The Think Small Podcast

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Kevin Lowrie, owner of Class 101, to discuss his unique journey from IT consulting and life coaching into the world of college and career readiness. Kevin shares how his passion for coaching and helping others navigate major life decisions ultimately led him to Class 101, a nationwide college planning organization focused on guiding stud...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Simon Kaye, President and CEO of Jaguar Freight Services, to explore his journey from a family legacy in transportation to building a global supply chain management company. Simon shares how Jaguar evolved from early track-and-trace tools into a full-service logistics provider, serving international clients across key trade lanes while f...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we’re joined by Joe Fannin, owner of Austin Elephant, a Texas-based residential services company built on grit, growth, and real-world lessons. Joe shares how he got his start in the industry—from simply needing a job to building a thriving business rooted in hands-on work, strong client relationships, and continuous learning. He opens up about early cha...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Heather Lee, Vice President and COO of the Effective Leadership Academy in Cleveland, Ohio, to explore how her organization is transforming leadership development for students and professionals alike. Heather shares how the Academy helps individuals develop their most valuable asset—themselves—through soft skills, communication, collabor...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Cameron Boland, Chief Operating Officer of Keymark, to explore how a technology company rooted in document processing evolved into a leading AI-driven solutions provider. With a history dating back to 1996, Keymark has transformed from offering OCR software into deploying Intelligent Document Processing tools that help businesses streaml...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Taylor Faw, partner, Chief Compliance Officer, and Chief Operating Officer at Strathmore Capital Advisors. Taylor shares his unconventional journey from aspiring radiologist to business and law school, then to working at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in the securities division, and finally to consulting at Fairview Investm...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with John Wilkening of Tech Credit Union to explore how a deeply personal mission—shaped by childhood financial hardship—turned into a career dedicated to helping working-class families take control of their money. John shares his journey from a refinery town in Indiana to leading one of the top-performing credit unions in the region, and how...

On this episode of Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Josh, co-founder of Articulate Labs, to explore how a personal recovery journey sparked the creation of a breakthrough health tech platform designed to transform physical therapy. What began as a solution for one patient’s struggle with mobility evolved into an adaptive, data-driven system that synchronizes muscle stimulation with natural mo...

In this episode, Mike Fidgeon, President and CEO of Hillcrest Family Services, shares how his journey from working with delinquent youth to leading a century-old nonprofit shaped his mission-driven approach to behavioral health. He discusses stepping into leadership during the height of COVID-19, navigating major operational pivots, and reshaping a 19th-century organization to meet modern mental h...

In this episode, Natalie Ruiz of AnswerConnect shares her two-decade journey from joining a small startup call center to becoming CEO of a company that has helped businesses stay connected for more than 30 years. She discusses how AnswerConnect evolved from a simple answering service into a partner that helps small and mid-sized businesses capture leads, schedule appointments, and operate more eff...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, We sit down with Jon Gorman, Executive Director of NetVu—the independent user community for Vertafore customers—to explore how a nonprofit trade association can drive growth, innovation, and deeper customer engagement. Jon shares how NetVu supports thousands of independent insurance agencies through education, advocacy, and community, while collaborating...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Joe Durnford, founder and CEO of J.D. Ford & Company, shares his 30-year journey building a middle-market M&A advisory firm that helps founders and family businesses create liquidity, raise capital, and navigate complex transactions. From leaving Deloitte to pioneer sell-side advisory, to turning down relocation for entrepreneurship, to weatherin...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Ayla Annac, co-founder and CEO of Invivo Sciences, to explore how a deeply personal loss led to a groundbreaking mission in heart failure innovation. After losing her father to heart disease, Ayla dedicated her career to advancing precision medicine—building technology that can recreate a patient’s heart tissue from simple samples and us...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Tim Mitrovich, founder of 10 Capital Wealth Advisors, shares how he built a $1.7B firm by rejecting the traditional sales-driven model and focusing instead on deep relationships, behavioral finance, and serving the often-overlooked “non-CFO” spouse. From grinding through the early years with no built-in book of business to creating a 90-minute onboarding...

On this episode of Think Small Podcast , we sit down with Kimberly Casineau, President of The Coating House, to explore how a philanthropic vision unexpectedly evolved into a thriving, woman-owned manufacturing business. As an authorized service center for Henkel’s Loctite pre-applied products, Kimberly has transformed a niche fastener coating company into a national supplier serving OEMs, defense...

On this episode of Think Small , we sit down with Bob Coppedge, founder and CEO of Simplex IT, for a candid, no-fluff conversation about what it really takes to build, evolve, and sustain a business in a world where technology—and expectations—never stop changing. From his 40-year journey through the evolution of IT to launching his company in 2007 after a single eye-opening event, Bob shares shar...

On this episode of Think Small , we sit down with Ahmed Mustafa, CEO of Biospherix, to explore how a 25-year-old biotech innovator is transforming cell and tissue research with its “cytocentric” approach—keeping cells in their true physiological environment to deliver cleaner, more reliable data. Ahmed shares his journey from teenage entrepreneur to pilot, paramedic, and now private equity-backed...

On this episode of Think Small , we sit down with serial entrepreneur Paul Tramo, owner of Sentinel Process Systems, to explore what it takes to lead and scale a 75-year-old company serving some of the world’s largest pharma and biotech firms. Paul shares how he evolved a family-owned niche business into a multi-entity operation supporting sterile injectable drug manufacturing, why he’s building t...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, Jason Reed of Reed’s Fuel and Trucking joins us to share the remarkable story behind one of Oregon’s longest-running family businesses. Now in its 86th year, the fourth-generation company has evolved from a 1940 moving and home heating operation into a high-volume wood residual hauling powerhouse serving sawmills across the region. Jason reflects on grow...

In this episode of the Think Small Podcast, we sit down with Josh Stauffer, CEO and fourth owner of Blue Flame Thinking, as he reflects on leading a 60-year-old B2B marketing agency through digital transformation, ownership, and growth. Josh shares his unconventional path from art school to software engineering to agency leadership, unpacks what it really means to run a people-first business, and...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast , we’re joined by Tycho Rosenfeld and Chuck Pollard of Optimize Compliance Solutions and MortgageEducation.com to break down how borrowers and mortgage professionals can navigate today’s volatile housing market. From choosing the right loan strategy and vetting trusted originators to understanding why compliance, education, and ethics matter more than eve...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast , we’re joined by Cynthia Kay of Cynthia Kay Biz, a longtime media executive, entrepreneur, author, and small business advocate who shares hard-earned insights from nearly four decades of building, growing, and successfully exiting a business. Cynthia dives into why communication is one of the biggest challenges facing organizations today, the importance...

On this episode of the Think Small Podcast , we sit down with William Roche, CEO of S. Clyde Weaver, a 100-year-old, fourth-generation smoked meat and cheese business rooted in Pennsylvania farmers markets. William shares how stepping in as the first non-family CEO just months before COVID forced rapid change, lean operations, and a renewed focus on local supply chains—ultimately turning crisis in...

On this episode of the Think Small podcast, Wes, founder of Pic the Gift. shares how he grew a one-man operation tucked in the corner of a friend’s shop into one of the largest custom-gift manufacturers you’ve never heard of. He reveals how problem-solving, automation, and an obsession with efficient production helped the company thrive through industry shifts and even the chaos of COVID, all whil...

In this episode of the Think Small podcast, Kayla from SweetBio takes us inside the decade-long journey of turning a bold idea combining collagen and Manuka honey into an FDA-cleared medical device that’s transforming wound care. She shares the real story behind bringing a biotech product from lab to launch, navigating setbacks, scaling a family-run company, and making advanced care accessible for...