Beau Eckstein: Franchise & SBA Loan Expert, Business Ownership Coach, and Investor. With over 26 years of experience in lending, franchising, and business acquisition, Beau Eckstein is a trusted authority in business ownership. He has helped thousands of entrepreneurs secure funding, navigate SBA loans, and find the right franchise or business to own. Through his extensive network and expertise, Beau guides clients through the financing process and connects them with the best opportunities.

As the host of The Investor Financing Podcast, Beau has created content that has generated millions in funded deals, helping entrepreneurs transition from employees to successful business owners. He advocates for leveraging virtual assistants and AI to streamline operations and increase profitability, empowering businesses to scale effectively.

In addition to being a licensed California real estate broker, Beau offers actionable insights through his platform, businessownershipcoach.com, where he helps individuals explore franchising or elevate their existing business ventures. Beau’s passion lies in helping people break free from the corporate grind, build wealth, and create lasting legacies.

During the show we discussed:

Who franchising is ideal for
How to secure financing to purchase a franchise
How to buy franchises with 10% or less down payment
How to obtain SBA financing to purchase a franchise
How to use SBA financing to build or acquire a new business
How to qualify for SBA financing
Why SBA loans under $500K don’t require additional collateral
How to use SBA financing to start a new business based on projections
What a seller carry on full standby is and how it helps reduce your cash down
How to use creative financing to meet SBA loan down payment requirements

Resources:

businessownershipcoach.com
beaueckstein.com
Bookwithbeau.com

Since 1995, Jonathan Mast has been at the forefront of digital innovation, blending marketing expertise with cutting-edge technology. Over the past two years, he has become a leading authority on AI prompting, helping entrepreneurs and businesses increase profits, save time, and deliver exceptional value through actionable AI strategies. His unique ability to simplify complex AI concepts has made him a trusted resource for businesses seeking to integrate AI into their operations.

With a dedicated community of over 400,000 AI enthusiasts and entrepreneurs—comprising 330,000+ members in a private Facebook group and 80,000+ email subscribers—Jonathan’s influence is widespread. Known for his approachable style, he provides practical tools and strategies that drive immediate results, making him an influential voice in the AI space.

Jonathan’s expertise extends to over 100 podcast appearances and thousands of trained students, showcasing his ability to connect with diverse audiences. Whether through training, speaking, or consulting, Jonathan continues to empower businesses and individuals to harness the transformative power of AI for sustainable growth.

During the show we discussed:

• Mastering AI prompting boosts efficiency and streamlines operations.
• Use today’s top AI platforms for better business outcomes.
• A 4-step prompt framework covers most AI prompting needs.
• AI strategies can elevate marketing performance.
• AI drives sustainable growth and long-term profits.
• Knowing AI trends helps stay ahead of competitors.
• AI will transform industries over the next five years.
• Use AI to scale, save time, and improve results.
• Automate tasks with AI to focus on high-value work.
• Top AI tools can supercharge marketing efforts.
• Build engaged communities around AI-driven products.
• Startups should integrate AI from day one.
• Non-tech founders can adopt AI without overwhelm.
• Bust AI myths to make it accessible to everyone.

Resources:

https://whitebeardstrategies.com
https://jonathanmast.com/linktree/

Carrie Kerpen is the go-to resource for women looking to transform their lifestyle businesses into life-changing assets. Known as The Exit Whisperer, Carrie has guided hundreds of women in scaling their businesses to prepare for successful exits. After scaling and selling her own agency, Likeable Media, she identified The Exit Gap—the disparities in exit values for female-led companies—and developed a methodology to help women avoid common pitfalls during the exit process.

Carrie is the founder and CEO of The Whisper Group, the #1 Exit Readiness Advisory Practice for Women-Owned Businesses, and the creator of The Whisper Collective, the only community exclusively for exited female founders. An accomplished entrepreneur, author, and podcast host, Carrie shares her expertise as the host of The Exit Whisperer, a podcast spotlighting exited female founders. A Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), she lives in Port Washington, New York, with her husband, three children, and their dog, Homer.

During the show we discussed:

• The Whisper Group stands out from other exit-readiness firms.
• Knowing why you want to exit is crucial.
• Learn how to get the exit value you deserve.
• They Got Acquired offers great industry exit data.
• Revenue and income impact your exit value.
• Your “secret sauce” can increase your worth.
• Profit drives maximum exit value.
• A sustainable business model is essential.
• Revenue is vanity; profit is sanity.
• The Whisper Group helps you decide to sell or stay.
• The Exit Gap affects female-led businesses.
• Women-owned businesses get just 0.08% of exit dollars.
• Whisper addresses women’s unique exit challenges.
• Women’s exits are rarely talked about.
• Mindset shifts are key to exit success.
• “Whisper” stands for seven traits of a sellable business.
• The “Roar Factor” strengthens your negotiating power.

