Episode Summary

How Speyside Equity buys and improves underperforming manufacturing companies. Brian talks with Eric Wiklendt about his path from Detroit manufacturing consulting to leading and selling a middle-market manufacturer, then joining an operationally focused private equity firm. Eric breaks down Speyside’s “fix and build” approach, why lower middle market companies often have untapped operational upside, and how incentives, politics, and constraints shape real-world decisions. They also dig into the human side of change, including why owners resist outside help and what makes a business easier to buy. Eric closes with what he is watching in the months ahead and how to reach him.

Key Takeaways
Operational improvement is often limited in smaller companies because leaders spend most of their time working in the business instead of on it.

Misaligned ownership and “underloved” businesses can create stress, under-management, and underperformance that a focused operator-investor can address.

In large organizations, incentives and internal politics can drive decisions that look irrational operationally, even when the people involved are capable.

Consulting works best when incentives are aligned and recommendations fit the company’s real constraints in people, processes, systems, and capital.

Selling a business is emotionally jolting, and owners often see their company through rose-colored glasses while buyers are paid to be professional skeptics.

Buyers value repeatable, scalable processes, a strong management team, and diversified customer concentration, even when the business is not perfect.

Timeline
Early
00:00:00 Eric’s background, Detroit roots, Notre Dame, and early consulting work
00:01:00 Moving to Wharton and building operator skills across manufacturing roles
00:02:00 Becoming a CEO, selling the business, and joining Speyside Equity
00:03:00 What “fix and build” means and how value creation is executed

Middle
00:05:00 Why lower middle market companies often have more operational upside
00:07:00 Why change gets blocked inside big companies, and what drives resistance
00:10:00 Private equity incentives and why shareholder value focus changes behavior
00:11:00 Ego, pride, and how improvement efforts can be misheard as criticism

Late
00:15:00 “Solving problems in a vacuum” and why great strategies fail under constraints
00:17:00 A real example of “waste” driven by reporting optics and incentive design
00:22:00 Patience, timing, and what it takes for an owner to be ready to sell
00:25:00 What makes a business easier to buy, what Speyside avoids, and closing thoughts
00:27:00 What Eric is watching next, and where listeners can contact him

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericwiklendt/

Company: http://www.speysideequity.com/

Episode Summary
How drug coverage gets decided and how to fix the paperwork bottleneck. Eric Mensh walks through what “market access” means in practice, why prior authorizations and appeals create friction for patients and providers, and how denial and appeal dynamics shape drug adoption. He also shares how his team built the aSound platform to cut medical necessity letter creation from about an hour to roughly 10 minutes, and what he is watching as the product expands beyond its initial rollout.

Key Takeaways
Market access is the coverage and payment layer that determines whether an FDA-approved drug actually gets paid for after it is prescribed.

Prior authorization is often an automated gate, but the real bottleneck shows up when plans require medical necessity documentation and the office has to assemble a full support packet.

Denials can be common in specialty drugs, yet appeals are underused, which shifts costs and frustration onto patients, providers, payers, and manufacturers.

Provider time is the scarce resource in the system, so solutions that reduce letter-writing and packet-building can change behavior without asking clinicians to do more work.

Insurance companies, manufacturers, providers, and patients all have incentives that can collide, which makes practical workflow improvements more realistic than trying to rebuild the entire system.

Technology adoption in healthcare tends to move stepwise, so momentum often comes from solving the next most painful downstream task after an earlier workflow gets automated.

Timeline
Early
00:00 Introductions and Eric’s background from physical therapy into medical sales
02:00 What “market access” means and why payment determines whether prescribing matters
05:00 How coverage differs for self-administered drugs versus provider-administered drugs

Middle
08:00 Formularies, coverage policies, and the setup work that reduces friction for providers
12:00 Why drug pricing and access became more complex over time
16:00 A concrete scenario where advertising drives requests, but plans steer to preferred drugs

Late
20:00 The paperwork problem, denial rates, and why appeals matter
23:00 Why the system feels dysfunctional and where each stakeholder gets stuck
26:00 The gap in the market: supporting medical necessity documentation, not just prior auth
30:00 aSound’s launch timing, early rollout approach, and what growth depends on next
32:00 Where to learn more and how to contact Eric

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-mensh-87644a1/

Company: http://access-pointe.com/

Episode Summary

David A. Callner shares how he built a career delivering technical solutions for the U.S. government, from early defense research to FAA systems and contract capture. He explains what SAJ Technologies does as a small government contractor focused on cloud, managed services, and IT delivery, and how the company is approaching growth through strong proposals, key personnel, and differentiated solutions. The conversation covers how federal buying can shift with organizational changes, why proposal volume has surged with AI tools, and how teams can still stand out with real expertise and sharper solution design. Along the way, David discusses “vibe coding” as a modern alternative to traditional content management approaches and what he is focused on next as SAJ scales.

