Most entrepreneurs don’t struggle because they can’t build.
They struggle because they avoid the decision that comes next.

Heath Holmes already proved he can build—taking a business to $1.4M in just over a year.
Now he’s at a crossroads that will define everything moving forward.

Franchise the model…
or build it himself and expand a different way.

The Decision

This isn’t theoretical.

Heath has two clear paths:

• Scale through franchising
• Or build a multi-service company he fully controls

Both can work.
Only one gets his full commitment.

The Commitment

By the end of the year, Heath is making the call.

No more sitting in the middle.
No more overanalyzing.

He’s choosing a direction—and going all in.

Who This Episode Is For

• Entrepreneurs at a crossroads
• Franchise owners questioning their next move
• Business leaders stuck between two good options
• Anyone avoiding a decision they know they need to make

What You’ll Learn

• How to think through a major business decision
• The real tradeoffs between franchising and ownership
• Why getting burned can sharpen your next move
• How to stop overanalyzing and commit
• What most business owners get wrong at this stage

Key Takeaways

This episode isn’t about starting—it’s about deciding.

At some point, building isn’t the hard part.
Choosing your path is.

And the longer you wait, the more it costs you.

Guest Bio

Heath Holmes is the founder of One Guard Fencing in Birmingham, Alabama. With a background in telecom, real estate, and franchising, he built a $1.4M business in just over a year and now faces a defining decision on what comes next.

Quotes

• “I got tired of making everyone else money.” 
• “I learned more from losing than I ever did from winning.” 
• “That should be me—that’s what drives me.”

Listen in—and then ask yourself:

👉 What decision are you avoiding?

When you’ve got your answer, go to CloseTheDeal.com and start closing it.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Entrepreneurs are told to chase work-life balance - but what if that idea is completely wrong? In this episode, Tom Cox breaks down why trying to balance everything leads to failure in both business and family life. He shares a better approach focused on presence, consistency, and intentional decision-making.

What You Will Learn:

• Why balance doesn’t work
• How to prioritize your family
• The power of small daily moments
• When to say no
• Why hiring faster matters

Guest Bio:
Tom Cox is a business advisor and former college football coach helping entrepreneurs improve clarity and structure.

Links Mentioned:
ThomasCox.co

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Most business owners don’t have a sales problem—they have a money problem.

In this episode, Tom Cox breaks down why entrepreneurs who are great at their craft still struggle financially. From misunderstanding cash flow to ignoring margin, this conversation dives into the real issues holding businesses back.

You’ll also hear a powerful shift in thinking: instead of just making money, you need to learn how to cycle it.

What You Will Learn

• Why most entrepreneurs don’t understand money
• The importance of margin
• How to track cash flow properly
• What cycling money means
• How to build real financial control

Guest Bio

Tom Cox is a banking strategist specializing in helping entrepreneurs take control of their financial systems.

thomascox.co

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Pick up the phone sales may be the simplest growth strategy most companies overlook.

In this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast, Scotty Baudoin explains how consistent outreach to warm contacts can generate stronger relationships and measurable revenue growth. The Outgrow method focuses on proactive communication—calling people you already know, leaving a message, following with a text, and asking for referrals or opportunities.

Companies using this approach often see revenue increases of 15–30 percent while dramatically improving callback rates and customer engagement.

What You’ll Learn

• Why sales teams avoid the phone
• The voicemail and text follow-up process that drives callbacks
• How three calls a day can reconnect your network
• Why asking for referrals changes sales results
• How to build a consistent outbound sales culture

This episode breaks down the simple systems that turn everyday conversations into real opportunities.

Guest Bio

Scotty Baudoin works with organizations to implement proactive sales cultures through the Outgrow methodology, helping companies reconnect with customers and drive consistent growth.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Luxury brand positioning is the disciplined strategy of moving out of the commodity market and into premium authority. In this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast, Ewell Smith speaks with Kathryn Porritt about how founders can protect margins, reposition mastery, and stop competing on price.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the middle market is collapsing
• The structural difference between volume models and luxury models
• How luxury brand positioning protects margin
• Why innovation is required at the top of the market
• How to close premium deals by expanding vision rather than pressing pain

This conversation unpacks real-world examples across products and services, showing how businesses can intentionally move upstream without simply adding zeros to pricing. Luxury brand positioning is about clarity, mastery, and deliberate market selection.

About Kathryn Porritt:
Kathryn Porritt is the founder of Iconic Empire and a strategist specializing in luxury brand positioning. She advises founders, advisors, and transformation experts on repositioning their expertise into premium markets with high-value engagements.

Ewell Smith is the publisher and host of the Close The Deal Podcast, the author of Your First Franchise Roadmap, and a franchise advisor.

