Podcasts about SMB

In this episode, the hosts explore a pet cremation franchise for sale in Miami, unpacking a franchise model with big claims, low margins, and a morbidly niche market.Welcome to Acquisitions Anonymous – the #1 podcast for small business M&A. Every week, we break down businesses for sale and talk about buying, operating, and growing them.

The construction services business Christian Bateson bought will do $7.5m in 2024. It also rescued him from the depths.Topics in Christian's interview:His front row seat to the 2008 financial crisisQualities of a top salespersonBusiness acquisition as a way out of a miserable careerShopping around for an SBA loanChoosing to play to his strengths and outsource his weaknessesDifficulty in hiring for constructionBouncing back and growing after Covid lossesRed flags he ignored when acquiring his second businessHow his finance background benefited himHis $100 million goalReferences and how to contact Christian:LinkedInResolute ServicesGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on Twitter

SummaryIn this episode of the Fuel Podcast, host Caleb Talley sits down with Sanjay Ahuja, founder of Believ.ai, to discuss his inspiring entrepreneurial journey. Sanjay shares how, after twenty-seven years of thriving in global corporate roles across India, Dubai, and the U.S., he embraced his entrepreneurial spirit to address a crucial gap in AI: clean data.Believ.ai emerged from Sanjay's firsthand experience with the complexities of onboarding merchants efficiently and securely. The platform's focus is on streamlining onboarding for marketplaces, payments, and logistics companies, tackling the dual challenge of speed and fraud prevention. Additionally, Sanjay explains his experience with Fuel Accelerator, describing Bentonville's unique, supportive environment for tech founders, and praising the city's vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.For those looking to launch their own ventures, Sanjay offers sage advice: “Be an entrepreneur at an early stage of life. You'll fail, and that's fine—you'll learn and move on to build something bigger and better.” This episode is a must-listen for founders seeking inspiration, practical insights, and a sense of belonging in the startup community!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(04:22) Believ: An AI-Powered Onboarding Platform(07:07) Sanjay's Fuel and Bentonville Experience(12:20) Insights into the Fuel Accelerator(16:09) Adopting an Entrepreneurial Mindset(17:34) Closing ThoughtsLinksCaleb TalleyFuel AcceleratorFuel Accelerator YouTubeSanjay AhujaBeliev.ai

I spent two years scaling the wrong business and one conversation with Alex Hormozi's Chief Strategy Officer reframed everything. Here's what happened: I'd built a consulting business to $50K/month doing sales audits and fractional management, but I thought "this isn't scalable." So I pivoted—created courses, built a community, started teaching people how to turn expertise into income. I ended up in a sea of competition selling to the wrong audience at the wrong price point. His CSO said: "Dude, you solved the wrong problem. The problem wasn't 'this isn't scalable.' The problem was 'you didn't know how to scale it yet.'" He showed me around their 20,000 square foot building with 400 people and said, "We don't use the word 'scalable' here. Some things are just way harder to scale than others. That's why Alex and Leila own 50 companies." This episode breaks down what happened next: I killed the community, threw the courses on YouTube, and said "I don't teach this shit, I do this shit." We launched MSP Sales Partners doing fractional sales management—the thing I was actually great at—and spent a year refining the product before stepping on the gas. Learn why I'm intentionally running net neutral right now to build a moat nobody else will, why being picky with hiring and delaying profits creates competitive advantage, and how that subtle twist of words—"you didn't know how to scale it" versus "it isn't scalable"—changes everything.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

I was on a coaching call yesterday with a bunch of people selling IT services, and the question came up: how do you handle price objections? When somebody says "that's expensive" or "more than we're paying now" or "higher than other bids," what do you do? I've got a really simple framework that works across any competitive selling situation—IT services, professional services, whatever. Here's how it works: First, ask "What makes you say that?" to understand if this is a negotiation tactic, a stall, or a real gap. Then clarify what it's relative to—get them to tell you the actual number they're comparing against. Here's the key move: minimize the amount psychologically. If you quoted $60K and they're at $42K, stop talking about $60K—now you're negotiating the $18K gap. Then slice it even smaller: "So we're $1,500 a month apart, or about 50 bucks a day for compliance?" That sounds way better than a $60K contract. Finally, isolate it: "If we can bridge that gap, are you ready to go ahead?" This episode breaks down the psychology of reframing price conversations so you're not defending your number—you're making the gap feel manageable relative to the benefits they want. Works across industries once you understand what we're actually doing here.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ray Green answers a thought-provoking question from a friend: Is there a real difference between "play to win" and "play to not lose" people, and can you build an entire team of aggressive risk-takers? In this episode, Ray breaks down why he believes there are two distinct types of "play to not lose" people - Type 1 who are well-intentioned and think through proper risk mitigation, and Type 2 who operate from fear and lack of confidence. He explains why Type 1 people are actually assets who balance out aggressive play-to-win leaders, while Type 2 people are toxic liabilities that drain your organization. Ray shares a personal story from his first CEO role about constantly fighting with his co-founder, who drove him crazy but ultimately made him a better leader by having the confidence to speak truth to power. This is about understanding the balance you need on your team, knowing the difference between healthy defensive thinking and toxic negativity, and why you don't want a team of only one type of person.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by SK, and welcome to AI for SMBs—a series dedicated to exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping productivity, operations, and growth for small businesses across Canada.In this episode, we're joined by Fatima Abdillahi, Founder of Agentflow, an AI automation platform built in Toronto to help property managers and SMBs streamline operations, eliminate manual workflows, and scale with efficiency. Fatima brings over a decade of experience in software engineering and AI program leadership, including her work at The Canadian Press.Key Highlights:Founder Insight: Fatima shares how a property manager's overwhelming manual workflows sparked the creation of Agentflow. AI for Operations: She explains how automation reduces costs, saves time, and frees teams to focus on client relationships. Inclusive Innovation: Fatima discusses representation, mentorship, and building human-centric AI accessible to diverse founders. Agentflow Advantage: She breaks down what makes their automation tech unique and lessons learned scaling an AI startup. Future Vision: Fatima reveals her long-term plans for a franchise-style model and AI-powered analytics to transform SMB workflows.Special Thanks to Our Partners:RBC: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/dms/business/accounts/beyond-banking/index.htmlUPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWAGoogle: https://www.google.ca/A1 Global College: https://a1globalcollege.ca/ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspxFor more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Respected consumer brands are not common in lower middle market acquisitions, but Philip Hussey and Chenmark bought one.Topics in Philip's interview:Chenmark's acquisition of Thomas MoserLeading a furniture business as a non-craftsmanChenmark's hold-forever intentionWait times for custom, hand-made furnitureLong tenure of craftsmenCommitment to world-class qualityGetting away from offering discountsBuilding talent through their woodworker schoolRunning a company with a strong legacy behind itDownside to owning your manufacturingReferences and how to contact Philip:LinkedInThos. MoserChenmarkGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Meet Ryan Rosett, Founder and Co-CEO of Credibly. In this podcast episode, he takes us inside the company's evolution, from its early days in 2010 to becoming a tech-forward leader in SMB lending. We jump straight into his take on how Credibly leverages AI, customer obsession, and constant learning to stay competitive in a fast-evolving industry. Ryan also unpacks how their Co-CEO setup works, how AI is reshaping the lending landscape, and the lessons that have fueled Credibly's growth.Whether you work in lending, fintech, or are focused on building a long-term, sustainable business, this episode offers valuable insights worth tuning into.✨ Connect with our guest:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rosett-262b642/https://www.credibly.com/

