In this episode, Host Jesse Warner sits down with Nimi Natan, President and CEO of Gulf Coast Small Business Lending, to talk about what it takes to build and scale a national lending platform and how entrepreneurs can use SBA-backed financing as a practical path to growth. The conversation centers on disciplined expansion, relationship-driven deal flow, and the realities of underwriting and leadership in a highly regulated, high-trust industry.

What You’ll Learn

• Why SBA financing can be a powerful alternative to raising equity, especially when you have meaningful owner capital and a clear acquisition or expansion plan.
• How SBA loan programs differ in practice (including 7(a), 504, and SBA lines of credit) and where USDA lending fits when businesses are larger or in rural markets.
• What changes when a business evolves from an early-stage startup into a scaled national operator, and how structure and process must mature alongside growth.
• Why relationship channels matter in high-consideration industries, and how building referral networks with brokers, attorneys, accountants, and banks can outperform broad direct-to-borrower marketing.
• How to think about “right time” demand in markets driven by infrequent, event-based purchases, and how that shapes marketing and outreach strategy.
• Where AI and automation can help today (primarily in operational and back-office workflows) and why many front-end lending decisions still depend on human trust and nuanced judgment.
• Why talent is often the biggest constraint in technical, constantly changing fields and how training, hiring discipline, and role fit become competitive advantages.
• How to plan for growth ceilings and concentration risk by expanding into adjacent markets, such as larger-loan programs and franchise financing.

Across the episode, Nimi emphasizes that small business lending is ultimately a people business: success depends on trust, careful judgment, and a deep understanding of the borrower’s goals not just the numbers. He also highlights the real impact of lending decisions, where the right loan can enable a life-changing business outcome and the wrong one can be costly for everyone involved, reinforcing the need for disciplined growth, strong talent, and thoughtful market expansion.

To learn more about Nimi Natan and their work, visit gulfcoastsba.com

In this episode, Host Stephen Bunker speaks with Michael Bremmer, a Vice President and longtime volunteer leader with the Association of Manufacturing Excellence, about building cultures of continuous improvement and how leaders can protect the “learning loops” that fuel long-term performance especially as organizations make major strategic bets like outsourcing, ERP, and AI adoption.

What You’ll Learn

• How third-party assessments can help organizations strengthen improvement practices with clear, actionable feedback.
• Why continuous improvement works best when it’s embedded into how the business runs not treated as a separate program.
• How to connect daily management to strategic priorities so improvement efforts deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Why leaders should be cautious about strategic decisions that save money today but erode organizational learning over time.
• How to think beyond improvement “methodologies” and focus instead on foundational behaviors and systems that sustain progress.
• What AI adoption may do to competitive differentiation and why the transition could be disruptive even if it creates new opportunities.
• Why emotional reactions to unfair moments can quietly derail leadership effectiveness, and how to recover faster.
• How writing down purpose and reflecting on it regularly sharpens perspective and improves decision-making across work and life. ERP transitions.

Across decades in manufacturing excellence and consulting, Michael emphasizes that real improvement is less about adopting the right label and more about building the habits, alignment, and reflection loops that keep organizations learning. He challenges leaders to look past short-term wins, protect the capabilities that drive innovation, and operate with written purpose using reflection, feedback, and perspective shifts to stay effective in a rapidly changing environment.

To learn more about Michael Bremmer and their work, visit ame.org

In this episode, Host Stephen Bunker sits down with Eric, a partner at Spark 6 and a systems designer focused on defining workflows, to discuss how AI is reshaping modern service businesses and how leaders can adopt automation responsibly, ethically, and effectively.

What You’ll Learn

• How a “legacy” digital product studio can evolve into an AI implementation partner by listening closely to client demand.
• Why adaptability and flexibility are foundational leadership skills when markets shift, technology changes, and crises hit.
• How to identify practical, low-risk entry points for AI (like customer inquiry handling) before moving into more complex agentic workflows.
• What “responsible AI adoption” looks like in regulated industries, including the importance of guardrails and human-in-the-loop decision-making.
• When to use off-the-shelf automation tools versus building custom solutions layered on top of frontier language models.
• How internal AI education and training can remove “deer in the headlights” hesitation and turn uncertainty into informed action.
• A clear way to position AI services without leaning into fear-based marketing grounded in readiness, competitiveness, and long-term scaling.
• Leadership lessons from experience: the value of saying no to poor-fit projects and leading with humanity, kindness, and integrity.

Eric’s story highlights a pivotal shift many organizations are facing: AI isn’t just a new toolset, it’s a broad business transformation that requires thoughtful strategy, workforce enablement, and an ethical approach to implementation. By combining long-standing credibility with a practical focus on workflows, training, and responsible deployment, Spark 6 is building a path for companies to adopt AI with confidence while staying aligned with their values.

To learn more about Eric and their work, visit spark6.com

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Asa Dyer, President of OEL Worldwide Industries, to discuss how OEL protects electrical workers through specialized PPE and equipment and how the company is navigating rapid growth driven by electrification, grid constraints, and expanding energy infrastructure.

