Happy Half Hour with an Entrepreneur

In this final episode of our podcast, Brian takes the show on the road in front of a live audience at McGlynns Pub in Greenville, DE. Brian shares his final Happy Half Hour with an Entrepreneur beer with Bob Ashby, Marc Ashby, and Jeremy Hughes, the owners of Ashby Hospitality Group which started out with one restaurant over 35 years ago and has grown to 6 restaurants, a food truck, and over 300 employees. If you only have 10 minutes: 2:29 - Learn about the (mostly) family run business from its start in 1983 to its current legacy 8:00 - The secret to success in the often brutal restaurant industry + the dynamic of entering into a family business as an outsider 12:16 - The process of succession in the Ashby Family following Bob’s retirement 17:45 - Attracting and maintaining talent (spoiler alert: social media plays a role) + the role of the pandemic on the hospitality industry (and subsequently laying off almost 300 people) 24:15 - Acquiring and restoring a landmark in the heart of the University of DE campus 30:00 - Find out what happens when you close a restaurant people love 33:00 - Don’t miss the rapid fire round - community involvement, favorite memories, and the award they’re most proud of! Thanks for joining us gentlemen, it was a great conversation! Cheers! 🍻 And, that’s a wrap! Sending a massive THANK YOU to our listeners (in 47 countries! 😲) and past guests (we loved every single conversation 💙)! Cheers! To watch the full episode, head to our YouTube channel, or listen wherever you get your podcasts! HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Taylor's Grog by Mispillion River Brewing Company - Brian rates it a 4 out of of 5 : https://untappd.com/b/mispillion-river-brewing-company-taylors-grog/1917751

In this episode of Happy Half Hour with an Entrepreneur, Brian has a drink with John Gooden, President and COO of MDavis, Inc. - an industrial construction, fabrication, and maintenance contractor based out of Kennett Square, PA. MDavis is a family-owned business that was started in 1870 and is currently in their fifth generation. Brian and John have an interesting conversation about having a female CEO in a male dominated industry. John explains how they implement their values and work with the clients they like. You’ll also find out how MDavis maintains the loyalty of multi-decade customers. Listen to find out that John means when he says there is endless opportunity right out of high school. If you only have 10 minutes: 2:12 - Learn about MDavis, their strategic plan, and John’s role in the company 7:21 - John’s career path; from the army, through college, starting at Mdavis (then leaving), and returning and working his way from the field into the office. 11:12 - Working for a 5th generation trades business with a female CEO 17:10 - Overseeing operations and handling employees - secrets of success! 20:20 - The “Cool Customers” 24:00 - The effects of the pandemic 26:20 - Team members being recognized for their work 28:00 - The rapid fire round (fitness, community involvement, negotiation skills, job satisfaction) Thanks for coming on the show, John, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! 🍺🥃 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Hazy Cannon by Heavy Seas Beer - Brian rates it a 4 out of of 5 : untappd.com/b/heavy-seas-beer-hazy-cannon/4040628 Manhattan with Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon: www.knobcreek.com/our-products/smo…bourbon-whiskey/ Learn more about John: www.mdavisinc.com/

Episode 68 - Joe Zahn | Wired Up Entertainment

In this episode, Brian enjoys a Freshies Pale Ale by Tonewood Brewing while chatting with Joe Zahn, aka “Mr. Wired Up.” You may have heard of Joe, the owner of Wired Up Entertainment, from one of his viral mashups. You’ll hear the story of how Wired Up went from doing 200 weddings, to being hit with the pandemic, to going viral. Joe shares his incredible story, how he got started, and the steps he took to get to where he is now. He also explains how he grew his online social media presence, which has given him the opportunity to open up for acts like Journey and Flo Rida. If you only have 10 minutes: 1:45 - Learn about Joe’s company (from the beginning to the rebrand in 2015) and the journey that led him there 8:05 - The impact of the pandemic 13:10 - Going viral on TikTok—we’re talking 50k views within 2 hours 18:50 - The less glamorous side of being an influencer: the exhaustion behind churning viral content 21:26 - Funneling content creation into sales 24:30 - Find out the most difficult part of Joe’s entrepreneurship journey 26:15 - How did Joe end up opening for major acts? Spoiler, it’s thanks to the extensive reach of social media. 27:50 - Rapid fire round: staying active, favorite event, least favorite wedding song Thanks for joining us on the show, Joe, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS:Freshies Pale Ale by Tonewood Brewing - Brian rates it a 4 out of 5 Available wherever you get your podcasts! 🎧