Physics defines work as force times distance times alignment. In sales, that's effort times results times whether those results actually get you what you want. I saw a junior SDR post on LinkedIn saying "sales training is a joke—just dial your face off." He's one-third right. Volume matters. But here's what gets lost: you drive to work every day, doesn't make you a Formula One racer. It's intentional volume that matters. Josh Braun responded with something so well-written I had to share it: "Drop someone in a pool with no training and they'll kick really hard, flail harder, and burn out in 20 seconds. Put them with a coach who adjusts their breathing, reach, and timing, and suddenly they move further, faster, with less effort. Top reps don't just make more calls—they make better calls." I'll share my own riptide story from last summer: I got caught surfing with my kids, swam as hard as I could, made zero progress—actually went backwards. Two surfers pulled me sideways along the shore to escape it. I could have swam all day and never made it. That's alignment. This episode breaks down why volume reveals your gaps but technique closes them, why I've wasted $30K on useless sales training but still believe in the right coaching, and why physics would say if you're booking appointments that don't convert, no work has actually been done.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ben, a London-based platform using AI to help global enterprises manage employee benefits, has raised $27.5m o accelerate its product roadmap and strengthen its go-to-market capabilities to meet the growing demand. https://hrtechfeed.com/employee-benefits-platform-raises-27m/ AUSTIN, Texas — Indeed Flex, the online marketplace for flexible and temporary work, today announced its entry into eight new markets in the U.S. The company's expansion will enable employers to rapidly fill roles and boost operational efficiency, while empowering job seekers with comprehensive benefits and greater control over their work lives. https://hrtechfeed.com/indeed-flex-launches-8-new-u-s-markets/ UKG Inc., a leading global AI platform unifying HR, pay, and workforce management, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Inova Payroll, a U.S.-based human capital management (HCM) and payroll services provider for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, will enable UKG to directly provide the SMB market segment with innovative outsourced HR support and full benefits brokerage services. https://hrtechfeed.com/ukg-acquires-payroll-company/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Physics defines work as force times distance times alignment. In sales, that's effort times results times whether those results actually get you what you want. I saw a junior SDR post on LinkedIn saying "sales training is a joke—just dial your face off." He's one-third right. Volume matters. But here's what gets lost: you drive to work every day, doesn't make you a Formula One racer. It's intentional volume that matters. Josh Braun responded with something so well-written I had to share it: "Drop someone in a pool with no training and they'll kick really hard, flail harder, and burn out in 20 seconds. Put them with a coach who adjusts their breathing, reach, and timing, and suddenly they move further, faster, with less effort. Top reps don't just make more calls—they make better calls." I'll share my own riptide story from last summer: I got caught surfing with my kids, swam as hard as I could, made zero progress—actually went backwards. Two surfers pulled me sideways along the shore to escape it. I could have swam all day and never made it. That's alignment. This episode breaks down why volume reveals your gaps but technique closes them, why I've wasted $30K on useless sales training but still believe in the right coaching, and why physics would say if you're booking appointments that don't convert, no work has actually been done.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I do what we do best: talk about fintech startups we're absolutely not giving investment advice on. First up is Trudenty, a fraud intelligence network tackling first-party fraud. It uses federated learning to let issuers, PSPs, and merchants identify repeat abusers without sharing raw data. They're starting with Worldline, JPMorgan Chase, and Mastercard, and keeping the pitch simple: they only sell one thing, and that one thing works. The stat that stuck with us? 80% of chargebacks are fraudulent. Next is TidalWave, agentic AI for mortgage point-of-sale. Instead of replacing loan officers, it works like a 24/7 assistant (one that handles follow-ups, corrects docs, and chases data). They've raised $22M, with the largest homebuilder in the U.S. on the cap table. It's mortgage tech that avoids the loan origination system entirely, steering clear of regulated decisions while cleaning up the messy front-end workflow that still kills conversion.  Then there's Kaaj, which is aimed at the part of small business lending that no software platform has ever fully cracked. Think about a business applying for a government-guaranteed loan or financing a new piece of equipment; lenders have to parse tax returns, bank statements, and identity documents that never look the same twice. The loans are too small for a credit team, but too complex for automation. Kaaj trains AI agents to read those documents and create the first draft of a credit memo that a human can review. The product solves a real problem, but the question is: can they win the category? Finally, FinReach Solutions in India tackles the gap between micro and small business credit. Lenders have money. Credit guarantors are willing to share risk. What's missing is the infrastructure between them. Every guarantee program runs on bespoke rules and manual forms. FinReach standardizes that process, automates the guarantees, and makes collateral-free lending possible at scale. Think of the US SBA, but rebuilt as actual software instead of paperwork. Plus, some closing manifestations: AI for mortgage POS should fix the front-end friction that causes borrowers to drop out; SMB lending needs an actual platform between public money and private lenders; and rising chargebacks might say less about fraud and more about good customers who are tired of being treated like suspects. Thanks for listening!  This episode was brought to you by Marqeta. Don't sacrifice agility for stability. With Marqeta, launch payments experiences that perform at scale and flex with your business. Learn more at https://marqeta.com/ftt  Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com   Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://trudenty.com/ https://www.tidalwave.ai/ https://kaaj.ai/ https://www.finreach.in/

This episode features Christopher Brumm, Cyber Security Architect at glueckkanja AG.With 15+ years in IT security, Chris has worked across Microsoft's security portfolio and beyond, moving from network and data-center defense into deep identity work with Active Directory and Entra ID. He's now an identity SME, a GK Identity Community moderator, a frequent community speaker, and a regular writer on security and identity.In this episode, Chris explores the limitations of Active Directory security and how Microsoft's new Global Secure Access directly addresses those gaps. He breaks down how zero trust principles and granular controls work in practice, and why connecting on-prem servers to the cloud is now simpler and safer. Chris shows how this shift strengthens defenses by enforcing access through identity-first policies instead of outdated network-centric models.This is a clear, field-tested walkthrough of why hybrid identity security needs a new playbook, and how Global Secure Access helps teams close the holes attackers rely on most.Guest BioFor over 15 years, Christopher Brumm has been immersed in IT security topics, possessing extensive knowledge and practical experience in the Microsoft Security Portfolio and beyond. Over the years, he has progressed from network and data center topics to Active Directory and Entra ID, delving deeper into identity security. Today, he is a Subject Matter Expert for Identity in the Security Team and a moderator of the GK Identity Community. He regularly speaks at community events and publishes blog posts on security and identity topics. Chris's latest passion is Global Secure Access, where the themes of identity, security, and networking converge to enable a comprehensive Zero Trust approach.Guest Quote “It's not realistic to modernize protocols like Kerberos or SMB to support MFA and device compliance... but we have an option to control the network layer.”Time stamps01:07 Meet Christopher Brumm: Microsoft Security MVP and CISSP02:00 The Hybrid Identity Attack Playbook06:03 Active Directory vs. Entra ID: The Security Gap09:02 Breaking Down Global Secure Access11:58 What This Looks Like for Real Users16:17 Bringing Zero Trust to the Network Layer17:50 What You Need to Deploy Global Secure Access20:48 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsSponsorThe HIP Podcast is brought to you by Semperis, the leader in identity-driven cyber resilience for the hybrid enterprise. Trusted by the world's leading businesses, Semperis protects critical Active Directory environments from cyberattacks, ensuring rapid recovery and business continuity when every second counts. Visit semperis.com to learn more.LinksConnect with Christopher on LinkedInLearn more about glueckkanja AGWatch Christopher's talk at HIPConf 2025Connect with Sean on LinkedInDon't miss future episodesLearn more about Semperis

