Lay of The Land

Hosted by Jeffrey Stern

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260

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Telling the stories of entrepreneurship and builders in Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio. Every Thursday, Jeffrey Stern helps map the Cleveland/NEO business ecosystem by talking to founders, investors, and community builders to learn what makes Cleveland/NEO special.

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60 recent

June 11, 202650 min

#253 Teddy Baldassarre — How Teddy Baldassarre Built His Brand

Teddy Baldassarre has built one of the most influential watch platforms in the world — and just as compelling as the watches themselves is the entrepreneurial story behind it.I first met Teddy almost ten years ago at StartMart in Terminal Tower, before any of this existed: before millions of followers, before the global audience, before the authorized retail partnerships, and before the beautiful physical boutique we recorded this conversation in at Crocker Park.In this episode, Teddy and I explore where his passion for watches began, how a first YouTube video evolved into one of the largest educational platforms in the watch world, and how he turned content into trust, trust into community, and community into a real business.We talk about entrepreneurship, self-expression, building online credibility, navigating the leap from digital media to commerce and physical retail, working with traditional watch brands, the enduring appeal of mechanical watches in an age where no one technically needs one, and what watches can teach us about craft, memory, status, meaning, and time itself.At its core, this is a conversation about building something that is an honest extension of who you are — and what can happen when curiosity, taste, discipline, and timing compound over the course of a decade.00:00 Introduction & Meeting Teddy01:00 Early Days: Startups, YouTube Beginnings03:00 Discovering a Passion for Watches06:00 Watches as Craft & Self-Expression08:00 Turning Passion into Business & Monetization11:00 Launching E-Commerce & the Pandemic Pivot13:00 Brand, Community, and Content16:00 Building an Approachable Watch Platform18:00 Opening the First Store & Physical Expansion20:00 Partnering with Legacy Watch Brands22:00 Storytelling, Heritage, and the Value of Watches25:00 Watches in Modern Culture & Technology28:00 Entrepreneurial Learnings & Scaling a Personal Brand32:00 Team Building and Company Culture34:00 Pride, Impact, and Alignment with Life’s Work36:00 Building Trust Online38:00 Defining Success39:00 Personal Curiosity & The Future of Watchmaking41:00 Looking Ahead: Growth, Retail, and Community42:00 Why Cleveland? Building Local Roots45:00 Reflections on the Journey46:00 Cleveland Hidden Gems & City Pride49:00 Outro & Closing Remarks-----LINKS:https://www.youtube.com/teddybaldassarrehttps://teddybaldassarre.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/teddy-baldassarre-70795890/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

June 4, 202654 min

#252 CJ Jang (Balance) — No Shortcuts

Hochan (CJ) Jang is the co-founder of Balance Pan-Asian Grille.What began for CJ as an effort to build a healthier, more creative, and more everyday kind of Asian fast casual concept more than 16 years ago has grown into a beloved regional brand with locations across Toledo and Cleveland — one defined by scratch-made food, bold flavors, affordability, and a real commitment to hospitality.In our conversation, CJ and I explore his journey from growing up in his mother’s restaurant after immigrating from South Korea, to discovering the potential of fast casual, to building Balance with little more than conviction, credit cards, and a willingness to learn everything the hard way. We talk about how the business found its footing, why location and customer feedback were so pivotal early on, how he thinks about quality, pricing, and menu innovation today, and what it takes to scale a restaurant brand without losing the culture and standards that made it special in the first place. I very much enjoyed this conversation, and I think you’ll hear in CJ both a deep humility and a real love for the craft — I hope you enjoy it as well.00:00 Introduction & Entrepreneurial Roots00:26 Welcome & Background03:00 Early Relationship with Food06:19 From Food to Entrepreneurship12:09 Inspiration from Fast Casual Concepts13:36 Challenges of Ethnic Fast Casual16:20 Launching Balance Pan Asian Grill19:40 Opening the First Location22:58 Importance of Location & Customer Feedback27:53 Balance’s Identity & Values31:07 Navigating Pricing & Affordability35:41 Scaling & Building Culture40:11 Vision for the Future44:57 Hard-Earned Lessons49:02 The Role of Upbringing & Community51:47 Closing & Hidden Gem in Cleveland-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hochan-j-88513510a/https://www.linkedin.com/posts/balancegrille_2-first-generation-entrepreneurs-are-redefining-activity-7351709996880998400-LM0l/https://balancegrille.com/the-balance-grille-leadership-advantage/https://balancegrille.com/story/-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at https://ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

