Jim Schory

Jim Schory

Episode Summary For this special Father's Day episode, Andrew Schory turns the microphone on the man who started it all — his father, Jim Schory. Jim traces a remarkable entrepreneurial journey: from selling industrial products for Goodyear to running a franchise bakery, to opening his first Burger King in Radcliff, Kentucky in August of 1980 with 20% interest rates and a sold house as working capital. Andrew and Jim cover the lessons of business succession, the role of mentorship in business and faith, what sports taught them both about perseverance, and the grandfather whose words — "just keep it up" — echo across three generations. Guest Information Guest Name: Jim Schory, Entrepreneur (Retired) Bio: Jim Schory is a lifelong entrepreneur and the father of Small Stones Podcast host Andrew Schory. A graduate of Mount Union College in Ohio, Jim began his career in industrial sales at Goodyear before launching a series of small businesses and a franchise bakery. In 1980, he opened his first Burger King in Radcliff, Kentucky — eventually building a multi-unit franchise operation that Andrew would go on to manage and purchase as a second-generation owner. Jim is also a devoted family man, a lifelong athlete, and a man of deep faith who was mentored into Christianity through sports ministry. Now retired and based in Florida, he remains an active golfer — including a two-time Member-Member tournament champion. Episode Outline From Goodyear to Burger King: Jim's Career Story (00:14) Jim walks through his early career — Goodyear's Industrial Products Division in Akron and Louisville, joining his brother in the family business in Ohio, launching a franchise bakery outside Wheeling, WV, and ultimately opening his first Burger King in Radcliff, KY in August 1980. He sold his house for the $40,000 in working capital and faced 20% interest rates. The Penny Business: Controlling Costs from Day One (01:06) Jim and Andrew discuss the financial discipline required to run a successful restaurant franchise. Jim's core principle: know your costs — labor, purchasing, and waste — or you'll find yourself doing everything right and still not making money. Andrew adds the restaurant owner's frame: food and labor are the prime costs, and one hour of unnecessary labor outweighs any condiment waste. The Bun Route: Creative Problem-Solving in a Small Market (01:05) When Jim expanded to a second location in Bowling Green — an hour south of Radcliff — he discovered bun prices were nearly double what he paid up north. With a local supplier monopoly holding firm, Jim's solution: buy a trailer and haul his own buns from the Elizabethtown distribution bakery twice a week. A textbook example of small business resourcefulness. 14 Months to Traction: What New Business Owners Must Understand (01:13) Jim shares the story of his first year in Radcliff — poor sales from the start, a brief summer lift, a September dip, and then an October explosion: sales up 30%, followed by 20–25% monthly gains through the holidays. His mentor at the time told him simply to keep plugging away. Andrew draws the lesson forward: new business owners should plan for 12–18 months before real traction, and have enough working capital to survive it. Handing Off the Business: What Second-Generation Succession Really Requires (01:08) Jim's most important piece of advice for any business owner considering a family succession: honestly assess whether the next generation is suited for the role — and if they're not strong in operations, make sure a long-term operations person is in place before the handoff. Andrew reflects on his own experience: the people he lost early, the maturity he lacked, and the long-tenured managers who kept the business running while he found his footing. Faith Through Sports Ministry (01:16) Jim grew up attending church sporadically and studied Bible as a minor in college without deep personal faith. The turning point came through Army Reserve duty in Kentucky — a colleague invited him to play basketball on a Tuesday night, then to a church league. The man he'd been guarding all season turned out to be the minister: Bob Russell, who would go on to lead Southeast Christian Church through decades of growth. That invitation through sports changed the direction of Jim's life. What Sports Teaches About Business and Life (01:19) Jim reflects on how sports opened nearly every door in his life — including his early career at Goodyear, where being a skilled golfer earned him an invitation to play with the chairman of the board. Andrew ties this back to his father's people-first leadership: the same relational instincts that built sports teams and discipled men in faith also shaped how Jim led managers and team members in the business. Jim's Dad: A Work Ethic That Crossed Generations (01:22) Jim talks about his father — an athlete, a builder's supply business owner, an identical twin — who put Jim to work at age 12 and taught him to take on tasks he thought he couldn't do. Andrew reflects on never knowing his grandfather, who passed away when Andrew was young, and what it meant for Jim to navigate business ownership without a father to call. Jim's answer: "You just have to keep moving forward. Never give up." The Dream Foursome: A Golf Question with a Revealing Answer (01:26) Andrew asks Jim to fill his dream golf foursome with any three people, living or dead. Speed Round Highlights (01:29) Books Mentioned • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey — Jim's most impactful business read; a book he tried to teach to others Host & Show Info Host: Andrew Schory, Business Coach About the Host: Andrew Schory is a business coach dedicated to helping leaders build momentum through small, intentional actions. Each episode of the Small Stones Podcast features conversations with business and thought leaders to uncover the habits and decisions that move life and business forward — one small stone at a time. Podcast Website: smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Community • Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts — The most impactful way to support the show and help other listeners find it. • Work with Andrew: Interested in one-on-one or group business coaching? Visit smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] to schedule a session. • Join the Mailing List: Get tools, insights, and episode updates at smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Share this episode with a business owner, a parent, or anyone who needs to hear that the most powerful thing you can do when you're in trouble is simply keep moving forward.

