How To Ride A Roller Coaster

What happens when you hit rock bottom and have to rebuild everything? In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , David Ezell sits down with entrepreneur and Inked Stores founder Jay Sapovitz to discuss the highs, lows, and hard truths behind building a successful business and life. Before becoming the CEO of a multi-million-dollar company, Jay battled a gambling addiction that nearly cost h...

What happens when your life flatlines… and it completely changes how you see business? In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , I sit down with Draye Redfern, former professional cyclist turned entrepreneur who has built, scaled, and exited multiple companies (including a $40M+ sale to Berkshire Hathaway). But this isn’t just a success story. Draye shares how a near-death experience, and...

Hannah Howard is a former Division I athlete and Power Five head coach who has made the leap from elite college athletics into tech leadership as the CEO of Rematch U.S. In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , Hannah shares her journey from the court to the boardroom, including what it means to lose your first professional dream, how coaching is really running a business, and why leaders...

Selling online feels simple... until taxes quietly start working against you. In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , host David Ezell sits down with Jared Smithson , Founder of RJM Tax Exemption and one of the leading experts in U.S. e-commerce tax compliance. Jared has helped over 5,000 businesses navigate sales tax, multi-state nexus, and regulatory landmines that most founders don’t...

Finance isn’t just numbers. It’s identity, access, and peace of mind. Yet so many women, millennials, Gen-Z professionals, and underserved investors feel invisible in the world of wealth management. Today’s episode shines a spotlight on changing that. I’m joined by Lacy Garcia , CEO and Cofounder of Willow , a fintech platform that matches individuals with fiduciary financial advisors who actually...

In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , David Ezell sits down with Amanda Taylor — entrepreneur, real estate investor, and bold money mindset coach — to talk about what it really looks like to rewrite your story. After 15 years in dentistry and walking away from a 25-year relationship, Amanda completely rebuilt her life. She discovered freedom through real estate, launched multiple busin...

In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , host David Ezell sits down with Perry Sheraw — a pioneer in marketing automation and customer experience strategy . Long before tools like HubSpot and Klaviyo became industry staples, Perry was building CRM systems from scratch, connecting call centers to digital marketing, and architecting the early blueprints of what we now call customer journey...

What if the smartest business move you ever make… is not to scale? In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , host David Ezell sits down with Matt Krayton , Founding Principal of Publitics , a communications and political strategy firm that helps leaders, organizations, and public figures navigate high-stakes challenges, shape public opinion, and build trust in an age of polarization. Matt...

What if the key to higher performance wasn’t working harder — but understanding your brain? In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , host David Ezell talks with Dr. Eugene Choi , a neuroscience-based executive coach and former LA County health system leader who managed operations for six major hospitals and over 250 clinics. After witnessing burnout and pressure derail even the most talen...

Leading Under Pressure with Fighter Pilot Precision — Christian “Boo” Boucousis, CEO of Afterburner In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , David Ezell is joined by Christian “Boo” Boucousis , CEO of Afterburner and author of the Amazon best-seller The Afterburner Advantage . Boo and his team have spent 30 years bringing the mindset and precision of fighter pilots into business — helping...

In this episode, David Ezell sits down with Jake Isham , filmmaker-turned-brand strategist and creative director behind Creative MIND Studios , who’s helped founders and entrepreneurs turn their stories into empires. With over 1 billion views across the content he’s created for names like Grant Cardone, Callaway, 5.11 Tactical, and Travis Mathew , Jake has mastered the art of blending storytelling...

In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , David Ezell sits down with Doug C. Smith of ceosalesstrategies.com , a globally recognized Sales Revenue and Profit Growth Expert. Doug has helped companies like Intuit, CBS, and Procter & Gamble generate nearly a billion dollars in revenue through his proven Double Your Sales Methodology. David and Doug dive into the heart of sales — relations...

