S4 E14: Anonymity is the Enemy of Growth: Building a Marketing Engine That Converts

Ann Donnelly on September 23, 2026

What happens when you have the best product in town, but nobody knows you exist? In this role-reversal episode of Building Success Stories, regular host Ann Donnelly hands the mic to guest host Janice Durant, Chief Franchise Matchmaker at New Trails Business Consultants. Together, they dissect the foundational pillars of business survival: branding, budgeting, and the raw truth that passion alone does not equal sales. From the specific percentages you should be spending on marketing at every stage of your business, to the hidden advantages of the franchise model, this episode is a strategic masterclass on converting anonymity into authority.

S4 Bonus Episode: Inside Hometown Shop with Kara Magoolaghan – The South Street Glens Falls Renaissance

Ann Donnelly on August 21, 2026

In this exclusive bonus feature of Building Success Stories, host Ann Donnelly has a conversation with Kara Magoolaghan, co-owner of Hometown Shop on the newly revitalized South Street. Kara shares the origin story of her unique storefront – how the commercial space “found her” and inspired a mission to help residents inject personality into their new white-box apartments.

S4 E6: The AI Equalizer: How Local Businesses Can Compete with Enterprise Giants

Ann Donnelly on June 17, 2026

Are you a business owner drowning in daily tasks and struggling to scale? In this episode of Building Success Stories, Ann Donnelly sits down with Christopher Crowd, the tech specialist and founder behind Severus AI, a new Glens Falls-based business. Christopher shares how artificial intelligence is no longer just for massive tech giants; it’s a powerful tool ready to level the playing field for solopreneurs and local businesses. From AI voice agents that never miss a lead to customized workflow automations that act as your fractional executive assistant, Christopher breaks down how their platform, Ada, gives you your time back. Discover how implementing private, business-centric AI can revolutionize your customer care, supercharge your social media, and help you fall in love with your business all over again.

S2 E17: Chuck Copenspire, Creative Strategist & Author

Ann Donnelly on May 14, 2025

Chuck discusses the importance of networking, authenticity in marketing, and the role of vulnerability in connecting with clients. He emphasizes the need for disruption in traditional marketing practices and the value of storytelling in building relationships. He also explores the evolving landscape of social media and how to navigate it effectively.

S1 E35: Overcoming Digital Marketing Fears: Why Small Businesses Can’t Afford to Ignore It Anymore (Episode 35)

Ann Donnelly on November 17, 2024

This week’s topic is aimed at those who may not listen to podcasts, but you may have a relative or friend who could use this advice, so please spread the word! With nearly three-quarters of the US population using social media regularly, it’s a given that digital marketing is the best way to generate leads and get more customers in almost any type of business. Yet, a few people still feel that word of mouth or small ads in the local paper are the only ways to get business.

S1 E29: Buyer’s Journey – Understand the Stages & Use Them To Win Customers

Ann Donnelly on November 14, 2024

We all know what it’s like to go into a shop to browse when an aggressive salesperson approaches as soon as you enter the door and offers to “assist.” It makes you want to run out of the shop. That’s a salesperson who doesn’t understand the Buyer’s Journey. In this episode of Building Success Stories, producer Seth Cooper and I discuss the Buyer’s Journey and the stages a person goes through before, during, and after deciding to purchase.

S1 E28: Domain Authority – A Way to Get More Traffic To Your Website & Boost Brand Awareness

Ann Donnelly on November 14, 2024

If you can only focus on one aspect of marketing your business, it should be increasing Domain Authority because this brings more relevant traffic to your website while boosting brand awareness and authority. In this episode of Building Success Stories, producer Seth Cooper and I discuss Domain Authority, a metric used by digital marketers to give an idea of the value Google and other search engines give to the pages in their index to determine the ranking of search results. Other terms used are Page Rank, Page Authority, and Site Authority.