In this episode of 4200%, Anthony Geraci sits down with Lee Collins, CEO of the National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA). Lee shares his journey from starting a flight school in Kentucky to leading a national trade association shaping the flight training sector’s future. They explore the unique scaling challenges in aviation, the founding of NFTA, and how the organization gives a unified voice to flight schools on Capitol Hill. Lee discusses building credibility with regulators, tackling pilot mental health, and what it really takes for flight schools to grow sustainably in a changing industry.

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(00:00:00) Lee Collins’ early aviation roots and career path

(00:00:53) Founding a flight school and lessons learned in the 80s and 90s

(00:01:47) Choosing between broadcasting and flying

(00:03:47) Transition to Capitol Hill and post-9/11 aviation security

(00:05:45) Founding the NFTA to fill an industry gap

(00:07:43) Building influence in Washington and FAA reauthorization

(00:11:22) Tackling pilot mental health through non-punitive pathways

(00:12:11) Leading the redesign of 141 training regulations

(00:14:26) The importance of showing up and leading well

(00:16:35) Lee’s advice for scaling a flight school and aviation business

(00:17:23) How to get involved with NFTA

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Lee Collins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecollins12

NFTY: https://www.nftaus.org/ 

In this episode of 4200, Anthony sits down with Bill Tessar, founder of CV3 and a veteran of the lending industry, to unpack his bold entrepreneurial story. Bill shares how he turned a teenage tanning bed hustle into a decades-long career building billion-dollar lending companies. He dives into his early hunger for success, the lessons learned scaling Civic Financial, its unexpected wind-down, and how he rallied the same team to launch CV3 with unstoppable purpose. Bill reveals what truly drives him now, why people always come first, and his simple formula for sustainable scale.

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(00:00:0) Bill's upbringing, early struggles, and first taste of entrepreneurship.

(00:02:23) Launching a tanning business in his parents' garage at 17.

(00:02:50) Buying his first house at 18 and discovering the mortgage industry.

(00:06:01) Out-hustling everyone as a young loan officer.

(00:07:15) Founding his first company and scaling with early technology advantages.

(00:10:20) Transitioning to Civic Financial and spotting opportunity in business purpose lending.

(00:11:51) Scaling Civic to billions in production and navigating acquisitions.

(00:13:31) Civic's shutdown and its impact on hundreds of employees.

(00:17:32) Spinning up CV3 immediately after Civic's closure.

(00:18:53) Why people followed him instead of taking big offers elsewhere.

(00:22:12) CV3's rapid growth and the mission to "get their belt back."

(00:24:04) Bill's biggest advice: invert the org chart and put people first.

(00:25:19) His three-word formula for scaling any business.

(00:26:24) How to connect with Bill and CV3 today.

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Bill Tessar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamtessar

CV3: https://cv3financial.com/

In this episode of 4200%, Anthony speaks with Ed Bagden, Director of Operations at Lift Academy, a pioneering aviation training school under Republic Airways. Ed shares how his early days in a band, managing everything from marketing to tours, set the foundation for his entrepreneurial mindset. They examine the core of Lift Academy’s success, emphasizing perseverance, innovative training technologies, and streamlined processes that prepare students to transition smoothly from training to commercial flying. Ed also highlights essential strategies for scaling a business effectively, underlining the importance of standardized procedures and continuous improvement.

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(00:00:00) Ed Bagden's entrepreneurial beginnings with his band, Quickstep John

(00:01:41) Lessons in perseverance and advocacy from early music career

(00:02:49) Importance of perseverance and grit at Lift Academy

(00:03:45) Ed's path from pilot at Republic Airways to operational leadership

(00:04:47) Starting Lift Academy from the ground up

(00:05:22) Personal satisfaction from seeing graduates succeed

(00:06:35) Initial strategies for scaling Lift Academy's student base

(00:07:22) Lift's structured pathway preparing pilots specifically for Republic Airways

(00:09:25) Embracing VR and advanced simulators in pilot training

(00:11:20) Redefining flight training through modern technology integration

(00:12:18) Non-punitive safety reporting as part of Lift's training culture

(00:13:35) Continuous improvement and collaboration within the aviation industry

(00:14:15) Key considerations for scaling a business effectively

(00:16:19) How standardization impacts operational success

(00:17:11) Ed's definition of scaling with efficiency and growth

(00:18:58) Recommended resource: The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt

(00:19:49) How to connect with Ed and Lift Academy

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Ed Bagden on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebagden

Lift Academy: https://flywithlift.com/

In this episode of 4200%, Anthony sits down with Janine Cascio, CEO and President of Simplending Financial. Janine shares how her leap from family office to founding her own company was driven by a passion for passive income and empowering women in a male-dominated industry. She explores the role of mindset, culture, and authenticity in scaling a business, explains why simplicity is key to growth, and reveals how she’s building a supportive space for her team and clients. Janine also hints at her upcoming book and shares timeless advice for founders ready to scale with purpose.

