Empowering Entrepreneurs

As she notes on LI, Kristen Deese is ..."Systems Genius, Business Coach, CBC and Co-Author of When Your Business Partner is Your Spouse, I am the brains behind the Braun of our plumbing, HVAC and remediation company. I’ve been in the trades, running the behind-the-scenes functions, serving all our businesses as the CFO, for nearly 20 years."She continues - "What really gets me FIRED UP is coaching and training other business owners in our industry how to make more profit. There are plenty of people out there to help these businesses generate higher sales – that’s not what I do – I teach them how to make more money."As a business coach, she goes beyond the typical CPA numbers and looks at business' growth areas.You celebrate the wins and then you also mourn the losses when you're going over that information with those business centers. But it is also really exciting to be able to see growth in the business and in the leadership capabilities of owners when you've spent the time with them to teach them how to read their numbers and how to look at their reports and how to use that information to make good business decisions.She goes into detail about the work she does with her clients...We definitely talk to the business owners a lot about the difference between strategic tasks and tactical tasks. The tactical tasks are the minute things that have to be done all the time, every day. The strategic tasks are is that higher-level thinking? Let's look at this from the big picture. Let's step back and see what does the future look like and where did we where have been and how do we get to where we want to go?In her opinion, this is the best way for entrepreneurs to grow...There are a lot of times that they don't realize that they're being the bottleneck in their company until you pull them back a little bit. Sometimes you have to pull them back by the collar, pull them back a little bit and be like, "Get out of the way. Let your business run. Look at it from the strategic level. Make the decision from that level and just get out of the way."How did she decide business coaching was for her?I don't necessarily like being in the day to day, you know, solving problems and putting out fires and all of those things. But I do really enjoy working with business owners and showing them how to get out of that spot. And so after working with our own business coach for quite some time and kind of seeing that transformation in us, I was like, "Man, it would be really cool to be able to do this with other business owners."Very few entrepreneurs like to look at their own numbers. They want to grow their business the way they know how. And looking at numbers isn't very sexy. But Kristen looks at it differently...I think that your numbers hold you accountable, and if you don't look at them, then who is holding you accountable? So I think that it has to do with the desire to not look at them. I've got a saying that "if you don't pay attention to your numbers, they're going to get your attention." And probably in a way that you don't appreciate. You want to look at the numbers when it's a good month and you want to look at the numbers when it's a bad month.And her thoughts on mentors...I had a mentor in my I had a job when I was in college and it was at a hair salon actually, of all places. The manager took me under her wing and taught me a whole lot about the back end of running a business. We were looking at individual stylist sales and creating commission reports and looking at expenses and how much does it cost when the shampoo person does two pumps versus one pump, when they're doing a shampoo, like all of those sorts of things. I'm learning about risk and I'm learning about fraud and I'm learning about all of these big business, very corporate accounting ideas on the side.What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?Entrepreneurs want to say yes to everything, right? Like every opportunity that looks kind of shiny, they want to say yes to. And so I would be on board. I'd be like, Yeah, yeah, let's do it, let's do it. Sounds great, whatever. And then it would completely take us off course of the vision that we had or it would just kind of we were all over the place for a little while. Again, this was years ago, so it took us both a while to be able to figure out what was something that we should say yes to versus what was something that we should thank you, but no thank you.Find out more about Kristen on her website.Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.https://empoweringtheentrepreneur.com/ Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper 61nK7C5qeyrGwR8edubz

