Join Scott Hollrah, founder of Venn Technology, as he takes you "In the Thick of It" with the real stories of founders who are actively navigating the challenges and triumphs of running their businesses. This podcast goes beyond the typical entrepreneurial success stories and delves into the messy, gritty, and sometimes chaotic world of building and growing a company. Get inspired, learn from the experiences of others, and gain insights into what it truly means to be in the thick of the entrepreneurial journey.
Get ready to dive into the entrepreneurial path of ENO8's founder, Jeff Francis. Join us as Jeff takes us from his roots in small-town Farmersville, Texas, to his emergence as a visionary tech entrepreneur.
During our conversation, Jeff opens up about the transformative experiences that molded his technology career and the hurdles he's conquered. He delves into how he's built success by ensuring his personal values align wi...
In this episode, we welcome Matt Wensing, founder and CEO of Summit, an innovative low-code/no-code automation platform. Matt shares his journey into the world of B2B tech services.
From a young age, Matt has always been curious about his future career path. Initially pursuing political science in college, he soon discovered his true passion was in computer science. His first post-college job provided valuable hands-on expe...
Starting a business is a collaborative effort, as Seth Frey, founder and president of Big Frey, discovered while navigating partnerships and industry changes in promotional products.
Seth's entrepreneurial journey began with family inspiration. Post-college, he and his brother established Granny's Goodies, offering exam survival kits to students.
Building on this experience, Seth later founded Big Frey Branded Goods & Sw...
In this episode, we feature our first-ever husband and wife duo—Reagan and Elle Pugh—each with their own thriving entrepreneurial ventures. Together, they share the personal and professional experiences that not only brought them together but also fuel their mutual support in business.
We explore key topics like the value of mentorship, navigating financial highs and lows, and the power of open communication with business p...
Navigating employee benefits can be a major hurdle for business owners. Selecting insurance plans—from health to dental to vision—can be daunting, with decisions affecting team members and their families.
In this episode, we welcome Chris Hamilton of Hotchkiss Insurance. He shares valuable insights on choosing practical, cost-effective benefit plans for your workforce.
Scott here: As a founder myself, I've experienced firsth...
In this episode, we welcome Steffie Tomson, the innovative mind behind Getaway Sticks. Hailing from Houston, Texas, Steffie's journey from a cognitive neuroscience researcher to footwear entrepreneur is as unique as her product line.
Steffie shares her mission to revolutionize women's shoes by marrying style with comfort. She recounts the hurdles she faced, from designing her initial high heel prototype to finding a manufac...
Gut feelings in hiring decisions are a common but flawed approach. Rick Girard's experience in recruitment revealed that many companies often lean on personal biases when selecting or rejecting candidates. This insight led him to create Intertru, a platform leveraging generative AI to promote more objective hiring practices.
Rick's story demonstrates that while technological expertise isn't a prerequisite for developing a s...
Recently we celebrated 1 year of In The Thick of It podcast with a live-streamed episode featuring past guests, including:
👤 Justin Smith, Founder of Ebenezer Consulting
👤 Roy Keely, Founder of FirmStudio
👤 Taylor Brooks, Founder of Simple
We hope you enjoy our banter and discussion around business, leadership, and professional development. It was a great time sharing the space with fellow founders—stay tuned for m...
As we near one year since starting In The Thick of It, we're working on a celebratory episode. In the meantime, we'd love for you to catch up on some founder stories you may have missed.
In this episode, we learn from Jonathan Lusk, an entrepreneur who grew up in a small town in Texas before going on to attend Texas A&M and build a career in wealth management. Jonathan started out at AT&T and Goldman Sachs, but even...
As we near one year since starting In The Thick of It, we're working on a celebratory episode. In the meantime, we'd love for you to catch up on some founder stories you may have missed.
In this episode of In the Thick of It, host Scott interviews Taylor Brooks, founder and CEO of Simple Donation. Taylor shares his journey from growing up in Atlanta to attending Auburn University and working various jobs before starting Sim...
As we near one year since starting In The Thick of It, we're working on a celebratory episode. In the meantime, we'd love for you to catch up on some founder stories you may have missed.
Clayton Flurry is the Founder of Flurry’s Market + Provisions, a beloved local butcher shop and grocery store in Flower Mound, Texas. After spending nearly two decades in the oil and gas industry, Clayton decided in 2020 to leave his career...
As we near one year since starting In The Thick of It, we're working on a celebratory episode. In the meantime, we'd love for you to catch up on some founder stories you may have missed.
Last year, we kicked off the podcast with our first guest: Chelsea Curtis, Founder & Managing Partner of Seaport Consulting, a successful Salesforce consulting firm in Boston, MA. Chelsea shares her path to entrepreneurship, discussing ...
Entrepreneurial journeys often take unexpected turns, sometimes leading to extraordinary success.
In this episode, we explore Robert (Bob) Bowden's transition from landman to thriving business owner. Bob shares his experience founding two distinct companies: Verity Advisors, which assists in unclaimed property recovery, and VerityPay, offering text-based payment solutions for B2C businesses. He discusses the hurdles and vi...
This episode features Joni Girardi, founder and CEO of DataSelf, a business helping mid-sized organizations use data and analytics to gain a competitive edge.
Joni's fascination with technology began in his youth, sparked by learning about the unidirectional flow of electrons in diodes. Initially pursuing electrical engineering, he later switched to programming, joining a web development firm in the late 90s.
His time workin...
Estate planning may not be the first thing on your mind when launching a business, but it's a crucial step that shouldn't be overlooked.
In this episode, we dive into the world of asset protection with estate planning attorney, Candace Sandifer. She outlines key measures entrepreneurs should implement to safeguard their business interests.
Candace stresses the importance of enlisting the help of attorneys who specia...
In this episode of "In The Thick of It," Kasey Sisson discusses her journey from recent graduate to successful entrepreneur. After completing her Masters in Organizational Communication in 2019, Kasey leveraged her creative abilities and passion for teaching to establish her own marketing agency, Kasey S Consulting.
Kasey shares both the highs and lows of running her business. She recounts the exciting moments of unexpe...
In this In The Thick of It Toolbox episode, Yobany Mayen, Senior Vice President at Encore Bank, talks about the importance of entrepreneurs and businesses having a solid banking relationship.
Scott and Yobany discuss the impact of interest rates, the role of personal guarantees, cash management, fraud prevention, and lending processes for small to medium-sized businesses.
Yobany provides practical tips for approachi...
Unlock the power of strategic marketing for your startup or small business.
In this insightful episode, Laura Neathery, founder of LJ Consulting & Marketing, shares her expertise on the invaluable role of partnering with a marketing agency. Discover the ideal timing to engage an agency and the key qualities to prioritize for a successful collaboration.
In today's fast-paced digital landscape, effective marketing demand...
On this episode of In The Thick of It, Scott sits down with Sam Bluntzer, owner of Blue Ribbon Rain Gutter in Fort Worth, Texas. Sam shares his unique path to entrepreneurship, from growing up in the small town of New Braunfels, Texas to becoming a Marine Corps fighter pilot and eventually taking over a gutter business just two weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Sam discusses the challenges of rapidly modernizing...
This week, we're taking a pause to celebrate Memorial Day and honor those who have served.
Many people often think of Memorial Day as the start of summer, but I encourage everyone to take a moment to remember those who've sacrificed themselves for our freedom in the United States.
While Veterans Day honors both living and deceased veterans, Memorial Day is also an appropriate time to thank everyone who has served. We've had...
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.