In Part 2 of Meg's conversation with Melinda Emerson, the focus shifts from why to who you become after you buy a business. They talk candidly about the identity corporate life creates — titles, distance from the work, and the quiet arrogance that can follow you into ownership. Melinda explains why real owners roll up their sleeves, switch roles without ego, and do whatever the business needs that day. This episode is about humility, responsibility, and the mindset that separates operators from spectators.

When the call is clear but the path feels messy, most people mistake discomfort for a stop sign.

In this episode, Meg sits down with Melinda Emerson (SmallBizLady) to explore what happens after momentary ambition fades—when faith, fear, and real-world pressure collide.

Melinda shares how losing control of her business, her marriage, and her certainty became the proving ground for her purpose. Together, they unpack why buying a proven business or franchise can offer more stability than chasing another job, what it truly means to think like an owner, and why real freedom requires discipline—not shortcuts.

If you know you're meant for more but feel stuck in the middle, this conversation offers clarity, courage, and a grounded way forward.

In this episode, Bill shares how he went from SEAL training to buying a 65-year-old manufacturing company, navigating turnover, building a high-performance team, and using automation to help people earn more—not get replaced. He also opens up about stepping into (and back out of) politics, and why lifelong "forward-skilling" matters as industries shift fast.

If you're over corporate, craving mission, or wondering if ownership—especially franchising—could be your next move, this conversation gives you a clear, hope-filled way forward.