Eat What You Kill: The Bet-On-Yourself Model — Mark Weber

Eat What You Kill: The Bet-On-Yourself Model — Mark Weber

Mark Weber made $12,000 his first year in business. He never hired an employee. Three decades later, he's built a portfolio across life insurance, real estate, and mortgage lending — all on strategic partnerships and commission-only hustle. Mark Weber is a serial entrepreneur, inventor, and CEO of Mark Weber Enterprises — a multi-layered company spanning real estate, investments, insurance, and mortgage lending. In this episode, Mark sits down with host Joshua Wilson and co-host Jude David, Managing Partner at FA Mergers, to break down the "eat what you kill" operating model that's carried him through 30+ years of entrepreneurship without a single W-2 employee. From his first $28,000 townhouse in 1994 to co-inventing the GreatCatch soft hands trainer (licensed to Cutters Gloves and SKLZ, now sold globally), Mark shares how strategic partnerships, faith-led discernment, and old-fashioned grit built a durable boutique business — and what the next generation of dealmakers needs to hear. 🎯 What We Cover: * The eat-what-you-kill model and how Mark scaled without fixed payroll * How AI is reshaping life insurance underwriting (policies issued in minutes) * Strategic partnerships vs. hiring — how to structure transactional back-office support * Turning a $200 prototype into a $3.33 global retail product (the GreatCatch story) * Why grit and work ethic matter more than credentials for the next generation * How faith and discernment shape Mark's go/no-go decisions on deals * The rental property playbook that started with a single $28K townhouse * Teaching kids to hustle: lessons from laying sod and cutting grass * Inefficient markets, value creation, and why sales skills always win * Walking away from the wrong deals — and why the walk-aways matter most 🤝 Connect with Mark Weber:  🌐 https://www.leadprofessionalsgroup.com/our-team [https://www.leadprofessionalsgroup.com/our-team]  🌐 https://donedealnow.com/staff/mark-weber/ [https://donedealnow.com/staff/mark-weber/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-a-weber-a220999/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-a-weber-a220999/]  ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@GreatCatch08 [https://www.youtube.com/@GreatCatch08] 🤝 Connect with Co-Host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA — Managing Partner, FA Mergers:  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/] 💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/ [https://www.famergers.com/] 🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast:  🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ [https://www.thedealpodcast.com/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/]  ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast] DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.

Mergers and Acquisitions in the Nonprofit World

What if the smartest growth strategy in your community wasn't being run by a private equity firm — it was being run by a charity? Kim Boudreaux and Sarah Clement of Catholic Charities of Acadiana have spent the last two decades quietly executing one of the most disciplined nonprofit roll-up strategies in Louisiana — growing from a $1.2M agency with 23 employees into a $15M, 90-person, 14-organization platform serving eight civil parishes. In this episode, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA and Managing Partner at FA Mergers, sit down with Kim Boudreaux, Chief Executive Officer, and Sarah Clement, Chief Administrative Officer and 2023 recipient of the Catholic Charities USA National Management Excellence Award, for a candid look at how mission-driven organizations apply real M&A principles — economy of scale, sub-10% administrative rates, EOS implementation, and rigorous due diligence — to expand impact rather than profit. They open up about merging six nonprofits in a single day, navigating boards, integrating cultures, and the hard call to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour before it was cool. 🎯 What We Cover: * The bishop's challenge that launched a 20-year roll-up strategy * Why economy of scale matters more in nonprofits than most people think * The day they closed six mergers — and what they would do differently now * How to approach a nonprofit board about a merger without bruising egos * Using EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) to scale a faith-based enterprise * How they grew FoodNet 110% and Rebuilding Together Acadiana 290% post-acquisition * The succession-planning angle that opens nonprofit M&A conversations * Hiring people smarter than you — and the test Kim used to vet Sarah * Building a culture of mutual accountability, honest feedback, and "start/stop" exercises * Why the $15 minimum wage decision changed how the whole organization operates 🤝 Connect with Kim Boudreaux:  🌐 https://catholiccharitiesacadiana.org/ [https://catholiccharitiesacadiana.org/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-boudreaux-186094175/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-boudreaux-186094175/] 🤝 Connect with Sarah Clement:  🌐 https://catholiccharitiesacadiana.org/ [https://catholiccharitiesacadiana.org/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-clement-562b7913/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-clement-562b7913/] 🤝 Connect with Co-Host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA:  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/] 💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/ [https://www.famergers.com/] 🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast:  🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ [https://www.thedealpodcast.com/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/]  ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast] DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.

From Career to Calling: Inside Family Missions Company with Saul Keeton & Kevin Granger

