Join us for an insightful conversation with Tom Gordon, the visionary founder and CEO of Slim Chickens, as he reveals the secrets behind transforming a single restaurant into a booming empire of nearly 290 locations. Discover how Tom's commitment to quality and variety has allowed Slim Chickens to stand out in the bustling fast-food industry. You'll learn how maintaining a strong connection with customers and fostering a dedicated team culture are at the heart of his business strategy. Tom share...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 59
Remember the thrill of cruising in a souped-up 2010 Mustang or the nostalgia of a black Corvette? Join us for a journey through the exhilarating world of automotive memories and the unexpected perks of aging, like sharper distance vision after cataract surgery. With humor and nostalgia, we're sharing stories of driving adventures and a nod to the gator mccluskey move. We even reflect on our passion for car-related content, blending the joy of the past with the unpredictability of entrepreneurial...
Oct 09, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 58
When the roar of an engine echoes the thrum of ambition, you know you're in for an enthralling story. Nick Kilgore, alongside brother Chris, took his childhood knack for flipping cars and parlayed it into the bustling hub of Market Auto. At just 23, Nick reflects on the echoes of his grandfather's entrepreneurial spirit, revealing how passion and tenacity have fueled their journey from humble savings to steering a family legacy on the tarmac of the used car industry. Our conversation takes a tur...
Oct 02, 2024•58 min•Ep. 25
Ever wondered how a journey from a small-town car dealership in Hot Springs, Arkansas, could lead to a thriving career in the competitive world of retail and consumer packaged goods? Join us as we chat with Clay Bell, a seasoned entrepreneur who shares the invaluable lessons he learned from his father's relentless work ethic and his own experiences in sales. Clay's path from aspiring missionary to successful business owner is filled with twists, turns, and a lot of hustle, offering rich insights...
Sep 25, 2024•46 min•Ep. 57
What if building a strong company culture could transform your small business into a thriving community? Join us as we explore this idea with our special guest, JS Bull, my former partner at WhyteSpyder. Together, we share personal stories and actionable insights from our journey to intentionally cultivate a positive and cohesive work environment. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of how we built a vibrant company culture, from personally interviewing every candidate to ensuring value alignment and...
Sep 18, 2024•59 min•Ep. 56
Can you imagine transforming your team into a high-performance powerhouse? Join us as we uncover the secrets of building winning teams with insights from history and personal experiences. Our sharp-looking co-host, Eric Howerton, walks us through the evolution of entrepreneurship, from its roots in 1776 to its modern-day implications, setting the stage for a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial identity and its critical role in business growth. Discover why hiring friends and family might be ...
Sep 11, 2024•59 min•Ep. 55
Ever thought a urinal in your home could be a game changer? We kick off this episode of Big Talk About Small Business with some hilarious personal anecdotes about aging and unique home features that will leave you laughing out loud. But we quickly switch gears to tackle a serious and highly relevant topic for all small business owners: the strategic use of debt. Discover why debt isn't the villain it's often made out to be and how it can serve as a powerful driver of business growth. Learn how t...
Sep 04, 2024•59 min•Ep. 54
Curious about how to thrive in a mature market? Join us as we sit down with Matt Lewis, the fourth-generation owner-manager of Lewis Automotive Group, who shares his secrets for business differentiation and success in a competitive industry. From prioritizing employee well-being to ensuring exceptional customer service, Matt reveals how a positive work environment can lead to long-term customer loyalty and business success. Discover how he manages to maintain a remarkably low turnover rate in an...
Aug 28, 2024•55 min•Ep. 53
What if we told you that the constant stress and unpredictability of running a small business could be managed with real, actionable advice from those who've been through it? Learn how to tackle the most daunting tasks first and see why expensive success formulas are often just myths. We debunk the illusion that other businesses have it all figured out and provide you with the reassurance that there's no one-size-fits-all solution to entrepreneurial challenges. Ever feel like you're a bulldozer,...
Aug 21, 2024•56 min•Ep. 52
Discover the remarkable story of Connie, whose journey from Castle Rock, Colorado, to becoming an entrepreneurial force is nothing short of inspiring. Learn how early experiences working in her family's small businesses and a move to Arkansas set the foundation for a career that saw her rise from a secretary at Tyson Foods to managing major business accounts. Connie shares the pivotal moments that defined her path, the challenges she overcame, and the lessons learned that continue to drive her s...
