Built Without a Net

In this solo episode, Brad Foley steps back after 26 conversations with founders and CEOs to highlight the seven HR challenges that consistently surface beneath the stories. From growth outpacing structure to toxic high performers and crises exposing weak systems, Brad distills the patterns business owners can’t afford to ignore. If you’re building without a net, this episode offers a practical ro...

Aneesa Muthana is the CEO and co-owner of Pioneer Service and M&M Quality Grinding, bringing more than 30 years of experience in precision machining for aerospace, medical, and electric vehicle customers. She leads with a strong focus on operational discipline, quality performance, and continuous improvement, driving the adoption of modern manufacturing practices that enhance visibility, accou...

Beth Ridley is a corporate executive turned workplace culture consultant, speaker, author, and CEO of Ridley Consulting Group, bringing more than 25 years of global leadership and management consulting experience to her work, helping organizations turn culture into a true competitive advantage. With deep expertise in change management and positive psychology, Beth focuses on equipping managers to...

Deb Seeger is a seasoned business leader and entrepreneur with deep expertise in sales methodologies, leadership development, and building high-performing teams in an increasingly digital world. Over the course of her career, she has coached hundreds of C-suite executives and sales leaders, helping organizations strengthen strategy, culture, and execution. An accomplished speaker and facilitator,...

Steve Valentor began his career at the dawn of the personal computer era, leveraging a mathematics degree and deep expertise in assembly language to develop computers for Zenith, LG, and his own laptop startup, Airis. As system-on-chip technology emerged, he transitioned into semiconductor R&D at NXP for a decade, followed by three years in senior management at Wind River (now Intel). Steve la...

William Salvi is the co-founder and host of Executive House, a global business media platform that spotlights prominent business executives through in-depth, authentic conversations. He is also the creator and host of The CEO Series, an Emmy-winning, YouTube-based interview show focused exclusively on CEOs, where he explores not just what leaders build, but how and why they lead. In this episode,...

Andrew Sykes grew up in South Africa and built one of the country’s largest healthcare consulting businesses. With 25 years of experience in sales, he has lived, worked, and run businesses across six continents, giving him a global perspective on leadership, trust, and human behavior. Andrew is the author of The 11th Habit, a TEDx speaker, and a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School...

Christine Toson is the President and CEO of The Tribute Companies, Inc., based in Hartland, Wisconsin. Tribute owns and manages four prominent, family-owned and operated cemeteries across Wisconsin, located in Milwaukee, Hartland, Wausau, and Green Bay, each offering full-service cemetery products and services. In addition to cemetery ownership and management, The Tribute Companies includes an arc...

Alex Samoylovich is the Co-Founding Partner and Managing Partner of CEDARst Companies, a nationally recognized multifamily real estate development and operating firm with more than $4 billion in assets developed or acquired across the United States. Over the past 18 years, Alex has built and scaled vertically integrated businesses spanning real estate development, construction, operations, propert...

Bror David Johnson is the founder of Retention Search and a seasoned insurance and recruiting professional with more than 25 years of industry experience, as well as a benefits broker with Van Wyk Risk Solutions. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from Indiana University, he built a diverse career spanning business development, underwriting, consulting, product developmen...

Steve Greenspon is a three-time entrepreneur who has built and sold companies across the consumer goods and building materials industries. His expertise spans retail, logistics, warehousing, finance, product development, executive leadership, and team building, skills honed over decades of running and scaling businesses, including his most recent company, which he successfully exited earlier this...

Jenny Weeden is the President and Partner at Accelity, a Milwaukee-based marketing agency that helps scaling companies across North America accelerate growth through clear messaging, strong operations, and strategic marketing execution. With nearly a decade at Accelity, Jenny’s expertise spans operations, people/HR, and building high-performing teams, all with a focus on creating a culture where e...

Mark Alan is the founder of Legato Leadership Coaching, where he helps leaders strengthen their business development strategies with a focus on product markets and new product innovation. With 23 years of senior management experience at companies including Charter Wire, Chicago Faucets, and Inpro Corporation, Mark brings a deep understanding of how products, people, and markets intersect inside gr...