May 28, 20261 hr 4 min

#251 Aidan Meany (Found Surface) — Building the Future of American Knitwear Manufacturing

Aidan Meany, Founder and CEO of Found Surface. Aidan is building a programmable knitwear factory in Cleveland that is reimagining what American apparel manufacturing can look likeWhat began for him with learning to sew from his grandmother and making clothes as a teenager has evolved into a much larger ambition — rebuilding the whole infrastructure to make apparel at scale here in the United States. Today, Found Surface develops its own yarn relationships from American farms and spinning partners, uses digital flatbed knitting and rapid assembly to make product close to home, and is building toward a future where brands can design, iterate, and produce without the waste, delay, and opacity of the traditional offshore model.In our conversation, Aidan and I explore the through line from his early fascination with clothing and making, to researching the fragmented state of American manufacturing during college, to building Found Surface first as a kind of supply chain connector and eventually into a serious manufacturing operation in Cleveland. We talk about why he believes this city is uniquely suited for the work, the deeper thesis behind vertical integration and domestic production, how digital knitting changes the economics of speed, customization, and minimum order size, and why overproduction — not just outsourcing — sits at the heart of so much of the apparel industry’s dysfunction. We also discuss the partnership between Found Surface, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, the company’s broader sustainability philosophy around natural fibers and proximity, the challenge of building an organization where young people can find meaningful work, and Aidan’s belief that Ohio has a real opportunity to help lead the next chapter of American industrial renewal.Aidan is a genuine inspiration and I hope you enjoy our conversation00:00 Inflection Point in Apparel Manufacturing09:48 Found Surface: Origins and Evolution15:20 The Made in America Challenge21:43 Building a Smart Factory: The Future of Production30:30 Sustainability in Apparel: A Dual Approach35:08 Sustainable Fashion and Health Concerns41:29 Cleveland: A Hub for Innovation and Collaboration49:47 Rewriting History: The Future of Manufacturing55:19 Lessons in Leadership and Trust01:02:57 Outro-----LINKS:https://foundsurface.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidanmeany-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at https://ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

April 30, 20261 hr 10 min

#250 Chris Heivly — 250 Episodes Later — Reflections on Entrepreneurship, Community, Storytelling

This is the 250th episode of Lay of The Land, and to mark it, I wanted to do something a little different.Most episodes of this podcast are centered on founder stories — what drives someone to take the very difficult leap of trying to build a company, what problem they feel compelled enough to devote their life to solving, and what they learn along the way. But for this milestone episode, I wanted to step back and talk about the thing that ties these stories together… the community itself. And there was no one I’d rather have for that conversation than Chris Heivly.Chris is a serial entrepreneur, early-stage investor, startup community builder, and the founder of Build The Fort. He’s also was a co-founder of MapQuest, a bestselling author, a longtime writer and speaker on entrepreneurship and ecosystem development, and someone whose thinking had a real influence on the direction of Lay of The Land when I was starting it back in 2018… Chris came to Cleveland in 2018 and shared his assessment of our startup community through Techstars and at the City Club, and a lot of what he said stayed with me and this podcast became my own attempt to act on it.Over the last 250 episodes, Lay of The Land has grown into something much bigger than I originally imagined — not just a repository of entrepreneurial stories, but a kind of connective tissue for entrepreneurship in Cleveland: dozens of events, thousands of introductions, new friendships, mentorship relationships, hires, investments, co-founders, and I’m sure many second- and third-order effects I’ll never fully know about. So for this episode, it felt worth reflecting more directly on this whole journey and linger on how entrepreneurial communities actually form, what makes them stronger, what gets in their way, and what that has looked like here in Cleveland.In our conversation, Chris and I talk about what he saw when he first came to Cleveland, why density and storytelling mattered so much in his original assessment, why founders have to be at heart of it, why confidence is contagious, why you have to build upon your credible strengths…we talk about the Give First mentality, about mentorship, trust, meaningful connection, the limits of top-down ecosystem design, and how cities actually get better.Chris has spent years studying how startup communities form, evolve, and endure. I’m grateful to Chris for joining me, and grateful to all of you who’ve listened, shared, supported, and helped make 250 episodes possible and will help make the next 250 possible.00:00: Introduction07:40: Ecosystems13:02: Storytelling18:33: Give First24:34: Strengths in Community29:48: Meaningful Connections38:45: Human Complexity43:31: Mentorship48:51: The Role of Capital58:38: A Novel01:04:04: Reflections01:08:54 Outro-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly/https://heivly.com/https://buildthefort.com/City Club Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc4zWbXURU8&t=2s-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

