Entrepreneur Conundrum

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Steve launched, scaled, and sold a successful advertising agency.
   
• Why consistency and persistence matter more than talent.
   
• The endurance athlete mindset and how it translates to business.
   
• The epidemic of loneliness — and how Loving Your Neighbor: A Practical Guide helps combat it.
   
• Why scaling isn’t for everyone (and why that’s okay).
   
• Steve’s best advice: it’s all about people.
   
• His most powerful tip: define your core values and live by them.

Resources & Links:

• Website: www.stevefales.com
   
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevenfales
   
• Facebook: facebook.com/steve.fales.18
   
• Books: Available via Amazon & website

Key Questions

(01:21) How did you end up being where you are today?

(03:17) When things got tough, how did you keep pushing forward and not just quitting?

(04:37) Do you take some of those principles and carry it forward in some of your races and triathlons and stuff like that to be easy as well?

(05:47) You have a few books. You're also a coach and mentor and stuff like that. Is that correct?

(07:26) How do you get in front of those people?

(09:28) What are a couple of big goals that you have in the next year?

(13:44) With all the things that you want to get done in your retirement with all your spare time, what do you feel like is a roadblock? What's your biggest roadblock?

(15:33) What is the best advice that you have ever received?

(16:55) What's the best advice you've ever given?

(18:36) We've touched on a few different topics today. Is there anything that we haven't talked about that we would like to?

(20:48) Where can we learn more about you and what you're up to?

Steve Fales

www.stevefales.com

LinkedIn -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenfales/

Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/steve.fales.18

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

Show notes (bullet style)

• Mike’s path from dentistry plans to pet franchising
• Scaling EarthWise Pet: 3 stores → 200+ units; 9 acquisitions; 51 corporate stores
• Ideal franchisee profile: passion, alignment, “in the trenches” grit, financial readiness
• Regionality & marketing: different buying habits, local ad spend, video & reviews
• Pet nutrition edge: 3-tier Dietitian certification; vet advisory council; AI dietitian for accessible guidance
• Total Pet Care plan (24 months): 250 stores, 150 mobile units, bi-coastal warehouses, e-com + DTC
• Mobile grooming & mobile nutrition pros; delivery tactics
• Culture shift: owner-operator → multi-unit; avoiding “weeds” thinking
• M&A realities: due diligence, fees, team acqui-hires, and bank/attorney orchestration
• Leadership & resilience: risk, failure as learning, anti-shame ethos for customers

Resources & Links

• Guest: Michael Seitz — LinkedIn
• EarthWise Pet (Franchising): https://www.EarthWisePetFranchise.com
• EarthWise Pet (AI Dietitian on homepage): https://www.EarthWisePet.com
• GroomBar: https://www.GROOMBAR.com

Key Questions

(01:37) How did you get to where you are today?

(04:30) Who would you say are your ideal clients?

(07:54) When you say pet store, are you more what would live inside my house

(08:28) If we have the nutrition side of it. Tell me a bit more about that one. That one I didn't think about. Is it like, My doctor said this, or is it just, Hey, my dog is old?

(11:30) With having the AI version of it, does that make it more accessible, even just financially for people, too?

(12:20) How do you get in front of your ideal people?

(14:46) Do you help your store owners with their digital marketing? Do you provide that for them or do you host it for them? How does that work?

(15:39) Do you give them training on the marketing side of it?

(16:09) What are some big goals that you have in the next year or two?

(18:25) What's involved in your mobile unit? Is that when someone comes to my house.

(19:13)  What do you think is the number one roadblock stopping you?

(21:35) What are some of your thoughts on entrepreneurship and franchising?

(24:13) How has your experience been with mergers.

(29:48) What's some of the best advice that you have ever received?

(33:00) What's the best advice that you've ever given?

(34:24) We have covered a lot of different things, but is there something that we haven't touched on that you want to?

(36:49) All right. Where can we go to learn more about you and what you do?

.

Michael Seitz

www.linkedin.com/in/michaelseitzceo

www.EarthWisePetFranchise.com

www.EarthWisePet.com

www.GROOMBAR.com

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

Today on Entrepreneur Conundrum, Virginia sits down with Doug Zarkin, brand leader, keynote speaker, and author of Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone. Doug brings a wealth of experience from shaping powerhouse brands like Avon, Victoria’s Secret PINK, and Pearle Vision.