Key Takeaways
Government contracting often comes down to capability, past performance, and repeatable capture and proposal processes, with relationships playing a role depending on the environment.

Small businesses can build momentum by starting with subcontracts, converting that experience into prime wins, and proving delivery across multiple agencies.

AI has raised the floor for proposals, which increases competition and pushes companies to differentiate through clearer solutions, stronger staffing, and practical efficiencies.

Using AI blindly can produce generic or inaccurate work; experience still matters for tailoring responses to what agencies actually need and how they evaluate bids.

New approaches like “vibe coding” can reframe legacy requirements, such as content management needs, into faster, more flexible solutions that better match current expectations around AI.

Federal technology adoption requires governance and traceability, especially when automation is involved and human oversight is expected.

Growth in this space is a grind of continuous captures and proposals, and the payoff comes from building a repeatable machine that can keep winning.

Timeline
Early
00:00:00 David A. Callner joins and introduces SAJ Technologies and his role as Chief Growth Officer
00:01:00 SAJ’s focus areas, cloud work, managed services, and adapting to agency needs
00:02:00 Early career at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and how that led into defense contracting

Middle
00:04:00 Learning to fly, choosing FAA work, and what drew David to government solution-building
00:05:00 Moving from technical delivery into capture and the Shipley process for winning federal contracts
00:06:30 Winning as a small business, including a prime win at the Library of Congress and recent contract momentum
00:08:00 How organizational changes affected relationships and shifted how proposals get evaluated

Late
00:11:00 AI’s impact on proposal volume and why differentiation matters more now
00:12:00 “Vibe coding” and building an AI-forward platform as an alternative to traditional CMS approaches
00:16:30 Limits of using AI blindly and why expertise still drives better outcomes
00:18:00 What David is excited about next, building a solutions lab, growing capability, and sustaining the proposal engine
00:19:20 How to reach David, including LinkedIn

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcallner/

Company: https://sajtech.com/

Episode Summary
Carroll VanHook-Weaver shares how hospitality, music, and early travel shaped her leadership in multifamily leasing. She traces her path from restaurant service and hotel front desks to student housing, high-pressure lease-ups, and her current role as Senior Director of Leasing at JVM Realty. Carroll and host Brian dig into why not burning bridges matters, how JVM’s “fundamentals” show up in daily work, and what “back to basics” really looks like when you pair strong teams with smarter automation. She also explains how video, texting, and tech can free teams to be more human, and what she is aiming to improve next.

Key Takeaways
Early exposure and service work can create durable instincts for customer experience, operational curiosity, and leadership.

Strong networks compound over time, and finishing well matters because past teammates often become future partners, clients, or leaders.

Company values stick when they are visible, referenced in daily communication, and reinforced through training and recognition.

Leasing performance depends on operational follow-through, especially maintenance responsiveness, because retention and reputation are linked.

Technology works best when it reduces repetitive work, improves speed to response, and gives teams time back for real resident care.

Top-of-funnel trust starts at search, where reviews, fresh content, and helpful videos can shape the decision before someone ever calls.

Timeline
Opening and background
00:00:00 Brian introduces Carroll and her role at JVM Realty
00:01:00 Carroll’s early passion for real estate, service, and genealogy
00:02:00 Europe orchestra travel and the behind-the-scenes spark for hospitality

Career path and turning points
00:03:30 Internships in Hilton Head and learning every hotel department
00:04:00 Campbell House hotel in Lexington and the jump into student housing
00:06:00 Why doing hard things and staying involved builds long-term momentum

JVM role, culture, and fundamentals
00:07:00 Reconnecting with colleagues, joining JVM, and what the role covers
00:08:30 The “25 ways” fundamentals and why onboarding guardrails matter
00:15:00 How fundamentals show up in emails, training, and daily language

