Online Business Launchpad | Start An Online Business | Online Business Growth
Business & Finance
About
This podcast is for new and emerging online business owners who are determined to do what it takes to reach their financial goals, help people along the way and learn a bunch of useful new skills. Have a love/hate relationship with the tech? We talk about that. Not sure you have what it takes to achieve success? We talk about that, too, plus how to deal with mindset challenges. Trudy Rankin, Founder of the Online Business Program, shares actionable tips that will help you really get your business growing, as well as interviews with experts and inspiring stories so that you can grow your online business with confidence.
Episodes
- Finding Clients as a Writer in the Age of AI with Emily Aborn
“It doesn't have any friction with the real world. It doesn't have the contact with the real world that we do, you know, to like immerse ourselves in experience.” That’s how Emily Aborn describes the difference between AI…
- Turn Facebook Clicks Into Clients Faster with Neil Shoney
Neil Shoney’s origin story is the kind that makes you sit up straight: six months into launching a major fitness exhibition, he had sold less than 50 tickets, while already committed to over 200,000 pounds of outgoings at 21 years ol…
- From Mowing Lawns to $8M Founder with Bryan Clayton
“Like there’s this weird thing of the disappearing lawn guy… he shows up two or three times and then just drops off the face of the earth.” If you’ve ever hired a service provider who mysteriously vanished, y…
- From SEO to GEO - How to Stay Visible in an AI-Driven World with Expert Jared Bauman
Jared Bauman didn’t expect to compete for his own name online. But when a state representative with the exact same name started appearing everywhere in search results, it forced him to confront something bigger: search engines &mdash…
- What to Say First So People Actually Buy (Without Feeling Salesy) with Conversion Copywriter Juzbi Walia
“If I really want to make wealth for myself, I need to bet on myself .” That’s how Juzbi Walia explains the moment she stopped playing the corporate game and started building her own. And that same energy runs through thi…
- What Happens When You Walk Away From a Dream Job with Sara Vezensek
"I was working 18-hour days, seven days a week, and my mum said, 'You're making good money, but we have something you don't—free time.'" Sara Vezensek had the kind of job most people fantasize about—flying on private jets, mana…
- What Makes a Course Feel Binge-Worthy (Like Netflix) with Expert Jasmine Jonte
"Just because someone’s great at marketing doesn’t mean they can teach." When Jasmine Jonte invested in a high-ticket online course and discovered it was badly designed and nearly impossible to learn from, she had an epiphany:…
- How AI Search Is Changing SEO (and Why You Still Need Both) with Expert Colin Clapp
“When New Zealand won the America's Cup, it wasn’t the biggest budget that won, it was one key question: Will it make the boat go faster? ” That same philosophy drives Colin Clapp’s content strategy in a world now r…
- Stop Writing Like Everyone Else: Copy Tips That Actually Get You Clients with copywriter Emily Aborn
“When I was six, my grandmother gave me a blank book and said, ‘This is for your first novel.’ I didn’t write in it because it had to be perfect.” That’s how Emily Aborn’s writing journey began.&nb…
- What If the Problem Isn’t You, It’s Your Business Model?
If you’re feeling stuck, maybe it’s not because you’re doing something wrong, but because you’re using the wrong business model. That’s exactly what happened to Stefanie Carlstedt. She’d built a business…
- Scared by a Copyright Troll Letter? Here’s What To Do
“I told him not to pay a cent—and definitely not to shut his website down.” What would you do if you got a scary letter using legal language, claiming you owed $700 for a photo on your website? In this episode, I share a…
- How ChatGPT Is Disrupting Ads (and What Smart Businesses Are Doing About It) with John Horn
“Most people think SEO is dead. But it’s not. It’s just evolving into something far more interesting.” John Horn doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of digital advertising in 2025. In this episode, we take a look at…
- AI Forced a Pivot So Here’s How He Made It Work with Ron Desi
"I asked Ron if AI was going to eat his job for lunch—he said yes and no.” That mix of realism and optimism sets the tone for this episode. When AI started disrupting his on-camera spokesperson business, Ron Desi didn&rsq…
- How to Make Your Business Visible Online (Without Being Everywhere) with Tracy Beavers
“It feels like we’re standing on the side of the interstate naked, holding a sign that says ‘Look at me!’” That’s how visibility expert Tracy Beavers describes what it’s like to show up online when…
- How to Legally Protect Your Business Without Hiring a Lawyer with Shatrasha Butler
"Sometimes it’s not about legal advice—it’s about understanding the process. And that’s something you can learn without going to law school." – Shatrasha Butler Shatrasha Butler didn’t just go to l…
- Can You Cold Pitch the New York Times with Zero Experience? Gloria Chou Tells You How
"Sometimes being an outsider is actually your best kept secret." Gloria Chou knows a thing or two about being an outsider—and turning that into a superpower. In this episode, she shares how she went from cold-calling journalists with…
