The Authority Company

In this episode of Entrepreneur | Authorities, Joe Pardavila sits down with Charles Sims, founder of SkaFld Studio and “Hurricane CTO,” to break down why nearly 80 percent of every business is built on repeatable systems and how leaders who master that foundation scale faster with less chaos.Charles introduces the SkaFld Anywhere methodology, a framework designed to systemize the core operations behind growth across any industry. From turning a single indoor pickleball venue into a franchise ready operation, to guiding school districts through AI adoption with clarity and trust, Charles shows why strong infrastructure matters more than flashy ideas.The conversation explores why smart leaders resist standardization, how perfectionism stalls momentum, and what usually breaks first when companies try to grow without clear systems in place. Charles shares real examples from startups, local businesses, and public sector organizations, explaining how modular thinking removes decision fatigue and builds consistency without killing culture.Joe and Charles also dive into the human side of scaling, including how trust lowers risk, why empathy drives adoption of new initiatives, and how leaders separate personal identity from the systems their organizations need to thrive.The episode closes with a clear takeaway: when you systemize the repeatable 80 percent of your business, the remaining 20 percent becomes your competitive edge.💡 What You’ll Learn• Why most business challenges follow repeatable patterns• How systems reduce burnout and speed up growth• Why progress beats perfection• How leaders build buy-in during change• What scaling looks like outside Silicon Valley• How structure creates freedom instead of friction⏱️ Episode Highlights00:00 – What “SkaFld Anywhere” means and why 80% of business is repeatableCharles explains the blueprint mindset behind scaling across industries.03:00 – Why frameworks work beyond tech startupsHow SkaFld moved into schools, local businesses, and public sector projects.07:00 – What breaks first when leaders scale without systemsThe human bottleneck and the role of context in growth.12:00 – How perfectionism slows momentum inside organizationsWhy edge cases derail progress and how leaders keep teams moving.14:00 – Turning a pickleball venue into a scalable operationReal-world systems behind franchising and modular operations.19:00 – Why modular thinking unlocks faster decisionsBreaking complex businesses into simple, repeatable components.25:00 – How standardization improved customer experience overnightWhat surprised founders once systems took hold.27:00 – Building trust when introducing new frameworksWhy empathy matters more than tools.31:00 – Using AI in school districts without fear or chaosHow initiative management beats tech obsession.36:00 – The “synthetic balance sheet” for smarter decisionsMeasuring tangible and intangible costs in growth.40:00 – Why leaders delay big decisions and how to break the stallMoving from hesitation to execution in 60 to 90 days.44:00 – Systemizing the 80% that fuels long-term successWhere true differentiation lives.Website: skafldstudio.com• Email: charles@skafldstudio.com• LinkedIn: Charles Sims

