According to Megan and Tom Gibbings, communication is the most important component of their successful veterinary practice. They’ve found it’s what sets them apart, and when there’s been a challenge or a sticking point, it boils down to a lapse or failure in communication. Patient Courtney shares what stood out to her about West Coast Animal Hospital, and what called her to write a review. She drives hours to West Coast, but that’s the unparalleled trust that’s been instilled by the team. West Coast Animal HospitalAli Schwartz Meserole Sound

Three years in, Bird Bird Biscuit has never stopped trying to make their biscuit just a little bit better. And this is representative of how they approach everything. From the customer experience, down to the employee experience, owner Brian Batch explains that with a core value of “this is fun for us,’ it’s important that team members feel happy and supported; which ultimately translates to great consumer experiences as well. Like reviewer Casey who can’t say enough about the business. Bird Bird Biscuit Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound:

What happens when two interior designers from opposite coasts merge somewhere in the middle? Adriele Graham and Elizabeth Berry, the duo behind interior design firm House Meraki, have been serving the Denver area since 2018. Over the years, they’ve established themselves as a client-driven firm and have adapted their practices to weather the pandemic. In this episode, hear about how Adriele and Elizabeth helped reviewer Jéssica make the most out of her rental bedroom...entirely virtually.

Nestled in the crossroads of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, KC Wineworks is not your typical winery. Owner Lindsay Clausen takes advantage of the shop’s unique Midwestern location and multifaceted wines in order to create a welcoming, friendly wine tasting experience for customers of all experience levels. In this episode, Yelp reviewer Kristina discusses the atmosphere and customer service that has made her a WineWorks regular.

Self development and lifelong learning is Josh Campbell’s key to success. Tune in to hear former guest, and owner of multi-million dollar HVAC company - Rescue Air Heating & Cooling share what leadership means to him, and how developing that leadership in yourself and your team can help your company grow exponentially. You’ll hear first hand advice, as well as a list of book recommendations that you can leverage to further your own leadership. Rescue Air Heating and Cooling Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Customer experiences aren’t always going to be five-star, but it’s what you do with those imperfect experiences that matters. Lush Nail Bar admits that in their industry, imperfections happen. In the case of reviewer Maegen, pointing out those imperfections is what led her to become such a loyal customer. The Lush team was grateful to Maegen for bringing her concerns to their attention, and they did everything they could to turn the experience around.

When Alissa Bayer first opened Milk + Honey in downtown Austin, TX, she set out to prove that you can take great care of your employees and still be a profitable, successful company. By focusing on employees and making sure they’re happy, they will take care of your customers. And your customers can ensure your bottom line is profitable. Hear how the spa concept has grown into seven locations in Texas and Los Angeles, and how Milk + Honey creates memorable experiences for customers like Melissa.

Brick 3 Pizza has a lot of repeat business, and it’s not simply the fresh ingredients or the friendly faces that keeps customers coming back. It’s the consistency in both the food quality and the customer service. Reviewer Daniela shares what made Brick 3 stand out for her, and how it’s become her favorite pizza place in the city, hands down. Owner Demetri shares the secret behind making food your customers want to eat 6 days a week and managing a staff that welcomes customers in like family. Brick 3 Pizza Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

A quality product is important, especially when it comes to a New York bagel. But even with the best flavor, customer service is still key. In this episode, Vadim Nayman, owner of Bagel Master, shares how he believes he can solve any problem without saying no to his customers. He also shares the inside scoop on using social media to stay top of mind. Reviewer Karen shares her experience with the business and what made her keep coming back for over 20 years ago.

Jeff Toister is an author, consultant and trainer who helps companies develop customer focused cultures. In this conversation he shares ways that business owners can glean insights and learnings from their online reviews, as well as best practices for responding and engaging with reviews. Discover the true impact of critical reviews on your online reputation, and how to play an active role in the conversation.

