Default Profitable

Ep178 The Cabinet That Looked Like a Casket: Chris Boots on Building CJ Boots Casket Company

Chris Boots was building a custom pantry cabinet at his wife's uncle's shop in 1999 when he looked at the top sitting on the cart and thought it kind of looked like a casket. He'd always wanted his own business. He didn't know what business. That cabinet was the seed. He spent nights on the bed flipping through funeral trade magazines while his wife asked what on earth he was doing. He joined the Casket and Funeral Supply Association — he'd later become its president. He bought a CNC router he didn't know how to operate and was halfway through training in Atlanta before he asked the instructor what the machine actually looked like. Chris walked into the casket industry right as cremation rates climbed from 20% to 70% and the number of casket companies collapsed from hundreds to fifteen. He built CJ Boots Casket Company anyway, going after the high-end Marcellus niche that conglomerate buyouts had cut off from independent funeral homes. Twenty-one years later he sold it, ran it through COVID for the new owners, tried Florida real estate, and landed in commercial insurance after a chance conversation on Lido Beach with a guy who happened to insure the same trade association Chris used to run. His advice for day one of any new business: understand cash flow before anything else. His motto for the rest of it: don't be afraid to go out on a limb, because that's where the fruit is. Learn more about Chris Boots and his commercial insurance practice at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-boots-2990735/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-boots-2990735/]. Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com [https://defaultprofitable.com] or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Ep177 The Parking Lot Decision: David and Christina Reynolds of Reynolds Electric

David Reynolds and his sister Christina Reynolds-Grisby spent more than 25 years at the same electrical contracting company. The plan was always to buy it. They'd consulted with the bank, drawn up the legal work, and lined up the transfer of ownership. The morning the deal was supposed to close in 2023, they walked in and got introduced to the new owners. A private equity firm had bought it out from under them. They decided to start Reynolds Electric standing in the parking lot that same morning. Three years later, they're a residential and light commercial electrical contractor in Indianapolis, an authorized Generac and Kohler dealer, with techs in the field and an office staff behind them. In this conversation, David and Christina get into what 25 years as employees doesn't prepare you for. Picking a business structure. Finding a CPA. Building a brand from scratch. Christina spent six months on the van wrap. Her hair wasn't right, the shoes weren't sitting where she wanted them, the caricature head kept changing size. Her advice for any new founder is progress over perfection. She'll be the first to admit she didn't take it. The takeaway Matt pulls out of the episode comes in two parts. Start it sooner than you think you want to. And if you're negotiating a business takeover with somebody you've trusted for two and a half decades, get it in writing anyway. Learn more about David Reynolds, Christina Reynolds-Grisby, and Reynolds Electric at https://powerbyreynolds.com [https://powerbyreynolds.com]. Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com [https://defaultprofitable.com] or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Ep176 After 90 Years, Don't Screw It Up: Will Steck on Taking Over a Fourth-Generation Family Business

Will Steck and his sister both started at Winthrop Supply on the same day in 2009, sweeping warehouse floors and loading trucks. Eleven years later, they bought the business from their dad. Winthrop is a fourth-generation Indianapolis plumbing supply company started in 1939, and also happens to be the longest-running Rheem distributor in the country. In this conversation, Will talks about the three years he and his sister spent modernizing the ERP before they owned a single share, the moment their father asked if they were in or if he should find a buyer, and the biggest lesson he'd go back and tell himself: stop trying to clone yourself. Find what your people are good at and let them do that. Learn more about Will Steck and Winthrop Supply at https://www.winthropsupply.com [https://www.winthropsupply.com]. Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com [https://defaultprofitable.com] or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Ep174 From Travel Turmoil to Successful Alignment: Krystal Eicher's Real-Talk Business Journey

From Travel Turmoil to Aligned Success: Krystal Eicher's Real-Talk Business Journey Dive into this candid conversation on the Default Profitable Podcast as host Matt Nettleton sits down with Krystal Eicher, co-founder of Serendipitous Rebel [http://serendipitousrebel.com], to unpack her resilient path from a pandemic-crushed travel business to building a thriving coaching and consulting firm that empowers online entrepreneurs—especially coaches and service providers—to launch with strategy, avoid burnout, and design businesses that truly support their lives. Expect raw lessons on cash flow realities, the coaching vs. consulting divide, why "more" isn't always better, and the power of prioritizing life alignment alongside profitability—perfect for aspiring founders and established leaders craving sustainable growth without the hustle. Listeners will walk away inspired with practical insights on resilience, smart investments in expertise, and redefining success on your own terms. Learn more about Krystal Eicher and Serendipitous Rebel at https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-eicher [https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-eicher]. Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com [https://defaultprofitable.com] or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Ep173 The Hidden Startup Killer – Lessons from a Former E-com Founder Turned CFO with Nate Littlewood

Host Matt Nettleton sits down with Nate Littlewood of Future Ready CFO [https://futurereadycfo.com/], a former Wall Street investment banker who built (and exited) his own e-commerce business before becoming the go-to fractional CFO for consumer product and online brands. Nate pulls back the curtain on why so many founders stay in denial or overwhelm when it comes to their finances, how he uses historical numbers to help entrepreneurs confidently plan and scale without burnout, and the mindset shift that separates stressful businesses from predictably profitable ones. Whether you’re an aspiring founder still hunting product-market fit or already running a seven-figure brand, you’ll walk away with clarity on when (and why) to bring in real financial expertise, the critical role of unit economics before scaling, and why doubling down on your actual strengths can be the most impactful decision you make as an entrepreneur. Learn more about Nate Littlewood and Future Ready CFO at https://futurereadycfo.com [https://futurereadycfo.com/]. Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com [https://defaultprofitable.com/] or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform. Takeaways * Founders often live in financial denial because the numbers tell a different story than the one they want to believe about their mission-driven business. * Understanding unit economics and building a basic cash flow forecast is enough financial work for early-stage founders still searching for product-market fit. * You cannot finance your way out of a bad product—product-market fit must come before hiring a fractional CFO or heavy financial modeling. * Historical financials are the foundation for future planning; clean books today unlock better strategic decisions tomorrow. * Many founders struggle most with customer-facing skills like marketing and sales, not the numbers side of the business. * Realizing your customers see your “impactful” product as a novelty gift can be demoralizing and signal it’s time to pivot. * Every business is either product-push (build it and find buyers) or customer-pull (solve problems for a specific audience)—knowing which you are changes your entire growth playbook. * Bringing finances from an afterthought to a strategic co-pilot dramatically reduces founder stress and accelerates profitable growth. * Focus on the one or two things you’re exceptionally good at and enjoy; outsource or avoid the rest to create more impact and legacy. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Default Profitable and Introducing Nate Littlewood 00:46 Nate’s Journey: Wall Street to E-commerce Founder to Fractional CFO 03:05 Why Nate Left High-Finance for Entrepreneurship and Purpose 05:32 Surprises of Running an E-commerce Business Despite Finance Background 08:02 The Demoralizing Moment: Realizing Customers Saw Products as Stocking Stuffers 10:48 Navigating the COVID Boom and Eventual Exit from E-commerce 12:09 The Founder Financial Spectrum: Denial → Overwhelm → Intrigue → Enlightenment 16:00 Using Past Numbers to Shape Future Strategy (Not Just Tax Compliance) 17:27 When to Hire a Fractional CFO – The Product-Market Fit Threshold 21:26 Product-Push vs Customer-Pull: Which Type of Business Are You? 23:58 How to Connect with Nate and Access Free Resources