In the first Lawsuits and Lessons episode of 2026, host John Fagerholm and co-host Steve Cooper sit down with entrepreneur and marketer Stefan Fagerholm for a candid conversation about entrepreneurship that doesn’t start with lemonade stands.

Stefan shares how he transitioned from senior tech roles at Cedars-Sinai, Fox Studios, and EY into entrepreneurship, building businesses by focusing on efficiency, timing, and experience-driven growth. From scaling a 200K+ lifestyle brand to helping turn a niche hibachi concept into a national powerhouse, this episode explores what it really takes to bet on yourself and win.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be a lifelong calling to become a massive success
• How efficiency and time freedom can matter more than raw income
• The real strategy behind growing LifeHacksLA into a 200K+ influencer brand
• Why Stefan chose equity over consulting fees and how that decision paid off
• How Let’s Hibachi scaled from 3 cities to 30+ nationwide
• The biggest challenges of scaling people-heavy businesses
• Why experience, not product alone, drives modern customer loyalty
• Advice for entrepreneurs on delayed gratification and not quitting too early

Guest Spotlight: Stefan Fagerholm

Stefan Fagerholm is a marketing and technology entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience generating tens of thousands of customers and millions in revenue. After working in senior technology roles at Cedars-Sinai, Fox Studios, and EY, he transitioned into entrepreneurship, helping build three successful ventures:

• One of the top employer defense law firms in Los Angeles
• LifeHacksLA, a 200K+ lifestyle and experience-driven influencer brand
• Let’s Hibachi, now the #1 at-home hibachi catering company in the U.S.

He is also the author of The LAHacker Journal, a guide to hacking the best of Los Angeles through experiences, not just destinations.

📘 Book: The LAHacker Journal
🔗 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/169413475X

🔍 Learn more about Stefan:
Voyage LA Interview: https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-stefan-fagerholm-of-lifehacksla/

Key Takeaway:

You don’t need to be born an entrepreneur. You just need the courage to stop trading time for safety — and the patience to let your bets compound.

In this episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, and co-host Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, sit down with longtime friend and entrepreneur Omar Hernandez, President of Global Urban Strategies.

Omar shares his powerful journey from growing up in Nickerson Gardens in South Central Los Angeles to serving in the U.S. Marines, earning his MBA from USC, and building a nationally respected consulting firm that has helped secure over $1 billion in grants for municipalities, school districts, and public agencies.

The conversation weaves together entrepreneurship, military discipline, marketing, government contracts, and the legal realities of running people-heavy businesses in California. Along the way, John and Omar unpack lessons on risk, hiring, prevailing wage laws, AI’s role in modern work, and what it really means to build something that outlives you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How Omar Hernandez used the military as a launchpad to education and entrepreneurship
  
  
• Why entrepreneurship doesn’t shut off, even during holidays
  
  
• The realities of building and scaling a service-based business in California
  
  
• How Global Urban Strategies helps cities and businesses secure federal and state funding
  
  
• Common legal pitfalls in government contracts and prevailing wage work
  
  
• Why hiring slowly and intentionally can save businesses years of pain
  
  
• The human side of leadership, legacy, and transitioning ownership
  
  
• How AI can support work without replacing experience, nuance, or judgment
  
  
• Advice for young entrepreneurs who feel stuck or overwhelmed

Hosts:

John Fagerholm — Employment Defense Attorney & Business Advocate
Website: defendmybiz.com

Steve Cooper — Comedian & Veteran Podcaster
Website: coopertalk.net

Guest:

Omar Hernandez — President, Global Urban Strategies
Website: www.global-urban.com

Subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
Every other week, John and Steve break down real business stories, real legal risks, and real lessons entrepreneurs can actually use — with just enough humor to keep it human.

In this episode of Lawsuits & Lessons, host John Fagerholm, employment defense attorney and business advocate, joins co-host Steve Cooper, comedian and veteran podcaster, to welcome lifelong friend and financial advisor George Nelson.

George shares his remarkable story — from growing up in deep poverty, surrounded by addiction, instability, and hardship, to becoming a successful financial planner who now helps families across the country build lasting wealth. With honesty and insight, he reflects on the early experiences that shaped him, the moment he realized he wanted a different life, and the risks he took to build a career in finance.

The conversation spans entrepreneurship, wealth building, mindset, and the realities facing young people today. John and George break down modern financial challenges, the disappearing middle class, and how taxation and regulation affect the ability to build wealth — especially in states like California. They also explore practical tools like life insurance, estate leverage, and disciplined investing, with John sharing how he personally uses his whole life policy as an investment engine for real estate.

This episode is full of real talk, hard-earned wisdom, and actionable insight — especially for anyone who didn’t start life with a safety net but is determined to create one.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How George Nelson transformed a childhood shaped by poverty and addiction into a foundation for success
  
  
• Why early adversity can spark lifelong ambition
  
  
• George’s path from day trader to model to financial advisor
  
  
• The truth about term, universal, and whole life insurance
  
  
• How John uses his policy to fund real estate investments without banks
  
  
• Why saving even $50–$100 a month can change your entire financial future
  
  
• The disappearing middle class and why younger generations feel financially hopeless
  
  
• The difference between building wealth in California vs. other states
  
  
• How risk fuels entrepreneurship — and why fear can actually be productive
  
  
• The power of discipline, creativity, and self-belief when starting from nothing

Hosts:

John Fagerholm — defendmybiz.com
Steve Cooper — coopertalk.net

Guest:

George Nelson — Financial Advisor
📩 georgehnelson6@gmail.com
📩 gnelson@ft.nyl.com

Subscribe to Lawsuits & Lessons on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube for more real-world conversations about entrepreneurship, law, money, and the lessons that shape us.
New episodes drop every other week — tune in and learn while you laugh.