Episode 1334: What Really Keeps Founders From Scaling

Episode 1334: What Really Keeps Founders From Scaling

0 views · November 4th, 2026

The biggest barrier to scaling may not be your systems, team, or strategy, but the identity you still hold onto. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Khryzza Kelley, CEO and Founder of On Fridays, We Scale and CEO and Chief Team Architect for CoWorq, and Chantelle Lisette, CEO and Founder of She Is Worthy Community, as they discuss the connection between business growth, identity, confidence, and self-worth. Khryzza shares why scaling requires founders to evolve their mindset, team, systems, and role, while Chantelle explains how belief, visibility, and personal worth directly influence leadership, sales, and growth. Together, they discuss why founders must stop being the business hero, get comfortable being seen, and surround themselves with the right people to reach the next level. Key Takeaways: → Confidence affects how effectively leaders communicate, sell, and influence others. → The right relationships and rooms can expand a founder’s sense of what is possible. → Growth and scaling are distinct, and scaling requires changing more than just one part of the business. → A business becomes more scalable when the founder is less essential to day-to-day operations. → Vulnerability and visibility can strengthen connection rather than undermine authority. Khryzza Kelley is the founder of CoWorq and On Fridays We Scale, a team architect and scaling strategist who helps entrepreneurs build the people, roles, and structure they need for the next stage of growth. Her background spans national youth leadership in the Philippines, corporate training and leadership development, and entrepreneurship, giving her a unique perspective on how leaders evolve and organizations scale. After growing CoWorq from $3,000 in revenue to a seven-figure business, Khryzza developed her Team Architecture approach, Purpose to Profit Scaling Framework, and “Scaling Is Mental” methodology. She also created SEEN, a curated mastermind for women scaling six- and seven-figure businesses, and has been recognized as eWomenNetwork’s 2025 Emerging Leader of the Year and the Asian Business Association of Orange County’s 2024 Small Business of the Year. Chantelle Lisette is the CEO and founder of She Is Worthy Community, a global community helping women grow in confidence, connection, faith, and business. With a background in marketing, an MBA in business management, and a decade-long career in technology sales that earned her four President’s Club awards, Chantelle brings deep experience in relationships, communication, and value creation. Her work was shaped by a personal journey that challenged how she viewed identity and self-worth, leading her to build the kind of community she once needed herself. Since launching in 2025, She Is Worthy has grown to approximately 150 women across six countries, creating opportunities for friendship, collaboration, professional growth, and meaningful business relationships. Chantelle is also a speaker, host of the She Is Worthy Podcast, and a partner in SEEN, a mastermind for women scaling six- and seven-figure businesses. Her work helps women recognize their worth, step into greater visibility and leadership, and build businesses without tying their value to achievement, income, appearance, or external approval. Connect With Khryzza and Chantelle: Website: https://onfridayswescale.com/ Links Mentioned in Episode: https://onfridayswescale.com/seen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chantelle.phillips.16/ https://www.facebook.com/khryzzamaekelley/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/OnFridaysWeScale/ https://www.instagram.com/seenmastermind/ https://www.instagram.com/chantellelisette/ https://www.instagram.com/sheisworthycommunity/ https://www.instagram.com/khryzzakelley/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantelle-phillips-a5550158/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/khryzzamaekelley/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnFridaysWeScale/

