New Jersey Business Podcast

About New Jersey Business Podcast

This podcast is for thriving business owners and entrepreneurs that are all about helping out, thinking positive, being real, making money and respecting others. You will get tons of value from local businesspeople as they share about their journey and secret to success.

Publisher

Paul J Valverde

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Mar 2021

Latest episode

16 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

139 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Jul 2026

   What Every Business Owner Needs to Know Before Selling Their Business

   Most business owners assume that when the time comes to sell their company, a buyer will be ready to write them a check. But many businesses never sell. Others sell for far less than the owner expected because the company was never built to operate without them. In this episode of the New Jersey Business Podcast, Paul and Vanessa Valverde sit down with Kevin Santana, a business broker at Mercato List, to discuss what really makes a business valuable, transferable, and attractive to buyers. Kevin explains why revenue alone does not determine what a company is worth and why buyers pay close attention to profitability, predictable cash flow, clean financial records, documented systems, customer concentration, team stability, and owner involvement. The conversation explores the most common mistakes business owners make before attempting to sell, including waiting too long to prepare, keeping disorganized financial records, failing to document processes, and building a company that depends entirely on the owner's knowledge, relationships, and daily involvement. Kevin also breaks down how business brokers help buyers and sellers navigate the transaction process, including valuation, confidentiality, buyer screening, negotiations, due diligence, financing, transition planning, and closing. For entrepreneurs interested in acquiring an existing company, Kevin shares what buyers should investigate before making an offer, which red flags can expose a bad deal, and why buying a profitable business can sometimes be faster than building one from the ground up. This episode is not only for business owners preparing to sell. It is about building a stronger company with better systems, clearer financials, a capable team, less owner dependency, and more options for the future. Because even if you never sell your business, building it as if someone could buy it will usually create more freedom, stability, and value. 💡 In this episode, you'll learn: • Why many businesses never successfully sell • What buyers evaluate before acquiring a company • Why profitability and revenue do not tell the entire story • How owner dependency reduces business value • Why clean financial records are critical during a sale • How systems and documented processes increase transferability • What business owners should do three to five years before selling • How business brokers help buyers and sellers • What happens during valuation, negotiations, and due diligence • Which red flags should make a buyer walk away • Why customer concentration creates risk • How to build a business that can operate without the owner • Why buying a business can be faster than starting one • How to determine whether you own a company or created a job for yourself 🎙 About Kevin Santana Kevin Santana is a business broker at Mercato List who works with business owners, buyers, and sellers throughout the business transaction process. He helps owners understand what their companies may be worth, identify issues that could reduce valuation, prepare their businesses for the market, connect with qualified buyers, and navigate negotiations, due diligence, and closing. His experience provides a behind-the-scenes perspective on what makes businesses attractive to buyers, what causes deals to fail, and what entrepreneurs can do today to build more valuable and transferable companies. Mercato List https://mercatolist.com/ (https://mercatolist.com/) Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kevinvalues/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ks2025/ 🎙 About the New Jersey Business Podcast The New Jersey Business Podcast features conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and business leaders who share practical lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, growth, acquisitions, and building meaningful companies. 📲 Follow and connect: NJ Business Podcast https://www.instagram.com/newjerseybusinesspodcast Paul Valverde https://www.instagram.com/paulvalverdeofficial Vanessa Valverde https://www.instagram.com/vanessavalverdeofficial 🟢 Spotify | 🟣 Apple Podcasts | 🔴 YouTube

2. 

   10 Jul 2026

   Brick-and-Mortar vs Digital Business: Which One Would I Build Today?

   Most entrepreneurs want to build a business that gives them freedom. But many end up building a business that depends entirely on them. In this episode of the New Jersey Business Podcast, Paul & Vanessa Valverde sit down with Julia Sokol, founder of SassClass and Little Local Magic, to compare two very different business models. SassClass is a ten-year-old brick-and-mortar company with a team, systems, and a physical location in Midtown Manhattan. Little Local Magic is a fast-growing digital-first brand built through content, community, partnerships, and local experiences. Julia shares what it really takes to build a physical business, including rent, staffing, insurance, maintenance, overhead, and the pressure of keeping a location profitable. She also explains how she transitioned from operator to CEO by delegating responsibilities, documenting processes, building a team, and creating systems that allow SassClass to run without her constant involvement. The conversation also explores the advantages and risks of digital businesses. Digital brands can launch faster, test ideas with less capital, and grow an audience quickly. But they can also depend heavily on the founder's time, personality, content, and social media platforms. This episode is not simply about whether brick-and-mortar or digital businesses are better. It is about freedom, scalability, profitability, leadership, and founder dependency. Julia also shares what she would do differently, what she has learned from building both companies, and which type of business she would choose if she were starting again today. 💡 In this episode, you'll learn: • The difference between brick-and-mortar and digital businesses • What entrepreneurs underestimate about physical locations • How to transition from operator to CEO • Why systems and delegation create freedom • The risks of founder dependency • How community can become a business asset • The advantages and challenges of digital growth • Which business model offers more flexibility • What Julia would do differently today • How to determine whether you are building a business or another job 🎙 About Julia Sokol Julia Sokol is the founder of SassClass and Little Local Magic. Through SassClass, she has spent more than ten years building and operating a brick-and-mortar business in Midtown Manhattan. With Little Local Magic, she is building a digital-first brand focused on content, community, partnerships, and local experiences. Her experience gives her a unique perspective on leadership, systems, business growth, and the differences between physical and digital companies. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/littlelocalmagic/ 🎙 About the New Jersey Business Podcast The New Jersey Business Podcast features conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and business leaders who share practical lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, growth, and building meaningful companies. Hosted by Paul Valverde. 📲 Follow & connect: NJ Business Podcast https://www.instagram.com/newjerseybusinesspodcast Paul Valverde https://www.instagram.com/paulvalverdeofficial Vanessa Valverde https://www.instagram.com/vanessavalverdeofficial 🟢 Spotify | 🟣 Apple Podcasts | 🔴 YouTube

