Amplify Your Business

Amplify Your Business Gorditos Fresh Mex Embracing Local Culture as an Expat Entrepreneur

For Episode 219 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Deidra Ciolko, the owner of Gorditos Fresh Mex. Deidra is an expat from the US who moved to the Dominican Republic 13 years ago. She and her partner decided to open up Gorditos Fresh Mex after noticing a gap in the market for fresh Mexican food in the Dominican. Employing locals has helped Deidra and her partner fully grasp not only the language but the local culture, which has helped their restaurant see great success since its opening. Bringing in fresh ingredients from local farmers and fishermen has allowed Deidra to realize her restaurant’s mission: creating a difference by putting more into the beautiful country she calls home than she takes out of it.To learn more, visit their website at https://gorditosfreshmex.com/ 
 
00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Where are you originally from?
02:14 - Tell me about your experience working here in the Dominican Republic as an expat.
04:32 - 13 years into this venture, tell me about the ride so far. What has happened that’s surprised you?
06:30 - Can you tell us about the regulations around starting a business in the DR vs North America?
09:05 - What advice would you give to other expat entrepreneurs who want to set up a business here in the DR?
14:55 - Is this the place where you’re going to retire or will you go back to the US eventually?
16:17 - How do we find Gorditos?
17:59 - Outro

Expat Entrepreneur: Building a Successful Business in a New Country

For Episode 218 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Emma Givera, the owner of Bushnel Construction S. R. L. Bushnel Construction was founded by Emma’s partner, and when she moved to the Dominican Republic from Toronto, the two realized that her outgoing personality, expertise, and connections to other expats could really ramp up their business. From a small development company, Emma and her partner have grown Bushnel into a business that’s poised to take over! As of March, they’ll begin construction on 47 brand new, custom-made villas across the Dominican Republic.
 
00:00 -Intro
02:15 - Can you give us a little backstory of your experience being an expat entrepreneur in the Dominican Republic?
05:33 - Why are so many people investing in the Dominican?
07:20 - What was it like having to learn a brand new industry in a foreign country?
10:19 - What advice would you give to other expats looking to move to the Dominican Republic?
11:52 - What would be the best way for our audience members to connect with you?
12:47 - Outro

Amplify Your Business From Real Estate Agent to Expat Entrepreneur

For Episode 217 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Julie Hewell of Homecore Realty.  Julie is the owner of Homecore Realty in the Dominican Republic. Originally a real estate agent from the United States, Julie moved to the Dominican Republic with her family, with dreams of retiring and living the good life, spending time with her kids. However, as her kids entered their teens, Julie found herself looking for a new challenge. That’s when she founded Homecore Realty, a real estate agency that focuses on providing personalized and honest service to clients, both Dominican locals and fellow expats alikeTo learn more, visit the website at https://www.homecorerealtydr.com/ 
 
00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Was it your intention to move here to the Dominican Republic and start a business?
01:26 - Can you tell us a little bit about your work before you became an ex-pat and moved to the Dominican Republic?
03:21 - Are the realtors you work with local or ex-pats like yourself?
03:54 - What have been the biggest surprises you’ve had as an ex-pat starting a business here in the D.R?
06:03 - Did you find getting your business up and running to be slow-moving based on having to deal with the slow-moving trades out here?
06:39 - Who is your typical target market?
09:57 - Have you had any experience with corruption since opening a business in the DR?
11:40 - Do you have any advice for other ex-pats who may want to start a business here in the DR?
16:09 - Outro

Amplify Your Business The Power of Peer Networks

For Episode 216 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Kit Lisle, the founder and moderator of the Operators.pe. Acting through their Strategic Growth Council, the Operators.pe is a peer community of private equity-backed C-level executives that are ready to act as a board of advisors for SMBs that need that network to help solve strategic growth dilemmas that will allow them to grow and thrive. They match clients with the best peer group for their industry and provide a safe, confidential, trustworthy environment, as well as experienced moderating using a format proven to drive results.
 
In addition, the Operators.pe, in itself, is an online community where executives can go to bounce questions off of one another. They also hold annual events that allow private equity backed executives to get together and network with one another.
 
00:00 - Intro
01:11 - What are the three most important things that every entrepreneur needs to know?
05:30 - Tell me a little bit about the Operators.pe.
15:10 - Did the idea of the Operators.pe come out of a need that you had?
19:00 - What did you find the most challenging with this startup versus your previous experience as an entrepreneur?
23:02 - Has it been a struggle to build both sides of the market at the same time?
27:11 - How do you determine what success looks like?
31:32 - What do you feel is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to achieving growth?
35:39 - How can our audience members connect with you?

