Maker Manager Money - Entrepreneur & Business Owner Inspiration

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Brian T. Franco is the Founder and Managing Partner of Meritage Partners, a leading M&A advisory firm based in Newport Beach, California. With nearly two decades of experience, Brian is an expert in guiding companies toward successful exits, having deployed over $2 billion in capital across diverse industries such as Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC), healthcare, tech, B2B, and B2C services.

Key Learnings

• Stay focused on your core strengths as you scale. As entrepreneurs grow their companies, they often get distracted by day-to-day operations and lose sight of the strengths that made them successful in the first place.
• Exhibit consistent leadership. Leading a scaling company while remaining steady and reliable in your overall vision and approach provides comfort and direction to employees amidst rapid changes.
• Systemize processes where possible. Rather than trying to control everything themselves, successful entrepreneurs build or utilize systems and processes to streamline operations. This empowers managers to scale efficiently.

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Daniel Driggs is the founder of Crisp Catering. The birth of Crisp Catering coincided with the birth of his first child. While celebrating this joyous occasion in the hospital, Daniel, alongside his wife Abby, envisioned creating the world's best catering company. This idea sprang from Daniels's frustrations about the lackluster and often uninspired food served at wedding receptions. Daniel saw an opportunity to revolutionize this by offering freshly prepared, diverse, and delicious catering options. Since that epiphany, Crisp Catering has experienced meteoric growth, catering to over 1,200 events across more than 200 locations in Utah. Daniel and Abby have remained a formidable team throughout this journey, embodying the core values that make Crisp Catering stand out: honesty, care, hard work, kindness, a hunger for improvement, and a focus on others. Before founding Crisp Catering in 2021, he honed his skills and understanding of the industry as the Catering Manager for Thirst Drinks. Daniel earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Utah Valley University.

Key Learnings

• Core Values as a Foundation: Crisp Catering's six core values are central to its operations and culture, driving trust and excellence. This approach shows how strong values are crucial in shaping a company's identity and success.
• The Power of Effective Marketing and Sales: Daniel's use of aggressive marketing tactics on digital platforms illustrates the significance of understanding your audience and leveraging modern techniques to scale a business quickly.
• Personal Drive and Entrepreneurial Spirit: Daniel's journey from a young entrepreneur to the owner of Crisp Catering demonstrates the importance of personal drive and initiative in achieving business success and the value of forging your own path.

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Scott Robbins is the Founder of Aspen Press. Scott has been in the printing industry since 1989. He spent his first eight years in production, then moved into management and sales positions before founding Aspen Press in 2002. Aspen Press first started doing commercial printing, dove into carton packaging, and recently added flexible packaging to its list of capabilities. Aspen Press & Packaging is a G7, FSC/SFI, and GMP-certified commercial printing and packaging company occupying a 100,000-square-foot building in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are a two-time winner of Utah’s Best of State and have been ranked nationwide since 2013 among the top 400 printers in Printing Impression Magazine.

Key Learnings

• Early Hard Work Pays Off: Scott's journey from humble beginnings, doing odd jobs like lawn mowing and working at a pallet yard, to becoming the founder of a successful printing company, Aspen Press, illustrates the value of hard work and perseverance from an early age.
• Seizing Opportunities and Adaptation: Scott's career progression from being a delivery driver to a successful salesperson and eventually starting his own company highlights the importance of seizing opportunities and adapting to new roles and challenges.
• Investment in Growth and Innovation: The growth of Aspen Press from a small printing company to a large, diversified enterprise, particularly the expansion into carton and flexible packaging, demonstrates the significance of reinvesting in the business and innovating to meet market demands.

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LaSean Smith is a visionary investor and business strategist. With a background in software at Amazon and Microsoft, LaSean has deep expertise in artificial intelligence, behavioral economics, and systems engineering to reshape the landscape of business strategy. With over $450 million in capital deployed and several patents to his name, LaSean is a trailblazer in utilizing AI and machine learning to drive business success. His book, Values-Based Business Design, is an Amazon bestseller, reflecting his successful approach to high-growth product development. As founder of CAGR Investments, he propels software companies to exponential growth, emphasizing financial returns, relationships, and time efficiency. LaSean's philosophy, deeply rooted in Stoicism, focuses on reaction mastery and the vital roles of position, people, and process in achieving business success. 

