15 Minutes Share Your Voice

In today's podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Chris Earley, an ex-franchisee, founder and president of Liberty Inspection Group, based in Media, Pennsylvania. Chris tells us how he started his own home inspection company after getting his feet wet with a franchise. He also talks about diversifying his business to make it through the fluctuating real estate market. If your business is or isn't experiencing shifts because of economic factors, let Chris' story inspire you on how to navigate economic landmines.

"The franchise was good for us for a couple years; the business-in-the-box was really, really good – kind of got me going faster than I would have ordinarily," he explained. "But after a few years, it was just kind of like a waste of my royalties. I'm giving them 11% of everything I make, and I'm not getting any value in return."

He was one of the first franchisees to leave the company and was only in year eight of a 10-year non-compete agreement. So, he switched the name and kept the number and kept all the same clients. Although the franchisor came after him and he had to pay their attorney fees, it was worth it for him as he made back the money that he would have paid in royalties within a year.

Although the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 took its toll as he didn't have any income coming in, people began to "buy houses like crazy" and everybody was getting an inspection. But for the past 12-18 months, not only has the volume of sales down, but people are waiving inspections.

To compensate, he decided to start a handyman division, Canopy Building Services, with a separate C corporation and separate employees from the inspection side. Both companies share resources and have the same leadership team. The business model is also similar to Liberty's as they both incorporate Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and operate on traction.

Listen here as Chris also discusses what people should be aware of before selling their house, how his peer groups helped him through tough times, and the possibility of franchising his business.

Recorded 04/10/2023.

Mark Roderick is a Principal Partner at Lex Nova Law, a boutique law firm representing entrepreneurs and businesses. As an attorney for crowdfunding and fintech clients, Mark represents issuers, platforms, and investors nationwide and globally. He authors a crowdfunding blog to educate the crowdfunding industry on legal knowledge and speaks at conferences across the country. Mark has served as the Chair for the firm's Corporate Law Group and the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. His extensive and diverse legal expertise enables him to offer his clients multi-faceted legal counsel.

Why is intellectual honesty important for lawyers? By prioritizing what is morally correct over personal gain, lawyers strengthen the lawyer-client relationship and contribute to a fair and just society. Upholding the integrity of the legal profession and ensuring that justice is served depends on attorneys' commitment to ethical principles — even when they don't benefit from what they advocate.

As a math major, Mark Roderick was exposed to the world of math proofs and abstract thinking. Realizing he desired to work with people and help solve problems in the real world, he applied to law school. Unlike other professionals in the industry, Mark has a passion for doing what is right at all times — and seeks out others who value intellectual honesty over financial gain. Respecting your integrity, both in your profession and personal life, strengthens your relationships as individuals grow to trust you have their best interest in mind.

In this episode of 15 Minutes, Chad Franzen sits down with Mark Roderick, Principal Partner at Lex Nova Law, to discuss how sharing the same values impacts your work environment. Mark also talks about what inspired him to pursue a career in law, how his background in math has contributed to his career, and how he started his crowdfunding blog.

In today's podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Marissa Levin, a five-time, 30-year entrepreneur, speaker, best-selling author, mindset expert, and globally recognized growth and spiritual strategist. In today's episode, she tells us about her latest venture, I5 Conscious Leadership, a leadership education and consulting firm guided by a mission to elevate the consciousness of the world through leadership.

"At the heart of all of us is a beautiful spirit, and my spirit is definitely one that is here to uplift and empower others," she said. "My lifetime legacy mission – LLM – is to empower 1 billion people to live their most joyful lives. And I do that through the work that I do, through 30 years of entrepreneurship of helping people move past their self limiting beliefs, their deeply ingrained patterns that hold them back, and really step into their highest potential and remember who they are."

The impetus for this mission goes back 30 years to when she branched out on her own after working for a man who capped her value way below her worth, despite her education and how much money she was bringing into the company. She started her first business, Information Experts, a strategic communications and education firm. She launched the firm as a solopreneur with a $35,000 contract and grew the organization to approximately $14 million in revenue and 75 employees until she exited in 2012.

