Behind the Small Business

What would you do with more time back in your week? Matt Shepard of Shepard Consulting joins Kevin Dandino to discuss practical AI automation, reducing repetitive business tasks, and creating more room for life outside of work.

Matt shares how running construction and real estate businesses led him to build automation into his own operations. Now, he helps other small-business owners identify their biggest time drains and develop solutions around the way their businesses actually work.

The conversation explores starting with a manageable task, refining AI workflows, and building custom software when off-the-shelf tools don’t meet a business’s needs. Matt also explains his approach to working within a client’s budget and breaking larger projects into practical phases.

Beyond technology, Matt offers a valuable lesson for business owners: document your processes. Writing down the steps that currently live in your head can make training, delegation, automation, and an eventual business handoff easier to approach.

Whether you’re curious about AI or simply tired of spending your evenings catching up on administrative work, this conversation offers a grounded place to start.

• Getting started with AI: Identifying a simple, repetitive task to tackle first.
• Setting expectations: Matt’s employee-training analogy for giving AI clear instructions and refining results.
• Custom business software: A construction asset-tracking example built around a client’s specific needs.
• Budget-conscious implementation: Prioritizing useful improvements and building in phases.
• Documenting processes: Turning individual knowledge into repeatable business systems.
• Work-life balance: Making time for family and life beyond the business.

Explore Matt’s work and contact him through Shepard Consulting. Discuss the tasks consuming your time and what you’d like to improve.

Behind the Small Business is sponsored by Centennial State Insurance Agency. For personal or business insurance questions and a free quote, call 303-838-0554 or visit Centennial State Insurance Agency.

Proudly serving Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, Kansas & Utah. Follow Behind the Small Business for more conversations with business owners about their experiences, lessons, and the work behind their businesses.

Episode 50 — The Hamilton Collective with Spencer Hamilton

Spencer Hamilton traded a career in banking for real estate and built The Hamilton Collective, a community-first team serving Colorado's foothills from Golden and Morrison out to Conifer, Evergreen, Bailey, and Fairplay along the 285 corridor. In this episode, he and host Kevin Dandino talk about what it really takes to survive and grow in an industry where roughly 95% of new agents quit within five years.

Spencer shares his approach to treating real estate like a real business, the community-first marketing that fuels his referrals — coaching Conifer High School baseball, supporting local schools and the PTA, and helping turn Conifer Radio into a community-owned nonprofit — and why serving people first always comes back around.

The conversation also tackles a pressing issue for every mountain homeowner: wildfire risk and the shrinking homeowners insurance market in the foothills. Spencer explains why carriers are pulling back, why buyers now have to line up coverage before writing an offer, and why a knowledgeable local insurance relationship has become essential.

In this episode:

• From banking to building a foothills real estate team
• Why 95% of agents fail — and how to be in the 5%
• Community-first marketing that actually works
• The foothills wildfire insurance crisis explained
• The payoff of helping people move to the mountain lifestyle

Guest: Spencer Hamilton, The Hamilton Collective — thehamiltoncollectiveco.com

Behind the Small Business is presented by Centennial State Insurance Agency. For an auto, personal lines, or small business quote, call 303-838-0554 or visit www.CentennialStateIns.com. Proudly serving Colorado, Arizona and Nebraska.

Are you a small business owner? Come on the show and share your story — no cost, no strings. Reach out on any of our social channels.

Episode 49 — Brett Newman, Newman Sauna Co.: Turning a Garage Hobby Into a Custom Wellness Business

When AI wiped out the translation business Bret Newman had spent 15 years building, he didn't panic — he already had the next chapter waiting in his garage. In this episode, Bret, founder of Newman Sauna Co., joins Kevin to share how a DIY cold plunge he built to recover from ACL surgery turned into a thriving custom sauna and cold plunge studio in the Colorado foothills.

