Homegrown Hustle

"Homegrown Hustle" is your window into the journeys of local business leaders, hosted by Matthew Eickman. This podcast goes beyond the surface, exploring the motivations and commitments of entrepreneurs. It bridges the gap between business leaders and their communities through storytelling, offering insights to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs and strengthen local business connections. Join us to uncover the personal stories and passions behind successful businesses.

Homegrown Hustle is a business podcast hosted by Matthew Eickman, with 153 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Matthew Eickman hosts Homegrown Hustle, a business show with 153 episodes published.

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  Episode #152

  Beyond the Sale: From first impression to lifetime value, every touchpoint matters.

  Oct 2, 202644 minS2

  What does the customer journey really look like? On this episode of Homegrown Hustle , host Matt Eickman sits down with Dr. Mike Porter, Clinical Professor of Marketing at the University of St. Thomas , to unpack what happens before, during, and long after a customer makes a purchase. They explore why businesses shouldn't rely solely on word of mouth, how every employee can influence the customer experience, why trust can be more valuable than price, and how companies can turn individual interactions into a consistent, systematized customer journey. The conversation also dives into lifetime customer value, educating customers, adapting to change, and creating meaningful reasons to stay connected. KEY TAKEAWAYS: The customer journey begins long before someone contacts your business. Every interaction can become a meaningful customer touchpoint. Word of mouth is valuable, but it shouldn't be your entire marketing strategy. Businesses can build trust by educating customers and providing value—not just selling. Lifetime customer value goes beyond the revenue from a single transaction. Employees at every level can influence the customer experience. Consistent systems help businesses deliver a better experience as they grow. Pricing should reflect the value and solution being delivered, not simply compete on being the cheapest. Sometimes telling a customer that you aren't the right solution can actually strengthen long-term trust. Customer experience systems should be living processes that evolve as markets, customers, and businesses change. Leadership plays a critical role in making sure the entire organization understands the same customer-focused objective. CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Welcome to Homegrown Hustle 00:43 – Exploring New Focus Group Research 02:48 – What Is the Customer Journey? 03:53 – The Journey Starts Before the Purchase 06:44 – The Role of Word of Mouth 09:31 – Customer Lifetime Value 11:17 – Creating Meaningful Customer Touchpoints 13:11 – Systematizing the Customer Experience 14:03 – The Importance of Service Interactions 16:15 – Building Trust Through Relationships 17:21 – The Scenery Along the Customer Journey 19:06 – Turning Education Into Customer Value 20:04 – Creating Reasons to Stay Connected 22:34 – Strategic Customer Communication 24:13 – Price vs. Perceived Value 26:27 – Becoming More Than the Cheapest Option 28:24 – Building a Customer-Focused Organization 32:47 – Lifetime Value and Revenue Modeling 34:14 – Educating Customers and Building Trust 35:53 – When Sending Customers Elsewhere Builds Trust 38:12 – Consistency Across Every Marketing Channel 39:15 – Why Systems Need to Evolve 40:40 – Adapting When the Unexpected Happens 41:25 – Taking Care of Customers Beyond Transactions 41:45 – What’s Next for Dr. Mike Porter 42:18 – A New Approach to Focus Groups GUEST RESOURCES: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-porter-apr-fellow-prsa-he-him-2a033/ Website: https://researchonline.stthomas.edu/esploro/profile/mike_porter/overview

