Muddy Waters, Clear Vision

1/Meet Brandon Craft: builder, entrepreneur, foster parent, and founder of Honeycraft Farm. His journey is proof that business, family, and impact can all work in harmony.2/“I started our business at 22, 23 years old...there have been some tough times.” Brandon Craft on staying flexible, especially as a small home builder. Stability, he says, comes not from the house, but from how families operate...

1/ Welcome to Muddy Waters, Clear Vision! Today, Stuart Gilly sits down with Gabriel Rincon, founder of Mobius Internet IT & Communications, the only fixed wireless provider in their Louisiana region. Dive in for BIG insights! 2/ Gabriel Rincon starts each day making coffee or tea for his wife, but after that, it’s all about being ready to pivot . In IT, your day might be planned, but your cli...

The conversation focused on what it really means to “have it all” balancing big career goals without sacrificing time with family or impact in the community. Turns out, the myth of “work/life balance” is just that, a myth. The discussion explored blending , not balancing, your worlds. One concept discussed was how setbacks and muddy moments early in your career can actually fuel long-term resilien...

1/ Meet Ameen Walker—“The Biz Fixer,” a self-made entrepreneur, military vet, car business pro, and tireless advocate for impact and giving back. His story is pure inspiration and a blueprint for business owners. 2/ At age 4 , he was earning 10 cents an hour sweeping for his dad—the first Black master locksmith in PA. The key lesson? Save and enjoy your earnings: “Put half away, blow half on candy...

1/ From dreaming in Walker, Louisiana to pitching for the Dodgers, this story isn’t just about baseball—it’s about how vivid vision , relentless grit, and faith fuel entrepreneurship. Here are the biggest lessons that turn failure into fuel.2/ Growing up, a strong-willed mom instilled the belief that I could do anything—if you dream it, you achieve it. A resilient dad showed me that “there’s nothi...

1/ What does it really take to go from living in your car as a child to running a multi-campus education business? Meet Noah Brandon, a second-gen CEO whose origin story sounds like a movie—but it's all real.2/ At 7, Noah Brandon and his mom escaped an abusive home. They bounced between motels, couches, and even lived in their car. He remembers Goodwill blankets and using the oven for heat. Hu...

1/ Ever wondered what it’s like to build a company from the ground up, fueled by relentless hustle, setbacks, and pure vision? Let’s dive into Kellen Francis’s entrepreneurial journey with CodeGig—a story every founder (and dreamer) should hear. 2/ Kellen’s North Star? Freedom. “I wake up excited, ready to roll. I do not get up and ever feel like I'm not in my purpose.” 3/ Born & raised in...

1️⃣ Did you know Patient Plus Urgent Care CEO, Rubin Patel, started by staining baseboards in a family motel as a kid? Rubin Patel recalls weekends spent cleaning rooms & running desk shifts alongside his parents. Entrepreneurial spirit, anyone? 2️⃣ First generation Indian American, no trust fund, just relentless hustle . “We stripped every room, cleaned every room, and my dad and mom ran the...

1/ On Muddy Waters, Clear Vision, Stephen Keighery shares his journey from Bondi Beach, Australia to thriving in Louisiana real estate. Never had a "real" job, always chased entrepreneurship. 2/ The Robert Kiyosaki effect: Attending a seminar in 2000 changed everything for Stephen Keighery! The "cash flow quadrant" opened his eyes to business ownership & investing. Cassette...

1/ Ever heard of a "customer service business disguised as home inspections and pest control"? That’s how Kiel Harton describes his company—and that's just the start of his unconventional journey. 2/ Kiel Harton didn't even consult his family before joining the military. Literally walked into a recruiter’s strip mall, asked for a medical job, got redirected from the Marines to th...

1/ Meet Katie Jenkins: a Baton Rouge native who went from juggling 4 college jobs to running a thriving therapy center for kids with autism AND launching a coffee shop that employs adults with disabilities. Her superpower? Believing in people before they believe in themselves.2/ Katie Jenkins didn’t grow up dreaming of being a business owner, but her dad saw her relentless go-getter spirit early o...

1/ Meet Chris Rinaudo — small-town kid from St. Francisville, LA, who never saw himself as an “entrepreneur.” Instead, he’s just someone who dove into business and life, learning by doing and adapting along the way.2/ After dreaming of being a doctor, Chris Rinaudo realized LSU had other plans (and a LOT of distractions). He switched gears, joined the Navy, became an aerospace physiologist, and le...

