Leaders + Legends Podcast

On this episode Michael talks with Nick Friedman, Host of Hunks Talking Junk Podcast and much more!

Nick Friedman is a serial entrepreneur, author, and the co-founder of College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving, one of the fastest-growing moving and junk removal franchises in the United States. He launched the company in 2005 alongside his childhood friend Omar Soliman, starting with a simple idea and a cargo van—and turning it into a nationally recognized brand.

Nick helped build College HUNKS into a multi-million-dollar franchise system with hundreds of locations across North America, known for its strong company culture, customer-first mindset, and commitment to community service. The company’s name—HUNKS, an acronym for Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable, Service—reflects their emphasis on professionalism and positive customer experiences.

He gained national attention after appearing on ABC’s Shark Tank, where he and his co-founder secured a deal that helped accelerate the brand’s growth and visibility. Beyond business, Nick is passionate about leadership, company culture, and entrepreneurship. He has co-authored books including Effortless Entrepreneur and is a frequent speaker, sharing insights on scaling companies, franchise development, and building purpose-driven teams.

Today, Nick Friedman continues to inspire entrepreneurs and business leaders through his work, emphasizing that success comes from a mix of hard work, strong values, and a relentless focus on serving others.

Follow Leaders + Legends on Socials:

https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

#serialentrepreneur #collegehunks #businesspodcast

#startedfromthebottom

What does it really take to grow a roofing business, build a brand, and create a life you actually want?

In this episode of Leaders + Legends, host Michael Calamaras sits down with Trey Martell — owner of Strong Roofing and co-host of the Sarasota Speax podcast — to talk about the real, unfiltered journey behind building a service-based business.

This conversation goes beyond roofing. Trey shares what it looks like to transition from working in the business to building a business — including the mindset shifts, challenges, and lessons that come with growth. From navigating early-stage hurdles to developing a reputation and standing out in a competitive market, this episode offers a grounded look at what it takes to move forward.

Michael and Trey also discuss the launch of Sarasota Speax and why content, communication, and personal brand are becoming increasingly important for business owners. The conversation highlights how building a presence outside of your core service can create new opportunities and expand your network.

Whether you’re in the trades, running a service business, or exploring your next move professionally, this episode focuses on practical insights around growth, consistency, and long-term thinking.

 Topics Covered:

• Growing a roofing business
• Transitioning from operator to business owner
• Challenges in scaling a service-based business
• Building a reputation in a local market
• Personal brand and content creation
• Launching the Sarasota Speax podcast
• Business growth and life balance

roofing business, how to grow a roofing company, service business growth, contractor business tips, small business podcast, entrepreneurship podcast, personal brand building, local business marketing, trades business growth

In this episode Michael talks with David McCombie.

David is an entrepreneur and dealmaker. He is founder and CEO of McCombie Group, an investment banking and M&A advisory firm guiding mid-market businesses to build, fund, and sell. To date, he has successfully closed billions in transactions. Unique amongst advisors, he has successfully led various private equity investments himself.

David is author of “Selling Your Business with Confidence” published by Wiley. An ongoing contributor to Forbes regarding middle-market M&A and private equity, he also has been a featured speaker at various private equity conferences and has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

David is also an owner and board member of Atlantic Tractor, a John Deere dealership with 18 locations across Maryland, Delaware, and southern Pennsylvania. He is an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and serves as Membership Chair of the Miami chapter.

Prior to founding McCombie Group in 2010, David was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and an investment banker at Citigroup Global Banking in New York.

David graduated from Harvard Law School where he focused on corporate law and negotiation strategy, and also did extensive coursework in corporate finance at the Harvard Business School. His thesis, ‘Hispanic Private Equity- A Cultural Approach to Achieving Superior Investment Returns’ was published in the Harvard Latino Law Review. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Miami with a degree in economics and finance, where he was a Cuban American National Foundation Mas Scholar. A proud Cane, he taught FIN499, a private equity course, as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami and now serves as a Finance department advisory board member and an executive committee member of the Citizens Board. David is also a licensed Florida attorney and real estate broker.

