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Blake Mathias is a Professor, Entrepreneur, and Investor who started his entrepreneur path at a young age. He grew up in a family business, “Mathias Electric” in Illinois which over the years branched out to multiple businesses. With only 13 years old got expose to entrepreneurship. While in College He made the decision of becoming a College Professor and teaching entrepreneurship. Due to some family circumstances, Blake put his career on hold and took over the family businesses. As he ran them, he finished his PhD in Organizations & Strategy (Entrepreneurship) at the University of Tennessee and face a life-changing decision, either go back to Illinois or continue the path of being a professor, Blake at the time decided to focus on both but ultimately chose to be a professor and has being doing it since. What You’ll Learn From this Episode: Why become a Professor in entrepreneurship Importance of Podcasting as a tool helping entrepreneurs growth Blakes managing style in handling different businesses (the business strategy) Differences between running your own business versus the family business The sense of ownership for both owner and directors in a business Value of Directors and the decision-making process Success in failure: how the first time failed but lead to a strategy that created a successful market choosing process Being an owner and not an operator What is the most common phrase entrepreneurs say? (Take a guess!) Emotional tights of an entrepreneur and the business The Role of an investor: helping the business grow Let go and delegate! How successful entrepreneurs does it? (steps to accomplish it) The value of people telling you the truth. “Real feedback” Management of stress in an entrepreneur's life. Best and worst advice Blake ever got Teaching over Practice. Blake decision in teaching over practice and its rewards Financial pledge and Impact pledge Impact of Mentors in an entrepreneur's life Featured on the Show: Connect with Blake Mathias PhD. LinkedIn Assisted Living Facilities: Cedarhurst of Collinsville Villas of Hollybrook Some of Blake publications: Entrepreneurial Inception: The Role of Imprinting in Entrepreneurial Action Journal of Business Venturing. 2015 The Impact of Role Identities on Entrepreneurs’ Evaluation and Selection of Opportunities Journal of Management. 2014 Role With It: The Impact of Roles and Heuristics on Entrepreneurs' Evaluation of Opportunities Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Babson College. 2012 Enjoy The Show? Don’t miss an episode, subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS. Leave us a review in Itunes Tweetables: “The more you get emotionally involved in your company, the more you limit its ability to grow. Stay out of the way and let it grow!” “Making more money is not worth sacrificing the things that are most valuable in life”

Kenny Anderson is a Business Consultant at Louisiana Business and Technology Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in charge of the Student Incubator at LSU. He is an MBA graduated from LSU and in today's episode he gives us a pretty good picture of what the Student Incubator Program is all about. LSU Student Incubator is a program that helps students who want to launch and grow their own business, assisting students with business idea development to create a post-graduation career option, creating an environment specifically designed to help student entrepreneurs succeed. The incubator provides students with one-on-one consulting, business planning software, professional mentors and speakers, an Elevator Pitch Competition (Annual Venture Challenge) and other valuable resources needed to start and grow a business. The Student Incubator is more than a place to work; it is the first step to becoming a successful entrepreneur. What You’ll Learn From this Episode: What is the Student Incubator Program Who is it for, what is the criteria and how to apply for the Student Incubator Program The Annual Venture Challenge The Student Incubator Program Business Model Facilities and resources at the LSU Innovation Park for the Student Incubator Program Entrepreneur environment and Incubators community Use of the Canvas tool as an early stage Business Startups Model Management in the Program (Staff, consultants and workers) Role of Investors as Mentors Importance of collaboration in the program and Industry connections Success cases The Bigger Scope of an Incubator support From Idea stage to Renueve stage The struggles that are common among the entrepreneurs and how they overcome them Kenny's tips and advice for early stage entrepreneurs Difference between a great idea and the execution of that idea Kenny's final comments for the young entrepreneurs Featured on the Show: Connect with Kenny Anderson: LinkedIn | LSU Student Incubator Program The LSU Venture Challenge Lean Canvas - An early stage Business Startups Model (Business Model) Enjoy The Show? Don’t miss an episode, subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS. Leave us a review in Itunes Tweetable “No idea is too early stage to be developed” “To succeed we need to be out there and talk to our customers and listen to what they really need” “Talk to your customers! Is the best form for primary research”