April 24, 202654 min

#249 Ken Sobel (Hyperframe) — Constructing The Future

Ken Sobel — Co-founder and CEO of Hyperframe.Ken is an engineer and repeat founder whose entrepreneurial path started early — out of college he launched a fingerprint payments company that predated Apple Pay, which he took through Y Combinator and ultimately was acquired by Visa in 2016.Ken grew up in construction though… recalling memories being in his father’s workshop as a kid — and his longstanding passion for construction coupled with his love of engineering and problem-solving has culminated in an entrepreneurial desire to rethinking of one of the most fundamental parts of construction — steel framing.Through Hyperframe, Ken has taken traditional metal framing process that’s been slow, manual, and largely unchanged for decades, and re-imagined it as a system that’s faster, safer, and far more efficient. Hyperframe’s snap-together framing system, paired with a full-stack software and manufacturing platform, is enabling construction crews all over the world to build walls dramatically faster, with less labor and less strain.What started as a conversation about reindustrialization coupled with a desire and need to massively scale his operations, Ken made the bold decision to move Hyperframe from California to Ohio, where the company is now headquartered and where they are building out their first large-scale manufacturing facility.In our conversation, we talk about Ken’s path into construction, the early insights behind Hyperframe, and what it actually takes to rebuild a physical industry from the ground up. We get into the realities of scaling a hard tech company, earning trust in construction, why he decided to move his whole company and family from California to Ohio, and why Ohio is such an advantageous place to build physical companies.So please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Ken Sobel.00:00 — Building for Builders00:54 — Origin Story05:41 — Construction’s Realities06:35 — California to Ohio10:41 — Hard Tech Lessons20:22 — Pain Points32:17 — Innovating the Metal Framing27:11 — Gaining Trust 36:23 — Scaling Up41:47 — Real World Adoption44:08 — Hardest Lessons46:15 — Reflection49:08 — Being in Ohio52:27 — Wrap Up & Ways to Connect-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-sobelhttps://www.hyperframe.com/-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client’s financial life, including business ownership. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

April 16, 202657 min

#248 Dave Stack — Riches in Niches and Marketplace Development

Dave Stack. Dave is an internet entrepreneur and the founder of MusicStack, one of the early online marketplaces for rare and out-of-print music, which he began building out of his dorm room at Ohio State 30 years ago in the early days of the commercial internet. Over the years, he has gone on to build a portfolio of niche vertical marketplaces under the banner of Vertical Commerce, including MusicStack, Bear Pile, Reborns, and BJD Collectors — which has grown to facilitate tens of million in gross merchandise sales.In our conversation, Dave and I explore how a love of music, coding, and selling turned into one of the internet’s early marketplace businesses, and how he kept following overlooked opportunities into passionate collector and creator communities that most people would never think to serve, like lifelike baby dolls and handmade teddybears. We talk about why niche markets can be so powerful, how trust and community become part of the product, the leverage that automation and AI now afford a solo founder, and why Dave chose an intentionally lean and independent path rather than the conventional startup playbook of scale. More than anything, this is a conversation about building durable internet businesses, staying authentic to yourself, and designing a life around work you genuinely love. Dave is thoughtful, unconventional, and deeply true to his own path, and I really enjoyed our conversation — please enjoy.00:00 Exploring Hidden Opportunities in Niche Markets11:32 The Longevity of Online Businesses16:33 Building Trust and Community in Niche Marketplaces22:55 Automation and Efficiency in Solo Entrepreneurship28:01 Navigating the Chicken and Egg Problem in Marketplaces32:13 Understanding Marketplace Scale and Growth36:42 Authenticity in Entrepreneurship40:57 Community Engagement and Personal Connections51:24 Reflections on Cleveland and Personal Journey56:15 Outro-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjstack/https://www.davestack.com/press.cgi-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client’s financial life, including business ownership. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

