That Will Never Work

Congratulations! Drawing on your personal and professional experience, you’ve created a service that addresses an obvious market need. Now, who’s going to pay for it? Sarah’s solution for onboarding parents and nannies is a good one, and clearly has a lot of potential. But she needs to re-examine her business model to maximize the customer base without pricing out either party. Listen in as Marc negotiates this tricky balance with her.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork). 

Entrepreneurs hawking new products find inspiration in a variety of ways. And you know what? To the outside world, it doesn’t matter that much. A compelling origin story makes for great brand building, but it won’t be the first reason people buy your wares. The product has to fit a consumer need. Today’s guest, Kenton, who started making expandable shoes for barefoot orphans in Kenya, is taking his innovative solution into the marketplace. Now he has to get the product right - and that’s where Marc comes in.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Why would you blow up a successful business model? To make an even better one, of course. That’s the place we find today’s guest, Nunzio. In order to streamline and maximize his service - which provides listings for folks buying and selling businesses - he’s going to ruffle some feathers and dry up some previously wet beaks. Marc coaches him through the uncomfortable steps that will hopefully bring him to a new tier of success. 

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Every app or service that sets out to change the world needs to start the same way: by changing the life of a single customer. So no matter how bold your vision, you still have to go through the same steps of iterative development. Today’s guest, Dana, wants to transform Global literacy, but Marc brings her down to earth, sharing his tips on how to develop big ideas. Rule number one? Make sure it does what at least one person wants it to do.  

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Creating a new product or service involves hundreds of decisions: features, pricing, functionality, etc.  But you can't make any of those decisions without making a bigger decision first: exactly who are you building for.  In today's episode, Marc helps an oncologist-turned-entrepreneur take that critical - but non-intuitive - first step.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Kat has carved out a niche for herself as a personal jewelry shopper for milestone occasions. But her life- (or relationship-) saving service is a bit more complex than it seems, as she is really serving two customers, not just one. Marc has some great suggestions for how she can expand her messaging to turn that dual customer aspect into more business. And by the end of the conversation, she may have just acquired one more new client!

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

In the highly customized world of business consulting, Juan’s Madrid-based company is already turning a profit. Now, he and his colleagues are looking to expedite the onboarding process by providing a tool for clients to help them determine their efficiency needs. He’s come to Marc for advice on how to develop this emerging tool while still keeping the revenues coming in on the traditional side of the business - a classic entrepreneurial dilemma, and one Marc has more than a little experience with.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Bill, today’s guest, is the living embodiment of entrepreneurial persistence. A youth hockey coach as well as a businessman, he’s used to taking hard knocks around the clock. With his latest venture, which aims to simplify the compliance process for youth sports coaches, he’s going through a lot of trial and error as he works to break into the market. And, as he and Marc discuss, there is no better way to put your business on a winning path.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Don’t let the low-key vibe of today’s guest, Jak, fool you; he’s a successful content creator whose “metaverse studio,” Disrupt, has amassed over 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube. And that’s just the issue we discuss: how should today’s content creators evolve beyond the platforms that have made them successful, and create a direct relationship with their audience? An important conversation for anyone entering the realm of DIY media.

 Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

On today’s show, we meet JR. A successful contractor, he is also a quintessential entrepreneur; in the course of running his own business, he’s discovered some industry-specific problems that he believes he can solve. Now, the question is, will his solution have broader, industry-wide appeal, and if so, how to let his fellow builders know? A case study in how to bring good ideas to market.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Marc’s guest today, Seville, is a singular talent. She’s been making her own jewelry by hand since she was 12; over the years, her unique works have become favorites of such icons as NYC fashion magnate Patricia Field and singer Alicia Keys. Now, as a bi-coastal business owner, she’s focused on how to expand what she does without changing who she is. She and Marc have an amazing discussion about authenticity, content marketing and why she doesn’t have to worry too much about copycats.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork). 

