The Grit to Growth Podcast

Nationwide Payment Systems founder Allen Kopelman shares how he transitioned from the restaurant industry into entrepreneurship and built a payment processing company handling over $100 million in monthly transactions. What does it take to leave a 20-year career behind and build a successful business in an entirely different industry? In this episode, Levi sits down with Allen Kopelman, founder and CEO of Nationwide Payment Systems, to discuss his unconventional entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of payment technology, and what business owners should understand about getting paid efficiently. What You'll Hear: From chef to entrepreneur. Allen shares how two decades in the restaurant industry eventually led him to discover an opportunity in payment processing. Building a business from scratch. Learn how Allen identified an underserved market, started Nationwide Payment Systems in 2001, and grew it into a company processing over $100 million in transactions monthly. The evolution of payment technology. Allen discusses how the industry has transformed from traditional credit card terminals connected to telephone lines into today's modern payment solutions. Understanding payment processing. Discover why choosing the right payment systems matters for businesses looking to improve efficiency and manage transaction costs. Lessons from 25 years in business. Allen shares insights from navigating an evolving industry, adapting to technological changes, and building a company around customer needs. Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, or someone considering a major career change, this episode offers valuable lessons on recognizing opportunities, embracing change, and building a sustainable business. Connect with Allen Kopelman 🌐 Website: https://nationwidepaymentsystems.com/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenkopelman/

How one entrepreneur turned a personal problem with drinking water into a business built through persistence, education, and more than two decades in the water treatment industry. Sometimes a business idea doesn't begin with a business plan. It begins with noticing a problem you can no longer ignore. In this episode of the Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi sits down with Eric Kurbanov, CEO of RKIN Water Systems, to discuss how an unexpected experience with home water filtration led Eric into the water treatment industry and eventually into building his own company. From leaving a steady job during one of the most difficult economic periods in recent history to developing filtration solutions for homeowners and renters, Eric's story is a lesson in persistence, adaptability, and believing in an idea when the evidence seems stacked against you.  What You'll Hear: Eric's introduction to water filtration happened almost by accident. In his early twenties, he purchased a home with a private well and an under-sink reverse osmosis system. He quickly became accustomed to the drinking water it produced. When he later moved to a home on municipal water and suddenly found himself buying bottled water, he began researching what had been different about his previous home. That curiosity introduced him to reverse osmosis and eventually changed the direction of his career. At the time, Eric was working at a quarry in Southwest Florida. He started as a laborer before moving into heavy equipment operation, where long hours alone gave him plenty of time to listen to audiobooks. A coworker introduced him to Rich Dad Poor Dad, which sparked years of listening to books about entrepreneurship, sales, motivation, and personal development. Eventually, the idea of owning a business stopped being something Eric simply thought about and became something he was determined to pursue.  Eric explains how the earliest version of his water business began by installing filtration systems for himself and his coworkers before opening an online store. Then, with his first child on the way, he made the decision to put in his two-week notice and go all in. The timing couldn't have been much harder. He was starting a new company, carrying a mortgage, preparing for a newborn, and entering entrepreneurship around the financial crisis. Eric describes the following years as anything but easy, but those difficult years produced one of the biggest lessons of his entrepreneurial journey: you have to keep the dream alive when nobody else can see what you see. That persistence eventually helped RKIN evolve its products around problems customers were actually experiencing. One major challenge was installation. Traditional under-sink reverse osmosis systems weren't practical for everyone, especially renters who couldn't modify plumbing or countertops. RKIN eventually developed its Zero Installation Purifier, a countertop reverse osmosis system designed to operate without permanent plumbing modifications. Eric explains how the system functions more like a countertop appliance: users add water, the system purifies it, and clean drinking water is collected for use. This makes reverse osmosis accessible to renters and others who may not be able to install a traditional system. The conversation also turns into a practical Water 101 discussion. Eric explains the distinction between water softening and filtration, two terms that consumers often treat as interchangeable. Water softening primarily addresses hardness and mineral buildup that can affect plumbing, appliances, shower doors, and fixtures. Filtration, meanwhile, is designed to address other substances in the water. Eric also discusses bottled water, microplastics, whole-home filtration, reverse osmosis, PFAS or "forever chemicals," and why understanding what's actually in your local water supply is an important first step before choosing a treatment system. For entrepreneurs, though, one of the strongest lessons has little to do with water. Eric's journey demonstrates what happens when someone continues learning, adapts to what customers need, and survives the difficult seasons that inevitably come with building a company. More than 20 years after first becoming interested in water treatment, he is still learning and evolving alongside the industry. episode26_reel_subtitles As one of Eric's early mentors told him during the difficult years: "The night is the darkest before the dawn."  Connect with RKIN Water Systems 🌐 Website: https://rkin.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rkin_us/ Learn more about RKIN's drinking water and whole-home filtration systems, water education, and available treatment options through their website and social channels.

