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:
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