Most business owners think a brand is just a logo, a color palette, and a slogan. But what happens when your external marketing doesn't match who you actually are behind closed doors? 

In this episode of The Biztape, Brodrick sits down with Jodi Krymuza, founder of Authentically Yours Development, to talk about breaking free from corporate conformity and building a business that aligns with your values. Jodi shares her journey from a 20-year career in conservative corporate HR to flipping her entire life upside down and swapping her closet full of black suits for an unapologetically bright pink brand. They cover why trying to look like what society expects is a fast track to burnout, and how true authenticity directly impacts your team, your culture, and you.

They explore:

• Why Jodi walked away from her dream corporate executive role on the spot after a single conversation.
• Understanding the difference between buzzword values and the real operational principles.
• How showing up as a "hot mess" can actually be your biggest asset when building audience trust.
• A breakdown of why small businesses collapse with a great product or service because authenticity doesn’t hit the mark.

If you’ve ever felt like you're wearing a mask to please your clients, or if you’re wondering how to pull your authentic personal identity into your company's culture, this is a conversation you want to hear!

• Jodi Krymuza on LinkedIn
• Authentically Yours Development
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn
• PodPony Website

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Starting a business has a reputation for being glamorous, but for most founders, the early years are spent on a lonely island working 90-hour weeks. But what if there’s a better way to scale?

In this episode of The BizTape, Brodrick sits down with Amber Crow, CEO of Midwest Disability Services, to talk about the grinding reality of entrepreneurship and the systems needed to survive it.

They dig into:

• Why everyone sucks at hiring, and how to spot a bad fit early
• The difference between being a passionate founder and being a good manager
• How structure can actually protect your team from burnout
• How to motivate your team to show up every day for the business
• What it really takes to outsource your weaknesses and build a rockstar team

If you’re interested in business scaling, leadership development, operations, or turning a deeply personal mission into a thriving organization, this conversation delivers.

• Amber Crow on LinkedIn
• Midwest Disability Services
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn
• PodPony Website

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Most business owners don’t realize they are paying a hidden tax every single day. It isn't a government fee, though. It’s the hours lost to manual data entry, the friction of switching between disconnected apps, and the “copy-and-paste” method of running a company.

In this episode of The Biztape, Brodrick sits down with Brandon Zobel, founder of Prosper Spark, to discuss how to stop the bleed of wasted time. Brandon shares his journey from a terrifying leap into entrepreneurship with a newborn at home to building a team that helps companies across the country connect the tools they already pay for. They cover the shift from simple spreadsheets to sophisticated automation and how a properly built system allows a founder to stop being IT support and get back to being the architect.

They explore:

• Why Brandon quit his stable job without a client to follow a passion for building systems.
• Understanding the difference between data, automation, and systems and why your business needs all three.
• How AI is moving past the buzzword phase to handle back-office logistics like accounts payable and client onboarding.
• A breakdown of how a single signed contract can trigger an entire chain of CRM updates, invoices, and project tasks without human intervention.

If you’ve ever felt like your technology is creating more work than it saves, or if you’re wondering how to actually integrate AI into your daily business operations, this is a conversation you want to hear!

• Brandon Zobel on LinkedIn
• ProsperSpark
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Real estate is often pitched as the ultimate path to early retirement and "easy" passive income. But as any seasoned landlord knows, the gap between a social media highlight reel and a midnight plumbing emergency can be pretty costly.

In this episode of The Biztape, Brodrick chats with Phil Friedrich, co-owner of PassGo Real Estate, to pull back the curtain on the true cost of property investing.They discuss the transition from buying your first single-family home to managing multiple units and why "passive" income can require a lot of active effort.

They explore:

• Why your first rental profit can disappear with a single service call
• How hidden mold and market shifts can turn a $30,000 profit into a total loss
• What its like to navigate the legal and personal challenges of managing rentals
• How Phil used his existing network to acquire properties with built-in trust and immediate occupancy
• Two critical questions to ask before you pivot your career into real estate

If you’ve ever considered buying a rental, flipping a house, or wonder if you have what it takes to survive the real estate grind, this episode is a reality check you can't afford to miss.

• Phil Friedrich on LinkedIn
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

You've invested in a sales team. Maybe even hired great talent. But if your deals keep stalling at the same stage or falling apart right before the close, the problem probably isn't your people.

In this episode of The Biztape, Brodrick sits down with Christa Patton Fisher, a 20-year veteran in sales enablement and learning & development, to break down what sales enablement actually is and why so many companies confuse it with training.

