LeverUp®️

About LeverUp®️

LeverUp® is a podcast for operators, deal-makers, and entrepreneurs who want to build wealth by owning businesses, not just working in them. Host Paul Swaney brings in private equity investors, founders, and industry executives for unfiltered conversations on deals, leadership, business acquisition, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. No courses. No fluff. Just real talk on inorganic entrepreneurship and the path to business ownership.

Publisher

Paul W. Swaney III

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 May 2026

Latest episode

27 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

9 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Aug 2026

   New York is a network effect

   Description Paul sits down with Ted Knudsen for a wide ranging conversation about private equity operations, entrepreneurship, history, and the compounding value of great people. Ted shares his unconventional career journey from consulting into PE operations in his mid twenties, what it was like operating through the Global Financial Crisis, and why those years permanently changed the way he thinks about the human impact of business decisions. The conversation then turns to Echoes of Revolution, an eight year effort to bring Revolutionary era New York back to life through augmented reality. Ted breaks down how an idea inspired by Boston’s Freedom Trail evolved from years of original historical research into a partnership with Ubisoft and Sugar Creative, the funding challenges that nearly killed the project, and what it took to keep moving when almost everything went wrong. Paul and Ted also explore America’s recurring periods of division, why character matters more than contracts, how to identify people worth trusting, and why networks compound over a career. They close with advice for young professionals, the unique career value of living in a place like New York, and the books that have most shaped Ted’s thinking. Takeaways Early career opportunities without an established playbook can create some of the fastest opportunities to learn and grow. Living through the Global Financial Crisis showed Ted that operating decisions have real consequences for employees, families, and entire communities. You do not need to possess every capability yourself: find the right expertise, build the right partnerships, and license what you cannot reasonably build. Ambitious projects are rarely linear. Echoes of Revolution survived through research, MVPs, creative funding, strong partners, and persistence when the project repeatedly looked like it might fail. Character is one of the most important filters in business. Contracts and diligence cannot fully protect you from choosing the wrong people. Relationships compound. A small number of trusted mentors and high-character people can introduce you to an increasingly valuable network over the course of a career. Geography can be a career advantage. The density of people, opportunities, and repeated interactions in cities like New York can create value that is difficult to capture on a cost-of-living spreadsheet. Chapters 00:00 Intro: Meet Ted Knudsen 00:37 From consulting to private equity operations 02:38 Taking the leap before you feel ready 06:43 Living through the Global Financial Crisis 09:55 AI infrastructure, bubbles, and what survives 14:45 Where Echoes of Revolution began 20:16 Turning history into an immersive experience 22:04 Research, MVPs, and assembling the team 25:28 How Ubisoft and Sugar Creative came aboard 29:54 Funding setbacks and finding new backers 33:47 When the project almost died 38:53 Inside the 11 augmented reality experiences 44:28 America’s birthdays and moments of division 48:39 Media, polarization, and historical perspective 50:31 Why character matters more than contracts 52:39 Finding people you can actually trust 54:29 The compounding power of networks 58:13 Career advice: location, opportunity, and proximity 1:00:30 Why New York can be worth the cost 1:03:02 The books that shaped Ted’s thinking 1:07:08 Where to find Ted and Echoes of Revolution

2. 

   1 Jul 2026

   DegenCPA vs. LeverUp

   From Bored in Malaysia to Viral CPA: Andrew Vento (Dgen CPA) on Going Full-Time on X Overview: Andrew Vento, better known as Dgen CPA, went from digging around on Twitter while bored abroad to a viral account that now pays the bills. In this episode of LeverUp, Paul sits down with Andrew (over lemonades, not cocktails) to unpack the growth story: the first post that hit 5 million views, why every algorithm change seems to work in his favor, and how he is engineering a life of total flexibility. They get into the real stuff too. Toeing the line between funny and fireable, getting doxxed, the person who showed up at his house, why AI still cannot do humor, and whether he ever wants a W2 again. If you have ever thought about turning an online audience into income, or walking away from corporate to build something of your own, this one is worth your time. Chapters 00:00 Intro: meet Andrew Vento, aka Dgen CPA 00:53 From messing around online to a real income 01:31 Why every algorithm change helps him 02:15 Toeing the SFW/NSFW line without getting fired 03:01 What is the next move 03:35 Going live: asking AI to monetize the tweets 04:45 AI slop, no soul, and the war on em dashes 06:30 Why AI still cannot do humor 07:31 The post that went viral: 5M views from Malaysia 09:01 The Hank Scorpio avatar 09:40 How to actually go viral: build a network first 12:01 Meeting people in real life off Twitter 12:40 Twitter as a dating app 14:10 How much of the persona is real 15:02 Why nobody selling a 5K course knows anything 16:40 Has X gotten worse under Elon 18:00 Getting doxxed and the person at his house 19:30 Fake emails to his employer 20:15 Leaving the W2 life behind 21:00 Bali, crypto, and engineering a remote life 22:31 Advice for the backpack and remote lifestyle 24:30 Purpose, family, and true north 25:45 Social media and the dating hellscape 27:00 Gambling psychology and negativity bias 28:31 Kids who want to be YouTubers 30:01 The fake private-jet photo 30:45 Favorite book, news source, Claude vs Grok 31:40 Starting a podcast and wrap-up

