In The Thick of It

In this In The Thick of It Toolbox episode, Yobany Mayen, Senior Vice President at Encore Bank, talks about the importance of entrepreneurs and businesses having a solid banking relationship.

Scott and Yobany discuss the impact of interest rates, the role of personal guarantees, cash management, fraud prevention, and lending processes for small to medium-sized businesses. 

Yobany provides practical tips for approaching banking relationships and shares insights on what business owners should look for when developing a financial plan with their bank. This discussion equips aspiring entrepreneurs with valuable information to navigate the banking world more effectively.

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About Yobany:
Yobany Mayen has over 20 years of experience in Commercial Banking spanning three financial institutions and two areas of expertise: Commercial Relationship Management and Treasury Management Services. After graduating from Texas A&M with a finance degree, he entered the Commercial Banking Analyst Training Program at JPMorgan Chase Bank, spending time in New York, Austin, and San Antonio, TX, where he currently resides. Later, he moved to Amegy Bank, a division Zions Bancorporation, and now is at Encore Bank as an SVP, Treasury Management Regional Sales Leader and shareholder. He earned his Certified Treasury Professional (“CTP”) designation in 2003, serves as the President of the San Antonio Association for Financial Professionals (“SAAFP”), and is a volunteer committee member for one of the largest regional annual trade conferences in his industry (TEXPO), which will be hosted in San Antonio in 2025.

The recurring themes of his career through a large, medium, and small bank are: winning as a team, finding financial solutions to help clients achieve their goals, and enjoying building relationships with interesting and successful people. Two of the most interesting people he knows are his parents, who immigrated to the United States at young ages, worked hard to be successful in their own careers, and supported him as a first-generation college graduate.

He is married to Angie Lewis and has a blended family of 7 kids, 5 grandkids, and one Cavapoo named Bentley. He and his family attend Northeast Bible Church in Garden Ridge, TX and volunteer in the children’s ministry.

About Encore Bank:
Encore Bank was established in 2019 after its founders moved to the Capital Bank, rebranded it as Encore Bank and began its remarkable growth journey. Starting with just $159 million in total assets, seven employees and a single office, Encore has since expanded its presence into 19 markets across seven states. As of May 15, 2024, Encore Bank had $4 billion in total assets. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Encore Bank is a privately held, commercially focused bank that couples highly experienced and talented bankers with innovative technology to offer unprecedented levels of service to its clients through a hospitality-inspired concierge approach. Encore Bank provides a full suite of financial products and services with purpose, passion and precision.

To learn more, visit bankencore.com

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If you or a founder you know would like to be a guest on In The Thick of It, email us at [email protected]

Unlock the power of strategic marketing for your startup or small business.

In this insightful episode, Laura Neathery, founder of LJ Consulting & Marketing, shares her expertise on the invaluable role of partnering with a marketing agency. Discover the ideal timing to engage an agency and the key qualities to prioritize for a successful collaboration.

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, effective marketing demands consistency, quality, and accountability–a long-term game that requires expertise across multiple fronts, from social media channel management to digital advertising, SEO, email marketing, and beyond.

If you're an entrepreneurial business owner seeking to amplify your brand's reach, this episode offers invaluable insights into finding the marketing support you need to thrive.

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About Laura:
A lifelong Texan, Laura Neathery began her journey with a focus on photography. Her creativity and passion for stories led her to journalism emphasizing PR, Advertising, and Marketing. This foundation in visual storytelling and communication naturally led her to the marketing field, where she applied her skills in brand development, digital strategy, and demand generation across various roles. This journey involved agency and client-side marketing enabling her to see and understand both sides of marketing.

Laura spent years amid brilliant creatives and digital experts and knew she could bring her own spin of partnership to small to medium-sized businesses seeking scalable marketing solutions. This realization prompted her to establish LJ Consulting & Marketing, L.L.C. in 2018. Laura’s agency democratizes digital marketing, offering end-to-end digital services including SEO, social media management, web design, SMS marketing, and more while ensuring transparency through a client portal for real-time updates. This approach allows businesses to enhance their marketing efforts effectively and efficiently.

About LJ Consulting & Marketing:
LJ Consulting & Marketing, L.L.C. is a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping small to medium businesses grow their online presence. They offer a range of services, including SEO, social media marketing, web design and development, PPC management, content writing, online reputation management, and more. Their approach involves a detailed consultation, thorough audit, and strategic execution to deliver measurable results and a high return on investment. They emphasize innovation, data-driven strategies, transparency, and a client-centric approach to ensure their clients' success in the digital landscape.

