ROI Podcast™ — the #1 Entrepreneurial Business meets Comedy podcast hosted by Law Smith + Eric Readinger

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May 2026

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Realistic advice for small-to-medium business and startups with interviews from people who have been there.

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May 20, 2026Episode 50925 min

How To Build Gear That Solves Pain | Josh Sprague Slings Orange Mud at ROI #509

Running is already punishment with better shoes. In ROI Podcast® #509, Law Smith and Eric Readinger talk with Josh Sprague, owner/operator and founder of Orange Mud, the endurance gear company making hydration packs, running vests, biking packs, transition wraps, and outdoor gear for runners, cyclists, triathletes, mountain bikers, gravel riders, ultra runners, and other people who hear "24-hour race" and somehow do not immediately fake a hamstring injury. Josh built Orange Mud because the hydration packs he used were too tight, bounced around, caused chafing, and made running feel like a backpack had filed a workplace grievance against his torso. So he made his own. Fourteen years later, Orange Mud is still solving that same core problem: helping athletes carry fluid, gear, phones, calories, and post-race beer-garden money without turning their upper body into a friction crime scene. This one starts with practical product design, then takes the scenic route through SEC football smuggling economics, premium floppy flasks, Raiders fan brawls, secret backpack wine compartments, fake casts full of booze, organic street nuts, nicotine pouches, and the kind of R&D conversation that should probably be notarized. Then Josh drops the business stuff that actually matters. Founders confuse activity with ROI. Busy is not a metric. Busy is a haunted LinkedIn carousel with a calendar invite. Josh's cleanest example: the best account he ever landed took five years of follow-up, then turned into $5 million in the first year. Most people quit after two polite emails and a sad CRM note. Josh kept showing up. The bigger lesson is marketing infrastructure. Josh explains why companies chase platforms like Facebook ads before they understand the full pipeline. If your website is bad, your tracking is broken, your CRM is decorative, your follow-up is asleep, and your customer problem is defined with the clarity of a gas station bathroom mirror, the ad platform is not the problem. You are just paying Meta to make the fire look warm. Listen if you are a founder, ecommerce operator, product builder, endurance athlete, marketer, salesperson, agency owner, or anyone who has ever said "we need Facebook ads" before knowing who the customer is, what problem they have, and what happens after the lead comes in. Hosted by Law Smith, @LawSmithWorks, LawSmithWorks.com, and Eric Readinger, @EricReadinger. Powered by Tocobaga Consulting, Tocoba.ga. ROI Podcast® is the business show for people who want the math, the mess, and the occasional product idea that belongs in a stadium parking lot. Topics: Josh Sprague, Orange Mud, hydration packs, running gear, cycling gear, endurance racing, 24-hour races, trail running, gravel cycling, product design, customer pain, marketing ROI, sales follow-up, CRM, Facebook ads, Meta attribution, ecommerce marketing, founder story

May 9, 2026Episode 50837 min

How To Grow Profit By A Better Business OS | Andy Clark Feeds ROI The Whole Pie | ROI Podcast® #508

Small business ownership is sold like freedom, then quietly turns into a group project where you're somehow every group member AND the substitute teacher. In ROI Podcast® episode 508, Law Smith and Eric Readinger sit down with Andy Clark — creator of The Whole PIE System™ and author of Getting The Whole PIE — to talk about how to build a business that's actually profitable, actually impactful, and (radically) actually enjoyable. Wild concept. Apparently the goal is not to create a company that prints money while slowly turning your soul into printer toner. Andy works with small business owners stuck in the messy gap between "owner-operator" and "actual owner." They have customers, employees, revenue, meetings, and that special founder disease where every problem mysteriously circles back to their inbox. Andy walks through how to get out of the weeds, build real systems, install accountability, and focus on the metrics that actually drive results. The guys dig into why owners say they want better results but resist the behavior changes needed to get there, why law firms and professional services partnerships are uniquely chaotic to run, and why running a business should at least occasionally feel enjoyable instead of like a hostage situation with recurring invoices. Andy also shares a real case study from an automatic car wash chain that grew from 10 to 22 locations and tripled revenue by leaning hard into customer service — in an industry literally designed to avoid human contact. Yes. Customer service. In car washes. The bar is on the floor and somehow still full of opportunity. They also cover Moneyball-style metrics, the Golden State Warriors, AI readiness for small business, owner bottlenecks, Costa Rica, Canadian geography, hockey trauma, guitar guys at parties, and whether cake or pie is the superior food and/or business framework. Listen if you're a small business owner, consultant, professional services leader, agency founder, lawyer, operator, or anyone who has ever whispered "I need better systems" while opening another tab and making the problem worse. ROI Podcast® is hosted by Law Smith and Eric Readinger. Business, comedy, and enough operational truth to make your Google Calendar blink twice. Topics: small business growth, business coaching, business strategy, The Whole PIE System, Andy Clark, Getting The Whole PIE, profit impact enjoyment, business operations, scaling a small business, owner- operator bottleneck, business systems, customer service strategy, AI for small business, entrepreneur podcast, business podcast.

