Ayanna Smalls on Cloud Consulting, Culture, and Tech Representation
Release Date: 12/27/2024
The Music Industry Mindset That Builds Better Businesses
Fervent Four
Jarrett Beeler, Sway Creative Labs, shares his journey from the music industry to advertising, highlighting lessons applicable to business success. The discussion explores Norfolk's startup incentives and local business climate, emphasizing fostering creativity and talent. Jarrett delves into the economics of streaming, changing revenue models, and educating clients on music industry dynamics. Topics include personal growth, leadership, managing responsibilities, and acquiring advertising clients. Ethical considerations, AI's impact on advertising, and talent recruitment are examined,...
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Navigating Funding: Venture Capital, Integrated Capital, and Entrepreneurial Identity
Fervent Four
Himalaya Rao-Potlapally discusses the dynamics of venture capital and startup funding, advising founders on when to avoid VC money. The episode delves into various funding types and the significance of the TomTom festival. Himalaya shares insights on starting a venture fund, early startup events, and the importance of mentorship for new entrepreneurs. The conversation touches on investor motivations, matching capital to business needs, and integrated capital approaches. Challenges like funding disparities and fostering innovation in rural areas are explored, along with entrepreneurship's role...
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Building Better Founders at Lighthouse Labs
Fervent Four
Debbie Irwin, Lighthouse Labs, explores metrics for evaluating entrepreneurial resilience, inspired by Rick Rubin's creativity. She shares insights and her experiences supporting founders. Topics include regionalism in startup funding, inspiration from the Kaufman Foundation, and Debbie's personal journey. The episode delves into founders' motivation, feedback dynamics, mentorship's impact, the Lighthouse (Labs) Network's evolving support, Richmond's corporate scene, and founder responsiveness. (0:00) Metrics for measuring founder resiliency and reinvestment (0:37) Zack Miller...
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Shaping Cities: Landscape Architecture and Urban Development
Fervent Four
Nate Lahy joins the episode to explore landscape architecture, sharing his morning routine and favorite inspirational books. He discusses Orbis Landscape Architecture and the field's evolution, focusing on innovative flood management in Norfolk. The conversation emphasizes historical context, networking, and community-building. Additional topics include insights from Rick Rubin's book, the value of authors narrating their works, and fostering relationships with Assembly. The episode wraps up with local food recommendations and business shout-outs. (0:00) Introduction and Casual Chatter...
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Jumping Into Business: Niche Markets, Innovation, and Entrepreneurial Insights with Sanele Lasana
Fervent Four
Sanele Lasana joins this episode to explore the power of embracing unique business ideas and the importance of celebrating milestones along the entrepreneurial journey. The conversation delves into learning and risk-taking in business, and a discussion on the Startup World Cup. The episode highlights innovations in adult tumbling and exercise science, uncovering niche acrobatic communities and the significance of play for adults. Challenges like insurance in gymnastics and strategic partnerships for market adoption are discussed. Sanele shares insights on coaching adults, structuring pricing...
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A Founder’s Journey: From Startup to Exit
Fervent Four
Join Ned Lilly as he discusses the evolution of open source ERP software and XTuple's acquisition journey. Explore the role of data in AI and the challenges of remote work. Ned shares insights into Start Norfolk and Hatch, emphasizing regional leadership and community engagement. The episode covers talent recruitment, customer engagement strategies, and trends in mergers and acquisitions. Ned offers investment banking perspectives from Quorum Group, highlighting M&A preparation and due diligence. Plus, hear about AI's impact on tech, the value of data, and favorite regional cuisine and...
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Unlocking Government Market Opportunities
Fervent Four
(0:00) Importance of staying on tune and finishing tasks (0:19) Making lots of little bets in government contracting (1:01) Weekly struggles, motivation, and guest introduction (2:27) Meeting William Randolph and his background (4:53) Overview of MicroMarket and government purchase card program (10:33) Challenges and features in government marketplace (13:08) Impact of government resolutions and spending on businesses (16:22) Preparing vendors for government opportunities and DOGE purchase freeze (20:09) Proposal for purchase card efficiency and business uncertainty (22:01) Government...
