Default Profitable

In this episode of Default Profitable, host Matt Nettleton sits down with Rachel Firestone Mohammad, co-owner of 9th Street Bistro in Noblesville, to explore the real strategies behind launching and sustaining a profitable restaurant—from pivoting during the pandemic to building deep community connections.

Discover how embracing flexibility, prioritizing staff well-being, and staying true to your passion can turn unexpected challenges into long-term success, whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or seasoned business leader. Tune in for motivational insights on organic growth, market adaptation, and why starting small often leads to big wins in the competitive world of hospitality.

Learn more about Rachel Firestone Mohammad and 9th Street Bistro at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-firestone-12117040.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode we chat with Chanda Coston, a Navy vet turned business strategist who's all about helping women over 40 ditch the chaos and build businesses that actually fit their lives—think structure meets soul, with programs like Build to Blueprint and The Momentum Mastery Collective.

Have you ever wondered if it's too late to pivot after the kids are (mostly) grown? What does it take to swap a steady government gig for coaching that lights you up? And how do you set boundaries so you're strategizing, not therapizing? Chanda shares her journey from military discipline to nonprofit healing after tragedy, all while juggling five adult kids, four grandbabies, and globe-trotting adventures—proving gray hair just means smarter shortcuts.

Learn more about Chanda Coston and Chanda Co. at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandacoston and https://www.chanda-co.com/ 

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode of Default Profitable, We sit down with Dave Gulas to unpack his shift from two decades in pharma sales to launching EZDC 3PL, a warehousing and fulfillment powerhouse for e-commerce brands. We dive into the raw realities of starting up – from spotting gaps in customer service to navigating pivots, building an online presence, and why resilience beats any perfect plan when you're bootstrapping a business in a crowded field.

Ever wondered what it takes to ditch a stable career and build a logistics outfit from scratch? How landing the "wrong" clients can teach you more than any win? What happens when you overload your team and learn the hard way about capacity? And why prioritizing sales activity is the ultimate game-changer, even when you're at full throttle? Oh, and Dave's got six kids – including five teens in a row – keeping the home front as chaotic as startup life.

Learn more about Dave Gulas and EZDC 3PL at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegulas.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode of Default Profitable, host Matt Nettleton sits down with Jim Effner, a 36-year veteran of the financial services and life insurance industry. Jim shares his journey from building a massive Northwestern Mutual operation with 400 people and five buildings to founding P2P Group, a lean sales training firm laser-focused on boosting productivity in financial services. They dive into the challenges of scaling down, the emotional side of money decisions, and why permanent life insurance deserves a comeback amid industry shifts.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to ditch a sprawling empire for a passion-driven venture that actually fulfills you? What if the secret to killer sales isn't technique, but a rock-solid belief in caring deeply for each client? And how does spotting emotional money triggers from childhood make or break financial planning? Jim wraps with a humorous nod to his golf game—turns out, even a top producer can only hack so many rounds before needing a real purpose.

Learn more about Jim Effner and P2P Group at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimeffner.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Welcome aboard another episode of Default Profitable, where we get real about the strategies that turn businesses into consistent cash machines. This time, I sat down with Mikkel Thorup, the expat expert who's bootstrapped his way from a tough school experience to running a 32-person team at ExpatMoney.com. We dive into his wild backstory—getting labeled with a learning disability as a kid, ditching public education early, and turning global travels into a powerhouse consulting firm that helps high-net-worth folks with offshore taxes, immigration, investments, and more. It's all about spotting market gaps, outsourcing everything but your genius, and making profitable your everyday reality.

Have you ever wondered what happens when a "special school" kid flips the script on the system and builds an empire without a single loan or investor? What does it take to circumnavigate the globe 400 times, live in nine countries, and consult ultra-wealthy clients on dodging stress while going offshore? How do you bootstrap a business from solo hustler to a team of 32, all while outsourcing cooking, cleaning, and driving to focus on family and flow? And speaking of family, Mikkel's got four kids (with a fifth on the way) and still crushes 10-hour workdays—turns out, that dyslexia his teachers called a brain glitch is now his superpower for hyper-focus, leaving him billing at $1,200 an hour without burning out.

Learn more about Mikkel Thorup and ExpatMoney.com at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikkelthorup.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Hey folks, buckle up for a no-nonsense chat with Danny Bobrow, who's turned a string of "you're fired" moments into a powerhouse career helping dentists crush it in marketing and beyond. We dive into his wild ride starting back in '89, when dental marketing was basically a swear word, and how he built a niche empire by spotting what pros really needed—solid leads, killer phone skills, and a bigger purpose like linking oral health to overall wellness. From ditching the corporate grind to founding game-changers like the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health and his Climb for a Cause foundation, Danny lays out the real talk on staying profitable while making a difference that sticks.

