The Business of You with Rachel Gogos

Hosted by Rachel Gogos

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Nov 2026

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Welcome to The Business of You Podcast, where we explore how to build a brand that truly reflects who you are and amplifies your influence in the digital world. Hosted by Rachel Gogos, this podcast brings you insightful conversations with humble entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and industry experts who have built highly profitable businesses. Each episode delves into their journeys, sharing the strategies, challenges, and lessons that led them to create the businesses that make a massive impact. Whether you're just beginning to amplify your online presence or you're an established entrepreneur looking to refine your brand, this podcast will give you the practical tools and inspiration you need to take your business to the next level. From personal branding and online presence to leadership and marketing strategies, we cover it all. To learn more about each episode, and the resources mentioned, check out: https://thebrandid.com/the-business-of-you-podcast/

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November 3, 2026Episode 29326 min

293 | How to Spot the Next Market for Your Business with Belizia Cruz

Sometimes your next growth opportunity is already right in front of you. For Belizia Cruz, that realization came after years of building Symbys around products she understood firsthand as a grower. What started as a business serving the cultivation industry has evolved into something much broader. Belizia is now expanding Symbys into hunting, fishing, food preservation, floral, wine, and other markets where the same products solve many of the same problems. In this episode of The Business of You , Belizia shares how firsthand experience shaped her business, what it took to earn trust in a male-dominated industry, and how she's learning to recognize when a product is ready for a completely new customer. Building From a Problem You Know Firsthand Belizia built Symbys from a problem she understood personally. As a grower in Northern California, she saw how expensive many of the products were and believed there was an opportunity to offer better quality at more accessible prices. That firsthand experience shaped the brand, its "By Growers. For Growers." philosophy, and the way Belizia built trust in a male-dominated industry. From the beginning, she focused on products she would actually use herself and on building strong relationships with the customers she served. Spotting the Next Market Years later, Belizia realized she was already using Symbys products far beyond cultivation. She had been using the company's preservation bags for fish, elk, deer, and other food at home, which made her see new opportunities in hunting, fishing, meal prep, and food preservation. She's taking a similar approach with Chikamasa, the 110-year-old Japanese precision cutting-tool brand that Symbys now exclusively distributes in the U.S., with plans to expand into floral and wine. With a team of just three, Belizia is growing carefully and focusing on where proven products can serve new customers next. Enjoy this episode with Belizia Cruz… Quotes "I was in a man's world, and it took a lot of guts and confidence to break into that market." "I was a grower, so I was going to supply growers better products for better prices." "The product hasn't changed. It's just the market that it's going into." "We rely on each other to be successful." "It's our story, right? And we use these products ourselves." "I'm not trying to compete with what you're already using. Just give my bag a try." "Learning from my mistakes as we continue to grow is really important." Links mentioned in this episode From Our Guest Website: https://www.symbys.com/ Connect with Belizia Cruz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belizia-cruz-384b74132 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/symbys.llc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588989704556 Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

