America's Entrepreneur

Rob Cressy is a coach and motivational speaker, having spent a great deal of time in the podcast space, creating compelling content and helping others. His focus and emphasis on coaching harnesses his experiences and learnings to inspire others to grow and succeed.

Real estate industry innovator and entrepreneur Ryan Wehner joins the show to discuss his pursuits in the real estate industry and businesses that serve the industry. It's a fascinating discussion that explores several different sides to the business, and is an inspiring story!

In the second part of this two-part interview with performance coach Phil Towle, Phil shares his fun and exciting journey to coaching icons and greats like NFL Super Bowl winning head coach Dick Vermeil, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, and Rascal Flatts. Part one of the interview was a real coaching session he did with me, in hopes it would inspire and help you. This part focuses on his story, with the time we had remaining. Such an inspiring guy!

Phil Towle is a performance coach, coaching icons and legends like NFL Super Bowl winning coach Dick Vermeil, Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Metallica, Rascal Flatts, and many others. In this first part of a two-part interview, Phil asks me to sit in the hot seat. He interviews me, coaches me, challenges me, in hopes that not only it will be helpful to me, but will provide helpful moments to you as well. It was honestly pretty difficult to do, knowing this was going to be broadcast, but I showed up and gave it everything I had. Let me know your thoughts!

Founder and CEO of Ballast Books, Andy Symonds joins the show to discuss the publishing world. He answers a lot of my obvious questions that are questions everyone has related to getting published. Listen in to learn how the publishing journey works whether you've published a book previously or are looking to get your first book in to print!

Sansbank co-founder Josh Emison joins the show to discuss how the blockchain is enabling companies to innovate incredible ways for people to confidently and safely invest with much less than money than typical in industries like real estate. He also shares some amazing detail about the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey, and raising capital for the company as well.

CEO of WTS Enterprises, Josh Fonger joins the show to discuss why it's important and how to establish systems in your business, regardless of product, service, or industry. Incredibly practical and insightful advice.

Kirby Atwell is the CEO of Living Off Rentals and Green Vet Homes, as well as the host of the podcast, "Living Off Rentals". He has spent a career in real estate, first as a flipper, and second as an investor of short-term vacation rental properties. Kirby shares various elements of his journey and some incredible encouragement to those in their careers and journeys.

Chris Laudadio is the CEO of the internationally renowned company Versa, which manufactures all types of standing desks and related products. Chris has had a phenomenal career in this space and talks to us about the challenges businesses face, how to adapt, and the most important lessons learned as an entrepreneur. A must-listen! To learn more about Chris and Versa, simply go to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-laudadio-52464890 or https://versatables.com/ or https://versadesk.com/

Gresham Harkless, Jr. is the CEO of Blue 16 Media, and leads all things CB Nation through blogs and podcasts. Learn more about Gresh by going to https://iamgresh.com and his other websites, https://blue16media.com and https://cbnation.co. You will learn a TON in this session and will really enjoy this entrepreneurial conversation.

Australian, Tristan Wright, joins the show to discuss his incredible journey of entrepreneurship and how he started Evolve to Grow (https://www.evolvetogrow.com.au/). You will be encouraged and challenged in this fun conversation.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristandwright/

Nik Lewis is the All Time Leading Receiver in CFL History in Receptions and 2021 inductee into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame. Nik is the CEO of AO Sports, which features content created by sports professionals and those in the sports business. To follow more about Nik and AO Sports, visit https://aosports.tv/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/nik-lewis-321543141/

Friend of the show, Dr. Mary Beth Janke returns to discuss mental health in detail. We cover a variety of mental health topics, including some of the biggest themes and struggles folks are facing today, and what we can all do about it! This is a real, raw, but encouraging discussion. You absolutely need to follow Dr. Mary Beth and all that she's up to. Easiest way to do that is by going to https://drmarybeth.com

