The Liquid Lunch Project

What does it take to build a business worth buying, survive losing half your revenue, and then willingly get punched in the face?

Brian McNally has some answers.

Brian bootstrapped a healthcare staffing company, built it with an exit strategy in mind, and eventually sold it. Along the way, COVID wiped out 50% of the business in just six weeks. And because apparently entrepreneurship wasn't challenging enough, he also decided to step into an MMA cage in his 40s.

He joins Matt and Luigi to talk about building a company that can thrive without its founder, why culture is more than motivational posters, and what happens when you stop making excuses and start getting honest about what you want out of life.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Build to sell: Why your exit strategy should start long before you find a buyer.

• Culture that actually pays off: How accountability, honesty, and the right people drive growth.

• The COVID gut punch: Losing half the business in six weeks and finding a way forward.

• Get out of your own way: Why founders need to stop being the center of everything.

• From boardroom to MMA cage: What getting punched in the face teaches you about discipline.

• The life beyond the exit: Why money means very little if your health and relationships are falling apart.

👤 About our Guest:

Brian is an entrepreneur, business coach, former co-founder of Milio, MMA fighter, and author of the upcoming book FCK AVG, a guide to ditching average and taking control of your life.

Want to build something worth selling without sacrificing everything else along the way?

Give this one a listen. And check out Brian's book and work at https://brianmcnally.com.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• Website & Book: https://brianmcnally.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.mcnally.904

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrianmcnally/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebrianmcnally

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmcnally/

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

If your business falls apart when you disappear for 60 days, did you build a company? Or just a very expensive job?

Allison Maslan, founder and CEO of Pinnacle Global Network and author of Scale or Fail, joins Matt and Lou to break down what it really takes to scale a business without burning out the owner.

Her Scale It Method focuses on five big pieces: strategic vision, cash flow, team, leadership, and execution. But the bigger lesson is simple: growth gets a lot harder when the founder is still the answer to every question.

If your company is held together with duct tape, heroic effort, and one employee named Larry who somehow knows everything, this one is for you.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why being busy is not the same as growing

• The five pillars behind Allison's Scale It Method

• How founders become the bottleneck without realizing it

• Why cash flow problems may actually be operations problems

• The "Bora Bora test" for seeing how dependent the business is on you

• How to build leaders around your strongest skill

• Why your team should know what success looks like without asking you

• How better systems can make a company more valuable at exit

• What Allison looks for in high-level mentors and advisors

• Why strong company culture matters more as the business grows

Allison also shares how one law-firm owner went from roughly $2.5 million in revenue and 17-hour workdays to more than $100 million in revenue after changing the way the company was built and led.

If that's not reason enough to listen…we don't know what else to tell you.

👤 About our Guest:

Allison Maslan is the founder and CEO of Pinnacle Global Network and the author of Scale or Fail. She has built 10 companies and now helps business owners build stronger teams, systems, leadership, and operations so the company can grow without depending on them for every move.

🎧 Try this after the episode:

Take the Bora Bora test. Imagine you disappear for 60 days with no Slack, email, Zoom, or phone calls. Write down the first three things that would break.

That list? Start there.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• Pinnacle Global Network: www.pinnacleglobalnetwork.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmaslan/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonmaslan/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmaslan/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@allisonmaslan

• Substack: https://substack.com/@allisonmaslan

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

Your biggest business problem might not be your plan. It might be the part of your brain trying to keep you safe.

You know what needs to get done. Make the call. Check the numbers. Delegate the work. Take the risk.

So why don't you do it?

Stephen Baker joins Matt and Luigi to talk about the subconscious habits that can quietly run the show for entrepreneurs. Stephen is a former lawyer, professional poker player, and now a performance coach who uses hypnotherapy to help clients change the mental patterns that can hold them back.

