The Business of You with Rachel Gogos

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/

The Business of You with Rachel Gogos is a business podcast hosted by Rachel Gogos, with 100 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Rachel Gogos hosts The Business of You with Rachel Gogos, a business show with 100 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #284

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

  Aug 18, 20261h 14m

  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/

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  Episode #283

  283 | From Middle Class to Millions with Shannon Brome-Ward

  Aug 11, 202638 min

  Can you build extraordinary wealth without putting your life on hold? Many people believe financial freedom requires years of sacrifice and extreme frugality. Shannon Brome-Ward proves there's another way. After building more than $2 million in retirement investments starting with just $25 a month, Shannon retired early and now helps high-earning women create lasting wealth through practical financial education, mindset shifts, and intentional investing. Rather than focusing on restriction, she teaches how to enjoy life today while building financial security for tomorrow. In this episode, Shannon breaks down how to build wealth with confidence, overcome limiting money beliefs, and create a financial plan that supports the life you actually want. Why Financial Confidence Starts Long Before Investing Our relationship with money often begins in childhood. Shannon shares how growing up in an immigrant household shaped her early beliefs around scarcity, saving, and spending, and how those lessons continued influencing her financial decisions well into adulthood. She explains why financial literacy is about much more than investments. Building wealth requires understanding cash flow, debt, savings, emergency funds, and long-term investing as one connected system rather than treating each piece separately. Perhaps her biggest mindset shift is rejecting the idea that you must eliminate every dollar of debt before you begin investing. Instead, she encourages listeners to create a debt payoff strategy while allowing time to work in their favor through consistent investing. Building Wealth Through Consistency, Not Complexity Although Shannon has invested in real estate, private equity, businesses, and alternative assets, she credits the stock market as the simplest and most effective wealth-building tool over the long term. She shares why diversification matters, but only after building a strong financial foundation. From understanding monthly expenses to creating an emergency fund and increasing income strategically, every financial decision should support both today's lifestyle and tomorrow's goals. Throughout the conversation, Shannon reminds listeners that confidence grows through education. When people understand their money, they negotiate more effectively, make stronger financial decisions, and create opportunities that extend far beyond their investment accounts. Enjoy this episode with Shannon Brome-Ward… Soundbytes 27:04–27:18 "Do not let the debt stop you from investing. First and foremost: You can have debt and you can invest, because investing is about time in the market, not timing the market." 33:23–33:30 "If you haven't invested, please start now. And every day that you wait is costing you." Quotes "Your financial journey starts long before you even know what money is." "There is absolutely no way to build wealth by only leaving your money in a savings account." "I want my clients to understand what their money is doing so they can invest confidently for the rest of their lives." "Financial confidence impacts every other area of your life." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Connect with Shannon Brome-Ward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-brome-ward-331221198/ Email: shannon.brome-ward@thewholebudget.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonbromeward 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/

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  The Business of You with Rachel Gogos

