Episode 24 - Learning and Growing from Success and Failures with Stewart Townsend

Traversing Entrepreneurship

Stewart Townsend is the co-owner and Chief Revenue Officer of Podcast Hawk, a SaaS company created to automatically help people get booked as podcast guests. Stewart is also the founder of Channel as a Service, a consultancy firm that helps businesses accelerate B2B SaaS sales growth through every stage of the channel life-cycle. Before starting his career as an entrepreneur, Stewart worked in several tech and software development companies at varying capacities, including serving as the Director for Channel Development at ZenDesk and working with Oracle’s EMEA Business Development & Startup Essentials. He holds a BSC Hons in Business & Information Systems and an MA in Social Media from the University of Salford.

Stewart joins us today to share his journey from working in the corporate world to being a start-up entrepreneur, as well as the lessons he learned from the successes and failures he encountered along the way. He describes the ethos he strives to instill in his business and explains why running a business unit in a company is simpler and easier than running your own business. He discusses the inner workings of Podcast Hawk and how it helps people get booked as podcast guests on autopilot. Stewart also highlights why it’s important for guests to deliver value and insight to a podcast’s audience and underscores what small businesses should focus on as they reach the million-dollar mark in revenue.

“Through growing up and being a human being, you learn by failing—that’s how we’re designed.” - Stewart Townsend

This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:

• What life was like for Stewart before PodcastHawk
• The challenges he faced in the corporate world that helped him get to where he is today
• Disconnecting from the grind and taking time out to think and evaluate your plans
• Stewart’s beginnings as an entrepreneur and forays into investing
• Why it’s difficult for British people to talk about challenges and failure
• Building Channel as a Service and what kept Stewart motivated despite previous investment failures
• What Podcast Hawk is and how it works
• Using Podcast Hawk to achieve your podcast guesting goals this 2023
• The importance of delivering value and insight to a podcast’s audience
• Why it’s critical to get to know someone personally before getting into business with them
• Building for contingency and other things small companies should focus on as they approach $1 million in revenue

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Spend the time to get to know somebody you’re going to get into business with personally; their personality is the one you’re going to deal with not only in good but also tough times.” - Derek Dall’Olmo
• “You have to be cognizant about who you’re employing, how you’re treating them, and what your competitors are looking for.” - Derek Dall’Olmo
• “Ensure that you have tight operational procedures in place. It’s all about operational processes, looking at the dependencies of your business, and de-risking it.” - Stewart Townsend

Connect with Stewart Townsend:

• Stewart Townsend Website
• Podcast Hawk
• Channel as a Service
• Big Data Week
• Podcast Hawk on LinkedIn
• Podcast Hawk on Facebook
• Podcast Hawk on Twitter
• Stewart Townsend on LinkedIn
• Stewart Townsend on Twitter
• Email: [e-mail]

About TreMonte and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast

Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan and beyond. In each episode, co-hosts Derek Dall’Olmo and Melissa Niedzielski sit down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business.

Derek and Melissa work together at TreMonte Financial Consultants, LLC and TreMonte TreMonte Tax Solutions, LLC (together referred to as “TreMonte”). TreMonte works with business owners and entrepreneurs to develop a proactive tax strategy that maximizes after-tax profits. It is TreMonte’s goal to bridge the gap between Financial Advisors and Accountants by serving as CFO to their clients.

This show is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. You should always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.

Please email Derek Dall’Olmo at [e-mail] with questions and comments or to schedule a one-on-one conversation.

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