The Turn

The Turn

You've fought hard for your business. Growth was earned, not given. Maybe you've scaled, maybe you've sold— but who have you become in the process? This isn't another podcast obsessing over multiples and deal structure. We get to the heart of what you're actually going through. Hosted by Kory Mitchell, CEO of Iconic Founders, we sit down with blue-collar business owners who've built something real— businesses like HVAC, landscaping, pest control, construction. These are honest conversations about the challenges, the lessons, and the moments that changed everything. Because the real story isn't just how you got here—it's about the lessons along the way. About the Host, Kory Mitchell: Kory Mitchell is the host of The Turn and the founder of Iconic Founders Group. He's lived the founder's journey—building a small regional specialty contracting business with his family into a national ($200m)brand and navigating two transactions, including a 9-figure exit. With 25+ years in the specialty contracting industry, Kory learned how personal and high-stakes the decision to sell can be. Now he guides founder-led companies through legacy-preserving transactions and serves as a board member for several large national specialty trades businesses, bringing an operator's perspective to strategic growth. About Iconic Founders: Iconic Founders Group provides expert guidance for blue-collar industry founders ready to grow and sell their businesses while preserving legacy. We work with founder-led businesses doing $3M–$20M in profit across specialty contracting and trades—including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, pest control, roofing, concrete, environmental services, tree services, excavation, asphalt paving, restoration, and more. Whether you're seeking liquidity, finding a partner to scale, or protecting the team and culture that made you great, Kory and the Iconic Team serves as a trusted advisor throughout the entire process—from readiness to strategic buyer alignment, all the way to a proud and well-earned close. Learn more at www.iconicfounders.com. Built Something Great? We Want to Hear Your Story. Whether you're in the thick of scaling, contemplating an exit, or reflecting on lessons learned, we'd love to connect. Visit us at www.iconicfounders.com and subscribe to The Turn wherever you get your podcasts.

Episodes

March 5, 2026 19 mins

Tom Heaviland bought a one-truck landscape company with his dad in 1985. They each put up $11,000. Thirty-five years later, he sold it to BrightView—the largest player in the industry—for millions. But getting there wasn't linear. He lost his biggest contract overnight when a developer pulled out. His dad died suddenly in 1997. And for seven years, he was stuck splitting everything 50/50 with his stepmom who even didn't wo...

Mark as Played

Kris Birch started working in his dad's lawn and snow business in 2005. Fifteen years later, he sold it to a national brand. The deal looked good on paper, but within a year, most of the team was gone and the business had been absorbed into corporate machinery. When he finally walked away, he discovered something important: he'd already started building his next company.


But Kris’s story is a little different because mo...

Mark as Played

Today’s guest is Adam Mopsick. Adam started a construction business in Miami in 1996. Twenty-five years later, he sold it to private equity for life-changing money. The 2008 recession killed his GC business and forced him to reinvent, building an owner's rep firm from scratch that grew every quarter for six years. When he finally got the exit everyone dreams of, he discovered the hardest part wasn't the deal. It was figuri...

Mark as Played
January 16, 2026 1 min

Welcome to The Turn.

Host Kory Mitchell sits down with blue-collar business owners who've built something real—businesses like HVAC, landscaping, pest control, tree services, roofing, and construction.

These are honest conversations about the challenges, the lessons, and the moments that changed everything. Not M&A theory or deal structures, but the real stories from founders who've scaled and sold. The challeng...

Mark as Played

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