You Can't Afford Me

Hosted by Samuel Anderson

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

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Episodes

114

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Making the leap from employment to entrepreneurship can be a scary time. The biggest fear people have is the unknown. Here on the “You Can’t Afford Me Podast” we speak with hustlers and innovators on how to make the most of your journey. If you have questions we have answers.

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60 recent

September 14, 2026Episode 281 hr 11 min

What Would You Risk To Do The Right Thing

Hidden fees don’t feel painful until you add them up, then you realize you’ve been funding someone else’s profit with your own margins. We sit down with PJ Gallagher, owner of Reliable Payments, to pull back the curtain on credit card processing, merchant services, and why so many small businesses overpay simply because they never get a straight explanation of their statement. We talk real numbers, what “good service” in payments actually looks like, and how a fast, human response can matter more than a tiny rate change when your revenue is stuck mid-transaction. We also get into the entrepreneur side of PJ’s story: growing up in Richmond, learning business integrity from a family rooted in consumer protection, and starting Reliable Payments with a lean, scrappy approach instead of chasing a fancy office and polished marketing. The conversation turns into a practical masterclass on the day-to-day reality of leadership: managing stress as the team grows, taking vacations without burning out, and building culture through small details that make people feel valued. Then it gets personal. PJ shares the mission behind the CKG Foundation, the Speak Up 5K, and the work happening in schools to reduce stigma around teen depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. We close with a lesson that ties everything together: integrity gets tested when the stakes are high, whether that’s a $50,000 processing crisis or the decision to fire a toxic client. If you care about running a trustworthy business, lowering payment processing costs, and leading with standards, you’ll get a lot from this one. Subscribe for more unfiltered founder stories, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

September 2, 2026Episode 2745 min

A Family’s Loss Sparks A Statewide Screening Mission

Colon cancer is showing up younger, faster, and in people who never saw it coming, and that reality changes what “normal” health planning looks like. We sit down with Mindy Conklin, founder and executive director of Hitting Cancer Below the Belt, a Virginia colorectal cancer prevention nonprofit that funds screening programs and pushes honest colon health education into communities that are too often overlooked. Mindy walks us through her family’s story: her husband’s stage four colon cancer diagnosis at 41, the shock of having no known family history, and what caregiving and grief really do to your memory, your identity, and your work. From there, we dig into what she built and why: consistent colorectal cancer screening access through free clinics and federally qualified health centers, plus education that helps people stop treating this disease like a secret. We also get practical. Mindy breaks down the symptoms people should not ignore (blood in stool, chronic constipation, irregular bowel habits, abdominal pain, thin stools, unexplained weight loss), and she shares a simple framework for family history: ASAP, meaning age, stage, and polyps. We talk about why colon cancer stigma keeps people quiet, how “poop education” can literally save lives, and why environmental health, toxins, microplastics, and the gut microbiome are becoming impossible to ignore as early-onset colorectal cancer rises. To close, we cover screening options including colonoscopy and at-home stool-based tests like FIT and Cologuard, plus why some experts are cautious about blood-based tests. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with one person who needs a nudge, and leave a review so more people find it. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

August 20, 2026Episode 2633 min

You Can Buy Entrepreneurship Instead Of Starting From Zero

Starting a business from zero gets all the hype, but buying the right business can be the real cheat code. We bring on Chad Bowman, owner of The Shutter House of Richmond, to talk about why he chose franchise ownership in the home services world instead of building a brand completely from scratch and what surprised him once he got moving. We get into Chad’s path from CPA to real estate, and how that experience sharpened the exact skills that translate to a successful home improvement business: customer service, consistency, follow-up, and knowing how to coordinate people when the work matters. He also breaks down what most outsiders miss about being a top realtor and why the “easy commission” story is mostly a myth. Then we go deep on window treatments and the niche that got Chad fired up: custom exterior shutters. We talk curb appeal, the difference between old wood shutters, builder-grade vinyl, and modern composite options, and why Richmond VA is a strong market for this kind of upgrade. Chad also explains what franchise support looks like in real life: supplier relationships, industry knowledge you can’t easily Google, and having experienced people to call when a job gets nuanced. If you’re weighing buying an existing business, exploring a franchise, or trying to time your first hire, you’ll walk away with practical perspective and a few hard truths about payroll and family balance. Subscribe, share this with an entrepreneur friend, and leave a review with the biggest “buy vs build” question you’re wrestling with. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

