Stride 2 Freedom

In this chat…Scott Hamlin, consultant for Pax8, talks about the keys to building wealth in your business vs. just generating income. There is so much to be gained by getting control of your financials and understanding things like gross margin by the line of business. Listen to learn how Scott guides clients in helping them build enduring value. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Damien Stevens, founder and CEO of Servosity, talks about building confidence and what that allows business leaders to do. Confidence is the gateway to genius zone work and there are a lot of ways to achieve that. We spend time talking about recruiting and culture as well as the importance of shared agreements. Servosity provides cloud backup and recovery to MSPs for their clients, so they know a lot about building confidence. Check it out! Check out the podcast here. 

In this episode… Glen Moore from Bear Fox Marketing, a premier SEO agency, and Steve Treanor, CEO of Help Desk Cavalry, talk shop about how MSPs can better use search engine optimization to drive referrals. It's a useful discussion for any business thinking about the power of organise search. However, we also talk about pitfalls and risks to be aware of. Glen throws down the top 5 ways to evaluate whether SEO is right for your business. Don't miss this one. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…David Sheehan is the managing partner at Athru, a consultancy and advisory firm supporting marketing agencies on their path to growth and exit. David is a longtime agency entrepreneur and has worked with 100 companies to help guide their leadership to scale and achieve their dreams. Listen to David talk about the key metrics that make an agency an attractive acquisition candidate. You'll enjoy the episode. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Greg Tomchick is the co-founder and CEO of Valor, a cybersecurity services firm that provides threat assessment and incident response services. Aside from Greg's impressive baseball career, we talk about the threat of cyber attacks on small businesses and how to mitigate those. No longer can we assume that "This won't happen to me". It's more a matter of "when" vs. "if". Check out the episode and get on top of your cyber threats.Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…we talk to Caleb Guilliams, the CEO of BetterWealth. This episode is all about how to support business owners in money management and responsible wealth creation. Interestingly, the podcast takes a turn where we learn a whole lot about how overfunding life insurance can be a compelling investment vehicle. Who would have thought. We also talk to Caleb about the journey of entrepreneurship and how he has built his business. Enjoy!Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…George Bardissi is the founder and CEO of bvoip and the MSP Initiative. What I love about George is that he says it like it is, which is the point of episode. George talks about the power of calling it like he sees it, focusing on the facts, and then letting the circumstance unfold. Too often we find ourselves navigating daintily around tough conversations. Not George. He takes it head on. And that has driven a lot of opportunities he has created as an entrepreneur. When he sees possibility, he goes after it. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Todd Taskey is the founder and CEO of Potomac Business Capital, an M&A Advisory firm for digital marketing agencies. What's so illuminating in this podcast is how Todd guides us on a conversation to help business owners NOT think about selling their business as an exit many of his sellers to software that connects channel vendor data to MSP's to improve profitability. Listen to learn how Todd is making it happen at Potomac. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Russell Taylor is the founder and CEO of HelloOutbound, an outbound marketing company that helps business leaders build effective email and Linked campaigns that drive meetings and conversions. We talk about the importance of an outbound marketing strategy and the value of "giving first". Russell is a generous entrepreneur and a great partner for leaders that want the tools and techniques to create a referral machine that can scale. Don't miss this episode!Check it out here

In this chat…I have the pleasure of spending time with Jason Swenk, a digital agency entrepreneur and convener of leaders through is digital agency elite mastermind programs. In this conversation we talk about the stages of development for a digital agency owner, how to prioritize where you can get energy and what to delegate away, and how to realize maximum value on an exit. You don't want to miss this! Check it out here.

We took a different approach for this podcast and brought on a group of people to talk about how to make the most of an industry conference. 6 guests from across the IT landscape converged on Stride 2 Freedom to throw down some pro tips like Fudcutter and Dare to Suck! You don't want to miss this one in prep for IT Nation.

