Grow your business. Lead with purpose. Love your life. The Friday Habit gives entrepreneurs and small business owners actionable tips, inspiring interviews, and real-world strategies to help you scale smart and stay sane. Hosted by Mark Labriola II, this weekly show is your permission slip to build a business that works for you—not the other way around.
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August 21, 2026Episode 2311 hr 4 min
Why Your Expertise Isn’t as Ordinary as You Think
In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark sits down with Christian Ray Flores to talk about career transitions, the "competence trap," personal branding, and what happens when your expertise becomes so familiar that you stop seeing its value. They discuss why starting as a generalist can be useful, how skills from seemingly unrelated experiences can transfer into new industries, and why your differences, failures, preferences, and perspectives can become part of your personal brand. The conversation also explores how focusing your expertise into central ideas and pillar concepts can help you create content more consistently.
August 7, 2026Episode 22945 min
How to Build a Business That Doesn't Depend on You
In this episode of The Friday Habit , Mark welcomes back Bryan Clayton, founder and CEO of GreenPal, the on-demand lawn care marketplace connecting homeowners with local lawn care professionals across the country. After successfully building and selling a $10 million landscaping company, Bryan started over from scratch with one goal: build a company that could eventually thrive without him. Over the past decade, GreenPal has grown into a nationwide platform serving hundreds of thousands of users every week—all without outside funding. Bryan shares the lessons he's learned from scaling a technology company, building systems that outlive the founder, leveraging AI to move faster, and creating a business that is designed to be sold from day one. He also opens up about founder identity, delegation, personal health, and why working on yourself is just as important as working on your business. If you're building a service business, SaaS company, or simply trying to create something that doesn't depend entirely on you, this conversation is full of practical insights. Key Takeaways Build your business to function without you. Systems create freedom; hustle alone does not. Delegate only after you understand the work yourself. AI amplifies experience—it doesn't replace it. Track inputs, not just outcomes. Every dollar spent should have a measurable return. Your business should become stronger while you're away. Hire naturally motivated people instead of trying to motivate the wrong ones. Protect your health while building your company. Continuous learning is one of the greatest competitive advantages. Notable Topics Building GreenPal After Selling a $10 Million Company Bryan explains why he started over after selling his landscaping business and how he intentionally designed GreenPal to be a scalable, sellable company from day one. The Difference Between a Lifestyle Business and a Sellable Business Many entrepreneurs accidentally build themselves a job. Bryan discusses the mindset shift required to create a company that has value beyond its founder. Running Your Business From a Spreadsheet Every expense should produce a return. Bryan shares why emotional decision-making can reduce business value and how disciplined financial thinking creates long-term growth. AI Is a Force Multiplier—Not a Replacement AI dramatically increases productivity, but only when paired with real-world experience and deep understanding of your craft. Delegation Done Right One of the biggest mistakes founders make is delegating too early. Bryan explains why you should first understand a process before handing it off. Working In, On, and On Yourself As businesses mature, founders should gradually shift their time from daily operations toward strategy, leadership, and personal growth. Building a Team That Doesn't Need Motivation Rather than trying to motivate employees, Bryan focuses on hiring naturally curious and self-driven people who already love the work they do. Health and Business Performance After reaching nearly 300 pounds while building GreenPal, Bryan realized his physical health directly impacted his leadership and decision-making. Chapters Welcome Back Bryan Clayton The Growth of GreenPal Scaling From Startup to Nationwide Platform The Three Growth Buckets: Get, Keep, Grow Leading a 300,000-User Marketplace How AI Is Changing Entrepreneurship Why Experience Still Matters Building a Business to Sell Lifestyle Business vs. Sellable Business Running Every Decision Through ROI Founder Identity After Selling a Company Building Systems That Outlast You Working In the Business vs. On the Business Delegating at the Right Time Avoiding Founder FOMO Hiring Motivated People Lessons From Personal Health Learning Through YouTube and AI Monday Morning Challenge Final Thoughts Resources & Links Learn more about GreenPal Connect with Bryan Clayton Visit TheFridayHabit.com Download the free Friday Habit System guide Memorable Quotes "You don't really have a business until you can leave for a month and come back stronger." "Run your business from a spreadsheet—not from your emotions." "AI is a force multiplier for people who already know what they're doing." "Track the inputs, not the outputs." "Hire motivated people. Your job is simply not to demotivate them." "Work in the business, then on the business, and finally on yourself." Monday Morning Action Item Spend the next 30 days intentionally learning one skill that will move your business forward. Use AI tools, online courses, podcasts, and YouTube to immerse yourself in that topic every day. Focus on mastering one area that removes a bottleneck in your business, then immediately apply what you've learned.
