The Scaling Podcast With Aaron Harper

Aaron Harper sits down with Kelcey Lehrich, co-founder of 365 Holdings, to unpack how he and his partner built a portfolio of consumer brands doing $60M+ in revenue—without raising outside capital. From buying a business with a $10K down payment to navigating a near financial meltdown in 2023, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom on e-commerce, partnerships, and founder resilience. ⏱️ Timestamps & Topics: 00:01 – Making friends in your 30s through business, skiing, and Twitter 01:09 – Kelcey's first ecommerce business and how 365 Holdings began 02:53 – Scaling from $2M to $60M in revenue 04:30 – How many brands are in the portfolio (and how many flopped) 05:51 – The original thesis vs. today's strategy 06:45 – Why the e-commerce aggregator model failed (Thrasio, etc.) 09:00 – Starbucks vs. "duct-taped" coffee shops analogy 10:30 – Kelcey's favorite type of business: own supply AND demand 11:20 – Cuddle Clones: the artisan product business they scaled 12:40 – Community, connection, and why Kelcey joined YPO 14:50 – The jump from $45M to $60M: acquisition + turnaround 16:40 – Buying a distressed jewelry brand (Brian Anthony's) 17:44 – Tariffs, China, and global supply chain strategy 20:14 – Kelcey's role: M&A, external relationships, and deal flow 21:19 – Ideal acquisition pace: 1 every 9 months 22:22 – "SEAL Team" for turnarounds + special situations 23:08 – Why they love distressed deals over premium growth buys 24:21 – What's happening in capital markets & Holdco land 25:52 – No outside capital: how they bootstrapped from $10K 27:17 – 2023 financial crisis: the CFO lied, debt stacked up 30:00 – Daily cash flow, layoffs, workouts… and recovery 32:39 – How Kelcey's wife handled the meltdown at home 34:56 – Faith, identity, and separating self-worth from business 37:30 – Aaron's personal story: baby on the way, stepping back, hiring a CEO 40:24 – "I'm not my business" → writing it all down → reset 41:43 – Growth curve pressure: why some team members can't keep up 43:00 – Making space for others to rise as the founder steps back 45:43 – Ironman idea: Aaron's next personal growth & content move 46:14 – Kelcey gave up his office to make room for the CFO 47:38 – Holding company evolution: ops vs. strategic layer 50:12 – Kelcey on content: "not a focus, but I'll show up if it's meaningful" 52:59 – Why he shares: paying it forward to the next entrepreneur 54:45 – How Aaron's Twitter & podcast directly drove revenue and talent 56:25 – Kelcey's soapbox: "There is no such thing as an e-commerce business" 59:00 – The danger of launching too many brands in a holdco 01:00:54 – "Your worst asset is always for sale" – capital allocation logic 01:02:14 – Why Aaron isn't opening trucks—his CEO is on a listening tour 01:04:01 – What comes next as Rolling Suds scales

Thinking about buying a business? Not sure what's real and what's hype? In this episode of The Scaling Podcast, Aaron Harper sits down with Matthias Smith, founder of Pioneer Capital, to unpack exactly how SBA financing works, what makes a business lendable, and the harsh truths nobody on TikTok is telling you. From seller equity to working capital to divorce derailing deals (seriously), this episode dives deep into the real mechanics of acquisitions — whether you're a searcher, operator, or future franchisee. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 3:00 How Matthias helps business buyers get financed 6:50 Where deal flow comes from 10:00 SBA myths (zero money down?) 14:00 Seller equity changes 20:00 Why some businesses can't be sold 25:30 Real talk on finding deals 35:00 Real estate in SBA loans 47:00 Bigger deals & private equity pressure 55:00 Aaron's origin story 1:02:00 Why capital matters when starting Learn more about Matthias: Website: https://pioneercap.com X (Twitter): @SBA_Matthias

Tariq Johnson, an entrepreneur and former multi-unit franchisee, shares his valuable insights on franchising. He unpacks the stark realities of investing in franchises, highlighting common pitfalls and mismatched expectations. Tariq discusses his personal journey through eight failed businesses and how franchising became his path to success. He emphasizes the importance of education and support for franchise buyers. Listeners will discover why some franchisees thrive while others struggle, and the critical questions aspiring owners should ask before diving in.

