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Grow A Small Business PodcastAuthor: Troy Trewin
Our weekly 30 minute podcast helps you, a small business owner with 5 to 30 team members, take your company to the next level. The Grow A Small Business community, weekly cast, blog and leadership email supports leaders get through the pain of growth. With insights, lessons learned, books and tools as well as habits these experienced small business owners suggest you develop, our interviews unearth tremendous value for anyone wanting to grow their business with less stress. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Molly Ruland: From $100K Debt to Growing Heartcast Media to 8 Team Members, $3M+ in Business and 71% Growth, Using Podcasting, SEO, Systems and Relationships to Build a Profitable, Pandemic-Resilient Agency + Team Culture. (Episode 791 - Molly Ruland)
Episode 791
Sunday, 23 August, 2026
In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast host Troy Trewin interviews Molly Ruland, founder of Heartcast Media, shares how she rebuilt after closing her first business with $100,000 in debt and launched a profitable podcast production agency in 2018. She grew Heartcast Media to an eight-person team and over $3 million in business, including a 71% year-over-year growth year. Molly explains how she transformed the business during the pandemic, growing 200% while keeping every employee employed. She discusses the importance of SEO, podcasting, systems, relationships, and understanding your value when scaling a business. She also shares hard-earned lessons on hiring, leadership, company culture, perseverance, and building a business that can operate without you. Check out The Next 100: Hosted by Molly Ruland, a podcast designed to remind listeners that the next 100 days can create meaningful change through small, consistent actions. Molly shares personal experiences, business lessons, motivation, and practical insights to help listeners move from feeling stuck to taking action. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Molly Ruland says the hardest thing in growing a small business is perseverance. She compares business growth to the ocean—there are ebbs and flows, so you have to keep going through both the good and bad periods. She also emphasizes staying vigilant by continually checking your offers and reviewing your website/content to make sure everything is still relevant. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Molly Ruland shares that her favorite business book is The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell. She reads it once a year because every time she revisits it, she finds new areas to work on. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Molly Ruland shares that she is a member of Together Digital, a women-in-marketing digital collective, which she finds to be an excellent resource. She also relies heavily on business books and audiobooks for professional development, treating them almost like mentors. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Molly Ruland shares that she highly recommends Gamma. She says Gamma can significantly improve proposals, reports, and other business materials, and that it can change the way you work. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Molly Ruland shares that she would tell herself to "get a therapist." She explains that so much of running a business is a head game and that entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. Having a strong handle on your mental health can help you navigate the challenges of leadership and avoid problems in the business. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey. Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: You just got to keep doing it because sometimes it's going to work and sometimes it's not and that's part of the journey - Molly Ruland You got to do the stuff you don't like but when you get good at it you might realize that you actually love those things - Molly Ruland Nobody's coming to save you so understand your systems and how they work and learn how to fix them when they break - Molly Ruland
