Skip to content
Log in Join free
Get Back 2 Work cover art

Bob Campana

Get Back 2 Work

A Entrepreneurship , Business and Careers podcast

#114 in Entrepreneurship · 🇵🇭
Good podcast? Give it some love!

About the show

Get Back 2 Work is a candid, no-nonsense podcast for seasoned entrepreneurs and operators who know that building something meaningful requires more than ideas — it requires resilience, reinvention, and real work. Hosted by serial entrepreneur and author Bob Campana, who has started and grown eight companies over more than five decades, the show explores what it actually takes to build, lead, and rebuild through both good years and hard ones. Bob brings the perspective of someone who has lived the pressure, responsibility, and identity that come with creating and running businesses at a high level. Each episode features honest conversations with experienced founders, executives, and problem-solvers who have moved beyond theory and into execution. Together, they dig into leadership under pressure, smart decision-making, reinvention, and the realities of growing companies in an unpredictable world. This isn’t startup hype or surface-level motivation. It’s real dialogue for people who have built something, learned from it, and are ready to get back to work — smarter, stronger, and more intentional than before.

Newest episodes

Dean Mathews: How Transparency Turns Time Tracking Into Trust

50 min

Time tracking can feel like surveillance or become a source of trust. On the Clock founder Dean Mathews shares how transparency, clear values, and people-first systems helped grow a self-funded SaaS business serving 16,000 customers. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dean Mathews discuss: People-first business and profit as evidence of valueTime tracking, payroll accuracy, and workplace transparencyCompany values and culture-buildingBootstrapped growth, SEO, referrals, and teamworkResponsible AI and workforce data insights Key Takeaways: Treat profit as evidence that you’re serving people well, not as the sole purpose of the business.Clearly explain the purpose behind introducing time tracking, emphasizing how it promotes transparency, builds mutual trust, and provides both employees and employers with a better understanding of work hours, productivity, and expectations.Put company values into writing, then use them to guide decisions and behavior.Consolidating scheduling, time tracking, and payroll into a single integrated system can streamline daily operations, reduce manual handoffs, save valuable time, minimize data-entry errors, and improve overall efficiency across workforce management processes.Use AI with clear safeguards and human oversight, especially when it could affect employees. “If you're going after profit alone, that's a very bad way to do business. But if you focus on the people and you look at the profit as evidence that you're doing a good job serving the people, then you will have great success." - Dean Mathews Introducing “On The Clock”: Employee Time Clock Software Built for Payroll! Know who's working, approve employee hours faster, and run payroll without chasing timecards. https://www.ontheclock.com/  About the guest, Dean Mathews: Dean Mathews is the Founder and CEO of OnTheClock, a people-first workforce management platform serving 15,000-plus small businesses across the US. In 2004, Dean started OnTheClock as a passion project at his k...

Jothy Rosenberg: Why Startups Must Find the Customer Before Building

1 hr 12 min

A life-threatening diagnosis at 16 taught Jothy Rosenberg how to face seemingly impossible challenges and later helped him navigate the highs and lows of nine startups. He shares why customer conversations, focused execution, and strong company culture can make the difference between a promising idea and a sustainable business. In this episode, Bob Campana and Jothy Rosenberg discuss: Overcoming cancer, amputation, and isolationBuilding resilience through hard challengesCustomer discovery and product-market fitStartup mistakes, financing, and unit economicsCompany culture, hiring, and founder challenges Key Takeaways: Resilience grows when you focus on the next step and keep working toward what matters.Start by identifying a genuine customer problem that needs solving, rather than developing technology first and then searching for a market that might find it useful, ensuring that every innovation is grounded in real needs and delivers meaningful value to the people it aims to serve.Talk to prospective customers and test whether they will pay before scaling development.A minimum viable product should include only what customers need to pay for.Company culture requires active leadership: hire carefully, address harmful behavior quickly, and keep values visible. “People need to talk to 40 prospective customers before they can say, ‘Yes, I really understand.’” - Jothy Rosenberg About the guest, Jothy Rosenberg: Jothy Rosenberg has a PhD in Computer Science from Duke University, where he remained as a CS professor for five years. He left academia and went on to found nine startups in areas ranging from supercomputers to internet security, to a TV show production company, to Hollywood special effects equipment, and a non-profit. Two of his startups had exits over $100M. Jothy’s most recent startup began as a DARPA program to develop a processor virtually immune to cyberattacks. It is called Dover Microsystems, which he founded and ran. Jothy has authored several technic...