April 16, 2026Episode 50734 min

How To Raise Capital | Chris Van Dusen Embraces Discomfort With ROI #507

Getting rich isn't about working harder. It's about playing a different game entirely. In this episode of ROI Podcast™, Chris Van Dusen, Senior Partner at Solyco Capital, breaks down how wealth is actually built behind the curtain… not the version you see on TikTok. We talk about: What private equity really does (without the jargon) Why most founders fail before they ever had a chance The difference between wealth preservation and wealth creation How high-net-worth investors think about risk and returns Why doing hard things on purpose is the only real edge Chris went from getting laid off 75 days into a new life… to building and selling multiple companies and now deploying capital at scale. This episode is part strategy, part reality check, and part "you're not working as hard as you think you are." If you want to understand money, business, and how deals actually happen… press play. Chris Van Dusen isn't your typical finance guy who memorized a few buzzwords and now cosplays as an investor on LinkedIn. He's the guy who got punched in the face by real life, got back up, and decided to start building instead of complaining. After graduating from the College of William & Mary with a degree in economics, Chris entered the world of finance through real estate investment banking. Then the market did what markets do best… and nuked his job. Just 75 days after moving to California, he was unemployed. That's not a pivot. That's a shove. Instead of retreating, he became what he calls an "accidental entrepreneur." Over the next decade, he built, scaled, and exited multiple companies, including selling three businesses across 2019 and 2021. He also raised funds in emerging sectors like cannabis, helped grow media companies, and worked directly with founders trying to not implode under pressure. Today, Chris is a Senior Partner at Solyco Capital, a vertically integrated private investment firm focused on capital solutions for growth-stage companies. His role is simple to explain but hard to execute: find great companies, structure capital around them, and deliver meaningful returns for investors. Translation: he's betting on jockeys, not just horses. Chris works closely with high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional investors, helping them deploy capital into alternative assets and private deals with asymmetric upside potential. The kind of deals most people don't even know exist. Beyond finance, Chris brings a discipline-first mindset shaped by his background as a former Division I pitcher and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. His philosophy is blunt: do hard things on purpose, or life will pick hard things for you anyway. Whether it's grinding through entrepreneurship, surviving market cycles, or getting choked out on a mat for 10 years straight, Chris has built a reputation for embracing discomfort instead of avoiding it. And that mindset shows up in everything he does. Episode sponsored... 💦 by ZUPYAK - The first search optimized AI writer. https://www.Zupyak.com → promo code → SWEAT 💦 Flodesk email marketing - you get 50% off by hitting this link https://flodesk.com/c/AL83FF 💦 Incogni remove you personal data from public websites 50% off https://get.incogni.io/SH3ve 💦 by SQUARESPACE website builder → https://squarespacecircleus.pxf.io/sweatequity 💦 by CALL RAIL call tracking → https://bit.ly/sweatequitycallrail 💦 by LINKEDIN PREMIUM - 2 months free! → https://bit.ly/sweatequity-linkedin-premium 💦 by OTTER.ai → https://otter.ai/referrals/AVPIT85N Hosts' Eric Readinger & Law Smith 🔗s - https://www.LawSmithWorks.com - https://www.Tocoba.ga Getting fired might be the best thing that ever happens to you. Not emotionally. Financially. In Episode 507 of ROI Podcast™, we sit down with Chris Van Dusen, Senior Partner at Solyco Capital, to break down what actually separates people who build wealth… from people who just talk about it on Instagram. We get into: - Why most startups fail (hint: it's not the idea) - How private equity actually evaluates founders - The real difference between rich people and everyone else - Why "sitting in the suck" is the only competitive advantage that matters - How to invest like someone who already has money Chris also explains how ultra-wealthy investors think about risk, why alternative assets exist, and how normal people misunderstand capital allocation entirely. Plus: - NIL deals and why most athletes won't see real money - Jiu-jitsu as the ultimate ego killer - Burnout, seasons of life, and why balance is a myth If you've ever wondered how deals actually get done behind the scenes… this is the episode. 🎯 Watch. Learn. Then go do something uncomfortable. ---