July 24, 2026Episode 22847 min
From Manager to CEO: The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything
In this episode of The Friday Habit , Mark sits down with Tom Kubanik, founder and CEO of SecureIt Tactical. Tom shares the remarkable story of building a company that transformed firearm storage—from military armories to consumer gun safes—without venture capital. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Tom chased a career as a professional heavy metal guitarist until an injury forced him to reinvent himself. That setback ultimately led him into sales, entrepreneurship, and eventually creating one of the most innovative companies in the firearm storage industry. Tom discusses how he built multiple businesses from scratch, why momentum is more important than perfection, and the leadership lessons that helped him break through the $5 million revenue ceiling. He also explains why entrepreneurs must stop managing every detail, learn to delegate, and create space for strategic thinking. Whether you're launching your first business or trying to scale an established company, this episode is packed with practical advice on leadership, creativity, resilience, and building something that lasts. Key Takeaways You don't need every answer before starting—just enough to keep moving forward. Sell your product before spending months perfecting your business. Momentum beats perfection every time. Becoming a leader requires learning to delegate nearly everything. Entrepreneurs often become the bottleneck in their own companies. Creativity should be scheduled just like meetings. Failure is one of the fastest teachers in business. Bootstrapping forces efficient decision-making and financial discipline. Claim expertise by earning it through relentless learning and execution. Long-term success comes from continuously learning and adapting. Notable Topics From Heavy Metal Guitarist to Entrepreneur Tom shares how an injury ended his dream of becoming a professional musician and forced him to reinvent himself through sales and eventually entrepreneurship. Starting a Business Without Knowing Everything Rather than waiting until every detail was perfect, Tom focused on making sales first and solving problems as they appeared. Becoming the Leading Authority Tom explains how he positioned himself as an expert in military firearm storage, won a critical military contract, and used that opportunity to truly become the industry's leading authority. Why Most Businesses Stall Around $5 Million After building three different companies that each plateaued around the same revenue level, Tom realized the common bottleneck was himself—not the market. Manager vs. Leader One of the biggest mindset shifts for growth is moving from managing every task to leading through delegation and strategic thinking. Bootstrapping vs. Venture Capital Tom discusses why being forced to self-fund his businesses ultimately made them stronger and more disciplined. Learning Through Failure From product mistakes to difficult financial seasons, Tom explains why expensive failures often create the greatest long-term advantages. Creating Space for Creativity One of Tom's most valuable habits is intentionally blocking time to think, write ideas down, and allow creativity to solve business problems. Resources & Links Learn more about SecureIt Tactical Explore The Friday Habit resources at thefridayhabit.com Download the free Friday Habit System guide Memorable Quotes "You don't need all the answers. You just need to keep moving." "Sell one first. Then build the business." "The bottleneck wasn't my company—it was me." "Managers build systems. Leaders build people." "The entrepreneur sleeps like a baby because they believe they'll figure it out." "Everybody can work hard. Not everybody trains themselves to be creative." Monday Morning Action Item Schedule 15 minutes every day this week for uninterrupted thinking. Turn off distractions, grab a notebook, and simply think about your business. Write down every idea—even the bad ones. Creating intentional space for creativity can unlock solutions that never surface during a busy workday. Small, consistent thinking sessions often lead to the biggest breakthroughs.
