The 9–5 Exit Plan

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Erik Oliver, Director of Client Solutions at Maven Cost Segregation and a nationally recognised cost segregation expert with more than a decade of experience. Erik explains how cost segregation works, how accelerated depreciation can potentially affect real estate investors’ cash flow, and why commercial property owners may want to evaluate whether...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with author, artist, entrepreneur, performer, and storyteller Dave Letterfly Knoderer. Dave’s extraordinary 50-plus-year creative journey has taken him from performing in the circus and mastering classical horsemanship to becoming an award-winning artist, prolific RV mural painter, author, speaker, and travelling entrepreneur. But behind the creativity...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with entrepreneur, motivational speaker, staffing executive, and longtime martial artist Mike Barefoot. Mike has spent 37 years studying martial arts and more than 27 years in the staffing industry. During his career, he placed more than 1,000 professionals, generated over $50 million in revenue, and built a boutique IT staffing firm that remained profi...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with filmmaker and content creator Brittany Lewis, who has built an audience of more than 18,000 followers by breaking down classic television from a filmmaker’s perspective. Brittany shares how her lifelong obsession with understanding the “why” behind television eventually became a platform that connected her with thousands of people who see stories t...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Andrew Brümmer — operator, entrepreneur, executive coach, author, and founder of Ardunan, known as The Business Polygraph. Andrew shares the story of a major professional inflection point in 2024 and how choosing to respond with intention rather than urgency led to one of the most purposeful periods of his career. We discuss leadership, reinvention...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Tony Tenaglier — aerospace Quality Manager, PhD researcher in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, author, and podcast host. Tony brings together psychology, engineering, leadership, flow science, and yoga philosophy to explore one important question: How can we create meaningful work without losing ourselves in t...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with author JL Coronado, whose book The Art of Courage preserves the work of Arthur H. Sloggatt, a World War II tank commander who later became a political cartoonist for the New York Daily Mirror. We explore Sloggatt’s journey, the role of political cartoons in mid-century America, the power of visual storytelling, and what historical media can teach u...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with author, poet, storyteller, and podcast host Branch Isole. With 22 books and a background spanning teaching, corporate sales and marketing, entrepreneurship, and spiritual study, Branch has spent decades exploring the choices and consequences that shape our lives. We discuss personal responsibility, relationships, communication, spiritual growth, tr...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with business systems expert, bestselling author, and speaker Marianne Page. Marianne spent nearly 30 years as a senior manager with McDonald’s, where she learned firsthand how clear systems, simple standards, strong culture, and consistent leadership can create reliable business performance. Today, she applies those lessons to help growing businesses b...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Emmy Award-winning motion picture sound editor and author Solange Schwalbe. Solange spent more than three decades working in Hollywood, contributing to major productions including The Goonies , Gremlins , Die Hard , Pirates of the Caribbean , Black Hawk Down , Moneyball , and HBO’s John Adams . Her work on John Adams earned her team an Emmy for sou...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with CPA, tax strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of Sarah Jones CPA, Sarah Jones. Sarah shares how entrepreneurs can think differently about taxes, profitability, cash flow, and wealth-building. We discuss the difference between traditional tax preparation and proactive tax planning, entity optimisation, financial systems, business profitability, and...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Lady Jen Du Plessis, Dame Commander, Business Scaling Architect, Sovereign Leadership Mentor, bestselling author, and international speaker. After more than 40 years in finance, entrepreneurship, consulting, and business ownership, Jen has generated more than $400 million in revenue across multiple businesses and helped thousands of entrepreneurs a...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Marc Von Musser, global Heart Leader™, sales and coaching expert, and former Director of Coaching and Sales Training for Tony Robbins. With more than 35 years of experience in sales and business development, Marc has helped businesses improve their sales processes, reduce cancellations, and pursue significant growth. We discuss heart-driven selling...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Dean Weitenhagen to discuss an extraordinary journey through love, adversity, survival, and the search for purpose. After his partner Patsy suffered a debilitating stroke, Dean travelled with her to China in search of treatment and hope. Soon afterwards, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Following treatment, his cancer returned, and he...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Eric Svedberg, owner of European Autowerks and founder of Fuel Coaching. Eric began working in the automotive industry at 16 and has spent more than 30 years building and operating businesses. Along the way, he experienced the realities many entrepreneurs face: cash-flow struggles, hiring mistakes, long workweeks, and the feeling of being trapped b...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Dean Taylor, speaker, coach, and mentor who helps high-achieving people reconnect with purpose, regain clarity, and make meaningful pivots in life and work. Dean shares his personal journey through real estate, financial setbacks, faith, gratitude, and personal growth. We explore why success can sometimes leave people feeling misaligned, how to rec...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Troy Haslinger—TEDx speaker, medical sales professional, ultra-marathon runner, charity founder, and author of Beautifully Dysfunctional . Troy takes us back to a life-changing day in April 2011, when he learned that his dream job was slipping away and that his sister Holly had been diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. He shares how the years th...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with creative director, marketer, agency owner, mentor, and Paper Crane co-founder Tara Collins. With more than 25 years of experience in the creative industry, Tara has seen the evolution of agencies, corporate creative teams, digital marketing, branding, and now artificial intelligence. We discuss the future of creative work, whether AI will replace c...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with veteran brewmaster and beverage executive Tony Vieira. With 36 years in the brewing industry, Tony’s career has taken him from Anheuser-Busch’s Brewmaster Training Program to Coors, Coors International, FedEx, MillerCoors, and Mark Anthony Brewing. Tony played a key role in brewing and quality leadership during the development and rapid growth of W...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with bestselling author, editor, publishing professional, book coach, and Brooks StoryHouse founder Anne Macdonald. Anne has worked across multiple sides of the publishing industry, including acquisitions, editing, production, and author development. She also hosts the Debut Writers Podcast , where she explores the realities of writing and publishing. W...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with AI pioneer, Silicon Valley leader, Hola AI founder, and author Sasikanth Battula. We explore one of the biggest questions facing professionals today: How do you protect your career and remain valuable as artificial intelligence transforms the workplace? Sasikanth explains the Orchestration Gap and why the future may belong not simply to people who...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with researcher, author, educator, and ProCon.org founder Steve C. Markoff. Steven’s latest book, An Improbable Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict , examines historical events, population changes, land ownership, legal claims, and quotations from both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives. We discuss how competing historical narratives develop,...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with Jon Ostenson, Founder and CEO of FranBridge Consulting, an Inc. 5000 company, top 0.1% franchise consultant, and bestselling author of Non-Food Franchising . Jon draws on his experience as a former franchise president and multi-brand franchisee to explain why franchising is attracting increasing attention from entrepreneurs and investors. We discus...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with entrepreneur, YouTuber, educator, photographer, husband, and father Jerad Hill. Jerad started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age and has now spent nearly three decades working for himself, building businesses across web development, digital marketing, photography, online education, and technology. He’s also grown multiple YouTube channels b...

In this episode of 9–5 Exit Plan, I sit down with public health writer, author, founder, and doctoral student Venchele Saint Dic. Venchele shares her journey through public health, community service, writing, resilience, and personal development, including the experiences that shaped her commitment to helping families navigate life-changing circumstances. We discuss health equity, communication, p...