Robert Gayden worked for over a year to buy a home care business. Revenue kept growing but the price remained the same.Register for the webinar: What Killed Deals in 2025 - TOMORROW!! - https://bit.ly/44r1pH5Topics in Robert's interview:Influence of his late fatherThe “go bigger” search philosophyAppeal of the home health care industry17-month acquisition processChoosing to operate “in the weeds” of the businessLeading with high expectationsFocusing on increasing salesAchieving 15% growth in 8 monthsWorking capital dynamics in home careInvesting in employeesReferences and how to contact Robert:LinkedInAizik Zimerman on Acquiring Minds: Founder Mode for ETA $6m to $25m in 3 YearsMorgan McCauley on Acquiring Minds: How to Buy a $2.5m Home Care BusinessDevin Fitzgerald on Acquiring Minds: Buying $5m of Revenue with $50k of EquityRobert Graham & Aaron Blick on Acquiring Minds: How to Build a Roll-Up to $60m RevenueJérôme Bouillon on Acquiring Minds: How to Buy & Double a Home Care AgencyGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SummaryIn this week's episode of Startup Junkies, host Caleb Talley sits down with Heather Applegate, founder of Pivot X Coaching, for a conversation packed with wisdom on entrepreneurship, coaching, and personal growth. Heather shares her unique journey from studying psychology to launching Pivot X, an executive coaching and strategic advisory firm. Her passion for human behavior and propelling teams forward shines as she explains how she helps founders and executives transition from product-focused mindsets to leading effective teams, and eventually, through ownership transitions. A major theme throughout the discussion is the importance of realignment over stigmatizing the “pivot. Her approach encourages leaders to embrace change as an opportunity, rather than a setback. Heather also offers insights into the emotional challenges entrepreneurs face, especially as companies grow and founders struggle with shifting identities and relinquishing control. Additionally, networking and community are central topics; Heather recounts the fears she overcame to put herself out there, ultimately reaping rich relationships and opportunities within Northwest Arkansas's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Her reflections on balancing ambition with personal life offer a refreshing take on what true success means. For anyone in the midst of a pivot, or simply seeking clarity on their entrepreneurial path, this episode is a must-listen!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(06:10) Understanding Fear in Relationships(07:55) Founder Identity Challenges During Growth(12:37) Building Community Through Events(13:41) Overcoming Fear to Connect(18:29) Expressing Purpose with Words(22:41) Life and Goal Reflection Strategy(24:00) Closing ThoughtsLinksCaleb TalleyStartup JunkieStartup Junkie YouTubeHeather ApplegatePivot X Coaching

We just spent six weeks migrating our email newsletter from Beehiiv to Substack. Within one day of going live, I realized I'd made a mistake and had to course-correct. This episode opens up what happened, why it was a mistake, and more importantly—the framework for deciding when to pivot versus when to persevere. Because I've always struggled with this: am I being frantic and erratic by changing course? Or am I being stubborn and falling into sunk cost fallacy by staying? Here's what went wrong: Day One on Substack, I realized the audience is mostly creators writing for other creators, the growth engine requires building another Twitter-like feed (the exact treadmill email newsletters were supposed to solve), and I risked diluting my most valuable asset—my list—with the wrong audience while having no analytics to detect it. I break down the exact questions I ask myself at these decision points: What core problem was I solving? Why was it really a problem? Does this actually solve the underlying issue? What will make me regret this in six months? The lesson: perpetual pivots destroy progress, but stubborn perseverance does too. Learn how to course-correct strategically instead of emotionally, and be aware of your own tendencies—I tend to pivot too quickly, maybe you stick too long.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