This one gets into fear, procrastination, pressure, money, losing, anger, and why being good at business sometimes means getting better at being uncomfortable.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why smart business owners still procrastinate

• How fear can make you the bottleneck in your own company

• Why your brain would rather feel safe than take the bigger shot

• How Stephen uses hypnotherapy in performance coaching

• What professional poker taught him about losing

• Why pressure can actually help you perform

• How childhood and past money stress can shape business decisions

• Why trying to kill your emotions may be the wrong move

• How anger and anxiety can be used as fuel

• Why the best performers learn how to "suffer well"

• The mental skill that separates good from great

👤 About our Guest:

Stephen Baker is a performance coach and founder of Stephen Baker Performance Coaching / YouGrow. Before coaching, he worked in law and professional poker—two careers that taught him a lot about risk, pressure, decision-making, and keeping your head when things don't go your way.

🎧 Why Listen:

If you've ever known exactly what you should do in your business…and still didn't do it, this episode is for you.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbakerperformancecoach/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenbakerperformancecoach/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephenBaker2107

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

What if healthcare made more money when you got better…not when you kept coming back?

That's the idea behind value-based care, and Jon Read thinks behavioral health is overdue for it.

Jon is the co-founder of Confidant Health, a technology-enabled behavioral health company that uses data, telehealth, and automation to help people get better care without burying providers in paperwork.

Luigi flies solo for this one and gets into a healthcare problem that affects just about everyone: the system often rewards more visits, more services, and more volume. But more care doesn't always mean better care.

Jon explains why healthcare is slowly shifting toward paying for results instead. They also dig into how AI and automation can take repetitive work off a provider's plate without replacing human judgment, why telehealth should be more than a video call, and what it takes to reach people who might otherwise struggle to get mental health care.

Plus, Jon talks about building and selling his first healthcare company, watching the next owners grow it far beyond where he took it, and the business lesson that changed how he thinks about scaling.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why more healthcare doesn't always mean better healthcare

• How value-based care changes what providers get rewarded for

• Why measuring patient progress matters in behavioral health

• How automation cuts down the paperwork nobody went to medical school to do

• Where AI can help without trying to play doctor

• Why telehealth can be a lifeline for rural and underserved communities

• How Confidant Health connects behavioral and medical care

• What Jon learned after selling his first healthcare company

• Why stretch goals changed the way he builds businesses

• Why healthcare is a terrible place to "get rich quick"—and exactly why Jon keeps coming back to it

👤 About our Guest:

Jon Read is the co-founder of Confidant Health, a behavioral health company focused on measurement-based care, telehealth, and value-based healthcare. He previously founded Keet Health, which gave him a front-row seat to how data and better incentives can change patient care.

🎧 Why Listen:

If you've ever wondered why healthcare seems better at billing than fixing, this episode will make a lot of things click.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonread

• Learn more about Confidant Health: https://www.confidanthealth.com

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

What if retirement income didn't depend on the market going up?

Most people are told the same thing: buy stocks, hold them, hope they rise, and try not to panic when the market drops.

Robby Hogle has a different plan.

Robby, founder of Vitality Trading and a former Goldman Sachs Vice President, joins Matt and Luigi to break down his Double Dipping Dividend Strategy, a method built around dividend-paying stocks and covered calls designed to create regular cash flow without turning investing into a full-time job.

This isn't about chasing meme stocks or staring at six monitors all day. It's about using boring companies, clear rules, and options in a way that can help investors generate income in up, flat, and even down markets.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why "boring" dividend stocks can be a good thing

• How covered calls can create extra monthly cash flow

• Why Robby likes playing the role of the "insurance company"

• How options can help reduce some downside risk

• Why cash flow may matter more than watching your account balance

• How the wheel strategy can help you buy stocks at prices you actually like

• Why Robby wants at least 10 positions across different industries

• When paying a financial advisor makes sense (and when it may not)

• How Robby handled an IBM position after the stock dropped roughly 30%

• The two stocks Robby likes right now for long-term income investors

👤 About Robby Hogle

Robby Hogle is the founder of Vitality Trading and a former Vice President at Goldman Sachs. He teaches investors how to use dividend stocks and options to build cash flow while keeping risk and time spent managing a portfolio in check.

Want to see how Robby runs the strategy?