Leasing strategy, tech, and what’s next
00:24:00 Back to basics: phones, service speed, and maintenance as retention fuel
00:26:00 Using video, texting, SXO, and Gen Z expectations to raise the bar
00:28:30 2026 focus: automating renewal workflows and reconnecting at conferences

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrollvanhook/

Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jvm-realty-corporation/

Episode Summary
Dry ice is bigger than Halloween, and Stephanie Vaughan explains why it matters. Stephanie shares how she went from a communications degree and a COVID-era job search into sales at CMC, a dry ice manufacturing startup. She breaks down where dry ice shows up in the real economy, from cold shipping to essential manufacturing steps like dry ice blasting that keeps production lines moving. She also explains why customer service and reliability can outweigh price when a missed delivery can shut down a plant, plus what makes the industry hard to enter, including sourcing liquid CO2 and facility requirements. The conversation closes with what CMC is building next and how Stephanie approaches learning and staying motivated.

Key Takeaways
Dry ice is used across far more industries than most people realize, and many applications are invisible to end consumers.

In manufacturing, dry ice blasting functions like power washing with dry ice pellets, cleaning molds and equipment in ways that can be critical to keeping production running.

In a niche market, customer service and delivery reliability can be a real differentiator, especially when downtime costs customers far more than the price difference.

Entering dry ice manufacturing is constrained by access to dependable liquid CO2 supply, along with infrastructure and permitting requirements.

Speaking at industry conferences can create credibility fast and generate inbound opportunities, especially in specialized B2B markets.

Building relationships through referrals, multi-site customers, and face-to-face meetings can reduce reliance on cold outreach over time.

Timeline
Early
00:00:00 Brian introduces Stephanie Vaughan and CMC, and sets up the dry ice theme
00:01:00 Stephanie shares how she found the industry after graduating during COVID
00:03:00 What “used everywhere but seen nowhere” means, and where dry ice shows up
00:04:00 Dry ice blasting explained through a power washing analogy
00:06:00 Working in a family business and separating personal from business communication

Middle
00:07:00 How Stephanie built confidence selling in a technical, specialized market
00:10:00 How CMC grew from an existing network and cold calling into referrals
00:12:00 Why availability matters when customers lose money during shutdowns
00:13:00 Standing out with in-person meetings and product knowledge in male-dominated facilities
00:14:00 Why more companies do not easily enter the space, including CO2 supply constraints

Late
00:17:00 How CMC thinks about expansion and replicating service in new regions
00:18:00 The second facility in Wilmington, Delaware and what the footprint looks like
00:21:00 Sales motion today, mostly referrals plus conferences and speaking
00:23:00 Why speaking roles create authority and accelerate relationship building
00:25:00 What Stephanie is focused on in 2026, including expansion and the CO2 summit
00:27:00 How she learns and stays motivated, including an active lifestyle
00:28:00 How to contact Stephanie and closing remarks

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-vaughan-/

Company: https://www.cmcdryice.com/

Episode Summary
How strong branding proves you care, even in crowded markets. Brian talks with Jash Tracey of GNT Branding about learning design on the job, leaving a long-term role to start his own studio, and building a US client base while living in Spain. Jash breaks down when branding matters most, what it communicates beyond a logo, and why big rebrands can fail when they ignore loyal customers. They close on how AI is speeding up workflows while raising questions about quality and originality, and what that means for designers next.

Key Takeaways
Branding matters most when your offering is not uniquely uncopyable, because differentiation is how buyers decide who feels credible.

Good branding is an ongoing conversation with customers across every touchpoint, not a single logo or color palette.

Visual consistency signals intentionality, which influences whether people trust you with something risky like a new business or purchase.

Rebrands fail when they solve for a new audience by breaking the emotional connection that existing customers already have with the brand.

AI can remove the most tedious parts of creative work and speed up delivery, but widespread template-driven output can lower expectations of what “good” looks like.