1/ Meet Carey Ourso: He went from broke baseball coach to owning 14 Jani-King, franchises and powering a movement grounded in faith, hope, and community. But the path wasn’t easy. 2/ “All of the tragedies have really directed me to where I am today... No matter what life has dealt you, you can still do this because I'm living proof.” 3/ Carey Ourso isn’t shy about the pain: divorce, loss of tw...

1/ Meet Don Schmincke: didn’t plan on being a leadership guru. He started as a bored high school dropout in Baltimore, was dragged back by the cops to finish, and somehow wound up at MIT pushing the boundaries of electrical engineering and early AI.2/ The secret? “No plan. There still isn’t a plan.” Don Schmincke has always followed what fascinated him—even if it meant experimenting on his new “fa...

1/ “Every day, I try to learn one new thing I didn't need to know.”This is Jeff Hoffman’s “info sponging”—20 mins daily outside your field sparks innovation. Stay curious, keep ideas fresh, fight tunnel vision.2/ As a 24-year-old CEO, Jeff Hoffman wasn’t a business prodigy—he knew how to LISTEN and make people feel heard. Consensus management > barking orders. Leadership starts with real co...

1️⃣ "We're blessed to be a blessing."Ryan Larussa opens with a principle: Always lead AND reach back to bring others along. Leadership is about serving, not just winning. 🙏2️⃣ When the market crashed in 2008, Ryan Larussa lost 60-70% of income overnight, team size shrank from 35 to 5, and everything seemed to crumble. His takeaway? You can’t control the market, but you CAN control y...

1/ Meet Scott Van Kerkhove—a Baton Rouge native who watched his father work multiple jobs, determined not to follow the same path of struggle.2/ Growing up, Scott Van Kerkhove learned invaluable lessons about hard work and grit. As he put it: "I never knew what the word quit was." Those early family values lit the entrepreneurial fire in him.3/ At first, his dream was to become a physica...

1/ Meet Ashton McGee: He was 27, exhausted, drinking every day, popping pills, life spiraling. Instead of running from the darkness, he SURRENDERED. His story isn’t just about business — it’s about surviving, thriving, and radical honesty.2/ “Alcoholism was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Not your average CEO wisdom, but for Ashton McGee, addiction unlocked the spiritual principles tha...

Ever wondered what powers Louisiana’s tourism industry and keeps it thriving? Meet Chris Landry, the leader who's passionate about driving community impact through hospitality and heart. Here’s how his journey and insights are transforming a state where oil & gas, tourism, and LSU football reign supreme1️⃣ It all started with a Jerry Maguire moment! Chris Landry was inspired to work in spo...

1/ Meet Seth Kaplan, owner of Baton Rouge Physical Therapy-Lake for nearly 37 years—and a servant leader on a mission. His secret? It isn’t hiring the “top performer.” It’s finding people who put team and patients first .2/ “It’s not always the person who stands out as number one… It’s the people that connect, put themselves second, their team and patients first.” (Seth Kaplan)3/ Seth Kaplan inher...

Wisdom from Matt Moreau on Entrepreneurship, Curiosity & Community 1/ Meet Matt Moreau of Moreau Medical Equipment. He’s extending a family brand from physical therapy into durable medical equipment; think home oxygen, wheelchairs, and more — caring for communities, one patient at a time.2/ Growing up in Louisiana, Matt Moreau found his biggest mentor in his dad: “He had a way of making us bel...

In this episode, host Stuart Gilly sits down with Jesse Simpson, founder of Simpson Sports Engineering, to dive into the journey from professional athlete to entrepreneur. Raised in Zachary, Louisiana and having played baseball at the highest levels—including several years as a pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals organization—Jesse Simpson shares how lessons learned on the field have shaped his a...

On this episode of Muddy Waters Clear Vision, host Stuart Gilly sits down with Nathan Pearce—a serial entrepreneur whose journey is anything but ordinary. From growing up in the fast-paced world of auctions, learning the art of negotiation and public speaking before he was even a teenager, to launching a multimillion-dollar clothing brand straight out of college, Nathan Pearce shares his inspiring...

Louisiana’s Dual-Use Innovation Is Heating Up—And You Need To Know About It! In this special episode, host Stuart Gilly is joined by Grant Rogers and Jacob Mahaffey to explore the fascinating world of dual use technologies and the vital role they’re playing in Louisiana’s entrepreneurial landscape.1/ Meet the changemakers: Grant Rogers & Jacob Mahaffey. With backgrounds in Army, medtech, and v...

Rob Treppendahl grew up in a family where hard work and love were guiding principles, instilled early on by his father's words and example. With a strong emphasis on taking risks and striving for meaningful goals, Rob learned not only the value of dedication but also the confidence that comes from unwavering family support. Encouraged to pursue his dreams and embrace an entrepreneurial spirit,...