Mindset vs Metrics — How Anders Hansen Turned Inner Game Into $12M in Revenue Join me for a powerful conversation with Anders Hansen, founder of Real Magic LLC, who has built a business generating over $12 million in revenue in just 7 years, including multiple $1 million+ months. But what really sets Anders apart isn’t just the numbers—it’s how he thinks. In this episode, we dig into: Mindset over...

In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , David sits down with Michael Jacobson , CEO of French Florist , to dive into his incredible journey from buying the company from his uncle to transforming it into one of the most recognized names in the floral industry. Michael shares how he jumpstarted growth by tackling the “low-hanging fruit” first—stopping the bleeding, fixing operational ineff...

In this episode, I'm joined by Adrienne Wilkerson—co-founder and CEO of Beacon Media + Marketing—to unpack how she transformed a humble graphic design startup into an award-winning, Inc. 5000-recognized digital marketing agency. From realizing early on that she’d make a better boss than an employee to pioneering digital marketing services in Alaska and beyond, Adrienne shares the mindset, grit...

In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , David sits down with Christina Richardson, founder of Foundology , a membership community built to support founders on the rollercoaster journey of entrepreneurship. Together, they dive into the very real and often overlooked topic of founder burnout —how to recognize the early warning signs, what practical steps to take before it derails you, and...

In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , David sits down with Bo Burlingham — acclaimed author of Small Giants and founder of the Small Giants Community. Bo shares the inspiration behind his now-classic book and the updates made in its latest edition, reflecting how the world of entrepreneurship has evolved over the years. Together, they dive deep into the heart of what separates good com...

In this episode, David chats with Rithesh Menon — founder of InCall IQ , a fast-growing AI company that’s transforming how businesses understand their customer conversations. Rithesh shares the unexpected way he launched InCall IQ, inspired by ideas from Cody Sanchez and a deep curiosity about why so many potential customers drop off during calls. Together, we dig into how his platform helps compa...

In this episode, David sits down with Elina Panteleyeva, founder of Dood Woof, to talk about how she built a passionate following in the doodle dog community—before ever launching a product. Elina shares how she tapped into niche groups, truly listened to the needs of her audience, and used those insights to shape both her brand and her business. They also dive into the importance of building in c...

In this episode, I’m joined by Borja Cuan, co-founder of Four15Digital , for a deep dive into the paid marketing strategies that actually move the needle. Trained in world-class hospitality at The Ritz Hotel, Borja brings a unique perspective on customer experience and attention to detail — and how those “small things” can create outsized marketing results. We break down:• What it really takes to...

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Hancher for a powerful conversation on all things leadership—what it means, where entrepreneurs often go wrong, and how to build a team that actually thrives. We dig into the difference between constant hiring and real empowerment, and Jeff shares the story of the best leader he ever worked for. From his book to his consulting work, Jeff makes one thing clear:...

In this episode, David sits down with Zach Tsakiris, founder and CEO of Fastwill.com , to explore why so many people put off creating a will or trust—and how Fastwill is changing that. Zach shares his entrepreneurial journey, from his early days as a business-minded kid to launching a tech-driven solution that simplifies estate planning for the everyday person. If you've ever felt overwhelmed...

In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , David is joined by personal branding expert Katrena Friel. Katrena shares her unique blueprint for helping individuals define and amplify their personal brand—and become known as the expert in their space. They dive into the real struggles that come with building a personal brand from scratch, when you should start the process, and how to create a...

In this episode of How to Ride a Roller Coaster , David Ezell sits down with David Price, founder of The Price Group. Since stepping into the insurance world in 2018, David has scaled his network to over 100,000 agents and leaders—proving that brand authenticity and relentless execution win every time. David shares the habits that helped him grow fast, the mindset behind doing hard things, and why...

In this episode of How To Ride A Roller Coaster , David chats with Alessandro Grampa, founder of Wholegrain Wisdom, about the intersection of entrepreneurship and holistic wellness. Alessandro shares his personal journey through depression and how it led him to develop wellness remedies specifically for entrepreneurs. He dives into the power of breathwork, habit formation, and other holistic tacti...