🎙️ From Athletic Dreams Crushed to Building Big Night Fitness: Conor Murphy's Journey Through Adversity and Innovation

In this inspiring episode, Conor Murphy, Partner at Big Night Entertainment Group and Founder of Big Night Fitness, shares his remarkable journey from having his athletic future destroyed by circumstances beyond his control at a young age to creating an innovative fitness concept that transforms nightclubs into wellness spaces during off-hours. Through candid stories about the devastating moment when all his eggs in one basket shattered, learning that feeling sorry for yourself is the most detrimental attitude possible, pivoting during the pandemic to launch Big Night Fitness when nightclubs were closed but fitness spaces were needed, and now serving as a Boston firefighter while running health and wellness operations for artists, athletes, and celebrities, Conor reveals how curiosity and refusing to lose the desire to try new things became his guiding principles—and why the world doesn't owe you anything just because you deserved better.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Partner role at Big Night Entertainment Group, Northeast's largest nightlife and hospitality company

• Big Night Fitness founder transforming nightclubs into wellness spaces during off-hours

• Pandemic pivot converting closed nightclub spaces into socially-distanced fitness studios

• Health and wellness services for touring artists, athletes, and celebrities

• Training programs for Big Night Entertainment senior leadership including CFO and owners

• Owner's son wrestling training for Harvard athletic program

• Card Vault by Tom Brady partnership within Big Night portfolio

• Boston firefighter career parallel to fitness entrepreneurship

• Nutrition, sleep schedules, and fitness management for touring performers

• Four major nightclubs in Boston area serving as fitness venues

• Highlighting independent trainers and gyms through nightclub platform

• Celebrating fitness culture beyond traditional nightlife consumption model

• Athletic dreams destroyed by uncontrollable circumstances at young age

• Overcoming victim mentality after deserving success but facing setback

• Curiosity as core value preventing stagnation and enabling reinvention

• Partnership with Ed Kane and Randy Greenstein providing trust and management development

🌟 Conor's Key Mentors:

Ed Kane and Randy Greenstein (Big Night Entertainment Partners): Trusted him with health and wellness leadership and provided management development support Harvard Wrestling Program: Context for training owner's son and maintaining athletic connections Boston Fire Department: Secondary career providing structure and continued challenge outside entrepreneurship Touring Artists and Celebrities: Taught unique fitness and nutrition needs of performers on road Athletic Background Experience: Foundation despite dreams being crushed, led to fitness career passion Personal Adversity: Hardship becoming biggest teacher about resilience and avoiding victim mentality

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about overcoming devastating setbacks, building businesses during crisis, and maintaining curiosity as the antidote to life's disappointments.

🔗 Connect with Conor Murphy:

Email: [email protected] 

Website: Big Night Fitness 

Social Media: @bignightfitness (Instagram/Facebook) 

Personal Instagram: @conortmurphy 

Big Night Entertainment Group: bignight.com

📄 Transcript Available: Conor Murphy's Big Night Fitness: Transforming Nightclubs into Wellness Spaces

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

🎙️ From Poland to President: Tomasz Jamroz's Data-Driven Resurrection of Roadrunner Freight

In this inspiring episode, Tomasz Jamroz, Head of Operations at Roadrunner Freight, shares his remarkable journey from emigrating from Poland at age 20 to leading one of the greatest comebacks in transportation history—transforming a company on the brink of collapse (following DOJ investigation and prison sentences for executives) into the #2 rated LTL carrier in America within just five years. Through candid stories about his brother using their mother as leverage to recruit him from cutting-edge AI work, discovering 5% claims ratios were actually 20% due to data manipulation, implementing controversial "customer point of view" metrics that initially drove operations executives to quit, and questioning every single decision ever made while replacing every department head, Tomasz reveals how his interdisciplinary background (med school, biotechnology, neurobehavioral psychology, computer science) and "data dog" obsession enabled Roadrunner to eliminate rail completely, achieve 0.2% claims ratio, and prove that people-process-technology—in that exact order—can resurrect even the most fundamentally broken organizations.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Brother recruited Tomasz from advanced AI consulting by bringing their mother on sailing yacht in Greece

• Roadrunner survival crisis: company had maybe 90 days to live when leadership arrived in 2020

• Complete leadership overhaul: not a single department head remained, but elevated strong senior managers underneath

• Data manipulation exposed: 5% claims ratio was actually 20%, required rebuilding entire data infrastructure