July 17, 2026Episode 22740 min
Building a Lead Generation System for Sustainable B2B Growth
In this episode of The Friday Habit , Mark sits down with Kevin Downey, a Kansas City-based entrepreneur and recruitment leader who helps B2B companies build high-performing sales teams and create scalable lead-generation systems. Kevin shares how his early career in golf equipment sales eventually led him into entrepreneurship, recruiting, outbound sales, and email marketing. He explains why his first attempts at email outreach failed, what changed when he began writing emails like real phone conversations, and why properly structured email campaigns can deliver an unmatched return on investment. The conversation also explores how small businesses should approach their first sales hire, why commission-only roles frequently fail, and how Latin American business development representatives can help companies scale outbound activity at a manageable cost. Kevin also challenges one of the most common beliefs in modern sales: that cold calling no longer works. According to Kevin, activity still creates opportunities. The problem is not that calling has stopped working—it is that many representatives are not consistently making the calls. Whether you are building your first sales process, hiring a business development representative, or trying to generate more qualified B2B leads, this episode offers a practical look at the systems, activity, and execution required to grow. 🧠 Takeaways: Activity breeds business, but representatives must consistently do the work. Cold calling is a business development and marketing function until a qualified decision-maker is engaged. Small businesses may need an appointment setter before hiring a full sales representative. Commission-only sales roles often fail without the right structure, support, and opportunity. Successful cold emails should sound like concise, natural phone conversations. Email marketing requires enough volume to generate consistent leads. CRMs are useful for managing relationships but are not always built for high-volume cold email. Latin American representatives can provide experienced outbound support at a more manageable cost. Once someone becomes a lead, human follow-up should replace automated communication. Every B2B business needs a repeatable lead-generation system before growth becomes urgent. Kevin’s Approach to Cold Email: Kevin recommends keeping cold emails concise, conversational, and focused on one clear pain point. Instead of writing a long marketing message, the email should communicate: The problem you believe the prospect may have How your company can help solve it A simple reason for the prospect to reply A clear next step The goal of the first email is not necessarily to close the sale or immediately schedule a meeting. It is to identify a decision-maker with a relevant problem and begin a real conversation. Chapters: Welcome and Guest Introduction: Kevin Downey Karaoke Stories and Rapid-Fire Questions Moving to Kansas City and Beginning a Sales Career From Golf Equipment Sales to Entrepreneurship Landing the First Recruitment Client Building a Recruitment Agency Through Execution Why Most B2B Outbound Email Fails Writing Emails Like Real Cold Calls Why Email Volume Matters The Cost and ROI of Scalable Email Campaigns Should You Hire a Sales Rep or an Appointment Setter? Why Cold Calling Is a Marketing Function Creating a Sales Team in the Right Order Hiring Business Development Representatives in Latin America Building an International Team Training and Onboarding Remote Representatives The Essential B2B Email Technology Stack Why CRMs Should Not Run High-Volume Cold Outreach Using AI Without Losing the Human Connection What Makes an Effective Cold Email Why Sales Representatives Fail to Make Calls Activity, Accountability, and Sales Performance Blocking Time for Prospecting Building a Lead-Generation System Where to Connect with Kevin Resources & Links: Connect with Kevin at kevinmdowney.com Explore Kevin’s YouTube content and consulting resources Learn more about the Active Index assessment Connect with Kevin for sales recruiting, business development, and outbound lead-generation guidance Monday Morning Action Item: Determine how your business will consistently generate qualified leads. Do not wait until your current opportunities disappear. Build a repeatable lead-generation system now—whether it includes cold calling, outbound email, appointment setting, networking, or a combination of channels. 👉 Download the free Friday Habit system at thefridayhabit.com to learn how to dedicate one full day each week to working on your business instead of always working in it.
July 10, 2026Episode 22639 min
Identity Work, Personal Development 3.0, and Building Simplero with Calvin Correlli
Mark welcomes Calvin Correlli, founder and CEO of Simplero, an all-in-one SaaS platform combining courses, community, email, payments, and AI for coaches and creator-led brands. Calvin shares his Denmark upbringing in an entrepreneurial, tech-focused family, learning to code at five, moving to the U.S. in 1999 during the dot-com era, and choosing work over finishing his computer science degree. He recounts building businesses, scaling a consulting firm, then taking a risky leap to focus on product and coaching. Calvin explains his personal development framework: 1.0 motivation, 2.0 healing work, and 3.0 identity-level transformation that drops the “something is wrong with me” mindset. He discusses formative experiences, spiritual influences, and the power of words, and closes with advice to stop judging and beating yourself up and connect via Instagram. 00:00 Stop Self Judgment 00:18 Meet Calvin Corelli 01:58 Moving To California 04:46 Sunlight And Mood 05:48 Entrepreneur Roots 08:12 Coding And America 09:56 First US Tech Job 12:15 Starting Out Solo 13:48 Coaching Journey Begins 15:04 Mind Bugs And Identity 17:36 Family And Birth Imprints 19:47 Mind Bugs Explained 20:18 Reframing a Hard Past 22:00 Rock Bottom at 30 24:03 Healing Dad Wounds 25:46 Building Simplero 27:17 Quitting Consulting Leap 28:52 Personal Development 3.0 30:04 Identity Awakening Shift 32:46 Teachers and Breakthroughs 34:46 Denmark and Spirituality 36:51 North Star Becoming You 37:55 Final Advice and Wrap
July 3, 2026Episode 22542 min
Why Most Businesses Struggle to Scale Successfully
Growing a business isn't just about generating more sales. In this episode of The Friday Habit, Chad Prinkey shares lessons from working with hundreds of contractors and business leaders. The conversation explores why growth often exposes weaknesses in a business, how leadership development impacts scale, and why competing on price can become a dangerous trap. Chad also discusses the importance of culture, succession planning, and investing in the business itself to create long-term success. If you're building a business and thinking about the next stage of growth, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.