He shares:

• His journey from agency life to leading global consumer brands
   
• Why entrepreneurs should adopt a “think human” philosophy in marketing
   
• How to balance short-term revenue goals with long-term customer relationships
   
• The real purpose of marketing (and how to avoid alienating your audience)
   
• His best advice for overcoming roadblocks and moving forward

📘 Grab Doug’s book Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone on Amazon.
🌐 Learn more at dougzarkin.com.
🔗 Connect with Doug on LinkedIn and follow @dougzarkin.

Key Questions

(01:34) How did you get to where you are today?

(02:39) Who would you say is your ideal client today?

(03:44) How do you get in front of those?

(04:24) You do posting on social media and stuff like that?

(04:45) You had talked about thinking human. What does that mean to you?

(06:13) What are some big goals that you have in the next year or two?

(06:43)  Do you do trainings or stuff like that to get better? 

(07:39) What do you feel is your number one roadblock?

(08:10) To you, what is the purpose of marketing?

(09:13) How do we move into those deeper relationships?

(09:59) What's the advice you have ever received?

(10:22) What's the best advice you've ever given?

(10:35) Is there anything that we haven't talked about that you would like to?

(11:30) Where can we learn more about you and what you do?

Doug Zarkin

www.dougzarkin.com

@dougzarkin

Linkedin.com/in/dougzarkin

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

In this episode of Entrepreneur Conundrum, Virginia welcomes Becky Freemal, Emmy Award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and founder of The Market Exec. Becky shares her journey from broadcast journalism to fractional CMO, and why effective storytelling is the key to sustainable business growth.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Becky’s transition from journalism to entrepreneurship
  
   
• How evidence-based storytelling drives results
  
   
• Why brand voice is essential for consistency and trust
  
   
• The role of curiosity in leadership and business growth
  
   
• Becky’s vision for speaking, leadership, and helping entrepreneurs
  
   

📖 Learn more about Becky:
Website: beckyfreemal.com
Company: themarketexec.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/beckyfreemal
Instagram: @beckyfreemal
Facebook: @Beckyfreemal

🎧 Listen now → entrepreneurconundrum.com/beckyfreemal

Becky Freemal

https://www.beckyfreemal.com/

https://themarketexec.com/

https://www.instagram.com/beckyfreemal

https://www.facebook.com/@Beckyfreemal

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyfreemal/

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

Episode: SEO Without the Mystery: Nick Musica’s Straightforward Approach to Getting Found Online
Guest: Nick Musica, Founder of Optics In SEO Agency

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Nick transitioned from publishing to SEO — before even knowing what SEO was
• Lessons learned from early SEO vendor experiences
• The “3+1” formula that drives sustainable search rankings
• Why multiple versions of your site could be killing your SEO
• Common pitfalls that businesses face and how to dig out of the “funk”
• The role of networking, referrals, and in-person connections in finding clients
• Balancing technical SEO with content strategy and off-page authority
   

Connect with Nick:

• Website: https://opticsin.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmusica/

Listen to the episode here: https://entrepreneurconundrum.com/nickmusica

Key Questions 

(01:01) How did you get to where you are today?

(05:52) So now, how do you fulfill your following your interest aspect?

(10:49) Who are your ideal clients?

(12:11) How do you get in front of said client?

(12:44) Are you part of the local chamber or BNI group?

(14:31) Do you do posts on social media and use that very often as well?

(15:10) What are some big goals that you have in the next year or two?

(17:25) Do you feel like you have a roadblock for reaching that goal?

(17:39) What's the best advice that you have ever received?

(20:11) What's the best advice you've ever given?

(21:42) Do you focus on like, backlinks and different stuff like that?

(22:47) Is there something that you wanted to talk about, but we haven't covered yet?

(25:15) Where can we go to learn more about you and what you do?

Nick Musica

https://opticsin.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmusica/

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

In this episode, Virginia talks with Diane Wyzga, founder of Quarter Moon Story Arts and creator of the Stories from Women Who Walk podcast. Diane helps women clarify their vision and amplify their voices through storytelling, coaching them to uncover words they didn’t know they had.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Diane’s journey from Navy nurse to lawyer, litigation consultant, and storytelling coach.
• How she helps women find their authentic voices and share their stories with courage.
• Why consequences are fact-neutral and how reframing them can set you free.
• The power of resilience: “Fall down seven, get up eight.”
• Tips on building confidence through self-expression and storytelling.

Connect with Diane:

• Website: quartermoonstoryarts.net
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diane-f-wyzga-qmsa
• Podcast: Stories from Women Who Walk
• Substack: Wyzga on Words

Connect with Virginia:

• Instagram | Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn

entrepreneurconundrum.com/dianewyzga

Guest: Andy Seeley, CEO of Creatively Disruptive
Host: Virginia Purnell
Duration: ~43 minutes

What You’ll Learn:

• How Andy transitioned from sales into strategic marketing
• The biggest marketing mistakes small business owners make
• Why consistency beats quantity every time
• Which platforms work best for local engagement
• How to dip your toes into paid ads without wasting money
• The easiest way to build online trust (hint: Google Business profile!)

