

Entrepreneur Intel
Wes Mathews
Welcome to Entrepreneur Intel, a podcast where we discuss the most important strategies for success from amazing entrepreneurs. Host Wes Mathews sits down with business owners to learn about how they got started running their own business, what helped them succeed and the biggest lessons they learned along the way.
Be sure to catch new episodes every Thursday morning, and to make sure you never miss out on any insights, don’t forget to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, You Tube or wherever you get your podcasts.
This show is sponsored by Stealth Consulting, your Fractional CMO. Stealth provides the roadmap and accountability to reach your business and marketing goals. Learn more at https://stealthconsulting.com/
Be sure to catch new episodes every Thursday morning, and to make sure you never miss out on any insights, don’t forget to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, You Tube or wherever you get your podcasts.
This show is sponsored by Stealth Consulting, your Fractional CMO. Stealth provides the roadmap and accountability to reach your business and marketing goals. Learn more at https://stealthconsulting.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 15, 2026 • 1h 7min
20-Person Company That Operates Like 200 | Stephen Wojno
Stephen Wojno took a bankrupt company from $7 million to $28 million by age 26. He ran a 300-person manufacturing operation. Now he's the Chief Intelligence Officer at Stealth Consulting building AI systems for small businesses.Steve said something that stopped me cold.AI can already do 47% of your workload. You just need to know how to point it in the right direction.Most businesses think AI will solve all their problems the moment they turn it on. It won't. You have to train it like an intern. You have to document your processes first. You have to build the foundation before any of this works.Stephen breaks down:→ Why a 20-person company can now operate like a 200-person company→ How to turn your B-players into A-players with the right tools→ Why your salespeople can never fill out your CRM correctly and what to do about itAnd why 2026 is the year you either start building with AI or get left behind.~~~This episode brought to you by Stealth Consulting.*Connect with Wes*Web: https://stealthconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stealth_consulting/

Dec 4, 2025 • 43min
Hard Truths From Founders Who’ve Hit A Growth Ceiling | Patrick Thean | Entrepreneur Intel
Patrick Thean, an award-winning entrepreneur, USA Today bestselling author, and one of the world’s leading experts in strategy execution is the guy CEOs call when growth stalls.Today, Patrick shares why most companies don’t grow: 1) they can’t keep commitments2) they crave crisis3) they avoid the boring, necessary work.He describes a shift from trying to solve every problem on his own to learning how to recognize issues early, trust his team, and truly let go.My takeaway: real leadership growth begins with openness... a willingness to welcome feedback, even when it’s uncomfortable or challenges the assumptions you’ve held for years.- - - - -This episode brought to you by Stealth Consulting.*Connect with Wes*Web: https://stealthconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stealth_consulting/

Nov 20, 2025 • 38min
What I Wish I Knew Before My First Business Sale | Brent Peterson | Entrepreneur Intel
Brent Peterson built and sold his company just as the world was changing.It's when he found out... Owners can’t stay on as the core of the business. It only ends in disaster.While he misses the team and the energy, Brent knows his vision belongs to someone else now.People think entrepreneurs always have to grind, but what if the smartest move is knowing when to really walk away?- - - - -This episode brought to you by Stealth Consulting.**Connect with Wes**Web: https://stealthconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stealth_consulting/

Nov 6, 2025 • 42min
Only $500 And Nine Months To Figure It Out | Natalie Kaminski EP 56
Natalie Kaminski shares her story of arriving in the U.S. at 18 with just $500, hustling through tech jobs, and climbing her way from QA engineer to COO, before founding JetRockets and leading it through explosive growth and global relocation.Natalie talks about learning on someone else's dime, why embracing what you do best matters, the real impact of AI on tech agencies, and how she faced the ultimate test... moving her entire team out of Russia when war broke out.

