Ready Set Exec: The Podcast

Justin Freishtat: How to launch a hedge fund

Navigate the complex world of private equity with insider secrets from Justin Freishtat. Discover how to structure, fundraise, and protect your fund amidst market volatility. Learn the importance of legal structures like 506(c) vs. 506(b), third-party administration, and audits to safeguard against fraud. Justin shares strategies for raising capital, building a personal brand, and identifying qualified investors. Stand out in a crowded market with integrity and transparency. Hear stories of fraud, lessons learned, and the critical role of due diligence. Whether you're a high-net-worth individual or an aspiring fund manager, this episode is your guide to turning risk into reward. Justin's expertise in private equity and hedge funds offers essential insights for elevating your investment strategy. Tune in to master capital formation and personal branding, and start building smarter, safer, more profitable funds today. About Ready Set Exec: Founded by Managing Partners Patrick Shea and John Pezoulas, Ready Set Exec is a premier North American executive leadership recruitment firm specializing in Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations. We replace hiring chaos with a repeatable process, boasting an average time-to-hire of 39 days and a 100% placement success rate. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Justin Freishtat and His Ventures 01:06 Understanding Modern Private Equity and Fund Structures 02:45 Launching a New Fund: Insights and Preparations 04:10 Market Changes and Investor Sentiment 06:18 Fundraising Strategies in a Constrained Environment 09:10 The Importance of Personal Branding in VC 11:41 Retail Investment Trends and Social Media Influence 14:45 Navigating the Risks of Investment in a Volatile Market 18:41 Education and Discipline in Investment Strategies 21:29 Lessons Learned: The Importance of Third-Party Reporting 24:52 Navigating Legal Challenges in Business 27:01 The Journey of Heartland: A Family Business Success 29:05 Transitioning from Family Business to Hedge Funds 32:17 Reinventing Yourself in New Ventures 36:37 Finding Fulfillment Beyond Financial Success 38:40 The Importance of Enjoying the Journey 40:39 Building a Personal Brand in a Digital World 42:07 The Future of Advertising and Social Media 43:28 Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Goals Connect with Ready Set Exec: * John Pezoulas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/] * Patrick Shea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/] * Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec [https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec] * Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g [https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g] * Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413] Connect with Justin Freishtat: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-freishtat-68063579/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-freishtat-68063579/]

Jim Carlough: How I Took a Sales Team's Close Ratio from 15% to 70% in 3 Years

Most sales teams track their close ratio and quota attainment. Jim Carlough's team went from 15% to 70% by measuring everything else first. Jim Carlough is a transformational executive and leadership identity architect with 30 years of driving growth across healthcare and technology. As Chief Sales Officer at Impulse, he leads AI-powered engagement strategies delivering over one billion healthcare conversations annually while accelerating double-digit ARR growth. As former President of Health Trio (acquired by Impulse), he tripled revenue in three years, going from 1 deal a year to 10, selling a new deal every month for nine consecutive months in his best stretch. In this episode, Jim breaks down exactly how he did it: the pipeline cleansing, the drip campaigns, the KPI structure, and the hiring philosophy he learned from Ross Perot. He also shares the research behind his new book on "accidental leaders," the 82% of managers promoted without any leadership training, and why AI will never replace the human judgment, empathy, and integrity that real leadership requires. About Ready Set Exec: Founded by Managing Partners Patrick Shea and John Pezoulas, Ready Set Exec is a premier North American executive leadership recruitment firm specializing in Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations. We replace hiring chaos with a repeatable process, boasting an average time-to-hire of 39 days and a 100% placement success rate. Chapter: 00:00 Who is Jim Carlough? 30 years, $100M healthcare SaaS, CSO at Impulse 01:25 How Jim took close ratios from 15% to 70%, the first thing he did 03:20 The pipeline cleansing operation is removing years of garbage from Salesforce 08:15 KPIs that actually matter: drip campaigns, early-stage pipeline, and qualified pipeline 12:45 9 deals in 9 months, and the chairman's call in October 15:03 Building a metrics-driven culture without destroying your team's morale 16:19 Hire winners or people who hate to lose, the Ross Perot hiring philosophy 23:56 The two things all salespeople struggle with and how to coach around them 43:20 Why AI will never replace leadership empathy, integrity, and judgment 47:23 Jim's book: The Six Essential Pillars for fixing "Accidental Leaders." Connect with Ready Set Exec: * John Pezoulas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/] * Patrick Shea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/] * Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec [https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec] * Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g [https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g] * Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413] Connect with Jim Carlough: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimcarlough [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimcarlough] #salesleadership #B2Bsales #salesKPI #SaaS #healthtech #AI #leadership #CRO #podcast #ReadySetExec

