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Do Small Business Like a Big Boss Podcast

Ready to take your small business from basement startup to Big Boss success?
Welcome to Do Small Business Like a Big Boss! where we prove that with the right strategy, any up and coming business owner can compete with the big guys. Hosted by Aisha Jorge Massengill, founder of Sedgwick Andrews Legal & Consulting, a seasoned employment attorney who’s advised large publicly traded companies for over two decades, this podcast is your courtside seat to business transformation.
Just like that fearless 13-year-old girl shouting “”I got next!”” on Bronx basketball courts, successful entrepreneurs don’t just wait their turn—they prepare for it. They study the game, assess the competition, and build the skills they need to win when opportunity calls.
What You’ll Discover:
Real Success Stories: In-depth interviews with business owners who’ve successfully scaled from side hustles to legitimate enterprises
Strategic Frameworks: Proven systems and structures that help small businesses compete like industry giants
Legal & HR Insights: Employment law guidance that protects your growing team while fostering company culture
Risk Management for Entrepreneurs: Smart ways to minimize liability while maximizing opportunity
Perfect for:
Entrepreneurs ready to legitimize their side hustles into scalable businesses
Small Business Owners (10-250 employees) seeking strategic growth frameworks
HR Professionals navigating employment challenges in growing companies
Ambitious Leaders who refuse to let limited resources limit their vision
Each episode features candid interviews with business owners and operators who have navigated the challenges of growth, overcome obstacles, and achieved extraordinary success. Whether you’re scaling your team, refining your business model, or developing a winning mindset, this podcast provides the inspiration and guidance you need to build with discipline, confidence, and purpose.
Your turn is coming. Are you ready?
New episodes drop every week because champions don’t take days off.
Subscribe now and join thousands of entrepreneurs who refuse to wait on the sidelines. Your business growth journey starts here.

Latest Episodes:

Don't Play Small: Brand Voice and Confidence for Founders | Do Small Business like a Big Boss Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Learn how to find a brand voice that sounds like you, and how to ride the ups and downs of business ownership without panic.

Becky Freemal spent 25 years as an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist before launching Market Exec, a fractional CMO firm that helps founders and leadership teams turn their brand voice into measurable growth. Four years in, she shares what the first scary stretch felt like, where she chose to invest early, and why slow seasons no longer mean "the year of ramen." You'll also hear her simple brand voice test, how to use your own social media data to find your audience, and how she approaches sales calls without feeling salesy.

💡 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• How to ride the entrepreneur roller coaster, from "the year of ramen" to a slow summer that included a trip out west

• Where Becky invested early (writing her book and joining a fractional CMO accelerator) and how she judged the return

• A three-part brand voice test: simple, genuine and consistent

• How to find your audience in the data on who already follows you on social media

• A money habit for tax time: keep a separate account for taxes

• How to sell without feeling salesy by leading with your purpose

⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Meet Becky Freemal, Emmy-winning journalist turned fractional CMO

02:10 – Why Becky left a 25-year broadcast journalism career

04:01 – Fear, excitement and leaving a safe job

05:02 – The entrepreneur roller coaster: from the year of ramen to a trip out west

08:37 – First months of Market Exec: systems and smart investing

13:54 – Building credibility when you change careers

18:45 – Do you have to prove you belong? Fake the confidence

23:04 – The hardest part: taxes, risk and never letting one person define you

27:09 – Green and growing: why lifelong learning matters

27:47 – A brand habit for solo founders: lead with your purpose

30:36 – How to find your brand voice: simple, genuine, consistent

34:39 – Protecting your time: morning yoga and meditation

37:12 – What Do Small Business Like a Big Boss means: don't play small

38:14 – Final advice: who are you doing all of this for?

🎤 ABOUT OUR GUEST

Becky Freemal is an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist with 25 years in news, the founder of Market Exec, a fractional CMO firm, and the author of Brand Voice: People plus Data Drive Results. She also teaches as an adjunct at Virginia Tech.

Connect with Becky:
beckyfreemal.com
linkedin.com/in/beckyfreemal

👉 Stay connected with Sedgwick Andrews: https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC
https://smallbizzlegalguide.com
https://TopBillingTrademarks.com

🎙️ Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.