Buckle your seatbelts and get your note-taking gear ready, because this episode is literally one of the fastest primers on entrepreneurship I've ever hosted in the last 2 years. Brian MacMahon is an accomplished business leader, entrepreneur, and visionary, and he shares an IMMENSE amount of lessons learned and experiences that has helped him get to where he is today. You will LOVE this.https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmacmahon2/https://expertdojo.com/

Jon Stoddard is a military veteran, former corporate sales exec, entrepreneur, and podcast host. Jon shares the movement from corporate into the entrepreneurial world, and we spend a good deal of time discussing the acquisition of a company and growing it to the next level. Jon is also the host of the Top M&A Entrepreneurs Podcast.Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonstoddard/https://www.dealflowsystem.net/https://www.youtube.com/c/JonStoddardhttps://www.stackacquisitions.com/

Timber Barker, CEO and Founder of Boom Interactive, Sneak on the Lot, and Quark Games, shares his entrepreneurial journey, including some serious setbacks, but the grit and determination required to take steps forward. We review the exciting work he's doing through Boom Interactive, a whole new way to model spaces in 3D. https://boominteractive.io/https://sneakonthelot.com/http://www.quarkgames.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/timber-barker-9660194/

Microbiologist turned lifestyle coach, Sunny joins the show to discuss her journey from the world of science and how to make the most of your life!https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnylifesolutions/

Fred was the co-founder of Futuredontics, the parent company of 1-800-DENTIST, which, over 30 years, generated over $1 billion in revenue. His latest book, Superbold: From Under-Confident to Charismatic in 90 Days, is an Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestseller. He is also the author of two books for the dental industry, Everything is Marketing: The Ultimate Strategy for Dental Practice Growth, published in 2010, and Becoming Remarkable: How to Create a Dental Practice Everyone Talks About, published in 2015. He has acted in, written or directed over 200 television commercials and radio spots.This episode packs a punch and really helps one understand how to overcome shyness and fear in order to live a bold and fulfilling life.For more information on Fred, go to https://fredjoyal.com

David Salinas is a serial entrepreneur and investor. In 2007 he co founded Digital Surgeons and served as its CEO for over a decade. Under his leadership, the agency delivered award-winning results for clients like Lady Gaga and the U.S Open. Today, Digital Surgeons continues to thrive, having won dozens of awards including the coveted Webby Award and was named a Top Ten Agency for Startups. While CEO of Digital Surgeons, David partnered and launched numerous businesses including being the founder and visionary behind District, a $25M technology and innovation startup ecosystem and real estate development. David's vision for District stems from his years as an entrepreneur, his passion for economic development, and his desire to improve the environment for small businesses and the communities in which they grow. Other investments and launches include Arccos Golf, Specialty Food Partners (Fmr. Fresh Nation), District Cowork, District Athletic Club, and Venn.https://www.districtnhv.com/https://www.transformnhv.org/https://www.digitalsurgeons.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsalinas/

Joel Stevenson is the CEO of Yesware, software that helps high-performing sales teams do meaningful email outreach at scale. Joel shares with us a bit of his corporate journey before assuming his present role, sharing about the challenges associated with leading and scaling a business. 

Renny McPherson is the Managing Partner of First In, an early stage venture capital firm focused on cybersecurity, data intelligence, and dual use technology. Their investment team is comprised of company founders, technical experts, and military veterans. They partner with mission-driven founders and invest primarily in data and security companies, from inception to seed stage to Series A. For more information on Renny and First In, go here: https://wearefirstin.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/renny-mcpherson-1ba5b54/

Christian Espinosa was the CEO of Alpine Security, a highly successful cybersecurity firm, before selling the company to Cerberus Sentinel in 2020. Christian is also the author of the book, "The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity". Christian talks about the challenges of running your own business, pushing through the discomfort, extreme financial risk, and ultimately finding success by narrowing down a specific niche. You need to listen to this episode if you are an aspiring tech startup entrepreneur. For more information on Christian or his book, see these links:https://christianespinosa.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christianespinosa/https://www.amazon.com/Smartest-Person-Room-Solution-Cybersecurity/dp/1544516215