Niki Marie Hansen has research experience in astrophysics, neuroscience, congenital limb deformities, and percutaneous implant technology. After completing degrees in Music and Molecular Biology, graduating cum Laude, and holding membership in several honors societies, Miss Hansen is currently working on a graduate degree. Having passed her PhD general exam as of June 2011, she now conducts research specializing in osseointegration of percutaneous implants for the fixation of prosthetic limbs in animals via direct skeletal attachment as well as wound healing, namely in the equine model. She has also earned a certification in prosthetics from Northwestern University's prestigious Prosthetics and Orthotics Center in Chicago, IL. Niki Marie intends to open a mobile prosthetics practice, specialty veterinary clinic and R&D conglomerate after completion of her PhD. She is interested pioneering and specializing in bionic prosthetics for horses and other animals. Miss Hansen also enjoys the freedom associated with owning her own business, Bayou Time L.L.C. Babysitting Agency. Her constant desire to do something more, something different, and something better fuels her entrepreneurial spirit; something that runs in her extraordinarily successful family. When asked if she has children, you will often hear her reply, "Yes! Lots of them...they're just not mine." Niki Marie has a genuine love for each and every child that has come into her life whether personally or through her work. Niki Marie enjoys a large variety of activities from dancing and singing to fishing and writing. She has written, but not published, two children's books, short stories, poetry, and has outlines for a book and a series of novels. Niki takes joy in having fun, making things fun, making people laugh and laughing...a lot. Aside from believing that nothing is impossible, you will often hear her repeat her personally coined motto, "If it's not fun, don't do it. If you have to do it, make it fun!" What You’ll Learn From this Episode: Dr. Nikki growing and life experience The path of becoming an entrepreneur How the right environment help us grow The Bayou Time Babysitting. A boutique babysitting & Nannies Service business model The Target Market for Niki’s business The Agency Strategy Managing the business. Innovation in the babysitting & nannies business The importance of maintaining curiosity in life Quick exercise to turn the impossible into possible Encouragement to achieve goals Managing kids imagination The value of innocence and why to protect them Using curiosity as a vehicle for business

Robert Terenzi, successful entrepreneur, and owner of Vega Coffee impactful social venture based in Nicaragua who is taking the coffee business up to a new level. What You’ll Learn From this Episode: How Robert went from being an associate attorney in Palo Alto to an entrepreneur and business owner International business opportunities Cultural influence in business and personal life Vega Coffee business model, and how its coffee supply chain works. Social impact that Vega Coffee and Roberts business model have in the coffee farmers community From extraction economy to participation economy Positive impact for local farmers Decision-making process in a three co-owners/co-founders company Tools Vega Coffee use in the daily operations to get things done Social Entrepreneurship Conference Investor as mentors Robert’s advice for entrepreneurs Featured on the Show: Connect with Robert Terenzi : LinkedIn | Rocket Code - Ecommerce Agency Agora Partnership - Business Accelerator in Nicaragua Eudemonia Communications agency in California GoShippo.com - Shipping Tool

Allan Misner is a Former Army member who went from working in the corporate world as a public accountant to launching several businesses and now running a successful health coaching online program. What You’ll Learn From this Episode: How to make the transition on just making money to do what you love How health training is a key element on the entrepreneurial journey balance Multiple Streams of Income by Robert G. Allen and the four mountains of wealth (Business, Internet, Investments and Real Estate) and Allan's experience on them Importance of keeping an eye on the “things that matter” Allan’s business strategy Manage of personal growth Podcasting and growth Forever Fitness Business Model (program, pricing, methodology). People as mentors and influencers. Allan´s tips and advice for entrepreneurs The Value of Play how to incorporate play into your life Featured on the Show: Connect with Allan Misner 40 + Fitness Podcast Older.Fitness Essentialism -Book One Thing -Book Enjoy The Show? Don’t miss an episode, subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS. Leave us a review in Itunes Tweetables: “If it doesn't make you happy shot it down”