Business Owner Tales from the Trenches

The Balance Every Owner Faces: Performance, Culture, and Wealth with Caroline Wilbert

Caroline shares her path from 10 years as a business reporter to co-founding The Wilbert Group with her then-husband, then buying him out after their divorce and becoming the day-to-day leader. She explains how the agency expanded from traditional media relations into digital storytelling across LinkedIn, Instagram, podcasts, blogs, websites, and influencers, creating a dedicated digital team. Caroline describes balancing a hard-driving culture with wellness and grace, defining success as great client work, team growth, and long-term profitability. She discusses building financial discipline with advisors, using profit sharing to build wealth, developing homegrown leadership, and now focusing on key clients, new business, family time, and writing. 00:00 Introduction 00:26 Meet Caroline Wilbert 02:01 From Journalist to Founder 02:54 Buying Out and Leading 05:17 PR Industry Shifts 06:51 Building a Digital Team 08:30 Adapting to AI Waves 09:23 Values and Culture 12:23 Choosing the Right Clients 13:48 Finding a Client Voice 16:08 Defining Success Metrics 18:19 Profitability and Wealth 20:16 Financial Advisors and Systems 22:08 Homegrown Leadership Team 24:01 Founder Advice and Discipline 25:57 Next Chapter Ahead FOR MORE INFORMATION: 📱 Contact Me: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/contact [https://cannon-carr.com/contact]⁠ 📕 My 3Rs Framework: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/ [https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/] ⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/%E2%81%A0] 🛠️ Resources: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/resources/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/resources/%E2%81%A0] 🎙️ Podcast: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/ [https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/] ⁠ FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: LinkedIn: ⁠ / cannon-carr ⁠Facebook: ⁠ / epwealthadvisors ⁠ YouTube: @cannon-carr EP WEALTH ADVISORS: EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth") is a leading independent registered investment adviser ("RIA") on a mission to provide clients with honest and objective advice through personalized financial planning, customized investment portfolios, and integrated tax and estate planning. Visit epwealth.com [http://epwealth.com] to find out more. 🎙️ Podcast Production by Spoken Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://spokenpodcasts.com⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjJZN1FkQ3NpXy1BMjJUOVlJWlMwM1p3bFc5Z3xBQ3Jtc0tuYXNxY1BNZV92MVI3RWJLb0ZvRkZCSVNVZTFFTlVaUURJTDNjSmh2Ny1JVXVfam83OUFqRUQ0aEk5T205emp2dXZOWUVjQVljOXhOdm9ZN3JKUzZwUXBPYmk1NXFLQ2RzVkFYX1RueVZXX2tJZmFvRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fturncast.com%2F&v=1aUJsSD92d0]