March 30, 2026Episode 50629 min

How to Buy Back Your Time - George Rivera's Formula For Ditching Hustle Culture and Delegating Like a Pro | ROI Podcast™ ep. 506

Think of this episode as your comedy‑infused blueprint for escaping the founder prison." Host Law Smith sits down with serial entrepreneur George Rivera, the man behind the Buy Back Time Formula, who built multiple seven‑, eight‑ and nine‑figure companies before realizing he'd accidentally locked himself in a golden cage. He recounts how his father's dying words ("don't miss Leo's games") forced him to tear down a $200M business that looked great on paper but left him exhausted and absent. Together they shred hustle culture, debate whether a hot dog is a sandwich and unpack why most productivity porn is just that—porn. Rivera explains the four‑burner theory and shares how a simple daily scorecard can calm your nerves and keep profits up while you take a two‑week vacation. He also invites listeners to his Founder Dad Dinners and reminds us we only get 18 summers with our kids. This episode blends practical tactics (delegate, automate, build systems) with laugh‑out‑loud moments and heartfelt stories. If you're a cash‑rich, time‑poor founder who hates glossy bro‑marketing, this irreverent chat will show you how to reclaim your time, scale your business and be present for what truly matters. George Rivera is the founder of the Buy Back Time Formula, a movement designed to help overworked founders reclaim their lives by creating leverage in their businesses. After three decades as an entrepreneur, Rivera knows what it's like to build companies that look like success but feel like a prison. In the mid‑1990s he started a direct‑response business while still in high school and over the next 30 years he built multiple 7‑, 8‑ and 9‑figure ventures, including a supplement brand that surpassed $200 million in sales. With offices, teams and sales numbers most entrepreneurs dream about, Rivera appeared to "have it all." Yet he was miserable, overloaded and on the verge of walking away. The turning point came when his father, dying of cancer, told him: "Don't miss Leo's games – I missed too many of yours." Those words hit Rivera like a punch in the gut and pushed him to rebuild his business and personal life around what really matters. Rivera recognized that his success had cost him quality time with his family and joy with his son Leo. He stepped out from behind the scenes of his companies and began teaching other entrepreneurs how to eliminate, automate and delegate the work that keeps them chained to their desks. Today he guides high‑performing founders to escape the "job with overhead" trap, reclaim 15‑30+ hours per week and design businesses that run without them. His philosophy is simple: freedom comes from structure, not stamina. Instead of hustling 100‑hour weeks, he teaches systems like the daily scorecard that give owners a snapshot of the metrics that matter so they can make data‑driven decisions and sleep better. Rivera also hosts Founder Dad Dinners in Austin and online roundtables to help "cash‑rich, time‑poor" entrepreneurs build community and be present with their children, because, as he reminds us, we only get 18 summers with our kids. By helping leaders build structure, hire proactively and document processes, he shows that you can scale profits and show up for the moments that matter most. Rivera's story resonates because he's walked through founder prison and lived to tell the tale. https://buybacktimeformula.com/ https://buybacktimeformula.com/media https://buybacktimeformula.com/book-266179 https://buybacktimeformula.com/ytbook https://buybacktimeformula.com/speaking https://18summersroundtable.com/ https://founderdaddinners.com/ https://www.georgerivera.com/ https://www.facebook.com/georgerivera77/ https://www.instagram.com/georgerivera1977/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-rivera-53b3296/ https://x.com/GeorgeR76991 https://www.youtube.com/@buybacktimeformula https://www.tiktok.com/@buybacktimeformula https://leointerviews.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@Leo_interviews