Resources:

https://www.carriekerpen.com/
https://www.wearethewhispergroup.com/

Mark J. Kohler, a CPA and attorney for small business owners, is a nationally recognized tax and legal expert, best-selling author, and Senior Partner at KKOS Lawyers, where he has spent over 30 years helping small business owners with tax strategy, asset protection, and estate planning. He also serves as CFO and Board Member of Directed IRA Trust Company, ranked #391 on the Inc. 5000, and recently launched the Main Street Certified Tax Advisor Program to train CPAs and Enrolled Agents in his proven strategies—impacting the lives of entrepreneurs nationwide.

A five-time best-selling author, Mark is best known for The Tax and Legal Playbook and co-hosts two top podcasts, The Main Street Business Podcast and The Directed IRA Podcast, with longtime partner Mat Sorensen. Their engaging, easy-to-follow content helps business owners simplify complex financial and legal topics to reduce taxes and build lasting wealth. Through his Tax & Legal 360 events, YouTube channel, and social platforms, Mark has educated and empowered thousands of Main Street entrepreneurs.

Mark has been featured on Fox News, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, NBC, and Wharton Business Radio, and has taken the global stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Named Tax Advisor of the Year, he’s a passionate advocate for small businesses and remains committed to helping Americans thrive through smarter tax and financial strategies.

During the show we discussed:

• Changes and implications associated with the new administration.
• Major depreciation changes that affect business owners.
• The importance of understanding the 199A deduction
• IRS changes taking place as a result of recent developments.
• Discussions surrounding the potential removal of Federal income taxes.
• Notable tax reductions for businesses that should be acknowledged.

Resources:

https://markjkohler.com/

Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon is the CEO of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC, a multi-million dollar coaching and consulting brand. Known for transforming the lives of her clients, she helps entrepreneurs scale their businesses to seven figures while strengthening their faith. Her expertise spans mindset, marketing, sales, systems, and scaling strategies, creating lasting financial and spiritual success.

A sought-after speaker and strategist, Darnyelle's work has been featured in Essence, Success, Black Enterprise, and O Magazines. She is a best-selling author of seven books, including Burn the Box and Market Like a R.O.C.K. Star. Her accolades include the Women Presidents Organization's Women of Color Excellence Award, Black CEO of the Year, and two honorary PhDs in entrepreneurship.

Darnyelle holds a BA from the University of Delaware, an MBA from Goldey Beacom College, and certifications in executive coaching and business strategy. With a prophetic anointing and a passion for purpose-driven business, she empowers entrepreneurs to achieve both financial freedom and spiritual alignment.

During the show we discussed:

• What a business coach does and how to stand out in the industry
• The role of mindset in business success
• How faith influences business growth
• Shifting from making money to building a legacy
• Strategies for pricing and profitability
• Helping entrepreneurs get unstuck and grow
• Achieving financial and spiritual alignment in business

Resources:

https://incredibleoneenterprises.com/

Sam Primm grew up in St. Louis, MO, in a hardworking family with an engineer father and a teacher mother. Following the traditional path, he earned his degree and secured a stable corporate job in his hometown. While the role provided financial stability, its high-pressure demands and long hours highlighted its limitations and drained his energy.

Determined to break free from the constraints of the corporate world, Sam turned to real estate as a way to build a different kind of future. The early years were filled with challenges, including failed ventures and hard-learned lessons. However, through persistence and a focus on continuous improvement, Sam developed strategies that worked. Over the next nine years, he built a real estate empire, acquiring $45 million in assets, flipping over 1,000 properties, and managing 150+ single-family rentals—all without using his own money.

Sam’s success in real estate inspired him to help others achieve similar results. He founded FasterFreedom, a platform designed to teach aspiring investors how to quit their jobs and create wealth through real estate. By sharing practical, up-to-date strategies based on his own experience, Sam equips his students with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s market. Through his work, Sam has become a trusted mentor and resource for anyone looking to break free from traditional career paths and achieve financial independence.