Listening to the Market: Bryan Clayton's Path from Start-Up to Scale

Brian recounts starting a lawn-mowing business in high school, learning leadership through hiring and realizing he was ultimately in the sales business, then scaling to about $10M in revenue, 150 employees, and selling the company after two years of preparing it for acquisition. After a brief, unfulfilling attempt at retirement, he founded GreenPal, a DoorDash-like platform for lawn care, naively expecting it to be easy and spending two years learning to code and run a tech business. He explains bootstrapping with about $150,000 among co-founders, keeping personal burn low, reinvesting early revenue into developer hours, and avoiding outside funding to stay customer-focused. Growth was slow in one city until product issues were fixed ("nail it, then scale it"), eventually expanding nationwide to about 300,000 users, while emphasizing feedback-driven leadership, celebrating small wins, obsession with details, and dedicating weekly time to personal development. 00:00 Welcome and Brian's Story 00:17 From Mower to Sales Engine 02:17 Getting Out of the Truck 03:42 Deciding to Sell the Business 05:03 Starting GreenPal After Exit 07:39 Finding Mentors on YouTube 11:04 Personal Burn Rate and Risk 14:22 Bootstrapping and Customer-Driven Builds 16:40 Nail It Then Scale It 20:39 Leadership and Culture as You Grow 25:30 Delegation and Feedback Loops 27:00 Stubbornness Grit and Small Wins 31:11 Obsession vs Flexibility 34:32 Work on Yourself and Closing For More Information: 📱 Contact Me: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/contact/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbktvWVM1QkkxZHhVSDRibi1fVE9fZy1LQjdMQXxBQ3Jtc0trMXF6Q3ZHSVY4MXBnYnk4YVRXVnhZVnZENldrWnhpOWFuWkdLX0lvbFVLekZQcnRhRjlYN2hxeTdsbHduRlkteFpNYlVUaXJTdTA2dVpwQllFZ2gtYmxLRG81NU9JUWdRTmJxdkp5RTV1cDZoUFRSUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fcontact%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8] 📕 My 3Rs Framework: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjN3eDhKbHB2NV9Ed1dxeGVOay1uVU04ZDg1d3xBQ3Jtc0trR29xUHdzY2VLZXBWQm14RHptTV8zWURQamFxYkRXR3NxbDlNNlBKa01TNXNKWG0ydWJydm1YbUZKdE9zMGJaQkdQNEF2alNYbjhoWUNSUm14Z2dtWS1EeW5VQkhVTkI5V01HbzBlbU9wakRuQ0F6aw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fthe-3rs%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8] 🌐 Website: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa29aRUFDZzJXWlR0MF9GTUtZdzJqRTFjSkR3QXxBQ3Jtc0tudV82OVRySVBtTlRFZ3hqY0tUWEcza05xRHhCdFBabWt0R3lMOTlQc1NGaVVzNmpPWHNmTS0zVkFQNFlYM1RYNXoyWlJKV0Y3VXBUekNGUHJYVzVWajlMNXd2ZlhhdktzRldERkdmUEN4OC0zUFJmYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8] 🛠️ Resources: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/resources/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbG9kZVpKY1FsMVdUVDBhelhod0p4NGM3WGg5QXxBQ3Jtc0ttd3JvcXJhZF9jN1NUVEVCRkx0YnUxQ3V5eGJmdHdzN2gyZXVUTHl4eXg2TjA0aUlxS0Q3TDY5bG1obzFpZjQtcjZUUDRKODE5R2hQekt2b3FXLXpja2lUNjVUWnluOTltcEN4eW9SV0Y1YjlfV1g1aw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fresources%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8] 🎙️ Podcast: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbk5xb2MxYW0wWURteXQxTDlmSWV6VGJGakhLZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsbXlCTi1oOW13dmN4ZGxKbUV0V0J1SGZfWTBZbk9fQVdiTm9EckxSa2NYOHJYVk5pWGJULWFZSnQ5Z0owUmRMS0dOcWdWQzZVcjViY0h0LTU2Wm9nRVF1TWxsMzlSNG05NV9Xa2xWRVZpZWhhZUxwbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fepisodes%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8] ---------------------------------- FOLLOW ON SOCIAL LinkedIn: ⁠ / cannon-carr ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUpuWlMtTWFnV2NoRUFGVmtoWmdQTFk1REU5Z3xBQ3Jtc0trUGhfUGNseHE0d2xUNlBJVTB6ay1vTS0tLWoxdDU3NTJRTE1BOTMzRWJGUWhQa0V5enEtTHBzZjN3amJtWGJodHhTbDlESjB1TjZJVDZUN3Y0NWJrR21aWDRoVk1vekhiaS1pTnNsTGdtb1ZFQjFYSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fcannon-carr%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8]Facebook: ⁠ / epwealthadvisors ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2NidlRDcVp2WTBNOVhhUExSUHZFeVlWSHgtQXxBQ3Jtc0trRnozTl84WnI3Q0JfNUxXU2p0TFV3b09jNkh0cTN4NkZNdU1xNlhvWHhJSjR2RWxnTzhGczlJYlBsdkN1ZzFlMEFYcl9RTGZ6bUJnZ094ejBiXzdJQVloOG1BOU5CSjdaVVdOUWN0WUR4b0FnV00tRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fepwealthadvisors%2F&v=FJTmLK0gNy8] YouTube: @cannon-carr ---------------------------------- EP WEALTH ADVISORS EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth") is a leading independent registered investment adviser ("RIA") on a mission to provide clients with honest and objective advice through personalized financial planning, customized investment portfolios, and integrated tax and estate planning. Visit epwealth.com to find out more.

