Unlocking Moves

Join us for Episode 32 to find out! Unlocking Moves dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode features a conversation between Kurt and Trace Fowler, the founder of two media companies in Ohio. Trace talks about his journey -- leaving the “golden handcuffs” of a good job to take the entrepreneurial leap into the unknown -- trusting his gut, focusing on his passions, and finding niches that work. His two small town magazines bring real, positive coverage to Hamilton and Middleton, Ohio, while Chatterbox Sports covers high school, college, and pro sports in innovative and entertaining ways. You're going to love this episode!

About Trace Fowler – Trace is a lifelong sports enthusiast with an entrepreneurial itch. He founded two media companies – One Pride Publishing and Chatterbox Sports. One Pride Publishing is a marketing-driven organization featuring two publications, The Hamiltonian and The Middletonian, which focus on highlighting the positive happenings within those two communities and reach over 25,000 single family homes. Chatterbox Sports is dedicated to covering prep athletics through live streams with over 1 million total views; and has expanded into professional and college sports.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as chairman of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

What lessons can entrepreneurs learn from the world of college athletics?

Join us for Episode 31 to find out! Unlocking Moves dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode features a conversation with Hunter Yurachek, the Director of Athletics for Kurt’s beloved Arkansas Razorbacks. As the leader of one of the nation’s most successful college athletics departments, Hunter is responsible for hiring great coaches and giving them the resources they need to ensure their student athletes’ success. If that doesn’t sound familiar to my entrepreneurial audience… exchange “coaches” with “leadership team” and “student athletes” with “employees”. Hunter’s career has taken him all over the country and taught him lessons about sports, administration, and life – lessons that every leader can learn from! Whether you “Woo Pig Sooie” or not, you’ll find some great advice in this episode!

About Hunter Yurachek – Hunter is in his 14th year as an Athletics Director, and his 7th year at the University of Arkansas. During the past six years, the Razorbacks have won 35 SEC Championships in 11 different sports, more than any other SEC program. They have also won 7 National Championships and finished in the Top 13 of the prestigious Learfield Directors Cup for three straight years under Yurachek’s leadership.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as chairman of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

Join us for Episode 30 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode features a conversation with Loren Feldman, a business journalist-turned-entrepreneur and founder of 21 Hats. While writing for Inc., Forbes, and the New York Times, Loren recognized that entrepreneurs and small business owners need community. His 21 Hats podcast, newsletter, and mastermind sessions offer entrepreneurs the chance to network, share stories, and most importantly – build community. The conversation covers everything from his time in business journalism to his four months spent in the Dominican Republic as a coach in the Texas Rangers organization. You won’t want to miss this!

About Loren Feldman - Loren is founder and editor-in-chief of 21 Hats, an online community for business owners. He hosts the 21 Hats Podcast, a peer group conversation that has been tracking the experiences of 10 business owners for over three years. He also edits the 21 Hats Morning Report, a daily email newsletter that's been named the best newsletter for business owners by Inc magazine. Previously, he was a senior editor covering entrepreneurship at Inc, Forbes and the New York Times. He has also been editor-in-chief of Philadelphia magazine and executive editor of George magazine. He once spent four months working for the Texas Rangers baseball team as a coach at their Dominican Republic training camp.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as chairman of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

How do the terms "Mistake enthusiast", "toxic environment survivor," and "Backyard Pizza Master" fit together?!

Join us for Episode 29 to find out! Unlocking Moves dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode features a conversation with Mark Graban - a self-proclaimed "mistake enthusiast". We go into the gory stories that have shaped Mark's career, from starting out at General Motors, moving on to Dell and Honeywell, to working with early-stage companies and launching his own podcast. Throughout his journey, Mark has been fascinated by mistakes... not just how and why they're made, but how we REACT to them. When upper management creates a culture where failure is punished... employees live in fear and are more likely to hide their future mistakes, rather than learn from them. If you're like me and you've made your fair share of mistakes... this is the episode for you!

About Mark Graban - Mark is an author, speaker, and consultant, whose latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation, is available now. He is also the author of the award-winning book Lean Hospitals and Measures of Success. He consults through his company, Constancy, Inc, and is a Senior Advisor for the technology company KaiNexus. Mark hosts podcasts, including “Lean Blog Interviews” and “My Favorite Mistake.” He obtained a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University; MS in Mechanical Engineering, and MBA from MIT.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as chairman of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

What makes a Hollywood makeup artist lay down her brushes, and a fashion designer put away her fabric to create a Farmers Market?!

Join us for Episode 28 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode features Carmen Dianne and Kara Still, two Maryland transplants who independently moved to Hollywood hoping for their big break. But when the pandemic closed down movie sets and upended the world, they got to talking about what they could do to help. After George Floyd's murder and the social unrest that followed, that talking turned into a "burden to DO something." From there, the idea for Prosperity Market - a mobile marketplace featuring black-owned businesses, farmers, and chefs, that combines the need to support black businesses and combat food insecurity - was born.

About Carmen Dianne - Carmen has a marketing degree and has worked as a makeup artist in the entertainment industry for over 13 years. Always the champion for her community, it made sense for her business mind and creative spirit to come together in the creation of Prosperity Market.