  282 | BEST OF: Protect Your Business from Digital Fraud with Sunny Dublick

  Aug 4, 202634 min

  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! With the digital marketing world changing so fast, how can you keep up? Sunny Dublick shares her recommendations for effective marketing and how your company can innovate to stay ahead of the curve. Sunny is an award-winning marketing specialist and founder of Sunny Dublick Marketing. She has spent more than 15 years in the marketing and advertising industry, working with high-profile clients such as the Philadelphia 76ers and HanesBrands, as well as small and medium-sized businesses spanning the hospitality, retail, and professional services industries. After nine years working for various advertising agencies and corporate marketing departments, Sunny set out on her own, forming Sunny Dublick Marketing to provide transparent and effective marketing solutions to businesses nationwide. Her strategies are designed to inspire creativity and enable clients to grow the best, most authentic version of their brand. The Future of AI in Marketing The digital marketing landscape is constantly shifting. Instead of fighting to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with rapidly changing technology, Sunny recommends slowing down. If you decide to incorporate something new, be intentional. Act from a place of purpose instead of fear of the future. At one point, no one knew how to post on Facebook or run Google ads. There were a lot of unknowns — but business owners and marketers figured it out over time. The same will be true for AI and these new technologies. The important part is to stay open and be willing to try new things. If you want to incorporate AI into your marketing, Sunny recommends using it to kickstart ideas rather than write all of your content. It can be helpful for a first draft, so you're not staring at a blank page, but it still needs a human touch. No one wants to read a blog post written entirely by AI. The Importance of Innovation The role of marketing in your organization goes beyond generating new leads. Your marketing team can also problem-solve across departments, inspire new offers, and overcome sales objections. Instead of assuming there's a marketing problem when leads slow down, Sunny recommends starting at the source. Are your offerings still what your customers want? Is there room for innovation and growth? Has the market evolved? Separating marketing from branding, sales, and finance doesn't serve your organization. This is why more and more companies are shifting away from Chief Marketing Officers to Chief Growth Officers or Brand Officers, to bridge different functions. Enjoy this episode with Sunny Dublick… Soundbytes 10:59–11:21 "People are looking forward to like, Metaverse and Web 3.0 and how do we stay ahead of that? There's always been, for a really long time, a question mark of where things are going. And I think the worst thing that you can do, from a marketing perspective, is just running after that shiny object and being like, I have to do this too, right?" 23:07–23:30 "Oftentimes companies will work with a marketing company and they'll have a fancy new logo, some pretty pictures on a website, and they're like, cool, we're done, right? That's what I call lipstick-on-a-pig marketing. You made it pretty. But at the end of the day, your offering is something that can and should change over time." Quotes "The beautiful thing about marketing, especially digital marketing, is so much of what you need to know is available to be self-taught." "The worst thing that you can do from a marketing perspective is run after that shiny object." "The nature of marketing is one in which you always have to be agile, and you always have to be willing and able to try new things." "Now we can write six posts a day automatically, but just because you can doesn't mean you should." "Marketing can and should be something that bridges a lot of different functions within an organization, and you're only getting a tiny piece of it if you're keeping them pigeon-holed into these are the people that put up my social media posts and run some ads for me." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://sunnydublick.com Connect with Sunny Dublick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnydublick/ 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/

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  Episode #281

  281 | BEST OF: Is the Franchise Business Right for You with Jon Ostenson

  Jul 28, 202631 min

  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! Have you ever considered opening a franchise? Maybe you're looking for a new investment opportunity, or you're attracted to a business model where all the systems are already up and running. Today's guest breaks down what you need to know beforehand, the best industries to invest in, and what separates successful owners from the rest. Jon Ostenson is the Founder and CEO of FranBridge Consulting, an Inc. 5000 company and a top 1% franchise consultant. He's also the author of the bestselling book, "Non-Food Franchising." Jon draws on his experience as a former Inc. 500 franchise president and multi-brand franchisee to help his clients select their franchise investments. Jon is a frequent contributor on franchising for publications such as Forbes, Inc., and Bloomberg. Why Invest in a Franchise The franchise model offers some advantages over starting your own business. For one, the business has already proven to be successful. The franchise has a playbook for what works and what doesn't — all you need to do is execute it. You also have a community of other franchisees running the same business, where you can learn from each other and exchange best practices. What Makes a Successful Franchise Owner Some entrepreneurs struggle to run a franchise because they don't like following the playbook; they aren't coachable or willing to learn. As an owner, you need to trust the franchise that you bought into. The most successful franchise owners are the ones who follow the system the closest. You can innovate within the system, but don't try to reinvent the wheel. The second-most important characteristic is to be good with people. If you're a good person to work for and with, everything runs more smoothly. Being well-liked can even turn into a competitive advantage. Enjoy this episode with Jon Ostenson… Soundbytes 4:57–5:22 "The model has been proven out in other markets. You've got a playbook. It's all about going out and executing. So you're essentially starting on third base. You've got bulk buying of services or products, you get those synergies, but you also get a community of other franchisees, other people running the same business, day in, day out, in their markets, and you're constantly learning from each other and exchanging best practices. You're in business for yourself, but not by yourself." 18:31–18:57 "Our top performers had two characteristics. One, they were good with people, and that's just business 101. They're someone that people want to work for, work with. No, they don't have to be gregarious, but they're decent people. And then secondly, they're willing to follow a system. They've got the humility to say, hey, there's a reason why I bought into a franchise. I'm going to come in and trust you with what you're telling me. The ones that followed the system the closest were our most successful." Quotes "For most people, franchising is a better path to business ownership because it allows you to have those training wheels." "You've got to be someone that people want to work with." "If it were easy, everybody would be a business owner." "Be someone that people want to work for, and find your competitive advantage." Links mentioned in this episode: (from Web version of Show Notes) From Our Guest Website: https://franbridgeconsulting.com Connect with Jon Ostenson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonostenson/ 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/

