Ditch Digger CEO with Gary Rabine

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

"If you are not a serial optimist then don't get involved in business" - Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk is the Founder and Executive Director of Turning Point USA,  a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and  empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets, and  limited government.

Since the inception of Turning Point USA on June 5th of 2012, Charlie Kirk  has grown Turning Point USA from nothing to having representation on  over 1,200 high school and college campuses nationwide and over 150 full  time staff. At 24 years old, he has appeared on Fox News, CNBC, and FOX  Business News over 600 times. Charlie Kirk is also a best-selling  author, was featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2018, he was the youngest  speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention, and a proud Eagle  Scout.

Shownotes:

2:33 Charlie's upbringing

5:12 How too much energy is a blessing and not a curse to be medicated

6:40 How Charlie's parents raised him

14:16 Most important books read in high school

18:43 What happened after high school?

24:49 Meeting Bill Montgomery - how TPUSA formed into the powerhouse that it is

29:30 Other great people that helped along the way

40:18 How to convince investors to invest in you and your business

44:13 How to visualize the metrics you'll need for success

1:05:14 Where are you going?

1:13:18 Emotional intelligence

1:21:08 How to identify leaders

1:29:06 How to keep pride at bay

1:42:14 Quinton's True Takeaways

Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO:

Visit the DDCEO BLOG: https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/

Follow DDCEO on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Like DDCEO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Follow DDCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh03Px5ez_xe_oE_iJMMNIg

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

Ryan is AFN’s co-founder and chairman (https://www.loadafn.com/). When he graduated from Indiana University, Ryan joined the dynamic third-party logistics industry. He fell in love with the daily challenges, the fast pace, and the huge potential for personal and professional growth. Ryan quickly realized that there was a real need in the market for a 3PL that was focused on delivering hands-on, results-oriented service that put the needs of clients first and foremost. In 2003, Ryan founded AFN to not only meet this need, but to exceed the expectations of our clients.

Shownotes:

5:52 What gave you the confidence to go off and start your own business at such a young age?

8:55 Any sports in High School?

13:04 How has your competitive nature benefited you?

15:56 Competitive advantages?

17:50 Why Ryan was able to give better customer service? QUOTE Honesty

22:21 How did you duplicate and scale your personal success with selling in the business? How Ryan built the culture of his business?

27:25 When core values are solidified

30:07 How has your culture changed since day 1?

35:52 The happy medium between grit and comfort

37:06 Do you need to be tough on your team?

48:15 When should you be transparent and when should you hold your tongue?

54:00 What are you focused on now that the business is sold?

57:28 Could you have built this business in any other country?

59:21 Who have been your key mentors?

1:01:49 What role did your dad play in the business?

1:06:10 Ryan's vision

1:11:17 What Jacob and Ryan are working on

1:32:30 Quinton's Quick Takes

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

Ed Zeman, Chairman of Zeman Homes, Inc. is this week's guest (https://www.zemanhomes.com/)

Shownotes:

1:00 Quinton's first time meeting Ed

2:00 Ed's youth and growing up

6:30 Ed's education

8:30 How did these early life experiences affect your motivation to succeed?

9:51 How Ed got his start with Zeman Homes

13:15 Great things Ed's father taught him about raising kids

15:41 How Ed transitioned to become the leader of Zeman Homes

17:30 Becoming the leader of a business and a father at the same time

18:43 How did you balance family and work?

22:18 How Ed thrived as head of the business after his father developed brain cancer

25:00 How Ed identified his strengths and weaknesses to fill out his support team

28:20 Ed's most important mentors

31:30 What type of mentee do you look for?

34:00 Who's a mentor that really helped you grow?

35:30 Is there anyone that you modeled?

38:15 How have you differentiated yourself and Zeman Homes?

41:00 Toughest times

42:30 Doing the dirty jobs is one of the best ways to be a leader

43:30 Industry disruptions?

47:10 Story of Ed's grandfather founding the Bears

55:00 Could your success have happened in any other country

1:02:00 Future of your industry

1:03:00 Leaders in the manufactured homes industry they try to emulate

1:05:30 What's going to drive you for the next 15 years

1:07:30 What do you want your legacy to be?

