Entrepreneurs United

Hosted by John St.Pierre and Rich Hoffmann

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301

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Weekly conversations with Entrepreneurs from across the globe sharing their biggest learnings and experiences with fellow Entrepreneurs.

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60 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 30243 min

EP 302: Embracing AI: Control and Discovery w/ Jason Van Orden

What if your AI could function like a team of specialists who already know everything about your business?Jason Van Orden has spent two decades helping coaches and consultants turn their expertise into scalable businesses. In this episode, he joins John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann to break down how he builds custom AI systems using Claude that function like a real team. A system that knows your SOPs, your brand voice, your clients, and your intellectual property, and turns all of it into compounding leverage.This isn't about using AI to write posts faster. It's about building a second brain that eliminates cognitive drag, runs scheduled tasks in the background, and multiplies everything you've worked hard to learn and build.What you'll walk away with: How to set up scheduled tasks that eliminate repetitive work. The three barriers keeping most entrepreneurs from real AI leverage. The trust, mindset, and logistics framework for handling AI security anxiety. Why reducing cognitive load is the goal and why eliminating it is the trap. Real client wins including a nurture sequence built in an afternoon and a seven-year stalled book that landed a publisher deal in four months.Take Jason's free Growth Diagnostic at http://www.jasonvanorden.com/growthConnect with Jason Van Orden on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvanorden/Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week. https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/

June 8, 2026Episode 30130 min

EP 301: Mastering the Preparation Principle, Essential Tips for Business Exits w/ Eric Coonrod

Do you actually know what your business is worth? Most entrepreneurs think they do.Eric Coonrod is a 22-year investment banker and author of The Preparation Principle. He specializes in helping business owners get the maximum value from their exits. In this episode, he breaks down the pattern he sees most often: owners who go to market underprepared, find out their financials don't match their assumptions, and watch deals fall apart.This episode walks through what it actually takes to prepare for a business sale -- starting with the most common mistake Eric sees, entrepreneurs who don't know their real EBITDA, all the way through the five-person professional team you need, the tax strategies that can save millions before a deal closes, and the question most founders never answer until they're already at the closing table: who are you after you sell?What you'll walk away with: Why EBITDA mismatch is the number one exit killer and how to fix it before you go to market. The five professionals every entrepreneur needs at least two to three years before selling -- and why your existing attorney is almost certainly not on the list. The wealth management and tax strategies that can save you millions if you start early enough. How to structure earn-outs so buyers can't manipulate your payout. And the identity question most entrepreneurs avoid until it's too late.Get The Preparation Principle by Eric Coonrod at ecoonrodco.comConnect with Eric Coonrod on LinkedIn Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/

June 1, 2026Episode 30019 min

EP 300: Mastering Accountability, A Guide for Leaders & Entrepreneurs w/ John St.Pierre & Rich Hoffmann

Are you actually holding people accountable, or are you just making them nervous?In this milestone 300th episode of Entrepreneurs United, co-hosts John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann go deep on one of the most misunderstood leadership skills: accountability. Rich has been coaching leaders and entrepreneurs on this for years, and what he finds is consistent: most leaders have inherited a definition of accountability that quietly works against them.In this episode, Rich and John break down the real two-step process for accountability that actually works: collecting a genuine commitment and following up on facts, not feelings.What you'll walk away with: why accountability is a support system, not a punishment, and what that means in practice. The three-part commitment that closes every accountability gap: who, what, and when. Why letting people set their own deadlines makes commitment more likely to stick. How to tell if a pattern of missed commitments is a commitment problem or a competency problem. The TSP method (Truthful, Specific, Positive) for reinforcement that builds accountability into your culture.Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/About Entrepreneurs UnitedHosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.

