Colorado Business Podcast

In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, we sit down with Jed Bradshaw, a third-generation partner at Lightning Glassworks. Jed shares the incredible origin story of his family's business and how a sudden health crisis forced his father to take the reins overnight.We dive deep into the messy, rewarding reality of running a business with your parents and siblings. Jed also breaks down how Lightning Glassworks successfully operates on a radical three-day work week, prioritizing family and faith over relentless hustle.Later in the episode, Jed opens up about his battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 28, how it shifted his entire perspective on life, and how he navigated the unexpected mental toll after beating the disease. Plus, we discuss the future of the trades, integrating AI into blue-collar work, and why standard operating procedures are the ultimate tool for leaving a lasting legacy.If you are a family business owner, an entrepreneur looking for better work-life balance, or someone navigating a massive life hurdle, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom.⏱️ Chapter Markers:0:00 Welcome to the Colorado Business Podcast1:16 The Unexpected Origin of Lightning Glassworks6:07 The Reality of Working with Parents and Siblings10:37 Leaving Toxic Office Politics Behind19:01 How the Glass Industry Has Changed24:20 How to Run a Business on a 3-Day Work Week28:28 Will AI Replace Blue-Collar Trades?37:36 Facing Mortality: Jed's Battle with Cancer46:50 Navigating Post-Chemo Depression53:16 Using SOPs to Protect Your Business Legacy1:02:07 Connect with Jed and Lightning Glassworks🔗 Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Colorado Business Podcast for more insights from local leaders.coloradobusinesspodcast.comGuest Info: Learn more about Jed and Lightning Glassworks at fastglassrepair.com or call 719-649-4001.

In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Chris Seegers and Marcus Alvarado are joined by three incredible community builders who are completely flipping the script on how business is done in Colorado Springs.We start with a massive reveal: CB the Creative steps out from behind the social media curtain to share his identity and the harsh lessons he learned in the music industry. Then, Rachel Stovall (the Event Diva) breaks down the genius behind "Vendor Takeovers" and how collaborative events are literally saving local restaurants from closing their doors. Finally, Caleb Thorne from Bricks and Minifigs North drops by to explain why adults are ditching their screens and spending thousands on LEGOs to reclaim their offline lives.If you are tired of transactional networking and want to learn how to build a bulletproof relational ecosystem, this episode is mandatory listening.Chapters: 0:00 Intro & The Hook 1:00 CB the Creative Reveals His Identity 6:15 Music Industry Hustle to Business Strategy 13:30 Relational vs. Transactional Networking 19:10 Enter Rachel Stovall: The Event Diva 31:25 The Crisis: Local Restaurants Closing 32:30 Birth of the Vendor Takeovers 42:45 Breaking Screen Addiction & Social Media Bans 49:00 How to Host the Perfect Offline Gathering 1:01:45 Caleb Thorne & The Bricks and Minifigs Phenomenon 1:06:50 Escaping the Screen with Physical Play

Is your event bleeding revenue? According to the team at Booth Bingo, 90% of event revenue comes from the vendor hall, yet most event apps are built strictly for attendees.

In this special roundtable episode, host Andrew sits down with his co-founders Nick, Jay, and Marcus. Together, the four partners explain how they are flipping the script on event engagement. They discuss the psychology of gamification, how to prove ROI to sponsors instantly, and the "dark room" moments of building a tech startup that no one talks about.

💡 In This Episode You'll Learn:

• The Vendor Hall Trap: Why the traditional expo model is broken and how to fix it.

• Instant ROI: How to capture attendee data before they even leave the booth.

• The 4-Founder Dynamic: Navigating the complexities of building a business with friends and family.

• Tech Authority: Andrew’s look under the hood at the enterprise-level tech powering the platform.

Links & Resources:

• Check out Booth Bingo: boothbingo.com

Lane Wright, founder of Executive Cleaning Services, joins us to discuss the volatile journey of building a service empire. After achieving the material signs of success, the Rolex, the Tesla, the Cybertruck, Lane found himself empty and his business crumbling due to unchecked ego.

