Shows
Entrepreneurial OOMPHSelling Smart: How Business Brokers, SBA Loans & Incubators Drive Growth Peter GregoryIn this episode of Entrepreneurial OOMPH!, host Debra Pearlman sits down with Peter Gregory, Business Broker at First Choice Business Brokers Westchester, to explore the real mechanics behind selling or buying a company — from valuation and buyer vetting to confidentiality, SBA financing, and the power of business incubators in driving community growth.You’ll learn:• How brokers prepare sellers and value businesses effectively• NDA and proof-of-funds best practices for serious buyers• How SBA loans empower business buyers and sellers• Why simple, scalable models attract executive investors• How incubators transform startups into job creators
2025-11-1132 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFrom Real Estate to Coaching Mastery with Fritz PollardDirector of The Coaching Nexus, *Fritz Pollard* unpacks decades of lessons on leadership, mentorship, and the routines that power high-impact coaching.*Takeaways:*• Coach–Recruit–Train: a durable leadership trio• Mentorship & shadowing compress the learning curve• Stamina comes from daily habits of mind and body• Choose joy and relationships over status symbols
2025-11-0437 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFrom CPA to “Dream Team” Builder: Assistants, Culture by Design & Scaling Smart with Rob LevinWhat happens when a CPA turns publisher, face-plants in print at the wrong time, and then builds one of the fastest-growing talent companies serving small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs)? Rob Levin, co-founder and CEO of Work Better Now, joins Debra Pearlman to unpack his 30-year entrepreneurial journey — and share why every business owner needs a full-time assistant, how to build a culture by design (not default), and the precision process behind matching A-players from Latin America to U.S.-based small and mid-sized businesses. We dig into: the rise, fall, and lessons from New York Enterprise Report; the moment a si...
2025-10-2829 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHLawsuit-Proof Your Business with Devora LindemanFrom dancer to defender of growing companies—employment lawyer Devora Lindeman shares how proactive counsel helps leaders sleep at night. We unpack real HR curveballs (the soap-opera kind), what to do before you’re sued, and how to turn culture from words on a wall into performance metrics. Devora explains when to document advice, why “write it down” protects you, and right-sized legal options—hourly, flat-fee, and subscription—for teams without in-house counsel (sweet spot: ~30–500 employees). If you hire, manage, or plan to scale, this conversation shows how to keep your business compliant, your people aligned, and your focus on growth—not fir
2025-10-2141 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFrom Shredding to Scaling: Judith Papo on Legal Shred, Medical Waste & Relationship-Driven GrowthWhat does it take to grow from a single shredding truck to a multi-market operation that competes head-to-head with industry giants? In this candid conversation, Judith Papo shares the journey from Hudson Valley Shred to Legal Shred, which has expanded into data destruction, hard-drive shredding, box storage, and a fast-growing medical waste business—fueled by a relentless focus on relationships, responsiveness, and compliance education. We explore how a family-run partnership divides strengths (ops, sales, leadership), why rebranding unlocked metro-area growth, and how franchising their medical-waste model is opening doors nationwide.Judith also gets real about being a woman leader in...
2025-10-1438 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFrom Military Precision to Business Success: John Klassen’s Leadership PlaybookIn this episode of Entrepreneurial OOMPH!, host Debra Pearlman sits down with John Klassen, a business leader whose military discipline and banking precision shaped his management and sales philosophy. John shares powerful insights on leadership, delegation, and accountability, including his signature 10-3-1 sales rule that transforms team performance. He opens up about guiding his company through a challenging succession plan, the critical role of SOPs and workflows, and why the best leaders focus on being effective, not popular. Whether you’re leading a team, planning for succession, or looking to scale sales, John’s lessons deliver clarity, structure, and results.
2025-10-0742 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHJazz, Legacy & The Billion-Dollar Idea That Redefined Life Insurance with Steve SimonSteve Simon shares how compassion sparked the Living Benefits movement, forever changing life insurance. At nearly 80, he’s still innovating—building companies, creating music, and proving that passion and perseverance drive a true legacy.
2025-09-3034 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHOrdinary Greatness: Shirley Ann Felder — From $65M Waste Business to Women’s EmpowermentFrom painting garbage trucks purple to signal “professional service for women,” to leading a $65M multi-state operation, to surviving Chapter 11 and rising again—Shirley Ann Felder embodies ordinary greatness.In this powerful conversation, Shirley (Chief Inspirational Officer, Ordinary Greatness Consulting) shares how she built and led a team in a male-dominated industry, employed over 150 people, helped women transition from welfare to work, and why she now helps women release, recycle, and rise.In this episode:Building a woman-led brand in a “trash” industry (and why the trucks were purple)$65M revenue over 23 years, 150+ employees, and family as cultureThe 2...
2025-09-2329 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFrom Shadows to Scale: RevOps, Speed & Smart Systems with Mark HeinsmanSeventeen years “in the shadows” supporting marquee brands—and now stepping into the spotlight. In this episode, Mark Heinsman, owner of Imagative (IMAGATIV.com), shares how he shifted from custom web builds to Revenue Operations: assembling fast, testable systems that capture leads, convert customers, and scale with CRM-driven automations (GoHighLevel), A/B testing, and tight feedback loops.
2025-09-1631 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFrom Healing Hands to CEO: Gina McDonald’s Massage ExperienceGina McDonald grew Massage Experience from a single spa into a thriving collective. She shares how she empowers other entrepreneurs, mentors providers in financial savvy, and builds a business rooted in growth, resilience & purpose.
2025-09-0929 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHResilience, Wellness & Leadership with Carole HurstCarole Hurst, a 75-year-old wellness educator, entrepreneur, and team leader, shares her powerful story of resilience, health transformation, and leadership. From overcoming major health challenges and living with muscular dystrophy to building a thriving business and empowering women, Carole demonstrates that a strong mindset, gratitude, and purpose fuel longevity and success. Learn how to grow with courage, lead with compassion, and create impact at any age.