About Kara Still - Kara has spent 15 years in the fashion world, split between retail management and fashion design. She also studied Psychology at Howard University and has always had a passion for food, health, and wellness. Her commitment to empowering the community makes her a natural fit as co-founder of Prosperity Market.

About Prosperity Market - Prosperity Market is a farmers market on wheels and a food truck in one, featuring black farmers, food producers, and chefs! We travel throughout Los Angeles, making it easier to support local businesses while creating food access in our communities. We are transforming our local ecosystem and our economy through agriculture, food access, nutrition education, and community partnerships. Prosperity Market is also an online marketplace for featured products with nationwide shipping, and a virtual farmers market once a month.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as chairman of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

Join us for Episode 27 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode of Unlocking Moves dives into Paul Hedrick’s path -- including multiple rejections to founding and growing Tecovas, the hottest western brand in the US. From college admissions, to “friends and family” investors, and even an angry LinkedIn commentor, Paul has faced a lot of rejection and people questioning his decisions to leave a high-paying job to start a boot company. In the episode, Paul discusses turning inward to find his “Ikigai” or highest and best use, seeing opportunities where others saw certain failure, and even stepping aside as CEO. You won’t want to miss this introspective and engaging conversation!

About Paul Hedrick – Paul is the founder and Executive Chairman of Tecovas, the first direct-to-consumer western brand, which has grown to be a market leader since its inception in 2015.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

Join us for Episode 26 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode of Unlocking Moves goes deep with Adrian Koehler about the hard conversations that entrepreneurs need to have with themselves. From "Hugging the Cactus" by embracing your dark side and recognizing your fears and limitations to understanding that success breeds dysfunction, this episode will encourage you to get introspective about your own entrepreneurial journey.

About Adrian Koehler - Adrian Koehler is a leadership engagement expert and senior partner at the executive coaching firm, Take New Ground. He coaches executives and entrepreneurs in the art and science of leadership for themselves, their teams, and clients to create new, unprecedented results and experience fulfillment in their work.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

Join us for Episode 25 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success stories - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode of Unlocking Moves dives into Elijah May’s background from growing up in the woods of North Carolina to attending USC – where he created his own major, broke up fights on commercial sets, and became a lifeguard at the U.S. Olympic Pool – and he didn't even know how to swim! Elijah’s life story boils down to two things – HARD work, and saying YES to things others say no to. That mantra has served him well throughout his career and now as an entrepreneur with Funded House, Team CMO, and The Experience Firm.

About Elijah May – To Elijah, tackling complex problems is his idea of a good time. Every company or project he’s started is just a solution to a problem he became obsessed with. Team CMO: Because CMOs have the highest turnover in the C-Suite and often don’t feel like they have a seat at the table. Funded House: Because there’s a surprising disconnect between great entrepreneurs and great investors. The Experience Firm: Because all the marketing in the world can’t save you if your customer experience sucks. He connects people that need to be connected, and seeks to make more companies a force for good in the world.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

What do almost all successful people have in common? They've all experienced some extreme LOWS at some point in their career -- most have failed MANY times. There are tons of business books and podcasts out there that highlight the rainbows and sunshine part of success. "You can get rich AND work three hours a week from the beach! AND have tons of sex!!!!"

But the truth is there's no "easy button". If you want to build a successful business - you're gonna get knocked to the mat a bit. It's not about how you fall (or even how many times you fall!) - it's about what you do next. Do you wither and quit? Or get inspired to make it happen?

Join us for Episode 24 of Unlocking Moves, the show that dives into the pivotal moments in an entrepreneur's journey that unlocked their true potential. Many business leaders only like to talk about their success - but host Kurt Wilkin is a firm believer that we learn more from our stumbles and mistakes. This episode of Unlocking Moves features some hard-hitting stories about entrepreneurs who have faced some serious adversity in their careers - but also in their personal lives. Join us for stories from Scott Leese, Gareth Gallagher, Brian Moran, and LaQuita Cleare, who have all faced and overcome challenges in their lives and careers.

About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.

People challenges are still the #1 theme we consistently see in working with 100's of entrepreneurs. It's no surprise it was a common topic in our first 20 episodes of Unlocking Moves.
Every single entrepreneur has faced, is facing, or will face people challenges in their company. We all have team members we love, those we think we can't live without, those we're afraid we've outgrown... and those we know just gotta go. 
Join us for Episode 23 of Unlocking Moves, where we’re looking back on the first 20 episodes and highlighting some of the people problems that my guests have shared. Adam Witty, Jen Hill, Rod Kurtz, Tori Brodsky, and Tyler Allgaier reflect on characters from my book Who's Your Mike: A No-Bullshit Guide to the People You'll Meet on Your Entrepreneurial Journey and their own stories about people!
The fact is that all entrepreneurs have people problems - but there are ways to deal with each situation (and to avoid some altogether)! By sharing these stories, hopefully others can learn lessons without having to do it the hard way. 
About Kurt Wilkin – Kurt is a connector - of dots, ideas, and people. For the past 30 years, he has advised high-growth companies, starting his career with Ernst & Young, and today in his roles as co-founder of HireBetter and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital. He's a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and CEOs build their companies.