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with One Venture, Ten MBAs author Ksenia Yudina, CFA for a raw conversation about building companies when the playbook breaks. Ksenia left a successful career in finance to start a fintech platform designed to help families invest in their children’s futures. What followed was the full founder arc. Rapid growth. Major funding rounds. A $120 million valuation. Then a series of black swan events that tested every assumption behind venture capital, control, and resilience. She walks through what first-time founders never see coming, why fundraising feels more like dating than pitching, and how capital structure quietly decides who holds power when markets turn. Ksenia shares the hard lessons behind venture debt, board control, and what happens when founders lose the ability to steer the companies they built. The conversation goes deeper than tactics. Ksenia opens up about identity after stepping away from her own company, the emotional toll of losing control, and why she chose to start again with a new venture, stronger boundaries, and clearer conviction. This episode speaks to founders, operators, and leaders who want the truth behind startup success. Not the highlight reel. The reality.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila talks to psychologist and entrepreneur Dr. Rob Douk to explore why so many people feel stuck, burned out, or disconnected even while doing all the right things. Rob shares the story behind his new book, The Art and Science of Wellbeing, and the years of research that led him to create Neurobiotheology, a framework that connects belief, biology, and the nervous system. He explains why wellness fails when it only focuses on behavior, and how real healing starts inside your internal state. You will hear why high performers often struggle with burnout, why optimization alone leads to exhaustion, and how alignment across mind, body, and spirit creates lasting freedom. Rob breaks down his nine dimensions of wellbeing, including emotional, physical, career, financial, social, and spiritual health, and shows how each one plays a role in sustainable growth. This conversation also dives into the role of faith, identity, and surrender in healing, along with why freedom matters more than happiness, and how your inner state shapes your biology, energy, and relationships. If you feel tired of chasing wellness without finding peace, this episode offers a grounded and practical way forward.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila chats with Bruce Craul, a lifelong hospitality leader who rose from front desk roles to the C-suite. Bruce shares why hospitality never becomes obsolete, even in an AI driven future, and why heart, not software, shapes every guest experience. Drawing from five decades in hotels, resorts, and restaurants, Bruce explains how culture, hiring, and everyday human moments decide business results long before revenue reports do. You hear why Bruce views hospitality as a gift instead of a transaction, how simple choices like a greeting or a name tag change how people feel, and why companies like Chick-fil-A and Nordstrom earn loyalty through people, not pricing. He also reflects on his own journey, from learning professional pride in Miami’s Latin hospitality culture to leading teams across dozens of properties nationwide. The conversation closes with Bruce’s mission behind his book The Hospitality Advantage, which aims to restore warmth, care, and connection across every industry. If you lead a team, run a business, or serve customers in any role, this episode gives you clear, real world lessons on how hospitality builds trust, loyalty, and long term growth.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with global tax strategist Divakar Vijayasarathy to rethink how you view taxes. Divakar shares the personal journey behind his book Don’t Just Pay Taxes: How Conscious Entrepreneurs Profit From Taxes, from searching for clarity to building a purpose driven approach to business and policy. He explains why taxes work as a language for behavior, not a penalty, and why alignment with government priorities shapes growth across borders. You will hear how reinvestment sits at the core of capitalism, why entrepreneurs who understand systems gain an edge, and how countries design tax policy to attract talent and capital. Divakar also reflects on living and working across dozens of nations, the tradeoffs between freedom and state control, and how children’s questions sparked a first principles view of money, energy, and purpose. This conversation challenges you to stop seeing taxes as a cost and start seeing them as a strategic tool for long term progress.

In part two of this conversation, Michele Herlein drills into the work leaders need to do to build a culture people feel every day. She explains why most change efforts fail, why leaders underestimate the process, and how misalignment at the top spreads through an organization. Michele breaks down what strong horizontal and vertical alignment look like. She shares how to strengthen the middle layer, how to coach managers who struggle with leadership responsibilities, and how to fix systems that reward the wrong behavior. She uses clear examples from companies she has helped, including how structure and incentives shape collaboration, burnout, and results. You also hear her take on compensation, remote work, the limits of the old Monday through Friday model, and why honesty from leaders matters more than prefabricated talking points. Michele closes with personal habits that keep her grounded and the practices she believes help leaders stay aligned. This episode gives you a direct path to building a culture that lasts, supported by simple routines, consistent communication, and leadership behavior your teams can trust.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with W. Jeff Williams, civil engineer, three term mayor of Arlington, Texas, and author of The Unity Blueprint, for a grounded conversation on leadership, unity, and building alignment when the stakes are high. Jeff shares how Arlington transformed into one of the nation’s top destination cities, from retaining major sports franchises to developing stadium districts, Texas Live!, and securing the National Medal of Honor Museum. He explains why unity beats individual brilliance, how trust drives momentum, and why leaders must listen to understand rather than respond. The conversation moves beyond civic projects into the human cost of leadership. Jeff reflects on moments when ego slowed progress, why urgency matters, and how shared purpose turns plans into action. He also breaks down the economics behind public investment, tourism, and long term community growth, using real numbers and lived experience rather than theory. You also hear Jeff’s practical framework for unity in daily leadership, from valuing ideas regardless of title to building teams that sustain momentum through success and failure. The episode closes with a clear challenge for leaders who want results without division. This episode speaks to leaders, founders, public servants, and builders who want alignment, execution, and lasting impact rather than short term wins.