Episode 273: The Three Steps to a Stronger Niche

0 views · November 4th, 2026

More leads won’t solve the problem if you’re attracting the wrong people in the first place. In this episode of the Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, Seth Greene interviews Natalie Hales, Founder of The Niche Funnel™ and Advisor Positioning Strategist, who explains how experienced financial advisors can clarify their niche, sharpen their positioning, and build a business around the clients they genuinely want to serve. Natalie shares her three-step process for discovering, defining, and differentiating a niche, along with why specificity and authentic storytelling can make marketing more effective. She also explains why more leads aren't always the answer and how the right positioning can help advisors build a more purposeful, profitable, and fulfilling business. Key Takeaways: → Narrowing your niche can feel risky, but specificity often makes it easier for the right prospects to recognize that you understand them. → Confidence does not always come before action; experience and evidence can build confidence after taking the leap. → A strong niche goes beyond broad categories like retirees or affluent investors and identifies both a specific audience and the problem being solved. → Finding the right niche requires looking for patterns in your business, your life, the work you enjoy, and where you create value. → Natalie’s niche process moves through three stages: discover, define, and differentiate. Natalie Hales is an Advisor Positioning Strategist who works with experienced financial advisors who are great at their craft, but tired of sounding generic. With 15 years in financial services marketing, including experience inside one of Canada’s big three insurers, she understands how advisory businesses grow while operating within real compliance constraints. Connect With Natalie: Website: https://nataliehales.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathales/

Episode 1333: Wealth Planning Mistakes Successful Entrepreneurs Make

0 views · November 2nd, 2026

Building significant wealth is only half the battle. The real challenge is protecting it from taxes, lawsuits, poor planning, and what the next generation does. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Todd Villarrubia, Attorney and Owner of Wealth Planning Law Group, who explains how successful entrepreneurs can move beyond basic estate planning to protect, optimize, and transfer the wealth they have built. He shares his B.E.A.S.T. Mode™ framework, which covers business structures, estate planning, asset protection, succession and governance, and tax planning. He also explains why entrepreneurs should start exit planning years before selling their business. Todd explores strategies to protect generational wealth, prepare for long-term care costs, and build a family office structure that brings the right professionals together for proactive quarterly planning. Key Takeaways: → Wealth protection becomes increasingly important as an entrepreneur's net worth increases. → The planning strategies that work for someone worth $1 million may be inadequate for someone worth $10 million. → Properly structured trusts can help protect family assets and enable more tax-efficient wealth transfers across generations. → Entrepreneurs should consider shifting their focus from wealth creation to wealth preservation as they enter their 40s or as they build significant net worth. → The B.E.A.S.T. Mode™ addresses business structures, estate planning, asset protection, succession and governance, and tax planning. Todd Villarrubia is a tax attorney with more than 30 years of experience and an LL.M. in Taxation. He is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Administration, an Accredited Estate Planner, and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. He has earned a Martindale-Hubbell A/V Preeminent rating and has been named one of America’s Top 100 Estate Planning Attorneys by Worth Magazine. As the founding partner of Wealth Planning Law Group and Fountainhead Global, LLC, Todd has helped thousands of entrepreneurs protect billions of dollars in assets from taxes, creditors, and other risks. His proprietary Entrepreneurial B.E.A.S.T. Mode™ process integrates business structuring, estate planning, asset protection, succession planning, and taxation. Through a holistic, proactive approach, he designs customized wealth strategies and long-term legacy systems for high-net-worth business owners and entrepreneurial families. Connect With Todd: Website: https://lawealthplan.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WealthPlanningLawGroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealth-planning-law-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-villarrubia/ X: https://x.com/WPLG_NewOrleans YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkpE9FkBAbxsvjXowivgk_Q

