In this episode of the Builders of Authority podcast, I sit down with Colin McNeil, owner of the McNeil Insurance Group, for a deep and personal conversation about growth, accountability, and the realities of entrepreneurship. We take a trip down memory lane, reflecting on our shared history playing sports in St. Louis and attending high school together. Colin opens up about a defining period during his sophomore year when he faced academic ineligibility and a significant identity crisis. He ...

In this episode of the Builders of Authority Podcast, I sit down with Clint Webb, owner of Web Decks and founder of the Deck Building 101 Facebook group, a community of more than 110,000 deck builders and contractors. Clint shares his story of getting laid off during the 2008 housing crisis, how that led him into deck building, and how a simple idea to create a better online community for builders turned into one of the largest groups in the industry. We talk about the evolution of the deck...

In this solo episode of the Builders of Authority Podcast, I share some real thoughts on entrepreneurship, leadership, and the journey of building a business. If you’re a contractor or home service business owner working to grow your company: whether you’re in roofing, HVAC, plumbing, remodeling, or another trade, this is a conversation that will likely resonate with you. Building a business, leading a team, and continuing to push for growth comes with challenges that most peopl...

In Episode 208, I’m joined by Sam Chapman to talk about building businesses with family and long time partners and what that actually looks like behind the scenes. Sam lives in Northern Virginia and has spent the last 10+ years growing companies in the construction and insurance restoration space. After beginning his career in commercial real estate, he partnered with his brother to build Caseco into a general contracting company and later launched Merit Restorations, which now operates in mu...

If you're building a business while trying to be a present leader, spouse, or parent, this episode is going to resonate with you. In this conversation, I sit down with Jaden Barr to talk about what really builds authority over time. We go beyond tactics and dive into identity, discipline, leadership, leverage, and community. Jaden is a St. Louis-based real estate business owner, former college quarterback at Truman State, and father of two. He left corporate during the pandemic to build...

What if the breakthrough wasn’t fame… but discipline? Episode 206 is a powerful one. Joey YAK went from elite athlete to touring artist to walking away from it all. He chose family over fame, got sober, rebuilt his life, became a top-performing sales leader, and eventually founded his own creative agency. This conversation goes beyond business tactics. It’s about identity, maturity, responsibility, and building something that actually lasts. If you’re a business owner trying to grow without l...

What does it really take to grow an outdoor living contracting company the right way? In this episode, I sit down with Chris Treese, founder of Olympus Outdoors, to talk about leadership, systems, accountability, and what it means to build a business that can operate without chaos. If you’re building patios, pergolas, outdoor kitchens, or full backyard projects, this conversation applies directly to you. Chris shares how he’s structured his outdoor remodeling business around discipline and ow...

Life doesn’t stop asking hard questions just because you’ve already “made it.” In this episode, I sit down with Reed Low to talk about what comes after the peak moment. We get into reinvention, discipline, and how the same mindset that drives elite performance can carry over into business, family, and leadership. Reed shares an honest perspective on pressure, purpose, and staying grounded when the spotlight fades. This conversation is about growth that lasts, responsibility that deepens over ...

In this episode of the Builders of Authority Podcast, I sit down with Jennifer Dempsey-Blakely to talk about building authority while running multiple businesses across hospitality, short-term rentals, and experiential brands. Jennifer is a lifelong entrepreneur and Hazelwood Central graduate who built her education through hands-on experience, conventions, and continuous learning. With 30 years in management and merchandising at Marshalls, a decade running a commercial cleaning company, and ...

In this episode of the Builders of Authority Podcast, I sit down with Ashley Fitzgerald of Studio Epik to talk about building authority through branding, leadership, and systems. We break down why most business owners struggle with control, how processes actually create freedom, and why brand consistency matters more than chasing short term leads. Ashley shares lessons from scaling multiple brands, hiring the right team, and creating a client experience that drives referrals and long term gro...