Episodes
470
Latest episode
Oct 2026
Language
EN
Discover amazing stories & lessons from fellow shop owners and industry leaders. Hosted by Bruce Ackerman and Steven Farag
Nik Saija built Redbridge Clothing to $1M in annual sales as a solo distributor with a team of four, no equipment and no in-house production. Then two of his largest clients were acquired within a month of each other, and his first salesperson moved on to start her own distributorship.
Billy McDevitt is back for Part 3. A year after our last conversation, Billy finally has a production manager who has stuck for 16 months, and he breaks down exactly how he got there: the gut feeling he ignored the first time, the four-stage interview and half-day trial that now filter candidates, why he pays close to six figures for the role, and what two mis-hires actually cost.
Alex Mammoser now fully owns Bluewater, the company behind automated reclaim and developing equipment for screen rooms. He walks Bruce and Steven through how it happened, from buying a tiny manufacturer to closing out a year-long acquisition with his longtime partner.
John from Two Two Creative grew a PostNet location into one of the top 50 in the country, then walked away to build his own shop from zero. Today he runs a 16-person team in New Jersey, and vehicle wraps are the front door to everything else he sells. Bruce and Steven dig into what the franchise world teaches (and what it doesn't), how John decides what to bring in-house vs. sub out, why he checks efficiency before he hires, and how $5K and $10K branding packages turn one truck wrap into a one-stop-shop relationship.
This one's a bit different — Bruce breaks down 10 of his favorite takeaways from an interview he listened to on David Senra's podcast with Jason Fried, co-founder of 37signals (the company behind Basecamp) and author of Rework. From "your competition is your cost" to the one-question performance review to why he refuses to plan more than 60 days out, these are lessons Bruce thinks apply directly to running a shop. Full original interview linked below. 🔗 Full David Senra interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdDCtMA1gSw Sponsors: GraphxSource: https://www.graphxsource.com/ Use PRINTAVOPOD for 50% off your first order Easiway: https://www.easiway.com/giveaway Stahls: https://www.stahls.com/ - Use code HUSTLER20 for 20% off your first order!
John Gibbs of Logo Daddy is back for round two — this time on how he restructured his role to buy back his time. He walks through building a leadership team he fully trusts, why he buys buildings instead of leasing, how automation replaced the need for dozens of employees, and the exact framework he uses to know how many hours an owner should actually spend in the shop. Sponsors: GraphxSource: https://www.graphxsource.com/ Use PRINTAVOPOD for 50% off your first order Easiway: https://www.easiway.com/giveaway Stahls: https://www.stahls.com/ - Use code HUSTLER20 for 20% off your first order!
The inventor of DTG printing joins the show. Matt Rhome filed the original patent in 1996, sold the tech to Brother, and now runs Quality & Efficiency at Sticker Mule. He tells the full story — the garage prototype, the $1.5M machine that almost never shipped, why he sold his own patent, and where DTG is headed next.
Jared from AKT is back for Part 2 — this time getting into how he grades employees, why he's building his own internal software instead of paying for seats, and the accounts receivable problem that keeps him up at night.
Ever tried to kill your own business — on purpose? In this episode, Bruce and Steven break down 7 refreshing sales tips from a 2020 post that still hit just as hard in the age of AI, then dig into a mind-bending exercise Steven ran with his leadership team: if a smart, ruthless competitor wanted to destroy your business in the next 12-24 months, how would they do it?
Bruce breaks down 401(k)s, the Rule of 72, and how to actually build wealth outside the shop — then Steven flips it to what makes a business last 100 years, using Panda Express, Costco, Buc-ee's, and Patagonia as case studies. Plus: a first look at Campus Ink's new ESPN licensing partnership. *** NOT financial advice — Bruce is not an accountant or financial advisor. Talk to a professional before making any moves.
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