David's Website: https://www.mccombiegroup.com/

Leaders + Legends: https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

#buildingbusinesses #makingmillions #miamihurricanes #businessownership #sellmybusiness #sellabusiness #buyabusiness

In this episode Michael talks with Mike Kolb the founder of XWERKS. Michael and Mike share similar passions of CrossFit, Car Racing, and enjoying life!

Mike founded XWERKS, a sports nutrition company launched in 2014. Based in Lakewood Ranch, he leads his brand focused on performance driven supplements for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, with an emphasis on quality and transparency.

XWERKS: https://xwerks.com/

Find Leaders + Legends on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

#podcast #sportsnutrition #ecommercebrands #buildinganecommerce

In this episode of Leaders + Legends, host Michael Calamaras sits down with Joey Coco, a Sarasota-based business owner and Budget Blinds franchise owner, for a powerful conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and perspective.

Joey shares his journey into franchise ownership in the home-services industry, along with how personal adversity reshaped the way he approaches business, leadership, and life.

Joey opens up about surviving a serious car accident that changed his life - how it tested him physically, mentally, and emotionally. Rather than defining him, the experience became a catalyst—sharpening his focus, gratitude, and commitment to building something meaningful.

This episode explores:

• What it’s really like running a service-based business in a local market
• How adversity can change your relationship with work and success
• Lessons learned from sales, systems, and customer experience
• The difference between chasing growth and building something sustainable

This conversation is equal parts business strategy and human story—valuable for anyone building a company, facing setbacks, or recalibrating what success truly means.

 Topics Covered

• Budget Blinds franchise ownership
• Home services entrepreneurship
• Sarasota small business landscape
• Overcoming adversity as a business owner
• Sales systems and local reputation
• Leadership through hardship
  

 About Leaders + Legends

Leaders + Legends is a podcast featuring candid conversations with business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs navigating growth, risk, and real-world challenges. Hosted by Michael Calamaras, the show highlights the stories behind the success.

Joey Coco Sarasota

Budget Blinds Sarasota

Budget Blinds franchise owner

Home services business owner

Entrepreneur resilience story

Small business podcast

Franchise ownership podcast

Leaders and Legends podcast

In this episode of Leaders + Legends, we sit down with Krystal Roberts, a wife, mother, mentor, and trusted health advisor with USHEALTH Advisors.

Krystal’s story is one of balancing business success with family values. As a wife and proud mom, she understands firsthand the importance of protecting what matters most. That perspective has fueled her career in insurance—helping families, individuals, and small business owners find affordable and reliable coverage that truly fits their lives.

But Krystal’s influence doesn’t stop with her clients. As a mentor and team leader, she has dedicated herself to guiding new agents, sharing the lessons she’s learned, and building a culture of encouragement and growth within her team. Her leadership style blends compassion with accountability, showing that success in business can go hand-in-hand with kindness and integrity.

In this conversation, we explore how Krystal integrates family, mentorship, and entrepreneurship into a life that inspires others to lead with purpose—both at home and in business.

Krystal's Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-roberts

https://www.ushagent.com/krystalroberts

https://www.instagram.com/mrsk.roberts

Michael's Links:

https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

#business #mentorship #entrepreneur #family #mother #wife #worklifebalance #growthmindset

In this episode of Leaders + Legends, we sit down with Shelbi Loftin and Therese Johnson, the powerhouse duo behind the Beyond Tradition Podcast. These two women are redefining what it means to grow a business—and a life—that breaks the mold.

We dive into their entrepreneurial journeys, the real stories behind building bold brands, and how they balance ambition with authenticity. From the boardroom to personal breakthroughs, this conversation is filled with raw wisdom, plenty of laughs, and the kind of inspiration that’ll get you thinking bigger.

Whether you’re a founder, creative, or someone tired of following “the rules,” this one’s for you.

 Connect with Shelbi & Therese: 

https://beyondtraditionpodcast.com

 Topics Covered:

• Why “traditional” paths aren’t for everyone
• Personal growth through business challenges
• Female leadership in today’s landscape
• How to stay real while scaling big
• Advice for entrepreneurs embracing their own voice

 #BeyondTradition #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #AuthenticLeadership #PersonalGrowth #BusinessPodcast #FemaleFounders #ShelbiLoftin #Therese #LeadersAndLegendsPodcast

On the menu for this episode, join Phil Mancini, thelegendary co-founder of Michael’s On East and one of the most beloved figures in Florida’s catering world, alongside Michael Calamaras, a Forbes-ranked financial planner andentrepreneur with a passion for people, planning, and purpose.

