BizGrowMojo

Nick Ruest has lived multiple business lives—from dominating local SEO in the early 2010s when the map didn't even exist in many Canadian cities, to closing over $30 million in sales in a single year working in finance, to now building enterprise-grade AI systems that are quickly getting downloaded by hundreds of developers worldwide. He's the co-founder of the Agentics Foundation, a global nonprofit teaching agentic engineering, and he's currently developing multiple AI platforms including AdProof AI for Shopify stores. In this episode, you'll discover: ✓ The underground method for setting up lead gen sites using storage facilities (not virtual offices) ✓ Why Nick measures his success by how many times he fails each day ✓ The exact sales strategy for selling leads before you even have a client ✓ How to get past gatekeepers by understanding what THEY'RE afraid of ✓ The AI revolution happening right now that's replacing 6-month engineering projects with 3-week builds ✓ Why limiting beliefs cost Nick years of potential growth (and how he overcame them) ✓ The storage facility job that taught him business management skills worth millions ✓ How to reverse-engineer competitor sales pitches to improve your own ✓ The industries with high search volume but low competition ✓ Why virtual offices don't work anymore and what to do instead Nick doesn't hold back in this conversation. He shares the exact tactics, the mistakes that cost him years, and the mindset shifts that finally unlocked success. Whether you're in SEO, running an agency, or exploring AI, this episode is packed with strategies you can implement immediately. You can connect with Nick on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-ruest/. Check out the full episode at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

Building Multiple Businesses: Inside a 30-Person Agency with Erica D'Arcangelo Erica D'Arcangelo is the founder of two thriving agencies with over 30 team members, and she's doing it all while growing a successful pizza podcast. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to scale a digital marketing business. What You'll Learn: The exact outreach numbers: Why Erica’s insane number of messages per week are the baseline for growth (It’s probably a lot more than you’d think.) How to scale from $1M to $10M (and why that's the hardest growth phase) Why organic SEO traffic converts better than any other channel—and how long it really takes to see results How to structure your agency team with clear roles and organizational charts from day one Why video content is becoming non-negotiable for digital marketing success The truth about AI in content creation: where it helps and where human oversight is critical Whether you're building your first agency or scaling to eight figures, Erica's practical insights on team building, client acquisition, and staying consistent through the slow-growth phases will give you the roadmap you need. You can learn more about Erica and her business at createwant.com, webcontentdevelopment.com, or her pizza podcast at: https://www.youtube.com/@AStoryAboutPizza Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

Cold Email Tactics That Actually Work & The 3-Year Strategy That Changed Everything Marc McDougall has been running his freelance web design business for 13 years, specializing in conversion optimization and full-service work for software companies. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on the marketing strategies that have kept his pipeline full for over a decade. In this episode, you'll discover: Why paid discovery projects became Marc's game-changer for landing five-figure contracts The unconventional cold email approach that gets 50% reply rates (yes, really) How to use video outreach without spending hours per prospect The brutal truth about growing on YouTube: commit to weekly uploads for a very long time Common landing page mistakes that are killing your conversion rates Why asking "why?" repeatedly sets you apart from desperate competitors The power of lowering activation energy on your calls-to-action How Marc closed $105,000 in client work from YouTube (and the mistake he made afterward) Marc shares raw, honest insights about the entrepreneurial journey—from the "pit of despair" when nothing seems to work, to the systems and mindset shifts that create sustainable success. Whether you're a freelancer, agency owner, or small business trying to generate leads, this episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement immediately. You can learn more about Marc and his business at https://marcmcdougall.com.  Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

