Anything But Typical
Business & Finance
About
Gary Frey & Ben McDonald host round table conversations discussing entrepreneurship, leadership, and success on your own terms.
Episodes
- 168: Embracing Authenticity, Branding, and Referrals with Stacey Brown Randall
Stacey Brown Randall shares her entrepreneurial journey, focusing on authenticity, intentional branding, and referral strategies. The episode covers building relationships, protecting intellectual property in the age of AI, and redefining…
- 167: Building a Business Rooted in Love, Not Profit with Stephen Phelan
Stephen Phelan joins Anything But Typical to discuss his vision for businesses built on love and purpose, not solely profit. He shares insights from Movement Mortgage, emphasizing how meeting human needs, fostering belonging, and integrati…
- 166: Leadership, Humility & the Journey from Farm Fields to Global Business with Jamie Ledford
Jamie Ledford, President of Golf Pride, shares his journey from rural beginnings to leading a global company. The episode covers leadership, humility, and the significance of unexpected opportunities and people in achieving success.
- 165: From Navy SEAL to CEO with Tim CruickShank
In episode 165 of Anything But Typical, retired Navy SEAL Tim Cruickshank shares insights on leadership, discipline, and entrepreneurship, drawing parallels between SEAL training and building his company, Bone Frog Coffee. The conversation…
- 164: The Power of Relationships in Business and Life with Ashley Tison
In episode 164, Ashley Tison shares how the question, "If I were given six months to live, what would be my regrets?" helps entrepreneurs reframe priorities. The discussion covers the hidden costs of chasing success and the realization tha…
- 163: Doing Business the Right Way with Joe III, Joe IV, & Ben Cherry
“It’s not about us.” – Joe Cherry IV Long before Cherry & Associates was a three-man team, it was a father at 39, staring down the risk of starting over. New city. Commission-only real estate sales. Kids who could sense that the math at th…
- 162: Behavioral Performance In Business with Cathy Maday
“I’ve been poor before. That doesn’t bother me.” – Cathy Maday Cathy didn’t grow up around startup jargon or leadership books. She grew up on the Bad River Indian Reservation in northern Wisconsin. Work wasn’t a phase. It was how you made…
- 161: Breaking Out of Sleepwalking At Work To Succeed On Your Own with Lauren Goodell
“I closed the biggest deal of my life playing Candy Crush on my phone over Zoom… I could do this in my sleep at this point.” — Lauren Goodell One moment, Lauren Goodell was operating at the highest level — thriving in corporate tech, leadi…
- 160: How a $5 Gift Card Led to Starting His Own Business with George El-Hage
“I’d like people to say this guy lived life with no regrets.” – George El-Hage There are moments in life when something small reveals something big. For George, it was a note on his desk praising his performance… along with a $5 Tim Horton…
- 159: When Your Passion Project Becomes More Successful Than Most Small Businesses with Daniel Hearl
“It’s the fleeting moments of bliss — being connected to your family in a real, meaningful way.” – Daniel Hearl Dan has a big job. Really big. He leads a 300+ person sales organization inside a Fortune 100 company. It’s not what he talks a…
- 158: The Journey From Never Walking Again to Running a Half Marathon with Dean Otto
“Belief isn’t a feeling — it’s a decision.” – Dean Otto One moment, Dean Otto was living life on his terms — an avid cyclist, athlete, & high-achieving leader. And then, everything changed. On what should have been a routine morning bike r…
- 157: Solving The Ugly Problems Nobody Wants with Kenneth Lopez
“I like to solve problems, & I never give up.” – Martin Kenneth Lopez Most founders talk tough. Kenneth grew up in a place that required it. Lima, Peru — beautiful on the surface, unforgiving underneath. Corruption. Precarity. An environme…
- 156: Getting Past Safety to Solve Early Tech Adoption with Jim Marascio
“I think if I’m gonna be remembered some way, it’s for the way I’ve served & helped others.” – Jim Marascio Seven-year-old Jim dreamed big — Notre Dame quarterback, Heisman, NFL Hall of Fame. But he grew up in Augusta, ME, where you chose…
- 155: Helping CEOs Move Beyond Hurdles to Scale with Shay Prosser
“Entrepreneurship is scary as well as compelling in a weird way.” – Shay Prosser That’s the quiet admission of someone who’s lived the tension of building something that matters—between fear & purpose, risk & reward—and kept moving anyway.…
- 154: How Japanese Philosophical Values Have Led To A Life Of Purpose with Mark Fujiwara
“I don’t give advice to my kids. I lead by example.” – Mark Fujiwara Mark’s compass isn’t a slogan on a wall—it’s lived. Born to a Japanese father and Chinese mother, he grew up between two worlds that both valued humility, presence, & com…
- 153: Nonprofit Leadership, Foster Care, and Creating Impact with Susanna Kavanaugh
“I don’t take no for an answer, & I’m kind of a warrior for kids in foster care.” – Susanna Kavanaugh That line doesn’t come from a podium. It comes from a mom who’s loved, lost, & chosen to love again. At 18, Susanna placed a child for ad…
