Shannon Jean has built 10+ businesses over the past 25 years—including a $3M handbag company and a repair service that Apple tried to shut down. In this episode, he breaks down the simple, repeatable systems behind each venture.

From flipping gear and launching a podcast with 600+ episodes, to mentoring others on how to make their first $1,000—this conversation is a masterclass in sustainable entrepreneurship.

We talk mindset, leverage, and why Shannon focuses on building real businesses instead of chasing unicorns.

Timestamps (Full) 0:00 – Intro 1:08 – Shannon’s first flip: vintage gear and Apple repairs 5:40 – The business that Apple tried to shut down 8:15 – From $500 sales to a $3M handbag brand 12:30 – The $1,000 Brain Switch (start your first business here) 16:42 – Why Shannon builds “boring” businesses 20:18 – Starting a podcast that scaled to 5K downloads/day 25:10 – Playbooks vs passion: why repeatability wins 30:45 – The mindset shift that leads to real independence 34:20 – Shannon’s advice to founders at any stage 38:54 – Systems  Goals: how Shannon avoids burnout 41:25 – The lawsuit that cost $1M—and what it taught him 46:15 – Why Shannon never took outside money 49:08 – Letting go: how he stepped back from operations 52:00 – Finding purpose after the “big exit” 54:55 – How to find community as a solo entrepreneur 59:10 – The secret power of asking, “Can I help you?” 1:02:18 – Shannon’s business group: content, connection, and shirts 1:05:30 – What founders really need (but don’t talk about) 1:08:24 – Final thoughts + where to follow Shannon

What does it actually take to launch a service business from scratch — with no experience, no safety net, and a $300K loan hanging over your head?

In this episode, Aaron sits down with Greg, the first-ever franchisee of Bumble Roofing, who pulled off a $1.3M first year while navigating newborn life, quitting his job, and going all in on building something from nothing.

If you’re thinking about buying a franchise, escaping the corporate grind, or building in the home services space — this is the real talk you won’t get from a sales deck.

👉 Subscribe for more stories from real operators scaling service businesses the hard way.

⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters: 0:00 – Welcome & how they connected 1:00 – Greg’s background (sales, baseball, baby) 2:30 – Why roofing? Why franchising? 6:00 – Choosing Bumble & being franchisee #1 9:00 – Starting from zero: no systems, no safety net 12:00 – What surprised him most about franchising 14:00 – “No one cares about you at first” 17:00 – Revenue numbers & real startup pressure 20:00 – What lead sources actually worked 22:30 – The broken franchise buying experience 26:00 – $300K SBA loan and the real risk 28:00 – The myth of passive ownership 32:30 – Early wins, winter collapse, and surviving 35:00 – Benefits of the franchise system 38:00 – Sharing wins across franchisees 43:00 – Roofing vs. power washing 45:30 – Newborn + new business = pressure cooker 48:00 – Mental health and founder loneliness 51:00 – How Aaron built Rolling Suds differently 55:00 – Greg’s long-term vision: $25M+ 59:30 – Going deep instead of wide 1:02:00 – Final thoughts + where to follow Greg

📲 Follow Greg: Instagram – @gregmgeezy

After scaling an HVAC company from ≈$3 M to ≈$6 M in two years—and deciding to hand day‑to‑day control to a CEO so he could get back on the road in his RV—Austin Linney sits down with host Aaron Harper to unpack:

why doubling revenue isn’t worth it if you’re doubling misery

the moment he realized the business now needed “boring consistency,” not more fireworks

building a Navy SEAL consulting team that only works with founders who value life as highly as EBITDA

sober entrepreneurship, panic attacks, and leaving “good” behind for “great”

how rejecting the wrong commercial contracts can save a company

practical frameworks for resource allocation, founder energy audits and carving out a role you actually love

Timestamps Time Topic 00:00 Aaron’s intro & why this episode matters for fast‑growth founders 02:14 Meeting internet friends IRL and Austin’s “relentless curiosity” about money‑making models 07:45 Focus + energy: why most owners fail (Aaron’s resource‑allocation rant) 12:30 Austin on stepping out of sales, installing a CEO & choosing “boring consistency” 18:55 Commercial vs. residential work — the hidden risk of whale hunting 25:40 Cash‑flow velocity, client selection & walking away from red flags 33:05 Austin’s back‑story: hospitality, Airbnb, meth addiction, six years sober 41:10 Building the Navy SEAL consulting trio (people, process, ops) 48:30 Founder loneliness, masterminds & creating your own tribe 55:00 The 5 Types of Wealth & designing a life that scores on more than money 1:04:45 Aaron’s travel dilemma, kids, and the “10 good years” rule 1:15:20 Rapid‑fire wrap‑up + where to find Austin