This episode dives into the stories behind building aworld-class catering business — from the early days of washing dishes to serving presidents, celebrities, and generations of Sarasota families. Along the way, you’ll hear timeless lessons on business growth, client relationships,family dynamics, community service, and what it really takes to create a brand people love for life.

This isn’t just about food. It’s about building somethingthat lasts.

 About Phil Mancini:

Phil is the co-founder of Michael’s On East and ahospitality icon in Southwest Florida. With over four decades in the industry, he’s known for creating unforgettable events and a catering empire rooted in excellence, integrity, and heart. He’s served everyone from everyday locals to U.S. presidents — and treats them all like family.

www.bestfood.com

About Michael Calamaras:

Michael is a financial planner, podcast host, and founder ofCalamaras Wealth Strategies, a boutique firm recognized by Forbes for three straight years. He’s also a proud father of three, a community connector, and a passionate interviewer who brings out the best in the people he sits down with.

https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

Catering podcast, hospitality business, food entrepreneur,Sarasota business, Phil Mancini, Michael’s On East, Best Food, event planning, small business podcast, building a business, family business, leadership podcast, restaurant podcast, Florida entrepreneurs, community leaders, cateringsuccess stories, Michael Calamaras podcast

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Michael Sclafani, founder of Tide Line Sports Performance, to go beyond just sports rehab and talk about the mindset, business strategy, and life lessons that come with building a performance-driven brand.

Michael shares how he grew his sports performance and rehab facility from the ground up, the challenges of entrepreneurship in the fitness space, and what it really takes to build trust with elite athletes, youth clients, and everyday movers.

We dive into:

•  How Michael built a performance brand rooted in results and relationships
•  The overlap between athletic training and business growth
•  The psychology of rehab and return-to-play
•  Lessons in leadership, burnout, and balance
•  Real stories from athletes, business owners, and weekend warriors
•  Why mindset matters more than just mobility

Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, coach, or just someone looking to optimize your life, this episode is full of raw insights and real talk about what high performance really means—in sports, in business, and in life.

 Topics Covered:

• Sports performance training
• Injury rehab and recovery
• Entrepreneurship in fitness
• Building a small business brand
• Athletic mindset and mental toughness
• Sarasota fitness and health community

 Connect with Michael Sclafani:

Website: tidelinesportsperformance.com

Instagram: @tidelinesportsperformance

YouTube / Spotify / Rumble:

Search Tide Line Sports Performance

#Businesspodcast #sportsperformance #sportsrehabilitation #mindset #businessgrowth #fitness #life #buildingthedream

In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with John Bowman, CEO of Sure Med Compliance, to explore how his mission-driven company is tackling the opioid epidemic by empowering healthcare providers through cutting-edge compliance and prescription monitoring technology.

John shares the personal story that ignited his passion for addiction prevention, how Sure Med is using predictive analytics and risk scoring to save lives, and why building a tech company in healthcare requires both precision and purpose.

We cover:

• Why compliance matters more than ever
• How Sure Med’s platform protects patients and providers
• The future of prescription risk assessment
• Leading with purpose in a highly regulated industry
• The human side of innovation in healthcare

 Learn more about Sure Med Compliance:

 Website: https://www.suremedcompliance.com

 Connect with John on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnbowmansuremed

 Available on all major platforms:

 Spotify: https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

 Apple Pods: https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

 YouTube: https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

 Rumble: https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends

Subscribe for more interviews with CEOs, disruptors, and leaders driving change in tech, healthcare, and beyond.

Sure Med Compliance, John Bowman, Opioid Crisis Solutions, Prescription Monitoring Technology, Healthcare Compliance, Addiction Prevention Tools, CEO Interviews, HealthTech Startup, Risk Scoring Software, Healthcare Innovation, Digital Health, Predictive Analytics in Medicine, Health Risk Mitigation, Pain Management Technology, Healthcare Entrepreneurship