In this 29th episode of Business is F'n Hard, we get brutally honest about leadership, burnout, and building a business with heart alongside Anatoly Spektor, Doug, and James Wheeler.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:25 - Meet the Guests: Doug, James & Anatoly

03:33 - What’s Kicking Your Butt in Business?

05:50 - Challenges of Entering a New Industry

07:39 - Learning to Say No and Focus

09:10 - Leading with Empathy

11:21 - Building Trust Within the Team

13:51 - Company Values and Culture in Remote Teams

23:21 - Leveraging Reputation to Grow Fast

30:02 - Final Thoughts and Where to Connect

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

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Anatoly Spektor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anatolyspektor/

Doug Wheeler

Website: https://signarama.com/locations/ny-tully

James Wheeler

Website: https://signarama.com/locations/ny-tully

Company: https://countryside-excavation.com/

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We're powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses—if you're ready to get unstuck, book an EOS Intro Call with our Professional EOS Implementer Calvin Smith here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 28th episode of Business is F'n Hard, Rob Huston unpacks his journey from rescuing a struggling family oil business to embracing AI-powered productivity, revealing how resilience, relationships, and relentless adaptation are the real keys to staying ahead.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

00:49 - Meet Rob Huston: Oil, AG, and AI

02:14 - From Oil Production to Asset Management

06:30 - Escaping the Firefighting Phase

09:30 - Real AI Tools That Actually Help

16:21 - How to Filter AI Hype from Real Value

18:55 - AG Marketing Lessons for Business Owners

26:40 - The Power of Relationships and Integrity

27:31 - What’s Kicking Rob’s Ass Right Now?

30:57 - Humbling Moments and Final Takeaways

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS!

Rob Huston

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robahuston/

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We're powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses—if you're ready to get unstuck, book an EOS Intro Call with our Professional EOS Implementer Calvin Smith here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 27th episode of Business is F’n Hard, Ericka Young and Sandy Wright share raw, powerful truths about resilience, leadership, and the personal sacrifices behind building and sustaining real businesses.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:06 - Meet Ericka Young and Sandy Wright

02:03 - Ericka’s Origin Story: Starting a Business at 17

02:49 - Sandy’s Journey from Marketing to Coaching

05:46 - The Hiring Crisis and Post-COVID Workforce Shifts

10:51 - The Cost of Employee Turnover and Culture Building

14:54 - Shifting from Doing It All to Delegating

17:22 - Work-Life Balance and Family Support in Business

24:09 - The Truth About Unique Entrepreneurial Journeys

30:45 - Humbling Moments and Powering Through Adversity

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS!

Ericka Young

Website: https://youngsmovingservice.com/

Sandy Wright

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-wright/

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We're powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses—if you're ready to get unstuck, book an EOS Intro Call with our Professional EOS Implementer Calvin Smith here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 26th episode of Business is F'n Hard, Aaron Lewis shares hard-won wisdom on leading with love, sustaining growth, and building a business—and life—rooted in purpose, discipline, and grit.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:20 - Meet Aaron Lewis and His 20-Year Business Journey

02:30 - What's Working and What's Hard in Business Right Now

04:20 - The Pressure of Pricing and Market Competition

06:57 - Lessons from 10 Years Ago: Systems and Training

08:43 - Consultant Impact and Embracing EOS

10:41 - Personal Growth, Health, and Energy Optimization

14:09 - Finding Peace Through Spiritual Discipline

16:09 - Building a Culture That Truly Cares

21:13 - The Future of Commercial Services and Staying Competitive

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS!

Aaron Lewis

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronwardlewis/

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We're powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses—if you're ready to get unstuck, book a call with our Professional EOS Implementer Calvin Smith here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 25th episode of Business is F’n Hard, Giordo Dagnino and Luis Ortiz open up about Gen Z ambition, creative risk-taking, and redefining success on their own terms.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:08 - Meet Giordo and Luis: Where They Are Now

02:32 - What They're Struggling With Today

04:52 - Giordo’s Gap Year and Lessons Learned

08:56 - Luis’s Journey Into Music and Higher Education

13:14 - Redefining Success as Gen Z

17:03 - University vs. Alternative Career Paths

22:27 - Building a Business vs. 9-to-5 Jobs

26:40 - Passion Projects: Cars, Music, and More

36:15 - Role Models and Final Reflections

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We're powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses—if you're ready to get unstuck, book a call with our Professional EOS Implementer Calvin Smith here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 24th episode of Business is F'n Hard, three dynamic entrepreneurs—Katrena Friel from Australia, Clay Goforth of Dark Horse Retail Group, and Arkansas rice farmer Jessica James—open up about the complexities of family businesses, the grind of entrepreneurship, and the unrelenting challenges in their industries.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

02:04 - Katrena on Becoming the Expert and Building Personal Brands

02:36 - Clay’s Retail Journey and Launching Dark Horse Retail Group

03:56 - Jessica’s Multigenerational Family Farm and Agricultural Advocacy

05:52 - What’s Kicking Your Butt Right Now? Commodity Challenges

10:25 - Value-Adding in Agriculture and Business Adaptation

15:56 - Generational Dynamics in Family Businesses

19:56 - Family Business Culture and External Employees

28:10 - Mentorship, Expertise, and Facing the Unknown in Business

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS!

Katrena Friel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrenafriel

Clay Goforth

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theclaygoforth

Jennifer James

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-james-fieldgoodlife

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We're powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses—if you're ready to get unstuck, book a call with our Professional EOS Implementer Calvin Smith here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 23rd episode of Business is F'n Hard, Jessica Crum from Silver Lake Studio and Spencer Kilgore from Project Hope and Saving Grace share their journeys through entrepreneurship and nonprofit leadership. Tune in to hear insights on leadership, failure, and the power of slowing down!

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:59 - Jessica’s Journey: From Fashion to Nonprofit

03:05 - Spencer’s Story: Building Community Relations

12:13 - Challenges in Business: Capacity and Hiring

24:23 - Reflecting on Early Business Challenges

24:41 - The Importance of Hiring a Consultant

26:55 - Lessons from Failure

35:12 - Overrated Business Advice

41:07 - Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS!

Jessica Crum

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-crum/

Spencer Kilgore

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-kilgore

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard
This podcast is powered by the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to bring clarity, accountability, and real traction to growing businesses. If you're ready to get unstuck, book a call with our professional EOS implementer, Calvin Smith, here: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!

In this 22nd episode of Business is F'n Hard, we sit down with a true powerhouse—Dr. Hagit Gregory, who’s balancing businesses, degrees, and motherhood like a pro. How does she manage it all without crashing? This one’s for anyone who’s ever tried to do too much… and kept going anyway.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:20 – Who Is Dr. Hagit Gregory?

03:00 – Becoming a Lifelong Learner

04:50 – Running a Child Development Center

09:00 – Constant Fires and Funding Battles

12:00 – Birth of Training Innovations

14:50 – CDA Credentials and Her Vision

20:00 – Managing Overload and Burnout

24:00 – The Power of Taking a Break

29:00 – Final Thoughts and How to Connect

#podcast #entrepreneurship #business

CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS!

Dr. Hagit Gregory

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-hagit-gregory-edd-670683245

CONNECT WITH THE BIFH CREW!

BIFH Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BusinessIsFNHard

We run this podcast on EOS—the Entrepreneurial Operating System—which helps us grow this podcast, and it can help you level up your business too.

Curious about how EOS could work for you?

Book a call now: https://calendly.com/calvinjsmith

See you on our next live episode!