3. 

   2 Jun 2026

   Finding Success with Integrity in PE with Ryan Heckman

   The conversation covers the personal and professional journey of Ryan Heckman, Co-Founder of Rally Day Partners, and his unconventional path into private equity: from competing in two Olympic Games as a ski jumper to landing his first PE job at 22 after a chance conversation on a plane with George Gillette (then-owner of Vail Ski Resort). It also delves into the unique approach of Rally Day Partners in the private equity industry, emphasizing leadership over management. The conversation covers post-closing architecture, CEO expectations, leadership development, private equity board meetings, advice for young professionals, and impactful books. Takeaways • An unconventional path into private equity: Olympic ski jumping, a chance meeting on a plane, and building a business from $700K to $14M EBITDA before founding Rally Day Partners •  Leadership over management in private equity • Post-closing architecture focuses on purpose, strategy, cultural gaps, and leadership development • CEO expectations at Rally Day emphasize a multi-stakeholder lens and a focus on supporting employees • Investing in personal purpose and serving others is crucial for career success and fulfillment • The book The Greatest Salesman in the World had a profound impact on Ryan's life Chapters 00:00 Ryan's Background and Path Into Private Equity 18:06 Founding Rally Day Partners 23:06 Leadership vs. Management 28:41 Private Equity Board Meetings and CEO Tools 36:13 Advice for Young Professionals 45:05 Impactful Books and Personal Growth

4. 

   1 Jun 2026

   Mastering Business Restructuring with Lars Vaule

   The conversation delves into Lars' experience in turnarounds and restructuring, highlighting the challenges of day one at a restructuring asset, the importance of stabilizing the team and operations, and the balance between urgency and strategy. Lars shares impactful books and reflects on mistakes made early in his career, emphasizing the value of initiative and the pitfalls of perfectionism. The conversation also explores the measurement of success in restructuring and the significance of creating opportunities for growth within the organization. Takeaways Turnarounds and restructuring involve stabilizing demoralized teams and addressing financial and operational challenges. Success in restructuring is measured by creating opportunities for growth and advancement within the organization. Initiative and problem-solving skills are key attributes that get noticed by senior team members. Perfectionism can hinder progress, and the ability to take small steps and make quick decisions is crucial in a restructuring environment. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 05:52 Stabilizing the Team and Operations 29:37 Impactful Books and Mistakes in Career

5. 

   1 Jun 2026

   The Fast Eat the Slow: What Matters in Business - Laurence Haughton

   Many companies experience a stall in growth, with 66% of them never recovering. CEOs need to have a bias towards action and growth to protect the green shoots of success. Takeaways Stalling companies often fail to recover CEOs need a bias towards action and growth Chapters 00:00 The Challenge of Stalled Growth

6. 

   31 May 2026

   Smarter, Leaner, Faster: The Rise Of AI-Driven Startups With Claudia Richoux

   Claudia Rishu shares her journey from a military brat to a CEO, discussing her background in STEM, cryptography, and blockchain security research. She delves into the founding of Supply Co, a company focused on marketing and sales software for the industrial segment. The conversation explores the impact of AI on software engineering, the changing landscape of tech jobs, and the challenges and strategies of fundraising and sales. The conversation covers topics such as the challenges of selling a product that does not fully exist, the impact of tariffs on businesses, the qualities of people to look for when hiring for a startup, and the emotional and spiritual journey of a founder. The conversation also delves into the importance of customer feedback, the pitfalls of startup glamour, and the impact of spirituality on the founder's mindset. Takeaways STEM Background Impact of AI on Software Engineering Selling a product that does not fully exist requires convincing prospects and selling the future. The impact of tariffs on businesses can lead to uncertainty and stress, affecting supply chains and consumer outcomes. Chapters 00:00 Journey to CEO 18:44 Challenges of Fundraising and Sales 24:02 Selling the Future 36:06 The Emotional and Spiritual Journey of a Founder

7. 