In this episode, Brian has a beer with Anthony Raibick, the owner of Your Mosquito Pros in Parsippany, NJ. Listen along while Anthony shares his entrepreneurial journey. You’ll appreciate hearing the touching story of how Anthony came up with the idea for Your Mosquito Pros. It’s clear that family plays an important role in Anthony’s life, and his business. Learn why building a business the right way and delivering the proper customer experience will always open doors and lead to success - but don’t miss the one key factor that you need, as Anthony explains. If you only have 10 minutes: 1:19 - Learn about Anthony’s company and his background 8:00 - Is a career in sales the gateway to entrepreneurship? 11:45 - Was there a singular moment that made Anthony leave his sales job? And what is it actually like to work in a family business? 16:00 - Playing multiple roles in a small business 18:50 - Favorite books and being a lifelong learner 23:00 - The road to success looks different for each generation 28:00 - A product line, a scalable business model, and the importance of an active social media presence 34:00 - Rapid fire round (staying active, waking up early, and sports) Thanks for joining us on the show, Anthony, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Dogfish Head Beer Pilsner Blue Hen - Brian rates it a 4 out of 5 All episodes of our podcast are available on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Don't miss our new podcast episode! In this episode, Brian gets to hear behind-the-screen stories from Emmy Award-winning Camera Operator, Howie Zales. Howie shares his entrepreneurial journey and how it all started with one opportunity - an opportunity that changed the trajectory of his career. Learn how Howie started two companies - HJZ Productions, a nationwide provider of top broadcasting talent and Viridity Entertainment Services, a high-quality live-streaming service. Brian and Howie take a look at how the consumption of media today is changing the world of sports. Howie also discusses his longtime relationship with John Gonzalez. You’ll hear about Howie’s TV Sports Course, and so much more, which explains why Howie is so good at what he does. If you only have 10 minutes: 1:34 - Learn about Howie’s businesses and the background that led him to television sports 6:15 - The pandemic pivot to live-streaming and fully virtual productions with “remote capture kits” 12:00 - How did Howie end up shooting events like the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, Olympics, and Wrestle Mania? 16:00 - Media for a different generation 20:57 - Learn about Howie’s TV Sports Course 26:00 - The lowest point of being an entrepreneur 27:00 - Don’t miss the rapid fire round which covers Howie’s favorite events, pro athletes, and workout routine! Thanks for joining us on the show, Howie, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Mutant X by Oskar Blues Brewery - Brian rates it a 3 out of 5

We're back with a new episode of our podcast! Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or by visiting our website! Cheers! In this episode, Brian chats with Dr. Christopher Paolino, a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon who owns practices in Glen Mills, PA and Wilmington, DE. Listen in while Dr. Paolino shares his interest in oral surgery. He explains the extensive training he went through to become a board-certified specialist. Chris talks about the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur during the pandemic and how to prepare yourself for becoming a successful surgeon. You’ll love Dr. Paolino’s incredible trauma stories from the emergency room. Find out why being an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is America’s best kept secret. If you only have 10 minutes: 2:08 - Learn about Chris’ practice, the most common procedures performed, and the types of patients he sees 6:00 - Chris’ background, education, and training 10:15 - Most disgusting thing Chris has ever seen as a surgeon. (CW: unpredictable trauma, if you’re easily grossed out, you might want to skip this part) 19:00 - Dentistry as a business - do they actually prepare you to be an entrepreneur AND a surgeon in medical school? 26:45 - The future of medicine as a business + effects of government reform 32:40 - The rapid fire round (basketball players, hobbies, and a patient success story) Thanks for joining us on the show, Chris, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Juicy Little Thing IPA by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Brian rates it a 4 out of 5

