Business Owner Tales from the Trenches

Caroline shares her path from 10 years as a business reporter to co-founding The Wilbert Group with her then-husband, then buying him out after their divorce and becoming the day-to-day leader.   She explains how the agency expanded from traditional media relations into digital storytelling across LinkedIn, Instagram, podcasts, blogs, websites, and influencers, creating a dedicated digital team. ...

Brian recounts starting a lawn-mowing business in high school, learning leadership through hiring and realizing he was ultimately in the sales business, then scaling to about $10M in revenue, 150 employees, and selling the company after two years of preparing it for acquisition. After a brief, unfulfilling attempt at retirement, he founded GreenPal, a DoorDash-like platform for lawn care, naively...

Cannon Carr hosts an inspiring conversation with Shaun Enders, CEO of Transition Staffing Group— a firm specializing in finance, accounting, and tech roles. Shaun delves into his twenty-year journey from corporate recruiting to creating his own recruiting firm rooted in mentorship and growth. More than just business metrics, Shaun emphasizes the importance of personal fulfillment, clarity of purpo...

Unlocking Leadership Success: A Conversation with Randy About Coaching and Building Effective Teams In this episode, Randy joins the show to discuss his extensive experience in leadership and team development. After a 25-year career in corporate America, including senior executive roles and co-owning a national executive search firm, Randy transitioned to entrepreneurship. He founded Serium Partne...

In this episode, David Paparelli discusses his entrepreneurial journey, focusing on the founding and growth of his coffee business, M-Cultivo. From his early inclination toward entrepreneurship, through various mentorships, to his unique approach to starting and scaling his company, David shares valuable insights. He explains how he identified a gap in the specialty coffee sector and used a mix of...

💡 Episode Summary What if 5% of your employees are creating 95% of your problems? This week, Cannon and Claudia sit down with Todd Stanton , founder of Stanton Law and author of The 95% Rule: 29 Employment Law Axioms for Owners, Execs, and HR . While the title suggests employment law, this conversation goes much deeper — into the heart of leadership, ownership, and building a culture of accountab...

What does it really take to sell a business without regret? In this anniversary conversation, Cannon Carr shares his experience of leading his firm through a major transition—what went as expected, what surprises hit hardest, and how preparation years in advance made all the difference. From the importance of clean books and solid processes, to setting non-negotiables, to navigating the emotional...

In this episode, hosts Cannon and Claudia discuss the importance of health as a competitive advantage for business owners with guest Justin Roethingshofer, founder of Own It Coaching. Justin shares his transformation journey, driven by his experiences in the NHL and his personal health challenges. He offers insights into his high-performance health consultancy, which focuses on individualized heal...

How do you grow a business 10X—without losing the personal touch that made it special in the first place?  In this episode of  Business Owner Tales from the Trenches , EP Wealth Co-Founder Brian Parker unpacks the art of scaling with intention. Brian shares the real-life challenges of growing a boutique firm into a national powerhouse—while preserving the human element, internal culture, and clien...

Changing careers can be a scary and often necessary move as your needs, interests, goals, and skills transform over time. In this episode, you're going to hear about how you can succeed as an entrepreneur in your SECOND career. You will also hear about how to differentiate yourself from other people while building trust at the same time. You can find show notes, resources and more at: https://bit....

Entrepreneurs can learn a lot from leaders who've run public companies and large divisions of private companies. Do you know how to lead a team through high growth, high uncertainty and periods of high change? In this episode featuring Chris Walters, CEO of Pluralsight, you will learn how to handle some of the most tricky and important moments your business will experience. You can find show notes...

If you've been in the corporate world and are looking to become an entrepreneur, today's episode will give you a solid look at what to expect in those first few years. Leslie Danford, founder and CEO of Vitaminis, joins the show to talk about her transition from corporate to starting her own retail beverage business. Her account of her experience and the insight she shares will give you inspiratio...

