The Open Concept with Brandon Smith

Brandon sits down with Isabelle Tremblay, a marketing executive–turned entrepreneur, author, and speaker whose bestselling book Love, Lead, Succeed: The Supernatural Approach to Business and Life charts her journey from corporate burnout to heart-led leadership. After 24 years in high-pressure roles, Isabelle rebuilt from the inside out—through meditation, mindset, and values-aligned culture. This episode unpacks practical ways leaders can prevent burnout, lead with love, and create teams that thrive.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Spot early signs of burnout—and intervene before the breaking point

• Start a simple meditation habit (from 5 minutes to a focused 45) that sticks

• Set healthy boundaries and ask for support without losing momentum

• Use gratitude and physical “triggers” to reset your state on demand

• Reframe setbacks with forgiveness and purpose so progress accelerates

• Build a people-first culture using emotional intelligence (not just KPIs)

• Turn big visions into daily actions with visualization and written goals

• Pair business goals with identity shifts (and smart AI prompts) to scale

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Burnout symptoms & recovery
✅ Heart-led leadership & purpose
✅ Meditation practices & routines
✅ Gratitude, anchors & triggers
✅ Company culture & emotional intelligence
✅ Mindset, visualization & goal-setting
✅ Writing, launching & marketing a book

👤 Featured Guest:
Isabelle Tremblay – Entrepreneur, Author & Speaker | Eyenovating (Consulting) & Co-host, Eye on the Industry Podcast

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

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Today’s episode is a solo deep dive with host Brandon Smith, breaking down the eight core principles that separate a smooth, successful renovation from a nightmare project. Whether you’re a homeowner planning your dream build or a contractor striving to elevate your systems, these project management fundamentals—rooted in PMI standards—will help you avoid blown budgets, missed deadlines, and endless frustrations.

 What You'll Learn:

• How to set clear objectives that prevent scope creep and conflict

• Why vague budgets backfire—and how to build realistic, contingency-ready ones

• The scheduling practices that eliminate missed deadlines and angry clients

• How to define roles so subcontractors stop stepping on each other’s toes

• Ways to use milestones to track progress and boost trust

• How to handle shifting priorities without derailing a project

• Why accountability systems stop finger-pointing in its tracks

• The power of retrospectives to improve every single project you do

 Key Topics Covered:  Project objectives & SMART goals  Budgeting with contingencies  Scheduling & estimating  Defining roles & responsibilities  Setting clear milestones  Managing shifting priorities  Accountability systems  Retrospectives & continuous improvement

 Featured Guest: Brandon Smith – Host | The Open Concept Podcast | New Vision Projects

 About The Open Concept: Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

 Connect With Us:  Subscribe for weekly episodes  Like if this helped you  Comment your biggest takeaway  Share with someone who needs this

Brady Lowe has spent over 20 years shaping hospitality into a platform for community, sustainability, and unforgettable experiences. From founding Cochon555, a national chef competition championing heritage breed pigs, to launching Piggy Bank, a nonprofit creating free business plans for small farmers, Brady has built movements around food, culture, and connection. In this episode, he sits down with Brandon to unpack how big ideas turn into lasting impact—and why engagement, execution, and community matter more than ever.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How to transform a small idea into a nationwide movement

• Ways to build authentic connections that fuel business growth

• Why “worry is the killer of creativity” in entrepreneurship

• How to create experiences people never forget (and come back for)

• Why restaurants struggle with staff retention—and how to fix it

• The mindset shift needed to invest in health as your greatest wealth

• How CRM and digital engagement can make or break hospitality brands

• Why changing the room you’re in can unlock your next level of growth

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Cochon555 & the heritage pig movement
✅ Piggy Bank nonprofit and farmer business plans
✅ Restaurant culture & staff retention challenges
✅ Wine, memory, and creating unforgettable moments
✅ Health, longevity, and lifestyle choices
✅ Decision-making in business and life
✅ The Next10 coaching platform & Accelerator CRM

👤 Featured Guest:
Brady Lowe – Founder | TASTE Network

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes
👍 Like if this helped you
💬 Comment your biggest takeaway
🔄 Share with someone who needs this

Kerri Roberts, HR strategist, author of The HR Easy Button, and founder of Salt and Light Advisors, joins this episode to dive into the world of people operations, culture, and AI’s growing role in HR. Kerri shares her journey from corporate HR and M&A to launching her own advisory firm, serving small to mid-sized businesses with fractional and project-based HR support. We explore hiring strategy, culture clarity, change management, and why AI is no longer optional for businesses that want to grow. Plus, Kerri shares what she learned writing a nearly 1,000-page HR handbook (now a three-part series) and how business owners can use clarity to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Why HR is more than policies and paperwork—it’s about clarity and alignment