Beyond Revenue: The Entrepreneur's Journey to Freedom and Purpose

Cannon Carr hosts an inspiring conversation with Shaun Enders, CEO of Transition Staffing Group— a firm specializing in finance, accounting, and tech roles. Shaun delves into his twenty-year journey from corporate recruiting to creating his own recruiting firm rooted in mentorship and growth. More than just business metrics, Shaun emphasizes the importance of personal fulfillment, clarity of purpose, and financial independence. Highlighting his 'Freedom Fund' mindset, Shaun talks about his personal experiences, including the impactful lessons learned from his grandparents' financial struggles and his intentional move towards entrepreneurship. The discussion also covers Shaun's strategies for scaling his business, letting go to let others grow, and his philanthropic efforts, such as the Enders Foundation scholarship fund. Packed with valuable insights on creating a purposeful business while ensuring personal financial security, this episode is a must-listen for aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs alike. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:28 Meet Sean Enders: CEO and Mentor 01:51 Sean's Entrepreneurial Journey 06:08 Lessons from Family: Financial Planning 10:16 Defining Success and Financial Independence 14:59 The Freedom Fund Concept 17:19 Balancing Business and Personal Wealth 22:24 Riding Out Financial Storms 23:38 The Fluidity of Financial Planning 25:27 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs 26:12 Scaling a Service Business 29:27 Delegation and Growth 31:07 Future Vision for Transition Staffing Group 33:45 Final Thoughts and Contact Information 35:46 Reflections and Key Takeaways Resources Mentioned My 3Rs Framework for business owners: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/] Website: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/] Tools & resources for entrepreneurs: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/resources/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/resources/] More episodes of Business Owner Tales from the Trenches: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/] If you're a business owner who wants to build a company that creates impact and long-term wealth, hit Subscribe, give this video a like, and share it with another entrepreneur who loves coffee and purpose-driven business. When you're ready to take the next step, download the 3Rs Framework and start applying these ideas to your own business today. Resources 📕 My 3Rs Framework: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/]⁠ ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjBoRWM5ZVBYNXVFM0VrQUpVMUh6b0pHZ1Fhd3xBQ3Jtc0tsTFdtLWRtZUJDTEYycjd6UFdkMjVQYi0zYnhLYWhGcWR5cjNrSEw4Rk81NXBOMHRWYkU1Q08zOGdhR2JteGVzUWFIM08yN3VsVkN2OXRydy1JQk5kU0xqZXZ3a3BqaW1HUmZZdDB2NXpldFRtRFJNVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fthe-3rs%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ] 🌐 Website: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/]⁠ ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqazRqMDM5U3ZLbWl5ZWhlLWtWdGFSQmxXejB1UXxBQ3Jtc0ttaXpfd0Vtd01fTXFVdDh1TDFCSjlNVDJLcl9tZ3lWa3NySTFGdVhtMl8tNENmWkRDSldPMTd1dDRhQW0zWGFCNzlRcm9KclpyVFA0UTBjS3dmSTZTZmhJcFVRWGsxbnB5SXFnWmRwZUVTR1YwSzhoTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ] 🛠️ Resources: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/resources/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/resources/]⁠ ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEtzWUQ0aVNhSzJfWjFRSlR4R1RaUEp0cmVSZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuc2xqOXdEdHptRE1RWEEtMmhXaXdWdjZUM3pxNGVFWjVZUFIwR2JVQ2ttSkRadUJ1aTJVSnoyQ0FQNXo5MTRyTzhBeTRQb2RIcFJWVVZaV1M4Y2w3QnZjMjYtWUFUZHBwQ3Q0Q2RFOTYxcE55bl9nYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fresources%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ] 🎙️ Podcast: ⁠https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/⁠ [https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/]⁠ ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUxZRTBfeG5oQUIydDd3dGkzXzdYb3pEXzVud3xBQ3Jtc0tuSXBHWlZNX2FFN0ZoaVZXT01ZTjUzRVMyTDNYei1JSmRIOTZZU09ldmNOcmlBamdiTmJUbVpid2V6dVJJbXdpblNhUmg2aXdJOHFCZUJxT0Y0R3NmZU9Lbl9ISW5xLVhkNldmdklZcjNqdEt6SzNfaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fepisodes%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ] ---------------------------------- FOLLOW ON SOCIAL LinkedIn: / cannon-carr Facebook: / epwealthadvisors YouTube: @cannon-carr ---------------------------------- EP WEALTH ADVISORS EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth") is a leading independent registered investment adviser ("RIA") on a mission to provide clients with honest and objective advice through personalized financial planning, customized investment portfolios, and integrated tax and estate planning. Visit epwealth.com to find out more.