Dr. Shannon Holt, Pink Dot Project

Episode Summary What happens when one conversation with a patient leads to a community-wide movement? In this episode, Andrew Schory talks with Dr. Shannon Holt, an OBGYN in Elizabethtown, KY, about her journey into medicine, what it was like joining (and eventually taking over) her father's decades-old practice, and the moment that sparked the Pink Dot Project — a local initiative tackling period poverty head-on. Dr. Holt breaks down what period poverty actually means, why it affects far more people than most realize, and how a single small action turned into a movement now supplying thousands of dollars in period products to nonprofits across the community every month. In this episode you'll learn: • What period poverty is and why it affects an estimated 2 in 5 women in the U.S. • How a single patient conversation sparked the Pink Dot Project • Why "don't overthink it" became the guiding philosophy for distributing donations • How the government's classification of feminine products affects the availability of needed products. • Practical ways businesses and individuals can get involved Guest Information Guest Name: Dr. Shannon Holt, OBGYN Bio: Dr. Shannon Holt is an OBGYN in Elizabethtown, KY. After undergraduate studies at Transylvania University, medical school at the University of Kentucky, and her OBGYN training in Cincinnati, she returned home about 19 years ago to join her father's private practice, founded in 1978. Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Holt is the founder of the Pink Dot Project, a community initiative addressing period poverty in the Elizabethtown area, operated in partnership with Heels Together under the Central Kentucky Community Foundation. Pink Dot Project: https://ckcf4people.org/pink-dot-program/ [https://ckcf4people.org/pink-dot-program/] Episode Outline From Music Major to OBGYN: Joining Her Father's Practice (00:10) Dr. Holt shares her path from a music and broadcast journalism major to becoming an OBGYN — and what it was like to join her father's long-established Elizabethtown practice (founded 1978), eventually working alongside him until his retirement in 2020. She reflects on the unique dynamics of working with a parent and the mentorship that came with it. The Business Side of Medicine: A Gap in Training (03:01) Andrew and Dr. Holt discuss a gap common across professional fields: deep technical training with little to no education on running the business side. They talk about why private practice is becoming less sustainable, and the value of having a mentor who has "made payroll" before. What Is Period Poverty? (06:45) The conversation pivots to the story that changed everything: a patient who couldn't afford basic period supplies, and didn't qualify for help through WIC or SNAP. Dr. Holt shares the eye-opening statistics — 2 in 5 women in the U.S. can't afford period products, 1 in 4 students miss school because of it, and many women miss work as a result. How a Coffee Conversation Became the Pink Dot Project (12:40) What started as a grant conversation about menopause education turned into something else entirely once Dr. Holt shared her patient's story. The grant was eventually awarded to the local free clinic in 2023 — which then lost its funding. Thanks to Beth Avey and the team at Heals Together, the project was revived and officially launched in October 2025 with two permanent donation sites: The Gathering Bakery in Radcliff and Hub House downtown, plus Dr. Holt's own office. Keeping It Sustainable: Donations, Drives & the Tampon Tax (19:35) Dr. Holt explains how local businesses sponsor donation drives, the Amazon wishlist that ships directly to her office, and the monthly distributions — about $8,000 worth of supplies delivered to 22 nonprofit organizations each month. She also covers Kentucky's classification of period products as "luxury items" subject to sales tax, an issue that's seen multiple failed legislative attempts (2019, 2023, 2024), and the push toward reusable supplies like period underwear and menstrual cups and discs. Speed Round Highlights (25:31) Books & Resources Mentioned • The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown — On perseverance, teamwork, and the 1936 U.S. Olympic rowing team • The Correspondent — Shannon's current read, a novel about an elderly woman and a lifetime of letters Host & Show Info Host: Andrew Schory, Business Coach About the Host: Andrew Schory is a business coach dedicated to helping leaders build momentum through small, intentional actions. Each episode of the Small Stones Podcast features conversations with business and thought leaders to uncover the habits and decisions that move life and business forward — one small stone at a time. Podcast Website: smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Community • Support the Pink Dot Project: Donate, sponsor a drive, or shop the Amazon wishlist at https://ckcf4people.org/pink-dot-program/ [https://ckcf4people.org/pink-dot-program/] • Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts — The most impactful way to support the show and help other listeners find it. • Work with Andrew: Interested in one-on-one or group business coaching? Visit smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] to schedule a session. Share this episode with someone who could use a reminder that one honest conversation — and one small action — can grow into something that helps an entire community.