July 1, 2026Episode 2545 min

You Can Build A Music Career Without A Major Label

A 79 cent royalty check can either crush you or clarify the game. We’re joined by producer and songwriter Alex Mack (Easy Alex Mac), who went from a small town in Blackstone, Virginia to building a fast-growing career by treating music like both art and business, even while working a full-time IT job for years. We talk about the real grind behind “overnight” growth: staying consistent after college, building a catalog before the money shows up, and what it feels like when coworkers recognize your music in the office. Alex breaks down the music industry realities most artists learn too late, including why music royalties can be shockingly small at first, why owning your masters matters, and the contract red flags that can cost you your name, your likeness, and your future. He also shares the three deal principles he looks for, including having an exit plan so you’re never stuck when the people who believed in you disappear. Then we shift into personal branding and social media strategy for musicians. Alex explains how he used Instagram as a resume, why community beats follower count, and how replying to comments and DMs helped create real fans who literally drove hours to see a small show. We also get into brand deals, engagement, content shoots, staying organized with a calendar, and what a normal workday looks like when you’re gearing up for an album. If you’re an independent artist, a creative entrepreneur, or someone sitting on music you haven’t released yet, this one is a push to start, learn the basics, and protect your work. Subscribe, share this with an artist friend, and leave us a review with the smartest contract question you’ve got. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

June 26, 2026Episode 2446 min

A First House Flip Funds A Juice Bar Dream

A lot of people talk about “multiple streams of income” like it’s a mood board. Ashley Lewis lives it, and she’s honest about the price. She’s the founder of BeatBox, a Richmond, Virginia juice bar and cafe, the owner of Melt Parlor, and she’s active in real estate fix and flip projects that helped fund her earliest moves as a business owner. We get into her backstory from Oakland to the East Coast, the early experiments that taught her margins and operations, and why she believes some entrepreneurs are born with the itch even if they do not recognize it right away. Ashley breaks down what it really looks like to build a food business where ingredients expire, labor is constant, and customer experience decides whether your brand spreads through word of mouth or dies quietly. Then the conversation turns to scaling: expanding square footage, getting a liquor license, and creating “Homegrown,” a bar and marketplace concept that uses BeatBox juices in cocktails while still fitting a wellness-forward identity. We also talk leadership in plain language, hiring the right people, the mess that happens when roles get tailored to personalities, and why firing decisions can spiral if you wait too long. If you care about women entrepreneurship, local business growth in Richmond VA, real estate investing, or what it takes to land an airport concession opportunity, this one will spark ideas and hard questions. Subscribe for more unfiltered founder stories, share this with a builder in your circle, and leave a review with the biggest lesson you’re taking from Ashley’s playbook. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

June 17, 2026Episode 2335 min

How A Richmond Moving Startup Builds Leaders And Loyal Customers

You know the moment when moving stops feeling like an “adult chore” and starts feeling like a full-body risk? We get into that reality with Chase Fuller, General Manager at Cavalier Moving, a Richmond moving company built on in-house training, speed, and trust. Chase’s path is the kind people rarely talk about: he starts as an entry-level mover during COVID, learns every part of the business, and works his way into leadership by doing the hard jobs first and staying consistent when most people would treat it as temporary. We dig into what professional movers actually provide beyond “lift and drop” including full service moving, packing services, commercial moving, load-only and unload-only help, and even smaller rearrange projects like moving a bed downstairs and reassembling it. Chase explains how premium service is really a system: clear communication, smart technique, floor protection when needed, and crews trained to prevent damage instead of planning for it after the fact. Then we take a detour into marketing you can feel in the real world. Cavalier’s presence at golf tournaments is not random; it is brand awareness in a place where relationships form fast. We also talk ROI, lead tracking inside a moving CRM, and why combining modern tools with old-school visibility works. Chase closes with what separates them from other moving companies: background-checked teams, no scrambling for day labor, and the ability to respond when another mover cancels. If you enjoyed the mix of business story, moving tips, and marketing strategy, subscribe, share this with a friend who is about to move, and leave a review. What’s the one thing you wish movers understood before they walk into your home? Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

June 10, 2026Episode 221 hr 29 min

What Are You Spending Your Energy On

Something flips when you realize discipline is not a personality trait, it is a system you practice. I’m joined by Will, a long-time business owner in promotional marketing and the founder of a health coaching brand called The Primal Journey. We start with his path from Richmond to UPS sales training and back into the family firm, then get honest about what actually creates freedom as an entrepreneur: consistent processes, clear standards, and doing the work even when you do not “feel like it.” If you’ve been chasing goals without building systems, this conversation will hit home. From there, we go deeper into the stuff most people avoid. Will walks through why he quit alcohol, how shame and distraction quietly drain your energy, and what changed in his marriage when he committed to showing up fully. We talk about authenticity, pricing, and the difference between value-driven service and chasing “coupon clipper” clients. We also get real about modern attention traps: phones, kids, and how a child can be in your house but mentally gone. We close with practical health and longevity takeaways you can use immediately: insulin and fat storage, walking for metabolic flexibility, why GLP-1 weight loss can be misleading if you ignore muscle, and how creatine can support performance and cognitive energy. Then we zoom out to faith, meaning, and what it looks like to end self-inflicted suffering by living on purpose. If you got value from this, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review with the one habit you are ready to change. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