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  Episode #151

  AI Agents Are Changing Business: The Next Era of Agent-to-Agent Commerce

  Sep 25, 202610 minS2

  Homegrown Hustle viewers: get 50% off Agent Agnes implementation. $5,000 instead of $10,000. Just mention Homegrown Hustle when you book your demo. Agent Agnes is the AI front desk that answers every call, day or night. She qualifies leads, books appointments on your calendar, and routes callers to the right person, so your business never misses an opportunity. THE HOMEGROWN HUSTLE OFFER Implementation normally runs $10,000. Homegrown Hustle viewers pay $5,000. How to claim it: 1. Build your free demo or book a call using the link below 2. Mention "Homegrown Hustle" 3. We'll apply the 50% off to your implementation ⚡ Build your own free AI voice demo in under 60 seconds: https://app.agentagnes.ai/demo?partner=homegrownhustle Talk to Agnes right now: (952) 529-4321 That's our AI agent. She'll actually pick up. Ask her anything your customers would. ✉️ Email: hello@agentagnes.ai Connect with Jan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrajaratnam/ SUMMARY: What happens when AI agents become the ones discovering businesses, handling inquiries, scheduling services, and eventually completing transactions? On this episode of Homegrown Hustle , host Matt Eickman welcomes back Janahan (Jan) Rajaratnam , Founder and CEO of Agent Agnes , to explore how AI is changing the way small and medium-sized businesses get discovered and interact with customers. Jan breaks down the rise of AI-driven traffic, why businesses need to prepare for more bot-generated inquiries, and how Agent Agnes is helping businesses manage inbound calls, form submissions, chat inquiries, and after-hours opportunities. The conversation also explores practical AI adoption, customer support, automation, ROI, and the long-term vision of agent-to-agent commerce. KEY TAKEAWAYS: AI-generated traffic is becoming an increasingly important source of business inquiries. Businesses need to prepare for a future where AI agents interact with their systems on behalf of customers. Agent Agnes focuses on helping SMBs become discoverable and transactional to other AI agents. Managing inbound inquiries is an immediate opportunity for businesses adopting AI. After-hours support can help businesses capture opportunities that might otherwise be missed. AI can automate repetitive administrative and knowledge-work tasks such as scheduling, rescheduling, customer service, and payments. Businesses need safeguards to prevent unwanted bot activity from overwhelming calendars and systems. A human-centered onboarding process can help businesses understand and implement AI effectively. AI adoption can begin with smaller, practical use cases before expanding across the business. The long-term vision is moving beyond inquiry management toward agent discovery and transactions. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Welcome to Homegrown Hustle 00:22 — Welcome Back, Jan Rajaratnam 00:40 — What Is Agent-to-Agent Enablement? 01:15 — The Rise of AI-Generated Traffic 02:02 — A Real-World Example: Bookmobile 02:42 — AI, Bots & Business Security 03:26 — How SMBs Can Adopt AI 03:49 — Building AI Into Existing Systems 04:14 — The Future of Agent Discovery & Transactions 04:29 — AI and Knowledge Work 05:06 — Handling After-Hours Inquiries 06:20 — Agent Agnes Pricing & Implementation 07:00 — Automating Repetitive Business Tasks 07:38 — Why Human Support Still Matters 08:01 — Capturing More After-Hours Opportunities 08:29 — Connecting AI With Local Businesses 08:40 — Homegrown Hustle Special Offer 09:08 — What’s Next for Agent Agnes? 09:17 — Closing GUEST RESOURCES: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrajaratnam Website: https://agentagnes.ai/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agentagnes.ai/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agentagnesai/ Youtube: youtube.com/@agentagnesai?reload=9