The model for her latest business, I5 Conscious Leadership, is intention, identity, integrity, insight, and inspiration.

"The first thing is you have to create a baseline, you have to know what you're working with," she said. "We start with an assessment of the organization in terms of where they are with their leadership. So many of the problems that can be avoided come from having the courage and the awareness to do the work to bridge the gap between how the leaders see themselves and how the employees see themselves."

The gap leads to disengagement, which according to research through Gallup and other sources, is high. The research finds that only 21% of employees are engaged at work, 90% of employees are fully miserable and 60% of employees are emotionally detached.

Listen here to learn more about the types of businesses I5 serves (hint: all types and sizes), how Marissa's public speaking boosts her business, and the importance of building a trusted team around you.

Recorded 04/07/2023.

Patrick Iyampillai is a Partner and Accident Attorney at Hale Law, a personal injury law firm focused on client needs and concerns. Patrick's devotion to serving victims of personal injury cases has granted him experience in negotiation, litigation, mediation, and courtroom trials. As a distinguished attorney, he has been instrumental in securing multi-million dollar recoveries for his clients. Patrick is a member of The Florida Bar, Florida Justice Association, Manasota Trial Lawyers Board, and the Sarasota County Bar Association. He received a 2021 AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and was included in the 2021 Florida Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers.

Experiencing physical damage in an accident you're not responsible for can leave you vulnerable and unsure of how to proceed with the legal process. Thankfully, personal injury attorneys can help mitigate the magnitude of your situation by representing your case in court and fighting for fair compensation.

Attorneys' sole focus when representing a client is to defend their rights and settle the injustices committed against them. For personal injury attorneys, the stakes are higher due to the nature of who they are deafening — victims wrongfully harmed. Patrick Iyampillai believes it's inevitable not to become emotionally invested in cases involving personal injury and advocates that it makes you a better lawyer. When representing your clients in court, the best thing you can do is be prudent in your preparation to win the case on their behalf.

In this episode of 15 Minutes, Chad Franzen sits down with Patrick Iyampillai, Partner and Accident Attorney at Hale Law to talk about his career as a personal injury lawyer, how he prepares a client's case, and the challenges he's overcome. He also shares why having an emotional connection to his clients and their cases matters.

In today's podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Joe Torres, CEO and president of Developmental Therapy Associates, based in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. He also runs a software development company and a real estate group and holding company. In this episode, Joe tells us how a near-fatal incident changed the trajectory of not only his career but also his life.

In 2012, he was riding his motorcycle to the gym when he was hit head-on by another vehicle, changing his life forever. He spent a month in the hospital and three months in a wheelchair and was introduced to the industries of physical, speech, and occupational therapy and rehab.

"I didn't know anything about it because up to that point, I never broke a single bone, and in that one accident, I broke over 22 of them. Both femurs, which I now have titanium rods and screws everywhere," he said. "I was introduced to this amazing industry that I would argue till I'm blue in the face helped me live whatever my normal, my new normal, would be."

A year later, he met his wife, who was, incidentally, a speech therapist.

"I immediately was enamored with her even more so because of her profession, and what it just did for me a year prior to even meeting her," he said.

A few years after that, the company his wife worked for went up for sale, and he put in the sweat equity to explore ways of making it happen.

"It was a multitude of different things. One, I took some of my other investments that I had and liquidated them and put that towards the purchase. The other was an SBA loan," he said.

While learning the ins and outs of an SBA loan and business acquisition was a challenging experience, he was comfortable in the decision because of his wife's experience and knowledge of the company.

While he is not a clinician, he believes that actually helps in running the business.

"What happens is a clinician, whether it be a medical doctor, primary care, dentist, it doesn't matter, they're actually clinical first, their mind is not business. Their first thought is, 'I want to help people.' And then what starts to happen is they find themselves in the middle of this business that they have no real earthly idea of running," he said.

