For Tarek Saab, gold isn’t just a commodity - it’s a story of timing, innovation, and conviction.

In this episode of Decision Points, Tarek Saab - President and Co-Founder of Texas Precious Metals - joins our hosts to share how he helped build one of the largest physical precious metals businesses in the world. From his early days at Texas Instruments to a televised firing on The Apprentice, Tarek’s path has been anything but conventional.

He unpacks how a fascination with the nature of money led to the formation of Texas Precious Metals, and how conservative capital, smart timing, and relentless innovation propelled the company forward. Tarek explains how their novel approach - like next-day air shipping, robotic automation in their depository, and low-spread gold bars - helped set a new standard in the physical metals space.

Listeners also get a behind-the-scenes look at the volatility and opportunity in the gold market - from the impact of COVID-19 and institutional buying trends to what might be the start of a new supercycle. Tarek breaks it all down with clarity, offering both macroeconomic insight and practical investor advice.

But this isn’t just a business story. Tt’s a personal one. Tarek reflects on building a company rooted in values, navigating industry challenges, and living intentionally in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, while running a billion-dollar business with Texas roots. He also previews Y’all Street TV, his new platform exploring the intersection of business and culture in Texas and beyond.

Whether you're a retail investor, entrepreneur, or someone curious about where the financial world is headed, this episode offers a rare view into the physical gold market - and the man reshaping it.

John Harkey doesn’t just invest in businesses - he invests in people, purpose, and long-term impact.

In this episode of Decision Points, John Harkey - entrepreneur, investor, and advocate for education - joins our hosts to share the pivotal moments that shaped his life and career. From humble beginnings in Brownwood, Texas, to navigating Stanford’s business and law programs, John’s journey is built on a foundation of hard work, humility, and relentless curiosity.

John recounts his early entrepreneurial hustle - selling firewood, mistletoe, and installing sprinkler systems - as the training ground that sparked his lifelong pursuit of opportunity. He opens up about his transition from law school to deal-making, reflecting on his first million-dollar win and the power of betting on good people, not just good companies.

As a leader who’s acquired and scaled legacy restaurant brands and entered emerging industries like animal health and drug development, John emphasizes the importance of evaluating management teams, fostering trust, and staying curious. His focus on empowering people, sharing information quickly, and solving problems head-on has become a calling card of his leadership style.

But beyond business, John is equally passionate about giving back. He shares how education transformed his trajectory - and why he’s committed to creating opportunities for the next generation through his support of the University of Texas entrepreneurship program.

This episode is a blueprint for building something lasting: a career, a company, a legacy. Whether you’re leading a business, buying one, or just getting started, John Harkey’s story offers timeless lessons in discipline, decision-making, and doing the hard things well.

When most people think of buses, they don’t think luxury. Alex Danza set out to change that.

In this episode of Decision Points, Alex Danza, founder and CEO of Vonlane, tells one of the most surprising success stories in transportation. Described as an “airline on the ground,” Vonlane has redefined regional travel by offering first-class bus service between major cities in Texas and the Southeast.

Alex shares how a childhood hustle as a paperboy in New York shaped his work ethic and curiosity, leading to a career in consulting and high-touch ground transportation. Drawing on years of experience with private aviation clientele, he saw an unmet need: a smarter, more comfortable alternative to short-haul flights and long drives. The result? A meticulously designed travel experience that blends convenience, hospitality, and operational efficiency.

He opens up about the early regulatory battles (including the infamous “booze bus bill”), the complexity of building a brand in a crowded, undervalued space, and the all-hands-on-deck leadership required to get a premium service off the ground - literally.

The conversation also dives into how Vonlane weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, made difficult decisions to pause operations, and came back stronger. Now expanding into cities like Nashville, Atlanta, and Memphis, Vonlane continues to evolve, with an eye toward both growth and acquisition.

For entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone interested in transforming a legacy industry, this is a front-row seat to what it looks like to create something no one else saw coming - and make it indispensable.

George Coultress spent years helping others navigate business transitions. Now he’s building his own.

In this episode of Decision Points, George Coultress, co-founder of Trindero, unpacks what it really takes to move from M&A advisor to entrepreneur. What begins as a discussion about strategy and structure quickly becomes a deeper reflection on leadership, values, and the courage required to build something from the ground up.

George walks through the early challenges of launching Trindero with his partner Chris Milliken, including the surprising pressure of naming the business, the emotional weight of managing uncertainty, and the discipline required to stay focused on long-term goals. He shares how their Fort Worth roots and shared values shaped the vision behind Trindero - an organization focused on advisory, principal investing, and family office services.

From navigating slow deal flow to wrestling with operations, team building, and AI integration, George opens up about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. What sets his journey apart is his intention to build an enterprise, not a one-man shop - an organization where culture, mentorship, and mission align.

This episode is a candid look at what it means to create something enduring in the financial world - and the mindset shift required to get there. Whether you’re a business owner, investor, or someone contemplating a leap into entrepreneurship, George’s story offers honest, actionable wisdom for building with vision, focus, and humility.

