In this episode of Behind Their Success, Tracey Noonan—an entrepreneurial powerhouse and co-founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes—shares her journey from a small baking business with her daughter to landing a life-changing deal with Kevin O’Leary. Tracey opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her success: embracing video marketing before it was mainstream, learning how to pitch under pressure, and understanding the importance of building trust in partnerships. Her pitch not only impressed the sharks with strong sales numbers and a compelling story but also highlighted her deep passion and commitment to scaling her brand authentically.

Reflecting on life after the tank, Tracey dives into the realities of entrepreneurship—what it really means to be a leader, how to navigate rapid growth, and why staying grounded matters. She talks about the responsibility that comes with being the face of a company and the importance of building a strong team. With humor and humility, Tracey shares what it felt like to close a deal on national TV, how her business exploded afterward, and why she'd do it all again—cupcakes, chaos, and all.

In this episode of Behind Their Success, host Paden Squires sits down with Jeremy Jenson, founder and CEO of Encore Search Partners—Houston’s largest executive search firm. Jeremy shares how he left behind a successful lead generation business to bet on himself and build something bigger. That bet paid off. Through strategic pivots, investing in the right people, and implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), he scaled Encore into a multi-million dollar recruiting powerhouse.

Jeremy talks candidly about the importance of systems, hiring A-players, and why leaders should always explain the “why” behind their decisions. He also shares insights on compensation, leadership, and how automation and AI are changing industries like recruiting. This episode is packed with real, tactical advice for entrepreneurs looking to grow beyond just being self-employed—and into building a business that truly scales.

The conversation also dives deep into the realities of multifamily real estate investing. Ken emphasizes that success in the field requires treating it like a business, fully understanding the numbers, and putting in the work before asking others to invest. He addresses common misconceptions—like needing a lot of money to start—and explains how partnerships and sweat equity often pave the way for new investors. With decades of experience, Ken now leads a blind pool fund and offers educational resources to help others enter the industry responsibly. His message is clear: if you're willing to dive into the details and do the work, multifamily real estate can be a powerful wealth-building vehicle.

Reuven shares insights on his “Untangling Complex Challenges” methodology, the importance of presence and stillness in a distracted world, and how practices like journaling, movement meditation, and habit stacking can enhance clarity and creativity. The conversation touches on practical spirituality, the danger of solving surface-level symptoms instead of root problems, and why cross-functional alignment is key to lasting success—whether in companies, families, or within ourselves.

In this episode of Behind Their Success, host Paden Squires sits down with Ken Gee, founder of KRI Partners, to explore Ken's journey from a CPA at Deloitte to a successful multifamily real estate investor and educator. Ken shares how the demands of corporate life and the desire to be present for his family pushed him to pursue a different path. His 3:00 a.m. feedings with his newborn daughter became a turning point, inspiring him to build a life of financial freedom and time autonomy through real estate. He describes how he bought his first few apartment buildings in Cleveland, made a half-million dollars, and never looked back—eventually building a real estate portfolio with over $2 billion in transactions.

The conversation also dives deep into the realities of multifamily real estate investing. Ken emphasizes that success in the field requires treating it like a business, fully understanding the numbers, and putting in the work before asking others to invest. He addresses common misconceptions—like needing a lot of money to start—and explains how partnerships and sweat equity often pave the way for new investors. With decades of experience, Ken now leads a blind pool fund and offers educational resources to help others enter the industry responsibly. His message is clear: if you're willing to dive into the details and do the work, multifamily real estate can be a powerful wealth-building vehicle.

Reuven shares insights on his “Untangling Complex Challenges” methodology, the importance of presence and stillness in a distracted world, and how practices like journaling, movement meditation, and habit stacking can enhance clarity and creativity. The conversation touches on practical spirituality, the danger of solving surface-level symptoms instead of root problems, and why cross-functional alignment is key to lasting success—whether in companies, families, or within ourselves.

This episode of Behind Their Success features guest Reuven Shelef, an executive coach, management consultant, and founder of Out of the Box Consulting. Host Paden Squires and Reuven explore the power of untangling complex personal and organizational challenges by externalizing thoughts, identifying root causes, and building alignment—both in business and personal life.

