In this episode, I sit down with Wilmington business owner Bennie Sheally to talk about what it really takes to grow a company from scratch. We dive into his leap out of corporate life, the risk and reward behind acquiring agencies, and how he learned to lead with transparency and culture first.
Bennie opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship — from burning through savings to figuring out payroll — and the resilience required to keep going. Together, we explore how community support, personal relationships, and strong leadership shape a thriving business.
Timestamps
(00:00) — Intro
(07:38) — Wilmington support for business owners
(12:19) — Scaling multiple office locations
(16:19) — Revenue growth through acquisitions
(20:38) — Entrepreneurship stress and payroll uncertainty
(24:58) — Celebrating employee entrepreneurial growth
(30:40) — Adapting agency systems for growth
(36:55) — Leadership transparency with team
(41:05) — Efficiency through back-office processes
(47:20) — Culture-driven operational performance
(53:10) — Strategic mindset during plateaus
(59:45) — Long-term vision and legacy building
About the Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero.
The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way.
Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye
Find the Show Here:
Connect with Bennie Sheally
In this episode, I sit down with Kristen and Wes Bechtel — the husband-and-wife team behind Bombalatti’s Ice Cream in Wilmington, NC. We talk about the real side of entrepreneurship: active-shooter lockdowns, plumbing disasters, chaos at multiple locations, and somehow still loving what they do.
Their story reminds me that the hardest days in business can still feel better than the best days at a desk job. I love how honest they are about the sacrifices and surprises no one tells you about when chasing a dream.
Timestamps
(00:00) — Intro
(07:55) — Buying Bombalatti’s opportunity
(14:44) — Daily challenges in growth
21:58 — Why expansion keeps happening
(29:36) — Creativity takes backseat often
(36:53) — Systems break with scale
(44:25) — When family calls louder
(52:04) — Success still costs something
About the Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero.
The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way.
Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye
Find the Show Here:
Connect with Kristen and Wes Bechtel of Boombalatti's
Designer, entrepreneur, and my good friend Carmin Black, went from turning handmade jewelry in her grandparents' garage to creating handbags carried at Magnolia and a hair tie sold nationwide at CVS.
She walks me through the messy reality of building product-based businesses, from finding manufacturers overseas to knowing when to close one brand and start another.
You'll learn:
Timestamps
(00:00) – Intro
(01:10) – Working with Magnolia
(06:09) – Manifestation vs action
(08:17) – From idea to shelf
(13:09) – The messy beginning
(22:09) – When to pivot
(28:17) – Why Half United closed
(35:28) – Getting into CVS
(47:20) – Landing Magnolia
(52:50) – Building your network
(57:37) – Book recommendations
About the Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero.
The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way.
Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye
Find the Show Here:
Connect with Carmin Black
Carmin Black is a designer, entrepreneur, and founder of multiple product-based brands including Carmin Black handbags (sold at Magnolia) and hairdo hair ties (sold nationwide at CVS). She's a former D1 track athlete who started making jewelry in her grandparents' garage and grew it into businesses that employ artisans in eight countries.
In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Melissa Tyson, an incredible goldsmith and custom jewelry designer. Melissa's story is one of courage, creativity, and starting over when life falls apart. We talk about how she built her fine jewelry brand from scratch, literally melting down her old pieces, and what it means to stay true to your art while running a successful business.
You'll learn:
Timestamps:
(00:00) – Intro
(01:46) – Melissa's jewelry evolution from silver to fine jewelry
(05:26) – Learning business skills as a creative
(07:08) – Balancing artistic vision with client needs
(13:05) – Cultivating brand identity over 25 years
(17:03) – Losing income and starting over from scratch
(18:17) – Melting down her life savings to create a new line
(19:39) – Asking for a sign and making the first sale
(27:03) – Hiring a marketing agency and doubling revenue
(34:38) – Authentic connection in a noisy digital world
(42:56) – Social media strategy that converts
(54:36) – Getting scouted for Paris Fashion Week
(1:03:30) – Motherhood and entrepreneurship
About the Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbye-mcgee-ba2514121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizfromscratchpod/
Find the Show Here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizFromScratchPod
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/business-from-scratch/id1852203243
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46DB7MLO9fIMaHQID1EKaN?si=77ab7d85bdcc4b65
Connect with Melissa
Website: melissatysondesigns.com
Etsy: MelissaTysonDesigns
Instagram: @melissatysondesigns
Facebook: Melissa Tyson Designs
Melissa creates custom fine jewelry and engagement rings. She's been featured at Paris Fashion Week and specializes in organic, handcrafted pieces with evidence of the maker's hand.
