A Hard Knock Podcast

By: Ryan Brooks
  • Summary

  • Hosted by Ryan at Hard Knock Labs, this podcast empowers BIPOC & marginalized entrepreneurs to turn obstacles into opportunities. Join us to explore vital topics like design thinking, business model innovation, & customer relationship mastery. Learn actionable strategies to understand customers, refine value propositions, scale efficiently, & make a lasting impact. Every episode blends insights, success stories & practical tips to help you build & scale a thriving business that contributes to a more equitable society.
    Ryan Brooks
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Episodes
  • Interview with Hazel Bevins from INT.D - Part 1
    Feb 21 2024

    Summary

    In this episode, Ryan Brooks interviews Hazel, co-founder of INTD, a design firm that specializes in research, brand development, and spatial experience design. Hazel shares her journey into entrepreneurship and the challenges she faced along the way. She also discusses the importance of collaboration and understanding the needs of big brands. Hazel emphasizes the role of passion in making entrepreneurship easier and advises aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on their long-term goals. She also addresses the concept of being multi-passionate and how to navigate multiple interests in business.


    Takeaways

    • Collaboration is key in entrepreneurship, and it is important to find common ground and value with the people you work with.
    • Understanding the pain points of big brands and being able to articulate your approach and solutions is crucial in landing projects with them.
    • Entrepreneurship can be easier when driven by passion and a deep sense of responsibility for the business.
    • Short-term sacrifices are often necessary for long-term goals in entrepreneurship.
    • Being multi-passionate can be challenging, but it is important to find ways to align your various interests and prioritize your goals.


    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction

    01:06 Begging to be on the podcast

    02:03 Introduction to INTD

    03:01 Working with placemakers

    04:01 Journey into entrepreneurship

    04:31 Initial challenges

    08:58 Forming opinions on design

    10:43 Collaboration and delegation

    13:31 Learning business speak

    23:26 Landing projects with big brands

    27:13 Advice for collaborating with larger organizations

    31:19 Entrepreneurship doesn't have to be hard

    42:44 Passion and long-term goals

    43:07 Being multi-passionate

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    44 mins
  • Interview with Monica Rivera of You Wanna Do What!?
    Feb 14 2024

    Summary

    Monica, a business coach and consultant, shares her journey of starting a coaching business and the importance of personal branding. She discusses strategies to overcome imposter syndrome and provides tips for building a compelling personal brand. Monica emphasizes the significance of personal branding for women and offers advice on packaging and monetizing skills. In this conversation, Monica discusses the importance of niching down and finding a specific focus for your business or personal brand. She emphasizes that niching down allows you to serve a specific audience and become known for your expertise. Monica also talks about the challenge of balancing multiple passions with practical business sense, and how defining your vision and making strategic decisions can help in finding that balance. She shares her future vision and goals, including speaking at corporations and facilitating workshops to change company culture. Monica also mentions her desire to write a book and inspire her niece to embrace unconventional paths. Lastly, she offers advice for women aspiring to start their own business or personal brand, emphasizing the power of saying yes to yourself.


    Takeaways

    • Personal branding is crucial for building a successful business and connecting with your target audience.
    • Imposter syndrome can be overcome by increasing self-awareness, giving it a name, and creating an evidence bank of your accomplishments.
    • To build a compelling personal brand, start with a clear vision, identify what you want to be known for, and find your unique value proposition.
    • Women can package and monetize their skills by identifying the problem they can solve, understanding their target market, and adding their own personal touch.
    • Taking action is the antidote to fear and imposter syndrome. Consistent action builds confidence and helps overcome self-doubt. Niching down is important for success in business or personal branding, as it allows you to serve a specific audience and become known for your expertise.
    • Balancing multiple passions with practical business sense requires defining your vision and making strategic decisions.
    • Having a clear vision for the future and setting goals can help guide your actions and shape your success.
    • Saying yes to yourself and believing in your abilities is crucial for achieving your goals and overcoming challenges in entrepreneurship.
    • The next guest should be asked about their hardest day and how it has shaped their lived experience.


    Chapters

    00:32 Introduction and Background

    01:46 Inspiration to Start a Coaching Business

    05:38 Overcoming Hurdles in the Early Stages of Business

    07:21 Strategies to Overcome Imposter Syndrome

    14:49 The Importance of Personal Branding

    17:49 The Significance of Personal Branding for Women

    23:08 Building a Compelling Personal Brand

    31:28 Strategies to Navigate Imposter Syndrome

    39:29 Packaging and Monetizing Skills

    44:58 The Importance of Niching Down

    46:03 Balancing Passions and Practicality

    51:48 Future Vision and Goals

    54:18 Upcoming Projects and Initiatives

    55:22 Advice for Women Starting Their Own Business

    57:05 Question for the Next Guest


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    59 mins
  • Hard Knock Podcast: Start of 2024
    Jan 3 2024

    Summary

    In this episode, Ryan Brooks shares updates on his goals and plans for the new year. He talks about creating more content, including tutorial videos and blog posts, to help entrepreneurs in their business endeavors. Ryan discusses the importance of narrowing down his focus and finding his ideal client profile. He shares how feedback from others has helped him rethink his approach and discover new insights. Ryan also mentions his plans to conduct monthly workshops locally to engage with small businesses and share his expertise.


    Takeaways

    Create more content, such as tutorial videos and blog posts, to provide valuable information and help others in their business endeavors.

    Narrow down your focus and identify your ideal client profile to differentiate yourself in a competitive market.

    Embrace feedback and be open to adjusting your approach based on the insights and suggestions of others.

    Engage with your local community by conducting workshops and sharing your expertise to build connections and provide value.


    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Setting

    03:11 Being in the Zone and Creating Content

    09:25 Narrowing Down the Focus

    15:11 Learning from Feedback and Adjusting Approach

    20:05 Workshops and Local Engagement

    25:21 Embracing Feedback and Finding Missing Links


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    27 mins

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