If this episode helped you, don't forget to subscribe, download, and share with another boss who needs to hear it.

PR for Small Business: Why Hyperlocal Beats Forbes Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill sits down with Nicole Blake Baxter, founder of The Blake Agency, to discuss how small businesses can use public relations (PR) to build visibility, credibility, and stronger audience connections.

With over 20 years of experience, Nicole shares how to create an effective PR strategy without a big budget, why local media coverage matters, and how entrepreneurs can build their digital presence.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

The difference between PR and marketing
Why local media coverage can be valuable
How to approach sales through storytelling
How to pitch articles to trade publications
How earned, paid, and owned media work together
How to start building your PR strategy

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
00:43 – Introducing Nicole Blake Baxter
00:46 – PR vs. marketing
03:00 – Her music industry experience
07:29 – Starting her own agency
13:48 – Business partnerships and exit plans
18:50 – Landing her first clients
20:07 – Storytelling and sales
26:52 – Why she turns down short-term campaigns
28:31 – Local press vs. Forbes
33:01 – Building your digital footprint
34:47 – Pitching trade publications
39:50 – Getting started with PR
40:42 – Earned, paid, and owned media
44:50 – Finding The Blake Agency

👤 About the Guest:
Nicole Blake Baxter is the founder and managing director of The Blake Agency, an Atlanta-based public relations firm serving clients nationwide. She has over 20 years of PR experience, beginning her career at Island Def Jam before launching her own agency.

🚀 Make Your Business Official!
Join Aisha’s FREE weekly webinar to learn how to build, brand, and strengthen your business.

👉 Register: https://www.igotnext.co/training

👉 Get Your FREE Legal Guide:
https://smallbizzlegalguide.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:
https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:
Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, download, and share it with another business owner! 🎧

The $300K Mistake That Taught Him You Can’t Buy Trust Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill sits down with Marcus Smith, CEO of Cloud Trailz, a Salesforce support, management, and strategy firm, to talk about the systems and strategies that helped him build and grow a successful business.

This conversation covers the real-life lessons behind building a subscription-based business, protecting your company from overreliance on a single referral channel, creating owned content and SEO strategies, and the $300,000 mistake that taught Marcus a powerful lesson: you cannot buy trust from strangers.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why a subscription model can create more stability than relying on one-off projects
How to protect your business from depending on a single referral or acquisition channel
Why owning your content and search traffic can create long-term growth
How “Demo Week” helps improve the quality and speed of your team's work
The $300K lesson on why trust cannot be bought from strangers

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:19 – Introduction
00:59 – Guest introduction: Marcus Smith & Cloud Trailz
01:54 – Why he built the business on subscriptions, not projects
04:00 – How COVID fueled early growth and the risk that came with it
08:05 – Insulating the business from a single dominant channel
08:48 – Why they invest in owned content instead of renting attention
09:16 – SEO explained simply: matching intent to content
11:12 – The 3% buying vs. 95% browsing framework
12:29 – The corporate moment that made him want out
15:11 – How a joke turned him into a CEO
16:30 – Handling pushback on the subscription model
19:53 – The early hurdle: realizing nobody cares about your new business
22:34 – How to actually get customers to care
24:48 – A client transformation he's most proud of
29:11 – The “Demo Week” structure that changed everything
35:23 – The $300K mistake: trying to buy back demand
37:49 – Why “systems beat heroics”
40:23 – What “Do Small Business Like a Big Boss” means to Marcus
41:28 – Where to connect with Cloud Trailz

👤 About the Guest:
Marcus Smith is the CEO of Cloud Trailz, a Salesforce support, management, and strategy firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company has helped more than 250 businesses put Salesforce to work for their teams.

Website: https://www.cloudtrailz.com

🚀 Ready to Make Your Business Official?
Join Aisha’s FREE weekly webinar, Make Your Business Official, and learn how to build, brand, and bulletproof your business with confidence.

👉 Register here: https://www.igotnext.co/training

👉 Grab your FREE Legal Guide at:
https://www.topemployermistakes.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:
Follow us across all platforms for legal tips, business strategy, and boss-level motivation:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:
Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.

