What do horse manure, pilot school, Paulownia trees, and billion-dollar investments have in common? Steve Distante. In this episode of On The Homefront, Jeff Dudan sits down with Steve Distante—impact investor, founder of Vanderbilt Financial Group, and author of Entrepreneur Land. From starting his first hustle selling horse poop to building a sustainable empire focused on purpose over profit, Steve opens up about leadership, culture, and navigating risk as an entrepreneur. Discover how he turned frustration with corporate greed into a mission to change the world through sustainable finance. He shares lessons from building a 400-acre Paulownia farm, stories about entrepreneurial betrayal, the DNA of impact-driven businesses, and how to harness your full potential at any stage in life. 💥 Get ready for real talk on: Impact investing vs. traditional finance Why born entrepreneurs are different than made ones How to start a business at 50 and win Building culture that outlasts crisis When it’s time to bet on yourself 📚 Learn more about Steve

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00:00:00 – Intro: Who Is Steve Distante? 00:01:38 – Born vs. Made Entrepreneurs 00:03:36 – Immersion & Learning Fast 00:05:00 – Why I Wrote Entrepreneur Land 00:08:05 – Meta Glasses & Be My Eyes 00:11:06 – Betrayal in Business 00:15:40 – Obsession & Entrepreneur DNA 00:20:08 – Farming Paulownia Trees 00:23:43 – Capitalism With Heart 00:26:34 – Bite, Growl, Lick Leadership 00:28:37 – Betting on Yourself 00:31:20 – Family, Jealousy & Success 00:34:01 – When to Take Big Risks 00:37:49 – Focus & Discipline 00:42:19 – Design a Life You Love 00:48:42 – Culture & ESOPs 00:52:40 – Leadership vs. Management 00:56:29 – Power of Peer Groups 01:00:47 – Cutting Costs vs. Growing 01:02:07 – Dream Business Idea 01:04:22 – Final Advice from Steve #Entrepreneurship #ImpactInvesting #Leadership #BusinessTips #SteveDistante #JeffDudan #Franchising #PurposeDrivenBusiness #OnTheHomefront

Smart Ways to Fund Your Franchise (And What Most People Miss) Most people think franchising is too expensive—until they learn how the smartest owners fund their businesses. In this Franchise Fridays episode, Jeff Dudan breaks down 6 proven ways to finance your franchise—including strategies you’ve likely never considered. Whether you're working with savings, exploring SBA loans, or curious about using your 401(k) without penalties, this is the playbook you didn’t know you needed. ✅ You’ll learn: The pros and cons of paying cash How HELOCs and SBA loans really work A creative strategy called ROBS that lets you use retirement funds And why choosing the wrong funding method could crush your business before it opens 🎯 Ready to start your franchise journey the smart way? Click the links below to: 📘 Get a FREE copy of Jeff’s book Discernment below 🏠 Explore franchise opportunities with HomeFront Brands 💡 Learn how to build something scalable, profitable, and built to last 👇 Let’s build your future—starting now.

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00:00:00 How Most People Get Franchise Funding Wrong 00:00:40 Why Funding Strategy Matters 00:01:25 Option 1: Cash – Quick but Risky 00:02:20 Option 2: HELOC – Using Home Equity 00:03:15 Option 3: Traditional Bank Loans 00:04:10 Option 4: SBA Loans for First-Time Owners 00:05:10 Option 5: ROBS – Use Your 401(k) Without Penalties 00:06:25 Option 6: Creative + Alternative Funding Methods 00:07:25 Final Thoughts + Free Resources #FranchiseFridays #JeffDudan #FranchiseFunding #Entrepreneurship #FranchiseTips #FranchiseOpportunity #BusinessOwnership #HomeFrontBrands #StartupFunding #SmallBusinessTips

From Scrappy Startup to Powering Brands Like Nike | Mark Michael's DevHub Story In this episode of On The Homefront, Jeff Dudan sits down with Mark Michael, CEO and Co-Founder of DevHub. What started as a scrappy startup running on empty grew into a digital platform trusted by global brands like Nike and Chanel. Mark shares the real journey: how they burned through $2M fast, faced massive setbacks, stuck together, and built a multi-location web platform that’s redefining how brands show up online. They dig into startup lessons, franchise growth, the future of SEO and AI, and why building your brand — not just your business — will separate the winners from the rest. If you're an entrepreneur, a franchisor, a digital marketer, or anyone chasing big dreams, this raw conversation will hit home. ✅ Learn how to survive startup struggles ✅ Understand why the future of search is changing fast ✅ Find out why owning your digital front door matters more than ever ✅ Hear the real lessons behind scaling DevHub into a brand powerhouse 👉 Subscribe and stay connected for more authentic conversations about business, leadership, franchising, and scaling with purpose! Mark's website

