Epic Entrepreneurs

By Bill Gilliland

Welcome to Epic Entrepreneurs! What does it take to build a real and thriving business in today’s world? As entrepreneurs and business owners, we went into business to have more freedom of time and

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FAQs about Epic Entrepreneurs:

How many episodes does Epic Entrepreneurs have?

The podcast currently has 260 episodes available.

Epic Entrepreneurs episodes:

June 15, 202129: Strategy 2 - The Ridiculously Simple But Highly Effective Time and Movement Strategy
If you are an overwhelmed entrepreneur constantly working on your business, today’s show will particularly help you out.
On today’s show, Bill shares a highly effective strategy that is so ridiculously simple that most entrepreneurs end up discarding it.
Bill calls it the “Time and Movement” strategy.
Learn how this simple productivity hack saved Bill’s client more than $40,000.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
How a simple productivity hack can save you thousands of dollars
How to reduce stress and overwhelm
Why you need to get off the hamster wheel and have a hard look at your systems and processes
And so much more…

Resources
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
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9min
June 08, 202128: J. Hackett | Moving Forward Against All Odds
What if life threw you a curveball, and you lost everything that you held dear? Would you find the resolve to completely reinvent your life and start all over again?
On today’s show, we interview J. Hackett who shares with us his roller-coaster life story and some of the most important lessons that he has learned along the way. From doing time in prison to running a seven-figure business, Joseph (or Jay) has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
Growing up in Philly, Jay was always entrepreneurial by nature. And so, it was hardly surprising that he went on to run multiple businesses which included a restaurant, a publishing company, and a counseling agency.
Joseph’s dream run came to a jarring halt when one of his 150 employees committed fraud – and Joseph had to take the fall for it.
Joseph was sentenced to four years in prison and slapped with $1.5 million in fines.
As Joseph’s life hit an all-time low, he cursed his fate for a while. But slowly, he was able to replace his anger and frustration with renewed resolve and focus.
As a part of the work-release program, Joseph managed to secure employment at Green Opportunities, Western North Carolina's premier job training and placement program.
Recently, bang in the middle of the pandemic, Jay opened his new entrepreneurial venture – Grind, the first black-owned coffee shop in Asheville.
His latest venture is also a co-working space, and Jay calls it “The Black Wall Street”. In this last segment of the show, Jay reveals some interesting information about the forthcoming Grind Festival – a celebration of black business and entrepreneurship.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
Showing resolve in the face of massive uncertainty
Resources for black business and black entrepreneurship
How to rise again from your lowest lows
And so much more…

Resources
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn
Jay’s Website
Black Wall Street AVL – Grind Fest!

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
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30min
June 01, 202127: Strategy 1 – Setting Your Vision for Long-Term Success
Are you so busy working “on” your business that you are neglecting all the bigger-picture things that can massively move the needle forward for you in the long run?
On today’s show, Bill emphasizes dreaming and thinking big.
Having a clear vision can also help you attract great people who can help you bring your grand designs to form. And to better elucidate his point, Bill shares his vision for ActionCoach.
Towards the end, we reveal the FIVE questions that every business owner should ask so that they can hone in on a clear and aligned vision.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
The FIVE questions that every business owner should ask to discover a clear and aligned vision
How a clear vision can help you assemble a dream team who will get the job done
Dreaming & thinking big
And so much more…
Resources
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
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9min
May 25, 202126: How Much Does Coaching Cost?
Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of entrepreneurship? Are you desperately looking for a mentor, a “sounding board” who can exactly understand what you are going through?
The rewards of entrepreneurship are well-known to us. A successful entrepreneur can enjoy financial freedom without being bound by the golden handcuffs of corporate America.
But the path to success is laden with massive challenges. And sharing your struggles with someone experienced can help you avoid some of the biggest mistakes made by your peers.
On today’s show, you will learn about the different coaching options offered by Bill and his team. From group coaching to one-on-one coaching, we have a wide range of options for everyone from large corporates to start-ups.
Towards the end, you will also learn about our one-time special offer for Action Club.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
Why Coaching is an investment and NOT an expense
How to avoid some of the biggest mistakes made by your peers
How our coaching programs have generated up to a 6x ROI for our members
How much coaching really cost?
And so much more…