If you've been looking for a way to hit or exceed your annual quota, qualify for President's Club, or simply earn a bigger paycheck or bonus, focusing on helping business owners reduce their tax burden by investing in your product, service or software in the final weeks of the year can give you the edge you need get more sales closed. Business Owners are Motivated to Reduce Taxes In the United States there are millions of SMBs and the vast majority of these businesses are what we call pass-through organizations for tax purposes. This means that the owners or partners in these businesses report the profits on their personal tax filings. Unlike big companies, small companies don't have the luxury of rolling profits over to the next year. So whatever they made this year, they have to pay taxes on. As the calendar winds down business owners are often motivated to invest in products, services, and software solutions in order to reduce taxable income. In other words, if a business has shown strong profits throughout the year, its owners might be keen to spend some of that money on improving their operations, expanding their capabilities, or streamlining their processes—right now—rather than hand over a large chunk of their profits to Uncle Sam come tax season. Business Owners Hate Paying Taxes To understand why this year-end period is so critical, let's get into the mindset of a small or medium-sized business owner. Unlike large enterprises with multiple departments and complex accounting strategies, SMB owners are often personally invested in the company's financial results because those results are essentially their income. It's how they pay their mortgage and put food on the table. For this reason, they watch their revenue and expenses closely. As the year comes to an end, they're looking at their bottom line and thinking about the upcoming tax bill. For many of these business owners, profit is a double-edged sword. Don't get me wrong, they want to make a profit. But at some point, too much profit triggers a much higher tax bill. If there is one thing I know about small and medium sized business owners its that they hate taxes. They are always looking for ways to legally minimize their tax liability. One easy and productive way to do this is to make fully or partially depreciable investments in the business before December 31st. That could mean buying new equipment, software, training packages, or services that will not only improve the business long-term but also reduce taxable income for the current year. An Urgent Need to Spend As a salesperson, the key takeaway here is that your prospects have a natural, time-bound incentive to spend. If you can position your product or service as the right investment at the right time, you might find it easier to close those deals that seemed just out of reach during the rest of the year. And by the way, if you are dealing with decision-makers who are pushing off decisions to next year, this is a great way to get past that objection. Framing Your Business Case I want to be clear though that most businesses are not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. Savvy business owners want to reduce taxes and do the right thing for their company. Therefore, you can't just be transactional. You still must follow the sales process and build a bridge to the value of tax savings AND business improvement when making your business case. It's all about framing your product or service as a strategic investment rather than a mere expense. For example: If you sell software tools that improve operational efficiency, make the case for how your solution will help them save on labor costs, reduce errors, and streamline workflows. If you're selling advertising, highlight how a year-end launch of a new campaign will lead to immediate results that set the stage for a strong Q1. If you sell capital equipment walk them through how the new equipment will make them more productive and help them expand their business in the new year. The key is to connect the value of your offering directly to the timing. Consider messaging like: “This is an opportune moment to upgrade your systems, so you'll enter the new year with a competitive edge and potentially lower your tax liabilities this season.” “By getting your campaign locked in before the year closes, you can reap immediate tax benefits while ensuring your advertising starts generating leads in January when you need them the most.” If we get the equipment ordered now it will be delivered in Q1 giving you plenty of time to get a high ROI next year. When you can tie the ROI of your product to both tangible improvements and the financial perks of year-end spending, the business case becomes much more compelling and you will sell more. Tailor Your Approach While the end-of-year tax incentive is a common denominator, not every SMB is identical. Some might be profitable but cash-constrained, while others have capital burning a hole in their pockets. Some may be in sectors that had a booming year, while others are just recovering from a difficult market. The more you understand the unique challenges and goals of each prospect you're targeting, the better you can tailor your approach. Before you pick up the phone, walk through their door, or send an email, do some research. Check out their recent announcements, whether they're hiring or expanding. Look into trends in their industry. Understanding these nuances will help you fine-tune your messaging. If you know a business is tight on cash, emphasize flexible payment plans or financing options. If the business is flush with profit, reinforce the immediate tax advantage and the strategic value of reinvesting those funds. Empathy and relevance are your allies here. Show that you understand their position and that your solution aligns perfectly with their current goals. That personal touch, combined with the natural urgency of year-end, is a powerful recipe for closing the deal. Lead With Urgency: Clear, Direct, Compelling I don't want to sweep under the rug how important timing and urgency are with this tactic. While you don't want to be completely transactional, you do want to be direct. As we approach the end of the year, many SMB owners have a long to-do list: Finalizing paperwork, inventory checks, reviewing vendor contracts, preparing for holiday promotions, and on and on. They're busy. They have limited time to spend on sales pitches. This means your outreach needs to be respectful of their schedule and also clear, direct, and compelling. Say right away: “I'm reaching out before the year ends because I have a solution that can help you maximize your tax benefits this year and help you grow your business next year." Being direct and to the point respects their time and sets the context immediately. If you need more help with direct and to-the-point messaging, grab your copy of my book Fanatical Prospecting and review Because Statements. It's crucial that you create and maintain a sense of urgency. Not the aggressive, pushy kind, but a natural urgency rooted in a real calendar event: The year-end. The clock is ticking, and if they don't make their purchase by December 31st, they miss out on the potential tax advantages. This deadline isn't artificial—it's a reality. Use it to frame your conversations. Urgency helps prospects prioritize your offer over other distractions in their busy schedule. Handling Objections You might encounter objections like: “We're too busy to consider new solutions right now,” or “We don't have enough budget.” In these cases, it's wise to highlight the cost-saving and tax benefits again. Stress that investing now can actually put them in a better position financially. Remind them that waiting until next year could mean missing out on an opportunity to reduce this year's taxable income. If time is an issue, propose a quick and efficient implementation plan. Show them that you can be agile and help them integrate the solution without massive downtime. If budget is a concern, consider promotions, discounts, or favorable financing terms. Sometimes, offering a small year-end incentive can tip the scales in your favor. The Five Keys to Selling More to SMBs at the End of the Year SMBs have a natural incentive to invest before year-end: They want to reduce their taxable income and set themselves up for a strong next year. Frame your product as a strategic investment: Highlight the value, ROI, and tax benefits that come with a year-end purchase. Avoid being transactional: Follow the sales process and position yourself as a partner who can help them navigate this critical period. Tailor your approach to each SMB's situation: Research their needs and adjust your prospecting message accordingly, showing empathy and relevance. Create urgency with a real deadline: The calendar itself is your ally; emphasize that the benefits come from acting before December 31st. Here's the deal though. Do not wait. Start this process now. The low-hanging fruit is out there but it will rot on the vine if you fail to pick before the sand runs out of the hourglass this year. Check out the BRAND NEW Jeb Blount Ultimate Sales Success Box Set. It's the perfect gift for the sales professional in your life!

"Should I niche down in my prospecting to a vertical or an industry?" That question came up on an office hours call yesterday with a bunch of MSP business owners. Here's what I told them based on managing 50 different IT companies in our fractional sales program and listening to thousands of prospecting calls: Yes, you should absolutely niche down—but you don't have to rebrand your entire company to do it. Most people think going vertical means becoming "the law firm IT company" and changing everything. That's wrong. You niche at the campaign level, not the company level. This episode breaks down how to compartmentalize your outbound: build a law firm-specific list, create landing pages with their language and acronyms, develop messaging that speaks to their specific IT fears and problems—all without touching your homepage or inbound script. The benefits are massive: your scripting has immediate relevance, you stand out from the 100 other calls they're getting, and you can feed patterns back into your campaigns through AI analysis of recorded calls. Learn why law firms have different IT concerns than manufacturing companies, how to stack verticals over time without getting diluted, and why this approach lets you leverage specialization into better specialization once the flywheel starts moving//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ray Green breaks down why both hustle culture and the "deep work only" mindset miss the mark, using a simple physics formula to explain what real work actually is. The equation? Force times Distance times Alignment. In this episode, Ray explains why effort alone doesn't equal results, why you can bust your ass and go nowhere, and why even getting results doesn't matter if they're not aligned with your actual goal. He walks through practical examples—from salespeople making calls to authors writing books—to illustrate why some people accomplish massive results while others stay stuck forever despite working just as hard. Ray shares how to clarify your real goal, define the right distance metrics to track meaningful progress, and apply the necessary force to actually get there. This is about understanding what real productivity looks like and making sure the time and energy you're investing is actually moving you in the right direction.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Scott Duncan endured brutal ups & downs — and personal depression — during his ownership of a doomed tool & die businessRegister for the webinar: How to Model an Investor-Backed Search Acquisition - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/3XysjZBTopics in Scott's interview:Wishing he had listened to his gutThe risk of EBITDA (vs. revenue) concentrationManaging highly skilled primadonnas Employee theftLosing key employeesLong sales cycles and fixed quotesForced Covid shutdownRazor and blade business modelFacing aggressive creditorsFiling Chapter 7References and how to contact Scott:LinkedInLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

I just had dinner with four really successful business owners—all running businesses bigger than mine—and we got talking about sales compensation plans. Once I started sharing things I honestly take for granted after 20 years in sales leadership, they were like "we hadn't thought about that." These are very smart, very successful guys, just not from the sales world. So if they found it helpful, maybe you will too. Here's the foundation: the only purpose of your comp plan is to change behavior. Charlie Munger said it perfectly: "Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome." This episode breaks down three critical comp plan mistakes I see constantly: (1) Long-term commissions that look generous to you but don't change behavior next week because salespeople don't think like business owners—they think in cash, not equity or 36-month payouts, (2) Perpetual residuals that create permanent misalignment as your costs go up while their incentive to do the hard work (hunting) goes down, and (3) Having hunters farm instead of separating the roles, which misallocates both money and results. Learn why you need to reward behavior closest to when it happens, why saying "I'll fix it later" is fucked up, and how to align effort, difficulty, and value with what you're actually paying for.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