Thrive Through Service: Randy Hain's Approach to Leadership and Coaching

Unlocking Leadership Success: A Conversation with Randy About Coaching and Building Effective Teams In this episode, Randy joins the show to discuss his extensive experience in leadership and team development. After a 25-year career in corporate America, including senior executive roles and co-owning a national executive search firm, Randy transitioned to entrepreneurship. He founded Serium Partners and The Leadership Foundry to focus on executive coaching and leadership development for Fortune 5000 companies and global teams. Randy shares his journey, emphasizing the importance of defining personal and professional success, building trust with team members, and leading with generosity. He discusses how he balances giving away intellectual capital while maintaining business profitability, integrating personal lives with professional goals, and the power of candid conversations and feedback in fostering a healthy work culture. Tune in to learn actionable insights on sustaining long-term leadership success and keeping teams motivated. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:09 Randy's Journey from Corporate to Coaching 01:25 Starting the Coaching Business 03:10 Validating the Coaching Business Idea 04:03 Defining Success in Leadership 04:44 The Importance of Listening and Curiosity 05:37 Overcoming Obstacles to Success 06:26 The Role of Discomfort in Growth 06:51 Using Assessments and Feedback 08:31 The Integrated Approach to Coaching 09:59 Balancing Personal and Professional Life 11:40 The Power of a Clear Mission Statement 18:32 Building Trust and Relationships in Teams 21:18 Maintaining a Healthy Culture with Candor 22:35 Constructive Feedback Techniques 23:16 Encouraging Candor in Leadership 25:06 Short-Term vs. Long-Term Leadership Strategies 27:02 The Importance of Coaching-Oriented Leadership 28:01 Effective One-on-One Check-Ins 32:21 Onboarding and Building Relationships 33:57 The Power of Generosity in Business 40:42 Conclusion and Ways to Connect Resources Mentioned My 3Rs Framework for business owners: https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/ [https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/] Website: https://cannon-carr.com/ [https://cannon-carr.com/] Tools & resources for entrepreneurs: https://cannon-carr.com/resources/ [https://cannon-carr.com/resources/] More episodes of Business Owner Tales from the Trenches: https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/ [https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/] If you're a business owner who wants to build a company that creates impact and long-term wealth, hit Subscribe, give this video a like, and share it with another entrepreneur who loves coffee and purpose-driven business. When you're ready to take the next step, download the 3Rs Framework and start applying these ideas to your own business today. Resources 📕 My 3Rs Framework: https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/ [https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjBoRWM5ZVBYNXVFM0VrQUpVMUh6b0pHZ1Fhd3xBQ3Jtc0tsTFdtLWRtZUJDTEYycjd6UFdkMjVQYi0zYnhLYWhGcWR5cjNrSEw4Rk81NXBOMHRWYkU1Q08zOGdhR2JteGVzUWFIM08yN3VsVkN2OXRydy1JQk5kU0xqZXZ3a3BqaW1HUmZZdDB2NXpldFRtRFJNVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fthe-3rs%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ 🌐 Website: https://cannon-carr.com/ [https://cannon-carr.com/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqazRqMDM5U3ZLbWl5ZWhlLWtWdGFSQmxXejB1UXxBQ3Jtc0ttaXpfd0Vtd01fTXFVdDh1TDFCSjlNVDJLcl9tZ3lWa3NySTFGdVhtMl8tNENmWkRDSldPMTd1dDRhQW0zWGFCNzlRcm9KclpyVFA0UTBjS3dmSTZTZmhJcFVRWGsxbnB5SXFnWmRwZUVTR1YwSzhoTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ 🛠️ Resources: https://cannon-carr.com/resources/ [https://cannon-carr.com/resources/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEtzWUQ0aVNhSzJfWjFRSlR4R1RaUEp0cmVSZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuc2xqOXdEdHptRE1RWEEtMmhXaXdWdjZUM3pxNGVFWjVZUFIwR2JVQ2ttSkRadUJ1aTJVSnoyQ0FQNXo5MTRyTzhBeTRQb2RIcFJWVVZaV1M4Y2w3QnZjMjYtWUFUZHBwQ3Q0Q2RFOTYxcE55bl9nYw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fresources%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ 🎙️ Podcast: https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/ [https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUxZRTBfeG5oQUIydDd3dGkzXzdYb3pEXzVud3xBQ3Jtc0tuSXBHWlZNX2FFN0ZoaVZXT01ZTjUzRVMyTDNYei1JSmRIOTZZU09ldmNOcmlBamdiTmJUbVpid2V6dVJJbXdpblNhUmg2aXdJOHFCZUJxT0Y0R3NmZU9Lbl9ISW5xLVhkNldmdklZcjNqdEt6SzNfaw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcannon-carr.com%2Fepisodes%2F%C2%A0&v=nLcQprZveIQ ---------------------------------- FOLLOW ON SOCIAL LinkedIn: / cannon-carr Facebook: / epwealthadvisors YouTube: @cannon-carr ---------------------------------- EP WEALTH ADVISORS EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth") is a leading independent registered investment adviser ("RIA") on a mission to provide clients with honest and objective advice through personalized financial planning, customized investment portfolios, and integrated tax and estate planning. Visit epwealth.com to find out more.