Timeline
Early
00:00:00 Welcome and introduction to Jash Tracey and GNT Branding
00:01:00 Early career, learning design tools on the job after college
00:03:00 Growing into art director responsibilities and managing clients
00:04:20 Leaving the job, traveling, and the decision to start his own shop
00:05:10 Moving to Spain while continuing to serve US-based clients

Middle
00:11:40 Why some businesses can succeed with minimal branding
00:12:50 Branding as proof of intentionality in competitive markets
00:15:50 Authenticity and why audiences detect “fake” fast
00:17:10 When to refresh branding, and when it is less urgent

Late
00:19:00 The Cracker Barrel redesign as a lesson in misreading the room
00:24:30 What AI changes for designers, faster builds and fewer technical roadblocks
00:28:10 Concerns about originality, mediocrity, and lowered standards at scale
00:31:10 How to contact Jash and closing remarks

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtracey1/

Company: https://gntbranding.com/

Episode Summary
How a marketer built a career in process safety and learned what actually drives action in compliance-heavy industries. Janet Benaquisto shares her path from a pre-med start to CT scanners, sales and marketing, multiple layoffs, and finally into OSHA process safety management work. She and Brian dig into marketing where urgency is episodic, why consistency beats perfection, and how newsletters and LinkedIn can keep you top of mind until the exact moment timing clicks. Janet also talks about preparing to retire, documenting what she has learned, and what she wants to create next.

Key Takeaways
Career reinvention becomes easier when you keep saying yes to learning, even when the job is unfamiliar.

In compliance-driven markets, many buyers do not feel daily pain, so staying present matters more than a single perfect message.

Consistency creates “right time” moments, where a simple email or call lands exactly when a shutdown, audit, or deadline makes help urgent.

Content works better when each piece can stand alone, because people will not consume posts in a neat series order.

Testing content in public, then tracking what gets reactions, can reveal what your audience truly needs and what to double down on.

One-to-one thinking still applies at scale, because the “market” is a person with a specific context and personality.

Timeline
Early
00:00:00 Brian welcomes Janet and introduces her company, Risk Integrity Safety Knowledge.
00:01:00 Janet shares her start in a CT scanner startup and learning marketing from the ground up.
00:02:00 Multiple layoffs shape her resilience and lead her toward process safety work.
00:03:00 Janet describes being handed the OSHA process safety management regulation on day one.
00:05:00 She explains why she honored a non-compete and what brought her back into the industry.

Middle
00:06:00 Brian and Janet discuss the marketing challenge of problems people ignore until they are urgent.
00:07:00 Janet explains targeting “eagles,” organizations that want to do safety well, not just check boxes.
00:08:00 The role of a newsletter in surfacing pain points and staying connected month to month.
00:10:00 Janet talks about starting before it is perfect and improving through repetition and observation.
00:12:00 Using LinkedIn signals, incident summaries, and simple analysis to earn engagement and trust.

Late
00:15:00 Why posts need to be standalone, and how newsletters or a website can structure a true series.
00:17:00 Building relationships by treating each customer as a person, not a segment.
00:18:00 Timing stories from calls and emails, and why marketing fundamentals have not changed.
00:22:00 Janet shares her retirement plans, potential books, and returning to painting.
00:25:00 Recommendations and how to connect with Janet on LinkedIn.

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-benaquisto/

Company: https://psmrisk.com/

Episode Summary

Reggie Johnson shares how he built a resilient communications career through purpose-driven work and strong relationships. Reggie walks through his early days in digital media and web standards, the shift from hands-on execution to strategy, and how earning a master’s degree helped him grow into leadership. After losing a job in 2020, he joined PRSA and reframed career security around “trusting your own wings,” not the branch. He and Brian discuss giving versus taking, why reputation compounds over time, and how AI and technology are changing human connection. Reggie closes with what he is focused on at UNT Health and how he thinks professionals can prepare for what comes next.

Key Takeaways
Early lessons in web standards and accessibility shaped Reggie’s long-term approach to managing content and communication strategy.

A professional network can be the difference between feeling stuck on one “branch” and having the confidence to move forward on your own.

Giving to others builds durable trust and learning opportunities that often create mutually beneficial relationships over time.

Small interactions and everyday respect matter because reputation travels, and the world can be smaller than it feels.

Technology can reduce awkward moments but also remove the openings that lead to new conversations, friendships, and opportunities.

Instead of obsessing over specific AI tools, Reggie emphasizes broader expertise, stronger thinking skills, and staying curious as the foundation.

