The Growth2Exit Podcast with Jeff Kalil

By Jeff Kalil

Growth2Exit is the podcast for business owners who want to build a company worth buying, and one day exit on their own terms. Host Jeff Kalil sits down with entrepreneurs to unpack their real journeys... more

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FAQs about The Growth2Exit Podcast with Jeff Kalil:

How many episodes does The Growth2Exit Podcast with Jeff Kalil have?

The podcast currently has 6 episodes available.

The Growth2Exit Podcast with Jeff Kalil episodes:

July 14, 2026 No Sweat Public Speaking: How to Communicate, Connect & Be Memorable | Fred Miller
Fred Miller — author of No Sweat Public Speaking and No Sweat Elevator Speech — shares his core belief that speaking opportunities are business, career, and leadership opportunities. Fred and Jeff explore why so many talented entrepreneurs avoid the spotlight, how a simple conversation with an OB-GYN illustrates that fear of public speaking is learned (not innate), and why the ability to communicate clearly is often the difference between who gets promoted, recognized, and referred — and who doesn't.
The conversation digs into Fred's 'Magic of 3' framework for crisp, compelling messaging, the real purpose of an elevator speech (hint: it's to start a conversation and disqualify bad fits fast), and the discipline of not wasting major time on minor possibilities. Jeff draws on his own military background to show how small public acts — like calling cadence in formation — build the leadership confidence that carries into every business setting. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, a franchise buyer, or a seasoned business owner preparing to exit, this episode delivers concrete, no-hype communication tools you can put to work today.
Guest: Fred Miller. Host: Jeff Kalil, VR Business Brokers of St. Louis. Learn more at growth2exit.com.
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39min
July 07, 2026 How Ron Ameln Accidentally Bought a Magazine & Built a Business on Fundamentals
Ron Ameln didn't set out to own St. Louis Small Business Monthly — a chance dinner conversation and a deal that fell through landed him in the owner's seat in 2007. In this episode, Ron walks Jeff through what it really takes to turn around a struggling publication, including swapping out the wrong people for the right ones, diversifying a revenue stream that was 98% print advertising, and reframing the entire company from "magazine" to "business-growth resource." Ron also shares a memorable analogy about why business owners need to "cross the street" to get honest perspective on their own operations — and why a coach, a peer group, or even a breakfast at Denny's can make all the difference.
The conversation gets practical fast. Ron outlines the four fundamentals he's seen drive success across 35 years of covering St. Louis entrepreneurs: a clear written vision, a deep understanding of your margins, a culture people want to work in, and relentless focus on the customer. Jeff connects those fundamentals to business valuation, explaining how intangible assets like brand reputation and a strong team directly affect what a buyer will pay. Whether you're running a media company or a landscaping business, the takeaways here are timeless.
Guest: Ron Ameln, St. Louis Small Business Monthly. Host: Jeff Kalil, VR Business Brokers of St. Louis. Learn more at growth2exit.com.
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36min
July 01, 2026 From Bankruptcy to 700% Growth: Chris Kuban on Building a Sellable PR Business
Chris Kuban started Chemistry PR & Multimedia out of necessity during the 2008 recession and spent 16 years learning hard lessons—including a bankruptcy that cost him his car and nearly everything else. In this episode, Chris opens up about the 700% revenue surge that forced him to rethink how the business was structured, why joining the Entrepreneurs' Organization accelerator changed his mindset, and how implementing EOS (Traction) helped him create clear decision-making levels, the right accountability chart, and a team empowered to keep the business running even when life demanded he step away. Jeff and Chris also explore the real cost of being a solopreneur who never delegates, and why a business where the owner is irreplaceable is rarely sellable at the number they imagine.
The conversation covers team-building from solo independent contractor to a staff of 16+, the psychology of paying employees more than yourself, bootstrapping vs. external capital, reinvesting profits into equipment to chase bigger clients, and a candid look at why Chemistry PR's growth was stalled for years before the mindset shift. Jeff introduces the Army concept of "taking a knee"—and Chris reflects on the first time in 16 years he could step away for a family funeral without the business missing a beat. The episode wraps with a rapid-fire game and a breakdown of earnout terminology for listeners considering a future acquisition or exit.
Guest: Chris Kuban, Chemistry PR & Multimedia. Host: Jeff Kalil, VR Business Brokers of St. Louis. Learn more at growth2exit.com.
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44min
July 01, 2026 SBA Lending Secrets for Buying a Business with Brian Phillips | Growth2Exit S1E2
Brian Phillips has spent 28 years in banking, and he became an SBA specialist for the best reason: he once had a terrible experience applying for one himself. In this episode, Brian and Jeff walk through the two main SBA loan types (7(a) and 504), how banks set their own policies on top of SBA's standard operating procedures, and why a seller carryback note can make or break a deal. They also dig into what it really means to "tell the story" of a business to an underwriter—both the organic story and the financial one—and why negative cash flow is the one thing no lender can work around.
The conversation turns practical fast: how much cash a buyer typically needs to put down, which industries are facing tighter scrutiny right now (restaurants and hospitality top the list), and why due diligence is always the buyer's responsibility—not the broker's, not the lender's. Brian and Jeff also answer a listener email from Doug in Memphis about choosing the right loan structure and selecting a business broker. If you're thinking about buying a business, this episode is the prep work you didn't know you needed.
Guest: Brian Phillips, SBA Lender, U.S. Bank. Host: Jeff Kalil, VR Business Brokers of St. Louis. Learn more at growth2exit.com.
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39min
June 29, 2026 Welcome to Growth2Exit (Trailer)
Welcome to Growth2Exit — the podcast for business owners who want to grow, value, and one day exit their business on their own terms. Host Jeff Kalil (VR Business Brokers of St. Louis) interviews entrepreneurs about the real journey. Learn more at growth2exit.com.
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3min
June 26, 2026 Sara Stock (Stock Legal): Checklists, Casting Your Vision & Building a Sellable Business
In the debut episode of Growth2Exit, host Jeff Kalil sits down with Sara Stock, business attorney and owner of Stock Legal in St. Louis. Jeff (a former Army helicopter pilot) and Sara draw parallels between flying and running a business: pre-flight checklists, weight-and-balance, and planning your route all the way to the exit. They dig into why legal shouldn't be a gating item that keeps owners from scaling, how to cast your vision and plan the end at the beginning, why incentive equity and your early tax election matter more than most founders realize, and how death by a thousand cuts quietly bleeds your profits, plus the rapid-fire game, a listener's challenge, and what goat yoga and gooey butter cake have to do with your business. Guest: Sara Stock, owner of Stock Legal (St. Louis). Host: Jeff Kalil, VR Business Brokers of St. Louis, business broker and certified business appraiser. Learn more at growth2exit.com.
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35min

FAQs about The Growth2Exit Podcast with Jeff Kalil:

How many episodes does The Growth2Exit Podcast with Jeff Kalil have?

The podcast currently has 6 episodes available.