Built In America

How Brett Rose Built UNCS into a Global Wholesale Powerhouse

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Brett Rose, founder and CEO of United National Consumer Suppliers (UNCS), to explore his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned while scaling one of the nation’s leading wholesale distributors. From navigating market challenges to building a resilient company culture, Brett shares how relationships—not profits—have been the driving force behind his success. He opens up about the personal health challenges that reshaped his leadership style, the importance of hiring the right talent, and the role of organizations like YPO in fostering growth and perspective. Brett also reflects on the balance between ambition and humility, the hard truths of entrepreneurship, and why philanthropy and giving back are central to his future vision. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or someone seeking inspiration from a story of resilience and authenticity, this episode offers valuable insights into building a business—and a life—with purpose. Let’s keep building…  Follow Sam Mahmood:  * Instagram: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.instagram.com/TheSamMahmood] * Twitter: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.twitter.com/TheSamMahmood]_ * LinkedIn: Sam Mahmood [https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheSamMahmood] Join the Built In America community of others who are buying great businesses and sign up for Sam’s weekly newsletter: http://www.sammahmood.comwww.builtinamerica.co [http://www.builtinamerica.co] Follow our producers, The Peers Project: https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA== [https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA==] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Business Behind Celebrity Tours: Dreamliner CEO Rich Thomson Breaks It Down

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Rich Thomson, CEO of Dreamliner, to explore how a transportation startup launched during the height of COVID-19 has grown into a key player in live entertainment logistics. From purchasing his first 12 buses in 2020 to scaling through acquisitions, Rich shares how Dreamliner became the backbone of celebrity tours and live events across the country. He reflects on the challenges of breaking into an industry built on trust and relationships, from navigating labor and maintenance shortages to reshaping an entire management team to align with his vision. Rich also dives into the importance of company culture, the complexities of music touring, and why diversification into sports and other sectors represents the next stage of growth. Whether you’re curious about live entertainment, entrepreneurship, or the grit required to scale a company in one of the toughest industries to enter, this episode offers an inside look at building Dreamliner—and the leadership philosophy driving it forward. Let’s keep building… Follow Sam Mahmood:  * Instagram: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.instagram.com/TheSamMahmood] * Twitter: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.twitter.com/TheSamMahmood]_ * LinkedIn: Sam Mahmood [https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheSamMahmood] Join the Built In America community of others who are buying great businesses and sign up for Sam’s weekly newsletter: http://www.sammahmood.comwww.builtinamerica.co [http://www.builtinamerica.co] Follow our producers, The Peers Project: https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA== [https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA==] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

From Lab to Table: Wildtype’s Vision for the Future of Seafood

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Justin Kolbeck, co-founder and CEO of Wild Type, to explore how cellular agriculture is reshaping the future of seafood. From cultivated salmon fillets to rethinking America’s reliance on imports, Justin shares how Wild Type is pioneering a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable approach to what ends up on our plates. He reflects on the challenges of building a science-driven startup, from early experiments to gaining validation through chef tastings, and opens up about navigating the realities of fundraising in a capital-intensive industry. Justin also dives into the balance between product perfection and market readiness, the importance of authenticity with investors, and why dilution can sometimes be the right trade-off for growth. Whether you’re interested in food tech, sustainability, or the entrepreneurial grit behind bringing revolutionary products to market, this episode offers an inside look at the future of seafood—and the bold vision driving it forward. Let’s keep building…  Follow Sam Mahmood:  * Instagram: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.instagram.com/TheSamMahmood] * Twitter: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.twitter.com/TheSamMahmood]_ * LinkedIn: Sam Mahmood [https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheSamMahmood] Join the Built In America community of others who are buying great businesses and sign up for Sam’s weekly newsletter: http://www.sammahmood.comwww.builtinamerica.co [http://www.builtinamerica.co] Follow our producers, The Peers Project: https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA== [https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA==] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Why Jordan Nathan Launched Caraway to Reinvent the Kitchen

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Jordan Nathan, Founder and CEO of Caraway, to discuss how a personal health scare led him to create one of today’s most trusted cookware brands. Jordan shares how Caraway disrupted the kitchen market with non-toxic, eco-friendly, and beautifully designed products—quickly building a 150,000+ waitlist at launch and scaling into a household name. He also opens up about the challenges of breaking into a legacy industry, the importance of intentional design, and what it takes to build consumer trust in a crowded market. Whether you’re a founder, a product designer, or simply passionate about healthier living, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at building a category-defining brand from the ground up. Let’s keep building…  Follow Sam Mahmood:  * Instagram: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.instagram.com/TheSamMahmood] * Twitter: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.twitter.com/TheSamMahmood]_ * LinkedIn: Sam Mahmood [https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheSamMahmood] Join the Built In America community of others who are buying great businesses and sign up for Sam’s weekly newsletter: http://www.sammahmood.comwww.builtinamerica.co [http://www.builtinamerica.co] Follow our producers, The Peers Project: https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA== [https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA==] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

From Beachbody to BODi: Carl Daikeler’s Fitness Tech Reinvention

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Carl Daikeler, founder and CEO of Body (formerly Beachbody), to explore what it takes to build a fitness movement that transforms millions of lives. Carl shares the evolution of his company—from the early days of infomercials to launching one of the most successful at-home fitness programs in history, P90X, and reimagining it for a digital world. He opens up about the psychology of change, why transformation starts with identity, and how having a step-by-step plan is critical to making progress stick. Carl also breaks down the power of marketing in fitness, how Body continuously tests and improves its programs, and the moments that made him realize the real impact of his work. Whether you're passionate about health, entrepreneurship, or the mindset behind reinvention, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a bold vision—and a whole lot of discipline—can change bodies, businesses, and lives. Let’s keep building…  Follow Sam Mahmood:  * Instagram: @TheSamMahmood [https://www.instagram.com/TheSamMahmood]  * Twitter: @TheSamMahmood [https://x.com/TheSammahmood_?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor]_  * LinkedIn (Host): Sam Mahmood [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-mahmood-06620484/]  * LinkedIn (Podcast): https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-in-america [https://www.linkedin.com/company/built-in-america/posts/?feedView=all] Join the Built In America community of others who are buying great businesses and sign up for Sam’s weekly newsletter: http://www.sammahmood.comwww.builtinamerica.co [http://www.builtinamerica.co] Follow our producers, The Peers Project: https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA== [https://www.instagram.com/thepeersproject?igsh=MTZ1dWJpZXVpYWdybA==] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.