Shop Talk at the Trophy Room: The 2026 Kickoff

Real Talk & No Over-Managing (The Kedma O. Debrief)

Victoria is still missing in action, which means Steve (PDX IT Services) and Erik (Adventure Employer Services) have been officially released from the peanut gallery to steer the ship. This week, the guys are debriefing their heavy, raw, and incredibly inspiring sit-down with Kedma O. of Superb Maids.If you missed last week's episode, go back and watch it—because Kedma doesn't play in the safety lane either. Steve and Erik break down her masterclass on community economic impact, fighting back against clumsy government regulations, and why your personal story is the only thing separating you from a thousand other identical businesses. Plus, they dive into the lost art of leadership: hiring actual talent, empowering them, and then having the backbone to get out of the way.It's short, it's intense, and it's a reminder to do the right thing even when absolutely nobody is looking.

Business, Trauma, and the 3-Second Rule

This week on the War Room Round Table, we are joined by "Small Business Superhero" and author Kedma O. for a conversation that goes way beyond the boardroom. Victoria Dean leads a deep dive into Kedma’s incredible journey—from using cleaning as a survival tool in a traumatic childhood to building a home services empire that saves families from crisis.Stay tuned for a raw Q&A session as Steve and Erik join from the "Peanut Gallery" to challenge the status quo on work-life balance, the $1,000-an-hour mindset, and the question of why "hustle" is officially obsolete. Kedma leaves us with a chilling reminder of why you should never ignore your intuition and why you only ever have three seconds to change your life.00:15 – Introducing Kedma O.01:09 – What is Economic Development?04:45 – The Purple Room: A Story of Trauma & Control07:21 – Giving Back: Saving a Family with CPS11:22 – Why Coaching is just a "Band-Aid"14:37 – The Specialist Coach: Comedians & TikTok20:24 – Peanut Gallery: The Struggle Owners Face Quietly28:17 – What Billionaires’ Calendars Actually Look Like45:13 – The White Van: The 3-Second Rule

Shop Talk at the Trophy Room: The 2026 Kickoff

With Victoria Dean away on assignment, the boys are left to their own devices at the Oregon Golf Club. In this "unsupervised" episode of the War Room Round Table, Erik, Steve, and Dean catch up on a busy start to the year. From Portland’s restaurant scene to a cautionary tale about a law firm's digital security meltdown, we’re diving into what it actually takes to stay "battle-tested" in 2026. Pull up a chair for some honest shop talk among mates. Thanks for tuning in!

🏡 Design, Dollars, and Downtown Dreams with Christine Jarski of CJ Dean Designs

Welcome back to the War Room Roundtable! This week, Victoria sits down with Christine Jarski of CJ Dean Designs to talk all things business, beautiful spaces, and building a brand. Christine, whose company is named after her entrepreneurial father, shares her journey from working on the side to taking the full-time leap during the pandemic. We talk about the rewarding challenges of new construction projects—including a deeply personal custom wallpaper mural—and discuss the constant hustle of effective marketing. Plus, Christine’s diverse background in fundraising and economic development in the Portland metro area has uniquely prepared her for the project management demands of interior design, and she gets a peek at her exciting plans, including her own line of custom wallpaper!Thanks for listening!CJ Dean Designshttps://cjdeandesigns.decoratingden.com/https://www.instagram.com/cjdeandesignsddi/https://www.facebook.com/CJDeanDesignsDDIVictoria Deanhttps://consulttak.com/Victoria@consulttak.comSteve Shaffhttps://pdxittech.com/steve@pdxittech.comDean Cambrayhttps://deancambrayphotography.com/dean@deancambray.comErik Swansonswansonpdx@comcast.net Erik.swanson@questco.net

🎙️ The War Room Round Table: Dissecting Small Business Challenges at Boyds Motor Werks

Welcome back to The War Room Round Table! This week, we're wrapping up our podcast with Eric Edwards at Boyd Motor Werks.Eric gave us a candid look inside his foreign auto repair shop, confirming what many of us small business owners face every day: the harsh reality of staffing and recruitment, the crucial need for effective succession planning, the ever-present threat of security challenges, and the complex calculus of accurate costing and ROI.Whether you're moving expensive foreign cars or managing any growing operation, the fight is the same. Please, pull up a chair as we dissect Eric's successes and struggles and offer our strategic recommendations on how to tackle these universal business challenges.Thanks for listening!