Sonny Tai is the co-founder and CEO of Actuate,  a software platform that turns existing security cameras that can automatically identify threats and occupant behavior patterns to support security and facilities management teams. Sonny shares a riveting immigration story and his adventures in the military, along with advice for co-founders and those looking to raise venture capital for their startup. You will love this discussion. For more information on Sonny and Actuate, visit https://actuate.ai/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonny-tai/

Author, entrepreneur, and accomplished businessman, Mike Fransen joins the show to discuss his journey through the U.S. Army, his experience as a Yale MBA, and the breadth of responsibility he ultimately assumed when working in the commercial real estate asset management industry. Mike has written a powerful and impactful book called The Legacy Business, which details a lot of impactful life-learning moments that will serve as an inspiration and guide for you. Pick it up here on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Business-Practical-Insights-Assembling-ebook/dp/B09WTGLHJ1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Founder and CEO of Upskill VR, Carla Bond joins the show to discuss and detail her journey, as well as a financially costly mistake she made in the process. You will be inspired by her resilience, determination, and vision for creating a more compelling and effective experience for those going through life-saving training courses. For more on Carla and Upskill VR, visit https://upskillvr.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlambond/

David Morgasen is a long-time Hollywood writer, producer, and director for TV, film, and digital video. His writing credits include the hit Disney film Princess Protection Program. He has worked on many shows and has served as co-creator, writer, and Executive Producer, along with Howard Stern, for all three seasons of FX Network's Son of the Beach. He was a writer/co-executive producer on E!'s Night Stand With Dick Dietrick. Currently he is in post-production on a pilot for Red, White & Lou, an animated half-hour comedy he co-created for 20th Century/Disney about a newly-emigrated family, starring comedian Maz Jobrani along with an ethnically diverse cast. Morgasen serves as Executive Producer along his partners,including Maz and Courteney Cox. As a director, his work could be seen on shows including The Ellen DeGeneres Show and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. Morgasen was a pioneer in viral videos and online Branded Content. During his tenure as Executive Producer at HBO Digital, he produced and directed installments of the early Youtube sensation, David Blaine's Street Magic, which has garnered hundreds of millions of views as well as McCain-Obama Dance Off, which garnered tens of millions of views and extensive coverage on news outlets across the country. In the digital space, he has also created several web series for Disney XD, Yahoo!, and other online destinations. His work has been featured in the Outfest Film Festival and the L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival.David Morgasen Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/morgasenDavid Blaine Street Magic 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrTvNzGCZEHoward Stern talks a jumper off the GW Bridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qHv124hQ_Y

Matthew Louis re-joins the show to catch us up on what he's been up to. From his book, Mission Transition, and moving to help lead the charge at Purepost. Purepost translates skills to job postings in a very effective and intelligent way. Learn more at https://www.purepost.co/. To learn more about Matt and his books, go to https://matthewjlouis.com/ to buy his award-winning book and to stay in the know with all he has going on! Listen to our previous conversation in episode #105.

U.S. Navy veteran, entrepreneur, business owner, and all-around terrific human, Regina Koetters joins the show to discuss her entrepreneurial journey, the opportunities she seized, the vision she had, and the challenges associated with the business. She tells her story in raw, but uplifting, detail that will inspire and encourage you in your journey. Be sure to jump over to theownersmanual.co to join her impactful newsletter! If you want to take yourself and your business to higher levels, reach out to Regina! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginakoetters/

Former CEO, U.S. Navy submarine squadron commander, and author, William Toti, joins the show to discuss the tremendous transition that a lot of senior military leaders face when transitioning out, joining the private or defense contractor world, and attaining certain rank in those organizations. In a very articulate and helpful book that JUST RELEASED, "From CO to CEO", Bill covers a lot of ground that is helpful to you in nearly any phase of your career, and some tremendous insights to help you focus. Pick up a copy here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/From-CO-to-CEO/William-J-Toti/9781637630631