During the show we discussed:

• The mission of FasterFreedom and their target audience.
• Initial steps to take when getting started in real estate investing.
• How much capital is needed to begin investing in real estate.
• How to identify the best markets or neighborhoods for investment.
• Common strategies for financing real estate deals without personal funds.
• Ethical and effective ways to leverage other people’s money (OPM).
• Key differences between wholesaling, flipping, and buy-and-hold strategies.
• Strategies for scaling from a single property to a large real estate portfolio.
• Deciding when to reinvest profits versus diversifying into other investments.
• Important metrics to evaluate the potential success of a property.
• Common mistakes made by new real estate investors and how to avoid them.
• Approaches to handling setbacks like failed deals or unexpected expenses.
• Major risks in real estate investing and ways to mitigate them.
  

Resources:

https://www.fasterfreedom.com/

Andrew Gazdecki is a seasoned entrepreneur, 4x founder, and the CEO of Acquire.com, a platform transforming the startup acquisition process. With a passion for building businesses, he has successfully founded and exited multiple companies, including Bizness Apps, which he scaled to $10M ARR before its acquisition, and Altcoin.io. Through Acquire.com, Andrew has helped hundreds of startups get acquired, facilitating over $500 million in closed deals. His mission is to make M&A more accessible for bootstrapped founders and small startups, giving them the tools and resources to achieve successful exits.

A recognized thought leader in entrepreneurship, SaaS, and startup acquisitions, Andrew’s insights have been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Inc.com, and Entrepreneur Magazine. With a social media reach of over 350,000, he actively shares expertise and lessons learned from his journey to help the next generation of founders. When he’s not simplifying acquisitions, Andrew enjoys cars, skateboarding, and surfing.

During the show we discussed:

• Steps to prepare a business for acquisition
• How Acquire.com streamlines M&A for startups
• Common founder mistakes when selling
• Maximizing startup valuation
• Preparing for due diligence
• Financing strategies for bootstrapped founders
• Using debt or equity to boost valuation
• Credit and financing impact on acquisition readiness
• Role of cash flow in exit planning
• Bootstrapping vs. raising capital
• Buying a business with limited resources
• Financing options for business buyers
• Risks vs. rewards of buying vs. starting a business
• Tips for first-time business buyers
• M&A trends affecting small businesses

Resources:

https://acquire.com/

Sabir Semerkant is an eCommerce expert, growth strategist, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience generating over $1 billion in revenue. Recognized and endorsed by industry leaders such as Gary Vee, Neil Patel, and Matt Higgins of Shark Tank, Sabir has been a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, guided startups to scale, and helped iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Canon, Tommy Hilfiger, and Sour Patch Kids achieve rapid and sustainable growth.

In 2024, Sabir’s Rapid 2X Program propelled 29 brands across 17 industries to new heights, delivering an impressive 108% average growth in just 21 days. His track record includes scaling more than 150 brands, with notable success like Ashley Stewart, which grew from $3M to $30M under his leadership.

Sabir has developed the 8-D Method, a proven framework designed to unlock 2X-10X growth for any eCommerce business with Product-Market Fit. This method equips businesses to thrive, even in tough economic conditions, enabling them to boost sales and maximize profits in today’s competitive landscape.

During the show we discussed:

• The 8D Method Is A Growth Framework Designed To Help E-Commerce Brands Scale Effectively.
• It Can Help Businesses Double Their Sales In As Little As 12 Weeks With Strategic Focus.
• It’s Built On Eight Dimensions That Identify And Unlock Hidden Growth Opportunities.
• The Method Brings Structure And Clarity, Giving Business Owners More Control And Freedom.
• It Helps Brands Differentiate And Rise Above The Noise In Saturated Markets.
• It Addresses Conversion Drops And High Cart Abandonment With Proven Tactics.
• The System Improves Margins Even When Ad Costs Are Rising By Optimizing Operations.
• It Solves Common Challenges Like Disorganization, Plateaued Growth, And Unclear Direction.
• The “Organize” Phase Reduces Anxiety By Creating A Clear Operational Foundation.
• The “Prioritize” Phase Ensures Teams Focus On Actions That Drive The Most Growth.
• Brands Using The Method Often See Fast Results—Sometimes Within Weeks.
• Unlike Relying Solely On Ad Platforms, It Builds Long-Term, Channel-Independent Growth.
• It Helps Brands Avoid Mistakes Like Chasing Trends Or Depending On One Traffic Source.
• The Rapid 2x System Can Trigger 100%+ Sales Increases In Under 30 Days.

Resources:

https://growthbysabir.com/businesscredit