- From Farm Boy to Founder: How Matthieu Mehuys Built a Purpose-Driven Gardening Business with Global Reach
“If you look deep into nature, you'll find the blueprint for a thriving business.” That’s the philosophy Matthieu Mehuys has cultivated—literally—from the soil up. From his beginnings on a Belgian family farm…
- How to Turn Pain Points Into Profitable Products Without Coding with Dan Hafner
Dan Hafner got the grandaddy of all sticker shocks when he saw the quote to develop an app. That moment of sticker shock was all it took for him to go from app dreamer to no-code doer. In this episode, we explore how Dan turned a DIY proje…
- Why Customer Support Is Everyone’s Job with Brian Childress
“Everyone—from the engineer to the CEO—should take part in supporting customers. It changes how we build everything.” That insight from fractional CTO Brian Childress isn’t just memorable—it’s a bl…
- How to Simplify Your Marketing Without Losing Your Mind with James Hipkin
“Pretty doesn’t mean it’s going to work.” That quote from marketing veteran James Hipkin cuts to the core of a major problem for online business owners: too much noise, too little strategy. With four decades of top-…
- The #1 Cash Flow Mistake That Kills Good Businesses with Financial Strategist Chidi Egbujie
Are you bringing in revenue, but your business still feels like it’s drowning? In this episode of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, host Trudy Rankin sits down with accountant and financial strategist Chidi Egbujie to unpack the…
- How to Turn “Useless” Website Traffic Into a New Revenue Stream with Philippa Gamse
"If you’re not using analytics, you’re just shooting in the dark.” Philippa Gamse doesn’t mince words—and she’s right. In this episode, Trudy chats with digital marketing strategist and analytics expert…
- Episode 225: How She Made Over $140K on Amazon Without Selling a Thing with Andreea Matai
"It just seemed fun and easy—and I really didn’t have anything to lose." That moment of curiosity led Andreea Matei into the world of the Amazon Influencer Program, and two years later, she’s turned it into a six-figure r…
- The Simple SEO Fixes That Most Entrepreneurs Ignore with SEO Expert Brandon Leibowitz
"I tell people: Google's a machine, not a person. You have to feed it the right signals." In this episode of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, Trudy sits down with SEO expert Brandon Leibowitz, founder of SEO Optimizers, who&rsq…
- The Hidden Friction Killing Your Business Growth with Steve Anderson
In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Steve Anderson — risk expert and bestselling author of The Bezos Letters — to explore how hidden friction points quietly drain momentum from your business . If you’re rea…
- Why Your Lurking Community Members Matter More Than You Think with Paul Gowder
"A community-first mindset means showing up for your people—even when they're just quietly watching." That’s how Paul Gowder, founder of PowWows.com, defines decades-long success in the online space. What started as a college h…
- Mindset Shifts For Rebuilding Your Life When Everything Falls Apart with Coach Martin Salama
"The world doesn’t happen to you — it happens through you." — Martin Salama What if losing millions, a home, a marriage, and a BMW all within a few months could actually be the best thing that ever happened to you? For Ma…
- What Burnout-Proof Leadership Really Looks Like (and How to Get There) with Dr Victoria Mensch
"You can’t out-hustle burnout. Trust me, I tried." That’s the hard-earned insight from Dr. Victoria Mensch, who went from clinical psychologist to Silicon Valley high-achiever — and burned out in both. Now she teaches lea…
- The One Thing Solopreneurs Get Wrong About Branding with Phillip Marzouk
“Marketing hasn’t fundamentally changed in 150 years. The tools have — but the core principles? Still the same.” That’s Phillip Marzouk, branding strategist and marketing nerd (his words), explaining how moder…
- The Mindset Shifts That Took Alan Lazaros from Burnout to Business Growth
Have you ever faced a moment in life that completely changed your trajectory? For Alan Lazaros, that moment came in the form of a near-fatal car accident. Once a corporate high-flyer with a successful career in engineering and business, Al…
- She Quit Her Job in Secret—Now Carol Kabaale Runs a Thriving Facebook Ads Agency
Have you ever felt stuck in a job you didn’t love and wondered if there was a way to break free? Carol Kabaale, a Meta-certified ad strategist, knows exactly what that’s like. She secretly quit her corporate job—without t…
- Self-Publishing Like a Pro: Michele DeFilippo’s Guide to Indie Success
Have you ever wanted to write a book but got totally lost in the complexities of trying to do it through traditional publishing channels? What if you could bring your manuscript to life, maintain full creative control, and keep more of the…
- Selling with Heart: How to Turn Sales into Service with Nicky Billou
What if the only thing standing between you and success was a mindset shift? According to entrepreneur, Nicky Billou, "Without sales, there's no business. And if you're scared of sales, you're scared of service." In this episod…