In this episode, Brian enjoys a seltzer with Eric Starrett, the co-founder of Starrett Design Build—a design-build contracting firm specializing in major renovations and new builds for residential homes. Eric shares the journey of how he and his wife, Rachel, started and grew the business all while raising two children, and how sobriety created a positive change for both of them. Brian and Eric also discuss how analytics plays a key role in their process and how their process separates them from their competition. If you only have 10 minutes: 2:00 - Learn about Starrett Design Build, Eric’s background, and what pushed him to start the company 7:45 - What is what like quitting his job to start his dream business with two very young children at home 10:30 - Running a contracting business with a spouse (who has a background in fashion) 14:05 - Flying in the face of convention in the contracting industry, and respecting transparency, communication, and expectation management 19:15 - The analytical and technological sides of the business 32:00 - The importance of sobriety for both Eric and Rachel 41:00 - Don’t miss the rapid fire round! Thanks for joining us on the show, Eric, it was great chatting with you! Cheers!

In this episode, Brian has a beer with Elorm Ahiamadjie, the CEO and co-founder of Delaware Limo, the highest rated limousine company in Delaware that provides luxury transportation for weddings, events, birthdays, proms, rides to the airport, and corporate transportation. Brian unpacks Elorm’s journey—from starting with one vehicle, to providing transportation for Biden’s inauguration and somehow maintaining a 5 star Google review after over 13K trips. Want to know how he does it, or how he grew 1500 times from 2019 to 2020? Listen today! If you only have 10 minutes: 2:00 - Learn about Delaware Limo and find out what El was doing before he began his career in the transportation industry 5:52 - Surviving a bad business partner and becoming entrepreneurial from a young age 10:45 - From one town car to a fleet of sixteen vehicles and a staff of 21—learn about the company’s growth 20:00 - How DE Limo provides an experience and not “just a ride” and their commitment to maintaining a 5-star experience after 13,000 trips and over 1.5 million miles 25:45 - Providing transportation for President Biden’s inauguration 30:00 - Revenue up by 1500% during a pandemic—how is that possible? 35:45 - Don’t miss the rapid fire round! Thanks for joining us on the show, Elorm, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Dragon's Milk, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout: Brian gave it a 4.5 out of 5

In today's podcast episode, Brian has a beer with tenured Professor at Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture Design - Michael Ermann. Michael is also the founder of Amber Book - a review course to help anyone pass the architecture licensing course. The company has had over 16,000 enrollees and has licensed their materials to over 500 architecture firms. Michael shares his incredible journey - from bootstrapping a business idea while maintaining a full time job, to hiring investment bankers to help sell what he had created. If you only have 10 minutes: 2:00 - Learn about Michael and Amber Book 8:30 - Building the business as a full-time college professor and as a state employee only permitted to work 8 hours/week outside of teaching 12:00 - For the first 7 years, all growth was organic, no paid marketing. Also, the importance of hiring the best employees and leaving them alone to do their job. 17:15 - Michael’s entrepreneurial spirit 23:16 - Preparing for sale and then selling the company 35:00 - The feeling of seeing the money in the bank after settlement 38:45 - Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t give away enough of it—the Michael and his wife decided to donate a bunch of the earnings from the sale of Amber Book. Thanks for joining us on the show, Michael, it was a great episode! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Cape May White brewed by Cape May Brewing Co. - Brian gave it a 2.5 out of 5