Christa uses the world of Top Gun and professional athletics to reframe how businesses should think about setting their reps up for success. It's not just about teaching someone to fly. It's about making sure the plane is fueled, optimized, and cleared for takeoff.

Key Points:

• The real difference between sales training and sales enablement, and why you need both
• Why deals stall and what most leaders miss when they try to fix it
• How one company diagnosed a chronic stage three problem and turned enablement into a strategic growth driver
• Why sales ops and enablement are Batman and Robin, and what happens when they operate solo
• The questions every business leader should be asking to find out if their enablement is reactive or driving real revenue

If you're building a sales team, scaling a business, or tired of watching deals die for reasons you can't quite explain, this conversation will give you a new lens for diagnosing what's really going wrong and how to fix it.

• Christa Patton Fisher on LinkedIn
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Most firms invest in branding. New logos. New colors. A redesigned website.

And yet… visitors still leave confused about what the business actually does.

In this episode of The BizTape, Brodrick sits down with Josh Passler, founder of FinArt, to unpack what real brand strategy looks like and why design alone isn’t enough.

Josh shares how a side project posting sketches on FinTwit turned into a full creative business serving advisory firms. They also dive into the moment a prospect told him he was “just a logo and color guy,” which forced him to rethink his positioning and completely refine his process.

They dig into:
 • How FinArt grew from Twitter sketches into full brand identity systems
 • Why most financial firms struggle to clearly explain what they do
 • The difference between branding, messaging, and visual design
 • How fast-growing firms lose alignment as they scale
 • Why the best brand strategy starts with understanding the client — not picking colors

If you're building a company, scaling a firm, or trying to explain your value in a crowded market, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build a brand that resonates.

Josh Passler on LinkedIn

Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Golf has a reputation problem because, for years, it’s been labeled expensive, exclusive, and reserved for retirees in Florida. But what if that’s old news?

In this episode of The Biztape, Brodrick sits down with Casey Brown, manager of Net Par’s downtown Omaha location, to talk about the changing face of golf and the business strategy behind it. 

They dig into:

• Why golf might not be the hardest sport in the world — but it might be top three
• The difference between playing golf and actually practicing
• How technology is accelerating skill development
• Why Net Par’s downtown location might be its biggest advantage
• What it really takes to grow a niche brand in a competitive market

If you’re interested in business growth, community building, sports performance, or turning perceived disadvantages into strengths, this conversation delivers.

Casey Brown on LinkedIn

Net Par Golf - Omaha

Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Season Two of The Biztape kicks off with Pete Brown, the first guy who jumped into the chaos with Brodrick when PodPony was barely more than a vision, a basement, and a Vegas trip with one hotel bed. We talk about building culture the hard way, hiring the wrong people, almost running out of time, and why most podcasts never make it past ten episodes. So why start a podcast?

Here’s the truth: content exploded again. AI is flooding every platform. Everyone’s “starting something.” But if you don’t have the team, the tools, and the time, you’re signing up for frustration.

If you’re a founder, creator, or business owner thinking about launching a show, this conversation might save you six hours a week and strained friendships.

Season two starts now. Welcome to the barn!

• Pete Brown on LinkedIn
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Meg Carpenter didn’t exactly plan to become one of the most recognized marketers in financial services — unless you count “I’ll take any paid internship” as a plan. Thirteen years later, she’s running a firm that’s shaking up how advisors think about growth, brand, and what “strategy” actually means.

In this episode, she touches on:

• Crafting a marketing strategy that’s more than just busywork
• Speaking in a voice your clients actually want to hear
• Using AI without sounding like, well… AI

If you’ve ever wondered why some advisors seem magnetic while others fade into the wallpaper, this is your sign. Meg is proof that real strategy + personality is still the winning combo.

• Meg Carpenter on LinkedIn
• Ficomm Partners
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com 

Jennifer DiMotta shares how she went from biochemical specialist in the Army Reserves to scaling online businesses like Sports Authority from $50M to $250M. She breaks down what really drives growth: 

• Smart, efficient operations 
• Happy customers
• Data-driven decisions (not emotions)

Plus, how platforms like Shopify opened the doors for everyday entrepreneurs and how Gen Z is changing how we all shop.

Connect with us!

• Jennifer DiMotta on LinkedIn
• Uprisors
• DiMotta Consulting
• Brodrick Lothringer on LinkedIn

To learn more about PodPony and how we help thought leaders tell their stories through content, visit our website by clicking below.

>> PodPony.com