In this chat…Nick Points is the Director of Sales for Char Tec, a learning and training company to support IT professionals in commanding the business of business. Through demonstrated best practices at their own operating company (AARC), Char Tec has grown into one of the most comprehensive educators for business leaders in the IT industry globally. Nick and I have some great conversations about business owner blind spots, the value of training, and what happens when people find themselves in Bakersfield, CA. Check it out here. 

In this chat…Colin Knox is the co-founder and CEO of Gradient MSP, a software that connects channel vendor data to MSP's to improve profitability. What is so engaging about Colin is that Gradient started as a "why" company. He and his team have navigated with purpose in their product innovation and company culture design. Listen to learn how Colin is making it happen at Gradient. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Elliott Neff is a National Chess master. He is also the CEO for Chess4Life, a company that teaches kids life lessons through chess. But I assure you, these lessons are not just for kids. Business leaders will want to take notes from this call. Elliott throws down some great lessons learned around decision making, strategy, goals, and learning from losses. Do not miss this episode. You want to be in your genius zone? Learn how Elliott is in his and guides others to do the same. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Larry Cobrin is the founder and CEO of MSPCFO, a software application that helps MSP owners unlock key answers to business questions that drives growth and profitability. MSPCFO helps owners get underneath the often opaque world of financial reports to make information actionable. If you want to understand why the most successful MSP's rely on MSPCFO. Check out the podcast here.

In this chat…Noel Andrews, the CEO of Jobrack gives us a lens into the power of sourcing talent in Eastern Europe. We learn about Jobrack's very simple business model that can deliver incredible results for companies that are looking for strong talent, exceptional English speaking skills and a desire to be part of a team. And here is the benefit for business owners.....you will pay about 40% of the cost of hiring in the U.S. Don't think about this as a "gig" worker. You're going to find a great employee! Don't miss this episode. If you're in the market, reach out to Noel at Jobrack today!!Check out the blog post here. 

In this chat…Cliff McDonald, the founder of Brainheart Growth throws down some tracks on how to guide business leaders to build great sales teams. Here's a hint.....stay curious. Here's another hint.....Don't sell. Solve a problem. We had a ton of fun talking Irish bars, entrepreneurship, and the art (and behavioral science) of sales. You don't want to miss this episode. It is actionable for leaders that haven't cracked the code yet on how to build a sales machine.Check out the blog post here.

In this chat…Doug Hall is the founder of Resources for CEO's and coaches business leaders how to build a business machine based on the principles of popular business operating system architects like Patrick Lencioni, Verne Harnish and Jim Collins. He support teams and their leaders in putting in place systems and processes that create equity value for small to mid-sized businesses. He is also a consultant for Connectrat, an IT Managed Service Provider focused coaching company specific to supporting tech leaders in growth and scale. You don't want to miss the pearls of Doug Hall on this podcast. Check out the blog post here. 

In this chat…Kate and I jump from ice cream to rock & roll to AI. She is awesome and super fun to talk to about life and business. As the founder of Lately.ai, Kate is helping businesses more intelligently and automatically, engage their audiences with content that will garner a response. We talk about why this work matters, how it helps business owners, and the opportunity to scale content that you're already producing through blogs, videos, etc.. She is not just providing value to help business owners thrive, but she is also an entrepreneur and knows the journey. Check out the episode, and.....listen to the "ode to crop top". Check out the blog post here. 

In this chat…the famous Dave Sobel and got a chance to sit down and talk about MSPRadio and his Business of Tech podcast. What I love about Dave beyond being super cool, is that he approach his show with purpose and passion. He does his research. He asks hard questions. He knows the business. And, he is here for the MSP's, not for the advertisers. His method is highly curated, short form content that is meaningful and actionable. Ask his listeners and they will tell you that Dave is a prominent industry voice. And we got the opportunity to hear that voice on the podcast today. Enjoy!!Check out the blog post here. 

In this chat…I had the pleasure of talking to Allen Edwards, the Founder and CEO of Eureka Process. Eureka Process is a strategy consulting firm for the outsourced IT services industry and they help business leaders get clear on their "why" so they have more focus on tackling their "what". Allen's ride to Eureka was an adventure to say the least. What he brings to his clients is a courage and conviction that anything is possible. Listen to Allen share his journey and how he supports business leaders to get in their genius zone on this episode. Check out the blog post here. 

