Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store
Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store takes you behind the counter of a real small business run by two parents raising four kids while building their dream. Each episode shares honest weekly wins, failures, lessons, and the beautiful chaos of running Fort Orange General Store—from inventory challenges to bedtime routines, customer stories to relationship balancing acts.
If you’re a small business owner, an aspiring entrepreneur, a parent juggling too much, or someone who loves authentic conversations about work and life blending together, this show is for you. Expect candid storytelling, practical takeaways, and a real look at what it takes to build a business without losing yourself—or your sense of humor—along the way.
Topics listeners come here for:
• Small business challenges & victories
• Balancing entrepreneurship and family life
• Marriage + business partnership dynamics
• Work-life integration (and when it falls apart)
• Behind-the-scenes of Fort Orange General Store
• Real stories from real small business owners
New episodes every week.
Honest. Relatable. Sometimes chaotic. Always real.
Help us keep the mics on and show your support: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/2UYW9XX4NX2HW
Fort Orange General Store: https://www.fortorangegeneralstore.com/
Podcast: https://www.fortorangegeneralstore.com/podcast
Episodes
16 episodes
15: 518 Day Recap, Nipper Takes Over Albany & The Community Energy Reviving Downtown
What happens when an entire city rallies around local businesses, community pride, and Albany’s most iconic dog?In Episode 15 of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, we’re recapping one of the most excitin...
14: From Local Shop to News Feature: Nipper, 518 Day & The Energy in Downtown Albany Right Now
What happens when a small business gets unexpected media attention—and the entire community shows up because of it?In Episode 14 of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, we’re sharing the wild, exciting, an...
13: 518 Day, Downtown Albany Revival & The Reality of Running a Small Business (With Kids, Chaos & Community
What does it really look like to run a small business, raise a family, and help rebuild a downtown community—all at the same time?In Episode 13 of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, we’re taking...
12: Who Is Nipper? The Story Behind Albany’s Icon and the Dog That Became Part of Our Business
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello talk about one of the most recognizable—and most frequently asked about—symbols in Albany:Nipper.If you’v...
11: Managing Employees in a Small Business: When to Lead, When to Step In, and Do It Yourself
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello talk through a real and ongoing challenge of small business ownership:Managing people while still being responsible ...
10: What’s Missing in Downtown Albany? Community Voices, Small Business, and the Future of Our City
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello celebrate a major milestone—10 episodes—by turning the conversation outward and asking a powerful question:Wh...
9: Growing a Small Business the Right Way: Why Community Comes Before Expansion
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello reflect on a series of recent conversations and experiences that led to one powerful realization:Not all growth is g...
8: Customer Relationships: The Secret to Building a Loyal Small Business Community
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello dive into one of the most important elements of running a successful small business: relationships with customers.<...
7: Redefining Success: From Stable Careers to Small Business Ownership
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello take a step back from the day-to-day realities of retail and ask a deeper question:What does success actually mean?<...
6: Marketing a Small Retail Business: Events, Social Media & What Actually Drives Sales
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello pull back the curtain on how they actually market a small retail business — without a big agency, massive ad budget, or corpor...
5: Marry Someone You’d Go Into Business With: Love, Trust, and the Reality of Building Together
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello reflect on a single sentence spoken during their wedding ceremony that continues to shape their lives: “Marry someone you’d...
4: How We Bought Fort Orange General Store: Risk, Family, and Trusting the Leap
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello share their origin story—how a late-night Instagram scroll turned into buying a brick-and-mortar small business in Down...
3: Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Break-In, Resilience, and the Reality of Small Business Ownership
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello share one of the most difficult stories they’ve faced as small business owners—one they didn’t know if they were ready to tell...
2: Hot Chocolate, Santa, and Controlled Chaos: Inside a Small Business Community Event
In this episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, Joe Slichko and Erica Cubello break down what it really takes to pull off a major community retail event as small business owners—while juggling fami...
1: Our First REAL Holiday Season at Fort Orange General Store
Welcome to the very first episode of Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store—a behind-the-scenes look at what really happens when you run a brick-and-mortar small business while raising a family and navigating marria...