May 25, 2026Episode 29948 min

EP 299: How to Lower Dementia Risk: 12 Science-Backed Strategies w/ Dr. Yogesh Shah

What if you could detect Alzheimer's years before any symptoms appeared and stop it?Dr. Yogesh Shah is a Board-Certified Geriatrician and Mayo Clinic-trained memory specialist who has spent 25 years focused entirely on the early detection and prevention of dementia. In this episode, he makes a case that every entrepreneur in their 40s and 50s needs to hear: the window to protect your brain is now. Not at 70. Not after a diagnosis.America spends 20% of its GDP on healthcare, and nearly all of it goes to disease management. Dr. Shah explains why that approach is failing, what Mild Cognitive Impairment is and why it matters, and how a new FDA-approved blood test can identify Alzheimer's pathology years before any symptoms appear. He walks through the 14 lifestyle factors identified in the Lancet study that can reduce dementia risk by up to 45%, and explains how monoclonal antibody infusions are now removing amyloid plaque from the brains of patients caught early enough.What you will walk away with: an understanding of why 40 to 50% of dementia cases go undiagnosed and the real-world consequences, what the new p-tau blood tests are and how to ask your doctor about getting one, which lifestyle factors carry the most risk weight for entrepreneurs, and why managing your LDL, sleep, social connection, and chronic conditions in midlife is the most important thing you can do for your future brain health.Connect with Dr. Yogesh Shah on LinkedIn Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/

May 18, 2026Episode 29842 min

EP 298: The Art of Scaling: Don't Be The Operator, Be The Owner! w/ Cliff Nonnenmacher

Are you building a business or building yourself a job?Cliff Nonnenmacher is the founder of Franocity, a franchise consulting firm that has spent 25 years helping investors and displaced executives identify scalable franchise brands with real liquidity and exit potential. His core message is simple: the owner who still works in the business after year one almost never builds an empire.In this episode, Cliff breaks down exactly what separates the 1.4-unit franchise owner from the one who owns 10, why spreading across multiple territories before you dominate one is a wealth trap, and how to build the team, systems, and leadership culture that allow you to step out of the van for good.What you'll walk away with: Why going a mile deep and an inch wide is the most powerful territory strategy in franchising. The 5 KPIs every owner needs to track to work on the business, not in it. Jack Welch's four E's and a P framework for hiring leaders who actually scale. The real reason "if you want it done right, do it yourself" is the most financially suppressive advice you can follow. How Franocity's free consulting model works and how to connect with Cliff.Access Cliff's free franchise discovery consultation at franocity.comConnect with Cliff Nonnenmacher on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/cliffnonnenmacherHosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/

May 11, 2026Episode 29734 min

EP 297: From Earning to Keeping: Insights - w/ Tom Malesic

Most entrepreneurs are great at making money. Keeping it is where things fall apart.Tom Malesic is the founder and CEO of EZSolution, EZMarketing, and EZComputer, three businesses built at the intersection of digital marketing, IT support, and operational systems. He is also a certified EOS implementer who came to EOS after struggling with profitability in his own companies and realizing that generating revenue and holding onto it are two completely different disciplines.In this episode Tom walks through how EOS transformed his leadership team by creating clarity, accountability, and a 90-day focus that stopped the cycle of chasing shiny pennies. He breaks down the IDS framework, why most teams waste it by discussing instead of identifying the real root issue, and why core values are not inspiration but the actual answer to which people belong on the bus. He also shares actionable insights from all three of his disciplines: the cybersecurity tools every small business owner should have today, why organic SEO closes deals faster than any paid channel, and how AI is already reshaping marketing for companies willing to adapt.What you will walk away with: Why earning money and keeping it are two separate skills and how EOS closes the gap between them. How IDS actually works and why most teams never get past the discussion phase. Why core values are hiring and firing criteria, not words on a wall. The cybersecurity tools every small business owner should have right now. Why organic SEO beats paid advertising for deal velocity and how good SEO drives better AI search rankings too.Download Tom's new book They're Looking For You at https://www.ezmarketing.com/theyre-looking-for-you/Connect with Tom Malesic on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommalesic/ Hosted by John St.Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/

May 4, 2026Episode 29620 min

EP 296: Why Q1’s 90-Day Checkpoint Is the Most Underrated Discipline in Business w/ John St.Pierre & Rich Hoff

