Entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses can find it challenging to get their idea up and running for a variety of reasons. There may be business skills you need to learn, or perhaps an angel investor is required to bring your product or service from idea to reality. Perhaps you are unsure of what to put into your pitch, or maybe you need a great mentor that has the experience and expert knowledge that a young entrepreneur may yet lack.

To wrap up season one of the Supportedly Podcast, we reflect on some of the best advice that our guests have shared in the last 40 episodes. We discuss everything from networking, hiring applicants, creating and delivering pitches, growing your skills, finding a mentor, and so much more.

“It’s such a necessity to get out there and talk about what you’re doing. - Brandon Hall 

This week on the Supportedly Podcast:

• Why you should go out of your way to build relationships with other entrepreneurs.
• Why it’s vital to hire applicants based on key metrics instead of likeability.
• Refraining from going down the expected path and thinking about what you should actually do.
• Why you shouldn’t overrun your pitch time and why you should finish with an ask.
• Why knowing your marketplace is essential.
• Pursuing new things to develop and grow your skills.
• Things to consider to find the right mentor.

“You want mentors that will challenge your assumptions.” - Jay Bigelow 

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Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and share your favorite episodes on social media!

The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com

John Austin is the Senior Director of NC IDEA, an organization that helps entrepreneurs and startups reach their full potential through a variety of programs and grants. In 2011, John founded Groundwork Labs, which later became NC IDEA LABS, where he has personally been a mentor to over 200 entrepreneurs. He has held top positions in companies such as Joystick Labs, Numerical Design Ltd., and Division Inc. John has a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Valparaiso University and a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

John joins me today to share how the NC IDEA grant process is structured and to describe the grant application best practices. He highlights how entrepreneurs can tackle stage one and stage two forms and explains what entrepreneurs should (and shouldn’t) do in each stage. Here also shares best practices for delivering a pitch and producing a pitch slide deck as well as describes the qualities that he believes entrepreneurs and startups should have.

“The first thing to do is read the instructions, understand what that organization wants to fund, and make sure that you’re in that ballpark.” - John Austin

This week on the Supportedly Podcast:

• How the NC IDEA grant program funds organizations that help startups.
• The criteria for startups to apply for SEED and MICRO grants.
• How to write a first stage grant application.
• How your application is reviewed and what reviewers are looking for.
• Responding to feedback from stage one and preparing your stage two application.
• Preparing your pitch and creating an effective slide deck.
• The three essential qualities startups and entrepreneurs need.
• The things you need to do and not do during the questions segment of your pitch.

Free & Low-Cost Programs at NC IDEA:

• NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM
• NC IDEA SEED
• NC IDEA MICRO
• NC IDEA LABS
• NC IDEA SOAR
• NC IDEA ENGAGE

Connect with John Austin:

• NC IDEA
• Email: info@ncidea.org
• Phone: (919) 941-5600

Subscribe, Rate, & Share

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and share your favorite episodes on social media!

The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com

Dan Radin is the Founder, Chairman, President, and CEO of Auxbus, an end-to-end platform solution designed to guide audio novices through the planning, production, distribution, and creation of podcasts. His corporate career consists of developing audio technology products for recording studios, musicians, home audio enthusiasts, and video gamers, including working for Alesis, Sennheiser, JBL/Harman, and SteelSeries.  Dan has an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Business and Management from Berklee College of Music.

Dan joins me today to share why he started Auxbus and why its podcast creation solution differs from others in the industry. He describes the four stages of podcast creation and reveals the different models for generating an income or building a brand through the production and distribution of a podcast. Dan also shares how high-end audio results are created and highlights the reasons that you or your business might choose content marketing through a podcast over the different marketing mediums that are available.

“It’s a medium you can take anywhere, extend your brand in places that it otherwise couldn’t go, and really share who you are, your values, and your genuine authenticity.” - Dan Radin

This week on the Supportedly Podcast:

• When Dan decided he wanted to own a business, become an entrepreneur, and start Auxbus.
• Why the Auxbus podcast solution is unique.
• The four stages of creating a podcast, including planning, recording, production, and distribution.
• The different podcast models and how they create an income or support their production.
• Podcasts that build brands through content marketing.
• How to create excellent podcast audio quality.
• Why you might choose to podcast as a content marketing medium.
• What Auxbus offers to businesses interested in getting into podcasting.
• The advice that Dan would give to a new entrepreneur.

Connect with Dan Radin:

• Auxbus
• Dan Radin on LinkedIn

Subscribe, Rate, & Share

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Supportedly podcast! If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest review. Don’t forget to visit our website, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and share your favorite episodes on social media!

The Supportedly Podcast is produced by Auxbus. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com