Beating The Odds Podcast

Why do so many children grow up believing they're simply “not good at math”?

For Dr. Pamela Seda, that question became more than a professional challenge—it became a mission.

In this episode of Beating the Odds, Mike Dewey sits down with Dr. Pamela Seda, educator, author, speaker, consultant, and entrepreneur, whose career has been dedicated to changing the way students experience mathematics.

After growing up in Germany as the daughter of an Air Force serviceman, Pamela returned to the United States and quickly noticed something troubling: while being good at math had always seemed perfectly normal to her, many of her classmates believed math ability was something reserved for certain people.

That experience planted a seed that would ultimately shape a 30-year career in education.

Pamela shares why traditional approaches to teaching math can unintentionally convince students that confusion and mistakes mean they aren't smart—and why she believes real learning happens when students are given the opportunity to think, struggle, reason, and discover solutions for themselves.

She also tells the story of becoming an “accidental entrepreneur.” When her school district position was eliminated, Pamela turned decades of experience into a consulting business helping schools and districts improve mathematics instruction. She later authored Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom and built a career as a speaker and consultant.

But knowing education didn't automatically mean knowing business. Pamela discusses hiring a business coach, learning marketing and sales, identifying her customers' real problems, and ultimately doubling her revenue two years in a row.

Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple but powerful: get very clear about the problem you solve and exactly who you solve it for.

This conversation is about much more than mathematics. It's about challenging assumptions, turning frustration into opportunity, embracing being underestimated, and building a business around work that truly matters.

Click here to apply for the latest podcast grant: ⁠⁠https://galaxyofstars.org/beating-the-odds-podcast-grant/

What does it really take to build a trucking business—and why can impressive revenue numbers be dangerously misleading?

In this episode of Beating the Odds, Mike Dewey sits down with Telly Arnold, founder of TLA Group, a Houston-based entrepreneur who made the unlikely leap from corporate finance and accounting into the demanding world of box-truck transportation.

Armed with an accounting degree, an MBA, and more than two decades of corporate experience, Telly thought she was prepared for entrepreneurship. Then she discovered just how expensive—and unpredictable—the trucking industry can be.

Telly shares the lessons she learned the hard way, from renting her first truck and struggling to book loads to dealing with unreliable drivers, costly mechanical breakdowns, fluctuating freight rates, insurance expenses, and fraud within the industry. She also explains why knowing your cost per mile can mean the difference between generating revenue and actually making money.

But Telly's story didn't stop with trucking. After seeing how many aspiring entrepreneurs were entering the industry without the information they needed to succeed, she began building a new mission around education. Today, she's using her podcast, Box Truck Hustle, and her Straight Connect platform to help drivers, carriers, and dispatchers better understand the realities of the business.

She also shares how she secured more than $20,000 in grants to help keep her business moving—and how discovering resources like Galaxy of Stars changed the way she approached entrepreneurship.

This episode is a candid conversation about money, mistakes, mentorship, networking, resilience, and the difference between looking successful and actually building a sustainable business.

If you're thinking about starting a business—or already running one—Telly's message is simple: know your numbers, find knowledgeable people, use the resources available to you, and never stop learning.

Click here to apply for the latest podcast grant: ⁠https://galaxyofstars.org/beating-the-odds-podcast-grant/

What does it take to rebuild after failure?

In this episode of Beating the Odds, Mike Dewey sits down with Shai Mauth, founder of Poké Shack, to discuss an entrepreneurial journey that spans three countries, multiple businesses, bankruptcy, the 2008 recession, and launching a restaurant just as the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down.

Shai shares how he grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, why he has always funded his businesses with his own savings, the lessons he learned from failed partnerships, and how persistence helped him build two successful Poké Shack locations in Illinois. Along the way, he offers practical advice on hiring, customer service, restaurant operations, and why learning from failure is one of the greatest advantages an entrepreneur can have.

Whether you're starting your first business or navigating challenges in an existing one, this conversation is packed with real-world lessons about resilience, adaptability, and betting on yourself.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why failure can become your greatest business advantage
• How to start a business with limited capital
• Lessons from surviving the pandemic as a restaurant owner
• The realities of hiring and managing employees
• How DoorDash impacts small restaurant businesses
• Why customer experience matters more than ever
• Advice every aspiring entrepreneur should hear

Listen now and discover how Shai Mauth truly beat the odds.

Claire Georges didn't set out to build one of America's most celebrated hot sauce companies. She simply followed her passion for baking and took one small step at a time.