Decode Your Clients: The Psychology Behind Every Sale with Stefani Havel Are you losing sales because you're not speaking your client's language? In this episode, sales strategist Stefani Havel reveals the psychology-based framework that transformed her 25-year corporate career and now helps entrepreneurs close more deals with confidence. Stefani breaks down the DISC behavior model—a proven methodology that identifies four distinct buyer personalities—and shows you exactly how to adapt your pitch, presentation, and follow-up to resonate with each type. You'll discover why some prospects want you to skip the small talk while others need relationship-building, and how to spot these cues within the first few minutes of any conversation. In This Episode: ✓ The four buyer personality types and how to identify them instantly ✓ Why "I need to think about it" really means you missed something crucial ✓ How Stefani helped a moving company owner stop losing bids to cheaper competitors ✓ The biggest mistake salespeople make (hint: it's about listening, not talking) ✓ How to adapt your sales style without feeling inauthentic ✓ Practical tips for presenting to mixed audiences and teams ✓ Building a referral-based business through strategic networking ✓ Transitioning from corporate America to entrepreneurship at any age You can learn more about Stefani and her business at bettercallstefani.com. Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

Russ Perry went from closing a dying creative agency to building Design Pickle—an eight-figure subscription design service working with 10,000-15,000 projects monthly. But his path to success wasn't about being more creative or doing flashy work. It was about focusing on the boring, repetitive design tasks nobody else wanted to systematize. In this episode, Russ reveals: Why figuring out the parts of the business that were working the best and not stressing him out led to going all in on a model that made all the difference. The positioning strategy that differentiated Design Pickle without changing the actual service How he built a custom platform managing 300-500 designers across the globe His framework for making better decisions when you only have 50-50 odds Why knowing your exit strategy NOW makes daily operations exponentially easier The one investment that's driven all his success (hint: it's probably not what you think) Whether you're drowning in client work, struggling to scale, or just looking for a fresh perspective on building a profitable business, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can implement immediately. If you’d like to learn how Russ built his empire, he lays out the framework in his new book and you can get that for free by following his instructions in the episode! You can learn more about Russ and his business at  RussPerry.co and DesignPickle.com. Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

Strategy + Audacity: Building a Brand That Positions You as an Expert Asia Dore didn't set out to become a brand strategist. She started as a photographer, but quickly realized her clients had no idea how to articulate their brands when she asked them to explain it for a photo shoot. That discovery led her down a path that resulted in her signature "Strategy Audacity Method" - a framework that combines strategic brand building with authentic, audacious self-expression.   In this candid conversation, Asia reveals:   ✓ The five pillars of her Strategy Audacity Method (Vision, Catalyst, Client, Soul, Message) ✓ Why most entrepreneurs build brands that are either too rigid or too scattered ✓ How she pivoted from photography to strategy (and why it felt like abandoning her identity) ✓ The difference between being a service provider and being a thought leader ✓ Why buying other people's marketing courses doesn’t always work for your business ✓ Her surprising discovery that podcast guesting outperforms social media for her ✓ Why the foundational brand work must come before tactics and implementation ✓ How she charges $2,500 for a half-day Brand Cohesion Lab session   Asia also discusses the importance of self-development over business tactics, why having a professional website still matters and the power of simplicity in marketing (she's literally pen and paper level, with an iPad screen that feels like paper being her biggest tech win).   You can learn more about Asia and her business at asiadore.com. Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

From Hand-Planting to Profitable: Building a 6-Acre Garlic Empire Jana Yockey didn't inherit a farm - she and her husband built Garlic Gods from scratch in Idaho, proving that profitable farming doesn't require massive acreage. Starting with just 14 acres from her retiring father and zero experience in garlic cultivation, they've created a certified seed garlic business that ships nationwide. In this candid conversation, Jana reveals: How they generate $20,000-$25,000 profit potential per half-acre Why white rot disease can destroy farmland for 20-50 years The real labor costs of small-scale farming (spoiler: it's intense) How COVID-19 unexpectedly boosted their online sales Why most garlic farmers choose to stay small despite demand The inspection and certification requirements for seed garlic Practical advice for anyone considering specialty crop farming Jana also shares the unglamorous reality of curing garlic in their teenager's bedroom, hiring 20+ people for harvest, and why working with your spouse on an isolated farm requires special skills. You can learn more about Jana and their business at garlicgods.com. Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, special offers, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes, as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