To learn more, visit ljcandm.com

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If you or a founder you know would like to be a guest on In The Thick of It, email us at [email protected]

On this episode of In The Thick of It, Scott sits down with Sam Bluntzer, owner of Blue Ribbon Rain Gutter in Fort Worth, Texas. Sam shares his unique path to entrepreneurship, from growing up in the small town of New Braunfels, Texas to becoming a Marine Corps fighter pilot and eventually taking over a gutter business just two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Sam discusses the challenges of rapidly modernizing the company's systems, managing supply chain disruptions, and keeping crews motivated during uncertain times. He emphasizes the importance of having standard operating procedures in place so the business can run smoothly without relying too heavily on the owner.

New and aspiring business owners will gain valuable insights from Sam's experiences with proactive communication, taking ownership of mistakes, and continuously seeking ways to improve the business.

About Sam:
Sam Bluntzer is a Texas A&M University alumnus from New Braunfels, Texas. After college, he joined the marines and went on to become a F-18 fighter pilot, serving tours in Japan, Iraq, and other deployments over an 11-year career. Following his time in marines, Sam used his operational experience to transition into the oil and gas industry in Fort Worth, Texas. Today, Sam owns and operates Blue Ribbon Rain Gutter, a successful rain gutter installation company servicing customers throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

About Blue Ribbon Rain Gutter:
Blue Ribbon Rain Gutter is your trusted partner for seamless rain gutter installation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. With over 19 years of dedicated service and thousands of completed installations, Blue Ribbon Rain Gutter treats each customer's home as if it were their own, delivering top-notch gutter solutions regardless of the project's size.

To learn more, visit blueribbonraingutter.com

This week, we're taking a pause to celebrate Memorial Day and honor those who have served.

Many people often think of Memorial Day as the start of summer, but I encourage everyone to take a moment to remember those who've sacrificed themselves for our freedom in the United States. 

While Veterans Day honors both living and deceased veterans, Memorial Day is also an appropriate time to thank everyone who has served. We've had a few veteran guests on the show thus far, including:

• Clayton Flurry: Episode #6 - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-flurry-85667338/
• Drew Murr: Episode #16 - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewmurr/
• Ahmed Qureshi: Episode #33 - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-q-927237/

I recommend giving their episodes a listen and reaching out to them to thank them for their service. Happy Memorial Day to you and your family!

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If you or a founder you know would like to be a guest on In The Thick of It, email us at [email protected]

In this episode of “In The Thick of It,” Scott welcomes Randy Steinle, CEO and co-founder of Cybertrust Alliance based in Austin, Texas. Randy shares his journey from growing up in New Jersey to studying business and economics at Wheaton College in Chicago, and how his early career experiences in sales and leadership roles at various technology companies prepared him for entrepreneurship.

Randy dives into the origins of Cyber Trust Alliance, which began as an idea while working at a managed service provider (MSP) to address the cybersecurity and compliance needs of small and mid-sized healthcare organizations. He discusses the challenges of educating the market, developing the right pricing model, and learning to delegate effectively as the company grew.

Throughout the conversation, Randy emphasizes the importance of mentorship, building a strong advisory board, and collaborating with partners to accelerate growth. He shares valuable insights on the mindset shifts required when transitioning from employee to founder and the critical role of self-reflection and accountability in leadership.

About Randy:
A 30-year technology veteran, Randy has led businesses in healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and IT services.  He and his partners founded Cyber Trust Alliance to simplify compliance for healthcare organizations. Randy holds a BA in Business Economics from Wheaton College; has served in leadership of the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners for 18 years; and was honored to be the Inaugural Man of WIT for the Global Women in Technology Association. He’s married to Beth, a Professor and Sr. Associate Dean at the University of Texas in Austin and the proud father of 4 grown children.

About Cybertrust Alliance:
Cybertrust Alliance helps organizations and their third party vendors assess, manage, and track compliance with regulatory initiatives, utilizing virtual Telassessment technology and Risk Management software. With their solution, compliance is a simple, easy to understand, and manageable process for everyone.

To learn more, visit cybertrustalliance.com

In this episode of “In The Thick of It,” we're joined by Ray Blakney, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Rayvensoft Ventures, a holding company for multiple successful online businesses. Ray recounts his diverse upbringing, from his birth in the Philippines to his childhood in Turkey and eventual move to the United States. He shares his experiences in the Peace Corps, which led him to Mexico, where he met his wife and started a language school together.