Larry Wright is the owner of The Green Pet Shop, a company he leads alongside his son, Brian. With a BSBA in Accounting from the University of Denver and two decades of experience as a commodities trader on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Larry brings a breadth of knowledge and a grounded leadership style to his work. He doesn’t claim expertise, preferring instead to stay curious, le...

Liz Kaminski is the founder of LK Marketing and has been a successful business owner for more than 25 years. Specializing in scheduling B2B sales appointments, she built her company as a fully remote operation long before remote work became mainstream. Liz has grown her business without taking a single loan, proving that with discipline, consistency, and smart decision-making, a company can thrive...

Carl Kutsmode is a serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in executive recruiting, leadership coaching, and career transition. He has built and sold two successful firms and now leads B2B-VIP Executive Alliance, a firm dedicated to serving the leadership talent needs of high-growth mid-market and PE/VC-backed companies. Through a unique three-tier ecosystem of executive search, leade...

Damian Buchman is the founder of The Ability Center (TAC) and a passionate advocate for universal accessibility and inclusive recreation. A two-time childhood bone cancer survivor, Damian turned his personal story into a lifelong mission to ensure that people of all abilities can play, move, and connect together. Under his leadership, TAC is transforming Greater Milwaukee into a national model for...

Matt Kemblowski is the founder of MJK Connections LLC, where he helps small and midsize companies find the right people through thoughtful, relationship-driven recruiting. With more than 20 years of experience, Matt believes the best hires come from truly understanding what makes people happy and motivated at work. His approach combines strategy, process, and genuine connection to create meaningfu...

Lisa Canning is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience helping small business owners build and grow their ventures. Her leadership and innovative approach have garnered significant recognition, including being named one of the top 500 female founders by Inc. Magazine in 2025 and earning a spot on their fastest-growing Midwest list. Lisa's commitment to cultivating a positive work...

Randolph Pitzer is a seasoned communications leader with over 30 years of experience driving high-impact public relations campaigns across enterprise technology, telecommunications, and industrial B2B sectors. A former journalist turned PR strategist, he began his career with the St. Louis Public Schools, earning recognition from the National School Public Relations Association and a local Emmy. R...

What happens when success comes faster than you can handle it? In this episode of Built Without a Net , host Brad Foley shares how HR Value Partners grew from steady progress to an overwhelming surge—adding 12 new clients in just four months. What began as a marketing triumph quickly revealed cracks in onboarding, leadership planning, and team capacity. Brad reflects on the hard lessons learned fr...

Behind every thriving business is a strong HR foundation—but the hidden costs of getting it wrong can quietly drain your resources and derail your growth. In this episode of Built Without a Net , host Brad Foley takes a hard look at five overlooked areas in HR that often cost business owners far more than they realize. From the steep price of turnover and bad hires to the risks of non-compliance,...

Don Surber is Chairman and CEO of ATF, Inc. , a global leader in specialty fasteners. A 50-year veteran of the manufacturing industry, Don began his career at Illinois Tool Works (ITW) before becoming President of ATF in 1978 and later acquiring the company in 1982. Under his leadership, ATF grew into a multi-divisional enterprise with ventures such as Rifast Systems and Asyst Technologies. In 199...

Scott Sobkowiak is a former professional baseball player turned transformational leader, with a proven track record of driving multimillion-dollar growth through strategic sales, business development, and customer relationship management. He is the founder of Scale UP , a consultancy dedicated to helping early and mid-stage social impact organizations grow with purpose. Through his platform, SAS S...

John Washcovick spent 23 years in pharmaceutical sales, marketing, and operations with companies ranging in size from 30 employees to over 12,000. He was in sales and later served as Assistant Director of Operations, but in 2010, he left the corporate safety net behind to launch a payroll services business providing payroll and HR technology to small and mid-sized companies. With two business part...