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Is It Time to Sell Your Business? What’s Next in Your Career?
Fervent Four
Mark Coster joins this episode to share his insights on business succession planning and the evolution of the startup scene. The discussion begins with a look at Apple product longevity and Zack's experience with a new MacBook. Tim's recent trip to Maui and ergonomic chairs segue into a conversation on targeted and geolocated advertising. Mark delves into his career background, highlighting growth experiences with PRA Group and CarMax. The episode explores regional business competition, search funds, and offers advice for founders on succession and market transitions. Mark discusses...
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Navigating Hospitality & Law: Wisdom from Tejal Desai
Fervent Four
Tejal Desai shares his journey from joining his family's hospitality business to navigating the complex world of law and estate planning. He discusses the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on his family's business and the resilience required to weather economic downturns. Tejal reflects on transitioning out of the family business, emphasizing the importance of personal happiness and strategic decision-making. The episode delves into the evolving legal profession, highlighting innovations such as AI and fixed fee models. Tejal underscores the significance of networking for career growth and...
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Revolutionizing Tax Expertise with AI: The Power of TaxGPT
Fervent Four
Taylor Schaude joins this episode to discuss the intersection of startups, AI, and accounting. The conversation begins with personal updates and a look at Atlanta's growth, highlighted by Mailchimp's acquisition. They explore the dynamics of venture capital, career transitions, and Taylor's experiences with 500 Startups. The episode delves into Delta's community role in Atlanta and compares startup collaboration with corporate risk-taking. Taylor introduces tax GPT and the evolution of Neotax, emphasizing AI's potential in democratizing tax information. The discussion covers AI adoption in...
info_outlineAyanna J. Smalls is the founder of Smalz Cloud Consulting, helping small businesses seamlessly integrate cloud technology to boost efficiency, security, and growth. With expertise in AWS, Azure, AI, and e-commerce, she delivers tailored cloud solutions for challenges like app migrations, compliance, scaling e-commerce platforms, and more.
Ayanna also founded Stemlighten, empowering the next generation of STEM leaders through teaching coding, video game development, and innovative entrepreneurship at college campuses. With experience in leading tech projects for top companies, Ayanna’s resume includes work on cloud infrastructure, AI integrations, and security solutions, solidifying her reputation as a trusted expert in the tech field in Hampton Roads.
Discover how cloud technology can help your business work smarter, stay secure, and grow steadily, all while providing valuable insights into strategy and exciting STEM opportunities.
Guest links:
https://www.smalzcloudconsulting.com/
Chapters:
(0:00) Episode introduction and greetings
(1:04) Learning Spanish, Ayanna's background, and Panama connection
(7:05) Cultural differences and working at Assembly
(10:56) Ayanna's business journey and Smalls Cloud Consulting overview
(20:35) Ayanna's journey into tech, education, and local roots
(25:03) Acquiring clients, community networking, and ideal clients for cloud consulting
(27:22) Cloud services' necessity and discussion on representation in tech
(33:58) Tech adoption, legacy systems, and local challenges in defense and banking
(38:04) Future plans for STEM and cloud consulting in the face of COVID
(43:00) Netflix's live streaming struggles and cloud service excellence
(47:19) Contact information, upcoming events, and tailgating experiences
(51:04) Ayanna's NASA experience and advice for young aspirants
(53:04) The importance of taking risks and favorite local eateries
(57:14) Local restaurant discussion and food-wine pairing
(59:14) Closing remarks, fun fact about clouds, and final goodbyes
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Did you know that only 4% of businesses hit $1M in revenue? Tim Ryan and Zack Miller are the creators of The Fervent Four Show, designed to help you get there.
ABOUT THE HOSTS:
Zack Miller is a serial entrepreneur and author of Anomaly, a guide on differentiating yourself and your business from the crowd.
Tim Ryan is an angel investor and the Executive Director of Innovate Hampton Roads, an organization dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs with resources in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Tim also serves as the Director of REaKTOR, a space for technology-based startups to start and grow.
Check them out Live every Thursday at 11 AM: https://www.innovate757.org/live/