Resources
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
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10min
May 18, 202125: How to Bulletproof Your Business from Yourself
On today’s short but power-packed show, show host, Bill Gilliland shares the seven critical things that can bulletproof your business from yourself.
Last week, as Bill was driving back from Virginia, he experienced an extremely bad attack of vertigo. In fact, it was so bad, that he had to call his wife so that she could drive him back. It’s been a week but Bill is yet to recover completely.
After some careful introspection over the past week, Bill shares some important lessons so that you can decrease your business’s dependence on you.
Among other things, Bill emphasizes on empathy, the importance of patience, and building and nurturing a dream team.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
Striking a balance between ambition and empathy
Good things take time - why patience is the key to success
Why it is futile to even attempt to even do everything yourself
And so much more…
Resources
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
...more
9min
May 04, 202124: Brian Koerner - Why a Formal Education is Important, But a Business "Self-Education" Makes all the Difference
Caught in the golden handcuffs? Unable to leave your cushy job to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams?
On today’s show, we interview Brian Koerner, owner, Engineering Solutions & Construction Management, PLC who shares with us his wisdom on entrepreneurship, people management, and culture. You will learn why “business self-education” is the differentiating factor that can catapult you ahead of the competition.
After getting his graduate degree in structural engineering from the University of Wyoming, like most people, Brian got a job in corporate America and he did quite well for himself. But after 4 years, he realized that he wanted more from his profession.
And so, in 2004, armed with a paltry $20,000 credit line, Brian quit his high-paying job to start Engineering Solutions & Construction Management, PLC. In this segment of the show, Brian shares how the 80:20 rule applies to business. You will also learn the importance of doing mundane tasks even though you might not enjoy doing them.
We talk quite a bit about culture and teamwork. Drawing from his two-decade-long experience of managing a people-oriented business, Brian has some great insights to share in this segment of the show.
Apart from structural design, you will also learn about the construction management projects managed by Engineering Solutions & Construction Management.
We wrap up this show with Brian sharing why NOW is the best time to start a business.
Do not miss this special show. Tune in now!
What You Will Learn In This Show
Why NOW is the best time to start a business
How to start a scalable business with minimal capital
How the 80:20 rule applies to business
The complexities of managing a people-oriented business
And so much more…
Resources
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
...more
36min
April 27, 202123: Thomas Wolfe - Lobo Builders | The World is Ready for your Gifts
What are some of the biggest upsides AND downsides of working in a family business?
On today’s show, we interview the incredible Thomas Wolfe of Lobo Builders who shares with his thoughts on entrepreneurship, teamwork, and communication.
Thomas started assisting his dad with his flipping business when he has just 12. And he opted for home-schooling just so that he could learn the ropes of the business.
In 1996, Thomas decided to go out on his own by venturing into the distressed property and acquisition business. Things went well for him, and his business expanded rapidly. But then came the economic crisis of 2008.
When 2008 happened, Thomas had 13 houses in his inventory. Because of the huge losses, Thomas had to go back to his roots – working as an on-site construction worker.
However, in 2011, a persistent lady convinced Thomas to renovate her home in Fairview. And this led to Thomas’s second entrepreneurial venture, Lobo Builders.
Lobo builders has since grown to a team of 12. Comprising both family members and professionals, Lobo Builders has a huge waiting list. And they are completely booked till fall.
In his second innings as an entrepreneur, Thomas is, ironically again working in a family business.
He talks about the importance of creative conflict. And how working in a team has been a learning and humbling experience for him after years of flying solo.
You will learn why you need to build a company culture where no one is afraid to call out anyone – even their boss.
If you are a small business owner, this show will surely resonate with you.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
Why creative conflict is necessary for the success of your organization
The upsides and downsides of working in a family business
Bringing creativity into the contracting business
And so much more…
Resources
Lobo Builders