Aurora Winter: How to Write a Business Book That Makes You 7 Figures | Ready Set Exec

In 2026, there are two types of people: those who work for AI, and those who have AI work for them. A book is one of the fastest ways to end up in the right category. Aurora Winter is a thought leader, launch expert, media coach, and bestselling author of 10 books. A former film and TV executive, she helps entrepreneurs and executives turn their expertise into books, powerful messages, and lasting authority. Dr. Wayne Dyer has endorsed her work and helped clients get featured in major media outlets, raise capital, and become recognized voices in their fields. In this episode, we break down exactly how to write, publish, and launch a business book that actually grows your revenue - not just your shelf. Aurora covers the Hormozi playbook that generated $81M in one day, the neuroscience behind why stories sell 27x more, and why a bad book can hurt your brand more than having no book at all. About Ready Set Exec: Founded by Managing Partners Patrick Shea and John Pezoulas, Ready Set Exec is a premier North American executive leadership recruitment firm specializing in Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations. We replace hiring chaos with a repeatable process, boasting an average time-to-hire of 39 days and a 100% placement success rate. Chapters: 00:00 Who is Aurora Winter? Film/TV exec turned 10-time bestselling author 01:53 Why 2026 is a watershed year for personal brands - and AI's scary split 03:56 Why strong brands grow in recessions - the Chanel 2008 case study 07:13 Step-by-step: how to plan your business book from scratch 09:41 Self-publishing vs. traditional - which one is right for you? 11:26 Why AI-written books will destroy your brand (not build it) 13:25 The full book launch system - from manuscript to thought leader 17:18 How Alex Hormozi made $81M in one day - the self-publishing blueprint 21:00 Realistic expectations: the dentist who built a $120M company from one book 29:39 Neuroscience of trust: why stories produce 27x more revenue 31:50 Social proof and status - how a book shifts every client conversation Connect with Ready Set Exec: * John Pezoulas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/] * Patrick Shea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/] * Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec [https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec] * Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g [https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g] * Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413] Connect with Aurora Winter: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/aurorawinter [http://linkedin.com/in/aurorawinter] #personalbranding #writingabook #businessbook #selfpublishing #thoughtleadership #AlexHormozi #authorpreneur #podcast #ReadySetExec #brandbuilding

Joe Zahaitis: How to choose your payment processor for your business | Ready Set Exec

