The Supportedly Podcast

Wrapping Up Season 1 with Our Favorite Entrepreneurial Advice

Entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses can find it challenging to get their idea up and running for a variety of reasons. There may be business skills you need to learn, or perhaps an angel investor is required to bring your product or service from idea to reality. Perhaps you are unsure of what to put into your pitch, or maybe you need a great mentor that has the experience and expert knowledge that a young entrepreneur may yet lack.   To wrap up season one of the Supportedly Podcast, we reflect on some of the best advice that our guests have shared in the last 40 episodes. We discuss everything from networking, hiring applicants, creating and delivering pitches, growing your skills, finding a mentor, and so much more.    “It’s such a necessity to get out there and talk about what you’re doing. - Brandon Hall    This week on the Supportedly Podcast:   * Why you should go out of your way to build relationships with other entrepreneurs. * Why it’s vital to hire applicants based on key metrics instead of likeability. * Refraining from going down the expected path and thinking about what you should actually do. * Why you shouldn’t overrun your pitch time and why you should finish with an ask. * Why knowing your marketplace is essential. * Pursuing new things to develop and grow your skills. * Things to consider to find the right mentor.   “You want mentors that will challenge your assumptions.” - Jay Bigelow    Subscribe, Rate, & Share Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly [https://supportedly.com/podcasts/] podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-supportedly-podcast/id1438366434?mt=2] and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/supportedly/], Twitter [https://twitter.com/supportedly], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/supportedly/], and share your favorite episodes on social media! The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com [https://www.auxbus.com/]

NC IDEA: Grant Application Best Practices & Mistakes to Avoid with John Austin

John Austin is the Senior Director of NC IDEA [https://ncidea.org/], an organization that helps entrepreneurs and startups reach their full potential through a variety of programs and grants. In 2011, John founded Groundwork Labs, which later became NC IDEA LABS, where he has personally been a mentor to over 200 entrepreneurs. He has held top positions in companies such as Joystick Labs, Numerical Design Ltd., and Division Inc. John has a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Valparaiso University and a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.   John joins me today to share how the NC IDEA grant process is structured and to describe the grant application best practices. He highlights how entrepreneurs can tackle stage one and stage two forms and explains what entrepreneurs should (and shouldn’t) do in each stage. Here also shares best practices for delivering a pitch and producing a pitch slide deck as well as describes the qualities that he believes entrepreneurs and startups should have.   “The first thing to do is read the instructions, understand what that organization wants to fund, and make sure that you’re in that ballpark.” - John Austin    This week on the Supportedly Podcast:   * How the NC IDEA grant program funds organizations that help startups. * The criteria for startups to apply for SEED and MICRO grants. * How to write a first stage grant application. * How your application is reviewed and what reviewers are looking for. * Responding to feedback from stage one and preparing your stage two application. * Preparing your pitch and creating an effective slide deck. * The three essential qualities startups and entrepreneurs need. * The things you need to do and not do during the questions segment of your pitch.    Free & Low-Cost Programs at NC IDEA:   * NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM [https://ncidea.org/grants-programs/nc-idea-ecosystem/] * NC IDEA SEED [https://ncidea.org/grants-programs/nc-idea-seed/] * NC IDEA MICRO [https://ncidea.org/grants-programs/nc-idea-micro/] * NC IDEA LABS [https://ncidea.org/grants-programs/nc-idea-labs/] * NC IDEA SOAR [https://ncidea.org/grants-programs/nc-idea-soar/] * NC IDEA ENGAGE [https://ncidea.org/grants-programs/nc-idea-engage/]   Connect with John Austin:   * NC IDEA [https://ncidea.org/] * Email: info@ncidea.org * Phone: (919) 941-5600   Subscribe, Rate, & Share Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly [https://supportedly.com/podcasts/] podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-supportedly-podcast/id1438366434?mt=2] and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/supportedly/], Twitter [https://twitter.com/supportedly], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/supportedly/], and share your favorite episodes on social media! The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com [https://www.auxbus.com/]

Podcasting Best Practices: Elevating Your Brand Through Storytelling with Dan Radin of Auxbus