   31 May 2026

   Stewardship Over Showmanship: What Client First Actually Looks Like with Richard McWhorter

   The conversation covers the transition to independence as a financial advisor, the dynamics of client relationships, the financial challenges faced by athletes and entertainers, and the experience of starting a new venture. It delves into the complexities of managing client finances and the unique challenges faced by individuals in the sports and entertainment industry. The conversation delves into the importance of building human connections through non-business activities like poker and golf, the sterility of business relationships, navigating investment products, understanding the impact of policies, advising creative types, and the cost of trust and critical thinking in financial advisory. It emphasizes the significance of meaningful connections and the balance of critical thinking and non-emotional, numbers-driven advice in advising creative types. Takeaways Financial Advisor Independence Client Relationship Dynamics Building relationships through non-business activities like poker and golf can lead to meaningful connections. Advising creative types requires a balance of critical thinking and non-emotional, numbers-driven advice. Chapters 00:00 Transition to Independence 05:51 Financial Challenges of Athletes and Entertainers 34:59 Starting a New Venture 41:46 Navigating Investment Products 53:42 Understanding the Impact of Policies 59:48 Advising Creative Types 01:07:40 The Cost of Trust and Critical Thinking

8. 

   27 May 2026

   American Operator - A Conversation Will Fry - Keeping Main Street Local

   The conversation covers the founding of American Operator and its mission to preserve small businesses in local communities, challenges in manufacturing and succession planning, the mission to prevent private equity from acquiring small businesses, the process of selecting and transitioning business operators, and the value creation and integration process for business success. The conversation covers investment strategy, underwriting, broker dynamics, challenges with brokers, independent sponsors, issues with brokers and sponsors, broker miscommunication, broker behavior, feedback for brokers, private equity structures, talent acquisition, ownership, and challenges of starting a business. The conversation covers entrepreneurial ventures, challenges, and the journey of a pepper spray company. It also delves into advice for entrepreneurs, acquisition and succession planning, influential books, family values, and the relationship between private equity and entrepreneurship. Takeaways Preserving small businesses is vital for local communities Succession planning and operator selection are critical for business continuity and success. Investment strategy and underwriting are key to conservative growth. Broker dynamics and exclusive contracts pose challenges in deal management. Optimizing for the most amount of learnings per day is crucial for success. Finding a mission that matters and getting started is key for entrepreneurs. Chapters 00:00 Preserving the American Dream on Main Street 11:12 Stopping Private Equity from Eating Main Street 18:02 Selecting and Transitioning Operators 25:28 Value Creation and Integration 31:05 Brokers and Brokerage Categories 36:06 Independent Sponsors and Search Funders 41:30 Feedback and Improvement for Brokers 48:18 Challenges of Starting a Business 59:05 Acquisition and Succession Planning 01:06:05 Private Equity and Entrepreneurship

9. 

   26 May 2026

   Jackie Hirsch - How to Beat Private Equity From a Broker That Sold 400 companies

   The conversation covers the entrepreneurial journey of Jackie Hirsch, challenges in business valuation, preparing a business for sale, maximizing business value, and the role of independent sponsors vs. private equity in business transactions. The conversation covers challenges in deal operations, red flags in deal dynamics, positive valuation surprises, engaging with founders in the 1-10 EBITDA range, and the debate between generalist and specialist funds. Key takeaways include the importance of self-awareness in diligence, the value of preserving the magic in a business, and the benefits of cross-pollinating ideas across industries. The conversation delves into the topics of business ownership, self-awareness, transition and succession planning, and the impact of books on healing from trauma. It explores the importance of self-awareness in business ownership, the challenges of transition and succession planning, and the profound impact of books on personal healing and growth. Takeaways Business Valuation Entrepreneurial Journey Self-awareness in diligence The importance of preserving the magic in a business The value of cross-pollinating ideas across industries Business Ownership and Self-Awareness Transition and Succession Planning Impactful Books and Healing from Trauma Chapters 00:00 The Entrepreneurial Journey 05:50 Preparing a Business for Sale 11:48 Independent Sponsors vs. Private Equity 28:59 Challenges in Deal Operations 34:00 Positive Valuation Surprises 39:59 Engaging with Founders in the 1-10 EBITDA Range 51:10 Generalist vs. Specialist Funds 58:28 Business Ownership and Self-Awareness 01:19:04 Impactful Books and Healing from Trauma

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.