300 Rejections to Unicorn Status: How Wemimo Abbey Built Esusu

Start With Your Why: Kevin Keane on Business Transformation

Kevin Keane started his career at PwC learning one thing above all else: the most valuable thing a consultant can do is tell leaders what no one inside the building will. From there he built a career helping major companies (including Toyota's massive relocation and merger to Plano, Texas) that broke most organizations.  Now as COO of Directed Action, he's focused on making those same tools accessible to small businesses. Kevin and Everett dig into what management consulting actually is (and when you actually need it), why transformation fails when leaders can't articulate their why, and how a disciplined process of asking the right questions—not having all the answers—is what separates a great consultant from an expensive talker. Kevin also makes the case that the most valuable first step for any entrepreneur is going to a banker: because a lender will tell you the truth. Follow Small Business Unscripted so you never miss a conversation. 3 Takeaways: 1. Your "why" isn't just motivational language. It's the only thing that makes transformation, innovation, and culture actually hold together under pressure. 2. How to know when you need a board member versus a consultant—and why confusing the two keeps entrepreneurs stuck at the same level. 3. Going to a banker before you hire a consultant might be the most honest strategic feedback you can get. Chapters: [01:31] How Kevin Got Into Consulting [02:45] Why Companies Hire Consultants [08:38] Big vs. Small Company Playbooks [10:51] Why Innovation Needs a Clear Purpose [12:22] Toyota's Business Transformation Story [17:32] How Founders Should Value Their Time [19:51] Finding Mentors and Building Skills [27:08] Small Transformations That Matter [30:17] The Reality of Business Funding [32:14] Aligning Culture and Core Values [34:15] Most Common Business Mistakes [35:50] Affordable Business Help Options [37:49] DIY Consulting Using AI Tools Kevin’s Highlights: "You have to tell 'em their babies ugly. You have to be independent enough and confident enough to say to leaders, this isn't working." "You're simply not gonna grow in a very effective way unless you can understand what your personal value proposition is—beyond the fact that you're a founder." Connect: Kevin Keane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinakeane/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinakeane/] Everett Sands: www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands [https://www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands] Resources: Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com [http://lendistry.com] Learn more about Directed Action: https://directedaction.com/ [https://directedaction.com/] Want to learn from Kevin and the team at Directed Action? Find upcoming events:  https://actionpath.directedaction.com/events/ [https://actionpath.directedaction.com/events/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How Melissa Butler Built The Lip Bar Into a Nationwide Beauty Brand

Melissa Butler was working at Barclays when she started making lipstick in her New York apartment. 1,500+ batches later, her scrappiness paid off with a spot on Shark Tank. She didn’t get the deal, but she did leave with a powerful lesson in branding instead. Now, The Lip Bar is sold on Target shelves nationwide—the retailer’s largest Black-owned beauty brand.  In this episode, Melissa takes us through her incredible journey from the apartment kitchen to the CEO chair, including the advice from Mark Cuban that changed everything, how she landed a deal with a major retailer, knowing when it’s time to quit your job and go all-in, and much more.   ➜ Follow Small Business Unscripted so you never miss a conversation. 3 Takeaways: 1. Build your community before you build your product. 2. Know the difference between working capital and growth capital. 3. Your personal brand is your business's biggest asset. Chapters: [00:25] Meet Melissa Butler [02:47] From Detroit Roots to Wall Street [04:20] Quitting Finance to Start a Lipstick Brand [07:23] Learning Cosmetic Chemistry from Scratch [11:09] When to Quit Your Job [14:26] Shark Tank: What Really Happened [23:44] Raising Capital & Landing Target [32:38] Scaling the Brand: Retail, Marketing & Growth [45:30] Final Advice for Founders Melissa’s Highlights: "I saw this group of women who felt like they were aging outside of their beauty—and this idea that beauty has a time limit. That's another box I don't appreciate and I don't want to play up." "Beauty will happen wherever I choose." "A lot of founders make the mistake of thinking they need dollars when they need efficiency, or they need creativity, or they need to build a better community." Connect: ➜ Melissa Butler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-butler-4b7ba766/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-butler-4b7ba766/]  ➜ Everett Sands: www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands [https://www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands] Resources: ➜ Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com [http://lendistry.com] ➜ Learn more about The Lip Bar: thelipbar.com [http://thelipbar.com] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every Founder is a Fundraiser: Isabel Guzman on Capital and Growth

Isabel Guzman didn't plan on a career in policy. She planned on building businesses — starting in the front office of her father's veterinary practice, continuing through Wharton, Penn, and a stint at Procter & Gamble, and eventually back to California to help her dad scale what had become a chain of hospitals. Government found her, not the other way around. But once she was in, she went deep — and what she learned about how capital actually flows to small businesses changed how she thinks about everything. In this episode, Isabel joins Everett to break down the most common and costly misconceptions small business owners have about working with the government: why the grant era of COVID was an anomaly, not a baseline; why getting a "no" from one SBA lender doesn't mean the door is closed; and why building a strong private-sector portfolio is the single most important thing a founder can do before pursuing government contracts.  Follow Small Business Unscripted so you never miss a conversation. 3 Takeaways: 1. Government capital has shifted back to loans. Founders who built on COVID-era grants need to recalibrate. 2. Past performance is the entry ticket to government contracting (and most small businesses skip building it). 3. LA's mega-events are a rare, time-bound revenue window. The businesses that benefit will treat it as a strategy, not a backdrop. Timestamps: [05:50] Why Isabel Left Corporate for Public Service [09:45] The LA Mega Events Opportunity [12:00] The Funding Story That Saved a Business [14:10] Biggest Mistakes with Government Capital [18:55] How to Win Government Contracts Isabel’s Best Insights: "One of the biggest hats you wear as an entrepreneur is a fundraiser for your company. Your ability to sustain and grow really relies on your ability to understand how to fundraise — loans, equity, grants, depending on your structure. I wish they had told me that in the beginning." "Expect that [getting government contracts] is going to be hard work to learn the rules of the road. Building up your portfolio of private companies can really help you advance further in the government contracting space." "I'm proud now to say everywhere I go that I've failed multiple times. But that doesn't mean I don't keep going." Connect: Isabel Guzman: www.linkedin.com/in/isabelcguzman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelcguzman/] Everett Sands: www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands [https://www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands]  Learn more about Lendistry: lendistry.com [http://lendistry.com] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bet on Yourself: Emory Jones on Building Paper Planes & Walking Your Own Path

