Season 2, Episode 8: “Women, Wealth and Wow” with Diane Humke [Podcast]

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 8 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this eighth episode of our Women, Wealth and Wow! series, I introduce you to my guest Diane Humke, President and Chair of Essential Wholesale & Labs in Portland, Oregon.

Diane grew up in an entrepreneurial family, and starting around 2009, she found herself unexpectedly falling in love with one of our longtime members, Essential Wholesale & Labs. Diane fell so in love with the company that in 2011, she bought it! Under Diane's leadership, the company has grown by leaps and bounds, and in this interview, she delivers a backstage pass into the details behind her purchase of the company. Whether you are a new entrepreneur just starting out or an entrepreneur who is thinking of selling your business, you will enjoy the golden bricks Diane shares in this episode. Enjoy my chat with Diane NOW!

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Season 2, Episode 8: Show Notes

Here are few episode 8 highlights.

1. Diane's entrepreneurial background, including a berry and lemonade stand and selling vacume cleaners door-to-door (starting at 2:22).
2. Joining a Mastermind group was the single best thing I ever did for my business (starting at 4:34).
3. What it was like to be raised by entrepreneurial parents and how it helped Diane in her own entrepreneurial endeavors (starting at 5:45).
4. Can your business really love you back? (starting at 8:35).
5. How to address problems as a united team, in a business as in a marriage (starting at 12:05).
6. Different classifications of worry and how to handle them. (starting at 13:18).
7. Diane's “tainted” view point on how business has changed for women in the past 10 years. (starting at 14:13).

Tips to set your business up for possible sale in the future, and a backstage peek at the Essential Wholesale purchase story. (starting at 18:01).

8. Diane defines wealth (starting at 23:13).
9. What is everyone's highest expense every month? (starting at 26:55).
10. Don't shortchange yourself; do the math (starting at 29:18).
11. Diane's tips for making your first hire (starting at 33:55).
12. Make sure your work is in line with your corporate identity and who you are (starting at 35:44).
13. Diane's final words of entrepreneurial encouragement: it starts with what you believe (starting at 41:55).

Season 2, Episode 8: Resources in this Episode

1. Book: Getting to Yes, by Roger Fisher and William Ury
2. Free coaching: Score
3. Assistance for businesses in Oregon: Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership
4. Book: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, by Dale Carnegie

Connect with Diane at Essential Wholesale and Labs

Check out Essential Wholesale & Labsat her website, and on Facebook, and Twitter.

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