If this episode helped you, don’t forget to subscribe, download, and share it with another boss who needs to hear it. 🎧

The No-Code Playbook for First-Time Founders Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill, Founder and Principal Attorney at Sedgwick Andrews Legal & Consulting, LLC, sits down with Dan Hafner, founder of Dapper No Code, to talk about building a successful software business without learning to code or hiring a traditional development team.

Dan shares his journey from farm kid to software founder, how he discovered the power of no-code tools, and the mindset shifts that helped him turn his skills into a profitable business. He also explains why he intentionally downsized his team, how AI helps him run a high-output firm, and what first-time founders really need to build a business.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How to turn an app idea into a sellable product using no-code tools
Why knowing your financial “bottom number” matters before going full-time
The three things every business needs: a way to sell, get paid, and reach people
Why growing a team isn't always the goal and how AI can help you stay lean
How to audit your tech stack and eliminate unnecessary subscriptions

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:39 – Introduction & Guest Introduction: Dan Hafner
01:02 – From farm kid to software founder
02:52 – Dan's first job and early career lessons
04:44 – Landing a QA role at Deloitte
08:07 – Discovering his passion for computer work
11:59 – Deciding to become a business owner
14:16 – Discovering no-code app builders
16:50 – Making the business official
19:07 – The moment it became a real business
20:30 – Quitting his job for good
23:29 – Advice for entrepreneurs afraid of the timing
27:24 – Pricing, confidence, and knowing your worth
29:14 – Growing a team to seven and shrinking back to one
32:02 – AI and no-code tools transforming the business
41:11 – Auditing your tech stack
46:06 – What “Do Small Business Like a Big Boss” means to Dan
47:31 – Where to find Dan and The No Code Advantage podcast

👤 About the Guest:

Dan Hafner is the founder of Dapper No Code, a Pittsburgh-based no-code app and software development firm that helps coaches, experts, and small business owners turn software ideas into revenue-generating products without traditional development costs.

Dapper No Code was recognized as Best of No-Code Development in the USA for 2025. Dan also hosts The No Code Advantage podcast.

Connect with Dan:

Website: https://www.dappernocode.com

🚀 Ready to Make Your Business Official?

Join Aisha’s FREE weekly webinar, Make Your Business Official, and learn how to build, brand, and bulletproof your business with confidence.

👉 Register here: https://www.igotnext.co/training

👉 Grab your FREE Legal Guide at:

https://www.topemployermistakes.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:

Follow us across all platforms for legal tips, business strategy, and boss-level motivation:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.

If this episode helped you, don’t forget to subscribe, download, and share it with another boss who needs to hear it.

Why Digital Literacy Is the New Small Business Skill | Do Small Business like a Big Boss Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Thinking about turning your side project into a nonprofit or small business? Ian Kimble breaks down exactly what to lock in early — starting with the two moves most founders put off too long.

Ian Kimble is the co-founder and executive director of Black Tech Philly, a Philadelphia nonprofit expanding access to tech education, digital literacy, and AI literacy. What started as a conversation with a stranger coding in a coffee shop back in 2019 is now a program running in four Philadelphia schools, hosting city-wide Tech Town Halls, and building a growing community of tech professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs. Aisha and Ian talk through the free legal resources that helped him formalize the organization, the importance of building the right kind of culture that shaped how his team hires and holds people accountable, and how storytelling — not advertising — became his biggest lead source.

💡 What You'll Learn

How to find free legal help for 501(c)(3) formation through pro bono lawyer programs like Philly VIP
Why culture isn't your website's mission statement — it's the worst behavior you're willing to tolerate — and how to set that standard early
How showing up in person and telling one specific, sticky story about your business turns into inbound leads
How to balance a full-time job with building your business in the early days without burning out

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

00:02 – Welcome & meet Ian Kimble

00:55 – The coffee shop conversation that started Black Tech Philly

02:20 – What Black Tech Philly does today

05:20 – Is the appetite really there for tech & AI literacy?

