#MeetCoolPeople

How One Entrepreneur Turned Failed Ventures Into a 7-Figure Advisory Firm You've got a lawyer, an accountant, and a CFO. But they're all speaking different languages, and you're stuck playing translator while trying to run your business. Most founders between $3 million and $10 million hit this wall. Your advisors multiply, but nobody's connecting the dots. Your attorney says one thing, your CFO s...

This episode got real about something most people avoid. I sat down with Dr. Matt Markel, a guy who’s gone from entry-level engineer to running multi-billion dollar businesses in tech and defense. We met at the Writer’s Block Symposium and, honestly, I was hooked by his practical take on wealth and success. Matt’s book, “Anti-Preneur,” is small but packs a punch. He’s big on creating assets and sh...

This episode of the #MeetCoolPeople Podcast was one I couldn’t wait to share. Roger Jorns from Reanimation Design joined me for an honest conversation about websites, business growth, and why every contractor, coach, and consultant needs clarity online. We looked back at our web design roots, trading stories about the days of hand-coding, Netscape Navigator, and Dreamweaver. It’s wild how websites...

Hey, it’s Ely with another solo episode of the #MeetCoolPeople Podcast. Today, I wanted to share a quote that always sticks with me: “If you know the way broadly, you will see it in everything.” That’s from Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings. It’s really about how focus changes what you notice in your daily life. This topic hits close to home as I reflect on the year. We often hear about the “l...

This episode of #MeetCoolPeople is something I've been looking forward to for a while! I sat down with David Newman, a certified speaking professional, top-ranked podcast host, and author of several books that I've had on my shelf for years. His latest, "Market Eminence," just dropped, and it's a major departure from his previous “Do It” series. David opened up about his decision to unscale his bu...

Today’s episode gave me a chance to sit down with Emmy award-winning broadcaster Kerry Barrett. If you’ve ever felt awkward talking on camera, this one’s for you. Kerry Barrett has more than two decades on air, and now guides professionals through looking and sounding confident on camera. We talked candidly about what holds most people back. It’s rarely the tech. It’s that uneasy feeling of speaki...

Today’s #MeetCoolPeople episode features Michael Buzinski. I first met Michael over BBQ in Dallas, and I’m glad we connected and kept in touch. Michael is a US Air Force veteran, bestselling author, host of a top marketing podcast, and the founder of Buzzworthy Strategies. His company helps B2B service firms escape random acts of marketing and build a system that actually drives qualified leads. H...

Today’s #MeetCoolPeople episode features a great conversation with Lauren Kwedar Cockerell, founder and president of Kwedar & Co. We actually met at an event and hit it off before I learned she was on the panel for podcasters. She’s got a long history in PR, helping B2B companies and purpose-driven leaders tell their stories in clear, honest ways. Lauren breaks down how PR has changed in the l...

This solo episode is a little different. It’s my birthday week, so I took the mic to reflect on gratitude, milestones, and what truly matters as another year turns. "Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Buddhist saying Gratitude gets tossed around a lot in November, but this year I wanted to slow down and dig into what i...

Today's #MeetCoolPeople episode brings you a practical marketing chat with Kristi Mitchell. If you've ever found yourself frustrated by marketing, wondering what actually works, this episode is for you. Kristi is a marketing strategist who traded in corporate jargon for clarity. Her focus is pure strategy, helping purpose-driven businesses find their best approach, stop chasing every shiny object,...

Hey there! Today's #MeetCoolPeople episode features Jordan Ring, and I knew this one would be good. Jordan is a ghostwriter, book coach, and development editor who helps leaders, coaches, and founders turn their ideas into legacy-building books. We originally met at the Badass Business Summit, hit it off right away, and set up this conversation to dig into his process and advice. Jordan shared how...

Hey, thanks for tuning in to the #MeetCoolPeople Podcast. Today, I sat down with Craig Andrews, and honestly… his story’s got layers. Craig’s a US Marine turned electrical engineer who then designed mobile phones and, finally, built a top marketing agency called Allies For Me. We crossed paths at the Badass Business Summit, and after our first chat, I knew this was someone you should meet. Craig’s...

