When One Murder Creates a Generation of Entrepreneurs with Stephen Woessner

What if an entire family's trajectory changed in a single moment of tragedy?

In this episode, Stephen Woessner, founder of Predictive ROI, shares the remarkable story of his grandfather Peter Marus, who arrived in America in 1920 with just $10 and couldn't speak English. After his father was murdered on the streets of Istanbul for being Greek, eight-year-old Peter became the family breadwinner, dropping out of third grade to support his mother and siblings. That singular tragedy transformed his family's DNA, creating a lineage of entrepreneurs that spans four generations.

Stephen reveals how his grandfather's business philosophy during the Great Depression, giving away more soup than he sold because "Jesus might look like anyone," shaped his own approach to business and giving. Now running an agency that serves other agencies, Stephen and his wife have quietly paid thousands in tuition for struggling families, honoring his grandfather's sacrifice while pursuing an audacious vision: building 100 churches and funding college educations for as many kids as possible.

Stephen explains why education is the great equalizer, how one moment of violence created an entire family of business owners, and what it means to honor the risks your ancestors took by working late into the night when you'd rather sleep.

 

[00:03:00] The Corey Morris Connection

• Kevin and Stephen connected through Corey Morris and felt like they'd known each other for years

• Stephen: "When Corey introduces me to somebody, there's the transference of trust and credibility"

• The power of context in introductions versus generic "you're both great guys" connections

• Trust transfers through quality, contextual connections

[00:06:40] Family First, Business Second

• Married 32 years to Christine, daughter Caitlyn is freshman in college

• Stephen and Christine were married 14 years before having Caitlyn

• On "empty nesting": "I think we're gonna be okay" spending time together again

[00:07:00] Building Predictive ROI

• Started Predictive ROI in 2009 with team of 26 who genuinely care about each other

• Uses the "forbidden love word" inside the business

• Agency supports other agencies with business development and sales operations

• Team travels together, hangs out together, laughs and cries together

[00:09:20] The Unlikely Path to Agency Life

• Grew up in Canton, Ohio surrounded by family restaurant businesses

• Graduated 272 out of 300 in high school ("I don't think you got your percentiles right, Mom")

• Joined Air Force in junior year, spent four years in nuclear missile silos in South Dakota

• Learned power of troubleshooting and system design

[00:11:00] Breaking Into Advertising

• Working at Red Lobster, needed marketing experience to become manager

• Called agencies in Rapid City offering to work for free, most said he was "greener than green"

• Robert Sharp and Associates said yes to three-month unpaid internship

• Competed against two other interns: "There's no way I'm not winning this"

[00:16:00] What Inspires the Work

• Changing trajectory from famine to feast in business development

• Replacing desperation with hope, confidence, and structure

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