Bonus: How to Cut Business Technology Costs and Avoid Costly IT Mistakes

0 views · October 29th, 2026

How to Cut Business Technology Costs and Avoid Costly IT Mistakes | Blake Patterson Blake Patterson, founder and president of Exploring IT Solutions, joins Seth Krussman on the Business Insights podcast to share insights from more than a decade working with major technology and telecommunications providers, including Comcast, Verizon, and T-Mobile. From hidden IT expenses and restrictive vendor contracts to cybersecurity, AI, and technology planning, Blake explains how business owners can make smarter technology decisions, reduce unnecessary costs, and avoid common purchasing mistakes. Discover why comparing providers, standardizing technology across locations, and working with an independent technology advisor can help businesses improve efficiency, strengthen operations, and plan for growth. Key Takeaways: Hidden Technology Costs: How vendor incentives, bundled services, and contract renewals can lead businesses to overpay for technology they don't need. Smarter IT Purchasing: Why comparing multiple providers and creating competition can uncover better solutions, pricing, and contract terms. Technology Standardization: How inconsistent IT decisions across departments and locations create unnecessary expenses and operational complexity. Cybersecurity and AI: Why businesses need proactive security support and should implement AI based on practical needs without losing the human touch. The Value of Independent IT Advice: How an experienced technology advisor can help businesses navigate vendors, coordinate projects, and make better long-term technology decisions. Connect with Blake: Website:https://exploringitsolutions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuablake18 Pathfinders: https://exploringitsolutions.com/pathfinders/ With your guest host Seth Krussman: Seth Krussman is a seasoned financial advisor and partner at Brayshaw Financial Group, LLC, with over 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and wealth management. A Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative with Osaic Wealth, Inc., Seth specializes in tax-efficient investment strategies, executive compensation, and succession planning for high-net-worth clients. Based in Hillsboro, Oregon, he is also the nationally recognized co-host of the radio show Money On Tap and an active community leader, husband, and father. seth@brayshawfinancial.com brayshawfinancial.com

Episode 272: Radical Relevance and The Language of Referrals

0 views · October 28th, 2026

The fastest way to become more valuable to the right prospects may be to stop trying to appeal to everyone. In this episode of the Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, Seth Greene interviews Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE, Referral Coach for Financial Advisors, who discusses how financial advisors can become more relevant by clearly defining and deeply understanding their right-fit clients. Bill shares why narrow positioning, meaningful differentiation, and empathy-driven messaging help prospects recognize that an advisor truly understands their needs. He also explains why referrals alone are often not enough and how advisors can create more comfortable, specific introductions by using better language and planting the seed early in the relationship. Key Takeaways: → Trying to appeal to too broad an audience often weakens your messaging and makes it harder for ideal prospects to see themselves in your marketing. → Radical relevance starts with deeply understanding your ideal client’s problems, challenges, aspirations, and language. → A broad category such as “pre-retirees” or “baby boomers” is not the same as having a clearly defined target market. → Combining a client category with a specific market can make an advisor’s positioning more meaningful and differentiated. → Narrowing your focus does not mean you have to stop serving existing clients who fall outside your target market. Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE, is a leading expert in relationship marketing and referrals and the author of Get More Referrals Now, Don’t Keep Me a Secret, Beyond Referrals, Radical Relevance, and The Language of Referrals. He founded The Cates Academy for Relationship Marketing™ and hosts TopAdvisorPodcast.com. Connect With Bill: Website: https://referralcoach.com/ Links Mentioned in Episode: http://www.catesreferralassessment.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReferralCoach Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereferralcoach/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcates/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ReferralCoach

Episode 1332: The Hidden Cost of Reactive Tax Planning

0 views · October 28th, 2026

Most successful entrepreneurs focus on making more money, but without proactive tax planning, taxes can quietly become their biggest wealth destroyer. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Chris Miller, Founder and CEO of One Atlanta Tax Solutions, who explains how proactive tax planning can help entrepreneurs, high earners, and business owners reduce unnecessary tax burdens and improve financial efficiency. He explains why traditional once-a-year tax preparation isn't enough, how wealthy individuals use legal tax strategies to protect their income, and how a year-round tax plan can dramatically impact long-term wealth. Chris also discusses common tax myths, the biggest mistakes successful people make as their income grows, and how strategic tax savings can create more opportunities to invest, grow, and build wealth. Key Takeaways: → Why taxes are a year-round strategy, not a once-a-year event. → Taxes are often one of the largest financial burdens for successful entrepreneurs. → Regular conversations with a tax strategist can reveal new opportunities. → How everyday high earners can benefit from the legal tax strategies wealthy individuals use. → Partnerships among CPAs, financial advisors, and tax professionals can help them serve clients more effectively. Chris Miller is the founder and CEO of One Atlanta Tax Solutions, a firm that provides advanced tax strategies for accredited investors, business owners, and high-income professionals. With more than 16 years of experience, he is a Certified Tax and Business Advisor who helps clients legally reduce their tax exposure while improving capital efficiency. Chris founded the firm to address the limitations of traditional, reactive tax planning. One Atlanta Tax Solutions focuses on proactive strategies, including leveraged charitable structures, alternative investments, and advanced tax mitigation frameworks that preserve and reposition client capital. He works closely with a national network of CPAs, financial advisors, and strategic partners to identify and execute high-impact opportunities. Chris remains actively involved in client strategy, partner development, and firm growth. Connect With Chris: Website: https://www.oneatlantataxsolutions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmiller33367/