Connect with Andy:

• Website: creativelydisruptive.com
• Instagram: @ashworthstrategy

Facebook:

 @creativelydisruptive

Episode Notes

• Guest: Siew Ting Foo, author of Building Brands with Soul
• 25+ years as a global marketing leader (HP, Unilever, Diageo, etc.)
• What “brands with soul” means and how it creates emotional impact
• Coaching the next generation of “Leaders with Soul”
• Consulting, board directorship, and thought leadership
• Embracing AI and empowering teams through “AI Fridays”
• Overcoming imposter syndrome and experimenting with purpose
• 6 traits of soul-led leadership: authenticity, empathy, disruption, etc.
• Book, podcast, and ways to connect: soulforprofit.org
   

🎧 Listen now: https://entrepreneurconundrum.com/SiewTingFoo

Key Questions

(01:14) How did you get to where you are today?

(02:11) So when you say that you help brands market with soul or build businesses of brands with soul, what does that mean to you?

(04:34) Who do you work with these days? Who's your ideal client?

(05:58) Are you doing anything on social media to help get the awareness out there?

(07:02) What channels of social media are you using?

(07:34) What are some big goals that you're looking to achieve in the next year or two?

(08:35) What do you feel is your number one roadblock for achieving that?

(09:23) Can you talk to us a little bit about how, or that purpose and profit can actually exist together in a marketing strategy?

(10:30) What do you feel it takes to build high-performing teams by humanizing the brand and business?

(12:38) I guess that leads into how to lead with Soul for business and the brands. Is it anything else, collaborator?

(15:02) What's the best advice that you have ever received?

(15:45) What's the best advice you've ever given?

(16:02) Can you give an example?

(17:18) Is there anything that we haven't covered that you would like to talk about?

(17:54) And what's your website?

Siew Ting Foo 

www.soulforprofit.org

www.linkedin.com/in/siewtingfoo 

instagram - siewtingx

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.co

Episode Title: From Burnout to Breakthrough: Building Better Engineering Teams with Thanos Diacakis
Guest: Thanos Diacakis
Host: Virginia Purnell
Podcast: Entrepreneur Conundrum

Links & Resources:

• Website: https://www.cosmicteacups.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanosd/
• Download: 7 Mental Models for Software Development

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How Thanos turned early startup experience into a career of helping software teams scale
• Common misconceptions about engineering productivity
• The four types of work all software teams should balance
• Why going “faster” often starts with doing less
• Thanos’ ABCD framework: Iteration, Quality, Complexity, Planning
• The truth about burnout, identity, and finding joy in software again
• Best advice Thanos has ever received—and given
• His favorite book (Changing on the Job) and favorite movie (A Few Good Men)

Ideal For:

• Startup founders with growing engineering teams
• CTOs and engineering managers facing team burnout or delivery delays
• Anyone curious about the intersection of software development and team health

Subscribe & Review:
Love what you hear? Subscribe to Entrepreneur Conundrum and leave a review to help more founders find their flow.

Key Questions

(01:12) How did you end up on this journey and where you are today?

(02:32) Who's your ideal client today?

(04:00) How do you get in front of these people?

(08:12) What are a couple of big goals that you're looking to achieve in the next year or two?

(09:00) How would that affect your business?

(09:41) So I think you've already touched on all of the questions about how to deliver software faster by doing less. I think we talked about that with time allocation, right? Is there anything else that you wanted to touch on?

(15:36) Is working with you an ongoing long term aspect, or is it for a certain time It will usually start with some engagement to the tune of six months.

(17:52) Is it hard to find where the bottleneck is in the software?

(20:16) What is the best advice that you have ever received?

(21:30) What's the best advice you've ever given?

(23:35) I have that question, too, because you've done quite a few startups, and you have a family and stuff like So do you have any tips on how you were able to try to have that balance?

(25:57) Is there anything else that you would like to talk about that we haven't yet?

(26:10) What is your favorite book and movie?

(29:21) Where can we go to learn more about you and what you do?

Thanos Diacakis

https://www.cosmicteacups.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanosd/

Virginia Purnell

Funnel & Visibility Specialist

Distinct Digital Marketing

(833) 762-5336

virginia@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

www.distinctdigitalmarketing.co