AmiSights: Financing the Future For Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jimmy Walicek, Co-Founder and COO of CLUBWAKA, on his journey managing CLUBWAKA pre, during, and post-pandemic. 

Jimmy is the Co-Founder and COO (Chief Opportunity Officer) of CLUBWAKA, a company that offers sports leagues, social activities, and events for adults over 21 with the mission of fostering lifelong friendships.

With over 25 years of experience in the customer service industry, he holds degrees in Engineering and Economics from the University of Virginia and is actively involved in EO Richmond, an organization that helps entrepreneurs achieve their full potential through networking, collaboration, and continued learning.

Recorded 01/12/2023.

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Stas Balanevsky on the life of a Certified EOS Implementer - the lows highs, and challenges.

Stas is an entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience in sales, marketing, business development, and business management. He has worked in a wide range of industries including medical devices, sporting goods, digital media, retail and e-commerce, and international finance.

From 1994 to 2007, Stas was the Vice President and Co-Founder of V&S Corporation, an international healthcare equipment and supply integration business focused on creating, financing, and delivering healthcare projects in the developing world.

Following his exit from V&S, Stas held EVP and GM positions in digital marketing companies that focused on digital and performance marketing campaigns. His primary responsibilities included business development, complex negotiations, and business management.

Stas is currently a Certified EOS Implementer. He is a local speaker, and a member of the Western New York Vistage trusted advisor group and serves on the board of Holimont Ski Club.

Recorded 12/23/2022.

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Peter Schwartz, Vistage Chair and CEO Coach, on what he means when he talks about helping leaders develop their inner and outer game.

Peter has over 30 years of experience taking early-stage concepts and companies to maturity. He has been a Chair with Vistage Worldwide since 2005. In 2013, Peter was named Best Practice Chair for the Washington DC/Baltimore market. A Master Chair and 4-time STAR award winner, Peter was selected from over 550 Vistage Chairs to receive the Robert Nourse “Vistage Chair of the Year” award in May 2016. In 2020, Peter received the “Don Cope Memorial” Award, the highest honor a Vistage Chair can receive.

As a Vistage Chair and CEO Coach, Peter became fascinated with leadership development early in his Vistage Career. He believes leadership development is at the center of the Vistage Value Proposition. Consequently, he has obtained a number of certifications in leadership development, in particular, The Leadership Circle and The Leadership System. Peter uses this instrument/program extensively in his Vistage Practice. Recently 13 senior leaders of a Fortune 50 company formed a “Vistage Inside Group”. This group went on a year-long leadership development journey utilizing the TLC 360 profiles and the accompanying Leadership System.

Peter resides in Reston, VA, and Mt Pleasant, SC. He graduated with a BS in Psychology from Old Dominion University. He is a graduate of Georgetown University's Leadership Coaching Certification; Harvard’s “Immunity to Change” Coaching program; and is currently leading the Vistage/Stanford Executive Leaders Program for select Vistage CEOs in the Mid-Atlantic.

Recorded 12/21/2022.

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Patrick Donohue, founder of Hill Capital Corporation, about his book, Breakout Valuation, and his key lessons for entrepreneurs.

Patrick is an entrepreneur and valuation expert who got his start with a lemonade stand at age four and bought shares of Coca-Cola at age ten. As an investor, stock analyst, and advisor to numerous entrepreneurial ventures, he offers unique insights into the dynamics of money and business.

The founder of Hill Capital Corporation, a private investment fund that finances and supports emerging growth companies, Patrick holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, has served on the boards of Entrepreneurs’ Organization of Minnesota and the CFA Society of Minnesota and founded 1 Million Cups Eden Prairie.

Recorded 12/07/2022. 

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Eric Rozenberg, acquisition entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and two times Amazon bestselling author, on how he's thinking about his search to acquire his next company and how he is going to finance it. 

Eric Rozenberg has helped thousands of entrepreneurs grow and manage their business better. His purpose is to inspire people with integrity and honesty, help them take action, get results, and develop their business and their Life.

For two decades in his previous life, Eric has consulted with Fortune 500 companies and produced award-winning sales meetings, incentive trips, product launches, and conferences in more than 50 countries across diverse industries. He believes organizations must create meetings and events that are not only breathtakingly memorable but which bring corporate strategies to life and amplify team motivation/performance.

His podcast "The Business of Meetings" is the first podcast in the Meetings & Events Industry dedicated to business owners. Every Tuesday, listeners learn something new they can apply in their business and/or get inspired by amazing guests.

His first book, Meeting at C-Level, is the first book on the « Why ? » of a meeting. It has been endorsed by 20 of the most influential leaders from the corporate and association worlds and helps professionals to position themselves as strategic partner.

His second book, Before It’s Too Late, A Love Letter to my Daughters and America, is a story of grit, perseverance, and courage. It describes why and how he and his wife brought their daughters to America and why it is the greatest country on Earth.

Eric is a current member of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) and The Strategic Forum. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Demoucelle Parkinson Foundation in Belgium and was the first European to serve as Chairman of the International Board of Meetings Professional International (MPI), the largest professional association in the Meetings and Events Industry.

Recorded 12/08/2022.

