Tyler Boyd

Quotes:

“Bad things happen to good people. That’s one thing I learned. And I learned that the hard way.”
“My family’s day doesn’t start until I come home. That’s our whole purpose of the day—just to wait for me to come home.”

Two Lessons Learned:

Failure is a Chapter, Not the Whole Story – Tyler’s lowest moment came when his bank pulled his funding with less than an hour’s notice. Instead of quitting, he faced the storm head-on, rebuilding from scratch. His story proves that even in the face of financial collapse, persistence and adaptability can lead to an even stronger comeback.
Business is About People, Not Just Profit – Whether it was the employees he had to let go, the competitors who offered unexpected support, or the family that stood by him, Tyler learned that relationships are the foundation of business. Today, he focuses on trust, loyalty, and surrounding himself with the right people.

Summary:

In this powerful episode, Tyler Boyd shares his raw and deeply personal journey through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. From launching his first business at 12 years old, running an excavation company with over 100 employees, and nearly losing everything overnight when his bank unexpectedly pulled his line of credit—Tyler’s story is one of resilience, grit, and hard-earned wisdom.

He opens up about the emotional toll of failure, the public scrutiny he faced, and the painful responsibility of laying off employees. But through it all, Tyler fought back. With no credit and few resources, he rebuilt from the ground up, launching Bowline Logistics, which has since grown to nearly 80 employees and 40+ trucks on the road.

Now, Tyler prioritizes purpose over profit, focusing on his team, his family, and using his experiences to mentor struggling entrepreneurs. His journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, learning from failure, and redefining success beyond just business growth.

Alex Miller

Quotes:

“If you don’t know where you’re going, all roads will take you there. Define your desired outcome before taking the next step.”
“Building communities isn’t just about construction—it’s about impacting lives, partnering with purpose, and leaving a lasting legacy.”

Lessons Learned:

Purpose is a Journey, Not a Starting Point: Alex admits that his early ventures lacked a clear purpose. Over time, through experiences like partnering with community organizations, he realized the importance of aligning business goals with meaningful societal impact, refining his purpose to “building communities at full throttle.”
Adaptability and Resilience are Key to Survival: From scaling too fast to restructuring during economic downturns, Alex emphasizes that learning from failure and making tough decisions are necessary for long-term success. He uses his past experiences as a guiding principle to ensure stability for his team and clients moving forward.

Summary:

In this episode, Trevor Koot interviews Alex Miller, founder of Big Block Construction, who shares his journey from growing up on a farm in southern Saskatchewan to becoming a leader in innovative modular construction and community-focused housing projects.

Alex discusses his early struggles, including feeling out of place in engineering school and pivoting to real estate investment after being inspired by his parents' relentless work ethic. He recounts how he and his partners started flipping houses, moved into larger development projects, and eventually discovered modular construction as a more efficient and sustainable way to address housing needs.

Alex also shares the challenges of scaling rapidly, dealing with economic downturns, and the emotional toll of laying off employees during tough times. Through it all, his purpose evolved to "building communities at full throttle," focusing on innovative housing solutions, particularly for underserved populations, like affordable housing projects with indigenous and non-profit partners.

This conversation highlights Alex’s resilience, the importance of purpose-driven work, and the lessons learned from both failures and successes.

Mike Rowlands

Quotes:

"Put relationships first, put relationships first, and put relationships first—because those connections are the building blocks of business."
"The role of business is not merely to generate profits but to make a positive contribution to the well-being of people and the planet."

Lessons Learned

Relationships Are Key: Building and nurturing strong relationships can be the foundation of success, from securing your first client to sustaining long-term growth and mentorship.
Purpose Drives Profit: Aligning a business with a clear social purpose not only strengthens its impact but also attracts loyal customers, retains talented employees, and fosters sustainable growth.

Summary

Mike Rowlands is an experienced entrepreneur and advocate for social purpose in business. Mike shares his journey from an accidental start in entrepreneurship during the 2001 economic crisis to building a values-driven branding agency. He discusses the importance of relationships as the foundation of business, the integration of social purpose into profit models, and his vision for a future where businesses are drivers of societal well-being. With candid reflections on resilience, growth, and staying ahead of the curve, Mike’s story is a testament to the challenges and rewards of building a meaningful business.