What if the Lord interrupted your career at the peak of the American dream? Saul Keeton walked away from 25 years in commercial real estate. Kevin Granger left nursing and music behind. Both said yes to something bigger. In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson sits down with Saul Keeton and Kevin Granger of Family Missions Company — the largest lay Catholic foreign missionary organization in the world — alongside co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA and Managing Partner at FA Mergers.  Saul and Kevin share how the Lord rerouted their lives, what it takes to run a mission organization sending 200+ missionaries into 11 countries, and how business owners and stewards of capital can become the shaft of the spear that pushes the gospel into the world's most underserved places. This is a conversation about legacy, kingdom ROI, and what happens when ambition meets surrender. 🎯 What We Cover: * Why Saul left a 25-year commercial real estate career for the mission field * Kevin's journey from music major to nursing to global missions * How Family Missions Company became the largest lay Catholic foreign missionary organization in the world * The "tip of the spear" model — and why business owners are the shaft * Running a mission organization with 20–30 staff and 200+ missionaries in 11 countries * Kingdom ROI: how to think about return when souls are the metric * Why 3.6 billion people have never heard the name of Jesus * Gospel poverty, transparency, and how missionary funds actually flow * Working yourself out of a job — building self-sustaining missions * Identity rooted in being a son of the Father, not a to-do list 🤝 Connect with Saul Keeton & Kevin Granger:  On IG: Saul + https://www.instagram.com/saulkeeton [https://www.instagram.com/saulkeeton] Kevin + https://www.instagram.com/kevinjgranger [https://www.instagram.com/kevinjgranger] Family Missions: https://www.instagram.com/fmcmissions/ [https://www.instagram.com/fmcmissions/] Web: 🌐 https://www.familymissionscompany.com/ [https://www.familymissionscompany.com/]  👥 https://www.facebook.com/FamilyMissionsCompany/ [https://www.facebook.com/FamilyMissionsCompany/]  🎙️ Go You Are Sent Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/3as5fmjounyu6588WGO8Ek [https://open.spotify.com/show/3as5fmjounyu6588WGO8Ek]  ▶️ Go You Are Sent (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@GoYouAreSent [https://www.youtube.com/@GoYouAreSent] 🤝 Connect with Co-Host Jude David:  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/] 💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/ [https://www.famergers.com/] 🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast:  🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ [https://www.thedealpodcast.com/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/]  ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast] DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.

From Law to the Priesthood: Discerning the Call with Father Jim Brady

What does it actually take to walk away from a thriving career at the top of your game — and how do you do it without leaving wreckage behind? In this special episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA — Managing Partner at FA Mergers — sit down with Father Jim Brady, JCL, Pastor of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Lafayette, Louisiana. Before entering the priesthood, Father Brady spent eleven years building a regional law practice as a litigation partner. He earned a BS in Accounting from Spring Hill College, a JD from the University of Mississippi, and later a Licentiate in Canon Law from The Catholic University of America. His story is a master class in discernment, responsible transition, and the kind of stewardship every founder, partner, and operator eventually faces. Whether you're contemplating a sale, a career change, or the next chapter, this conversation will reframe how you think about calling, exits, and what it means to run toward something rather than away. 🎯 What We Cover: * How a 29-year-old trial lawyer started hearing a different call * The Holy Thursday moment that changed everything * Why he gave his partners a full year to unwind the practice responsibly * Building your own succession plan before you exit * The "99% pay cut" — what's actually hard about a major career transition * How to tell the difference between running toward something vs. running from it * Discernment frameworks that apply to founders, sellers, and career changers * Bringing trusted advisors into your decision instead of going it alone * Running a large parish like a business — service, solutions, and the customer experience * Why "small things with great love" outperform grand ambition over time 🤝 Connect with Father Jim Brady:  🌐 https://stpiusxchurch.org/staff/fr-jim-brady/ [https://stpiusxchurch.org/staff/fr-jim-brady/]  📧 pastor@stpiusxchurch.org [pastor@stpiusxchurch.org] 🤝 Connect with Co-Host Jude David, JD, DCL, MBA:  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jude-david-jd-dcl-mba-172a6a76/] 💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/ [https://www.famergers.com/] 🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast:  🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ [https://www.thedealpodcast.com/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/]  ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast] DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.

The Opportunity Machine: Powering Louisiana's Startup Boom — Destin Ortego

What happens when a former musician with degrees in graphic design and public relations becomes the executive director of one of Louisiana's most important startup engines? You get Destin Ortego — and a playbook that's helped founders raise $116M in venture capital and drive over $2 billion in economic impact since 2018. In this episode of The Deal Podcast, host Joshua Wilson and co-host Scott Shea sit down with Destin Ortego, Executive Director of Opportunity Machine, the Lafayette-based nonprofit turning aspiring entrepreneurs into fundable, scalable founders. Destin shares how Opportunity Machine evolved from an LITE-backed initiative in 2009 into a membership-based nonprofit supporting roughly 50 active startup teams across idea, early, and growth stages. The conversation digs into what makes a company actually fundable, why customer discovery kills more bad ideas than any pitch deck, and why curiosity and "humble swag" are the two traits that separate successful founders from everyone else. Destin also unpacks the AI moment, why SaaS-only startups are losing their moat, and why marketplaces and network-effect businesses are built to win the next cycle. 🎯 What We Cover: * How Opportunity Machine supports founders from idea stage through growth stage * The real definition of "fundable" — and why traction beats vision every time * Why customer discovery is the single most important skill for early founders * The difference between leading and lagging indicators (and why vanity metrics lie) * Bootstrapping, equity, and non-dilutive funding pathways like SBIR and STTR * Why the average successful founder takes 3.5 tries to get it right * How AI is reshaping defensibility — and why SaaS alone is no longer a moat * The marketplace comeback: why network effects are the new investor magnet * The mindset shift founders must make to avoid the "permanent underclass" * Why buying a business may be more viable than starting one from scratch 🤝 Connect with Destin Ortego:  🌐 https://opportunitymachine.org/ [https://opportunitymachine.org/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/destin-ortego/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/destin-ortego/] 🤝 Connect with Co-Host Scott Shea:  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/escottshea/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/escottshea/] 💼 Thinking About a Transaction? FA Mergers helps founders, investors, and business owners navigate the full M&A process — from valuation to close. If you're exploring a sale, acquisition, or capital raise, let's talk. 🔗 https://www.famergers.com/ [https://www.famergers.com/] 🎙️ Follow The Deal Podcast: 🌐 https://www.thedealpodcast.com/ [https://www.thedealpodcast.com/]  💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuabrucewilson/]  ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@dealpodcast] DISCLAIMER The Deal Podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed constitutes investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial or investment decisions.