The UpFlip Podcast

• 189. How to Start a Business in a Small Town (and Dominate Your Market)

  Heath Andre is no stranger to the grind, but he's turned his hustle into a masterclass in building a thriving junk removal powerhouse. From the ground up, Heath built a business that not only delivers a valuable service but also prioritizes long-term success through exceptional customers retention. This isn't just about hauling away unwanted items; it's about smart business strategy and a relentless business mindset that can be applied to any industry.In this exclusive interview, host Ryan Atkinson dives deep with Heath to uncover his secrets to dominating a niche market, even in a small town. They discuss actionable tactics for fostering unwavering customer loyalty, the crucial elements of effective business leadership, and how to cultivate the mental fortitude needed to overcome entrepreneurial challenges. If you're looking to scale your operations, refine your customer approach, or simply want to absorb the wisdom of a true hands-on entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights you won't find anywhere else.Takeaways- Grit Over Capital: Started junk removal powerhouse with negative net worth.- Recurring Revenue First: Built on stable residential trash before expanding.- Efficiency & Delegation: Achieved high revenue with small, efficient team.- Local Marketing Power: Leveraged word-of-mouth in a small town.- Customer Retention Focus: Prioritized exceptional customers retention.- Discipline Fuels Business: Personal fitness built business mindset for success.- Strategic Pivots: Shifted to profitable commercial services.- Realistic Risk Assessment: Entrepreneurship demands significant personal sacrifice.Tags: Junk removal, Retail Goods, Customers Retention, Business Leadership, Business Mindset, Small Town BusinessResources:Start Your Business Today:  https://links.upflip.com/4kFqy73 Connect with Heath: https://www.youtube.com/@lakechamplainsanitation/videos

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• 188. What Losing $25M Taught This Entrepreneur

  Damien Lupo's journey into real estate began in his early twenties. He used a $10,000 credit card advance as his starting capital to begin acquiring properties. Through relentless effort, strategic planning, and leveraging his initial successes over several years, this initial foray into the market rapidly snowballed, eventually allowing him to build an impressive $25 million property portfolio.But when the 2008 crash hit, Damien lost everything—his properties, investors, and even experienced homelessness. This devastating fall, however, became the catalyst for rebuilding his life from the ground up, focusing not just on financial recovery but on a profound mental and philosophical transformation. Today, Damien runs multiple successful businesses, helps high-income earners secure their retirement with EQRP, and teaches the principles of building true, sustainable wealth from the inside out. In this interview, Damien Lupo sits down with Ryan Atkinson to share his incredible journey, how to cultivate an unstoppable mindset, the truth about passive income, investing strategies and actionable steps for anyone looking to build a strong financial foundation and achieve lasting financial freedom.Takeaways- Damien's childhood was marked by a scarcity mindset.- He learned resilience and self-determination from a young age.- Trusting the process is crucial for personal growth.- Entrepreneurs see problems as opportunities.- Wealth creation requires time and effort, not just luck.- The 2008 crash taught Damien about the importance of stress testing investments.- Ego can lead to financial downfall if not managed.- True wealth encompasses health and time, not just money.- Investing in personal development yields the highest returns.- Taking action, even small steps, is essential for financial growth. Take action to get in the game.- Know your financial reality through the three Cs: cash, credit cards, and calendar.- True passive income doesn't exist; active engagement is necessary.- Wealth requires nurturing and care to thrive.- You must play to win, not just to avoid losing.- Surround yourself with positive influences to foster growth.- Investing is about respecting and nurturing your capital.- The 10-Year Millionaire Action Plan provides a roadmap to financial freedom.- Thinking bigger leads to greater potential and fulfillment.- The biggest regret is not living up to your potential.Tags: Strategic Planning, Service & Consulting, Financial Freedom, Wealth Building, InvestingResources:Start Your Business Today: https://links.upflip.com/4mvixT9 Connect with Damion: https://www.instagram.com/damion.lupo/

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• 187. This Social Media Strategy Drove $800,000 in the first year