Aug 14, 2024•59 min•Ep. 51
What if your career took you from banking to HVAC contracting to the music industry and then into the world of shopper marketing? Join us for an exciting episode of "Big Talk About Small Business" as we welcome Matt Woolley, the founder and CEO of DesignSteins. Matt shares the fascinating story behind his company's name, the hurdles they overcame in their early days, and their innovative approach to services like branding, packaging design, and dot-com content creation. Get a front-row seat to h...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 50
Can you imagine turning a childhood hobby into a thriving business empire? Join us in this captivating episode as we chat with Michael Lebhar, a top seller on Walmart, who started his entrepreneurial journey with simple lawn mowing and car washing gigs. Michael’s story is a testament to how early ventures in high school selling fitness products on eBay and Amazon can lead to dominating less competitive marketplaces like Walmart. Discover the strategic nuances and market insights that propelled M...
Jul 31, 2024•55 min•Ep. 49
Ever wondered why your business hits a slump every summer or spikes erratically around the holidays? Discover how to master the ebb and flow of seasonal cycles to keep your operations running smoothly year-round. We share firsthand experiences and actionable strategies to help you navigate these predictable yet challenging periods, ensuring your business remains resilient and thriving. From the impact of travel schedules on productivity to the surge in activity post-New Year, we'll arm you with ...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 48
Embark on an entrepreneurial odyssey with us as Josh Saffran, a trailblazer in franchise ownership, reveals the alchemy of fusing visionary leadership with grounded, actionable steps. Recalling the electric launch of The Gents Place, we weave tales of community support and the impetus behind the brand's inception. Through candid banter, Josh and Eric unpack the importance of networking—especially for young go-getters—and the art of encircling oneself with a team that brings visionary ideas to li...
Jul 17, 2024•58 min•Ep. 32
Ever wondered how to craft a brand that sticks in the minds of your niche audience? Strap in and join Eric Howerton and Mark Zweig as have their first show in our newly minted podcast video studio, a tech wonderland designed to pump life into your content creation dreams. From the simplicity of solo pods to the robust offerings of branding and analytics, they will reveal the secrets to making your brand unforgettable and your content king. Toss out the old playbook because when it comes to hirin...
Jul 10, 2024•52 min•Ep. 31
Curious about how a chance meeting at a party can turn into a thriving business and life partnership? Join us as we sit down with Jodie Spears and Glenn Buercklin, the creators of the Couples Inc Podcast and founders of Living Pink. Jodie shares her deeply personal journey through breast cancer and how it inspired the birth of their marketing consulting firm. With stories from her early days in AM radio to the heartfelt moments that shaped their path, this episode is a blend of humor, resilience...
Jul 03, 2024•55 min•Ep. 47
What if your unique skill set could align perfectly with a transformative project? Join Eric and Mark as Tanner Bassett, a serial entrepreneur with a background in landscape architecture, shares his compelling journey from design firms to becoming an integral part of a significant wetland construction project for Northwest Health in Bentonville. Tanner’s story reveals how his landscape architecture degree, hospital campus master planning thesis, and coursework in wetland construction made him un...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 46
Curious about the secret sauce behind effective project management and team alignment? Join us for an enlightening conversation with JS, an industry veteran who has revolutionized workflows at multiple companies. Discover how JS tackled his new role by systematically organizing and prioritizing numerous development projects, transforming chaos into streamlined success. Hear his firsthand account of turning a wall of post-it notes into a robust roadmap that not only delivered results but also boo...