Bret walks through what makes his approach different: fully custom, offsite-built units that spare homeowners the mess of a construction zone, a guided design process that takes the fear out of "custom built," and a deliberately small, community-driven business model that runs almost entirely on word of mouth. He and Kevin dig into why saunas and cold plunges have exploded in popularity — the health benefits, the forced disconnect from screens, and the "third space" community aspect that Brett believes matters most.

Bret also gets honest about the harder side of the story: losing a business to AI, wrestling with imposter syndrome, and his cautious, side-hustle-first philosophy of taking chances. He shares where he wants to take the company next (think mobile saunas and community wellness spaces) and offers grounded advice for anyone sitting on a hobby they're afraid to bet on.

In this episode:

• How a post-surgery DIY cold plunge became a business
• Losing a 15-year translation career to AI — and pivoting fast
• Why "custom built" isn't as intimidating (or stressful) as people fear
• The offsite-build model that keeps the mess out of your backyard
• Sauna and cold plunge culture: health, performance, and community
• Staying small on purpose: word-of-mouth over scaling up
• What's next: commercial work, wellness spaces, and mobile saunas
• Advice for turning a hobby into a living

Find Bret & Newman Sauna Co.: on Instagram — search Newman Sauna Company and send a message to start the conversation.

Behind the Small Business is brought to you by Centennial State Insurance Agency — big-company products with a small-business human touch, for your personal and commercial insurance needs. Get a quote or come share your own small business story on the show: call 303-838-0554 or visit www.CentennialStateIns.com.

Are you a small business owner who'd like free publicity on the show? Reach out on any platform or call the office — no strings attached.

Episode 48 – Gub Gub's Pizza & Ice Cream

How do you build a thriving business — and revive an entire downtown — in a Colorado town of roughly 3,000 people? In this episode, host Kevin Dandino talks with Helena Cappon, majority owner of Gub Gub's Pizza & Ice Cream in Walsenburg, CO, which she owns with her husband Thomas and her father Jack.

Helena shares the full journey: from daydreaming the concept in a Carl's Jr. parking lot, to transforming a dilapidated 1960 Standard Oil gas station on Main Street into a true community gathering place. Along the way she opens up about the mentorship, scholarships, and grit that got them there — and the community-first philosophy driving it all.

In this episode:

• Turning a crumbling gas station into a Main Street landmark (building acquired 2021, brick-and-mortar opened Labor Day weekend 2024)
• Perfecting NY Long Island-style pizza dough at 6,000 feet of altitude — inspired by Carlos Pizza in Port Washington, NY
• The "third space" concept: why successful small towns need a pizza shop, an ice cream shop, and a bookstore
• The Gub Readers Club — read 40 books or chapters, earn a free pizza (400+ pizzas given away, engaging about half the county's kids)
• Mentorship from Little Man Ice Cream's Paul Tamburrino, plus Greenhouse Scholars and Daniels Fund support
• The story behind the name "Gub Gub" (a cat named after a Dr. Dolittle pig) and grandma's motto: "If you can read, you can do anything"
• Revitalizing downtown Walsenburg — murals, festivals, and the town Christmas tree lighting on Gub Gub's patio
• Honest advice on imposter syndrome, humility, asking for help, and turning tough reviews into loyal customers

Guest: Helena Cappon, Gub Gub's Pizza & Ice Cream — 629 Main Street, Walsenburg, CO

Are you a small business owner with a story to tell? We'd love to have you as a guest on Behind the Small Business — free of charge. Reach out to get on the show.

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Behind the Small Business is proudly sponsored by Centennial State Insurance Agency. Big-company products, small-business human touch. For a free personal, commercial, auto, home, or umbrella insurance quote, call 303-838-0554.

Centennial State Insurance

www.CentennialStateIns.com

303-838-0554

Proudly Serving Colorado, Arizona and Nebraska

Most people have no idea their windshield is a structural part of their vehicle — until someone like Gary Duncan explains it. In this episode of Behind the Small Business, host Kevin Dandino talks with Gary Duncan, owner of The Chip Repair Man and a 38-year veteran of the auto glass industry.

