Business, Bourbon & Cigars

Hosted by Scott Joseph

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Business Bourbon & Cigars isn’t just another business podcast. It’s where ambitious entrepreneurs come to hear from proven leaders who’ve faced the toughest challenges and found strategies that work. Hosted by Scott Joseph, founder of Me Plus Ultra, each episode offers no-nonsense insights into scaling businesses, refining leadership, and building a life of purpose, backed by real-world examples and actionable advice. Scott’s solo episodes give you the behind-the-scenes strategies he’s used to grow and pivot his businesses, ideas that are also being put into practice by high-performing members of the Me Plus Ultra mastermind group. From mastering self-awareness to transforming business models, Scott shares the tactics that have led to measurable success and personal fulfillment. But it’s not just about Scott’s journey. In our interview episodes, you’ll hear from top entrepreneurs and industry leaders who’ve shaped their own success. Think of it like getting access to the playbooks of those who’ve truly made it, leaders like Claudio Gambin, financial strategist, and Jay Tepley, business transformation expert. These guests don’t just talk theory, they share the practical tools, mindset shifts, and real-life examples that helped them overcome setbacks and scale their businesses. Each episode is designed to give you something you can apply to your own business immediately. Whether you’re at a crossroads, looking to innovate, or want to rethink your leadership approach, you’ll find guidance that cuts through the fluff and addresses real pain points. And while the podcast name Business Bourbon & Cigars might evoke a certain image of success, it’s more than just a theme, it’s about taking the time to savor growth. In business, as in life, we’re all looking for ways to enjoy the journey, to take the time to reflect, and to make better, more intentional decisions. No matter how you choose to unwind, the show’s spirit remains the same: it’s about unlocking growth, both professionally and personally. What can you expect to learn? Practical growth strategies that are actually working today, from high-level business owners and entrepreneurs. Actionable leadership advice for those ready to lead with clarity, accountability, and authenticity. Real-life stories from guests who’ve faced adversity and used it as a springboard for innovation and lasting success. Tangible steps you can implement in your own life and business to elevate your impact, grow your network, and break through the noise. Business Bourbon & Cigars is not for the faint of heart. It’s for those who know that growth isn’t just about doing more, it’s about becoming more. If you’re tired of surface-level advice and want real strategies from people who have walked the path, subscribe now. Why listen to this podcast? Hear specific strategies from experts like Claudio Gambin (who’s helped countless clients master wealth-building strategies) and Jay Tepley (who’s led transformative retreats that have changed the lives of entrepreneurs). Get insights on how to scale smarter, innovate faster, and lead with greater focus and confidence. Walk away from each episode with actionable insights you can immediately apply to your own business. If you’re ready to challenge your thinking, elevate your business, and grow as a leader, Business Bourbon & Cigars is the podcast you’ve been looking for.

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June 11, 202617 min

The Business You're Building Has a Second Story - Here's How to Make It Worth Telling

Revenue tells you how your quarter performed. Legacy tells you why it was worth building at all. Two businesses are being built inside yours right now: the P&L you're tracking, and the second story being built whether you watch it or not.In this episode, you'll learn the four operational moves that build something lasting: defining what your name will mean before the market does, investing in relationships with no visible ROI, holding a standard you'd keep even without an exit, and letting people see what you actually value. Exit and legacy reinforce each other!Topics discussed:Introduction (00:00)The two businesses being built inside yours (01:12)Revenue tells you "how"; legacy tells you "why" (07:00)Move #1: decide what your name will mean before the market does (07:26)Move #2: invest in relationships with no visible ROI (09:05)Move #3: hold a standard you'd keep even without an exit (10:42)Move #4: let people see what you actually value (13:33)The Giving Hope gala — what consistency produces over time (14:51)The October BBC Leadership Retreat in Louisville (16:19)Join Scott at the next Business Bourbon & Cigars Leadership Retreat, October 13–15, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. Visit meplusultra.com/bbc50 for 50% off your ticket.Subscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

June 4, 202619 min

One Trust Decision. One Right Person. How a Nine-Figure Empire Gets Built

That key seat you keep hiring around? The one where the right person feels too expensive or too far out of reach? It's costing you more than the salary ever would.In this episode, Scott Joseph tells the story of a Starbucks conversation that turned one underperforming dealership into 19 stores and a multiple-nine-figure exit. You'll learn how to name the single role that changes your math, how to hire for where you're going instead of where you sit today, and how to protect that hire long enough to let it compound!Topics discussed:Introduction (00:00)The Starbucks coffee that became a nine-figure exit (01:29)The friend, the dealership, and the one piece of advice (02:28)From 90 units to 900: what the right operator made possible (04:58)Hire for the business you're building, not the one you have (06:46)Principle #1: name the single role with disproportionate return (07:39)Principle #2: hire for where you're going, not where you are (09:07)Principle #3: give them the authority their responsibility requires (12:09)Principle #4: protect the relationship for the compounding to show up (14:01)The two questions every leader should sit with right now (16:58)Claim 50% off your seat at the next Business Bourbon & Cigars Leadership Retreat, October 13–15, 2026 in Louisville, KY: https://meplusultra.com/BBC50Apply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.comSubscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