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
...more
39min
April 20, 202122: Leah Wong Ashburn | Understanding the Dynamics of a Family-Owned Business with the CEO of Highland Brewing, Leah Wong Ashburn
On today’s show, we interview the incredible Leah Wong Ashburn of Highland Brewing who shares with us her wisdom on growth, passion, and entrepreneurship.
Back in 1994, when there were barely any breweries in Asheville, Leah’s dad started making craft beer from a cramped space in the basement. Fast forward to today, Highland Brewing is headquartered in a beautiful 40-acre space amidst the hills.
How did Highland Brewing achieve this dramatic transformation that enabled them to grow manifold since inception?
One of the main themes for today’s show is passion and leadership.
A few years after graduating from college, Leah asked her father if she could work for him. And oddly enough, he refused because he thought that Leah needed to get more experience under her belt.
Finally, in 2011, Leah officially became a part of the Highland family. She started off in a marketing position and slowly learned the different moving parts of the family business.
On today’s show, we have a particularly interesting discussion on how to train your employees the right way so that you can help them develop their technical skills as well as soft skills.
You will also learn about the working relationship that Leah has with her father. While Leah is more of a marketing person, her father is the “engineer” in the family. Learn how their smooth working dynamic has been the driving force that has taken Highland to new heights over the past decade.
If you are a family-owned business, today’s show will interest you greatly.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
My thoughts on growth and why you should aspire to be great rather than big
How to manage a family-owned business
Why you need passion and connectedness to take your business to greater heights
Giving ownership to your employees
And so much more…
Resources
Highland Brewing
Coach Approach – Five Principles to Build an E.P.I.C. Business
Small Giants

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
...more
34min
April 13, 202121: Lexi DiYeso | From a Mobile Boutique to Owning a Brick-and-Mortar Store
On today’s show, we interview Lexi DiYeso, owner, Hazel Twenty who shares with us her distilled wisdom on entrepreneurship, business strategy, and user experience.
As a sportsperson (Lexi played soccer for her alma mater, USC), Lexi learned some important lessons in tenacity and teamwork. And these life lessons have helped Lexi navigate some big challenges as an entrepreneur.
After graduating with a degree in fashion merchandising, Lexi took a brief sabbatical to focus on her family. But when she revived her career, she did so with panache as she set up a mobile boutique that offered a unique, fun-filled experience to her buyers.
Back in 2018, Lexi set up her brick-and-mortar store in downtown Ashville.
Last year, when covid struck, it was a “lonely, dark time” for Lexi. And while she furloughed all her employees back then, she admits that she panicked and would approach the situation differently today.
Towards the end of the show, Lexi shares her plans for opening a men’s store in the near future.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
How being a soccer player impacted Lexi’s mindset
Some of the biggest lessons that the pandemic outbreak taught me
Importance of surrounding yourself with the right people
How to quick quickly in the face of massive uncertainty
And so much more…
Resources
Hazel Twenty
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
...more
23min
April 06, 202120: Dan and Tyler Whisnant |How Father and Son Marines Found the Secret Weapon for Success - Asking for Help
On today’s show, we interview father-son duo, Dan and Tyler Whisnant from SDV Office Systems who share with us some expert tips on how to do business with the government. SDV Office Systems is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that designs, installs, and commissions furniture for the VA (Veteran Affairs).
After his 2006 deployment in Iraq, Dan found his love for manufacturing while working for Stryker Corporation. Because of his background, he was appointed as the go-to person for all government contracts. Building on this experience, eventually David branched out on his own by forming SDV Office Systems in 2017.
On today’s show, you will learn about the massive business opportunities available with the government. However, there are many pitfalls that you need to be aware of, or you and your organization could be in serious trouble.
On the back of their extensive experience, Dan and Tyler share how they have managed to significantly scale up their business by procuring contracts from the VA (Veterans Administration).
Recently, SDV Office Systems managed to snag a 10-year long-term contract from the VA. And while, during covid, the central VA office released many contracts, Dan and Tyler share how many contracts are floated from the local offices as well.
You will also learn the importance of procuring the right financing and maintaining your cash flow for a low-margin and competitive business.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
How to finance your business when you are supplying to the government
Overcoming compliance issues when dealing with the government
Being humble, exercising your ego, and asking the right questions
Building the right systems and processes for a diversified team
Scaling up a low-margin business
And so much more…
Resources
SDV Office Systems, LLC
Get VIP Access to our 90-Day Business Planning Event
Get in touch with Beth: [email protected]
Bill’s Facebook
Bill’s Twitter
Bill’s LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill
Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [email protected] or at https://billgilliland.biz/
...more
41min

FAQs about Epic Entrepreneurs:

How many episodes does Epic Entrepreneurs have?

The podcast currently has 260 episodes available.