Get Back 2 Work

A search for a genuinely delicious trail snack became the start of a global food brand. Betty Lu shares how she turned overlooked produce into Confetti Snacks and built a business where bold flavors and fighting food waste go hand in hand. In this episode, Bob Campana and Betty Lu discuss: Travel as inspiration for Confetti Snacks Upcycling surplus and cosmetically imperfect produce Recipe develop...

Imagine this: the habits that made you successful are now holding your team back. How do you escape this hero trap? Bill Flynn explores how leaders can move beyond being the “hero,” build systems for better decisions, and create a workplace where people feel both capable and connected. In this episode, Bob Campana and Bill Flynn discuss: The Hero Trap and leadership bottlenecks Strategic destinati...

A business can be an owner’s greatest asset or a job they can’t sell. Learn how getting your finances, operations, and exit plan in order can improve a company’s value and make it a better business to own. In this episode, Bob Campana and Marty M. Fahncke discuss: Three-year preparation for a business sale Clean financials, profit, and tax strategy Owner succession and staged exits Strategic acqui...

A founder’s vision can get buried beneath the day-to-day work of running a business. This episode explores how a fractional COO can turn that vision into practical systems and help owners reclaim time for growth and the life they want. In this episode, Bob Campana and Derek Fredrickson discuss: The COO as the bridge between vision and execution The founder’s shift from operator to owner Fractional...

Chris Sund uncovers the wonders of having a leader who stops building fences to keep people in and starts building launchpads to help their people grow. In this episode, you’ll hear how an executive recruiter and author uses culture, honest feedback, and personal transformation to unlock the potential people don’t see in themselves. In this episode, Bob Campana and Chris Sund discuss: Healthcare r...

What if happiness in retirement isn’t about hitting a magic number, but mastering five simple steps? In this episode, Wes Moss reveals the Retire Sooner Method: money green zones, core pursuits, real community, and a written plan that delivers a 21% happiness jump. Ditch fear, find “enough,” and build a life worth retiring to. In this episode, Bob Campana and Wes Moss discuss: Defining “money gree...

Chasing scale or eyeing the exit? Dave Parker reveals the signals founders miss, the metrics that matter, and a simple framework to decide: grow, pivot, or go. Avoid earnout traps, raise your multiple, and time your move with confidence. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dave Parker discuss: Knowing when to grow versus exit Revenue models driving enterprise value Strategic vs. private equity exits...

What does it really take to turn a soft-serve side hustle into a four-location staple with lines out the door? Meet Larry and Soshie Young, founders of The Yogurt Mill, and their daughter Carly, the next-gen co-CEO. Stick around for hard-won lessons on scaling, culture, and creating “memory moments” that keep customers coming back. In this episode, Bob Campana, Larry Young, and Soshie Young discus...

Meet Widgetteer CEO Bill McHenry, who turned a failed vacuum-seal idea into a masterclass on product design, sourcing with soul, and selling to the toughest buyers. From viral oil-and-vinegar platters to Disney-level vendor status, this conversation is a blueprint for building hits in the “social kitchen” era, where relationships, relentless follow-up, and packaging you can actually touch make all...

In this episode of Get Back 2 Work, Bob Campana sits down with Master plumber Dan Dowdy as he reveals how leadership, systems, and faith transformed his family business into a coaching movement. Learn to scale your trades company, build culture, and lead the next generation. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dan Dowdy discuss: Dan's journey: plumbing to coaching Mindset, faith, and endurance drivin...

On this episode of Get Back to Work with host Bob Campana, internationally renowned visual artist Firdaus Kharas reveals how animation breaks barriers, using short, culturally authentic visuals to overcome stigma and save lives. Join in to hear rapid storyboarding, taboo‑busting ideas, and the human edge over AI. In this episode, Bob Campana and Firdaus Kharas discuss: Creativity vs. AI: human ima...

From a 13-year-old mowing lawns to building an “Uber for mowing” that serves 300,000 customers, this episode pulls back the curtain on scaling a blue-collar hustle into a tech platform, the messy reality of selling a business, and the human-first coaching that turns solo landscapers into sustainable owners. Tune in for hard-earned tactics, founder confessions, and the surprising lessons Bryan Clay...