Our guest is Kyle Morris, a serial entrepreneur, and owner of The Golf Room and The Golf Room Everywhere. He played professional golf for what would have been about 8 to 9 years and then played 40 weeks a year and 20 countries, traveling with his kids and wife. But things had to change.We were traveling the first six months of my first born Adler's life. He was sleeping in hotel rooms. He was born on June 9th. We left on June 23rd, and he didn't sleep in his own bed until the middle of November. And then that next year she goes, "That's not happening anymore." So then we moved home back to Ohio from Scottsdale, where I'm originally from, still playing, and then started teaching and kind of felt God moving me into a different direction.How did The Golf Room come about?One of my good buddies had, like, a man cave in his basement. So I said, Hey, I need to build a man cave like you. He says, Hey, I've got this little place like this little room that you could practice out of. I started hitting balls and he says if you want, we should get people in here. You could teach some lessons on the side. We could also get people to rent this bay hit balls and practice. And then it continued to grow into more ideas.As Glenn puts it...When you see an entrepreneur and, you know, they get the bug and obviously the commitment to be an athlete of playing golf and what it takes the mental grind to do that probably gave you, I guess, the confidence in your own abilities to go out and be an entrepreneur because you're like, Well, I'm not going to fail at this. I'm going to just do something different. I'm going to nail it.And Kyle continues on with his perspective of his entrepreneur journey...I think that the world, which is why the entrepreneurs are listening to this podcast, why they are entrepreneurs, is there are people who talk about doing things and then there are people who actually do things. The world is filled with people who talk, but very few people actually do.When did you realize you have to convert this to building a business. When did that lightbulb go off for you? When did you realize that?So there gets to a point where you just go, okay, I've got to do more. That's why I keep doing these expansions and buying businesses because I have to as an entrepreneur, which I think most of us all are, I have to see what the ceiling is. And if I don't see what the ceiling is, I don't even know if I can live with myself. So it's like I'd rather fail and see what the ceiling is than not try and just be like I could very well just chill out and say, hey, like life is good.And Kyle's thoughts on how entrepreneurs and professional athletes are very similar.I think that all great entrepreneurs and all great athletes are circled and encompassed with a body of basically a halo of optimism. If Tom Brady is down by three points, right, and he's got 15 seconds left, everybody in the stadium knows that Tom's winning. He knows it too. And if he doesn't, fans look at each other and think that's weird. There's always something that the entrepreneur can hold on to and say, hey, like, it'll be fine.How important is delegating?I think that's a really hard thing for like entrepreneurs to wrap their brain around saying, hey, like, I know if I did this, maybe I could do it better, but like my hours are actually better spent doing something else, and then let them do this. They'll get it to 80% to completion. I'll put the all tie the bow on it, you know, cross the t's, dot the I's, alter something, and then away we go. And how about the work-life balance as an entrepreneur?I think that's the hardest part of an entrepreneur, is just trying to make sure that when you're there, you're there and you're being very mindful and present. I think that's probably something that I'm always working on in my character to just say, hey, like I'm with my kids, be with your kids. And like when you're with your wife, like be with your wife. And then when it's time to work, work, right?Owner, Director of Instruction, Golf Digest Best Young Instructors in America, and also ranked as the #1 instructor in the State of Ohio. Kyle does media for The Golf Channel, Trackman, and Golf Digest and has an extensive online community at TheGolfRoomEverywhere.com. Kyle owns and operates The Golf Room in Dublin Ohio and also a founding member at GolfSuites @the_golf_room on Instagram Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.https://empoweringtheentrepreneur.com/ Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

Adam Tarnow is our guest. He is the founder of Adam Tarnow & Company, a leadership development firm located in Dallas, TX. They develop customized training to equip professionals with the soft skills they need to become excellent leaders.What does Adam do for his clients?Curation is a word that I'm starting to really grow comfortable with. When I first thought about what I wanted to do as a consulting firm focused on leadership development, I was thinking that I would develop my own custom content or come up with my own custom content, and I do that. But then I realized there's really nothing new under the sun, right? A lot of what I do is I'm standing on the shoulders of other great authors or thinkers and the ideas that they've shared with the world. And I'm just kind of organizing all of that. So I really do think curation is a very accurate way to describe what I do. And when I present this content to my clients, the only customized piece that I get to add to it or where I get to put my fingerprint on it, is really deciding how to organize the content.So Adam went to school, became a CPA, then you got out of that and you became a minister. How did you fall into leadership development?The only metaphor I can find out there that seems to really describe it well, is it my career has turned into a Seinfeld episode, where you just had all of these plot lines that seem to make no sense. And then at the very end, it's like, oh, that, okay, now that all make sense how that came together.So being a CPA has taught me is how to think. It taught me