Editors Note: This is a replay of a popular episode from Season 1.

Mark Heydt is a Co-Owner of Stoke Leadership, a leadership development firm. After 2 decades in corporate HR and leadership development Mark made the leap to start his own business, focused on "building better bosses." During our conversation, Mark spoke about how he was able to go off on his own, first as a solo leadership development business owner, and then pivoting to forming a partnership with his co-Founder and starting Stoke Leadership.

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-heydt/
• Website: https://stokeleadership.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markheydt/

Editors Note: This is a replay of a popular episode from Season 1.

In this episode of the Business Breakdown Podcast, Al Dea interviews Andy Storch, keynote speaker, author, and facilitator and Community Builder. During the conversation, Andy shares his entrepreneurial journey, the lessons he's learned, and how he built his business through thought leadership and personal branding.

The conversation covers various topics including his career pivot, the importance of self-reflection, and how he managed to run his own business successfully by leveraging his strengths. Andy also delves into how writing books and building a business around his strengths has helped him develop his business as a keynote speaker, corporate trainer and facilitator, and Leader of an Online Community.

Links

• Website: https://andystorch.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andystorch/

In this solo episode of the Business Breakdown podcast, host Al Dea shares an invaluable lesson he's learned during his journey in entrepreneurship.

Reflecting on his experiences during his first full year of running a leadership development consulting firm, Al emphasizes the importance of consistent business development and seeking help from others who have already solved similar challenges. Tune in to discover how resourcefulness and a commitment to learning can fuel your growth as an entrepreneur, ensuring you never face an empty calendar again.

In this special holiday episode of the Business Breakdown podcast, Al shares a valuable framework called the 'Activities and Outcomes Exercise.' Drawing from insights gathered throughout the season, Al D delves into the importance of aligning daily activities with intended outcomes to achieve business success. By focusing on key aspects like revenue, client engagement, and personal goals, Al offers practical steps to help entrepreneurs navigate priorities and make informed decisions.

Whether you're struggling with choice overload or unsure of where to focus your efforts, this episode provides actionable advice to streamline your approach and enhance your productivity. Tune in to learn effective strategies that can drive your business forward in the coming year.

In this special solo episode of The Business Breakdown, host Al Dea opens up about his journey from corporate product marketer to full-time entrepreneur in leadership development. Al shares candid insights into what it takes to transition a side hustle into a thriving business, the lessons learned along the way, and the essential role of "people smarts" in building a successful service-based enterprise. He also discusses the importance of intentional relationship-building, refining business systems, and staying focused on what truly matters. Whether you're a solopreneur or running a small consulting or coaching business, this episode offers actionable advice and inspiration to help you scale your impact and navigate the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

Links

• Al’s Website: https://www.al-dea.com/
• Al’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/

Lorraine Lee is a Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Instructor and soon to be author of the upcoming book Unforgettable Presence. During this conversation

Lorraine shares her journey from a decade in tech, including roles at LinkedIn and Prezi, to building a successful speaking and training business. She opens up about how a modest side hustle turned into a thriving entrepreneurial venture after being impacted by tech layoffs. Lorraine discusses her expertise in professional presence, her upcoming book Unforgettable Presence, and how leveraging LinkedIn has been pivotal for growing her business.

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraineklee/
• Website: https://lorraineklee.com/

In this episode of The Business Breakdown Podcast, Al Dea interviews Angela Howard, Founder of Call for Culture, a cultural development consultancy. During this conversation, Angela shares her journey from corporate intrapreneur to full-time entrepreneur, discussing the challenges and insights gained from building a business focused on workplace culture and social impact. She talks about the evolution of her consultancy and how she created the Culture Impact Lab to expand conversations about culture beyond the workplace. Angela also shared her insights on the importance of codifying values for founders and how staying aligned with them can guide business decisions.

Links

• Website: https://callforculture.com/

Caroline Ouwerkerk, a leadership and career coach specializing in the social impact space. After working in the higher education sector, Caroline decided to pursue her passion for coaching and helping others through her leadership and career coaching business.

During this conversation, Caroline shares how her background in higher education and leadership development led her to start her own coaching business, focusing on helping individuals make meaningful career transitions and become effective leaders.

Caroline also shared her insights on the power of collaborations, her experiences building the Impact Leaders Incubator, and how creating flexibility in her work has allowed her to balance entrepreneurship with family life.

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolineouwerkerk/
• Website: https://www.carolineouwerkerk.com/