The Front Porch - Stories of Grit and Growth

In this guest free episode, Dennis and Jay have a powerful raw conversation about what small business ownership really feels like. From NFL sidelines and professional golf to building an insurance agency from scratch, they unpack the pressure, loneliness, invisible grind, and patience required to survive entrepreneurship. No hype - just honest lessons about building something sustainable when there’s no scoreboard, no off-season, and no guaranteed check.Show options…Athletes train for pressure. Entrepreneurs live in it.

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What happens when success in business isn’t enough anymore?
In this episode of The Front Porch, Dennis Polian and Jay Davis sit down with, Executive Director of the Greater Waco Sports Commission, Mike Vogelaar, to talk about what it really means to lead through service—and why Mike made the bold decision to pivot from the for-profit world into non-profit work.
Mike shares the lessons he learned about leadership, humility, and purpose along the way, and how serving others often requires a completely different mindset than chasing growth or profit. The conversation dives into the realities of making a major life and career transition, the challenges of leading teams in mission-driven organizations, and why the best leaders are often the ones who put people first.
If you’re a business owner, leader, or someone wrestling with questions about purpose and impact, this episode will challenge the way you think about success—and what it means to lead well.
The Front Porch is a podcast about leadership, perseverance, and the real stories behind the people building businesses, serving communities, and learning along the way.

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In this episode of The Front Porch, hosts Dennis Polian and Jay Davis dive deep into one of the biggest challenges business leaders face today: staying focused in a world full of noise.
Using the high-stakes world of college football coaching as a powerful analogy, they explore how distractions—from media pressure to fan expectations and shiny opportunities—mirror the everyday chaos of running a business. Whether you're leading a growing company or calling plays from the C-suite, this candid conversation unpacks how to keep your head in the game, lead with clarity, and avoid the temptation to chase every shiny object.
Expect real talk, relatable stories, and a few football analogies that just might change how you approach leadership.

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In this episode of The Front Porch, Dennis sits down with Mariah Gates of Accelerated Automation for an honest conversation about what entrepreneurship really asks of you — not just in business, but at home.

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Dennis & Jay sit down with Owner & CEO of Greater Waco Realty, Robert Barnes and talk about his experiences in real estate, the restaurant business and overcoming adversity.

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Dennis and Jay talk about the small things that create the biggest moments in life and business.

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A conversation about the amount of change in college football, and how it relates to business ownership.

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From the bright lights of Las Vegas to building Lime Lily, Twila Heiselman’s story is all about reinvention. Using creativity and courage - you can build a life you love—no matter how many times you have to start over. 

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This week on The Front Porch, we sit down with a firefighter and coach who knows what it means to lead under pressure. From the firehouse to the locker room, he shares real stories about courage, teamwork, and finding purpose when the heat is on.

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From ministry, to the stage, to the financial world, our guest shares how a career in music education and ministry shaped his journey into advising others on money. It’s a story of reinvention, and finding purpose in unexpected places. 

mattandmoney.com 

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