Visit vitality-trading.com/liquid for Robby's Liquid Lunch Project offer, including his Dividend Digest, access to a weekly member call, and an opportunity to speak with him one-on-one.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbyhogle/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbyhogle1/

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

Is red light therapy a wellness trend? Or a real business opportunity?

Cash-pay wellness is growing fast, and business owners are looking for services customers actually want without adding a pile of staff, training, or overhead.

In this episode of The Liquid Lunch Project, Matt and Luigi sit down with Dr. Carl Rothschild and Dock Walls to talk about the Trifecta Pro 450 Red Light Table and, more importantly, the business sitting behind the technology.

Dr. Carl explains the science they say powers red light therapy, including its effect on mitochondria, cellular energy, recovery, and fat loss. Dock tackles the operator side: who is buying these systems, how businesses are charging for treatments, what it takes to run one, and how owners can think about adding red light therapy as another revenue stream.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why cash-pay wellness keeps gaining ground

• How red light therapy moved from niche treatment to business opportunity

• The story behind the Trifecta Pro 450

• What mitochondria have to do with red light therapy

• Why athletes use red light for recovery and performance

• What FDA clearance means for the product

• Which types of businesses are adding red light therapy

• How much training and space the equipment requires

• How operators can price treatments

• The financing and revenue math behind the business model

• Why an existing customer base could make adoption easier

👤 About our Guests:

Dr. Carl Rothschild is a chiropractor, author, and longtime red light therapy practitioner who helped develop the Trifecta Pro 450 Red Light Table.

Dock Walls is the company's CFO and works with business owners evaluating red light therapy as a service and revenue stream.

🎧 Why Listen:

If you own a med spa, wellness center, chiropractic office, gym, recovery studio…or you're simply an entrepreneur watching where consumers are spending money…this conversation is worth paying attention to.

🔗 Links + Stuff

Learn more about Trifecta Light Therapy:

Trifecta Light — Official Links & Resourceshttps://linktr.ee/trifectalightofficial

Digital Brochure — Trifecta Pro 450 Discover the features and benefits of the Trifecta Pro 450 Red Light Table:https://publuu.com/flip-book/51650/2091185

Buyer's Guide — What to Look for in a Red Light Bedhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/17otPCBjSmxSDvN0CnyId1pBgwhbyD-yx/view?usp=sharing

Illuminated Healing by Dr. Carl Rothschildhttps://www.amazon.com/Illuminated-Healing-Unraveling-Mysteries-Therapy/dp/B0C9GG2ZYV

Red Light Therapy Studies & Researchhttps://trifectalight.com/studies/

Videos & Testimonials

NBA Legend Chris Paul Uses Trifectahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FsymGsHrvY

Travis Pastrana Interviewhttps://youtu.be/0w-pL41qRW4

Patient Compilation Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn0zoazWC0k

Practitioner Compilation Videohttps://youtu.be/bRbaFjwQxRE

More Trifecta Video Testimonialshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkmPaRxEdLUO2VRItGRlQtDM_v5QQrBvW

Why Weaker Devices Fall Shorthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=059qgtb_2II

Explore the Science Behind Red Light Therapyhttps://youtu.be/AHuH-8GgSXU

NOTE: This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes. Medical and health statements made during the conversation reflect the guests' views, experiences, and cited testimonials. They should not be taken as medical advice. Consult an appropriate healthcare professional regarding medical treatment or health conditions.

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan• Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca• The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

Business is moving faster than ever. AI is accelerating decisions, markets are shifting in real time, and leaders are being asked to adapt constantly.

But moving faster isn't always the answer.

In this episode of Built to Scale, Matthew R. Meehan sits down with Aileda Bailey, founder of Ask Aileda, to talk about what it really takes to lead through rapid change without getting trapped in urgency, burnout, or reactive decision-making.

Aileda explains why leaders need to understand their own "human operating system," how neuroscience can help entrepreneurs perform better under pressure, and why AI should be treated as a resource and NOT a replacement for judgment, intuition, trust, or leadership.