Throughout the episode, Ray discusses the challenges and triumphs of building and scaling various businesses, including an online language school, a marketing agency, and a chocolate factory in the Philippines. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the lifetime value of a customer, learning how to have constructive disagreements, and trusting business partners.

Ray also opens up about his own struggles with depression and the lessons he's learned from his entrepreneurial journey. He stresses the significance of getting good at something to find enjoyment in it and the value of persistence in the face of failure.With 22 profitable businesses under his belt, Ray shares his insights on what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur and the importance of focusing on what you're good at to build a lasting legacy.

About Ray:
Ray Blakney is just your typical award-winning Filipino-American entrepreneur who grew up in Turkey and lives in Mexico. He has nearly two decades of business experience that have included starting, growing, and leading over a dozen profitable companies along with hundreds of staff from across the USA and Latin America.

Marked by a fearless approach to opportunity and a creative entrepreneurial spirit, Ray has always found fulfillment in the electric exchange  of collaboration among colleagues and peers. He unintentionally stumbled upon business coaching in early 2023 and quickly found that the greater impact was  not hidden in immediate conversations about business strategy but rather in helping calibrate and strengthen a person’s foundation first.

Thus began his executive coaching ventures within the online education industry. He often tells his clients, “You are my client first. Your business comes second.” And the results speak for themselves. When the entirety of a person’s life is in alignment, a business can’t help but flourish.

After hours, Ray can be found spending time with his family, traveling, or teaching semi-professional sword fighting. He lives in Playa del Carmen, Mexico with his wife and son.

About Rayvensoft Ventures:
To learn more about Rayvensoft Ventures visit rayvensoft.com.

On this episode of In The Thick of It, Scott meets with Ahmed Qureshi, Co-Founder President & COO of BILT, a revolutionary app utilizing 3D technology to deliver interactive and immersive environments to users. BILT's goal is to help companies put their products in the hands of customers through a digital format.

Ahmed shares life before launching his business, including stories of his childhood in Saudi Arabia, majoring in Middle East Studies at BYU, and helping Papa John’s expand internationally all while serving his country in the reserves. Ahmed highlights the importance of collaboration and the significance of having the right capital partnerships in a startup’s early journey.

Today, Ahmed finds inspiration in witnessing the awe and excitement from clients when using the BILT app. But, getting the startup to where it is today didn’t come without its sacrifices and major responsibilities.

About Ahmed
Ahmed Qureshi is a global business executive, consultant, entrepreneur and national security professional who has more than 30 years of experience living, studying and working both at home in the United States and abroad. He has worked for multi-national corporations, his own start-up firms and has advised organizations in cross cultural team building and other business best practices.

In 2015 he co-founded BILT Incorporated and serves as the President and COO; BILT is a SaaS network technology firm supporting global brands with 3D interactive and XR immersive Intelligent Instructions via a cloud-based application focused on improving the end user experience. In 2004 he co-founded Harbinger Technologies Group where he helped develop entity resolution software solutions and oversee the training of more than 35,000 law enforcement and military personnel; he helped sell the company in 2007. Prior to Harbinger, he served as the vice president for global business development at INVESTools Incorporated and as the head of Middle East operations for Papa John’s International.

From 2004 to 2017 he was an adjunct professor at the United States Air Force Special Operations School based at Hurlburt Field. He is a graduate of the Middle East Studies program at Brigham Young University, the MBA program at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, the Naval War College command and staff program, the Joint Forces Staff College and was a yearlong Fulbright grantee to the University of Jordan. He completed his doctorate at King’s College, University of London, writing on US policy and military decision making in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. He has been a drilling reservist since 1992 and has deployed overseas for various operations and training missions. He currently resides in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with his family.

About the BILT app
The BILT app is a revolutionary new tool for anything requiring assembly, set-up, repair or maintenance. BILT is 3D and interactive; it allows you to TAP on a part for details, PINCH to zoom in & DRAG to rotate the image 360°. Whether you need a new part or you want to troubleshoot, the information is right at your fingertips. There's no need to squint & no need for paper instructions. BILT allows you to protect your investment by registering the product, capturing the receipt & holding the warranty, so you always have it on your device.  It's like a virtual filing cabinet in your pocket.

To learn more, visit www.biltapp.com

This episode of In The Thick of It features George Baker, Operating Partner at RUJO Boots.

George has an extensive career that all started with helping people find the perfect parking spot. After years of using traditional management methods, George founded ParkHub to optimize parking operations with innovative technology and subscription-based models for businesses.