For show notes and Kathryn Porritt’s mindset quotes, visit closethedeal.com

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Most LinkedIn outreach fails because it starts with a pitch instead of a conversation.

What You’ll Learn

⏺  Why feedback outperforms cold pitching
⏺ How to structure high response outreach
⏺ When automation helps and when it hurts
⏺ What cash collected really means in sales

Short Episode Summary

Jack Hayes joins Ewell Smith to break down a smarter approach to LinkedIn outreach. Instead of leading with a pitch, Jack explains how asking for feedback from experienced operators creates meaningful conversations that turn into revenue. The discussion explores automation, generational perspective, and what it really means to close the deal.

Key Takeaways

⏺ Connection is the foundation of LinkedIn, not volume
⏺ Valuing expertise increases response rates
⏺ Automation must support strategy, not replace it
⏺ Revenue realized is the true definition of a closed deal

Guest Bio

Jack Hayes is the founder of Profit Jack Enterprises, a B2B growth partner that helps founders, consultants, and private equity operators use LinkedIn, email, and tech-backed systems to drive measurable growth. He began building businesses as a teenager and now works with high-level operators to modernize outreach without sacrificing connection.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Half of all businesses fail within five years, and the leading cause is lack of product demand.

What You’ll Learn

Why demand generation determines survival
How owned, earned, and paid marketing differ
The 3D framework for structured growth
Why authority and visibility matter more than ever

Saul Marquez joins Ewell Smith to unpack why businesses fail and how founders can build sustainable product demand. Drawing from two decades in healthcare sales and marketing, Saul explains how strategy must come before tactics and how visibility drives growth.

Key Takeaways

Demand is engineered, not accidental
Marketing must start with strategy
Authority compounds over time
Paid advertising should accelerate proven systems

Guest Bio

Saul Marquez is the founder and CEO of Outcomes Rocket, a healthcare-focused marketing and growth firm. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare sales and marketing, including leadership roles in medical device companies, Saul helps health technology and provider organizations build demand through strategic positioning, authority building, and disciplined execution.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Networking works when people understand how referrals actually happen.

What You’ll Learn

• How to become referable
• How to create real connections
• Why communication drives trust

Angie Weidel explains the practical networking fundamentals most professionals never learn and how they directly impact referrals and revenue.

Key Takeaways

• Clarity drives referrals
• Introductions matter more than leads
• Communication skills are essential

Guest Bio

Angie Weidel is the founder of Blended Strategies, specializing in interpersonal communication and professional networking systems.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

LinkedIn has quietly become one of the most effective demand channels for CEOs who know how to use it.

What You’ll Learn

How to create LinkedIn demand efficiently
Why CEO visibility drives revenue
What metrics actually signal buying intent

Short Episode Summary

Matt Hunt explains how founders can turn LinkedIn into a sales engine using lived experience, clear frameworks, and minimal time investment.

Key Takeaways

Visibility multiplies leverage
Authority beats advice
Signals matter more than likes

Guest Bio

Matt Hunt is the CEO of Demandii, helping founders and CEOs turn insight into demand through LinkedIn.

Host Bio

The Close The Deal Podcast is published and hosted by Ewell Smith. Ewell is a franchise advisor, the author of Your First Franchise Roadmap, and the publisher of Close The Deal, where he sits down with operators, founders, and deal makers to unpack how real business decisions actually get made. His work focuses on helping franchise candidates and business owners cut through noise, avoid bad deals, and close the right ones.

For show notes and Matt Hunt’s mindset quotes, visit closethedeal.com

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

There comes a point in every career and every life when confidence takes a hit. Sometimes what you need most isn’t another strategy or tactic. It’s belief.

In this episode of Close The Deal, Ewell Smith sits down with Chris Widener to explore why belief is the foundation of leadership, personal growth, and long-term success. Chris shares stories from his own journey including rebuilding after major setbacks, the power of mentorship, and how someone else’s belief can help you believe again.

This conversation goes beyond business. It’s about identity, integrity, mentorship, and becoming a voice instead of an echo.

What You’ll Learn
• Why belief matters more than strategy in leadership
• How mentorship accelerates growth
• What it means to borrow belief until you can carry it yourself
• Why integrity and kindness still win
• How to become a voice instead of an echo

About the Guest
Chris Widener is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and leadership coach. He has delivered more than 2,500 speeches worldwide, authored over 25 books translated into 14 languages, and was mentored by Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar.

Learn more at CloseTheDeal.com

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made.

Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off. 

This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice.
Every episode is built around one thing:

👉 A clear decision
👉 A real commitment

If you’re building something, you already know the truth -
there’s a decision in front of you that matters.

This show is where you face it.

🔥 CALL TO ACTION 

Want to be part of it?

Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.