In this episode, Aaron Harper sits down with Eric Pacifici—attorney, entrepreneur, and co-founder of SMB Law Group—to discuss what every franchise buyer, founder, and seller needs to know about small business transactions, legal pitfalls, and structuring deals the right way. From leaving Big Law to closing over $1B in Main Street transactions, Eric shares hard-earned lessons on legal innovation, franchise diligence, and how social media unexpectedly launched one of the most trusted firms in SMB M&A. 00:00 – Intro 01:41 – Eric returns and shares his backstory 03:30 – Why he left Big Law and redefined success 05:10 – Founding SMB Law Group and identifying unmet legal needs 07:30 – The problems with billable hours and deal structures 10:12 – Tradeoffs of innovating in a traditional industry 12:41 – Launching a law firm off a Twitter account 14:00 – Early traction, demand problems, and scaling the team 16:30 – What makes a "blue chip ETA" deal work 17:50 – Building the Kirkland & Ellis of Main Street 19:45 – Remote-first legal practice and quality of life 21:00 – Golden handcuffs, entrepreneurship, and personal freedom 25:30 – Franchising overlap: why M&A and franchise law intersect 27:00 – Franchise diligence and risks 28:30 – Trends in ETA and franchise buyers 30:45 – SBA 7(a) deal structures explained 34:50 – Silver tsunami, generational wealth transfer 39:30 – How to structure "ugly" or non-underwritable deals 42:00 – Earn-outs, seller financing, and legal risk mitigation 45:25 – Franchising through acquisition strategy 47:24 – Legal marketing and firm visibility 48:41 – Where SMB Law gets its clients: Twitter, referrals, and more 52:07 – The value of project-based legal work 54:16 – Marketing restrictions for lawyers + content strategy 56:14 – Why Eric started creating content accidentally 57:30 – Social media and personal brand dynamics 59:30 – Commentary on content creators and public perception 01:07:29 – Lessons from Alex Hormozi and the value of free education 01:09:40 – How social media influences franchise client growth 01:11:46 – Feedback, self-awareness, and creating authentic content 01:13:00 – Final thoughts on building a business with soul

In this episode of The Scaling Podcast, Aaron Harper sits down with Collin Rutherford—founder of two fully remote businesses: Greenbox Storage and Founder Brands. They dive deep into what it actually takes to scale a startup without an office, how to lead through chaos, and why your business only grows as much as you do. 00:00 – Intro Aaron introduces Collin and sets up the episode 01:15 – Launching Greenbox Storage in College How Collin started the business as a junior at Dartmouth 02:59 – Transitioning to Remote Operations From driving U-Hauls to running 23 campuses remotely 04:40 – Customer Acquisition with Email & Interns Email marketing + boots-on-the-ground interns = growth strategy 08:27 – Starting Founder Brands How building his own content system led to a new business 10:08 – The Monthly Content Framework One recording → a full month of written + video content 12:34 – Case Study: Local Hockey Coach → Newsletter & YouTube How content transformed a small business's growth 13:59 – Letting Go of Daily Ops Why Greenbox runs without Collin today—and how he got there 16:38 – Founder Brands: Still in the Trenches Finding product-market fit and building an A+ team 18:12 – Founder's Role in Early-Stage Growth Lead gen, sales, and how founders should spend their time 20:10 – Going All-In on Twitter (X) Why June 2023 was Collin's turning point for personal branding 21:43 – Stop Posting. Start Engaging. How to grow from 100 followers to 1,000+ by leveraging others' reach 27:50 – Lead Magnets & Email Growth The power of gated value and building a subscriber list 32:13 – Aaron's Content Flywheel at Rolling Suds Using content to replace a sales role and scale franchise leads 33:18 – Stories Always Win Why personal stories outperform tips in tough algorithm cycles 34:34 – Social as Leverage (Not Just for Leads) Use your brand to hire, raise money, and build your network 35:45 – Followers Are a Vanity Metric Real revenue from small audiences and niche accounts 37:56 – Tribe: Founder Peer Group Benefits How Collin finds support, connection, and perspective 42:00 – Bringing On a Co-Founder Why Collin sold 20% of his company and how he structured the deal 44:38 – First Acquisition: Buying a Competitor How a helpful email turned into an M&A deal 46:54 – Greenbox's Ceiling & Growth Strategy How big this niche business can get—and what it takes to get there 48:53 – What Collin Needs to Grow Next Founder evolution, systems, and recruiting the right people 54:47 – Quick Interruption (Cleaners) Aaron returns to continue the deep dive 55:38 – Partner's Role and Work-Life Balance Collin shares what his girlfriend does and how they live remotely 56:00 – Why Entrepreneurship Freedom, flexibility, and risk vs reward 57:26 – The Hard Part: No One Tells You What to Do Entrepreneurship means making decisions in the dark 58:14 – $20K Mistake: Auctioned Storage Units The hardest calls Collin ever had to make—and how he recovered 01:03:28 – Advice for First-Time Founders Solve a real problem. Don't reinvent the wheel. 01:09:25 – Why One Business is Usually Enough Walker Deibel's advice on focus vs fragmentation 01:13:08 – Final Thoughts on Growth & Discipline What to do when you already have something working

Scott Abbott, a serial entrepreneur and franchise guru, shares his journey from launching his first business at 15 to scaling Five Star Painting into a franchise with 1,500+ locations. He discusses the critical lessons learned from a failed partnership and the importance of marketing strategies like A/B testing. Scott delves into the 'feed what works' philosophy for growth, highlights the significance of building systems independent of founders, and emphasizes the value of integrating family and work. He also shares insights on partnerships and plans to acquire more brands in the future.