1:09:50 Quinton's True Takeaways

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

"Creating a sense of meaning and purpose is the best part of the job" - Nick Mathey

Nick Mathey is the CEO and Founder of Pipe View America (http://pipeviewamerica.com)

Pipe View America inspects, locates and documents pipelines and they have several inspection vehicles that can turn and maneuver  inside sewers and underground detention systems. This allows multiple runs through otherwise impossible areas to be viewed without direct access.  This technology allows Pipe View America to tackle the most challenging  underground systems.

Shownotes:

58:00 Quinton's True Takeaways

Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO:

Visit the DDCEO BLOG: https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/

Follow DDCEO on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Like DDCEO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Follow DDCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh03Px5ez_xe_oE_iJMMNIg

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

“Hopefully (your journey) is not all good. Cause if it’s all good. You got cheated.” - Bill Ryan Bill Ryan, the Founder, and CEO for William Ryan Homes (https://www.williamryanhomes.com/), is a native of Pittsburgh and family home building. “My grandfather built his first home in Pittsburgh in 1925,” says Ryan. “My dad and uncles eventually became part of that business, with my dad taking on the role of opening up new cities for the company. That’s how we ended up in Cincinnati. Having gone to school at Marquette in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I spent some time in Chicago and fell in love with it. By 1990, I had an overwhelming urge to start my own home building company and, at that time, Chicago was picked to be the country’s leading home building market. So that made the decision pretty easy and I packed up my family and headed to Chicago.” Ryan’s move paid off as the still privately-held company has built more than 10,000 single-family homes and branched beyond Chicago to markets in Wisconsin, Florida and Arizona 2:30 Bill's family history 15:31 How Bill came to Chicago from Pittsburgh and started his own business 25:31 Best ways to work and not work with family 32:00 Growing up learning the business from his dad 33:19 How Bill survived and thrived during the 2008 recession 36:30 How Bill started his company 44:47 What would you do differently? 50:39 How were you able to grow so fast? 57:30 Leveraging the Ryan name 57:00 Getting into manufactured housing 1:05:00 How to take the right risks 1:10:00 How Bill built so many homes per year 1:17:00 How they survived the 2008 recession 1:25:34 What are you working towards? 1:36:00 How do you train team members 1:38:08 Quinton's True Takeaways 1:40:06 Could you have built this business in any other country? Be sure to check out https://www.ditchdiggerceo.com for shownotes, clips, quotes, and other great entrepreneurial wisdom! And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @DitchDiggerCEO!

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

"To stay innovative, I ask every manager, if I gave you ten million dollars what would you invest in?" - Paul Darley Paul C. Darley is Chairman, CEO & President of W.S. Darley & Co. Under his leadership, sales have increased over 1000% to over $185 million in 2016. He began in pump sales in 1985 and was named Vice President for the Fire Pump Division of W.S. Darley & Co. in 1990. In 1997, he became President and COO and was appointed President & CEO in 2003. He was named Chairman in 2011. Founded in 1908, W.S. Darley & Co is a fourth generation family business, led by Paul and an executive team that has transformed this 110 year old company into a world leader in the firefighting industry with ISO 9001 certification and an electronic catalog of more than 10,000 items. Paul earned his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Paul has traveled to 80 countries in his 25-year tenor, and has made over 500 industry speaking engagements. He is involved with numerous charitable and service organizations including Past Chairman of the Chicago Windy City Chapter of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization). Paul recently released his book “Sold! The Art Of Relationship Sales” that spells out the theory that companies run by CEOs with a sales background outperform peer companies with CEOs who come up through other disciplines. You can find out more about the book here https://www.edarley.com/book-sold/ Paul is married to his high school sweetheart and together they are raising three daughters in Elmhurst, IL. Shownotes: 5:00 Intro to Gary and Pauls friendship 9:00 What friends do you want to speed 80% of your time with? 11:00 If your life is below a 7 out of 10 you’re going to have to talk about it 14:00 Grit is how you are able to survive for 110 years 25:00 The challenge of running a family business."Still go to classes at Northwestern every year and work outside of business for 3-5 years" 28:00 Growing from $12 million in 1997 to $200 million 29:00 60% of profits come from products we didnt have two years ago 32:00 How do you identify the right innovations to pursue? 33:30 Creating a work environment that gives millennials everything they need to succeed 39:00 Tell me about your education and how it benefited your business? 42:00 Where to look for great mentors 45:00 "No harder to go after a big deal than a small deal" 46:00 Questions to ask that help build rapport 49:00 Taking your business to the 5th generation 53:00 Profit sharing plan has created a lot of millionaires. 56:00 How to be world class through differentiation. 1:01:00 What are the most important causes? 1:05:00 When to start corporate responsibility 1:06:00 What did you want people to get out of your book? 1:12:00 Could you have built this company in any other country? 1:16:00 Advice to 34 year old Paul CEO