This episode of #MeetCoolPeople gave me a chance to sit down with Rex Jones, founder of On Demand HR in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Rex is the guy you want in your corner if you’re thinking about anything HR for your small business. We covered a lot, including how HR isn’t just for big companies. Even if you’re a solopreneur or have just a handful of employees, setting up good habits now makes eve...

Hey there! This episode is a milestone for me ⇒ 100 episodes of #MeetCoolPeople . I went solo for this one to reflect on some of the biggest insights I’ve collected over these first hundred shows. If you’ve been listening for a while, you know these conversations are about more than just meeting interesting folks. They’re about what happens when you bring together people who genuinely care and sha...

This week on the #MeetCoolPeople Podcast, I hung out with Brian Hilliard—an author, speaker, and, honestly, one of the most down-to-earth experts on helping speakers get booked that I’ve met. Brian’s done over 400 speaking gigs since launching his business in 2001. He’s figured out how to help other speakers get on stages without giving away big commissions or wasting hours prospecting every day....

On this episode of #MeetCoolPeople, I sat down with Brian K. Wright. Brian is a writing coach, radio show host, and publisher of Ultimate Achievers Magazine. If you've ever thought about writing a book, getting on more podcasts, or simply making your expertise stand out, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Brian & I met back in 2022 at the Million Dollar Mastermind event in Dallas (not...

Hey there! I had such a good time on this episode of the #MeetCoolPeople Podcast with Graham Kuhn. If you’ve ever wondered how storytelling, video production, and authenticity can work together to boost your business, this one’s for you. Graham is the founder of Focus Films, a video production company in Atlanta. He actually started out studying opera, then spent 20 years performing as a singer, b...

Hey #MeetCoolPeople listeners! Today I sat down with Charles Ambrosecchia, a guy with a deep background leading IT, telecom, and cybersecurity projects at the enterprise level. What stood out right away is how Charles brings real-world corporate strategy down to small and mid-sized businesses, giving them the stuff big companies rely on, but without the bloat or overwhelm. Charles and I first met...

Thanks for tuning in to another solo episode of #MeetCoolPeople. The response after my last crossover with 7th Fold Projects was huge, so I’m keeping these solo deep-dives in the mix. Today’s topic is one that hits home for just about anyone—especially if you’re running your own business: resilience. Let’s be real. The past few years have been tough, with challenge after challenge to overcome. I b...

I’m excited for today’s #MeetCoolPeople episode, because I caught up with my friend Julie Jones, and wow, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear if you want to discover the post powerful skills you can learn to stand out and get ahead. Both in business and in your personal life! Julie is a people skills strategist and business etiquette expert. She runs Today’s Professional Consulting and Deve...

I had a great chat with my long-time friend, Tracy St. Croi, for this episode of #MeetCoolPeople. If you’re curious about what it takes to launch a #1 paranormal investigative show from the ground up (or just like stories of business road bumps) this one’s for you. Tracy is the creator and host of Haunted Road Trip Show. She’s been in the afterlife communication field since 2011 and now leads both...

Today’s #MeetCoolPeople episode is a practical one. I got to chat with Michael Stewart, growth strategist and founder of Business Planning Plus. Michael has been in marketing since the late 1990s, so I knew we’d have plenty of ideas to swap. What stood out in this conversation is how we both see so many business owners, especially solopreneurs, working way too hard just to keep things moving. Mich...

Welcome back to the #MeetCoolPeople Podcast. I sat down with Katie Decker Erickson for a conversation that felt both practical and refreshing for anyone interested in how better creativity can be traced back to your work environment, whether at home, at work, or wherever you make your space. Katie is the founder of Colorworks, brings nearly 20 years of experience in interior and exterior design, a...

Hey there! Today’s #MeetCoolPeople episode is a little different. It’s just you and me. I wanted to talk about something that shows up for every entrepreneur I know, myself included: overwhelm, busyness, and lack of results.  Today, I’m going to share the process of Right Effort & Getting Ultra Focused to help overcome these issues. This episode was created for both my podcast and my 7th Fold...

Today's #MeetCoolPeople episode is packed for any business owner who knows they need to do more video, but feels stuck. I sat down with Mario Wilson from 12 Media Group. He’s run his video production company for over 14 years, helping small businesses build trust using video. Mario’s approach is refreshing. He doesn’t just focus on making you look good on camera. He cares about showing the real pe...