In this episode Brian has a beer with Jeannie Stith, founder and CEO of Color Guru. Color Guru is an online service that analyzes people's hair, skin and eye color to provide them with an ideal color palette for their personal wardrobe. Jeannie shares how a life changing experience led her to creating a process that has simplified the lives of people in 26 countries around the world. Listen in on some of Jeannie’s advertising tactics including her affiliate marketing program, retargeting ads and more. Key takeaways: Not everyone looks good in black If you’ve been to Hershey Park, you’ve experienced some of Jeannie’s handiwork as a voice actor If you only have 10 minutes: 1:29 - Learn about Color Guru and how Jeannie got her start 7:45 - The process of offering Color Guru to clients and who she typically works with 18:00 - Jeannie’s role in the history of the company—which went from a one-woman show to a team of 14! 21:00 - What do podcasts and Instagram influencers have to do with Color Guru’s marketing? 25:00 - Growth and growing pains 30:00 - Advice for other young women who want to become entrepreneurs 31:31 - Don’t miss the rapid fire round! Thanks for coming on the show, Jeannie, it was great chatting with you! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Toast-Bob Crunch Pants is an American Blonde Ale style beer brewed by Flying Dog Brewery: Brian gave it a 2 out of 5 Podcast episodes available wherever you get your podcasts, or by visiting our website: happy-half-hour.com

In this episode, Brian has shares a transatlantic beer with Stefan Debois, CEO and founder of Pointerpro, based out of Belgium. Pointerpro is an assessment software platform that helps professional service companies automate their advisory process. Stefan shares how it actually started from creating a quiz app for his daughter’s birthday, back when the iPad was first introduced. Key takeaways: Stefan’s consulting background helps him as a business owner Learn how Stefan grew his business to $3 million of recurring revenue If you only have 10 minutes: 2:08 - What does Pointerpro do and how did the idea originate? (Spoiler, it had to with a birthday quiz for his daughter) 6:30 - What types of firms work with Pointerpro? 11:20 - Learn how Stefan’s background in consulting helped him as an entrepreneur 16:26 - Are there ever too many questions in an assessment? 18:00 - The process of growing the business to one with $3 million recurring revenue 29:15 - Protecting intellectual property 21:39 - How will ChatGPT affect Stefan’s business? 33:20 - Don’t miss the rapid fire question round (it includes American cities, Belgian food, and kite surfing!) Thanks for joining us, Stefan, it was great having you on the show! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Stone Tangerine Express Hazy IPA - Brian gave it a 3.5 out of 5

Interested in learning how to fly, buy, or work on a plane? In this episode, Brian has a beer with Regis de Ramel, the President and CEO of Fly Advanced, an aircraft management, maintenance, charter, and flight training company. With five locations and over 50 million dollars in revenue, Regis shares his lowest moments, which change the trajectory of his career. The two compare the traditional four year college path to becoming a pilot, how there are more pilots and technicals dying than there are coming into aviation, how simple it is to fly, and flyGateway. flyGateway was founded by Regis with a mission to bring accelerated, affordable, innovative training to the Delaware Valley in partnership with local schools and airlines for the next generation of high-paying aerospace careers. Key takeaways: How you respond to mistakes is really what sets you apart Finding pilots is challenging these days, but flyGateway hopes to change that Is Brian going to buy a private plane? If you only have 10 minutes: 1:45 - What is Fly Advanced? 6:20 - Find out why Regis left the family real estate business to sell planes 9:30 - Learn how two guys without much maintenance knowledge buy an aircraft service center that goes on to become one of the top Cirrus service centers 14:30 - Learn about Regis’ Not-for-Profit flight academy, flyGateway 18:00 - How did he get started flying? 21:00 - Advancements in aviation tech these days 24:00 - The challenges, and then advantages created by the pandemic 29:30 - What will the business look like in 10 years? And does our flying future look like the Jetsons? 33:00 - Don’t miss the rapid fire round! Thanks for coming on the show, Regis, it was great to have you! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Troegs Brewery Double Blizzard IPA - Brian gave it a 4.25 out of 5