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(00:00:00) Introduction to Janine Cascio and Simplending Financial

(00:01:04) Janine's definition of scaling as self-development

(00:01:37) Her journey into lending and the spark to start her own company

(00:02:48) Making the leap from employee to founder

(00:03:50) How friends would describe her personality and drive

(00:04:44) Building the right team and putting people first

(00:05:56) Lessons learned from early missteps and the power of keeping it simple

(00:07:53) Reinventing herself through mindfulness, yoga, and emotional intelligence

(00:09:18) Tips for founders ready to scale: finding the right people and mission alignment

(00:10:50) Embracing authenticity and standing out as a woman in lending

(00:12:37) Creating a culture where the team can be themselves

(00:13:45) The importance of saying no to stay true to company values

(00:16:48) Providing value through community and education

(00:17:23) Recommended books that shaped Janine's mindset

(00:19:47) What's next for Simplending Financial: scaling nationwide and a new book

(00:23:04) Final advice: enjoying the process and embracing each moment

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Janine Cascio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-cascio-33181869

Simplending Financial: https://www.simplendingfinancial.com/

In this episode of 4200%, Anthony welcomes Jamail Larkins, CEO of Aviation Start and FAA Ambassador for Aviation Education. Jamail shares his unique journey, from aspiring young pilot to becoming the youngest American to fly solo at age 14, to launching his own aircraft sales and leasing ventures. He discusses overcoming initial setbacks, scaling his businesses, and his mission to inspire the next generation through aviation education. Jamail also dives into the critical pilot shortage, financial hurdles for aspiring aviators, and how Aviation Start is bridging this gap with accessible scholarship resources.

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(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:01:33) How Jamail became the youngest American to solo fly an airplane at 14

(00:02:04) Overcoming 91 rejections while seeking sponsorship

(00:03:25) The FAA's response to his request to fly solo underage in the U.S.

(00:05:39) Launching his first pilot supply business and early entrepreneurial ventures

(00:06:30) Becoming the youngest airshow performer in the country

(00:07:38) Transitioning into aircraft sales and leasing

(00:09:02) Achieving Inc. Magazine's #1 entrepreneur under 25

(00:09:43) Becoming the FAA's first ambassador for Aviation and Space Education

(00:10:05) Impact of the nationwide Dream Launch Tour

(00:11:10) Founding Aviation Start, a comprehensive aviation scholarship resource

(00:13:17) Scaling Aviation Start to address critical workforce shortages in aviation

(00:17:17) Discussion on pilot shortages and financial barriers in aviation careers

(00:19:15) Jamail's perspective on what scaling a business truly means

(00:19:40) Recommended reads: Dale Carnegie's and Tony Hsieh's influential books

(00:20:24) How listeners can connect with Jamail and Aviation Start

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Jamail Larkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamaillarkins

In this episode of 4200%, Anthony talks with Ben Fertig, CEO of Constructive Capital, who shares how he built and scaled multiple businesses in the private lending space over three decades.

From starting as a loan officer with no mortgage experience to leading a 200+ employee company funding up to a thousand loans a month, Ben breaks down the mindset shifts leaders must make to scale, the lessons from selling to private equity and Blackstone, and how adapting to crises shaped his approach.

He explains the difference between management and leadership, the value of constant iteration, and why focusing on people is the real key to growth and market share.

