Colorado Business Podcast

It’s Not About The Food": Why The $90 Billion Diet Industry Wants You To Fail. Michelle Doyle and Lindsey Doyle have spent a decade on the front lines of the medical and wellness industry, and they’ve seen a horrifying pattern: the $90 billion diet industry isn't designed to make you healthy, it’s designed to make you a repeat customer.

In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, the founders of Mountain View Nutrition strip away the "flashy" marketing of quick fixes and "miracle" drugs like Ozempic to reveal the uncomfortable truth. From the psychological roots of weight gain to the "heroin analogy" of food addiction, this conversation is a masterclass in reclaiming your health without the guilt, the gimmicks, or the shame.

If you’ve ever felt like an "all-or-nothing" person who can't stay consistent, or if you’ve wondered why you can eat pasta in Europe and feel great but feel like "crud" in America, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we unpack:

• The Repeat Customer Scam: Why the industry relies on you gaining the weight back.

• The PFF Plate: The simple 3-step formula for satiation (Protein, Fat, and Fiber).

• The Ozempic Truth: Why GLP-1 drugs are an "aid," not a foundation.

• The "Banana Fear": Why we’ve been brainwashed to fear fruit while ignoring the real killers.

• The 80/20 Rule: How to live a high-performance life without restrictive dieting.

Connect with Mountain View Nutrition:🌐 Website: https://www.mtviewnutrition.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mtviewnutrition/

Follow The Colorado Business Podcast:🎙️ Subscribe on YouTube :https://www.youtube.com/@ColoradoBusinessPodcast🎧 Listen on Spotify/Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-business-podcast/id1492740546

#Nutrition #WeightLoss #Ozempic #DietCulture #HealthFoundations #ColoradoBusiness #Entrepreneurship

We are settling the debate on the true identity of Colorado Springs. In this special roundtable episode, we sit down with Celebrity Chef Brother Luck and Chelsea Gondeck (Interim CEO, Downtown Partnership) for a raw, unfiltered conversation about the future of our city.

From the controversial "North vs. South" rivalry to the harsh realities of safety in the downtown corridor, nothing was off-limits. We discuss why Colorado Springs refuses to be "Denver’s Little Sister," the struggle businesses face Sunday through Thursday, and whether our city is ready to be truly world-class.

In This Episode:0:00 - Intro: The State of Colorado Springs09:05 - Why we are NOT "Denver's Little Sister"13:41 - What "Responsible Development" actually looks like24:34 - The real challenges facing Downtown businesses (Safety & Costs)33:59 - The Northgate Problem: Why locals don't come Downtown35:39 - The "Mordor" Comment: Exploring the North vs. South Rivalry46:58 - Chef Brother Luck on the "Meat & Potatoes" perception vs. Michelin Stars01:07:37 - The harsh reality of safety and doing business downtown01:08:11 - "The North is Plastic": The debate heats up01:10:03 - The solution? Start taking "Staycations"Thanks for supporting the Colorado Business Podcast (Formerly: COS Business Podcast).

Gabrielle Simmons lost everything. She had the 800 credit score, the real estate portfolio, and the “perfect” life on paper, until a $100,000 tax bill and a market crash forced her into bankruptcy at 29 years old.