Want your company to feel alive, not just profitable? In this episode, Catherine Bell maps a practical path, from waking your own self-awareness to reshaping relationships and team systems, so creativity and culture drive performance. Tune in for Enneagram-based tools, silence practices, and leadership moves that turn vision into collective action. In this episode, Bob Campana and Catherine Bell d...

The difference between a growing business and a scalable one isn't talent; it's execution. In this episode, Bob Campana sits down with Derek Fredrickson, founder of The COO Solution, to explore how fractional COOs transform founder vision into scalable execution through systems, accountability, smarter meetings, and AI-powered operations. In this episode, Bob Campana and Derek Fredrickson discuss:...

An executive coach with military roots breaks down practical servant leadership: how trust, small behavioral tweaks, and purposeful introspection create real performance gains for leaders and teams. Tune in for frameworks you can apply this week to lead steadier and build stronger teams. In this episode, Bob Campana and Doug Thorpe discuss: Military-to-civilian leadership differences Servant leade...

In this conversation between Steve and Bob, you’ll hear how a former investment banker-turned-operator built Summit OS by synthesizing 70+ iconic business books to help founders decentralize decisions, create unique advantages, and keep climbing to the next level. In this episode, Bob Campana and Steve Preda discuss: Founder dependency and the hub-and-spoke problem Shifting to a decentralized “syn...

A former naval architect turns ship-design software into a tool for crafting emotional, pop-up greeting cards and builds a multimillion-dollar brand around human connection. In this conversation, you’ll hear how art, engineering, trust, and grit turned a simple kirigami insight into Lovepop and tens of millions of “magical moments.” In this episode, Bob Campana and Wombi Rose discuss: Origin story...

When does capital become a growth engine, and when does it quietly destroy a business? In this episode, we dive into the difference between good and bad money, how to think about valuation, and what every founder needs to know before signing their next loan or giving up equity. In this episode, Bob Campana and Patrick Donohue discuss: Early entrepreneurial roots and family influence Hill Capital’s...

When all other leaders are obsessed with quarterly returns and optimization, what happens when you put clarity, credibility, and meaning back at the center of your business? In this episode, Bob and Dr. Mitchell Levy break down the C‑Pop, executive abundance, and why your legacy is written in the lives of your stakeholders, not your balance sheet. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dr. Mitchell Levy...

What does it actually take to turn local gigs into a real, sustainable living as a musician? In this episode, Neil Buettner breaks down the business side of art, budgeting, pricing, adding value, and building human connections that keep your calendar full for decades. In this episode, Bob Campana and Neil Buettner discuss: Turning a summer of music into a full-time career Budgeting, goal setting,...

A $1 counterfeit-detecting pen, a chance trip to China, and half a million meters of rope light set the stage for a lifelong journey in the Christmas lighting industry. In this episode, hear how a math teacher turned serendipity, risk, and China’s manufacturing engine into a global seasonal business. In this episode, Bob Campana and Pietro Peroni discuss: Pivot from teaching math and physics to en...

Two young journalists leave Kenya and Cameroon for UC Berkeley, trading local newsrooms for a global stage. In this conversation, they unpack the realities of the American dream, the future of African storytelling, and how authenticity will keep human creators essential in an AI-driven world. In this episode, Bob Campana, Victor Ochieng, and Daniel Ekonde discuss: Early life and entry into journal...

What happens when a former solo backpacker trades crowded tourist hotspots for intimate Sicilian baptisms, birthday parties, and hidden museums? In this episode, you’ll hear how deeply curated small group travel can transform your experience of Europe—from logistics and language barriers to food, community, and culture. In this episode, Bob Campana and Timothy Little discuss: Solo backpacking thro...

Tired of crowded cruise ports, rushed bus tours, and souvenir shops that all look the same? In this episode, Bob and travel designer Lino Masani break down the hidden costs of “hit and run tourism” and reveal how small group, relationship-driven travel can restore authentic, meaningful experiences. In this episode, Bob Campana and Lino Mansoni discuss: Over-tourism in major European cities Impact...

A kid who fell in love with mowing lawns at five grows into a stressed but driven entrepreneur managing crews, clients, and his own mental health. In this episode, Abraham opens up about the hidden pressures of small business, why he turned to therapy, and how he’s rebuilding his company with intention. In this episode, Bob Campana and Abraham Navarro discuss: Early passion for landscaping and fir...