• "Customer Point of View" metric revolution: removed all excuses (weather, equipment failure) from on-time calculations

• Rail transportation elimination: data revealed "cheapest per mile" was actually most expensive total cost of ownership

• Transformation results: 50% to 97%+ on-time delivery, 5-20% to 0.2% claims ratio, #2 customer satisfaction in country

• Board nickname "Data Dog": refuses any decision without empirical evidence regardless of decades of experience claims

🌟 Tomasz's Key Mentors & Influences:

• Chris (Brother)

• Tomasz's Mother

• Accenture Leadership

• Scale AI Canadian Government Initiative

• Senior Management Layer at Roadrunner

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about empirical decision-making over decades of experience, implementing metrics so honest they make operations hate you initially, leading complete organizational overhauls where failure means 90-day collapse, and why interdisciplinary education creates unique lenses for seeing what data actually means versus what numbers merely show.

🔗 Connect with Tomasz Jamroz:

LinkedIn: Tomasz Jamroz Roadrunner Freight: LTL carrier specializing in direct long-haul model Markets: 40 US cities, eliminated unprofitable lanes and rail completely Achievement: #2 customer satisfaction rating among all US LTL carriers (Transport Topics survey) Motto: "Ship it like you own it" Website: shiproadrunnerfreight.com

📄 Transcript Available: Tomasz Jamroz's People-Process-Technology Framework: Transforming Roadrunner from Bottom to #2 LTL Carrier

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefis.com

#LTLFreight #LogisticsTechnology #DataDrivenLeadership #TransportationIndustry #SupplyChainInnovation #TruckingTransformation #OperationalExcellence #FreightIndustry #InspiredStoriesPodcast

🎙️ From $100K in Debt to Multi-Millionaire: Bryan Ravit's Sales Mastery Journey

Bryan Ravit, founder and Chief Sales Ninja of Sales Growth Mastery, shares his remarkable journey from selling $18,362 worth of Cutco knives in two weeks as a college student to generating over $100 million in revenue building door-to-door sales teams for Vivint Smart Home. Through powerful stories about facing $100,000 in debt while building a DVD kiosk business, discovering the transformative power of 100% effort during a competition that changed his life, and learning that success isn't about the results but who you become while striving, Bryan reveals how outworking everyone, staying coachable, and seeking constant improvement can transform both sales performance and life outcomes—and why alternative investing has become his new obsession for building passive wealth.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Started entrepreneurship journey selling Cutco knives as college student at Florida State University

• Faced termination from management position but got rehired when mentor saw his drive

• Participated in life-changing $10K sales competition at age 20-21

• Mentor's wisdom: "It's not about selling $10,000, it's about putting in $10,000 worth of effort"

• Success measured by effort given, not just results achieved

• Sold $18,362 in Cutco in two weeks, winning number one out of 1,000+ reps

• Built door-to-door sales teams for Vivint generating over $100 million in revenue

• Door-to-door closing rate: 1 sale per 8-10 doors answered at peak performance

• Would knock doors until 10 PM while others stopped at 8 PM

• Key sales principle: constantly seeking coaching and improvement, even when leading

• Reached $100,000 in debt building DVD kiosk business like Redbox

• Consulted bankruptcy attorneys but chose to work way out of debt instead

• Made business work but industry shifted to Netflix/digital, chose not to continue

• Debt experience created healthy financial paranoia and tunnel vision focus

• Now multi-millionaire investor in 50+ alternative investments

• Joined Lifestyle Investor Mastermind in 2020 for $55K/year membership

• Portfolio includes real estate, hard money loans, private companies, cannabis, mobile home parks

• Advisor and investor in Feel30 men's health brand

• Sales coaching typically delivers 10%-300% improvement in close rates

• Performance-based consulting model ties compensation to actual results

• Best sales improvements come from addressing objections before they arise

• Strategic sign placement and social proof eliminate objections pre-sale

• Success in sales requires three ingredients: rapport, credibility, and personalized approach

• Currently seeking to acquire or partner with profitable service businesses for roll-up strategy

🌟 Bryan's Key Mentors:

• Juan (Cutco Manager)

• Lifestyle Investor Mastermind by Justin Donald

• Cutco Sales System

• Close Friends and Top Performers

• Vivint Smart Home Culture

• DVD Kiosk Business Investor

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about discovering your drive through 100% effort, learning that who you become matters more than the results, building wealth through alternative investing, and why getting comfortable with discomfort is the key to extraordinary success in sales and life.