Q1 is over. Do you know if you hit your numbers?Most entrepreneurs set goals in January, forget about them by March, and don't look again until mid-year when the damage is already done. In this episode of Entrepreneurs United, hosts John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann break down the single most underrated discipline in business: the 90-day checkpoint.They walk through every format, from a simple 4-hour scorecard review to a full two-day leadership offsite, and share exactly what a high-performing quarterly reset looks like at every stage of your company's growth.What you'll walk away with: Why the Q1 offsite is the most critical one of the year and what happens if you skip it. How to run a vulnerability-based trust exercise that can transform team dynamics in a single session. The IDS framework, which stands for Issue, Discuss, and Solve, and how to turn recurring problems into actual decisions. Why 90-day sprints matter more now than ever in a world where things change every single week. The role reversal exercise John uses to break cross-division deadlock and get two teams aligned fast.Reach Rich Hoffmann at https://trustedleadershipcoaching.com/ John St. Pierre at 100mjourney.com.Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/About Entrepreneurs UnitedHosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.

April 27, 2026Episode 29537 min

EP 295: Get Your Sales Success Rate to 90% w/ Bryan McDonald

Why are you closing 20% when you could be closing 90%?Bryan McDonald has spent 25+ years in sales and has a simple rule: don't make an offer unless you're 90% sure it's getting accepted. As a partner at onPurpose Growth, he helps coaches, consultants, and experts who came from corporate America build businesses that focus on leverage, not volume.In this episode, Bryan breaks down why most people fail at sales and how to fix it. It's not about getting more leads. It's about getting better at qualifying the ones you have and building a sales process that gets agreement before you ever send a proposal.What you'll walk away with:How to position yourself uniquely in the marketplace instead of sounding like every competitor. The 3-5 step sales process that gets small commitments leading to the bigger commitment. Why you need to agree on problem, solution, and price before making any offer. How to leverage your past corporate experience to serve small and medium businesses. The focus and leverage game versus the volume game for coaches and consultants.Join Bryan's free sales community at paidwhatyouareworth.comConnect with Bryan McDonald on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcdonaldbryan/ or check out his newsletter at onpurposegrowth.substack.comHosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/linksAbout Entrepreneurs UnitedHosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.

April 20, 2026Episode 29142 min

EP 294: Your Business Is Worth What Someone Will Pay For It w/ Jessica Fialkovich

Are you planning to sell your business someday but have no idea what it is actually worth or whether it is ready?Jessica Fialkovich has been inside more than 2,000 business exits across 75 industries. She is the author of Exit Factor: Increased Value and Profits for Your Business and the founder of a 52-location exit planning franchise. She also sold her own company before it was ready, paid too much in taxes, and handed it to the wrong buyer. The business failed two years later and every employee lost their job. That experience is the foundation of everything she now teaches.In this episode, Jessica walks through what actually drives business value, the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when preparing to exit, and what to do differently starting today.What you'll walk away with:Why business value is based on a weighted average of three to five years, not one great year. The 85-point qualitative checklist that determines where your business sits in the valuation range for your industry. How asset sale taxes actually work and why most sellers are completely blindsided. Why vetting a single buyer is the most expensive exit mistake and what a real buyer process looks like. The one thing to do today and the one commitment that will protect your exit no matter when it happens.Connect with Jessica Fialkovich on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicafialkovich/ Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links

April 13, 2026Episode 29343 min

EP 293: 212 Degrees: The Extra Degree That Transforms Leadership and Culture w/ Sam Parker

What is the difference between water that is just hot and water that produces real power? One degree.Sam Parker, author of the bestselling book 212 the extra degree, joins John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann to talk about the concept that has shaped how thousands of leaders build teams, set culture, and show up every single day. Over a million copies sold, and Sam recently brought the rights back and revised the book entirely. In this conversation he shares not just the metaphor but the full leadership framework he has built around it over 20 years.In this episode, Sam breaks down what a 212 culture actually looks like in practice, why most leaders unknowingly undercut their own teams, and the four-part model he has refined for leaders who want to build something worth staying for.What you'll walk away with: the two boxes framework and what every leader leaves behind. Four leadership principles every founder needs to hear: act as you want your team to act, talk with them often, help them grow, and change things when needed. Why leading by control destroys team trust faster than anything else. What a 212 culture actually feels like, and why it is not a never-ending grind. And the selfless leadership mindset that changes everything when you finally get your ego out of the way.Download Sam's free book sample of 212 The Extra Degree at https://212spark.comConnect with Sam Parker on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samparker212/Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week. https://entrepreneursunited.us/links.