If you run a small or mid-sized retail business and feel stuck between legacy tools and rising customer expectations, this conversation is your playbook for breaking through. We sit down with Unzer CEO Robert Bueninck to unpack how bundling software and payments helps merchants deliver seamless experiences across in-store and online without enterprise budgets or heavyweight integrations.Robert traces his journey from early Klarna days to leading Unzer's “payments and beyond” ecosystem, and lays out why the mid-market is the most underserved (and most promising) space in European commerce. We dive into the practical ways software plus payments drives real outcomes: faster onboarding, unified reporting, and simpler support when QR ordering, click-and-collect, or in-store returns marry e-commerce and POS. He explains Unzer's focus on food services, beauty, and apparel, and how a clear build-partner boundary keeps products sharp while letting merchants scale when complexity grows.We also dig into Europe's unique payments fabric. Alternative payment methods and account-to-account rails already dominate online checkout in markets like the Netherlands and Belgium, changing merchant economics with lower cost and instant funds. BNPL fills the buyer-protection gap, while policymakers push toward a pan-European A2A framework and greater vendor independence. Robert separates hype from habit on agentic commerce and stablecoins, arguing that adoption only happens when the new flow truly makes life easier for shoppers and staff and that's where the mid-market wins.Looking ahead, Robert outlines Unzer's growth bets: expand combined software and payments across core markets, bring all products to all regions, and help “make Germany digital” as a foundation for broader European reach.  If you care about SMB retail, omnichannel checkout, A2A payments, BNPL, and the future of European payments infrastructure, you'll find plenty to act on here.

I just wrapped up several hours of difficult conversations stacked back-to-back, and I want to share something that changed my entire management career: the conversations that are going to have the biggest impact on your business are the ones that are really fucking hard. There's almost a direct correlation between how difficult a conversation is and how much impact it has. Yet we avoid them—for days, weeks, months, sometimes years. I've talked to business owners who've let problems fester for years because they don't want the discomfort of a 30-minute conversation. Here's what helped me: reframing these conversations entirely. When you avoid the hard talk, you're not actually avoiding discomfort—you're just reducing its intensity and spreading it out over time, sometimes forever. That nagging voice in your head saying "you know you should be doing that" never goes away until you do it. But after you have that conversation? You feel stronger, empowered, and you immediately wonder who else you need to talk to. This episode breaks down why avoiding these conversations is negligence, how to reframe the temporary discomfort versus permanent relief, and why this muscle becomes addictive once you experience the benefits. If there's a conversation you're avoiding right now, consider this your sign.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Brad Thompson from MediaGo, a Baidu Company, joins AdTechGod on the AdTechGod Podcast to break down how SMB advertisers are using performance DSPs as a bridge from walled gardens into open web programmatic. Brad shares his path from agency work to platforms like AOL and MediaMath, why simplifying programmatic is essential for growth, how he uses LinkedIn and X differently to build partnerships, and what 2026 may look like as AI reshapes ad ops and optimization. The episode closes with Brad's view that AdCP can steer the industry back toward strong messaging and smart media choices, not just data-driven outcomes. Takeaways SMB marketers know Amazon, Meta, and TikTok well, but many need a simpler on-ramp to open web programmatic, creating a clear role for performance DSPs. AI will most improve optimization and creative workflows, while ad ops shifts through fewer manual tasks and slower net new hiring. LinkedIn works best for personal marketing and steady industry updates, while X is better for real-time discussion and learning. Strong relationships are still the edge in sales and BD because people handle the messy moments that tech cannot. AdCP is a major 2026 opportunity that can refocus digital advertising on message and media quality. Chapters 00:00 Brad's background and why he chose ad tech. 03:55 How MediaGo brings SMBs from walled gardens into programmatic. 05:00 Social selling in practice, LinkedIn versus X. 12:15 2026 outlook, AI reality versus hype, and job impact. 20:40 Why AdCP could be the biggest growth lever next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I keep hearing this incomplete advice everywhere: "All sales is about the transference of emotion." It's a Tony Robbins thing, and it's not wrong—but it's dangerously incomplete. I work with a lot of MSP and IT sellers who rely purely on their tech stack, response times, and spotting network problems, thinking logic alone will close deals. Spoiler: it won't. But here's where the "emotion-only" crowd gets it wrong too. People make buying decisions emotionally—they want the transformation, the feeling, the status—but then they justify it logically. Think about wanting a sports car: you want the feeling of driving it, but you justify it to your wife with "special deal, waitlist, investment value." If you only appeal to emotion without giving buyers the rational argument they need to justify the purchase to themselves (or their boss, or the committee), they'll want your stuff but never commit. This episode breaks down why technical sellers need to get past logic and understand the deeper transformation buyers want, and why emotion-focused sellers need to give the logical case that enables people to say yes. You need both.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The PCB design world is buzzing with frustration: skyrocketing costs, forced cloud migrations, and a widening gap between free tools like KiCad and heavy enterprise suites like Xpedition, Allegro, and Altium Designer. In this frank and non-nonsense conversation, Siemens' David Haboud explains how the company is stepping up with right-sized mid-tier solutions built on the proven Xpedition technology stack that allows for scalability, affordability, and gives designers real choice as individuals and SMB teams. Join The EEcosystem Community for more free engineering Masterclasses from Eric Bogatin, resources, and member-only benefits at https://theeecosystem.com   Show Links: Siemens PCB EDA Solutions: https://eda.sw.siemens.com/en-US/pcb/ Free 30-day trial of Xpedition Standard: https://tinyurl.com/562mc8rs   Sponsor Links:

In this episode of The Virtual CISO Moment, Greg Schaffer sits down with Logan Edmonds, Chief AI Officer at ScaleSight and founder of TTS Cyber, for a lively and insightful discussion on the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and small to mid-sized business operations. Logan shares his unique journey from studying theology to becoming an AI-driven cybersecurity leader, highlighting how early IT experiences shaped his pragmatic approach to solving business problems.Greg and Logan dive deep into how SMBs misunderstand both security and AI, including the dangers of chasing trends, the misconception that compliance equals security, and why AI can't magically fix broken business processes. Logan emphasizes a business-first mindset: start with understanding operations, outcomes, and risks—not with the technology.The conversation also covers:Why focusing on operational efficiency is the real driver behind meaningful AI adoptionHow to talk about risk without falling into fear, uncertainty, and doubtThe importance of trust and partnership in security consultingRealistic AI use cases, guardrails, hallucination risks, and the myth of effortless automationBalancing stress in cybersecurity through healthy personal hobbiesLogan's forward-looking plans in CMMC, AI strategy, and helping organizations scale responsiblyEngaging, humorous, and packed with practical insight, this episode is a must-listen for leaders navigating AI adoption, cybersecurity maturity, or the unique challenges of SMB environments.

