Retained Trust

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Corey Northcutt, a serial entrepreneur and Chief Optimization Officer at Orbit Media Studios. Corey shares his journey from founding a hosting company in college to leading and selling multiple agencies, culminating in his role at Orbit Media. They discuss the evolution of digital agencies, the role of AI in marketing and optimiza...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes speaks with John-Henry Scherck, the founder of Growth Plays, a B2B SEO and content strategy agency. John-Henry shares his transition from a solo consultant to building a growing agency, despite initially vowing never to hire employees. He discusses the challenges of scaling a strategy-driven service, the importance of hiring experienced talent,...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes speaks with Paul Seaton, founder of AgencyFi, which provides outsourced accounting and CFO services for digital and creative agencies. Paul shares his journey from Deloitte to running his own firm, helping agencies navigate financial complexities. They discuss the importance of understanding gross margins, structuring financials properly, and ma...

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes speaks with Aidan Sowa, founder and CEO of VelvetVoice PR. Aidan shares his unique journey from running a lead generation agency to building a thriving PR firm. He dives into the intricacies of “sales-enabled PR,” blending traditional strategies with modern tools to maximize impact. Aidan unpacks the challenges agency owners face when relying sol...

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes welcomes Tevia Hoalst, founder of TeKoda Accounting, for an engaging conversation on the world of small business finance. Tevia shares her journey from the restaurant industry to leading a team that helps entrepreneurs manage their day-to-day accounting with a personalized approach. They explore the differences between "tax books" and "business b...

In this solo episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes takes a departure from his usual guest interviews to share a deeply personal and structured discussion on the 12 books that have most influenced his journey as an entrepreneur. Ranging from timeless classics to modern masterpieces, Karl reflects on how each book impacted his mindset, approach, and business strategies. From reshaping his unde...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes speaks with Bob Tripathi, founder of Digital Sparx Marketing, about his fascinating journey through corporate roles, entrepreneurial pivots, and building a thriving marketing agency. Bob reflects on lessons learned from startups and large companies, discusses the importance of patience and adaptability, and shares how he turned challenges like t...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Kyle Shevlin, founder of Agathist, a software development agency specializing in React and React Native. Kyle shares his journey from freelancing and full-time development roles to establishing Agathist, focusing on creating "good software by good people." He delves into the challenges of transitioning from solo work to agency lea...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with George Zlatin, co-founder of Digital Third Coast, a Chicago-based SEO and digital marketing agency. George shares his unconventional entry into the digital marketing world, starting from launching an online dog boutique to becoming a respected SEO expert and business leader. They explore the evolution of SEO, including how Digital...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with David Flanagan, founder of The Rawkode Academy and a veteran in developer advocacy. David shares his entrepreneurial journey, from building a niche YouTube channel to launching a unique business model centered on authentic, developer-focused content. They discuss the risks of leaving a stable job, how to monetize a passion project...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Chris Gwinn, founder of Midwest CFO, a fractional CFO firm helping small businesses thrive by optimizing financial strategies and preparing for growth or exits. Chris shares his entrepreneurial journey, transitioning from Great Lakes Advisory to Midwest CFO, and the lessons learned along the way. The discussion explores common fin...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes speaks with Kon Kruglyak, founder of Candidate IQ, about the realities of starting a staffing business in challenging economic times. Kon shares his journey from corporate and financial recruiting to launching his own agency. Together, they explore the highs and lows of the recruiting industry, the strategies for building relationships with clie...

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Kurt Schnakenberg, co-founder of Chicago Brass and ADBM, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative approaches he’s using to redefine his industries. From building a niche architectural consulting firm to launching ADBM—a pioneering agency offering ethical offshore staffing solutions—Kurt shares insights into scalin...

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes invites his business partner and close friend, Manuel Weiss, to share their dynamic journey of entrepreneurship, partnership, and building lasting businesses. From Manuel’s early days in Vienna founding a tech startup to Karl’s evolution from software engineer to content marketing entrepreneur, the duo discusses their shared experiences, lessons...

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes is joined by Jared Gibson, co-founder of Outworks, a marketing agency helping founders and executives build influence on LinkedIn. Jared shares his transition from a traditional sales role to entrepreneurship and discusses the journey of launching Outworks, from initial networking strategies to developing scalable, targeted content. They explore...

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes sits down with Shannon Beasley, founder of Acorn to Oak Strategies, to discuss her path from a biomedical engineering student to a local SEO agency owner. Shannon shares how her experiences in project management and sales eventually led her to build a business that focuses on empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Together, they de...

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes sits down with Sunny Shah, founder of SunnyCreators, a digital marketing and personal branding agency. At just 28, Sunny has built his name in Chicago’s entrepreneurship and creator space through authentic community-building efforts like his Chicago Dinner Club. The conversation explores Sunny’s path from academia and entrepreneurship education t...