Matt and Aileda also dig into one of the biggest challenges founders face as their companies grow: making the shift from owner to leader.

Because if every question, decision, and problem still has to come through you, you're not really scaling. You're becoming the bottleneck.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why trying to keep up with constant change can actually make you a worse leader

• How to step out of urgency and make decisions with more clarity

• Why AI can accelerate the problems already hiding inside a business

• The human skills technology can't replace

• How neuroscience can help you reframe stress and pressure

• When to trust data—and when experience and intuition matter

• What "conscious leadership" actually means in practical terms

• Why founders struggle to give up control as their companies grow

• The difference between acting like an owner and leading like a CEO

• Why scaling requires reinvesting in your people and organization

• Simple habits that can help leaders think more clearly and perform better under pressure

Before your next big decision, don't react right away.

Take a pause. Step away from the screen. Take three deep breaths, go for a walk, or give yourself 24 hours if the decision allows it.

Then ask yourself: Am I making this decision from clarity, or from urgency?

And if your business is growing, take it one step further:

What am I still controlling that someone else on my team should own?

Pick one decision to slow down and one responsibility to let go of this week. That's your challenge.

Ask Aileda Website: https://askaileda.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/askaileda Facebook: https://facebook.com/askaileda LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/askaileda YouTube: https://youtube.com/@askaileda

Need capital before growth turns into another bottleneck?

If your business is growing but still feels stuck, the answer is not always "throw more money at it." The right capital strategy should support the right growth plan.

Matt and the Credit Banc team help business owners explore financing options for working capital, acquisitions, equipment, expansion, and growth opportunities before they are stuck scrambling at the last minute.

Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Built to Scale is a podcast segment from The Liquid Lunch Project, hosted by Matt, built for entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners who want to grow smarter, tighten operations, improve profitability, and build companies that can scale without chaos running the show.

What happens when you add AI to a business with bad systems?

You don't magically get a better business. You may just break things faster.

Jeff MacPherson, CEO of Cloud37, joins Matt Meehan and Luigi Rosabianca to talk about what AI can actually do for small businesses—and where founders keep getting it wrong.

Jeff has spent years building tech, including an early Instagram automation platform that sent more than a billion messages before Facebook shut it down. Today, he helps companies turn what their best people know into repeatable systems that can scale.

The big lesson? Stop chasing the newest AI tool. Fix the way your business works first.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why AI exposes bad processes instead of fixing them

• The onboarding mistake that quietly slows down growth

• Why standard questions make AI work better

• How to pull knowledge out of your best employees' heads

• Why human adoption is often harder than the tech

• How one financial firm improved sales and service with the same system

• Why AI may expose fake experts faster than real ones

• The reason "white glove" service still matters

• Why relationships may become more valuable as AI gets better

• What losing an entire company to Facebook taught Jeff about platform risk

• Why founders should build systems—not depend on one AI model

👤 About our Guest:

Jeff MacPherson is the CEO of Cloud37, where he helps businesses turn internal knowledge and proven processes into AI-powered systems that can scale. He previously built one of the earliest Instagram messaging automation platforms and has spent more than a decade building technology businesses.

🎧 Why Listen:

AI can make a good process faster. It can also make a bad process fail faster.

Before you automate everything, figure out what actually works, make it repeatable, and keep the human relationships your competitors can't copy.

Know a founder who keeps buying AI tools but still runs the company from their inbox? Send them this episode. Then follow The Liquid Lunch Project so you don't miss the next conversation.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• Cloud37: https://www.cloud37.ai

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmacai/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeff.macpherson/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeffmacai

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeffmacp/

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

Would you buy a business that loses its clients the minute the owner walks out the door?

Muriel Touati reviewed more than 100 businesses while hunting for an acquisition. A lot of them looked good from across the room. Up close? Different story.

Founder dependency. Weak recurring revenue. Too much money tied to one client. No real digital marketing system. And, in one case, a $3.7 million deal with 40% monthly customer churn. Hard pass.

