37 episodes

Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for business owners who set out to do something different — and did not stop there. Join us as hosts Derek Dall'Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with entrepreneurs and business owners in Traverse City and beyond to hear their stories, dig into the wins and challenges along the way and uncover what it takes to be successful, in business and in life.

Traversing Entrepreneurship Derek Dall'Olmo & Melissa Niedzielski

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 6 Ratings

Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for business owners who set out to do something different — and did not stop there. Join us as hosts Derek Dall'Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with entrepreneurs and business owners in Traverse City and beyond to hear their stories, dig into the wins and challenges along the way and uncover what it takes to be successful, in business and in life.

    Episode 37 - Articulating Your Vision: Helping Entrepreneurs Plan for Success with Natasha E Davis

    Episode 37 - Articulating Your Vision: Helping Entrepreneurs Plan for Success with Natasha E Davis

    Natasha E. Davis, affectionately known as “The Chief Visionary” is the CEO and founder of Impact Branding Consulting, Inc. and the CRM software platform The Profit Enhancer Analysis. Natasha specializes in positioning the daily operations of corporations and government agencies to perform in alignment with the vision of the leader through strategic planning and branding. Her specialty is helping entrepreneurs, companies and government create brands that have a sustainable & profitable impact. She believes that every business owner and leader should Think Big; Build Momentum and Scale Fast.
    In this episode Derek is joined by Dr. Tonya Robertson, founder of Focus Training Solutions, as she shares her journey from teen mom to entrepreneur and her expertise helping businesses streamline onboarding and training. Tonya discusses overcoming obstacles through perseverance and education. She shares tips for CEOs on letting go of control, auditing company needs, and hiring for culture fit over skills. Tonya also emphasizes the importance of developing employees long-term through clear career paths, continuous learning, and making work enjoyable. 
    “You can't go that extra level, you can't scale without delegating. And let me tell you, people don't realize how hard it is, it's not as easy as we think. You think you're gonna delegate, you're not, it's not that easy." - Natasha E. Davis
     
    This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:
     
    Delegating tasks and entrepreneurship. (0:05) Transferring skills from trauma nursing to business ownership. (2:11) Career transition from nursing to business. (8:14) Business growth and strategy with a nurse-turned-consultant. (11:35) Developing a software tool for consultants. (17:50) Scaling a business through delegation and diversification. (20:13) Entrepreneurship, business growth, and overcoming obstacles. (26:32)  
    Our Favorite Quotes:
     
    “My goal within the first 12 months is to create a 10 10 10 experience and as 10% increase in revenue 10% decrease in waste and 10% increase in productivity.” - Natasha E. Davis
    “It took me about seven or eight years when I realized you need to get it together girlfriend because if this is what you're really doing, once you get a taste of true independence as a business woman and this is what you love, it is very hard to go back to work for people.”  - Natasha E. Davis
     
    Connect with Natasha:
     
    Website: www.ImpactBrandingConsulting.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/NatashaDavisVisionary  
    About TreMonte and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast
     
    Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, co-hosts Derek Dall’Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business. 
     
    Derek and Melissa work together at TreMonte Financial Consultants, LLC and TreMonte TreMonte Tax Solutions, LLC (together referred to as “TreMonte”). TreMonte works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a proactive tax strategy that maximizes after-tax profits. It is TreMonte’s goal to bridge the gap between Financial Advisors and Accountants by serving as CFO to their clients.
     
    This show is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. You should always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.
     
    Please email Derek Dall’Olmo at derek@tremontefinancial.com with questions and comments or to schedule a one-on-one conversation.
     
    TreMonte Facebook Page | Follow Derek on LinkedIn | Follow Melissa on LinkedIn
     
    Subscribe:
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    • 1 hr 13 min
    Episode 36 - Overcoming Entrepreneurial Fears with Dr. Tonya Robertson

    Episode 36 - Overcoming Entrepreneurial Fears with Dr. Tonya Robertson

    Dr. Tonya Robertson, the learning and strategy specialist is the Founder and CEO of Focused Training Solutions, a company that is committed to curating instructional learning tools designed to optimize performance in the workplace. Dr. Robertson has worked with numerous C-Suite Executives of well-known companies to create training materials that will guide their team to success and establish good retention among their employees. Alongside working tirelessly to help others be productive in the workplace, Tonya also devotes her time to organizations such as the Association of Talent Development and Dell’s Women Entrepreneur Network. She has also received a Doctorate Degree in Education and eLearning. To learn more about Tonya and her work, visit www.focusedtrainingsolutions.com
    In this episode Derek is joined by Dr. Tonya Robertson, founder of Focus Training Solutions, as she shares her journey from teen mom to entrepreneur and her expertise helping businesses streamline onboarding and training. Tonya discusses overcoming obstacles through perseverance and education. She shares tips for CEOs on letting go of control, auditing company needs, and hiring for culture fit over skills. Tonya also emphasizes the importance of developing employees long-term through clear career paths, continuous learning, and making work enjoyable. 
    "You've got to continue developing your people. You can never stop developing your people."  - Dr. Tonya Robertson 
     