Paul Tran has built restaurants from scratch, scaled multi-unit franchises, and helped national brands go global. In this episode, he joins Aaron Harper to talk about what it really takes to grow a franchise system responsibly—without losing your soul. From launching The Halal Guys in Southern California to his newest venture with Pepper Lunch, Paul unpacks the wins, the losses, and the frameworks behind smart, sustainable growth.

00:00 – Intro  Paul joins the show after some behind-the-scenes issues (and laughs it off like a pro).

00:51 – How Paul and Aaron Met Online Their “Twitter friendship” and mutual journey in franchising.

03:00 – Crawfish, College, and First-Time Founder Moves Paul’s first restaurant—and the ignorance that helped him win.

05:00 – Entering Franchising at France Mart Working under Dan Rowe, early franchise deals, and learning the ropes.

08:30 – Discovering Pepper Lunch Why the concept blew Paul away—and how he became a franchisee and consultant.

10:00 – Unit Economics Breakdown Labor-light operations, higher build-out costs, and long-term profitability.

15:00 – Franchise Sales is Not Like Other Sales Paul and Aaron reflect on their early struggles closing deals and qualifying candidates.

21:00 – The Private Equity Debate How PE changes incentives—and why responsible growth matters more than ever.

32:00 – Building in Public Aaron and Paul talk about the power of transparency, trust, and organic marketing.

43:00 – Scaling with Strategy How content reduced CAC, funded an executive team, and attracted better franchisees.

47:00 – What’s Next for Paul Plans for expanding Pepper Lunch and staying connected to responsible franchising.

50:00 – Real Numbers: Costs & Revenue Paul shares candid details about store costs, staff size, and what makes Pepper Lunch work.

56:00 – Final Thoughts + Where to Find Paul Why good franchising needs better storytelling—and how to connect with Paul online.

In this episode, Aaron Harper sits down with Cole Ruud-Johnson—an entrepreneur who’s built call centers, real estate companies, and consulting arms—to break down what really drives business success. They dive into the myth of passive income, the power of ruthless focus, the dangers of burnout, and why most people never see compounding growth.

If you're tired of the fluff around entrepreneurship and want a real conversation about what it takes to win, this one’s for you.

👇 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro clip 01:00 – Cole’s journey from dropout to business builder 05:15 – Why focus changed everything 10:30 – Sales follow-up failures in home services 14:00 – Franchisees and the lead conversion trap 20:00 – Lyme disease, burnout, and rebuilding from scratch 26:30 – The five types of wealth 29:00 – Closing five businesses to grow one 33:00 – Aaron steps back from sales to focus on content 37:45 – Debunking the passive income fantasy 44:15 – When bad advice ruins good entrepreneurs 50:00 – The compounding power of staying in one lane 52:30 – Finding your “why” in entrepreneurship 59:00 – Building leverage through content 1:05:00 – Final reflections on team, delegation, and long-term thinking

Forget flashy startups. Nik Hulesky is building power washing companies, tree stump businesses, and perfume dealerships—and they're printing serious cash. In this episode, we break down how "boring" businesses scale fast, the systems behind successful franchising, and why content is the unfair advantage most operators ignore.

If you're building a business, growing a franchise, or just trying to figure out where the real money is—you’re going to want this one.

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Intro & Nik’s background 02:00 - How Nik built and sold multiple businesses 06:30 - Going all-in on content and Twitter 08:00 - The first signs of traction 11:25 - Why “unsexy” businesses actually win 13:00 - CoFounders.com and structuring partnerships 17:30 - What went wrong with their first operator funding model 20:00 - The perfume & tree stump businesses explained 23:30 - Kids, tech issues, and real-life interruptions 26:00 - How Rolling Suds scaled truck production 30:00 - Health care, preventative business opportunities 35:30 - Building a life around values, not just income 43:00 - Government spending and efficiency rants 48:00 - Nik’s home podcast setup and AV workflow 49:30 - Why entrepreneurs need to be a little crazy 53:00 - Nik’s “why” and building for his family 57:00 - The grind of early franchise sales 60:00 - “You just get rewarded for doing the boring stuff really well.” 63:00 - Growth, discipline, and not chasing shiny objects 66:00 - Twitter’s ETA & franchise community 68:00 - Nik’s investment in Tribe & the power of community 71:00 - Masterminds, founder loneliness, and building with others 73:00 - Where to find Nik & closing thoughts

What if the fastest path to building wealth isn't starting a business from scratch — but buying the right one?

