One Table, Fewer Words, and the Art of Staying Small — with Kevin Shinn

How to Grow an Intentional (and Profitable) Business in the Age of AI — with Prerna Malik

Most of the advice about AI right now is about speed. Very little of it is about intention. Prerna Malik is an AI Sales Strategist, Fractional CMO, and Conversion Copywriter. She's the co-founder of Content Bistro (soon to be Profitably Yours), a business she's been running with her husband Mayank since 2011. Fifteen years in, Prerna is still excited about her work. She's fully booked months out, and she works about 20–25 hours a week. In our conversation, she shares what it takes to build a business you don't resent, and what "intentionally profitable" means in practice. And, of course, we get into AI — how treating AI like a team member (instead of a magic bullet) changes what it can do for your business. Prerna shares how to spot the AI "illusion of productivity" before it eats your time, plus what she keeps doing by hand. If you're trying to grow a business while figuring out where AI fits, this one's for you. Prerna’s Website: https://contentbistro.com/ [https://contentbistro.com/]   Prerna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prernamalik/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prernamalik/]   Content Bistro’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contentbistro/ [https://www.instagram.com/contentbistro/]   Skeptic Prospect AI Assistant: https://contentbistro.com/skeptic [https://contentbistro.com/skeptic]   Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ [https://downeystrategy.com/]   Brittany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/]

One Table, Fewer Words, and the Art of Staying Small — with Kevin Shinn

What if "small" wasn't a stepping stone? Kevin Shinn is a chef, writer, and musician. I first experienced Kevin's work years ago, when I went to The Portico Experience: his one-table, backyard micro-restaurant in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was an absolute delight. One of my all-time, top dining experiences. The Portico just kicked off its seventh season and books up, season after season, almost entirely through word of mouth. In our conversation, Kevin shares the shifts that helped him move away from the traditional table-turning restaurant to something more personal. We get into what it looks like to choose the "smallest viable market"...and stay there. We chatted about how he approaches marketing now, and how he's found his voice in fewer words. Plus, we dig into the three creative wells he draws from throughout the seasons. Kevin also opens up about mentoring the next generation of chefs, the cost of overextending, and what growth means when the metric is simply "a better me." If you've been wondering whether something smaller could be enough, this one's for you. Kevin's Website: https://www.55degrees.us/ [https://www.55degrees.us/]  Kevin's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefkevinshinn/ [https://www.instagram.com/chefkevinshinn/]  Brittany's Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ [https://downeystrategy.com/]  Brittany's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/]

Owning What Makes You Different (and Building Around It) — with Branden Lower

What happens when you stop trying to fit the mold of your industry and start building around what you're actually good at? Branden Lower is the founder of Build Design Studio. He started Build after realizing most businesses get a great logo and brand guidelines — and then have no idea what to do with them. Branden opens up about the fictional narratives he told himself early on and what shifted when he stopped trying to blend in. We dig into how knowing who you are opens the door to clearer decisions, and why he's chosen relationships and customer service over cold outreach and paid ads. If you've been carrying pressure to market the "right" way, this one's a reminder that your difference might be your greatest advantage. Build's Website: https://www.builddesignstudio.com/ [https://www.builddesignstudio.com/]  Build's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builddesignstudio/ [https://www.instagram.com/builddesignstudio/]  Branden's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branden-lower/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/branden-lower/]  Brittany's Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ [https://downeystrategy.com/]  Brittany's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/]

Is social media dead (...and should it be on my plate)? — with JT Martin

In this episode, I sat down in person with JT Martin at Hurrdat Media’s studio in Omaha, Nebraska. JT is the creator of The Corn Belt, a Nebraska-focused social media account with over 60 million views, the host of the Social Media Is Dead podcast, and the founder of Loudr, where he works with businesses on social media strategy and content. We talk about how social media has changed, what JT is seeing work right now, and why many businesses feel stuck when social becomes a box to check instead of a long-term channel. JT doesn’t sugarcoat the work it takes to build real momentum on social platforms. He shares what drives engagement today.  We chat about when social media is worth your time, when it’s not, and when it might make more sense to hand it off. If you’ve been feeling confused, tired, or skeptical about social media, this conversation offers clarity without hype. And (...spoiler) a reminder that connection still matters more than chasing trends. Social Media is Dead Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-media-is-dead/id1808499844 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-media-is-dead/id1808499844]   Loudr: https://weareloudr.com/ [https://weareloudr.com/]   The Corn Belt: https://www.instagram.com/thecornbelt/ [https://www.instagram.com/thecornbelt/]   Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ [https://downeystrategy.com/]   Brittany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/]

Growing a Business Beyond the Early Stage (and Where Cold Outreach Fits) — with Jonathan Grzybowski

What does it take to grow a business past its early stages? And how does your role change as the company gets bigger? In this episode, Jonathan shares what it looked like to take his business from a very small team to a company of more than 500 people. He talks about the early days of building traction and how nearly 200 conversations helped shape the product, messaging, and direction of the business. We talk about outreach as part of that growth — not as a formula, but as something rooted in persistence and direct connection with the right people. Jonathan shares what that looked like in practice and how those efforts opened doors to larger clients and wider reach. The conversation also moves into leadership. Jonathan reflects on the shift from founder mode to leading a much larger organization, and what he’s had to learn about systems, processes, and decision-making as the company scaled. We talk about how being a parent fits into all of this — the long days and the reality of continuing to build a demanding business alongside family life. This episode offers an honest look at what changes as a business grows, and how the work of leadership evolves alongside it. Penji Website: https://penji.co/ [https://penji.co/]   Johnathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grzybowskij/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grzybowskij/]   Brittany’s Website: https://downeystrategy.com/ [https://downeystrategy.com/]   Brittany’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-downey/]