Chris Kiger, First Christian Church

Episode Summary What does it look like to lead people well — in a church, on a team, or in a home — for over 30 years? In this episode, Andrew Schory sits down with Chris Kiger, Pastoral Care Minister at First Christian Church in Elizabethtown, KY. Chris has served at the same church since 1994, shifting from youth ministry to missions to pastoral care — always following his strengths, always finding people and putting them in the right seats. Equal parts insightful and entertaining, this conversation covers organizational culture, the tension between skill and passion, parenting as leadership training, and why being the "hot sauce of life" might just be a legitimate leadership strategy. In this episode you'll learn: • How a strength-based culture shapes staff hiring, placement, and longevity • Why unity is the non-negotiable foundation of organizational health • The difference between skill and passion — and why you need both • How humility and self-awareness make you a better leader over time Guest Information Guest Name: Chris Kiger, Pastoral Care Minister Bio: Chris Kiger has served at First Christian Church in Elizabethtown, KY since 1994 — over 30 years at the same congregation. A graduate of Kentucky Christian College (1991), Chris has led youth ministry, missions and community outreach, and now serves as Pastoral Care Minister, focusing on seniors. A proud Tar Heels and Red Sox fan, Chris is also a father of four sons and two daughters-in-law, a former youth sports coach, and a self-described "hot sauce" who believes life is meant to be enjoyed. Website: fccetown.com [https://fccetown.com] Address: 1811 North Mile Street, Elizabethtown, KY Email: chris@fccetown.com Episode Outline 30 Years, Many Roles: Following Strengths Through a Career (00:59) Chris traces his path from youth minister (1994–2015) to missions and community outreach to his current role in pastoral care. He credits First Christian's leadership culture for recognizing his strengths and reshaping his role accordingly — a model he now applies to the volunteers and staff he leads. What Good Organizational Culture Actually Looks Like (06:28) Chris unpacks three levels of organizational culture: internal staff, congregational members, and the broader community. His top principle? Unity. He also makes a case for smaller decision-making groups and the importance of drawing out the quiet voices in the room. Being the "Hot Sauce": Personality, Humility, and Knowing When to Turn It Off (11:40) Chris describes himself as the "hot sauce of life" — someone who adds energy and spice to every room. But good leadership requires knowing when to dial it back. He reflects honestly on learning humility over time, and why every team needs a mix of personality types — including the cerebral, the talkative, and yes, the hot sauce. Parenting as Leadership School: Unity, Passion, and Letting Go (16:23) Chris and Andrew explore what parenting teaches leaders. The lesson transfers directly to ministry and organizational leadership: putting talented people into roles they dread doesn't serve anyone. Skill vs. Passion: What Really Separates Good from Great (22:25) Drawing on baseball analogies and real leadership experience, Chris and Andrew dig into the interplay between talent and drive. The sweet spot is finding people who have both — and putting them in the right seat. Speed Round Highlights (25:33) Books Mentioned • Who Is This Man? by John Ortberg — On Jesus' influence across culture, science, medicine, and art • In His Likeness - Written by a physician at a leper colony; reflections on life, the body, and design • The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien — Chris's current fiction read Host & Show Info Host: Andrew Schory, Business Coach About the Host: Andrew Shory is a business coach dedicated to helping leaders build momentum through small, intentional actions. Each episode of the Small Stones Podcast features conversations with business and thought leaders to uncover the habits and decisions that move life and business forward — one small stone at a time. Podcast Website: smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Community • Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts — The most impactful way to support the show and help other listeners find it. • Work with Andrew: Interested in one-on-one or group business coaching? Visit smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] to schedule a session. • Join the Mailing List: Get tools, insights, and episode updates at smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Share this episode with a leader, pastor, coach, or parent who could use a reminder that strength-based leadership — whether at home or at work — is always worth the investment.