October 20, 2026Episode 29236 min

292 | The Lessons You Only Learn After Building 14 Startups with Greg Coticchia

What can 14 startups, six CEO roles, $73 million in venture capital, and more than 35 years in business teach you about entrepreneurship? For Greg Coticchia, one of the biggest lessons is that there is no formula. Greg has spent his career building companies, leading teams, coaching CEOs, and teaching entrepreneurs. He also created Carnegie Mellon University's Master of Science in Product Management program and has worked across industries from robotics and cybersecurity to healthcare technology. In this episode, Greg shares what decades of experience have taught him about risk, capital, product development, AI, and developing the judgment to know what to do next. There is No Formula for Building a Successful Company Greg didn't originally plan on becoming an entrepreneur. He wanted to be a musician before earning an engineering degree and eventually finding his way into sales, products, and startups. Fourteen startups later, he's experienced plenty of wins and plenty of lessons. One of the biggest? Previous success doesn't give you a guaranteed playbook for the next company. Markets change. Teams change. Timing changes. Good entrepreneurs have to keep learning and adapting. As Greg puts it, "If this was easy, anyone would do it. It's hard. It's really hard." Build Faster With AI, But Don't Outsource Your Judgment Greg is actively experimenting with AI and sees enormous potential in what it can help businesses build and accomplish faster. But faster doesn't automatically mean better. As technology accelerates product development, Greg believes human judgment becomes even more important. Leaders still have to decide what to build, why it matters, and how to bring it successfully to market. Enjoy this episode with Greg Coticchia… Soundbytes 21:29–21:51 "None of this is easy. I was on the phone with somebody yesterday who said to me, because of AI, technology is easy, and I just about — my jaw just about dropped. I'm thinking, it's not easy. None of this is. This is all heavy lifting, and understanding and appreciating that is really important." 34:48–35:09 "Product is hard. Thinking through all the lessons I learned on product, and how to make better product decisions in the age of AI. Right? That is really important, because we can go so much faster. That doesn't mean our judgment is so much better." Quotes "I'd like to make all new mistakes." "Don't read your own press releases. Sometimes you got lucky." "The same recipe ten more times, in ten different businesses, doesn't work." "It is the team that pulls this together and makes it happen." "We can go so much faster. That doesn't mean our judgment is so much better." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Greg Coticchia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregcoticchia/ Website: https://ceocoachinginternational.com/ Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

October 6, 2026Episode 29145 min

291 | When Chasing Success Costs You Everything with Steven Ringelstein

Could the way you've been taught to succeed actually be keeping you stuck? Steven Ringelstein has experienced both sides of entrepreneurial success. After years of relentless growth, leadership, and achievement, he says the model he was following ultimately cost him his health, marriage, relationships, and business. Bankruptcy forced him to rebuild from the ground up. Today, as founder and CEO of Evolve Institute, Steven helps purpose-driven founders, executives, and leadership teams look beyond strategy and examine the internal beliefs, emotions, fears, and patterns shaping how they lead. In this episode, he breaks down what changed when he stopped chasing success the way he always had, and how a new approach to leadership, stillness, and perspective can change the trajectory of a business. From Hustle to Inner Coherence For years, Steven believed more work, more growth, and more achievement would eventually create freedom. Instead, he found himself increasingly disconnected from himself and the people and things that mattered most. His collapse became a turning point. Rather than simply rebuilding another business using the same formula, Steven began questioning the formula itself. Today, he talks about "inner coherence," the alignment between our actions, intentions, emotions, values, and purpose. His perspective is that sustainable success isn't simply about managing time or solving more problems. It begins with understanding the person doing the leading. Steven also shares why he believes every entrepreneur has a unique "soul code" or "source code," and why your business can become an expression of that individuality rather than a copy of someone else's version of success. Shift the Way You Lead Steven's 3D and 5D framework offers a different way to think about leadership. He describes 3D as an operating system shaped by fear, scarcity, urgency, competition, judgment, and constant reaction. 5D, by contrast, centers on presence, connection, stillness, intuition, and a different relationship with uncertainty. One of the simplest practices Steven shares is his "glasses" analogy: when we're triggered or overwhelmed, we can recognize that we're looking through a particular lens, then consciously shift our perspective. He also explains why he believes leaders don't always need to solve the problem in front of them. Sometimes the opportunity is to create a new reality in which the problem no longer exists. Enjoy this episode with Steven Ringelstein… Soundbytes 10:06–10:27 "So that's how my journey has been, and slowly shifting more and more from [an] operating system of 3D — which is based on fear, separation, and scarcity. The hustle culture in business: more and more and more and more. And that's what I was half my life — into contentment, peacefulness, clarity." 27:43–28:09 "You forget you have your glasses on, because that's what it is all the time. You forgot you have a lens that you're looking through. Now you take off your glasses. You take off the lens, and all of a sudden, everything is brighter. The sun is brighter. Colors are a little more vivid. Everything is more loving and peaceful. That is 5D. So, it is really understanding that the gap between realities is just your perspective." Quotes "Your business will match your fingerprint." "Slow down. Sometimes just pause." "It's exercising your sovereignty, the freedom to choose the world you want to live in." "The key thing is shifting one little thing, one lever that completely opens up your business." "You cannot completely separate the business from the person building it." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Steven Ringelstein on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenringelstein/ Website: https://evolve.institute/ Email: steven@evolve.institute Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

