Savage to Sage

When you absolutely love something, it can be uncomfortable and even scary to think of making it a business. What if it ruins your passion for that hobby or interest? What if your business utterly fails? Should you take the safe route and only work your interest on the side? To discuss this real struggle, I (Kyle) interviewed Scott Leming, the Founder and Owner of Pax Custom Woodworking . Together...

All humans deserve to feel a sense of belonging in their work environments. This is not only an emotional and social issue but also a straight business issue. When people do not feel comfortable, they struggle to bring their best, causing performance and outcomes to suffer. In this episode, I (Kyle) and Julie Kratz, the Founder and Chief Engagement Officer of Next Pivot Point , discuss the necessi...

While we’re taking a business from the dreaming concept phase into the nitty-gritty realization phase, there are countless milestones. But even as milestones are met, there are always more to achieve, creating what can sometimes result in a temporary, but widening gap. So how do we go about closing the gap between expectation and reality? To discuss this question, I (Daniel) interviewed Emily C. K...

As AI continues to expand and grow, it’s more and more critical that businesses not only adapt to using new tech but to leveraging it. To this end, becoming a company that creates custom solutions through innovative architecting is a wise strategy. This allows a business to remain on the cutting edge and to continue to meet the needs of clients, while others who do not adapt will, unfortunately, s...

Entrepreneurs are most successful when they fit and have passion for what they are undertaking. The answers to critical questions such as these indicate the probability of making it: How do they relate to the solution they are bringing into the world? Do they have grit and determination, especially in the early stages? Are they humble enough and willing to seek help and support when and where they...

In some way, we all seek to improve the lives of others through our businesses. We may be doing this as health services, business services, life services… it does not matter the form it takes. What does matter is being able to have some quantitative measures with which we can say we’re honoring and promoting human dignity. To discuss the importance of the value of human dignity, I (Kyle) interview...

When we set out as entrepreneurs, we all need help. First of all, we need startup capital and often investors as necessary. Beyond that, there are other needs, such as advice on leveraging technology, garnering attention and customers, and avoiding business pitfalls. Developing and maintaining meaningful relationships can mean the difference between building a thriving business or struggling to ke...

Entrepreneurs are often led to believe that we must be very widely sought or valuable in order to make it. But there is something to be said for niching further down. Sometimes the best resilience against business failure is to become indispensable to a specific sector of people.  In this episode, I (Kyle) interviewed Curt Whitesell, the Owner of WKRP Indy Real Estate and a franchise owner of...

As a whole, the world is looking for positive reinforcement – both at work and in their personal lives. But finding ways to bring that into a company and into everyday life can be a challenge. That’s where employing ways to incentivize people can meet, and even exceed, the need.  To discuss incentivizing positive behavior, I (Kyle) interviewed Philip Regenie, Co-Founder and CEO of HealthInRea...

We close doors and windows and we lock them to keep people out. Our online life, and especially our business’ online presence, should be no different. If left open, threats will find a way in, just as they would if you left a physical door unlocked. And whether those threats are in cyber security or in ways that your business is struggling, the result is the same: resilience and a plan for threat...

Creativity deserves an outlet. Products that help humanity need to come to life. As entrepreneurs, we each see a problem, a need, and we desire to bring the solution. That solution may fit nicely into products and services which already exist, or that solution may merge together multiple existing products to create something new and more powerful. To discuss interrupting the status quo, I (Daniel)...

As entrepreneurs, we all are stepping into the unknown to some degree. This can be a good thing or this can be a bad thing. It really depends on what, exactly, the unknown is. Your unknown may range from uncertainty in specific areas to simply not knowing what you don’t know. So with this inherent risk, how do you determine what is worth pursuing and when you should seek more knowledge before you...

As leaders, we want to have core values that matter and that are being lived out. However, we don’t want to police values or try to enforce them in unnatural manners. So how do we encourage and cultivate an environment in which our core business values are evident, tangible and meaningful? To talk about how his company has addressed this need, I (Daniel) interviewed Jake Miller, Founder and CEO of...