DevHub Mark's Social

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00:00:00 Welcome and Mark Michael’s Introduction 00:02:00 DevHub’s Early Days: $2M, Mistakes, and Hard Lessons 00:06:00 Staying Alive When Everyone Said to Quit 00:08:00 Who DevHub Was Really Built For 00:11:00 Betting on Tech and the Early Internet Boom 00:14:00 Culture Shift: From Offices to Remote Work 00:18:00 Why Every Employee Should Be on Social Media 00:23:00 Building a Personal Brand in Business 00:28:00 What Makes DevHub Different for Multi-Location Brands 00:32:00 Preparing for the Future of AI and Search 00:38:00 Integrating AI into DevHub’s Platform 00:42:00 Why Websites Are More Important Than Ever 00:48:00 Mobile Search, Voice Tech, and User Behavior 00:53:00 Building Trust and Future-Proofing Brands 00:58:00 Mark Michael’s Other Creative Ventures 01:02:00 Curveball: What Business Mark Would Launch Next 01:06:00 Fastball: Mark’s One Piece of Life Advice 01:09:00 Final Thoughts and How to Connect #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney #FranchiseGrowth #BrandBuilding #BusinessLeadership #AIinBusiness #SEOtrends #StartupStory #DevHub #MarkMichael #JeffDudan #BusinessPodcast

Thinking about buying a franchise? Most people ask the wrong questions—and it costs them. In this episode, Jeff Dudan shares the 5 critical questions you must ask before investing in any franchise opportunity. Whether you're a first-time entrepreneur or looking to scale, this is the playbook you didn’t know you needed. 👉 Want to learn more about franchising? Click the links below to explore opportunities with HomeFront Brands and grab your FREE copy of Jeff’s book Discernment to start making better business decisions today.

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Check out Jeff's AI Clone! https://www.delphi.ai/jeffdudan 00:00:00 The Biggest Mistake in Buying a Franchise 00:01:05 The 5 Questions That Protect Your Investment 00:02:20 Question 1: Who’s Involved? 00:05:00 Question 2: Who Is the Customer? 00:07:45 Question 3: What’s the Potential? 00:10:50 Question 4: What’s the Real ROI? 00:13:30 Question 5: What Do You Have to Do to Win? 00:15:40 Final Thoughts & How to Avoid Common Franchise Pitfalls 00:16:30 Learn More: HomeFront Brands & Free Book Offer #FranchiseFridays #FranchiseBusiness #EntrepreneurTips #HomeFrontBrands #JeffDudan

The NRA Tried to Shut Him Down. What Happened Next Made Him a Millionaire – Tim Schmidt #169 Tim Schmidt is the founder of USCCA — a company with nearly 1 million members and over 700 employees, dedicated to firearms education, self-defense, and Second Amendment rights. But Tim didn’t start at the top. In this raw and riveting episode of On The Homefront, Jeff Dudan uncovers Tim’s journey from getting fired for outperforming his boss, to working 12-hour overnight shifts, to launching a failing magazine that transformed into a self-defense empire. You’ll hear how Tim fought off a hostile takeover by the NRA, built a national instructor network, and turned personal protection into a mission-driven movement. If you've ever doubted yourself, been underestimated, or needed a reason to keep going — this one’s for you. 💥 Tim's message? “You didn’t come this far to only come this far.” 🔗 Join USCCAA

🎸 Explore Tim’s projects 👊 Subscribe now and tap the bell to never miss an episode of On The Homefront with Jeff Dudan.

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00:00:00 Intro: From Quiet Kid to Firearms Leader 00:01:20 The Power of Humility and Confidence 00:04:16 The Onion of Entrepreneurship 00:05:19 “If It Is to Be…” and Life Lessons from Dad 00:07:28 Fired for Being Too Good 00:11:35 Launching Schmidt Engineering 00:14:18 First Time Firing a Gun 00:16:05 The Magazine Nobody Believed In 00:17:48 From Magazine to Membership 00:20:11 Fighting the NRA—David vs. Goliath 00:24:10 How USCCA’s Training Program Works 00:26:13 A Social Obligation to Defend 00:29:54 Why Training Matters More Than a Gun 00:31:22 Living in Condition Yellow 00:33:13 Why You Don’t Need to Own a Gun to Join 00:36:40 Traveling With a Firearm: Laws & Tools 00:37:58 Gun-Free Zones & Mass Shootings 00:39:01 What’s Next for USCCA and America 00:42:18 Membership Tiers and Legal Protection 00:44:09 Family, Leadership, and Legacy 00:49:45 How to Lead Without Ego 00:52:01 Leading With Grace, Not Just Grit 00:54:59 Business Advice: Where Tim Sees Opportunity 00:56:03 Life-Changing Quote: “You Didn’t Come This Far…” 00:57:36 Where to Find Tim Schmidt #USCCA #JeffDudan #TimSchmidt #Entrepreneurship #SelfDefense #GunRights #Leadership #OnTheHomefront #SecondAmendment #ConcealedCarry #FreedomMatters #GunSafety #BusinessPodcast #FranchiseLeadership #PatriotBusiness #FoundersStory #BusinessGrowth