Although the company is growing with four locations in North Carolina, hiring licensed practitioners continues to be the biggest headwind.

Listen here to learn more about how Joe and his wife divide the business duties based on their individual strengths and how a strong leadership team allows him to balance all of his business interests, as well as a few hobbies, too.

Recorded 04/04/2023.

Usman Shaikh is the Founder and Managing Partner of U.S. Law Group, a boutique law firm providing innovative legal solutions in corporate and business, entertainment and media, and intellectual property transactions and litigation. Before forming the U.S. Law Group, Usman was at ICM Partners, a leading talent agency in Hollywood, working with business affairs. His business-minded, interdisciplinary approach allows him to leverage his relationships with executives and businesses to provide his clients with rewarding opportunities.

With hard work and determination, anyone is capable of starting their own business. While the same is true for the legal and entertainment industry, not everyone can withstand the pressures of the competition. How can you build a law firm and develop the right connections that help you stand out from your competitor?

Usman Shaikh, a former Wall Street attorney, decided to start his own law firm upon noticing small entertainment businesses were unable to afford the same representation as multi-billion dollar corporations. He opted to stray from the traditional business model and offered flexible fee structures while providing quality legal services. Usman's experience as a seasoned attorney allowed him to build a respected law firm representing individuals and companies within the entertainment industry. His insight and wisdom are beneficial to other industry professionals wanting to start their own businesses.

In this episode of 15 Minutes, Chad Franzen sits down with Usman Shaikh, Founder and Managing Partner of U.S. Law Group, to discuss the challenges he experienced when starting his law firm. He also talks about how his career aligns with the entertainment industry, a pivotal moment for U.S. Law Group, and how to conduct yourself while representing your client.

In today's podcast, MultiFunding President Lynn Ozer, aka SBA Queen, and I talk to Tom Bronson, founder and president of the Business Transition Summit, as well as Mastery Partners and Mastering Mergers and Acquisitions. All three companies empower business owners to maximize business value and serve business owners in different capacities to help them achieve their dream exit. In this episode, we focus on what every business owner needs to know about business exit strategies for business success.

"I am what most people call a serial entrepreneur. I have owned, operated, and sold 100 businesses in my career," he said.

For every business that comes on the market, only 17% of them actually reach a closing table, meaning there's an 83% failure rate for businesses that attempt a transaction.

"My team and I started thinking about the things that we did in our businesses to make them more attractive and more valuable and prepared them for going on the market," he said. "And so we developed our own intellectual property around this where we do an assessment of the business, then we build a roadmap to get the business from where they are today to where they want to be, then we help that business owner and team execute that roadmap and ultimately reach a transaction."

His theory is that entrepreneurs should be thinking about their exit strategy when they first start up or buy a business, if not before.

"I have never gotten into a business without first thinking through what my exit strategy is going to be because I know that I'm not going to own this business forever," he said. "Every business on the planet will eventually transition, because we have an expiration date."

In order to be ready for a successful exit, a business must avoid owner dependency at all costs. He advises owners to document the tasks that only they know how to do, then teach somebody else how to do them and watch somebody else do some of those things.

"I get rid of all of those non-strategic things that I'm doing so I can spend more time thinking about strategy, and the business just starts improving," he said. "If you can't take time out of your business, then your business is owner-dependent, and you need to find a way to solve that. That is deal killer number one."

Listen here to learn what Bronson believes are the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make, who makes a good candidate to sell your business to, and how to transition the leadership team.

Recorded 03/28/2023.

Anastasia Mazzella is a Partner at Kabateck LLP, a boutique plaintiff's law firm with a focus on marketplace deception. Anastasia is a seasoned litigator specializing in employment litigation, class actions, mass torts, complex personal injury, and child sex abuse cases. She oversees the intake department at the firm and assesses the legal and economic viability of potential cases. Anastasia sits on the Board of Governors for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL).

Finding the balance between professional growth, family life, and a fulfilling legal career can be challenging. How can lawyers seize opportunities and achieve success in their personal and professional lives?

