Are you chasing more customers while the real money problem hides in plain sight?What if the hustle for new customers is actually costing you more than it's earning you? The #1 lie business owners tell themselves is "if I could just get more customers, everything would be better." But more customers without the right foundation can mean more chaos, more cost, and still no profit at the end of the month. In this episode of Second Act Business Owner, we break down why fixing what you already have — your pricing, your retention, and your profit strategy — is the real path to a thriving second act.HighlightsThe #1 money lie business owners tell themselves — and why it sounds so believableWhy doubling revenue doesn't always mean doubling profitThe questions you need to ask before chasing a single new customerHow a real therapy business eroded its margins by mismanaging 1099 vendor relationshipsThe 75/25 rule: why it costs dramatically more to get a new customer than to keep an existing oneWhy your greatest opportunity might be the customer already sitting in front of youThe profit account strategy: how to protect your earnings from disappearing into daily operations"Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity" — what that really means for second act business ownersChapters0:34 – The Money Lie1:13 – Why More Customers Fails1:56 – Fix Pricing and Retention2:59 – Keep Customers Profitably3:55 – Costly 1099 Vendor Trap5:26 – Revenue Vanity, Profit Sanity6:08 – Profit Systems and Accounts8:06 – Second Act Focus and WrapWant to get more help from Lee with your business? Visit her website: https://leegray.actioncoach.com/This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network. For more information, visit ictpod.net.

What does it take to build something you never planned for? Schrene Davis didn't set out to own three cosmetology schools — she was just trying to find a way out of a small town in Western Kansas. From a cheerleading scholarship and a cosmetology license she almost let expire, to becoming one of the early franchisees of Paul Mitchell Schools when there were fewer than five in existence, her journey is a masterclass in staying open to where life leads you.We talk about what it was really like building a school from the ground up, why the Springfield, Missouri model didn't translate to Wichita the way she expected, and how the industry — and the students walking through her doors — have fundamentally changed. We also get honest about the challenge of staying relevant as you get older in an industry that moves fast, and what it means to lead a school full of 18-year-olds who have a very different relationship with work than we did.HIGHLIGHTSSchrene describes her path as "accidental leadership" — no long-term vision, just a series of open doors she walked throughGrowing up in Holcomb, Kansas (graduating class of 39), she had no roadmap for college — until a boyfriend's football career took her to Missouri StateShe worked at a chain salon and booth rent while finishing her general education, and credits older mentors in those salons for her early growthBefore Instagram, building clientele meant beating the streets and handing out business cards — and there's something to be said for thatShe became a Paul Mitchell sales rep and discovered the school concept at a national gathering — and was immediately convinced it was what the industry neededWith only ~5 schools open at the time, she partnered with friends, secured a family investor, and opened in Springfield in 2005Springfield became their most successful school — profitable from day one — but replicating that success in Wichita proved much harderThe perception challenge in Wichita: Eric Fisher had already set a high bar, so the Paul Mitchell school wasn't the surprise it had been in SpringfieldThe shift in how families view cosmetology school: student loan debt has changed everything — now parents are more likely to celebrate a one-year skilled trade path"If you want it, it's there" — she's direct with prospective students that success requires cultivating relationships, not waiting for clients to appearGen Z students have reshaped how she thinks about fun, flexibility, and what motivates people to show upStudent-run teams (student council, "Be Nice or Else" community team) give students a voice and keep them investedThe aesthetics program is in year two and finding its groove after a messy year one of "discoveries"The emotional rollercoaster of being a service provider — riding the waves of a client's best and worst days — is something not everyone is built for, and she prepares students for thatCHAPTERS0:43 — Meet Schrene Davis1:00 — Small Town Beginnings2:12 — Choosing Cosmetology3:10 — Early Lessons in School4:03 — College and Moving5:15 — Salon Life and Mentors7:02 — Before Instagram Hustle9:13 — From Stylist to Rep10:46 — Discovering Paul Mitchell Schools14:21 — Launching the First School17:16 — Springfield Success Model18:59 — Wichita Market Reality21:13 — Cosmetology Culture Shift22:34 — What It Takes to Succeed24:00 — Fast Track Licensing25:00 — Career Paths Beyond Cutting26:30 — Spotting Student Potential28:06 — Old School Cosmo Rules29:26 — Teaching Color Confidence31:04 — Staying Relevant Over Time31:50 — Gen Z Work Life Shift33:45 — Student-Led School Culture37:11 — Launching Aesthetics Program40:50 — Rollercoaster Behind the Chair42:18 — How to Apply and Connect43:22 — Final Thanks and WrapRESOURCES MENTIONEDPaul Mitchell The School Wichita — paulimitchelltheschoolwichita.edu (find them on Instagram and TikTok @paulmitchelltheschoolwichita)FAFSA — Federal financial aid application mentioned as a resource many prospective students are unaware ofTo learn more about Utopia Modern Salon Suites, visit our website at https://utopiamodernsalon.com/ or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn!If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe and share with a friend!

