What do a CrossFit gym, a frozen yogurt shop, and an ice cream parlor have in common? Jay Vigilante. This week, the Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with the serial entrepreneur who proves that saying “yes” and figuring it out later can build a life most people only dream about.

From overcoming addiction in his early twenties to owning three thriving businesses on the Jersey Shore, Jay’s story is raw, real, and relentlessly motivating. He shares how community, creativity, and curiosity became his secret weapons — turning a struggling gym, a $30,000 yogurt shop, and a for-rent ice cream store into profitable, family-run operations.

Jay opens up about the power of second chances, the stress of employees, and why his definition of success has nothing to do with Ferraris — and everything to do with family, freedom, and fun.

🎧 Tune in to hear how a few bold bets, a lot of heart, and one simple rule — say yes more than you say no — shaped a life built on grit, growth, and good ice cream.

When most people hear “ROX Rocks Heating and Air,” they don’t just remember the tune — they remember the brand. This week, the Blue Collar Twins, Jason and Jeremy Julio, sit down with Jason Stenseth, President of Prime Home Services Group, to unpack how $400, a beat-up truck, and a $60 jingle grew into a thriving portfolio of home-service brands.

From working in his father’s HVAC shop at age 12 to acquiring and scaling multiple companies, Stenseth’s story is pure blue-collar brilliance. He reveals how bold marketing moves, community-first outreach, and a focus on profit over size powered his growth — and how systems, service plans, and strong teams keep it all running. 

Tune in to hear how one catchy jingle, a few gutsy risks, and relentless drive transformed a small shop into a lasting brand built on grit, creativity, and customer loyalty.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience

https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Dominic “DJ” Mazza walks through how a third-generation New Jersey scrap and demo outfit became one of the region’s most diversified recycling platforms—spanning transfer stations, a single-stream MRF, mulch & bagging, roll-off and commercial collection, scrap, concrete, and more. The Blue-Collar Twins dig into capital intensity, acquisitions (Liberty/Bull), building a professional management layer, and why process, cost accounting, and tech are DJ’s real superpowers.

You’ll hear:

• How a Big Four CPA ditched fluorescent auditor rooms to scale the family business with cousin Jimmy.
• The “feed your own transfer station” move: launching roll-off & commercial collection to control inbound.
• Building a state-of-the-art single-stream MRF and a Scotts mulch bagging line—plus what they’d do differently.
• Buying right: Liberty & Bull, when to keep local brands, and bringing in an A-player COO from Waste Management.
• Valuation reality in waste/recycling, why the industry is capital- and compliance-heavy, and where DJ’s building next.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: capital-intensive ops, team size, and early acquisitions (Liberty/Bull)

00:49 – Intros; first waste/recycling guest on the Buzz

01:32 – BU → Deloitte CPA years; why auditing felt like “double-checking” not building

02:36 – Back to the family business; the 1964 roots and grandfather’s original operation

05:12 – The cousins’ plan: DJ + Jimmy begin shaping the next chapter

07:24 – From local scrap to regional platform; footprint across New Jersey and greater Philly

07:46 – Exiting demolition to focus: redeploying time/capital into scalable lines

09:15 – “Feed the transfer station”: launching roll-off with a truck and ten cans

10:32 – New bagging plant: producing Scotts mulch for Home Depot/Lowe’s in the Northeast

11:17 – Inside the single-stream MRF: optical sorters, PET capture, and why the facility’s different

12:59 – Why processing costs are high; plant capex and how the permit strategy started (cardboard → full stream)

15:08 – Touring plants, picking vendors, and what they’d change in hindsight

15:41 – Size, scope, and staying privately owned; leading a 250-person team

18:45 – Property bets from the ’80s and how real estate underpins growth

25:22 – Business lines roll-call: transfer stations, MRF, mulch/topsoil, scrap, concrete, tires, roll-off & commercial routes

27:17 – Open to the public; marketing mix and in-house director driving search & demand

31:20 – M&A integration: DJ runs diligence/legal, Jimmy runs deal sourcing; adding a seasoned COO

32:47 – Valuation talk, regulatory moat, and why scaling takes management depth

35:24 – Planning horizon, pivots, and what it takes to double again

38:03 – Hours & throughput: accepting to 5pm, processing to 10pm; hiring/keeping A-players

Founder Arturo Lewin unpacks the drayage grind behind U.S. imports—how Alliance Worldwide Logistics Corp grew from a two-truck hustle into a reliable intermodal carrier by obsessing over turn times, chassis and free-time clocks. The Blue-Collar Twins dig into pricing discipline (detention/demurrage/accessorials), owner-operator recruiting, port/rail expansion, and the culture/tech stack that keeps containers moving when everyone else is stuck at the gate.