With a wealth of experience from tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, LaSean shares invaluable insights on entrepreneurship, values, and the future of business. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Know Thyself: The Power of Personal Values: LaSean emphasizes the importance of having a clear set of personal values, encapsulated in his North Star: "Know thyself, make things, stay free." This concise philosophy serves as a guiding principle, helping him navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. He believes articulating your values keeps you accountable and attracts like-minded individuals—co-founders, investors, and customers—who resonate with your mission. In a world that often feels polarized, being transparent about what you stand for is more crucial than ever.

The Discrepancy Between Intentions and Actions: We delved into the common gap between what people say they value and how they actually behave. LaSean suggests a simple yet powerful shift in language: instead of saying "I can," commit to "I will." This subtle change fosters accountability and clarity in our commitments. He challenges listeners to identify the values they would defend even at the cost of their business. This reflection can lead to a more authentic and purpose-driven approach to entrepreneurship.

Innovation vs. Operational Excellence: LaSean argues that not all companies need to chase technological innovation to succeed. Instead, he advocates for focusing on operational excellence and finding innovative products or services to deliver to the market. He highlights that many successful companies are not inventors but rather exceptional operators who understand their customers and can execute effectively. For entrepreneurs, especially those with limited resources, building a cash-generating machine should be the priority before venturing into the realms of invention or innovation.

LINKS

• Follow LaSean on LinkedIn
• CAGR
• Values-Based Business Design: Modern Product Development for High-Growth Companies by LaSean Smith
• The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel

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Melanie Webb is a powerhouse in health and fitness. Melanie was raised in Orem, Utah, went to BYU, spent a year as an environmental consultant in Washington, D.C., and seamlessly transitioned into the fitness industry, eventually founding WebbWell and creating the innovative WebbWell App.  She's not your typical personal trainer; Melanie takes fitness beyond the gym, leading outdoor fitness adventures that blend the physical with nature. Her unique approach, drawing from her rigorous science background at BYU and her experience as a wildlife biologist, has redefined personal training for successful business professionals, especially those sacrificing personal wellness for career success.  Melanie's story is one of bold risks and transformations, from quitting a Master’s in Nutrition to working at the famous Equinox gym in D.C., frequented by high-profile politicos. 

Key Learnings

• Passion for fitness and nature: Melanie has a deep passion for fitness, health, and connecting with nature. This passion stems from her athletic background, her science degrees in physiology and biology, and her experience working outdoors as a wildlife biologist. She seeks to share her wisdom and integrate fitness with nature.
• Entrepreneurial drive: Melanie has strong entrepreneurial instincts - from dropping out of grad school to focus on training clients, to starting her own outdoor fitness retreat business, to now building an innovative fitness app. She is continuously learning, evolving her business model, taking risks and pushing boundaries. Her clients and adventures have shaped her business journey.
• Commitment to transformation: As a trainer, Melanie is deeply committed to guiding people through meaningful transformations - whether overcoming addictions and health challenges or preparing ambitious professionals for extreme adventures. She takes a holistic approach focused on mind, body, emotion, and nature to create change. Her empathy, patience, and belief in human potential come through.

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Stephen Kerin is the founder and director of Scale Digital, a specialist affiliate agency in London that delivers high-impact performance advertising services that give your business a competitive edge - working with all the major media partners, including addressable content, search, price comparison, incentive, re-targeting, display prospecting and more. With vertical specialisms including fintech, energy/switching, eSports, e-learning, and retail - all emphasizing sustainability. Stephen is also a pre-seed investor at Kaizan and 59A.

Key Learnings

• Experience: Stephen has extensive experience in digital media and advertising, having worked in the industry since the 1990s. He saw the rise of the internet and search engines and pivoted his career to focus on digital. This gives him valuable insight into digital trends.
• Motivation: Stephen is motivated by the digital media space and keeps up with the latest technologies like AI. He eagerly adopts new tools at his agency to make processes more efficient. This willingness to embrace change helps him stay competitive.
• Relationships: Stephen understands the importance of relationships and networking in business. His investments and partnerships grew from connections made over years of working in the London ad tech sector.

