Built to Finish

In this special holiday episode of the Built to Finish podcast, host Steven Pivnik reflects on the past year, expressing immense gratitude to the audience for their support during his first full year of podcasting, which included over 52 released episodes. He shares the personal success he has achieved through a newly implemented morning gratitude routine, noting that listing things you are gratef...

In this solo episode, Steven tackles a fundamental question for every entrepreneur: "How much should I sell my company for?" He argues that the answer shouldn't start with market valuation, but with a deeply personal assessment of the lifestyle the founder wishes to maintain post-exit. Assuming a worst-case scenario where the founder is unemployed after the sale, the first step is consulting with...

Nick Evans, a world-renowned executive advisor, thought leader, and Founder of Thinkers360, shares insights from his time advising influential organizations like Amazon, NASA, and Intel, highlighting the fun and challenge of diving into different industries as a consultant. He recounts his work with NASA, which involved running hands-on, design thinking-style innovation workshops. The conversation...

In this inspiring and candid episode, Steven welcomes his first in-person guest, Matt LeBris, host of the globally top 1% ranked Decoding Success Podcast and a Brand Strategist with Brand Builders Group. Matt shares his incredible career journey, beginning with a cold pitch to Shark Tank's Damon John that turned a five-minute conversation into a multi-year internship and job. This experience taugh...

Paul Pacun, CEO & Founder of Meiotic and its flagship sales enablement platform Vablet, joins the show to discuss his 26-year journey in tech, starting with taking a company public during the 2000 dot-com bubble. He shares the origin story of Meiotic and its eventual pivot from marketing to individual dentists to targeting the highly compliant Life Sciences and Medical Device industry. Paul detail...

Dr. Cindy Gordon, CEO and founder of SalesChoice, joins host Steven Pivnik to discuss her "evolutionary" journey from executive roles at giants like Accenture and Xerox to launching her own tech company. She details how she first joined a venture capital firm to learn corporate finance before co-founding one of the early companies to use AI for predicting sales forecasts. Cindy provides a refreshi...

David Chase, an avid ultra-marathoner and the President at WorkBoard, joins Steven Pivnik to discuss the powerful intersection between endurance sports and business leadership. David shares how his professional rise to CMO coincided with his running journey, which has included multiple 100+ mile races and even a 200-mile event. He explains that for him, a startup isn't a sprint or a marathon—it's...

John Ulsh, resilience coach, speaker, and author of "The Upside of Down," discusses the catastrophic car accident that changed his life forever. John shares the harrowing details of the 2007 collision that involved his wife and two young children, leaving him with a less than 3% chance of survival. He takes us through his grueling recovery, which included over 45 surgeries, an 18-day coma, and lea...

Dr. Anna Pleet discusses a comprehensive and compassionate approach to tackling obesity and improving overall health. Anna emphasizes that weight loss is far more complex than the simple "calories in, calories out" mantra. She explains her patient-centered method, which begins with listening and understanding an individual's mindset, motivations, and the emotional barriers, like shame, that can pr...

Hugh Massie, the Founder and Executive Chairman of DNA Behavior, a globally recognized behavioral AI solutions architect, shares his guiding principle for entrepreneurs: "dream big, start small, and finish big." He encourages founders to think beyond financial metrics and focus on the human impact their business can have, even setting goals as audacious as impacting a billion people. He emphasizes...

Miles Spencer is no stranger to risk, resilience, and reinvention. A multi-exit entrepreneur, investor, and adventurer, Miles has spent decades building companies in digital media, mentoring founders, and even chasing adrenaline in places like Pamplona and the deserts of the Middle East. Now, he's channeling that same spirit into his most personal venture yet: Reflekta, a platform that allows fami...

Adam Vernon, the Founder and Managing Director of Colorado Ski Furniture, shares his incredible story of how he turned a pile of old skis into a thriving and easily recognized business. With nearly two decades of experience, Adam discusses the evolution of his company, from a weekend stress reliever to a full-time venture that exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. He details his hands-on leadersh...

