From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED

About From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED

Short on time? From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED delivers the best ideas, stories, and practical lessons from our full-length conversations in about 20 minutes. Hear entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders share how they built from the ground up—without the hour-plus commitment. Same guests. Same substance. Condensed. Want the complete conversation? Find it on From The Ground Up Show.

Publisher

Erick Loden

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Aug 2026

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Mark Wilson - One Minute From Failure: Debt, Embezzlement, and a Last-Minute Wire (CONDENSED)

   Mark Wilson took on $1.8 million in debt, uncovered an embezzlement scheme, and reached a moment when the next inventory truck depended on a wire arriving before 2:00 p.m. It landed at 1:59. THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/) This focused edition follows that high-stakes ownership story, then turns to the operating habits that helped Mark keep building: plan for growth, hire for the work behind the sale, own mistakes with clients, and confront the difficult priorities first. WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/-k16GfKgTtw (https://youtu.be/-k16GfKgTtw) WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qubv4KoEGdI (https://youtu.be/Qubv4KoEGdI) GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p (https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p) Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 (https://pod.link/1846907140) MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA) Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 (https://pod.link/6806079674) GUEST & RESOURCES Mark Wilson, RE/MAX Elevation — Buffalo, Wyoming https://www.remaxelevationbuffalo.com (https://www.remaxelevationbuffalo.com) PARTNERS & SPONSORS MacArthur Company — Get what you need when and where you need it. All the service without the hassle. https://www.macarthurco.com/ (https://www.macarthurco.com/) Athlete Fresh — Break down sweat and odor in work clothes and athletic gear. https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow (https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow) ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com (https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com) Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/) Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/) HASHTAGS: #FromTheGroundUpShow #FTGUSCondensed #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #CashFlow #SmallBusiness

2. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Ben Hansen - More Revenue and Less Profit (CONDENSED)

   More revenue does not guarantee more profit. Ben Hansen revisits the growth and burnout that changed how he thinks about a successful business. THE WEEK’S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/) This focused edition follows Ben’s experience with growth, burnout, and a cash-flow exit, then turns to choosing work your team does well and giving crews clear targets with weekly feedback. The closing lesson: build a business that rewards you now instead of relying on a future sale to make the years of effort worthwhile. WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/bJrrxzYlJao (https://youtu.be/bJrrxzYlJao) WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/BN6vyr4ZwgQ (https://youtu.be/BN6vyr4ZwgQ) GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p (https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p) Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 (https://pod.link/1846907140) MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA) Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 (https://pod.link/6806079674) GUEST & RESOURCES Ben Hansen and Profit Doctor https://profitdoctor.com/ (https://profitdoctor.com/) PARTNERS & SPONSORS Athlete Fresh https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow (https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow) MacArthur Company https://www.macarthurco.com/ (https://www.macarthurco.com/) ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com (https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com) Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/) Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/)

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Richie Zook - Building a Trades Business That Can Run Without You (CONDENSED)

   Before Richie Zook could lead a Pennsylvania concrete company from Idaho, he had to hand off work he was used to doing himself. THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/) Richie explains how he entered a new trade, helped buy Keystone Gun-Krete with seller financing, and brought in an accountant and attorney to evaluate the opportunity. His biggest fear was losing the people who made the business work. He shares why the company grew around good people, how turned-away work helps him judge equipment demand, and why a $1.2 million pump can become a purchase driven by pride. He also describes testing remote work before the move and handing field responsibilities to a young leader who later became a partner. The conversation closes with costly mistakes, backing employees when customers are wrong, and the advice to be known for who you are, not what you do. WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/gsCzidujVOA (https://youtu.be/gsCzidujVOA) WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/8aRo_Vaba3k (https://youtu.be/8aRo_Vaba3k) GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p (https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p) Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 (https://pod.link/1846907140) MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA) Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 (https://pod.link/6806079674) GUEST & RESOURCES Richie Zook and Keystone Gun-Krete https://www.keystonegun-krete.com/ (https://www.keystonegun-krete.com/) PARTNERS & SPONSORS This episode includes paid promotional material. MacArthur Company https://www.macarthurco.com (https://www.macarthurco.com) Athlete Fresh https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow (https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow) ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com (https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com) Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/) Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/)

4. 