A small business owner since 2004, Gary built Rocky Mountain Auto Glass, ran a shop in small-town Missouri, and now serves the Denver metro and Highlands Ranch with mobile chip and crack repair. He shares the real story of leaving a stable management job, betting on himself, and prioritizing family and personal service along the way.

In this episode:

• Why a $150 chip repair beats a $700–$2,000 windshield replacement on modern camera-equipped glass

• How COVID unexpectedly made his business busier than ever

• Why staying face-to-face with customers beats hiding in the office

• The hard truth about an unregulated industry full of unqualified technicians

• Where AI fits into the future of small business — even for the non-techie owner

• A tornado, "basement bargain" insurance, and why cutting corners costs you when it matters most

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned owner, or just someone with a crack you've been ignoring, Gary's decades of hard-earned wisdom deliver real, practical takeaways.

Connect with Gary — The Chip Repair Man (Highlands Ranch & Denver metro mobile service): 📞 303-901-8226 | Facebook: The Chip Repair Man

Are you a small business owner? This is an open invitation to share your story on the podcast — free publicity, no strings attached. Reach out via Facebook or YouTube to be featured on a future episode.

This episode is brought to you by Centennial State Insurance Agency. For a personal or business insurance quote with the right coverage and no overpaying, call 📞 303-838-0554.

Since COVID, business and everyday life have leaned hard into tech and online communication. That shift has opened a ton of doors for small business owners, but it also makes it easy to forget how powerful real, in-person connection can be for building trust, community, and long-term customers.

In this episode of “Behind the Small Business,” Kevin sits down with Brian Prescott, owner of Colorado Real Estate Coalition, to talk about how he blends technology, social media, and good old-fashioned face-to-face relationships to grow his business. Brian has no problem using digital tools to get attention, but he’s very intentional about showing up in person, shaking hands, and being present in his community—and he shares how that mindset has changed his business.

If you’re a long-time small business owner or just starting to dream about launching your own thing, this conversation is full of practical lessons, mindset shifts, and real-world examples you can use right away. Plug in, take some notes, and see how you can use both tech and in-person connection to move your business forward.

We’ve had the pleasure of sharing incredible stories from inspiring entrepreneurs on the Behind the Small Business Podcast, and Amber from Daddy’s Homemade Syrup is no exception!

Amber believes there’s nothing “small” about the power of a small business. Every entrepreneur has the ability to make a big, positive impact on their community — and she’s setting a remarkable example.

Curious how she’s doing it? Tune in to hear her story and discover the sweet mission behind Daddy’s Homemade Syrup!

In this episode of Behind the Small Business Podcast, Kevin sits down with Bob and Joe from Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center — an organization dedicated to empowering veterans through career, wellness, and entrepreneurship support.

Transitioning from military to civilian life comes with unique challenges, and Mt. Carmel is there to help veterans find purpose and success in their next chapter. From business mentorship and startup guidance to networking opportunities and community resources, their programs are built to help veterans turn their ideas into thriving small businesses.

Tune in to hear inspiring stories, valuable insights, and practical advice for veterans ready to take charge of their future. If you're a veteran with a dream of entrepreneurship, connect with Mt. Carmel Veteran Service Center today and set yourself up for success!

#veterans #smallbusiness #businesspodcast

In this episode of Behind the Small Business Podcast, Kevin sits down with Nova, media personality and co-owner of Brit Food Group in Colorado Springs.

Nova shares his journey as an entrepreneur, what he’s learned from building a business in a competitive market, and why staying connected to people is one of the most important parts of long-term success. This conversation dives into mindset, leadership, and practical lessons that small business owners can apply right away.

If you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or local business owner looking for real-world insight and inspiration, this episode delivers both.

1. Nova’s story and path to co-owning Brit Food Group
2. Key lessons from running and growing a small business
3. Why authentic community relationships matter in business
4. Practical takeaways for entrepreneurs and business owners

Behind the Small Business Podcast features real conversations with business owners, founders, and leaders sharing what it really takes to build and sustain a successful business.