If you've ever wondered "Can I really start my own business & be successful?"

This episode is for you!

In this episode, Alan sits down with Brad Alexander—former pastor turned marketing strategist—to explore what it really takes to build a business from scratch when your back's against the wall.

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 – Brad’s First Hustle: The Mint Toothpick Story

00:26 – Meet Brad Alexander + How Entrepreneurship Found Him

03:00 – From Ministry to Marketing: A Risky Career Pivot

09:53 – Building a Business with No Safety Net

15:10 – The Deadline That Changed Everything

20:04 – Brad’s First Big Win (and What Made It Work)

25:17 – The Power of Mentorship and Community

29:10 – Innovation, Value, and Doing Work You Actually Like

34:35 – Real Talk: Misconceptions About Entrepreneurship

39:11 – What Brad Would Tell His Younger Self

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🔗 Connect with Brad Alexander

🌐 https://clarityalwayswins.com/

💼 LinkedIn: Brad Alexander

📧 Book a no-pressure clarity call via the site

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Connect With Alan

🌐 https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/

If you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or team leader focused on growth without losing your purpose, this is a must-listen.

In this episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with entrepreneur and leadership expert Stan Zylowski, co-founder of Movista.

We talk...

[00:00] Stan's Origin Story & Early Hustle

[20:00] Leadership, Feedback, and Company Culture

[38:00] Execution Over Ideas & Communicating Value

[44:00] Serial Entrepreneurship & Finding Your Role

[51:00] Final Lessons on Trust, Culture, and Growth

🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned:

Learn more about TrustBuilt and the TrustBuilt Podcast: https://trustbuilt.solutions/podcast

Take the Free Business Freedom Assessment: https://businessgrowth-alanbennett.scoreapp.com

Learn more about Movista: https://www.movista.com

#businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #businesstips

Feeling trapped by your business?

In this episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with entrepreneur Russ to talk about how business owners can finally break free from daily operational chaos.

We talk...

✅ What owner dependency looks like (and how to recognize it early)

✅ Why building trust in your team is non-negotiable for growth

✅ The hidden costs of being the bottleneck

✅ Real examples of delegation and scalable systems in action

✅ How business freedom leads to higher company value

✅ Transition planning tips for long-term success

Resources and Links Mentioned:

🔥 Download the FREE Guide:https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/resources

🎯 Learn More About TrustBuilt: https://trustbuilt.solutions

📖 Recommended Read: The 8 Key Drivers of Company Value (Available on request via TrustBuilt)

#businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #businesstips

“Culture trumps everything."

In this episode of The TrustBuilt podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Jason Robinson, co-founder of IntegraTech, to discuss his journey from corporate IT to entrepreneurship.

He opens up about the challenges of running a service-based business, the importance of trust and relationships, and how he’s building a company culture that aligns with his values.

📌 Resources & Links Mentioned:

Jason Robinson’s Company: IntegraTech

Book: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

Learn more about Strength Assessments for Teams: Gallup StrengthsFinder

🔗 How to Connect with Jason:

Website: https://integritech.io/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinsonjas/

The Secret to Better Teams, Higher Retention, and Real Growth? Core Values.

In this episode, we sit down with Roxanne Martino to discuss the power of hiring based on core values. Beyond technical skills, finding team members who align with your company’s mission and culture leads to stronger collaboration, better retention, and a thriving workplace.

Key Topics Covered:

✅ The importance of hiring for values alignment, not just skills

✅ How to craft interview questions that reveal a candidate’s core values

✅ The role of trust and communication in workplace culture

✅ Practical strategies for fostering a positive, high-performing team

✅ The long-term benefits of prioritizing culture in business growth

📌 Resources & Links Mentioned:

Gallup StrengthsFinder – Discover and develop your team’s strengths

The Pros of Positive Work Culture – Related blog post on how culture impacts the bottom line

Building a Team That Embodies Your Values – Nurture email on hiring beyond the resume

Thinking Outside the Financial Box: Three Ways to Measure Success – Free resource for redefining business success

if you're tired of cookie-cutter marketing and looking to reconnect with your ‘why’—this one's for you!

In this episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast, host Alan Bennett sits down with Cari Kaufman, founder of Storyteller Wordsmith, to unpack how storytelling, authenticity, and trust can transform a small business’s marketing strategy.

👇 CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Welcome & Introducing Cari Kaufman

00:12 - The Story Behind "Storyteller Wordsmith"

01:52 - What Is Copywriting (and Why It Matters)?

03:00 - What Most Business Owners Miss About Marketing

05:00 - Storytelling as Business Therapy

07:04 - Why Connection to Your 'Why' Changes Everything

10:22 - Helping Business Owners Overcome Fear

13:25 - Defining a Unique Marketing Message

16:00 - Building Custom Marketing Strategies

18:52 - Compassion, Connection & Competency in Business

21:00 - The Launch Phase: From Vision to Visibility

23:20 - Why Analytics + Storytelling = Smart Marketing

26:44 - Preventing Stagnation with Content Ecosystems

30:20 - Understanding Business Owner Personality Types

33:20 - Building Trust Across Styles (Visionaries vs. Analysts)

37:50 - When Cari Says "No" (and Why That Builds Trust)

41:40 - How Cari Defines a "Touchdown" Win

44:50 - Final Takeaway: Great Marketing Honors Your Story

✅ Connect with Cari Kaufman:

Website: https://storytellerwordsmith.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carikaufman

What does it take to turn creativity, resilience, and a bold vision into a successful business? In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, Bea Apple, founder of Hillfolk, shares her unconventional journey from engineering to entrepreneurship, building a thriving craft business that’s about to launch in 1,500 Walmart stores nationwide.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

✅ Entrepreneurship is a mindset, not just a business model.

✅ You don’t need a perfect plan—just the courage to start. .

✅ Your business should solve a real problem.

✅ Scaling a small business requires innovation.

✅ Great businesses don’t just serve customers; they build communities.

✅ Authenticity builds trust.

✅ A business must evolve to survive.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

📌 Hillfolk (https://hillfolk.com/) – Bea’s craft store and creative community

📌 Hillfolk Craft Kits at Walmart (Launching soon!)

📌 The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni – A must-read on hiring the right people

📌 The E-Myth by Michael Gerber – Understanding why small businesses fail and how to build a scalable system

If you want a business that grows instead of stalls, you have to embrace vision, iteration, and adaptability.

In this episode of The TrustBuilt Podcast, John Shrewsbury, co-founder of Gen Wealth Financial Advisors, shares his journey from working out of the trunk of his car to building a financial firm managing nearly $1 billion in assets.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

✅ Vision isn’t optional.

✅ The businesses that fail aren’t the ones with bad ideas.

✅ Small, strategic changes (not massive reinvention) drive lasting success.

✅ Hiring the right team is the secret to scaling.

✅ Change isn’t just necessary—it’s survival.

✅ Leading a business means balancing vision and execution.

✅ The best advice John ever received: "Sometimes you have to go slow to go fast."

Resources & Links Mentioned:

📌 Gen Wealth Financial Advisors

📌 The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni

📌 The E-Myth by Michael Gerber

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