    This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:
    Entrepreneurship, onboarding, and control. Overcoming obstacles and pursuing entrepreneurship despite naysayers. Education, and training solutions. Streamlining business operations through onboarding and training programs. Delegating tasks and hiring for a business. Leadership, retention, and employee onboarding. Business growth and technology adoption. Team building strategies. Hiring and retaining employees with a focus on culture and career growth.


    Our Favorite Quotes:
     
    "This is your baby, you built this thing from the ground up. And you know, it's like hey, how dare you come here and mess up what I built, you're not going to do that." - Dr. Tonya Robertson
    "I just had to completely fire myself, because I just had to fire myself from the process."   - Dr. Tonya Robertson 



    Connect with Dr. Robertson:


    Website: www.focusedtrainingsolutions.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focused-training-solutions

    • 55 min
    Episode 35 - From Corporate Job to Land Investor: Nolan Miracle's Unconventional Path to Success

    Episode 35 - From Corporate Job to Land Investor: Nolan Miracle's Unconventional Path to Success

    Nolan Miracle is the founder and owner of The Property Miracle, LLC, a raw land investment company.  Since founding the business in January of 2021, Nolan and his team have acquired nearly 40 properties and have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits.  With a national remote business model, they've bought and sold land all over the country from the comforts of their desks.
     
    Nolan Miracle joins us to discuss his unconventional path from corporate tech job to founding a successful land investment company, Property Miracle LLC. He details his journey of learning the business through education programs, closing his first deal after six months of hard work, and pivoting his marketing strategy to rapidly scale his pipeline. Nolan also shares tactics for funding deals through private investors, overcoming headaches like unknown property issues, and his vision for incorporating new technologies like blockchain and AI assistants into the future of land investing. 
     
    “I'm always looking to partner with additional folks, it is very much a relationship based thing, right? You want to do business with people that you like, and that you trust. And that's super important.” - Nolan Miracle
     
    This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:
    Introducing Nolan Miracle Raw land investment vs traditional real estate. Real estate investing and the first deal. Building a real estate investing business with a team. Funding real estate deals using other people's money. Real estate investing and building relationships. Land real estate investing and its future. Entrepreneurship, finance, and technology.  
    Our Favorite Quotes:
     
    “If you've got the entrepreneurial bug, and you're gonna start something, do not treat it like a hobby. Especially if it's going to be your bread and butter, and you want to do this full time. Be persistent, is the point, I don't care if you're sick, I don't care if you have a headache, get to your desk and get some work done, move the needle forward, every single day, especially in the beginning, as a solo entrepreneur” - Nolan Miracle
    “You do business with people you know, like and trust – that trust portion takes time to build, I don't care what business you're in, it takes time to do what you say you're going to do, by the time you said you're going to do it.” - Derek Dall’Olmo
    “I think the biggest thing was probably learning how to have the conversation with the seller to actually get it across the finish line” - Nolan Miracle
    “I feel like I’ve made every mistake possible I can make this year. But the one positive thing that I feel like I've done with starting a team.” - Nolan Miracle
     
    Connect with Nolan:



    Website: www.propertymiracle.com Email: Nolan@propertymiracle.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-miracle-49278351/  
    About TreMonte and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast
     
    Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, co-hosts Derek Dall’Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business. 
     
    Derek and Melissa work together at TreMonte Financial Consultants, LLC and TreMonte TreMonte Tax Solutions, LLC (together referred to as “TreMonte”). TreMonte works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a proactive tax strategy that maximizes after-tax profits. It is TreMonte’s goal to bridge the gap between Financial Advisors and Accountants by serving as CFO to their clients.
     
    This show is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as personalized financial, investm

    • 48 min
    Episode 34 - Matt Lesser Returns to Discuss the Pillars of Empathy, Empowerment, and Excellence in Leadership

    Episode 34 - Matt Lesser Returns to Discuss the Pillars of Empathy, Empowerment, and Excellence in Leadership

    Matt Lesser started his career leading his family’s struggling business. It quickly failed, and Matt experienced a suicidal depression. Out of the ashes, a new business emerged and grew from three people to nearly two hundred while experiencing a twenty-fold increase in revenue, before selling to trusted competitors. Matt then served in a C-Suite role in private equity for 12 years, before serving transitional C-Suite roles in banking and commercial uniforms.
     