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Jeanette Okwu is a pioneer and thought leader in influence and brand ambassador marketing. As Founder and CEO of BEYONDinfluence, she helps clients leverage influencer and ambassador partnerships to achieve revenue, performance, and transparency goals. With over 20 years of experience across Fortune 500 brands, startups, and agencies - plus extensive time in the US, China, and Europe - Jeanette offers deep expertise in social media, digital marketing, and emerging technologies. She champions putting data and storytelling first. A former journalist, she has an infectious passion for all things digital. Jeanette is an advisor and steering committee member of major industry organizations like the American Influencer Council and Branded Content Marketing Association. She shares her insider knowledge through speaking engagements, podcast interviews, and hosting her podcast, Influence By Design. Jeanette is fascinated by how consumers interact with brands and aims to devise win-win influencer strategies that engage audiences.

Key Learnings

• Love of language: Jeanette has a deep passion for words, language, and storytelling, stemming from her background in journalism and literature. She studied Russian and French literature and originally became a journalist before transitioning into marketing and influencer work. This love of stories informs her approach to influencer marketing.
• Influencer marketing pioneer: Jeanette is an early pioneer in the influencer marketing space, having recognized the potential of platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest back in 2010 for leveraging "internet personalities" to achieve marketing objectives. Her agency focuses on matching brands with influencers in an authentic way.
• Marketing approach: Jeanette takes a sophisticated, data-driven approach to influencer marketing, using technology to analyze audience demographics and measure campaign performance. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear objectives, reporting insights, and tracking attribution. She also predicts affiliate marketing through influencers will grow as brands want to see direct ROI.

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Kyle Shannon is the Founder and CEO of Storyvine, a guided video production technology platform that guides you to tell a specific story, like a patient journey or constituent story, using your phone. Kyle is the co-creator and publisher of Everyday AI, the Founder of AI Salon, and also the chief generative Officer at Content Evolution. He also live streams nightly on TikTok at AI Learning Lab. In the mid-1990s, he was the cofounder of agency.com - one of the first digital agencies. Kyle is a trained actor and writer. He earned a BFA in Theater from Penn State.

Key Learnings

• AI evangelism: Kyle is incredibly passionate about and committed to generative AI. He recognizes the massive potential of AI like ChatGPT to transform the world and wants to help as many people as possible understand and get curious about it.
• Reinvention and creativity: Kyle believes AI will usher in a "great renaissance" - an era of amplified human expression, innovation, and reinvention across many domains. He has witnessed many people rapidly reinvent themselves professionally by creatively applying AI tools in just months.
• Community building: Community is very important to Kyle. Through platforms like his TikTok lives and the AI Salon, he aims to create trusted networks where people can learn, explore, work, and play together with AI. He values relationships over tactical skills, which he thinks will increase in the AI-driven future of work.

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• Why Jordan and two partners started a new marketing agency
• What Jordan loves most about being an entrepreneur
• How entrepreneurship puts you in the driver's seat

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Discover the entrepreneurial spirit that's redefining the tech education landscape as we sit down with Michael Zaro, the innovative mind behind V School and Smash Creative. Transitioning from a potential future in dentistry to a tech titan, Michael shares the compelling tale of his journey and the inception of his successful ventures. Tap into a goldmine of insights on how V School is revolutionizing coding boot camps with a laser focus on student outcomes and gainful employment, and learn about the inception of a web development and design company that grew organically out of sheer necessity and client demand.

Embark on exploring the transformative world of online learning, where V School's programs like JavaScript web development and cybersecurity are meticulously crafted to the rhythms of the industry's pulse. Michael illuminates the power of flexibility in education and how they've crafted a winning formula for student success by combining asynchronous learning with real-time support. With the landscape of work and education evolving due to global shifts like the pandemic, V School's approach is a beacon for those seeking to pivot into the tech field without missing a beat.

Rounding out our conversation, we dive into the symbiotic relationship between entrepreneurship and life partnerships, where the fusion of professional and personal worlds can lead to astonishing growth and innovation. Michael opens up about strategic partnerships and life partners' critical role in navigating the entrepreneurial rollercoaster and how embracing female perspectives has enriched his businesses. Join us for a narrative of growth, adaptation, and the ceaseless quest for improvement that will inspire any listener looking to make their mark in the tech world or embark on their own entrepreneurial adventure.

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