Dave Spray

Ep019: Succession Interviews with Laurie Barkman

September 3rd, 2021  |  59 mins 42 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Laurie Barkman, founder of SmallDotBig, a strategic advisory firm that helps owners of small to mid-sized companies maximize enterprise value, create succession plans, and identify M&A strategies.

We talked about her experience leading companies through successful exits as both the CEO and as an outside advisor. If you're the owner of a small to mid-sized company who is starting to think about an exit plan, I would highly recommend that you reach out to her.

Laurie also has a podcast that she started in 2019 and has released more than 60 episodes. The podcast is called Succession Stories, and she interviews both companies that have gone through a successful exit, as well as the professional advisors that help this industry.

We talked about why she launched the podcast, the lessons she's learned along the way, and what she would have done differently if she started today. She shared some great tips, and If you ever considered having your own podcast, this episode has a lot of great ideas for launching and maintaining a successful podcast.

Even if you're not looking to start a podcast just yet, Laurie's deep insight into having a successful transition in your business is very valuable.

Ep018: Running a Top Professional Services Firm with Randy Reimer & Mike Huett

August 27th, 2021  |  39 mins 23 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking Randy Reimer and Mike Huett, two partners in the CPA firm of Reimer, McGuinness, and associates in Houston, Texas.

In this episode, we learn more about the firm, Mike and Randy's attitudes about running a top-notch professional services firm, and whether podcasting is a good fit for the firm.

They are intrigued by the ways a podcast could amplify their message and the brand of the firm, so we talked about their podcast score and the many ways a podcast is beneficial and justifies the investment.

If you've ever considered having your own podcast, this episode has a lot of great ideas on ways a podcast can be beneficial.

Ep017: Removing Pain Points with Ryan Seifert

August 20th, 2021  |  52 mins 14 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Ryan Seifert of Teric Technology right here in Houston, Texas.

Teric Technology is an IT Consulting firm, but they have a very different approach than any other IT firm I've seen because they start with a strict focus on the pain points of the CEO personally.

These pain points often highlight the underlying issues of business process breakdown, or inefficiency, that Ryan and his team can improve by the strategic implementation of technology.

Ryan's also intrigued by how a podcast could enhance the credibility of the firm, increase awareness, and help to accelerate trust with potential clients, as well as establishing an educational foundation by sharing client success stories.

He's a dynamic technology expert and a savvy entrepreneur. If you've ever considered having your own podcast, this episode has many great ideas on ways a podcast might be beneficial.

Ep016: A Sense of Purpose with Eryn Anitavi

August 13th, 2021  |  46 mins 29 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Eryn Anitavi of Sapphire Partners in Seattle, a firm that specializes in on-demand, Chiefs of Staff, which could be thought of as very high-level Executive Assistants.

We start the conversation by learning more about her firm and how Eryn stumbled into this business before talking more about how a podcast could amplify the message and brand of her firm.

We also dive deep into her Podcast Scorecard and look at a number of ways in which a podcast could be beneficial to the firm and how to think about that as an investment.

If you've ever considered your own podcast, this episode has a lot of great ideas, and Eryn's passion and sense of purpose in her business is an inspiration to any entrepreneur.

Ep015: Building a Platform with Ken Clark

August 6th, 2021  |  49 mins 53 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Ken Clark, founder of the Chenal Family Therapy Company based in Arkansas.

Ken is a serial entrepreneur. After nearly a decade on Wall St he wanted to make more of a difference and decided to return to school to become a licensed therapist.

After graduating from a California school, he noticed that his home state of California seemed saturated with therapists, and in this episode, we learn how and why he decided to launch his practice in Little Rock, Arkansas, and how he integrated learning from other business experiences to develop the novel practice management platform for nearly 200 therapists that generates over $10 million in annual revenue.

Ken is thinking about starting a podcast, and we drilled into the details of his podcast scorecard, where he scored 87 out of 96, an ideal candidate for a podcast, and brainstormed different strategies to get maximum leverage from the podcast.

If you're considering starting a podcast, this podcast is full of ideas and value.

Ep014: Branding with Bethany Andell

July 30th, 2021  |  50 mins 6 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories we're talking with Bethany Andell from Savage Brands, right here in Houston, Texas.

Bethany has a long history in branding and marketing, and we had a great conversation about the unique way they approach helping clients align their values with their messages, communications, and actions.