Reuven shares insights on his “Untangling Complex Challenges” methodology, the importance of presence and stillness in a distracted world, and how practices like journaling, movement meditation, and habit stacking can enhance clarity and creativity. The conversation touches on practical spirituality, the danger of solving surface-level symptoms instead of root problems, and why cross-functional alignment is key to lasting success—whether in companies, families, or within ourselves.

Think Bitcoin mining is just for tech geeks or crypto bros? Think again. 

In this episode, I sit down with Beau Turner—an ex–real estate investor turned Bitcoin mining entrepreneur—who breaks down how average entrepreneurs can tap into the power of Bitcoin, build sustainable cash flow, and actually help the environment doing it. He turned a $500,000 mistake into a mission-driven business, and his insights might just change the way you think about money, energy, and investing forever.

Are you running your business—or is your business running you?

Most entrepreneurs start off doing everything themselves… but if you never shift out of that mindset, you’ll stay stuck working in the business instead of leading it.

In this episode, I sit down with Erik Brenner, a 30-year entrepreneur and wealth firm CEO, to unpack what it really takes to act like a CEO—not just an overworked employee with a fancy title. We talk delegation, leadership evolution, team-building, and the mindset that separates operators from owners. If you're a founder looking to scale without losing your sanity, this one's a must-listen.

On today's epsidoe meet the guy who calls himself the “401(k) crime fighter” for entreprenuers—and for good reason.

We sit down with Paul Sippil, forensic 401(k) consultant, CPA, and founder of Community Dining. Paul’s on a mission to expose the hidden fees and misaligned incentives buried in retirement plans—and help entrepreneurs, founders, and small businesses get their house in order before it costs them or their team big time.

From tax law to truth-seeking to challenging the big boys of finance, Paul shares the real story behind how he uncovered the shady side of 401(k) plans, why so many employers are unknowingly getting fleeced, and how founders can avoid being the next victim of financial inefficiency.

Ever feel like you’re good at a lot of things—but not sure which one to double down on? Or maybe you're constantly chasing the next big thing, only to wonder if you're sabotaging your own success?

In this episode, we dive into that tension we all face as high-achievers: the pull between curiosity and mastery, hustle and stillness. 

My guest, Larry Easto, has been through it all—from law and consulting to authorship and spiritual growth—and he breaks down the mindset shifts that can take you from scattered effort to meaningful impact.

Is grinding 70+ hours a week really something to be proud of? In this episode, we’re getting brutally honest about what it actually means to build a successful business — and a life — with Adam Koós, President of Libertas Wealth and a nationally recognized exit planner. If you're a high achiever who's feeling the tension between scaling your company and showing up for your life, this is the conversation you didn't know you needed.

What would you do if you moved to a new country with no money, no connections, and an accent no one understood? 

For Paul Tembunde, that was just the beginning. In this powerful episode, Paul shares how he and his wife turned a $12,000 credit card advance into a thriving multimillion-dollar home care business—built from the basement of their townhouse. This is the ultimate immigrant entrepreneur success story, fueled by mindset, personal development, and a relentless belief in possibility.

Paul is a business executive, mindset coach, and co-founder of a nationally recognized home care agency. Originally from Cameroon, Paul is now the CEO of Premier Destiny, where he helps aspiring entrepreneurs unlock their inner potential and create a life of purpose, abundance, and impact.

Today, we sit down with John Bromley, the founder and CEO of Charitable Impact, Canada's leading online giving platform, which has facilitated over $1.5 billion in donations. John's journey from corporate finance to purpose-driven entrepreneurship is full of valuable business tips and lessons that resonate with entrepreneurs at all stages.

 We unpack how purpose, persistence, and platforms can ignite both generosity and entrepreneurial growth. Whether you're a small business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or seasoned founder, John's insights into building a mission-driven business will leave you inspired and ready to take action.

You can scale fast—and still go broke. This episode is your real-talk guide to building smart, not just big. We sit down with 26-year-old entrepreneur Roggen Frick, who turned a dirt-bike hobby and a welding side hustle into a nationwide manufacturing company. We’re talking about what it really takes to scale a business, dodge financial landmines, and grow into your CEO role without losing your mind.