The Franchise Playbook That Built Empires Franchising isn’t a trend—it’s a trillion-dollar economic force. In this episode of Franchise Fridays, Jeff Dudan breaks down what franchising really is, how it works across industries, and why the biggest opportunity today is hiding in plain sight. Whether you're a first-time entrepreneur or a seasoned operator, this episode will help you understand how to use the franchise model as a launchpad to build something durable and scalable—without starting from scratch. What you won't want to miss: 00:00:00 The $825 Billion Franchise Economy 00:00:50 Franchising Is a Model, Not a Business 00:02:00 How the Franchise Model Actually Works 00:03:10 The Power of Leverage: Shared Costs + Tools 00:04:30 Why Franchising Is the Starting Point for Entrepreneurs 00:05:40 You’re Not Alone: The Franchise Community 00:06:40 Debunking the “Small Business Only” Myth 00:07:15 The #1 Franchise Sector You’re Not Thinking About 00:08:15 Why Property Services Are Built to Last 00:08:50 Final Takeaway: Build Your Future with Franchising 📌 Want to learn more about durable franchise opportunities? 👉 Visit: https://homefrontbrands.com 📢 Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes and should not be taken as financial advice. Results vary by individual effort and market conditions.

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#FranchiseFridays #FranchiseBusiness #FranchiseOpportunity #HomeServicesFranchise #WealthBuilding #EntrepreneurLife #FranchisingExplained #ScalableBusiness #JeffDudan #HomefrontBrands #BusinessOwnership #StartYourOwnBusiness #FranchiseSuccess #SmallBusinessTips #FranchiseModel #FranchiseJourney #PassiveIncomeIdeas #FranchiseMindset #BuildYourLegacy #Franchise2025

From Rock Bottom to Turnaround King: Chris Collins on Leadership, Parenting, and Truth In this unfiltered, deeply authentic conversation, Jeff Dudan sits down with Chris Collins—turnaround expert, leadership author, and former broke grunge drummer—to unpack the hidden dynamics behind success, failure, parenting, and the real cost of leadership. If you've ever felt like you're running from something while trying to build something... this one will hit you deep. Chris opens up about self-esteem, locus of control, and what truly separates managers from leaders. This episode isn't just about business—it’s about becoming who you were meant to be.

📚 Get Chris's 12-lb leadership masterpiece: I AM LEADER BOOK HERE!

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00:00:00 Jeff’s wild intro & Chris’ backstory 00:02:50 Running from the past to build the future 00:05:00 Mimetic behavior, broken leadership, and waking up 00:07:44 Are people lying to you or to themselves? 00:10:15 Why schools fail leaders (and how work saves) 00:13:46 The real difference between leaders and managers 00:15:36 Parenting: The most overlooked leadership role 00:21:30 Self-esteem: The immune system of consciousness 00:24:30 Don’t love yourself—learn to like yourself 00:26:15 Locus of control: The secret to success 00:33:00 Authenticity, confidence & building real relationships 00:38:20 How Chris turns businesses around in 90 days 00:47:50 Why you can’t cut your way to profit 00:53:00 The “desk test” and measuring culture 00:57:00 Culture is law and order 01:03:00 Chaos, excuses, and external blame 01:05:00 Jeff’s review of I Am Leader 01:09:00 How to read the book and what it unlocks 01:12:00 Final words: The world is starving for real leaders #LeadershipPodcast #ChrisCollins #JeffDudan #IAmLeader #Entrepreneurship #SelfEsteem #LocusOfControl #BusinessTurnaround #Authenticity #ParentingLeadership #OnTheHomefront #MindsetMatters #FranchiseLeadership #BuildNotBlame #CreateNotConsume #BusinessPodcast #RealLeadership #GrowthMindset #LeadFromTheFront #HardTruths

Franchise Friday: How Long It Really Takes to Open a Franchise Thinking about opening a franchise? Don’t guess your timeline—know it. In this Franchise Fridays episode, Jeff Dudan breaks down the full roadmap from discovery day to grand opening. Whether you’re considering a mobile service brand or a brick-and-mortar location, you’ll learn exactly what impacts your launch speed, what delays to avoid, and how to plan your move with confidence. This video covers: -45–60 Day Franchise Discovery Process -How long it takes to open if you don’t need real estate -Site selection & buildout timelines for retail locations -The truth about SBA loans, ROBS, and financing options -How seasonality, tax timing, and personal events affect your start 🚀 Subscribe for more insights on leadership, business, and success! 👍 Like & Comment if this episode gave you something to think about.

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Join us at Homefront Brands. Build your own business starting here: 🔗 Homefront Brands

Here are a list of Homefront Brands: Temporary Wall Systems

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What you won't want to miss in this episode: 00:00:00 Welcome to Franchise Fridays with Jeff Dudan 00:00:45 What to Expect in the Discovery Process 00:04:42 Opening Timeline for Home-Based Franchises 00:08:25 What Slows You Down: Real Estate & Buildouts 00:14:00 Financing Options: SBA, ROBS, HELOCs & More 00:18:00 Personal & Market Timing Factors 00:20:00 Final Summary: Best-Case vs Worst-Case Scenarios #FranchiseTips #EntrepreneurLife #SmallBusiness #FranchiseOwner #FranchiseFinancing