Episode 1331: The Low-Stress Revenue Stream for Business Owners

0 views · October 26th, 2026

What if you could generate more cash flow from the market without staring at charts all day or taking unnecessary risks? In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Troy Broussard, CEO and Founder of Low Stress Trading, who shares how entrepreneurship, health scares, crypto losses, and high-stress trading led him to develop a simpler, more disciplined approach to options trading. He explains that his framework uses covered calls and cash-secured puts within a repeatable, mathematically based system designed to generate cash flow without the demands of day trading. Troy also discusses why patience and discipline are more important than prior trading experience, and he shares examples of students who have used the framework to pursue greater financial independence. Key Takeaways: → More aggressive trading isn't necessarily better because day trading and other high-intensity strategies can create unnecessary stress and risk. → Simplicity is a core objective, with the goal of creating an approach that does not require spending all day watching the market. → A successful strategy should be predictable, repeatable, and mathematically grounded, giving people a framework beyond intuition. → Patience is essential when trades don't immediately deliver the desired results, especially during periods of market volatility or pullbacks. → The ultimate goal is financial freedom, and the strategy is designed to help people generate additional cash flow and greater financial independence. With a background in electrical and nuclear engineering from his time in the U.S. Navy, Troy Broussard has spent the past two decades building a career as a parallel entrepreneur. He’s founded multiple companies in software development, SEO, marketing automation, and business coaching, and still actively runs 5 of them. He’s also authored more than 45 privately published books. Today, Troy is best known as the CEO & Founder of Low Stress Trading, which has taught thousands of students a simple, repeatable framework for generating weekly premium from options trading in just an hour or two each week. Connect With Troy: Website: https://troybroussard.com/

Episode 53: Retirement Tax Strategies: How to Keep More of Your Money

0 views · October 22nd, 2026

Mike Milligan is the founder of OneOak Financial, an author, financial strategist, and entrepreneur who has built an Inc. 5000 company with a 30-plus-person team serving clients across the United States. His approach to financial planning emphasizes tax strategy alongside investments and retirement planning. In this episode, Mike shares how his early experiences with money shaped his career, why taxes can be one of the biggest expenses in retirement, and how better planning can help individuals and business owners keep more of what they earn. He also explores advisor fees, Roth conversions, required minimum distributions, business growth, and the importance of having a financial plan clients can actually understand. Key Takeaways: ● Make Tax Strategy Part of Retirement Planning: Proactive tax planning can help retirees and business owners identify opportunities to reduce their long-term tax burden. ● Look Beyond Investment Returns: A comprehensive financial plan should address taxes, retirement goals, cash flow, and other financial decisions—not just portfolio performance. ● Understand What You’re Paying For: Knowing how financial firms and advisors earn money can help investors better evaluate the fees and value of the services they receive. ● Turn Your Financial Plan Into a Roadmap: A clearly documented plan can make financial decisions easier to understand and help clients become more informed about their own finances. ● Growth Creates New Business Challenges: As a company expands, overcoming obscurity and maintaining the founder’s original vision become increasingly important leadership priorities. Connect with Mike: Website: www.mikemilligan.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mikemilligancfp Book: www.amazon.com/author/oneofakind