You’ll hear:

• Port Playbook: dispatch, pre-pulls, and the free-time math that saves customers from five-figure D&D bills.
• Pricing That Holds: accessorials, fuel, per-diem, and how to educate shippers without losing the relationship.
• Fleet Strategy: balancing company rigs with owner-ops, safety incentives, and dedicated lanes.
• Ops Backbone: TMS + ELD + GPS + EDI, photo proof at every milestone, and real-time customer updates.
• Expansion Moves: port to rail ramp, inland hubs, and when to say no to the wrong freight.
• People & Culture: training dispatchers to think in “minutes and miles,” not just loads and rates.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “In drayage, the meter starts the second the box hits the ground.”

00:48 – Intros: who Arturo serves and what Alliance Worldwide Logistics does

02:10 – Origin story: first port run, first customer, and the early two-truck lessons

05:20 – What shippers miss: demurrage vs. detention vs. per-diem explained in plain English

07:15 – The free-time clock: pre-pulls, storage, and when paying yard fees beats D&D

10:05 – Rate integrity: accessorials that keep you alive (and how to present them)

12:40 – Fleet mix: owner-operators, company trucks, and safety incentives that actually work

15:30 – Turn-time obsession: appointment windows, gate queues, and chassis availability

18:25 – Tech stack: TMS, ELD, GPS photos, and EDI status codes customers care about

21:10 – Port → rail: adding inland ramps and choosing the right 3PL/BCO partners

24:30 – Recruiting & retention: why dispatcher quality keeps drivers loyal

27:45 – 2020–2021 lessons: congestion playbook and the “never again” SOPs

30:20 – Saying no: freight that looks good on paper but kills your day

33:00 – Building culture: minutes and miles mentality; daily huddles that prevent fire drills

36:10 – What great shippers do: clean paperwork, quick unloads, and shared calendars

39:00 – Advice to founders: know your numbers, guard the clock, and protect your lanes

41:30 – Close: what’s next for Alliance Worldwide Logistics and where Arturo is placing bets

Skye LaJaunie joins the Blue-Collar Twins to unpack how she moved from salon owner to visionary at LaJaunie’s Pest Control, why EOS transformed her leadership, and how the Eagles Nest peer groups are forging courageous, accountable operators. From door-knocking with her family to doubling goals and navigating the next wave of regulation and tech, Skye lays out a clear, people-first path to scale.

You’ll hear:

• How Skye shifted from integrator to visionary—and why disciplined meetings changed everything.
• The origin of Eagles Nest peer groups and the “feedback is a gift” covenant that drives real results.
• Women in leadership: turning “different” into a superpower and finding mentors across the industry.
• Daily cadence: 4–5 a.m. starts, meditation, yoga, and staying out of the office to empower leaders.
• Future lens: drones, smart traps, and why regulation may force evidence-based applications.
• Growth plan: doubling the business while keeping purpose, clarity, and culture at the core.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Entrepreneurs and leaders make the world better—by showing up.”

00:50 – Intros and early story: salon owner → service entrepreneur → pest business partner

02:30 – Counting doors at age 8: the money/operations curiosity that never left

04:10 – “Be better to do better”: mentors, books, and servant leadership

06:45 – EOS enters the chat: L10s, IDS, and hiring a pro implementer

10:55 – Roles evolve: from Jared’s integrator to Skye as visionary with an integrator under her

13:40 – Women in pest: why being “different” opened doors and accelerated mentoring

18:50 – Eagles Nest: structure, radical accountability, and measurable growth

26:00 – Purpose over shiny objects: clarity, focus, and saying no to distractions

31:30 – Daily habits: 4–5 a.m. routine, yoga, meditation, task mastery

34:45 – Why grow now: doubling as a way to expand people, capacity, and impact

39:30 – Tech & regulation: smart traps, IPM, and the shift away from calendar apps

42:30 – Acquisitions: two small buys and lessons learned

45:30 – Wrap: staying positive, empowering leaders, and writing “The Writer” book next

From a wrong-number job interview to running two Bay Area branches and finally launching his own shop, Josh Fleenor lays out how Pest Pros grew from two trucks to a regional force—anchored in multifamily, a “whatever it takes (the right way)” culture, and promoting leaders early so the company can scale without breaking. You’ll hear the origin story, the first-year sprint to $747k, the blue-ocean play in property management, and how hugs, hard conversations, and clear guardrails keep the team winning year after year.

