The Think Small Podcast

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Nick Johnson, COO of Johnson & Daly Moving and Storage, shares how the company evolved from a traditional moving business into a highly specialized operation serving affluent homeowners throughout Marin County and the greater Bay Area. Nick discusses the unique challenges of handling large-scale residential moves, transporting priceless collectibles,...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Morgen Bowers, founding attorney and CEO of Four Corners Legacy Law, shares her entrepreneurial journey from practicing corporate and business law on Wall Street to building a purpose-driven estate planning firm in Chatham, New York. Morgen reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her career—from taking over an established law practice to making the b...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Mike Swenson, CEO of the Mel Foster Group, pulls back the curtain on the often-overlooked world of independent manufacturers’ reps—and why it remains one of the most powerful go-to-market strategies for scaling companies. With more than four decades in the business, Swenson explains how his team acts as an extension of manufacturers, delivering broad mar...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Shauna Frost, CEO of Meals on Wheels New Mexico, shares how she transformed a volunteer role into a two-decade mission of leadership, growth, and impact. From delivering meals herself to leading a statewide organization, she offers a candid look at what it takes to run a nonprofit like a business—balancing compassion with strategy. Frost breaks down the...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Chinyere Hubbard, President and CEO of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, offers a front-line perspective on what it takes to lead a business community through uncertainty. From federal workforce reductions to shifting economic pressures, she shares how Washington, D.C.’s small businesses are navigating rapid change—and how strategic partnerships, workforce i...

In this episode of The Think Small podcast, Karl Kleinert, President and Chief Operating Officer of LeapFrog IT, shares insights into how a managed IT and cybersecurity firm has evolved over more than two decades. The discussion traces the company’s journey from a traditional infrastructure-focused provider to a more comprehensive partner that integrates cybersecurity, governance, and risk managem...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, PAC Group is highlighted through the perspective of Chief Financial Officer Ali Firoozi, offering a look into how a 500-person global organization has evolved from its automotive roots into a diversified engineering and operations services firm. Over four decades, PAC Group has grown alongside its long-standing clients—particularly major automotive OEMs—...

In this episode of the Think Small podcast, NetFriends CEO John Snyder shares a grounded perspective on how small and mid-sized businesses can thoughtfully adopt artificial intelligence without getting swept up in the hype. Drawing from his experience leading a managed IT and cybersecurity services firm, Snyder outlines a practical approach to AI that starts with leadership-driven policy, clear da...

In this episode of The Think Small podcast, Grace Redman, founder and CEO of Stansbury Staffing, Inc. & Dare to Achieve, shares how she helps entrepreneurs and high performers break through the unconscious beliefs that hold them back from reaching their next level of success. Blending business consulting with personal development, she explains why “the inner work is the business work” and how...

In this episode of The Think Small podcast, Todd Petty, Chief Investment Officer of Mainstay Financial Services, shares how the company is tackling one of the biggest challenges in senior living: affordability for the middle market. With a focus on serving seniors who fall between luxury care options and government-supported programs, Mainstay Senior Living acquires and transforms underperforming...

In this episode of The Think Small podcast, Mark Miller, Chief Operating Officer of Merit Clubs, shares how the Baltimore-based health and wellness company has evolved from a traditional fitness model into a community-driven lifestyle brand. With eight clubs and multiple managed locations, Merit Clubs focuses on delivering more than just workouts—prioritizing human connection, member engagement, a...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Stacey Edgar, CEO of the International Folk Art Market (IFAM), discusses how the organization brings together hundreds of traditional and contemporary folk artists from around the world to Santa Fe, New Mexico each year. Since its founding in 2004, IFAM has grown into a globally recognized nonprofit social enterprise that provides artists with direct acc...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Dr. Orit Hickman, founder of Pain Science Physical Therapy in Seattle, Washington, shares the evolution of her practice from a traditional, hands-on physical therapy clinic into a pioneering model centered on the biopsychosocial understanding of pain. After more than a decade in clinical practice, she began noticing that patients with persistent pain wer...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Jim Donnelly, President and CEO of Wayne Bank, shares his unconventional journey into the banking industry and how a chance opportunity through a management training program set him on a path toward a long-term career in financial services. What began with limited exposure to retail banking evolved into a deep interest in commercial lending, where he fou...

In this episode, Dr. Darrick Carter, founder and CEO of PAI Life Sciences, shares the extraordinary evolution of his company from an early attempt at artificial intelligence–driven drug discovery into a global biotech focused on neglected diseases. What began as Protein AI eventually shifted toward solving real-world challenges in infectious disease, leading to breakthrough work including the deve...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Maggie Fouquet, President and CEO of IB Circle (International Business Circle), to explore how a small Denver-based international business network evolved into a purpose-driven think tank for global executives. Maggie shares the organization’s origin story, its growth through cycles of expansion and contraction, and how it ultimately ref...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Chris Hewitt, Group CEO and Chief Storyteller of Berkeley PR, to explore how a lifelong background in journalism evolved into building a global storytelling agency focused on helping ambitious scale-ups grow. Chris shares how he turned a frustration with traditional PR into a mission to humanize business communication, using storytelling...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Timor Brik shares how Data Remote is tackling the niche but critical challenge of replacing legacy copper landlines—also known as POTS (plain old telephone service)—with modern, digital solutions. He explains how many essential systems like alarm panels, elevators, and traffic infrastructure still rely on outdated analog networks, and how Data Remote par...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Bill Black shares the journey of building National Fleet Management from a one-man operation into a multi-location, multi-state commercial vehicle service business. He explains how his early experience in his father’s shop and his time in the Marine Corps shaped his path, along with how he scaled the company through mobile services, strategic structure c...

In this episode of the Think Small podcast, we're joined by Jim Umlauf, founder and CEO of 4Knines, to explore how a simple personal problem turned into a thriving business. Jim shares how he and his wife, both from medical careers, created durable car seat covers after struggling to find a solution for their dogs. What started as a homemade fix evolved into a company built on customer feedback, h...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Dennis Kao, serial entrepreneur and CEO of multiple technology and data-focused companies, to explore a career that began in a college garage and evolved into building, scaling, and exiting successful IT and managed service businesses. Dennis shares how he turned a passion for computers and gaming into Proactiv, a business that served he...

In this episode of the Think Small podcast, we sit down with Frank McKeon, Chief Marketing Officer at NowCorp, for a wide-ranging conversation that begins on a personal note—discussing college visits and the challenges of navigating higher education decisions—before transitioning into the world of B2B finance. McKeon introduces NowCorp’s “revenue-on-demand” model, which helps professional services...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit with Brian Waldron, CEO of Dort Financial Credit Union, about leading a purpose-driven financial institution focused on community impact and member success. Brian shares how Dort Financial grew from its automotive industry roots in Michigan into a $2.3 billion organization serving over 100,000 members, and explains what makes credit unions differe...

In this episode of the Think Small podcast, we sit down with Beau Sorensen, COO of First Choice Home Health and Hospice, to explore his unconventional journey into healthcare and his 26-year rise within the organization. Starting in high school with an interest in medicine, Beau discovered a passion for home health and hospice care, eventually focusing on operations and leadership. He shares how t...

In this episode of the Think Small podcast, we sit down with Jack Terrill, Executive Director of the Wentworth Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) in rural New Hampshire. Jack shares how WEDCO supports small and mid-sized businesses by providing gap financing, guidance, and access to capital for entrepreneurs who may not qualify for traditional bank loans. From helping launch niche ventures l...