Building Texas Business

In today's episode of Building Texas Business, we have an inspiring discussion with Tram Nguyen, the passionate founder of Living Good Candle Company. She shares her journey of launching a natural candle company and the power of her dedicated team. Tram describes the challenges of breaking into retailers like Amazon and Walmart and her three-month struggle that led to reinstating her Amazon a...

In today's episode of Building Texas Business, I speak with Chuck Leblo, founder of Interact One. Chuck shares his entrepreneurial journey from working in the corporate world, where he was overwhelmed by paperwork, to starting his own business. He offers valuable lessons learned from launching a side business while employed and the critical decisions that helped him succeed. Chuck leaves us w...

In today's episode of Building Texas Business, I speak with Curtis Hite, founder and CEO of Improving. Curtis shares his entrepreneurial journey, from starting at Raytheon to selling his first business and experiencing betrayal, fueling his passion for conscious capitalism. We talk about how Improving has consistently grown during economic downturns by prioritizing employees and culture. Curt...

In today's episode of Building Texas Business, I chat with Rafael Nasr, the man behind Craft Pita. Rafael shares his fascinating journey in the food industry, from starting his first business at a young age to launching Craft Pita. He talks about his experiences running a food truck and working for other businesses, emphasising the value of community involvement. We also discussed his perspec...

In today's episode, I chat with Amber Jones from Tangram Interiors about her company's move from California to Texas and how they foster innovation through their unique design process and showroom experience. Amber shares insights on staying ahead within the cyclical furniture industry through careful research and an emphasis on maintaining company culture during times of growth. We also...

Today’s Building Texas Business Podcast episode finds us chatting with Robert Grosz, President and COO of the tech company WorldVue. Robert shares insights into how WorldVue has sustained success for decades through strong customer relationships and a responsibility-centered culture. He details their customer-centric approach and innovation fostering, revealing lessons learned navigating the pande...

Listen in today's episode as entrepreneur extraordinaire Mark Walker shares Direct Digital Holdings journey. Mark reveals how laser-focusing on people, processes and credibility grew revenues from $6M to $120M in just five years. His insights on genuine networking and understanding capital raising are invaluable. We also explore leveraging AI for personalized ads and how concentrating on smal...

In today's episode, join me for a fascinating discussion with entrepreneur Allie Danziger. As the founder of Ampersand, a platform empowering early career professionals, Allie shares her inspiring journey of building a company that fills real needs in the market. Her innovative spirit and knack for staying on top of trends have led to her success in launching her first social media PR agency...

In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down for a compelling conversation with Clayton Garrett and Scott Snodgrass, the innovative founders of Agmenity and Meristem Communities. They share their inspiring journey of transitioning from agricultural services to conceptualizing master-planned communities. I learn about their groundbreaking project, Indigo, an organic farm-centric community...

In this episode of Building Texas Business, I had a riveting conversation with Dave Quinn, the mastermind behind Day One Experts. Dave and his well-versed team have dedicated their craft to bridging the divide between public-sector funds and private-sector projects. Not only does Dave bring to light the nuances of doing business in Texas, he does so with finesse and undeniable expertise. His refle...

In this episode of Building Texas Business, join us as we sit down with Lance Thrailkill, CEO of All Metals Fabricating, to discuss his family's 70-year-old business and how their focus on putting employees first has led to their continued success. In this conversation, we explore the challenges and rewards of running a family business and the leadership lessons Lance has learned along the wa...

Jim Perschbach, President and CEO of Port San Antonio, joins the podcast to share his insights on leading an organization that has transformed an old Air Force Base into an innovative aerospace and national defense park. Jim discusses the challenges of working remotely and the importance of providing flexibility to maintain a collaborative and productive work environment. Dive into the fascinating...

Bill Boyar, Founding Shareholder of BoyarMiller, joins the podcast. Bill shares his fascinating story of going from a summer associate at a law firm to ultimately forming BoyarMiller with the help of two of his partners. Through his experiences, Bill shares the importance of focusing on people and building a strong foundation for a professional services practice, rather than solely chasing growth...

