The Solo 2 Entrepreneur Show

#118 You Don't Have to Be Elon Musk to Be an Entrepreneur (Mark Agusti)

What does it actually take to build a career that means something? Mark Agusti - Duke alumnus, former healthcare executive, and founder of Kenmore Advisors - almost became a doctor, turned down higher-paying offers at Intel and Microsoft, and built an executive career across medical technology instead. Now he teaches a course at Duke he built from scratch, and advises companies on multi-million dollar deals. In this episode, Mark and Lorraine get into: Why you don't have to be Elon Musk to think like an entrepreneur How to pick an industry with real staying power The "run to something, not from something" principle most people ignore When you've outgrown your mentor - and what to do next The three questions that work for business audits and career self-assessments The one habit Mark wishes he'd locked in 20 years earlier Whether you're early in your career, mid-pivot, or running your own business - this one's for you. Like, subscribe, and share. Connect with Mark on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-augusti/

#117 Don't Lead with Your Emotions

#116 Stop the Excuses... Get it done NOW!!!

#115 Your Business Is Growing. So Why Aren't You Getting Richer? (Ernest Smith)

What happens when you're working harder than ever, growing your business, and still realizing that the business model isn't working for you? In this episode of The Solo 2 Entrepreneur Show, I sit down with Ernest Smith to unpack his journey from real estate investing and construction to thinking like a true entrepreneur. From managing 18 employees and discovering the hidden costs of growth to exploring business acquisitions, AI agents, and scalable business models, Ernest shares the lessons that changed how he approaches business. We also dive into the realities of balancing entrepreneurship with fatherhood, building relationships that open unexpected doors, and having the courage to step into rooms you never imagined you'd enter. His reminder? Don't limit yourself to what you know today. Sometimes, your biggest breakthrough starts when you dare to amaze yourself. If you're a solopreneur, trades business owner, or entrepreneur ready to stop working harder and start building smarter, this conversation is for you. Connect with Ernest and follow him on https://hihello.com/p/a17f82a4-06a6-4e8d-b2c5-908eb6256fe9

#114 I got Fired

Most people get fired and spend months asking "what did I do wrong?" In this episode, we pull back the curtain on something most entrepreneurs and leaders are too proud to talk about - being let go, pushed out, and shown the door. More than once. But here's what nobody tells you: the pattern behind why it happens reveals more about the business, the leadership, and the opportunity in front of you than any performance review ever could. From the five hidden reasons people really get fired, to the one question that separates entrepreneurs who bounce back from those who stay stuck - this episode is part confession, part masterclass, and completely unfiltered. You'll learn: Why doing your job too well can get you pushed out - and what that actually signals The difference between leaders who build great teams and leaders who fear them How one question to a piano tuner became a lesson in expertise, trust, and loyalty that changed how Lorraine leads The six-step framework to pivot professionally, strategically, and with your reputation fully intact Why the loudest person in the room is almost never the one worth listening to Whether you've been fired, felt the ground shift beneath you at work, or you're leading a team right now and wondering why your best people keep leaving - this episode will change how you read the room, ask the hard questions, and build what's actually yours to build. This is not a victim story. This is a blueprint. Hit play. Your pivot starts here. If you want to take the next step: book a call https://calendly.com/solo2entre/let-s-connect

#113 Survival Mode Is Not a Strategy - Here's What Is

You said you wanted it. The business. The life. The version of yourself that stops waiting and starts building. So why haven't you moved? We cover the one thing that kills more dreams than failure, bad timing, or lack of money ever will - and that thing is fear dressed up as logic. Circumstances changed, the original path was gone, and panic set in fast. Lorraine has been there too. She lost six figures and her closest friend in the same month - during COVID - and came out the other side with a clarity most people only find after a crisis. In this episode you will hear: Why "I don't know what I want" is not a vision problem - it is a fear problem How survival mode keeps you busy while quietly stealing your future What elite athletes know about pressure and performance that most entrepreneurs never apply Why the people around you are either building you or draining you - and what to do about it The one question you need to ask yourself before fear makes another decision for you This episode is not motivational filler. It is a direct conversation with someone who has coached through the hard seasons, lived through real loss, and built anyway. If you are finally ready to stop surviving and start moving - Lorraine wants to hear from you. Reach out and let's find out together whether now is your moment. Listen all the way through. The last five minutes might be the most important conversation you have with yourself this week.