Andy Rougeot launched remote territories of the blue collar business he bought, which led to $1.7m of EBITDA and an exitRegister for the webinars: How to Invest In SMBs (Without Buying One Yourself) - TOMORROW!! - https://bit.ly/4rBI4NbHow to Model an Investor-Backed Search Acquisition - Dec 11th - https://bit.ly/4owBkNWTopics in Andy's interview:His experience as an Army intelligence officerWhen in doubt, do the dirtiest jobThe military concept of “left seat, right seat” trainingSearching from the public libraryVeterans are well-suited to blue-collar leadershipRewards of leading young menGaining warm leads in new marketsHis team's competitive edgeExiting his business to run for mayor of DenverInvesting in self-funded searchersReferences and how to contact Andy:LinkedInSearch Fund Secondaries GroupAndy's webinar: Liquidity Options for Search InvestorsWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SummaryIn this episode of the Fuel Podcast, Grace Gill welcomes Naukr.ai CEO, Ravinder Sharma, for an insightful dive into the transformative journey of data science and AI. With over fifteen years in the field, Ravinder shares his expansive career journey, spanning both U.S. coasts, India, and ultimately leading back to Northwest Arkansas, a region he calls the “epicenter of retail.”The conversation highlights the exponential growth and rising cost of data, a challenge facing enterprises large and small. Ravinder describes Naukr.ai's mission: democratizing data science by leveraging agentic AI workflows, turning every employee into a data scientist through simple prompts. This innovative approach has the potential to help the region's 1700+ Walmart suppliers unlock actionable insights and make data-driven decisions faster than ever.Additionally, Grace and Ravinder discuss the challenges companies face in reliably leveraging data and institutional knowledge. Ravinder argues that platforms like Naukr.ai, which embody continuous learning and accessibility, are the future, enabling repeatable, scalable analytics regardless of staff changes.Moreover, this episode sheds light on the powerful mentorship and collaborative energy fostered by the Fuel Accelerator, which Ravinder credits for helping founders focus on solving real problems instead of just selling technology.  For those interested in retail technology, AI innovation, or entrepreneurial journeys in unexpected places, this episode is an energizing listen!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(04:05) How AI is Driving Business Transformation(09:10) Using Agentic Data Science for Retail(14:21) Walmart's Data-Driven Decision Making(18:38) Hyper-Personalized Technology Expectations(22:20) Arkansas' AI Innovation Pride(30:01) The Fuel Accelerator Experience(34:15) Tech Integration Partnerships(35:45) Closing ThoughtsLinksGrace GillFuel AcceleratorFuel Accelerator YouTubeRavinder SharmaNaukr.ai

I had to call my wife to pick me up yesterday after re-injuring my knee by pushing six miles when my physical therapist said three. Sitting on that corner waiting for her, I realized something uncomfortable: sometimes the hardest thing you need to do is quit. We glorify resilience, grit, and stick-to-itiveness because they work... until they don't. If you've achieved success through raw determination and sheer will like I have, you've been rewarded for pushing through—which makes it even harder to stop when stopping is exactly what you need. I break down why business model problems and product-market fit issues can't be solved with more effort or longer hours, why pushing harder on the wrong problem makes it worse, and how to recognize when your most reliable tool (perseverance) has become a hammer making you see every problem as a nail. This is honestly as much a message to myself as it is to you—for anyone whose feedback loop of "don't quit, push harder" has become so ingrained that knowing when to pause, pivot, or walk away feels impossible.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

First-of-the-month accountability check reveals a brutal reality: a salesperson with nothing on the scoreboard, no pipeline, no meetings, and no real plan beyond "follow up with four people" and "pack boxes for Thursday's event." This episode is a wake-up call for anyone in sales responsible for generating their own pipeline. Learn why treating your time like a precious resource isn't optional—it's survival. Discover the two critical mindsets that separate top performers from struggling reps: (1) strategic calendar planning with "The Perfect Week" framework, and (2) complete ownership mentality that refuses to accept passive excuses like "this week's basically shot." If you're carrying a "shit happens to me" mentality instead of "I make shit happen," this unfiltered conversation will either light a fire under you or make you realize sales isn't for you.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Welcome to Freedom In Five Minutes! The brutal truth nobody's talking about: AI won't replace you... but a competitor using it absolutely will. And that gap? It's widening right now in December 2025. In this episode, Kevin from the Pro Sulum team breaks down the latest industry research showing why small and medium-sized businesses are perfectly positioned to dominate with AI—yet most are frozen in analysis paralysis while their competitors race ahead.

After years of struggling with content that either grew the business but burned him out, or stayed authentic but didn't generate leads, this episode reveals a new strategy that solves both problems. The challenge: three goals kept conflicting—grow the business, teach what you're learning, and actually enjoy creating content. The breakthrough? Create unfiltered content on dedicated channels (daily podcasts, raw thoughts on X) without worrying about hooks, thumbnails, or "ideal client" topics, then let the team mine that library to extract and reposition the business-growing content. Learn why quality comes from quantity, why ghostwriters and AI shortcuts weren't working, and how this approach finally addresses the fundamental tension between authentic voice and scalable growth—especially for founders using personal brands to grow real businesses, not just creator businesses.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Steve Carroll started as an SBA searcher before pivoting to a PE-backed roll-up. It's gone better than he ever expected.Register for the webinars: How to Run the SBA Deal Race - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/3Xh3WQbHow to Invest In SMBs (Without Buying One Yourself) - Dec 9th - https://bit.ly/44Gylv1Topics in Steve's interview:Experience working for WalMart corporateSearching while working full timeMyth of passive incomeLarge dead deal costs from a failed acquisitionPartnering with his childhood friendUnderestimating working capital needs100-hour weeks away from his familyRapidly scaling through M&ABeware owners who leave quicklyAchieving $1 billion in revenue in 5 yearsReferences and how to contact Steve:LinkedInKelso IndustriesDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Our conversation with  Dan Jaenicke, Director of B2B Strategy for MacPaw, starts out with how CleanMyMac for Business is evolving to serve SMB and enterprise customers. Dan discusses patch and policy management, security and compliance challenges, fast deployment with tools like Jamf, preserving a friendly Mac-native interface, and how customer feedback and a new Mac admin survey are shaping the future of the product.  This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by the MacVoices Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on any and all MacVoices-related information. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing. Show Notes: Chapters: [0:00] Setting the stage: MacPaw, B2B strategy, and enterprise focus[0:30] Introducing Dan Jänicke and his new role in B2B marketing[2:00] Launch of CleanMyMac business and early customer feedback[2:55] Consumer vs. B2B pain points and why enterprises are different[3:32] Fleet visibility, device health, and compliance needs at scale[6:01] Patch management as a key differentiator in the business product[7:22] Roadmap for group policies and staged rollouts for IT admins[8:44] Security expectations in enterprise environments[10:07] Fragmented policies across roles, departments, and access levels[11:55] Moving from SMB and mid-market into true enterprise capabilities[15:17] Competing with MDMs by focusing on simplicity and differentiation[17:21] Logistics of deploying to 1,000 devices and Jamf integration[20:08] Why quick, hours-level rollout is a competitive advantage[22:05] Complexity vs. usability in security and compliance tools[22:46] Preserving CleanMyMac's visual design and enjoyable UX for admins[24:08] Balancing simplicity with the depth enterprises demand[26:44] Design philosophy: making maintenance pleasant, not painful[27:53] Rising cyberattacks on SMBs and why every business is a target[29:05] Using Moonlock, patching, and good practices to reduce attack surface[31:07] Hidden costs of breaches for smaller organizations[33:24] Listening to customers and iterating the product weekly[33:38] Upcoming Mac admin survey and why MacPaw wants feedback[36:06] Being part of the Apple community, not just marketing to it[37:04] Closing thoughts, invitation to contact Dan, and future ambitions[38:02] Outro, support options, and how to stay connected Links: CleanMyMac CleanMyMac Business Guests: Dan Jaenicke is a seasoned Product Leader with over a decade of experience solving user challenges, leading global and local teams, and partnering with executive leadership to build impactful B2B and B2C SaaS products.  He has driven initiatives behind products launched in more than 125 countries, reaching over 50 million active users and 45,000+ paying businesses, and generating hundreds of millions in revenue.  Before joining MacPaw, Dan served as Director of Product Management at GoodRx. As MacPaw's Director of B2B Product Strategy, he now leads solutions such as CleanMyMac Business, driving innovation and growth across the company's business offerings. Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon     http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:     http://macvoices.com      Twitter:     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:     https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes     Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