Oct 23, 2025 • 43min
The SECRET to Building Trust in a Noisy World | feat. CEO Tom Schwab | EP55
Tom Schwab, founder and "Chief Evangelist Officer" of Interview Valet, joins to discuss how meaningful conversations (NOT marketing noise) build real trust to drive business growth. Tom shares how podcast guesting has evolved into one of the most effective ways to connect with audiences, build authority, and leverage AI to increase discoverability.We cover...- Why RELATIONSHIPS remain the ultimate currency in business- How AI is reshaping marketing and lead generation- Efficiency vs Effectiveness in marketing- How to create valuable content that compounds over timeResourcesClicksand: How Digital Marketing is Ruining Your Business by Bill Troy- - - - -This episode brought to you by Stealth Consulting.Connect with WesWeb: https://stealthconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stealth_consulting/

Oct 9, 2025 • 43min
He was BROKE in 2008... now he OWNS a USDA plant | with CEO Haig Berberian | EP 53
Haig Berberian didn’t just sell other people’s products — he built the capability to make his own. We dig into how he went from brokering food to taking possession, then launching a USDA plant to control quality, safety, and margins. We talk 2008 survival, credit when you’re broke, why phone calls still win, and what it really takes to scale premium sausage and meats.We also get honest about leadership and life: EO as a founder’s tribe, stepping back so your team can step up, lessons from caring for a parent, and why e-commerce isn’t always the move when you’re crushing B2B. Unfiltered, practical, and very real. Thank you for watching!This episode brought to you by Stealth Consulting.Connect with Wes:Web: https://stealthconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stealth_consulting/

Sep 25, 2025 • 39min
Building Content That Lasts in the Age of AI w/ Dave Kustin - Episode #53
Dave Kustin is a brand strategist and co-founder of ContentBacon, a company he built to solve a problem he saw in the market: businesses either hiring a random freelancer for $5 or paying massive retainers to big agencies—without much in between. With ContentBacon, Dave set out to create something different: scalable, transparent, and focused on delivering real content that actually works.In this episode, Dave shares his journey from running an agency to launching a service company built for scale. He opens up about how joining EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization) gave him the accountability and vision to grow, why letting go of being the “creative director” was so tough, and how he learned to be creative about building a company instead of just designing campaigns.We also get into the realities of content marketing in 2025—why simply churning out AI-generated blogs won’t cut it, and why human fingerprints are more important than ever in creating content that resonates. Dave explains how his team uses AI as a partner for ideation and heavy lifting, but always relies on professional writers and editors to keep the heart in the work.If you’ve ever struggled with scaling your business, debated whether content is really worth the investment, or wondered how AI is changing the game, this episode is packed with insights. Dave also shares practical tips, like how to start building content just by answering your top 10 FAQs, and why messy first drafts are better than waiting for “perfect.”Join us for this conversation if you’re an entrepreneur, visionary, or team leader who wants to create a business that scales without losing its soul.Here’s what we talked about:- How Dave built ContentBacon, a scalable “anti-agency” for content marketing.- Why EO and accountability groups helped him think bigger and scale.- Why content still needs a human fingerprint in the age of AI.- Start your content strategy by answering your top 10 FAQs.- Why “perfect” content doesn’t exist—and messy drafts win.Dave Kustin’s Social Links: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/davekustin/Links:Entrepreneur Intel: https://entrepreneurintel.com/Stealth Consulting: https://stealthconsulting.comFollow Wesley Mathews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/