June 26, 2026Episode 22443 min
Ethical Business Over Everything | How This Founder Rebuilt Right
Learn how to build a real estate portfolio and navigate legal challenges through the lens of an entrepreneurial journey. Discover the mindset required to rebuild a career with profit with purpose. This conversation breaks down the reality of scaling a business while facing significant setbacks. It is designed for founders and investors who need to understand how extreme responsibility impacts long-term success. We examine the specific steps taken to move past professional crises and establish a more sustainable approach to wealth creation. By focusing on profit with purpose, you can align your financial goals with your personal values. This episode provides practical lessons on maintaining integrity during difficult transitions and offers a realistic roadmap for anyone looking to refine their business strategy after a failure. Subscribe for weekly business advice and career strategy breakdowns, and comment below on which part of this rebuilding process resonates most with your current situation.
March 6, 2026Episode 22342 min
Stop Being Busy. Start Being Productive.
In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with Jacob Hicks, a sales strategist and systems thinker passionate about helping entrepreneurs push past their comfort zones, master their time, and build businesses that last. Jacob shares his journey from a shy kid in small-town Iowa to a sales pro who's learned that the best approach to selling isn't closing hard — it's serving authentically. He breaks down the systems, follow-up strategies, and time management frameworks that help small business owners stop being "busy" and start being truly productive. 🧠 Key Takeaways Follow Up or Leave Money on the Table – 80% of business is won after 5+ follow-ups; most salespeople stop after one Sell Without Selling – Build cadences around adding value, not pushing a close Chaos Time Is Your Secret Weapon – Block 30–60 minutes daily for fires so the rest of your day stays protected Time Blocking = Intentionality – Get granular; don't just block "work time," block specific tasks Parkinson's Law Is Real – A task expands to fill the time you give it; iterate your blocks accordingly Audit Your Time – Especially early on, track where your hours actually go We Rise or Fall to Our Systems – Goals without systems are just wishes (James Clear) Your CRM Is Your Second Brain – Notes, pipeline stages, and follow-up history are non-negotiable Resources & Links: Connect with Jacob! Website: https://jacobhickscoach.com/growth-hub/ Download the free Friday Habit Guide: https://thefridayhabit.com 0:00 - Chaos Time Strategy - Introduction to time blocking and chaos time concept 1:30 - Podcast Introduction & Jacob's Background - Welcome and guest intro 3:38 - Jacob's Sales Journey - Early sales experiences and career development 5:06 - Modern Sales Philosophy - Moving away from hard closing tactics to relationship building 6:54 - Follow-Up Systems - Importance of consistent follow-up in sales 8:40 - Sales as Service - Reframing sales as helping people with value-driven follow-up 10:49 - Breaking Through Comfort Zones - Overcoming shyness and mindset shifts in sales 12:00 - Playing it Too Safe - Recognizing when you're leaving business on the table 14:25 - Building Authentic Relationships - Providing free value and making genuine connections 16:20 - Time Management Introduction - The constant battle with the clock for entrepreneurs 17:14 - Time Blocking Explained - Detailed breakdown of time blocking strategy and Parkinson's Law 20:52 - Time Audits - Tracking where your time actually goes 22:42 - Busyness vs Productivity - Reframing "busy" as productive and positive 24:08 - Coaching Through Time Management - Accountability and overcoming roadblocks 26:47 - Building Sustainable Systems - Why small businesses struggle with systems 27:45 - Podcast Systems Example - How systems prevent pod fade and business collapse 28:52 - Understanding Your Why - Connecting goals to personal motivation 29:59 - Follow-Up Systems: 10x10 and 36 Touch - Specific follow-up cadences and frameworks 32:18 - CRM as Second Brain - Importance of CRM systems for tracking relationships 34:28 - Choosing the Right CRM - CRM recommendations and selection criteria 35:60 - Jacob's Personal Habits - Daily practices including time blocking, phone management, and gray scale trick 39:36 - Eliminating Friction - Reducing barriers to success (gym bag example) 41:32 - Final Advice & Outro - Start with chaos time and closing remarks