🔗 Connect with Bryan Ravit:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanravit

Email: [email protected] 

Website: https://www.salesgrowthmastery.com/

📄 Transcript Available: From $100K in Debt to Multi-Millionaire: Bryan Ravit's Sales Mastery Journey

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast by AddBack Benefits Agency

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

#SalesTraining #SalesCoaching #EntrepreneurJourney #AlternativeInvesting #WorkEthic #DoorToDoorSales

🎙️ From Soccer Youth Programs to Leading a Climbing Revolution: Eliza Keegan's Journey as One of America's Youngest CEOs

In this inspiring episode, Eliza Keegan, Chief Executive Officer of Momentum Indoor Climbing, shares her remarkable journey from managing youth programs for the Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer team to becoming CEO of a fast-growing climbing company at just 33 years old. Through candid stories about stepping into leadership while managing peers who became direct reports, facing gender bias questions about choosing career over family, implementing revolutionary LED technology in climbing walls that can light up infinite route combinations, and navigating the terrifying first-week experience of a youth program accident that shaped her commitment to safety, Eliza reveals how showing up consistently, remaining calm in storms, and believing "there's always a solution" has enabled her to lead a company poised for explosive international growth—from Utah and Texas to Bulgaria, Europe, and Asia—while staying true to the ethos that climbing gyms build communities and that the sport truly belongs to everyone.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Career transition from Houston Dynamo youth soccer programs managing 80-100 coaches to climbing gym program management

• Started with Momentum in 2017 as youth program manager at Katie, Texas location opening

• Rapid ascent: Youth Program Manager → Regional Program Manager → Program Director → Executive VP → CEO (2025)

• Leading company at age 33 with plans for explosive growth after 7-year plateau with no new facilities

• Momentum founded in 2004, three original Salt Lake City gyms, first expansion to Texas in 2017

• Two climbing disciplines: sport/rope climbing (55-60 foot walls with harnesses) and bouldering (13-18 foot walls, no equipment needed)

• Revolutionary LED T-nut technology: tens of thousands of LED lights in every climbing hold position creating infinite route combinations via app

• Membership model: 70-80% revenue from monthly unlimited memberships, facilities open 6am-11pm daily

• Real estate challenge driving micro gym concept: compact training facilities for urban markets with expensive, competitive real estate

• International expansion: two gyms in Bulgaria (second opening within month), exploring opportunities across Europe and Asia

• Safety culture transformation: first-week accident led to robust incident response training including belay takeovers and on-wall rescue protocols

• Climbing social and multigenerational: five-year-olds climbing alongside 25-year-olds alongside 65-year-olds regularly

• Gender bias challenges: regularly questioned about choosing career over having babies, mistaken for assistant rather than CEO

• Leadership philosophy: "Let your team know it's going to be okay—there's always a solution"

🌟 Eliza's Key Mentors:

Parents

Houston Dynamo Leadership

Former Momentum CEO Jeff Pedersen

Current Bosses and Mentors Across Companies

Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia Founder)

The Climbing Community Itself

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about overcoming imposter syndrome as a young female CEO, building safety culture after tragedy, revolutionizing climbing technology, expanding internationally while preserving company ethos, and why the biggest superpower is simply showing up consistently and remaining calm in the storm.

🔗 Connect with Eliza Keegan:

Email: [email protected] 

Website: momentumclimbing.com 

📄 Transcript Available: Eliza Keegan's Strategy for Growing Momentum Indoor Climbing from Utah to Bulgaria and Beyond

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

Hashtags: #IndoorClimbing #WomenInLeadership #YoungCEO #ClimbingIndustry #ImposterSyndrome #SportsManagement