Today we have the opportunity to hear from someone who has founded and run a business for over 35 years. Tom Quinn, founder of CornerCap, joins us to share his journey from where he started in the industry and what brought him to founding a successful firm. Don't miss his powerful insights into the importance of being able to adapt, the kind of team you want to build, and more. You can find show n...

Today we sit down with Scott Regan, Founder of LeadWorks, LLC, to hear about his experience and what he wishes he knew when starting his entrepreneurial journey. Scott reflects on how he would have set up his business differently if armed with the knowledge he has now, lessons that are crucial for business success, and more. Listen in for actionable tips to propel your business forward and avoid c...

In this inspiring episode, discover how Melissa Bunnen Jernigan, co-founder of the iconic Atlanta brand Piece of Cake, turned $500 into a million-dollar business over 10 years. Success isn't just about having a detailed plan or prior business knowledge; it's about defining your own path and staying true to your vision. Melissa shares insights into the importance of defining success, making strateg...

In today's competitive digital landscape, establishing trust and connection with your audience is key, and video has become a vital tool for sharing your brand story effectively. In this episode, we are joined by Chris Jones and Willie Johnson, founders of Drone Jones Media and Triple M Productions, as they share insights from their own entrepreneurial journeys into helping other small businesses...

Today we are looking into the secrets behind building a successful franchise empire with Omar Soliman, Co-Founder of College Hunks Hauling Junk and CEO of Trash Butler. Whether you're eyeing national expansion or aiming to scale your local business, Omar shares invaluable economic and strategic insights, serving up a playbook for franchise success. We explore the essential accelerators for busines...

Joining us for part 2 of our conversation is serial entrepreneur and author Dave Sutton. Today, we're diving deep into the intricacies of funding your business as it grows and leveraging your balance sheet effectively. Dave shares insights on navigating the inflection points that businesses encounter during their growth journey, shedding light on the implications for funding, talent acquisition, a...

At the forefront of marketing services and strategies, you'll find serial entrepreneur and author Dave Sutton. Dave joins the show today to share insight from his wealth of experience in founding, growing, and selling companies. He has so much to share that we split this conversation into two episodes! In this first segment, we will be focusing on mindset and planning your exit for financial indep...

The entrepreneurial journey is often filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and everything in between, and our guest today has seen that firsthand. Having moved from a corporate career to become an entrepreneur—and then a coach for entrepreneurs—Catherine Cates joins the show today to share insight from her hands-on experiences in the world of business and entrepreneurship. You can find show...

Mark Beal joins us on the show today as the new owner of the beloved brand, Instead of Flowers. Today, you'll hear about why he and his investor group bought the brand, what they've done in his two years there so far, and their plans for growth in what is a dynamic and constantly changing industry. From lessons learned to important insight into casting a vision and building up the next generation...

Step into the rhythm of success with Sandy Gennaro, a rock and roll drummer turned motivational speaker, as he shares the unconventional beats of his entrepreneurial journey. Discover the secrets behind his strategic approach to saying 'yes' at the right time and how this mindset shapes his personal and professional growth, turning adversity into opportunity.  You can find show notes, resources an...

Hear about the secrets to sustaining a first mover advantage with Paige Wilson, a former finance executive turned entrepreneur. Paige shares the journey of creating Naborforce, a groundbreaking business addressing the void in caregiver support. In this episode, she shares the mindset that fueled her entrepreneurial path and the challenges of marketing in uncharted territory. You can find show note...

How does a business leader successfully navigate the intricate dance between profit, purpose, and impact? In today's episode, we're talking with Kashi Sehgal, a mission-driven entrepreneur. As she shares her story, you'll hear about the fascinating intersection where profitability meets purpose, offering lessons on blending business acumen with a commitment to making a positive impact. You can fin...

In the journey of entrepreneurship, creating a thriving business from an existing product requires a unique set of skills and a keen understanding of market needs. In this episode, we dive into the incredible story of Jesslyn Rollins, the CEO of BIOLYTE®, a family-owned business that originated from her father's innovative idea. From grassroots efforts of selling the product out of her car to now...