09:39 – Deepfakes, media literacy, and “trust but verify”

12:23 – Getting free legal help early through Philly VIP

16:03 – The real definition of company culture

19:39 – How a LinkedIn shoutout sparked momentum

21:15 – Turning story and “being in the field” into inbound leads

28:27 – From political science to insurance sales to code

32:23 – The moment coding became “the thing”

33:53 – Building a sales pipeline for community partnerships

35:48 – Balancing a full-time job while building the org

43:06 – Why the name “Black Tech Philly” was intentional

44:57 – What “Do Small Business Like a Big Boss” means to Ian

46:06 – Where to find Black Tech Philly

🎤 About Our Guest

Ian Kimble is the co-founder and executive director of Black Tech Philly, a Philadelphia-based educational nonprofit founded in spring 2020, focused on expanding access to technology, digital literacy, and AI literacy across the city.

Website: https://blacktechphilly.org

Ian on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/iank6

Take the free Small Business Legal Risk Self-Assessment and get clarity before a contract, a lawsuit, or a bad partnership does it for you.

👉 Grab your assessment here: www.smallbizzlegalguide.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:

Follow us across all platforms for legal tips, business strategy, and boss-level motivation:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don't build it small.

From Corporate Dropout to 6-Figure CEO: How Shan Thomas Built on Her Own Terms Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill, Founder and Principal Attorney at Sedgwick Andrews Legal & Consulting, LLC, sits down with Shan Thomas, founder of Credible Visibility Media, to discuss how she left a six-figure corporate career to build a thriving business on her own terms. Shan shares how she leveraged her corporate experience, developed profitable systems, and created a business that delivers both financial success and work-life balance.

This conversation covers the real-life lessons behind building a business from the ground up—what worked, what didn't, and what every aspiring entrepreneur needs to hear.

🎧 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

How to leverage corporate experience to build credibility as an entrepreneur

The Bullseye Strategy for attracting ideal clients without limiting growth

A pricing framework to confidently raise your rates

How the TAGS Framework helps create a signature offer that stands out

Why your ideal client is often the person you were 5–10 years ago

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

00:52 – Guest introduction: Shan Thomas

02:50 – From corporate career to entrepreneurship

08:34 – Overcoming challenges in a male-dominated industry

13:40 – Quitting without a plan and starting a business

19:36 – Faith, fear, and betting on yourself

25:00 – Profit strategy and revenue planning

27:08 – The Bullseye Strategy for client messaging

30:00 – The TAGS Framework

36:28 – Pricing with confidence

39:19 – Building the "10–4 Life"

42:41 – What "Do Small Business Like a Big Boss" means

44:24 – Wrap-up & calls to action

👤 About the Guest:

Shan Thomas is the founder of Credible Visibility Media, where she helps service-based business owners increase profitability through strategic positioning, signature offers, and scalable systems. Drawing from decades of Fortune 500 experience negotiating billion-dollar logistics contracts, Shan brings big-business strategies to small business owners. She is also the founder of Entrepreneur Her, an Atlanta-based community supporting women entrepreneurs.

Connect with Shan: LinkedIn — @shanthomasbiz

Ready to find out where your business is legally exposed?*

Take the free Small Business Legal Risk Self-Assessment and get clarity before a contract, a lawsuit, or a bad partnership does it for you.

👉 Grab your assessment here: www.smallbizzlegalguide.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:

Follow us across all platforms for legal tips, business strategy, and boss-level motivation:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don't build it small.

If this episode helped you, don't forget to subscribe, download, and share it with another boss who needs to hear it.

How to Know When to Outsource Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill sits down with Brad Stevens, founder and CEO of Outsource Access, to talk about knowing when it's time to outsource and how to build a team that helps your business grow.
Brad shares his entrepreneurial journey, the unexpected path that led him to build a 500+ employee offshore staffing company, and the systems, mindset, and metrics that have fueled his rapid growth.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The two-question exercise to identify what you should outsource first
How to view hiring as an investment instead of an expense
Why Outsource Access serves businesses across 85 industries instead of specializing in one niche
The key performance indicators Brad uses to measure outsourcing success
How educational content and referrals helped grow the business without paid advertising