In this episode of Behind Their Success, Paden Squires talks with Roggen Frick, founder of Bear Iron Works, about the evolution of his business—from fixing bikes in college to leading a full-scale manufacturing team. Ragan drops honest, hard-won insights into the reality of entrepreneurship: the chaos, the cash flow crises, and how shifting from “do-it-all” founder to strategic operator changed the game.

If you think you need a VC to fund your startup, think again. Only 1% of founders ever get a dime from venture capitalists. But thanks to investment crowdfunding, the tables have turned—and YOU are now in control. Sherwood Neiss, co-author of the JOBS Act and pioneer of equity crowdfunding, joins me to break down how you can raise up to $5M directly from your own community, and why this is one of the most powerful shifts in startup funding history.

Ever feel stuck between the safe path and the one you really want to pursue? In this episode, we dive into the power of habits, the cost of inaction, and how one man turned his side passion into a thriving business helping entrepreneurs build financial freedom. If you're ready to move from planning to doing—this one's for you.

Today we sit down with David Flores Wilson, a CFA, CFP®, and managing partner at Sincerus Advisory. David's journey—from growing up in Guam and working family businesses to becoming a top-ranked financial advisor and Olympian—is anything but ordinary.

David shares why he left investment banking to pursue his passion, how he built a purpose-driven firm, and the rituals that fuel his success. We talk entrepreneurship, leadership, financial planning, and what it really takes to move from idea to action.

What if your sales pitch isn’t the problem—but your psychology is?

In this mind-bending episode, I sit down with Jake Stahl, the inventor of NeuroStrategy and the founder of Orchestraight, to unpack how deep business psychology and human behavior are the real keys to sales success. This one’s a masterclass in decoding people.

 Jake Stahl is not your run-of-the-mill sales consultant. He’s a former elite sales trainer turned neuro-strategist with decades of experience in behavioral and social psychology, NLP, and communication strategy. He’s also the brains behind Orchestraight, an AI-powered platform that helps businesses craft laser-focused messaging that converts.

What if everything you’ve been told about retirement is a lie? In this episode, Joey Mure shares how a single conversation with his 3-year-old daughter shook his worldview—and launched his journey to true freedom through passive income. If you're tired of trading time for money and building someone else's dream, this conversation is the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed.

Think landing a big-name podcast will skyrocket your business? Think again. In this episode, we reveal why smaller, niche podcasts often deliver bigger results—and how podcast interview marketing can become your most powerful tool for building trust, authority, and brand loyalty.

Today we chat with with Liz Brooks, from Interview Valet and expert in podcast interview marketing. Liz shares her journey from traditional PR to pioneering podcast strategies that actually convert. She reveals why podcasts are a game-changer for business marketing and how entrepreneurs can leverage strategic storytelling to create meaningful audience connections.

If you're an entrepreneur who's built a business over decades—or even just years—what's your plan when it's time to walk away?

Spoiler: Just selling isn't the plan. This episode is a must-listen if you want to maximize your exit and minimize the chaos.

Today’s guest is Joseph LoPresti, founder of Clear Path Family Office and Arlington Wealth Management, and co-author of Exit By Design. With 40+ years of experience, Joseph specializes in helping business owners prepare for and profit from the most important transaction of their life—the sale or succession of their business.

Carlos Samaniego went from ignoring the IRS for nearly a decade to becoming one of the nation's leading experts in tax resolution. If you're an entrepreneur who’s made tax mistakes (or fears you might), this is the episode you can’t afford to miss.

In this inspiring episode we sit down with Carlos Samaniego, Enrolled Agent, bestselling author, and founder of Tax Debt Consultants, LLC. Carlos shares his deeply personal story — from being a young EMT dodging IRS notices, to a turning point after getting married, and ultimately becoming a national authority in helping self-employed professionals resolve tax issues.

What does it take to build a thriving company from the living room floor, overcome personal and professional upheaval, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world? Let's talk about how to stay ahead and adaptable as entrepreneurs. 

Our guest today, Beth Rohani, CEO of Ameritex Movers and a first-generation Iranian-American entrepreneur, has the answers. Beth shares her unlikely journey into entrepreneurship, her evolution from media hopeful to process-driven business leader, and the highs and lows of growing a successful moving company in Texas.