Betty Lu: Turning Imperfect Produce Into a Global Snack Brand

53 min

A search for a genuinely delicious trail snack became the start of a global food brand. Betty Lu shares how she turned overlooked produce into Confetti Snacks and built a business where bold flavors and fighting food waste go hand in hand. In this episode, Bob Campana and Betty Lu discuss: Travel as inspiration for Confetti SnacksUpcycling surplus and cosmetically imperfect produceRecipe development, flavor, and productionBrand identity, retail growth, and customer appealEntrepreneurial risk, mentorship, and future ambitions Key Takeaways: A sustainability mission may attract first-time customers, but exceptional taste is what keeps them coming back.Transforming surplus produce into shelf-stable products gives overlooked ingredients a second life.As a business grows, maintaining consistent quality requires thoughtful experimentation, continuous recipe refinement, and careful adjustments to production processes.Great packaging captures attention and creates an emotional connection.Sometimes, the biggest opportunities emerge when you step beyond your comfort zone, take a chance on an untested idea, and find the courage to share your vision with people who might help bring it to life. “People vote with their taste buds. They don't care if you're trying to save the world.” - Betty Lu Check out Confetti Snacks’ shop on TikTok! https://vt.tiktok.com/ZTA5jU42c/?page=TikTokShop About the guest, Betty Lu: Betty Lu is the founder and CEO of venture-backed Confetti Snacks, based in San Francisco, NYC, and Singapore. Confetti crafts award-winning, perfectly crunchy, gourmet snacks made from nutrient-dense fruits & vegetables in internationally inspired flavors that celebrate diversity. The scrumptious plant-based snacks are colorful and made from real sliced veggies and fruit. The snacks are high in protein and fiber, an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and gently upcycled from imperfect produce or crop surplus to alleviate food waste. Connect with Betty Lu: Websi...

Similar podcasts

All episodes

Dean Mathews: How Transparency Turns Time Tracking Into Trust

50 min

Time tracking can feel like surveillance or become a source of trust. On the Clock founder Dean Mathews shares how transparency, clear values, and people-first systems helped grow a self-funded SaaS business serving 16,000 customers. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dean Mathews discuss: People-first business and profit as evidence of valueTime tracking, payroll accuracy, and workplace transparencyCompany values and culture-buildingBootstrapped growth, SEO, referrals, and teamworkResponsible AI and workforce data insights Key Takeaways: Treat profit as evidence that you’re serving people well, not as the sole purpose of the business.Clearly explain the purpose behind introducing time tracking, emphasizing how it promotes transparency, builds mutual trust, and provides both employees and employers with a better understanding of work hours, productivity, and expectations.Put company values into writing, then use them to guide decisions and behavior.Consolidating scheduling, time tracking, and payroll into a single integrated system can streamline daily operations, reduce manual handoffs, save valuable time, minimize data-entry errors, and improve overall efficiency across workforce management processes.Use AI with clear safeguards and human oversight, especially when it could affect employees. “If you're going after profit alone, that's a very bad way to do business. But if you focus on the people and you look at the profit as evidence that you're doing a good job serving the people, then you will have great success." - Dean Mathews Introducing “On The Clock”: Employee Time Clock Software Built for Payroll! Know who's working, approve employee hours faster, and run payroll without chasing timecards. https://www.ontheclock.com/  About the guest, Dean Mathews: Dean Mathews is the Founder and CEO of OnTheClock, a people-first workforce management platform serving 15,000-plus small businesses across the US. In 2004, Dean started OnTheClock as a passion project at his k...

Jothy Rosenberg: Why Startups Must Find the Customer Before Building

1 hr 12 min

A life-threatening diagnosis at 16 taught Jothy Rosenberg how to face seemingly impossible challenges and later helped him navigate the highs and lows of nine startups. He shares why customer conversations, focused execution, and strong company culture can make the difference between a promising idea and a sustainable business. In this episode, Bob Campana and Jothy Rosenberg discuss: Overcoming cancer, amputation, and isolationBuilding resilience through hard challengesCustomer discovery and product-market fitStartup mistakes, financing, and unit economicsCompany culture, hiring, and founder challenges Key Takeaways: Resilience grows when you focus on the next step and keep working toward what matters.Start by identifying a genuine customer problem that needs solving, rather than developing technology first and then searching for a market that might find it useful, ensuring that every innovation is grounded in real needs and delivers meaningful value to the people it aims to serve.Talk to prospective customers and test whether they will pay before scaling development.A minimum viable product should include only what customers need to pay for.Company culture requires active leadership: hire carefully, address harmful behavior quickly, and keep values visible. “People need to talk to 40 prospective customers before they can say, ‘Yes, I really understand.’” - Jothy Rosenberg About the guest, Jothy Rosenberg: Jothy Rosenberg has a PhD in Computer Science from Duke University, where he remained as a CS professor for five years. He left academia and went on to found nine startups in areas ranging from supercomputers to internet security, to a TV show production company, to Hollywood special effects equipment, and a non-profit. Two of his startups had exits over $100M. Jothy’s most recent startup began as a DARPA program to develop a processor virtually immune to cyberattacks. It is called Dover Microsystems, which he founded and ran. Jothy has authored several technic...