Carter Hopkins, Founder and CEO of Pursuit Sales Solutions, joins the podcast. Pursuit Sales Solutions is an innovative sales recruiting company in the heart of Dallas, Texas. Carter reveals his unique approach to creating an environment of collaboration and success, where every team member feels known, loved, and valued. Hear as he discusses the significance of surrounding yourself with talent, b...

Hollie Kleitz, Founder and Managing Partner of Continuum Pacific Real Estate, joins the podcast. Hollie has brought a unique perspective to multi-family investment projects by focusing on what she calls moderate housing, addressing the gap between low-income and luxury multi-family housing. Listen as Hollie discusses the importance of collaborative leadership in real estate development, how she ve...

Will Perry, Founder & CEO of Worldwide Power Products, is the latest featured guest on the Building Texas Business podcast. Based in Houston, TX, Worldwide Power Products is a full-service power-generation equipment provider that has been making waves in the industry for its exceptional services and top-of-the-line products. Will shares his entrepreneurial journey, from the inception of his co...

Kamal Singh, CEO of Emerge! Inc., joins the Building Texas Business podcast. He shares how he bought his first restaurant in 2009 using his savings and how that helped him scale to his next buy-out. His main focus was businesses he could scale - through franchising young brands, and turning that business around without capital. Hear how he has grown a merge into 130+ stores in four states with ove...

Michael Browning, Jr., CEO and Founder of Unleashed Brands, a platform company that houses brands to help kids learn, play and grow, joins the podcast. Browning launched Unleashed in 2021 after noticing a void in the market for parents looking for a trusted resource for kid’s activities. The growing portfolio currently includes Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym, Premier Martial A...

Rocky Cherry, Chief Growth Officer of Cherry Coatings, a commercial coatings contractor based in Dallas, Texas joins the podcast. Transforming lessons learned from his time in the MLB into his leadership style, Rocky has built a team that focuses on its people and making a positive impact in their lives fueled by servant leadership. Hear how his experiences in baseball have changes his perspective...

Janis Burke, CEO of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority, an organization charged with attracting major sporting events to Houston, joins the Building Texas Business podcast. Janis shares the importance of leaders clearly articulating a common goal for the members of their organization, and establishing a mindset of showing up every day to give your best effort. LINKS Show Notes Previous Epi...

Jason Ferguson, Managing Partner of Calvetti Ferguson, a CPA firm with offices throughout Texas, joins the podcast. Hear how he built a company culture based on the firms different client partners in tax, audit, and risk compliance practices. Jason talks about the importance of figuring out who your company really is and what it stands for. He firmly believes that staying disciplined and committed...

Troy Elmore, President of Sandler Training, a Houston-based company established in 2003 joins the podcast. Troy shares why he thinks, in addition to having core values for your company, it is important to have core behaviors so that you can make those values action. Troy also discusses how he uses a concept titled the "Three P's" to help motivate his people. LINKS Show Notes Previou...

Cheers to our 40th episode! To celebrate we hosted a live event where we talked to Ryan and Crystal Waugh of Waugh Family Wines to share their story about how they started their thriving wine business. Their inspiration to get into the wine business is not only unique, but one that has a bit of romance attached. Hear Ryan share how meeting Crystal amplified their business to the next level, how Cr...

Cody Johnson, CEO of National Signs, a prominent sign company in Houston, joins the podcast. A serial entrepreneur since the age of 25 with a diverse background in startups, Cody has built various companies around the world from Malaysia, India, and Mexico. Listen to his unique story and how he has found success across various continents and the keys to building an intentional and impactful team....

Jing Johnson, Founder and CEO of Prism Renderings, joins the Building Texas Business podcast. Jing was inspired to start her own company as a way to balance her professional and family commitments. In doing so, she has grown her company over the past 16 years by building a team made up of all working moms. Listen to hear the motivation behind creating Prism Renderings and how Jing created her own...