When a team member quoted the host's own content back to him—"focus on one thing, use one metric"—it would have actually been counterproductive. This episode clarifies a critical nuance that changes everything: yes, focus on ONE constraint (the biggest problem blocking your business), but measure it with at least TWO competing metrics. Why? Because single metrics get gamed, even unintentionally. Focus only on close rate? Sales reps start disqualifying opportunities. Only track appointments set? You get garbage meetings with terrible show rates. Only measure YouTube followers? You end up with 100,000 subscribers and 3 views per video. Learn how to identify your true constraint, why diluting efforts across multiple initiatives kills velocity, and how to set up balanced metrics that actually move your business forward instead of just moving numbers on a dashboard.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Our conversation with  Dan Jaenicke, Director of B2B Strategy for MacPaw, starts out with how CleanMyMac for Business is evolving to serve SMB and enterprise customers. Dan discusses patch and policy management, security and compliance challenges, fast deployment with tools like Jamf, preserving a friendly Mac-native interface, and how customer feedback and a new Mac admin survey are shaping the future of the product.  This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by the MacVoices Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on any and all MacVoices-related information. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing. Show Notes: Chapters: [0:00] Setting the stage: MacPaw, B2B strategy, and enterprise focus [0:30] Introducing Dan Jänicke and his new role in B2B marketing [2:00] Launch of CleanMyMac business and early customer feedback [2:55] Consumer vs. B2B pain points and why enterprises are different [3:32] Fleet visibility, device health, and compliance needs at scale [6:01] Patch management as a key differentiator in the business product [7:22] Roadmap for group policies and staged rollouts for IT admins [8:44] Security expectations in enterprise environments [10:07] Fragmented policies across roles, departments, and access levels [11:55] Moving from SMB and mid-market into true enterprise capabilities [15:17] Competing with MDMs by focusing on simplicity and differentiation [17:21] Logistics of deploying to 1,000 devices and Jamf integration [20:08] Why quick, hours-level rollout is a competitive advantage [22:05] Complexity vs. usability in security and compliance tools [22:46] Preserving CleanMyMac's visual design and enjoyable UX for admins [24:08] Balancing simplicity with the depth enterprises demand [26:44] Design philosophy: making maintenance pleasant, not painful [27:53] Rising cyberattacks on SMBs and why every business is a target [29:05] Using Moonlock, patching, and good practices to reduce attack surface [31:07] Hidden costs of breaches for smaller organizations [33:24] Listening to customers and iterating the product weekly [33:38] Upcoming Mac admin survey and why MacPaw wants feedback [36:06] Being part of the Apple community, not just marketing to it [37:04] Closing thoughts, invitation to contact Dan, and future ambitions [38:02] Outro, support options, and how to stay connected Links: CleanMyMac CleanMyMac Business Guests: Dan Jaenicke is a seasoned Product Leader with over a decade of experience solving user challenges, leading global and local teams, and partnering with executive leadership to build impactful B2B and B2C SaaS products.  He has driven initiatives behind products launched in more than 125 countries, reaching over 50 million active users and 45,000+ paying businesses, and generating hundreds of millions in revenue.  Before joining MacPaw, Dan served as Director of Product Management at GoodRx. As MacPaw's Director of B2B Product Strategy, he now leads solutions such as CleanMyMac Business, driving innovation and growth across the company's business offerings. Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

In Episode 146 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks retail IT industry trends and leadership with Gilbert Bailey, the President of Genius Retail and Small Business for Global Payments. Among the topics discussed are AI, enterprise tools filtering to SMB, providing solutions beyond the POS, and that leaders “action always beats inaction.” “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

Watching his wife spend weeks building custom Christmas decorations from scratch—with zero blueprint and no clear plan beyond a color theme—revealed a powerful business truth. We glorify the Bezos-style crystal clear vision, thinking that's what you need to succeed. But the reality? Most wildly successful entrepreneurs will tell you their business took on a life of its own. Building a business is more art than science—more Steve Jobs ("you can only connect the dots in hindsight") than detailed master plan. This episode explores why loving the process matters more than having perfect clarity, how the process itself reveals options you couldn't have predicted, and why energy to push through inevitable frustrations comes from one of two sources: either a vision so clear it pulls you through, or genuine love for the creative journey itself.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ray Green shares why he eliminated call minimums when he took over his first sales team - and how revenue per sale doubled as a result. Most sales managers crack the whip on volume and activity metrics, but Ray argues this comes at the expense of optimizing for what you actually want: results. In this episode, he breaks down the policy change he implemented, the cultural shift required to make it work, and how he recruited differently to build a team that took ownership of outcomes instead of just checking boxes on activity. Ray introduces the Laffer Curve framework for understanding when increased volume starts decreasing results, shares how his team went on to hit their numbers for 10 consecutive years, and explains why this approach is more critical than ever as AI threatens to replace volume-based sales roles. This isn't about having no standards - it's about having the right standards on the things that actually matter.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Jake Bittner bought an unprofitable carve-out doing $3m. A key pivot grew revenue to $20m and got the attention of PE.Register for the webinar: How to Run the SBA Deal Race - Dec 4th - https://bit.ly/44whqv6Topics in Jake's interview:Building a nest egg before leaving his jobFallout from his father's failed businessesCalculating the value of a business losing moneyDisliking the bureaucracy of large companiesJoining his friend to run a distressed companyEmployee war storiesChanging the service they offeredAchieving 60% margins Boosting customer retentionSelling the company for 11x earningsReferences and how to contact Jake:LinkedInMission Support PartnersGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SummaryIn this week's episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley sat down with Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, founder of LIVSN Designs, a Bentonville-based outdoor apparel company with a mission to create high-quality, versatile clothing for outdoor enthusiasts who value experiences over possessions. Andrew's vision for LIVSN is clear: make products that last, fit into multiple situations, and help customers "own less, live more."Andrew traced the company's roots back to a personal journey focused on simplifying life, which ultimately inspired LIVSN's commitment to durability and versatility. The business was initially jump-started via Kickstarter, leveraging community support to raise production funds and validate market fit. Andrew emphasized how in-person events and local connections, like pop-ups and startup crawls, have been vital for the tactile nature of their apparel.Sustainability and community drive every aspect of LIVSN, from rigorous dedication to responsible sourcing and transparency in the supply chain, to innovative repair and resale programs. Andrew explained that true sustainability goes beyond labels; it's about continual improvement and extending product life cycles. The company's recent B Corp certification stands as a testament to its holistic approach, valuing people, planet, and profit equally.LIVSN's story is also one of community ownership, with hundreds of customers investing through campaigns like WeFunder. With intentional product expansion and ongoing partnerships, Andrew's team is proving that responsible business practices and building trust can compete head-to-head with industry giants. Tune in today!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(02:59) LIVSN's Kickstarter Experience (07:18) Designing by a Set of Principles(12:25) Holistically Building a Business(15:05) Sustainability Through Product Longevity(16:54) Community-Owned Business Vision(21:30) Intentional Growth and Expansion(26:11) 2025 Achievements: B Corp Certification & New Store Opening(28:35) Closing ThoughtsLinksDaniel KoonceCaleb TalleyStartup JunkieStartup Junkie YouTubeAndrew Gibbs-DabneyLIVSN Designs