COO of Zero Trafficking (https://www.zerotrafficking.com/), Samuel Curet (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-curet-76a9384/) joins the show to talk about the work his organization is doing to combat human trafficking and the intelligence they collect.Many references and things he referred to in the show:https://polarisproject.org/https://www.ncptf.org/https://www.esri.com/partners/zero-trafficking-llc-a2T5x000008DkmbEAChttps://www.canvasgeneration.com/canvas/product-market-fit-canvas/https://s3.amazonaws.com/leanstack/v4/Lean-Canvas.pdf

Co-Founder and CEO of Funnel9 Marketing, Ian Sephton rejoins the show to discuss the latest, and covers some really fun topics including: making a pivot in business, raising capital, and what investors are looking for when evaluating a possible investment. 

Co-Founder of Burn Pit BBQ, Greg Fischer, joins the show to discuss how he went from a predictable corporate career to jumping into a BBQ product and information business. Some great information and insight! https://burnpitbbq.com

The former founder and CEO of Bellatorum Resources, Chris Bentley, joins the show to discuss his career and the circumstances surrounding the decisions made that led to the loss of millions of dollars. In this episode you will hear Chris accept full responsibility for the situation and poor decisions, and the actions he took that ultimately brought it all down. He's detailed this journey in a book titled, "Burning Bellatorum", set to release on 9 Apr 2022, exactly a year to the date after he sent his fateful letter to investors. During the show, Aaron made mention of some spiritual components to Chris' journey that he felt obligated to share, and may have not be able to articulate fully in the heat of the moment. Some applicable links and resources:Bellatorum Resources article in Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exclusive-texas-energy-fund-shuts-founder-says-millions-squandered-2021-04-22/Spiritual References:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+10&version=NLThttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+8&version=NLThttps://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/reminders-that-no-god-is-not-mad-at-you.html“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).“'Come now, let us settle the matter,' says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool'” (Isaiah 1:18).Red Letters by Crowder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqvJXVFedb4If I can encourage you in any way with faith-based, text message encouragement, text "faith" to 682-255-1642

CEO of cybersecurity startup ContraForce (https://contraforce.com), Stan Golubchik joins the show to discuss his family's riveting immigration story, his path to technology, and how his company is addressing an underserved market in the cybersecurity landscape.

So excited to announce that new episodes of the show will be airing later this month. After a nice break, combined with a January loaded with sickness, I'm so excited to announce that show is coming back and we're bringing the guests, the knowledge, and the fun. I am so incredibly grateful to you if you're listening or reading this, for being there. Thank you. I would LOVE to hear from you, drop me a line at aaron (at) boldstrategygroup (dot) us. Would love to connect! Talk soon!Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

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Ryan "Birdman" Parrott joins the show to discuss his time in Naval Special Warfare and his transition into his continued service as the founder of Songs of the Flag (https://sonsoftheflag.org) and the Birds Eye View Project (https://www.birdseyeviewproject.org). You will absolutely love his story and the purposes he is working on through these organizations. #business #leadership #entrepreneurSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

A fun discussion with former Major League Baseball pitcher Daniel McCutchen. Daniel details a bit of his baseball journey, dealing with constant change, and how to maintain a level head. He talks about how he transitioned out of baseball and into business, with his growing car wash business, Big League Car Wash, out of the New Braunfels, TX area. Learn more about the business by going to https://bigleaguecarwash.com.Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