In this episode, I walk you through the five people you should talk to before you spend money on a website, branding, or a big “I’m launching!” announcement. These conversations will save you time, stress, and years of trial and error.
You’ll learn:
Timestamps
(00:00) – Intro
(00:22) – The five people to talk to before starting a business
(01:02) – Why mentors matter and how Abbye found hers
(03:26) – Abbye’s first client and scrappy beginnings
(04:18) – Talking to future customers: pain points, desires, pricing
(06:20) – Your money team: banker, CPA, cash flow, and early mistakes
(08:49) – Legal basics: structure, contracts, trademarks
(10:28) – The brutally honest friend and real-talk feedback
(11:45) – Recap and immediate next steps
About The Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbye-mcgee-ba2514121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizfromscratchpod/
Find the Show Here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizFromScratchPod
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/business-from-scratch/id1852203243
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46DB7MLO9fIMaHQID1EKaN?si=77ab7d85bdcc4b65
In this episode, I take you inside the real first year of business — the good parts that light you up, the bad moments no one warns you about, and the absurd stories you only understand if you’ve lived them. I share the lessons, mistakes, and small lifesavers that helped me survive my earliest, messiest seasons.
You’ll learn:
Timestamps
(00:00) – Intro
(00:23) – Why this show exists
(01:00) – The good: freedom and control
(02:53) – When freedom turns to chaos
(04:58) – Tiny wins that keep you going
(07:03) – Big wins and breakthroughs
(07:38) – The hard parts no one tells you
(08:28) – Money, taxes, and whiplash
(10:08) – Loneliness and finding support
(11:02) – Building a team the simple way
(13:38) – The absurd side of business
(15:50) – Chaos, emergencies, and resilience
About The Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbye-mcgee-ba2514121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizfromscratchpod/
Find the Show Here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizFromScratchPod
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/business-from-scratch/id1852203243
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46DB7MLO9fIMaHQID1EKaN?si=77ab7d85bdcc4b65
In this episode, I introduce what Business From Scratch is all about and why starting a business never looks as clean as people make it seem. I share how my own story—divorce, rebuilding, survival work, and messy first steps—shaped the way I help people start their businesses today.
You’ll learn:
Timestamps
(00:00) – Intro
(00:25) – Who this show is for and why the beginning feels overwhelming
(01:20) – Abbye’s story: rebuilding life, finding purpose in survival
(02:08) – How community, cooking, and connection sparked her first business
(03:14) – Lessons from commercial kitchens and early clients
(05:09) – Why this podcast exists and what listeners can expect
(06:07) – The emotional reality of starting from scratch
(07:29) – What Abbye wants you to do next
About The Show
Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
Connect with Abbye:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbye-mcgee-ba2514121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizfromscratchpod/
Find the Show Here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizFromScratchPod
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/business-from-scratch/id1852203243
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46DB7MLO9fIMaHQID1EKaN?si=77ab7d85bdcc4b65
Starting a business is one thing. Starting over in life while building a business? That’s another level of crazy.
I’m Abbye McGee — single mom, three-time founder, and someone who’s had to piece together life and business from zero. In this trailer, I’m introducing Business From Scratch — a podcast about what it really takes to build something that lasts when you’re rebuilding yourself at the same time.
This isn’t about chasing a highlight reel or curating a Pinterest-perfect brand. It’s about the real, messy, and meaningful parts of starting over — the mindset shifts, money talks, identity changes, and all the behind-the-scenes logistics that come with creating something that actually matters.
Each week, you’ll hear a mix of solo episodes and unfiltered conversations with entrepreneurs, creatives, and friends who’ve built their businesses in their own imperfect way.
If you’ve ever felt like a crazy person starting from scratch — trust me, you’re not alone. I’m right there with you. Let’s do it together.
Listen every Tuesday on all major podcast platforms, or watch full episodes on Spotify and YouTube.