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

“Praise publicly, coach privately” - Shelly Sun Shelly Sun is the CEO and Founder of BrightStar Group Holdings, Inc., the parent company of BrightStar Care® and BrightStar Senior Living & Memory Care. BrightStar Care® is a premium healthcare staffing company providing the full continuum of care, from homecare to supplemental staffing for corporate clients such as nursing homes and physicians. BrightStar Care is Ranked as the #1 Franchise in Investment Level by Forbes Shelly went "undercover" with BrightStar caregivers on CBS' "Undercover Boss" (featured April 17, 2011) They are also in the top 10 on the American Express Top 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Led Companies each year 2011-2015, and Shelly was named the 2009 IFA Entrepreneur of the Year. Shelly grew the BrightStar brand to over $300 million in system-wide sales in under 10 years since launching franchise early 2006 with OVER 300 locations throughout the U.S. Shelly also published her first book, Grow Smart, Risk Less, (http://growsmartriskless.com/) where she discusses her journey as an emerging franchisor through amazing growth, lessons learned and game-changing ideas. Shownotes: 3:30 How Shelly became an entrepreneur 10:30 How did you make the vision of what you wanted so clear? 13:44 Biggest differentiators 15:51 The value of incorporating processes 17:20 Where did you learn these entrepreneurial skills? 26:30 Important social skills to develop 29:55 How do you avoid getting a big ego after so much success? 38:55 When is the right time to start a new venture? 43:13 The importance of conflict 45:00 Shelly's 5 core values 45:52 Using core values to hire and fire 46:57 MENTION the book Traction 47:36 Most challenging core value to hold people accountable for 50:33 Where do you see Shelly Sun and Brightstar ten years from now? 54:43 MENTION Shelly's book grow smart risk less 58:00 When to hand off the reigns of your business? 1:00:09 What Shelly does outside of business 1:07:28 Quinton's Quick Takes

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

“The definition of leadership is credibility plus vision” - Dennis Barsema Dennis Barsema was previously the President and CEO of Redback Networks, where he led the company through rapid growth and one of the most successful IPOs in Wall Street history. Dennis has more than 30 years of executive experience in telecommunications, software, and optical networking. Dennis is the current Chairman of the Northern Illinois University Foundation and he has been a director on numerous non-profit boards, including Oportunidad Microfinanzas of Mexico, Se Mas (a microfinance institution) of Mexico, NEST (St. Louis), Collaboration Group, and Carpenters Place of Rockford, Illinois. He is also an advisor to the non-profit, microfinance organization, Opportunity International in Oak Brook, Illinois, Panzanzee, and the School of Business at Northern Illinois University, and is a past advisor to the School of Business at Santa Clara University in San Jose, California. 7:22 Overcoming a stutter 9:20 How Dennis got into the tech space 12:00 Most important mentors + role models. 14:32 Lessons learned from Dennis's upbringing 15:00 Definition of leadership is credibility plus vision 19:11 Dennis's first entrepreneurial experience 36:00 Keeping bridges unburned. 40:00 How to keep fear from making your decisions. 48:00 5th most successful IPO in the history of US companies 56:00 Biggest unfair advantages 1:02:00 Next opportunity after Redback - Blue Lane 1:09:00 The folly of pride 1:10:00 Live where your purpose is 1:17:43 How do you get people to like you? 1:18:50 How do you build your reputation? 1:23:00 What makes a great salesperson? 1:26:00 What do you want your legacy to be? 1:27:30 Quinton's True Takeaways

Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO:

Visit the DDCEO BLOG: https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/

Follow DDCEO on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Like DDCEO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Follow DDCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh03Px5ez_xe_oE_iJMMNIg

