What does it take to grow a fitness business that stands the test of time? In this episode we are joined by Laura Mak Quist — a veteran in the wellness and fitness industry with over 30 years of experience coaching women through strength training, yoga, nutrition, and life transitions.

From training athletes and TV personalities to launching a fitness clothing line and now running an online studio, Laura shares how she's continued to evolve her business to match her life stages — from competing in professional fitness to becoming a mom in her 40s. This episode is packed with advice for aspiring fitness coaches, service-based entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in building a business with staying power.

In this episode:

• How Laura transitioned from gym employee to business owner
• What it takes to niche down and stand out in the crowded fitness space
• Why pivoting is the secret to long-term business success
• Her honest take on motherhood, Hashimoto’s, and the wellness industry
• The power of intuition, adaptability, and listening to your audience
• Why movement, strength, and mobility matter for business owners too

Action Steps:

1. Add more movement into your day — even just 10 extra minutes of walking.
2. Strength train regularly to maintain muscle and support longevity.
3. Incorporate mobility into your routine through yoga or stretching.

Connect with Laura:

Website: https://www.lauramakfitlife.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauramakfitlife/

Online Studio: theyogafitlife.com

Connect with me, Hayleigh Hayhurst:

Steal my Podcast Launch Checklist for free: ⁠https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/⁠checklist⁠

Website: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EspressoPodcastProduction

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/espressopodcastproduction/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@espressopodproduction

Music: John Kiernan. www.johnkiernanmusic.com

Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/

Join the Conversation: What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts and key takeaways with me on social media using the hashtag #EmployeeToBoss. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.

What does it take to turn a niche skill into a thriving local business? In this episode I sit down with Timothy Abadilla, founder of Masterpiece Chess Academy in Los Angeles, to talk about how he went from Uber driver and preschool assistant to running one of the most active chess programs in Southern California. And spoiler alert — it’s not just about loving chess.

Tim shares his full journey from employee to boss, the creative ways he attracted his first clients (hint: Pokémon was involved), and how his strategic thinking from chess carries over into how he grows his business. We also explore why the chess world has exploded post-pandemic and how Tim is hiring, scaling, and staying focused in a competitive industry most people overlook.

If you’ve ever wondered how to build a hyper-local business that lasts, or how to make your niche offer sticky and profitable, this is a must-listen.

In this episode:

• Tim’s unexpected path from chess hustler to entrepreneur
• How he used Facebook groups, local meetups, and tournaments to grow
• Why quality beats marketing when it comes to retention
• What business owners can learn from chess (focus + strategy!)
• Why the post-pandemic hobby boom helped him scale fast
• His current bottlenecks and what he’s doing to fix them

Action Steps:

1. Follow through on what you say you’ll do — execution over ideas.
2. Don’t be afraid to aim high — just make sure you reverse engineer the steps.
3. Never give up — in chess and in business, perseverance wins.

Connect with Tim:

Website: masterpiecechessacademy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterpiece_chess

Facebook: Timothy Abeliahttps://masterpiecechessacademy.com/blogs/news/my-chess-story

Connect with me, Hayleigh Hayhurst:

Steal my Podcast Launch Checklist for free: ⁠https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/⁠checklist⁠

Website: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EspressoPodcastProduction

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/espressopodcastproduction/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@espressopodproduction

Music: John Kiernan. www.johnkiernanmusic.com

Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/

Join the Conversation: What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts and key takeaways with me on social media using the hashtag #EmployeeToBoss. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.

When Jessie Gabriel told me that less than 2% of venture capital funding goes to businesses founded by women, my jaw literally dropped. And that’s just the beginning of the equity gap we unpack in this episode.

Jessie—founder of the law firm All Places—is on a mission to change that. She works with founders and fund managers to make capital more accessible and equitable, and today she’s pulling back the curtain on how money really moves in the entrepreneurial world.

We dive deep into what venture capital is, how to know if your business is ready for funding, and the often-ignored topic of gender equity in the VC and private equity world. This episode is eye-opening for any entrepreneur, whether you’re service-based, product-based, or just curious about how money moves in this industry.

In this episode:

• What a venture capital fund is—and why it may (or may not) be right for your business
• The reality behind who controls capital in the U.S.
• Why less than 2% of venture funding goes to women founders—and what that really means
• How to protect ownership of your business even when raising money
• How Jesse turned grief and encouragement from her community into launching her own firm
• What every entrepreneur can do to help shift inequities in the industry

Action Steps for the week:

1. Spend 5 minutes researching a brand you support—learn who owns it and whether it aligns with your values.
2. Have a real conversation with a client or customer to understand your unique value from their perspective.
3. Pick up a business book that’s been on your radar and actually read it (or listen to it!) to spark new ideas.

Connect with Jessie:

Website: https://www.all-places.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisallplaces/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessiegabriel/

Connect with me, Hayleigh Hayhurst:

Steal my Podcast Launch Checklist for free: ⁠https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/⁠checklist⁠

Website: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EspressoPodcastProduction

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/espressopodcastproduction/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@espressopodproduction

Music: John Kiernan. www.johnkiernanmusic.com

Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com/

Join the Conversation: What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts and key takeaways with me on social media using the hashtag #EmployeeToBoss. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network.