Perfect Pizza’s Tashia Robinson shares the elements—consistency, customer service, and community— that make her franchise a success. Perfect PizzaAli Schwartz Meserole Sound

Keene Addington shares his journey from selling his established restaurant chain to returning to his restaurateur roots by founding Tortoise Supper Club, a family-owned restaurant located in downtown Chicago. Tortoise Supper Club Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound: 

This week we speak to Rey Alaniz, third generation roofer and franchise owner of Eagle Eye Contracting Services, on what it takes to get repeat business from customers.

Aligned Modern Health takes pride in its exemplary customer service and attention to detail. To achieve this across 17+ locations, it takes the right staff and a positive employee culture. Hear from the health and wellness center’s marketing director Elizabeth, plus reviewer Atiya who shares her experience with other providers before finding her team at Aligned. Aligned Modern Health Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

After struggling to find a gym that felt like home, partners Juan and Amanda decided to open their own strength training gym and nutrition business. With a focus on giving back to the military members and first responders in their community, they’ve built a welcoming place for their members, like our reviewer Josh. Josh shares his experience at the gym and how the strong sense of community there inspired him to spend even more time with his new fitness family.

Nic Faitos, Owner of Starbright Floral Design, shares his approach to critical reviews. Starbright Floral Design Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

A great business idea solves a hole in the marketplace, creating something that solves a problem that no one had previously been able to solve. This doesn’t always mean coming up with a new idea, sometimes it just means identifying where an existing business could meet a need and starting there. That is what Shelly Walker, owner of Fairmount Bicycles in Philly did - and it paid off. Her business is more than a business - it’s a place people want to be, according to this week’s Yelp reviewer. Fairmount Bicycles Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Uncovering why you want to start a business or what kind of business you want to start can be as easy as finding something you enjoy and not wanting that to end. And it’s the story of how co-owner James Morro started Urban Kayaks. They were dedicated to creating a great experience and learned from what the competition was doing wrong to bring the best possible outcome to life. This week’s Yelp reviewer, Michelle S. echoes those points precisely after her experience with them. This episode is sponsored by DoorDash for Work. Get DoorDash for Work and make work delicious. Go to: work.doordash.com/BTR Urban Kayaks Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Being a true solo entrepreneur is not an easy job because, in essence, it’s all of the jobs. It’s never simple to start or run a business, but there is an added element of responsibility and often stress that comes with being the sole proprietor. Victoria Gasparro, owner of The Party Nail, shares what it means to not only own a business but to also be the business and Yelp reviewer, Naomi Y, discusses how it’s really about the value you get that makes an experience worth the cost. This episode is sponsored by DoorDash for Work. Get DoorDash for Work and make work delicious. Go to: work.doordash.com/BTR The Party Nail Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Sometimes as a business owner you’re involved in a very pivotal moment in a consumer’s life. They are coming to you in a moment of need and have to trust that you’re going to help them through to the other side. Tim Lo, co-founder of career counseling service, Your Next Jump, finds himself in that position daily. He knows that developing trust, right off the bat, is essential and his entire business is built off of that foundation - something this week’s Yelp reviewer, Heather C. knows well. Your Next Jump Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Creativity and authenticity are two key factors in creating a successful business. For Matthew Wong, Co-Founder and CEO of Tea and Milk in NYC, channeling passion into creativity is a core operating principle. To create a product that could be a dime-a-dozen, but somehow rises above, is not an easy feat. This week hear from Yelp reviewer Jando S. on how the business has managed to stand out in a crowd and from Matthew about the importance of leveraging your true passion. Tea and Milk Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Business owners have enormous responsibilities and often have to navigate challenging situations. But when it comes to addiction and mental health counseling, the responsibilities go far beyond running a successful business. Dr. Church founded Wholeview Wellness because she felt there was a need not being met in the therapeutic community. Our Yelp reviewer Glori M. was kind enough to share her story and through herself & Dr. Church, we explore many learnings for businesses in any industry. Wholeview Wellness Ali Schwartz Meserole Sound