Significant Business Results founder Franne McNeal shares how entrepreneurs can increase profitability, reduce owner dependency, and build businesses that create lasting value. What happens when you've spent decades building a successful company, only to discover it's worth far less than you expected? Many entrepreneurs build businesses that generate impressive revenue but still depend entirely on their involvement. Instead of creating financial freedom, they've created demanding jobs that are difficult to step away from or sell. In this episode, Levi sits down with Franne McNeal, founder of Significant Business Results, to discuss how business owners can improve financial performance, strengthen operations, and prepare their companies for long-term success. What You'll Hear: Why revenue doesn't equal success. Franne explains how business owners can generate millions in revenue while struggling with profitability and cash flow, and why understanding financial statements is essential. The hidden cost of owner dependency. When every decision and customer relationship depends on the founder, the business becomes harder to scale, manage, and eventually sell. What makes a business valuable to buyers. Franne explores how private equity firms and other potential buyers evaluate companies, including recurring revenue, leadership teams, customer concentration, and operational stability. Building systems that create freedom. Learn how documenting processes, delegating responsibilities, and developing employees can help a company operate successfully without constant oversight. Why exit planning should start early. Whether an entrepreneur wants to sell, transfer ownership, or simply step away from daily operations, Franne explains why long-term planning creates more options. Turning business challenges into measurable improvements. Drawing on her experience supporting hundreds of entrepreneurs, Franne shares how assessments, strategic planning, and accountability help owners identify weaknesses and implement meaningful changes. For business owners looking to increase profitability, reclaim their time, or prepare for a future exit, this episode offers valuable insights into building a company that works for its owner, rather than the other way around. Connect with Franne McNeal 🌐 Personal Website: https://www.frannemcneal.com/ 🏢 Significant Business Results: https://www.significantbusinessresults.com/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frannemcneal 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frannemcneal 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frannemcneal 𝕏 X (Twitter): https://www.twitter.com/frannemcneal ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/frannemcneal

How retired Air Force veteran Lisa Ducharme is helping veterans turn decades of military training, leadership, and resilience into an advantage in entrepreneurship. Leaving the military doesn't mean leaving behind the skills that made you successful there. For Lisa Ducharme, the bigger challenge is helping veterans recognize just how valuable those skills can be in the business world. In this episode, Levi sits down with Lisa Ducharme, retired Air Force veteran, business strategist, author, and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Veterans Chamber of Commerce. After serving more than 20 years in the Air Force, Lisa experienced firsthand the challenges of transitioning into civilian employment before eventually finding her way into entrepreneurship and veteran business advocacy. What You'll Hear: Lisa shares the story of her military career, including how a decision originally made with her sister led to more than two decades in the Air Force. Her work in casualty affairs placed her in the middle of several major events, including the Khobar Towers bombing and 9/11, where her previous training allowed her to step into the casualty response at the Pentagon. She also explains why transitioning out of the military can be so difficult. Veterans spend years learning leadership, problem solving, discipline, and how to accomplish a mission, yet Lisa believes the transition process often focuses too heavily on turning them into employees instead of helping them recognize how those abilities can translate into leadership and entrepreneurship. Lisa's own entrepreneurial journey wasn't planned. After being laid off and exploring everything from hospitality to 3D animation and photo art, a veteran representative suggested she start a business. That idea eventually brought her deeper into the veteran entrepreneurship community and ultimately led to the creation of the Massachusetts Veterans Chamber of Commerce. The conversation also explores one of Lisa's biggest lessons for entrepreneurs: you have to be willing to pivot. She discusses why businesses need to test their ideas, prove that a concept is viable, build the right foundation, and recognize when something simply isn't working. Finally, Lisa shares her approach to practical AI for small businesses. Rather than chasing every new platform, she encourages business owners to use a small number of tools that solve real problems. More importantly, she explains why technology should never eliminate the human relationships that make a business memorable. For veterans considering entrepreneurship, business owners navigating change, or anyone trying to figure out how AI fits into their company without losing the human side of business, this conversation offers a look at how leadership, adaptability, resources, and relationships can shape the next stage of a career. Connect with Lisa Ducharme Massachusetts Veterans Chamber of Commerce: https://www.massvcc.org/ Lisa Ducharme: https://lisaducharme.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaducharme/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaducharme2020/