🎙️ From Grandfather's Pawn Shop to SVB Venture Banking: Marshall Hawks' Journey Writing Venture Debt Deals
In this inspiring episode, Marshall Hawks, author of Venture Debt Deals and former SVB relationship management leader, shares his journey from grandfather's Arkansas pawn shop teaching earliest banking form to father’s venture-backed CEO career becoming a 25-year VC investor. Starting at Comerica in 2000, Marshall learned venture banking “180-degrees opposite” of commercial banks, then spent 16 years at Silicon Valley Bank providing debt to Twitch, Airbnb, and Fitbit, working with 50%+ venture-backed companies before SVB’s March 2023 failure. Through candid stories—Justin.TV’s pivot to Twitch leading to Amazon’s $1B+ acquisition where venture debt preserved 5–10% extra founder equity, a Series G FinTech CEO yelling 58 minutes after capital refusal, Sarah Lacey’s Hawaii conference inspiring him to write, and leaving a comfortable SVB role to become an “unpaid potentially unpublished author”—Marshall reveals why venture debt costs 10–30 basis points ownership versus equity rounds, why cap table/investor syndicate ranks #1 in lender evaluation, and how projections may be wrong but thought process matters. He also explains how pattern recognition from thousands of founders creates intangible gut feelings, separating Airbnb’s Rhode Island office culture from FinTech red flags.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Three-generation banking lineage: grandfather’s pawn shop → father’s VC career → Marshall’s venture banking path
• Comerica to SVB: 16 years, 50%+ venture-backed companies including Twitch, Airbnb, Fitbit before 2023 collapse
• Twitch case study: Justin.TV pivot to e-sports, Amazon $1B+ acquisition, venture debt saving founder equity
• Series G FinTech CEO yelling 58 minutes: taught empathy for founder grief and stress
• Venture debt mechanics: banks WSJ Prime +1–2% with 10–30 basis points warrants; private credit 11–13% rates
• Lender evaluation priority: #1 cap table/investor syndicate, #2 financials/projections—thought process matters most
• Sarah Lacey Hawaii conference catalyst: “everyone has book inside them” inspiring Marshall to write
• Leaving SVB: needed independent voice, wife questioning “unpaid potentially unpublished author” decision
• Self-publishing January 20, 2026: control IP, 3–4X higher royalties, Marshall narrates audiobook himself
• Pattern recognition: gut feeling from 1,000 founders, Airbnb Rhode Island office standing out from red flags

🌟 Marshall's Key Mentors & Influences:

• Grandfather (Pawn Shop Owner, Arkansas)
• Father (Engineer → CEO → VC)
• Comerica Bank Training Program
• Silicon Valley Bank (16 Years)
• Twitch/Justin.TV Founders
• Series G FinTech Founder
• Brad Feld (Foundry Group Partner)
• Sarah Lacey (Journalist, Pando Daily Founder)
• Airbnb CFO/Treasurer & Joe Gebbia
• Wife
• Five-Person Family

👉 Don’t miss this powerful conversation about grandfather’s pawn shop lessons, father’s VC journey, Twitch’s pivot saving equity, empathy learned from FinTech founder grief, and Sarah Lacey’s inspiration leading Marshall to leave SVB and write his first book.

🔗 Connect with Marshall Hawks:

• Personal Website: marshallhawks.com
• Book Website: venturedebtdeals.com
• Book Launch: January 20, 2026 (hardcover, Kindle, audiobook)
• LinkedIn: Marshall Hawks

📄 Transcript Available: From Grandfather's Pawn Shop to SVB Venture Banking: Marshall Hawks' Venture Debt Deals Journey
📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast
🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast
📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency – Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line
Website: addbackbenefits.com

#VentureDebtDeals #SVB #Twitch #Airbnb #HospitalityLeadership #PrivateEquity #VentureBanking #ThreeGenerations #SelfPublishing #BookLaunch2026 #InspiredStoriesPodcast

🎙️ From Sushi Concert Random Encounters to Dual CEO Leadership: Matt Winn's Journey Building Maple Hospitality and Arrive

In this inspiring episode, Matt Winn, CEO at both Maple Hospitality Group and Arrive, shares his journey from Orlando sushi concert champion seeking Miami opportunities through serendipitous encounters with mentors who immediately took him under their wings, accumulating two million Delta miles while leading a 1,200-person Cushman Wakefield team across 40 countries, launching Elysian Hotels boutique luxury brand during the 2009 financial crisis, and now operating top-grossing restaurants in Chicago, Dallas, and Arizona with Boston and New York expansions plus international vision. Balancing his “designated survivor partner” airplane schedule, Matt reflects on lessons learned from father’s wisdom-through-screwing-up philosophy, private equity Capital Group’s dig-deeper underwriting, and a 10-year Cushman Wakefield relationship that evolved into Maple & Ash partnerships with Danny’s two Michelin stars at Ria. He explains how luxury brand strategies like New York Times Magazine city-targeting ads and Scottsdale expansion certainty shaped growth, and why his three-things-right philosophy—great food, great service, nice atmosphere—combined with local customization creates celebration destinations. Businesses, he says, are like children with unique personalities requiring strengths maximization and weaknesses navigation, transforming from restaurant to enduring company through Prudential, Starwood, and Cushman corporate structure experience.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• CEO of both Maple Hospitality Group and Arrive Hospitality, balancing dual leadership roles Miami headquarters anchored by Maple & Ash’s 20,000 sq. ft. restaurant complex

