Free Agent with Meg Schmitz

Morgan Schnabl is full of curiosity and the entrepreneurial spirit. Morgan's career and business trajectory are far from "normal" for those who start in the corporate world. Not one to get pegged and stuck in a corner, Morgan has allowed her curiosity to drive her ambitions to build and grow businesses. In the episode, Morgan and I discuss: - Why family and spousal support are vital when the chips...

In this episode, Kate Reithel shares her journey from retail to entrepreneurship, how the pandemic impacted her business, and her thoughts on having a seasonal business. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of Porshanality Media, LLC

If you ever wondered if you could take the leap, this is the episode for you. Pamela Belyn is the perfect guest to have this conversation with as she is a real person who made the transition from corporate to independent entrepreneurship. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of Porshanality Media, LLC

The Stanfords are franchisors of Club Pilates. They are enjoying the freedom of being business owners as they are taking steps to shift the culture of business practices. Jennifer and Mitchell both can agree that this venture was worth the leap. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of Porshanality Media,...

Steve and Melinda Gladin share insights on making a financially stable career change. In this episode, Steve and Melinda Gladin share their unique journey into the pet care business. New decisions are best supported when the finances are stable. The Gladins are the founders and CEO of Fetch! Pet Care. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality...

Trent joined FranChoice in 2013 and has served the company in many capacities since then, including managing the selection process for new franchisors, training and supporting the efforts of new and existing consultants, and has trained dozens of franchise developers. He has also gained experience creating sales systems that assist the franchisor in effectively delivering information to candidates...

Paul Flick shares how our businesses can be better served with the use of technology for scaling. In addition, Paul shares his journey to take the leap from Canada to the US to pursue a career in business. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of Porshanality Media, LLC

In this episode of the Free Agent Podcast, Meg has a conversation with Attorney Elisa Ruer. Elisa has practiced law for over 20 years and has had her own practice for 10. Her advice will help you no matter if you're starting a business or an established enterprise. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of...

Welcome back to the Free Agent Podcast! Today Meg Schmitz is talking to Jonathan Thiessen of Home Franchise Concepts. Jonathan is the Chief Development Officer. He and Meg are discussing methods for successful franchise execution. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of Porshanality Media, LLC

Welcome back to the Free Agent with Meg Schmitz Podcast. Brittany Driscoll of Squeeze Massage joins Meg on the podcast to discuss her creative business skills has led her to become a multi-franchise owner. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media, LLC Editing by Kacia Huynh of Porshanality Media, LLC

Welcome back to the Free Agent with Meg Schmitz Podcast. In this episode, Meg talks to Tom Fielder who is a multi-studio franchiser of Club Pilates, based in Nashville, TN. Tom shares his insights in hopes that listeners would feel more confident in making the choice to launch their own business. Credits: Hosted by Meg Schmitz Produced by Kacia Huynh and Porsha Williams Gates of Porshanality Media...

Have you ever had a time when you thought that franchising was just for businesses like McDonald's or Burger King? If so, you're not alone. Eric Schechterman thought the same thing until he took the leap into franchising discovery. On this episode of Free Agent Podcast with Meg Schmitz, Meg has an energizing and engaging conversation with Eric Schechterman of Benetrends Financial, Inc. Benetrends...

Welcome back, Friends and Listeners! I am very excited to launch the new season of my Free Agent Podcast with Meg Schmitz. To kick off our new season, Lance Freeman of Xponential Fitness is joining me for what promises to be a fully engaging conversation to help you take great strides towards your future success.  What makes one fitness brand stand out over another? What does an exceptional leader...

What if a forced pivot is the best thing that could ever happen to you? That was the experience my guest, Mark Zucker, had. When the digital revolution threatened to eliminate his photography business after 15 years, something unexpected happened. Here's what you'll learn from this week's conversation: The important decision that lengthened the runway of his wedding album business and has kept it...

Have you ever had a business idea you didn't act on? We all have!   But this week's guest took action, and I'm excited to share her story with you.   Over the course of 23 years, Colette Bell and her husband took a handyman business that started in their basement and built it into an attractive franchise system other entrepreneurs wanted to invest in.    When their success caught the attention of...

If you've thought about moving from corporate into business ownership, this week's podcast episode is for you. After 15 years as a leader at Johnson & Johnson and DJO Global, Ken Theiler decided to scratch his entrepreneurial itch, making an unexpected but strategic choice. And I'd say it paid off in a huge way! Because of Ken's laser focus on customer satisfaction, his loyal customer base followe...

How do you leave the NFL after a career-ending injury and successfully pivot into a valuable, in-demand role in a completely different industry?    That's what I wanted to find out from my guest, former Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings tight end, Brent Novoselsky.    Many pro athletes have the rug pulled out from under them when their careers end. By having a plan, Brent put himself on a comple...

How does a corporate refugee start a new business with confidence while tapping into their creative energy?    That's what I wanted to find out from my guest, Basil Bearer.    Basil is an accomplished creative leader and talented designer with a track record of graphic and design work for mega-brands like Target.    Today, Basil runs a thriving family-run business. And it all started with franchis...

What if the stories you tell yourself about the past are sabotaging your success right now?   That's the key question I took from our latest podcast conversation.   We all have these stories we believe are true, even though they aren't.    Stories we created around the events of our lives. But it's what we do with those stories that determines our level of success.   Our guest is Sue Schultz, corp...

How do you go from veteran landscaping business owner, working 18 hour days outside in the elements for decades, to business coach working just 2.5 days per week?    That's what I asked our latest guest, Todd Ruedt.   Todd is a business coach and franchise owner of ActionCoach in Brookfield and Fox Cities, and was named ActionCOACH Americas #1 Coach of the Year in 2018.   And he hasn't been slacki...

Corporate refugees are coming out of hibernation!    They're thinking of the future, making new plans and setting new visions. In this exciting process, many are rethinking how they present themselves online.    What better person to talk about the free agent journey and visual branding than photographer extraordinaire Stacy Kaat!    As one of Milwaukee's premier photographers and longtime free ag...

2020 was a pivotal departure from work as we knew it before the pandemic. It wasn't just an interruption - it was a full scale disruption. We made huge strides in bringing more freedom and autonomy to the workplace, and it's evident that how we feel about the work we do definitely impacts the bottom line. We don't have to return to the "normal" so many people hated. 2020 taught us that the desire...

Periods of economic turbulence and social change apply pressure to every corner of our lives. In recent years, the labor landscape has shifted tremendously, creating new challenges and opportunities along the way.    This isn't happening in a vacuum.    The pandemic and a greater collective push for diversity and inclusion have caused massive shifts in the laws that govern how we work.    The lega...

We become entrepreneurs for freedom, peace and joy, but it's so easy to get off track and become trapped by our own businesses. It's human nature to keep going after more clients and revenue streams, but when that comes at the expense of our inner peace, joy, and ability to be present, we're paying a steep price.    If we're struggling to find inner peace as entrepreneurs, it's critical to do the...

"Successful but not satisfied" is a very common experience high achievers have in the corporate world. Many people find themselves paying a high price for their success, and they have to reconnect, reground and pivot in order to get career happiness on their own terms.    We all have a wellspring of information and data within us that tells us what lights us up. In corporate, we're so focused on w...