In this episode, Gabrielle opens up about her rise from a truck driver to running the largest investor community in Colorado, and the devastating crash that followed. She reveals exactly how she built her first fortune using wholesaling (with zero money down), the massive mistake that cost her everything, and the mental toughness required to rebuild from scratch.If you believe the American Dream is dead or that you need rich parents to invest in real estate, this conversation will prove you wrong.Topics:0:00 - Intro0:40 - From Truck Driver to Real Estate Investor06:07 - The Dangerous Reality of Being a Female Trucker11:18 - Blowing Money in Dubai & The "Fake Wealth" Trap13:36 - How to Start Wholesaling with $0 (The Exact Strategy)19:00 - Why Most Wholesalers Fail (And How to Win)24:00 - Building "Real Estate Dealmakers" (60k+ Members)31:13 - Closing Massive Commercial Deals & Data Centers44:20 - The Crash: Losing It All & Filing Bankruptcy58:00 - How to Rebuild Your Life After Hitting Rock Bottom01:04:17 - The 3 Things You Need to Succeed (Time, Money, Knowledge)Guest:Gabrielle Simmons is the founder of Real Estate Dealmakers, the largest real estate networking community in Colorado with over 60,000 members. She is a former professional truck driver turned real estate investor, educator, and entrepreneur.Follow Gabrielle:Instagram: https://instagram.com/investorladygFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AZsVzGj9K/Listen to the Audio Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/1jSQ8OQSi0rprCcxTGx0KB?si=1772f1e908184d5a'https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-springs-business-podcast/id1492740546About the Show:The COS Business Podcast is the #1 source for business news and interviews in Colorado Springs. We talk to the entrepreneurs, leaders, and movers-and-shakers building the future of our city.Subscribe for more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@cosbusinesspodcast

Is your startup actually going to survive, or are you just burning cash?

In this episode, we sit down with Max Cupp, Executive Director of Exponential Impact (XI), the engine turning Colorado Springs into a legitimate rival to Silicon Valley. Max reveals the brutal reality of what it takes to go from "zero connections" to building a billion-dollar unicorn.

We break down the "Mudita" mindset that separates successful founders from the selfish ones, why most startups fail at the "Rent vs. Food" stage, and the exact roadmap XI uses to take founders from raw ideas to Series A funding.

If you are an entrepreneur feeling like an imposter or looking for the blueprint to scale, this conversation is your survival guide.

-----🚀 What We Discuss:

1. The "Imposter" Advantage: Why feeling like the "dumbest person in the room" is actually your superpower.

2. Rent vs. Food: The harsh financial reality of the early days and how to survive the "Valley of Death."

3. The "Mudita" Philosophy: The secret trait of billion-dollar founders that nobody talks about.

4. From Outsider to Insider: How Max hustled his way into the city's top circles by simply "showing up."

5. Unicorn Hunting: Why the next big tech giant is being built right here in the Rockies.

-----⏱️ Chapters:

• 0:00 - Intro (The "Dumbest Person" Strategy)

• 1:32 - Who is Max Cupp?

• 3:13 - The Hustle: How to Build a Network from Zero

• 10:38 - What is "Mudita"? (The Anti-Selfish Mindset)

• 16:24 - "Put Up or Shut Up": The Trial By Fire

• 25:39 - Is XI the "Y-Combinator" of Colorado?

• 31:49 - The Financial Reality: Rent vs. Food

• 45:02 - "Ideas in the Air": How Innovation Actually Happens

• 1:09:41 - The 10-Year Vision: Building Unicorns

  
  

-----🔗 Connect with Max & Exponential Impact:

• Website: https://www.exponentialimpact.com/

• Accelerator Applications: https://www.exponentialimpact.com/apply

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxcupp/

  
  

-----🎙️ About The COS Business Podcast:

The number one business podcast in Colorado. We explore the stories, struggles, and strategies of the entrepreneurs building the future of the Rockies. Hosted by Andrew Hazzlee & Marcus Alvarado.

Your hiring process is broken. You are hiring for skills when you should be hiring for the one thing you can’t train: behavior.
In this episode, Reanna Werner (Founder of Savion HQ) reveals the brutal reality of entrepreneurship—from being "ruined" for the corporate world to managing the two things that keep every founder awake at night: their people and their money.If you’ve ever felt held hostage by a toxic employee or paralyzed by the fear of a lawsuit, this conversation is the wake-up call you need.
🚀 IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• Why the "Golden Rule" is actually destroying your company culture.
• The "Platinum Rule" strategy for managing difficult teams.
• Why you are officially "unemployable" the moment you start a business.
• How to fire fast without guilt (and why keeping bad hires is cruel).
• The "Fractional Headquarters" model that fixes chaotic back-offices.

