Joe Testouri is an entrepreneur, strategist, and host of the Grappling With Growth podcast who built an AI-focused agency and education business after early hustles, pivots, and a devastating financial scam. His story shows how founders can recover from crisis, adopt AI to scale more efficiently, and stay grounded through discipline, humility, and customer obsession.

• Building a business from childhood hustles and side projects to a full pivot into AI systems and automation

• The £53K bank scam that almost wiped out his cash and how he fought to make payroll and keep the team together

• Why becoming obsessed with customer experience is the real lever behind lifetime value and growth

• How AI agents, automation, and custom workflows are replacing low-value tasks and making small teams more efficient

• The role of humility, consistency, and health—reinforced by jiu-jitsu and a serious back injury—in navigating founder pressure

• Why founders must stay curious, collaborate instead of compete, and reject "victim mentality" when things go wrong

00:00 — Defining growth: getting 1% better and leading with integrity and compassion 02:20 — Lessons from hosting Grappling With Growth and learning from founders around the world 04:30 — Childhood entrepreneurship, getting bullied at school, and quitting banking to start his own agency 09:50 — From ad agency to AI consultancy: rebranding, blue-ocean thinking, and focusing on efficiency 17:00 — Building AI-powered outreach, scheduling agents, and improving customer experience and LTV 24:30 — Practical AI tools founders can use daily (Whisperflow, Fireflies, Gamma, and more) 33:00 — Growth under pressure: losing £53K to fraud, scrambling for payroll, and getting the money back 44:20 — Finance discipline, the value of strong accounting partners, and why founders shouldn't DIY everything 48:40 — The real founder journey: health scares, burnout risk, and engineering healthier team cultures 55:40 — Jiu-jitsu, humility, and why business isn't a zero-sum game 59:00 — Rapid fire: watching cash balances, a must-read book, and advice for founders under pressure

Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

If you're scaling and want to avoid the financial and operational pitfalls described in this episode, AdaptCFO's bookkeeping → controller → fractional CFO model is built for this stage.

Eric Sheinkop built Music Dealers into the world's largest commercial music provider serving Disney, McDonald's, and Coca-Cola before successfully exiting. He then raised $25M with his wife Judith, a former Coca-Cola executive, to launch Desire Company, now the leading content provider for Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. From discovering McDonald's royalty checks weren't a mistake to coming up $20K short on payroll, Eric reveals why the founders who win are those who treat their mission like religion and their ego like poison.

• World's largest music dealer: 600+ clients including Disney, McDonald's, Coca-Cola

• The 2008 goldmine: Replaced $1M famous songs with $10K indie tracks

• McDonald's royalty revelation: "My brother said 'Do that again'"

• $20K short on payroll: The moment that defines every founder

• Coca-Cola exec to startup reality: Judith's six-month wake-up call

• Ego tax: "I opened 7 offices because the business card looked cool"

• $25M raised, 30 employees, 7000 sq ft studio—second time's the charm

• Mission as North Star: "When you see our seal, you know it's real"

00:00 — Music industry calling: Wanted the business, not the stage 03:00 — The royalty discovery: McDonald's checks that changed everything 07:00 — Financial crisis opportunity: How 2008 created Music Dealers 13:00 — Desire Company today: Dominating retail media networks 20:00 — Growth under pressure moment: Payroll crisis and empty bank 24:00 — Partner pressure: When Judith left Coca-Cola for startup life 29:00 — Expensive education: Product-market fit should come first 33:00 — Leadership evolution: From ego to empowerment 39:00 — Protecting the partnership: Family time and bathroom business bans 43:00 — Lemonade legacy: Teaching 3-year-old Stiles entrepreneurship 47:00 — Mission focus: "Never compromise on why you started"

• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

Jon Caldwell built a brand from zero to a profitable exit after serving in the infantry in Afghanistan. When a 4-month Dragons Den delay created a working capital challenge, he self-funded through a software sales role, hitting 120% of quota while scaling his company. Now the founder of 3Victor, he shares the unconventional path that taught him why disciplined execution beats perfect strategy.