Sep 4, 2025 • 42min
Flying Through Business Turbulence: Strategy, Pricing, and Teamwork w/ Brian Doyle – Episode #52
Brian Doyle is a former Air Force pilot who commanded 31 combat missions before moving into the business world, working at GE Capital, and eventually becoming CEO of Holden Advisors. Today, he helps $100M–$5B companies increase profitability by building pricing strategies that actually get implemented—and embraced—by sales teams.In this episode, Brian shares how lessons from the cockpit translate to leading in business, from staying calm under pressure to keeping your “cross check” on all parts of the operation. He opens up about navigating COVID just weeks into his CEO role, the dangers of relying too heavily on one client, and why process and discipline are just as important as big ideas.Brian also talks about bridging generational gaps inside organizations, building trust between sales teams and leadership, and using EOS to keep everyone aligned. Whether it’s negotiating with giants like Amazon or helping companies understand their true value, he explains how to create pricing power without losing customers.Join us for a candid look at leadership, strategy, and execution from someone who’s flown through turbulence—both in the air and in business—and come out stronger.In this episode, we talked about:How 31 combat missions as an Air Force pilot shaped Brian’s leadership and decision-making.Why Holden Advisors blends value-based pricing strategy with hands-on implementation.Lessons from rapid growth tied to a single major client.Pivoting to virtual delivery weeks into his CEO role.Using a pilot’s “cross check” to avoid business blind spots.Leveraging EOS to align big ideas with disciplined execution.Bridging gaps between sales teams and leadership.Adapting communication styles for Millennials and Gen Z.Negotiating with giants like Amazon while protecting pricing.Connecting with younger generations in a changing workplace.Brian Doyle's Social Links: Email: bdoyle@holdenadvisers.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianadoyle Company Website: https://holdenadvisors.com Links:Stealth Consulting: https://stealthconsulting.com/ Follow Wesley Mathews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/ Skypayments: https://www.skypaymentsgroup.com/

Jul 10, 2025 • 44min
The AI Playbook Every Small Business Needs Right Now w/ Youssef Tawfik - Episode #51
Youssef Tawfik is a former national basketball player from Egypt who left a safe career in big tech to build his own company, Revi. Today, he’s helping businesses around the world use software and AI to modernize, especially the ones still stuck doing things with pen and paper in 2025. In this episode, Youssef shares his journey from working in big tech to building scalable solutions. He talks about how he knew it was time to bet on himself and offers valuable insights for any visionary founder or business leader looking to modernize operations, leverage AI responsibly, and bring their team along for the ride. Youssef breaks down exactly how small businesses can start automating today by just looking at the tools they already use. He also debunks the myth that “AI is here to replace people” and shows how you can use AI tools to work faster, better, and smarter. We also talk about the human side of bringing in new tools. Youssef shares how to help your team get excited about change, not scared of it. From setting up systems the right way to making sure your data is clean and organized, he explains how to actually prepare your business to use AI in a way that works. Join us today if you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or team leader. This episode will help you make smarter decisions around AI and automation and show you how to grow a business that can keep up with your biggest ideas.Youssef Tawfik's Social Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youssef-tawfik11/ Company LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/revi-agency/Company Website: https://revi.agency/Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revi.agency/Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yousseftawfik11/Links:Stealth Consulting: https://stealthconsulting.com/Follow Wesley Mathews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Skypayments: https://www.skypaymentsgroup.com/

Jun 26, 2025 • 40min
How Entrepreneurs Can Build And Protect Tax-Free Wealth Using Life Insurance w/ Jason Hansen - Episode #50
Jason Hansen is a Certified Living Benefits Expert and founder of Midwest Family Financial. For over 20 years, he’s helped entrepreneurs and families use life insurance to protect their future, build tax-free income, and avoid financial disaster. Today, Jason joins me to break down a topic that confuses a lot of people: life insurance. We talk about what it really is, the difference between term and permanent life insurance, and how living benefits can help you while you’re still alive, not just after you die. Jason breaks down how founders can use the right type of policy to cover worst-case scenarios, tap into their death benefit while still alive, and create a cash reserve they can borrow from at any time without involving the IRS. We explore the strategy of using permanent life insurance as a cash flow and investment vehicle, explaining the infinite banking concept in plain English. Jason also shares real-life stories, like the policy he used to help his son buy a truck and how Walt Disney used life insurance to build Disneyland. Jason also shares certain policies that allow chronically ill and terminal patients can access up to $20,000 a month without you having to pay extra. Join us today as we break down complex topics into understandable concepts, explore how to build a policy that works for you, and help you protect your future without getting overwhelmed by sales jargon.Jason Hansen's Social Links:CEO of midwest family financial ( http://midwestfamilyfinancial.com ) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hansen-8078a7149/Links:Stealth Consulting: https://stealthconsulting.com/Follow Wesley Mathews on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleymathews/Skypayments: https://www.skypaymentsgroup.com/