Customer expectations can be tricky sometimes and, as a business owner, they aren’t always in line with what you think they should be. Lucas Sin, owner of Nice Day Chinese in New York, has been expertly managing these challenges. Maintaining cultural integrity while meeting customer expectations is not easy - it takes work and dedication and this week’s reviewer, Morlene C. took notice. Learn how you can strike the balance in this week’s episode. Nice Day Chinese

Some industries have higher stakes than others. As someone who deals with the pressure of such a high stakes business - in addition to all of the other elements that go into running a successful operation - Nahuel Hilal, owner of Iris Tattoo, has plenty of insights to share. We talk a lot about the importance of customer experience and this week is no exception. When it comes to getting a tattoo - something that will be with you forever - the experience has to match the heightened moment. Iris Tattoo: https://www.yelp.com/biz/iris-tattoo-miami-2 Ali Schwartz: https://linktr.ee/alischwar Meserole Sound: https://www.meserolesound.nyc/

Taking a walk in someone else’s shoes can have so many benefits. This week’s guest, owner and founder of Ritual Hot Yoga, uses that method in almost every aspect of her business. From a customer’s first interaction on the website, to the class itself, owner and founder, Lindsey Kaalberg, put extreme thought & care into building a memorable experience - an experience “like no other,” according to Yelp reviewer, Jane C. Find out how Lindsey’s approach can be applied to all business models. Ritual Hot Yoga: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ritual-hot-yoga-chicago-chicago-2 Ali Schwartz: https://linktr.ee/alischwar Meserole Sound: https://www.meserolesound.nyc/

Anticipating diverse customer needs takes thought, intention and mindfulness. It’s not something that comes without work and Alex Bradberry, owner and founder of The Sparkle Bar, is well aware of what it takes to create a truly inclusive experience for her customers. In this week’s deep dive, Alex, who we heard from in episode three, lends us her expertise on the matter. The Sparkle Bar: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sparkle-bar-scottsdale?osq=sparkle+bar Ali Schwartz: https://linktr.ee/alischwar Meserole Sound: https://www.meserolesound.nyc/

It’s nothing new to hear that hospitality should be a big priority for all business owners. But, for Cali BBQ, it’s all about Digital Hospitality. While that may sound like just another buzzword, it’s something that all businesses should be prioritizing. In this ‘Deep Dive’ episode, Shawn Walchef, Owner of Cali BBQ & Founder of Cali BBQ Media, talks about what Digital Hospitality is, why it’s so important and what steps business owners can take to implement an effective digital strategy. Cali BBQ: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cali-comfort-bbq-spring-valley-4 Ali Schwartz: https://linktr.ee/alischwar Meserole Sound: https://www.meserolesound.nyc/

This week we’re trying something a bit different and are introducing a Deep Dive episode where we’ll go deeper on one topic with one of our previous podcast guests. This week: Hiring and Firing with The Candle Pour’s Misty & Dennis Akers. They share their expertise and help business owners with how they might want to think about staffing and why who you hire is essential to creating an unforgettable experience. The Candle Pour: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-candle-pour-tampa Ali Schwartz: https://linktr.ee/alischwar Meserole Sound: https://www.meserolesound.nyc/

When it comes to selling a luxury product, it’s important to cultivate a relationship with your consumer and understand their motivations. Viviana  Langhoff, owner of Adornment & Theory, a jewelry shop in downtown Chicago, shares how she created five pillars for her and her staff to live by. Yelp reviewer, Shelby F., saw these pillars come to life in her numerous experiences with the business and shares why it’s so important to focus on a meaningful customer relationship, rather than the sale. Adornment & Theory: https://www.yelp.com/biz/adornment-and-theory-chicago Ali Schwartz: https://linktr.ee/alischwar Meserole Sound: https://www.meserolesound.nyc/