#112 The Real Game Reveal "The Deal Was Never the Deal" (John Matthews)

John Matthews walked away from the C-suite - 1,400 stores, a $3B company, Jimmy John's - and built something most entrepreneurs never do: a business that has generated revenue every single month for over two decades. His secret? He never waits until he needs something to build a relationship. In this episode, John breaks down why most entrepreneurs flame out, what "911 networking" is costing you, and the counterintuitive long game that keeps his pipeline full without a single cold pitch. 🔗 Connect with John: Web | www.graycatenterprises.com LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/pub/john-matthews/0/53a/2 Gray Cat Learning Series (15 online courses): https://www.graycatenterprises.com/gray-cat-learning-series

#111 Why the Quietest Person in the Room Is Usually Winning

What if the thing you were told was your weakness is actually your greatest business asset? Strategic silence - what is it and how do you use it? From being labelled the quiet, introverted kid to sitting across from billionaire entrepreneurs and high-level coaches, Lorraine noticed one thing they all had in common: they listen more than they speak, and they choose their words with precision. This episode is for every solopreneur and business owner who has ever overshared in the wrong room, felt pressure to fill every silence, or been underestimated because they were not the loudest voice at the table. You will learn: Why silence is a strategy, not a weakness How to use observation to read people, protect your energy, and make smarter decisions A simple daily reflection habit that keeps you two moves ahead How to stop oversharing - and what to do instead Whether you are naturally quiet or working on pulling back, this episode will shift how you show up in every room, every meeting, and every conversation. Because sometimes, the most powerful move you can make is saying nothing at all. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

#110 Nobody Warned Me About This: The Hidden Cost of Business

Starting over is hard. Whether you're new to an industry, a business, a city, or a country - the feeling is universal: the self-doubt, the broken trust, the loneliness that nobody warned you about. In this episode, Lorraine Chai gets honest about what it really feels like to be the new kid in the room - and more importantly, what happens when you choose to grow through it instead of giving up. If you've ever felt misread, underestimated, or completely alone on this journey, this one is for you. Because on the other side of every hard season? The right allies. The right partners. And a version of yourself you didn't know you were capable of becoming. This is the conversation every new entrepreneur needs - and almost nobody is having. 🎙️ Subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next - because the how is coming.

#109 From $25 Million to $400: The NFL Star Who Lost It All and Built It Back (Marques Ogden)

What happens when you build a $25 million empire-and then watch it collapse in under nine days? In this episode of the Solo to Entrepreneur Show, host Lorraine Chai sits down with Marques Ogden, retired NFL player turned transformational speaker, to unpack one of the most brutally honest redemption stories in business. Marques didn't just lose money. He lost everything-his company, his credit lines, his home-and arrived in Raleigh, North Carolina with $400 to his name. He got fired from two jobs in one week. He worked as a custodian at 4:30 in the morning. And it was a bag of rotten garbage that quite literally broke him open-and became the turning point that rebuilt him. This conversation covers what nobody talks about after success: the entitlement that quietly kills it, the accountability that restores it, and the unglamorous consistency that eventually compounds into something real. In this episode, you'll learn: Why success itself is often the biggest threat to staying successful The exact moment Marques hit rock bottom-and the 10-minute decision that changed everything How a Fortune 500 client's brutal feedback became the foundation of his speaking career Why "the comfort zone is where dreams go to die"-and what it actually takes to grow past it The daily non-negotiable that keeps a former NFL athlete mentally and physically sharp How to balance family, business, and personal recharge without losing any of them Whether you are just starting out, rebuilding after a setback, or scaling past the solo stage, Marques' story is a masterclass in accountability, resilience, and what it genuinely costs to build something that lasts. Follow Marques Ogden: Podcast: https://getauthenticwithmarquesogden.com/ Website: https://marquesogdencoaching.com/ TedX: https://youtu.be/KTRLCs85Ns0?si=-Z9ogh7emrcSDeD5