As entrepreneurs and leaders, we are writing the next chapters of both our lives and the evolutions of our businesses. In this adventure, we all need guidance and help from time to time. But where do leaders turn when they need practical help and personal coaching? To discuss this necessity, I (Daniel) interviewed Jay Cordova and Kaylin Cordova, the Co-Founders and coaches of PRPL Pineapple . As a...

When you value people, you don’t have to do as much as you would think you need to. Success builds on itself when you mesh together people with similar ideals, who understand how to treat customers and each other, and who feel supported and, thus, support one another. This breeds success in an organization that is a natural result of just allowing people to do what they’re good at. To discuss the...

Relationship maintenance and human connection are key to member retention. This is especially critical to membership or association based businesses. If people don’t stay engaged, they’ll cancel. But how do you seamlessly provide what will keep a member invested in such a fast-paced digital world? How do you focus your company to improve human connection? To discuss digital solutions to these ques...

Bringing your vision to life is mentally and physically exhausting, especially during the savage days. You have to make it happen or it probably won’t. You may even find yourself and your team needing to create solutions that currently don’t exist or don’t quite fit your needs. And in order to keep everything going, you need some wins, you need to be engaging meaningful work, and you need optimism...

Potentiality pushes through the muck and the mud to emerge with beauty and impact. Most things do not come easily. Dedication, perseverance and belief is needed. When we refuse to stay stuck and we continually move forward, we will create something of worth. To fuel this pursuit, we need to be both savage and sage. We need to be fearless. In this episode, I (Daniel) discussed this truth with Steve...

In business, we tend to view employee retention and engagement in tangible terms such as benefits, compensation, and flexible schedules. But those things are technically tied more to employee satisfaction. Genuine and meaningful employee engagement is much deeper than that. And if we wish to retain excellent employees, and achieve results we must understand it. In this episode, I (Kyle) and Adam K...

As savage-minded entrepreneurs, we have to think beyond the norm and push boundaries. Nothing new happens unless we do. This may take the form of pursuing methods or ideas others have dismissed or perhaps not even considered. It may take the form of ignoring those who say it won’t work. For an entrepreneur, rejecting the expected is integral to life and goals. Eager to discuss this further, I (Kyl...

A leader is someone who raises their hand. Someone who, despite adversity, says “Yes” to opportunity, to tackling hard things, to adapting and overcoming, to seeing solutions and implementing them.  True leaders lead because it is simply part of who they are. They do when others say they can't. They prove naysayers wrong. To discuss raising your hand, I (Kyle) talked with Inez Evans, the Pres...

Success brings with it pressures you might not be ready for. In an attempt to alleviate imposter syndrome and to do and learn all the things, your personal life suffers. This then spills over into your leadership, causing issues at work… which then only add to the difficulties at home… and the horrible cycle continues. To discuss this problem we all face, I (Kyle) interviewed my unofficial mentor,...

Keeping up with changes in technology and suggestions from others can force your business into a place you don’t want to be. When that happens, what do you do? How do you adapt a business during lightning speed changes? How do you evolve a business you don’t want into one you do? To tackle this issue, I (Kyle) chatted with Ron Tonini, a Co-Owner and the CEO of Picture Marketing . Ron shares the ch...

For any organization to be truly purpose-driven, it needs to become a movement, not just a move. In other words, it cannot simply be a mission statement we put on the office wall or include in emails. It must have deeper roots than that. For this episode, I (Kyle) chat with John Qualls, the CEO and President of Purpose HQ about putting purpose back into work. As we talk, we discuss one of the bigg...

Choosing to be a part of the solution rather than playing the blame game takes a lot of courage. As an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to take on the challenges of being a public persona and finding a way to work within an ever-changing cash flow. You also have to continually strive toward maintaining a proper balance between work and life. To discuss choosing courage and balance in entrepren...