September 29, 2026Episode 29037 min

290 | How to Earn Press in a Noisy World with Jim Edmondson

If a journalist gets hundreds of pitches a day, sending one more generic email probably isn't the answer. Jim Edmondson built PressWhisper after becoming frustrated with the traditional PR model and the amount of irrelevant outreach journalists receive. Jim has built, scaled, and exited multiple businesses, raised more than $120 million across ventures, and helped grow a company from two people to hundreds. His career has taken him from the surf industry to running one of Richard Branson's private islands to building an aviation company. Now, he's applying those lessons to PR. In this episode, Jim shares why relevance matters more than volume, how AI can help research journalists more effectively, and why testing an idea quickly can be more valuable than waiting until everything feels perfect. Build Before You Perfect It One of Jim's biggest lessons as an entrepreneur is to stop waiting for everything to be perfect before testing whether an idea actually works. That mindset shaped PressWhisper from the beginning. Jim built the first beta in just two and a half weeks, tested it using his own jacket company, and landed press within 24 hours. His approach is simple: build something scrappy, see what happens, learn from it, and improve from there. Make Every Pitch Matter One of the biggest problems Jim saw in PR was how many irrelevant pitches journalists receive every day. PressWhisper was built around a different approach: research the journalist first. The platform uses AI to look at what journalists are writing about, how they write, and what kinds of stories are actually relevant to them. From there, it helps match the right story to the right people. Instead of sending one pitch to hundreds or thousands of contacts, the focus is on a much smaller, more targeted group. For Jim, better PR starts with relevance. Enjoy this episode with Jim Edmondson… Soundbytes 27:03–27:23 "We're not going to let you send it to a thousand journalists. We're going to let you send it to 20, and that's it. So, the idea being is that it's very [based on] precision. From a journalist point of view, we want to be saying to them, 'Listen, if you hear from us, we're pretty confident that the story you're actually getting is pretty good.' And that's how we're trying to build trust with journalists." 30:45–30:59 "That's the biggest thing I've taken through everything else I've done, really, is, let's not worry about trying to make something perfect. Let's just make something, even if it breaks. Let's be really scrappy and prove the principle before we actually try and refine it." Quotes "I was very willing to be led. Whereas now, since I've had a small amount of success under my belt, I feel that it's okay to be myself." "What I've realized now is that actually accepting myself means that I'm much better at working by myself most of the time and working very, very fast." "I'm a big believer that your ideal customer profile doesn't really show up for a bit of time. You need to actually get out there and just be messy, try to serve everyone until you find out who you can serve best." "You can do it yourself, and here are all the keys and the tools to doing that. Or you can pay us a small amount of money and we'll do it for you." "Don't be afraid of your age or where your product is. You should just try and shoot for those goals." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Jim Edmondson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-edmondson/ Website: https://www.presswhisper.com/ Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