   1 Oct 2026

   David Michaux - He Quit Project Management to Build a Welding Business (CONDENSED)

   David Michaux left a stable project-management role to build Michaux Metalworks with savings, carefully chosen equipment, and a determination to avoid unnecessary debt. In this focused edition, he explains the internal debate before quitting, the first job that cost him more than $1,000, and the pricing lessons that only came after doing the work. The second half follows the next turning point: hiring his first employee. David explains the pressure of payroll and slow-paying invoices, the relief of work continuing when he leaves the shop, and the humility required to price confidently, learn from mentors, and grow beyond a one-person operation. IN THIS CONDENSED EPISODE ·   Preparing financially to leave a stable job ·   Buying used equipment and avoiding unnecessary debt ·   Learning from an underpriced first project that lost more than $1,000 ·   Knowing when there is enough work to make the first hire ·   Managing payroll pressure, unpaid invoices, and cashflow ·   Pricing with confidence instead of projecting your own budget onto the customer ·   Staying humble, finding mentors, and continuing to learn THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ WATCHTHIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/Xh-2obfXYiA⁠ (https://youtu.be/Xh-2obfXYiA) WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/FYSmS8YEIQY⁠ (https://youtu.be/FYSmS8YEIQY) GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 MORE FROM FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 GUEST AND RESOURCES Michaux Metalworks: https://michauxmetalworks.com/ PARTNERS AND SPONSORS MacArthur Co.: https://www.macarthurco.com Athlete Fresh: https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leadersbuilding something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit approximately fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ #FromTheGroundUpShow #FTGUSCondensed #DavidMichaux #MichauxMetalworks #WeldingBusiness#SkilledTrades #SmallBusiness

5. 

   24 Sept 2026

   Charbel Louis Karam - The 70% Rule for Scaling (CONDENSED)

   How do you grow from a first acquisition with just 9 employees into an organization of more than 2,000 people? For Charbel Louis Karam, the answer wasn’t perfect planning. It was learning to evaluate risk, make decisions without having every answer, recognize mistakes quickly, and keep moving. Charbel is the CEO and Managing Partner of Spectrum Killian Dental Lab Alliance. His unconventional career took him from commercial aviation and aerospace leadership at Airbus and Pratt & Whitney Canada into manufacturing, private equity, entrepreneurship, acquisitions, and the rapidly changing dental laboratory industry. In this CONDENSED edition of From The Ground Up Show, Charbel explains why leaders must become comfortable making decisions with roughly 70% of the available information. Drawing on his experience flying search-and-rescue and medevac missions, he shares what aviation taught him about pressure, preparation, and calculated risk. He also describes leaving the resources and security of private equity to run a small business, where cash flow, payroll, and every purchasing decision suddenly mattered. That experience taught him lessons about money and operations that an MBA and years of analyzing businesses could not. Charbel and Erick Loden discuss recognizing overlooked opportunities, turning founder-dependent craftsmanship into repeatable systems, and building the people and infrastructure required to scale. They also examine why good leaders admit bad decisions, correct course quickly, and refuse to let overthinking become an excuse for inaction. As Charbel puts it, “You’re not going to PowerPoint your way to success.” This focused episode brings together the most useful lessons from a much larger conversation about entrepreneurship, acquisitions, leadership, risk, and scaling a company without losing what made it valuable. Follow From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED in your podcast app, and share this episode with someone building or leading a business. WATCH THE CONVERSATION Full episode: https://youtu.be/rvOcqFISL24 (https://youtu.be/rvOcqFISL24) CONDENSED episode: https://youtu.be/LraZ4Uj2c10 (https://youtu.be/LraZ4Uj2c10) LISTEN TO EVERY FORMAT From The Ground Up Show: https://pod.link/1846907140 (https://pod.link/1846907140) From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: https://pod.link/6806079674 (https://pod.link/6806079674) From The Ground Up Show: Topics: https://pod.link/6808750058 (https://pod.link/6808750058) WATCH FOCUSED TOPICS https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLud9Edq6T5ZwT7z38p86WE6DUpEhbbaFU (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLud9Edq6T5ZwT7z38p86WE6DUpEhbbaFU) THE WEEK’S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/) GUEST & RESOURCES Charbel Louis Karam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charbellouis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/charbellouis) Spectrum Killian Dental Lab Alliance: https://skdla.com (https://skdla.com/) Spectrum Killian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skdla (https://www.linkedin.com/company/skdla) PARTNERS & SPONSORS MacArthur Company: https://www.macarthurco.com (https://www.macarthurco.com/) Athlete Fresh: https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow (https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow) ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show features honest conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts. https://fromthegroundupshow.com (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/)

6. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Sheldon Murphy - From Free Roof Repairs to a $10 Million Company (CONDENSED)

   Sheldon Murphy started tearing off roofs at 14 to earn money for sports equipment. After injuries ended his college baseball ambitions and a planned business acquisition fell apart, he built something of his own—starting with small repairs, a truck, and a simple goal: fix the problem and earn the homeowner’s trust. In this condensed edition, Sheldon explains how doing small repairs for free in exchange for honest Google reviews helped TSM Roofing stand out against much larger competitors. He shares the discipline behind growing without loans, why paying crews and suppliers on time became a competitive advantage, and how long-term relationships helped the company grow from zero to roughly $10 million in annual revenue. He also discusses a leadership shift every growing founder faces: eventually, working harder stops being the answer. Sheldon shares how he learned to delegate, trust capable people, and take responsibility when things went wrong—including installing the wrong roof color on an entire house. By making it right, he turned a costly error into a five-star review. This conversation is about building credibility before you have scale, protecting your reputation when mistakes happen, and building a business that can grow beyond the founder. IN THIS CONDENSED CONVERSATION • Starting young: Roofing at 14 and finding a path into the trades after college athletics ended. • The failed acquisition: How a deal falling apart pushed Sheldon to launch TSM Roofing from scratch. • Reputation as strategy: Using small repairs and honest Google reviews to compete with established companies. • Financial discipline: Buying equipment gradually, avoiding debt, and paying crews and suppliers on time. • Leadership transition: Why founders become bottlenecks and growth requires delegation and trust. • The expensive mistake: How owning a wrong-roof-color error created loyalty, referrals, and a five-star review. • Starting again: Why Sheldon would rebuild through community relationships rather than relying only on door-to-door sales. THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/xn-yJbfiaQQ WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/jPXT_mpOKOM GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 GUEST & RESOURCES TSM Roofing: https://tsmroofs.com/ Phone: 623-213-8267 PARTNERS & SPONSORS MacArthur Co.: https://www.macarthurco.com Athlete Fresh: https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. Honest business and leadership conversations for people building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com Questions: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ #SheldonMurphy #RoofingBusiness #BlueCollarEntrepreneur #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #CustomerService #FromTheGroundUpShow #FTGUSCondensed

7. 

   10 Sept 2026

   Craig Semple - The Detective Who Investigated His Own Recovery (CONDENSED)

