of loving the process takes center stage. Explore the creative realms of Austin Kleon's "Steal Like An Artist" trilogy, uncovering the nuances of inspiration, sharing work, and sustaining creativity. Then, delve into "The Unfair Advantage" by Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba, a refreshing take on the role of luck in entrepreneurship. This episode is not just about the books but about the inspirations they bring, shaping Ryan's perspectives and sparking ideas for future exploration. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a lifelong learner, these road trip reflections offer valuable insights for your own journey.

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About

Hosted by Ryan at Hard Knock Labs, this podcast empowers BIPOC & marginalized entrepreneurs to turn obstacles into opportunities. Join us to explore vital topics like design thinking, business model innovation, & customer relationship mastery. Learn actionable strategies to understand customers, refine value propositions, scale efficiently, & make a lasting impact. Every episode blends insights, success stories & practical tips to help you build & scale a thriving business that contributes to a more equitable society.

Information

  • Creator
    Ryan Brooks
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ryan Brooks
  • Show Website
    A Hard Knock Podcast