Dan Radin is the Founder, Chairman, President, and CEO of Auxbus [https://www.auxbus.com/], an end-to-end platform solution designed to guide audio novices through the planning, production, distribution, and creation of podcasts. His corporate career consists of developing audio technology products for recording studios, musicians, home audio enthusiasts, and video gamers, including working for Alesis, Sennheiser, JBL/Harman, and SteelSeries.  Dan has an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Business and Management from Berklee College of Music.   Dan joins me today to share why he started Auxbus and why its podcast creation solution differs from others in the industry. He describes the four stages of podcast creation and reveals the different models for generating an income or building a brand through the production and distribution of a podcast. Dan also shares how high-end audio results are created and highlights the reasons that you or your business might choose content marketing through a podcast over the different marketing mediums that are available.   “It’s a medium you can take anywhere, extend your brand in places that it otherwise couldn’t go, and really share who you are, your values, and your genuine authenticity.” - Dan Radin    This week on the Supportedly Podcast:   * When Dan decided he wanted to own a business, become an entrepreneur, and start Auxbus. * Why the Auxbus podcast solution is unique. * The four stages of creating a podcast, including planning, recording, production, and distribution. * The different podcast models and how they create an income or support their production. * Podcasts that build brands through content marketing. * How to create excellent podcast audio quality. * Why you might choose to podcast as a content marketing medium. * What Auxbus offers to businesses interested in getting into podcasting. * The advice that Dan would give to a new entrepreneur.     Connect with Dan Radin:   * Auxbus [https://www.auxbus.com/] * Dan Radin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danradin]     Subscribe, Rate, & Share Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly [https://supportedly.com/podcasts/] podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-supportedly-podcast/id1438366434?mt=2] and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/supportedly/], Twitter [https://twitter.com/supportedly], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/supportedly/], and share your favorite episodes on social media! The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com [https://www.auxbus.com/]

Igniting Innovation and Entrepreneurship with UNC Wilmington CIE Director, Diane Durance

Diane Durance is the Director of the UNC Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship [https://uncw.edu/cie/], an organization that provides working space, tools, networking opportunities, and mentorship to entrepreneurs and new venture startups. Diane was previously the President of MiQuest, a company that promotes entrepreneurship through publications and events. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Masters of Public Administration from the Southern Methodist University.   Claire Holroyd is the Co-Founder and CEO of Skilly-do [https://skilly-do.io/], a company that helps parents use their time effectively and help their preschool children learn through play. Claire received the John Hope Franklin Award from the Center for Documentary Studies and has a BA in Public Policy from Duke University. Claire also has an MFA in Photography, Video and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts. Claire’s career includes working for companies such as Qualcomm, the PlayStation Network, and Square Enix.   Diane joins me today to share how the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) connects the university’s resources with entrepreneurs and venture startups. She describes the Mentor Group Program and the coworking space provided by CIE and reveals the upcoming networking and learning events. I also spoke with Claire to learn more about Skilly-do and how CIE helped her start her businesses and connect with expert mentors.   “Our mission is to connect and ignite the regional strengths and the university expertise to create innovation and entrepreneurial solutions.” - Diane Durance     This week on the Supportedly Podcast:   * How the university's resources help Wilmington’s businesses and community entrepreneurs. * How the university connects startup ventures with local professionals and retired CEOs and entrepreneurs. * How the Mentor Group Program connects high potential entrepreneurs with mentors. * The different venture stages that the mentors are looking to engage with. * The equipment, technology, and Media Team Services that are available in the coworking space and incubator space. * The networking and learning events held by the UNC Wilmington Center for Innovation. * Recent events and programs that helped marine fisheries and the creative economy. * How Skilly-do helps preschool children learn, grow, and have fun. * How CIE helped Claire develop her venture and connect with the right people. * The advice that Claire would give to new entrepreneurs.   “They’re going to connect you with the right people - because they know the right people - and they don’t hesitate. If they can help you, they are going to help you.” - Claire Holroyd   Free & Low-Cost Programs at UNC Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:   * Coworking Space [https://uncw.edu/cie/events/amenities.html] * Incubator Space [https://uncw.edu/cie/membership/incubator-space.html] * Media Team Services [https://uncw.edu/cie/Quick-Links/cie-media-team.html] * Networking Events [https://uncw.edu/cie/events/index.html]   Connect with Diane Durance:   * UNC Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship [https://uncw.edu/cie/]   Connect with Claire Holroyd:   * Skilly-do [https://skilly-do.io/]     Subscribe, Rate, & Share Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly [https://supportedly.com/podcasts/] podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-supportedly-podcast/id1438366434?mt=2] and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/supportedly/], Twitter [https://twitter.com/supportedly], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/supportedly/], and share your favorite episodes on social media! The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com [https://www.auxbus.com/]