   Former New South Wales Police Detective Sergeant Craig Semple spent 25 years working homicide investigations, drug operations, and outlaw motorcycle gang cases. He loved the danger, the camaraderie, and the hunt — until the pressure he kept hidden began dismantling his sleep, health, identity, and family life. In this condensed edition, Craig recounts the major organized-crime investigation that capped his career, the warning signs of post-traumatic stress disorder he concealed for years, and the psychological breakdown that ultimately forced him out of policing. He speaks candidly about depression, the collapse of his marriage, a suicide attempt, and the lesson he now shares everywhere: getting help early can radically change the outcome. Craig also explains how he approached recovery like a detective. He built a practical wellbeing plan from exercise, meditation, cognitive behavioral strategies, and very small daily actions — including a deceptively simple rule for returning to surfing: just get wet. This conversation is about the cost of appearing bulletproof, the courage required to ask for help, and how people can rebuild purpose after the identity that defined them disappears. IN THIS CONDENSED CONVERSATION • The final investigation: A coordinated operation targeting an entire outlaw motorcycle gang chapter. • The hidden injury: How nightmares, hypervigilance, sleep deprivation, alcohol, and emotional numbing accumulated. • The personal cost: Loss of career, identity, control, marriage, and the crisis that followed. • The early-help lesson: Why a handful of timely sessions might have prevented years of suffering and hundreds of later appointments. • The recovery plan: How small, repeatable actions helped Craig rebuild direction, momentum, and purpose. THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/2C65Adp0z9Q WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/5pxPUIFg1BY GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 GUEST & RESOURCES Mentality Plus: mentalityplus.com.au Craig's story: mentalityplus.com.au/my-story Craig's books: mentalityplus.com.au/buy-book LinkedIn: Craig Semple Instagram: @semple_mentality PARTNERS & SPONSORS MacArthur Co.: macarthurco.com Athlete Fresh: athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ #CraigSemple #MentalHealth #PTSD #Resilience #Leadership #PoliceStories #FromTheGroundUpShow #FTGUSCondensed

8. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Jonathan Domsky - How a Global Brand Was Built with Purpose & Systems (CONDENSED)

   Jonathan Domsky's entrepreneurial journey began with a one-way ticket to China, a chance encounter that became a love story, and a determination to build a life with more freedom. That path led Jonathan and his wife to launch Kidorable from a studio apartment and grow it into a global children's accessories brand. In this condensed conversation, Jonathan explains how Kidorable grew from $40,000 in first-year sales to a multimillion-dollar business, why the Great Recession forced a painful but necessary pivot toward e-commerce, and how a values-driven culture helped the company scale without losing its humanity. Jonathan also shares his practical approach to standard operating procedures: train people clearly, give them the confidence to make decisions, and make the first SOP a rule for when not to follow an SOP. It is a candid conversation about entrepreneurship, adaptability, leadership, purpose, and building systems that help people thrive. Connect on LinkedIn: Search for Jonathan Domsky THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/pzwNXIhLPyQ WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/aWHllkTAYTk GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 GUEST & RESOURCES Jonathan Domsky - Untangled Coaching: https://untangled-coaching.com Jonathan Domsky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/business-personal-growth-coach PARTNERS & SPONSORS https://www.macarthurco.com https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #PurposeDrivenBusiness #FromTheGroundUpShow

9. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Damien + Jess Zouaoui - They Quit Their Jobs, Traveled 25 Countries & Built a Beer Spa (CONDENSED)

   What happens when you quit successful corporate careers, travel the world looking for a business idea, and eventually stumble across a beer spa in Poland? Jessica and Damien knew they wanted to build something together—but they didn’t know exactly what. So they left their careers in New York City, traveled through 25 countries over 14 months, and studied unusual business concepts along the way. A coin flip eventually sent them to Eastern Europe, where a rainy day in Poland introduced them to the idea that would become Oakwell Beer Spa. In this FTGUS CONDENSED conversation, Jessica and Damien share how they went from discovering an unconventional idea to actually building the business—including an underfunded construction project, buying used equipment at auctions, working side jobs to keep going, and figuring things out as they went. They also explain what happened when Oakwell opened to far more demand than expected, why they became obsessive about the customer experience, and the lesson they believe every aspiring entrepreneur should understand before turning a passion into a business. In this condensed episode: Why Jessica and Damien walked away from corporate careers Traveling 25 countries in search of a scalable business idea The coin flip that ultimately led them to Oakwell Beer Spa Building an unusual concept with limited capital Getting creative when the construction budget fell apart Launching to overwhelming demand Protecting the customer experience while learning on the fly Why passion alone isn’t enough to build a successful business THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose the depth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSED edition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the From The Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/-zBofWKI1qk WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/qP81T5NVqwY GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is From The Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get more context, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p Listen to the full show: https://pod.link/1846907140 MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 GUEST & RESOURCES https://oakwellfranchise.com/ https://oakwell.com/ PARTNERS & SPONSORS https://www.macarthurco.com https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories. Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honest business and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners, operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something that lasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by Erick Loden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From 2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue more than eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing a successful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com Have a question for Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ Have a story built through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell your story: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusiness #FounderStory #HospitalityBusiness #Franchising #FromTheGroundUpShow

10. 