Episode 271: The Financial Blind Spots Holding You Back

1 views · October 21st, 2026

Making more money doesn't automatically create wealth. The real difference comes from knowing how to keep it, plan for it, and use it to build the future you actually want. In this episode of the Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, Seth Greene interviews Rebecca Irey, Founder of Blue Skye Financial and Certified Financial Fiduciary®, who shares how her personal experiences with financial uncertainty shaped her mission to help women and families become more confident and informed about money. She explains why financial planning should be based on real-life circumstances rather than ideal scenarios, how proactive tax planning can change future outcomes, and why retirement planning should address potential tax increases well before required minimum distributions begin. Rebecca also discusses building a virtual family office by coordinating financial, tax, and legal professionals and emphasizes the importance of trusting yourself to take an active role in your financial future. Key Takeaways: → Financial planning should focus on the person and their goals rather than the amount of money in their account. → Building a strong financial foundation requires planning beyond simply paying off debt and maintaining an emergency fund. → Financial blind spots can include assuming there will always be more time to address important financial decisions. → Women can benefit from becoming more confident and actively involved in managing their financial futures. → Earning more money does not necessarily create wealth if spending continues to rise with income. Rebecca Irey is the founder of Blue Skye Financial and a Certified Financial Fiduciary® dedicated to empowering women to make smarter, more intentional decisions about their money. She specializes in retirement and life design, tax-efficient wealth strategies, and helping women and families move from financial uncertainty to confidence and action. Connect With Rebecca: Website: https://blueskyefinancial.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueskyefinancial/ X: https://x.com/blueskyewealth

Episode 1330: What Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Know

0 views · October 21st, 2026

After an accident, one wrong move can weaken your case, cost you money, and make an already difficult situation even worse. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Brent Stewart, Lawyer at Stewart Law Offices, who explains why injured individuals should seek legal advice early, the risks of giving an insurance company a statement before speaking with an attorney, and how lawyers assess the broader financial and personal impact of an injury. Brent also discusses the importance of investigation, documentation, client relationships, and maintaining a family-oriented culture while growing a multi-office law firm. Key Takeaways: → Injuries can have financial consequences that extend far beyond the immediate medical bills. → Seeking legal advice early can help injured people avoid mistakes that may weaken their recovery. → The value of an injury case involves more than medical bills and can include lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life, and other damages. → Injured people have the burden of proving their injury and may need to participate actively in the legal process. → Thorough investigation can uncover evidence that significantly alters how an accident and injury are understood. Thirty-one years ago, Brent Stewart built Stewart Law Offices on a single conviction: when someone's life is turned upside down by injury or loss, they deserve an attorney who treats them like family. Over the past three decades, Brent has grown Stewart Law Offices into a thriving practice with a team of ten dedicated attorneys and seven office locations — each attorney committed to the same standard of care Brent built the firm on. And yet, Brent still shares his personal number. To him, every client deserves to know that if they ever need to hear directly from the man who built this firm, that door is always open. Connect With Brent: Website: https://www.stewartlawoffices.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StewartLawOffices Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stewartlawoffices/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stewart-law-offices-llc/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-stewart-7341b910/ X: https://x.com/StewartLawLLC TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stewart_law_offices YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsXVgzn84taqmH0F3vJ5Eg

