Tag Archives: natalie pyles

Ep. 188 – Seed Funding: Angel Investment Criteria, Part 5

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-1Angel funds and other early-stage investors know the odds. For every one company they back that is a breakout success, five or six others will most likely fail, taking their investment cash with them. Two or three other companies they invest in may break even. If those angel groups want to see a profit when it’s time for them to exit, the companies they invest in need to be primed for serious growth.

In today’s episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan explains the investor’s side of the equity agreement, and why their business model means focusing on high-growth startups with plenty of potential buyers in the wings. Tom is joined by guest co-host and producer Natalie Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 173 – Developing the Confidence it Takes to Lead a Business: An Interview with Get Out Mama’s Mara Watts, Part 4

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Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

When Mara Watts was still in elementary school, she had plans to start her own business. Not just any business, but a project that would have meaning and ultimately help people. As the founder and CEO of Get Out Mama, she’s finally taken her first steps towards living up to that 5th grader’s dreams.

In this final installment of the interview with Mara, host and business coach Tom Ryan and co-host and co-producer Natalie Pyles talk about the challenges of running a business while being a full-time mom, why motherhood is great training for being an entrepreneur, and what it’s really like to work with Tom. Continue reading →

Ep. 172 – Offering a Valuable Service to the Market: An Interview with Get Out Mama’s Mara Watts, Part 3

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Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

If you want an honest, straight-shooting assessment of your restaurant or retail location’s bathroom, ask a mom about it. A woman who has to change a diaper learns pretty quickly which locations are well-maintained, and which are disgusting and grungy. If Mara Watts, founder and CEO of Get Out Mama, has anything to say about it, every restroom in the greater Asheville, NC, area will soon be ranked by a crowd-sourced army of hygiene-focused mamas.

In today’s episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan and co-host and co-producer Natalie Pyles continue their conversation with Mara, discussing everything from organizing startup events to the untapped power of stay-at-home moms for market research. Continue reading →

Ep. 171 – Writing the Right E-book: An Interview with Get Out Mama’s Mara Watts, Part 2

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Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

If Mara Watts is right, stay-at-home moms might just be one of the biggest untapped workforces of the 21st century. It’s an idea she explores in her eBook, Make Money, Mama!. In addition to being a helpful guide for contributing to the household income, Mara’s book has proven to be an effective and engaging work of content marketing for her business, Get Out Mama.

In today’s episode, co-producer and occasional co-host Natalie Pyles continues her interview with Mara, aided by host and business coach Tom Ryan. Continue reading →

Ep. 170 – Creating a Local Network: An Interview with Get Out Mama’s Founder Mara Watts, Part 1

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Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

Get Out Mama founder Mara Watts

Shortly after the birth of her first child, Mara Watts wasn’t feeling like her usual, bubbly self. She was in a dark place, struggling with the isolation of postpartum depression. In her recovery from the isolation of depression, she realized that she couldn’t possibly be the only new mom going through this experience. There was a need for community building among new moms. Thanks to Mara’s entrepreneurial spark, Get Out Mama was born.

In addition to running Get Out Mama, Mara is also the Program Manager for the Kauffman Foundation Entrepreneur In Residence program, working alongside Success In Business host Tom Ryan. To keep the conversation fresh on today’s episode, Tom hands over the show’s reins to co-producer and occasional co-host Natalie Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 160 – Donald Miller’s “How to Tell a Story” eBook – Part 7

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-2A truly compelling story isn’t defined by the hero, it’s defined by the challenge or problem the hero must face. The same is true when constructing a compelling story for your business. Your customer has a problem, and it’s your job to explain how your product or service helped them overcome it.

In today’s episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan talks about Donald Miller’s concept of the three kinds of problems a protagonist can face, and what this means in the context of creating a persuasive narrative for your business. Tom is joined by special guest co-host and producer Natalie Pyles.

Download your own copy of Donald Miller’s How to Tell a Story ebook today, and be sure to keep listening to the Success in Business Podcast this week for our continuing review. Continue reading →

Ep. 159 – Donald Miller’s “How to Tell a Story” eBook – Part 6

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StoryHow do the lessons of storytelling relate to creating a compelling business narrative? Learn how host and business coach Tom Ryan helped his students apply this concept a recent meeting of the Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneur in Residence program, and some of the misconceptions he was able to dispel along the way.

In this special episode, Tom is joined by guest producer and co-host Natalie Pyles to continue this multi-part series discussing Donald Miller’s How to Tell a Story. If this sounds interesting to you, download your own copy of Donald Miller’s How to Tell a Story ebook today, and be sure to keep listening to the Success in Business Podcast this week for our continuing review. Continue reading →

Ep. 137 – Frequently Asked Questions From Investors (and What They Mean), Part 2

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-2As you’re wrapping up your pitch presentation, it’s inevitable that your would-be investors will have questions. In part one, host and business coach Tom Ryan covered the obvious, predictable questions you can easily knock out of the park. Now it’s time to talk about the less-easy questions.

In this episode, he takes a look at the tougher, less-obvious topics that can all too easily trip you up if you aren’t prepared. Tom is joined, as always, by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 130 – Presentation Do’s and Don’ts With Special Guest Natalie Pyles

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SIB-Blog-1It’s Friday, and that means it’s time to have a little fun. On the heels of the last episode about rocking the pitch presentation, host Tom Ryan presents his list of presentation “Do’s and Don’ts.” Expect some handy tips, and some entertaining stories, in this freewheeling episode.

Listeners are also in for a special treat, as guest Natalie Pyles also joins in on the conversation. In addition to being producer Jason Pyles’s wife, Natalie works behind the scenes as the show’s audio editor. Continue reading →