The Necessary Entrepreneur

Want to turn your expertise into a business that earns while you sleep? Former ER nurse Justin Allan Montgomery left a capped-income career to build an eight-figure online education empire, and now he's helping professionals transform their knowledge into profitable continuing-education businesses. In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Justin to explore h...

What does it take to turn real-world leadership training into a scalable, high-performance system used by executives, entrepreneurs, and fast-growth companies around the world? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with performance strategist Evan Unger for a deep conversation on building leaders, eliminating operational drag, and unlocking elite execution ins...

From Lotteries to Luxury Experiences: How Derek Gwaltney Built Atlas Experiences into a Top-Tier Brand Experience Company 🎯 In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Derek Gwaltney , founder and CEO of Atlas Experiences , to explore the art of creating unforgettable brand moments that spark emotion, connection, and loyalty. Derek shares his remarkable journe...

Feeling stressed, stuck, or burned out as a high-achieving leader or entrepreneur? 💡 In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Mandy Morris, LPC, co-founder of Sofree, to explore how high performers can reclaim mental clarity, confidence, and emotional balance. Mandy shares her journey from athletic trainer to licensed therapist and entrepreneur, blending ps...

What makes a successful founder dive back in after a major exit? 💡 In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Jesse Lipson , founder and CEO of Levitate , a fast-growing SaaS platform helping service businesses build authentic client relationships at scale. Before Levitate, Jesse founded and sold ShareFile to Citrix, where he later served as a public-company...

What separates great leaders from good ones? 💡 In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Mary Elizabeth Sadd , leadership advisor, executive search expert, and author of Living a Generous Life: Learning, Earning, and Returning . With over two decades of experience advising Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, and fast-growth organizations, Mary has s...

What if capitalism could work for people instead of against them? 💡 In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Morgan Styler , veteran entrepreneur and co-founder of Circular Wealth , to explore a bold new model he calls "capitalism with compassion." After decades in direct sales and network marketing, including co-founding companies with over  $2 billion in...

What does it take to build and sustain one of Ohio's most respected craft breweries? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Eric Bean , co-owner and brewmaster of Columbus Brewing Company , to explore how craftsmanship, culture, and community come together to shape a lasting brand. Eric shares how he and his wife, Beth, have helped transform Columbus Brewi...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Darrel Grumman , CEO and franchiser of Bubbles Tea & Juice Company . Since acquiring the brand in 2024, Darrel has transformed Bubbles from a small local favorite into a rapidly growing franchise with new locations, mobile units, and an updated, innovative menu. Darrel opens up about the realities of scaling a busines...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur with Mark Perkins, we sit down with powerhouse couple Kass and Mike Lazerow , entrepreneurs, investors, and authors of "Shoveling $h!t: A Love Story." Together, they share honest insights on building businesses, navigating marriage, and leading with empathy through life's inevitable messes. From founding multiple startups to investing through Salesforc...

On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur with Mark Perkins, we welcome a dynamic group of creatives and entrepreneurs: actor and filmmaker Denzel Whitaker , musician and actor Maestro Harrell , and writer Jesse Janari discussing their new feature film Brand New ; Jack Cook , founder of Illusion Islands Studio; and Jacob Gibbs (DJ Smooth) , Cincinnati realtor and on-air personality for WIZF Th...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Geoffrey A. Moore , renowned author of Crossing the Chasm and a leading authority on technology adoption and market innovation. Geoffrey shares his insights on how entrepreneurs can identify the right problems to solve, scale disruptive innovations, and strategically navigate the "chasm" between early adopters and mai...

What does it take to lead digital transformation at a billion-dollar scale , and how can entrepreneurs apply those same principles to grow their own businesses? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Tony Saldanha , former VP of IT and Global Business Services at Procter & Gamble , co-founder of Transformant , and bestselling author of Why Digital Transfor...

What does it take to rebuild your life and business after losing everything? On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with David Meltzer, renowned motivational speaker, bestselling author, business coach, entrepreneur, and former CEO of Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment. David shares his journey of resilience, the lessons he learned from his late mother, and...

Pat Flynn is one of the most recognized voices in online business, podcasting, and community building. In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur with host Mark Perkins, Pat shares his journey from architect turned entrepreneur to becoming the founder of Smart Passive Income (SPI) , a platform that has inspired millions to build businesses that serve others. Pat also dives into his brand-new bo...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Chuck Lipp, President of Dewey's Pizza , to talk about leadership, scaling culture, and building a beloved restaurant brand across the Midwest. Chuck shares the inside story of how Dewey's grew from one location into a 27-store, 1,400-employee company , all while maintaining its famous scratch-made pizzas, open kitche...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Mario Baddour , CEO and President of Intelogix (formerly GC Services), one of North America's largest privately held BPO and customer experience providers. Mario shares how he rebranded and transformed Intelogix into a global leader at the intersection of technology, human connection, and customer experience . From em...

What's the #1 reason salespeople fail? Jeb Blount, legendary sales strategist and author of Fanatical Prospecting and The AI Edge, joins Mark Perkins on The Necessary Entrepreneur to deliver an unfiltered masterclass on what it takes to thrive in today's hyper-competitive sales landscape. Jeb unpacks how emotional intelligence, consistency, and human connection remain your greatest assets, even in...

From broke at 24 to building a multimillion-dollar flashlight empire on the shelves of Walmart and Target, Cody Grandadam's story is one of grit, mindset, and relentless drive. In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , Mark Perkins sits down in-studio with the man known as The Flashlight Guy to uncover how a small-town hustler from Illinois created jobs for hundreds, revitalized a massive ab...

How do you memorize an entire phone book or learn a completely new skill in 48 hours? In this episode, Mark sits down with Tansel Ali, four-time Australian Memory Champion and bestselling author of "The Yellow Elephant: Improve Your Memory and Learn More, Faster, Better" and "How to Learn Almost Anything in 48 Hours". Tansel shares how he began to master the art of memory and teaching high perform...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , Mark Perkins sits down with email marketing powerhouse Jay Schwedelson to unpack the mindset and strategies behind today's most effective marketing. Jay shares why your email database is your company's most valuable asset , how to craft subject lines that demand attention, and why perfectionism kills momentum in business. He dives into the psychology...

In this powerful episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , host Mark Perkins sits down with Jon Giganti , keynote speaker, executive coach, and USA Today bestselling author of With Intention , for a deep, vulnerable, and inspiring conversation on intentional living , leadership , mental health , and resilience . Jon shares his journey from corporate leadership to personal transformation, emphasizing...

In this high-impact conversation, Scaling Up author and Entrepreneurs' Organization founder Verne Harnish sits down with Mark Perkins to unpack the real mechanics behind scaling a business that lasts. Verne shares powerful insights on why sustainable growth requires more than just execution—it demands the right mindset, strategy, people, and purpose . From unlocking bottlenecks to leveraging advis...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , Mark Perkins sits down with dynamic keynote speaker, coach, and leadership strategist Dr. Karim R. Ellis to unpack what true success really looks like. Together, they dive deep into the power of mentorship, the role of character development, and the value of serving others on the path to purpose. Dr. Ellis shares powerful personal stories and hard-ea...

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur , bestselling author Craig Johnson joins host Mark Perkins to discuss the creation and evolution of the Longmire series—one of the most iconic modern Western literary franchises. Craig shares the real-life inspiration behind Sheriff Walt Longmire, the role of Wyoming's rugged landscape in shaping his storytelling, and how life experiences continue to f...