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  Episode #150

  HR Overhead to Growth Engine: Building Better Teams

  Sep 18, 202635 minS2

  What happens when a growing business reaches the point where managing people becomes just as complicated as managing the business itself? On this episode of Homegrown Hustle, host Matt Eickman sits down with Nicki Leritz, Founder of People Solutions Hub, to unpack the often-overlooked people side of entrepreneurship. After a 20-year career in corporate human resources, Nicki launched People Solutions Hub to bring big-business HR experience to small businesses that may not need — or be ready for — a full-time HR department. Nicki explains how fractional HR can give growing companies access to specialized expertise without the cost of a traditional full-time hire. The conversation covers HR risk assessments, employee documentation, hiring and onboarding, compliance, leadership development, organizational design, company culture, and the challenges businesses encounter as they grow from a handful of employees into larger teams. The discussion also explores the entrepreneurial transition from corporate life, the value of knowing when to bring in outside experts, and why trying to solve every problem yourself can ultimately cost more in time, money, and risk. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Small businesses don't need to overcomplicate HR. Start by identifying the most important risks and solving them in priority order. HR risk is both legal and financial. Compliance gaps can potentially create significant financial consequences for a growing business. A handbook is only useful if you actually follow it. Policies that don't match real-world practices can create additional risk. Documentation matters. Consistently documenting employee conversations, performance issues, and disciplinary actions can help businesses create clearer processes. Fractional HR provides ongoing expertise without requiring a full-time HR hire. Nicki describes models ranging from retainers to hourly and project-based support. Growth changes people problems. Businesses with roughly 20–50 employees can begin experiencing greater challenges with onboarding, turnover, management, communication, and organizational structure. Culture doesn't happen by accident. Leadership behavior, communication, accountability, and accepted conduct all contribute to the culture employees experience. CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Introduction 01:05 – Meet Nicki Leritz 01:47 – The Entrepreneurial Journey 02:41 – HR Challenges for Small Businesses 04:12 – Understanding HR Risk 06:05 – Hiring the Right People 08:45 – When to Bring in an Expert 10:17 – The Fractional HR Model 11:21 – HR Support That Scales 12:10 – Managing Employee Issues 15:49 – Mis-Hires and Employee Turnover 17:05 – When Should You Hire HR? 23:23 – Growing People Solutions Hub 24:29 – Lessons From Entrepreneurship 29:06 – Technology and HR 30:13 – Finding Solutions to HR Problems 30:53 – Easy HR Wins for Small Businesses 33:39 – Final Takeaways GUEST RESOURCES: Website: https://www.peoplesolutionshub.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peoplesolutionshub Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576881629327 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicki-leritz/

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  Episode #149

  Hustle on Hard Mode: Building a business

  Sep 11, 202642 minS2

  What started with a simple problem—finding jewelry that actually fits—evolved into a creative, family-run business built around crystals, jewelry, carvings, and the relentless hustle of the event circuit. On this episode of Homegrown Hustle , host Matt Eickman sits down with Alyssa Fuller and Jeremy Streit to explore the evolution of their business, from small farmers markets to major county fairs, conventions, and themed events across the Midwest. Alyssa and Jeremy share how they discovered their niche by going beyond traditional crystal products, sourcing directly from mines and women-owned factories, creating memorable products inspired by pop culture, and learning which events are actually worth the investment. They also discuss balancing entrepreneurship with full-time work, parenthood, travel, unpredictable event logistics, and the possibility of eventually turning their side hustle into a full-time operation. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Solve a real problem: Twin Rituals began by addressing the lack of inclusive jewelry sizing. Differentiate or disappear: Unique crystal carvings helped the business stand apart from crowded jewelry markets. Niche products create new customers: Pop-culture carvings introduce people to crystals through things they already love. Go closer to the source: Direct sourcing from mines and factories can dramatically improve margins. Events can be a serious business model: A business doesn't need a traditional storefront to generate meaningful revenue. Know the economics of the event: Higher booth fees can be worthwhile when the audience size and buying behavior justify the investment. Say yes strategically: Taking on bigger opportunities can reveal capabilities you didn't know you had. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Welcome to Homegrown Hustle 01:05 — The Story Behind Twin Rituals 01:32 — Turning a Personal Problem Into a Business 02:46 — From Small Markets to 84 Events 03:41 — The Pivot Into Crystal Carvings 05:11 — Expanding Beyond Traditional Jewelry 06:12 — Alyssa's Creative Origins 07:34 — Learning the Event Business 08:59 — Finding a Bigger Market 09:18 — Sourcing Directly to Protect Margins 10:16 — The Volume Game 11:19 — When a Hobby Becomes a Business 12:34 — Building Customer Loyalty 13:18 — Turning Products Into Experiences 14:00 — Balancing Business and Parenthood 15:04 — The Side Hustle Advantage 16:15 — The Brick-and-Mortar Question 17:14 — The "Lottery Dream" 18:28 — Preparing for the Event Circuit 19:45 — Can an Event Business Be a Long-Term Business? 20:11 — Why Bigger Shows Can Be Better 22:10 — The Power of Saying Yes 23:21 — Perseverance and Adaptability 24:15 — Why Being Nice Is Good Business 25:34 — Understanding Event Economics 27:28 — Increasing Margins Through Bulk Buying 28:27 — Matching Products to the Audience 29:30 — Building a Family Business on the Road 31:45 — Expanding Beyond Minnesota 32:23 — The Case for a Flexible Business Model 33:34 — Thinking Beyond Crystals 35:21 — Staying Original in a Competitive Market 36:12 — The Minnesota State Fair Dream 37:41 — Where Twin Rituals Goes Next 38:08 — Building an "AI-Proof" Business 39:30 — Running on Hard Mode 40:41 — Keep Hustling GUEST RESOURCES: Website: https://twinrituals.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twinrituals Tiktok; https://www.tiktok.com/@twin.rituals.crystals Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twin_rituals/