🌟 Highlights

• Dragons Den sweep: All 5 Dragons made offers

• The 4x inventory bet: Calculated risk that returned 3-4x wholesale growth

• Exit timing: "Either grow aggressively or get out" - knowing when to sell

• B2B growth playbook: Outbound → Content → Paid (in that exact order)

• Military to startups: discipline and transition

• Focus beats everything: Why saying no to shiny objects accelerates growth

• The $200 ChatGPT investment that replaces a $50K employee

⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters

00:00 — Intro & dual childhood dream: military + entrepreneurship 03:00 — From SDR to founder: selling sensors → selling pet supplements 07:00 — 3Victor today: B2B go-to-market consulting & AI revolution 14:00 — Growth under pressure: The Dragons Den working capital crisis 17:00 — Strategic pivot: Self-funding through sales role (120% quota achievement) 20:00 — Behind Dragons Den: puppies, pin-stripes, and 45-minute pitches 26:00 — Cash flow lessons: "I didn't know fractional CFOs existed" 29:00 — Exit timing: friend's acquisition sparks the conversation 33:00 — Focus vs. shiny objects: The most common founder mistake 38:00 — Rejection philosophy: "Every great founder faces immense rejection" 44:00 — Rapid-fire: Zero to One & "Keep your cool under pressure"

🙌 Want more from AdaptCFO?

• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

John Olsen built and sold multiple healthcare ventures, including EncompassRx, a specialty pharmacy that reached over $500 million in annual revenue and exited to CVS. He shares how rapid growth nearly collapsed the business under its own weight, and why rebuilding three years of books became the turning point that reshaped his approach to leadership, balance, and financial discipline.

• "First in, last out": why nobody should care more than the founder

• Open-door > top-down: trust, empathy, and letting people make mistakes

• Balancing babies: building a company with a newborn, and how communication at home keeps it together

• Culture by design: expectations, honesty about startup intensity, and unusually low early turnover

• The near-miss: attempting a recap without audit-ready books (and why rebuilding 3 years of financials changed the company)

• Pen to paper: lists, morning cadence, and one KPI John checks daily

• Chaos mindset: the Mario Andretti quote John kept on his desk

• From pharmacist to CEO: how empathy for patients translates to leadership

00:00 — Intro & setup: pharmacist → founder → multiple exits 01:00 — CEO fundamentals: trust, empathy, open-door, practice what you preach 03:00 — "First in, last out": founder ownership & work ethic 05:00 — Family vs. startup intensity: boundaries, communication, the week-two pregnancy 09:00 — Pharmacist empathy → leadership under pressure 10:00 — Handling emotion: owning mistakes, reconciling; building resilient culture 14:00 — Demand outpacing cash: the midnight faxed check 15:00 — Recap wake-up: rebuilding three years of books and what changed 18:00 — Do finance early: accrual / GAAP, margin visibility, investor readiness 28:00 — Operating in chaos: John's Mario Andretti mindset 31:00 — Morning routine: kids, dog walk, coffee, workout; podcasts to clear the mind 37:00 — Daily cadence / KPI & "no meetings before 10 a.m."; quick-fire + wrap

• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

Eric sits down with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach, Roan, a former UFC fighter turned head instructor, to talk about grit that's forged on the mats and carried into business and life. From getting smashed by older training partners in Rio to building a thriving kids program in Alpharetta, he shares how consistency, faith, and community turn dark seasons into growth—and why "pressure makes diamonds."

— 🌟 Highlights

• "Pressure makes diamonds": turning losses into lessons

• Growing up near the favelas and finding confidence through jiu-jitsu

• Consistency over motivation—show up even when you're sore

• Coaching kids 3–5: patience, play, and preparing them for life

• Word-of-mouth > ads: why character compounds lifetime value

• Faith under fire: Psalms, three fights in one night, and winning anyway

• Parenting & leadership parallels: protect less, prepare more

— ⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters

00:00 — Intro & Roan's journey from Rio to UFC to head coach 04:40 — Getting "smashed," showing up, and the compounding effect of consistency 08:05 — Dark seasons: losing parents young, choosing resilience over excuses 12:05 — Life in/near the favelas: community, joy, and perspective 14:10 — Why he built a 3–5 year-old program (and how patience is trained) 18:30 — Designing classes for focus, fun, and life skills (not just medals) 21:40 — Bullying to boundary-setting: how BJJ changes timid kids 24:55 — Transferring mat confidence to boardrooms and tough conversations 28:10 — "Pressure makes diamonds": CEOs, faking it vs. building it 30:05 — Competing with Eric: preparation, family support, and first medals 32:20 — Attendance > excuses: show up, drill, or watch—just be there 34:20 — Pain and progress for over-40s: why growth always costs something 35:15 — Growth Under Pressure moment: faith, Psalms, and winning a 3-fight night 41:00 — Building the gym organically: culture > headcount, referrals > ads 43:20 — Retention, LTV, and why the "right" students/clients stay longer 44:35 — God's role: guidance in low points, courage in hostile arenas 50:10 — Finish the sentence: "A man under pressure should always… make diamonds." 51:10 — Wrap & part two teaser

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• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

Rennie Curran transformed from NFL linebacker to leadership coach, teaching executives that natural leadership is a myth. He reveals how serving others, building consistent habits, and "operating at the level of your vision" creates breakthrough moments in business and life.