- Why Working Harder Isn’t the Answer—and What to Do Instead with Donna Dube
“I was working way more than I should have been—and it was my husband who sat me down and said, ‘This family is going to break if you don’t make a change." For Donna Dube, a former ICU nurse turned business operatio…
- How Mechanic Den López Escaped the 9-to-5 and Turned His Passion into Profit
Den López was sick of missing time with his family and craved the freedom to pursue his passion. So he left his 16-year career as a mechanic and built his dream business teaching guitar. “I needed something I could get c…
- The 24/7 Marketing Flywheel That Will Free Up Time and Grow Your Business With Victoria Hajjar
Do you ever feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, always serving clients but never finding the time to grow your own business? As veteran Chief Marketing Officer Victoria Hajjar puts it, “It’s the biggest mistake you can make for your futur…
- How Small Businesses Can Use AI to Save Time and Boost Revenue with Sami Hero
“AI is moving at light speed, but it’s not here to replace people. It’s here to augment our expertise and make us more efficient.” – Sami Hero In this episode of the Online Business Launchpad podcast, Sami Hero, a seasoned expert in AI and…
- Navigating Web Accessibility with Blind But Unstoppable Maxwell Ivey
Imagine navigating the online world without being able to see it. For most of us, it's a quick look, click, and scroll. But for Maxwell Ivey, who is blind, accessing the digital world takes screen readers, patience, and grit. In this episo…
- How SEO Still Pays Big in an AI World With SEO Expert Edd Dawson
Ever wonder how you could build a seven-figure business purely through SEO? Edd Dawson has done it—and he’s here to share how. He’s cracked the code on driving millions of visitors to websites, generating serious revenue, and selling his b…
- Build These 9 Habits And Watch Your Confidence Soar
Confidence doesn't magically appear overnight. It’s built step by step, just like a muscle. In this episode, you'll discover nine actionable habits that will help you silence your inner critic and move forward with unwavering confidence. R…
- Niching for Success: How to Stand Out as a Translator with Jason Willis-Lee
Ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong? That was me a few weeks when I realized – with a sinking heart – that I hadn’t hit the record button after a brilliant interview with my guest, Jason Willis-Lee. Fortunately, he graci…
- Ditch the Launch: How To Build Consistent Course Sales With An Evergreen Funnel With Caitlin Bacher
Ever felt like you're stuck on a never-ending launch hamster wheel, dreading the next big push for your course? Caitlin Bacher has been there. She went from launching flop after flop to discovering a game-changing strategy that turned her…
- How Positive Storytelling Can Transform Your Marketing: Insights from Kirsty Boden-Stuart
Ever had a career plan that completely fell apart, only to lead you to something even better? Kirsty Boden-Stuart did. She quit her job to start an ad agency, which quickly fizzled out. But instead of giving up, she turned to writing to ma…
- Mastering Voice of Customer Research for Business Success with Suzanne Reilley
Ever wondered how to truly understand your customers' needs? Suzanne Reilley faced the same challenge when she started as a personal trainer with no business background. Despite this, she successfully built a thriving business by mastering…
- Episode 203: The Essential Guide to Home Studio Mastery with Junaid Ahmed
Have you ever found yourself frustrated with your podcast setup? Meet Junaid Ahmed, who transformed his cluttered basement into a top-notch studio during the pandemic. How did he do it? By merging his love for technology and film. Curious?…
- Why Relationship-Focused Marketing Just Works With Jacob Jacobson
Ever thought about how your current skills could be the key to your entrepreneurial success? Jacob Jacobson did just that when he transitioned from working in a church to starting his own business. He discovered that the marketing skills h…
- Proven Strategies For Building A Thriving SaaS Portfolio With Michael Frew
Michael Frew is a seasoned engineer-turned-entrepreneur who specializes in acquiring SaaS (Software as a Service) businesses. In this episode, we dive into Michael's journey and his role in managing a portfolio of SaaS businesses for WebSt…
- Proven Strategies For Getting Fast Feedback On Your Content
Have you ever spent hours crafting content, only to wonder if it's hitting the mark with your audience? I found myself in that exact spot while creating a lead magnet, struggling to pick the perfect hero image. Ever been there? Stick aroun…
- From Social Worker to Six-Figure Freelance Writer With Lindy Alexander
Have you ever thought about turning your personal stories or opinions into a profitable side hustle? Even in a world dominated by AI and shifting economies, if you can string together sentences that get people wanting more, it's absolutely…
- How a 24-Year-Old Entrepreneur Turned a Government Dilemma into a Booming Business With Greg Berry
At just 24 years old, Greg Berry was elected as a city councilor and quickly spotted a major problem: government organizations were struggling to get fair value for their surplus items when they sold them. Determined to find a solution, Gr…