Jun 19, 2024•7 min
Ever wondered how a thriving chemical engineering student ends up becoming a leadership guru? In our latest episode of "Big Talk About Small Business," we bring you the fascinating career journey of Chuck Hyde. From his early days in the petrochemical industry to his critical roles at Kimberly Clark and ultimately finding his calling as a management consultant, Chuck shares invaluable lessons and anecdotes that shaped his path. Listen to our candid conversation about his transition into leadersh...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 45
Discover the heartwarming journey of Sy Kirby and the legacy behind his earthwork company, Sy-Con. We promise you'll walk away with practical insights on overcoming industry resistance to technological change and building a forward-thinking team. Join us as Sy shares how embracing innovation like GPS technology has given his company a competitive edge in the construction industry, addressing generational shifts and evolving business dynamics. We tackle one of the most critical aspects of constru...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 44
Want to turn a high school side hustle into a six-figure business? Join us on "Big Talk About Small Business" as we chat with Jacob Rhea, a recent college graduate who’s projecting $150,000 to $200,000 in profit from his online reselling empire. Jacob reveals his disciplined approach to financial management, including savvy strategies like reinvesting profits into the stock market and setting up a solo 401k. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone looking to make serious money th...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 43
Welcome to a new series here on Big Talk About Small Business : the Quick Talk Special . In this special series, we aim to bring you bite-sized segments from some of our most impactful past episodes. Our goal is to highlight the incredible stories, valuable insights, and key lessons that our show has featured, all in a more condensed and accessible format. Whether you're a busy entrepreneur on the go or someone looking for quick inspiration, the Quick Talk Special is designed to fit into your sc...
May 22, 2024•6 min
Prepare yourself to be armed with strategies that will propel your business forward as Mark Zweig engages with the incredible Matt Lewis from Lewis Automotive Group in a revelatory conversation about business growth, leadership, and employee incentives. They're cutting through the noise to bring you an episode packed with the essentials of managing a large workforce, fostering an environment that amplifies both employee satisfaction and customer experience, and the undeniable impact of being pre...
May 15, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 42
Get ready to unlock the core of business longevity as the guys reveal the secret ingredient that's even more crucial than intelligence or capital—discipline. Hosts Mark Zweig and Eric Howerton dissect how discipline fuels success and why an abundance of funding can sometimes be a business's downfall. Prepare yourself for a compelling ride through the landscape of consistent, daily action, as they underscore that the real battle for business triumph is won through the tenacity of sticking to your...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 41
Embark on a journey with Ryan Markewich, the entrepreneurial wizard behind Creative Roots, as he lays out the map for business success through transparency and employee empowerment. With the spirit of the Great Game of Business at our conversation's core, Ryan's story unfolds from the seeds of a modest lawn care service to a thriving landscape of ownership and engagement. As we traverse the landscapes of business growth and personal development, listeners will discover the fertile ground where m...
May 01, 2024•59 min•Ep. 40
Ever chuckled at the sight of a newbie maneuvering a big truck? That's exactly how our latest episode rolls out before we veer into the rich tapestry of magazine publishing with Fayetteville City Lifestyle's own Gavin Magee. His passion for the printed page in our swipe-right digital era not only rekindles a love for tangible media but also proves that ink and paper still hold a special place in our community hearts. Together, we peel back the glossy cover to reveal the heartbeat of Fayetteville...
Apr 24, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 39
Have you ever wondered what magic lies behind the creation of a home that mirrors your life's story? Becky Charton from Table Setters Inc. joins us to pull back the curtains on the intimate process of interior design, where personal connections are the heart and soul of crafting spaces that resonate deeply with clients. She shares the charming origins of her company's name and the profound influence her mentor's wisdom has had on her approach to design and business relationships. Stepping into t...
Apr 17, 2024•54 min•Ep. 38
Embark on a voyage through the peaks and valleys of real estate development with Paul Esterer, whose journey from a banker to a real estate virtuoso unveils the essence of ambition and creativity. Paul's narrative, infused with wit and wisdom from a lifetime of diverse experiences, provides a treasure map for the entrepreneurial spirit. His reflections on embracing challenges and fostering community connections offer invaluable guidance for navigating the competitive terrain of real estate. This...
Apr 10, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 37
Mark Zweig, Eric Howerton, and their wives, Tara Howerton and Sonya Zweig, shed light on the intricacies of balancing entrepreneurship with family life. Tara, with her structured background in the military and medical field, presents a stark contrast to Eric's entrepreneurial path, underscoring the diverse career backgrounds and how they influence family dynamics. Similarly, Sonya’s varied work experience, which includes manual labor and professional roles, mirrors the fluid nature of entreprene...
Apr 03, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 9
Ever felt like you're braving the entrepreneurial storm solo? This week, we shatter the 'solopreneur' myth and revel in the symphony of our collective journey. Join us as we dissect the mirage of going it alone, and instead celebrate the harmonious chorus of building businesses that resonate value beyond our individual tunes. With warmth and wit, we tackle the beasts of procrastination and the siren songs of social media advice, guiding you through the entrepreneurial seas with the steady hand o...
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 36