• Website: https://www.savvionhq.com/ 
• Podcast: "Show Me Yours" (Available on all platforms)

🎙️ GUEST BIO:
Reanna Werner is the founder of Savion HQ, a fractional back-office firm that turns small business chaos into profitable empires. By handling the "boring" stuff—HR, Payroll, and Accounting—she allows founders to get back to their passion. She is also the host of the "Show Me Yours" podcast.
🔗 CONNECT WITH REANNA:⏳ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro (The "Untrainable" Trait)
1:13 - The "Toxic Culture" Trap
4:13 - Bootstrapping vs. Capital: The Mindset Shift
10:09 - Rhiannon’s Origin: Recruiting at 16
14:48 - Hitting Rock Bottom & The $10k Investment
21:00 - Why Entrepreneurs Are "Ruined" for Corporate Jobs
23:10 - Starting a Business in a Basement (No Chairs!)
35:31 - A 3-Step Model for Risk & Lawsuits
41:21 - What is a "Fractional Headquarters"?
57:43 - Stop Using the Golden Rule (Use The Platinum Rule)
1:00:31 - The Hardest Part of Leadership
1:06:01 - Hiring for 110% Cultural Fit
1:09:47 - The "Kiss Ass" Bad Hire Story
1:12:48 - Case Study: The Client Who Couldn't Say "No"
📢 ABOUT THE SHOW:
The COS Business Podcast creates a space for real conversations with the entrepreneurs building the future. No fluff, just the raw stories of how businesses are actually built.
👍 If you enjoyed this episode, please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more honest business conversations.

RainTech founder Andrew Jahnke reveals why he rejected millions in private equity to give 100% of his company's profits to his employees. In this episode, we explore how he’s using AI to implement a 32-hour work week, why he believes "People First" is a lie, and his blueprint for building a business that puts people over profit—period.

AJ Matthews, founder of Be Our Guest Getaways, joins us to share how one family trip to Disney turned into a full-time business helping others experience the magic.From 22-person family reunions to the “Disney bubble” that makes your real-world problems melt away, AJ breaks down what makes Disney different, why planning it alone feels like drinking from a fire hose, and how his passion for creating memories became a thriving travel company.🎢 In This Episode: 00:00 – Intro 01:10 – How AJ started Be Our Guest Getaways 04:30 – What makes Disney vacations so different 09:15 – The “Disney bubble” explained 13:40 – The chaos of planning Disney trips alone 18:20 – How AJ helps families experience the magic 25:10 – Growing the business through word of mouth 32:00 – From DJ to travel expert 40:15 – Lessons from teaching at Pikes Peak State College 47:50 – Bringing creativity and magic into leadership 54:30 – How Disney transformed his family and career 01:00:00 – AJ’s advice for anyone chasing a dream01:10:30 – Where to find AJ and Be Our Guest Getaways🌍 Learn more: https://beourguestgetaways.com 🎙️ Follow the show: https://cosbizpodcast.com 📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cos.bizpodcast

What if the career you spent 20 years building was wiped out overnight? And what if the 'backup plan' you started out of desperation ended up being more successful than your original dream ever was? That's not a hypothetical, it's the true story of our guest, Robert "Black Pegasus" Houston.In one of our most powerful episodes yet, Robert shares the unfiltered story of his incredible pivot from a two-decade career as a rapper and promoter to a full-time YouTube creator. This is a masterclass in resilience, showing how a career-ending crisis can become the catalyst for your greatest success. He breaks down the mindset required to abandon a 20-year identity, the humility it takes to become a beginner again, and the accidental discovery that led to him building a YouTube empire that out-earned his entire music career.► In This Episode, You Will Learn:✓ The reality of earning a living as an independent artist for 20 years.✓ The devastating moment the pandemic erased his entire business model.✓ How he started on YouTube with zero experience and no plan.✓ The shocking financial success that made his new career bigger than his old one.✓ The critical mistake that nearly got him de-platformed just as he was taking off.✓ His powerful life lesson on the importance of creating more than you consume.This conversation is a must-watch for any entrepreneur, creator, or anyone who has ever had to start over.► Follow our guest, Robert "Black Pegasus" Houston:YouTube: @BlackPegasusRapsInstagram: @blackpegasusraps► Subscribe to the COS Business Podcast for more powerful stories from today's most resilient entrepreneurs and creators.