In this vulnerable conversation, Lane details how he rebuilt his company from scratch, the importance of faith in business, and the "Life Sheet" framework that keeps him grounded. He also debunks the popular social media advice about quitting your job to be an entrepreneur, offering a more stable path to six figures.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ego Trap: How chasing validation led to over-expansion and near failure.

• Rebuilding: The humility required to call old clients and start over.

• The "Life Sheet": Applying business planning principles to your faith, family, and fitness.

• Side Hustle Strategy: Why keeping your 9-5 provides the leverage you need to build a business safely.

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Book: "How to Own Your Own Mind" by Napoleon Hill

• Book: "Atomic Habits"

Course: Scrub to Six Figures

Is your business logo hurting you? Lauren McKenzie, the founder of Ren Creativ, joins us to discuss why she saves startups from "cookie-cutter" branding and why she refuses to let businesses just "put a mountain on it".

Lauren shares her journey from being a "starving artist" with a darkroom in high school to becoming a powerhouse entrepreneur. She opens up about the dark side of hustle culture, revealing the moment her therapist told her to slow down before she made herself physically sick.

We Discuss:

• The Origin: Getting fired from corporate jobs and realizing she was meant to be her own boss.

• The Trap: Why working 24/7 isn't sustainable and how to find balance.

• The Mistake: Why hiring a "friend’s kid" to design your brand is a bad investment.

• The Pivot: How she is expanding into mortgage lending to chase stability.

Quote of the Episode: "I would have told myself to shut the f*** up. You don't know what you're talking about... don't let your ego take over." — Lauren McKenzie.

Links & Resources:

• Check out Ren Creative: https://www.rencreativ.com/

Follow the COS Business Podcast:

• Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes.

• Follow us on Instagram for clips and updates.

Johnny Joy is the owner of The Local Motive, the most recognizable party bus service in Colorado Springs. But there is a catch: he is 12 years sober.

In this episode, Johnny opens up about the "paradox" of running a business built on alcohol while living a life built on sobriety. We discuss the terrifying morning in 2014 that changed his life forever, why he believes entrepreneurs suffer in silence, and how he turned a spray-painted bus into a community revolution.

If you are an entrepreneur feeling stuck or looking for a sign to keep going, this conversation is for you.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more stories from the top business minds in Colorado.

Chapters:

00:00 The "Sober Party Bus" Paradox

14:29 Waking Up Battered: The Moment Everything Changed

18:30 The Reality of Getting Sober (It Wasn't a Parade)

25:00 How The Local Motive Feeds the Local Economy

30:31 The Entrepreneur’s Struggle: "I Don't Know If I Can Do This"

42:42 Why Johnny is Happier Now Than Ever Before

49:09 The "Old Drunk" Story & The Power of Vulnerability

58:20 Why Community is the Only Moat That Matters

01:07:05 Breaking the "Woe is Me" Mindset

01:09:39 Where to Find The Locomotive

CONNECT WITH JOHNNY: 

Website: localmotivebus.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/localmotivebus/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555940834108

CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS: COS Business Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ColoradoBusinessPodcast

ABOUT THE PODCAST: The Colorado Business Podcast is the #1 business podcast in Colorado, highlighting the entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders driving our local economy. 

#Entrepreneurship #Sobriety #ColoradoSprings #Business #TheLocomotive #MentalHealth #SmallBusiness

Heather Gugliotta, founder of Turquoise Sky Events, shares how she turned a quarantine hobby into a viral business working with massive corporate clients like The Broadmoor. In this episode, we dive into the reality of transitioning from a 9-5 to a full-time creative entrepreneur and the specific mistakes to avoid when pricing high-end events. Heather also breaks down the story behind her viral "Dolly" disco wall that hit 12 million views and reveals her secrets to scaling a successful event business from scratch. If you want to build a creative brand or land corporate clients, this episode is for you.