    Matt founded Uniquely Normal, LLC in 2021 to equip leaders to solve their costly people-related challenges by building flourishing organizations on the pillars of Empathy, Empowerment, and Excellence, which is the focus of Matt’s second book, "unEngaged: Building Flourishing Organizations" (released 24 OCT 2023). Matt is the best-selling author of "unSatisfied: When Less is More" and has served as a keynote speaker as well as a facilitator of rooms packed with leaders around the world for more than twenty years now. In addition, Matt is a certified executive coach as well as certified in nearly twenty personality, preference, and leadership assessments. Matt married his elementary school sweetheart in 1996 and lives in northeast Indiana with his family.
     
    Derek Dall'Olmo welcomes Matt Lesser back to the podcast to discuss Matt's new book on building flourishing organizations. Matt provides an overview of the three pillars of empathy, empowerment, and excellence that are the focus of his book. He explains each pillar in detail and how they contribute to developing engaged team members. Derek digs into how leaders can implement these concepts within their own organizations.
    "Organizations do not become flourishing by accident. People do not become flourishing by accident. It requires intentionality." - Matt Lesser
     
    This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:
    Building a successful business and overcoming challenges. Leadership book with three pillars of empathy, empowerment, and excellence. Leadership, empathy, and effective communication in business. Empathy in leadership and its impact on employee retention. Empowering employees with clear expectations and authority. Leadership, empathy, and excellence in an organization. Organizational excellence and team member motivation. Identifying and developing top performers in an organization. Acquisition strategies and addressing core fears and insecurities.


    Our Favorite Quotes:
     
    "Empathy really boils down to two things, two practices, understanding and listening." - Matt Lesser
    "Empowerment is all about letting people do the job that you hired them to do." - Matt Lesser
    "Excellence is having a compelling vision that is aligned, supported, and communicated." - Matt Lesser
     
    Connect with Matt:
     
    Website: www.uniquelynormal.com Email: Matt@uniquelynormal.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-lesser  
    About TreMonte and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast
     
    Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, co-hosts Derek Dall’Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business. 
     
    Derek and Melissa work together at TreMonte Financial Consultants, LLC and TreMonte TreMonte Tax Solutions, LLC (together referred to as “TreMonte”). TreMonte works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a proactive tax strategy that maximizes after-tax profits. It is TreMonte’s goal to bridge the gap between Financial Advisors and Accountants by serving as CFO to their clients.
     
    This show is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice.

    • 50 min
    Episode 33 - Asking the Universe and Taking Action with Martin Salama

    Episode 33 - Asking the Universe and Taking Action with Martin Salama

    For over a decade Martin Salama, The Architect of The Warrior's L.I.F.E. Code has been helping entrepreneurs shift from worry and lack to abundance and being a L.I.F.E. Warrior! Why spend your time worrying when you can be Living Incredibly Full Everyday!
     
    In this episode Martin Salama shares his journey of overcoming bankruptcy and divorce to become a successful life coach and author. He discusses tools like stopping reactions and starting responses, focusing on strengths over weaknesses, and leveraging others' expertise. Martin also provides business advice around emotional intelligence, leadership, and finding one's zone of genius rather than trying to do everything oneself. Listen to this episode to understand how facing adversity can cultivate important skills and mindsets for running a resilient company.
     
    "Are you truly being a leader in your business? No matter what kind of management position you’re in, you’re a leader.” - Martin Salama
     
    This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:
    Introducing Martin Salama Develop self-awareness over self-consciousness by focusing inward on strengths rather than outward on others' opinions. Practice stopping reactions and starting thoughtful responses to difficult situations and conversations. Identify your zone of genius and stay within it, leveraging others' expertise rather than trying to do everything yourself. Build emotional strength through habits like self-coaching with tools like the 1-3-5 scorecard. Lead from a place of serving others rather than expecting to be served as the sole decision-maker. Face hardships with a growth mindset, knowing adversity can cultivate important leadership skills for business success.  
    Our Favorite Quotes:
     
    "I was always an entrepreneur, even when I was 11- 12 years old.” - Martin Salama “If I charge $350 or $500 an hour for professional services, that's kind of where I draw the line. But if I can go out and create revenue at this rate, why would I be doing something at a lower rate over here? It's way more beneficial for me to find the WHO to do XYZ. So I can do the how over here.” - Derek Dall’Olmo  "Are you acting as a boss? Are you barking out orders? Or are you being inclusive in the conversations?" - Martin Salama


    Connect with Martin:
     
    Website: https://thewarriorslifecode.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/martin-salama-cpc-eli-mp/  
    About TreMonte and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast
     
    Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, co-hosts Derek Dall’Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business. 
     