Is Colorado's pro-business reputation a myth? According to new data, the state has plummeted to 48th out of 50 in private-sector job creation, and net migration has dropped by over 52%. While our quality of life remains high, the economic policies from the state capitol are creating massive headwinds for business owners and entrepreneurs.In this critical conversation, we sit down with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, the powerhouse President & CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. As an economic development expert who moved to Colorado just four years ago, Johnna brings an outsider's perspective armed with undeniable data. She breaks down exactly why the state is failing its businesses and reveals her bold new plan to unite Southern Colorado and fight back for pro-business policies.TIME STAMPS:0:00 - Colorado's Economy is Failing (The Data)5:15 - Johnna's Journey: From Rural Tennessee to CEO15:30 - The #1 Job of a Chamber of Commerce28:10 - Is "Olympic City, USA" Still Our Identity?35:05 - The Plan to Fix Downtown Colorado Springs49:55 - REVEALED: The Southern Colorado Business Alliance57:20 - "Drive the train 100 mph while building the track."1:03:15 - How Young Professionals Can Get Involved & SucceedConnect with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer:Website: coloradospringschamberedc.comSubscribe to the COS Business Podcast for more essential conversations with the leaders shaping our city.🤝 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:HR Branches: https://www.savvionhq.com/Exceptional Business Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/DataHubz: https://www.datahubz.com/Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/Proud American Electrical and Solar: https://proudamericansolar.com/ Bolton Co: For Purpose-Driven Executives. https://www.boltonco.net/Be Our Guest Getaways: Making Magical Memories. https://beourguestgetaways.com/Planet Duct: Your go-to cleaning service in Colorado Springs. https://www.planetduct.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: Hassle-free healthcare. https://www.pinnacleapc.com Exponential Impact: https://www.exponentialimpact.com/ Fast Signs: https://www.fastsigns.com/ Dream Accounting - https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Awesome Home Services - https://www.awesomeservice.com/ Reveal Med Spa - https://revealmedspas.com/

Is Colorado's pro-business reputation a myth? According to new data, the state has plummeted to 48th out of 50 in private-sector job creation, and net migration has dropped by over 52%. While our quality of life remains high, the economic policies from the state capitol are creating massive headwinds for business owners and entrepreneurs.

In this critical conversation, we sit down with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, the powerhouse President & CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. As an economic development expert who moved to Colorado just four years ago, Jonna brings an outsider's perspective armed with undeniable data. She breaks down exactly why the state is failing its businesses and reveals her bold new plan to unite Southern Colorado and fight back for pro-business policies.

Connect with Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer:

• Website: coloradospringschamberedc.com

Subscribe to the COS Business Podcast for more essential conversations with the leaders shaping our city.

🤝 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:HR Branches: https://www.savvionhq.com/Exceptional Business Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/DataHubz: https://www.datahubz.com/Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/Proud American Electrical and Solar: https://proudamericansolar.com/ Bolton Co: For Purpose-Driven Executives. https://www.boltonco.net/Be Our Guest Getaways: Making Magical Memories. https://beourguestgetaways.com/Planet Duct: Your go-to cleaning service in Colorado Springs. https://www.planetduct.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: Hassle-free healthcare. https://www.pinnacleapc.com Exponential Impact: https://www.exponentialimpact.com/ Fast Signs: https://www.fastsigns.com/ Dream Accounting - https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Awesome Home Services - https://www.awesomeservice.com/ Reveal Med Spa - https://revealmedspas.com/

#ColoradoBusiness #ColoradoEconomy #COSBusinessPodcast #EconomicDevelopment #JonnaReederClaymire #ColoradoSprings