The Built Authority Podcast

Mark Morris, author of The Secure Future Advisor, shares his powerful journey from battling addiction to becoming a trusted financial guide.

Mark reveals why true financial security isn’t just about numbers—it’s about relationships, stewardship, and aligning your money with your values. You'll hear why most financial mistakes happen not on the climb up, but on the way down, and how entrepreneurs can avoid the common traps that lead to unnecessary taxes, anxiety, and regret.

Whether you’re just starting out or approaching your peak, this conversation will challenge you to rethink what it means to be truly secure—personally, professionally, and spiritually.

Too many entrepreneurs let fear and self-doubt keep them from starting the thing they know they’re called to do—whether it’s launching a business, writing a book, or simply sharing their story. In this episode, we’re joined by David Trent—entrepreneur, coach, and author of Elevate Others—to explore how we break through that inertia and take bold action.

After selling his company, David set out on a mission to help others rise by sharing timeless wisdom through both his writing and coaching. He shares how failure became a launchpad, why elevating others is a personal and professional growth strategy, and how faith and mindset shape his daily success. You’ll walk away with practical habits, new mental frameworks, and a deeper belief in the power of your own story.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to start, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to be great to start—but you have to start to be great.

As a former third-generation owner of a successful family produce business, Matt Curry shares the pivotal moment when he went from being “just a sales guy” to running a $40M company overnight after his father’s passing. That experience sparked his passion for helping entrepreneurial teams lead with clarity, confidence, and energy.

Now a coach to growth-minded leaders as the founder of Giant Results, Matt introduces us to his powerful framework: the Strengths Multiplier. This tool combines assessments like Kolbe, CliftonStrengths, Working Genius, and PRINT to help leaders better understand their own motivations—and their teams’. In a world where fear, indecision, and burnout can slow even the best companies, Matt shows how clarity of purpose and individualized team alignment can fuel real momentum.

Are you running your business—or is it running you? In this episode, JR Lay welcomes back Daniel White to explore a simple but powerful framework that can transform how B2B entrepreneurs operate: the difference between obligation and commitment.

Too often, entrepreneurs feel stuck, drained, or overwhelmed because they’re acting from a sense of obligation rather than true commitment. Daniel breaks down how this subtle shift in language—and energy—can help you declutter your life, realign your business, and show up with renewed purpose.

Through real-life stories and practical tools, you’ll learn how to raise your entrepreneurial energy, reclaim clarity, and start building from a place of deep commitment. This episode is a wake-up call and a guide for anyone feeling the weight of obligation and ready to rise into something greater.

Joe Pulizzi—entrepreneur, author, and founder of The Tilt and CEX—shares the truth most B2B entrepreneurs miss: success starts with belief and is sustained by purpose. Drawing from the highs and lows of his own journey, Joe unpacks how to find your tilt—the unique combination of experiences and insights that sets you apart in a noisy, AI-driven market.

Belief isn’t a luxury—it’s a daily discipline. Joe reveals how mindset, identity, and intentional routines shape everything from how you lead to how you grow. If you’ve ever felt stuck, scattered, or unsure of your next step, this conversation will challenge you to reset your internal programming and take back control of your story.

Are you feeling stuck in the chaos of the day-to-day grind, unsure of what the future holds for you as an entrepreneur? In an era of rapid change, uncertainty, and AI disruption, many entrepreneurs lose sight of their vision, forget their worth, and fall into the trap of complacency.

That’s why this episode of the Level Up Business Podcast is a must-listen. Host JR Lay sits down with Bryan Sweet—entrepreneur, wealth strategist, and author of The Dream Architect—to explore the transformative power of vision, purpose, and intentionality in both business and life. With over 45 years of experience, Bryan shares practical strategies for getting out of your comfort zone, investing your time more wisely, and architecting a future that’s bigger than you imagined. Whether you’re building your next chapter or mentoring others, this episode will inspire you to dream big, then go even bigger.

What happens when the business you built starts to break you?

Shannon McLay, founder of Collective Wellness Revival and former CEO of The Financial Gym joins JR Lay for a conversation that goes far beyond entrepreneurship. After 12 intense years of building a business and raising over $14 million in funding, Shannon found herself at rock bottom—burned out, disconnected, and questioning everything. What followed were three days in a mental health facility that would become a profound spiritual turning point.

Shannon shares the lessons she learned in the silence—about workaholism, misplaced identity, and the soul-crushing expectations founders place on themselves. She speaks openly about how her faith, intuition, and connection to something greater led her to a new mission: helping entrepreneurs heal from the inside out. This episode is a guide for every founder who has ever felt like they’re barely holding it together while keeping up appearances.

You’ll leave with a deeper sense of clarity—and permission to slow down, surrender, and find yourself again.

Rory Sylvia, founder of The Ways We Work, joins JR Lay to explore how leaders can create more human-centric, adaptive teams in the face of exponential change. Rory unpacks his RIDE framework—Reflect, Ideate, Design, Experiment—as a practical, repeatable rhythm for modern leadership. Together, they discuss why traditional top-down management models are failing, how fear and comfort hold teams back from meaningful growth, and how small, safe-to-try experiments can unleash innovation, trust, and connection.

Rory also shares how a simple 90-day LinkedIn experiment led to new relationships, clarity in his message, and business growth—proof that the ride really works. This episode will challenge your assumptions, encourage you to embrace tension as data, and equip you with tools to lead your team with intention in a fast-moving, AI-shaped world.

When your podcast feels transactional, it shows. You miss the chance to build real trust—and in B2B, that trust is everything. Especially now, when AI-generated “slop” is everywhere and people crave something real.

Robb Conlon, founder of Westport Studios, joins JR Lay to break down why authentic connection is your podcast’s secret weapon. They talk about building real relationships, creating content that actually connects, and why giving a damn might just be your best marketing strategy.

What does the first year of business really look like—without the highlight reel? In this episode, JR Lay sits down with Chris DuBois, founder of Dynamic Agency OS, to unpack the real lessons from year one of building his business.

Chris doesn't hold back. He shares the wins, the struggles, and the mindset shifts that helped him go from nearly taking a job… to designing an agency that works for him, not the other way around. They explore everything from clarity in positioning to why “you can’t outsource conviction,” and how sticking to your values can actually accelerate growth.

If you’re a B2B entrepreneur looking to build momentum, re-align your business, or shift from founder-driven to founder-led, this conversation offers both practical insight and deep encouragement.

Because the truth is...your business will only grow as far as you do.