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Business Leaders of America Podcast

Business Leaders of America Podcast

By: Dylan Bloyed
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 Business leaders from across America sharing their personal journeys and experiences with existing and emerging leaders of America, offering insights into their paths to success.2023 Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • From Bottleneck to Builder: How Founders Create Freedom, Scale, and Teams That Win

    From Bottleneck to Builder: How Founders Create Freedom, Scale, and Teams That Win
    Dec 23 2025
    If wealth preservation, passive income, or precious metals have ever been on your radar, this link is a great place to start: https://7kmetals.com/blpodcast Welcome to another episode of the Business Leaders of America Podcast. In this episode, I sat down with Jordan Solender, a self-made tech entrepreneur and the founder of IT Select, an AI-powered platform rethinking how IT leaders evaluate vendors and navigate procurement. Jordan shared his journey from launching his first businesses as a teenager to building and exiting a technology advisory firm at eight figures, along the way confronting a hard truth many founders face: even successful leaders can become the biggest bottleneck in their own companies. We talked about the moment he recognized that pattern, why stepping away was so uncomfortable, and how watching things break ultimately reshaped his approach to leadership. We also explored what led to the creation of IT Select, the inefficiencies in traditional IT procurement that inspired it, and how Jordan now helps founders move from hands-on operators to architects of scalable systems through his Founder Freedom Formula. If you’re a founder, operator, or business leader looking to scale without becoming the constraint, this episode offers practical insight into building autonomy, leverage, and long-term freedom Notable Awards and Recognitions • 20+ years of entrepreneurship, starting at 15 • Multiple successful exits, including an eight-figure tech exit • Generated $40M+ in revenue across several companies • CEO of IT Select, the AI-driven procurement platform for SMBs • Featured in Forbes, FinTech TV, CIO Review • Board Member at EO, supporter of Georgetown Lombardi & Make-A-Wish How to connect with Jordan Solender • https://www.jordansolender.com/ • https://www.itselect.io/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordansolender/ • https://www.instagram.com/jordan_sols/ • https://www.instagram.com/jordan.solender/ Show Notes [1:48] Jay Jordan reflects on launching his first businesses as a teenager and shares when he first realized he had an entrepreneurial mindset from an early age. [3:32] The moment he realized he was the bottleneck in his own companies, and how confronting that reality changed the way he approached leadership and growth. [6:38] How stepping away and watching cracks form revealed critical insights, ultimately reshaping his approach to leadership and building true operational autonomy. [12:01] The key drivers that fueled rapid growth in his technology advisory firm and ultimately led to an eight-figure exit. [12:59] The broken aspects of the IT procurement process that inspired IT Select and how the AI-powered platform helps IT leaders save significant time. [16:02] Jordan breaks down his Founder Freedom Formula and explains how each step is designed to create more clarity, leverage, and freedom for founders. [19:21] Where listeners can learn more about Jordan, explore IT Select, and discover how he helps founders escape the bottleneck trap. [21:32] Jordan issues a bold challenge for listeners to test how scalable their business truly is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • The Hidden Value of Life Insurance Policies and the Rise of Longevity Investing