You’ll hear:

• The misdial that led to pest control, five years at Clark, and the leap after a dissolved partnership.
• Why multifamily became the beachhead—and how value + pricing flipped “dirt-cheap” accounts into real margin.
• The year-one LinkedIn blitz, $700k booked in property management, and testing channels by turning Google off.
• Culture in practice: “no excuses, find a way,” hugs and vulnerability, and guardrails so “whatever it takes” doesn’t burn families out.
• Hiring slow for core values, promoting early to build leadership layers, and a structure that rotates HQ leaders into satellite offices.
• Tech & tools: cautious AI (great for SOPs, not for phones—yet), contests, and experiences that bond the team.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Whatever it takes”—and why the team hasn’t missed an annual goal in 7½ years

01:00 – Origin story: the wrong-number interview that led to pest control; Clark → Bay Area branch leadership

04:45 – “Meant for more”: deciding to go all-in on the industry

08:00 – Partner plan dissolves; Josh launches Pest Pros with two trucks and a people-first vision

11:55 – Year one: LinkedIn property-management push and $747k produced by December

13:50 – Headwinds: SPB complaints, Yelp shutoff, and finding the blue-ocean in multifamily

16:30 – Pricing for value (not “dirt-cheap”); personal connection as the wedge

18:45 – Financial lumps and learning—what he’d do differently

19:45 – Leadership layers: promote early so managers can practice accountability

22:00 – Morning routine, boundaries, and defining what “whatever it takes” does—and does not—mean

24:50 – Channels & testing: billboards, TV, referrals; turning Google off to see what’s real

28:10 – Expansion map: Concord HQ, Yuba City, Roseville; “own NorCal” before jumping farther

30:40 – Rebuilding a misfiring satellite office around core values; HQ leaders rotate in monthly

33:00 – Production targets: $1,400–$1,500/day per truck—without 12-hour burnout days

36:30 – Culture mechanics: hugs, vulnerability, Kings-arena party, Tahoe yacht, contests

42:45 – Hiring for values; when a “maybe” hire isn’t a culture fit

44:00 – AI today: SOPs/emails yes; phones not yet—protect the experience

47:00 – Imperfect reps > perfection; posting, writing, and getting better on camera

49:30 – Parenting and adversity: giving his daughter the space to earn her own stripes

51:10 – Closing: mentorship, masterminds, and a people-first vision for the next chapter

Part inventor, part hustler, part one-man media team—Mike Silva turned a Thanksgiving garbage-can game into QB54: a dual-purpose football game you play (then sit in). The Blue-Collar Twins dig into how he went from beach-day preorders to manufacturing at scale, survived COVID freight shocks, landed in 200 Dick’s Sporting Goods stores, and kept his family in the ride the whole way.

You’ll hear:

• The origin story: buckets to chairs, a light-bulb prototype, and first cash-in-hand preorders on the Jersey Shore.
• Testing before betting: small runs, tailgate demos, and learning to trust (but verify) manufacturers.
• Retail reality: terms, freight, tariffs, drayage—and why “getting in” is nothing without “selling through.”
• Media engine: eight years of footage, smart ad buying, ROAS/CAC basics, and turning reactions into conversion.
• Resilience & risk: six-figure debt, family support, mentor advice (“stay even keel”), and the grit to keep moving.
• What’s next: Shark Tank exposure, overseas distribution, and a potential soccer variant.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Believe in yourself… good things happen.”

00:41 – Meet Mike Silva, co-founder of QB54; what the game is and how it works

02:02 – Thanksgiving genesis: garbage cans, CB antennas, and a lifelong idea

03:54 – 2015–2016 decision to launch; neighbor won’t stop playing → “we might have something”

06:00 – First prototypes, the beach test, and 15 preorders from strangers

08:06 – Finding a factory, early small runs, and learning to test the market first

10:00 – Stadium-to-stadium hustle; bringing the kids and paying per sale

12:06 – Patents 101: provisional, design, utility—why protection mattered

14:20 – Family partnership, buying out his brother, and staying “even keel” through highs/lows

17:01 – The debt valley: $600k+, COVID container shock, and clawing back with ads