September 22, 2026Episode 2891 hr 3 min

289 | The 15-Year Overnight Success Behind Kodiak with Founder Joel Clark

What do you do when success takes far longer than you expected? When the market doesn't believe in your vision, money is tight, and walking away feels like the practical choice? Many founders celebrate the breakthrough—few talk about the years before anyone was paying attention. Joel Clark knows both sides of that story. As the longtime entrepreneur behind Kodiak, he spent more than two decades helping transform a family pancake recipe into America's leading pancake and waffle mix brand. But long before national recognition, Shark Tank, and explosive growth, there were years filled with uncertainty, setbacks, and difficult decisions. In this episode, Joel Clark shares how perseverance, faith, authentic branding, and intentional leadership shaped both his company and the person he became along the way. Success That Took 15 Years Long before Kodiak became a nationally recognized brand, Joel Clark spent years building it behind the scenes. He took over the company at 23, balancing jobs, family, and financial uncertainty while slowly growing the business. It would take roughly 15 years for Kodiak to reach its first $1 million in sales. There were plenty of moments when walking away would have made sense, but Joel kept coming back to the vision. His story is a reminder that perseverance isn't about blindly pushing forward. It's about believing in what you're building enough to keep going when success takes longer than expected. Developing a Brand People Love Kodiak's growth wasn't built on one big moment. Its identity was established long before national recognition. Joel shares how the brand stayed rooted in its original story while evolving with what customers wanted, including the launch of Power Cakes, which became a major turning point. He also explains why culture mattered just as much as product. For Joel, great leadership is about helping people see their own potential and creating an environment where they feel empowered to contribute. Even after stepping away as CEO, he still sees culture as one of Kodiak's greatest competitive advantages. Enjoy this episode with Joel Clark… Soundbytes 31:41–32:12 "The number one thing I really cared the most about was, 'God, what do You want me to do?' This feels like a good path. I think we can make it. I think we can do a lot of good if it works, and so, 'Guide me.' I get a little teary just thinking about it, because I really do feel like I was led to stay in. I could've done anything. I could've just left." 32:43–32:56 "I think any journey that is meaningful typically has its battles. It typically has its adversity and trials, and I think that's the point." Quotes "Those letters from customers were what kept me going. I'd read one and think, 'I've got to keep going because people love this product.'" "What's the worst thing that could happen? Maybe I go bankrupt, but I'm not going to die." "You have to know who you are and be careful not to become everything to everybody." "Leadership is helping people see their worth and potential so clearly that they begin to see it in themselves." "The foundation was always our people and our culture." "People don't care about leaders with big egos. They care about leaders who genuinely care about them." "You spend so much of your life at work. The hope is that you create a place where people genuinely enjoy being." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://kodiakcakes.com Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

September 15, 2026Episode 28845 min

288 | BEST OF: How to Hire a Loyal, Long-Term Team with Fred Meyers

We're running one of our favorite episodes from The Business of You archives. If you missed it the first time, or just want to listen again, check this one out! Ever wish there was a cheat sheet on exactly what to look for in your employees? Fred Meyers has cracked the code on how to hire, develop, and retain great team members. As the founder of Queensboro, Fred is an early pioneer and 40-year veteran of the custom logo apparel business, selling directly to small and medium-sized businesses. As technology evolved, from 800 numbers and fax machines to personal computers, the internet, and mobile devices, Fred navigated each marketing shift. From small print ads and direct mail to catalogs and digital campaigns, he adapted using custom-built software, often developed on tight budgets. The 4P System A few years after recovering from the 2008 recession, Fred had a realization that to build a truly great company, he needed a great team. From that moment on, building and developing his team has been the highest priority. He realized that great employees had four characteristics in common: what he calls the 4P's. The first P is for productivity: the person can do their job, and they have the basic skills. The second is that they're positive and bring good energy to the group. They're easy to communicate with. The key to communication is trust. It's not just about what they say, but their actions too. The next P is for principled, which is how they engage with others. Do they treat other people the way they want to be treated? The final P is for proactive: they're always seeking to improve and take responsibility for whatever comes across their path. They have a growth mindset and love learning. Recruiting based on the 4P's has led to a compassionate, non-traditional group of people on Fred's team. Instead of looking at where someone went to college or what credentials they have, they hire based on what kind of person they are. Building a Brand People Believe In Long before company culture became a business buzzword, Fred was thinking differently about branding. His original insight was simple: people wanted products that represented their own identity, not someone else's. That same customer-first mindset still guides Queensboro today. From their no-returns-necessary guarantee to their focus on long-term relationships, Fred shares why earning trust always creates more value than chasing transactions. He also reflects on preparing the company for its next chapter, building a championship team, and creating a business that can thrive long after he steps away. Enjoy this episode with Fred Meyers… Soundbytes 8:15–8:40 "I've always seen the way people have their favorite articles of clothing, the favorite garments, you know, and they the way they feel about these, these pieces of clothing, are far greater than what they should based on the fact that it's some cotton, it's a couple of buttons, maybe a little bit of color. But there's some magic that goes on there, and I saw potential for that magic." 18:15–18:44 "Why aren't we doing better? Why aren't we doing better? And I'm on lap 50, and I think I was 50 at the time when it happened, and just thinking about that too, and I hit the wall with my hand, not my head, and I said, 'Ah, we're not doing better because we're not better. We're actually performing to our level of ability.'" Quotes "I try to model the way I lead and be a boss based on the environment that I would want to work in." "You're doing as good as you should be doing, so how do you do better?" "We're not looking as much for credentials or where you went to college, but what's in your heart?" Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Fred Meyers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-meyers-12250b3/ Website: https://www.queensboro.com Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

