Growth + Exit

Tim Padgett is the Founder of Pepper Group, a B2B full-service marketing agency that provides branding, lead generation, and sales services. As CEO, he blends creativity with business strategy to help organizations communicate more effectively and drive growth. Tim founded the company in 1994 after beginning his career in the printing and design industry and has since grown it into an award-winnin...

Susan Kearney is the Managing Director, Board Member, and Partner at Newport LLC, a business advisory firm helping middle-market companies grow and exit. Before Newport, she was the COO of Network for Good, where she achieved 40% annual recurring revenue growth, and the Co-founder of Voxant, a digital media company acquired by Blinkx. Susan also held executive positions at Paragren Technologies an...

Scott Markman is the Founder and President of MonogramGroup, a global brand consultancy and marketing agency. With nearly 45 years of experience, he has worked with private equity firms and portfolio companies to develop brand strategies that drive growth and differentiation. Scott is a recognized thought leader in branding and hosts the  Beer Stories for Private Equity  podcast. In this episode…...

Jim Fitzgerald is the Co-founder and CEO of Paycile, a fintech company that provides real-time payment reconciliation and API-driven solutions for insurance premiums and claims processing. As a seasoned entrepreneur, he has decades of experience building and scaling businesses, including Taradel, a marketing technology company that grew into a multi-time  Inc.  5000 honoree. Jim has also built str...

Brookelyn Avila is the Owner of Van Sharks, a family-owned business that designs, builds, and services custom conversion vans for businesses, travelers, and fleet operators. As an entrepreneur with a background in communications, she has launched several ventures. Brookelyn is known for her visionary leadership and commitment to excellence. In this episode… Starting a business in an unfamiliar ind...

Gabriel Arguello is the Founder and CEO of Rent 2 Own Trailers, which provides food trailers with flexible, low‑cost ownership options for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Under his leadership, Rent 2 Own has grown into a national resource for customized mobile business solutions. Before founding Rent 2 Own, Gabriel built and scaled a candy business, insurance and financial advisory agenci...

Davis Anderson is the Founder of The Manufacturers' Collective, an advisory practice dedicated to supporting family-owned American manufacturing companies through strategic planning and generational succession. As a third-generation manufacturing leader, he has over 40 years of experience in family-owned business ownership and management. Davis is also the author of Sustaining a Family Jewel , whi...

Doug Tatum is the Chairman of Newport LLC, a business advisory firm helping middle-market companies grow and exit. He is also a member of the teaching faculty at the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University. Before his current roles, Doug was the Chairman and CEO of Tatum LLC, a national professional services firm he helped grow to over 1,000 professionals across 30 office...

Arlin Sorensen is the VP of Ecosystem Evangelism for IT Nation at ConnectWise, a software company that develops IT management tools and community platforms for managed service providers (MSPs) and IT solution businesses. In his role, he facilitates ecosystem engagement and thought leadership across the IT Nation community while advising business leaders through consulting and peer groups. With ove...

Jordan Solender is the Founder of IT Select, where he serves as an IT Executive helping organizations transform their technology procurement with faster, AI-driven models, cutting client cycles from 120 to as few as 30 days across 38 states. He previously sold a technology advisory firm in an eight-figure exit. An entrepreneur since age 13, Jordan has built businesses in technology, events, hospit...

Aneesa Muthana is the Co-owner and CEO of Pioneer Service Inc., a precision contract manufacturing company specializing in machining services. She is also the Co-owner and CEO of M&M Quality Grinding, which offers precision-ground bar stock and bar grinding services. As a hands-on leader with decades of experience in manufacturing, Aneesa advocates for diversity and workforce development in the in...

Philip de Souza is the CEO of HotLunch.com, a software designed to automate the school lunch ordering and management process. As a serial entrepreneur and cybersecurity veteran, he founded, sold, and exited Aurora, a consulting firm specializing in data security and compliance. Philip has also led and advised technology companies and nonprofits on tech, finance, and growth. In this episode… Managi...

Bill Himmelstein is the Founder and CEO of Tenant Advisory Group, a commercial real estate brokerage for tenants and buyers. With more than two decades of experience in representing tenants, he has led Tenant Advisory Group to complete over $1 billion in transactions for clients ranging from professional service firms to technology companies. Bill is also a Certified Commercial Investment Manager....