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  Episode #148

  Beyond Airbnb: The Business of Turning Property Into Opportunity

  Sep 4, 20261h 2mS2

  What happens when real estate becomes more than buying and selling property? In this episode of Homegrown Hustle , host Matt Eickman sits down with Candice Amundson, Realtor® at JPW Realty Pomerleau Team , for a strategic conversation about real estate investing, short-term rentals, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. Candice shares how her journey from a 20-year career as a veterinary technician evolved into real estate and hospitality entrepreneurship. The conversation explores why rental properties should be treated as businesses, how investors can evaluate opportunities before committing capital, and why successful properties require more than simply listing a home on Airbnb. From creative partnerships and market diversification to sensory hospitality, guest experience, listing strategy, delegation, and adapting to changing market conditions, Candice explains how entrepreneurs can think differently about real estate and identify opportunities others may overlook. The episode also explores a deeper lesson about entrepreneurship: adversity, experimentation, and failure can reveal capabilities you never knew you had. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Rental properties should be operated as businesses—not assumed to be passive income. Evaluate the entire opportunity before purchasing, including risk, revenue potential, insurance, regulations, and long-term goals. Real estate investing requires understanding both the numbers and the operational demands. Diversification can help investors avoid becoming overly dependent on a single market. Creative partnerships, contracts, syndication, and alternative investment structures can open new opportunities. Short-term rental success depends heavily on occupancy, pricing, location, and seasonality. Rural properties can stand out by marketing the experiences and activities surrounding them. Great hospitality engages the senses through temperature, lighting, scent, design, texture, and amenities. Listing descriptions should sell the experience , not simply describe the rooms. Strategic changes to amenities and listings can create renewed activity and improve performance. Delegation and specialized expertise allow owners to focus on strategy instead of every operational detail. Entrepreneurs should be willing to pivot when circumstances change rather than allowing resources to sit idle. The best definition of hustle may not be constant motion—it can be creating enough calm to think, dream, and make better decisions. Failure and adversity can become catalysts for discovering what you are capable of. CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Meet Candice Amundson 05:00 — From Veterinary Technician to Entrepreneur 12:00 — Entering Real Estate & Investing 19:00 — Why Rentals Aren’t Truly Passive 26:00 — Evaluating Markets & Investment Risk 33:00 — Creative Real Estate Partnerships 40:00 — Short-Term Rental Opportunities 45:00 — City vs. Cabin STR Strategies 50:00 — Designing the Guest Experience 53:00 — Selling the Experience, Not the Property 55:00 — Entrepreneurship, Adversity & Growth 59:00 — Rethinking What It Means to Hustle GUEST RESOURCES: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candiceamundsonrealtor/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candiceamundsonrealtor/ Website: https://www.jpw.realty/

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