Today, George has a diverse portfolio of companies he’s helped build, including a leather goods brand, RUJO Boots. During the show, he discusses the motivation behind starting the business and the challenges he’s faced along the way. George shares the importance of finding the right team, encouraging a culture of collaboration, and recognizing failure is not fatal, but an opportunity for growth.

About George
George has spent 25+ years serving the parking industry with 13 years managing parking operations on a national level; including airport operations, portfolio management, and university and municipality experience.

When he’s not modernizing the parking world, he’s at his home in Dallas, Texas, spending time with his wife Chelsey and their two children. George graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s of Science in Regional Development | City Planning. George is a proud Eagle Scout, Past Worshipful Master of his Texas Masonic Lodge, winner of the 2016 Greater Dallas Business Ethics Award, 2016 recipient of the National Parking Association 40 under 40 award, 2016 finalist of EY Entrepreneur of the Year, 2018 finalist for Tech Titans Fast Growing Tech Company (DFW), 2019 Innovator of the Year by the National Parking Association, 2020 40 under 40 award by Electronic Transaction Association and devoted member his local Highland Park United Methodist Church congregation.

About Rujo Boots
RUJO’s mission is simply to provide people with a better boot for a better price. We only sell directly to you. There are no stores, there are no coffee mugs or T-shirts and there are no middlemen. RUJO is designed in Dallas, handcrafted in Mexico, and worn all across this great land.

To learn more, visit rujoboots.com

On this episode of In The Thick of It, we're joined by Marcus Jeffrey, co-founder of FreeFuse, an interactive video platform focused on creating immersive content experiences online. 

Marcus shares stories of his upbringing and recounts early ventures into his entrepreneurial journey, including starting a catering business and a vending management company. After realizing the need for a formal education, Marcus obtained his GED and attended Lone Star College, later transferring to Texas A&M University. With the help of a mentor, Marcus gained acceptance into the industrial distribution program, which opened doors for his future career. 

Marcus emphasizes the importance of persistence and highlights the unexpected opportunities and connections that shape our career paths. Through his journey, Marcus has come to appreciate the value of learning, tenacity, and the impact of meeting the right people along the way.

About Marcus:
Marcus Jeffrey, Co-Founder of FreeFuse, has a passion for growing companies and fine-tuning sales processes. His career has been a thrilling journey of turning ambitious visions into reality. At the heart of his work is a deep-seated desire to innovate and lead industries into new frontiers, a journey that led him to becoming a Co-Founder of FreeFuse. The platform is an endeavor in reshaping media consumption, making it more interactive and engaging through a 'choose-your-own-adventure' approach. Beyond the technology, Marcus is driven by the challenge of building effective, scalable sales strategies and fostering relationships that last.

About FreeFuse:
FreeFuse is revolutionizing media consumption. Our platform offers a unique 'choose-your-own-adventure' approach, making every experience interactive and captivating. Whether it's for reshaping education inside or outside your organization, boosting community engagement, or streamlining your sales and marketing efforts with low-to-no touch mechanisms, FreeFuse delivers. Dive into content that adapts to your choices, making learning, engagement, and marketing more dynamic than ever before.

To learn more visit freefuse.com

Today’s episode features Roy Keeley, founder of Firm Studio. 

Roy is a life-long entrepreneur who started his career selling baseball cards as a kid. Not much has changed since then, only now he’s selling technology and helping businesses bring products to life.

Roy shares stories about his upbringing and life post-college, taking a job in circuit board prototyping and another selling to accounting firms. Later, he co-founded a successful managed IT services company that focused on serving accounting professionals. Feeling inspired by these experiences—and challenges—the idea of starting his own company, Firm Studio, came to life.

Today, Roy’s team consists of experts in design, development, and business strategy to equip businesses with a profitable future. Throughout the episode, Roy shares the lessons he’s learned, including framing work as the “mingling of souls” and being cautious about financial commitments that are difficult to uphold.

About Roy:
Roy started his career hustling in a huge neighborhood outside of Houston where he peddled in various trading card activities. Later, upon turning 13, he leveraged his experience to work for the local card shop for $5/hr in cards. His role from when he was 13 to now hasn’t changed much, but instead of trading cards, its accounting tech. Ultimately Roy’s vision for life revolves around 2 words: commissioning wins. He seeks to do this by coming alongside passionate, smart people to go faster and further when it comes to launching new companies that have their roots in the accounting community. He has spent 15+ years helping firms with their most complex technology problems and has developed a vision on how firms can take their roadmaps back.

About Firm Studio:
Firm Studio is a globally distributed team of experts in design, development, and business strategy working together to equip businesses with a more profitable future.

To learn more, visit www.firmstudio.io.