2025-09-0234 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHKnow Your Numbers, Know Your Business with Kyle HarrisonReal estate coach & numbers expert Kyle Harrison shares how clarity in your financials transforms business, leadership, and life. Vulnerability, alignment, and success—beyond the spreadsheets.
2025-08-2634 min
The INNER Estate with Bridget Ann StuartTurning Inward to Move ForwardIn this episode, Debra Pearlman joins Bridget Stuart to talk about the inner work that drives true transformation in life and business. Debra shares her personal journey from a busy New York career to discovering the importance of community, vulnerability, and service to others. She dives into how adversity can spark growth, why delegation is essential to leadership, and how creating a culture of trust empowers everyone to thrive. This conversation is about courage, self-discovery, and the power of letting others contribute. Episode Highlights Why turning inward is key to transformation How adversity shapes p...
2025-08-2638 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHStill Scaling at 83: Coaching, Feedback & Emotional Alchemy with Sheila PearlAt 83, Sheila Pearl is still coaching, growing, and inspiring. She shares powerful lessons on leadership, emotional alchemy, and feedback in this unforgettable episode.
2025-08-1934 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHFocus, Failure & Financial Freedom with Eric EgelandWhat can a former rock star teach you about building sustainable businesses? In this candid and insightful conversation, Debra Pearlman sits down with Eric Egeland, founder of Capacity Consulting and Capacity Bookkeeping, to unpack decades of hard-earned entrepreneurial lessons. Eric shares how he pivoted from government consulting to scaling a profitable bookkeeping business, why diversification matters only after focus, and the dangers of putting all your eggs in one client’s basket. You’ll discover:How to spot cracks in your business foundation before they break you.Why key employees can make or break your growth.The art of creati...
2025-08-1235 minEntrepreneurial OOMPHScaling with Support : The Coach & Mentor AdvantageIn this episode of Entrepreneurial OOMPH!, host Debra Pearlman sits down with Kyle Hudson, successful entrepreneur and BNI Director Consultant, to explore how he and his brother grew their Charleston-based landscaping company from a small family venture to a thriving business with 23 employees.Kyle shares the pivotal moments in transitioning from hands-on fieldwork to operational independence, leveraging systems, processes, and effective delegation to scale sustainably. Inspired by Mike McAllist’s Clockwork, Kyle reveals how implementing SOPs and structured training empowered his team to deliver year-round, high-quality service.This conversation dives into: • 🌱 Scaling Strategies: Moving from technician...
2025-08-0529 min
The Great BattlefieldUsing Tech to Drive Voter Turnout with Debra Cleaver of VoteAmericaDebra Cleaver returns to The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about being ousted from Vote.org, which she founded and ran for a decade, and starting VoteAmerica where they work to increase voter turnout through the use of tech.
2024-07-311h 09
Public Health Review Morning EditionWorkforce Pipeline Progress, Strategies to Reduce Congenital SyphilisAJ Pearlman, Director of Public Health AmeriCorps, says more than 4-thousand people are learning about public health as part of the program; Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, and Dr. Debra Bogen, Acting Secretary of Health for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, share their own messages about National Public Health Week; Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer for the State of Alaska, tells us public health needs new strategies to address rising rates of syphilis and congenital syphilis; and ASTHO will help you put your leadership skills on the fast track with a discussion happening...
2024-04-0905 min
MorbidThe Murder of Kelly Ann TinyesKelly Ann Tinyes was at home babysitting her eight-year-old brother, Richie, on the afternoon of March 3, 1989 when the phone rang. Richie answered, talking briefly to the man on the other end of the line, before handing the phone to his sister, telling her it was someone named “John.” After a short conversation with “John,” Kelly hung up the phone and left the house around 3:15 pm, telling her brother she was going to her friend’s house down the street and would be right back. It was the last time Kelly’s family would see her alive.Thank y...
2023-03-271h 15
The Shifting Privacy Left PodcastS1E1: "Guardians of the Metaverse" with Kavya Pearlman (XRSI)(Transcription)Welcome to the first episode of Shifting Privacy Left. To kick off the show, I’m joined by Kavya Pearlman, Exec Director of The eXtended Reality Safety Initiative (XRSI) to discuss current challenges associated with extended reality (XR), the XRSI Privacy & Safety Framework, and the importance of embedding privacy into today’s technology.---------**Thank you to our sponsor, Privado, the developer friendly privacy platform**---------In our conversation, Kavya describes her vision for bridging the gap between government & technologists. While consulting Facebo...
2022-10-2556 min
Best Book Ever PodcastMalavika Praseed's End of Year Wrap UpMalavika Praseed is the host of the Your Favorite Book Podcast, a show with a similar theme as the Best Book Ever, but with a different format and philosophy. She’s been my guest here a couple of times, and I love talking books with her. Today, we got together to talk about what it’s like to ask people about their favorite books. What episodes are our most popular? Which ones are our personal favorites? What genres are we missing? Do we have an unpopular book opinions? Hosting these podcasts have changed both of our reading lives, in most...
2021-12-1341 min
Best Book Ever Podcast079 Malavika Praseed's End-of-Year Wrap UpMalavika Praseed is the host of the Your Favorite Book Podcast, a show with a similar theme as the Best Book Ever, but with a different format and philosophy. She’s been my guest here a couple of times, and I love talking books with her. Today, we got together to talk about what it’s like to ask people about their favorite books. What episodes are our most popular? Which ones are our personal favorites? What genres are we missing? Do we have an unpopular book opinions? Hosting these podcasts have changed both of our reading lives, in most...
2021-12-1341 min