In this episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, joins co-host Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, to sit down with lifelong entrepreneur Sean Tipton.

Sean shares his journey from a challenging childhood to building a multimillion-dollar healthcare company, and now, developing Oak Fire Ridge — a stunning social and sports club in Texas that blends hospitality, community, and design. Along the way, the conversation explores resilience, risk-taking, and the realities of building businesses that last.

The trio dives deep into entrepreneurship, law, and leadership — from founding Airrosti to navigating bureaucracy, managing legal challenges, and defining what true hospitality really means.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Sean Tipton turned early adversity into entrepreneurial drive
  
  
• The story behind Airrosti and its rise to industry success
  
  
• Why hospitality is more than service — it’s participation
  
  
• What makes Oak Fire Ridge a new model for social and sports clubs
  
  
• Legal insights on permits, liquor licenses, and business regulation
  
  
• Why risk and fear often fuel great entrepreneurs
  
  
• John’s take on bureaucracy in California vs. Texas business environments
  
  
• How empathy and integrity shape great legal partnerships

Hosts:
John Fagerholm — defendmybiz.com
Steve Cooper — coopertalk.net

Guest:
Sean Tipton — Entrepreneur and founder of Oak Fire Ridge
Website: oakfireridge.com

Subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube for more real-world stories of entrepreneurship, law, and leadership. Every other week, John and Steve bring the lessons — and the laughs — straight to your feed.

In this episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, and co-host Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, welcome longtime entrepreneur and business partner Alexander Wilson.

From New York’s private school scene to launching legendary nightclub experiences and eventually building a Nike-sponsored youth basketball academy, Alexander shares how his early experiences in hospitality, entertainment, and networking shaped his unique approach to entrepreneurship. The conversation explores everything from his collaborations with music industry icons to his work helping young athletes develop both on and off the court — and how technology, NIL, and blockchain are changing the future of youth sports.

The trio also dive into deeper discussions on the balance between capitalism and socialism, the challenges of operating businesses in different states, and how mindset defines the modern entrepreneur.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Alexander turned New York nightlife connections into lasting business success
  
  
• The origins of his Nike-sponsored Proformance Hawaii basketball academy
  
  
• Why entrepreneurial skills from hospitality translate into sports and tech ventures
  
  
• How NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) deals are reshaping youth sports
  
  
• The role of AI and blockchain in future athlete scouting and sponsorship
  
  
• What socialism vs. capitalism means for business owners today
  
  
• Why California’s business environment differs from states like Texas
  
  
• John’s legal insights on ownership, regulation, and free market systems
  
  

If you’re an entrepreneur, innovator, or sports business enthusiast, subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes every other week — tune in for more real stories and legal lessons from the front lines of business.

Hosts:
John Fagerholm — defendmybiz.com
Steve Cooper — coopertalk.net

Guest:
Alexander Wilson — Founder of Proformance Hawaii and youth basketball entrepreneur
Website: proformancehawaii.com

In this episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, and co-host Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, dive deep into what it really takes to survive as an entrepreneur in today’s business climate.

With their guest postponed, John and Steve use the time to share real stories, legal lessons, and personal insights from decades of experience in business, law, and life. From childhood hustles and early entrepreneurial instincts to the impact of bad policy and costly lawsuits, this candid conversation reveals why so many California business owners are packing up and heading to Texas.

They also unpack a shocking sports scandal, explore the ripple effects of new “wage theft” laws, and discuss how legal overreach can crush small businesses — plus, what smart founders can do to protect themselves before it’s too late.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why entrepreneurship is often born, not made — and how John learned business from a young age
• How risk, money, and discipline separate successful founders from the rest
• The dangers of California’s “wage theft” law and why it punishes honest employers
• What business owners need to know about workers’ comp abuse and fraudulent claims
• How personal liability laws can expose owners — even when they’re incorporated
• Why Texas is the top state for business and California ranks last
• The best legal structure for your business: LLC, S-Corp, or something else
• Practical advice for new entrepreneurs on building legal protection early

Hosts:
John Fagerholm: defendmybiz.com
Steve Cooper: coopertalk.net

Call to Action:
If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or just curious about the intersection of law and leadership, subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every other week — and don’t miss the next episode featuring Mark Kreiner, the former Tapout CEO with stories from the wild side of business and branding.

In this episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, and co-host Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, sit down with serial entrepreneur CR Celona — a visionary who helped pioneer influencer marketing with his company Speaker and now leads innovation in the AI-powered creative space.