April 9, 20261 hr 16 min

#247 Carson Morell & Daniel Scott Mitchell (Takton) — Manufacturing Technology

Carson Morell and Daniel Scott Mitchell, Co-Founders of Takton — a manufacturing technology company building fast, affordable tools for small and mid-sized manufacturers.Carson and Daniel came into manufacturing from different paths — Carson as a founder and operator, Daniel as an engineer at companies like Tesla and Rivian — but arrived at the same realization: there is a massive gap between the most advanced manufacturing technology and what is actually accessible to the majority of shops across the country.So they set out to meet manufacturers where they are, got in a car and spent months visiting factories — over a hundred across the U.S. — learning directly from operators, machinists, and owners about how work actually gets done. And along the way, they kept coming back to Cleveland and ultimately decided to build Takton here, in one of the densest manufacturing ecosystems in the country, where proximity to customers and relationships on the shop floor actually matter.In our conversation, we explore that journey — from their backgrounds and how they came together, to the insights from the road, to what they’re building at Takton today: a catalogue of simple, accessible products designed specifically for the majority long tail of manufacturers that have historically been underserved by technology.We talk about their first products, their approach to product development grounded in real-world feedback, the importance of industrial density in places like Cleveland and why they chose to build Takton here, and the broader opportunity to rebuild American manufacturing capacity.I loved learning more about their story, that they’ve chosen to build here and the passion and optimism they have for the future for american manufacturing. Please enjoy our conversation.00:00 Manufacturing Innovation10:47 The Roadshow14:58 Bridging the Gap21:25 Building Tacton25:37 Manufacturers29:01 Cost Efficiency30:41 In-Person Relationships35:29 Automation and Labor40:35 Industrial Cleveland45:38 Ecosystem51:35 Small Businesses54:06 Dynamics and Quality59:12 Bridging the Gap59:55 Data-Driven01:00:51 The Wild West01:03:17 Automation01:05:31 Memorable Moments01:09:50 Passion and Curiosity01:11:43 Takton's Meaning01:13:35 Cleveland's Potential 01:14:48 Outro-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdmorell/https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielscottmitchell/https://takton.com/about-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client’s financial life, including business ownership. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

April 2, 20261 hr 0 min

#246 Anna Dey (goGLOW, Clean Eatz, franSPOT, Smoothie King, The 24 in 24) — Franchises

Anna Dey is a multi-unit and multi-brand franchise entrepreneur who has spent the past decade building businesses across Northeast Ohio. Since getting her start in franchising with an Anytime Fitness location in 2012, she has gone on to own and operate franchises across several systems including Clean Eatz, Smoothie King, The Vitamin Shoppe, Barrio Tacos + Tequila, and goGLOW, earning national recognition along the way as both Franchisee of the Year and Multi-Unit Owner of the Year.Today, Anna also works as a franchise consultant at The franSPOT, where she helps aspiring entrepreneurs explore and launch franchise businesses of their own. Alongside her entrepreneurial work, Anna is the founder of *24 in 24*, an endurance running event where participants run one mile every hour for twenty-four consecutive hours — an event that has grown from a small community fitness challenge into a Northeast Ohio institution that has raised more than $3 million for children battling life-threatening illnesses.In our conversation, Anna and I explore franchising as a pathway to entrepreneurship — how the model works, why it can be such a powerful on-ramp to business ownership, and what she’s learned operating multiple franchise brands across different industries. We also talk about her evolution as an entrepreneur, how she evaluates franchise opportunities today, the importance of building strong teams and delegation, the story behind 24 in 24, and lots more. I very much enjoyed our conversation together — as you’ll hear, anna is full of passion and knowledge — and I hope you enjoy it as well!-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annamdeyhttps://www.goglow.cohttps://www.thefranspot.comhttp://www.cleaneatz.comhttp://www.smoothieking.comhttp://www.the24in24.org-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client’s financial life, including business ownership. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

March 26, 20261 hr 2 min

#245 Anne Hartnett (HCO Partners, Harness Cycle, The Vitrolite) — Brick and Mortar Entrepreneurship and Neighborhood Revitalization

Anne Hartnett is a neighborhood developer and entrepreneur focused on creating spaces where community, well-being, and small business can thrive. She is the founder of Harness Cycle and CEO of HCO Partners, a Cleveland-based real estate and placemaking company that develops and operates neighborhood-focused commercial properties.Anne began her career as a software consultant. After years of traveling and being inspired by vibrant neighborhood cultures in cities like New York and Minneapolis, she decided to open a brick-and-mortar fitness studio in the heart of Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.In 2013, she opened Harness Cycle, a boutique cycling studio built around the idea that movement can connect communities. Following its success, Harness expanded to a second location in Downtown Cleveland in 2017. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced both studios to close in 2020, Anne recalibrated her business model and began focusing on ownership of the spaces where her businesses operate.In 2022, Anne co-founded HCO Partners, a real estate development and operating company focused on supporting independent brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs. Through HCO, she acquired and redeveloped The Vitrolite Building in Cleveland’s Hingetown neighborhood. The building now houses a collection of locally owned businesses including Harness Cycle, Soul Yoga, Patron Saint, The Matriarchy, and LUUMA Wellness Suites, forming a collaborative ecosystem centered around well-being, entrepreneurship, and community.Anne has been recognized for her leadership and vision by being named to Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 Under 40, Smart Business Women in Business, and Cleveland Magazine’s Most Interesting People, and she was a contestant on CNBC’s Cleveland Hustles. She lives in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland with her husband Andy, a Cleveland Firefighter and their four children.00:00: The Entrepreneurial Journey07:45: Finding Opportunity10:47: The Rise of Boutique Fitness13:59: Creating a Community19:06: Scaling a Business24:44: Neighborhood Revitalization28:42: Brick and Mortar32:56: Small Businesses35:39: Operator to Developer41:43: Through Retail46:03: Advocacy for Brick and Mortar Businesses50:33: The Future of Brick and Mortar Entrepreneurship54:48: Redefining Success in Entrepreneurship01:01:38 Outro-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-hartnett/https://hcopartners.com/https://harnesscycle.com/https://www.thevitrolite.com/-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client’s financial life, including business ownership. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.Learn more at https://roundstoneinsurance.com/-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