Episode 1329: Legal Mistakes Business Owners Make

0 views · October 19th, 2026

One flawed assumption in a high-stakes deal can turn an exciting opportunity into an expensive legal problem. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Joe Prencipe, Managing Partner of Prencipe International, who discusses the legal risks business owners face when buying, selling, and scaling companies. Joe explains why due diligence, buyer vetting, strong contracts, experienced legal counsel, and careful negotiation are critical when significant money is at stake. He also explains how litigation often hinges on leverage and psychology, and why entrepreneurs need to rethink legal protection as their businesses grow. Key Takeaways: → High-stakes transactions require more scrutiny than routine business decisions. → Buyers can get into serious trouble when excitement replaces proper due diligence. → Sellers should thoroughly vet a buyer’s finances and ability to close. → Requesting proof of funds and financial information is a normal part of protecting a deal. → Litigation often involves leverage, psychology, and an understanding of the other side’s weaknesses. Joe Prencipe is a top-ranked international attorney with 19 years of experience and the Managing Partner at Prencipe International. He began his career in Tokyo at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and later practiced at Baker McKenzie LLP. He has also worked with the U.S. S.E.C. Division of Enforcement and the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, and has served as legal counsel at Virgin Hyperloop One. Joe has built and sold two technology businesses and currently owns multiple businesses, including Westport Winery. He advises business owners and high-net-worth individuals on major transactions, litigation, M&A, and strategic legal matters. Connect With Joe: Website: https://prencipe.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeprencipe/

Bonus: High-Net-Worth Estate Planning: What Advisors Need to Know

0 views · October 15th, 2026

Estate planning is about more than documents—it’s about making sure your assets, advisors, and intentions actually work together. Chris Carns is a board-certified estate planning and probate attorney and partner at Hessie, Blythe & Carns in Plano, Texas, with roughly 15 years of experience serving families, business owners, and high-net-worth clients. In this episode, Chris breaks down common estate planning mistakes, planning considerations for blended families and business owners, and why coordination among attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors becomes increasingly important as wealth grows. Key Takeaways: ● Coordinate the Plan and the Assets: Estate planning documents alone aren’t enough; account ownership, beneficiary designations, insurance, IRAs, and other assets need to align with the overall plan. ● Planning Is an Ongoing Process: Changes in family relationships, assets, businesses, and laws can make an outdated estate plan less effective. ● Prepare for Complex Family Dynamics: Blended families, remarriage, children, and grandchildren can require carefully designed trusts and distribution strategies. ● Build a Collaborative Advisory Team: Attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors can better serve high-net-worth families when recommendations are coordinated rather than made in isolation. ● Plan for the Business Before the Exit: Business owners can benefit from addressing succession, legal documents, deal structure, and tax considerations well before signing a letter of intent or selling the company. Connect with Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-carns-b0aab22a With your Guest Host Dana Gibson: Dana Gibson is a Retirement Diagnostician and Certified Financial Fiduciary known as The Roth Doctor™. His approach was shaped by a life-changing 1995 assault and subsequent financial devastation, which taught him how quickly health, wealth, and financial security can change. Today, Dana helps pre-retirees identify hidden risks involving taxes, RMDs, Social Security, retirement income, longevity, and wealth preservation. He also developed the Self-Completing Roth Conversion Strategy to help families reduce lifetime retirement taxes. Dana’s philosophy is simple: every retirement deserves a thorough diagnosis before a financial prescription. Website: https://taxmitigation.net/tax-readiness-score.html

Episode 270: How Behavioral Insights Can Transform Client Relationships

0 views · October 14th, 2026

What if financial advisors could understand how a prospect thinks, makes decisions, and responds to money before the first meeting even begins? In this episode of the Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, Seth Greene interviews Hugh Massie, Founder of DNA Behavior International, who explains how behavioral insights can help financial advisors understand clients beyond their assets and financial circumstances. He shares how psychometric assessments and AI-powered digital scans can uncover decision-making tendencies, communication preferences, and money behaviors that advisors can use to personalize client interactions and improve prospect conversion. Hugh also discusses using behavioral data to match prospects with the right advisor, create warmer first meetings, and build more personalized long-term client relationships. Key Takeaways: → Understanding a client’s behavior and relationship with money can help advisors create a more personalized experience. → DNA Behavior’s assessment uses behavioral data to identify tendencies such as saving habits, emotional responses under pressure, mental accounting, and decision biases. → AI-powered digital scans can create behavioral profiles from publicly available information before a prospect meets with an advisor. → Advisors can use behavioral profiles to better understand their own decision-making styles and how they work with clients. → Behavioral insights can help advisory teams bring complementary perspectives into client meetings rather than relying on a single advisor’s communication style. A Titan 100 CEO, Behavioral Solutions Architect, and Behavioral Economics Pioneer, Hugh helps leaders build people-centric businesses by using behavioral data, AI-driven technology, and personalized insights to improve decision-making, culture, performance, and financial behavior. Connect With Hugh: Website: https://www.hughmassie.com/ https://dnabehavior.com/ https://www.godna.ai/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dnabehavior/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughmassie/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DNABehavior https://www.youtube.com/@BehavioralEconomicsToday