Anastasia Mazzella understands how difficult it is to maintain a healthy boundary between your business and personal life. Yet, as a female attorney with a husband and children, she has built a successful legal career while prioritizing her family. An anomaly in a male-dominant industry, Anastasia does not shy away from taking risks. Her ability to overcome obstacles encourages those who want a balanced professional and personal lifestyle.

In this episode of 15 Minutes, Bela Musits sits down with Anastasia Mazzella, Partner at Kabateck LLP, to discuss how she navigates her career, family, and legal success. Anastasia shares her areas of expertise, what inspired her to become an attorney, and her experience as a female in the law industry.

In today's podcast, I talk to Rich Trotter, a U.S. Army veteran-turned-entrepreneur who has led Rosati Ice for over 25 years. We talk about the catastrophic consequences caused by the pandemic shutdowns and how his employees pulled together to keep the company afloat. By having such loyal and dedicated employees, Rich has been able to continue his legacy and stay true to his value of "Mission First, People Always."

After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point and serving five years as an artillery officer, Rich eventually joined his dad's soft pretzel business. When the company was sold, Rich bought Rosati Ice – the "best Italian ice company" – in 1997 and adjusted the business model.

Instead of making the highest profits of the year just during the three or four months of summer, he focused on selling to K-12 schools to give him steady profits throughout the year. That model worked fabulously – making up 70% of the company's sales – until schools were suddenly shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When the pandemic hit, it dropped our revenue by more than 50%," he said. "On paper, the company became bankrupt very quickly."

Support from his friends, family, and peer group kept him going during tough times. But it was his dedicated employees who saved the business. In December 2020, after asking the bank not to foreclose on the company, he laid off the entire staff, including himself. Half of the employees arrived the next day knowing they wouldn't be paid.

"They knew that if they stayed away, the business would certainly not stay in business. And they did whatever they needed to to help keep us afloat," he said. "And to them, I'll be forever indebted."

He also is forever grateful to his wife of 41 years, Debbie, who provided a respite at home from the grueling days at work.

"The support and space she gave me were off the charts," he said. "It allowed me to catch my breath when I did come home. She allowed me to stay completely focused on the business. And when it came to the family, all she wanted me to do was enjoy it, my kids and grandkids."

Now that schools are back in session, Rosati Ice still has a big hole to climb, but sales are inching toward pre-pandemic levels.

Rich is entirely hands-on, tracking the business' cash daily and constantly traveling to reconnect with customers he hasn't seen in a few years due to the pandemic.

Recorded 03/31/2023.

Sahm Manouchehri is a Partner at LyfeLaw, a personal injury law firm. With experience at prestigious firms, including Tharpe & Howell LLP and Wilson, Kenna & Borys LLP, Sahm gained insight into the world of personal injury litigation and the tactics used by insurance companies. His background representing insurance companies has equipped him with the perspective needed to advocate for the injured clients he now represents. Beyond his work in the courtroom, Sahm is an active member of the legal community, serving as a Board Member of CAOC's Board of Directors and frequently speaking at conferences and continuing education events.

In the world of personal injury law, ensuring your clients make a full recovery and receive fair financial compensation is your biggest priority. But how can personal injury attorneys empower and guide their clients through the complex legal process?

Sahm Manouchehri emphasizes the importance of caring for clients, educating them about their rights, and maintaining open communication throughout the legal process. At the core of LyfeLaw's approach is a focus on helping clients regain their health and achieve financial compensation. By maintaining a client-centered philosophy and innovative approach, LyfeLaw is a powerful advocate in personal injury law.

In this episode of 15 Minutes, Bela Musits sits down with Sahm Manouchehri, Partner at LyfeLaw, to discuss the firm's unique approach to personal injury cases. Sahm shares his insights on the importance of caring for clients, the firm's goals, and how they stand out from competing personal injury law firms. He also offers valuable advice to young attorneys and shares crucial legal advice for those who have been injured.