Nail It Before You Scale It w. Scott Peper

Nail It Before You Scale It w. Scott Peper

In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Scott Peper, Founder and CEO of Mobilization Funding, to unpack the unconventional journey that led him from sales leadership into building one of the most specialized lenders in commercial construction.  Scott shares how a small investment opportunity unexpectedly became a full-scale business, the lessons he learned from early lending mistakes, and why solving real customer pain points matters more than scaling quickly.  The conversation dives deep into entrepreneurship, leadership, risk tolerance, culture, and how word-of-mouth growth still outperforms flashy marketing when your product truly delivers.

Build the Foundation, Then Scale w. Eric Fortenberry

In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Eric Fortenberry, Founder and CEO of JobTread, as he shares how he built one of the fastest-growing platforms in construction tech.  Starting with a chaotic, paper-based construction business, Eric stepped in to streamline operations, increase profitability, and create a scalable system now used by contractors nationwide. He unpacks the systems, mindset, and customer-first approach that fueled JobTread’s explosive growth. 00:00:00 – Why most construction businesses can’t scale 00:01:26 – Meet Eric Fortenberry, CEO of JobTread 00:02:15 – How a one-year consulting gig turned into a tech company 00:03:29 – The broken systems Eric walked into 00:04:50 – Why no existing software fit—and why he built his own 00:05:45 – How JobTread drove a 43% profit increase in one year 00:07:10 – The difference between markup and margin 00:08:46 – Fixing incentives with bid requests and work orders 00:10:59 – Transitioning from hourly to fixed cost jobs 00:13:24 – When Eric knew JobTread could be a platform 00:15:42 – Getting buy-in from resistant team members 00:18:12 – How JobTread supports implementation 00:21:32 – Who JobTread is built for 00:24:30 – Why estimating is the key to long-term stickiness 00:30:57 – The dashboards and KPIs contractors care about 00:34:42 – Managing product feedback from 50,000+ users 00:39:47 – How JobTread built a winning team culture 00:44:52 – The future of construction tech 00:50:50 – Eric’s biggest lesson: Radical transparency wins

Scaling a Mission-Driven Skincare Brand w. Cheree Ashley

In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Cheree Ashley, Founder and CEO of Osier. Cheree went from opening treatment centers at the age of 24 to launching Osier, a skincare brand rooted in healing.  In this episode, she shares how Osier was born from her personal recovery journey, why clean, affordable products are a form of self-care, and how she’s balancing growth, mission, and motherhood while scaling a purpose-driven DTC brand. 00:00:13 — Cheree’s no-backup plan: why failure wasn’t an option 00:00:34 — From recovery to skincare: how Osier was born 00:03:03 — Why Cheree thrives in chaos—and how she makes it work 00:04:48 — Lessons from trial-and-error in her first business 00:06:44 — Building resilience through consistency and patience 00:07:34 — The story behind the name “Osier” and its symbolism 00:09:08 — Recovery, self-care, and skincare: how they connect 00:10:52 — Getting vulnerable in the beauty industry 00:12:06 — Osier’s giveback mission: funding treatment programs 00:15:31 — The surprising timeline of product development 00:16:27 — Stepping into the world of DTC and social media 00:17:42 — Formulating products with Korean manufacturers 00:20:47 — What’s worked for early traction: Amazon, TikTok Shop & pop-ups 00:22:09 — The dream: scholarship recovery care through product sales 00:24:36 — How Cheree leads teams with service and humility 00:26:56 — Building structure through boundaries and good habits 00:30:17 — Discipline = freedom: the power of routine 00:32:18 — What’s next for Osier over the next 3–5 years 00:33:08 — Advice Cheree would give her younger founder self 00:34:48 — Letting go of control and trusting the process

Build Credibility, Grow Your Business w. Rochelle Jacobs

In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Rochelle Jacobs, Co-Founder of Naturally Serious and a Wall Street veteran who returned to her roots in skincare. Rochelle shares how she blended clinical efficacy with clean ingredients to build a brand that's redefining modern beauty.  She talks about the power of partnerships, the lessons she learned launching just before the pandemic, and how learning to let go transformed her approach to growth. From bootstrapping a manufacturing facility to making clean beauty truly accessible, Rochelle’s story is a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership and quiet disruption. 00:00:13 – The importance of the right retail partners 00:00:36 – Meet Rochelle Jacobs 00:01:47 – Beauty roots: Her family’s skincare legacy 00:03:19 – Why finance came first and how she was pulled into skincare 00:04:18 – Launching a manufacturing facility with zero experience 00:05:47 – The hands-on MBA of building a beauty brand from scratch 00:07:20 – Learning by doing 00:08:27 – From spas to Sephora 00:10:36 – Product philosophy: Simplicity, transparency, and great naming 00:11:15 – Why fewer SKUs was a deliberate strategy 00:12:19 – Defining “clean” 00:14:25 – Clean meets clinical: Overcoming skepticism 00:16:21 – How the brand encourages organic discovery and accessibility 00:17:47 – Their patented antioxidant blend & anti-pollution edge 00:22:11 – Partnering with hospitals 00:25:13 – Creating healing products during breast cancer treatment 00:26:40 – Leadership lessons: Letting go, trusting your team 00:29:30 – Why word-of-mouth hiring still works 00:30:12 – The myth of work-life balance 00:32:29 – Biggest challenge: scaling in a TikTok-driven world 00:34:45 – Trends, distractions, and your phone 00:35:55 – Staying curious and humble as a founder 00:36:51 – Advice to past self 00:38:41 – Where to find Naturally Serious online

Sell Top-Down, Scale Faster w. Andre Wouansi

In this episode of How They Scaled It, I sit down with Andre Wouansi, Founder of Accurate Legal Billing. He shares how he went from auditing law firm invoices to building an AI-powered platform that’s saved firms over $225M in lost revenue. Hear how he overcame industry resistance, built a product without writing code, and why mindset is his most powerful leadership tool. 00:00:13 – The mindset that drives Andre as an entrepreneur 00:00:52 – Introducing Accurate Legal Billing (ALB) 00:01:32 – From bill auditing to legal tech founder 00:03:32 – Becoming part of the solution 00:05:41 – Building a product without being a developer 00:07:32 – Facing doubt and early industry resistance 00:09:06 – Turning every “no” into a “yes” 00:12:13 – How ALB evolved over the last 10 years 00:14:40 – Going from unknown to industry standard 00:17:00 – Landing ALB’s first enterprise clients 00:20:18 – Turning opportunity into case studies 00:24:32 – Why going straight to the top worked 00:26:00 – How COVID shifted law firm tech adoption 00:29:31 – Building tools for the next generation of lawyers 00:33:06 – Quantifying impact: $225M saved 00:35:01 – Leadership lessons and changing team mindset 00:43:55 – Why purpose matters more than profit 00:46:45 – The next five years for ALB