Andy Fankhauser shares how lessons from banking, business risk, and resilience inspired a new approach to helping local entrepreneurs grow. For many small business owners, the opportunities that could help them grow are often the same opportunities they can't afford to access. In this episode, Levi sits down with Andy Fankhauser, founder of Aqua Luxury Consulting and Micro Expo My City, to discuss two sides of entrepreneurship that are often overlooked: protecting what you've already built and creating affordable opportunities to grow what comes next. Drawing from a career largely spent in banking, Andy shares how experiences during COVID changed his perspective on business preparedness and eventually inspired him to help entrepreneurs build stronger foundations. What You'll Hear: Andy shares how graduating with a dual business degree in 2008 immediately challenged the career path he had envisioned. He entered the workforce during a major economic downturn and ultimately spent much of his career in banking, where he gained a firsthand look at the financial realities facing individuals, families, and business owners. Those lessons became especially powerful during COVID. While working as a banker, Andy met grieving family members whose loved ones had built successful businesses but hadn't adequately prepared for what would happen if they were suddenly gone. Families that had depended on those businesses for their income could find themselves unable to access company funds or continue operating the business they knew very little about. Those experiences became part of the inspiration behind Andy's consulting work and his focus on helping owners prepare for risks before a crisis occurs. The conversation then turns to Micro Expo My City, Andy's effort to rethink the traditional business expo for smaller, local entrepreneurs. Instead of requiring businesses to travel to major convention centers and spend thousands of dollars on booths, hotels, travel, and staffing, Andy wants to bring the expo directly into local communities. His philosophy centers on two ideas: accessibility and affordability. Micro Expo My City is designed around smaller events featuring roughly 50 to 70 vendors, with workshops, demonstrations, seminars, networking, and opportunities for businesses to connect directly with their local communities. Andy explains that the entry-level vendor option starts at $150 using a "bring your own booth" approach, dramatically lowering the barrier for entrepreneurs who might otherwise never consider exhibiting at a traditional trade show. For Andy, that accessibility is especially important for the entrepreneur building something on the side, the recent graduate struggling with the job market, the longtime corporate employee suddenly facing a layoff, or the local business owner who simply doesn't have five figures available to gamble on an expo with an uncertain return. Rather than asking people to travel to the expo, Andy's goal is to bring the expo to the people. He discusses working with cities throughout Southern California and exploring venues such as local colleges and community college parking lots to keep operating expenses lower. The long-term vision isn't a single annual event either. Andy wants Micro Expo My City to move between communities regularly, giving local businesses recurring opportunities to increase visibility, meet potential customers, generate leads, and develop relationships. The episode closes with a deeper conversation about entrepreneurship, faith, perseverance, and what happens when life refuses to follow the plan. Andy shares the "Story of Perhaps," a reminder that something that appears disastrous today may ultimately lead somewhere unexpected tomorrow. Whether it's graduating during a recession, navigating COVID, losing a job, experiencing financial setbacks, or watching a carefully constructed plan fall apart, Andy believes those are the moments when grit, resilience, and perseverance matter most. For entrepreneurs building something without unlimited resources, this episode is a reminder that opportunity doesn't always need to be bigger to be better. Sometimes growth starts by making the right opportunities more affordable, more accessible, and closer to home. Connect with Andy Fankhauser 🌐 Micro Expo My City: http://www.microexpomycity.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/microexpomycity/ 💼 Aqua Luxury Consulting: Andy also discusses his consulting company in the episode, which focuses on helping business owners strengthen their financial foundations and prepare for risks they may not see coming.