What happens when your business takes off but your customers only need you a few months a year? TrophySmack brought in around $800,000 in its first year selling over-the-top fantasy football trophies but co-founder Dax Holt knew there was more business to win. He just needed to find out who else wanted bragging rights.

Dax joins host Andrea Marquez to share how he went from assembling trophies in his garage to helping people celebrate everything from sales targets to birthdays. He talks about finding customers beyond football season, outgrowing his garage within three months, and learning to handle customization at scale.



Dax also explains how investing in Amazon’s customization tools and A+ Content helped drive sales growth of more than 100% year over year. And Andrea unleashes her nerdy side and discovers that fantasy football fans and Dungeons & Dragons players might have more in common than she thought.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Thisissmallbusiness

In this episode of This Is Small Business, you’ll learn:

(03:47) – How understanding a niche audience helped TrophySmack generate $800K in its first year.

(05:11) — How learning when customers buy can help you prepare for demand

(08:48) — How reaching new audiences can turn seasonal demand into year-round sales

(10:29) — How to offer customization without slowing down your business

(12:04) – How TrophySmack used A+ Content and customization tools to help double its Amazon sales.

(13:38) – Why hiring the right people is essential to continued growth

A good product can still be a hard sell if people don’t know what to make of it. When Lori and Llance Kezner put broth in a tea bag, they had something customers loved once they tasted it – but finding the right way to explain the product and getting them to try it took some trial and error.

The co-founders of Millie’s Sipping Broth join host Andrea Marquez to share how a fix for Lori’s break-room snack dilemma grew into a business selling in stores and on Amazon. They discuss the name change that helped customers understand their product, an unexpected way to stand out alongside much bigger brands, and why they sometimes pause expansion to make sure they can keep up.

If you’re figuring out how to turn curiosity into sales – or wondering whether you’re ready for your next stage of growth – this conversation offers practical lessons in helping customers understand your product and building a business that can deliver when demand takes off.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Thisissmallbusiness

In this episode of This Is Small Business, you’ll learn:

(01:00) — How solving an everyday problem can spark a business idea

(02:40) — Why the way you describe your product shapes customer expectations

(05:48) — How to maintain product quality as production grows

(06:59) — How a creative marketing idea can help a small business stand out and reach new customers

(10:49) — How exposure on one platform can drive sales on Amazon

(12:47) — Why growing gradually can help your business handle setbacks

What if the idea for your next business is rooted in something you’ve known your whole life?

Jake DeLeon grew up helping his mom and grandmother make Filipino food to sell to their neighbors. Years later, after his first business closed, those familiar flavors inspired a fresh start and a chance to bring Filipino cuisine to more grocery shelves.

In this episode of This Is Small Business, Jake joins host Andrea Marquez to share how he built Fila Manila while caring for his dad and what his first business taught him about doing things differently the second time. Over banana ketchup and fries, they talk about reaching the right customers, the Shark Tank appearance that transformed his online sales, and growing a brand without losing what makes it personal.

Watch the full conversation on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Thisissmallbusiness

In this episode of This Is Small Business, you’ll learn:

(01:12) — How family cooking sparked a career in food and led to entrepreneurship

(03:10) — What a first business can teach you about building your next

(06:58) — The family support behind getting onto grocery shelves

(09:13) — How Shark Tank transformed Fila Manila’s online sales

(13:04) — Why embracing your culture can help your brand stand out