John and Steve dive deep into CR’s journey from early tech startup successes to building CreatorUp, an AI-driven content platform partnered with Google, Harvard, and UCLA. They explore how risk tolerance fuels entrepreneurship, what lessons come from scaling too fast, and how to balance innovation with ethics in the era of AI. The conversation flows from startup war stories to legal insights on liability, employee risk, and even a timely discussion of how CTE and class actions shape today’s legal headlines.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How risk tolerance defines entrepreneurship — and why failure can be the best teacher
• The rise (and fall) of Speaker and what it taught about scaling responsibly
• How AI is transforming creative industries and where the legal gray areas lie
• What every startup founder should know about protecting their business legally
• When companies are liable for employee actions — and when they’re not
• Why mentorship, relationships, and trust matter more than transactions
• How to “give your lawyer carry” — and why early legal partnerships pay off

Hosts:
John Fagerholm: defendmybiz.com
Steve Cooper: coopertalk.net

Guest:
CR Celona: Entrepreneur, AI innovator, and founder at CreatorUp — find him on LinkedIn or by searching “CR Celona” across platforms.

If you’re an entrepreneur, founder, or just fascinated by where tech and law collide, subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every other week — and if you enjoyed this one, share it with someone who loves smart conversation and startup stories with real-world legal lessons.

In Episode 2 of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm (employment defense attorney & entrepreneur) and co-host Steve Cooper welcome multi-hyphenate creator Marvin V. Acuna—film/TV producer, restaurateur, and founder of MoBal. Marvin shares how Hollywood producing skills (planning, logistics, relationships) translate to building scalable companies, why discipline (mind, body, workflow) is a competitive edge, and how he defended his rights when a partner tried to cut him out of a studio deal. John adds legal context on California employer risk, First Amendment myths at work, and why smart hiring beats fixing bad fits.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How producing films maps to leading and scaling any business
• Why daily discipline (meditation, fitness, workflow) creates calm under pressure
• Practical uses of AI to reclaim time and improve decisions
• The partnership playbook: red flags, role clarity, and enforcing your rights
• John’s legal take: free speech vs. private employment—what’s actually protected
• California realities: wage/hour & FEHA claims, arbitration tradeoffs, and settlement math
• Hiring truths: it’s easier to hire right than to fire wrong
• Pricing vs. wages: the squeeze small operators face when costs rise

Hosts:
John Fagerholm: defendmybiz.com
Steve Cooper: coopertalk.net

Call to Action:
If you’re a founder, owner, or HR pro who wants real stories and actionable takeaways, follow and subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every other week—leave a quick rating/review to help other business owners find the show!

In the premiere episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, co-hosts John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, and Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, sit down to share John’s story — from Navy firebrand and serial entrepreneur to entertainment lawyer, and ultimately, a defender of business owners in California’s high-stakes legal climate.

Steve and John dive into how lawsuits shaped John’s career path, the hustle of starting a law firm from scratch, landing Curtis Blow as his first client, and why he left the music industry to champion employers against California’s ever-growing wave of employee lawsuits. Along the way, they explore what makes a good litigator, the role of creativity in defense strategy, and why John believes entrepreneurship is more “wolf” than “dog.”

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How repeated lawsuits inspired John to become a lawyer himself
• The surprising story of how Curtis Blow became his first client
• Why John shifted from entertainment law to employment defense
• How California law stacks the deck against business owners — and what that means for employers
• The mindset and creativity it takes to be an effective litigator
• John’s entrepreneurial philosophy, from living on credit cards to building a thriving practice
• Why social media can be both a weapon and a liability in modern lawsuits
• What to expect from upcoming Lawsuits & Lessons episodes

Hosts:

• John Fagerholm: defendmybiz.com
• Steve Cooper: coopertalk.net

Welcome to Lawsuits & Lessons! In this trailer, you’ll meet your hosts: John Fagerholm, an employment defense attorney and business advocate who knows the ins and outs of workplace law, and Steve Cooper, a veteran comedian and podcast host who knows nothing about the law but plenty about keeping things entertaining.

Together, John and Steve break down real workplace issues, dive into bizarre legal cases, and decode the ever-confusing world of employment law — all with a fun, refreshing twist. Whether you manage five employees or five hundred, sooner or later, you’ll run into a legal issue. That’s where Lawsuits & Lessons come in.

This isn’t your average HR seminar. It’s candid, engaging, and packed with stories you’ll actually remember — plus the lessons that could save your business. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the first full episode!