⏱️ Episode Timestamps
01:38 – Brad's origin story: renting Micro Machines toys in 4th grade
05:00 – Learning to spot problems worth solving
08:02 – The moment Brad knew entrepreneurship was the path
13:38 – How Brad thinks about building resilience
18:58 – The exploding pen disaster that led to Outsource Access
25:07 – Why Brad built his team in the Philippines
26:18 – Why Outsource Access serves 85 industries instead of niching down
29:49 – Building word-of-mouth marketing through content and education
33:45 – The two-question exercise for knowing what to outsource
40:14 – The 3 KPIs Brad watches most closely
44:27 – Brad's upcoming book, Automate and Delegate
48:38 – What "Do Small Business Like a Big Boss" means to Brad

🎤 About Our Guest
Brad Stevens is the founder and CEO of Outsource Access, an offshore virtual staffing firm he's grown to 500+ employees across 85 industries in just four and a half years. In 2021, Outsource Access was the only outsourcing company to receive Inc. magazine's Best in Business Award for firms making the biggest impact on their communities, industries, and the environment. His book, Automate and Delegate, is releasing soon.

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews
👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Want to see how your business stacks up? Download this business self-assessment: www.smallbizzlegalguide.com

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.
If this episode helped you, don't forget to subscribe, download, and share with another boss who needs to hear it.

Outsmarting the Big Guys: Building a Challenger Brand Agency from Scratch Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill sits down with Justin Bajan, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Familiar Creatures, to talk about leaving a six-figure career to build an award-winning independent advertising agency from the ground up.

Justin shares how his team helps challenger brands outsmart larger competitors, the realities of entrepreneurship, and the lessons that helped Familiar Creatures become one of Adweek’s fastest-growing agencies.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How Justin transitioned from corporate life to launching his own agency
The realities of pricing professional services and avoiding undervaluing your work
How Familiar Creatures evaluates potential clients using its “Smiley Face System”
Why saying no to the wrong opportunities can accelerate long-term growth
How small, agile teams can outperform much larger competitors

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:03 – Introduction
01:10 – Leaving a six-figure salary
02:56 – Moving his family to start over
03:26 – Why Richmond became home for the business
07:09 – Landing the first anchor client
09:20 – The financial realities of early entrepreneurship
11:58 – Learning while building the business
13:52 – Pricing professional services
17:22 – Building a reputation over time
18:33 – Making decisions as business partners
21:47 – The creative process behind successful campaigns
26:06 – Scaling the agency from 2 to 10 people
29:30 – Choosing the right clients
30:23 – The “Smiley Face System” explained
33:23 – Why saying no can be the best business decision
37:57 – How small teams outperform big agencies
41:08 – What “Do Small Business Like a Big Boss” means to Justin
43:06 – Where to connect with Justin and Familiar Creatures

👤 About the Guest:
Justin Bajan is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Familiar Creatures, an independent advertising agency based in Richmond, Virginia. Since launching in 2018, the agency has been recognized as one of Adweek’s 25 fastest-growing agencies and has helped challenger brands like Duke’s Mayonnaise, Crunch Fitness, and Bubba Burger achieve remarkable growth through strategic creative marketing.

Website: familiarcreatures.com
Instagram: @familiarcreatures

Want to see how your business stacks up? Download this business self-assessment: www.smallbizzlegalguide.com

Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don't build it small.

If this episode helped you, don't forget to subscribe, download, and share with another boss who needs to hear it. 🎧

From Engineering to Landscaping COO: Recurring Revenue, Smart Hiring & Systems That Scale Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill sits down with Doug Bonnell, Owner and COO of True North Landscaping, to talk about his journey from automotive engineer to leading and scaling a successful family-owned landscaping company.

This conversation covers the real-life lessons behind building a sustainable service business, creating recurring revenue, making strategic hires, and implementing systems that support long-term growth.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why recurring revenue is the foundation of a stable service-based business

How to decide whether to hire, outsource, or acquire to fill business gaps

The systems and software that transformed operations and job costing

How Doug and his wife successfully work together in the business

What every entrepreneur can learn from the landscaping industry's referral culture

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

00:35 – Guest introduction: Doug Bonnell & True North Landscaping

01:17 – From automotive engineer to family business COO

03:03 – Taking the leap from corporate life

05:42 – Learning the business from the ground up

06:57 – Building recurring revenue through maintenance services

09:21 – Why recurring revenue matters

11:12 – Acquiring a competitor and expanding services

12:13 – Build, hire, or buy?