From Fine Art to High-Ticket Campaigns for Million-Dollar Companies: The Power of Premium Direct Mail Marketing Ever wondered how to cut through the noise and actually reach high-level decision makers? This week I'm talking with Abby Hosta, a young entrepreneur who's flipped the script on cold outreach. While everyone else is sending automated emails, she's creating hand-painted direct mail campaigns that have million-dollar companies lining up on her waiting list. In this episode, we dive into:  ✓ Why "junk mail" is her secret weapon for landing premium clients  ✓ The psychology behind getting executives to actually open your mail and getting people to remember your outreach ✓ How she turned being young into her biggest marketing advantage  ✓ Why the human touch beats AI in building real business relationships  ✓ Her "Purple Cow" strategy for standing out in oversaturated markets ✓ Why she focuses on solving the "most painful problems possible" If you're tired of your outreach getting ignored, this episode will completely change how you think about connecting with your dream clients. You can learn more about Abby and her business at https://www.abbys-artz.com/.  Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com. Sign up for our newsletter where you’ll get updates about upcoming episodes and guests, insights and breakdowns from previous episodes as well as marketing and business tips you can apply to your own business: https://bizgrowmojo.com/newsletter/.

Transform Your Business Into a Sellable Asset: Exit Planning Strategies with Dan Mirgon, CEPA   Ever wondered why 82% of small businesses that go to market don't actually sell? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Dan Mirgon, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor with over 40 years of experience who has started and run five companies, consulted with 300+ businesses, and knows exactly what it takes to build a sellable business.   Dan breaks down the critical difference between businesses that sell and those that don't, revealing why most baby boomer business owners are emotionally ready to exit but mathematically nowhere near prepared. He shares insights on the five pillars of intangible capital that buyers actually look for: financials, customer base, staff quality, leadership structure, and organizational culture.   Key Topics Covered: ✅ Why 82% of businesses fail to sell and how to avoid that fate ✅ The difference between being emotionally ready vs. actually ready to sell ✅ How to differentiate yourself in a noisy marketplace (the "Purple Cow" strategy) ✅ The smart side vs. healthy side of business operations ✅ Real-world valuation methods using actual market data, not projections ✅ The three phases of business ownership: Startup/Survival, Significance, and Sale   Whether you're years away from selling or just want to build a more valuable business, Dan's practical strategies will help you think like a CEO instead of a busy manager and position your company as an asset worth buying.   About the Guest: Dan Mirgon is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor who specializes in business and financial strategy for companies with $500K to $5M in revenue. With credentials in estate planning, financial management, and decades of hands-on business experience, Dan helps business owners prepare for successful exits years in advance.   You can learn more about Dan and his business at https://mirgonconsulting.com/.   Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com

In this episode of BizGrowMojo, I sit down with fitness expert Sedrek Childress, founder of Ledr Nutrition and Fitness in Orlando. With over 20 years in the fitness industry and a track record of helping everyone from everyday families to Olympians, Sedrek shares how he’s helping clients lose weight, improve health, and even reduce prescriptions using his customized “Body Blueprint” system. We talk about his journey from electrical engineering and music production (including a Latin Grammy nomination!) into the wellness world, the turning point that made him pivot from personal training to nutrition, and the systems he’s built to scale his business. You’ll hear: ✅ How customized labs and nutrition plans are transforming client results   ✅ Why passion and persistence matter more than fads or quick fixes ✅ The role of faith, discipline, and mentorship in Sedrek’s business growth ✅ How he uses tools like Facebook, social proof, and live events to attract clients ✅ The mindset shift that separates hobbyists from true entrepreneurs Whether you’re a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or someone seeking better health, Sedrek’s story is packed with lessons on resilience, strategy, and purpose-driven growth. You can learn more about Sedrek and business at Ledr.company.site. Learn more about becoming a guest, sponsoring episodes and where else you can listen at BizGrowMojo.com.