What You’ll Learn

• Why the market for electrical safety gear is expanding beyond traditional contractors as EVs, renewables, and energy storage scale.
• How protecting workers in and around energized environments requires both specialized products and real-world application knowledge.
• What OEL’s evolution (including a major pivot after the early-2000s downturn) teaches about resilience and reinvention in business.
• How brand storytelling and communicating legacy, purpose, and craftsmanship can unlock growth especially in trade-focused industries.
• How to evaluate “new shiny opportunities” without abandoning the core customers who built the business.
• Why OEL invests in customer service as a trained, technical resource function not just an order-taking operation.
• Where AI can improve workflow and idea development while still preserving the “human touch” in customer relationships.
• What operational constraints look like during rapid growth, from production capacity to the hidden costs of major internal changes like ERP transitions.

Asa’s story highlights a practical, values-driven approach to scaling: stay close to the customer, tell the story behind the work, and build the operational discipline to deliver consistently as demand accelerates. The conversation reinforces that meaningful growth is rarely just about selling more it’s about protecting people, honoring the craft, and strengthening the systems that keep a company dependable under pressure.

To learn more about Asa Dyer and their work, visit oelsales.com

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Nahjee Maybin, CEO of KCS Computer Services, to discuss how he’s scaling a family-founded IT company into a modern managed service provider while staying rooted in community education, values-driven client relationships, and responsible AI adoption.

What You’ll Learn

• How a family business can evolve from “fixing computers” into a full managed service provider offering end-to-end IT strategy, cybersecurity, and help desk support.
• Why values alignment matters in client selection and how saying “yes” to the wrong work can slow growth and drain teams.
• What it looks like to cross the seven-figure threshold and the operational and marketing shifts required to reach the next revenue plateau.
• Why client retention is often a smarter growth lever than constant acquisition, especially when serving SMBs in uncertain economic conditions.
• How networking and referrals can become a high-quality growth engine when your best clients naturally refer similar businesses.
• The importance of being more visible with your message using platforms like LinkedIn, video, and social proof to clarify what you do and who you help.
• Where AI and automation can increase service capacity internally, particularly for managing and maintaining many systems efficiently at once.
• Why AI education (not just AI tools) is emerging as a competitive advantage especially around ethics, data security, and role-based use cases.

Nahjee’s story highlights the power of modernizing a legacy business without losing its original mission: helping people and organizations adopt technology with confidence. From learning leadership through costly mistakes to building a service model that delivers real ROI, he emphasizes that sustainable growth comes from disciplined focus, strong relationships, and the perseverance to keep moving when the path gets uncertain.

To learn more about Nahjee Maybin and their work, visit kcsbus.com

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Rylie Hicks, a young entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder behind Scrubs Spotless (and other ventures), to talk about what “success” really means, how to build businesses around clear metrics, and how AI and smart marketing systems can help operators scale faster without breaking trust or the business model.

What You’ll Learn

• Why defining “success” upfront (cash flow, longevity, lifestyle, exit, or impact) changes every decision you make as a founder.
• How to operationalize a business by categorizing problems, building repeatable systems, and tracking the right metrics not just the easy ones.
• The importance of protecting reputation while you grow, especially in service businesses where trust is the product.
• What seasonality really looks like in local service work, and why planning for peaks and valleys is a core leadership skill.
• Which acquisition channels have been most effective for Riley’s service business, including Meta ads and Google Local Service Ads.
• How to use AI beyond basic prompting by integrating it into SOPs, routing, and customer follow-up workflows.
• Why using multiple AI tools for different jobs can improve speed and clarity in day-to-day operations.
• A practical mindset for founders: you won’t feel fully “ready,” so learning fast, testing intelligently, and making your best informed guess is part of the job.

Rylie’s conversation with Taylor reinforces a grounded, operator-first approach to entrepreneurship: clarify what you’re optimizing for, build systems that protect quality as you grow, and use modern tools like AI to reduce friction across operations and customer experience. The result is a more resilient business and a leadership style built on learning, adaptability, and clear priorities.

To learn more about Rylie Hicks and their work, visit scrubbedspotless.com

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Kjer Kizer, CEO of Oregon FFA, to discuss how the organization builds student leadership at scale while aligning multiple stakeholder groups, expanding access through barrier-free participation, and strengthening communications in a changing media and technology landscape.

What You’ll Learn

• How Oregon FFA is structured across three interconnected arms (association, foundation, and alumni/friends) and why alignment matters for mission delivery.
• What it takes to lead an organization with multiple independent boards while keeping everyone focused on shared outcomes.
• How removing cost barriers can accelerate membership growth and widen access to leadership development opportunities.
• Why agricultural education and career/technical education can be a powerful lever for student success, engagement, and graduation outcomes.
• Practical approaches to communicating with different audiences, from students on social media to educators who rely on clear, streamlined updates.
• How to build donor confidence by demonstrating strong leadership, consistent stewardship, and a compelling impact story.
• Where fundraising pressure tends to show up (especially during economic uncertainty) and how diversified support helps stabilize programs.
• Responsible, real-world ways a nonprofit team can use AI for communications and speaking prep while protecting student privacy.

