Chuck Blakeman was told he’d never be employable—so he built 13 businesses in 10 industries instead.

But after decades of grinding, he realized the real reason businesses fail isn’t cash flow, competition, or even bad luck…

It’s because the owner gets tired.

Now, he teaches entrepreneurs how to break free from the "American Nightmare"—scaling businesses that give them freedom, not just income.

This episode is a mindset reset for anyone stuck in the daily grind. Chuck reveals:

Struggling to scale profitably? Let’s talk:

📅 Book a Strategy Call

Full Show Notes: ThinkTyler.com/chuck-blakeman

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John St. Pierre built a $55M business, raised $20M in private equity… and was fired from the company he co-founded just six months later.

But instead of walking away, he turned that gut-wrenching moment into the foundation for a new $100M+ business — built patiently, profitably, and on his terms.

This episode is a raw, no-fluff masterclass in scaling smart, protecting your equity, and bouncing back when everything crashes.

Through real-life lessons and battle-tested strategy, John breaks down how to grow without losing control — and why most founders don’t realize they’re vulnerable until it’s too late.

• Getting fired from his own company after raising $20M

• How losing everything led to a $100M comeback

• Building self-financeable growth instead of relying on outside capital

• Creating a 30-year life plan and aligning business decisions to it

• Moving from CEO to Chairperson to unlock true strategic scale

• Why founders must protect their cap table early

• The danger of shiny object syndrome and how he overcame it

• The real cost of burnout and over-scaling

• How to forecast, protect cash, and build margin visibility

• Why “patient ambition” beats hyper-growth every time

My Links

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me:

https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy

Link to show notes:

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/power-to-powerless-john-st-pierre/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

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Paul Shrater went from selling a million-dollar Hollywood script to building a multi-business empire that powers product brands for celebrities, creators, and even NASA. His journey is a masterclass in grit, innovation, and scaling smart systems that run without the founder.

Through bootstrapping, operational focus, and saying “no” to bad deals — Paul proves you don’t need outside money or hype to win big.

• Turning rejection from manufacturers into a thriving fulfillment and co-packing company

• Bootstrapping his first eComm business from four shelves and a computer

• Helping celebrities and influencers turn passion into scalable product brands

• Partnering with creators to build legacy income streams beyond their 15 minutes of fame

• Navigating the TikTok Shop explosion and how it’s threatening Amazon’s dominance

• Embedding product into entertainment to create viral, high-converting content

• Structuring equity partnerships based on value, not just fame

• Designing cross-training systems so his businesses run without him

• Using cultural awareness and empathy to lead teams more effectively

• Shipping fruitcake to space — and turning it into a case study in creative problem solving

My Links

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me:

https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy

Link to show notes:

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/hollywood-to-hustle-paul-shrater/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

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Dan Soviero shares his journey from depression and near-death to building a multi-business sports empire focused on impacting over a million kids through athletics. Through grit, purpose, and structured leadership, he transformed rock bottom into a mission that’s driving explosive growth and cultural excellence.

• Surviving a suicide attempt at 16 and finding purpose through coaching youth sports

• Starting a lacrosse training business at 16 and scaling to five sports-focused companies

• Solving a broken uniform industry with 15-day shipping and 99.7% accuracy

• Building high-performing teams with EOS and a custom Culture by Design system

• Using personality assessments to ensure cultural fit in every hire

• Investing in personal development to double productivity across payroll

• Teaching leaders to remove ego and drive alignment through self-awareness

• Empowering departments to collaborate like a unified sports team

• Staying relentlessly curious and asking questions to unlock growth

• Serving others as the foundation for lasting success and fulfillment

My Links

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me:

https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy

Link to show notes:

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/gun-didnt-fire-dan-soviero/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

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Jared Rosenthal shares his incredible journey from corporate CEO to launching Health Street—starting with a self-painted RV and scaling it into a nationwide drug and DNA testing business. He reveals how relentless grit, late-night emergencies, and hands-on hustle led to a tech-powered company serving over 50,000 clinics across the U.S.

• Left a CEO role to start mobile drug testing out of a used RV

• Branded his RV with “Who’s Your Daddy” for DNA testing and landed a VH1 show

• Built a 24/7 business responding to accidents, testing captains and pilots

• Taught himself tech from scratch and built custom APIs to automate operations

• Scaled from a one-man show to a national network of clinics and corporate clients

• Uses inbound marketing and SEO instead of outbound sales for high-margin growth

• Self-funded the entire business, balancing reinvestment with sustainable income

• Shares emotional stories that shaped his purpose, including stopping an intoxicated pilot

• Stresses the value of doing every job—from mopping floors to writing code

• Warns against overreliance on Google and stresses the need to diversify marketing

Tune in to hear how Jared turned a secondhand RV into a multimillion-dollar platform, built with hustle, purpose, and an unshakable belief in doing the hard things.

