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Small Business Survival Conversations
Small Business Survival Conversations is the weekly podcast designed to empower entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners who are fighting every day to build, grow, and sustain their businesses in a noisy and unpredictable world.
Hosted by Anna Steinfest, business strategist, entrepreneur, and founder with decades of experience helping small businesses thrive, this show delivers practical wisdom, mindset fuel, and real-world strategies that small business owners can actually use.
What to Expect Every Week
Monday Morning Motivation
Kickstart your week with a powerful story—drawn from timeless fables, real business lessons, or classic wisdom—paired with three actionable steps you can apply immediately. Each episode is crafted to help you regain focus, protect your momentum, and make better decisions as a small business owner.
These episodes are short, energizing, and packed with practical insight. Think of it as your weekly dose of clarity, courage, and direction.
Occasional Expert Interviews
Throughout the season, Anna welcomes entrepreneurs, industry experts, and community leaders who share their experiences, failures, wins, and lessons learned. Whether you’re looking to scale, pivot, or simply survive another day of running a business, these conversations offer the guidance and encouragement you need.
Who This Podcast Is For
This show is built for:
• Small business owners
• Solopreneurs
• Startup founders
• Women-owned businesses
• Community-based and service-based entrepreneurs
• Anyone navigating growth with limited time, resources, and support
If you’re building a business from the ground up—and learning as you go—you’re in the right place.
Why Listeners Love This Podcast
• Practical, real-world strategies (no fluff)
• Story-driven insights that stick
• Weekly motivation designed specifically for small business owners
• Action steps in every episode
• Honest conversations about what it really takes to survive and grow
• Encouragement without sugarcoating
Running a small business is not easy — but you don’t have to do it alone.
Subscribe now and start your week with inspiration, direction, and the tools to keep moving forward.
Small Business Survival Conversations
Your journey. Your grit. Your growth.
Small Business Survival Conversations
S3E41: Sparks to Success: Building a Metal Fabrication Business Against All Odds
What happens when a doctor trades her stethoscope for a welding torch? Meet Maria Perl, founder of Spark Ops Metalworks, whose journey from a medical professional to a certified woman and minority-owned business leader proves the American Dream is alive and sparking.
Under Maria's leadership, Spark Ops has positioned itself to excel across Entertainment, Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, and Construction industries, delivering precise, high-quality solutions for major clients including the Super Bowl, Fox Sports, Tesla, and John Deere. With comprehensive capabilities spanning welding, forming, metal stamping, laser cutting, and design, Maria's team consistently exceeds industry standards and client expectations.
As a participant in the prestigious Green Bay Packers Mentor-Protégé Program, Maria reveals how mentorship has been crucial to scaling her WOSB and MBE-certified business. Her survival philosophy? "Focus on the outcome and the impact you're making—that will get you through the toughest moments." She also opens up about building an incredible internal culture that values every team member's contribution.
If you're facing challenges in your small business or considering a major career pivot, Maria's story will inspire you to keep pushing forward.
Learn more about Maria and Spark Ops Metalworks: https://www.sparkopsmetalworks.com/about-us