Betty Lu: Turning Imperfect Produce Into a Global Snack Brand

53 min

A search for a genuinely delicious trail snack became the start of a global food brand. Betty Lu shares how she turned overlooked produce into Confetti Snacks and built a business where bold flavors and fighting food waste go hand in hand. In this episode, Bob Campana and Betty Lu discuss: Travel as inspiration for Confetti SnacksUpcycling surplus and cosmetically imperfect produceRecipe development, flavor, and productionBrand identity, retail growth, and customer appealEntrepreneurial risk, mentorship, and future ambitions Key Takeaways: A sustainability mission may attract first-time customers, but exceptional taste is what keeps them coming back.Transforming surplus produce into shelf-stable products gives overlooked ingredients a second life.As a business grows, maintaining consistent quality requires thoughtful experimentation, continuous recipe refinement, and careful adjustments to production processes.Great packaging captures attention and creates an emotional connection.Sometimes, the biggest opportunities emerge when you step beyond your comfort zone, take a chance on an untested idea, and find the courage to share your vision with people who might help bring it to life. “People vote with their taste buds. They don't care if you're trying to save the world.” - Betty Lu Check out Confetti Snacks’ shop on TikTok! https://vt.tiktok.com/ZTA5jU42c/?page=TikTokShop About the guest, Betty Lu: Betty Lu is the founder and CEO of venture-backed Confetti Snacks, based in San Francisco, NYC, and Singapore. Confetti crafts award-winning, perfectly crunchy, gourmet snacks made from nutrient-dense fruits & vegetables in internationally inspired flavors that celebrate diversity. The scrumptious plant-based snacks are colorful and made from real sliced veggies and fruit. The snacks are high in protein and fiber, an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and gently upcycled from imperfect produce or crop surplus to alleviate food waste. Connect with Betty Lu: Websi...

Bill Flynn: Escaping the Hero Trap and Building a Team That Can Lead

1 hr 10 min

Imagine this: the habits that made you successful are now holding your team back. How do you escape this hero trap? Bill Flynn explores how leaders can move beyond being the “hero,” build systems for better decisions, and create a workplace where people feel both capable and connected. In this episode, Bob Campana and Bill Flynn discuss: The Hero Trap and leadership bottlenecksStrategic destination, purpose, and systems thinkingDecision-making frameworks and reversible decisionsController, Builder, and Architect leadership stylesHuman connection, culture, and employee engagement Key Takeaways: As a company grows, leaders need to shift from making every decision themselves to building a capable, confident team that can make sound decisions independently without relying on the leader to manage every detail.Clear purpose and a well-defined strategic destination give people a shared guide for action.Good decision-making starts by understanding the real problem, not just choosing between two proposed options.Match the decision-making process to the stakes involved: this means making reversible decisions promptly, learning from the results, and adjusting as needed, while giving high-impact decisions more time for careful analysis.People are more likely to thrive when they can feel both unique and part of something larger. “Making a great decision is very different than having a great outcome.” - Bill Flynn About the guest, Bill Flynn: Bill Flynn is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and speaker, and the founder of Catalyst Growth Advisors. He is the author of Further, Faster and the forthcoming The Hero Trap (Berrett-Koehler, October 2026), with a foreword by Marshall Goldsmith. Drawing on roughly 30 years inside scaling companies, including 10 startups, 2 IPOs, and 7 acquisitions, Bill has coached hundreds of CEOs and executives across high-growth startups, operationally intensive businesses, and mission-driven organizations. He is a contributor to Harvard Busin...

