Business from Scratch

Abbye McGee
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  1. 5d ago

    Your Q4 Reality Check: What to Finish, What to Move, and What to Let Go | Ep 47

    It’s officially Q4, and if your first thought is, “Wait, how did we get here already?” you’re in good company. In this solo episode, I’m walking through an honest year-end reality check so you can finish the year feeling steady and head into January with an actual plan. We’re looking at your real numbers, what happened to those January goals, and why “different than planned” doesn’t automatically mean you’re behind. I share a simple way to sort what’s still doable, what deserves a place on next year’s calendar, and what you’re allowed to let go of because it never really fit the business or life you want. Then we’re narrowing your focus to three goals: one for money, one for systems, and one for you as an actual human outside your business. Each needs a concrete next step, because a number you like the sound of isn’t much of a plan. You don’t have to sprint into the holidays proving something to anyone. You just need to get honest about where you are and intentional about where you’re headed. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  2. Sep 29

    Buying a Business and Making It Your Own w/ Nigel Wilson and Michael Ussery | Ep 46

    When Nigel Wilson bought The Ibis from Matt and me, he got more than just a coffee shop and bar. He took on a business with an established identity, a team, and a community of people who already loved it. So as the new owner coming in he had to decide what to keep, and what needed to change. In this episode, I sit down with Nigel and Michael Ussery of Brand Engine to talk about The Ibis’s first year under new ownership. Nigel shares what surprised him about the acquisition and what led him to consider a rebrand. Michael walks us through the discovery process and how they translated a new vision into the website, social media, and the experience of walking through the door. I get to ask the questions I’ve been curious about as the person who built the original version of The Ibis. It’s a conversation about the practical decisions behind an acquisition and rebrand, and what it feels like to watch something you created become someone else’s. If you’ve bought a business, are considering a rebrand, or are figuring out how to let go of something you built, I think you’ll find a lot in this conversation. I’m proud of what The Ibis was, and I love seeing what Nigel and his team are making of it now. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  3. Sep 22

    How to Build a Business Partnership That Actually Works | Ep 45

    Business partnerships can be incredibly valuable, but they’re also more complicated than splitting the work and sharing the profits. In this episode, I’m breaking down what it actually takes to build a partnership that works, both legally and personally. We’ll talk about the different business structures, what belongs in a strong operating agreement, and why a casual handshake can leave both partners vulnerable. I’m also sharing what I’ve learned from co-owning Starling with Matt Ray, one of my oldest friends. We made the decision early that our friendship would come before the business, but protecting that relationship takes honest conversations, clear roles, shared financial visibility, and systems that keep resentment from quietly building. Whether you’re considering starting a business with someone or you’re several years into a partnership without much on paper, this episode will help you ask better questions, prepare for the uncomfortable possibilities, and create a structure that protects both the business and the people behind it. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  4. Sep 15

    Small Shifts, Better Leadership, and a Healthier Business w/ Angela Conicelli | Ep 44

    In this episode, I’m joined by Angela Conicelli, life and leadership coach and founder of Work of Life. Angela works with leaders, overthinkers, and ambitious humans who feel stuck, are navigating a pivotal moment, or simply need help figuring out what comes next. We talk about why coaching isn’t about someone handing you the answers. It’s about asking the right questions until you uncover the answer that is actually right for you and turning that clarity into forward motion. Angela also shares practical ways to move between work and life with more intention, including her simple practice of “release tension and set intention.” We get honest about overthinking, powering through difficult seasons, leading a healthy team, and the emotional weight business owners often carry home with them. More than anything, this conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to figure everything out alone. Whether you need help making a decision, developing your leaders, supporting your team, or building a business that works with the life you want, the right support can change everything. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy. Learn more about Work of Life at https://work-of-life.com

