What do you do when your only options are a job you don’t want or a business that doesn’t exist yet? Angus Willows, the founder of Kangaroo Hanger, chose the harder path — and made it work. As a college student with a 3D printer under his bed, he designed a better hanger, taught himself how to file a patent, launched a second business to fund it and bet everything on a TikTok challenge that changed his life.

But this isn’t just a story about going viral. It’s about building something real without a safety net and how you could trust yourself long before the world gives you permission. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks how Angus bootstrapped his way from a scrappy cardboard prototype to retail shelves and why he kept going, starting business after business, even when the stakes got higher. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re ready, Angus’ story might show you that readiness isn’t the goal — resilience is.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

(02:30) Can entrepreneurship start at six years old? Angus shares how selling bow ties as a kid sparked a lifelong obsession with inventing.

(04:46) Would you major in something you’re bad at — just for the challenge? Angus explains why struggling through engineering made him a better builder.

(06:26) What problem do you want to solve? Angus shares the frustrating dorm room moment that sparked the idea for Kangaroo Hanger.

(08:40) Could adding less make your product sell more? Angus talks about the power of simplicity.

(11:25) What if your side hustle exists just to fund your dream? Learn how Angus started a second business to avoid getting a full-time job after graduation and fund Kangaroo Hanger.

(14:46) Is it possible to write your own patent? Hear how Angus did it — with a book and no legal training.

(16:32) What happens when you give yourself 30 days to go viral? Angus’s TikTok experiment and how going viral helped him reach his pre-order goal.

(22:34) When does going retail make more sense than selling direct? Angus explains how shipping costs drove a big strategic shift and how to get into retail.

(24:57) How many businesses can one person build? Angus talks about his third company — and what he’s learned from jumping into new ventures and taking risks.

(27:07) How do you manage the stress of debt as a founder? Angus shares his mindset around pressure, calculated risk, and staying grounded.

(28:15) Not sure you can bet on yourself to take a big risk? Angus explains how self-trust is built — and why it starts with the smallest decisions.

What if the riskiest part of your business was just saying what it is out loud? Katie Diasti didn’t plan to start a company about periods – especially not one she’d pitch to rooms full of confused, uncomfortable investors. But when a college class project opened her eyes to just how outdated and wasteful the period care aisle was, she couldn’t unsee it. That spark turned into Viv, a sustainable, stigma-smashing brand that’s changing how people learn about and experience their periods. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks what it really takes to build something bold in a space full of silence. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how education can be a growth strategy, how community can be a business tool and why sometimes the boldest thing you can do is say the quiet part out loud and start a conversation. If you’ve ever felt like your idea was too taboo, too weird, or too risky – Katie’s story will show you that that might not be the red flag you think it is. It might be proof that you’re onto something big.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(01:55) What if the riskiest part of your business was just saying what it is out loud? Hear how Katie’s personal experience around avoiding period talk shaped Viv’s mission to rewrite the narrative around period care.

(05:00) Can a class project turn into a startup? Katie explains how she validated her idea with real feedback — and got obsessed with solving a problem.

(07:30) Struggling to figure out how to create and test your products? Katie shares how she hustled for product feedback, sourced sustainable materials, and tested prototypes on herself and her friends.

(09:20) Scared to ditch a stable job? Katie was too. She reveals the exact moment she backed out of her job offer – and why she did it.

(13:31) Ever pitched a room full of uncomfortable investors? Katie breaks the ice with “Let’s talk about periods” — and wins them over anyway.

(18:10) Can education be your best growth strategy? Katie shares how content helped her build trust, strengthen customer relationships, and expand her product line.

(26:30) Feeling unsure about your idea? Katie’s advice for building in a risky and stigmatized space might be the push you need to finally go for it.

What if the real barrier to your success isn’t risk but uncertainty? Dr. Matt Rutherford, John de Pope Chair in Entrepreneurship at Oklahoma State University, joins host Andrea Marquez to redefine risk for founders and show you how to make every risk you take more manageable. You’ll get to hear the six types of entrepreneurial risk, learn why distinguishing risk from uncertainty is crucial, and discover how pinpointing the risks you face can actually tilt the odds in your favor. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a simple framework to spot, measure, and hedge risk so that your next big leap feels less like a gamble and more like a calculated step forward.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

(01:29) Ever felt entrepreneurship wasn’t for you? Andrea and Matt share how family and early doubts made them think twice about starting a business – for now.

(06:18) What’s the real difference between risk and uncertainty? Learn why risk can be quantified and how that clarity fuels confident decisions.

(08:53) Which six risks should every founder know? Discover which risks apply to your business and how to spot them before they blindside you.