In this episode of Beating the Odds, Mike Dewey sits down with the founder of Butterfly Bakery of Vermont to discuss how a one-woman bakery evolved into a nationally recognized food manufacturer featured by Food & Wine as producing the "Best Hot Sauce in America."

Claire shares her remarkable 23-year entrepreneurial journey, including bootstrapping her business from the ground up, surviving the 2008 recession, navigating explosive growth during COVID-19, managing the difficult realities of layoffs, and leading a team of 16 employees today. She also discusses the challenges women entrepreneurs still face when raising capital, the importance of mentors and advisory boards, why owning your local market matters, and how resilience—not perfection—is the key to long-term success.

Whether you're launching your first business or scaling an established company, Claire's practical wisdom, humility, and determination offer valuable lessons for every entrepreneur.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Claire bootstrapped her business without outside investors
• Why mentorship changed the trajectory of her company
• The biggest leadership lessons from managing rapid growth
• How she turned setbacks into opportunities
• Why women-owned businesses continue to outperform despite receiving far less investment
• The importance of building a loyal home market before expanding nationally

If you've ever wondered what it really takes to build a business that lasts more than two decades, this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

Click here to apply for the latest podcast grant: https://galaxyofstars.org/beating-the-odds-podcast-grant/

In this inspiring episode of the Galaxy of Stars Podcast, Mike Dewey sits down with Victoria Walker, founder of Vivify Solutions, a software development company helping entrepreneurs bring their app ideas to life.

Victoria shares her remarkable journey from growing up in foster care and teaching herself technology skills to becoming a software engineer at JPMorgan Chase and building a thriving software development business. Along the way, she discusses the realities of balancing a full-time career with entrepreneurship, the importance of mentorship, how she helps founders validate and launch their ideas, and why persistence has been the key to her success.

Whether you're building a side hustle, launching a startup, or dreaming about turning your idea into a real business, Victoria's story offers practical insights and powerful inspiration for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.

Listen for the grant keyword and apply for the podcast grant here: https://galaxyofstars.org/beating-the-odds-podcast-grant/

In this episode of Beating The Odds, we sit down with Debbie and Troy Sutton, the mother-son founders behind Healing Bras, a company dedicated to improving comfort and recovery for women facing breast health challenges.

After seeing firsthand the struggles many women experience with breast cancer, recovery, breastfeeding discomfort, and more, Debbie and Troy set out to create a product that could make a real difference. What started as a personal conversation quickly turned into a mission-driven business focused on helping women feel supported during some of life’s most difficult moments.

They share the story behind Healing Bras, the challenges of launching a new product, the importance of listening to customers, and what it’s like building a business together as family. This inspiring conversation is filled with lessons on resilience, innovation, and turning personal experiences into purpose-driven entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Beating the Odds, Brian Dockery, founder of Love Green Company, shares his inspiring journey from a small-town upbringing in North Carolina to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the eco-friendly product industry. He discusses the challenges he faced, the importance of sustainability, and the vision behind his company, which aims to replace single-use plastics with environmentally friendly alternatives. Brian emphasizes the significance of self-awareness and conviction in entrepreneurship, offering valuable insights for aspiring business owners.

To apply for a grant or get help for your business, visit Galaxy of Stars: https://galaxyofstars.org/

To apply for the podcast grant, click here: https://galaxyofstars.org/beating-the-odds-podcast-grant/

Be sure to keep an eye out for the keyword to apply for the special podcast grant!

In this episode of Beating the Odds, Brian Dockery, founder of Love Green Company, shares his inspiring journey from a small-town upbringing in North Carolina to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the eco-friendly product industry. He discusses the challenges he faced, the importance of sustainability, and the vision behind his company, which aims to replace single-use plastics with environmentally friendly alternatives. Brian emphasizes the significance of self-awareness and conviction in entrepreneurship, offering valuable insights for aspiring business owners.

To apply for a grant or get help for your business, visit Galaxy of Stars: https://galaxyofstars.org/

Be sure to keep an eye out for the keyword to apply for the special podcast grant!

As a nurse in Detroit, Jordana Latozas has had a front row seat to the devastation of the opioid epidemic and she knew she had to do something. So she bought an old RV and converted it to Michigan's first mobile addiction clinic. Hear her inspirational story as a first time entrepreneur helping patients from her truck. 

Find out more about Recovery Mobile Clinic at recoverymobileclinic.com.