Developing Connections to Capital and Mentors with CED Director Jay Bigelow

Jay Bigelow is the Director of Entrepreneurship at the Council for Entrepreneurial Development [https://cednc.org/] (CED), an organization that helps entrepreneurs grow a successful business through mentorship, advice, and access to resources and capital. With a vast career in business services and technology businesses, he is known for starting two companies and joining three other venture-backed startups. In his role at CED, he is responsible for building relationships with lending and angel investors as well as strategic partnerships across the country. Jay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business and has experience in marketing, strategic planning, and business development.   Anil Chawla is the Founder and CEO of ArchiveSocial [https://archivesocial.com/], a company that helps businesses maintain long-term archival records of social media content to meet their compliance and legal needs. He is a regular public speaker on the topics related to social media and entrepreneurship. His work has been documented in publications such as Forbes, CNBC, Entrepreneur, and Fast Company. Anil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology.   Jay joins me today to share the programs, mentorship, workshops, and conferences that are provided by the Council for Entrepreneurial Development. He explains how the Connections to Capital program and Venture Mentoring Service helps entrepreneurs and the process they use to vet applicants for the CEO Round Table events. He also shares what you can expect by attending the upcoming Accelerate Series. I also spoke with Anil to learn more about ArchiveSocial and how CED helped him with advice, mentoring, and accountability.   “The research will tell you that mentors will probably make the biggest difference in the success or failure of most entrepreneurs, so finding the right mentors for you and your business is probably the most important thing you can do to be successful.” - Jay Bigelow   This week on the Supportedly Podcast:   * How the Connections to Capital program curates connections between investors and companies. * How the CED Venture Mentoring Service creates a pre-board with two to four mentors. * CEO round tables and upcoming CED Conferences. * What to expect from attending the June Accelerate Series workshop. * The vetting process for joining the CEO Round Table events. * The application and screening process for the team-based Venture Mentoring Service. * How Anil became an entrepreneur and started ArchiveSocial. * How the Venture Mentoring Service helped Anil as a first-time entrepreneur. * How accountability drives you to meet your targets.    “This organization would go out of their way to line up high-power, accomplished people to spend time with me. It was kind of unreal, but it was very nice in the beginning to have that.” - Anil Chawla   Free & Low-Cost Programs at the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED):   * Connections to Capital [https://cednc.org/connections-to-capital] * CED Venture Mentoring Service [https://cednc.org/resources/venture-mentoring-service] * CED Conferences [https://cednc.org/events] * Accelerate Series [https://mailchi.mp/cednc.org/accelerateseries]   Connect with Jay Bigelow:   * Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) [http://www.cednc.org/] * What makes a great mentor [https://cednc.org/about/ced-newsfeed/what-makes-a-great-mentor] - blog post * Jay Bigelow on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybigelow/] * Jay Bigelow on Twitter [https://twitter.com/jaybigelow?lang=en]   Connect with Anil Chawla:   * ArchiveSocial [https://archivesocial.com/] * Anil Chawla on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anilchawla/]   Subscribe, Rate, & Share Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly [https://supportedly.com/podcasts/] podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on iTunes [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-supportedly-podcast/id1438366434?mt=2] and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/supportedly/], Twitter [https://twitter.com/supportedly], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/supportedly/], and share your favorite episodes on social media! The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Podcraft. You can create your own great podcast – faster and easier – at Podcraft.com [https://podcraft.com/]