Trevor Koot

Quotes:

"If you work hard enough and you just put in the time, and you just keep plugging away, then things happen. It’s inevitable—they have to happen."
"There’s a very profound disconnect between the emotional and obligatory connection that business owners have to their teams and how that’s perceived. But the reality is, that responsibility follows them home every single night."

Lessons Learned:

Adaptability and Scaling: Business success often requires a willingness to learn, adapt, and scale effectively. Trevor's early experiences in property management taught him that to grow sustainably, one must either scale operations or streamline to ensure efficiency and profitability.
Financial Literacy and Planning: Trevor emphasizes the critical need for financial literacy in business. His challenges with remittances and cash flow underscore the importance of understanding and managing financial obligations comprehensively, not just at face value.

Summary:

Trevor Koot shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting with a company that didn't evolve into anything to a series of successful, albeit challenging, business ventures. He reflects on his experiences in real estate, property management, and business leadership, touching on key moments of growth, failure, and reinvention. Trevor emphasizes the importance of resilience, innovation, and the often-overlooked emotional weight of leadership. He candidly discusses the hardest day in his career, when he had to lay off multiple employees to save his company. Trevor also highlights his transition into leadership roles within real estate organizations and how those roles reshaped his understanding of leadership and business strategy.

Karri Green-Shuermans

Quotes:

"If you care about something, you have to participate. If you like a restaurant, go to it. Because if you don’t, it won’t be there."
"People need to gather and they want to; they have reason to still. So all the fluctuations and the ups and downs of the economy are just kind of the roller coaster of being in business, and you just innovate and do the things you need to do."

Lessons Learned:

The Value of Systems and Adaptability: Karri stresses the importance of implementing robust systems for efficiency and adaptability. These systems, enhanced by technology, allow her to quickly respond to challenges such as fluctuating food costs and operational inefficiencies.
The Ripple Effect of Restaurant Economics: Karri explains how economic changes, such as inflation and taxation, don't just affect restaurants but ripple out, impacting suppliers, employees, and local economies. This perspective underscores the broader importance of small businesses in maintaining community and economic health.

Summary:

In this episode of "Business is Fcking Hard," Karri Green-Schuermans, co-owner of the celebrated Vancouver restaurant Shambhar, shares insights from her entrepreneurial journey and the unique challenges of running a restaurant in today’s economy. She discusses the steep learning curve of moving from corporate life to restaurant ownership, emphasizing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and systems thinking in a volatile industry. Karri explains how external factors, such as government policies and global events, directly impact the restaurant industry, creating a chain reaction felt by local communities and economies. She highlights the critical role restaurants play in community building and underscores the dedication required to sustain a values-based business amid ever-increasing financial pressures.

Jason Lindstrom

Quotes:

"If you can chalk up a big mistake as a learning opportunity and you truly don't repeat it again, that's not a bad outcome. It's about failing forward."
"There's nothing better than leveling up a great employee. If you can pair them with a great mentor, that can really set them up for success."

Lessons Learned:

The Power of Community and Team Building: Jason's early experience in creating a ski club at university highlights how building a sense of community is a key entrepreneurial skill. This ability to rally people around a shared purpose translated directly into his future business success.
Mentorship is Crucial: Throughout his journey, Jason consistently relied on mentors, not just for advice but to avoid costly mistakes. He strongly advocates for finding mentors who have walked the path you want to follow, which can help solve problems before they even arise.

Summary

In this episode, Jason Lindstrom shares his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the importance of building communities, adapting to challenges, and embracing risk. He recounts his early days at Simon Fraser University, where he founded a ski club to create a sense of belonging, which laid the foundation for his future business ventures. His passion for entrepreneurship led him to co-found three successful businesses, two of which were acquired.

Jason emphasizes the role of mentorship in his success, noting that learning from others’ experiences and mistakes has been invaluable in navigating the complex world of business. He also reflects on the importance of data in decision-making and scaling businesses, underscoring that trusting your instincts while grounding decisions in hard data is key to long-term success.