March 19, 2026Episode 50536 min

How To Scrabble Challenge Harbert Magazine, the Auburn University business school alumni quarterly | ROI Podcast™ ep. 505 | Law Smith @LawSmithWorks + Eric Readinger -

Law Smith and Eric Readinger turn ROI Podcast® episode 505 into a very stupid, very specific, very competitive Scrabble-adjacent bloodsport. After confessing that his viral Iron Cross video was a high-tech fake, Law pulls out the Auburn business school alumni magazine and sends the conversation into full Scrabble challenge mode. Not because Auburn deserves shade, because Auburn gave the boys something smart, polished, and weirdly irresistible to obsess over. Harbert Magazine becomes the launch point for a lovingly unhinged breakdown of racks, bingos, bonus squares, tile counts, point values, premium squares, board layout logic, and the kind of word-nerd challenge behavior only true dictionary goblins can deliver. The hosts brag about being Scrabble wizards, revisit their best-of-99 war, and treat the whole thing like a beautiful Auburn-sanctioned opening play. Of course, this episode does not stay neatly on the board. Law explains how he used AI to fake gym stunts, Eric starts slapping down conspiracy-theory tiles about Epstein emails and NFL rigging, and First Earth Battalion talk, remote viewing, and psychic-soldier madness. Somewhere between vowel dumps, hooks, stems, swaps, tile tracking, leave management, board vision, endgame strategy, and a verbal shuffle that never stops moving, Episode 505 turns into a high-scoring mess in the best possible way. Auburn comes out looking like the classy institution in the room, while the hosts do what they do best: make education sound dirty, make nonsense sound strategic, and turn one Harbert Magazine spiral into podcast gold along with Scrabble fail, Auburn business school, Harbert Magazine, podcast comedy, ROI Podcast episode 505, Iron Cross video, AI generated content, Florida man stories, conspiracy theories, Epstein emails, NFL rigging, First Earth Battalion, remote viewing, dad wagon rebuild, Scrabble strategy, alumni magazine mistakes, Auburn vs Harvard, stand-up comedy podcast, men's mental health, veteran entrepreneur, John Krotec guest, Harbert College of Business, and more. #AI #entrepreneurship #ecommercebusiness #productbasedbusiness #brandbuilding #businesspodcast #startupstories #scalingbusiness #directtoconsumer #manufacturingbusiness #corporategifting #smallbusinessgrowth #founderjourney #roi #ROIpodcast #Scrabble #Auburn #HarbertMagazine #BusinessSchool #IronCross #AIGenerated #ConspiracyTheories #EpsteinEmails #NFLRigging #FirstEarthBattalion #RemoteViewing #PodcastComedy #VeteranVoices #FloridaMan #PoeticHuman #MentalHealth #TraumaRecovery #StandUpComedy 02:00 – Is the Iron Cross video real or AI? Law admits his viral stunt was created with AI and explains his method. 07:36 – How can you rebuild a "dad wagon" on a budget? Law debates buying a new motor versus hunting for a cheap used one with a warranty. 09:28 – What is the First Earth Battalion manual? Eric and John discuss the military's psychic‑warrior handbook from The Men Who Stare at Goats. 13:15 – Why drop the Epstein emails now? The hosts argue the release is a distraction and question the timing. 33:31 – What's wrong with the Scrabble board on Auburn's alumni magazine? Law and Eric analyze the Harbert Magazine cover's eight‑letter rack, impossible bingos and other Scrabble sins. 💦 by ZUPYAK - The first search optimized AI writer. https://www.Zupyak.com → promo code → SWEAT 💦 Flodesk email marketing - you get 50% off by hitting this link https://flodesk.com/c/AL83FF 💦 Incogni remove you personal data from public websites 50% off https://get.incogni.io/SH3ve 💦 by SQUARESPACE website builder → https://squarespacecircleus.pxf.io/sweatequity 💦 by CALL RAIL call tracking → https://bit.ly/sweatequitycallrail 💦 by LINKEDIN PREMIUM - 2 months free! → https://bit.ly/sweatequity-linkedin-premium 💦 by OTTER.ai → https://otter.ai/referrals/AVPIT85N Hosts' Eric Readinger & Law Smith 🔗s - https://www.LawSmithWorks.com - https://www.Tocoba.ga

