Money Isn’t Everything—but It Helps
Tue Jul 01 2025
Sue Malone is a recognized advocate for small businesses, having helped fund over 30,000 companies since 2010. As the founder of Strategies For Small Business, Sue has authored several loan and equity programs and has ranked #1 in the country for the SBA Community Express and Patriot Express loan programs. She is a fierce supporter of entrepreneurs, particularly those navigating the challenges of capital access.
Brandon Bruce is the co-founder and General Partner of Market Square Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. He has co-founded several tech companies, including Uncat and Evasive, and served as the Managing Director for Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator. Brandon is also a founding member of the Knoxville Technology Council and a passionate outdoors enthusiast.
Why This Matters
In the world of entrepreneurship, money isn’t everything, but it certainly makes the journey a lot smoother. In this episode, Chris, Sue, and Brandon dive into Capital Intelligence—the unique understanding of how to make a business not just investable, but inevitable in the eyes of investors and customers. Whether you're an entrepreneur trying to secure funding or an investor seeking the next big idea, the insights shared here are crucial for navigating the complexities of funding, business growth, and strategic pivots.
This conversation covers everything from debt vs. equity to the art of pitching and even managing life-work balance through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Get ready to hear real, actionable advice on what it takes to make a business succeed—even when the odds are stacked against you.
Key Takeaways:
Resilience is Key: It’s not about avoiding failure—it’s about how you bounce back after hitting the wall.
Money Alone Won’t Save You: Your business has to be inevitable in the eyes of investors, and that’s built on grit, innovation, and a solid customer focus.
The Power of Storytelling: How you pitch your idea can be the difference between being heard or being overlooked.
Capital Is Just One Piece: Investors are looking for more than just a good idea—they want to see that you can sell it, market it, and scale it.
Why It Matters to You
If you’re an entrepreneur looking to grow your startup, or if you're considering stepping into the world of investing, Sue and Brandon’s stories will shed light on what makes a business not just survive, but thrive. You’ll learn the critical importance of having a solid plan, revenue focus, and the right mindset to secure both capital and long-term success.
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Listen to all episodes of the Big Ideas Welcome podcast, available now on your favorite streaming platforms, YouTube, and at bigideaswelcome.com.
This Big Ideas Welcome podcast is brought to you by Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, hosted and curated by KEC Chief Experience Officer Chris McAdoo, and produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co.
A special thanks to K BREW for making this episode possible.
Original theme music “Thinking of You” courtesy of and copyright Kelsi Walker.
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Sue Malone is a recognized advocate for small businesses, having helped fund over 30,000 companies since 2010. As the founder of Strategies For Small Business, Sue has authored several loan and equity programs and has ranked #1 in the country for the SBA Community Express and Patriot Express loan programs. She is a fierce supporter of entrepreneurs, particularly those navigating the challenges of capital access. Brandon Bruce is the co-founder and General Partner of Market Square Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. He has co-founded several tech companies, including Uncat and Evasive, and served as the Managing Director for Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator. Brandon is also a founding member of the Knoxville Technology Council and a passionate outdoors enthusiast. Why This Matters In the world of entrepreneurship, money isn’t everything, but it certainly makes the journey a lot smoother. In this episode, Chris, Sue, and Brandon dive into Capital Intelligence—the unique understanding of how to make a business not just investable, but inevitable in the eyes of investors and customers. Whether you're an entrepreneur trying to secure funding or an investor seeking the next big idea, the insights shared here are crucial for navigating the complexities of funding, business growth, and strategic pivots. This conversation covers everything from debt vs. equity to the art of pitching and even managing life-work balance through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Get ready to hear real, actionable advice on what it takes to make a business succeed—even when the odds are stacked against you. Key Takeaways: Resilience is Key: It’s not about avoiding failure—it’s about how you bounce back after hitting the wall. Money Alone Won’t Save You: Your business has to be inevitable in the eyes of investors, and that’s built on grit, innovation, and a solid customer focus. The Power of Storytelling: How you pitch your idea can be the difference between being heard or being overlooked. Capital Is Just One Piece: Investors are looking for more than just a good idea—they want to see that you can sell it, market it, and scale it. Why It Matters to You If you’re an entrepreneur looking to grow your startup, or if you're considering stepping into the world of investing, Sue and Brandon’s stories will shed light on what makes a business not just survive, but thrive. You’ll learn the critical importance of having a solid plan, revenue focus, and the right mindset to secure both capital and long-term success. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Listen to all episodes of the Big Ideas Welcome podcast, available now on your favorite streaming platforms, YouTube, and at bigideaswelcome.com. This Big Ideas Welcome podcast is brought to you by Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, hosted and curated by KEC Chief Experience Officer Chris McAdoo, and produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co. A special thanks to K BREW for making this episode possible. Original theme music “Thinking of You” courtesy of and copyright Kelsi Walker.