Susan Kearney is the Managing Director, Board Member, and Partner at Newport LLC, a business advisory firm helping middle-market companies grow and exit. Before Newport, she was the COO of Network for Good, where she achieved 40% annual recurring revenue growth, and the Co-founder of Voxant, a digital media company acquired by Blinkx. Susan also held executive positions at Paragren Technologies an...

Mark Bealin is the Founder and CEO of SearchLab, a digital marketing agency specializing in local SEO and paid search. Under his leadership, the company was awarded Microsoft Advertising's 2022 Global Emerging Partner of the Year Award and appeared on the Inc. 5000 list. With over a decade of experience as a search marketer, Mark specializes in SEO, paid search, analytics, and entrepreneurship. In...

John Fairclough is the Founder of Resicom Group, a facility maintenance, construction, and brand-protection company that helps retailers optimize and maintain their store environments. Under his leadership, the company evolved from a local construction company into an international provider of facility maintenance and construction services. John has also been inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepr...

Joe Flanagan is a Growth Partner at Distributed Ventures, an early‑stage venture capital firm. He is also the former Chairman of Acquirent, which he sold in November 2025, a leading provider of outsourced sales and marketing services. With over 25 years of experience founding and scaling sales‑driven businesses, Joe also built and led JP Flanagan Corporation into one of Chicago's largest insurance...

Tom Parker is the Co-founder and CEO of Alined Consulting Group, LLC, an IT consulting and staffing firm that helps organizations align talent, technology, and strategic execution. Before co-founding Alined, he held leadership roles at companies such as Hirewell and York Solutions, LLC. Tom is also a board member for ELEVATE, Alined Consulting Group's networking organization for IT leaders and exe...

Craig Snyder is the Chairman and Founder of VIKOR, a full-service wireless infrastructure construction company that builds and services telecommunications, renewables, and utility infrastructure across the United States. Under his leadership, VIKOR has been named to the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies list for four consecutive years. Over his more than 30-year career, Craig has emphasized a pe...

Jeff Janicik is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Innoflight, a leading space Non-traditional Defense Contractor (NDC). Under his leadership, Innoflight has partnered with national security programs and commercial space missions. Jeff served in the United States Air Force for 33 years, where he helped pioneer unmanned X-vehicle and advanced satellite communications programs. In this episode… The s...

Stephen Goldberg, CVA, is the Managing Partner of Sun Business Valuations, a boutique firm specializing in valuations and exit-strategy advisory for privately held, middle-market companies. With over 30 years of M&A and business valuation experience, he has overseen more than 250 company sales and provided valuation consulting to over 1,000 clients nationwide. Stephen is a frequent lecturer and wr...

Kevin Fleming is a Partner at Newport LLC, a business advisory firm helping middle-market companies grow and exit. He is also a Chief Financial Officer and board member at ThinkBio. AI, an AI technology enablement firm. Previously, Kevin was the President and Turnaround Executive Leader at Paradigm, a full risk-bearing accountable care organization specializing in catastrophic injury and chronic p...

Kyle Marinkovich is the Founder and CEO of Northern Diversified Solutions, which specializes in hemp-derived functional specialty ingredients and emulsions. Before founding Northern Diversified Solutions, he held leadership roles at Cargill, Inc., where he focused on commercial development of food-ingredient solutions. With over two decades of experience in ingredient science, Kyle serves on Minne...

Whitney Opperman is the General Manager of Opperman & Son, Inc., a fourth-generation family-owned dealership that provides new and used heavy trucks, trailers, parts, and repair services. She joined the business in 2013 as an inside sales rep focused on new equipment before leading daily operations. Whitney's leadership emphasizes the company's core values of quality, service, and integrity. In th...

Kelly Schrad is the Founder and Chairman of DataVizion, a managed IT solutions and cybersecurity firm. He is also the CEO of CapStone Technologies, LLC, and has spent more than 25 years building technology-driven businesses. As the Owner and Senior Advisor of The Owner's Advisory, Kelly also supports business owners in value-building and exit planning. In this episode… Founders often struggle to g...