September 8, 2026Episode 28739 min

287 | BEST OF: How Expert Positioning Attracts Better Clients with Amy Posner

We're running one of our favorite episodes from The Business of You archives. If you missed it the first time, or just want to listen again, check this one out! What's the difference between a successful freelancer and one who struggles with feast or famine? It's not how good you are at your craft, but how you position yourself to clients. Amy Posner is a seasoned online entrepreneur and business coach who helps digital creative freelancers build breakthrough businesses. Over her 30-year career, she's launched six successful businesses (five of which are still in business today) and mentored thousands of freelancers to success. Now, Amy focuses on empowering freelancers to grow the business they want by teaching them the skills they need to attract the right clients inside her Complete Breakthrough Freelancer course and on her podcast, Business Badassery. Overcoming Feast or Famine The biggest challenge for freelancers is feast or famine — a windfall of work followed by a period of little to no income. The best way to overcome this is with business systems and processes, so you always have another project in the pipeline. Amy teaches her students skills like writing proposals, selling on calls, and communicating the value they deliver. Many successful freelancers give their clients expert strategic advice, but are selling themselves as order takers — someone who does nothing more than follow orders and create deliverables. If you position yourself as a strategist, you're perceived as much more valuable. The Difference Between an Order Taker and an Expert The primary difference between order takers and experts is that experts deliver an experience, not just deliverables. It starts on the discovery call, when you first connect with the client. High-quality clients want a strategic partner, someone they can trust to give them expert advice and who is interested in getting results. Once you've landed the client, you need to deliver on the experience you've promised. When in doubt, overcommunicate and overdeliver. Again, systems and processes come in handy here. Keep the client in the loop on what's happening, especially for longer projects. Be reliable and do what you say you're going to do. Enjoy this episode with Amy Posner… Soundbytes 12:17–12:31 "I see so many successful freelancers who are giving expert advice, and they're counseling as experts, but they're selling themselves as a creator of deliverables. And you're seen in a very different light." 17:50–18:09 "The truth is, you don't need a unique perspective. You need a perspective. If a client's going out looking, they don't care that I think the same thing you do. They care what I think. Right? And so they're not looking necessarily for originality. They're looking for a stake in the ground, that you believe in something and that you have something to say." Quotes "What I noticed was that you could be really great at your craft. And if you didn't have commensurate business skills, you didn't do as well as mediocre craftspeople who had the business side down." "Nobody gets into business to sell stuff. They get into business because they love doing a thing." "I'm a chronic over-deliverer. I like to get invested in people and in getting results." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Amy Posner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyposnerbusinessgrowthmentor/ Website: https://amyposner.com Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

September 1, 2026Episode 28652 min

286 | BEST OF: Creating Memorable Brand Experiences with Entertainment Icon Stu Snyder