• Direct growth strategy: hire the right people, avoid running out of money, senior leadership fundamentals

• Father’s wisdom: experience comes from screwing up — career philosophy shaping leadership style

• Cushman Wakefield leadership of 1,200-person team across 40 countries, foundation for later ventures

• 2009–2010 financial crisis lessons from opening at the wrong time, shaping resilience and strategy

• 10-year Cushman relationship evolving into Maple & Ash global sensation partnership

• Maple Hospitality growth: one restaurant expanding to 10 across five cities (Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Scottsdale, Santa Barbara)

• Top-grossing restaurants in Chicago, Dallas, and Arizona markets demonstrating operational excellence

• Expansion vision: Boston and New York openings next year, with international growth on the horizon

🌟 Matt's Key Mentors:

• Father

  Serendipitous Brief-Encounter Mentors

• Capital Group Private Equity

• Cushman Wakefield Leadership

• Elysian Hotels Partnership

• Danny (Maple Partner)

• Jim (Maple Partner)

• Prudential Starwood Capital Experience

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about serendipitous career encounters, holding-on-for-dear-life between private equity buy and sale, and transforming single restaurant into enduring company through three-things-right philosophy and corporate structure systems.

🔗 Connect with Matt Winn:

Company: https://www.maplehospitality.com/

Group Company: Arrive 

LinkedIn: Matt Winn

📄 Transcript Available: Matt Winn's Three-Things-Right Philosophy: Great Food, Service & Atmosphere 

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

#MapleHospitality #RestaurantExpansion #LuxuryDining #CushmanWakefield #PrivateEquity #HospitalityLeadership #MapleAndAsh #MiamiRestaurants #ChicagoDining #DualCEO #SerendipitousCareer #TwoMillionMiler #ElysianHotels #RestaurantGrowth #BostonExpansion #NewYorkDining #InternationalExpansion #ThreeThingsRight #EnduringCompany #BusinessMaturation

🎙️ From Truck Wash Training to Fractional CFO Innovation: Tim Petrey's Journey Building Scalable Accounting Services

In this inspiring episode, Tim Petrey, Managing Partner at Petrey CPA Firm and White Glove Payroll in Youngstown, Ohio, shares his remarkable journey from learning systematic training principles working at Blue Beacon truck wash during college to building a fractional CFO service solving the accounting industry's talent shortage crisis. Through candid stories about responding to a client's CFO sudden death and discovering transformational relationship impact, meeting a Paychex founder neighbor through Christmas lights display and pivoting to payroll services, building a completely remote team of stay-at-home moms creating flexible career pathways, and acquiring local small businesses during the silver tsunami of baby boomer exits, Tim reveals how systematic processes and genuine care for clients create legacy-defining work—and why trust is the real magic that makes service businesses thrive.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• Client CFO sudden death crisis response providing six-month interim leadership and training replacement

• Fly fishing equipment gift and office wall fish as daily reminder of purpose and legacy impact

• Transformational client relationships creating vulnerability, gratitude, and deeper meaning than tax returns

• Scalable CFO model separating strategic work from clerical tasks handled by trained support staff

• Blue Beacon truck wash college job teaching systematic training and process replication principles

• Paychex founder neighbor's Christmas lights display inspiring payroll business expansion decision

• White Glove Payroll built as completely remote team serving clients nationally

• Employees working from home doing one or two payrolls scaling up as children grow older

• CPA firm client pipeline creating unique acquisition opportunities seeing businesses before sale

• Tech stack exploration and team building creating sticky client relationships through year-round engagement

• Payroll data insights improving tax planning and advisory services quality

• Existing client trust foundation enabling expansion into outsourced accounting services

• Know-like-trust sales cycle accelerated through existing CPA relationships

• Multiple business ownership portfolio diversifying beyond accounting services

🌟 Tim's Key Mentors:

Blue Beacon Truck Wash Leadership

Paychex Founder Neighbor

Harold

Small Business Seller Clients

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about building legacy through client relationships, creating systematic processes that enable scalability, and designing flexible work models that serve both business growth and employee life stages.

