Nora DiNuzzo

Blood Sweat & Tears

You’ve worked too hard for it to be this hard.

BS&T is a committed partner to ambitious agencies frustrated by inconsistent growth.

We develop and implement a custom growth strategy that meets you where you are today – whether your goal is to stabilize, sustain, scale or sell your agency.

Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer

Pitcher 🍋

Small businesses deserve to grow, too. 

Pitcher is a growth consultancy for entrepreneurs and small businesses (<$25mm).

We work directly with founders to:

+ Diagnose their growth issues 

+ Refine their first-mile strategies (brand, business, content and comms)

+ Optimize their marketing and business development processes to align with growth goals

+ Match small businesses to right-fit service providers

+ Broker strategic alliances and partnerships

Founder & President

Smiths Agency

In September 2022, Smiths Agency (fka Smith Brothers) was acquired by Barkley: barkleyus.com

Vice President of Business Development

Director of Business Development

Business Development Manager

MARC USA

In June 2020, MARC USA merged with two other agencies to form 9 Rooftops: 9rooftops.com

New Business Specialist

Account Manager

You’ve worked too hard for it to be this hard.

Growing up, one thing I never aspired to be was an entrepreneur. 

Running your own company was for the incredibly wealthy (Mr. Burns) or the incredibly innovative (Doc Brown). I was neither.

But what I’ve learned about entrepreneurs over the past few years is that they have one thing in common – they desperately want to fix something that drives them nuts. 

As it turns out – throughout my life and career, a lot of things drove me nuts. 

So nuts that in October 2021, I quit a VP-level job at an ad agency to start my own consultancy – Pitcher – to help small businesses grow.

Because the fact that agencies could rarely find a way to work with companies <$25mm in annual revenue drove me nuts.

Because I believe that small businesses deserve to grow, too. 

In April 2023, I got a call from a friend that I never planned for – with an offer to create something I never considered doing less than two years into being a founder.

A second company.

Because the fact that so many brilliant agencies continuously struggle to grow drove him nuts. 

As it turns out – it drives me nuts, too. 

So nuts that I said yes – and Blood Sweat & Tears was born. 

Yes, born. I have given birth to two human children – and two businesses.

There is not a damn thing women can’t do.

I wasn’t a business developer - until I was.

I wasn’t an executive - until I was.

I wasn’t a strategist - until I was.

I wasn’t a founder - until I was.

I wasn’t a speaker - until I was.

Just because you aren’t yet, doesn’t mean you aren’t in the process of becoming.

So whatever you’re becoming - keep at it.

Until you are.

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This is my quarterly reminder to founders:

GET OUT THERE ✈️

I spent 4 days in NYC this week, and caught up with over 100 people while here.

3 conferences + many co-located events.

An event Christine Olivas and I designed and co-hosted.

Meals and meetups with people who are here in NYC for these events, or are full-time New Yorkers.

Not only did I accomplish a few very specific things with and for some of my clients while here…

But I also strengthened relationships with current clients and partners, and made many new quality connections.

And I learned a lot - particularly at Blackweek. More to come on that next week.

Most importantly… I had a ton of FUN with some of my business besties!

Thank you Christine, Starr Session Varga and Victoria Carrington Chávez✨ for making this week so awesome. Core memory for sure 💖

The hardest thing in business is to say NO.

NO to projects that aren’t profitable enough.

NO to pitches you don’t have a right to win.

NO to people you’d prefer not to enrich.

NO to clients who undervalue you from Day 1.

NO to that one more thing that is going to push you over the edge, mentally or physically.

NO to work that isn’t in your zone of genius.

NO to things that don’t spark joy.

We are so conditioned to people please.

To be yes people. 

Saying no isn’t being difficult.

Saying no is having boundaries and standards for yourself.

As a business owner - it’s also about having standards for the type of organization you are building and leading.

If you lead a team - trust that your Nos and Yeses are being watched very closely by your employees.

It’s one of the reasons I left full-time employment 4 years ago.

And now - saying no is the thing I work on the most. 

Much respect to Pikes Ibiza for their very prominent list of NOs posted at the check in desk outside this storied club. 

I particularly agree with the last one. It’s the #1 NO for my businesses, too.

Now more than ever, it seems that people are afraid to tell the truth.

The safe and sanitized parts are regurgitated over and over as talking points on panels, in op-eds and on the nightly news.

Legal-approved.
Board-sanctioned.
Investor-friendly.

We give the same uncontroversial takes, share the same safe ideas in brainstorms. 

Which then get made into the same neutral and ineffective ads, events and experiences.

No boats rocked. No thoughts provoked. 

And we avoid confronting the truth once again.

Because the truth is incredibly uncomfortable.

Difficult. Painful. Hard. Embarrassing. Shameful, even.

This is why the most important event for me and for everyone to attend is Blackweek.

At Blackweek, the truth is told.

By every speaker. On every topic.

Unvarnished. Raw. Real.

But also empathetic. Hopeful. And in a way that builds community.

Thank you to the truth tellers I was able to witness speak this year at Blackweek 2025 - Don Lemon, Joy Reid, Cindy Gallop and Lola Bakare. 

Your talks were all incredibly powerful, rallying and inspirational.

But most importantly - they were truthful to the core.

Thank you to the founders of Blackweek - Walter T Geer III, Joseph Anthony, Monique Nelson, Dabo Ché, Gabrielle Shirdan, andre gray and Adan Romero.