about corporate America, it taught me about large organizations, certainly taught me how to be organized and thoughtful. What ministry taught me was people just we're all the same. We all have the same issues. We have the same thoughts, feelings, emotions. It taught me how people think and react. It taught me a lot.When you are growing as fast as Adam's business is, there's time to say yes to all opportunities, but then there's the time when you have to make the hard choices to say no.In 2021, the training started to pick back up and I was able to now start to say no to some of those other things that I said yes to. But I was so grateful for the learnings that happened in there. I mean, obviously, as an entrepreneur, I need to know how to market. So I was really grateful that I said yes to some of that. Podcasting is a big part of my business model as well as for my own personal brand. So I was grateful to say yes to those things because I learned a ton as I went through that. So so yeah, I mean, saying yes is very, very helpful oftentimes. But then there comes a time where you do have to focus.Do you think when you go into these companies and you provide the training, though, is there some sense of team in that regard?I do feel like I'm a part of their team now and they do view me as that trusted advisor. There is a high because when they do well, I feel like, okay, I got to contribute to that and that was a lot of fun.What does Adam consider his superpower to be?I think I just I'm a teacher. I mean, I think that really is it. I just love to teach. I love to learn. I love to systematize that information and I love to share it with others. I can remember all the way back to eighth grade in my math class and the teacher letting me get up there and teach that exercise and that lesson, like going over it with the class. And I loved it.What advice would you give to people that have that "skill of leadership," but haven't been able to capitalize on it or have the awareness of that skill?My teacher side of me is going to have a bias towards just go study it. And so that to me is always such a great way to do it. This is really no excuse to not be a continuous learner anymore. I mean, between master classes and YouTube and LinkedIn classes and training that your company provides and books that are out there, as well as audiobooks and podcasts. I think for some, it just starts with curiosity and just wanting to learn and finding some voices that really do that you really do resonate with.And what is his endgame?My owner's intent is very focused right now on what I would say is building a platform. And for the first time in my life, I think I understand why I want to build a platform.Adam is referencing:No BS Small Business Book by Casey GrahamOn a mission to curate the most helpful leadership content my clients have ever encountered. Adam's Website Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

We welcome Glenn Dunlap, who is the Co-Founder & CEO of Peerview Data, a SaaS firm that specializes in benchmarking and comparative analytics solutions for CPA firms.And like most entrepreneurs, Glenn runs several companies.Prior to launching Peerview Data, Dunlap was a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Milestone Advisors, an accounting and advisory firm, where he provided business strategy, corporate finance, and part-time CFO services to emerging market companies. In 2006, Dunlap also launched Big League Tours, a tour operations business that provides unique, high-end tours to all of the Major League Baseball stadiums. In 2016, the company became an Official Partner of Major League Baseball and now hosts 40+ baseball tours annually. Dunlap started the business out of a passion for the sport, the enjoyment of traveling to baseball venues, and the desire to see all 30 stadiums with his dad & son (which he has completed!).So what is Glenn's Peerview Data philosophy when he sees something else has to work better, we have to do a better job?"This may not work, but..." So I went to some of my former clients and said, you know, hey, this may not work, but...and they went, "Yeah, let's do it."Everybody wants to know how they're doing versus their competition. That's what Peerview Data provides. Data can help an entrepreneur to take a moment and reflect. Benchmarks aren't the "end all be all." But what can you learn from them, and what data, to compare and learn.How did he choose the entrepreneur path at Ball State University?We're out on the loading dock one day and this guy says, "What are you what are you studying?" And I go, "I don't know. I haven't declared yet." And he goes, "You need to be an entrepreneurship major." Like, I don't even know how to spell it! "What are you talking about?" And he said, "Yeah, my wife's involved in this thing. Go over there right now and declare that as your major." So I went over there and looked at it and I was like, "Well, this sounds kind of interesting". And then I signed up for the class. I bought the book, I read it cover to cover the first night. I'd never done that with a school textbook ever, and was I like, "Wow, this is it. This was what I wanted to do."Working for the big CPA firms, how and why did you decide to strike out on your own?What was going through my mind was, if I can sell it for you knuckleheads, I'm going to go sell it for myself. So I