We're running one of our favorite episodes from The Business of You archives. If you missed it the first time, or just want to listen again, check this one out! What do all great brands have in common? They create a meaningful experience for their customers — something in which Stuart Snyder is an expert. Stu is the founder and president of Snyder Media Group, LLC, creating content and providing strategic guidance to media, live entertainment, and start-up companies. Chances are, you're already familiar with Stu's work. Maybe you watched Cartoon Network or Adult Swim during his long tenure at Turner Broadcasting System. Perhaps you've seen a film he helped bring to screens, such as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" or "Reservoir Dogs." Or maybe you've attended Disney on Ice or a Ringling Brothers show. Most recently, Stu is the co-owner of Beal's Lobster Pier, an iconic restaurant and lobster pier on Mount Desert Island, Maine, and Chairman and CEO of the newly launched Sumo Championship League, bringing professional sumo to arenas across the U.S. The one thing that all of Stu's projects have in common is that they offer people memorable experiences. Exceed Your Customers' Expectations Stu lives by the rule of over-delivering. When people walk into his restaurant, he aims to put a smile on their face — whether that's with great customer service, decorations on their takeout box, or an extra gift with their order. It might even involve taking the customers for a walk to show them where the lobsters arrive. It's all about the experience and making them feel connected to your brand. When you exceed expectations, that's what turns customers into advocates. Equally important is how you deal with customers when things go wrong. Stu personally responds to every review of his restaurant, positive or negative. If it's positive, he thanks them for coming in. If it's not, he uses it as a learning opportunity and lets the customer know how he plans to correct the issue. The most important thing is to make your customers feel heard and taken care of. Building an Entrepreneurial Team As any business owner knows, building a team comes with its fair share of challenges. It can be difficult to keep everyone on the same page moving toward your vision. Stu takes a unique approach, encouraging his team to think like entrepreneurs — to look for out-of-the-box solutions, be creative, and take calculated risks. If you're the leader, it's your job to give your team direction. But you should also listen to their input on that direction. Set targets together so everyone stays accountable. In the hiring process, Stu recommends focusing on personality just as much as (if not more than) their work experience. Get to know the person, his or her communication style, and interests. Would the prospect get along with the other people on your team? Are communication styles compatible? Look for people who want positive relationships with their professional peers. Strong connections within your team make for a healthier business. Enjoy this episode with Stu Snyder… Soundbytes 16:29–16:45 "I do think the connection and making people feel special, making people become advocates for your show or advocates for your brand is very important. Over-delivering is critical." 46:35–47:03 "Now, does a business plan need to be 50 pages? Heck no. But I still believe in the principle of producing a plan, a business plan, that outlines — for the individual's own sake — clarity of what they're trying to achieve and why they're trying to achieve it. Because whether you go and raise capital or want to raise money or want to enter a marketplace, someone's going to ask you for a document: 'Let me see something.'" Quotes "How do we make people feel special, especially in a world that we're living in, where I think people are looking for that." "Being a leader was encouraging my team to think as entrepreneurs." "Never take yourself too seriously." "Your team needs direction. They need to know where they're headed." "If I'm making a hiring decision after one hour, I'm not doing my job." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Stu Snyder on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartsnyder/ Website: https://stuartsnyder.com Email: stu@stuartsnyder.com Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

August 25, 2026Episode 28535 min

285 | BEST OF: From NBA Star to Business Success Through Personal Branding with Shareef Abdur-Rahim

We're running one of our favorite episodes from The Business of You archives. If you missed it the first time, or just want to listen again, check this one out! The original release of this episode marked the 200th for our podcast. We were thrilled to celebrate the occasion with none other than Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a former NBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, and current President of the NBA G League. Shareef's incredible journey from professional athlete to business leader is packed with lessons on leadership, personal growth, and making an impact. Reflecting on the Journey Beyond the Court In this milestone episode, Shareef shares how he transitioned from a celebrated NBA career into a dynamic role on the business side of sports. From his time as a player to leading the NBA G League's expansion to 31 teams and its first international team in Mexico City, Shareef reveals how he embraced change and built on his strengths to create a meaningful second act. For leaders and entrepreneurs, Shareef offers valuable insights into the importance of setting a clear vision, leading by example, and building trust within a team. He emphasizes that leadership isn't always about charisma — it's about consistency, care, and a shared commitment to success. The Power of Personal Branding Shareef discusses the importance of personal branding, especially for young professionals and athletes. In today's social media-driven world, understanding and leveraging your brand can open doors to lifelong opportunities. Shareef shares practical advice on how to balance authenticity with strategy to build a brand that aligns with your values and goals. This episode also highlights the incredible ability of sports to bring people together, regardless of background or beliefs. Shareef's dedication to creating opportunities for the next generation — both on and off the court — serves as a reminder of how we can all use our platforms to make a difference. This special conversation is packed with inspiration, and we can't wait for you to listen, again! Enjoy this episode with Shareef Abdur-Rahim… Soundbytes 22:19–23:08 "I think it starts with education, especially when it's young people. We're in an era where young athletes — the name, image, and likeness era, social media era — for so many different reasons there are so many opportunities that are in place for young people. I think it's great. As early as high school, I think that is great for young athletes. You spend so much time, especially at a young age, in your sport. To be able to chronicle that, to be able to share that, to be able to build a presence that you can then leverage to the rest of your life — I think is a great opportunity that young people should have." 26:32–26:55 "One of the great things about sport is that it humbles you naturally. And being a part of the team — you're not going to have much success if you don't have humility, because you understand the necessity of working with other people and how important other people doing well is to your success." Quotes "The power of sport is its ability to bring communities together, regardless of background or beliefs." "Leadership starts with outlining a vision, crafting a plan, and exemplifying the behavior you want to see." "As athletes, we must leverage our experiences to build something meaningful for life beyond the game." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Shareef Abdur-Rahim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shareef-abdur-rahim/ Website: https://shareefabdurrahim.com Learn more about Future Foundation: https://future-foundation.com/ Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