Case Lawrence joins Joe Pardavila for a candid conversation about failure, risk, and building something durable when everything collapses. Case shares the real story behind Sky Zone, from staring down bankruptcy after the financial crisis to growing the world’s largest trampoline park company with more than 300 locations. He explains how desperation shaped his early decisions, why real estate cycles crush unprepared founders, and what banks, timing, and luck teach you about leadership. The discussion goes beyond business mechanics. Case talks openly about marriage, family, and the hidden toll entrepreneurship places on spouses and kids. He explains why he views a founder’s partner as a silent cofounder, how transparency matters during chaos, and why experiences beat products in today’s economy. You also hear how Sky Zone scaled, why membership models changed the industry, and what life looks like after stepping away as CEO.

This episode is part one of a two part conversation on culture with Michele Herlein, author of Cultural Excellence. Joe Pardavila sits down with Michele to explore why so many workplaces feel draining instead of energizing. Michele spent decades transforming culture at Bandag and Bridgestone, where she helped drive major performance gains by focusing on people, behavior, and alignment. She explains why many companies treat culture like posters on a wall, why leaders think their culture is strong when employees feel the opposite, and how simple systems shape behavior every day. Michele breaks down her PVVS model, shares the business impact of intentional culture design, and outlines the steps leaders should take before reworking values, purpose, or strategy. If you want workplaces where people do their best work and feel proud to show up, part one gives you a clear starting point.

Joe Pardavila sits down with Benjamin Douglas for a direct conversation about why so many workplaces settle for survival instead of commitment.Drawing on more than two decades in human resources, Ben explains how culture breaks down even inside successful companies, and why people disengage long before performance numbers show trouble. He shares the thinking behind his bestselling book, Mediocre to Meaningful, and why leadership choices, not strategy decks, shape belief and behavior at workBen walks through the power of listening before leading, why middle managers carry more pressure than executives realize, and how trust grows through follow through instead of slogans. He explains why doing more with less erodes culture, how honest feedback builds care rather than fear, and why purpose comes from daily decisions, not posters on the wall. The conversation stays practical, grounded, and focused on what leaders do when deadlines, stress, and real people collideThis episode speaks to leaders who want teams who care about the work, not teams who simply clock in and survive the day. It offers clear perspective on how small, intentional actions build meaning, trust, and performance over timeIf you want a workplace where people bring thought, care, and ownership to their work, this conversation gives you a clear place to start.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with Dr. Michael Horowitz to unpack why higher education struggles to change and what leaders can do instead.Dr. Horowitz is the founder of the Community Solution Education System, a nonprofit network of independent colleges built on radical cooperation. Drawing from his career as a clinical psychologist, university president, and system builder, he explains how higher education became siloed, why small fixes fail, and how cooperation creates scale without erasing identity.The conversation moves from Dr. Horowitz’s personal story, including the early lesson of learning to ask for help, to the real pressures facing colleges today. He breaks down why tuition math confuses the public, why endowments are misunderstood, and why financial stress keeps pushing institutions toward closure. Joe and Dr. Horowitz also tackle the college versus trades debate, the myth of college for everyone, and why abandoning higher education altogether creates new risks.You hear how the Community Solution model works in practice, from shared governance and system wide leadership development to creating opportunities smaller colleges cannot achieve alone. Dr. Horowitz explains why urgency belongs at the leadership level, how collaboration strengthens credibility rather than weakens it, and why completion rates matter more than enrollment numbers.This episode is a grounded look at how leaders build resilient systems, protect mission, and create meaningful change without burning people out.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with Akhil Gupta, former Chairman of Blackstone India and longtime global business leader, for a wide-ranging conversation about success, meaning, and what truly shapes a fulfilling life. Akhil shares the pivotal moments that led him to walk away from some of the most sought-after roles in global business, including a near-miss during the Mumbai terrorist attacks that forced him to reevaluate how fragile life is and what matters most. That moment set him on a new path, one rooted in learning, reflection, and service. You hear why Akhil left positions defined by money, power, and prestige to study human flourishing at Harvard, what Western culture often misses about happiness, and why chasing success without meaning leaves many high achievers feeling empty. Drawing from Eastern philosophy, modern psychology, and lived experience, Akhil introduces the core idea behind his book Love, Learn, Play, a simple framework for living with purpose. The conversation explores identity beyond job titles, the danger of defining yourself by status, and how humility, gratitude, and curiosity anchor a meaningful life. Akhil also explains how play fuels creativity, why learning keeps you grounded, and how love shows up in leadership, family, and community. You will also hear about the creation of the Universal Enlightenment Forum, Akhil’s mission to highlight shared human values across cultures and religions, and why focusing on common ground matters more than ever. This episode is for leaders, builders, and anyone questioning what comes after achievement, or how to build a life that feels whole instead of hollow.