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

"If it's construction and you like it. Go for it. Don't be funneled into something because you think you should." - Ronda Shrewsbury Weybright Ronda is the President and Owner of RealAmerica Development LLC. (http://realamericallc.com) She has worked in the real estate industry since 1988 and founded RealAmerica in 1995 for the purpose of developing and constructing apartment housing through the use of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Building on that experience, Ronda expanded into other real estate development including market rate apartments, self-storage, business office, and mixed-use developments as high-quality opportunities presented themselves. She is a principal in all of the company-owned partnerships and oversees the senior management team and the strategic direction of each of the company’s divisions, including Development, Design, Construction, and Property Management. She is a graduate of Indiana University School of Business with a BS in Finance/Real Estate and serves on the Boards of the Indiana Affordable Housing Council (IAHC), OneZone (formerly Fishers Chamber of Commerce), and Fairbanks Hospital. She is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO/WPO), holds an active Indiana Principal Brokers License and participates in numerous philanthropic activities in the community. 2:35 Story of Ronda's start as an entrepreneur 4:27 Ronda and Gary's first jobs impact on their future endeavors 6:51 How Ronda realized her passion was affordable housing 9:50 How she built her career in affordable housing 11:38 How Ronda escaped poverty 14:55 Who was Ronda's model for success 18:54 Ronda's rise in the low income housing business 21:41 The challenges of getting to 100% ownership - thriving as a young woman with no money in the heavily male dominated construction industry 26:30 Developing the confidence needed to thrive as a young woman in a male dominated industry 29:20 Values that have assisted Ronda in developing a quality reputation 30:30 How Ronda measures success and growth 34:30 How to master delegating and prioritizing 39:58 How Ronda differentiates her business 41:23 Surviving and thriving in the recession 45:23 How to attract the best people - find passion for what you do and promote from within 48:05 Ronda's core values and building culture 56:00 Advice for startup entrepreneurs today 57:28 Advice for young women entrepreneurs 58:15 Quinton's True Takeaways

Check out https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ for this week's TOP 8 Business Growth strategies and subscribe to our newsletter to download Gary’s 13 Keys to Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Business.

Follow us on Instagram @DitchDiggerCEO (https://www.instagram.com/ditchdiggerceo/) for more helpful Business Growth tips.

Our goal is to inspire everyone to start their own business and help you grow it to millions or even billions in value so if you feel any benefit from this episode please let us know by leaving an iTunes review, sharing this episode on social media and emailing a link to anyone you think would also find benefit here. Thank you.

“The only way you are going to learn is through enduring pain” - Biju Kulathakal Biju Kulathakal (@BijuGK) is a serial entrepreneur and active angel investor. He was an early investor and partner at GetAMovie which was later sold to McDonalds and is now RedBox. Redbox is one of the largest movie rental companies in the United States and the fastest growing in terms of revenue. Previously, he was a founder of Enterprise Logic Systems, which is a software development firm that specialized in the financial services and trading industry. Biju is a founder and the past Chairman and CEO of Trading Block Holdings, an online brokerage firm specializing in option traders. He is the founder of Vidya Foundation, which gives scholarships to underprivileged kids in developing countries. He has previously served on the board of the Chicago Charger School foundation, Beck Foundation, Civitas Schools, Leap Learning Systems and the Heartland Institute. Biju received a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. Biju’s current focus is Co-founder and CEO of Halo Investing (https://haloinvesting.com/). Please let us know your thoughts on social @DitchDiggerCEO and on our website https://www.ditchdiggerceo.com/ Shownotes: 2:00 How Biju started Redbox 5:00 Partnering with McDonald's - Did you ever go to Blockbuster or Hollywood video with these ideas? 11:00 Key lessons from Redbox 15:30 Mentors who have helped you gain your business acumen 18:00 Networking strategies 22:30 The key to motivating your employees 24:30 Core values 31:00 How Halo Investing started and where it’s going in the next ten years 40:00 Only way you can learn is through pain 43:30 How has the free market system helped you? 52:00 Biju’s advice to the younger version of himself 55:00 Why do businesses fail? 1:03:00 Quinton’s True Takeaways

Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO:

Visit the DDCEO BLOG: https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/

Follow DDCEO on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Like DDCEO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Follow DDCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DitchDiggerCEO

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh03Px5ez_xe_oE_iJMMNIg