Have you ever wondered what flips the switch from unemployable hot mess to unstoppable entrepreneur? What does it take to spot a goldmine niche like dental marketing and scale it from label-pushing to full-blown consultancy? Or how mastering the art of first impressions on the phone can quadruple your ROI without dropping extra cash? Danny breaks it down, sharing how aligning your hustle with a mission bigger than bucks—like boosting public health or volunteering overseas—keeps you fired up and clients loyal. And get this: the guy's an adventure athlete who's summited peaks worldwide, proving that putting one foot in front of the other works just as well in business as it does on a mountain—though he admits his early office was a dining room table, dodging eviction notices like a pro.

Learn more about Danny Bobrow and Climb for a Cause at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannybobrow.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Dive into this episode of Default Profitable where I chat with Mark Shriner, a globe-trotting entrepreneur who's turned his Asia-Pacific expertise into a thriving consulting gig and now leads Breeze Docs, an AI-powered platform that's revolutionizing how businesses tackle RFPs and security questionnaires. We cover everything from his wild ride building businesses across Asia to the hard-knock lessons of going solo, like pricing your worth and ditching the squirrels for bigger game. It's a no-BS look at what it takes to shift from corporate home runs to owning your own scoreboard, all while Mark shares tales from his sailboat office during San Francisco tech week.

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to 5X a company's revenue in Asia, only to watch new owners shrug it off and leave you starting from scratch? What does it take to juggle solopreneur chaos, from chief everything officer duties to realizing you're underpricing your genius? And how do you spot the elephant clients that pay off without the Nordstrom-level risks that could sink your ship? Mark breaks it down with real talk on focusing your strengths, saying no to distractions, and building long-term fractional roles that keep the feathers out of your chicken dinners. Fun fact: This guy's so committed to efficiency, he sailed 800 miles just to avoid a boring hotel stay—talk about breezing through life!

Learn more about Mark Shriner and Breeze Docs at https://www.linkedin.com/in/markshriner.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to bootstrap a supplement line as a kid, then pivot to lingerie exports and construction gigs? What does it take to bounce back from near-bankruptcies and turn those lessons into an 8-phase blueprint that guarantees launches in 120 days? How can you snag SBA loans, nail competitive edges, and start cash-positive with pre-booked clients? And hey, Azgari's got that squirrel brain from her dad, starting male enhancement products because, well, sometimes you gotta energize the market – literally!

Learn more about Azgari Lipshy and Azgari at https://www.linkedin.com/in/azgari-lipshy.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode of Default Profitable, Matt sits down with George Turkette, the guy behind Turchetti's, Indy's own USDA-certified wholesale salumeria cranking out top-notch charcuterie. We get into his wild ride from being a broke line cook in downtown restaurants to accidentally launching a business after a chance meeting – maybe with a little wine involved. George opens up about ditching the restaurant grind, navigating heavy regulations in meat processing, and the hard lessons on scaling up without losing your sanity or passion along the way.

Ever wondered how a broken collarbone could kickstart a salami empire? What does it take to pivot from chef life to full-on entrepreneur, especially when you're winging it at 25? How do you learn to delegate so you're not drowning in a thousand daily questions, and why's it crucial to double your startup cash expectations? And get this – George admits his early decisions were more about Instagram likes than solid business strategy, but hey, live and learn, right?

Interrested in investing in Turchetti's Meats? https://wefunder.com/turchettis.salumeria 

Learn more about George Turkette and Turchetti's at https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeturkette.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.

What does it take to turn your passion into a thriving business? In this episode of the Default Profitable podcast, host Matt Nettleton sits down with Jason Barnaby, the dynamic founder of Firestarters Inc., to explore the rollercoaster journey of entrepreneurship. From his days as a ski bum in Colorado to running a coffee shop in Poland and founding a business fueled by his love for sales and people development, Jason shares the gritty realities of starting and growing a passion-driven business. They dive into navigating failure, embracing authenticity, and the emotional highs and lows of going it alone, all while keeping it real with Matt’s signature blend of humor and heart.

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to lose your corporate job and leap into the unknown? Or how to separate your personal worth from your business’s success? Jason tackles these questions with raw honesty, recounting how his daughter’s blunt question about his job sparked a life-changing pivot. He shares hard-won lessons on resilience, the power of community, and why you should never get complacent when things are going well. Fun fact: Jason’s brief stint as a coffee shop owner in Poland was such a disaster, he jokingly calls it a masterclass in what not to do—but it taught him failure is just an event, not who you are.

Learn more about Jason Barnaby and Firestarters Inc. at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbarnaby/.

Listen to more Indianapolis Business Leaders at https://defaultprofitable.com or subscribe to Default Profitable on your favorite podcast platform.