Episode 1328: The Difference Between Command and Leadership

0 views · October 14th, 2026

The best leaders do more than give direction. They build the trust, clarity, and commitment that inspire people to succeed together. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Robert W. Mixon, Jr., owner of Level Five Associates Inc. and a Major General, USA (retired), who shares leadership lessons from more than three decades in the U.S. Army and from his transition into corporate leadership and consulting. He explains why authentic leadership requires vulnerability, listening, adaptability, and a culture of commitment rather than mere compliance. General Mixon also explores decision-making under uncertainty, tactical patience, organizational change, and the principles leaders can use to guide teams through increasingly complex environments. Key Takeaways: → Authenticity and vulnerability can distinguish exceptional leaders from purely transactional leaders. → Effective leaders listen to understand rather than simply waiting for a chance to respond. → A culture of commitment is more powerful than a culture of compliance. → Leaders need to regularly ask meaningful questions and assess organizational culture. → Becoming too attached to a plan can prevent leaders from recognizing changing conditions and from listening to valuable advice from their teams. At the time of his retirement from the Army in 2007, Major General (Ret) Robert W. Mixon, Jr., was Commanding General, Division West, First Army, and Fort Carson, Colorado, having previously commanded the 7th Infantry Division. Throughout his more than 30 years of active service, he commanded armor and cavalry units at every level, including platoon, company, battalion, and brigade. Robert also held critical staff positions, including serving as deputy executive assistant to General Colin Powell, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Before assuming command of the 7th Infantry Division, he led the Army’s Task Force Modularity, an integrated team of highly skilled military and civilian experts charged with changing the Army’s force design while at war. After retiring, Robert joined Magnatag Visible Systems in Macedon, New York, as President. In 2009, he became Executive Vice President of CDS Monarch, a 501(c)(3) based in Webster, New York, that provides life and job transition services for over 1500 people with developmental disabilities. He also helped found the Warrior Salute Program for Veterans with PTSD and TBI. He and his wife moved to Melbourne, Florida, in 2020. Robert, co-author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Cows in the Living Room: Developing an Effective Strategic Plan and Sustaining It (2014) and author of the Amazon Best New Release We’re All In: The Journey to a World-Class Culture (2017), is an active blogger who publishes bi-weekly videos and blog posts. He has taught leadership in executive education programs at the Olin Business School of Washington University at St. Louis and the Cox Business School at Southern Methodist University. For five consecutive years, he has been selected for the Teaching Excellence Award at SMU. In December 2023, he published his latest book: The Power of Being All In: Why Today’s Transformative Times Demand Transformational Leadership. It immediately became an Amazon #1 Bestseller in 5 leadership categories. Connect With Robert: Website: https://robertmixon.substack.com https://www.levelfiveassociates.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LevelFiveAssociates LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/level-five-associates/ X: https://x.com/levelfiveassoc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClp-MK0vsoRaI0yvMdZTs1A