This conversation highlights how mission-driven growth requires more than passion—it demands operational clarity, stakeholder alignment, and communication systems that meet people where they are. Kjer’s perspective underscores that when access barriers fall and storytelling improves, organizations can scale impact while staying grounded in trust, ethics, and measurable outcomes for the communities they serve.

To learn more about Kjer Kizer and their work, visit oregonffa.com

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Beth Flory, CEO of S.A.F.E. House in Henderson, Nevada, to discuss what it takes to lead and grow a comprehensive domestic violence shelter organization. Their conversation explores survivor-centered services, sustainable funding, community awareness, and the operational realities of supporting victims of domestic violence and their children.

What You’ll Learn

• How S.A.F.E. House supports survivors through a full continuum of services, from emergency shelter to advocacy, counseling, and community education.
• Why “growth” in a crisis-response nonprofit often reflects increased willingness to seek help, and what that signals about community awareness.
• What it takes to staff and operate a 24/7 crisis hotline and a residential shelter safely, consistently, and compassionately.
• How diversified funding (grants, public funding streams, foundations, and individual giving) creates stability when government support is unpredictable.
• Why nonprofit leaders often need to intentionally build business and operational skills alongside mission-driven service expertise.
• How PR, messaging, and brand-building can serve a dual purpose: attracting resources and reaching survivors (and their support networks) who need services.
• Practical ways small organizations can use AI to save time and strengthen internal operations, communications, and leadership workflows.
• Why staff wellness and self-care are not optional in trauma-exposed fields, and how leaders can model sustainable habits to prevent burnout.

Beth’s story highlights the deep responsibility and complex leadership required to serve survivors well, especially amid rising housing costs and increasing demand for safe, accessible resources. The episode underscores how strong operations, thoughtful storytelling, and community partnerships can expand an organization’s impact while maintaining the empathy, safety, and steadiness survivors depend on.

To learn more about Beth Flory and their work, visit safehousenv.org

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Andrew Kroes, CEO of Because International, to explore how a firsthand encounter with kids lacking properly fitting shoes sparked the creation of a durable, adjustable “growing shoe” and a mission-driven organization focused on dignity, health, and opportunity in underserved communities.

What You’ll Learn

• How a single, vivid moment in the field can reveal a real problem worth solving and provide the clarity to pursue it long-term.
• Why “donations” alone often fail to meet need at scale, and how designing specifically for the context changes outcomes.
• What it takes to turn a simple idea into a real product: prototypes, iteration, partners, and persistence through dead ends.
• How Because International balances the core product trade-offs that matter most in impact work: comfort, durability, and affordability.
• Why manufacturing choices matter especially the value of producing locally (including building a team and operations in Kenya).
• How shoes connect to bigger outcomes like health, reduced infection risk, school participation, and a child’s sense of dignity.
• The role of storytelling in sustainable impact: showing donors tangible outcomes and building long-term support.
• How scaling impact can evolve beyond a single product, using the same distribution and trust network to address other urgent needs.

This conversation highlights the power of mission-led innovation: when you design with real constraints in mind and stay committed to iteration, you can create practical solutions that protect health, unlock education, and reinforce dignity. Andrew’s story also underscores that impact is rarely “one and done” it’s a system of product development, operational excellence, and donor engagement working together to grow sustainable change.

To learn more about Andrew Kroes and their work, visit becauseinternational.org

In this episode, Host Taylor Baker sits down with Bill Woolf, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and the Founder, President, and CEO of the Space Force Association, to discuss what it takes to build and scale a mission-driven organization in a highly specialized space. Their conversation explores how SFA is shaping the spacepower community through advocacy, education, and convening leaders across government, industry, and academia.unities.

What You’ll Learn

• How to build a clear “why” and mission narrative that helps people immediately understand how they can contribute and get involved.
• Why professional communities matter most in emerging fields, especially when career paths and shared language are still forming.
• How events and “rally points” can become the engine for growth, credibility, and partnership development in a nonprofit.
• Practical lessons on scaling a resource-constrained organization: prioritizing, sequencing, and building capacity as funding and talent expand.
• How to bring industry, policy, and talent into the same conversation to strengthen mission outcomes and long-term readiness.
• Why education and workforce development are essential to maturing the space ecosystem, including defining new roles and skill sets.
• Ways to use AI thoughtfully inside an organization starting with targeted, high-leverage applications rather than chasing trends.
• How to protect and grow a brand as momentum increases, including setting standards for partnerships and measuring what matters.

Bill makes the case that meaningful progress in a new domain like spacepower depends on building strong connective tissue community, shared understanding, and credible forums where mission needs and solutions can meet. His perspective highlights that leadership isn’t just about vision; it’s about designing the structures, partnerships, and discipline required to sustain momentum and serve a mission bigger than the organization itself.

To learn more about Bill Woolf and their work, visit ussfa.org