My Links

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me:

https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy

Link to show notes:

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/drug-testing-dna-jared-rosenthal/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

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Llance Kezner shares his journey from a career layoff to building Millie’s Sipping Broth, a multi-million-dollar brand disrupting the beverage industry. He reveals how he and his wife turned a simple homemade solution into a nationwide retail success, landing deals with Walmart and Sam’s Club while maintaining product quality and innovation.

• Pivoted from a corporate career to launching a food business with no prior industry experience

• Created a new product category—broth in tea bags—for convenient, healthy sipping

• Successfully funded their idea through Kickstarter, gaining early market validation

• Scaled from kitchen production to nearly 3,000 retail locations, including Walmart and Sam’s Club

• Overcame competition by patenting a unique manufacturing process

• Uses direct-to-consumer sales and strategic retail partnerships to drive growth

• Focuses on expanding beyond retail into airlines, corporate offices, and hospitals

• Emphasizes product quality and customer engagement, maintaining a personal brand connection

• Balances entrepreneurship with strategic planning to ensure scalability and financial stability

Tune in to hear how Llance turned a layoff into an opportunity, built a resilient brand, and created a blueprint for product innovation and business growth.

My Links

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me:

https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy

Link to show notes:

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/million-dollar-brand-llance-kezner/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

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RT Custer shares his incredible journey from a simple idea on a golf course to building Vortic Watch Company and Colorado Watch Company, reviving American-made timepieces. He reveals how he scaled a niche business, fought and won a six-year legal battle against Swatch Group, and is now expanding U.S. watch manufacturing to new heights.

• Transformed antique pocket watches into high-end wristwatches, creating a unique business model

• Battled and defeated Swatch Group in a landmark trademark case, protecting the right to upcycle

• Scaled Vortic Watch Company despite limited supply, maintaining exclusivity and high demand

• Launched Colorado Watch Company to bring modern, American-made watches to a larger market

• Balances passion for craftsmanship with strategic financial and operational growth

• Emphasizes the importance of sales skills, resilience, and hiring the right team to scale a business

• Uses direct-to-consumer sales, storytelling, and American manufacturing as key brand differentiators

Tune in to hear how RT turned a passion for history and craftsmanship into a thriving business, fought against industry giants, and built a brand that champions the American Dream.

My Links

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

Having challenges scaling and growing your business? Book a meeting with me:

https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy

Link to show notes:

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/a-million-dollar-brand-rt-custer/

https://linktr.ee/thinktyler 

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

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Welcome to the show where entrepreneurs spill the real stories behind their success. I’m your host, Tyler Martin, and today we’ve got Connor Paddon -- a guy who dropped out of high school to chase poker dreams, only to build and sell businesses worth millions.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Picture this: a deal he thought would make him rich ended up a total bust -- all because he skipped the fine print. That screw-up taught him everything he needed to thrive.

From gritty lessons to buying boring businesses, Connor’s sharing it all. Let’s dive in!

My Links: 

https://linktr.ee/thinktyler 

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/one-bad-deal-connor-paddon/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

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Are you struggling to grow your business while maintaining your sanity? Meet DJ Moore, an entrepreneur who's mastered the art of balancing growth with purpose.

In this episode, we dive deep into DJ's journey from corporate burnout to building a multi-million dollar company. You'll discover how he tackled cash flow issues, implemented game-changing systems, and learned to lead with empathy.

DJ shares candid insights on overcoming ego, the power of accountability, and why investing in relationships is crucial for success. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just starting out, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom that could transform your approach to entrepreneurship. 

My Links: 

https://linktr.ee/thinktyler 

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/leadership-ego-in-business-dj-moore/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

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Ever thought about how a floral business could revolutionize an industry? Meet Michael Jacobson, the visionary behind French Florist, who’s doing just that. From corporate consulting to floral entrepreneurship, Michael's journey is anything but ordinary.

But what are the real challenges in the floral world? Michael breaks it down, revealing how French Florist tackles industry stagnation and elevates client experiences.

So, why franchising? Michael shares why passionate owner-operators are key to maintaining quality and expanding rapidly. Plus, he offers golden advice for entrepreneurs: build strong teams, embrace challenges, and align your business with personal values.

My Links: 

https://linktr.ee/thinktyler 

https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/floral-empire-michael-jacobson/

Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com 

Host: Tyler Martin , Fractional CFO and Business Coach

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Instagram 

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