Marty M. Fahncke: Why Business Owners Should Plan Their Exit Three Years Ahead

52 min

A business can be an owner’s greatest asset or a job they can’t sell. Learn how getting your finances, operations, and exit plan in order can improve a company’s value and make it a better business to own. In this episode, Bob Campana and Marty M. Fahncke discuss: Three-year preparation for a business saleClean financials, profit, and tax strategyOwner succession and staged exitsStrategic acquisitions as a growth strategyRecurring revenue and business valuation Key Takeaways: Start preparing well before a sale; financial records and operations take time to strengthen.Buyers look for clear, verifiable evidence of a business’s profitability and not simply a high revenue figure or the owner’s estimate of how much money the company makes.Delegating frontline tasks and management responsibilities helps the business operate without the owner’s constant involvement, making it more attractive and easier to transition to a new owner.Acquisitions can offer a path to growth by adding established customers, teams, and revenue streams.By strengthening financial systems, improving operations, and reducing dependency on the owner/s, businesses become easier to sell or even keep, depending on the owner’s final decision. “You don't know if a divorce (business sale) is on your horizon. You don't know. You know if one of those happens, then guess what? You're prepared to maximize that exit from that business.” - Marty M. Fahncke About the guest, Marty M. Fahncke: Marty M. Fahncke is a Certified Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor and seasoned world-class Marketer with over 30 years of experience in growing & scaling businesses, and over 25 years of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions. In that time, Marty has helped hundreds of small businesses scale to over $1 billion in total revenue, and executed nearly $500 million in Mergers and Acquisitions transactions. Marty is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book “Boomer Sells the Business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cashing Out & Livi...

Derek Fredrickson: The COO’s Role in Turning Vision Into Execution

41 min

A founder’s vision can get buried beneath the day-to-day work of running a business. This episode explores how a fractional COO can turn that vision into practical systems and help owners reclaim time for growth and the life they want. In this episode, Bob Campana and Derek Fredrickson discuss: The COO as the bridge between vision and executionThe founder’s shift from operator to ownerFractional leadership and business growth stagesBuilding systems and empowering teamsRemote operations and lifestyle design Key Takeaways: Delegating outcomes, not just tasks, helps a founder step out of the daily bottleneck.A fractional COO can bring operations, sales, marketing, and finance into alignment, helping each function support the company’s broader strategy and growth goals instead of working in silos.Start by reviewing how the founder’s time is actually spent, then identify which responsibilities contribute most to the business so they can prioritize high-return work and reduce or delegate lower-value activities.Systems work best when they’re built with the team, documented, and improved through feedback.Define the personal goal behind the business; it can help guide decisions about how the company should operate. “I always say, listen, part of what our job is is to actually create the structure, the systems, the processes, not to take control of your business, but actually to give you control back.” - Derek Fredrickson About the guest, Derek Fredrickson: Derek Fredrickson is the CEO and founder of The COO Solution, a fractional COO firm that works hands-on with 7- and 8-figure founders and CEOs to build the operational foundation their businesses need to scale. With over 16 years as a Chief Operating Officer and second-in-command, he now leads a team of fractional COOs embedded inside growing businesses across industries and hosts The COO Solution Podcast. Connect with Derek Fredrickson: Website: https://thecoosolution.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekfr...

Chris Sund: You Are Capable of More: Breaking Self‑Imposed Limits at Work

1 hr 4 min

Chris Sund uncovers the wonders of having a leader who stops building fences to keep people in and starts building launchpads to help their people grow. In this episode, you’ll hear how an executive recruiter and author uses culture, honest feedback, and personal transformation to unlock the potential people don’t see in themselves. In this episode, Bob Campana and Chris Sund discuss: Healthcare recruiting and AI-powered headhunting (Nebula)Human connection in rural healthcare and community impactPersonal mission, leadership development, and culture buildingStretching people, growth mindset, and “launchpads vs. fences”Self-doubt, hidden potential, and becoming “capable of more” Key Takeaways: Culture is not about perks and ping-pong tables; it’s about creating a winning environment where people are proud of the work they do and who they do it with.The most powerful retention strategy is developing people, recognizing them often, and helping them grow both inside and outside the organization.Clear expectations filter in people who genuinely want to grow.Most people quietly believe they are capable of more but are held back by self-doubt, fear of failure, comfort, and busyness.Simple, human gestures, like secondhand compliments and handwritten notes to an employee’s parents, can create lasting memories and deepen loyalty far more than expensive perks. “We are going to stretch you, but we're not going to break you.” - Chris Sund Do you want to be the version of yourself? Learn how through Chris Sund’s book; grab a copy here: https://YouAreCapableofMore.com   About Chris Sund: Chris Sund is the author of You Are Capable of More: A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. As President and COO of Uniti Med, GQR Healthcare, and Nebula, he helped grow the business 12x in revenue in two years, earning the #3 ranking on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in the Midwest, and today leads one of the largest healthcare staffing organizations in the country. Th...