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jenny Feterovich, Executive Producer at Arcadius Productions Inc. about her favorite stories and lessons learned from her TV Show, Start Up.

Partners Gary Bredow and Jenny Feterovich are responsible for producing the critically acclaimed and Emmy nominated PBS series "Start Up" and "A Craftsman's Legacy", internationally distributed documentaries "High Tech Soul", "Urban Roots", and "Bridging the Gap" as well as branded content for major corporations including American Express, Chrysler, The UPS Store, State Farm, Coca-Cola, Ford, and Microsoft.

Arcadius is responsible for over 1500 hours of national television programming.  As the Executive Producers of the PBS series "Start UP," going into its 5th season in the fall of 2017, they show extraordinary people that have followed their dream of creating a small business.  As one of the top 4 business shows on TV, they have helped paved the way for other popular business focused programs.

Arcadius is dedicated to telling real stories and giving viewers the unique opportunity to see life through the experiences of our characters.

Recorded 11/21/2022. 

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Jeff Berkowitz, founder and CEO of Delve, on assessing political and reputational risks — and what those can do to businesses that don’t take them seriously. 

Jeff is the founder and CEO of Delve, Washington’s preeminent competitive intelligence and risk advisory firm. Delve helps heavily regulated and highly scrutinized sectors − including energy and utilities, life sciences, financial services, and beyond − anticipate and mitigate public affairs challenges.

Founded in 2015, Delve specializes in helping companies, industry groups, and advocacy coalitions stay ahead of the curve on the political and reputational risks and opportunities at the intersection of policy and business. Today, the firm provides high-stakes counsel and insights to C-suite executives, public affairs professionals, and their teams across a range of sectors.

Recognized by POLITICO as an “opposition research and policy ace” and "one of the best-known policy and opposition researchers in D.C." by The Daily Beast, Jeff previously served as the Research Director of the Republican National Committee (RNC), where he served three tours under four chairmen across five election cycles. At the RNC, Jeff helped to craft the GOP response to current events and long-term initiatives, ranging from Supreme Court nominations to Obamacare to the Dodd-Frank financial regulations.

Jeff also served on staff or advised on five major presidential campaigns and has shepherded research and messaging operations at The White House, the U.S. Department of State, and several prominent private sector and non-profit organizations.

As a member of the Forbes Business Council and a leader in the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Jeff provides both commentary and guidance to businesses and industries of all sizes. He also sits on the board of the America’s Future Foundation, a nationwide network fostering the next generation of liberty-minded leaders.

Recorded 11/18/2022.

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Josh Sweeney, President of FounderScale, on bleeding-edge strategies and tactics for scaling a B2B business. 

Josh Sweeney is a seasoned entrepreneur, whose relentless drive has given him the platform to build big ideas and even bigger companies.  One of his successes, Atcore Systems, was acquired in 2016 by a leading partner in the CRM industry. 

Experiencing the impact of various sales and marketing challenges over the years, Josh founded FounderScale. He has made it his mission to help founder-led organizations increase sales. Because of his passion for growth and forward-thinking, he donates his time to the Entrepreneur Organization of Atlanta, guiding and promoting other entrepreneurs through experience sharing and camaraderie.

Recorded 11/18/2022. 

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews George Peichel, CFO of Pure Prairie Farms, on the new food processing plant he is building and his journey to get there.

A Minnesota native, George is an experienced professional with over 30 years of financial experience in building high-growth businesses in the meat and agribusiness industries. Prior to joining Pure Prairie Farms, George served as Chief Executive Officer for Prairie’s Best Farms, where he produced results through his leadership and sound business acumen. In his years of overseeing poultry farming and live operations at Prairie’s Best Farms, he helped to create and manage a live network of 75 barns and three million square feet through his expertise. 

In addition to agriculture, George had spent a significant amount of his career in banking, followed by a senior leadership role at Christensen Farms, where he led the company’s impactful large-scale expansion and advancement efforts. Through executing robust strategies within his role, George helped to increase revenue from $30 million to one billion dollars within seventeen years. 

George is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and he, along with his wife, Mary, operate a hog finishing operation.

Recorded 11/14/2022. 

On this episode, Ami Kassar interviews Angela Kalemis, a Certified EOS Implementer and Community Coach at EOS Worldwide, on how someone finds the best coach. 

Angela grew up in an entrepreneurial household. Working in the family business exposed her to the struggles, difficulties, and instability that owners face. Angela’s professional career spanned several large corporations – her longest tenure was 17+ years at Booz Allen, a global technology leader where she helped develop management systems to win and execute $2B in government work.

Angela is a Certified Forum Facilitator by YPO and has the privilege of working with business leaders around the world. Married to a serial entrepreneur who runs a company that had tremendous growth but hit the ceiling who got more and more frustrated as he struggled to take the business to the next level, she originally began mastering EOS with the intention of implementing it in his company, but immediately connected to the system and found a passion for helping other business owners.

Angela knows the challenges of growing and running businesses and how to powerfully apply the EOS tools to create structure, discipline, and accountability to help leaders get what they want out of their business and live a better life. If you are frustrated with your business, Angela can help you achieve your vision.

Recorded on 10/31/2022.