Thrive Radio ™

Finding purpose after military service can mean rebuilding more than a career. It can mean finding a new sense of identity, community, and direction. In this episode of Thrive Radio, I talk with Darrius Dickerson, a veteran entrepreneur, photographer, author, and founder of War 'N' Tees, about his transition from serving in Iraq to building a business with a mission. Darrius shares what he missed about military life, how revisiting photographs from his deployment helped him see a way to tell his story, and why he brought photography, writing, apparel, and veteran support together. His mission centers on bringing attention and support to the challenges of veteran hopelessness and homelessness. We also discuss the practical side of building something you care about: returning to electrical work while developing the business, balancing generosity with sustainability, and learning to value the time and talent behind your work. If you're navigating a major transition or trying to build a business around a cause, this conversation offers an honest look at purpose, responsibility, and finding a way forward. What You'll Learn Why identity, purpose, and camaraderie mattered in Darrius's transition to civilian life. How photographs from his deployment became a starting point for sharing his story. What creating a memoir meant to him personally. How he brought creative interests and veteran support together through War 'N' Tees. Why giving back was part of the business's purpose from the beginning. How returning to electrical work fit into his entrepreneurial journey. Why overgiving and underpricing deserve attention in a business built around a cause. What Darrius wants veterans who feel disconnected to hear.

When the founder becomes the bottleneck, business growth can create more pressure without creating room to lead. In this episode of Thrive Radio, I talk with John Roddy, founder of Roddy Strategy Partners, about the shift from keeping a business running to building one that can grow beyond its dependence on the owner. John shares how his own experience in a rapidly growing business shaped his approach to operations and leadership. We discuss what happens when every decision comes back to the founder, why letting go requires developing the team too, and how to assess capacity before adding more demand. He also describes helping a service business owner move from an 80-hour week to a 40-hour week, with more time for family and the next stage of the business. We explore the changes behind that story, including operational involvement, technology, trust, and giving people room to take responsibility. The conversation also covers growth that fits the owner's life, preparing a business for a family handoff or sale, and choosing an advisor whose approach matches the work you need done. If you want your business to move forward without every next step depending on you, this conversation offers a practical place to begin. What You'll Learn How an owner's involvement can become a constraint on growth. Why stepping back requires developing the team alongside the founder. How operations, training, and decision ownership affect capacity. What to examine before asking an exhausted team to handle more work. Why an apparent staffing problem may also involve culture and leadership. How to define growth around the life and business you want. Why reducing founder dependence matters for a future handoff or sale. What to look for when choosing fractional leadership or advisory support. Visit https://acalltothrive.com

An overlooked market can become the starting point for a business when you understand the customers behind the gap. In this episode of Thrive Radio, I talk with Deborah North, founder of Yes Athletics, about building a sports footwear and apparel brand around the needs of female athletes. When her daughter Annie started wrestling, Deborah saw girls entering a sport where the available gear often left them feeling like an afterthought. She decided to do something about it. After 25 years in recruiting, Deborah had to learn a different kind of business: sourcing, manufacturing, inventory, fulfillment, and e-commerce. We discuss how she found people who could help, why conversations with coaches mattered, and what changed when she committed fully to Yes Athletics. We also talk honestly about the personal responsibility of entrepreneurship, finding support from other founders, and the moment Deborah stopped comparing herself with larger competitors. Her story offers a useful look at differentiation: understanding the people you serve and building from a perspective you can genuinely own. If you're building a brand, exploring an underserved market, or trying to stay focused on what makes your business valuable, this conversation will give you plenty to consider. What You'll Learn -How Deborah recognized an unmet need through her daughter's wrestling experience. -What it took to move from a service business into physical products. -How introductions and networking helped her build an advisory circle. -Why product design needs to address real customer experiences, including fit and coverage. -How talking with coaches connected the company to problems teams needed solved. -What Deborah learned about commitment, financial responsibility, and founder support. -Why she stopped comparing Yes Athletics with bigger competitors. -How belonging and customer understanding shape the brand's mission.

When someone asks ChatGPT to recommend a business like yours, does your company enter the conversation? In this episode of Thrive Radio, I talk with Kevin Armstrong, a former product leader at Amazon and SpaceX and founder of Armstrong HoldCo, about AI search visibility and the realities of building a business from scratch. Kevin explains why showing up in traditional search doesn't automatically mean an AI assistant will mention your business. We discuss third-party sources, the role of website audits, and how business owners can start investigating their visibility across AI platforms. We also get into the lessons behind his own business: leaving the corporate customer pipeline behind, building an app that didn't attract users beyond friends and family, and learning why engagement on LinkedIn wasn't translating into bookings for his coaching service. Throughout the conversation, we return to the value of customer conversations, clearer messaging, and the willingness to keep learning. If you're trying to make sense of AI search while finding a more effective way to reach your customers, this conversation offers a grounded place to start. What You'll Learn Why traditional search visibility and AI recommendations can differ. How third-party sources can influence what an AI assistant surfaces. What an AI visibility audit can help you investigate. Why a corporate growth playbook can leave a new founder unprepared for finding customers. What Kevin learned from building an app that people didn't use. How candid support conversations can reveal customer needs and build trust. Why attention and engagement need to be connected to meaningful business outcomes. How to use feedback and your own voice to refine your message.

Business growth starts with knowing who will buy what you’re building. In this episode of Thrive Radio, Brian Esposito makes the case for finding customers and developing useful business relationships before treating more capital as the answer. I sit down with Brian, founder and CEO of Esposito Intellectual Enterprises and CEO of Diamond Lake Minerals, to explore the experiences behind that perspective. From working in his father’s warehouse as a child to building businesses across industries, he shares what he has learned about creating value, choosing collaborators, and knowing when to say no. We talk about why the timing of an introduction matters, how staying close to customers informs product and pricing decisions, and what Brian learned from PAYBAQ, an early financial technology venture he ultimately shut down. We also discuss using AI to support people at work and the difference between feeling motivated and having the tools and relationships to act. If you’re pursuing growth but feel pulled toward more funding, more visibility, or the next big opportunity, this conversation will help you examine what your business needs to move forward. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Why Brian starts with product quality and customer demand when discussing growth. How to think about winning a first customer before seeking more capital. Why a valuable introduction needs the right timing and compatible people. How empathy and integrity influence Brian’s choice of collaborators. Why leaders need to stay connected to customers’ everyday realities. How Brian works backward from a likely selling price when considering a product. What his PAYBAQ experience taught him about relationships and regulatory complexity. How he approaches AI as a tool to support employees. Why asking for help can open a conversation worth having. Explore Brian’s work: Esposito Intellectual Enterprises https://eie.rocks/ and Diamond Lake https://diamondlake.com/. Find more Thrive Radio episodes and learn about A Call To Thrive visit https://acalltothrive.com