Flex Forward

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Kyle Shafer, founder of Zara Music Company, to explore how passion for music and a heart for transformation led to building a thriving business from the ground up.

Kyle shares how his journey from a music education student to entrepreneur began with a desire to elevate both students and instructors. He dives into the challenges of launching a business with...

Dr. Hardik Chodavadia, co-founder of Enamel Dentistry, joins Nic Espanet to share his entrepreneurial journey from his first practice in 2016 to launching his 10th location. Hardik discusses the value of authentic relationships in dentistry, why transparency matters more than ever, and how embracing communication—not just operations—led to exponential growth.

They dive into:

• The importance of building trust with patients and ...

Nic Espanet sits down with entrepreneur John Schissler, who dives into his journey of building a thriving franchise business. From taking a leap into an industry he’d never worked in, to scaling operations and building community-driven locations, John shares the mindset, values, and strategies that have helped him succeed.

They explore how John prioritized human connection and community involvement in an industry often driven by sp...

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet reconnects with Shane Thomas, co-founder of Catalyst Equity Partners. Shane shares his journey from early investments in Class C properties to navigating complex financing and strategy shifts in today’s multifamily real estate market.

Shane gives listeners a candid look at the lessons he's learned since launching Catalyst in 2017, managing over 2,000 units as lead GP, an...

Nick Lee, founder of Iceberg Cabinets, joins Nic Espanet on this episode of the Flex Forward Podcast to share the story behind his unique role as a cabinet and shelter specialist in the telecom world. From the roadside cabinets that power our internet connections to the massive nationwide push for rural broadband, Nick gives an eye-opening look into a side of tech infrastructure most of us never think about.

He talks about designin...

In this episode, host Nic Espanet chats with Duke Vashisht—an aerospace expert, strategic advisor, and global connector. Duke brings a fascinating blend of experience across continents, having worked in aerospace, nuclear, and now space investment. He discusses how growing up in Haryana, India, shaped his engineering curiosity, which led to a career that has spanned Europe, Asia, and now the U.S.

Duke shares insights into aerospace...

In this inspiring episode, Gabriel Griess joins Nic Espanet to share his powerful story of transformation—from a Nebraska farm boy with dreams of flying, to an Air Force veteran, to co-founder of Excel Medical Staffing. Gabriel opens up about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, the influence of military values in business, and a deeply personal story of faith and family resilience as his daughter battled life-threatening health...

On this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet chats with Carson Jones, a commercial real estate broker who has shifted from multifamily investments to oil and gas—and is now eyeing opportunities to re-enter the real estate market.

Carson brings sharp economic insights to the table, unpacking complex market shifts and explaining how global factors like job cuts, tariffs, and deportation trends impact housing demand and ca...

Nicholas Miller joins Nic Espanet to share his unique path from growing up on a ranch to becoming a specialized attorney for land and mineral owners in Texas. As a partner at Graves Dougherty, Nicholas brings years of experience and a personal passion to helping legacy landowners make smart decisions about their property—from oil and gas to solar and wind.

In this episode, Nicholas opens up about the deep roots of his ranching fami...

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Charles Gills, Executive Director at Platt Richmond, to explore his inspiring journey through the legal industry. Charles began his career with just $100 in his pocket and a job delivering documents to courthouses. Today, he leads operations at a fast-growing law firm.

Charles shares how saying “yes” to every opportunity, recognizing mentorship moments, an...

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet sits down with Jonathan Nichols, co-founder of Apogee Capital, to explore his inspiring journey from engineering to real estate. Jonathan reveals how a shared interest in finding a "paying hobby" with his wife Paula led to building a multifamily real estate investment company.

He dives into how their careful approach to financing—favoring fixed-rate debt—set them apart early ...

From the snowy slopes to scaling multifamily portfolios, Dan Brisse’s journey is one of relentless determination and reinvention. In this episode, Dan sits down with Nic Espanet to share how his dreams of becoming a professional snowboarder evolved into a career as a successful multifamily real estate investor and co-founder of Granite Towers Equity Group.

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In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Zachary Montgomery—an attorney, CPA, fraud examiner, adjunct professor, and founder of Montgomery Legal. Zachary shares how he’s combined his legal and financial backgrounds to serve clients in a more holistic, one-stop-shop manner for tax, estate planning, and business-related legal issues.

He opens up about his unique career path, the challenges of not f...

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet sits down with October Ambrose, Vice President of People Partnerships and Engagement at Central Health in Texas. October shares her inspiring journey through healthcare leadership, from direct patient care to leading HR and operations across the organization. She opens up about her non-traditional career path, her dedication to mentorship, and how authenticity, curiosity, and...

In this conversation, Shauna explains why data isn’t just charts and graphs—it’s storytelling with a human at the center. She walks us through finding co-occurring diagnoses (like diabetes and bipolar disorder), the impact of meds that interact, and how a whole-person view helps care teams treat people, not symptoms. We dig into her “Member 360” initiative, how AI speeds clinical context, and the mindset shift from reporting number...

Nick walks us through his journey from Southern California to the University of Tennessee, UTEP, and a stint playing in Germany. He explains how corporate operations gave him “business 101,” then how he shifted to entrepreneurship—launching Lamaison Holdings and The Lamaison Group in real estate, and now the “Victory Lap” podcast. We dig into mindset: building a healthy relationship with pain, keeping morale high, moving fast with ...

Nic Espanet welcomes Joseph Lopez, an experienced real estate investor and founder of Texas Growth Advisors, to talk about the strategic mindset required to grow in today’s shifting real estate market. Joseph shares how he transitioned from military and law enforcement into multifamily syndication, new construction, and commercial real estate. He discusses how investor mindsets must evolve with market conditions, why passive income...

Scott Hollrah, founder of VENN Technology, joins Nic to talk about building an integration-first consultancy that started in his home office and now operates from Grapevine, Texas. Scott explains why VENN leads with integration projects before CRM work, and how “delighted partners” became their core value and referral engine (featuring their unforgettable mascot, Bjorn the Yeti).

They dig into the human side of technical projects—e...

Nic and Chihiro dive into the leap from corporate life to entrepreneurship, and how “owning your outcomes” brings both freedom and stress. Chihiro explains ZT Corporate’s lower-middle-market focus, why they operate as a fundless sponsor, and what makes them different as direct operators. They unpack hold periods (from 9 months to 12 years), what real relationship-based business looks like, and why monthly, transparent investor upda...