February 12, 2026Episode 50334 min

How To Reclaim Neo‑Masculinity | John Krotec' | ROI Podcast™ ep. 503 | Law Smith @LawSmithWorks + Eric Readinger -

John Krotec is a U.S. Army veteran, visionary entrepreneur and founder of NeoMasculinity Solutions—a movement that helps men and women reclaim purpose, live through truth and lead with clarity. After surviving a traumatic brain injury and confronting long‑buried trauma, he transformed adversity into a mission by founding The Brainary and writing The Sentinel Handbook, a practical tool for self‑leadership. He delivers riveting keynotes and workshops on leadership, critical thinking, emotional resilience and self‑agency. With over 40 years in business, his journey spans high‑altitude expeditions in the Andes, building a pre‑internet multi‑million‑dollar retail company, and hosting conversations with leaders like General Flynn and Ron DeSantis. Today he leads a global push to reignite human intuition and critical thinking, empowering families to discern truth from fiction and resist the relentless onslaught of misinformation. John Krotec is here to blow up toxic masculinity, trash lazy thinking and maybe tell you about the time he smoked DMT and met aliens. This Army vet turned entrepreneur isn't your typical motivational guru; he's a warrior‑poet who built a multimillion‑dollar company before the internet existed, survived a traumatic brain injury, and came back swinging with NeoMasculinity Solutions, a movement hell‑bent on rescuing men and women from the dumpster fire of modern misinformation. You'll hear him talk about protecting your family from six types of unreliable information, why vintage gender roles still matter, and how plant medicine saved his marriage. Co‑hosts Law Smith and Eric Readinger pepper him with lightning‑round questions—"Is a hot dog a sandwich?" "Have you ever seen a UFO?"—before diving into heavy stuff like leadership, human vibrational states, and why so many men are stuck in perpetual adolescence. Expect profanity, real talk and gut‑punch honesty. Smash that subscribe button, share with a friend, and get ready to laugh, cringe and maybe rethink your whole damn life and NeoMasculinity, John Krotec, toxic masculinity, vintage gender roles, leadership podcast, critical thinking skills, human intuition, plant medicine, DMT experience, traumatic brain injury, self‑leadership, family protection, misinformation, disinformation, emotional resilience, entrepreneur journey, spirit molecule, Andes expeditions, truth‑based media, and veteran entrepreneur. Timestamps & chapters: 03:35 – Advice to your 13‑year‑old self: slow down, it's not your fault. 04:17 – Who the hell is John Krotec? Army vet, entrepreneur and crusader. 06:43 – DMT & demons: plant medicine, insomnia and saving a marriage. 09:55 – Inside the spirit molecule: aliens, metal bangs and dimension travel. 12:57 – Backpacking in Guatemala: CIA spooks, effigies and travel truths. 23:19 – Neo‑masculinity explained: vintage gender roles and fighting misinformation. 27:16 – Working moms & family balance: unrealistic expectations and social pressure. 30:35 – Calling out the modern man‑child: courage, therapy and intellectual laziness. #AI #entrepreneurship #ecommercebusiness #productbasedbusiness #brandbuilding #businesspodcast #startupstories #scalingbusiness #directtoconsumer #manufacturingbusiness #corporategifting #smallbusinessgrowth #founderjourney #roi #NeoMasculinity #ToxicMasculinity #JohnKrotec #Leadership #CriticalThinking #HumanIntuition #PlantMedicine #DMT #BrainInjuryRecovery #SelfImprovement #Podcast #FamilyProtection #TruthMedia #GenderRoles #VeteranEntrepreneur #MensHealth #Mindset #Education #AlienEncount Episode sponsored... 💦 by ZUPYAK - The first search optimized AI writer. https://www.Zupyak.com → promo code → SWEAT 💦 Flodesk email marketing - you get 50% off by hitting this link https://flodesk.com/c/AL83FF 💦 Incogni remove you personal data from public websites 50% off https://get.incogni.io/SH3ve 💦 by SQUARESPACE website builder → https://squarespacecircleus.pxf.io/sweatequity 💦 by CALL RAIL call tracking → https://bit.ly/sweatequitycallrail 💦 by LINKEDIN PREMIUM - 2 months free! → https://bit.ly/sweatequity-linkedin-premium 💦 by OTTER.ai → https://otter.ai/referrals/AVPIT85N Hosts' Eric Readinger & Law Smith 🔗s - https://www.LawSmithWorks.com - https://www.Tocoba.ga