20:04 – Retail education: 90-day terms, consignment risk, Bed Bath test that needed in-store demos

23:59 – Freight, tariffs, drayage, warehousing—why COGS is only the start

27:01 – Marketing misfires, learning skepticism, and finding the right 3PL (“ShipDaddy”)

30:30 – Best day ever: 320 units in one day (and the ad spend behind it)

33:00 – Building the media machine: years of footage → Facebook/Google/TikTok wins

38:00 – Influencers, content gaps, and why reliability beats free product

41:20 – Brand placements (Corona/Labatt/retail displays) and the need to show how it plays

46:10 – Shark Tank journey: audition, pitch, and air date set (Oct 1)

49:50 – Community & peers: Founders Group, Crossnet lessons, and real-talk playbooks

53:40 – Exit possibilities, athlete interest, and league/sport potential

55:57 – Close: why the sale still feels like a rush and what 2025 could unlock

The Blue-Collar Twins sit down with Byron Gifford—the “godfather of door-to-door”—to unpack his ground-zero start in summer sales, the Evergreen chapters (launch, rapid expansion, strategic exits), and the operating cadence that lets his team add tens of thousands of accounts without melting down. It’s a masterclass in self-financing hypergrowth, centralizing ops, and developing leaders who can actually carry the load.

You’ll hear:

• Hypergrowth reality: why fast scale feels like self-financing—and why people are harder than cash.
• Ground zero of D2D: Salesnet → Eclipse → starting a pest company from a marketing engine.
• Evergreen playbook: launch, densify, sell, reinvest—then rinse and repeat across markets.
• Centralized backbone: one call center, cookie-cutter ops, and tech/termite cross-sell that de-risk seasonality.
• Beyond the doors: building non-D2D channels (digital, referrals, tech upsells) until they rival summer volume.
• Leadership & longevity: morning “elevated state,” systems, and a health comeback that reset the throttle.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: cash for growth vs. developing the right people

00:48 – Intros: the Blue-Collar Twins welcome Byron “godfather of D2D” Gifford

01:42 – BYU mission → first summer selling → top rookie with Salesnet

03:18 – Salesnet bankruptcy, pivot to Eclipse, and launching a pest company from a sales org

06:00 – 2008 crash, reset, and the road back

08:58 – Evergreen launch: Seattle → Portland (sale) → Denver/Albuquerque; a parallel trash-marketing sidecar

14:00 – D2D economics: densification, rising CAC, and the 2–3 year LTV/retention bend

18:58 – “A-Team” cadence: department heads, cash-model precision, people as the limiter

22:00 – Morning routine: elevated state, gratitude, workouts, and living by the calendar

27:00 – Lyme disease detour → stem-cell recovery → throttle back on full

29:56 – Branch-owner model (50% local equity), lessons, and selective sales to strategic buyers

36:52 – Beyond D2D: digital, tech-sales, and termite cross-sell compounding into real scale

40:00 – Ogden, UT hub: central call center and cookie-cutter ops for multi-market control

43:26 – Panels, PestWorld, and a PCT Top-10 goal on the horizon

49:00 – Leadership philosophy: set expectations, kill drama, find solutions, keep moving

Maria Sorrentino started as a tech while studying social work and went on to build Pest Pros in Kalamazoo—plus Hive Nine and the “Lead People Manage Stuff” workshops. The Blue-Collar Twins dig into how she hires, pays, and develops people, why peer groups changed her trajectory, and the faith-driven mission that keeps her scaling without losing the heart of the business. It’s a field-tested blueprint for owners who believe culture and accountability win long term.

You’ll hear:

• The “part-time is a lie” origin story and why pest control is a marketable, problem-solving trade.
• How she worked every role—tech to termite inspector to operator—and why being a people-first leader beats being a “bug nerd.”
• Comp & culture: the “altruism base” (paid non-billable hours), commission hygiene, and building a team that actually likes accountability.
• The Top-100 epiphany that expanded her vision—and how a 100-mile service radius actually works.
• Peer pressure, the good kind: inside “The Eagle’s Nest” where owners open P&Ls and leave with bruises (and breakthroughs).
• Why Hive Nine & “Lead People Manage Stuff” were built for leadership benches—not just owners.

Show links:

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: “Pest control is a real marketable skill… it’s problem-solving.”

00:34 – Intros + how Maria connected with the Twins (Pest Cemetery days).