    20 Aug 2026

    Dashaun Bryant - How One Idea Became Roof Hustlers | Condensed

    Dashaun Bryantwent from flunking out of college and working retail to closing four roofingdeals in his first week. In this focused edition, the Roof Hustlers founderexplains how an unexpected sales job revealed his talent for coaching, why hestarted publishing before the audience arrived, and how he finally chose thebrand over the security of active selling. THE WEEK'S CONVERSATIONS, IN ONE EMAIL Choose thedepth that fits your time: the full conversation, a roughly 20-minute CONDENSEDedition, or a focused Topics episode. Join the FromThe Ground Up Show newsletter: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/newsletter/) IN THIS EPISODE • Growing up inManatee County, flunking out of college, and working retail before salesentered the picture • Closing fourroofing deals in his first week and discovering that he could train others towin • Spotting atraining gap, launching Roof Hustlers, and building an audience throughconsistent useful content • Growing froma $300 gift-card speaking job to national training work and manufacturer events • Leavingactive roofing sales, protecting the reputation he had built, and focusingfully on Roof Hustlers WATCH THIS CONDENSED EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/JqbVAstlTOc (https://youtu.be/JqbVAstlTOc) WATCH THE FULL-LENGTH EPISODE YouTube: https://youtu.be/MTf-BWMWA4E (https://youtu.be/MTf-BWMWA4E) GO DEEPER WITH FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW This is FromThe Ground Up Show CONDENSED: the conversation in roughly 20 minutes. Get morecontext, stories, and lessons in the full-length interviews. Watch andsubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p (https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheGroundUp-k9p) Listen to thefull show: https://pod.link/1846907140 (https://pod.link/1846907140) MORE FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW CONDENSED YouTubeplaylist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa9BVKGD64tA) Podcast apps: https://pod.link/6806079674 (https://pod.link/6806079674) GUEST & RESOURCES Dashaun Bryantand Roof Hustlers: https://roofhustlers.com/ (https://roofhustlers.com/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roofhustlers6686 (https://www.youtube.com/@roofhustlers6686) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roofhustlers/ (https://www.instagram.com/roofhustlers/) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roofhustlers (https://www.tiktok.com/@roofhustlers) Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/roofhustlers/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/roofhustlers/) PARTNERS & SPONSORS MacArthurCompany offers local building-material service with a dedicated salesperson andthe resources to serve large customers: https://www.macarthurco.com (https://www.macarthurco.com) Athlete Freshis designed to remove sweat, bacteria, and residue from work and athleticclothing. The episode offer is 25% off a first order, and 5% of every purchasegoes to charity: https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow (https://athletefresh.shop/fromthegroundupshow) ABOUT FROM THE GROUND UP SHOW Real stories.Hard lessons. Stronger foundations. From The Ground Up Show delivers honestbusiness and leadership conversations and practical lessons for owners,operators, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, and leaders building something thatlasts—with hearts, hands, and hustle. Hosted by ErickLoden, a former commercial roofing company owner and business advisor. From2014 to 2025, he owned and ran his roofing company, growing annual revenue morethan eightfold and operating profit nearly fifteenfold before completing asuccessful internal sale. Website: https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com (https://www.fromthegroundupshow.com) Have a questionfor Erick or an upcoming guest? https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/ask-a-question/) Have a storybuilt through hearts, hands, and hustle? Apply to be a guest and tell yourstory: https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/ (https://fromthegroundupshow.com/be-a-guest/)

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