  Isaac French thought he had it all. A stable job, a good income, and a fulfilling relationship at such a young age. But somehow he still felt something was missing.  He felt that his creativity was limited by his employer. He spent his time building their vision, not his. This is the reason why Isaac decided to take on a challenge to build his own business.Today, Isaac joins the UpFlip Podcast to share the incredible story of building Live Oak Lake, a unique hospitality business that went from an overlooked plot of land to over $1 million in revenue in its first year.Dive into how Isaac, at just 24, spearheaded the project, leveraging his background in construction for the initial remodelling and development. He reveals the innovative property management techniques and automation that allowed him to run this thriving short-term rental business with minimal staff. Discover the secrets behind his explosive growth, fueled by savvy digital marketing and social media techniques that generated a massive following and 80% direct bookings. Isaac also touches on creating premium guest experiences with thoughtful add-ons, akin to curated retail goods, that made his properties stand out. Tune in to learn how he built a brand, not just a business, in the competitive hospitality landscape.Takeaways- Live Oak Lake began from a desire to create unique, design-driven hospitality experiences with personal creative control.- The initial bold step was investing in an undervalued, "briar-infested" property before full funding was secured.- Automation of check-in, smart home features, and guest communication was key to lean operational costs.- An early setback (Airbnb suspension) became a catalyst for a highly successful direct booking strategy.- Prioritizing premium design and a "magical" guest experience justified higher price points and built strong demand.- Influencer marketing and authentic founder-led storytelling were pivotal in rapidly building a large, engaged audience.- Focusing on fewer, high-quality units created exclusivity and allowed for exceptional attention to detail.- Building a strong brand directly translated into significant enterprise value, leading to a profitable exit.- It's crucial to blend artistic vision with savvy operational and marketing execution.Success in unique hospitality requires spotting hidden potential, bold execution, and adapting to challenges.Tags: Property management, Retail Goods, Remodelling, Digital Marketing, Social Media, Short-term RentalResources:Start Your Business Today: https://links.upflip.com/4ktsvms Connect with Isaac: https://www.instagram.com/isaacfrench_/reels/?hl=en

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• 186. How to Turn a Hobby Into a High-Margin Business

  David Silberman has always been passionate about ping pong. Until he realized something. No matter where he goes, ping pong players typically only have two options for a place to play: either at overpriced bars or run-down dojos.This made David realize there is a huge opportunity in this niche market. What if he can provide an alternative for the ping pong players? A place that offers more value for them at a fraction of the price.In this interview, David sits down with Ryan Atkinson to talk about his journey in growing PingPod, a self-serving ping pong establishment that runs without any onsite staff. How? by utilizing smart tech and innovative product development.  David also shares how his business ideas came about, how he invested in software development to automate his business, and the systems that he uses to make sure his business runs on autopilot. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a business owner looking to innovate and scale, this episode is packed with actionable insights you don't want to missTakeaways- Ping Pod started as a response to a lack of accessible ping pong venues.- The initial MVP was a pop-up in Manhattan that validated the business idea.- Automation and self-service are key to reducing overhead costs.- Launching during the pandemic presented unique challenges but also opportunities.- Understanding supply and demand dynamics is crucial for niche businesses.- Building your own technology can enhance operational efficiency.- Community building is a rewarding aspect of running a business.- Franchising offers a way to scale while maintaining brand integrity.- It's important to balance passion with smart business decisions.- Success in entrepreneurship requires hard work and a bit of luck.Tags: Sporting Goods, Niche Markets, Business Ideas, Product Development, Passive Income, Software DevelopmentResources:Start Your Business Today: https://links.upflip.com/43cKzdo Connect with David: https://www.instagram.com/dsilby/?hl=en 

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• 185. This Mindset Took Him from a Used Van to a $100M Company

  Josh York has always been passionate about fitness. One day, while working as a fitness trainer, he realized that there is one common pitfall that prevents most people from achieving their fitness goal - a lot of people are just too busy to find time to go to the gym.  Then, it hits him. Why doesn’t he put gym equipment in a van and bring it to the customers instead? This way, people can get high-quality personal training from anywhere they want! A lot of successful people told him his business idea was stupid and full of holes. But that never stopped Josh from pursuing his passion. Now, GYMGUYZ is the fastest-growing personal fitness brand, with more than  250 locations generating over $100M in revenue each year.In this interview, Josh sits down with Ryan Atkinson to talk about the business mindset, leadership quality, and networking skills you need to grow your business. They also talk about how pain & discomfort are crucial to building your mental strength, how to deal with self-doubt, and how to find the courage to start. Just like Josh, a lot of us are sitting down with business ideas and never really find the guts to execute them. Maybe this is the last piece of motivation that we need.Takeaways- Josh started Gym Guys with a van and workout gear.- The concept was to bring fitness to clients' locations.- Initial marketing involved old-school methods like handing out flyers.- Building relationships was key to acquiring clients.- Fortune favors the bold; taking action is crucial.- Mistakes are valuable lessons in entrepreneurship.- Franchising began after seven years of operation.- Pain and resilience are essential for success.- Experiencing discomfort helps build mental strength.- Focus on the process, not just the end result.Tags: Business Mindset, Service & Consulting, Business Ideas, Business Leadership, Personal Fitness, NetworkingResources:Start Your Business Today: https://links.upflip.com/4d8Hxvy Connect with Josh: https://franchise.upflip.com/gym-guyz/

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