Did you know that a proper legal defense in a high-stakes case can cost upwards of $250,000? In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, we sit down with attorneys Michael Stuzynski and Beau Worthington from Rector Stuzynski Law Firm to uncover the uncomfortable truths about the American legal system.From the reality of "pay-to-play" justice to the secrets insurance giants don't want you to know, Michael and Beau peel back the curtain on what it really takes to win against the odds. We discuss why the system is stacked against the "little guy," how AI is changing the courtroom, and why sometimes you need a "mercenary" rather than a polite lawyer when your life is on the line.🎙️ GUESTS:Michael Stuzynski & Beau Worthington are partners at Rector Stuzynski Law Firm, specializing in complex criminal defense, civil rights litigation, and personal injury. With backgrounds ranging from the Public Defender’s office to high-level litigation in Atlanta, they bring a raw, unfiltered perspective to the practice of law in Colorado.🔥 TOPICS COVERED:The real cost of a felony defense (Experts, DNA, Forensics).Why the "polite" lawyer often loses.The myth of "Court Reform" and how it protects insurance profits.How AI technology is being used in modern trials.The root causes of crime: Mental health vs. The System.⏳ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro: The "Mercenary" Lawyer1:00 - Michael’s Origin: Witnessing Injustice & The Police5:26 - Why They Take the "Impossible" Cases8:16 - The $250,000 Cost of Freedom8:36 - Is the Justice System Rigged Against the Poor?11:51 - AI in the Courtroom: How Technology Changes Trials17:41 - The "Hourly Billing" Trap vs. Contingency28:06 - "Picking His Nails With a Dagger" (The Mercenary Mindset)35:26 - Beau Worthington: Moving from Atlanta to Colorado41:38 - The Root Cause: Mental Health & Crime56:12 - The Truth About Insurance Rates & "Tort Reform"1:01:29 - Pigs Get Fed, Hogs Get Slaughtered1:06:09 - The Future of America & The Legal System🔗 CONNECT WITH THE GUESTS:Website: https://rectorlawfirm.com🎧 ABOUT THE PODCAST:The Colorado Business Podcast is the #1 business podcast in Colorado, founded by Andrew Hazzle and this episode was hosted by Marcus Alvarado & Chris Seegars. We bring you the stories, strategies, and secrets of the state's most impactful entrepreneurs and leaders.#LegalSystem #CriminalDefense #ColoradoBusiness #LawyerLife #CivilRights #JusticeSystem #Podcast #BusinessPodcast

Air Force veteran Kyle Pettit joins us to share how he transitioned from Special Ops aviation to a thriving career in Colorado real estate. We discuss the challenges of the current market, the rapid evolution of Colorado Springs, and why supporting local small businesses is critical for our city. Finally, Kyle opens up about his "Make Money Matter" philosophy and the importance of using success to give back to the community.

MATT MEISTER explains why LOCAL NEWS is dying in COLORADO. After 25 years in broadcast, he reveals the agendas that forced him to walk away.At the peak of a legendary career in broadcast meteorology, Matt Meister decided to ditch the corporate script and bet everything on a community-run startup. In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Matt reveals the "corporate rails" that held him back and the truth about declining news viewership. We dive into the provocative reality of the agendas: political, corporate, and scientific, that exist behind the scenes in traditional media. This is a conversation about the death of an industry and the birth of a new era of independent media. TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE👉 The exact moment Matt knew it was time to leave.👉 Why corporate rails are strangling local journalism.👉 The Golden Age of meteorology and the technology changing our world.👉 Dealing with the psychological pressure of public failure.👉 The reality of agendas in media and science.CONNECT WITH MATT MEISTER🔗 Website: https://peaks2plainsweather.com/🔗 App Store: https://peaks2plainsweather.com/🔗 Social: https://www.instagram.com/thewxmeister/EPISODE CHAPTERS00:00 - The risk of public failure.00:12 - Introduction: Who is Matt Meister?02:19 - 25 years in Colorado: Why I stayed.12:50 - Agendas in Media, Politics, and Science.22:20 - The "Death" of Local TV viewership.24:12 - Taking the leap: From Anchor to Entrepreneur.29:01 - Community care vs. Corporate schedules.01:12:56 - What I was never allowed to show on TV.ABOUT THE PODCASTThe Colorado Business Podcast is the #1 business podcast in the state. We interview the founders, leaders, and icons shaping the future of Colorado. ✅ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@ColoradoBusinessPodcast✅ Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/colorado.bizpodcast/#MattMeister #ColoradoSprings #FutureOfMedia #Meteorology #Entrepreneurship #LocalNews #DiaryOfACEO #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #ColoradoWeather #2026