• How to hire strategically instead of reactively, and avoid costly mis-hires

• The power of being brutally honest in job postings and interviews

• How AI can streamline recruiting, reduce bias, and make better hiring decisions

• Ways to overcome employee resistance to change and guide them through adoption

• How to use AI as a thought partner, not just a task-doer, to preserve creativity

• Why emotional stability and openness are critical traits to hire for in growth-mode businesses

• What writing The HR Easy Button taught Kerri about her own process and purpose

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

✅ Strategic HR Foundations for SMBs

✅ Hiring, Culture, & Change Management

✅ AI in Recruiting & People Operations

✅ Standardizing Processes to Reduce Bias

✅ Crafting Job Postings that Attract & Repel

✅ Leadership Clarity & Vision Casting

✅ Building Resilient, Future-Ready Teams

👤 Featured Guest:Kerri Roberts – Author, The HR Easy Button | Founder, Salt and Light Advisors | HR & People Operations Strategist

🎙️ About The Open Concept:Your go-to podcast for leadership, culture, and business growth insights—breaking down the walls that keep you from building something great.

📱 Connect With Us:

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes

👍 Like if this sparked an idea

💬 Comment how you’re using (or planning to use) AI in your business

🔄 Share with a business owner or HR leader who needs this

Kerri Roberts, HR strategist, author of The HR Easy Button, and founder of Salt and Light Advisors, joins this episode to dive into the world of people operations, culture, and AI’s growing role in HR. Kerri shares her journey from corporate HR and M&A to launching her own advisory firm, serving small to mid-sized businesses with fractional and project-based HR support. We explore hiring strategy, culture clarity, change management, and why AI is no longer optional for businesses that want to grow. Plus, Kerri shares what she learned writing a nearly 1,000-page HR handbook (now a three-part series) and how business owners can use clarity to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Why HR is more than policies and paperwork—it’s about clarity and alignment

• How to hire strategically instead of reactively, and avoid costly mis-hires

• The power of being brutally honest in job postings and interviews

• How AI can streamline recruiting, reduce bias, and make better hiring decisions

• Ways to overcome employee resistance to change and guide them through adoption

• How to use AI as a thought partner, not just a task-doer, to preserve creativity

• Why emotional stability and openness are critical traits to hire for in growth-mode businesses

• What writing The HR Easy Button taught Kerri about her own process and purpose

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Strategic HR Foundations for SMBs
✅ Hiring, Culture, & Change Management
✅ AI in Recruiting & People Operations
✅ Standardizing Processes to Reduce Bias
✅ Crafting Job Postings that Attract & Repel
✅ Leadership Clarity & Vision Casting
✅ Building Resilient, Future-Ready Teams

👤 Featured Guest:
Kerri Roberts – Author, The HR Easy Button | Founder, Salt and Light Advisors | HR & People Operations Strategist

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for leadership, culture, and business growth insights—breaking down the walls that keep you from building something great.

📱 Connect With Us:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes
👍 Like if this sparked an idea
💬 Comment how you’re using (or planning to use) AI in your business
🔄 Share with a business owner or HR leader who needs this

Matt Kuehlhorn, founder of Kooler Garage Doors and host of the Craft Your Life podcast, joins us on this episode. From painting walls for $20 an hour to building a multi–eight figure exit business, Matt shares his journey of resilience, reinvention, and relentless growth. We dive into his background in education and nonprofit work, the leap into entrepreneurship, and the culture-driven leadership style that fuels his team today. Matt also opens up about personal development, comparison, systems, and what it really takes to build a business worth selling.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How Matt went from living out of his car to building a thriving trades business

• Why culture and vision are the backbone of any growing company

• The role of discomfort and “agitation” in fueling entrepreneurial growth

• How to recognize when you’re getting too comfortable—and what to do about it

• Key systems and people strategies that make a business scalable and sellable

• Why comparison can either rob you of joy or become your biggest motivator

• The mindset shifts required to build a company with a multi–eight figure exit potential

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Entrepreneurial Reinvention & Resilience
✅ Building Culture & Vision-Driven Leadership
✅ Systems Thinking & Process Design
✅ Hiring, Team Building & Predictive Index Tools
✅ Scaling Trades Businesses (Painting → Garage Doors)
✅ Personal Growth, Comparison & Gratitude
✅ Exit Strategy & Multi–Eight Figure Potential

👤 Featured Guest:
Matt Kuehlhorn – Founder, Kooler Garage Doors | Entrepreneur | Podcast Host (Craft Your Life)

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes
👍 Like if this inspired you
💬 Comment your biggest takeaway about culture or systems
🔄 Share with someone building a trades business