In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with CEO coach, author, and longtime Vistage Master Chair Peter D. Schwartz for a conversation about leadership, growth, and what happens when success strategies stop working. Peter shares the story behind his walk on the Camino de Santiago, a 45-day pilgrimage across northern Spain, and how the journey became a mirror for his own leadership evolution. He explains the moment on the Camino that forced him to confront exhaustion, imperfection, and the limits of chasing mastery, and how that experience reshaped his view of purpose, growth, and meaning. Drawing from decades of coaching hundreds of CEOs, Peter breaks down why early success strategies often fail at higher levels of leadership, how perfection and control quietly stall organizations, and why leaders need to upgrade their internal operating system as complexity increases. The conversation explores letting go of mastery in favor of becoming a journeyman, traveling light by releasing outdated beliefs, and redefining purpose as something you practice daily. Joe and Peter also dig into the power of peer groups, why feedback is difficult but essential, what leaders protect when they resist change, and how vulnerability builds trust inside organizations. Along the way, Peter shares practical insights on clarity, difficult conversations, performance interference, and why the real work of leadership happens over time, one deliberate step at a time. This episode is for leaders, founders, and high performers who sense their old playbook no longer fits and want a more sustainable, human approach to growth.

Len Jessup joins Joe Pardavila for a clear conversation on leadership, entrepreneurship, and building meaningful work across a long career in higher education and venture investing. A two time university president, former business school dean, and startup investor, Len shares lessons from his latest book, Create More: Lessons Learned from a Life at the Edge of Entrepreneurship, in Five Acts, and connects them to the ideas behind his earlier book, Self Less.You hear why great leaders balance service with momentum, how to take smart risks without burning the boats, and why entrepreneurship is a skill you grow, not a trait you are born with. Len also breaks down boredom at work, charisma without showmanship, and the mindset shift leaders need when teams no longer need constant direction. This conversation speaks to leaders, creators, and professionals who want to create more impact without losing purpose.

Robert Armstrong and Sanford Fisch join Joe Pardavila to explain why most attorneys struggle to build sustainable law firms and how the Enterprise Law Firm Model helps them change that. Drawing on decades of mentoring estate planning attorneys, they break down the five essential systems every firm needs, why flat-fee value pricing builds stronger client relationships, and how recurring revenue transforms a practice from a monthly grind into a long-term asset.They also share the origin story of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, why attorneys resist systemization, and how AI will reshape rule-based legal work. Robert and Sandy walk through the shift from a two-meeting model to a five-meeting relationship model, why bundling legal, financial, and insurance services creates deeper trust, and what attorneys leave on the table when they avoid this approach.The conversation ends with practical steps for attorneys who want more freedom, more predictable revenue, and a business that supports their life instead of draining it.

