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Connecting the Journey

Connecting the Journey

By: Connecting the Journey
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 Join podcast host and CEO Gabe Abshire as he takes a deep dive into a new entrepreneur's journey to success.Copyright Connecting the Journey Economics
Episodes
  • The Secret Behind a Company People Never Want to Leave

    The Secret Behind a Company People Never Want to Leave
    Aug 28 2025
    What if moving didn’t have to be one of life’s most stressful experiences? Gabe Abshire, founder and CEO of Move Concierge, reveals how he built a company and an entire industry dedicated to making moves seamless, stress-free, and even enjoyable.

    In this conversation, Gabe shares the lightbulb moment that sparked his idea, the grind of convincing realtors and providers to believe in it, and the culture-first approach that keeps his employees inspired after 16 years. From 20,000+ five-star reviews to lessons learned in rapid growth, Gabe opens up about leadership, humility, and the balance between people and technology in a world leaning on AI.

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Introduction
    01:00 What Move Concierge does and how it started
    02:02 How did Gabe succeed?
    02:36 Early struggles and convincing realtors & providers
    05:24 How customer feedback fuels the business
    09:03 Maintaining company culture through growth
    11:00 Balancing people, AI, and technology
    13:28 Events, family, and keeping employees engaged
    15:20 Lessons from mistakes through rapid growth
    19:13 Leading with humility and being yourself 20:36 Benefits of being an entrepreneur
    22:08 Personal habits that keep energy up
    24:18 Outlook for the future and real estate market
    26:30 Doubling down during downturns
    27:47 Gratitude, regrets, and staying grounded
    28:56 Dealing with regrets
    29:40 Staying grounded and fired up
    30:40 What’s coming next

    👉 Ready to make your next move the easiest one yet? Visit https://moveconcierge.com for all your home service needs.

    #MoveConcierge #GabeAbshire #StartupStory #StressFreeMoving #LeadershipLessons #BusinessGrowth
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    32 mins
  • She Traded a Law Career for Wine & Never Looked Back

    She Traded a Law Career for Wine & Never Looked Back
    Aug 5 2025
    She was a lawyer, a Marine officer candidate, and a Texas farm girl, until one unexpected moment changed everything.

    In this episode, Sarah Shadonix shares how a maternity leave identity crisis led her to build Scout & Cellar, a clean-crafted wine brand reshaping the industry. You'll hear how she navigated leaving law, trusted her outsider perspective, and scaled a purpose-driven business. From burnout to bold decisions, parenting struggles to entrepreneurial wins, this is the real, unfiltered story of starting over.

    Subscribe for more founder stories that fuel bold career pivots.

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Intro
    00:41 Meet the Guest: Shayla Varnado
    01:59 Life on a Texas Farm
    05:21 Hunting, Dogs & Fellowship
    06:37 Running as Mental Reset
    08:08 Marine Corps Detour
    10:00 Boot Camp Experience
    11:01 Turning Down Military Career
    13:25 From Law to Family Life
    14:53 Parenting in a Digital Age
    16:42 Keeping Kids Off Smartphones
    18:43 The Leap from Law to Wine
    20:47 Becoming a Super Taster
    22:53 The Birth of Scout & Cellar
    24:18 Scaling Small-Batch Wine
    26:15 From Skepticism to Success
    28:13 Rethinking Wine Sales
    29:24 Consultant Model Takes Off
    30:07 Changing Lives Through Wine
    32:05 Life After the Exit
    34:17 The Biggest Fear
    35:28 Advice to Her Younger Self
    37:04 Final Message to Entrepreneurs

    #SarahShadonix #ScoutAndCellar #CleanCraftedWine #FounderStory #WomenInBusiness #WineLovers #EntrepreneurLife #StartupJourney #FromLawToWine #WineIndustry #WomenEntrepreneurs #BusinessPodcast #EcommerceBusiness #SmallBusinessSupport #PurposeDrivenBusiness
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    40 mins
  • Be the Coffee Bean: Damon West’s Journey from Prison to Purpose

    Be the Coffee Bean: Damon West’s Journey from Prison to Purpose
    Jul 29 2025
    What if a 65-year prison sentence became the start of a global movement?

    In this gripping episode, Damon West shares how a single conversation in jail led to the birth of The Coffee Bean message, how he built an eight-figure speaking business from scratch, and why servant leadership transformed his time behind bars.

    Listen now and subscribe for more real stories that inspire powerful personal and professional growth.

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Intro
    00:42 Meet Damon West
    02:33 Growing up, college & addiction
    05:49 Identity loss after football
    08:04 The Uptown burglaries and arrest
    11:47 Trial & 65-year jail sentence
    15:06 Life-changing prison advice
    16:58 The coffee bean message is born
    20:05 Serving others in prison & building community
    24:13 Out of prison & speaking to the mirror
    28:57 First big break: speaking at Clemson
    38:58 The ripple effect: John Gordon & the book
    40:45 Building an eight-figure speaking business
    42:40 Mentors & servant leadership
    45:04 Faith, daily mindset, and paying it forward
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    49 mins
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