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

Ep179 Lindsay Bledsoe, Owner of Burnbright Creative Company: Creative Director, Accidental Salesperson

What happens when a creative person realizes she's actually in sales? In this episode of the Default Profitable podcast, host Matt Nettleton sits down with Lindsay Bledsoe, owner and senior creative director at Burnbright Creative Company, an Indianapolis-based indie advertising agency she co-founded with Nate Riggs. Lindsay spent 15 years inside other people's ad shops, first in Milwaukee newsrooms and then in Indy cable, before her position was eliminated in April 2025. Three months later she and Nate launched Burnbright. Their mission is simple: keep advertising honest, accessible, and affordable for the small businesses and nonprofits bigger shops walk past. Lindsay's take is that marketing is not a line item, it's a vital investment, and every dollar a small client spends should be treated that way. Have you ever sold a vacuum cleaner door to door without ever asking anyone to buy one? Matt has, and he and Lindsay use it to dig into the part of running a business almost nobody warns you about. Lindsay didn't realize she'd become a full-time salesperson until a few months in. Her take: nobody wants to be sold to, but everyone loves a good ad. The emotional roller coaster surprised her more than the bookkeeping did. Her best advice for anyone about to take the leap: take a breath. You've got this. Learn more about Lindsay Bledsoe and Burnbright Creative Company at https://www.burnbrightcreative.com/ [https://www.burnbrightcreative.com/]. Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com [https://defaultprofitable.com] or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

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.