Mark Perkins Owner of Perkins Insurance AgencyMark owns Perkins Insurance Agency with locations in Abilene, Eastland, and in Franklin, Tennessee. We talk about running a business that doesn't sell something sexy (aka insurance); How you bring enthusiasm to your business team; How you identify what you as a leader are weak at and how you fill the gap; Two things a professor taught him that still guide him in his work today; How you balance a natural drive to expand with tempered advice and steady growth; How Franklin differs from Abilene and what they're doing well that Abilene can learn and improve upon. Enjoy!

Josh has an immediate hook in the first two minutes of our podcast that will keep you hooked! It caught me off guard and those who love truecrime podcasts, you'll love this episode. Josh Rader is the owner of Firehouse Fitness, The Dive Spot (for swim lesson and SCUBA diving  lessons), the new Bodega in downtown Abilene that will sell necessaries like milk, eggs, gum, toilet paper, etc, and founded Urban Strength Coaching. We talk nitty gritty on how he bought the Firehouse Fitness, How his new venture Bodega downtown Abilene came about (while elk hunting) and why he chose now to do it. We cover a lot of ground in this episode and Josh is a natural when it comes to talking (BSing as he calls it). Enjoy!

This is a rare double double treat! Nikki Hill and Brittney Martinez are the owners of When Pigs Fly, a wine bar in Tuscola, Texas, and they're also Abilene Police Officers (Technically, Nikki is a Patrol Sergeant and Brittney is the instructor at the Police Academy now). So not only do you get to hear from two owners on the same episode, you get to hear how two police officers manage their work life and their business life. We talk about owning a wine bar, why they took the plunge in owning a business, their weaknesses as an owner and how they compensate for that specific weakness, how they manage their time, their growth plans, their favorite apps on managing their calendar, how we address the meth issues in our community, what they would love the public to know about being a police officer, the biggest surprises they had as a business owner, and much more! Enjoy!

Carlie Cooper is the owner of Espressoak, a mobile coffee truck/trailer. She's in her early twenties and bought Espressoak ten months ago so her insights are fresh and insightful and full of passion of someone going through the throes of running a business early in its stages. We talk about how she pitched her parents the idea of buying the business, how that didn't go well but that it led to another conversation that helped in the negotiations and eventual purchase, How she has changed the business to have better flow and added products while still being efficient, How she manages social media and the backend operations, Her favorite apps for business and life, What kind of coffee you should order if you want to impress your coffee afficionado friends, Biggest surprises and shocks as a new business owner, Realizing that her actual customer is not the person drinking the coffee and much more!A fun conversation filled with practical tips and insights an entrepreneur of every age can use. Enjoy!

Jessica Quintanilla Jackson - Owner of Betty & June in Abilene and Corpus Christi.Jessica was the perfect guest on the show, very funny and relaxed, while answering honestly and with actionable nitty gritty answers. Her insights into running not just a business in Abilene but a second store in Corpus Christi, six hours away, highlights her drive and ability to manage from a distance. She speaks on how often she posts on social media, how the work ethics of the next generation have changed and how a small business adapts to that; The Do's and Don'ts of fashion for men; Her biggest mistake as a new business owner; How business has changed over the last 12 years due to social media; Advice she gives to new business owners, and much more. This is an episode I'll recommend to every new business owner! Enjoy!

Season 2, Episode 10: GRAY BRIDWELL - Head of Military Affairs Committee, Farmer and Rancher, Pilot.This episode is EXACTLY why I started this show! Gray Bridwell discusses in practical nitty gritty terms: Farming and Ranching in West Texas, commercial farming versus family farming, Foreign countries/companies buying up farmland, how a farmer/rancher retires, the cost of becoming a farmer over $1 million, the future of farming, the importance of water and how most farms operate in West Texas. We don't stop there though, in his role as head of the Military Affairs Committee, we talk about who is the bigger threat, China or Russia, and why, the possible end scenarios for Ukraine and Russia War, the 30 to 50 year goal of the US/China dynamic, how we as individuals can fight the Chinese threat, drone warfare in Ukraine, how America is catching up in the Hypersonic missile race, the B1 bomber's role as platform form hypersonics, the scary difference between ICBMs and hypersonic missiles and much more! Enjoy and learn!

Season 2, Episode 9: RICHARD SIBERRY - Owner of Black Donkey Brewery in IrelandThis interview takes place at Black Donkey Brewery in Ireland with Richard Siberry. We talk How to make international sales operating out of a tiny town in the countryside (a few hundred people); The Differences of running a business in Ireland versus the US; Real Estate in Ireland; How to get a license to run a pub/taproom in Ireland (hint: costs at least $65,000 for the license); Biggest Surprises as a business owner; What it takes to build a successful business anywhere.He lived and worked in New York for decades so he has great insight into the differences between the two countries. He's got a nice Irish accent too that makes it easy to listen to the entire episode. Enjoy! 

Season 2, Episode 8: CHUCK ROACH - Juggler, Artist, Chess Player, and Recently Back From Ukraine.Chuck is a fascinating man and our conversation does not disappoint. We talk how the Soviet Union attempted to have a Chess Master at every one of their schools; How juggling helps mental acuity and hand to eye coordination; How he developed his signature look with his art and how he prices his pieces; How he just got back  a few weeks ago from Ukraine and how it is on the ground there, how hard it was to get inside the county and his concern about getting back out in the middle of a war; How to pack light for just a carry on, no check in. Ever.   Enjoy!

Season 2, Episode 7: George Levesque - Executive Director of the Paramount Theatre, Former News Director and News Anchor, Former Radio Talk Show Host.We discussed all the ways you can advertise and finding your ideal customer on each one, The hardest part about being an Executive Director, The direction of downtown Abilene, How the Process of getting a wine and beer license was as the first nonprofit to do so, Film Festivals here in Abilene and how to foster and grow new filmmakers in Abilene, tips for Executive Directors and the relationship with their Board.Enjoy!

Season 2, Episode 6: HALEY JO OATES - Owner of Haley Jo Auto, Haley Jo On The Go, and The Dam Store. This is a far-ranging  conversation on running businesses in different industries, “as a woman” running a business and receiving unsolicited sexual pictures from contractors, managing friends and family as employees, inside the car dealerships during the wild highs and lows of the pandemic, how to deal with inspections and permits, the best restaurants and chefs in Abilene and much more!  Enjoy!