Today’s show is a doozy. Weatherman-turned-insurance adjuster Mark calls in to discuss the app he’s developed to help victims of extreme weather events ​​more easily identify their losses and streamline the replacement process. Ironically, he’s calling in while under a tornado watch! And no, this isn’t some cheap marketing gimmick, it’s real life. Fortunately, Marc is able to bestow some solid, go-to-market guidance before the funnel descends. 

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

"Many years ago, broke and hungry, I found myself panhandling for spare change in Hartford, Connecticut," recalls Marc. "It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do but it was an incredible learning experience, because after that, asking an investor for $250,000 was nothing."

There comes a time for every entrepreneur when you need to put your hand out and ask for support, which is exactly the subject of this week's podcast. Leanne has an idea for a life changing non-profit that will provide counseling to victims of sexual assault. But despite being convinced that her idea is a sound one, she’s having a problem getting anyone else to support her financially. Marc quickly recognizes some flaws in her approach and gives her a few suggestions for things she can do -- steps that will benefit anybody who might find themselves in that situation.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Robert is a veteran in the biotech industry, so when he tells Marc he has a new, potentially life-saving medical device to bring to market, one takes him at his word. And like any entrepreneur with a track record and an exciting invention, Robert is figuring out how to work with the mainstream pharma industry, and when to pull the trigger. As he advises Robert, Marc also touches on the larger topic of what motivates entrepreneurs. A great conversation all around.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Kemar wears many hats. A sneakerhead-turned-software engineer, his site Flip boasts 80,000 users who buy, sell and obsess about high end sneakers. He’s come to Marc to discuss how to continue to grow his business, but, through the course of their insightful conversation, the duo end up focusing on _who_ his customers are, which takes things to a whole new place. 

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Today’s guest, Claudia, is on a mission to create a more equitable transit system for people with disabilities. And, like many a successful entrepreneur, her business was inspired by personal experience; blind since childhood - in fact, the first-ever blind woman elected to public office in Colorado - Claudia has experienced the deficiencies in the current systems first-hand. In her conversation with Marc, they tackle one of the thorniest issues for a new business: funding. The conversation is a good road map for anyone who’s ready to take that step.

 Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Don’t let Chris’ nickname - “The Architect” - intimidate you. He may be one of the kindest-hearted guests the show has had to date. And this spirit imbues his business, a consultancy that designs and executes one-of-a-kind urban adventures for individuals and companies. There’s only ONE Architect - and that’s just the issue. After a COVID-inspired lull, Chris needs to scale, quickly. Listen in as Marc helps him work through the thought process for determining how and when he should delegate.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

In many ways, Markian is the model of a successful, young entrepreneur. His social media brand, Smile Squad, boasts over 13 million followers and a healthy cash flow. Now, this top-tier influencer is focusing on how to keep his staff smiling. Marc is more than willing to provide some guidance on how to create a culture of transparency and trust - and he isn’t too shy to probe Markian for insights on how to increase his own social footprint.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

Jessica didn’t let some pandemic stop her. Drawing on years of experience in the fitness industry, she launched a new kickboxing studio business and, despite all the restrictions and uncertainty, brought 35 franchises online, with plans for hundreds more. She’s looking for some guidance from Marc on her best next steps - and he has a lot to say about where to focus, and, most importantly, where NOT to.

 Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).

It’s not often you meet aspiring royalty, but today’s guest, Mike, has his heart set on disrupting the high-end spice dispensing industry with his invention, Pepper King. An amiable fellow, Mike shares his plans to create the Rolls Royce of pepper mills, and the methodical ways in which he’s going about it. Marc offers up some great strategies - including a first-of-its-kind  recommendation. But you’ll have to tune in to find out what it is.

Want to be a guest on "That Will Never Work" and get help with your business issues? Head to https://marcrandolph.com/guest (https://marcrandolph.com/guest), fill out the form, and leave a voice message right there on the site. While there, you can also sign up for Marc’s newsletter – or else connect with him on Twitter (@mbrandolph) or on Instagram (@ThatWillNeverWork).