May 28, 202620 min

Working Harder Than Ever and Loving Every Minute: Here Is What Actually Changed

That ceiling you've hit even after years of success? It's usually not your strategy. It's the gap between the version of you that built your last chapter and the one that's supposed to build the next.You'll learn why the outreach you'd delete might be the one your next chapter depends on, how to tell when you've outgrown the version of yourself your business was built on, and four moves to close it, from separating identity from accomplishment to protecting your first three hours each day. Working harder isn't the problem. Working harder as the wrong version of yourself is!Topics discussed:The kind of growth that has nothing to do with revenue or headcount (00:00)The signal success can quietly mask (02:19)How almost deleting a LinkedIn message can cost you (03:38)Why you're the last to see your own blind spots (05:25)The buried beliefs and assumptions steering your decisions (06:30)What becomes possible when you build from who you actually are (08:08)Why the right work feels lighter even when it's harder (08:43)Step #1: separate what you've achieved from who you are (11:49)Step #2: name the assumptions you've been avoiding (13:11)Step #3: write your personal mission in terms of impact (14:35)Step #4: protect the first three hours of your day (15:47)Tired of feeling stuck? Download our FREE Limitless Growth eBook for strategies for continuous improvement, time management, and leadership skills that make an impact: https://meplusultra.com/growth/Apply for a Me Plus Ultra Sessions observer seat and watch a real working session before you decide if it's the right fit: https://meplusultra.com/hotseatSubscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

May 22, 202620 min

How Do Top Business Leaders Solve Complex Issues in Hours Instead of Years?

That problem you've been working on for months, the one your advisors keep refining but never quite cracking? The answer probably already exists. It's just not in your circle. In this episode, you'll hear two real Me Plus Ultra moments. A $9M tax liability eliminated over lunch. A $100K decision reframed in twenty minutes. Then four things any operator can do to build the kind of access that compounds. The most expensive problem in your business is probably already solved in someone's head. The only question is whether you're in the room to hear it!Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00)The $9M lunch: how Claudio's client eliminated a tax liability over a meal (02:36)Why John Garcia's question solved what Claudio's standard approaches couldn't (03:31)The 20-minute reframe: Alex Griffiths' $100K decision (05:06)How Overfuel got preferred vendor status overnight (06:49)The mechanic: proximity to people who've operated where you're going (08:13)Step #1: get honest about who's actually in your circle (09:14)Step #2: pursue conversations that reframe, not just answer (10:49)Step #3: treat proximity as a strategic investment, not a social expense (13:35)Step #4: show up to give, not to extract (15:18) Apply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.com/sessions Subscribe so you don't miss any episodes: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/ Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/ Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1 This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

May 14, 202623 min

Does Your Team Talk Big But Act Small? Here's the Real Problem

Your plans aren't dying because of bad strategy or weak people. They're dying in the 72 hours nobody is watching.In this episode, you'll learn why agreement in the room is the most dangerous moment of your planning process, the three specific things that kill execution after everyone walks out, and the simple bridge one operator installed to drop his execution gap from 15% to under 5%, recovering $2.5 million in a single quarter. Agreement is not ownership!Topics discussed:Introduction (00:00)Why winning plans die after agreement (02:44)The question that lands like a brick (05:19)Killer #1: the inbox drowns the plan (07:25)Killer #2: the reasoning dies faster than the decision (10:31)Killer #3: collective ownership is fake ownership (15:00)The bridge: start list, decision brief, 48-hour verification (18:24)Drift doesn't announce itself (20:16)What to install this week (20:24) Apply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.com/sessionsSubscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/ Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/ Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1 This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

May 7, 202618 min

Why Do Winning CEOs Make Choices That Always Seem to Blow Up Later?

Your dashboards are clean, your reports are thorough, your advisors are sharp. So why don't your decisions carry the same weight they used to?In this episode, Scott Joseph breaks down how the systems you built to give yourself room to think are quietly replacing the thing that made you dangerous in the first place. You'll learn how a $30 million operator lost a multi-million dollar relationship with zero warning, why your dashboard is just a mirror, and the Friday-morning question that pulls senior leaders back into proximity with the work!Topics discussed:Why winning CEOs make decisions that don't carry weight (00:00)The trap: how your systems quietly replace your thinking (01:02)The $30M founder running his company through a screen (03:23)A top-three client walks out with no warning (04:05)Scott's J&L story: when the machine starts running you (05:36)How growth steals back the instinct that built your company (06:39)Data tells you what happened. Thinking tells you what it means. (10:23)The 18-month cost of clean reports and rotting relationships (10:50)The fix: a Friday block and one question (13:01)Why your dashboard is just a mirror (16:36)Turn challenges into measurable results with the FREE Business Bourbon & Cigars Leadership Retreat Workbook! http://meplusultra.com/workbookApply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.comSubscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