    The Hidden Value of Life Insurance Policies and the Rise of Longevity Investing
    Dec 17 2025
    If wealth preservation, passive income, or precious metals have ever been on your radar, this link is a great place to start: https://7kmetals.com/blpodcast Welcome to another episode of the Business Leaders of America Podcast. In this episode, I sat down with Jay Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Abacus Global Management, a publicly traded alternative asset management company that has grown into a global, multi-division platform under his leadership. Jay shared how stepping into the life-settlements space in 2016 led to the transformation of Abacus into four complementary business units. We discussed the company’s expansion across 49 states, its deep relationships with institutional partners and tens of thousands of financial advisors, and the role technology now plays in modernizing an often misunderstood industry. He also walked through the thinking behind Abacus’s first-ever annual dividend and what it signals about the company’s financial strength and long-term strategy. If you’re interested in alternative assets, longevity-based financial solutions, or scaling a financial services company in a complex market, this episode offers valuable insight. Notable Awards and Recognitions • Chairman & CEO of Abacus Global Management, leading the company through its evolution into a publicly traded, global alternative asset management platform. • Architect of Abacus’s four-division business model, Life Solutions, Asset Group, Wealth Advisors, and ABL Tech, creating an integrated, longevity-based financial ecosystem. • Led Abacus’s expansion across 49 states, building long-term relationships with institutional partners and more than 30,000 financial advisors. • Recognized industry leader in longevity-based investing and life-settlement asset management, with Abacus having purchased over $10 billion in face value of life insurance policies since 2004. • Guided Abacus through its transition to a publicly traded company and the launch of its first-ever annual dividend, reflecting strong cash flow generation and disciplined capital allocation. How to connect with Jay Jackson • https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayjacksonabl/ • https://abacusgm.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/abacusgm/ • NASDAQ: ABL Show Notes [1:45] Jay shares his original vision when he became CEO of Abacus in 2016 and how that vision has evolved over the past nine years as the company has grown in the life-settlements space. [15:51] The catalyst behind restructuring Abacus into four distinct yet complementary business units and how that strategic shift supported global growth and long-term scalability. [19:16] The key drivers behind expanding Abacus’s presence across 49 states, strengthening institutional partnerships, and building relationships with more than 30,000 financial advisors. [22:01] What’s most misunderstood about the life-settlement and secondary insurance market and what he wishes consumers, advisors, and investors better understood about the value these solutions provide. [24:00] How Abacus identified critical technology gaps in the life-settlement industry and how ABL Tech is solving complex challenges through innovations like real-time mortality verification and missing participant location. [29:49] The strategic decision behind Abacus’s first-ever annual dividend and the message it sends to the market about the company’s stability, performance, and long-term outlook. [31:28] Jay shares his perspective on the key trends shaping the future of alternative asset management and how increased access, data, and regulation will influence the next decade of investing. [39:06] How listeners can learn more about Abacus Global Management, explore its services, and connect with Jay or his team. [39:37] Jay offers advice to the next generation of financial leaders looking to innovate in an industry that isn’t always welcoming to change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • Unlocking Bankability: How CEOs Can Strengthen Financial Health and Drive Growth

    Unlocking Bankability: How CEOs Can Strengthen Financial Health and Drive Growth
    Dec 14 2025
    If wealth preservation, passive income, or precious metals have ever been on your radar, this link is a great place to start: www.fractionalgold.com/blpodcast Welcome to another episode of the Business Leaders of America Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Gilman, a seasoned executive and consultant with a 40-year career spanning engineering, operations, finance, business development, and auditing. Thomas shares his journey from a corporate leader to a trusted advisor for CEOs, explaining how his diverse experience informs the way he helps companies strengthen their financial and operational health. We dive into why the externally facing health of a business is often overlooked, how simple yet powerful tools like his rapid business scan can uncover opportunities, and what it truly means for a company to be “bankable.” He also provides actionable insights on common mistakes companies make when seeking funding or boosting profitability, and offers guidance for entrepreneurs looking to build strong, sustainable businesses. If you’re a business leader or entrepreneur looking to improve financial strength, secure funding, or uncover hidden growth opportunities, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can implement right away. Notable Awards and Recognitions • Owner of Driving Business Growth, LLC, helping businesses boost financial strength, optimize profits, and secure funding. • Over 40 years of corporate leadership at BP/Amoco, leading global audits, operations, projects, and economic analysis across 18 countries. • Managed high-impact projects including BP’s $17B decommissioning compliance, offshore drilling risers, and multi-billion-dollar pipeline negotiations. • Expert in operational and financial optimization, delivering multi-million-dollar savings through plant and scheduling improvements. • Advises CEOs on funding, equity financing, compliance, business credit, and banking strategy to drive growth and profitability. How to connect with Thomas Gilman • https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-gilman/ • https://drivingbusinessgrowthllc.com/ • Email: thomas.gilman@drivingbusinessgrowthllc.com • Cell: (281) 972-2377 Show Notes [1:41] Thomas reflects on his transition from a 40-year corporate career into consulting, sharing how his diverse experience across engineering, operations, finance, business development, and auditing shaped the way he now helps CEOs strengthen their companies. [3:38] Why the externally facing health of a business is often overlooked by CEOs and outlines the risks companies face when it’s ignored. [4:33] How the free, rapid business scan works, what it uncovers about a company’s true health, and why it’s such a powerful starting point for meaningful improvement. [7:04] What it truly means for a company to be “bankable,” explaining how the same compliance-based evaluation tools used by banks, institutional lenders, and private equity firms assess a business’s strength, readiness, and credibility. [9:12] How the process is designed to surface meaningful growth opportunities and financial insights while requiring minimal time and disruption for business leaders. [11:31] The most common mistakes companies make when trying to secure funding or boost profitability, and explains what CEOs should be focusing on instead to strengthen financial performance and long-term viability. [15:12] How investors, banks, and acquirers are evolving their evaluation criteria for companies and what that means for business leaders. [17:27] How listeners can learn more, explore the business scan, and connect directly. [18:31] Thomas offers his top financial and strategic advice for entrepreneurs building meaningful businesses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    20 mins
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