(12:16) How do you turn uncertainty into risk by diversifying? Practical tips on expanding products, channels, or personal investments.

(15:26) How can small tests tilt the odds? Discover the low-cost experiments that validate ideas without blowing your budget.

(16:30) How do you embrace the upside of risk? Discover why focusing on opportunity instead of fear can turn setbacks into springboards for growth.

(20:03) Can you start a business even if you’re risk-adverse? Matt shares how teaming up with his wife turned caution into confidence and helped them start a small business together.

(22:46) How do you overcome the fear of risk and just start? Matt lays out three ways you can take a calculated leap forward: suck out every risk, enlist trusted voices, and run small experiments.

What happens when your viral moment finally comes — and you’re not ready for it?

Aliett Buttleman, co-founder of Fazit, only had 300 TikTok followers when she said her goal was to get Taylor Swift to wear her product. And she made it happen. But that moment wasn’t luck. It was the result of two scrappy founders, a small but strategically allocated budget, and years of rejection, pivots, and TikTok experiments. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks the strategy behind how Aliett made a viral celebrity moment happen and why she keeps leaning into discomfort to keep growing. You’ll learn how to build buzz without a big budget, why your wildest ideas might be your best ones and how to stay ready so that when your big moment comes, you’re not just hoping it works. You’re ready to make it count.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(02:07) Ever felt lost in your career or like you don’t quite fit into a single box? Here’s why Aliett started her own company.

(04:50) Why start a business when you’ve seen how hard it is? Aliett’s early consulting work almost convinced her not to become a founder – here’s what changed her mind.

(07:25) How do you kickstart sales with a small budget and no team? The scrappy TikTok strategy Aliett used to grow an audience and why 30 million views didn’t lead to a single sale.

(09:11) What keeps you going when investors say no again and again? Aliett opens up about the emotional toll of 150 VC rejections and why she kept going.

(12:20) Curious how to raise money for your startup when VCs say no? Hear how Aliett and her co-founder Nina pushed through rejection, won a competition, and raised their first $200,000.

(15:50) What do you do when retailers and investors aren’t interested even when you’ve gone viral? For Aliett and Nina, it meant pivoting and moving on to the next product.

(19:01) Is it crazy to imagine Taylor Swift wearing your product one day? That’s exactly what happened to Aliett. And here’s how that surreal moment unfolded and how Aliett capitalized on it.

(25:17) How do you get Taylor Swift to wear your product? It’s not luck and Aliett reveals the behind-the-scenes scramble and marketing strategy that turned a viral moment into a lasting brand.

(29:45) What does it take to succeed without a Plan B? Aliett reflects on discomfort, delusion, and why chasing safety never built anything bold.

What were you doing when you were 12? Blake Shook, the founder of Desert Creek Honey, was wrangling swarms of bees and selling honey – all before middle school let out. What began as a childhood hobby sparked a decades-long entrepreneurial journey that led to the creation of a multi-million honey empire with over 120 employees. But before reaching that level of success, Blake lost his entire bee population – just as he was deciding whether to go to college – and had to choose whether to walk away or take the biggest risk of his life. Host Andrea Marquez explores how Blake scaled a business built around something delicate and unpredictable and what it takes to keep moving forward when your livelihood depends on something you can’t fully control. If you’ve ever wondered whether you really need a degree to build something big or how to bounce back when everything you’ve built disappears overnight, this is the story for you.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(01:04) What is it like to peer into a beehive for the first time? Blake describes the moment he lifted the lid and discovered a hidden world of 80,000 bees working in perfect harmony.

(6:54) When do you know a hobby can turn into a business? Blake shares the “aha” moment when he got his very first honey order.

(10:36) What if your business disappeared overnight? In beekeeping, that can mean the death of all your bees. Blake talks about the hardest lesson he ever had to learn.

(14:42) When everything seems to be going wrong, do you give up or go all in? Blake explains the choice he made.

(16:14) How do you rebuild after losing everything? Blake turned failure into fuel by learning from seasoned beekeepers—and earned his comeback one hive at a time.

(18:02) Looking for some advice on managing risk? Here’s why diversification is important.

(19:21) What happens when you're suddenly forced to scale up? For Blake, a reality TV show became an unexpected opportunity that ultimately led to six separate businesses.

(23:07) Is passion enough to sustain an entrepreneur? Hear why Blake believes his real job is to work himself out of a job.