In this chat…I had the opportunity to spend time with my new friend, Adi Klevit, founder and CEO of Business Success Consulting Group. Adi is a systems and process guru, whose company works with firms to improve operations so that business leaders can focus on growth. I can't stress enough how important it is for a business owner to have a "machine" mindset, even when running a professional services firm. Without it, the owner will be stuck "in the business" for way too long. Let Adi help you figure out how you're going to work "on your business" in this episode.Check out the blog post here. 

In this chat…I had the distinct pleasure of spending time with Melissa Lamson, who just graduated her first Action Tank cohort at RECREATE, a 6-month accelerator program that supports women over 40 building businesses. Interestingly enough, women over 45 are the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurship in the United States according to Forbes. Melissa has built a program to provide education, community, and acceleration for great business ideas by women who didn't think they had enough time, relationships or capital to make something happen. They do now!

In this chat…We had a trio on the show today. Joining me were Brian Johnson and Heather Johnson, the leaders of a tech company called Gozynta Mobius. The Company provides an essential automation for the outsourced IT services industry and they have grown to serve over 1,300 customers. We talked about the value of business leaders assessing the opportunity for automation and how to find it in the least likely places. You don't want to miss this episode where we talk tech and a little bit of motorcycle touring as well. Check it out here.

In this chat…On the show today, I had the opportunity to interview Marcel Petitpas, the CEO of Parakeeto, an advisory and analytics firm helping marketing agencies drive growth and profitability. What Marcel teaches us that data and formulas are not that hard. It's our processes that gum up the works. He helps us think through the power of creating standardization in an industry that prides itself on being "unique". Well, in order to deliver unique client solutions, it helps to create good back office and analytics standards. This is where we'll go with Marcel and you'll think of your business very differently after listening. Check it out.

In this chat…On the show today, Bill Black joined us to talk about the work they do to support IT service firms in getting things set up right the first time.  So often business leaders jump to launch cool systems and software but don't think through the use cases and the setup and often dump the functionality because it "doesn't work as advertised".  Bill and his team help Managed Service Providers work through those issues with an attitude of "give first". Website: FocusPlanitLinkedIn: FocusPlanitLearn more by reading this episode's blog post.

On the show today, Jamison West, joined us to talk about his new book, The Emotional Side of Selling a Small Business. He shared his current work as the co-founder of ConnectStrat, a coaching company to help IT services entrepreneurs plan for and achieve their dreams. If you want to learn about an entrepreneurs' entrepreneur, check out this episode where we cover everything from facing your fear to taking control of the life that you want to create. Check it out.

On the show today, Randy Katz joined us from Synesis Advisors, an advisory firm that helps small business owners sell their businesses. Today, we specifically talked about selling your MSP and how to think about the factors that can maximize value upon a sale. Randy is a straight shooter and shares a ton of actionable information. You will learn how to be a deal maker and not a deal taker. You will also learn how to get clear on what you are selling and how to set up for success.

In this chat…On the show today, Mikaela Kiner and I talk about "on demand" people operations to support high growth companies that need HR when they need HR. From compliance to strategic consultation, Reverb helps business owners navigate the waters to create a workplace that can thrive for all. Mikaela also talks to us about her book, Female Firebrands, and why it is so important to create environments where women in the workplace can thrive. Listen now!!

In this chat…On the show today, Nitya Kirat and I had a great conversation about sales in a virtual world. What I loved was that for Nitya, it all comes down to human beings interacting with human beings. Virtual creates some complications and opportunities with connection and Nitya helped us wade through it. You'll hear a lot of tips and tricks on this podcast. Enjoy learning from Nitya, the Sales Whisperer (my term, not his

In this chat…On the show today, I was lucky to interview Arel Moodie, a gifted speaking coach with incredible energy and commitment to the speaking craft. We covered a lot of territory on the power of effective speaking for business owners to grow their revenue. You don't want to miss this episode (one of my favorites). If you didn't think you had a good story or something to say or that people wouldn't listen, then it's time to change your tune. You will learn why speaking can be such a powerful tool and how to approach it in way that will inspire you and the people around you. Listen now!