Wes Moss and his The Retire Sooner Method: Five Steps to a Happier, Purpose-Filled Retirement

55 min

What if happiness in retirement isn’t about hitting a magic number, but mastering five simple steps? In this episode, Wes Moss reveals the Retire Sooner Method: money green zones, core pursuits, real community, and a written plan that delivers a 21% happiness jump. Ditch fear, find “enough,” and build a life worth retiring to. In this episode, Bob Campana and Wes Moss discuss: Defining “money green zones” and financial foundationsFriendship recession and building real social connectionsCore pursuits can drive purpose beyond full-time workFear of outliving savings and written planningDiminishing returns of wealth on happiness Key Takeaways: A happy retirement depends less on amassing limitless wealth and more on hitting “money green zones,” cultivating five or more core pursuits, maintaining at least four close friendships, and committing to a written plan that reduces anxiety and clarifies what “enough” looks like for your life. The growing “friendship recession” significantly erodes retirees’ happiness, health, and long-term well-being.Even high-net-worth individuals fear outliving their hard-earned assets, but a clear, written plan paired with education can lower anxiety and support sustainable withdrawals. Start building core pursuits and social connections in your 40s–50s to avoid a late-life “point of no return” where habits, health, and networks are harder to create from scratch. Wealth boosts happiness only up to a plateau; beyond roughly $1–3M in liquid assets, incremental dollars add little, so shift focus to purpose, relationships, and planned adventures that create anticipation and meaning.  “If you do all five of these… you’ve got a 96% chance that you end up in the happy retiree camp.” - Wes Moss Want To Retire Sooner? Find out how by learning from Wes Moss’ Retire Sooner Method! Grab a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1969190027?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback About Wes Moss: Wes Moss, CFP®, is Managing Partner and Chief Investment...

Know When to Grow, Know When to Go: Dave Parker on Smart Exits

51 min

Chasing scale or eyeing the exit? Dave Parker reveals the signals founders miss, the metrics that matter, and a simple framework to decide: grow, pivot, or go. Avoid earnout traps, raise your multiple, and time your move with confidence. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dave Parker discuss: Knowing when to grow versus exitRevenue models driving enterprise valueStrategic vs. private equity exitsReducing founder dependency and riskAvoiding earnout traps and customer concentration Key Takeaways: Teams prosper when they pivot around problems.Predictable revenue plus a crisp two-year growth story often signals higher enterprise value and buyer confidence than trailing performance alone.Strategic exits skew heuristic; private equity favors calculable models.Lower founder dependency commonly strengthens valuation resilience.Diversified customers and revenue typically reduce risky earnouts. “How many weeks could the business run without you paying attention to it? … if you haven't operationalized things, that will drag down the value of the enterprise because of its dependence on you.” - Dave Parker About Dave Parker: Dave is a five-time founder and has been part of >15 transactions, as founder, operator, board member, and advisor. He splits his time between funding early-stage companies and helping them exit. He’s a Senior Partner at Fearless.fund. The fund is focused on investing in Women of Color Founders across the US in Consumer and Tech companies. At the other end of the spectrum, he helps founders exit their companies through his work at NextPath Advisors. His “20%” time (that can sometimes be 80% time) is as a community builder and speaker; he works with accelerators and startup programs worldwide. Connect with Dave Parker: Website: https://www.dkparker.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveparker/  Email: Hello@dkparker.com  Connect With Bob Campana: Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk  LinkedIn: https...

Flavor, Focus, and the Family Torch: Inside The Yogurt Mill with Larry and Soshie Young