February 27, 2026Episode 22253 min
Why Taking Action Beats Having The Perfect Plan
In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with serial entrepreneur Jay Sapovits, a builder who knows firsthand how to turn setbacks into springboards.Jay shares his raw journey—from early success in sports media and private aviation, to losing everything during the financial crisis, to rebuilding and scaling Inked, a custom merch company on track to surpass $5M in revenue. 🧠 Key Takeaways Entrepreneurship Isn’t a Straight Line – Success, failure, and reinvention are all part of the process Zero to One Is About Action – Stop overthinking and start moving Don’t Spend Money Too Early – Cash preservation beats premature scaling Hire for the Role, Not Potential – Designers ≠ operators Never Burn Bridges – Integrity compounds over time Your Network Is a Muscle – Make one reconnecting phone call per week Resources & Links: Connect with Jay! Email: Jay@inkdstores.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysap/ Download the free Friday Habit Guide: https://thefridayhabit.com 01:32 Welcome to The Friday Habit 02:10 Meet Jay Sapovits: Serial Entrepreneur & Reinvention Expert 10:45 Authentic Personal Branding (White Glasses Story) 13:40 Losing Everything at 39: Hitting Rock Bottom 16:20 Early Success & the Confidence That Came With It 18:40 When Ego Meets the Financial Crisis 20:15 Starting Over: Rebuilding Confidence from Scratch 24:35 High-Stakes Negotiation & the St. Barts Pivot 29:10 Why You Should Never Burn Bridges 31:05 The Zero-to-One Playbook Every Founder Needs 37:50 The #1 Mistake New Entrepreneurs Make (Spending Too Early) 40:45 Why the First $1M Is the Hardest 43:50 Hiring the Right People Changed Everything 48:45 Pivoting Into the Merch Business & Finding Product-Market Fit 50:35 Jay’s Friday Habit: One Call That Changes Everything 52:30 Where to Connect With Jay & Final TakeawaysWhy Taking Action Beats Having The Perfect Plan
February 20, 2026Episode 22155 min
The Real Reason Sales Stop Working In Tough Markets
In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark Labriola II interviews Walter Crosby, CEO of Helix Sales Development, who shares his extensive experience in transforming underperforming sales teams into revenue-generating powerhouses. The conversation covers Walter's journey into sales, the challenges of transitioning from a sales role to business ownership, and the importance of hiring the right salespeople. Walter emphasizes the need for accountability, clear expectations, and effective compensation structures to motivate sales teams, especially during tough economic times. He also discusses the significance of prospecting and how leaders can shift company culture to foster a thriving sales environment. 🧠 Key Takeaways If your sales stall in a down market, it’s usually a systems problem—not the economy. Founders must translate their “natural” sales instincts into repeatable messaging. Hire salespeople who already sell to your buyer—not necessarily your industry. Comp plans should motivate discomfort, not create complacency. Activity, accountability, and standards separate real sales teams from lucky ones. Resources & Links: Connect with Walter! LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/walterlcrosby Helix Sales: helixsalesdevelopment.com Download the free Friday Habit Guide: https://thefridayhabit.com Chapters 00:49 Introduction to The Friday Habit 01:39 Walter Crosby's Sales Journey 08:28 Transitioning from Sales to Entrepreneurship 13:29 Overcoming Sales Challenges as a Small Business 20:26 Finding the Right Salesperson and Compensation 23:09 Balancing Base Salary and Motivation 26:47 Evaluating Sales Team Performance 27:49 Identifying Sales Team Strengths and Weaknesses 34:47 Coaching vs. Accountability in Sales 37:48 Setting Expectations for Sales Success 45:29 Building a Thriving Sales Culture
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