Blending Profit and Purpose: A Coffee Entrepreneur's Tale

In this episode, David Paparelli discusses his entrepreneurial journey, focusing on the founding and growth of his coffee business, M-Cultivo. From his early inclination toward entrepreneurship, through various mentorships, to his unique approach to starting and scaling his company, David shares valuable insights. He explains how he identified a gap in the specialty coffee sector and used a mix of technology and customer engagement to fill it. David talks about the challenges of bootstrapping a tech-driven business, the importance of staying close to the customer, and how to balance purpose with profitability. He also delves into his funding strategies, his vision for scaling the business, and his long-term goals, emphasizing the impact-driven mission at the heart of his company. 00:00 Introduction and Early Entrepreneurial Spirit 01:25 Mentors and Early Career Influences 02:30 Founding M-Cultivo: Inspiration and Initial Steps 05:42 Navigating Challenges and Building the Business 13:55 Funding and Financial Strategies 17:50 The Psychology of Bootstrapping 18:06 Plans to Scale the Business 20:36 Building a Strong Leadership Team 21:27 Balancing Equity and Debt 25:17 Monetizing the Business 29:55 Advice for Budding Entrepreneurs 33:25 Final Thoughts and Contact Information Resources 📕 My 3Rs Framework: https://cannon-carr.com/the-3rs/ 🌐 Website: https://cannon-carr.com/ 🛠️ Resources: https://cannon-carr.com/resources/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/ [https://cannon-carr.com/episodes/] ---------------------------------- FOLLOW ON SOCIAL LinkedIn: / cannon-carr Facebook: / epwealthadvisors YouTube: @cannon-carr ---------------------------------- EP WEALTH ADVISORS EP Wealth Advisors, LLC ("EP Wealth") is a leading independent registered investment adviser ("RIA") on a mission to provide clients with honest and objective advice through personalized financial planning, customized investment portfolios, and integrated tax and estate planning. Visit epwealth.com to find out more.