You have created a world-class event and have programmed what I consider to be the top thought leadership event in the industry.

AND you’ve created an environment and community of complete safety, where we can dare to speak the truth out loud.

This year, I invited two of my friends and clients to join me at Blackweek - Starr Session Varga and Victoria Carrington Chávez✨- both of whom are Black women.

Seeing and hearing how safe, supported, included and appreciated they felt in this space was everything.

I got to see them tell their truth to others. 

And I saw a side of each of them flourish that I know they have to keep behind walls at times, with certain people and in certain spaces.

We should all be free to be ourselves, 100% of the time.

We should all be free to tell the truth, 100% of the time.

At Blackweek, this is the reality.

And it’s why when it’s over every year - none of us want to leave 🖤

In a shock to absolutely no one, LinkedIn doesn’t seem to like that I put the words “truth” and “Black” in the same post.

Nevertheless… I hope my post about Blackweek finds you. Please come over to my page and read it in full. It’s pinned to the top so you can find it.

PS - Blackweek is not just for Black people. Blackweek is for ALL of us.

Christine Olivas and I are in NYC! 🍎

Will we see you tonight at karaoke? 🎤 

Come out, sing a song - and support the BLAC Internship Program 🖤

We have a few spots still available. Text/DM me to get on the list!

Weds 10/8 (TONIGHT!) 5-8p. DM for location 😎

Cherishing time with my family at home before my next stint on the road.

Mick Mize gave me the gift of the mantra FOR NOW - and over the last year I have been working to be as present as I can be, wherever I am.

For now… I’m home and looking forward to celebrating Halloween with my kids - one of their favorite days of the year.

This year, they are being Link from Zelda 🗡️ and a Sloth 🦥 

For now… I’m enjoying the games of chess, bedtime chats and Dave DiNuzzo’s amazing meals (his latest party trick - homemade meatballs and sauce 🍝) 

In November, I will be traveling all 4 weeks of the month. The first three for work, the last one for personal.

I have never done this before. I have traveled 3 of 4 weeks, 4 of 6 weeks… but never 4 consecutive weeks.

While the thought of this is daunting and honestly giving me a bit of the Sunday scaries… I know I can do it.

This is what I have designed my businesses to enable me to do. And these are all incredible reasons to be “getting out there.”

Nov 2-5 in Atlanta for Brandweek.

Nov 10-14 in Austin for a client retreat - my 3rd one with them.

Nov 17-20 in Boston and Rosemary Beach, FL for two events with the 4As ❤️ 

I am so fortunate to have incredible clients and partners who value the time together in-person to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and accelerate our progress.

Nothing will ever beat in-person for collaboration, relationship building and strengthening.

But traveling is full on. It’s exhausting. And I miss my family like crazy when I’m gone.

I’m so grateful to Dave for being my partner that makes this all possible. I could never do this without him holding it down for our kids every day that I’m on the road.

He stepped away from full-time work exactly 1 year ago, so I could pursue my dream of building the businesses I want to run, and believe the world needs. 

For now… this is what we need to do for our family to thrive.

I share this because traveling and building businesses can seem glamorous. And sometimes, it is.

But it also involves an enormous amount of coordination, tough decisions, and sacrifices. Especially if you are a parent or have a partner.

Whatever FOR NOW looks like for you this week, next month or the rest of this year… I wish you peace and presence to enjoy every single moment.

But also - I know how hard it all is, too. And it’s okay to say that out loud and admit it.

Back on my travel grind ✈️ 

Q4 has historically been my busiest quarter, and this year is no exception!

I’m traveling 13 of the next 19 days. 

Next up - Atlanta for Brandweek with RP3 Agency! Come find me if you’ll be there 👀 

Anyone else a road warrior this quarter?

My top tips for staying healthy while traveling during the Fall (besides getting your vaccines):

💦 3X Hydration - water, electrolytes and tea! ☕️ My fave is Throat Coat by Traditional Medicinals - an OG singers trick, if you have to talk a lot for work like I do.

💊 Vitamin Boost - New Myers IVs at Restore Hyper Wellness every other week, and green goodness from JOE & THE JUICE 💚 

💤 Rest & Recharge - I try to limit alcohol and caffeine to maximize quality sleep. Endel is my favorite app to relax and fall asleep to.

Let me know if I can catch you during my travels:

Atlanta - Nov 2-5
Austin - Nov 10-14
Boston - Nov 17-18

The advice I needed to hear from Bozoma Saint John at Brandweek yesterday:

Don’t listen to anyone.

What she said next made us all sit up and lean forward…

“They will advise based on fear. Especially the people who love you and care about you.”

Throughout my career and more recently my moves into entrepreneurship, I received plenty of unsolicited advice and opinions about the choices I was making.

And Boz is right - so much of it came from the people who care about me the most.

I didn’t listen.

Instead, at every turn - I followed my instincts, and trusted my gut.

Boz said because of this, she has such confidence in the decisions she makes - and that even when something can outwardly look like a mistake to others, it’s all part of the path that gets you to your next thing.

I have only one regret in life, which is that I never got to see Prince perform live 💜

But professional regrets? Zero.

Everything I said yes to.
Every time I trusted my instincts.
Each time I didn’t listen to anyone else.

Those are the moments and the decisions that got me to precisely where I am today.

taplio