🔗 Connect with Tim Petrey:

Website: Petrey CPA Firm Website: White Glove Payroll Location: Youngstown, Ohio LinkedIn: Tim Petrey

📄 Transcript Available:Tim Petrey: Building Raving Fans in the Least Sexy Industry

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

#FractionalCFO #OutsourcedAccounting #PayrollServices #RemoteWorkforce #StayAtHomeMoms #AccountingInnovation #ClientRelationships #LegacyBuilding #SystematicProcesses #SmallBusinessAcquisitions #SilverTsunami #YoungstownOhio #CPAFirm #TrustInBusiness #ServiceIndustry #FlexibleWork #BusinessScaling #AccountantShortage #TrainingPrograms #FlyFishing

🎙️ From Manufacturing Today Podcast to Reindustrialization Mission: Matt Horine's Journey Building On-Demand Labor Platform

In this inspiring episode, Matt Horine, VP of Product Marketing at Veryable, shares his remarkable journey from hosting the Manufacturing Today podcast interviewing 400+ industry leaders to building an on-demand labor marketplace solving America's manufacturing crisis by connecting businesses with daily-pay workers who can flex with production demands. Through candid stories about discovering that supplier problems are actually supplier labor problems requiring systemic solutions, learning pandemic lessons about toilet paper and Tylenol supply chain fragility exposing globalization risks, witnessing the hollowing out of American industrial capacity through decades of chasing low-wage countries, and recognizing that textile industry 10x productivity gains demonstrate how domestic manufacturing can compete through technology and skilled workers earning good wages, Matt reveals how compressing supply chains and reducing bureaucracy around hiring creates the foundation for 21st-century American manufacturing—and why the learn-to-code mentality of 10 years ago is already obsolete in an AI-disrupted job market.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• VP of Product Marketing at Veryable on-demand labor marketplace platform

• Manufacturing Today podcast host conducting 400+ interviews with industry leaders

• Reindustrialization mission bringing production and supply chains back to America

• Labor access as fundamental root cause of globalization and offshoring decisions

• Supplier problems tracing back to supplier labor flexibility and capacity constraints

• Daily-pay worker compensation model aligned with faster hiring and engagement themes

• Meritocracy building through on-demand basis upskilling, assessment, and rating systems

• Skills gap addressable through buy-in from both workers and businesses

• Pandemic toilet paper and Tylenol shortages exposing supply chain fragility

• China economy building through American industrial capacity outsourcing over decades

• Wage rate chasing creating never-ending cycle from China to Vietnam to Thailand

• Third-party country production movement still running through China supply chains

• Textile industry 10x productivity improvement demonstrating domestic manufacturing viability

• $25 hourly wage rates maintained through productivity and technology investment

• Learn-to-code mentality from 10 years ago already obsolete with AI software engineer displacement

• Accelerating change cycles requiring durable industrial job structures

• Bureaucracy and red tape reduction enabling faster domestic supplier response

• Flat organizational structures empowering operations teams over HR headcount processes

• 72-hour order fluctuation responses impossible with traditional hiring timelines

• Manufacturing Today podcast platform amplifying reindustrialization conversation

🌟 Matt's Key Mentors:

Veryable Operations Team Contacts

American Manufacturers Served

Software Engineering Background

Pandemic Supply Chain Disruption

Textile Industry Productivity Evolution

China Economic Development Observation

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about solving America's manufacturing labor crisis, compressing supply chains to reduce globalization risks, and building 21st-century workforce models through daily-pay flexibility and meritocracy-based upskilling.

🔗 Connect with Matt Horine:

Company: Veryable

Podcast: Manufacturing Today (400+ episodes)

LinkedIn: Matt Horine

📄 Transcript Available: Matt Horine's Reindustrialization Mission: Building On-Demand Labor for American Manufacturing

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

🎙️ From Family Crisis to Building a National Franchise: Adam Povlitz's Journey with Anago Cleaning Systems

In this inspiring episode, Adam Povlitz, President and CEO of Anago Cleaning Systems, shares his remarkable journey from navigating family challenges with three young children under seven to leading a technology-driven commercial cleaning franchise with operations nationwide. Through candid stories about becoming the unexpected technology leader in a traditional industry, developing proprietary cleaning verification systems, expanding master franchise territories across the country, and discovering that the cleaning business is actually a relationship business disguised as janitorial services, Adam reveals how innovation, transparency, and genuine care for franchise partners create sustainable growth—and why bringing technology and commercial cleaning together in the same sentence is his competitive advantage.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• CEO leadership of Anago Cleaning Systems commercial cleaning franchise network