January 28, 2026Episode 50227 min

How To Build A Green Business 👉 Sell Out 👉 Buy It Back And How To Avoid Skincare Chemicals with Jodi Scott, CEO of Green Goo | ROI Podcast™ ep. 502 | Law Smith @LawSmithWorks + Eric Readinger

Jodi Scott is the CEO and co‑founder of Green Goo by Spry Life, a plant‑based first aid company that started the way a lot of real businesses do: out of necessity, frustration, and a kitchen that slowly turned into a production facility. What began with homemade remedies and mason jars eventually grew into a nationally distributed brand, but not without detours, hard lessons, and a few moments where the easy path would have cost the company its soul. Jodi's story is not a clean, linear founder arc. She built Green Goo from the ground up, sold the company, and then made the rare and uncomfortable decision to buy it back. That experience reshaped how she thinks about success, control, and what it actually means to build something that lasts. She's lived both sides of the exit fantasy and is candid about what people don't talk about once the deal closes: identity loss, cultural drift, and the realization that money doesn't automatically equal alignment. At her core, Jodi is deeply skeptical of performative purpose. She believes mission‑driven branding only works when the mission shows up in operations, hiring decisions, ingredient sourcing, and the way leadership behaves when no one's watching. Her opinions about marketing are sharp, practical, and often uncomfortable for founders who want growth without accountability. In her view, attention is easy to buy; trust is not. Green Goo reflects that philosophy. The brand is farm‑based, plant‑forward, and built around first aid products that do what they claim without relying on synthetic shortcuts. But Jodi is quick to point out that values alone don't move product. Execution does. Systems do. Saying no does. She's spent years learning how to scale a values‑led business without turning it into a hollow lifestyle brand or a corporate costume. Family plays a real role in the story, not as a sanitized origin myth, but as a source of both tension and strength. Jodi credits a "functional dysfunction" for sharpening her instincts, forcing hard conversations, and teaching her how to lead without pretending conflict doesn't exist. Those lessons show up in how she builds culture and how she handles growth moments that pressure companies to compromise. Today, Jodi spends her time running Green Goo, advising other founders, and pushing back on the idea that bigger is always better. She's an advocate for intentional growth, honest leadership, and businesses that can look themselves in the mirror after scaling. Fueled by kombucha, pure cocoa, and a stubborn commitment to doing things the hard but right way, Jodi Scott represents a version of entrepreneurship that's less about hype and more about durability. On the ROI Podcast episode 502 How To Build A Green Business 👉 Sell Out 👉 Buy It Back And How To Avoid Skincare Chemicals with Jodi Scott, CEO of Green Goo | Law Smith ‪@LawSmithWorks‬ and Eric Readinger, she brings firsthand experience from the messy middle of building, selling, losing, reclaiming, and rebuilding a brand, with insights that resonate far beyond the natural products aisle, ROI Podcast, Jodi Scott, Green Goo, plant-based first aid, natural first aid, clean skincare, clean beauty, CPG entrepreneurship, consumer packaged goods, founder interview, business podcast, brand building, product development, retail distribution, ecommerce strategy, sustainable business growth, buy back a company, selling a company, portfolio company, acquisition story, leadership lessons, customer proof points, differentiation strategy, marketing strategy, deodorant ingredients, adaptogens in skincare, sexual wellness products, Southern Butter, and direct to consumer brand. Episode sponsored... 💦 by ZUPYAK - The first search optimized AI writer. https://www.Zupyak.com → promo code → SWEAT 💦 Flodesk email marketing - you get 50% off by hitting this link https://flodesk.com/c/AL83FF 💦 Incogni remove you personal data from public websites 50% off https://get.incogni.io/SH3ve 💦 by SQUARESPACE website builder → https://squarespacecircleus.pxf.io/sw... 💦 by CALL RAIL call tracking → https://bit.ly/sweatequitycallrail 💦 by LINKEDIN PREMIUM - 2 months free! → https://bit.ly/sweatequity-linkedin-p... 💦 by OTTER.ai → https://otter.ai/referrals/AVPIT85N Hosts' Eric Readinger & Law Smith 🔗s https://www.LawSmithWorks.com https://www.Tocoba.ga 06:20 — How does a pre-med and health psychology background translate into product development decisions? 09:40 — How do you start a CPG product company without massive infrastructure or funding? 21:30 — How can a product be "anti-capitalistic" in usage (the more you use it, the less you need it) while still building a strong business? 24:10 — How do you justify buying back a company? 25:10 — How do you shift from high-velocity distribution growth to a long-game, sustainable P&L strategy? 26:40 — How do you expand into adjacent categories (sexual wellness) without losing the core brand?