Amplify Your Business Cleaning up the City with Integrity

For Episode 215 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Ryan Brown, Partner and former Sales Manager at Integrity Waste Solutions. Integrity is a waste solutions and management company that serves local Edmonton residential areas as well as commercial properties in the Edmonton Region. They chose the name Integrity because it is their mission to bring honesty and integrity back to the waste management solutions industry and the customers they serve, which they do mainly through upfront pricing, which the larger companies don’t offer.To learn more, visit their website at https://www.integritysolutions.ca/. 
 
00:00 - Intro
01:16 - What are three things that every entrepreneur should know?
05:34 - The backstory of Integrity Waste Solutions
09:30 - Can you tell us a bit about Integrity Waste Solutions?
14:13 - How do you cultivate the innovative culture within your business?
17:25 - How challenging was the decision to walk away from Integrity?
21:02 - What are the criteria when trying to determine your next venture?
22:11 - What would success look like for you in your next venture?
23:06 - What do you think is going to be easier this next go-round?
23:56 - Do you have any advice for anyone else at this point in their journey?
25:50 - How can our audience members connect with you?

Amplify Your Business Limelight: Ryan Malloy of Liquid

For Episode 214 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Ryan Malloy, Managing Director at Liquid. Liquid Software Corporation exists to provide business owners with state-of-the-art digital tools so they can extract more money from their businesses. They do this by enabling the flexibility of legacy software platforms that many businesses cling to, despite the ever-changing tech and software industry.
 
Their EDGE-QL solution is a platform designed to help business owners better manage the complexity of their day-to-day operations. It provides the users and their teams with the advantages of modern technology to enhance sales, reduce errors, and optimize productivity, enabling them to concentrate on expanding their business.To learn more, visit their website at https://www.thinkliquid.ca/. 
 
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - What are three things every entrepreneur should know?
05:21 - Tell me a little bit about Liquid Software Corporation. 
15:15 - How do you manage to juggle so many different ventures simultaneously?
21:37 - What’s gotten easier through each business venture you’ve become involved with over the years?
24:23 - What does success look like to you?
26:06 - If you could write your younger self a letter, what would it say?
28:07 - What books have you been reading that have really resonated with you?
30:32 - How can our audience members connect with you?

Amplify Your Business Kid-Drop is on the Road to Success

For Episode 213 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Julieta Miranda, the CEO of Kid-Drop in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Kid-Drop is a transportation solution for busy families. In a world where kids are constantly on the move, school, sports practices and games, extracurricular activities, and everything else, it can be a challenge to get them to and from all of those things in a safe and timely manner–especially if you’re a parent of more than one child!
 
Kid-Drop was designed to support parents in those movements in a safe manner, with in-vehicle cameras, carefully vetted drivers in uniform, and backed by transparency and consistency. They’ll get your children from Point A to Point B, whenever you need them to, and you have the peace of mind of knowing that they’re in good hands.To learn more, visit the Kid-Drop Inc. website.
 
00:00 - Intro
01:05 - What are three things every entrepreneur should know?
02:39 - Can you tell us a little bit about what Kid-Drop is?
06:36 - Do you have plans to expand through franchising, or do you have another strategy there?
09:27 - Can you explain your business model?
11:14 - What are some of the challenges you faced in the early days of Kid-Drop?
16:53 - What were some of the biggest surprises that you’ve had along the way?
18:48 - Can you take us back to the beginning of the business and talk about the struggles you experienced?
23:54 - You seem to have a lot of strength and mental fortitude. Where do you think that comes from?
26:28 - What’s easier this second go-round of entrepreneurship than it was the first time?
30:41 - If you could write your pre-entrepreneurial self a letter, what would it say?
34:59 - How can our listeners connect with you?

Amplify Your Business Driving Business Growth Through Recruiting

For Episode 212 of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Jason Byrne, the founder and CEO of Icon-IQ. Icon-IQ is a recruiting company that focuses on sourcing senior technical talent – such as developers, engineers, product managers, data scientists, etc. – from Latin America for Alberta-based businesses. They work exclusively with companies who are having difficulties acquiring and recruiting this senior tech talent.To learn more, visit https://icon-iq.ca/ or hit up Jason on his LinkedIn.
 
00:00 - Intro
00:58 - What are three things that you think every entrepreneur should know?
04:04 - What are you doing over at Icon-IQ, and where did it all begin?
12:12 - Would you say that where you are today with Icon-IQ is a better business model than where you were pre-pandemic?
17:11 - Walk me through the decision-making process of your rebrand.
25:41 - What do you feel was the most critical element to your future success?
28:39 - As an entrepreneur, how do you make it through the lean years?
38:01 - What do you think is going to be easier now for you to achieve growth?
39:58 - If you could go back in time and write a letter to your younger entrepreneurial self, what would it say?
41:45 - How can our audience members connect with you?