In today's episode of our #happyhalfhourpodcast, Brian has a beer with Matt Reiner, co-founder and CEO of Benjamin, a financial services technology firm. Matt takes Brian through his journey of building his business - a very niche technology just for the wealth management industry. Matt describes it as “the connective tissue between your processes, and your workflows, and your technologies to execute on menial mundane tasks.“ “In the journey of building a business, the wins are celebrated but the losses are the ones you really remember more.” -Brian Carney Key takeaways: - There are challenges in communication between visionary and engineer - You’ll be inspired by Matt’s core mission of wanting every person in the country to have access to a real financial advisor - We need more real talk involving vulnerability, challenges, and failures If you only have 10 minutes: 2:40 - What is Benjamin and how is it similar to online banking? 4:30 - What was the aha moment? 11:45 - How important is fintech and what are the biggest challenges faced in the industry? 19:00 - How to properly integrate technology 25:00 - Matt’s an author—listen in as he chats about his books 33:00 - The wins and losses of being an entrepreneur 36:45 - Don’t miss this round of rapid fire questions! Matt, thanks for joining us, it was a great show! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: There’s No Crying In Baseball by Evil Genius Beer Company - Brian gave it a 3.5 out of 5 Episodes are always available wherever you get your podcasts, or by heading to our website, cheers!

In this episode, Brian has a beer with the franchisees of Delaware's School of Rock, Mike Pesce and Aaron Wygonik. The School of Rock Method™ has taught hundreds of thousands of students around the world to play music since 1998. Mike and Aaron walk us through their initial struggles, opening up just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, how they eventually were able to secure financial government assistance, why they decided to buy-in to The School of Rock (SOR) franchise, and the reasons why they didn’t throw in the towel. Key takeaways: SOR puts on shows to teach music, they don’t teach music to put on a show It’s a rewarding experience to expose young kids to classic rock The old saying is true - don’t burn bridges - you never know when you’ll need to rely on your connections again (or head back to a job you resigned from in order to start a franchise) If you only have 10 minutes: 2:18 - Learn about SOR 5:30 - Mike and Aaron’s background; how they met and how long ago they decided to become business partners (spoiler: it goes all the way back to their college days) 15:45 - Deciding to start a franchise and how they determined which one 21:40 - The rewarding experience of exposing kids to music 31:30 - Pandemic effects on their brand new business 40:00 - Launching in a virtual environment 43:00 - Rapid fire question round (don’t miss everyone’s pick of the “worst Christmas song of all time”) Gentlemen, thanks for joining us, it was a great show! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Neon Rainbows - Brewery Ommegang: Brian gave it a 4.5 out of 5

In this episode, Brian has a beer with Mark Edelson, co-founder and owner of Iron Hill Brewery. Mark shares his entrepreneurial journey, and how it all started with his friend, and eventual partner, home brewing beer in 1989 as a hobby.From working for “the man” to becoming The Man, Mark walks us through the highs and lows of being a restaurant owner during the pandemic, with over 1600 employees to under 200 employees in 10 days. Listen in on Mark’s experience working with private equity, the curse of being a midsize business, his favorite and not so favorite beers, and why it’s so important to have your spouse on board before committing to the restaurant business. Key takeaways: - Opening a 2nd location is harder than opening your 20th - Entrepreneurs succeed by pure force of will - If you want to quit your day job to become an entrepreneur, make sure your family and support system are on board If you only have 10 minutes: 2:00 - Learn about the business, which just hit its 26th year! 6:00 - It all started with a home-brewing kit 11:40 - The challenges of working with a business partner 14:37 - The “iceberg” view of owning a restaurant 16:40 - The effects of the pandemic on the hospitality industry, plus the importance of pivoting, and taking care of your employees 22:00 - What happens when you’re in the middle of construction on 4 new restaurants and a pandemic hits? 30:20 - The evolution of a business 36:00 - A round of rapid-fire beer questions Mark, thanks for joining us, it was a great show! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Inkredibly Juicy by Iron Hill Brewery - Brian gave it a 4.5 out of 5