Les Wikiriwhi, an entrepreneur and ultra-marathon runner from New Zealand, joins us on this episode. Les shares his remarkable journey from a turbulent past of alcohol abuse to building a disciplined life fueled by resilience and purpose. We dive into how small habits create massive change, the power of pushing through resistance, and how Les helps New Zealanders transition to new opportunities in Australia. We also discuss recruitment, culture, and building a legacy that reshapes the trajectory for future generations.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How self-discipline can completely transform your life and business

• Why pushing through resistance is the key to growth

• The power of small, consistent habits to create big results

• Insights into recruitment and aligning hires with company culture

• Challenges and opportunities of moving countries for work

• The importance of legacy: building a better future for your children

• How creating supportive environments helps teams thrive

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Self-Discipline & Habit Formation
✅ Overcoming Adversity & Addiction
✅ Pushing Through Resistance & Building Resilience
✅ Recruitment Process & Cultural Fit
✅ Moving Countries: Challenges & Opportunities
✅ Legacy Building & Long-Term Motivation
✅ Leadership & Employee Retention

👤 Featured Guest:
Les Wikiriwhi – Entrepreneur | Ultra-Marathon Runner | Recruitment Specialist

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes
👍 Like if this inspired you
💬 Comment your biggest takeaway about building discipline
🔄 Share with someone who needs a reminder to push through resistance

Justin Lund, a nine figure entrepreneur, joins us on this episode. We explore his incredible journey from battling drug addiction to building thriving businesses, unpacking the lessons he’s learned along the way. Justin opens up about resilience, facing hard truths in business, and the role mentorship and personal development have played in his success. We also dive into leadership, financial management, and how to turn crisis moments into opportunities for growth.

Find him on insta @itsjustinlund

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How Justin overcame addiction and rebuilt his life through entrepreneurship

• The lessons learned from failures, setbacks, and starting over

• Why coaching and mentorship are essential for long-term success

• How to navigate team dynamics and resolve conflicts effectively

• Turning crisis into opportunity: strategies for thriving in tough times

• The critical role of personal development in scaling a business

• Practical financial management insights to avoid costly mistakes

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Overcoming Adversity & Addiction
✅ Building & Scaling Businesses from Scratch
✅ Coaching, Mentorship & Personal Growth
✅ Leadership & Team Conflict Resolution
✅ Financial Management for Entrepreneurs
✅ Crisis Management & Opportunity Creation

👤 Featured Guest:
Justin Lund – Multi-Nine Figure Entrepreneur | Mentor | Speaker

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes
👍 Like if this inspired you
💬 Comment your biggest takeaway from Justin’s journey
🔄 Share with someone who needs to hear this story

Tony Hoong, widely known as The CPA Dude, joins us on this episode. We dive into his journey from corporate accounting to launching his own firm, uncovering the tax strategies every business owner and individual should know. We explore proactive tax planning, common pitfalls to avoid, and how relocation can impact your tax obligations. Tony also shares his insights on building a thriving remote accounting practice and managing a high-performance team from anywhere.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• The most common tax mistakes (and how to avoid them)

• How proactive tax planning can save you thousands

• Income-shifting strategies to legally reduce your tax bill

• How relocation can drastically change your tax situation

• Proven methods for building and managing a successful remote accounting firm

• The must-have documentation for claiming deductions with confidence

🔑 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Financial Literacy & Tax Fundamentals
✅ Proactive Tax Planning Strategies
✅ Income Shifting & Relocation Tax Impacts
✅ Building & Scaling an Accounting Firm
✅ Remote Team Management
✅ Tax Deduction Essentials & Compliance

👤 Featured Guest:
Tony Hoong – CPA | Tax Strategist | Founder of The CPA Dude

🎙️ About The Open Concept:
Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes
👍 Like if this helped you
💬 Comment your biggest tax question below
🔄 Share with someone who needs to save on taxes this year

Vince Perri joins us on this episode. We discuss what investors are looking for when buying a business and how to set up your business to sell. We cover critical conversations with staff and the importance of reading the play and deploying future business initiatives with confidence.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• The exact criteria investors use to evaluate businesses before buying
• How to structure your company to maximize sale value and attract buyers
• Critical conversations every business owner must have with their team
• How to read market signals and deploy winning business strategies with confidence
• Insider secrets to positioning your business as an irresistible investment opportunity

🔑 Key Topics Covered: ✅ Business Valuation & Exit Planning ✅ Investor Due Diligence Process ✅ Team Management & Communication Strategies ✅ Strategic Business Planning ✅ Market Analysis & Timing ✅ Mergers & Acquisitions Insights

👤 Featured Guest: Vince Perri - Business Investor | M&A Expert | Strategic Advisor

🎙️ About The Open Concept: Your go-to podcast for construction industry insights, trade business strategies, and leadership advice that actually works.

📱 Connect With Us: 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes 👍 Like if this helped you 💬 Comment your biggest business exit question below 🔄 Share with someone planning their exit strategy

Connect with Vince:

Insta: @vinceperriofficial