- 152: Early Adoption of New Technologies with Rob Norris
“You have an opportunity to take your natural skills and put ’em in a place that they aren’t naturally found.” – Rob Norris That’s not advice. That’s a dare. Because it’s easy to keep your talents where they stack neatly, to stay in the ai…
- 151: Former KGB Spy Jack Barsky Returns For Part 2
“I am staying.” – Jack Barsky Three words on a dirt road. Three words that ended one life & cemented another. Three words that turned a mission into a calling. Because by the time Moscow ordered this KGB agent home, Jack wasn’t just a spy…
- 150: Lessons From KGB Spy Jack Barsky
“I became an American & said goodbye to them [the KGB].” – Jack Barsky Sounds like the opening line of a spy thriller. Except this one’s real. For a decade, Jack lived undercover in the U.S. as a KGB agent. His mission wasn’t excitement. N…
- 149: Changing Course to Find Your True Calling with Ryan Monk
"I thought my calling was to be a Catholic priest." – Ryan Monk It wasn’t a whim. Ryan devoted years — undergrad, master’s, a year of theology in seminary — to answering what he believed was his life’s purpose. But somewhere along the way,…
- 148: Using Data and AI In Business with Andrew James
“That’d be impossible… unless?” – Andrew James How do you respond when life throws a punch? If you’re like most people, when you hit a wall, you just push harder—longer hours, more stress, hoping brute force will somehow get you through. I…
- 147: Growing, Running, And Selling On Your Terms with Ron Weatherly
“It’s me just wanting freedom… freedom to make my own choices & live life on my terms.” - Ron Weatherly Ron didn’t start his waterproofing company, Dry Pro Foundation and Crawlspace Specialists , with a business plan, angel investors, or e…
- 146: Serving Your Way To Success with David Amigo
"I’m not in charge… & it’s a really nice feeling.” – David Amigo Most entrepreneurs chase control. David finds peace in letting go. Because when you’ve been a factory scab at 11, a product manager slinging cookies in your 20s, & a minority…
- 145: How Curiosity Can Lead to Fulfillment with Behdad Jamshidi
"Business… is the best way for me to reach my full potential & see who I can become." – Behdad Jamshidi (Bee) Growing up doing math drills at the kitchen table, Bee didn’t dream. Structure, discipline, grit—that was his operating system. W…
- 144: The Accidental Entrepreneur Journey with Austin Palmer
"Vanilla is a great flavor." – Austin Palmer Austin may have raised some eyebrows as a kid at 31 Flavors, but he’s always known one thing: flashy doesn’t equal better. So, whether he’s picking ice cream or building financial portfolios, hi…
- 143: Peak Performance Strategies From Professional Sports with Carlos Salum
“I take people as a story… I can see their higher self before they can.” – Carlos Salum Carlos grew up under Argentina’s military dictatorship—surrounded by uncertainty, but also by entrepreneurs, poets, and principled people who knew how…
- 142: Building Canada's Largest Snowboarding Brand at 24 with Perry Gladstone
“I want to know what I'm capable of… but I'm not an adrenaline junkie. I just want to know how far I can take it—because I want to know what my greatest potential is.” – Perry Gladstone At 8, Perry was selling comic books at flea markets.…
- 141: Retiring at 27 To Pursue Entrepreneurship
"If I can be good about business, & I can do my business well—but then also care about my people & have that noticed in the marketplace—that’s way more important to me." – Greg Lafferty At 27, Greg seemingly had it all: the pedigree, the p…
- 140: When Kindness Is A Strategy In Business with John Hall
“So, it's not just about your business growth. It's also about … creating value & meaningful relationships.” – John Hall In third grade, John launched a lunch brokerage business. By college, he was building a student housing empire. And to…
- 139: From Soviet Russia to Transforming Lives with Natalia Worthington
“I believe that the more my clients know I care about them, the more I can nudge them toward success.” – Natalia Worthington Natalia wasn’t supposed to be here—literally. As her parents rode a bus to make a life-altering decision, her fath…
- 138: Addiction, Feeling Stuck, And Transforming Your Life with Robbie Shaw
“One sip of alcohol literally leads to prison...there’s nothing in between anymore.” – Robbie Shaw For years, Robbie tried to outmaneuver the consequences of addiction—until the day the truth hit him like a bus. No more negotiating, no mor…
- 137: Breaking The Scarcity Mindset with Dan Flaherty
“If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not doing the job correct.” – Dan Flaherty With a career that has ventured from the disciplined halls of corporate American to unconventional sales & management consulting, Dan’s story comes with a powe…
- 136: Helping Chick-Fil-A, Lowe's, and More Create Brand and Purpose with Jamey Boiter
“People don’t manage people. People lead people.” – Jamey Boiter Growing up, Jamey was blessed by a father that didn’t just raise him. He led him. In doing so, he gave Jamey a blueprint for servant leadership that would shape his entire ca…
