Video Version: https://youtu.be/AzyeSHwZans

In this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Chris Cooks, a hospitality-driven entrepreneur turned ecosystem builder, whose journey from small-town business owner to regional economic development leader offers a blueprint for purpose-driven success.

Chris shares how he turned his passion for service and hospitality into three thriving local businesses — Line Scout, Cab Scout, and Bar Scout — serving his community in Michigan with creativity and care. His journey then took him into the world of franchising with Dunkin’ Donuts, before ultimately choosing to pour his energy into helping other entrepreneurs navigate the complex path of building and scaling their own ventures.

Now serving as Director of the APEX Accelerator and Relationship Manager at the Southland Development Authority, Chris leverages his entrepreneurial experience to support others in turning ideas into action — and dreams into sustainable businesses.

This episode explores the reality of starting and operating multiple service businesses in a local market, lessons learned from pursuing a national franchise model, the shift from building for yourself to building capacity for others, and how organizations like the Southland Development Authority and APEX Accelerator are creating impact through access, relationships, and resources.

Whether you're just getting started or thinking about how to give back, Chris’s story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and servant leadership.

Video Format https://youtu.be/iL8a_yWqdnM

In this thought-provoking episode, host Bo Kemp explores a question every founder must eventually face: Are you building an empire — or chasing a payday?

This conversation dives deep into the distinction between creating generational wealth through long-term empire building versus scaling and exiting quickly for short-term gain. Bo challenges listeners to get clear about their purpose and strategic vision — because that clarity is the foundation for understanding if, when, and how much capital your business truly needs.

Key insights include why most businesses don’t fail from lack of funding — but from growing too fast and outpacing their resources, how the Sustainable Growth Equation can help you determine your business’s capacity to scale responsibly, the hidden costs of premature capital raises, and the value of proving your model before you raise, and why intentional strategy beats hustle when it comes to raising capital with confidence.

Whether you're a solo founder bootstrapping your dream or a seasoned entrepreneur eyeing your next raise, this episode will help you assess your growth path with more discipline and direction.

Video Format https://youtu.be/e1CslzLMMCQ

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, host Bo Kemp speaks with Edith de la Cruz, the visionary CEO of Antigua Construction, one of the fastest-growing Latina-owned construction firms in the Chicagoland area.

Edith shares how a side hustle rehabbing homes — born out of grit and necessity — transformed into a full-scale business. As an immigrant and single mother of three, her story is a testament to resilience, belief, and bold commitment. What started as a way to make ends meet became a calling, and now, Edith is breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry while creating generational opportunity for her family and community.

In this episode, Edith and Bo discuss the early days of home rehab and learning by doing, the moment she chose to go all-in and commit fully to growing her business, the challenges and opportunities of scaling as a Latina entrepreneur in construction, and how identity, motherhood, and hustle shaped her leadership style and long-term vision.

This episode is for anyone wondering whether their side hustle has the potential to become something more — and what it takes to turn hard work into a powerful, purpose-driven enterprise.

Video Format: https://youtu.be/yqLRInaVuhk

In this episode, Bo Kemp dives into one of the most critical — and often overlooked — drivers of long-term business success: talent. In Always Be Closing, Bo reframes the famous sales mantra to emphasize that the real close isn’t just landing clients — it’s closing top-tier talent, day in and day out.

Bo unpacks the art and science of recruiting, training, and managing people who are not only skilled but also coachable. Learn why identifying potential isn’t enough — and how your ability to cultivate a performance culture starts with aligning your actions, not just your mission statement.

Key takeaways include how to build a pipeline of high-performing talent that shares your values, and why great hires don’t come from luck — they come from systems. You’ll also learn the truth behind the saying: “Culture is not what you say. It’s who you are,” along with tactical tips for onboarding and managing in a way that scales. Whether you're building your first team or recalibrating a growing company, this episode offers mindset shifts and actionable tools to help you lead from the inside out.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/zW7rEKvqRq8

In this dynamic episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with Ramzey Nassar, a true serial entrepreneur whose journey spans childhood hustles, consumer products, media strategy, and now — the cutting edge of artificial intelligence.

As the Founder of DOE Media and Success.AI, Ramzey shares how he evolved from launching his first business as a kid to becoming one of today’s most influential data and growth strategists. With a track record of building, scaling, and exiting successful ventures, Ramzey's story is a masterclass in adaptability, vision, and execution.

Bo and Ramzey unpack the lessons learned from bootstrapping multiple businesses across sectors and how early experiences in consumer products and media informed his data-first mindset. They also discussed the rise of Success.AI and how AI is revolutionizing outreach, marketing, and personalization, what it takes to go from builder to seller, and then start again, bigger and bolder, and why staying curious and iterating fast is the key to long-term entrepreneurial success.

Whether you're starting from scratch or scaling your third company, this episode delivers inspiration, tactics, and wisdom from a founder who's been through every stage — and is still leveling up.

Video format: https://youtu.be/g4eVaVDpag4

In this episode, host Bo Kemp sits down with visionary co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Terry Nouri, one of three brothers behind L3vel3, a fast-growing family business rooted in the Chicagoland area that’s redefining what it means to be a modern lifestyle brand.

Born during the height of the COVID-19 shutdown, L3vel 3 turned crisis into opportunity, launching a direct distribution channel focused on men’s haircare — and now setting its sights on a broader range of lifestyle products. What started as a nimble family-run operation is now rapidly expanding internationally, disrupting traditional retail channels and building a community-driven brand.

This episode explores how L3vel3 scaled from a kitchen-table concept to a global player in men's grooming and the challenges unique to family businesses — including funding, decision-making, and generational vision. This episode also discusses why direct distribution was a strategic advantage during and after COVID and the growing pains of expanding internationally, from logistics to brand control.

Whether you’re a small business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about what it takes to scale a brand from the ground up, this episode offers valuable insight into resilience, strategy, and staying authentic while growing fast.

Video Format: https://youtu.be/w7dCXZDuwZI

Welcome to the Zero Episode — your introduction to the mindset and mechanics behind the show. In this powerful opening, host Bo Kemp breaks down why the first million — whether in dollars, impact, or purpose — is always the hardest milestone to achieve.

This episode explores four technical and three psychological reasons why getting started is often the greatest hurdle on the journey to success. On the technical side, inertia makes getting started harder than staying in motion. The law of small numbers means early compounding yields are slow and discouraging. A smaller window of opportunity exists when you’re unknown or unproven. And a lower risk profile makes the first big leap require boldness with little cushion.

On the psychological side, limiting beliefs hold you back as old stories and unmet goals anchor you in place. Reframing aspirations becomes essential, since real growth requires a shift in what you believe is possible. And sustained practice is what turns ideas into change, because they must be consistently backed by action.

Bo shares how these early obstacles, while formidable, are also the most transformative — shaping not just what you achieve, but who you become along the way. He also shares a bit of his background and inspiration for the podcast.

Whether you're starting a business, writing a book, or making your first big life pivot, this episode is the foundation for everything to come.

The First Million Is Always The Hardest is your introduction to the mindset and mechanics behind success. In this podcast, the host Bo Kemp breaks down why the first million —whether in dollars, impact, or purpose — is always the hardest milestone to achieve.