What if your business took off before you were ready? No team. No investors. Just a homemade product and a sudden wave of demand. That’s exactly what happened to Adria Marshall, founder of Ecoslay. When her flaxseed hair gel went viral overnight, she had to decide: shut it down or take the risk and build something bigger. Host Andrea Marquez unpacks how Adria scaled her side hustle into a purpose-driven brand, why staying small was her boldest move, and how she learned to embrace risk despite being a planner obsessed Virgo. Adria’s journey will show you how to build something real with what you already have. No MBA, no perfect plan – just purpose, persistence, and a few exploding jars along the way. If you’re waiting for the “perfect” moment to start, this is your sign: the mess is the journey.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us in an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(01:47) Can solving your own problem turn into a business? Hear how Adria’s hair journey – and an obsession with DIY – sparked the beginnings of Ecoslay.

(05:00) Do you have to know what you’re doing before you start? Adria talks about launching her first product with no experience and no formal plan.

(06:53) What do you do when an expert says your idea won’t work? Adria hires a chemist who said her formula was impossible – so she proved him wrong.

(08:13) What would you do if your side hustle goes viral overnight? The moment a YouTuber changed everything for Ecoslay and how Adria juggled the chaos with a full-time job.

(14:40) What if your product starts exploding in the mail? The hard (and messy) lessons Adria learned and how she bounced back from her mistakes.

(16:38) How do you keep going when everything feels like too much? Adria shares how she grounds herself in difficult moments – and why making risky, values-driven decisions (like ditching plastic packaging) became her boldest moves.

(22:27) Still waiting for the “perfect” moment to start? Why Adria now sees risk as a teacher – and how she learned to bet on herself before she felt ready.

When Partake Foods founder Denise Woodard’s daughter had a life-threatening allergic reaction, everything changed. That moment inspired Denise to launch an allergy-friendly snack company that’s now worth millions and serves thousands of families across the U.S. But starting a food business from scratch with no baking experience and no outside funding meant taking one bold risk after another. Host Andrea Marquez talks with Denise about her transition from corporate executive to entrepreneur, how she kept going after getting 86 investor no’s (at least) until she landed a yes from Jay-Z’s VC firm, and how to validate a product before it exists. If you've ever been afraid of hearing “no,” Denise’s story will change how you think about risk, resilience, and the power of starting small.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us as an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(00:00) Ever felt like you needed a “perfect” plan before starting? Hear how Denise launched Partake Foods with no product, no baking skills – just a very personal “why.”

(04:55) What if a stranger at the zoo told you to start a business? Denise shares the serendipitous moment that gave her the push she needed.

(09:20) Struggling to get others to believe in your idea? Learn how Denise turned a cold shoulder from a manufacturer into a yes.

(11:21) Feel like you have to do it all yourself? Denise opens up about making costly mistakes, asking for help, and finding the right people to bring her vision to life.

(16:27) Thinking about quitting your job to go all in? Denise shares the very unglamorous reality of her first day as a full-time founder.

(21:17) Tired of rejection? Hear how Denise pushed through 86 investor no’s and how one yes from Jay-Z’s VC firm changed everything.

(25:28) Afraid to take risks? Denise’s advice for fellow risk-averse founders will make you rethink what it really means to start small.

What do you do when your glasses don’t fit well – and the eyewear industry doesn’t see the problem? For best friends Tracy Green and Nancey Harris, co-founders of Vontélle Eyewear, the answer was bold: start their own company. In the season six premiere of This is Small Business, host Andrea Marquez kicks off her personal mission to become more of a risk-taker so she could eventually start her own business by learning from two women who embraced the curveballs that life threw at them and came out stronger. If you’ve ever felt like you couldn’t take the leap, Tracy and Nancey’s story might just be the push you need.

Got a bold leap of your own? Share it with us as an Apple Podcasts review, Spotify comment, or email us at thisissmallbusiness@amazon.com – you might hear it in a future episode.

In this episode you’ll hear:

(00:33) How listeners like you are stepping outside their comfort zones – plus, Andrea shares why she’s finally facing her fear of risk.

(03:35) How losing a favorite pair of glasses sparked an impromptu trip to Paris and a new business idea – and why noticing everyday problems is your first step to innovation.

(10:51) Ever wonder how to know when it’s time to go all in? Tracy and Nancey were juggling full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and a pandemic – until they realized they couldn’t wait for the “perfect” time to start.

(14:17) When everything goes wrong, do you pause or push through? From a health scare to a fire, these founders share how staying focused on their mission helped them overcome obstacles and keep building.

(17:58) The small wins, like a single email from a customer, can keep you going when self-doubt creeps in. Hear what kept Tracy and Nancey going, even when things got rough.

(20:17) How Tracy and Nancey pivoted from direct-to-consumer to wholesale and got creative about growing their business.

(22:55) Get advice on how to decide when to leap, when to pause, and how to bounce back from failure without losing momentum.