Ep013: Creating a Maverick Message with Jay Tompkins

July 23rd, 2021  |  26 mins 46 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Jay Tompkins, CPA and tax partner with Baker Tilly.

Jay clearly enjoys sharing his knowledge, and this discussion of what his podcast might look like was an excellent opportunity to focus that passion.

If you have a passion for sharing what you know, this is a great show for you.

Ep012: Podcasting Q&A

July 16th, 2021  |  32 mins 37 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we have a little different type of podcast. Rather than speaking with a guest, I'm going to do a short episode answering some of the most common questions we've received about starting your own podcast.

With so many options for recording, setting up the show, and wondering how to make the most of episode, it can seem overwhelming. The good news is there are simple ways to approach all of these.

Ep011: Podcasting is a Superpower with Brannon Poe

July 9th, 2021  |  1 hr 6 mins

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Brannon Poe, Founder, and CEO of Poe Group Advisors. A former CPA himself, he's had a podcast, the Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast, that focuses on Accounting practice sales, mergers, acquisitions, and management for 8-years.
We talked about how the show supports his business of helping CPA firm owners who want to buy, sell, or improve their business and we describe having a podcast as a superpower that amplifies how potential clients get to know, like, and trust you.

Ep010: Indirect Podcast Advantages with Doug McCullough

June 25th, 2021  |  54 mins 29 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Doug McCullough, an attorney in Houston, the Lone Star Policy Institute director, and podcast host of The Urbane Cowboys podcast with almost 150 episodes.

Doug has a lot of experience podcasting and many great lessons to share for anyone considering a podcast, including an interesting insight that he didn't feel he's received much business from his podcast, but he has received business from being on other people's podcasts.

People felt comfortable having him as a guest on their shows because he has a podcast of his own, and this indirect benefit of having a podcast ended up resulting in new business for his firm.

This is a great episode. Doug's a very interesting guy, and you'll really enjoy what he has to share.

Ep009: Lessons from 500 shows with Kyle Hannan

June 18th, 2021  |  47 mins 58 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Kyle Hannan, host of 'Go Beyond Disruption', the podcast of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Kyle has a very interesting perspective, being the most experienced podcaster I've interviewed so far. He's hosted or co-hosted over 500 episodes and has been involved in the production of a further 300 shows, so he has a lot of great insights on what it takes to have a successful podcast.

Ep008: Building a Community with Chris Kolkhorst

June 11th, 2021  |  45 mins 55 secs

Chris Kolkhorst is a serial entrepreneur who started his first business in high school. He's since successfully built and exited several more and continues to identify new business opportunities.

He's interested in having two different podcasts, one for his current insurance business and another for his passion project called, The Gritman Club.

We used the Podcast Scorecard to look for opportunities, and he scored 80 out of 96, a pretty high score and an indication that he's a great fit for a podcast. We drilled deeper into some of the scorecard questions and explored some different ways he can make the most of a podcast.

Ep007: Finding Students with Courtney Krenz

June 4th, 2021  |  1 hr 8 mins

Today we're talking with Courtney Krenz about the value of a podcast for one of his businesses, a Massage Training School in Costa Rica.

We used the Podcast Scorecard as an interview guide, and the conversation turned into a consulting/brainstorming session, as well as diving “backstage” and talking in specifics about how our Podcast Done For You service works.

Ep006: The Soul of Enterprise with Ron Baker

May 21st, 2021  |  57 mins 4 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Ron Baker, author of many books, including 'Professional's Guide to Value Pricing' and 'Pricing on Purpose,' but today I wanted to speak to him about how his businesses have been helped by his podcast, The Soul of Enterprise.

Ep005: Sharing New Ideas with John McDonough

May 14th, 2021  |  54 mins 34 secs

John works with ultra-high net worth families and c-suite executives to create innovative insurance solutions. He's looking to start a podcast to share more about his company and the opportunity his solutions create for people.
We had a great conversation, walking through the podcast scorecard to identify and brainstorm how he can use a podcast to inform, engage, and compel people to take the next step.

Ep004: Amplifying Your Message with Ronda Ross

May 6th, 2021  |  44 mins 13 secs

Today on Podcasting Stories, we're talking with Ronda Ross, a Realtor here in Houston. Ronda recently launched her own company. She already has five agents working with her, so we talked about why she hires the people she works with, her absolute commitment to serving her team and their clients, and how a podcast can help amplify her message by sharing the valuable insights she has in a friendly, accessible way.