NLP Logix co-founder and CEO Ted Willich joins the show to talk about a very exciting and rapidly developing technology in the marketplace: artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Ted talks about his upbringing into business and his decisions to enter the business world on his own following family business work. We get to hear some great insights into the world of ML and AI, business opportunity, business model, and additional advice for the entrepreneurial community. https://www.nlplogix.com/Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Chris Nelson, Founder at Helios Energy, joined the show and discussed a bit of his military transition and some AMAZING lessons learned. Chris articulates his story exceptionally well and shares many words of advice and wisdom about the entrepreneurial journey and the sales approach and mindset. Chris talks about the psychology of sales, the psychology of buying, the decision to self-capitalize or to bring in capital, and so much more. You will absolutely love his insights and the way he presents his story; incredibly impactful.http://www.heliosenergyus.com/Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Serial entrepreneur, USMC veteran, firefighter, author, city councilman Zachary Green joins the show to talk about his raw journey of entrepreneurship. He discusses the real difficulties entrepreneurs face with cash, the sales grind, the stress of putting your house up as collateral, and the three pillars necessary for successful entrepreneurs. We discuss his just-released book, Warrior Entrepreneur, available now for a special price on Amazon! You will absolutely be amazed and inspired hearing his amazing story.Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Green Light National Founder and CEO Mike McAlinden joined the show to discuss his amazing entrepreneurial journey. We covered his time working for other companies and his ability to overcome his fear of sales. He shared such great insight into how the company was started, the initial challenges, and other things he has learned in the journey. https://greenlightnational.comSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

So honored to have former U.S. Secret Service agent and clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Mary Beth Janke. We discuss a number of topics, including her story in the USSS and her transition to psychology. We had a great discussion about elements of psychology and how it interacts with entrepreneurship. Incredibly enlightening discussion!Go buy her book, The Protector, at Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734667109/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_39DMYRHYMVMJ9Q3VXWZXTo learn more about Mary Beth, go to https://drmarybeth.com#business #leadership #entrepreneurSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

SOFREP Media Founder and CEO Brandon Webb joins the show to discuss the entrepreneurial journey, including his challenges and successes. Incredible insights and wisdom to be gleaned from his journey.https://brandontylerwebb.com/https://sofrep.com/#business #leadership #entrepreneurSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

NASA rocket scientist turned Founder and CEO, Bill Fredericks, joins the show to discuss his entry into NASA and his experiences there, as well as his entry into the military, and his eventual leaving of NASA to start Advanced Aircraft Company and the exciting work he and his team are doing to advance drone technology. Incredible discussion!Reference to the NASA video for Greased Lightning: https://youtu.be/kXql26sF5ucDynamic soaring wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_soaringhttps://advancedaircraftcompany.com/#business #leadership #entrepreneurSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

JB Soles revisits the show where we catch up on all things related to Contra Group and Carry On. Contra Group offers world-class tactical medical training solutions for law enforcement and military. Carry On is a non-profit founded by United States Marine Corps Veterans to honor the legacy and sacrifices of our nation's fallen military, law enforcement, firefighters and EMS. Their mission is to ensure the fallen are never forgotten and their legacies. You'll hear about growth, challenges, and mindset with all of these opportunitiesSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Max Garcia, public speaker, coach, and retired Marine SgtMaj, shares some incredible insight on gaining traction with your life's situation and building confidence as you develop your leadership skills. He shares truths and principles that will resonate, regardless of level of seniority, that is sure to make an impact on your own leadership development journey.Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Texas business attorney Aron Phillips joined the show to talk about his own career and journey from law school to employee to starting his own firm. Aron shares a very raw and genuine perspective on entrepreneurship, networking, and the constant work on growth. If you're an entrepreneur or an aspiring entrepreneur, this is a must listen/watch!Link to org mentioned: https://fortworth.score.org/Also, Good to Great by Jim CollinsSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Brian Searcy, Founder and CEO of Paratus Group, joins the show to share a bit of his military background and journey and details for us his post-military business exploits. Brian shares his challenges, wins, and big areas of growth over the last several years. A very informative and insightful conversation!https://paratus.group#business #leadership #entrepreneurSupport the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Whitebox Real Estate CEO Grant Pruitt joined the show to discuss many aspects of his real estate career, the twists and turns of his journey, and the accidental and riveting journey that led to his entrepreneurial venture. You will laugh, learn, and be inspired all at once.Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

Mike Melo, the Founder, President, and CEO of ITA International, shares some absolutely golden insights as it relates to government contracting, business development, and persistence. You will enjoy this lively and fun conversation!Support the show (https://paypal.me/aaronspatzpodcast?locale.x=en_US)