What happens when a white guy from a small Kansas town becomes the bridge-builder between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking communities — and somehow also changes the global cycling industry along the way? LeLan Dains is one of the most fascinating people we've had on this show, and honestly, we almost undersold him. As the executive director of Kansas Spanish Speakers, LeLan has spent years breaking down barriers, building trust with immigrant communities, and proving that opportunity doesn't leave rural Kansas — it waits there for the right person to claim it. Oh, and he co-founded what is now the world's premier gravel cycling event. From Emporia. On gravel roads. We told you.HIGHLIGHTSLeLan's motto for Kansas Spanish Speakers: "Sí, cómo no" — yes, of course. Whatever you need, they'll help you get there or find someone who can.Kansas Spanish Speakers serves both Spanish speakers AND English speakers — because a bridge needs two solid banks. They offer immigration documentation help, health insurance navigation, driver's license assistance, Spanish classes, custom business training, and community workshops.LeLan's origin story: he froze like a deer in headlights trying to order in Spanish at a Mexican restaurant after six months of studying — and that embarrassing moment sparked an entire nonprofit.The Kansas Health Foundation invested $1 million over 10 years in Kansas Spanish Speakers through their Building Power and Equity Partnership. Since 2022, Kansas has moved up three consecutive spots in national health rankings.LeLan addresses the elephant in the room — yes, he's a blue-eyed white guy leading a Latino-serving nonprofit. His answer is honest, thoughtful, and worth hearing.The issue of children being used as translators for their parents in medical, legal, and financial situations — why it's inappropriate, and what Kansas Spanish Speakers is doing about it.Emporia became the first certified Welcoming Community in Kansas, with LeLan's organization leading the effort. Dodge City and KCK have since followed.LeLan co-founded Dirty Kanza — now rebranded as Unbound Gravel — which draws 5,000+ riders from 40+ countries to the Flint Hills every year. The event literally crashed the internet and now runs on a lottery system.Gravel cycling didn't exist 15 years ago. Unbound Gravel helped create the entire category — and now the Tour de France has a gravel stage.Kansas has 98,000 miles of gravel roads. That's not a typo.LeLan's message to rural Kansas kids: a blank canvas isn't empty — it's an opportunity to paint whatever you want.CHAPTERS0:00 — Ditch Flower Season0:55 — Numb Fingertips Story1:36 — Stratica Salt Rock4:17 — Welcome to Ask a Kansan5:16 — Meet LeLan Dains6:31 — What Kansas Spanish Speakers Does7:20 — Services and Programs8:36 — How It All Started10:16 — Going Statewide13:04 — Partners and Health Impact16:53 — Imposter Syndrome and Privilege19:43 — Rebrand and Mission Shift22:27 — Spanish Dialects and Slang26:05 — Working With Businesses32:15 — Kids as Translators38:24 — How Service Changes You41:39 — Learning English Together40:32 — Rural Kansas Roots42:28 — Recreation Career Path43:12 — Coming Home to Build46:35 — Unbound Gravel Explained48:26 — Why the World Comes54:49 — Where to Learn More56:35 — Post Interview Reflections58:24 — Mystery Knick Knack Game1:05:50 — Final Wrap and ThanksRESOURCESKansas Spanish SpeakersUnbound GravelKansas Health FoundationBuilding Power and Equity Partnership (Kansas Health Foundation)Kansas Leadership CenterBig Brothers Big SistersWelcoming AmericaMaxwell Wildlife RefugeStrataca — Kansas Underground Salt MuseumEmporia State UniversityFrost Valley YMCACarmichael Training SystemsCurious Kansan NewsletterKansas Spanish Speakers intro videoLeading Health Podcast - from the Kansas Health FoundationLearn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

