Built to Finish

"Your job isn't just to grow revenue. Your job is to build a business that can thrive without you." Most entrepreneurs spend years growing revenue—but very few spend time building a business someone actually wants to buy. In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven sits down with bestselling author and Value Builder founder John Warrillow to discuss what truly drives company value, why so many foun...

"Have the uncomfortable conversation now instead of having the really uncomfortable conversation later." Most founders think about legal protection only after something goes wrong. That's backwards. In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven sits down with business attorney Matthew Fornaro to discuss why legal structure, governance, contracts, and documentation should be part of every founder's st...

"The more technology we have at our disposal, the more human we need to be." Everyone is talking about AI tools, prompts, and automation, but few are talking about the human side of transformation. In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven sits down with AI educator, leadership trainer, and Tacit Edge CEO Christa Hill to discuss what truly separates organizations that thrive with AI from those th...

Most founder retreats happen in a conference room. This one starts with an ocean swim. In this special solo episode, Steven Pivnik pulls back the curtain on the Founder Executive Triathlon Retreat and answers the most common questions founders ask before applying. Why combine business strategy with endurance sports? Do you need triathlon experience? Who is the ideal participant? What actually happ...

"Everything that happens every day you wake up, there's going to be a door presented to you. It's either you go through the door or you don't." What separates people who build lasting wealth from those who stay stuck? In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven sits down with Mario Sicari, founder of BGS Capital Management, to discuss resilience, entrepreneurship, wealth creation, and the mindset r...

"Growth doesn't fix problems. It exposes them." In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven sits down with Dr. Donna Marino to unpack the emotional and operational realities of scaling a family-run business. From succession planning and founder dependency to sibling conflict, leadership friction, and the hidden communication issues that slow companies down, Dr. Donna shares why family dynamics do n...

"The more I sacrifice of myself, the more of myself I actually find." In this deeply powerful episode of Built to Finish, Steven Pivnik sits down with combat veteran, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, Ironman athlete, and author Scott Lackey for a conversation about identity, pain, resilience, spirituality, and transformation. Scott shares the lightning strikes that changed the course of his life, fr...

"Think about AI as hiring employees. If 30 people are using AI, you now have 60." In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven Pivnik sits down with Dan Hernandez, founder and CEO of PCS Technologies, to unpack what it really takes to build a scalable, resilient business in one of the most fragmented industries: IT services. Dan shares how he transformed his company from a traditional break-fix mode...

"Grit is doing difficult things at the exact moment that you do not want to do them." In this episode of Built to Finish , Steven Pivnik sits down with Reid Tileston, author of Grit It Done , professor, entrepreneur, and Everest summiteer, live from Mount Everest Base Camp. Reid shares his definition of grit, why the people you surround yourself with directly impact your ability to achieve hard th...

"Success leaves clues." What does it really take to finish what you start when the stakes are high? In this episode of Built to Finish , Steven sits down with Mark Pattison,  former NFL player, entrepreneur, former Sports Illustrated executive, Seven Summits finisher, Everest climber, speaker, and host of the Finding Your Summit podcast. Mark shares the mindset shifts that carried him from elite a...

"The compounding effect of time in your business is incredible. Most of the value gets created at the end of that curve. Just stick with it." In this episode of Built to Finish , Steven sits down with Brian Dainis, Founder and CEO of Curotec, to break down what it really takes to scale a business in today's technology-driven world. Brian shares his unconventional path from waiting tables and door-...

"Transactions will make you a living. Relationships will make you a fortune." What if the key to explosive business growth wasn't more leads, more calls, or more hustle but deeper relationships? In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven Pivnik sits down with three time New York Times bestselling author Todd Duncan to unpack the philosophy behind High Trust Selling and why relationships outperform...

"The state has a plan for your wealth. If you don't create one, they'll use theirs." Most founders focus on building enterprise value but ignore personal wealth strategy until it's too late. In this episode, Steven sits down with wealth strategist Jim Stryker to break down why exit planning should start years before liquidity. Jim explains how entrepreneurs unknowingly leave millions on the table...