In this special bonus episode for National Podcast Day episode, our very own, Steven Pivnik, gets interviewed about his experiences so far hosting the Built to Finish podcast. Steven describes his show as informational, motivational, and entertaining, aimed at audacious goal setters, including founders looking to grow, scale, and exit their businesses. He discusses how the podcast extends his bran...

Ismael Larrosa, Founder and CEO of the UX-led development company Capicua, joins the show to discuss his entrepreneurial journey, from defying his father's wishes to attend design school to leading one of the fastest-growing companies in the Americas. Ismael shares his philosophy on the significant role luck plays in success, the importance of choosing the harder, more sustainable path, and how fo...

Dr. Stephen Timme, Founder of FinListics and Author of "Insights Led Selling", shares his unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship and details the critical shift modern sales organizations must make: moving from outdated feature-and-function pitching to sophisticated, insight-led conversations. He explains why today's executives are under immense pressure to deliver business results and ho...

Stan Sher, a respected writer, speaker, and president of Dealer eTraining, shares his personal journey from starting as a car salesman at 20 years old to founding his own company, overcoming going broke three times along the way. The conversation dives into why the car-buying process is often unpleasant, which Stan attributes to undertrained, transaction-focused salespeople and a lack of genuine c...

Brant McNaughton, the Founder and Managing Director of the web development consultancy Ecce. Brant shares his journey of transitioning from a 15-year career in global finance to becoming a tech entrepreneur in the late '90s. For over 26 years, he has built his agency on a foundation of strong relationships and reputation, growing organically through word-of-mouth referrals. Brant discusses the evo...

Mike Hogan, CEO of Insights7, is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of global experience. Hogan shares his journey from providing advisory services to developing a software-as-a-service platform designed to help organizations align their execution with strategic goals through his "work to value management system." He discusses the common challenge of ensuring entire teams are "rowing in...

Evan Dash, the co-founder and CEO of the billion-dollar kitchenware brand, Dash, shares his remarkable journey from being a firefighter to a corporate executive at Macy's, and ultimately, an acclaimed entrepreneur. He details the initial struggles of launching a business, the relentless challenges of managing cash flow in a rapidly growing company, and the unique experience of navigating a partial...

Robert Paylor, a former standout rugby player for UC Berkeley, shares his incredible journey of resilience and recovery. During a national championship game, a catastrophic injury left Robert paralyzed from the neck down, with doctors telling him he would never walk or use his hands again. Robert recounts the harrowing moments on the field, the devastating prognosis, and the immense physical and e...

Naomi Kent, the founder and CEO of The Boardroom Company, discusses the intricate dynamics between founders and boards of directors. Naomi shares her 22 years of experience, outlining when founders should formalize an advisory board, what key roles board members play, and how to navigate the challenging transition when outside investors bring in a more formal board structure. The conversation also...

Donnie Tuttle, a passionate coach, author of "Sell Anywhere," and professor at the School of Professional Design, shares his transformative journey of relearning sales while living a nomadic life with his family, moving from one Airbnb to another for over two years. He discusses how to move from "the grind to working from your design" by infusing sales with genuine curiosity, joy, and purpose. Don...

Adam Hill, a professional EOS implementer, international keynote speaker, and CEO of the nine-figure family business, Hill Brothers Chemical Company, shares his incredible journey from a decade-long struggle with alcoholism and anxiety to becoming a world-championship qualifying Ironman triathlete. He details the turning point that led him to sobriety in 2012 and how the principles of community an...

William Bell, Chief Sales Officer at Chief Outsiders and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Accelerate Consulting, discusses the critical strategies for successfully selling a business. He shares his expert advice for founders, covering everything from maximizing valuation to navigating the intense due diligence process. Discover the common "tricks" sellers attempt, such as manipulating pipeli...

Joanna Lohman is a globally recognized keynote speaker, sports diplomat, mental performance coach, and a former professional soccer player for the Washington Spirit. Joanna shares her powerful journey from the pitch to the podium, offering insights into her transition from elite athlete to transformational speaker and coach. Joanna dives deep into the pursuit of potential, the power of authenticit...