He shares a pivotal moment when he risked his family's down payment to invest in his current venture, Bucket List Rewards. This decision, driven by both passion and strategic insight, paid off, but it was not without its challenges. Lindstrom's story serves as an inspiration for entrepreneurs, showing the balance between taking calculated risks and building a strong foundation through community, mentorship, and data-driven strategies.

Hamish Knox

Quotes:

"Does this advance my business or my North Star? If I can’t say 100% yes, I stop or reduce the frequency."
"Salespeople are made, not born. The whole 'born salesperson' idea is nonsense. Sales is a skill you learn."

Lessons Learned:

Consistency and Focus Drive Success: Hamish’s journey demonstrates that success in business doesn’t come from big moments but from consistent, focused efforts. Whether making thousands of cold calls to get started or navigating financial setbacks, he emphasizes that staying disciplined in your goals and methods allows you to overcome challenges and keep your business moving forward.
The Importance of a Supportive Team and Clear Vision: Hamish stresses that no one can build a successful business alone. His experience has taught him to surround himself with people who challenge his decisions and hold him accountable. This support system has helped him avoid impulsive choices and stay aligned with his goals, creating a stronger and more sustainable business.

Summary:

In this episode of "Business is F*cking Hard," Hamish Knox shares his journey from working on a hobby farm to becoming a sales expert and franchise owner in the Sandler network. Hamish discusses the critical lessons he’s learned about resilience, from making 5,000 cold calls when he first started to managing a near-collapse after a challenging expansion. He highlights the importance of staying adaptable and continuously evaluating whether each decision aligns with his ultimate goals. With a focus on balancing ambition and discipline, Hamish emphasizes that growth comes from building strong relationships, clear communication, and a team that supports your vision. His story is full of insights on managing risk, investing in personal growth, and creating a sustainable legacy.

Steve Jagger

Quotes:

"If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you waited too long to launch it."
"We had to learn to operate in their world instead of trying to force ours into theirs."

Lessons Learned:

The Importance of Early Testing and Iteration
Steve emphasizes that testing ideas early on saves time and resources, allowing entrepreneurs to understand if their product is viable before extensive investment. His use of manual systems disguised as automated processes in Addy’s early days exemplifies this principle.
Finding Efficiency in Business Processes
By focusing on making each step efficient, such as targeting decision-makers like real estate agents, Steve achieved early success and set a foundation for scalability across his ventures.

Summary:

In this episode, entrepreneur Steve Jagger shares his unique journey from starting a web-hosting company out of a bedroom to creating the revolutionary real estate investment platform, Addy. Steve discusses his early ventures in web hosting, real estate, and outsourcing, describing how his knack for spotting opportunities led him to found multiple successful businesses. Through risk-taking, resilience, and a "minimum viable product" approach, Steve has transformed initial ideas into thriving businesses that break down traditional investment barriers and offer access to new opportunities.

Kevin Skipworth

Quotes:

“It’s all about controlling my own destiny and finding a path to go down to be able to do that.”
“If you focus on who’s leaving, you do a disservice to those who are still with you. Look inside and keep building.”

Lessons Learned:

Prioritize Support and Flexibility for Team Success
Kevin emphasizes the importance of firm but fair leadership, especially when working with independent contractors, showing how essential adaptability and support are for team cohesion and success.
Prepare for Market Cycles and Financial Discipline
With extensive experience in the fluctuating real estate market, Kevin discusses the need to manage both morale and finances during tough economic times and the value of preparing for downturns.

Summary:

In this episode, Kevin Skipworth, a seasoned real estate broker and partner at Dexter Realty, shares his journey from union jobs to leading a real estate brokerage. Kevin reflects on his early entrepreneurial experiences, his transition from employee to business owner, and the invaluable lessons he’s learned about managing people, navigating market cycles, and balancing competition within the industry. His insights offer a compelling look at the challenges and rewards of owning a small business in a highly competitive market.

Tyler Boyd

Alex Miller

Mike Rowlands

Trevor Koot

Karri Green-Shuermans

Jason Lindstrom

Hamish Knox

Steve Jagger

Kevin Skipworth

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