Shannon Jean, a serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, shares insights from launching 10 businesses, including a $3M handbag brand. He discusses the importance of building repeatable systems and how to achieve small wins to shift mindset—what he calls the $1,000 brain switch. Shannon reflects on his successful podcast journey, lessons from a costly lawsuit, and why he prefers 'boring' businesses for sustainability. He emphasizes prioritizing community and personal connection in entrepreneurship and the power of authenticity.

After scaling an HVAC company from ≈$3 M to ≈$6 M in two years—and deciding to hand day‑to‑day control to a CEO so he could get back on the road in his RV—Austin Linney sits down with host Aaron Harper to unpack: why doubling revenue isn't worth it if you're doubling misery the moment he realized the business now needed "boring consistency," not more fireworks building a Navy SEAL consulting team that only works with founders who value life as highly as EBITDA sober entrepreneurship, panic attacks, and leaving "good" behind for "great" how rejecting the wrong commercial contracts can save a company practical frameworks for resource allocation, founder energy audits and carving out a role you actually love Timestamps Time Topic 00:00 Aaron's intro & why this episode matters for fast‑growth founders 02:14 Meeting internet friends IRL and Austin's "relentless curiosity" about money‑making models 07:45 Focus + energy: why most owners fail (Aaron's resource‑allocation rant) 12:30 Austin on stepping out of sales, installing a CEO & choosing "boring consistency" 18:55 Commercial vs. residential work — the hidden risk of whale hunting 25:40 Cash‑flow velocity, client selection & walking away from red flags 33:05 Austin's back‑story: hospitality, Airbnb, meth addiction, six years sober 41:10 Building the Navy SEAL consulting trio (people, process, ops) 48:30 Founder loneliness, masterminds & creating your own tribe 55:00 The 5 Types of Wealth & designing a life that scores on more than money 1:04:45 Aaron's travel dilemma, kids, and the "10 good years" rule 1:15:20 Rapid‑fire wrap‑up + where to find Austin

Paul Tran has built restaurants from scratch, scaled multi-unit franchises, and helped national brands go global. In this episode, he joins Aaron Harper to talk about what it really takes to grow a franchise system responsibly—without losing your soul. From launching The Halal Guys in Southern California to his newest venture with Pepper Lunch, Paul unpacks the wins, the losses, and the frameworks behind smart, sustainable growth. 00:00 – Intro Paul joins the show after some behind-the-scenes issues (and laughs it off like a pro). 00:51 – How Paul and Aaron Met Online Their "Twitter friendship" and mutual journey in franchising. 03:00 – Crawfish, College, and First-Time Founder Moves Paul's first restaurant—and the ignorance that helped him win. 05:00 – Entering Franchising at France Mart Working under Dan Rowe, early franchise deals, and learning the ropes. 08:30 – Discovering Pepper Lunch Why the concept blew Paul away—and how he became a franchisee and consultant. 10:00 – Unit Economics Breakdown Labor-light operations, higher build-out costs, and long-term profitability. 15:00 – Franchise Sales is Not Like Other Sales Paul and Aaron reflect on their early struggles closing deals and qualifying candidates. 21:00 – The Private Equity Debate How PE changes incentives—and why responsible growth matters more than ever. 32:00 – Building in Public Aaron and Paul talk about the power of transparency, trust, and organic marketing. 43:00 – Scaling with Strategy How content reduced CAC, funded an executive team, and attracted better franchisees. 47:00 – What's Next for Paul Plans for expanding Pepper Lunch and staying connected to responsible franchising. 50:00 – Real Numbers: Costs & Revenue Paul shares candid details about store costs, staff size, and what makes Pepper Lunch work. 56:00 – Final Thoughts + Where to Find Paul Why good franchising needs better storytelling—and how to connect with Paul online.

In this episode, Aaron Harper sits down with Cole Ruud-Johnson—an entrepreneur who's built call centers, real estate companies, and consulting arms—to break down what really drives business success. They dive into the myth of passive income, the power of ruthless focus, the dangers of burnout, and why most people never see compounding growth. If you're tired of the fluff around entrepreneurship and want a real conversation about what it takes to win, this one's for you. 👇 Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro clip 01:00 – Cole's journey from dropout to business builder 05:15 – Why focus changed everything 10:30 – Sales follow-up failures in home services 14:00 – Franchisees and the lead conversion trap 20:00 – Lyme disease, burnout, and rebuilding from scratch 26:30 – The five types of wealth 29:00 – Closing five businesses to grow one 33:00 – Aaron steps back from sales to focus on content 37:45 – Debunking the passive income fantasy 44:15 – When bad advice ruins good entrepreneurs 50:00 – The compounding power of staying in one lane 52:30 – Finding your "why" in entrepreneurship 59:00 – Building leverage through content 1:05:00 – Final reflections on team, delegation, and long-term thinking