January 9, 2026Episode 50138 min

How To Joy Success Cycle | Kevin Surace | ROI Podcast™ ep. 501 | Law Smith & Eric Readinger

ROI Podcast™ — the No. 1 business‑comedy podcast on Earth — welcomes Kevin Surace, Silicon‑Valley innovator, futurist and author of The Joy Success Cycle, for an energizing conversation about AI, joy and success. Surace, a technology innovator with 93 patents and the CTO of Appvance, is best known as the father of the virtual assistant. He helped develop the first large‑scale voice interface at General Magic and led the team that created the OnStar Virtual Advisor. Inc. Magazine named him Entrepreneur of the Year (2009), and he invented QuietRock soundproof drywall. Surace explains the difference between real AI and simple automation, shares stories of building the first virtual assistant, and demonstrates how large language models can transform business operations and even compose music. But this episode isn't just about technology. Surace introduces his Joy Success Cycle philosophy and shows how joy fuels sustainable success. He explains why reframing daily tasks with joy leads to better outcomes, how to move the success marker to avoid the hedonistic treadmill, and how to find a sense of purpose by limiting complaints and focusing on meaningful goals. He also offers practical advice on removing toxic influences, getting out of ruts and not worrying about AI "taking over". Join Law Smith, Eric Readinger and our guest for an upbeat, hilarious and actionable discussion that blends comedy with deep insight. Subscribe to ROI Podcast on YouTube, leave a comment (good or bad — we'll read it on air), and check out the links below for sponsor deals and to get Kevin Surace's book. Ready to unlock joy and success? Hit play to hear about Kevin Surace, ROI Podcast, Joy Success Cycle, AI podcast, artificial intelligence, generative AI, virtual assistant, machine learning, patents, business comedy, motivation, productivity, sense of purpose, overcoming ruts, keynote speaker, music and AI, large language models, entrepreneurship, innovation, QuietRock and more! #AI #entrepreneurship #ecommercebusiness #productbasedbusiness #brandbuilding #businesspodcast #startupstories #scalingbusiness #directtoconsumer #manufacturingbusiness #corporategifting #smallbusinessgrowth #founderjourney #roi

December 31, 2025Episode 50037 min

How To Build a $60M Physical Product Brand | Kris Dehnert, CEO, Dugout Mugs® | ROI Podcast™ ep. 500