June 2, 2026Episode 2129 min

He Skipped The Senior Trip For A Camera

An 18-year-old college dropout running a fast-growing real estate media business sounds like a headline, but Preston Day makes it feel like a repeatable playbook. We talk with Preston, founder of The Perfect Plat in Richmond, Virginia, about how he went from zero experience to delivering real estate photography, real estate videography, drone photos, and floor plans that compete with the best in the market. His edge is not a secret software trick, it’s obsession: studying YouTube for hours, shooting constantly, and treating every early job like a portfolio piece. We also get practical about the business side of real estate marketing. Preston breaks down how he decided what to charge, why he started under market to get established, and how momentum really kicked in after offering free shoots at Homearama, a high-end designer home showcase. The lesson is nuanced: free work is risky when it’s random, but powerful when it’s strategic, visible, and backed by quality that makes people ask, “Who did this?” Then we go deep on content strategy for realtors. What makes a walkthrough video perform on social media now that attention spans are short? Preston shares a simple hook rule: lead with what viewers can’t see on camera, like location context and surrounding amenities, not obvious features they can already spot. We close with the reality of growth: late-night edits, sacrificing a social life, and scaling a team without letting quality dip. If you’re building a creative service business, selling to realtors, or trying to turn skill into income fast, you’ll take notes here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s grinding, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

May 27, 2026Episode 2056 min

You Don’t Need 20% Down To Start Buying Rentals

Car repossessed. Fired from a job that was supposed to be the “made it” moment. Then a decision: stop dabbling and start building. Martine Richardson joins us to tell the real story of how she climbed out of a rough season and built a multi-million dollar rental portfolio, even when she didn’t have piles of cash sitting in the bank. We get practical about real estate investing from the ground up, starting with wholesaling as a way to learn deals, build confidence, and generate cash. Then we zoom out to the bigger win: owning rental properties for long-term wealth, monthly cash flow, equity growth, and the kind of freedom you cannot get from one-time checks. Martine explains why the 20% down “rule” stops so many people, and how deal structure and buying at a discount can open doors you didn’t think were available. We also dig into what makes rentals stay truly manageable. Martine shares how she sets tenant expectations, uses systems to create distance between her personal life and property issues, and screens residents beyond basic credit and background checks. Her favorite tool is landlord verification, especially talking to a prior landlord to spot patterns before they become expensive problems. If you want to buy your first rental property and you’re trying to figure out how people finance deals with other people’s money, this conversation lays out the mindset, the mechanics, and the guardrails. Subscribe for more real-world money moves, share this with a friend who keeps saying “one day,” and leave a review if you want more guests who teach the full playbook. Support the show www.themrpreneur.com

May 22, 2026Episode 1939 min

You Can Build A Better Career By Staying Flexible

A million-dollar home used to signal one thing. Now it can mean almost anything, which is why we wanted a straight, behind-the-scenes look at what “luxury” actually means when you’re designing and building a true custom home. We’re joined by John Fleming, VP of Sales and Marketing for AR Homes Richmond, and he walks us through how a luxury custom builder thinks about design, finishes, timelines, and client experience in the Richmond, VA market. We talk about the AR Homes model as a franchise business with local custom builder ownership, plus why that blend can deliver both big-builder capabilities and local craftsmanship. John breaks down “everything’s included” custom building, how full transparency pricing works with detailed fixed-price quotes, and what that clarity changes for buyers comparing custom home builder pricing. Then we get into the fun stuff: Tesla solar roofs, custom fixtures shipped from New York, a bathtub and chandelier shipped from England, putting greens, movie rooms, outdoor kitchens, pools, and the growing demand for golf simulator spaces. The conversation goes deeper into careers, too. John shares what he learned from mentors, why executive coaching can be a smart investment, and how the 2008 housing crash forced a career pivot that ultimately made him more capable. We also dig into the reality of schedules in real estate and homebuilding, how to protect family time, and why modern sales and marketing now includes consistent social media testing on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok. If you got value from this, subscribe, share it with a friend in real estate or homebuilding, and leave a review. What would you build into your dream home first? Support the show www.themrpreneur.com