literally kind of walked out of that room a little bit bigger and went back to my office and I started calling clients and said, "Hey, if I leave here, would you follow me?" And they followed me.But he didn't do this alone. Throughout the process, as he went through, his mid-thirties, he had multiple mentors to guide him, to give him confidence.Most entrepreneurs have some kind of superpower that basically sets them apart from their competition. What does Glenn consider his to be?It's a willingness to ask that stupid question. It served me well when I was working with clients in a consultative situation. Look, maybe I don't understand this. Help me understand this. And I don't know your business as well as you, but can you tell me this or can that that I'm having trouble lining that up. Help me make sense of that.So what is Glenn's endgame?I love what I do. You know, I'd be happy doing this the rest of my life. So it's kind of one of those things when you get asked the question about the endgame, it's kind of like, does it have to have the end? I don't want to stop.Glenn has spent his entire professional career working in and with entrepreneurial, high-growth companies. As a seasoned business advisor and small business executive, Glenn has consulted daily with entrepreneurs on strategic and business planning, building financial projections, determining the appropriate capital structure and raising capital. Glenn 's Website Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

Bill is one of those guys you can say is on top of his game. Entrepreneurs seek him out to be behind the scenes to solve problems, act as a sounding board, mediate disputes, and address issues in front of the c-suite. He utilizes his strong marketing background, to facilitate growth, sales, and marketing strategy and incorporate measures to ensure revenue generation, cost reduction, and risk mitigation for his clients. As he states...I help business owners, successful business owners, scale their business, bring in the right players, mostly around marketing a lot of businesses that are trying to scale. They have a hard time finding the right marketing partners to help that without hiring full-time staff. And that's not always the best solution.How were you able to cultivate all your key relationships over your career? How did you figure out the key to that success?A lot of it starts with people like Glenn and networking with Glenn. Networking with other people in our group, mastermind groups being open, being at conferences, just being open to have these conversations with people and learn and not shut down. You really open up your experiences when you talk to people in other industries.What was that "a-ha moment" you had to become an entrepreneur?I hired a supplier once and we worked very closely together to build a loyalty program for Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. And I liked his life. I liked what I saw. He was out signing deals. He was traveling all around. He was doing some entertaining. He was capturing business and enjoying that life. And I thought I'm never going to have that in the corporate world.And what's great about being an entrepreneur is that you can do it your own way!Everything I do in life, I run more in a corporate manner. But I like the freedom of the entrepreneur, so I'm kind of a hybrid.When you come from the corporate world and transition into an entrepreneur, it's natural to keep that life in the rearview mirror, for a time. But as Bill says, that crutch goes away.I think the corporate background probably is a hindrance because it's a crutch. I always think, Oh, I can always go back. I don't anymore. I've been out so long. But for the first seven, eight, nine years I kept thinking, "Man, it'd be nice to have a paycheck every week. Man, it'd be nice just to talk to people at the water cooler and not work as hard as I'm out here working." I'm probably not employable because I would drive people insane with "Let's get something done now."How important is self-awareness of who you are and what you are doing?You have to have a continual analysis of yourself and where you're going. Because once someone goes on the entrepreneurial journey, they don't really know where they're going to end up. But if you're too focused on where you're going to end up, it could end badly. And some of my business does not end up where I wanted them to go. But because I had a bigger awareness of myself, I knew where I wanted to take myself. So where I'm at today is perfect.What would you advise fellow entrepreneurs that are struggling, perhaps or trying to get to the next level?Rely on your network and ask a lot of questions. When I look back, there were quite a few times I'd ask and listen to the answers that they give you. Be around people that have already been in your shoes that can give you that advice.I'm a trusted advisor and servant leader that works behind the scenes to focus the entrepreneur's time, energy and productivity to the 20% effort that gets 80% of the identified company goals. After 15+ years of experience in Fortune 500 companies, 12 of which were in executive marketing roles, I struck out buying businesses and executing rebranding, turnaround, and growth strategies. During my corporate career, I was a key influencer in revenue growth at retail and financial services companies, including GE Money, Victoria’s Secret, Old Navy, Pep Boys, Gap, Banana Republic, Alliance Data Systems, Wachovia Bank (Well’s Fargo) and Kohl’s. I progressed from Market Analyst to Marketing Director and VP of Client Strategy and Marketing. My personal business ventures have ranged from retail and food services to construction, real estate, and marketing services. Bill's Website Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