Strategic communication works a lot like MMA. You train. You plan. You step into a high-pressure moment and you fight for a clear outcome.In this conversation, Joe Pardavila talks with Dr. Patrick Riccards, author of Strategic Strikes. Patrick has spent thirty years helping leaders communicate through high-stakes moments. He has advised Fortune 500 companies, three presidential administrations, and executives facing career-defining challenges.He also trains as an MMA fighter, which gives him a unique view of strategy, pressure, and execution. Patrick explains why communication is a fight for attention, trust, and clarity.He shares stories from the field, including how a hospital handled a major crisis and kept the story contained. He outlines how leaders waste time by reacting to the wrong things, why some crises never deserve a response, and how to judge when a story is about to grow.You will hear how social platforms changed news cycles, how aggregation reshaped the media, and why most leaders still misjudge their audience. If you communicate under pressure, lead teams, or work in complex environments, this conversation gives you practical steps you can apply today.

Joe Pardavila talks with Bob Kocis, President and COO of Aptean and author of The President’s Club Mindset, about the habits and systems that drive top sales performance. Bob shares the early career moment that reset his priorities, how elite sellers use consistency and curiosity to close high value deals, and why the best performers focus on customer outcomes instead of pressure tactics.You get a clear breakdown of modern tech sales, including how to manage time, build internal alignment, improve cold outreach, and stay proactive in complex buying cycles. Bob also explains the role of empathy in sales, how to avoid overreliance on hustle culture, and what he learned interviewing sellers with more than 150 combined President’s Club awards.

Blake Shumate joins Joe Pardavila for a conversation about responsibility, faith, identity, and the long road toward emotional growth. Blake opens up about caring for his sister Crystal at a young age, navigating a distant relationship with his mother, and finding his first sense of belonging through wrestling. He also shares how an MS diagnosis forced him to slow down, rethink the way he worked, and rebuild his understanding of purpose and connection. Blake talks through the moments that shaped him, the habits that held him back, and the shift from self-reliance to surrender that helped him rebuild his relationships. His new book, Wrestling for Truth: One Man’s Search for Health, Family, and the Ideal Life, tells that full story, but this episode gives you a powerful look at the turning points that changed him.

Retirement is more emotional than most people expect. In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila talks with Crystal Lynn Garrett about why financially prepared people still feel anxious, how identity shifts hit hard once work stops, and what “failing” retirement looks like.Crystal shares practical examples of tax mistakes, investing blind spots, and why trends like AI stocks tempt people into risky decisions. She breaks down how to avoid common retirement traps, how to plan for longer lifespans, and what a healthy, confident transition into retirement should look like.Crystal also reflects on her own future retirement and why she dedicated her book to her parents. This conversation gives you a clear look at the emotional and financial realities that shape life after work.

In this episode of Entrepreneur | Authorities, Demos Parneros walks through the lessons he picked up across three decades in retail and e-commerce. He helped Staples grow from five stores to a national brand, led Barnes & Noble through major change, and now mentors founders who want to build durable companies. You get a clear look at what strong leadership, smart scaling, and founder mindset look like in real life.What You’ll Learn• How Staples scaled from a single store to a national chain• The leadership habits that helped Demos move across HR, marketing, operations, and real estate• How early e-commerce prepared leaders for the AI wave• What boards do and what CEOs need from them• What Demos looks for in a founder• How first generation experiences shaped his approach to work and leadershipEpisode Highlights00:00 Introduction01:00 How Staples started and why the industry needed disruption03:00 Leaving a stable job at Macy’s for a startup05:00 Early lessons on scaling stores and fixing problems fast07:00 Rotating through HR, marketing, merchandising, and operations10:00 How those moves shaped his leadership approach11:00 When he knew Staples was a national brand13:00 Staying connected to 55,000 employees15:00 How e-commerce changed the business17:00 Why customers choose stores, online, or both18:00 AI hype versus consumer reality20:00 What board work looks like in practice22:00 What CEOs want from a board24:00 Startups then and now26:00 What draws him to a founder28:00 Why ideas still matter30:00 How strong founders use AI32:00 Leadership lessons from his childhood in Cyprus34:00 How he learned English and why curiosity still drives himContact Demos Parneros• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/demosparneros• Website: demosparneros.com