In this episode, we sit down with Brian Beers, who scaled from 2 Midas locations to a $45 million multi-unit franchise empire. He reveals how franchising gave him the structure, scale, and freedom that most entrepreneurs chase for years — and how you can follow a similar path.

Whether you're in corporate and ready to escape, or you're an entrepreneur looking to scale smarter, this episode delivers real talk on building wealth through franchising.

⏱️ Timestamps: 00:01:00 — How Brian and Aaron connected through Rolling Suds

00:03:40 — Brian’s background: starting with 2 Midas locations

00:10:15 — Letting go of control and becoming a better business owner

00:16:45 — Why sales roles are often the hardest to delegate

00:28:00 — 💥 "Franchising changed your life..." (The host tees up the trailer moment)

00:28:36 — Why Brian doubled down on franchising and never looked back

00:36:00 — Content, credibility, and the hidden upside of personal branding

00:41:00 — How Brian allocates time as his most valuable resource

00:59:00 — Structuring partnerships with operating partners

01:05:00 — Brian’s big, long-term vision for wealth and legacy

01:07:50 — Final advice for anyone considering buying a franchise

In this episode of The Scaling Podcast, Courtney Joyce shares his journey from 13 years in toxic coal mines to building and selling a 7-figure cleaning business — and how he's now scaling multiple ventures with virtual assistants and smart systems. We dive into entrepreneurship, leadership, time freedom, and what it really takes to escape the golden handcuffs of a steady paycheck.

If you're looking to scale your business, build systems, or get inspired by a true operator’s story — this episode is for you.

👇 Timestamps 00:00 - Intro: From Coal Mines to Entrepreneurship 02:12 - Why Courtney Left a $170K Job for Freedom 04:00 - Starting a Cleaning Business from Scratch 06:23 - Scaling with Culture and Smart Hiring 09:00 - Selling His First Business for $500K 11:00 - The Power of Virtual Assistants in Growth 13:35 - Niching Down: Serving Health & Wellness Franchises 18:50 - Lessons from Managing 50+ Staff 22:30 - Balancing Family, Business, and Focus 30:00 - Biggest Constraints When Scaling Multiple Companies 34:40 - Building a Sales Team & Stepping Out of Founder-Led Sales 37:00 - Routines, Mindset, and Staying Energized as an Entrepreneur 40:00 - How Courtney Leads a 100+ Person Team Remotely 44:15 - Final Lessons on Leadership, Systems, and Long-Term Growth

👍 Like this episode? Subscribe for more insights on scaling businesses, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

🔗 Follow The Scaling Podcast for weekly interviews with founders, operators, and industry leaders. #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #VirtualAssistants #Franchising #TheScalingPodcast

Welcome to the Scaling Podcast With Aaron Harper

Jack Carr is not your typical entrepreneur.

Follow me on x for more: https://x.com/AaronHarperCEO

Instead of starting businesses from scratch, he has mastered the art of entrepreneurship through acquisition—buying and scaling businesses across multiple industries. From managing wineries in Napa Valley to diving into Bitcoin mining and now leading a booming HVAC and plumbing empire, Jack’s journey is a masterclass in spotting opportunities where others see barriers. In this episode of the Scaling Podcast, host Aaron Harper sits down with Jack to uncover:

Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: Meet Jack Carr 02:21 - From Napa Valley Wineries to Business Ownership 06:28 - Why Jack Left a Stable Career for Entrepreneurship 10:10 - Buying vs. Building: Why Acquisition Beats Starting from Scratch 15:37 - The Challenges of First-Time Business Acquisitions 22:11 - How Jack Scaled His HVAC Business to $4M+30:29 - When Everything Goes Wrong: Losing His Entire Team Overnight 38:52 - The Role of Community & Twitter in Business Growth44:13 - Raising Capital for Business Growth: What Jack Learned 51:22 - The Future: Scaling to $20M and Beyond

 Subscribe for more business insights!

Aaron Harper, a CEO and franchise entrepreneur, is launching his own podcast designed to guide curious newcomers and seasoned business veterans alike through the intricacies of business ownership.