Episode 1327: Turn Your Story Into Something That Matters

0 views · October 12th, 2026

What if feeling stuck isn't a sign that you have no options, but a sign that you need to reconnect with who you are and what you do best? In this episode of SharkPreneur, Seth Greene interviews Ashley Stahl, CEO of Wise Whisper Agency, who shares how her career evolved from counterterrorism and national security to speaking, entrepreneurship, and helping other thought leaders turn their ideas into influential talks and personal brands. She explains how to identify your zone of genius, distinguish between pushing through and making a career U-turn, and uncover the original thinking that makes your message stand out. Ashley also explores how speakers can move beyond telling inspirational stories to create actionable, transformational content that builds authority, generates opportunities, and makes a lasting impact. Key Takeaways: → Career decisions should be guided by your strongest skills and natural gifts, not simply by the subjects or activities you enjoy. → Spending roughly 70% of your time in your zone of genius and 30% stretching into new areas can create a balance between contribution and growth. → A career does not always have to provide a sense of purpose, but it should give you a meaningful way to contribute. → Original thinking does not require inventing an idea nobody has ever heard before; it can come from expressing familiar ideas through your own perspective and experience. → One powerful talk can create opportunities far beyond the stage, including clients, book deals, licensing opportunities, and greater authority. Ashley Stahl runs Wise Whisper, a boutique speaking agency that's helped hundreds of clients craft signature speeches and secure speaking engagements on hundreds of BIG stages worldwide. Ashley is also the international bestselling author of YOU TURN: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, Design Your Dream Career; host of the You Turn Podcast (ranked among the top 100 mental health shows on Apple in the US); and a keynote speaker with a top 100 most-viewed TEDx talk on YouTube. With a Master’s degree from King’s College London’s Department of War Studies and a Master’s in Psychology from the University of Santa Monica, Ashley began her career in counterterrorism and learned speechwriting while working for the government. Connect With Ashley: Website: https://wisewhisperagency.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleystahlcoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleystahl/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleystahl/ X: https://x.com/ashleystahl

Bonus: From Actor to CPA: Smarter Financial Decisions for Business Owners

0 views · October 8th, 2026

Joshua Kreitzman, CPA and owner of Kreitzman & Company, brings more than 20 years of experience spanning financial management, nonprofit leadership, entertainment production, and business advisory work. His firm serves hundreds of businesses and individuals, with particular experience working with contractors, construction companies, and family-owned businesses. In this episode, Joshua joins guest host Peter Florio to discuss his unconventional journey from theater to accounting and how skills like active listening, communication, and collaboration shape his approach to advising business owners. They also explore the changing accounting profession, the impact of AI and virtual work, and why strong professional relationships go far beyond preparing tax returns. Key Takeaways: ● Listening Is a Business Skill: Joshua explains how his theater background taught him to listen closely, understand what clients really need, and communicate financial information more effectively. ● Keep Financial Decisions Simple: Breaking complex financial concepts into understandable terms helps business owners make more informed decisions and avoid unnecessary confusion. ● Collaboration Creates Better Outcomes: Accountants, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and other specialists can provide greater value when they work together around the client. ● Technology Is Changing Accounting: Virtual meetings, cloud-based tools, and AI are helping smaller accounting firms become more efficient and access sophisticated research capabilities. ● Great Advisors Go Beyond Transactions: Building trust, understanding a client's goals, and supporting long-term growth can turn an accountant into a true business advisor. Connect with Josh: Website: www.kreitzmancpas.com With Guest Host Peter Florio: Peter F. Florio, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CExP, CLTC is a well-respected financial educator, author, speaker and wealth, tax and financial planner. For nearly 40 years, his advice and expertise have been sought out by high net worth individuals and small business owners to manage their wealth and protect their families and businesses from life’s unforeseen pratfalls. Peter regularly shares his knowledge of innovative ideas and concepts with CPA’s and attorneys. He serves the needs of over 500 clients located throughout the country with a concentration in the Long Island/New York City area. Peter is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Florio Wealth Management Group, a financial planning and wealth management firm located in Westbury, NY. He is a lifelong resident of Baldwin, New York, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Baldwin and an active supporter of the Long Island Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Website: https://www.floriowmg.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/florio-wealth-management-group/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/floriowmg Calendly: https://calendly.com/floriowmg