Dave Lorenzo sits down with employment law expert Susan Lorenc to break down the legal landmines every business owner needs to avoid when managing employees. Whether you’re running a startup or managing a growing enterprise, this is a masterclass in staying compliant, avoiding lawsuits, and building a healthy, productive workplace.

Susan shares clear, practical advice on everything from handbooks to harassment claims, remote work risks, classification confusion, and the fine print of background checks. This is not theoretical legal talk. These are real-world solutions to real problems.

What You’ll Discover Today:

• Why most employee handbooks cause more problems than they solve
• The legal difference between “fun” and “harassment” in the workplace
• How to safely fire someone in today’s ultra-sensitive environment
• Why hiring independent contractors can blow up your business
• The truth about managing remote workers (and what you can legally do)
• How one background check can lead to a lawsuit if you don’t follow protocol

Key Topics Discussed:

• Common employer mistakes that trigger legal action
• Quid pro quo vs. hostile work environment harassment
• Why “off the clock” behavior still exposes you legally
• The hidden risks of hiring someone as a “contractor”
• Legal limitations of background and credit checks
• How to vet employees without violating privacy laws
• How remote work has shifted employer responsibilities
• Illinois-specific regulations (relevant nationwide in principle)

Links and Resources:

• Contact Susan Lorenc: slorenc@thompsoncoburn.com
• Thompson Coburn LLP: https://www.thompsoncoburn.com
• Revenue Roadmap Guide (Free Download): www.RevenueRoadmapGuide.com
• Call Cendrowski Corporate Advisors: (866) 717-1607

Call to Action:
If you're a business owner or professional dealing with employee issues, don’t wait for a crisis. Connect with Susan Lorenc to get your employment practices in order. And download the Revenue Roadmap Guide for a proven strategy to build your professional services business the right way.

In this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo sits down with Emmy Award-winning journalist turned entrepreneur Rafer Weigel to explore how professionals can harness the power of media to build trust, establish authority, and attract more business. Rafer shares his deeply personal journey from TV anchor to business owner, and the hard-won lessons he learned about storytelling, vulnerability, and purpose. Whether you’re a lawyer, CPA, or CEO, Rafer explains why becoming your own media company is no longer optional—and how doing so can transform your business and your life.

What You’ll Discover Today:

• Why storytelling—not selling—is the key to building a magnetic brand
• How vulnerability builds trust and breaks through the noise
• The one mindset shift every professional needs to succeed on camera
• Why polished perfection hurts your message (and what to do instead)
• How to use media to serve your audience—and grow your revenue

Key Topics Discussed:

• Rafer's transition from journalism to entrepreneurship
• The emotional toll of chasing status and ignoring purpose
• Building trust through consistent content creation
• ROI resistance: Why some professionals hesitate to invest in media
• How to structure client testimonials that actually work
• The real threat to traditional media—and how you can benefit from it
• Why you’re not the hero of your story (and who really is)

Call to Action:

If you're a business owner, attorney, or advisor who wants to build trust and credibility, start by thinking like a media company. Visit Rafer at WeigelMediaGroup.com and download your free business development plan at RevenueRoadmapGuide.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to The Inside BS Show for more strategies that help you make a great living and live a great life.

What do you do when a client says “no”? Most people walk away. Smart professionals see it as the start of a different conversation.

In this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo breaks down six proven, real-world responses you can use the next time you hear a “no.”

These aren’t generic tips , they’re specific phrases and strategies you can apply immediately to salvage the opportunity, build a relationship, or even win the business later.

Dave shares stories from his own client interactions, including how he won a six-figure engagement by turning a rejection into a head-to-head performance challenge and how he turned a lost deal into a consulting gig that paid off long-term.

This episode is for business owners, consultants, advisors, and sales professionals who refuse to let rejection be the end of the conversation.

You’ll walk away with practical tools to reframe “no” into a stepping stone toward “yes.”

On this powerful episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo sits down with communication expert Lynne Franklin. They unpack the neuroscience of persuasion, explore how to defuse high-stakes conversations, and share practical strategies that can instantly improve your ability to lead, listen, and influence.

Lynne opens up about the formative experience that launched her career: a literal life-or-death encounter with a machete-wielding teenager. From that moment forward, she dedicated herself to understanding how to reach people when it matters most—whether it’s a resistant employee, a controlling boss, or a frustrated spouse.

Dave and Lynne also cover the hidden science behind remembering names, how to sync brains through storytelling, and why you should never introduce yourself in the first seven seconds of a meeting.

Whether you're leading a team, preparing for a tough client conversation, or just trying to avoid bringing work stress into your living room, this episode is packed with practical takeaways.