Shawn Parikh is the Founder-Chairman of Entigrity Offshore Staffing. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, he has over 15 years of experience of being a problem solver for small to mid-size firms and over time he has given consultation to thousands of CPAs, accountants and tax pros. What does he feel is his role is in the entrepreneurs' journey?What I've realized is accountants are big enablers in the journey of entrepreneurs. I am a big, big believer in small businesses and entrepreneurship. And accountants play a very big role there. And I'm happy that in some small way I'm helping that community, although I'm not an accountant myself. But I consider myself fortunate that I have been an accountant where I have enabled those entrepreneurs who have been either starting the business or wanted to grow the business.What are the challenges in being an entrepreneur with businesses in two countries?I think it's tough to leave sometimes family back and travel for months together. I used to stay in the US. I stayed there for about 5 to 6 years. But, you know, leaving family behind and traveling without them is the tough part personally.When did it become evident you had the entrepreneurial spirit?So my journey is a little reverse. So it's not coming from corporates and Big Four and getting into public accounting. It was first public accounting and then I thought that I would, I imagine myself building a corporate going forward. So that let me get the big exposure of how large teams are managed. So being in entrepreneurship was never something from the very beginning.How quickly were you able to figure out that it wasn't about you? It was about your team and what you were able to build and aspire around you.About two years. I went to a housewarming party for one of our team members. And I saw the happiness on the face of the parents of that child. And I realized that in some small way we are trying to contribute to the social upliftment of people around us. So that's where I realized that this is not this journey, is now not just economic prosperity. It's about making a larger impact we are making.What impact did your mentor have on you?He had a tremendous amount of impact on my life. My professional learnings and the way I approach and the way I deal with people. Let me tell you, I never had the vision of building this kind of company. You know, my thinking was small. My exposure was small. I would have not built this company unless I would have gotten that exposure that I had.After losing 50% of his savings after one of his early businesses didn't work out, you couldn't look at it as a "failure." You had to come back stronger, right? Was there a choice? I think a lot of things have happened to me because of destiny. I mean, I went to another country, started all over again. All of this is took some good decisions, got some great people by my side. I met some great people in the U.S. who supported me through all of this. So people often ask would you like to live life the same way that has come to you? Well, I always think that it has to I made a lot of mistakes, but if I wouldn't have made that, this wouldn't have come through. But I was not the guy who took that pressure that much. I live in a joint family in India. So the culture is a little different there and I would have been easily tagged as a failure.As we like to ask all of our guests, "If I just knew that, that would have been key, what would that have been?"So I thought initially when we started working with and started Entegrity, I needed to have to visit every accounting firm and close them. So I used to travel a lot, go to all conferences for year. But then I met Michael Dell, another CPA. He proposed that I let him sell for me for x% commission. I said why not? It was a big mindset shift. So if I would have known that three or four years back, probably we would have been probably 2x what we are right now.Just another example of getting out of your own way.Shawn's WebsiteMyCPERunning a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

In 2003, Rebekah Scott used her curtains to make handbags for holiday presents. That's a humble beginning.Now, their team of 20 seamstresses hand sews bags and accessories for people across the nation! Every stitch and cut is done right here in the upper Midwest by mostly work-from-home women.They exist to help women realize their creativity and to feel more self-confident in their ability to tackle all of their roles. They know women gain confidence and positivity when they create, and can then love themselves and others better.Encourager Academy Rebekah Scott Rebekah's Website Rebekah's Facebook page @shoprsd on Instagram Rebekah on YouTube Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): http://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/into-the-sunshine License code: NWWDFO0WV5WE4VAZ