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• Challenges leadership perfectionism with servant mindset

• Operates at vision level before opportunity

• Builds rapport through active listening first

• Feeds the master, not the dog

• Treats drips of influence like compound interest

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00:00 — Intro & setup 00:23 — Redefining leadership beyond perfection 09:32 — Influence compounds like water erosion 14:41 — Film study translates to business 17:49 — The drip effect of consistent action 24:19 — Building buy-in through active listening 30:58 — Operating at the level of your vision 41:35 — Childhood lessons shaping entrepreneurial success 46:43 — Morning routine: devotion, prayer, journaling 49:29 — Book recommendations for leaders 54:50 — Advice to 9-year-old self 56:17 — CTA & wrap-up

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• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

Brett Gelfand built a multimillion-dollar cannabis packaging empire by 25, then nearly lost it all when an entire shipment of containers arrived soaking wet and unsellable. Instead of folding, he pivoted — eventually creating the cannabis industry's first specialized collection agency and a credit-reporting platform now used nationwide.

From his early leap from executive assistant to CEO during Colorado's cannabis boom, Brett shares unfiltered lessons on when to cash out, how to trust your instincts on partnerships, and why solving problems beats chasing passion.

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• Spotting the packaging gap in the cannabis market

• Landing an exclusive deal with Canopy Growth

• Surviving the "wet container" disaster that almost bankrupted him

• Pivoting from packaging to collections after an exit

• Building a credit reporting platform for the cannabis industry

• Why passion is overrated compared to solving real problems

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00:00 — Intro & setup 03:34 — From executive assistant to CEO at 24 08:12 — Building PAC case and finding product-market fit 11:45 — Landing Canopy Growth and the wet container crisis 16:28 — Lessons from reinvesting everything vs taking profits 22:07 — Transitioning to collections and credit reporting 27:41 — Why passion might not matter as much 31:33 — Trusting your gut on partnership splits 35:18 — One friend's sauna business vs eight dreamers 38:52 — Using AI tools and staying sharp 41:19 — Wrap-up

—

• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

Maney Mazloom built EncompassRx from zero to nearly $500 million in annual revenue in just six years. But explosive demand for a new hepatitis C drug nearly sank the company, leaving him checking the mail multiple times a day, just to keep cash flowing and patients supplied.

• How to scale to $500M without losing control

• What to do when cash flow lags behind growth

• Why a co-CEO model can accelerate scaling

• Balancing patient care with investor pressures

• The hidden costs of delaying financial systems

00:00 — Intro & setup 02:45 — Leaving corporate pharmacy to build something better 08:20 — Recognising the entrepreneurial mindset as an employee 14:30 — Managing explosive growth and cash flow crisis 22:15 — Co-CEO partnership dynamics and decision making 28:40 — Scaling KPIs from revenue to profitability 35:10 — Building a pharmacist-centric service model 40:25 — The critical mistake of delaying proper financial systems 47:30 — Current ventures and economic concerns in real estate 52:00 — Wrap-up

Maney's story is proof that rapid growth without financial infrastructure is challenging. If you're scaling and want to avoid the same mistakes, check out AdaptCFO's free resources below.

• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• AdaptCFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results

A product rushed to market. A hack that compromised 30,000 users. And a founder forced to hit pause before it was too late.

In our debut episode, four-time founder Tanner Haas reveals how a string of challenges — from losing money on protein powder sales at 18, to driving Uber to stay afloat, to recovering from a near-fatal beta launch — shaped the disciplined approach that saved his fourth startup, Freedom Chat.

He shares the lessons every founder needs to hear about building a real foundation and making smarter bets with scarce resources.

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• Loses money on every protein powder sale at 18 — and what it taught him about margins

• Keeps startup dreams alive by driving Uber during a brutal pivot

• Recovers from a hack that compromised 30,000 beta users

• Stops chasing growth and invests in product development first

• Stretches cash runway by hiring fractional talent instead of full-time staff

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00:00 — Intro & setup 01:30 — Discovering privacy concerns and founding Freedom Chat 03:45 — Raising $1.25M pre-seed and product validation 06:20 — First business failure and the Uber pivot 10:15 — Beta launch hack and the dark moment 14:30 — Slowing down and building the right foundation 19:00 — Managing cash burn and knowing every expense 24:20 — Fundraising realities and investor relationships 29:45 — Fractional vs full-time hiring strategies 32:00 — Book recommendations and daily CEO habits 34:00 — Wrap-up

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• Free CFO consultation → adaptcfo.com

• Financial fitness scorecard → adaptcfofinancialfitness.scoreapp.com

• Other episodes → adaptcfo.com/blog

• Adapt CFO case studies → adaptcfo.com/results