On this episode of StartupNation Radio, brought to you by Pappas Financial, Jeff is joined by co-host, Corey Welch, Detroit Site Leader for Rapid Advance. The fourth largest small business lender in America, Rapid Advance is a tech-powered financial services company that provides working capital to small and mid-sized businesses.
To kick the show off, Corey shares how Rapid Advance provides entrepreneurs with access to capital with a client-focused approach. Rapid Advance specializes in working with clients that have been in business for at least 12 months, and helps those up-and-running businesses get to the next level. Corey shares the various types of loans available to these types of business owners, and the role passion plays in qualifying for a loan with Rapid Advance.
To learn what makes the company’s client-centered approach so unique and how Rapid Advance tailors solutions to meet individual client’s goals, visit the official website.
During the show, Jeff and Corey chat with Matt Jones, Peter King and Merrick Steele, co-founders of Drew Ryan Wines, a Detroit-based vineyard. And later in the show, they interview Matt Black, CEO of Black Ops, to learn more about chatbots and artificial intelligence.
First up, the Drew Ryan Wines co-founders discuss the inspiration that led them to launch their company in 2011. They also share the grape varietals they currently offer, the wine-making process and the company’s future plans.
Additionally, they chat about:
- What makes Drew Ryan Wines unique
- Where Drew Ryan Wines will be available
- The “lifestyle brand” experience that Drew Ryan Wines provides its consumers
- What drives the business
Drew Ryan Wines hopes to promote a lifestyle of wine education, entertainment and celebration with passion for premium wine making in the city of Detroit.
For more information, check out the official website and follow the company on Instagram.
Next up, Jeff and Corey interview Matt Black, CEO of Black Ops.
The first conversational marketing agency focused on chatbots headquartered in Detroit, Black Ops helps its entrepreneurial clients in finance, insurance and retail to build conversational interfaces to get more customers through personality-driven chatbots.
During the interview, Matt discusses:
- Artificial intelligence and chatbots: What is AI and how does that relate to chatbots?
- Practical chatbot applications, and applications where chatbots drop the ball
- Sales chatbots and the work Black Ops is doing
- The Black Ops business model and how it differs from other chatbot companies
For more information on Black Ops, visit the official website.
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