“I’m not sure I ever really wanted to be an entrepreneur.” – Fabi Preslar

Ever turned your biggest fear into your proudest achievement? That’s Fabi’s story. Inspired by her father’s ambitious (but unsuccessful) business ventures—from running a French restaurant in rural South Carolina to raising chinchillas—Fabi saw firsthand the risks of entrepreneurship. As her father’s ventures failed, her family lost everything, leaving Fabi to grow up a guest in someone else’s home. Why would she ever dive into entrepreneurship herself? For Fabi, it started with a need—an extra $100 a month when she was home with her baby.

But soon she was all in, & good mentors helped her overcome her fears around entrepreneurship & embrace the idea of “failing forward.” Today, after more than two decades of learning, Fabi’s built one the southeast’s most regarded publishing companies, reminding us just where tenacity & authenticity can lead, even when the journey begins in the most unexpected way.

To learn more, find her at FabiPreslar.com.

Can’t help but think of what George Addair said: "Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear."

"My life is being a navigator and helping navigate people just get started." – Brian Ondrako Listening to Brian now, it's hard to imagine him as a young child in small-town NY, struggling with feelings of inadequacy & lack of self-belief, but those are his roots. A persistent negative mindset & placing blame on others were his defense mechanisms of choice, & they left him stuck in a cycle of procrastination & self-doubt through adulthood. That is until the shame & regret overcame his fear, & he told those mechanisms to take a hike! Embracing a mindset of action & growth, Brian set out to "just get started" – making small, incremental changes one step at a time. So transformative was it for him that he just couldn't keep it a secret. Today, through his coaching, podcast, & books, Brian encourages everyone to move past their doubts, take the first step, & navigate life with confidence. We could all use some of that. To learn more, find him at BrianOndrako.com. Brian's journey & leadership is captured perfectly by Zig Ziglar: "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

“We just really love living life with other people.” – Monica Hickman Rural Tennessee might not seem like the obvious place to birth a business, but that’s just where David & Monica Hickman’s radical love for community – & their eventual business --was born. Neighbors helping neighbors & new faces at the dinner table were the norm & solidified the idea that connecting with other people was what made “home” great. Today, David & Monica’s luxury events in countless communities across Charlotte, NC look very different than the humble meals served at mom’s kitchen table, but the idea the is the same: The people in your community bring life to where you live. Know & love them well. Whether it’s at rooftop charcuterie night or ballpark bash, this story of hard work, servant leadership, & a shared vision to make Charlotte (and beyond!) a “sticky” place for young professionals to find a home and community & put "people-first" values into place will leave you inspired. To learn more about community-building as an art form, find them on SocialHubCompany.com. Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Cities are made of friendships.” He’d sure love this.

"I really do want to be known for getting the most out of the people around me and helping them grow."— Danny Mizrahi From New York's breakneck pace to building powerhouse companies, Danny Mizrahi is the ultimate growth champion. Whether launching tech startups or scaling businesses to the Inc. 5000, his approach is all about helping others reach new heights—personally and professionally. It's how he built his own companies, Contango and Sunbird Messaging App and helped 46 entrepreneurs hit that coveted million-dollar mark in revenue. His secret? Building relationships, hustling hard, & always giving more than you get. So simple but so impactful. If you're looking for common sense entrepreneurial inspiration that values people over everything (delivered by one of the most unstoppable guests we've ever hosted): Find him on LinkedIn or by Googling "Danny Sunbird." Danny's style is reminiscent of a quote by John C Maxwell… "Coaching is not just about giving advice; it's about building relationships that empower others to discover their own solutions and grow."

“The thing that most excites my soul is creating, establishing, developing, & then making sure it doesn’t die.” – Titus Bartolotta Locals in the Lake Norman area of Charlotte, NC know the name Bartolotta. That’s because Titus & his wife, Christina Bartolotta (also a podcast guest!), do more than run businesses there. They’re community builders, investing in projects that richly improve lives. That alone would make for a good interview. But what makes Titus’ journey exceptional is how difficult & diverse it was. Raised in poverty & trained in an unlikely mix of culinary arts, seminary, & big screen TV sales, he eventually became a business owner & mentor when the call to create & sustain something purposeful became too great to ignore. From consulting to authoring a book to running two restaurants, Titus blends business acumen with deep personal conviction, humor, humility, & passion as he lifts others up & leads authentically. To learn more, find him at RiseCafe.com & CollaborativeSolutionsGroup.com. John C. Maxwell said, "Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another."

"You have to make decisions to really do the hard things… that's what leadership is." – Will Jones When Will was chosen to lead a well-known Charlotte, NC, philanthropy, he was thrilled. Service to others is woven into the fabric of his life. But he inherited a problem that too often plagues nonprofits: an unwavering passion for service hamstrung by little to no business acumen. Big dreams, not enough money. In his first year as leader, Will faced a $5 MILLION deficit. The solution? Seek more donations & drastically cut costs? Not a chance. Using the perspective he'd gained in the private sector, Will opted to embed a familiar yet powerful business strategy into the organization – laser-focused priorities, leadership training, culture building, & a proper growth strategy. The result? 20% year-over-year growth in the 12 years he's been in charge – results ANY organization would be proud to claim. To learn more about Will's epic perspective, find him on LinkedIn and ThompsonCFF.com Management consultant & author Peter Drucker said, "The best nonprofits are run more like businesses than most businesses are." We have an example here.

“It’s all about the opportunity to inspire people.” – Johan Koornhof On the surface, Johan has much in common with the executives, business owners, and leaders he serves. He’s smart, successful, & entirely self-made. He owns his own company and serves as an ambassador to several organizations. But what sets him apart is that none of those things capture the most interesting parts of his journey, one that started in South Africa, spread to Scotland and the United States, and nearly ended tragically twice, once on the side of a mountain and later in an ICU battling COVID-19. He is no stranger to the lows of life, yet in them, he gained life-giving perspectives on purpose, intentional leadership, and personal character that have transformed his own life and the lives of countless others he chooses to serve selflessly. Much to our benefit, he shares them openly in all he does, including this podcast. What a gift. To learn more: Check out Be Real and connect with Johan on LinkedIn. C.S. Lewis said, “Hardship often prepares an ordinary person for extraordinary destiny.” He was right. Johan is living proof.

“People don’t think big enough.” – Tamara Bunte Growing up in the Midwest, Tamara assumed she’d follow the same path as everyone else: go to college, get a job, and work until retirement. She was smart, safe, and secure, the very values her community shared. But those values weren’t hers. Even as a young child, she was curious. Why are some people happier and more successful than others? What makes the difference? So nagging were those questions that, at 12 years old, she asked for the tapes of famed motivational speaker Tony Robbins and set goals to work for Dale Carnegie & Robbins himself. And that’s exactly what she did. Today, Tamara runs her own company, teaching unique sales strategies to companies of all types (and gives some great tips in this podcast!). She also leads a thriving non-profit and a faith-fueled Etsy shop. Her passion and purpose in life underscore them all and fuel her (self-made) success. To learn more, find her at TamaraBunte.com & on LinkedIn. Hard work matters, but start with a plan and make it a big one. That’s Tamara’s story. It’s like Emeril Lagasse said, “If you think big, it’s going to be big.”