In this chat…On the show today, I had the opportunity to learn from Eric and Marita about the power of visual thinking, a tool and discipline that helps business leaders and their teams turn thoughts in visuals that can be understood and acted upon. Words are ambiguous. Images promote discussion for clarity. And when it comes to a team executing (especially in a remote work environment), clarity matters. We cover a lot of areas of visual thinking today and you won't want to miss this episode to learn how you can bring this capability into your organization. Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

In this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of learning from Akeisha Johnson, the founder of An Inspired Story.  Akeisha is a business coach and has also established a niche in a program she started called Safe Space to Talk About Race.  She shares with us some powerful insights around our stories about race and creating the future that we want.  In this episode you will learn:How racism is just a made-up construct that we can breakWhat are microaggressions and how to become more aware of themThe power that self-awareness plays in helping us lead in a changing worldLearn more by reading this episode's blog post

On the show today, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing John Kormanik, an attorney and coach to help other attorneys grow their business. What I appreciated about John was (i) his focus on supporting lawyers to build their business and not just their practice; and (ii) his decision to make a mid-career shift into law from healthcare. We cover both topics and I know you'll enjoy the learning. Check it out. 

On this episode of Stride 2 Freedom, we have the pleasure of spending time with Melissa Benaroya, parenting coach, and consultant.  Yes, she is my wife, but more importantly, she shares some secrets to creating harmony at home so that business owners can get and stay in their genius zones.  You'll enjoy this fresh perspective on where parenting and entrepreneurship intersect.Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

In this episode of Stride 2 Freedom, I had the pleasure of learning from Emily Scott about the role that our money story has to play in how we make decisions.  Emily works with many business owners and executives to shine a light on how our views about money shape how we lead.  Emily brings all heart to this conversation and even turned the tables on me at the end a little bit.  You will enjoy this conversation. Tune in! Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

In this episode of Stride 2 Freedom, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tod Fiscus, a Principal at Transition360, a sell-side broker for businesses. Tod doesn't just help sellers exit their businesses, he helps them prepare for the sale. Sometimes it takes 3+ years, but Tod will be your guide the whole way. His pearls of wisdom are terrific and if you ever think you might want to sell your business, you should tune into this episode.Learn more by reading this episode's blog post. 

In this episode of the Stride 2 Freedom podcast, we were graced with the one and only, Isaac Rudansky. He is not only a great entrepreneur, but an artist, philosopher, teacher, and student. We not only learn how Adventure Media Group supports its clients in paid search advertising but also how Isaac has taken his expertise to guide students to build their own businesses in the industry. You don't want to miss this one.  Learn more by reading this episode's blog post. 

On this episode of the Stride 2 Freedom Podcast, we had the pleasure of talking to Chris Rhyme, Partner at the Business Transition Group in Denver, CO. In this episode, we learn from Chris how to set up deferred compensation plans for high-value employees tied to performance metrics. As business owners, we all want to pay for performance and Chris explains exactly how to do that. Enjoy the episode.Learn more by reading this episode's blog post. 

This episode was super fun to create. We had two great guests for an engaging discussion about how we show up on Zoom. Thank you to Aaron Schmookler, co-founder and leadership coach at The Yes Works, and Gia Goodrich, a Youtuber, Director, and Photographer for their participation. As we head into month ten of this global pandemic, we discuss the new norm of working from home and how to be successful in communicating in our remote world. Aaron and Gia provide practical tips and tricks to become self-aware and confident in your daily Zoom life. You won't want to miss this episode!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post. 