August 18, 2026Episode 2841 hr 14 min

284 | BEST OF: How a Little Faith Led to Supplying Bread to Every Whole Foods Market in America with Nick Ambeliotis

We're running one of our favorite episodes from The Business of You archives. If you missed it the first time, or just want to listen again, check this one out! Nick Ambeliotis knows what it takes to turn a small business into a national brand. Born from a deep-rooted appreciation for fine foods, Nick founded Mediterra Cafe to satisfy his longtime passion and to provide a warm and inviting gathering space for Pittsburgh natives and visitors alike. Mediterra is a wholesale production facility for artisan bread whose customers include Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and the Ritz-Carlton. Nick opened his first cafe location in June 2018 with the mission of serving high-quality coffee, pastries, breakfast, and lunch, in addition to hard-to-find cheeses, charcuterie, and more. Mediterra has since grown to three locations but remained a family-owned and operated business. Spiritual Guidance Advice from spiritual elders has played an important part in Nick's business journey. It was during an elder consultation at his church that he first decided to open a bakery, specifically with a mission-driven lens. Mediterra gives away hundreds of loaves of bread every day. Their facility in Arizona also makes extra bread to be transported to families in need in Mexico. All three cafe locations have grown to incredible financial success, averaging $1,000 per square foot in sales per day — but for Nick, faith always comes first. His primary goal is always to be a good steward of the wealth the company generates, which means giving back as much as possible and sharing the company with his family. Building an Industry-Leading Brand If you want to build an industry-leading company, Nick says three main factors contributed to Mediterra's success. The first was his willingness to learn from experts in the field. Nick spent years working for his father's retail business and later for specialty food importers. Second, understand what your market wants. Mediterra sells handmade artisan bread, which means they need customers who appreciate premium products. So he chose cafe locations in neighborhoods with high foot traffic and disposable income. They also started with multiple product options to understand which items were most popular. Lastly, it's critical to hire the right people for the right roles. For his service team, Nick prefers artistic types who are engaging and enjoy talking to customers all day. On the backend, provide instructions to make sure the work is done to a high standard, but micromanaging employees doesn't help anyone. Enjoy this episode with Nick Ambeliotis… Soundbytes 36:08–36:25 "It literally just happened organically and by never compromising what we do, and just trying to find ways to make bread better, faster, all the time." 47:18–47:44 "The big thing in business is, find something that you're going to want to do the rest of your life, if you really want to be a businessman. Find something that you know when you get up in the morning, you're going to want to go and do it. And secondly is, there's nothing like practical experience from people who know what they're doing." Quotes "As many revenue sources as you can have, as long as they're good and you research them, you'll do well." "The only way someone's going to learn is if they fail." "There's a lot of sorrow in the world and a lot of people who are really suffering. So it's always been our mission: what can we do to help? We've never lost sight of that mission." "If you feel you're Christ-based, you're going to be shown the direction." "I'm not worried about gaining wealth as long as you're a good steward of it." "You can't listen to God and what He has to say if you're in all the noise." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Nick Ambeliotis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ambeliotis-10a69a18/ Website: https://www.mediterracafe.com/our-vision Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mediterracafe/ Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/