  5. Sep 8

    Is Your Business Actually Ready to Scale? | Ep 43

    Everyone  wants to scale, but wanting to grow and being ready to scale are two very different things. In this episode, I’m breaking down what scaling actually requires and the four signals that can help you determine whether your business is ready: consistent demand, operational independence, healthy numbers, and repeatable processes. I also talk about the mindset shift that happens when you move from doer to architect. Scaling means learning to trust your people, build systems that work without you, and solving the structural problems behind the day-to-day fires. Finally, I’m sharing five practical places to start, including documenting your processes, identifying your biggest constraint, hiring ahead of demand, strengthening your financial foundation, and focusing on one scalable offer at a time. Scaling can be one of the most exciting chapters in your business, but only if you build the foundation before adding more floor! Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  6. Sep 1

    A Letter to the Entrepreneur: You Are More Than What You Built | Ep 42

    Running a business can be incredibly lonely. Even when you have a team, a supportive family, and people who believe in you, there is a particular weight that comes with sitting in the founder’s seat. In this solo episode, I’m stepping away from pricing strategies, cash flow, and business frameworks to talk about the person behind the business. I’m sharing an honest reminder about the mental toll of entrepreneurship, the danger of treating rest like a reward, and what happens when our identity becomes too closely tied to our company. I’ve had seasons when I couldn’t separate what was happening in the business from what was happening to me. But your business can have a hard quarter, lose a client, or need to pivot without any of that making you less capable or worthy. If you’re tired, questioning why you started, or carrying more than you feel like you can say out loud, this episode is for you. Take care of the business, but take care of yourself first. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  7. Aug 25

    How to Keep a Financial Crossroads From Becoming a Crisis | Ep 41

    Every business owner eventually hits a financial crossroads—that moment when you look at the P&L, the cash flow, and the bank account and realize the path you’re on isn’t sustainable. In this solo episode, I’m talking about what to do when you get there. Financial pressure doesn’t automatically mean your business is failing, but avoiding the numbers can turn a problem you can navigate into a full-blown crisis. I break down five different financial problems business owners commonly face: cash flow, revenue, expenses, debt, and the business model itself. More importantly, I walk through why identifying the right problem matters before you start trying to fix things. We’ll also talk about getting a clear picture of the next 30, 60, and 90 days. Look for ways to stabilize the business before trying to optimize it, protect important relationships, look for revenue opportunities before making deep cuts, and know when it’s time to bring an accountant, banker, or other professional into the conversation. A financial crossroads isn’t a verdict on you or your business. It’s a moment to see the situation clearly, name the problem accurately, make the hard decisions, and move forward. If the numbers have been keeping you up at night, or you know something in your business needs to change, this episode is for you. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

  8. Aug 18

    Start With What You Know and Figure Out the Rest w/ Jenna McKnight | Ep 40

    Jenna McKnight opened Aqua Fedora in downtown Wilmington in 2009, right after a recession, without a business degree, a perfect plan, or really any idea what the next 17 years were going to look like. She just knew she wanted to build something of her own, and she was willing to figure out the rest as she went. In this episode, Jenna and I talk about what it actually takes to keep a brick-and-mortar business alive through slow seasons, online shopping, COVID, changing tourism, and all the other things small business owners absolutely cannot control. We also get into something I think every business can learn from retail: creating an experience that makes people feel welcomed, taken care of, and excited to come back. We also talk about how Jenna turned her natural eye for design into a second business, Aqua Home Staging. She basically jumped in, staged her first house, learned how to price it as she went, and built the business largely through word of mouth and strong relationships with local realtors. And of course, we get into the less glamorous parts of entrepreneurship too: managing two businesses, learning to let your team take things off your plate, figuring out your numbers, hiring the right financial people, and accepting that you are never going to know everything before you start. Jenna is such a good example of what building a business actually looks like. You learn, adjust, make mistakes, keep going, and get really good at figuring things out along the way. Sometimes that matters a whole lot more than having the perfect plan. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

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About

Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.

Information

  • Creator
    Abbye McGee
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Abbye McGee
  • Show Website
    Business from Scratch

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