- 135: Empowering Employees and ESOPs with Don Baker
"I’m not a greedy guy. I don’t chase money—it follows me." – Donald Baker What does success look like to the average entrepreneur? For most, it’s all about wealth. For Don, it’s about impact. From the beginning, he’s sought to empower his…
- 134: Master Class In Leadership with Jay Woelkers
"Everyone you meet is somebody's hero—even though you don't think they are." – Gerard "Jay" Woelkers Born into a family of 15 children, Jay learned at a young age what it means to serve. At 18, he joined the Navy, starting as an E1—the low…
- 133: No Clients, No Calls, No Problem with Billy Austin
“So, this is a story I like to tell. We're in the office. The phone's not ringing. It's just a regular workday. We're just sitting there, & I said, ‘Well, I'm going to go out and find some work.’” – Billy Austin What happens when an engine…
- 132: Designing The Second Half of Your Life with Lloyd & Linda Reeb
"The essence of an entrepreneur is you can build whatever you want — come up with an idea for goodness' sake & get started!” – Lloyd Reeb At 16, Lloyd did just that – he got started. When he overheard his dad say, "Our kids will never be a…
- 131: Two Cultures Creating Greater Success Together with Klar Ventures
"We just try to do good work & have that lead to the next introduction." – Justin Cunningham What happens when a former investment banker & food allergy app creator joins forces with a corporate operations expert who left Berlin, Germany,…
- 130: From $13 to $400 Million in 4 Years with Charlie Workmon
"I want to build a platform, and my team wants to build a platform that blesses people—not a business empire, but a platform to bless people." – Charlie Workmon When you picture logistics companies, what do you see? Gruff individuals scram…
- 129: Failing Forward with Fabi Preslar
“I’m not sure I ever really wanted to be an entrepreneur.” – Fabi Preslar Ever turned your biggest fear into your proudest achievement? That’s Fabi’s story. Inspired by her father’s ambitious (but unsuccessful) business ventures—from runni…
- 128: Just Get Started with Brian Ondrako
"My life is being a navigator and helping navigate people just get started." – Brian Ondrako Listening to Brian now, it's hard to imagine him as a young child in small-town NY, struggling with feelings of inadequacy & lack of self-belief,…
- 127: Building Community with David & Monica Hickman
“We just really love living life with other people.” – Monica Hickman Rural Tennessee might not seem like the obvious place to birth a business, but that’s just where David & Monica Hickman’s radical love for community – & their eventual b…
- 126: Turning Android Messages Blue with Danny Mizrahi
"I really do want to be known for getting the most out of the people around me and helping them grow."— Danny Mizrahi From New York's breakneck pace to building powerhouse companies, Danny Mizrahi is the ultimate growth champion. Whether l…
- 125: Building Businesses and Community with Titus Bartolotta
“The thing that most excites my soul is creating, establishing, developing, & then making sure it doesn’t die.” – Titus Bartolotta Locals in the Lake Norman area of Charlotte, NC know the name Bartolotta. That’s because Titus & his wife, C…
- 124: Leading A Nonprofit Like A Business with Will Jones
"You have to make decisions to really do the hard things… that's what leadership is." – Will Jones When Will was chosen to lead a well-known Charlotte, NC, philanthropy, he was thrilled. Service to others is woven into the fabric of his li…
- 123: Getting 2 Second Chances At Life with Johan Koornhof
“It’s all about the opportunity to inspire people.” – Johan Koornhof On the surface, Johan has much in common with the executives, business owners, and leaders he serves. He’s smart, successful, & entirely self-made. He owns his own compan…
- 122: Thinking Big After Learning from Tony Robbins and Dale Carnegie with Tamara Bunte
“People don’t think big enough.” – Tamara Bunte Growing up in the Midwest, Tamara assumed she’d follow the same path as everyone else: go to college, get a job, and work until retirement. She was smart, safe, and secure, the very values he…
- 121: Becoming A Playful Human Again with Mike Montague
“Creative nerdery is my personal brand.” – Mike Montague Imagine for a moment you’re an HR rep reviewing resumes. Along comes a successful web designer turned DJ who later became an acclaimed sales expert, podcast host, and author, who lat…
- 120: Ski Resorts and Member Based Communities for Entrepreneurs with Hollis Carter
“I’m just generally curious about a lot of things.” – Hollis Carter Entrepreneurs, inquisitive & risk-tolerant by nature, tend to have diverse backgrounds. Hollis’ is almost dizzying. This master of the side hustle has started more compani…
- 119: How Focusing on Relationships Became the Foundation For Success with Todd Hirschfeld
“I’m a relationship person at my core.” – Todd Hirschfeld Growing up, Todd had a seat at some impressive dinner tables, a perk of being the son of a celebrity attorney. Athletes, movie stars, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali graced his…