Teryn Grater never set out to build just another accounting firm. As a CPA and partner at ATKG Advisors in San Antonio, she helped lead a cultural transformation that turned a team of seven into a thriving 170-person firm - by flipping the traditional CPA model on its head. In this episode of Decision Points, Teryn shares how a relentless focus on people, purpose, and preparedness redefined what success looks like in the accounting world.

From her early days working at Dairy Queen to spearheading one of the region’s most progressive advisory firms, Teryn’s story is grounded in grit and intentionality. She dives into how ATKG Advisors abandoned the siloed, book-of-business model common in many firms, instead embracing collaboration, shared goals, and team-based success. The result? A firm that doesn’t just retain clients - but retains people.

Teryn explains why understanding your numbers is about more than compliance - it’s about control. Whether helping entrepreneurs prep for a sale or guide long-term strategy, she emphasizes the power of proactive financial planning and transparent advisory relationships.

She also shares how initiatives like their “bucket list” rewards program and walkabout sabbaticals are creating a workplace where employees are seen, heard, and reenergized. The intentionality toward fostering a strong culture built around the success of her team has been a catalyst for growth at ATKG Advisors.

This episode is a masterclass in modern leadership and the future of advisory services. Whether you’re a business owner, CPA, or someone looking to build a better team culture, Teryn’s approach proves that when people come first, performance follows.

What does flying an F-16 have to do with navigating the chaos of real estate development? According to Chris Kopacek - everything.

In this episode of Decision Points, Chris Kopacek, founder and principal of Lone Star Development Partners shares how the discipline, precision, and teamwork of a military pilot translate into leading a resilient, fast-moving business.

From the cockpit to the boardroom, Chris reflects on his early training at the Air Force Academy and the high-pressure demands of being a fighter pilot - where identifying and eliminating risk is second nature. But in business, he explains, the risks never stop coming. Instead of elimination, entrepreneurs must learn to adapt, pivot, and push forward under pressure.

Chris opens up about building Lone Star Development with partner Ryan Larson, detailing how trust, transparency, and team dynamics became the company’s bedrock. Together, they’ve navigated economic downturns, vertically integrated their business, and expanded into affordable housing - all while remaining agile in a volatile capital environment.

He shares his philosophy for long-term growth: build enterprise value, maintain clarity of mission, and scale smart - with a team that’s ready for turbulence. Whether you’re leading a company, starting one, or rethinking your own approach to risk and resilience, this episode delivers practical insight from a leader who knows what it means to operate under pressure.

Joe Williams didn’t just help build one of the largest real estate franchises in the world - he helped build a movement rooted in empowerment, culture, and visionary thinking. In this episode of Decision Points, Joe unpacks the pivotal moments that shaped his journey from a challenging childhood to co-founding Keller Williams Realty, a global real estate powerhouse.

He shares personal stories of strength and resilience, from losing his father at a young age to overcoming physical setbacks that taught him to fight for the underdog. These formative experiences became the bedrock of a leadership style defined by empathy, vision, and a firm belief in people.

Joe reveals how he and Gary Keller reimagined the brokerage model - putting agents in the driver’s seat as business owners, backed by unmatched training and shared economics. This “better mousetrap” changed the industry forever and powered Keller Williams through some of the toughest real estate downturns in history.

At the heart of Joe’s story is culture. “Create an environment so unique, nobody ever wants to leave,” he says - and it’s this philosophy that gave birth to what he calls the Stable Table Theory, emphasizing four key pillars: vision, economics, talent, and support. As Keller Williams grew globally, Joe remained focused on protecting cultural cohesion, demonstrating how leadership by example and profit-sharing helped build lasting unity across markets.

Now looking toward the future, Joe is applying that same visionary energy to solve one of the biggest challenges facing the next generation: housing affordability. Through it all, his passion remains clear - build with purpose, lead with integrity, and empower others to do the same.

Bill Cawley’s life is a testament to the power of second chances. In this episode of Decision Points, the Chairman and CEO of Cawley Partners opens up about the trials, triumphs, and turning points that shaped his extraordinary path - from a small Midwestern town, through the depths of addiction, to the heights of commercial real estate success.

Bill shares a deeply personal account of battling alcoholism, missing his shot at college, and becoming a father at age 18. With only $300 and a stereo, he moved to Dallas and began rebuilding from scratch. His raw honesty about that season - marked by mistakes, hard-earned Decision Points, and a lot of hustle - paints a vivid picture of what grit and determination really look like.

Then came 1997: a near-fatal motorcycle accident that changed everything. Confronted with his mortality, Bill experienced a spiritual awakening that would anchor his journey into sobriety and purpose. That moment of reckoning led to mended relationships, renewed faith, and a completely redefined sense of success.

Today, Bill leads a 100-person team at Cawley Partners, spanning office, multifamily, and industrial real estate sectors. He shares how early mentors like Rainwater and Bonderman shaped his understanding of deals, and why he believes real success lies not in what you build. but in who you become while building it.

More than just a business story, this is a story of redemption, leadership, and legacy. Bill’s message to fellow entrepreneurs is clear: find your purpose before the business ends, and invest in a life that outlives your career.