14:31 – Managing seasonality and workforce challenges

20:23 – Work-life balance as a business owner

23:43 – Running a business with your spouse

24:51 – Common mistakes customers make when hiring contractors

29:26 – Systems and technology that drive growth

32:12 – Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

33:05 – What “Do Small Business Like a Big Boss” means to Doug

33:52 – Where to connect with Doug and True North Landscaping

👤 About the Guest:

Doug Bonnell is the Owner and COO of True North Landscaping, a high-end residential design, build, and maintenance company serving Northern Michigan. After earning an engineering degree from Western Michigan University and spending six years in the automotive industry, Doug joined the family business and has helped grow it into a 50-person operation with multiple service lines, including maintenance, irrigation, fertilization, and snow removal.

Connect with Doug:

LinkedIn: Doug Bonnell

Website: True North Landscaping

🚀 Ready to Make Your Business Official?

Join Aisha’s FREE weekly webinar, Make Your Business Official, and learn how to build, brand, and bulletproof your business with confidence.

👉 Register here: https://www.igotnext.co/training

👉 Grab your FREE Legal Guide at:

📘 Free Guide: www.smallbizzlegalguide.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:

Follow us across all platforms for legal tips, business strategy, and boss-level motivation:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.

If this episode helped you, don’t forget to subscribe, download, and share it with another boss who needs to hear it. 🎧

Building Six-Figures Organically: Social Media, Government Contracts & Community Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Do Small Business Like a Big Boss, host Aisha Jorge Massengill sits down with Myown Holmes, Owner and Senior Strategist of Socially Polished and Founder of The Prism Effect, to talk about building a six-figure business organically while balancing family, a full-time career, and entrepreneurship.

Myown shares how she leveraged social media, strategic relationships, and community-building to grow her business, navigate government contracting opportunities, and create a platform that empowers minority women entrepreneurs.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How the “Power of One” framework can help you grow without burnout

Why focusing on one platform can outperform trying to be everywhere at once

How to build a referral network and secure early testimonials through strategic partnerships

The government contracting opportunities many small business owners overlook

Why knowing your numbers and building the right advisory team is critical for growth

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:04 – Welcome & guest introduction

01:04 – Building a business while raising a family

03:31 – The realities of building in the margins

07:25 – Knowing when it was time to leave her job

09:22 – Creating a structurally sound business

13:35 – Breaking into government contracting

16:12 – Diversifying revenue vs. stabilizing revenue

17:50 – The “always be marketing” mindset

18:57 – Knowing your numbers and building your dream team

22:38 – Finding the right platform for your audience

23:31 – The Power of One framework

26:04 – Organic marketing vs. paid advertising

31:10 – Building a referral network through bartering

35:59 – Using AI in small business

39:01 – The hardest lessons of entrepreneurship

40:26 – The mission behind The Prism Effect

46:22 – What “Do Small Business Like a Big Boss” means to Myown

48:22 – Where to connect with Myown

👤 About the Guest:

Myown Holmes is the Owner and Senior Strategist of Socially Polished, a boutique digital marketing agency based in Washington, D.C., specializing in social media strategy, personal branding, B2B social selling, and brand management. She is also the Founder of The Prism Effect, a community dedicated to supporting the mindset, wellness, and business growth of minority women entrepreneurs.

Connect with Myown:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myownh/

Website: https://socially-polished.com/

🚀 Ready to Make Your Business Official?

Join Aisha’s FREE weekly webinar, Make Your Business Official, and learn how to build, brand, and bulletproof your business with confidence.

👉 Register here: https://www.igotnext.co/training

👉 Grab your FREE Legal Guide at:

https://www.topemployermistakes.com

https://smallbizzlegalguide.com

🔗 Stay Connected with Sedgwick Andrews:

Follow us across all platforms for legal tips, business strategy, and boss-level motivation:

👉 https://linktr.ee/Sedgwick_Andrews_LC

Podcast Mantra:

Build the dream messy, build it scared, just don’t build it small.

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