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(00:00:26) Ben Fertig's unconventional entry into the mortgage industry

(00:01:50) Starting in sales and moving into management in under a year

(00:05:45) How leadership and management differ as teams grow

(00:08:30) Adapting leadership to a changing employee base post-COVID

(00:10:59) Using structured feedback to strengthen culture and efficiency

(00:12:33) Transparency and anonymous feedback at scale

(00:14:27) Selling Jordan Capital twice: lessons from both exits

(00:17:12) Why you shouldn't run a company just to sell it

(00:20:11) The "three milestones" mindset for scaling operations

(00:21:00) Kaizen and constant iteration in building resilient companies

(00:23:06) How crises and market shocks build better businesses

(00:25:06) Planning liquidity and capital relationships to weather downturns

(00:28:19) Why investing in people is the key to durable scale

(00:30:39) Ben's top advice for founders ready to scale

(00:32:20) Book recommendations for modern leaders

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Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Ben Fertig on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-fertig-23604170

Constructive Capital:

https://www.constructiveloans.com/

In this episode of 4200, Anthony sits down with Mike Sykes, CEO of US Aviation Academy. Mike unpacks his path from working in his family’s accounting business to building one of the largest flight schools in the US. He shares how a chance opportunity turned a modest maintenance shop and flight school into a major aviation training hub for both international and domestic students. Mike breaks down the pivotal contract that fueled rapid growth, overcoming COVID’s impact, and how relentless sales and marketing rebuilt the business stronger than ever.

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[00:00:00] Meet Mike Sykes, CEO of US Aviation Academy

[00:00:48] Early family business roots in accounting and payroll

[00:01:27] Lessons learned growing up around entrepreneurs

[00:02:19] Gaining experience across sales, bookkeeping, and client service

[00:03:05] The surprising businesses he encountered, like a cloth diaper service

[00:03:57] From shy kid to business owner — Mike’s high school years

[00:04:20] Selling the family business to Intuit and shifting away from corporate life

[00:04:39] The unexpected path into aviation through a small maintenance shop

[00:05:02] Combining a flight school and maintenance to launch US Aviation

[00:06:02] Focusing on training over outside maintenance work

[00:06:30] The challenges of early growth without a clear destination

[00:07:05] The turning point: securing contracts to train Chinese students

[00:07:47] Scaling operations — aircraft, staff, housing, and logistics

[00:08:42] Key hires to expand: senior flight instructors and team building

[00:09:50] Unique contract requirements like aviation English training

[00:10:43] The surprising story behind winning the first airline contract

[00:12:00] How a business card translator unlocked the China partnership

[00:13:01] COVID’s impact wiping out 75% of the business overnight

[00:14:20] Pivoting to domestic students and rebuilding the marketing engine

[00:16:17] Tactics to get leads: sales funnels and digital ads

[00:17:55] Mike’s philosophy on what scaling really means in aviation

[00:19:20] Advice for new flight school owners who want to grow

[00:20:34] Where to find US Aviation Academy online

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Mike Sykes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-sykes-4706a970

US Aviation: https://www.usaviationacademy.com/

In this episode of 4200% Build, Scale, Sell, host Anthony Geraci sits down with Eddie Wilson, CEO of Collective Influence and known as the “King of Exits” with over 100 company exits to his name. Eddie shares his entrepreneurial journey from launching his first ad agency at age 23 to developing an operating system that scales businesses to a billion dollars. He talks about the accidental exit that launched his M&A career, his Empire Operating System framework, and how he balances building companies with making a global impact through his nonprofit efforts. Tune in for genuine insights on leadership, growth, and creating a purpose-driven legacy.

(00:00:00) Eddie's early influences and his family's entrepreneurial roots(00:01:57) Launching his first ad agency at 23 and overcoming risk aversion(00:03:08) How he planned his leap from employee to entrepreneur(00:04:31) Scaling an ad agency to $30M and the accidental exit that changed everything(00:07:22) What he learned from being outplayed by the world's largest ad agency(00:09:54) Building the Empire Operating System to scale any company(00:11:27) Understanding the five phases of business from startup to succession(00:12:32) Identifying single points of failure and when you're ready to scale(00:15:00) Why the secret to scaling is people—and how Eddie finds the right ones(00:17:06) What Collective Influence looks for in acquisitions and distressed businesses(00:18:17) Growing the nation's largest business tour, Aspire, and its impact(00:20:12) Why Eddie's true passion is global impact through Impact Others

Links: 

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci 

Eddie Wilson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiewilsonofficial 

Collective Influence: https://collectiveinfluence.com/ 

4200%: Build. Scale. Sell. is the podcast for founders who mean business. Hosted by serial entrepreneur Anthony Geraci, this show dives into real-world strategies for rapid growth, raising capital, and planning for exit. From tax planning to scaling techniques and deal-making insights, each episode delivers actionable advice for entrepreneurs ready to take their business to the next level and achieve lasting success.