Can a team be made up entirely of aggressive, play-to-win people? Or do you need the balance of risk-conscious players who pump the brakes? This episode breaks down a fascinating leadership question: the fundamental difference between people who play to win versus those who play not to lose—and why it matters for building your team. Discover the critical distinction between two types of "play not to lose" people: Type 1 who intelligently mitigate risk with confidence versus Type 2 who operate from fear and low self-esteem. Learn why the best CEO partnerships involve a play-to-win leader paired with a Type 1 risk calculator (like the CFO who fought like cats and dogs but made the organization stronger), and why Type 2 players create toxic opportunity cost that kills long-term growth.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

When a team member fed me pure ChatGPT fluff instead of their actual expertise, it was time to draw a line. As an early adopter and power user of AI, this episode reveals the exact guidelines now required for using AI in the business—from protecting proprietary knowledge on closed systems to owning every output you submit, even if AI generated it. Learn when AI is brilliant (research, refining messages, automating tasks) versus when it's a road to mediocrity (outsourcing your thinking). The uncomfortable truth: AI has all the information but doesn't really know anything, and lazy AI habits are causing thought atrophy in otherwise smart people. These framework guidelines will help you leverage AI's strengths while protecting what actually makes you valuable.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dave Gilbert spent 2 years fixing the model and customer concentration of the $750k SDE family business he bought with SBA debt.Topics in Dave's interview:Leaving tech to buy a white collar businessMeeting with 120 owners while searchingBuying a business he initially passed onRisks of family members as employeesFinancial surprises after the transitionLosing 23% of revenue when clients leftAccountants do not like changeRecruiting top talentImportance of listening to employeesTransferring his zero-to-one skillsReferences and how to contact Dave:ProvenLinkedInGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Richard Clarke is the chief insurance officer at Colonial Surety. With more than three decades of experience, he leads insurance strategy and operations for the expansion of Colonial Surety's SMB-focused product suite, building out the online platform into a one-stop shop for America's SMBs.In this episode, Eric and Richard “Dick” Clarke discuss:Understanding ERISA safeguardsDistinguishing required and optional coverageReviewing and strengthening insurance layersCollaborating and acting proactivelyKey Takeaways:ERISA governs all employee benefit plans and requires fidelity bonds for protection. Coverage must equal ten percent of plan assets with specific federal limits in place. Knowing these basics sets the foundation for every other insurance decision.With the baseline set, organizations must separate required bonds from optional insurance. Fiduciary liability coverage protects decision makers from personal responsibility. Understanding both layers prevents blind spots in compliance and leadership risk.Once the insurance types are clear, each policy must be examined for sufficiency. Adequate limits, full inclusion of parties, and clear cyber provisions are essential. This careful review ensures protection keeps pace with evolving responsibilities.These evaluations work best when risk teams, counsel, and providers move together. Shared tools and coordinated reviews uncover gaps that one group might miss. Since no single formula applies, proactive teamwork becomes the safest path forward.“The specific answer to the question on the fidelity is that it is absolutely required. You have to have it. The brutal truth is, if you don't have it as an employer, you are in technical violation of federal law, because ERISA is a federal law.” - Richard ClarkeConnect with Richard Clarke:Website: https://www.colonialsurety.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dick-clarke-cpcu-cic-rplu-605b13a/ Connect with Eric Dyson: Website: https://90northllc.com/Phone: 940-248-4800Email: contact@90northllc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/401kguy/ The information and content of this podcast are general in nature and are provided solely for educational and informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the posting date, but may be subject to changeIt is not intended to provide a specific recommendation for any type of product or service discussed in this presentation or to provide any warranties, investment advice, financial advice, tax, plan design, or legal advice (unless otherwise specifically indicated). Please consult your own independent advisor as to any investment, tax, or legal statements made.The specific facts and circumstances of all qualified plans can vary, and the information contained in this podcast may or may not apply to your individual circumstances or to your plan or client plan-specific circumstances.

Taylor Mattingly found high-quality revenue in an unusual and sizable B2C business that he happened to be a customer of.Topics in Taylor's interview:Being Co-CEO with his best friendBuying a business he was a customer ofAcquiring a business in his hometownConfusing, deregulated Texas energy marketHow Energy Ogre differs from a typical brokerKeeping his call center in Texas“Set it and forget it” model“Listening tour” in the first 100 daysAdopting the EOS modelHigher leverage deal structureReferences and how to contact Taylor:LinkedInEnergy OgreGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SummaryIn this week's episode of Startup Junkies, host Daniel Koonce sits down with Tyler Flagg, founder and CEO of Flying Company, to discuss his mission to transform private aviation and put Bentonville, Arkansas, on the map as an emerging aviation tech hub.Tyler shares his unique journey from failed child actor to fourteen-year Air Force pilot and squadron commander, and ultimately, tech entrepreneur. After leaving the military, Tyler found himself managing a private business jet and was shocked at the pain points in finding and hiring contract pilots. The process, relying on Facebook posts, word-of-mouth, and reams of paperwork, was inefficient and outdated. Sensing a gap in the market, he created the Flying Company, a streamlined platform that connects pilots and operators, handles credentials, agreements and payments, and even helps operators and pilots save valuable time and money.The conversation dives into the realities of startup life, the surprising lack of digital innovation in aviation, and Tyler's long-term vision: a one-stop career and staffing system for pilots from student certification through retirement. He also touches on his hopes for Bentonville to grow into an aviation tech hub and the value of surrounding yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs.Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(05:10) Building a Marketplace for Aviation(09:54) Addressing Pilot Frustrations: Communication & Payment(14:57) Employing Quiet Professionalism over Ego(17:31) Making Bentonville an Aviation Hub(22:35) Next Steps: Aviation Career Progression Platform(27:31) Closing ThoughtsLinksDaniel KoonceStartup JunkieStartup Junkie YouTubeTyler FlaggFlying Company

From the acquisition of a tiny refrigeration business, Linh Tran has built an enterprise that earns millions annually.Register for the webinar: What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like -TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/3LYM4H2Topics in Linh's interview:The "Three Rs" search criteriaBeing an undercover owner for 18 monthsEliminating 70-hour workweeks for his techsStruggling with work-life balanceImplementing value-based pricing80% rule for delegationWhy he doesn't want to exitFostering deep employee loyaltyCorporate philanthropy and legacyWhat money can't buyReferences and how to contact Linh:info@apexfundgroup.comLinkedInApex Fund GroupLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron