Dr. Mike Smith hosts "The Greatest Businesses in St. Louis" podcast and YouTube series, where he interviews notable local entrepreneurs. In this episode, he speaks with Brian Pearson Jr., founder of EDUrain Inc., a platform designed to solve student housing challenges. Based on his experience with the difficulties of college housing, Brian explains…

Dr. Mike Smith hosts the podcast and a YouTube series, "The Greatest Businesses in St. Louis." In a recent episode, he interviewed Patrick Ritter from Core Planning, a fee-only financial planning firm with 37 self-employed advisors. Core Planning, founded in 2018 by Guy Penn, offers a unique "farmer's market" model where advisors operate independen…

In this interview, we hear from Sharon Crow Chapman, CEO and principal designer of Sharon Chapman Design, founded in 2018. Despite launching just before the pandemic, Sharon's firm has thrived, specializing in transforming spaces through interior design. She discusses her journey from having degrees in advertising and communication to becoming a se…

In this interview, we hear from Ricky Hall from Nutrition HQ, a vitamin supplement retail chain with stores in Quincy, Illinois, Mishawaka, Indiana, and a new one opening soon in Vidalia, Georgia. Ricky shares his business journey, emphasizing the importance of surrounding oneself with other entrepreneurs and continuous self-education. He highlight…

In this interview, we hear from Shaun Duvall, founder of the IT staffing company Daivari. He shared insights about his business, emphasizing the importance of consulting, direct hire, and staff augmentation in the IT space. He highlighted the significant changes and challenges faced, especially during COVID-19, and the implementation of the EOS sys…

In this interview, we hear from Mark Mattei, the founder of ME and Media, a video production and marketing company started in 2020 by Mark and his wife. Mark explains that their business creates a wide range of video content for businesses, including YouTube videos, social media reels, website videos, and TV commercials, with a strong emphasis on c…

In this interview, we hear from Brett Schnitger, CEO of Stars Design Group. Brett leads a company that designs, develops, and produces apparel through 67 factories in 14 countries. Based in St. Louis, with international offices, Brett shares his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes and informed decision-maki…

In this interview, we hear from Jamie Jay, CEO and founder of Bottleneck Distant Assistance, the world's first dedicated distance assistant company. Jamie explains that Bottleneck provides skilled human assistants for various administrative tasks, especially post-COVID, differentiating it from traditional virtual assistants. In his 18 years in the …

In this interview, we hear from Tyson Neal, who leads the freight brokerage at Flatworld and Solutions. He shared insights about his company and personal career journey. Flatworld, a third-party logistics provider, was founded 18 years ago by Kirk Farrell and Jeff Rothermick. Tyson joined two years after its inception, initially worked there, left …

In this interview, we hear from Marc Metz the owner of Optimus Sales Group - Powered by Sales Xceleration is a company that helps small to medium-sized businesses achieve breakthrough sales growth, discipline, and accountability. He provide great insights on using videos in your communications, a focus on sales daily-work and balancing the demands …

In this interview, digital marketing strategist Jennifer Tamborski discussed founding Virtual Marketing Expert, a company dedicated to helping service providers grow and scale their businesses through profitable digital marketing strategies. Tamborski recounted her 20-year journey from virtual assistant to business owner, attributing her success to…

In this Business Spotlight interview, Lydia Crespo is a young serial entrepreneur with two businesses and a third planned in a few months. She highlights her journey by opening up her first business, Argaman & Defiance, creating 100% silk scarves naturally dyed by hand in our studio. Five years later in 2019, she opened Cozy Shop is a boutique and …

In this interview, Matt Hanlon discussed founding Select Communications Advisors in 2010 and launching All Aboard Tech to provide tech amenities for multifamily housing. He detailed the challenges retail sector clients face and the importance of diversification. Hanlon emphasized building relationships with lead agents for business growth and addre…

In this interview, we hear from Jacob Gerringer, broker of Market Point Realty. He shares his journey and insights. Jacob started as a real estate appraiser in 2000 and later founded Market Point Realty in St. Charles, Missouri, aiming to address gaps he observed in the real estate sector. His company focuses on eliminating transaction surprises, l…