02:00 – Getting in: social work student → office → certified → field (and why “part-time” is a myth).

03:16 – Working every role: tech, termite inspections, then operator.

03:56 – “People person” vs. “bug nerds” at home—owning her lane.

04:31 – Starting Pest Pros (2018) with a home-inspector partner.

19:29 – The “altruism base”: paid non-billable hours that keep teams balanced.

20:22 – Paul Bello: from officiating her daughter’s wedding to training her techs.

22:08 – Vision unlock: seeing Top-100 peers and realizing what’s possible.

23:16 – Service map: running a 100-mile radius out of Kalamazoo.

25:46 – Boundaries, family, and why the business became a shared “fun thing.”

26:21 – Coaching bias: why Maria pushes revenue (and learned to respect margin).

31:24 – Hive Nine Consulting: events that develop teams, not just owners.

31:52 – “Lead People Manage Stuff”: the leadership workshop series.

32:45 – Community: why pest control attracts the “best-hearted” people.

33:04 – Her personal mission—and how faith guides the next bet.

42:49 – Inside “The Eagle’s Nest”: open books, hard feedback, real accountability.

52:05 – Superpower: being a connector—and a final invite to collaborate.

53:09 – Outro & CTA to Potomac and more resources.

For three decades, Alina Stevens’ family business got “we want to buy you” letters almost daily—then in 2024, she finally said yes. In this candid conversation, Alina walks the Blue-Collar Twins through scaling All Pro Pest from ~25 to ~50 employees, choosing a buyer who kept the team (only one person left), and the emotional gear-shift from making every decision to consulting while the new owner hums along. It’s a masterclass in female leadership inside a family company, statewide routing without extra branches, and knowing when to let the kids “go to college.”

You’ll hear:

• The moment “sell” went from never to now—and why employee continuity was the deal-breaker.
• How she modernized ops: true-mobile routing, GPS/cameras, and ditching IVR hell to stay customer-first.
• Lessons as a woman owner winning respect on job sites by knowing the craft cold.
• Why growth means you’re never “over the mountain,” and how to communicate for buy-in (not just talk).
• Life after close: the ego hit of “they don’t need me”… and the freedom to ask what’s next.

From Gym Teachers to Service Leaders: The Julio Twins' Story | Last Bite Mosquito, Viking Pest https://youtu.be/DAYxtzhswxs

From PE Teachers to Pest Control Owners: The Julio Twins Share Their POTOMAC Experience https://youtu.be/HAx9noqsqTo

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

www.potomaccompany.com

https://bluecollartwins.com

Produced by: www.verbell.ltd

Timestamps

00:00 – “We got buy-your-company letters almost daily for 30 years… then we finally sold.”

00:50 – Intros: Alina’s 2024 exit and the hard art of letting go

02:00 – “Never planned to be the bug girl”: Air Force pilot dreams → family firm roots (1971)

03:45 – Health crises, divorce, stepping in after raising kids—“somebody had to sail the ship”

05:10 – Change management 101: don’t flip everything at once (ask her how she knows)

06:45 – Choosing the buyer: keep the people, not just the book—only one employee didn’t continue

08:40 – Post-close role: retained as a 1-year consultant… but the newco barely needed her

10:10 – Scale at sale: ~50 employees, ~40 trucks; when she took over (~2015) it was ~25 staff

12:00 – Origin story: bank teller → office manager → marrying the boss (plus a $2/hr raise)

14:10 – Earning respect as a woman in a male-dominated niche: knowledge beats assumptions

18:30 – Statewide without branches: “true mobile” ops from home bases across Georgia

19:50 – From proprietary software (“Helper”) to mainstream + mobile; training older techs

22:30 – GPS & cameras: nightmare stories… and the crash video that saved a driver

26:00 – Phones & CX: VOIP, fewer prompts, always a human—because customer-first isn’t a menu tree

27:40 – “FITFO”: figuring it out through hiccups, turnover, and route remaps

30:20 – Leadership reality: 3 a.m. at the office, good people who stayed, and new opportunities under newco

33:00 – Comfort vs growth: the tag that says “AND NEXT” and a Mexico pest-control idea

34:45 – Mentors & marriage: productive conflict that made the business stronger

41:30 – Culture: family and team, where competition never outweighed belonging

44:50 – Communication = buy-in: expect 60–70% of your own intensity; tailor the message to the person

52:30 – Meeting Potomac and what “you’re the best” from an advisor really means