Good Business with Clay Vaughan

After building and selling Message Broadcast in a deal worth nearly $300 million, Bill Potter thought he might retire. Instead, he started over. In this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier welcome back Bill Potter to discuss what happened after his nine-figure exit, why he chose to lead DataCapable, and what he's learned about leadership, talent, AI, purpose, and legacy. B...

In this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with Power Ray founders Jarel Ray and Nefi LeBaron to discuss entrepreneurship, culture, leadership, and why they believe the future of energy will require entirely new ways of thinking. From humble beginnings in Mexico to building one of the fastest-growing utility-scale solar companies in Texas, Jarel and Nefi share how har...

What separates elite leaders and top-performing companies from everyone else? According to Matt Harris, it is not just strategy. It is psychology. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Matt Harris, former Tony Robbins coach, former StoryBrand sales leader, and current talent development leader at CAZ Investments, for a deep conversation about leadership, hiring, emotional i...

What makes someone walk away from a six-figure consulting career to start an apparel company with their best friends? In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Daniel Propp, co-founder of Custom Supply Group, to talk about entrepreneurship, business partnerships, founder fears, scaling culture, faith, leadership, and building a premium brand in one of the most competitive indus...

What actually breaks a growing business? According to growth operator Chris Piper, it usually is not marketing. It is not sales. And it is not the economy. It is the founder. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Chris Piper to unpack the hidden operational and leadership issues that quietly stall businesses before they ever reach their potential. Chris shares lessons from...

Why do most business owners feel more alone today than the day they started? In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Sean Sidders of Mallard Agency to unpack why brand isn't about logos or marketing; it's about clarity, leadership, and creating a safe place for your people. Sean has guided 100+ mid-market business owners through the hardest part of owning a company:...

Is the American dream of small business ownership slipping away? In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Joseph Cabrera of American Operator to unpack a crisis most people aren’t talking about. Locally owned businesses across America are disappearing. From retiring owners with no succession plan to private equity rollups stripping the soul out of companies to a generation tha...

What if compliance were not just a cost but a competitive advantage? In this episode of Good Business, we sit down with environmental consultant Elena Hofmann to unpack the real role of environmental compliance in the oil and gas industry and why it is one of the most misunderstood value drivers in business today With over 30 years of experience and a boutique firm specializing in air quality comp...

What if everything you believed about success… was wrong? In this powerful episode of Good Business, Clay sits down with co-host Luke Frazier to unpack a deeply personal story of identity, approval, faith, and leadership. From growing up feeling unseen… to chasing validation… to ultimately discovering purpose through faith, Luke shares how pain, leadership, and calling intersect—and how redefining...

What if the real key to growth isn’t more leads, but better relationships? In this episode of Good Business , we sit down with Darren McKee to break down what actually works in modern sales, marketing, and personal branding. From LinkedIn strategy to AI, discipline, and the real cost of success, this conversation goes beyond tactics and gets to what actually drives results. If you’re building a bu...

Most sales teams are still prospecting like it is 2013. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Zach Wright and Lee Rodgers of Syft AI to talk about how AI is changing outbound sales, why territories exist, and what it looks like to sell with real intentionality. They break down how Syft finds deals already in motion by tracking real-world signals, matching them to the proble...

Most leaders either run fast or care deeply, but very few can do both. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Dr. Terry Cokenour, professor at Houston Christian University and a longtime friend of Clay’s, for a conversation about servant leadership, burnout, and the legacy we leave behind. Terry shares stories from managing teams in the early days of the virtual reality indu...

In this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with David Lillard to talk about marketing in the age of AI and what still wins in the real world. AI can generate websites, copy, and content fast. But businesses still struggle with the hardest part: deciding what to do, why it matters, and how to tie marketing to revenue without lying to themselves. David explains why you...

In this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with Kirk Wright, CEO of Buildian Construction Services, to talk about what actually wins in construction and business. Kirk explains why being the lowest bidder is rarely the best strategy, how disciplined processes protect trust, and what it takes to scale across multiple states without losing integrity. This conversation c...

What if you could build a team so strong that people never wanted to leave. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Jacob Karnes, a former Chick-fil-A corporate trainer, leadership coach, and author of Master Your First Job, to talk about what it really takes to build a culture that attracts and retains great people, especially Gen Z. They unpack why apathy is rising, why hum...

Most people dream about owning a business. Mike Fransen bought one, and it changed everything. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Mike to talk about what it looks like to acquire a boomer-owned, blue-collar business and survive the first two years. They cover the pressure of personally guaranteeing a loan, managing partnership tension, navigating a seller transition, and...

Most blue-collar businesses grow slowly. AAA Paving grew 10X in just three years without burning out crews or compromising culture. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Rheese Stanley, President of AAA Paving, to talk about servant leadership, faith in business, disciplined systems, and what it really takes to scale while putting people first. From standing by employees th...

Most contractors don’t lose money on sales. They lose it on execution. In this episode of Good Business, Clay and Luke sit down with Josiah Peterson, founder of KBHC Consulting, to talk about what really protects profit in contracting and service businesses.  From job costing and overhead recovery to the 3–5 crew breaking point, seasonality planning, and change orders that drain margins, Josiah sh...

In this episode of Good Business , Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with Abby Ramin, Director of Operations at Good Agency, for a candid conversation about hustle, burnout, and what it really takes to execute vision at scale. Abby shares what she learned stepping into an integrator role during rapid growth, why hustle is about discipline and rhythm, not chaos, and how alignment actually crea...

On this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier speak with Brad Pearse, Sales Development Leader and founder of Simplified Sales. Brad shares how growing up in a $ 700 million family business shaped his approach to culture, customer experience, and leadership, and why so much of today’s hustle-obsessed entrepreneurial mindset is deeply unhealthy. They explore how purpose, faith, an...

On this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier sit down with Scott Frazier, entrepreneur and co-founder of Freed Up, on the very day he sold his company. Scott shares what founders get wrong about freedom, why productivity starts with clarity, and how the bad habits can quietly turn a business into a 24/7 prison instead of the life-giving work it was meant to be. They explore the...

On this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan and Luke Frazier talk with Cody Lutz, Leadership Coach and Culture Consultant. Cody unpacks how consistency, clarity, and courage shape the way leaders show up and influence those around them. They explore how internal priorities shape external impact, what happens when fear gives way to conviction, and how daily stewardship builds long-term credibili...

On this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan talks with Jake Brown, Leadership Coach and Author of Leader Shit. With humor and raw honesty, Jake shares what its like to lead with ADHD and how neurodiversity has shaped his leadership style, decision-making and team dynamics.  They unpack why emotional intelligence, not just strategy, separates effective leaders from overwhelmed ones, and why hone...

On this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan sits down with Travis McAshan, Founder and Creative Director of Glide. Travis shares why clarity in values and culture leads to stronger teams, healthier businesses, and more sustainable growth. They discuss how to lead a remote-first company with conviction, what it takes to protect culture through EOS, and why Glide made the shift to a four-day work...

On this episode of Good Business, Clay Vaughan sits down with Lesley Pyle, Founder of HireMyMom.com and Hire Thy Neighbor. Lesley shares her journey from corporate PR to building two companies that blend professional excellence with a foundation of faith.  They explore how trust, flexibility and personal conviction shape both her team culture and customer relationships. Lesley also unpacks the hea...