March 19, 20261 hr 9 min

#244 Will Zell (Vessel) — Empowering Founders and Democratizing VC in Ohio

Will Zell — Founder and Managing Partner of Vessel, founding CEO and now Executive Chair of AssetWatch, and a leading voice in rethinking how venture capital works across Ohio.Will’s path into technology and venture isn’t conventional. He grew up — and still lives — in Bellefontaine, Ohio. At 17, he ran for city council under the slogan “A Voice for the Future.” He spent time in ministry, built a real estate portfolio during the financial crisis, and ultimately found his way into technology startups — learning firsthand what it means to raise capital in a state that consistently punches below its weight in venture investment. After early startup failures, Will co-founded what became AssetWatch, a predictive maintenance platform serving global manufacturers. The company has since raised more than $100 million in venture capital and scaled into a high-growth industrial technology business employing hundreds.But perhaps more interesting than breaking through Ohio’s capital gap is Will’s effort to redesign it. In 2020, he founded Vessel — a diversified venture platform focused on investing in and building category-defining companies in Middle America. Through Vessel and the Ohio Angel Collective, Will is working to expand access to early-stage capital, grow the top of Ohio’s innovation funnel, and shift the ecosystem from scarcity to abundance.In our conversation, we unpack:The structural capital gap facing Ohio foundersWhat it took to navigate AssetWatch through near-zero runway momentsWhy democratizing venture access mattersHow to build a multi-stage venture platform outside the coastsAnd what it would mean for Ohio to invest in innovation proportionally to the size of its economyThis is a conversation about capital formation, ecosystem design, and the long-term work required to build a venture-backed innovation economy in Ohio.00:00:00 Introduction & Show Disclaimer00:00:58 Will Zell’s Background & Early Influences00:04:26 Path to Entrepreneurship & Community Impact00:11:11 Transition from Curiosity to Entrepreneurship00:13:03 Early Business Ventures & Real Estate00:20:01 Entry into Technology Startups00:22:01First Tech Swings & Lessons Learned00:25:58 The Ohio Capital Gap00:31:08 Breaking Through with AssetWatch00:36:59 AssetWatch Product & Impact00:40:22 Transition to Vessel & Venture Capital Access00:45:34 Vessel’s Mission & Structure00:49:07 Goals for Success & Midwest Venture Landscape00:55:16 Power of Community & Culture Change01:00:25 What's Next: Curiosity and Culture Change01:04:35 Founders, Opportunity, and Encouragement01:06:08 Bellefontaine Highlights & Closing01:08:39 Farewell & Closing Credits-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/willzell/https://www.ohioangelcollective.com/https://buildvessel.com/https://spiltsocial.com/-----SPONSOR:Cerity PartnersCerity Partners, a full-service investment and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners, is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. The firm has local roots in Cleveland and across Ohio, and like this podcast, Cerity Partners advisors specialize in serving the interests of local entrepreneurs and business leaders. They understand how to manage the total picture of wealth, both personal and professional. Cerity Partners has a unified team of specialists who collaborate on almost every aspect of a client’s financial life, including business ownership. The firm’s national presence means it can offer the resources and specialized knowledge of the largest institutions with the independence and service of a neighbor. The Cerity Partners Cleveland team understands the complexity that comes with wealth, and they adhere to fiduciary standards. Discover the financial lay of your land.Learn more at ceritypartners.com/NPR or call 216-464-6266.Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs. Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here: https://layoftheland.ck.page/5f0c1e28faConnect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/