"Confidence does not come before change. Confidence comes because you choose to change." What does real transformation actually look like for founders, leaders, and high performers? In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven Pivnik sits down with Cara Moeller Poppitt, three time bestselling author of Big Freaking Change, entrepreneur, coach, and host of the Big Freaking Change podcast. With a back...

"Party isn't something you consume. It's something you create from within." In this episode of Built to Finish, Steven sits down with Evan Cudworth, the world's first "party coach," to challenge everything we think we know about social life, alcohol, and belonging. From his early experiences in rave culture to building his Party Within framework, Evan shares how he transformed external validation...

"Mountaineering is very much a game of stepping stones." This week on Built to Finish, Steven Pivnik shares exciting details about his upcoming Ecuador Climbing Executive Retreat — a unique experience designed to bring together founders, business leaders, and aspiring climbers for a powerful blend of exit strategy, leadership development, and high-altitude adventure. Steven first sits down with re...

"Real credibility isn't a title. It's delivery." Most speakers think great talks are about talent. They're wrong. In this episode of Built to Finish , I sit down with Cesar Cervantes , former stand-up comedian turned TEDx speechwriter and mentor, who has helped over 300 speakers land and craft powerful TEDx talks. We break down the repeatable architecture behind talks that create transformation, n...

"I get more done in those three hours than anyone can in 10 hours while being a little bit distracted on the side the whole time." This episode of Built to Finish features Christopher Kriel, a medical student and content creator who has turned a personal financial necessity into a digital powerhouse with over 900,000 followers . Host Steven Pivnik explores Christopher's unique journey from growing...

"Preparation and stubbornness will get you up any mountain." In this episode of Built to Finish , host Steven Pivnik sits down with veteran journalist and war correspondent Mike Tobin for a gripping conversation on pressure, perspective, and what it really means to keep going when the stakes are life-or-death. Mike has spent decades running toward chaos — reporting from conflict zones including Ir...

"Every tiny yes we give away is slowly stealing our life. The most powerful word isn't yes — it's no." In this episode of Built to Finish , host Steven Pivnik sits down with speaker, storyteller, and former serial entrepreneur Ryan Pink Langford for a powerful conversation on focus, purpose, emotional resilience, and what it really takes to build a life that lasts, not just a business. Ryan shares...

"If you can't admit you need a turnaround, you're probably not going to make it." In this episode of Built to Finish , Steven Pivnik sits down with Walter Simpson , a veteran business turnaround consultant with 40 years of experience and more than 60 middle-market company turnarounds under his belt. Walter is the author of the newly released book Core Turnaround Strategy: The Indispensable Restruc...

"At a certain point, the business doesn't need a harder-working founder — it needs a more effective CEO." In this episode of  Built to Finish , Steven Pivnik sits down with Jim Schleckser , a seasoned entrepreneur, CEO coach, and trusted advisor to hundreds of founders who are scaling companies, navigating complexity, and preparing for successful exits. Jim has grown and exited multiple businesses...

"We are not broken as humans — we're living in a culture that ignores how we actually evolved." In this episode of  Built to Finish , Steven Pivnik sits down with Tim Ash , renowned expert in evolutionary psychology, persuasion, and human behavior, for a wide-ranging and unapologetically honest conversation about what truly drives leadership, relationships, and modern society. Tim is a best-sellin...

In this episode of the Built to Finish podcast, Steven Pivnik sits down with Lisa Kirchenbauer , Founding Partner and Senior Advisor at Omega Wealth Management , to unpack what really happens before and after a liquidity event. Recognized by Newsweek and Money.com, Lisa shares how her firm has challenged the traditional, investment-first wealth management model for more than 25 years — putting lif...

What if the only thing standing between your current reality and your ultimate potential is a gap you created yourself?  In this episode of the Built to Finish podcast, host Steven Pivnik sits down with globally recognized leadership coach and author Margie Warrell to explore the intersection of courage, leadership, and personal growth. Warrell shares her journey from growing up on a small dairy f...