Muriel joins Matthew R. Meehan and Luigi Rosabianca to break down the biggest red flags in business acquisition, what lenders really care about, and how owners can build a company that is easier to grow, finance, and sell.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why founder dependency can kill a business sale

• How customer concentration scares buyers and lenders

• Why predictable revenue matters in business valuation

• The difference between recurring revenue and starting from zero each month

• How digital marketing can increase company value

• Why off-market deals may beat crowded business listings

• How LinkedIn and email can support deal sourcing

• What buyers should check before signing an acquisition deal

• How SBA loans and rent replacement may help finance a purchase

• Why a "good deal" can still be a very expensive headache

👤 About our Guest:

Muriel Touati is the founder of Exit 3D Studio and author of The Valuation Gap: What Buyers See That Sellers Miss. She helps business owners reduce founder dependency, build better lead generation systems, and prepare their companies for growth or sale.

🎧 Why Listen:

Before you buy a business—or try to sell yours—listen to this episode. It may save you from buying a very polished dumpster fire.

Visit exit3dstudio.com to learn more about Muriel's work and get the first chapter of The Valuation Gap.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• Get the first chapter of The Valuation Gap FREE: https://www.exit3dstudio.com/the-valuation-gap

• Muriel on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/murieltouati

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.

Positive thinking might be the reason you're still stuck.

Pressure doesn't vanish when you become a better leader. The stakes just get bigger.

Performance coach and sports psychology expert Joshua Lifrak joins Matt and Luigi to explain how leaders can stay focused, reset after a bad result, and build confidence that is backed by real work, not wishful thinking and a motivational coffee mug.

Joshua breaks down the same mental habits used by elite athletes, championship teams, and high-performing business leaders. The goal is not to feel great every second. It is to see the facts, control the next move, and stop one bad moment from wrecking the whole day.

🍸 What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why pressure is not the enemy

• How emotions can help or hurt performance

• Why neutral thinking can beat positive thinking

• How "Mile Zero" helps you reset after a win or loss

• Why leaders should "do simple better"

• The difference between real confidence and pure delusion

• How blame, excuses, and low standards create losing teams

• Why great leaders catch people living the company's values

• A simple morning reset that starts without your phone

• How small daily wins turn into major results

👤 About our Guest:

Joshua Lifrak is a performance coach, sports psychology expert, and author of Win Today. Through Limitless Minds and Lift Up Consulting, he helps athletes, leaders, and teams perform under pressure and build stronger habits.

🔗 Links + Stuff

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-lifrak-59ab5442/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshualifrak/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jlifrak/

• Book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Win+Today+Joshua+Lifrak

Your move: Tomorrow morning, leave the phone alone, get outside, and choose the one behavior that will help you win the day. Then send this episode to the leader who needs a reset, not another pep talk.

Subscribe so you don't miss future conversations on business growth, funding, strategy, and the stuff most people don't explain clearly.

If this episode helped, a quick rating or review goes a long way. It helps the show reach more business owners who actually care about getting this right.

Available on all major podcast and video platforms:

• Official site: https://theliquidlunchproject.com • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-liquid-lunch-project/ • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/12HPEDMmsbfsp8tHt5LiZJ • Audible: https://shorturl.at/6j4vz• YouTube (full episodes + clips): https://www.youtube.com/@Credit_Banc

Every Friday, we publish The Weekly. A fast, smart rundown of what actually matters in finance, tech, small business, and the economy…without the noise.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://theweeklyfromshieldadvisory.substack.com/

If today's conversation raised questions about capital, cash flow, or financing options, you can schedule a conversation with our sponsor, Credit Banc.

Credit Banc helps business owners make sense of their options and move forward with a clear plan, without pressure or guesswork.

👉 Book a free 15-minute call here: https://tinyurl.com/3dh9vy86

Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips, commentary, and things that don't make it into the episode.

• Matt Meehan: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.r.meehan • Luigi Rosabianca: https://www.instagram.com/luigi_rosabianca • The Liquid Lunch Project: https://www.instagram.com/theliquidlunchproject/

Know a business owner who would appreciate this conversation? Send them the episode. That's how this show grows.