What a great story behind the changes that have occurred over the last few years at Shelton & Associates!We have transitioned from a full-service accounting firm where we have historically considered ourselves as a tax factory, and we now specialize in being advisors and relationships with our clients and working with them to just establish their best practices, build a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship where they can reach their financial goals through our expertise, to our advice and through our building with them over time.Wayne knew he had to change his business model for the company. But he didn't have the right person in place to do that - until Ryan. He was able to take his background in Law Enforcement to drive the company.We wanted to empower our staff. And so that was a big part of it. They take ownership of their situation. They take ownership of their clients. They get excited. Like, I get to do the bigger work, the bigger stuff, and I'm also getting to see the results as well. The clients love it more because they're doing it's not just Wayne, it's not just Ryan that they can talk to get their answers from.Wayne talks about how the culture changed in just a short amount of time with the proper leadership and direction.My office was a train wreck. We had people going 18 different directions. But we've changed all that and we've got a totally different culture, and it pretty much turned over the whole staff in a three year period.What is it that you actually do that makes you money?The planning advisory. When we bring somebody on board, they have a situation in their business possibly various disasters going on. And a lot of this impacts their tactical situations. So we come in and we apply that advisory service.What is your dream now? What what do you see happening now that you look forward?We've also really branched out into a couple of areas like this business leadership we are doing. We actually look at that as a separate advisory product as well. And we're going up to Minnesota, Wisconsin to teach a firm for two days. They've engaged us to teach for two days on-site at their annual meeting. We're going there to try to get them to put in place a foundation set so they can grow in a similar fashion. And grow better for learning from our mistakes along the way.Wayne is a Paducah, Kentucky native and has practiced public accounting for 42 years. Wayne is the founder of Shelton & Associates, CPA, PLLC. Wayne specializes in auditing, tax planning and preparation and business consulting. He has also consulted on over 40 forensic cases. He received BS in Accounting from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas in 1974 and his CPA certificate in 1976. Wayne received the Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) designation in 1997 from the Medical Group Management Association. He also received the CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics) credential from the AICPA, the CFA (Certified in Financial Forensics) and the CVA (Certified in Financial Forensics) credentials. When he is not working in the office, he can be found hunting, playing golf, tending to his farm and spending time with his family. Ryan is from Ann Arbor, Michigan and moved to Paducah, Kentucky in 2006. He partnered with Wayne at Shelton & Associates, CPA, PLLC in 2018. Ryan specializes in high level customized Business Advisory, including leadership, business best practices, and Forensic Accounting. He graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas in 2006 where he obtained his BS in Criminal Justice. Ryan spent just shy of 12 years serving his community as a Paducah Police Officer. He spent over 10 years on the SWAT Team and was the Team Leader. Ryan leads the Forensic Accounting division of Shelton & Associates, CPA, PLLC, and works closely with clients providing consultation to help them improve and achieve their financial goals. Ryan spends his free time with his family and friends playing games and enjoying the outdoors. Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

Our guest is Don Ross from Ross Wealth Advisors.As Don explains, they believe everyone should be able to live the retirement they’ve always wanted. Their team of professionals can help their clients create a well-thought-out strategy, using a variety of investments and insurance products and services, to help them address their financial needs and concerns.But how did he get here, offering the sage advice he gives his clients?OJT - on-the-job training. Thirty-three years. That's the unique thing of what we do. We are an independent fiduciary. So it's our job to build you the best plan. We work with a lot of singles, widows, widowers, everybody situation's unique.Don talk about how he has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Just jump in and do it.I was about 12 years old, and I started cutting the neighbor's yard. And then I did the following neighbor the next neighbor down. I had a trailer behind my bike, going down the street to the neighborhood.Being an entrepreneur means you have to believe in yourself, your product or service, and make your clients a top priority.When I watched Shark Tank, I see some people up there plugging stuff like, Are you kidding me? But if you believe in it, it doesn't matter. And that's all that matters, whether they go bankrupt or they make millions of dollars. That's the beauty of being an