Most businesses hand over 90–95% of their revenue stream to a payment processor they've never properly vetted, and that processor is counting on you never looking too closely at the bill. Joe Zahaitis has spent 32 years in payments working for Bank of America Merchant Services, SPS Payment Systems, and now Bank Card International Group and Manirpay. He's seen every trick in the book. In this episode, we get into the one formula that exposes if your processor is overcharging you, how predatory pricing creeps in when you're not watching, why crypto could eliminate chargebacks, and how to finally build a relationship with your vendor instead of just chasing the lowest price. About Ready Set Exec: Founded by Managing Partners Patrick Shea and John Pezoulas, Ready Set Exec is a premier North American executive leadership recruitment firm specializing in Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations. We replace hiring chaos with a repeatable process, boasting an average time-to-hire of 39 days and a 100% placement success rate. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro: Who is Joe Zahaitis? 0:52 - How Joe got into payments, the Sears interview story 5:17 - Why payments are taken for granted (and why that costs you money) 5:47 - What to look for beyond just price in a payment processor 8:13 - How to vet your merchant services provider properly 11:23 - Predatory pricing: how to spot if your processor is ripping you off 13:57 - High-risk industries and what that means for your business 17:37 - Crypto, stablecoins, and why there's no chargeback on digital assets 19:37 - Friendly fraud, consumer abuse, and the chargeback war 23:21 - Subscription scams, auto-renewals, and the trap that survives card changes 29:04 - Best practices for any merchant, regardless of budget 32:07 - How to minimize chargebacks (the right way) 38:11 - Rate creep, contract rolls, and the cash discount debate 47:25 - Customer segmentation: your A, B, C, and D clients Connect with Ready Set Exec: * John Pezoulas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/] * Patrick Shea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/] * Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec [https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec] * Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g [https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g] * Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413] Connect with Joe Zahaitis: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joezahaitis/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joezahaitis/] #MerchantServices #PaymentProcessing #Ecommerce #Chargebacks #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusiness #CryptoPayments #SubscriptionTrap #BusinessPodcast #Podcast2026 #HighRiskPayments #PaymentFraud #EcommerceStrategy #FounderMindset #Entrepreneur

James Lang: 90% of Businesses Are Using AI Wrong (Here's What Actually Works) | Ready Set Exec

Most businesses are burning cash on AI tools that will disappear overnight - and they don't even know it. James Lang (Managing Partner, Overlang Venture Partners) reveals the exact AI growth funnel used by multi-million dollar brands, and why owning your own AI infrastructure is the #1 competitive edge in 2026. In this episode, we get into the AI-powered quiz funnel used by top brands, why your off-the-shelf AI is a liability, and how to build enterprise infrastructure on an SMB budget and what it actually takes to scale a team without destroying the culture that got you there. About Ready Set Exec: Founded by Managing Partners Patrick Shea and John Pezoulas, Ready Set Exec is a premier North American executive leadership recruitment firm specializing in Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations. We replace hiring chaos with a repeatable process, boasting an average time-to-hire of 39 days and a 100% placement success rate. Chapter: 0:00 - Intro: Who is James Lang? 1:09 - The AI-powered quiz funnel strategy 4:29 - What does a healthy sales funnel actually look like? 11:06 - Where to deploy AI across your marketing stack 13:22 - How to use AI prompts properly (stop copy-pasting AI slop) 19:19 - Enterprise AI strategies now available to SMBs 22:48 - Building your own AI infrastructure: the walled garden approach 26:44 - The AI startup bubble - whose data is really at risk? 34:43 - Scaling from 5 to 60 employees - what breaks first 40:31 - The "Camp Counsellor COO" and the kazoo method 52:33 - Recruiting: Indeed, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn & Upwork compared 57:46 - The gig economy retirement crisis no one is talking about 1:01:13 - Final advice: learn AI and over-deliver for people who matter Connect with Ready Set Exec: * John Pezoulas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpezoulas/] * Patrick Shea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jm-shea/] * Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec [https://www.youtube.com/@ReadySetExec] * Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g [https://open.spotify.com/show/6clqPWbF2yFRlsFUOXY0CO?si=UuOAbZeiQMKpgSjV5Od5_g] * Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-set-exec-the-podcast/id1837951413] Connect with James Lang: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/james-lang-94329271 [http://linkedin.com/in/james-lang-94329271] #AIMarketing #GrowthFunnel #SmallBusiness #AITools #BusinessGrowth #StartupStrategy #SalesStrategy #MarketingStrategy #COOLeadership #AIInfrastructure #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #Podcast2026 #FounderMindset #ScalingUp