    Derek and Melissa work together at TreMonte Financial Consultants, LLC and TreMonte TreMonte Tax Solutions, LLC (together referred to as “TreMonte”). TreMonte works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a proactive tax strategy that maximizes after-tax profits. It is TreMonte’s goal to bridge the gap between Financial Advisors and Accountants by serving as CFO to their clients.
     
    This show is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. You should always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.
     
    Please email Derek Dall’Olmo at derek@tremontefinancial.com with questions and comments or to schedule a one-on-one conversation.
     
    TreMonte Facebook Page | Follow Derek on LinkedIn | Follow Melissa on LinkedIn
     
    Subscribe:
    Apple Podcast  |  Google Podcasts  |  Amazon Podcasts  |  Stitcher  |  Spotify  |  Deezer  |  TuneIn 
     
    If you enj

    • 1 hr 20 min
    Episode 32 - Exponential Digital Growth with Michael Begg

    Episode 32 - Exponential Digital Growth with Michael Begg

    Michael Begg is the Co-Founder and CEO of AMZ Advisers, a global digital marketing agency with locations in North America, Asia and Europe that provides Amazon services for brands and manufacturers looking to maximize their growth. Services include Amazon SEO, Advertising, Inventory Management, Marketing Strategy and Performance Reporting.
     
    This episode features Michael Begg, an expert in e-commerce and digital marketing. He shares his journey from real estate to building a successful Amazon agency, AMZ Advisors. This episode dives into topics such as understanding business motivations, scaling brands on Amazon, and the challenges and strategies involved in establishing a presence in Latin America.
     
    "We have clients that are already doing TikTok shops and they're going from doing $7,000 per day on Amazon to doing like $55,000 a day just from starting to publish content." - Michael Begg
     
    This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:
    Introducing Michael Begg Transition into selling products on amazon. How do you scale a brand? Steps to start a business in Mexico. Strategic partnerships to grow their business. How to scale on amazon. Perceptions of e-commerce in Mexico. Advice for people who are starting their own business. How to build trust with clients.  
    Our Favorite Quotes:
     
    "Within about five months of being in Mexico, we were making enough money to support ourselves." - Michael Begg

    “I always tell clients exactly what's going on throughout the process, whether or not you think it affects you, or whether or not you like what's going on? Here's what's going to happen. So you understand why, you know, the what, why, how, etc. Because it builds trust. Really, in any business, there is a trust element.” - Derek Dall’Ollmo

    "Investing in Amazon gives you a sales lift across all of your sales channels." - Michael Begg "There's plenty of platforms that make it a lot more doable now, the fees are a lot more reasonable."  - Michael Begg

    "Essentially because we have a foreign business, a foreign controlled entity, we have to do our filing in Mexico first and then we have to translate it to English."  - Michael Begg

    Connect with Michael Begg:
     
    Connect on LinkedIn Website: https://amzadvisers.com/  
    About TreMonte and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast
     
    Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, co-hosts Derek Dall’Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business. 
     
    Derek and Melissa work together at TreMonte Financial Consultants, LLC and TreMonte TreMonte Tax Solutions, LLC (together referred to as “TreMonte”). TreMonte works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a proactive tax strategy that maximizes after-tax profits. It is TreMonte’s goal to bridge the gap between Financial Advisors and Accountants by serving as CFO to their clients.
     
    This show is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. You should always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.
     
    Please email Derek Dall’Olmo at derek@tremontefinancial.com with questions and comments or to schedule a one-on-one conversation.
     
    TreMonte Facebook Page | Follow Derek on LinkedIn | Follow Melissa on LinkedIn
     
    Subscribe:
    Apple Podcast  |  Google Podcasts  |  Amazon Podcasts  |  Stitcher  |  Spotify  |  Deezer  |  TuneIn 
     
    If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on iTunes to help others discover the podcast.

    • 47 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
6 Ratings

6 Ratings

W-Q-T ,

Honest Conversations

Derek does a great job with the questions he asks and the safety he creates in having a real and honest conversation. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with him on his podcast and I have learned much from his other podcasts and guests. If you are looking for practical material and honest conversations, this is the podcast to listen to!

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