entrepreneur because you did it.Don's take on the importance of how he grows his business.I know I could step back from day to day, but my clients know they can call or text me. That's important to me, you know. Doing paperwork? I mean, I'll screw it up. I don't go into the database. I never touch that. So I just like being with people.Entrepreneurs love the opportunity to grow their businesses. But many don't think about how to say it's time to move on. That's why I have a succession plan in place, which I think every small business owner should have. So you don't leave your clients hanging.A lot of business owners are scared to talk to their competitors. But are entrepreneur competitors really in competition?Two of my best friends, one of them is a fairly big car dealer here in town, a Ford guy, and another friend of mine, the Chevy Guy, both behemoths and what they do, their best friends. They share ideas. They're not competitors. You'd think that, but they're really not. But the mindset of most people is, Oh yeah, they're competitors.Don Ross, RFC®, founder and president of Ross Wealth Advisors, has over 30 years of experience in the financial planning industry. Don is a Registered Financial Consultant who has been advising individuals and families within Central Ohio since 1987. Don’s experience with securities, income planning, tax strategies, and retirement investment planning, allows him to deliver truly valuable advice and service to his clients. Don was raised in Upper Arlington, OH, and has a long history of service to his community and country; including twenty-plus years as a pilot in the Ohio National Guard. Don earned his BS in Finance from Franklin University. In Don’s free time he and his wife Joni enjoy playing pickleball in the summer, platform tennis in the winter, traveling and visiting with their three children Judith, Ryan, and Lance. Don's Website Don's Facebook page Don on YouTube Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper

Our guest hasn't always been the CEO of multiple companies with students from all over the world and properties in various states. Back in 2015, Paul was working a corporate job… the long hours, the commute… and was tired of it. He wanted out. And real estate investing became his escape plan. And in just over a year’s time, he quit that corporate job and hasn’t looked back since!I wanted to do things that were interesting and learn what it takes to make those interesting decisions. I wanted to make things that are interesting. And I found that growing and building businesses are really interesting and really complicated.Why real estate?I could get really low-interest rates at the time. Six percent or less. And that, I feel like, was a very measured and careful approach and not at all throwing caution to the wind. But I was not afraid to make mistakes. My mistake was not trying for 15 years.Paul talks about his unique experience finding and working with his mentor....here's what you got to do first. You have to go by the book The Richest Man in Babylon. I want you to get a physical copy. I want you to read it, highlight it and write a three-page handwritten essay. And then I want you to mail it to my P.O. box. And after you do that, I'll talk to you. So it was his way of testing people if they're serious and if they're coachable and teachable. So I did it, and over the next two years, I probably wrote like six seven eight handwritten, three-page essays on different books that he sent me.What advantages has Paul seen in working with a CPA that also offers business strategy?You need that business strategist. It's really handy when they're an accountant and or an attorney as well, so they can give you advice on those aspects of any business that you're in because you have to solve for both of those.How does Paul see businesses being able to survive over the years?I knew very early on from being in business for other people that the reality of the world in the business world, is adapt or die. You have to adjust.Are there any other relationships that have really been imperative to your success throughout your journey?I did not go into real estate or entrepreneurship for relationships. But I realized that, oh, that's why you go into business in the first place. It's about relationships, it's about service, about creating value to other people. And you're going to need other people in the industry or any other other professionals that you're working with.Paul helps busy professionals design a real estate investment strategy that fits their needs. Whether that's taking control of investments, reducing taxes, accelerating debt paydown, or leveling up in their investing game. He's guided numerous beginners through the process of doing their first real estate deal. He works with investors from California to New Zealand. The best part of his life is helping others build extra sources of income so they can lead a life of their design. As a full-time real estate investor, he no longer depends on a day job. He shows busy professionals how they can follow a simple plan to build wealth with real estate. If you're looking to get started with real estate investing or an investor who is looking for support, feel free to join his free Facebook group. Paul's Facebook group Paul's Website Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Copyright 2025 Glenn Harper