Building a Business that Lasts

We live in a world of constant hustle. Everywhere around us, it’s hustle, hustle, hustle! But if we think of the story of the tortoise and the hare, sometimes slow forward progress is better than fast. It’s OK to grow a business slowly, and on this special episode, Jay shares some ideas from his new book on growing a business consistently, but gradually, in a way that builds long-term success. Sen...

Andi Graham is the founder, CMO and managing partner of Big Sea, a digital marketing agency started in 2005 in St. Petersburg, FL. Big Sea works with clients of all types, helping entrepreneurs and organizations build and grow their businesses. We navigate through her entrepreneurial journey, from Big Sea’s early stages to running one of the most successful marketing companies in Florida. Like me,...

Tom Morrison and I go back almost 20 years ago to when I was 18 and Design Extensions was in its early stages. Tom has been a big influence on my life and the lives of many others as well. He was the CEO of the Florida Automotive Industry Association in the ‘90s and now serves as CEO of the Metal Treating Institute. He has also written two books and speaks to business owners and entrepreneurs all...

Today’s podcast features Dusty Gulleson, CEO of eResources, Orca Network and IT On-Demand. This multi-talented entrepreneur started eResources, his main company, the same year as Design Extensions in 1999. We both used our passion for new technologies to establish companies that help others grow and maintain their business. Dusty sheds light on working with distributed teams, building a culture of...

This week’s interview is with Heather and Andrew Vreeland, co-owners of Occasions Media Group. Their successful media publishing company operates two popular magazines, Celebration Society and St. Augustine Social. Heather and Andrew share their unique story of how they got into the industry, and together we shed some light on starting a new business during the rise of social media. We also highli...

In this episode, I meet with Dr. Jason Lewis, owner of Bartram Dental Center. Dr. Lewis started the office in 2005, with the goal of operating a little differently than the typical medical practice. While dental care is their passion, the staff also emphasizes doing fun things and enjoying life together. Jason and I go in depth on his beginnings in the dental industry and how he overcame the stres...

The construction industry is one that constantly changes depending on the state of the economy. It’s important for a construction company to be able to adjust to the fluctuating market in order to stay afloat and stand the test of time. Today’s interview is with Richard Hardy, owner of The Hardy Group. His company has been around for more than 30 years, and continues to be one of Northeast Florida...

A CPA firm isn't the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to innovative, distributed team, but that's exactly the case with Jody Grunden from Summit CPA. They took a simple idea of helping businesses with their finances to growing into a virtual CFO company that services all types of companies around the country. Did I mention that one of their core values is humor? If you ahve a...

It's hard to imagine going through another hurricane within less than a year, but that's what's happened in St. Augustine, Florida this week, home of Herbie Wiles Insurance. This interview was recorded before Hurricane Irma but provides valuable insight into growing a business that lasts through all types of storms, economies, and business environments. Send us Fan Mail Support the...

Allan Branch is the co-founder of Less Everything (lesseverything.com) — along with a lot of other side ventures. He's done everything from software design to videography, to conferences and more. His early conferences included speakers like Jason Fried and Gary Vaynerchuk before they were "huge." In this episode we talk about the fact that business doesn't need to be whatever...

Matt Baker is the President and CEO of ThompsonBaker Agency in St. Augustine, Florida. They have been in business for nearly a century! Matt started with the agency in 1998 and became partner in 2002. We talk about working into a business with family roots, growing a business through all seasons, and recovering from Hurricane Matthew (as we prepare for the possibility of Hurricane Irma). Send us F...

On this episode, Richard Banfield shares his decades of business experience in all kinds of areas including growing a team while maintaining culture, understanding how internal disruptions in your company can create growth, and what's learned from going through sessions of working with your cell phone on your pillow. Richard Banfield is the CEO and Co-Founder of Boston-Based User Experience A...

This episode mixes things up a bit by bringing two guests into the discussion. We stray a bit from the typical business conversation and talk more about marriage, children, and how family fits into growing a successful career. The "work/life balance" seems to be a constant question for people building businesses and this episode does a lot to hit on those areas of interest. Beth & Tr...

Todd Neville is the Managing Partner at Neville Wainio CPAs and the Vice-Mayor of St. Augustine, Florida. Todd shares his insights on growing into a firm, becoming a partner, hiring the right team members, and preparing your business to survive the toughest of situations — even a hurricane! We even spend some time talking about "working with millennials" and what we really think about th...

On this episode, I talk with Brad Layland, CEO of The Focus Group and Endless Summer Realty. Brad shares unique stories of entrepreneurship that range from a bubble gum business, to how Donald Trump and The Apprentice gave him a revelation about the real estate business. Brad also shares personal stories on how he's worked to arrange his life around priorities like Faith and Family in a way t...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to last almost 30 years in business? Listen in as Sherry Davidson, from Davidson Realty, shares stories, tips, and insights from 28 years in business. Davidson Realty is a family business with a community focus. Make sure sign up for our e-mail list at http://buildingabusinessthatlasts.com to enter to win 3 free months of audible and also receive the next podca...