• Technology innovation as core differentiator in traditional cleaning industry

• Proprietary cleaning verification and quality assurance systems development

• Master franchise expansion model across United States markets

• Building franchise partner relationships beyond transactional service delivery

• Family-first leadership during challenges with three children under seven

• Finance background application to franchise operations and growth strategy

• Transparency in client relationships regarding risks and value propositions

• Commercial cleaning serving offices, medical facilities, restaurants, and retail spaces

• Quality control systems ensuring consistent service delivery across locations

• Competitive positioning through technology integration in cleaning operations

• Scalable franchise model supporting master franchisee territorial growth

🌟 Adam's Key Mentors:

Family Experience: Three young children teaching work-life balance and priority management during demanding growth phase Finance Industry Background: Previous career providing analytical framework for franchise business decisions Master Franchisees Network: Partners across country demonstrating operational excellence and relationship-building principles Technology Partners: Collaborators helping develop proprietary cleaning verification systems setting industry standards Anago Leadership Team: Collective expertise driving innovation in traditional cleaning services industry

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about bringing innovation to traditional industries, building genuine franchise partnerships, and balancing ambitious business growth with young family responsibilities.

🔗 Connect with Adam Povlitz:

LinkedIn: Adam Povlitz, President & CEO at Anago Cleaning Systems Website: Anago Cleaning Systems Email: Contact through website

📄 Transcript Available: Anago Cleaning: How a Family Business Became a $100M Franchise Machine

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com

🎙️ From London School of Economics to Leading Luxury Hospitality: Alex DeCarvalho's Journey with Millennium Hotels

In this inspiring episode, Alex DeCarvalho, Vice President Sales, Marketing & Operations, Americas at Millennium Hotels, shares his remarkable journey from studying at the London School of Economics to leading operations for a global luxury hotel brand with locations spanning North America and beyond. Through candid stories about transitioning from financial services to hospitality, learning the power of "bringing the weather" as a leader, navigating luxury hotel renovations in downtown New York and Silicon Valley, and discovering how his half-Brazilian heritage influences his approach to hospitality, Alex reveals why genuine warmth and operational excellence are the foundations of memorable guest experiences—and how leaders set the tone for entire organizations through their presence and attitude.

✨ Key Insights You'll Learn:

• London School of Economics background in finance and transition to hospitality industry

• "Bringing the weather" leadership philosophy: projecting positive energy regardless of personal challenges

• Chief Operating Officer role overseeing Millennium Hotels across North America

• Recent luxury renovation completion at downtown New York Millennium location

• Upcoming Silicon Valley hotel opening expanding West Coast presence

• Portfolio expansion strategy targeting 4-5 new hotels in development pipeline

• Exploring opportunities in Canada and South America markets including Brazil

• Cultural heritage influence: half-Brazilian background shaping hospitality approach

• Importance of leader awareness regarding impact on team morale and performance

• Setting organizational tone through consistent positive presence and attitude

• Luxury hotel operational standards and guest experience excellence

• Strategic vision for Millennium Hotels brand growth in Americas region

🌟 Alex's Key Mentors:

London School of Economics Faculty: Provided rigorous financial and analytical foundation for business leadership Previous Financial Services Leaders: Taught transferable business principles applicable across industries Millennium Hotels Leadership Team: Collaborative partnership enabling strategic vision execution Hospitality Industry Mentors: Shaped understanding of luxury service excellence and guest experience standards

👉 Don't miss this powerful conversation about leadership presence, the transition from finance to hospitality, and building a luxury hotel brand with heart and operational excellence.

🔗 Connect with Alex DeCarvalho:

LinkedIn: Alex DeCarvalho, Chief Operating Officer at Millennium Hotels 

Email: [email protected] 

Website: Millennium Hotels

📄 Transcript Available: Alex DeCarvalho on "Bringing the Weather" and Leading with Positive Presence

📺 Watch on YouTube: Inspired Stories Podcast

🌐 Our Website: The Inspired Stories Podcast

📄 Special Thanks to Anthony Codispoti & AddBack Benefits Agency: AddBack Benefits Agency - Providing innovative employee benefits solutions that improve employee well-being while optimizing your bottom line Website: addbackbenefits.com