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From Stylist to Business Builder: What It Takes to Create a Company That Outgrows Its Founder
Read more: From Stylist to Business Builder: What It Takes to Create a Company That Outgrows Its FounderOne of the most common stories I hear from business owners starts the same way: They’re exceptionally good at what they do. They’re talented, hardworking, and passionate about their craft. And then one day they decide to start a business. What often comes next is something few people anticipate. Instead of creating a business, they…
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What Air Conditioning Taught Me About Building a Loved Business
Read more: What Air Conditioning Taught Me About Building a Loved BusinessWhen most people think about an HVAC company, they think about heating and cooling systems, compressors, refrigerant, and repair trucks. But after talking with Shelly Poston, co-owner of AirServe of Shreveport, I’m convinced that the best service businesses aren’t really in the business they appear to be in. They’re in the people business. Shelly and…
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Chad Kooiman: Building a Car Shop People Actually Love
Read more: Chad Kooiman: Building a Car Shop People Actually LoveI’ve talked to a lot of business owners on this show. And every once in a while, I sit down with someone and walk away thinking, that’s exactly what building a loved business looks like. Chad Kooiman is one of those people. Chad is the founder of Ultimate Automotive, a two-location auto repair shop that…
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A warning from a service provider that got everything right — except this
Read more: A warning from a service provider that got everything right — except thisThere is an ad agency that adopted AI and lost something essential in the process. The warning inside it applies to every service business, whether you’re using AI or not. A mid-sized UK advertising agency started losing clients even though every campaign was hitting its performance targets. The CEO found out why during exit interviews. Clients said they felt…
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The Event for Leaders who want to Love their Work
Read more: The Event for Leaders who want to Love their WorkOn October 7, the Sioux Falls Orpheum Theater becomes the room where great leaders get better. The Love the Work Event is a full-day experience built around the two things that separate thriving businesses from struggling ones: culture and customer experience. And this year, we’ve assembled a speaker lineup that is, frankly, hard to believe…
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Building a Business with Empathy
Read more: Building a Business with EmpathyOn a recent episode of Building Loved Businesses, host Nathan Schock sat down with Andi Broneske, Branch Manager and Estimator at Stomatic in Fargo, North Dakota. What followed was more than a conversation about restoration work. It was a story about sacrifice, second chances, leadership, and why empathy—not just expertise—is the foundation of a truly…
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Building a Business with Heart: Clint Davis’s Story
Read more: Building a Business with Heart: Clint Davis’s StoryOne of the patterns I see over and over again in truly loved businesses is this:They don’t start with a clever business plan.They start with pain. In a recent episode of Building Loved Businesses, I sat down with Clint Davis, founder of Clint Davis Counseling and Integrated Wellness, and his story is a powerful example…
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Human Connection as Your Strategy
Read more: Human Connection as Your StrategyReflections from My Conversation on The Master Connector Show We live in a world obsessed with efficiency. Automation.AI.Apps.Dashboards. I use technology every day, and I believe it has an important place in modern business. But recently, during a conversation I had as a guest on The Master Connector Show with Steve Spiro and Rob Genovesi,…
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Building a Yoga Studio Through Community
Read more: Building a Yoga Studio Through CommunitySome businesses are built on hustle.Some are built on spreadsheets.And some—like Intuitive Peace Yoga Studio in Port Byron, Illinois—are built on courage, community, and the willingness to do it scared. When I sat down with Dassah Skelton, what stood out immediately wasn’t just her love for yoga—it was her clarity about why she became an…
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Building More Than Houses
Read more: Building More Than HousesSome business stories are about scale.Some are about speed.This one is about stewardship, partnership, and legacy. On this episode of Building Loved Businesses, I sat down with Caitlin and Seth Woods, co-owners of Woods Construction in the Quad Cities. And what they’re building isn’t just custom homes — it’s neighborhoods, relationships, and a way of…