Episode 500 of ROI Podcast®! Who better than the CEO and Owner of Dugout Mugs®, Kris Dehnert, the entrepreneur behind a wildly successful physical product brand built on craftsmanship, storytelling, and relentless customer focus. Kris breaks down how he scaled a novelty idea into tens of millions in revenue without relying on a traditional sales team, why product quality is still the most underrated growth lever, and how listening to customers drives smarter product expansion. We get into licensing strategy, corporate gifting, surviving hypergrowth, and the mental frameworks required to stay durable as an entrepreneur. This episode is a masterclass for founders, operators, and creators building real businesses in the physical world and trying to scale without losing their soul. Subscribe for more business conversations that blend strategy, lived experience, humor, entrepreneur podcast, ecommerce scaling, product based business, brand building strategies, physical product startup, business growth podcast, customer driven product development, licensing strategy, corporate gifting ideas, founder mindset, and manufacturing entrepreneurship. 00:06:00 How do you turn a novelty product into a scalable business? 00:09:55 How can a company grow without a traditional sales team? 00:14:40 How do personal values shape long-term business decisions? 00:18:55 How do you survive and stabilize after hypergrowth? 00:21:30 How should founders decide when to expand a product line? 00:24:10 How does product licensing actually work at scale? 00:29:05 How can gifting become a repeatable revenue channel? 00:32:20 How do lean operations improve profitability during growth phases? #entrepreneurship #ecommercebusiness #productbasedbusiness #brandbuilding #businesspodcast #startupstories #scalingbusiness #directtoconsumer #manufacturingbusiness #corporategifting #smallbusinessgrowth #founderjourney #roi How To Build a $60M Physical Product Brand | Kris Dehnert, CEO, Dugout Mugs® | ROI Podcast™ ep. 500 | Law Smith @LawSmithWorks + Eric Readinger Episode sponsored by these promo discount coupon referral link codes @Flodesk -50% off https://flodesk.com/c/AL83FF @OpusClip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=7bd356 @Incogni remove you personal data from public websites 50% off https://get.incogni.io/SH3ve @SQUARESPACE website builder → https://squarespacecircleus.pxf.io/sw... @CALL RAIL call tracking → https://bit.ly/sweatequitycallrail @LINKEDIN PREMIUM - 2 months free! → https://bit.ly/sweatequity-linkedin-p... @OTTER.ai → https://otter.ai/referrals/AVPIT85N Hosts' Eric Readinger & Law Smith 🔗s @LawSmithWorks https://www.LawSmithWorks.com @Tocobaga https://www.SolvingHow.com @ROIshow https://www.ROIshow.com

November 28, 2025Episode 49848 min

How to Disclose Insider Secrets from Government Whistleblowers w/ John J Murray ROI Podcast™ ep. 498

John J. Murray is a stand-up comedian, host of Something Planet ‪@somethingplanet‬, a 500+ episode podcast featuring conversations with guests and co-hosts Jerod Walker and Brad Gilmore. Known for his blue-collar whitetrash humor style, Murray has performed extensively throughout the country's comedy scene. His comedy special "Rhinoceros" is on Amazon Prime Video. ROI Podcast™ gets down on what's actually happening with UFO disclosure - going hard in the paint past the headlines and into the insider stories: government whistleblowers, classified Senate briefings, Men in Black oddities, interstellar objects like 3I/Atlas, reverse-engineered tech, Zero Point Energy, Skinwalker Ranch, and the real reasons powerful people might want this buried. It's not hype. It's not fear-bait. It's two entrepreneurs, a comedian, and a lifelong investigator asking the grounded questions behind the craziest claims. If you've wondered whether disclosure is real, why craft behave the way pilots describe, or what the government might be protecting… this episode hits every angle with humor, skepticism, and open-minded analysis. Subscribe for more ROI Podcast® episodes blending business sense with cultural chaos, big ideas, and the stories shaping how we think. Episode sponsored... 💦 by ZUPYAK - The first search optimized AI writer. https://www.Zupyak.com → promo code → SWEAT 💦 Flodesk email marketing - you get 50% off by hitting this link https://flodesk.com/c/AL83FF 💦 Incogni remove you personal data from public websites 50% off https://get.incogni.io/SH3ve 💦 by SQUARESPACE website builder → https://squarespacecircleus.pxf.io/sw... 💦 by CALL RAIL call tracking → https://bit.ly/sweatequitycallrail 💦 by LINKEDIN PREMIUM - 2 months free! → https://bit.ly/sweatequity-linkedin-p... 💦 by OTTER.ai → https://otter.ai/referrals/AVPIT85N Hosts' Eric Readinger & ‪@LawSmithWorks‬ 🔗s https://www.LawSmithWorks.com https://www.Tocoba.ga