The conversation emphasizes the importance of cultivating empathy and understanding others' perspectives, highlighting its impact on various aspects of business and life.

Takeaways

• Cultivate empathy
• Understanding others' perspectives

Chapters

• 00:00 Cultivating Empathy for Success

The conversation delves into the challenges of overcoming self-doubt and ageism in the online business world, highlighting the journey of empowerment and resilience.

Takeaways

• Overcoming self-doubt
• Empowering older professionals

Chapters

• 00:00 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Ageism in Online Business

A rapid-fire interview with a nail technician covering personal preferences, industry trends, and elevator pitch for her salon.

Takeaways

• Nail technician preferences
• Industry trends
• Elevator pitch for salon

Chapters

• 00:00 Personal Preferences and Rapid Questions

The conversation delves into the use of social media for marketing and brand promotion, highlighting the impact of Instagram on booking success. It also explores the role of happy clients as promoters and the influence of community in client engagement.

Takeaways

• Social media as a marketing tool
• Leveraging happy clients for promotion

Chapters

• 00:00 Marketing, Community, and Brand

In this episode of Startup or Shutup!, host Colin Fraley sits down with Melinda Jackson, founder of Melinda Jackson Public Relations, to talk about building a PR agency rooted in authenticity, earned media, and organic storytelling.

From her upbringing in North Carolina, to breaking into the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, Melinda shares her journey of burnout, reinvention, and creating a PR firm that champions clients she truly believes in.

You’ll learn:

• How authenticity is becoming the new metric for PR success

• Actionable PR tips for solopreneurs, side-hustlers, and founders on a budget

• The importance of balancing mental health with entrepreneurship

• Melinda’s lessons in starting and scaling her own agency

• A “Shut Up! Moment” story you won’t want to miss

This episode is sponsored by PeerFounder.com — the launchpad for solopreneurs, creators, and dreamers ready to crowdfund their business ideas. PeerFounder’s crowdfunding launches October 1st!

📌 Learn more about Melinda here:

• Website: melindajacksonpr.com

• Instagram: @melindajacksonpr

• LinkedIn: Melinda Jackson

🎙️ Interested in being a guest? Click Here!

In this episode of Startup or Shutup!, host Colin (@NurseColin) sits down with global travel entrepreneur Vincent Wong — founder of Chubit Travel and VYVEM Tours — to unpack his inspiring journey from Brooklyn to Colombia. Vincent shares how he turned his personal passion for travel into a full-time business, what it takes to run international companies, and why Medellín changed his life.

We talk entrepreneurship, leadership, culture shock, concierge-level service, and making big bets on your dreams — even in a pandemic. If you’ve ever dreamed of launching a business in another country, this is your roadmap.

→ Powered by @PeerFounder — where creators and solopreneurs fund their next big idea.

🎧 Topics covered include:

• Vincent’s entrepreneurial journey from NYC to Medellín

• Founding Chubit Travel and launching VYVEM Tours during a global shutdown

• What it’s like building and managing teams across borders

• Creating luxury travel experiences in a crowded market

• Cultural values learned from Colombia

• Vincent’s personal “Shutup!” moment when everything was on the line

• How to start a travel business from scratch

• Mistakes, mindset, mentorship, and meaningful growth

• Rapid fire round: window vs aisle, dream destinations, and $500 startup ideas

• What's next for Vincent — and why he’s not done yet

📲 Tag us when you listen:
@NurseColin | @vincentwong | @PeerFounder | @StartuporShutup.pod

🛫 Subscribe, share, and support the dreamers building their future from the ground up.
#StartupOrShutup #TravelEntrepreneur #MedellinBusiness #ChubitTravel #VYVEMTours #PeerFounder #NurseColin #LatAmBusiness #FounderStories #Solopreneurs #GlobalEntrepreneurs

In this powerful episode, host Colin Fraley sits down with Carol Tice, an award-winning business journalist turned online entrepreneur, to unpack how getting fired became the best thing that ever happened to her.

Carol shares how she transformed her career setback into a multimillion-dollar success story — building a 1,500-member paid community for freelance writers, scaling it to nearly $6 million in revenue, and selling it for life-changing money. From there, she hit the road in an RV with her husband and launched her latest venture, Community Growth Academy, helping coaches, creators, and consultants build thriving paid communities of their own.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How getting fired can spark your greatest entrepreneurial breakthrough

• The secret to building a loyal, paying community online

• The behind-the-scenes story of scaling and selling a membership business

• How to balance freedom, travel, and business on the road

• Why Gen Z is leading the next wave of crowdfunding and solopreneurship

🎧 Whether you’re a solopreneur, podcaster, creator, or startup dreamer, this episode will remind you that sometimes getting fired isn’t the end — it’s your invitation to finally build something of your own.

✨ Supported by PeerFounder:
If you’ve ever wanted to start your own business but didn’t know where to begin, PeerFounder helps you get your first yes and your first $500 to start or grow your idea — no credit checks, no gatekeepers. Pay it back successfully and unlock $2,500, then $7,000 to really launch your vision. Join now for lifetime access as one of the first 1,000 users at PeerFounder.com.

When life falls apart, could sharing your story online help you heal — and help others do the same?

In this powerful episode of Startup or Shutup, host Nurse Colin sits down with Marissa Wilkenson (@Rizz326), a small-town girl from Quincy, Michigan, who transformed her heartbreak into hope by sharing her raw, honest journey on TikTok. Her viral videos about self-love, mental health, and rebuilding your life have inspired thousands to start picking up their own pieces.

Marissa opens up about hitting rock bottom, finding courage to be vulnerable online, and how her TikTok community became a lifeline. She shares what it really takes to fall in love with yourself again and how she’s turning her healing journey into a children’s book.

If you’ve ever felt lost, broken, or like your story doesn’t matter — this conversation will show you that healing is possible, and your voice deserves to be heard.