3 Top Small Business Owners on Marketing, Growth, and Making an Impact

If you've ever wondered how to market your business when you can't outspend your competitors, this episode is about to become your new favorite.

Last week, I got flown out to Washington DC for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit, where I sat down with three entrepreneurs who've built wildly successful businesses using completely different approaches—from TikTok and marketing funnels to community engagement on a shoestring budget to bloody marys at barbershops and turning a lawsuit into viral marketing gold.

The best part? Their success isn't just measured in revenue. We're talking 60 million bars of soap donated, a 2% recidivism rate that defies all statistics, and a family business that's been going strong for 20 years.

You're about to hear the unfiltered, no-BS truth about what actually works in marketing, straight from three people who've done it. Fair warning: you're probably going to want to take notes.

This episode features:

• David Simnick, CEO of Soapbox (Washington, DC)

  • Soapbox website (use code MAKINGGOOD25 for 25% off!)

  • Soapbox on Instagram / TikTok

• Letha Pugh, Co-Owner of Bake Me Happy and Preston’s Burger Joint (Columbus, OH)

  • Bake Me Happy website

  • Preston’s Burger Joint

  • Bake Me Happy on Instagram

  • Preston’s Burger Joint on Instagram

  • Letha’s website

• Bob McClure, Co-Founder of McClure’s (Detroit, MI)

  • McClure’s website

  • McClure’s on Instagram

What’s included in this episode:

• Why TikTok has completely changed the game for product-based businesses

• The Roomba analogy for building a business (and why pivoting is normal)

• How to think about the marketing funnel—explained with a hilarious made-up candle brand

• The four-bucket framework for managing multiple businesses and staying sane

• Creative marketing tactics that cost almost nothing: legal billboards, pickle nail art, bloody marys at barbershops

• Why your mission should be the "cherry on top," not the lead in your marketing

• How growth enables impact—and why that matters for your business

• The #1 thing each small biz owner is most proud of

• And much more

Resources mentioned:

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program - Learn more and apply at 10ksbapply.com

• Soapbox - Use code MAKINGGOOD25 for 25% off your first order at soapbox.co

• Bake Me Happy - Visit bakemehappygf.com or lethapugh.com

• McClure's Pickles - Shop at mcclures.com

MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:
https://makinggoodpodcast.com/312

CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:
https://instagram.com/laurentilden

GET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):
https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts