In today's conversation, I sit down with Ben Landers, the former founder and CEO of Blue Corona, a leading digital marketing firm serving the home services market. Since selling the business in 2022, Ben has spent time exploring and enjoying a new chapter in his life.

Our talk covers topics such as kindness, having binary passions, using data to drive results, creative problem solving, and more. Ben shares personal stories and experiences that highlight the importance of these themes in his life.

We also talk about Ben's approach to business and decision-making and the lessons he learned from an influential mentor and business partner. Ben's story is one of achieving surprising success while overcoming personal struggles; it is a journey of perseverance and resilience.

Ben Landers:

Ben on LinkedIn

Tim Ludwig:

Tim on X

Podcast website

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:02:37) - Leaning on kindness

(00:06:13) - Binary passions

(00:12:44) - Using data to drive results

(00:20:06) - The role of intuition in decision making

(00:27:21) - Creative problem solving

(00:35:10) - The power of contrarian thinking

(00:42:12) - Transitional moments in Ben’s life

(01:01:30) - What lessons in your career have had the most impact on you?

(01:12:01) - Life after selling a business

(01:29:35) - What aspect of your life has been most surprising?

The content of this podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to provide investment advisory services, or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund.

Transitions with Tim Ludwig is produced by Johnny Podcasts

My guest today is Heather Endresen, the owner of Viso Business Capital, a lending advisory firm assisting acquisition entrepreneurs with their debt capital needs. Heather has spent her entire career in retail banking, beginning right after high school. She's lived the ups and downs of the industry and continually managed to succeed and develop deep relationships and specialized offerings in a normally commoditized market. In this episode, Heather and I discuss her early independence, how she learned to take risks and pursue the things that mattered to her, what adversity and a strong support system taught her about resilience, and her recent jump into starting her own business.

Heather Endresen

Heather on X

Heather on LinkedIn

Viso Business Capital

Tim Ludwig:

Tim on X

Podcast website

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:02:14) - Heather’s upbringing

(00:04:46) - Building quick connections

(00:07:30) - Chasing being uncomfortable

(00:12:28) - Heather’s early career and meteoric rise

(00:19:44) - Navigating the Banking industry as a woman in the 90’s

(00:21:59) - Mentors

(00:24:28) - The challenges of parenthood

(00:38:00) - Breaking the box of commodities in banking

(00:42:40) - Making the jump to become a founder

(00:47:53) - What aspect of your life has been most surprising?

The content of this podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to provide investment advisory services, or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund.

Transitions with Tim Ludwig is produced by Johnny Podcasts

My guest today is Steve Wiesner, the Managing Director and CEO of Watershed Associates, a leading global negotiations training firm. Steve immigrated from Canda to attend business school at Columbia and spent almost 20 years in investment banking and private equity before leaving to found a software business and begin his current chapter of entrepreneurial leadership. In today's conversation, Steve and I talk about his path to immigration and to Wall Street, the value of mentors and being open to the counsel of others at critical moments in life, and failure as a stepping stone to success among other stories. Please enjoy my conversation with Steve Wiesner.

Steve Wiesner:

Watershed Associates

Steve on X

Tim Ludwig:

Tim on X

Podcast website

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:02:43) - Steve’s upbringing

(00:05:55) - What were your impressions of the USA as a child?

(00:09:53) - Dealing with family deaths and divorce at an early age

(00:12:33) - Exerting control admist trauma

(00:20:29) - Steve’e mini-gold marathon & campus charter

(00:29:44) - Steve’s experience at Columbia and Wall St.

(00:39:06) - Interviewing with Javid Khan

(00:43:42) - Sticking around too long at jobs

(00:48:18) - Experiencing 9/11, kids, and layoffs

(00:51:19) - Changing careers & joining Peleton and Watershed

(01:01:58) - What have you learned about failure?

(01:06:03) - Mentors

(01:08:01) - What has been most surprising about your life?

The content of this podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to provide investment advisory services, or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund.

Transitions with Tim Ludwig is produced by Johnny Podcasts