What You’ll Discover Today:

• The real reason tough conversations feel impossible—and how to fix it
• How a near-violent incident turned Lynne into a communication expert
• The “seven second rule” that makes names stick in your brain
• One powerful question that can turn a company president into a chairman
• Why storytelling isn't about entertainment—it's about brain chemistry
• A breathing technique to reset before walking into your next room
• How to quickly identify if someone is a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic communicator
• The science-backed method to command attention on Zoom

Key Topics Discussed:

• The power of connection in leadership and conflict resolution
• Neuroscience principles behind persuasion and memory
• Transformational coaching success stories
• Virtual communication best practices
• Storytelling strategies that align brainwaves
• Stress management tips for high-pressure roles

What if the key to elite performance wasn’t more effort, but more flow?

On this episode of The Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo sits down with peak performance coach Chris King to explore the science behind the flow state, a neurochemical and psychological condition that helps you feel your best and perform at your best. Chris explains how anyone, from surgeons to comedians to small business owners, can tap into flow using proven triggers like risk, novelty, and focus.

The conversation covers everything from mountain biking and stand-up comedy to neuroscience and business resilience during the pandemic. If you've ever wanted to work faster, create more impact, or unlock your full potential without burning out, this episode is your blueprint.

What You’ll Discover Today:

• What the flow state is and how it supercharges performance
• Why fear is a required ingredient for high-level execution
• The 22 “flow triggers” that help you enter this state on demand
• Why burnout often follows flow and how to avoid it
• How to renegotiate your existence and change your reality
• The true cost of peak performance and the dark side of flow

Sarah Finch, a former Second City improv pro turned leadership consultant, explains how techniques like “yes and,” scene framing, and self-deprecating humor translate into stronger executive presence, sharper listening, and teams that trust each other to take risks. She and host Dave Lorenzo discuss why normalizing failure accelerates growth, how CEOs can reset their mindset when stepping into the big chair, and practical ways to read a room whether you are on Zoom or a live stage. The conversation is packed with mini case studies, quick-hit exercises, and clear takeaways any leader can apply today.

Show Notes

“Normalize failure. There is no way you will be perfectly funny all the time.” — Sarah Finch

What You’ll Discover Today
• Why “yes and” is a power tool for collaboration and sales
• How improv’s scene framework helps leaders prepare without scripting every word
• Three traits Sarah looks for in ideal coaching clients: self-awareness, openness to growth, and a willingness to laugh at themselves
• Tactics for staying composed when the unexpected happens in a meeting or on stage
• Practical ways to build a culture that treats small failures as raw material for the next win

Key Topics Discussed

• From Second City to C-Suite coaching
• “Yes and” versus the reflex to say no
• Slowing down to speed up – preparation and presence
• Reading audiences in person and virtually
• Vulnerability, humor, and relationship capital

Call Us: 305-692-5531
Connect with Sarah Finch: 773-799-4571

Call to Action
Ready to lead with more agility and fun? Listen, take one improv tip into your next meeting, and let us know how it works. Then share the episode with a colleague who could use a dose of “yes and.”

Brett Hickey shares how the discipline he gained as a national-level speed skater fuels his success leading Star Mountain Capital. He explains the firm’s flexible capital model that provides loans, minority stakes, or majority buyouts for companies with 20 to 200 million dollars in annual revenue. Data-driven planning, strict risk management, and broad employee ownership underpin Star Mountain’s strategy. Brett details the sectors they favor (business services, healthcare, education, and niche logistics) and why they avoid highly cyclical or vice-related industries.

He closes with practical steps owners should take years before seeking private-equity money.

What You’ll Discover Today

• How athletic grit translates into private-equity resilience
• The three capital structures Star Mountain offers and when each fits
• Why lower-middle-market firms can out-perform bigger deals
• Key filters the firm uses to pick industries and reject others
• The role of data, technology, and alignment in protecting investor capital
• Actionable advice for founders on de-risking and succession planning

Key Topics Discussed

• Building a flexible capital solution for growth, recapitalization, or buyouts
• Aligning incentives by giving every employee equity participation
• Creating a dynamic business plan that balances short-, mid-, and long-term goals
• Importance of diversified revenue, long-term contracts, and low customer concentration
• Systematic sourcing: local deal teams in more than 20 U.S. cities and centralized underwriting
• Using acquisitions to turn fragmented sectors into higher-valued platforms
• Risk categories you can control versus those you cannot (commodity prices, etc.)
• Preparing for private equity: robust systems, clear succession, and documented processes

Call to Action

Ready to position your company for transformative growth? Call us at (305) 692-5531 to discuss how the Inside BS team can help you craft a compelling plan and connect with the right capital partners.

In this episode, Dave Lorenzo reveals the secret to getting powerful client testimonials without the cringe. From when to ask to exactly what to say, Dave breaks down the process so it feels natural and authentic. If you want more referrals, better credibility, and a stronger reputation, it starts with mastering the testimonial ask.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why professionals struggle to ask for testimonials
• The connection between asking for testimonials and referrals
• A simple, effective script to request testimonials
• When to ask clients for testimonials (timing is everything)
• Why video testimonials are more powerful than written ones
• How to follow up if a client delays sending the testimonial
• Three perfect times to use testimonials in your sales process
• How to showcase testimonials on your personal website and LinkedIn

Call Us:
(305) 692-5531