In this episode, we sat down to talk to start-up entrepreneur, Przemek Gotfryd, Co-founder & COO of Capchase. Capchase is changing the way that B2B SaaS (Software as a Service) companies are financing their growth.  Not all companies need to bootstrap or get venture funded.  Capchase is solving a financing problem for promising tech companies that don't need or want to go the venture route.  You won't want to miss this episode!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

In this episode, we get the chance to talk to one of my favorite optimists, Paige Buck, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of Kennedy Events, an event planning company in San Francisco. Not only has Kennedy Events had to make a major business shift to stay alive, but they have inspired many companies to create moments of joy for their employees.  Paige shares with us the dual challenge of managing their own existential unknown while developing a new virtual engagement capability.  Amazing innovation is happening during  COVID, and Paige takes us there at Kennedy Events.  You won't want to miss this episode!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

In this episode, we dive into taxes with Scott Hoppe, founder of tax accounting firm, Why Blu. This isn't one of those boring tax discussions, Nope. It's actionable. Scott gives us some great tips to be more proactive in managing our tax status. Scott also shares some key insights into structuring your entity and where you can find worthwhile deductions in your business and personal life. Listen now and explore the world of tax management and financial security!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

Chris Welton, Wealth Management Advisor at Northwestern Mutual, is no ordinary Wealth Manager. Chris is a seasoned Wall Street banker who transitioned into wealth management in order to help entrepreneurs tackle tough questions. In this episode, we discuss the importance of legacy planning (estate agreements) and partnership agreements. We also talk about tax-advantaged strategies in our current environment. Step one for Chris, is listening and learning the needs of his clients. Your opportunity is to listen to Chris. Check it out.Learn more by reading this episode's blog post.

There is no one more equipped to talk the power of patents than Brooke Quist, Partner at Seed IP. We go on a journey with Brooke in this podcast to understand how patents can be valuable for protecting and unlocking business value. We also discuss how many companies may have intellectual property to patent but don't realize it. Join us to learn about the role of securing intellectual property in the design of your businesses. Listen now!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post

Mike Preuss is a driven,  compassionate entrepreneur on a mission to help founders like himself manage investor relations through his company, Visible.  In this episode, Mike talks about the importance of nurturing a relationship-driven business with your investors and explains why it's so important to keep your investor updated on a monthly basis. You'll get to learn how automated data integrations can help you send monthly updates to your investors in just minutes. Don't miss this one, listen now! Learn more by reading this episode's blog post

Krista Mitzel is a dynamo, a great employment law attorney, and a master networker. We cover it all in this session and it's time to face the facts, the future of work is changing on top of having many generations in the workplace. How we lead, communicate, and support our workforce is a new game, one that is changing every year. If you're not proactive, you are vulnerable to risks (culture, regulatory, employee). The Mitzel Group is a great guide to help employers navigate these opaque waters. Listen now!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post

In this chat... Garrett Goldman talks with us about the importance of web design for small E-commerce companies that want to convert visitors to paying customers. The data tells the story and State Creative has shown a measurable impact on converting customers for websites it designs. How? Because they know that e-commerce is as much about how the story is told as it is the product that is sold. Listen to this episode to learn more!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post

In this chat... Alexis Halsberger is an all-star productivity consultant at her namesake, Alexis Haselberger Consulting. She guides executives and teams for companies of all sizes with genius hacks and behaviors that will free up time for you to do what matters most. We all know we have room to improve our productivity and Alexis takes us there in a way that is actionable and impactful. Check out the episode now!Learn more by reading this episode's blog post

In this chat... What a gift. We had the opportunity to interview Alex Bean, the co-founder of fintech juggernaut Divvy, for this worth-the-wait podcast episode. By all accounts, Divvy is disrupting traditional banks and software solutions, specifically in how they serve businesses. Today, Alex Bean is the Chief Business Officer and he did a fantastic job sharing what drives his team and how they are only getting started.Learn more by reading this episode's blog post

In this chat... James VanReusel is not your traditional fractional CFO. He came from the world of Wall Street and takes a very strategic view of the role of finance in fueling organizational growth. Interestingly enough, James has a specialty in working with non-profits, specifically those that are operating abroad to make an international impact. There are a lot of moving parts to manage remote personnel and offices around the world battling environmental and human tragedy. In this episode, we learn more about James, his work at VanReusel Ventures, and how he is supporting organizations navigating this difficult time.Learn more by reading this episode's blog post