Emory Jones went from a 13,000-person town in Maryland to Brooklyn at 16 with no family connections. Fashion was his communicator—the thing that helped him navigate rooms and build a career that spans Rocawear, Puma, and the creation of Paper Planes. But Emory's real superpower isn't just design—it's understanding that people buy energy and lifestyle before they buy product. He shares how he helped bring Puma back into cultural conversation after years of being ignored and the moment a nickname from his past became a movement about self-belief. This episode goes deep on building brands that match how you actually live, why comfort and function beat hype every time, and how walking—literally just walking with people—has become Emory's secret weapon for business, relationships, and creativity. What You'll Learn: * Why you can't pick your customer anymore (and why that's actually freeing) * How to be the best version of yourself in every room without losing your identity * Why paid marketing is an amplifier, not a driver * The power of building lifestyle brands around your actual lifestyle * How accountability to yourself changes everything Emory:  "Growing up, coming from where we come from, we wake up and bet on everything but ourselves. Everything—the gang, the block, anybody. We bet on everything but yourself." "Fashion has always been my communicator. Before I know what you do or where you're at, I can figure you out by sight. That alone helped me balance rooms." "If you're building something, you can't pick and choose who your customer is anymore. The guy across the street that you didn't think was your customer? That's your customer. Don't set yourself up for disappointment." Links & Resources: * Follow Everett on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/everettksands  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands/] * Follow Emory on Instagram: @vegas_jones * Learn more about Paper Planes: www.paperplane.shop [http://www.paperplane.shop] * Learn more about Lendistry: https://www.progress.comlendistry.com Keep the conversation going at smallbusinessunscripted.com [http://smallbusinessunscripted.com] Timestamps: 01:00 – Early Career and Influences 02:05 – The Journey to New York and Rockawear 07:00 – Challenges and Lessons in Merchandising 10:35 – The Birth of Paper Planes 16:35 – Puma Collaboration and Legacy 21:40 – Bet on Yourself Philosophy 26:10 – Building a Lifestyle Brand 31:00 – Advice for Young Entrepreneurs 32:30 – Looking Forward: Plans for 2026 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

300 Rejections to Unicorn Status: How Wemimo Abbey Built Esusu

Wemimo Abbey immigrated from Lagos, Nigeria at 17. When he and his mother tried to borrow money, they were turned away by a major bank and sent to a payday lender charging over 400% interest. His mother sold his father's wedding ring to get them started in America. That experience became the foundation for Esusu, a fintech platform that reports rental payment data to credit bureaus—helping millions establish or improve credit scores. Before Esusu, less than 3% of the $1.4 trillion renters pay annually showed up on credit reports. Wemimo shares how he and co-founder faced 326 rejections, got kicked out of a Denny's for being $100,000 in credit card debt, and still pushed forward. They created a win-win-win model: landlords get more on-time payments, renters build credit, and lenders can better assess risk. The result? Over $50 billion unlocked in economic activity, bipartisan support in Congress, and partnerships with Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Zillow. What you'll learn: * Why timing matters more than originality when launching an idea * How to create win-win-win scenarios for all stakeholders * The power of stakeholder mapping: finding your entry point * The co-CEO model: why sharing leadership can be a strength * How to turn customer rejection into your biggest relationship Wemimo:  "Life is too short to work on win-lose. I am just not interested. It doesn't get me out of bed. Money does not motivate me. Impact gets me on a high." "We always say think outside the box, but we never let people outside the box engage. That tells you how lopsided access to capital really is." "Be caught trying. In life, you're gonna be knocked down. People will tell you no. Your ideas won't work. You're gonna have heartache in life. You just gotta show up and be caught trying." Links & Resources: * Follow Everett on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/everettksands  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/everettksands/] * Follow Wemimo on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wemimoabbey [http://linkedin.com/in/wemimoabbey] * Learn more about Esusu: esusurent.com [http://esusurent.com] * Learn more about Lendistry: https://www.progress.comlendistry.com Keep the conversation going at smallbusinessunscripted.com [http://smallbusinessunscripted.com] Timestamps: 01:50 – Early Life and Education in Nigeria 04:05 – Entrepreneurial Beginnings and Early Ventures 08:10 – Corporate America and the Birth of Esusu 11:25 – The Power of Rental Data in Credit Scoring 17:15 –Scaling and Impact of Esusu 21:25 – The Importance of Win-Win-Win Scenarios 22:35 – Overcoming Challenges and Rejections 27:30 – The Co-CEO Structure at Esusu 30:00 – Partnerships and Customer Focus Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.