Ann Fisher, Ann Fisher CPA & Associates

Episode Summary What happens when a tenth-grade tragedy reshapes an entire career? In this episode, Andrew Schory sits down with Ann Fisher, CPA and owner of Ann Fisher CPA & Associates in Elizabethtown, KY. Ann shares the deeply personal story of how her father's sudden death set her on an unexpected path — from cosmetology school to becoming a CPA who is fiercely committed to never making a client feel "less than." Whether you're a business owner, a leader navigating high-pressure seasons, or someone thinking about long-term financial planning, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and genuine insight. In this episode, you'll learn: • How Ann's origin story shaped her empathy-first approach to client service • What it really takes to survive (and thrive) through tax season • Why long-term tax planning matters — and who needs it most • The clear difference between a bookkeeper, a controller, and a fractional CFO Guest Information Guest Name: Ann Fisher, CPA Bio: Ann Fisher is the owner of Ann Fisher CPA & Associates in Elizabethtown, KY. A self-described math nerd, Ann's path to accounting began in a 10th-grade business class — and was profoundly shaped by her father's passing that same year. After earning her cosmetology license to help her mother run the family hair salon, Ann went on to earn her CPA and spent years working at firms across the country alongside her husband's military career. She specializes in business and individual tax preparation, estate and trust work, long-term tax planning, and fractional CFO services. Her mission: to ensure every client feels informed, respected, and never "less than." Website: annfisher.cpa [https://annfisher.cpa] Episode Outline The Decision to Go Out on Her Own (00:41) Ann reflects on why she left established CPA firms to start her own practice — driven by a desire for deeper client relationships, personal freedom, and more control over how she serves people. A great segment for any leader considering the leap to entrepreneurship. Ann's Origin Story: Tragedy, Cosmetology, and a CPA's Calling (02:18) After her father's sudden death in 10th grade, Ann chose vocational school over the college track to help her mother run the family hair salon. Watching how their CPA treated her grieving, financially inexperienced mother left a lasting mark — and became the defining "why" behind Ann's entire approach to client service. Meeting Clients Where They Are: Communication & Simplicity (06:46) Ann discusses how she intentionally speaks at her clients' level — not to condescend, but to ensure they truly understand their financial picture. Her principle: "Complication confuses." A must-hear for any professional in a technical field. Surviving Tax Season: Mindset, Physical Health & Team Leadership (11:14) Tax season is Ann's marathon — and she prepares for it like one. She shares how she maintains mental sharpness, sets realistic limits with clients, conducts annual after-action reviews with her team, and leads with honesty rather than pressure. Valuable for any leader navigating high-intensity cycles. Long-Term Tax Planning & Estimated Taxes (18:25) Ann explains who needs long-term tax planning, when to schedule check-ins with your CPA, and what to do if you're struggling to make estimated tax payments. Practical, actionable advice for business owners at every stage. Bookkeeper vs. Controller vs. Fractional CFO — What's the Difference? (22:07) Ann breaks down the three distinct financial roles in plain language. A bookkeeper lives in the detail. A controller reviews, reconciles, and closes the books. A CFO brings analysis, forward vision, and strategic recommendations. If you've ever wondered which one your organization actually needs, this is your answer. Speed Round (25:46) Books & Resources Mentioned • Integrity by Dr. Henry Cloud — On the character of a leader • The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon — On leading with positivity and energy • Bulletproof by Evy Pomopouras — Ann's current nonfiction read • The Memory Library by Kate Story — Ann's recent fiction read — a story about how miscommunication fractures relationships • Diary of a CEO Podcast — Recommended by Ann for in-depth leadership interviews Host & Show Info Host: Andrew Schory, Business Coach About the Host: Andrew Schory is a business coach dedicated to helping leaders build momentum through small, intentional actions. Each episode of the Small Stones Podcast features conversations with business and thought leaders to uncover the habits and decisions that move life and business forward — one small stone at a time. Podcast Website: smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Community • Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts — The most impactful way to support the show and help other listeners find it. • Work with Andrew: Interested in one-on-one or group business coaching? Visit www.jplcoach.com [http://www.jplcoach.com] to schedule a session. • Join the Mailing List: Get tools, insights, and episode updates delivered to your inbox at smallstonespodcast.com [https://smallstonespodcast.com] Share this episode with a business owner or leader who could use a reminder that the path to success is rarely a straight line — and that small, intentional steps make all the difference.

Tom Hustead, The Referent Group

Tom graduated from West Point in the top 3% of his class and subsequently from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. As a retired Army Colonel, highlights from his distinguished 24-year career include being awarded Flight Surgeon of the Year for his service in combat, Outstanding Faculty of the Year for his medical teaching, and board selection as Department Chair for a family medicine residency department. As a result of his appointment by the Army Surgeon General to be the "face of military medicine" to recruit and share the Army Medicine story, Tom recognized a need and developed a passion for teaching physicians across the country to be effective, engaged leaders. In his final appointment in the military, Tom was the commander/CEO of a NATO military medical facility at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers. After retiring from the military in 2017, Tom has served as the Chief Medical Officer for Hardin Memorial Health and most recently Catawba Valley Health System. He currently serves as the CEO of the The Referent Group, a company committed to excellence in leadership development. Andrew and Tom discuss leadership development, authenticity, and shared success. Website: www.thereferentgroup.com [http://www.thereferentgroup.com] LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tom-hustead-m-d-2384585 [http://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-hustead-m-d-2384585] To join the Small Stones Podcast mailing list, visit www.smallstonespodcast.com [http://www.smallstonespodcast.com]. To find out about Andrew's one-on-one or group coaching, visit www.jplcoach.com [http://www.jplcoach.com].