When you’re as driven as Barry Turner — the founder of Lenny & Larry’s and former American Gladiator — it doesn’t matter where you came from. It only matters where you’re going.In this episode of HawkeTalk, Barry chats with Erik about… His journey from North Carolina gym rat to American GladiatorHow he and his partner came up with Lenny & Larry’sHow L&L went from $11M to $94M in sales in two yearsWhy he’s regretted selling his business… both timesFor more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know when you’ve built your entire life on one plan and then you sell it all for something that might not even work?It’s kind of like trying to land a fighter jet on a boat in the dark. At least, that’s how it felt for former Topgun instructor and Tropic Ocean Airways CEO Rob Ceravolo.In this episode of HawkeTalk, Erik catches up with Rob to discuss… What inspired Rob to become a pilot in the NavyWhy Rob gave up his lifelong passion to start a businessHow Rob pivoted multiple times to make his dream a realityFinding the opportunity in tough timesFor more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Her sister may have gone to law school to keep her out of jail, but former Real Housewife of New York Jill Zarin is only taking calculated risks these days.Although she hadn’t always wanted to be an entrepreneur, Jill’s brands — including Jill & Ally masks — have proven that she’s got a knack for informed risk-taking.In this episode, Erik and Jill discuss… Jill’s upbringing and the risks she took early onHow she navigated the reality television sceneHer transition out of reality TV into entrepreneurshipResources mentioned: Appetite for Self-Destruction by Steve KnopperFor more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lisa and Tom Bilyeu — like most married couples — thought separate career paths would be the best route. Luckily, as their marriage became a stronger partnership, so did their work relationship. Mix in their passion for making other people’s lives better, and you get Impact Theory.In this episode, Lisa and Tom talk to Erik about… Growing up in two very different upbringingsHow they both fell in love with filmmakingWhy developing a growth mindset is crucial to a successful brandTips for working well with a business partnerFor more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

His dream was to be the school crossing guard. He never received that honor, but it’s safe to say he’s doing well for himself.Chris Burch, founder & CEO of Burch Creative Capital and co-founder of Tory Burch LLC, was never the brightest crayon in the box growing up. But there was one big thing he had a strong understanding of — people.Now he’s a billionaire.In this episode, Erik and Chris chat about… How Chris coped with anxiety and a learning disability in schoolHow he founded his first multi-million dollar company out of collegeThe keys to his wild success in businessFor more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up as a poor factory worker’s son, you’d never have guessed that Keith Ferrazzi would become the youngest Fortune 500 CMO in history.But that’s exactly what he did. Well, with the help of some key relationships that is.In this episode, Keith shares his origin story with Erik, as well as… What he learned from growing up poor in the midst of his elitist peersWhy being a closeted gay man drove him out of politics and into businessHow leaders today can ultimately change humanity through co-elevation Resources mentioned in this episode:Leading Without Authority & other books by Keithvirtualteamswin.comgoforwardtowork.comcoelevation.comThe Future is Faster Than You Think by Peter Diamandis & Steven Kotler For more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a great entrepreneur? Maybe being raised by entrepreneurs. Or maybe it’s repeating what great entrepreneurs have done before you.For Michael Loeb, founder & CEO of Loeb.nyc and former CEO of Synapse Group, it was neither of those things. In fact, his father was a famed journalist, and Loeb only looks to the future when it comes to entrepreneurship.In this episode of HawkeTalk, Erik and Michael discuss… What goes into the making of a great entrepreneurThe similarities and differences between Michael’s and his father’s pathsWhy shared services act as the Swiss Army knife in entrepreneurshipWhat Michael looks for in a new business idea For more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He pushed too hard in skiing. So, he decided to hold onto the good moments of being a world-renowned rally driver.Andreas Mikkelsen knows what it’s like to have the rug pulled out from underneath him. From those instances, he learned how to be adaptive, even when things aren’t going his way.Andreas joins Erik in this episode to talk about… Why Andreas’s passion shifted from skiing to rally drivingHow he’s made the best of difficult situationsWhy it’s so important to cherish the good moments in life For more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He’d started around 20 companies by the age of 12, but only one ended up mattering to Idaho-native Dan Price: Gravity Payments.Inheriting a hard-working, entrepreneurial spirit from his parents, Dan started Gravity in high school and was eventually able to implement a $70k minimum salary for his employees.In this episode, Dan shares all the twists and turns in his unique story with Erik. Plus, Dan tells about… Growing up in an extremely conservative homeHow he came up with the idea for Gravity PaymentsHow he handled negative feedback from critics of his $70k minimum wageFind Dan’s book, Worth It, here.For more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The good thing about not having a role model? You can be your own.That’s what Kara Nortman, Partner at Upfront Ventures, has done for most of her life. And, it’s served her well. Early on, she thought she knew what her path was going to look like — luckily, she was wrong.In this episode of HawkeTalk, Erik and Kara discuss… Growing up with no business role models in her life, let alone businesswomenHow going back to school saved Kara from her insane work scheduleHow she’s now bringing diversity into her firm and her side projects, like Angel CityFor more interviews like this one, subscribe to HawkeTalk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.