April 30, 202622 min

How Smart Business Owners Make More Money by Talking Less About Money

The most valuable relationships in your business never looked like opportunities when they started. They looked like coffees with no agenda. Years later, they reshape your trajectory entirely.Scott breaks down the three modes operators run relationships in: extractive, transactional, and compounding. Most experienced leaders are stuck in mode two without realizing it. You'll hear how a $3 coffee turned into a nine-figure exit, how one introduction at a retreat erased a $9M tax bill, and the three questions that expose whether your network is compounding or stalled!Topics discussed:The algorithm running in every networking conversation (00:00)A $3 coffee that became a nine-figure exit (03:18)The two-person mastermind hiding inside a casual conversation (04:59)How a $9 million tax bill disappeared at a retreat (06:32)Why compounding networks multiply instead of add (09:21)Mode #1: extractive — the efficiency that caps your access (10:59)Mode #2: transactional — the polite trap most operators live in (12:46)Mode #3: compounding — where the operators you respect live (14:19)The three-question diagnostic for your network (16:48)The relationship that changes your business won't look like one yet (18:35)Turn challenges into measurable results with the FREE Business Bourbon & Cigars Leadership Retreat Workbook! http://meplusultra.com/workbookApply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.comSubscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

April 23, 202616 min

How to Stop the Leadership Trap That Costs You Clients Every Day

Your competitors aren't taking your clients. Your own growing pains are handing them over.In this episode, Scott breaks down the client experience gap: the silent space between the experience you think you're delivering and what clients are actually getting. You'll learn why the gap widens fastest in growing companies, the early signals most leaders miss, and four operational moves to close it before it shows up on your revenue report!Topics discussed:What leaders admit privately about their growing businesses (00:00)Defining the client experience gap (01:15)How the gap opens up inside a growing business (04:54)Why most clients don't complain, they just leave (06:10)Name the gap before you can close it (06:25)Make your standard observable, teachable, and inspectable (09:12)Identify the earliest signal of drift, not the moment of failure (10:31)Assign ownership to a specific person (11:55)How growing pains hand your clients to competitors (13:10)Claim 50% off your Business Bourbon & Cigars Leadership Retreat ticket and step into a room of high-level operators who pressure test each other's thinking: https://meplusultra.com/bbc50Subscribe so you don't miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

April 16, 202618 min

The One Decision That Quietly Costs You More Than Any Bad Investment

You can build a successful company and still be the biggest thing holding it back. In this episode, Scott shares the night he finally admitted he'd taken his company as far as he could on his own, the decision that changed everything, and why the environment you operate in determines the ceiling you operate under. If effort alone has stopped moving the needle, the problem isn't how hard you're working, it's the room you're working in.Topics discussed:Why success can quietly make you the bottleneck (00:32)The habits that build a company don't scale one (03:51)The late night that forced an honest admission (04:43)Why he registered for Tony Robbins Business Mastery (06:23)What happens when you're finally in the right room (07:04)How COVID sparked the first Fourth Box sessions (08:55)The 13-leader retreat that started it all (10:51)Effort vs. environment - the real differentiator (13:26)Why your current room is either expanding or capping you (15:08)You don't outgrow a ceiling by working harder inside it (17:16)Download the same Leadership Workbook used by elite business leaders inside Business Bourbon & Cigars: https://application.meplusultra.com/bbc-workbookApply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.comSubscribe so you don’t miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

April 9, 202618 min

Why Smart Leaders Stop Hearing the Truth After They Win Big

Success doesn't make you soft, it makes you insulated. In this episode, Scott unpacks how the environments successful operators build to remove friction quietly erode the very edge that got them there. From a podcast moment that exposed his own blind spot to the three layers of insulation every winning leader unknowingly constructs, this one is a mirror for anyone who's earned the right to control their days but lost the discomfort that sharpens their thinking.Topics discussed:Introduction (00:00)The insulation problem (02:38)A podcast moment that exposed a blind spot (03:09)Layer #1: you stop hearing what you need to hear (07:54)Layer #2: you start performing instead of participating (09:27)Layer #3: you confuse earned respect with earned certainty (11:08)Why successful operators need to reintroduce friction (12:14)3 questions to test if insulation is happening in your world (13:53)How to shift from performing to being present (15:14)Apply for the Me Plus Ultra Mastermind to connect with elite entrepreneurs who solve real problems together: https://MePlusUltra.com/sessionsSubscribe so you don’t miss any episodes:Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3SN2fHnSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74bfJL9J2fjevQEvi17ekUYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MePlusUltraNetwork/Connect with Me Plus Ultra:https://www.instagram.com/me_plus_ultra/https://www.facebook.com/MePlusUltra/https://www.facebook.com/groups/1011061052968028/https://x.com/Me_Plus_Ultra/Connect with Scott Joseph:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ScottJosephhttps://www.instagram.com/scotttjoseph/https://www.facebook.com/ScottTJoseph/https://x.com/ScottTJoseph1This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com