In this episode, Brian has beer with Thom Harvey, Chairman & CEO of Harvey, Hanna and Associates, Inc - a real estate development and management company based out of Delaware. Brian and Thom talk about the history of how his father started a trash business as a kid during the great depression with a wagon, and how Thom then grew his company from 2.4 million 15 million over the next 15 years. Key takeaways: - Thom received some very sage advice from his mother when he was younger and was frustrated he wasn’t being paid what he felt he was worth — it was to swallow his pride and prove his worth - The growth of Thom’s businesses has occurred both organically and through acquisition If you only have 10 minutes: 1:35 - Learn about Thom’s companies 5:25 - How did Thom get his start? 12:00 - The evolution of the business after an acrimonious split 21:00 - What does the move look like from trash business to warehouse business to hotel business? (Spoiler: it has to do with renting boxes) 22:00 - Learn about Thom’s involvement in one of the most significant real estate transactions to take place in Delaware in 50 years 34:00 -Turning a Delware beach landmark into the first Hyatt in Delaware (involving over $3 million in legal fees) It was a great show, Thom, thanks for joining us! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Aslin Beer Company - Cortés & His Men - Brian gave it a 4 out of 5

In this episode, Brian has an insightful conversation with David Gates, President & Managing Director of Gates & Company. Started in 1999 as a management consulting firm, David shares how his company has evolved into a business-sale preparation & execution firm, working strictly with technology-driven businesses. David explains why business owners need to start thinking about the sale of their business well before they're actually ready to execute a sale, and Brian chimes in with a comparison that makes it easy to understand. Find out how David takes his bachelor’s in computer science and electrical engineering, a master’s in electrical engineering and an MBA from Wharton, to position Gates & Company as the go-to B2B firm to assess businesses to develop strategic plans for highest possible valuation at time of sale. If you are an entrepreneur, want to be one, or are thinking about selling your business one day, you won’t want to miss this episode. There are so many valuable takeaways packed into this podcast. Key takeaways: - The importance of being niche while differentiating your business - David reveals his approach to building a strong team so clients feel confident in hiring his company - The common mistakes people make when it comes to selling their business - The emotional side of selling a business and how to prepare for the sometimes volatile sale process If you only have 10 minutes: 2:05 - Learn about the evolution of Gates & Company 6:50 - David’s background 11:06 - The event that sets apart an actual entrepreneur from just a wannabe 15:30 - Growing the business in Germany 22:00 -Do people wait too long to sell their businesses? 28:15 - Emotions wrapped up in selling 35:30 - How does the current economy impact an owner who is on the fence about selling their company? It was a great show, David, thanks for coming on! Cheers! 🍻 HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Iron Hill Brewing Company - Galactic Stardust - Brian gave it a 4 out of 5 B

In this episode, Brian shares a drink with Ginger Moxam, founder of Curated by Ginger. Based in Naples, Florida, Ginger offers branding, marketing, web design, and social media management. Ginger enjoyed working from a very young age, and having access to technology as many millennials did, she went on to start her own business offering a marketing team for small businesses who can’t afford to employ an in-house marketing team. Key takeaways: Consistency with marketing is everything There is a difference between branding and marketing The power of simplicity and authenticity If you only have 10 minutes: 2:04 - Learn about Ginger’s background and why she started her business 7:30 - Being entrepreneurial from a young age, and the reason millennials aren’t afraid to try starting their own business 10:00 - The types of industries Ginger works with, and — is it better to niche down or become an expert in everything? 14:00 - How to get through to business owners who don’t like change and the difference between branding and marketing 18:10 - Most common website mistakes and the value of SEO 24:39 - What about trending content? Do you really need a TikTok presence? 27:00 - The importance of delegating tasks and blocking time to focus on creative work and strategy/analytics 29:50 - Advice for others thinking of becoming entrepreneurs HAPPY ½ HOUR DRINKS: Voodoo Ranger IPA by New Belgium Brewing - Brian gave it a 4 out of 5 Dry Rose by Hailstone Vineyards - Ginger gave it a 10 out of 10 What a fun episode, Ginger, thanks for joining us! Cheers! 🍺🍷