3. 

   3 Jul 2026

   Before You Scale, Fix This First

   Most business owners don't fail because they lack passion. They work hard. Serve customers. Put in long hours. Take risks. And try to grow. But what if hard work alone isn't enough to keep a business alive? What if the real reason many small businesses fail isn't a bad product, bad service, or lack of effort, but weak business fundamentals? In this episode of the New Jersey Business Podcast, Paul & Vanessa Valverde sit down with Nemin Jaya, Co-Founder and COO of BrightStreet, for a conversation about why small businesses really fail and what entrepreneurs can do to build stronger, more sustainable companies. Most entrepreneurs know how to do the work. Nemin believes they also need to learn how to run the business. Because being a great electrician, mechanic, cleaner, contractor, designer, or service provider does not automatically make someone a strong business owner. A business needs more than skill. It needs clean books. Clear pricing. Cash flow discipline. Systems. Education. Access to capital. And the right support network. This conversation explores why many businesses look successful on the outside while struggling underneath the surface, how poor business hygiene creates major problems, and why cash flow can make or break a company even when sales are strong. It isn't simply a discussion about business failure. It's a discussion about building a business that can survive. Why fundamentals matter. Why revenue is not the same as profit. Why profit is not the same as cash flow. Why personal and business finances must be separated. And why every entrepreneur needs discipline, education, systems, and support. Nemin also shares what he sees every day through BrightStreet's work helping entrepreneurs access capital, mentorship, resources, and the support needed to build sustainable businesses. Whether you are starting a business, running a service company, growing a local brand, leading a family business, or trying to fix the foundation before you scale, this episode will help you see your business more clearly. Because the businesses that survive are not always the ones with the most talent. They are the ones that build the strongest foundation. 💡 In this episode, you'll learn: • Why most small businesses fail • The difference between being skilled at a trade and running a business • Why great technicians often struggle as business owners • What business hygiene means and why it matters • How messy books create bigger business problems • Why separating personal and business finances is essential • The difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow • How businesses with strong sales can still run out of money • Why cash flow determines business survival • How underpricing slowly damages a business • Why access to capital matters for entrepreneurs • When a business is not ready for funding • Why money does not fix broken fundamentals • The role of education in small business survival • Why systems help businesses grow more sustainably • How mentors, peers, and networks support entrepreneurs • Why coachability matters for business owners • The mindset shift from operator to owner • What disciplined entrepreneurs do differently • How to perform a Business Hygiene Audit this week • Practical steps to strengthen your business foundation before scaling 🎙 About Nemin Jaya Nemin Jaya is the Co-Founder and COO of BrightStreet, a nonprofit organization helping entrepreneurs access capital, mentorship, resources, and support systems to build stronger and more sustainable businesses. Through his work with entrepreneurs, Nemin has seen the patterns that cause many small businesses to struggle, including weak financial systems, poor business hygiene, lack of access to capital, limited education, and the absence of strong support networks. BrightStreet works to close these gaps by helping entrepreneurs become more prepared, more connected, and better equipped to grow. Website https://www.brightstreet.org/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nemin-jaya-201245131/ BrightStreet LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/brightstreet-financial/ 🎙 About the New Jersey Business Podcast The New Jersey Business Podcast features conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, business leaders, and innovators who share lessons, experiences, and strategies to help business owners grow personally and professionally. Hosted by Paul Valverde, the podcast explores entrepreneurship, leadership, business growth, mindset, marketing, community building, and the realities of building something meaningful. 📲 Follow & connect: NJ Business Podcast https://www.instagram.com/newjerseybusinesspodcast Paul Valverde https://www.instagram.com/paulvalverdeofficial Vanessa Valverde https://www.instagram.com/vanessavalverdeofficial 🟢 Spotify | 🟣 Apple Podcasts | 🔴 YouTube

Who has been a guest on New Jersey Business Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Milena Suárez
• Michelle Paytuvi
• Zuley Sánchez
• Lunna Sánchez
• Jesús Delgado

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

308,642

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

26 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

96

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

60

Contact New Jersey Business Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.