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  Episode #280

  280 | BEST OF: How to Build an Iconic Brand with Neil Barrie

  Jul 21, 202643 min

  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 makes a truly iconic brand? Few people are better qualified to answer that question than Neil Barrie, the branding expert behind household names like Pinterest, Peloton, and Airbnb. Neil Barrie founded the TwentyFirstCenturyBrand agency in 2018 and works with many of the world's most innovative brands, including Headspace, Bumble, and Depop. From 2021-23, the company grew revenue by 70%. Originally a failed rock star, Neil has led the development and growth of top-tier brands including Disney, The Grammys, and Unilever. Throughout his career, he has used his platform to make the advertising industry better and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, and The Guardian. Landing Your First Client How did Neil and his co-founder land Pinterest as their very first client? A lot of it had to do with personal branding and the reputation they'd built for themselves in the industry. From the beginning, Neil was intentional about doing things for free for influential people, with the expectation that they would one day recommend TwentyFirstCenturyBrand. He and his co-founder held workshops for venture capitalists and offered to help them with their portfolios. It also helped that they had a clear mission for their company (to build influential 21st-century brands) and a strong point of view on what made an iconic brand: it had to be purpose-led, community-driven, tech-enabled, and narrative-based. Neil and his co-founder came out of the gate with a clear thesis. They published white papers on their four-part framework that helped companies see the value in branding. Their strategy paid off — Pinterest took a chance on the new agency, and TwentyFirstCenturyBrand's client list has only grown since. Ingredients of an Iconic Brand Branding can be broken down into two sides: input and output. Output is your brand reputation or what other people say about you when you're not around. Input is everything you put into the brand: your vision, your purpose, and the experience you create for your audience. When asked about the future of branding, Neil says there are three factors entrepreneurs need to consider: profit, purpose, and people. After the turmoil of the last few years, profitability is more important than ever. Purpose is your vision, and "people" refers to how you rally your community around that vision. To build a truly influential brand, you need to balance all three factors. Enjoy this episode with Neil Barrie… Soundbytes 21:02–21:30 "We had a very clear process that we insisted people go through, which had a certain bit of mythology around it, in terms of some of the rituals that we would do. We would have things like 'discuss the undiscussable,' where we put all of the C-suite into a private room and facilitate a discussion around five undiscussable themes that we'd uncovered from meeting everybody. These are things, not necessarily related to brand, just in your culture that you need to address before you can really achieve your potential." 31:53–32:22 "Culture is a very special thing: The values of a company. The commitment to work with certain types of clients, to the proper balance of growth agenda, purposeful, profitable growth, and so on. The ability to say no to things, to really look after the team in different ways. So, it was clear from a lot of those conversations that a lot of people wanted us, but they wanted to sort of merge us with another of their consulting agencies, and sort of strengthen that and gain access to our client base, and things like that. And it was just clear that it was going to ruin what we built." Quotes "Most tech companies are leaving money on the table because they mistrust branding." "It's tough to get business when you're starting out. From the start, community and doing things for free for influential people with the expectation they would recommend us was a big part of our strategy." "Out of the gate, we acted like we'd been around for 30 years and hoped that sense of confidence and conviction would be infectious." "Vulnerability is required if you're going to build a proper brand." "You need to invest the time in figuring out what you stand for, what you are, how you're going to codify that into your experience and so on." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://twentyfirstcenturybrand.com/ Connect with Neil Barrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-barrie-29488aa/ Book "A Colourful View from the Top": https://www.amazon.com/Colourful-View-Top-Twenty-One-Extraordinary/dp/1408715791 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/

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