What if the most powerful lesson from the Olympics has nothing to do with the athletes?Executive coach Jeana Marinelli joined me for a conversation straight from her last days in Florence, Italy — capping off nearly 90 days abroad that started as a one-week trip to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. What began as a trip to see snowboarding turned into an extended season of rest, community, curiosity, and unexpected self-discovery. We talked about what it really means to be present in an experience, why we're all at risk of being passive consumers of our own lives, and how the smallest act of noticing — and then sharing what you notice — can change everything.HighlightsJeana packed for one week and stayed for 86 days — following curiosity, awe, and wonder every step of the wayMilano Cortina 2026 was the first gender-equal Winter Olympics (and Paris 2024 was the first gender-equal Summer Olympics) — and Jeana attended bothThe Olympic spectator experience is completely different from watching on TV: no commentators, no play-by-play, just raw emotion and crowd energyJeana reframes "spectator" — she wasn't watching the Olympics, she was participating in a communityThe difference between consuming community and contributing to it is one of the episode's central threadsA chance encounter with Jaelin Kauf's family at dual moguls — sparked by offering to take their photo — turned into a full day of celebrationHow "noticing + sharing what you notice" is a simple, accessible way to build connection anywhereWhy slowing down is always the starting point for meaningful change — whether in personal life or organizational leadershipTurning 40 and the lessons of living in the gray (not everything is black and white)The National Equity Project's definition of leadership: taking ownership over something that mattersChapters2:35 — Birthday Reflections5:35 — From One Week to Ninety Days7:52 — What the Trip Gave Her10:29 — Handling Transition Seasons12:37 — Spectator Experience Reframed16:58 — Gender Equal Olympics18:30 — Bringing It Home Through Writing21:37 — Consumption Versus Contribution29:38 — Noticing Wonder Daily34:09 — Final Threads and FarewellResources Mentioned2026 Milano Cortina Winter OlympicsWant to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

Are you lying awake at night wondering if you forgot to follow up with that potential client from Tuesday? If you're trying to run your business from your head, you're leaving money on the table — and opportunities are slipping through the cracks every single day.This episode is your step-by-step guide to building a simple, effective customer relationship management system from scratch — no expensive software required. We break down exactly what a CRM is, why you need one, and how to build your first pipeline using nothing more than a free spreadsheet. Whether you're just landing your first clients or starting to feel overwhelmed by your growing list of leads, this episode will give you a clear, actionable system to stay organized, follow up consistently, and close more business.HIGHLIGHTSYou don't need expensive software to get started — a simple Google Sheet or Excel spreadsheet is the best first CRM for most new side hustlersThe exact columns you need in your spreadsheet: name, contact info, last interaction, next interaction date, pipeline stage, project value, and won/lostThe five pipeline stages every service-based business needs: marketing lead, sales lead, offer made, committed, and project completeWhy checking your spreadsheet just once a week puts you ahead of 80% of your competitionHow to know when it's time to upgrade from a spreadsheet to dedicated CRM softwareA breakdown of CRM tools worth considering: Capsule CRM (free tier), HoneyBook (best for service providers), Pipedrive, HubSpot, and Go High LevelCHAPTERS0:00 – Why You Need a CRM2:28 – Start With a Spreadsheet3:20 – Must Have Columns4:10 – Pipeline Stages Explained6:57 – Tracking Value and Wins8:08 – Weekly Follow Up Habit10:28 – When to Upgrade Tools11:12 – CRM Software Options16:10 – Switching and Next Steps18:31 – Final EncouragementRESOURCES MENTIONEDCapsule CRM (free tier available) — https://capsulecrm.comHoneyBook (referral link with special benefits) - https://share.honeybook.com/bryan3789264Pipedrive — https://www.pipedrive.comHubSpot (free tier available) — https://www.hubspot.comGo High Level — https://www.gohighlevel.comBe sure to subscribe and leave us a review!For more information about The Side-Hustle Dad, visit our website at https://thesidehustle.dadRemember, build the business, but be the dad!This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net.