Vision alone isn’t enough to create a successful business. It requires structure, strategy and the right people. On today’s episode of The Small Business Show, Makena Finger Zannini, founder and CEO of The Boutique COO and co-Founder and CEO of Brick by Brick Collective, shares her entrepreneurial journey and how she helps other business owners redefine success.
Zannini’s path to entrepreneurship was filled with challenges. She grew up in an extremely conservative evangelical community and left at the age of 17. She attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and, after graduating, began her career on Wall Street.
She spent nearly a decade working with small and mid-sized businesses and noticed a recurring pattern: entrepreneurs often start businesses to pursue passion and independence, but quickly become overwhelmed by unexpected operational complexities. These include managing calls and emails, bookkeeping, marketing, hiring and performance management. Many entrepreneurs struggle because they lack the structure and systems to turn their vision into reality. To address this, Zannini founded The Boutique COO, which offers fractional COO services for businesses that cannot afford a full-time executive.
She also launched Brick by Brick Collective after identifying a gap in the real estate industry. The firm provides fractional operations, marketing, and bookkeeping support to realtors, brokerages, property management, and commercial real estate clients.
Workforce management is one of the most common challenges small business owners face. Recruiting effectively, setting performance standards and managing terminations are difficult, making hiring and firing increasingly complex. Another frequent and often overlooked mistake is hiring friends and family, which can blur professional boundaries, complicate performance management, and strain personal relationships.
Many smaller businesses also struggle with cost structuring and pricing, including marketing budgets, products or service pricing, and overall financial allocation. A fractional COO can offer clarity and guidance in these areas, helping to reduce wasted capital and improve ROI.
"If you aren't looking into [AI], you're going to be left behind. Your competitors are going to get more from their labor costs, service, delivery, their product, delivery and manufacturing."
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Technological advancements, including AI-powered solutions, are rapidly reshaping how businesses manage operations and teams. Business owners are exploring ways to enable their staff to use AI while maintaining human connection and strong customer service. AI allows small businesses to do more with less, and those who ignore it risk falling behind competitors who can optimize labor, service and product delivery.
Starting a business in today’s economic climate is challenging. Zannini advises aspiring entrepreneurs to develop realistic forecasts, secure funding plans, and practice risk management from the outset. Starting a venture as a side project while still employed can help mitigate financial risk amid uncertainty.
She also recommends that early-stage entrepreneurs focus on product-market fit by validating demand before going all-in. Avoid rigid attachment to the initial vision and let market feedback guide refinement. Testing different offerings, packages, and pricing, and being willing to pivot are essential for aligning with customer needs and driving long-term business growth.
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