Bigger Than Business

Celebrate 50 years of success with a true Texas business legend on this special Fireside Chat episode of the Bigger Than Business Podcast ! Host Jeff Holler sits down with Mike Hernandez, owner of HERNCO/D&M Leasing, to look back on five remarkable decades in the automotive world. Mike shares how his entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to integrity, and focus on relationships helped shape one o...

In this episode of the Bigger Than Business Podcast, host Jeff Holler sits down with Sam Mahrouq—entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of Mahrouq Enterprises International. Sam shares how he rose from a Palestinian refugee camp to building a business empire that includes Automax dealerships, MEI Auto Finance, Ikon Technologies, and more. He opens up about integrity in business, the value of co...

In this episode of Bigger Than Business , James D. Shields, President of Shields Legal Group, shares his journey from attorney to entrepreneur and strategic investor. He reveals how integrating legal expertise with business strategy helps companies maximize value and prepare for successful transitions. Shields discusses the Growth-to-Exit program, which guides founder-led businesses in increasing...

Join us on the Bigger Than Business Podcast as we sit down with Doug Renfro, President of Renfro Foods, to discuss the journey of this iconic Fort Worth-based family business.  From its humble beginnings in a garage to becoming the ninth-largest salsa brand in the U.S., Doug shares insights on family leadership, product innovation, and the challenges of running a multigenerational business.

Discover the inspiring journey of Tillie Burgin, founder and director of Mission Arlington, in this episode of the Bigger Than Business Podcast . For nearly four decades, Tillie has been at the forefront of transforming lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Learn how Tillie's vision of "taking church to the people" grew from a simple Bible study in apartments into a comprehensive ministry serv...

Explore the rich history of Fletcher's Original Corny Dogs with GG Fletcher and her daughter Amber Fletcher, who carry on this iconic Texas brand. Learn how they balance family traditions with modern marketing, from introducing new menu items like veggie dogs to expanding Fletcher’s presence beyond the State Fair of Texas. This interview dives into the values, memories, and hard work that have mad...

On today's episode of Bigger Than Business, Jeff Holler and Chris Cassidy discuss the significance of purpose-driven success. Chris, a former Navy SEAL and astronaut, shares his leadership journey, from high school sports to the Naval Academy, and his experiences in space missions. He highlights the importance of authenticity and confidence for new leaders and recounts a humorous yet profound lead...

In this episode of Bigger Than Business, join host Jeff Holler as he sits down with Jeff Crilley, a seasoned journalist turned successful entrepreneur. Crilley takes us on a captivating journey through his illustrious career in journalism, highlighting his groundbreaking announcement of a man's release from prison - a moment that earned him prestigious accolades such as an Emmy. With 25 years of e...

How can a community keep its children in school and on a pathway to graduation and beyond? How can public-private partnership build a program for disadvantaged kids that becomes effective even beyond its creators’ dreams? Listen as our guest shares how the Fields and Futures program was created, its exponential impact on the youth of Oklahoma City, and how a “stone soup” mentality enriched the pro...

What does the future hold for neuro technology? What strides have been made in performance enhancement via brain studies? How can investors help shape the landscape of mental health treatments? Listen as our guest shares how her new endeavor is investing in companies that elevate human flourishing, how modern treatments can unlock a new era of mental health solutions, and how her expert experience...

What is Servant Leadership, and what does it bring to the lives of others? How does being told you’re “too stupid” parlay into an almost 40-year career as a respected and sought-after architect and developer? How do you create from tragedy a way to help families across the nation? Listen as our guest, Isaac Manning, shares how his success came from failure, how he engages in servant leadership to...

How do you go from making $19,000 a year to being a vendor for the White House? How do you weather troubled times to preserve your family and stay afloat personally and professionally? What does it take to start a business at 22 and grow it into a $60 Million company? Listen as our guest shares his path of entrepreneurship from start-up to multiple thriving businesses, what it’s like to partner wi...

Why is it important to train people how to treat you? How can knowing your guiding principles establish your path to success? How can leveraging your capabilities affect not only your future,  but the futureof those around you? Listen as our guest shares why it’s necessary to lean into the hard stuff, why giving should be about more than just money, and how it is never too late to be the person yo...

How do you go from being literally dirt poor to becoming a serial entrepreneur responsible for founding, investing in, or serving on the board of over 100 companies? How can an eagerness to learn and serve shape your life in a way that influences local and global communities for the better?  Listen as our guest shares his path from a subsistence farm life to one filled with “FinTech” and “Impact i...

How do you decide if you need a Family Office? What goes into building one that will truly serve your family’s needs? What role does intentionality play in its design and success? Listen as our guest shares with us how a commitment to shared values created a need for a Family Office to steward his family’s resources in a way that impacts not only generations of family members, but an entire commun...

In a family business, how do you overcome being the Owner’s Child? What can you do to ensure success on your own merits? How do you lead a team that may initially question your qualifications? Listen as our guest shares his advice for not only young people wanting to join the family business but also for the parents who want their kids to continue the business legacy, and thoughts on how being the...

Why is the success of an organization dependent on the health – not just physical health, but also mental and spiritual health - of the leader? When the microculture of a team is set by leadership, how can business owners refocus the parts of their own brains to help cultivate their employees’ most forward-thinking and creative efforts?    Listen as our guest shares why some companies become plate...

What are the challenges of creating, working for, or taking over a family business? What are the strengths a family business needs to succeed? How can you avoid the pitfalls that cause the high failure rate in succession of a family business?  Listen as our guest, Dr. Keanon Alderson, gives us a picture of how each succeeding generation tends to lead, what tools are necessary to shape a healthy fa...

How can you shed 60% of your client base and still grow? How can a CPA take time off right before April 15, a notorious deadline in the industry, while others are sweating and working overtime? How can setting boundaries with your clients lead to a prosperous, more holistic business?  Listen as our guest, Jackie Meyer, tells us how she built her own practice after being fired for having too much o...

How do you combine four very different personalities into a leadership team working toward a common goal? What kind of resolve does it take to make changes to a strategy that is already working? Listen as our guest, Joseph Ferrell, shares with us how his company made surprising decisions on change, why “culture eats strategy for breakfast,” and why every leader needs people who will speak unfilter...

How can recognizing the need to pivot your plans lead to a bigger sense of purpose? How can facing the reality that you are better off partnering with others, rather than going it alone, build greater success? How can recognizing the need to pivot your plans lead to a bigger sense of purpose? How can facing the reality that you are better off partnering with others, rather than going it alone, bui...

How important are a company’s values to its growth and success? What can a business owner do to ensure their team buys in to the company culture and lives those values daily? And how can you take them even further and affect a community in need? Listen as our guest, Stacey Pearson, shares with us how he perpetuates the company values his family created, and how his business relationships help prov...

How can being involved in organizations during your youth prepare you for unexpected events in your business future? Where do you turn for advice when you feel overwhelmed by responsibility, and you are having to learn as you go? And when personal tragedy strikes, how can the planning of one individual transform entire communities? Listen as our guest shares with us how he helped a family empire w...

How can following your instincts when presented with the challenges of new strategy, new technology, and inequality in the workplace create an opportunity that transforms the business landscape of a city? How can collaboration take you further than sole pursuits and grow your business exponentially? And how can you take what you’ve built and do even more for others? Listen as our guest shares with...

How can companies struggling with an employment landscape that is “opportunity long and talent short” attract future team members for the long haul? How can nurturing an emotional connection for your existing team to your company’s values position your company to attain the best, right-fit employees? What are the differences between Millennials and Generation Z, coming out of colleges today, and h...