John duHadway, founder of Strategic CFO Solutions, shares how surviving the 2008 mortgage collapse shaped his approach to guiding founder-led companies through growth and successful exits.

Melissa Servatdjoo has spent 27 years building something worth staying for at Coast to Coast — from cold caller to VP, and from a pitch no one would hear to a division that could define the company’s next chapter.

Nathaniel Jones grew up on a century farm, worked in TV news, and now leads marketing for a 66-year-old rural retailer — beating big box competitors with experiential content and connected TV.

Josh Barber, owner of Patrice and Associates in Dallas-Fort Worth, shares how a chef-turned-IT-executive career pivot led him to build a hospitality recruiting firm with his wife.

Ryan Morgan and Bob Campbell of Rocket Fizz share how a nostalgic soda side hustle survived a lost house and a vanished contractor to become a 105-store franchise.

Scott Hardy built and sold NEOS three times, then launched Venture Seven Advisors to help mid-market owners do what he learned the hard way.

Stevan Popovich, President of Cycle Gear, shares how he built a 165-store motorcycle empire, stepped into leadership after tragedy, and still battles imposter syndrome after 25 years.

Samir Mokashi, founder of Business Millionaires Club, shares how he built and sold a building-code consulting firm with his wife, and now helps founders prepare for a premium exit.

Tayyab Rizvi, founder of ScaleMates, shares how leaving Google and YouTube led him to build a marketplace matching franchise owners with invested operating partners.