Timeline
Early
00:00 Introduction and Reggie’s role at UNT Health
01:05 Early career in digital media, web standards, and accessibility
03:30 Shifting from hand-coding to content strategy, and returning for a master’s degree

Middle
04:55 Job loss in 2020 and realizing the cost of having no professional network
06:10 Joining PRSA, the “own wings” quote, and building reputation through service
08:00 Brian on selling his agency and how losing a network changes everything
09:05 Give and Take, why giving creates long-run advantages, and learning from anyone
12:05 Treating people well, not burning bridges, and how it pays back over time

Late
15:55 Phones, missed conversations, and what Reggie is seeing with high schoolers
18:10 Concerns about tech leadership, incentives, and the harms that go unaddressed
20:05 Regulation, China comparisons, and why zero-sum thinking can make outcomes worse
28:05 Three skills more foundational than AI tools: broad expertise, thinking skills, curiosity
33:25 What Reggie is excited about at UNT Health, student stories and authentic connection
35:05 Reggie’s LinkedIn AI Innovation and Ethics chat and a course recommendation
36:00 Closing

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reggiejohnson1/

Company: https://www.linkedin.com/school/unthealth/

Episode Summary

Joey Seeman explains how Nova Echo uses conversational voice AI for sales and customer calls. He joins Brian on Forge for Growth to break down what “human-sounding” voice AI actually means, why latency matters, and where these agents perform best today. Joey shares his path from marketing and copywriting into voice AI, including why he left an earlier company to build a more fast-moving and more ethical platform. They dig into real-world use cases like call centers, speed-to-lead follow-up, and high-volume outbound calling, plus why human handoffs still matter for closing. Joey also shares his view on where AI is heading and what that shift could mean for work and entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways
Conversational voice AI works best when it can handle open-ended questions in real time, instead of forcing callers through preset menus.

Latency is a core product constraint in voice AI because unnatural pauses break the “sounds human” experience even if the model is capable.

Speed-to-lead can outweigh imperfect call quality because contacting a new lead within minutes can change conversion outcomes.

Outbound performance depends heavily on lead quality, and high-volume dialing can still be valuable even when per-call results are modest.

For sales, today’s agents can follow scripts, answer questions, and handle basic objections, while many teams still rely on a human handoff to close.

AI product marketing often outruns reality, so clarity about limits, support, and pricing becomes a competitive advantage.

Timeline
Early
00:00:00 Brian welcomes Joey Seeman and introduces Nova Echo
00:01:00 What Nova Echo does and why “press 1, press 2” systems frustrate callers
00:02:00 Joey’s background in marketing, gaming, and early interest in AI
00:03:00 Why he moved into voice AI and left earlier players in the space

Middle
00:05:00 Call center pain points and why AI can improve speed and consistency
00:06:00 Live demo of a Nova Echo agent and discussion of response latency
00:07:00 Speed-to-lead and why timing matters for closing inbound leads
00:08:00 How LLMs, prompting, and “skills” shape consistent agent behavior

Late
00:09:00 Where human handoffs still matter, especially for closing
00:10:00 Disclosure choices when someone asks if the agent is AI, plus regulation nuance
00:11:00 Why AI hype happens and how Joey positions Nova Echo’s limits honestly
00:18:00 Joey’s view on job displacement, timelines, and why the transition may be rough
00:21:00 What he is excited to build next and how to contact him

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-seeman/

Company: https://novaecho.ai/

Episode Summary
Soledad Gonzalo explains how she moved from big agency advertising into legal marketing at Sequor Law. She walks through her path from BU to Ogilvy and other automotive and entertainment roles, then shares what changed when she started marketing a boutique firm focused on fraud and asset recovery. The conversation breaks down why relationship building, conferences, thought leadership, and personal LinkedIn presence can outperform paid tactics in niche B2B. She also reflects on mentoring attorneys as the firm grows and what she is focused on next.

Key Takeaways
Career pivots get easier when you carry transferable skills, like branding, client management, and learning new industries fast.

In niche B2B services, staying top of mind can matter more than chasing high lead volume, because timing is unpredictable.

For professional services, relationships built through conferences, networking, and credible content often drive more results than ads or SEO.

Personal brands on LinkedIn can create meaningfully more engagement than company pages, especially when the work is trust-based.

Marketing in billable-hour businesses has a built-in constraint: every low-quality lead or distraction has a real cost.

A firm website and newsletters can function as validators and reminders, even when they are not direct lead engines.

Links and Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soledadgonzalo/

Company: https://www.sequorlaw.com/