1 hr 12 min

What does it really take to turn a soft-serve side hustle into a four-location staple with lines out the door? Meet Larry and Soshie Young, founders of The Yogurt Mill, and their daughter Carly, the next-gen co-CEO. Stick around for hard-won lessons on scaling, culture, and creating “memory moments” that keep customers coming back. In this episode, Bob Campana, Larry Young, and Soshie Young discuss: From refrigeration to founding The Yogurt MillFlavor sourcing, rotation, and quality partnershipsScaling through systems, manuals, and trainingCommunity outreach, fundraisers, and mobile trucksNext-gen leadership, innovation, and menu focus  Key Takeaways: Building durable systems like manuals, checklists, training, and standards turns craft into a scalable operation. Community-first outreach tends to compound both goodwill and revenue. Hiring for attitude, teaching problem-solving, and prioritizing cleanliness may elevate the customer experience consistently. Data-led iteration, such as A/B testing promos, tracking loyalty behavior, and letting winners run, often pays off across seasons.Operational focus helps; trend items seem to work best when they truly fit. “I never had that vision that we would be able to impact so many people's lives. I think what you see from Yogurt Mill is just the sincerity from our hearts.” - Larry Young About Larry and Soshie Young: Larry and Soshie Young are the husband-and-wife founders of Yogurt Mill, a Modesto staple they launched in the mid-1980s after Larry’s early career in commercial refrigeration and soft-serve equipment. Blending Larry’s mechanical mastery and product obsession with Soshie’s organizational rigor and community-minded marketing, they scaled from a single shop to multiple locations, trucks, and a catering arm. Their playbook- quality sourcing, relentless cleanliness, systems and training, and deep local engagement- built a beloved brand and a durable operation now transitioning to the next generation under their daug...

Bill McHenry: From Factory to Table: How Widgetteer Wins the “Social Kitchen”

40 min

Meet Widgetteer CEO Bill McHenry, who turned a failed vacuum-seal idea into a masterclass on product design, sourcing with soul, and selling to the toughest buyers. From viral oil-and-vinegar platters to Disney-level vendor status, this conversation is a blueprint for building hits in the “social kitchen” era, where relationships, relentless follow-up, and packaging you can actually touch make all the difference.  In this episode, Bob Campana and Bill McHenry discuss: Widgetteer’s “social kitchen” focus and productsLessons from early product failure Corporate experience shaping entrepreneurial agilitySourcing family-owned factories and retail accessPricing, logistics, packaging, and trade show strategy  Key Takeaways: Design for the “social kitchen”; this means making products people want to display, not store, then partner with family-owned factories to move faster than big brands. Early failure taught hard lessons in manufacturing, logistics, and perseverance. Start with the retail price, then work backward on costs, packaging, and shipping to protect margin without hurting customer experience.Trade shows are for contacts, not closes.A respectful, cross-generational team improves picks and reduces risk.  “We have that focus on the social kitchen… I'd be willing to bet when you have a party at your house, everyone congregates in the kitchen, and that's what we focus on.” - Bill McHenry About Bill McHenry: Bill McHenry is an innovative leader in the world of sales and marketing with over 25 years of extensive corporate and entrepreneurial experience.  As a creative and energetic problem solver, Bill has helped launch a number of exciting new products and companies, building them from the ground up, including Widgeteer.  As the founder and President of Widgeteer,  Bill uses his comprehensive industry experience to bring innovative European housewares brands to North America.  As the company has grown, he has been able to grow the logistics part of the business, cre...

Dan Dowdy: From Plumber to Trades Leadership Coach

58 min

In this episode of Get Back 2 Work, Bob Campana sits down with Master plumber Dan Dowdy as he reveals how leadership, systems, and faith transformed his family business into a coaching movement. Learn to scale your trades company, build culture, and lead the next generation. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dan Dowdy discuss: Dan's journey: plumbing to coachingMindset, faith, and endurance driving leadership and resilienceSystems and processes to scale without ownerCore values, structure, accountability shaping company cultureCommunication, hiring, training: closing generational leadership gap Key Takeaways: Investing in leadership education and systems transformed Dan’s family plumbing business, enabling scalable growth and freeing the owner from day-to-day operations to pursue coaching nationally.Mindset and endurance turn pain into growth and lasting results.Multi-generational family businesses must align leadership at the top to prevent wedges and ensure coaching benefits flow throughout the organization sustainably.Define core values, display them visibly, and enforce accountability consistently so your culture attracts like-minded employees and customers while preventing the owner from becoming a growth bottleneck during scaling phases.Use assessments, presence, and structured communication to build trust and team cohesion faster and more reliably. “We only work at the top first, and then throughout the organization, because you're the biggest problem in your business, and we got to work on you first.” - Dan Dowdy Learn more about Dan’s Coaching HERE: https://www.skool.com/built-for-the-trades/about  About the guest, Dan Dowdy: Dan Dowdy is a Second Generation Master Plumber, an experienced Home Service Business Owner, and a Certified John Maxwell Leadership Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with over 22 years of leadership experience in the Trades. Dan has done it all, from running a service truck to owning and operating a successful, multi-million dollar home s...

Firdaus Kharas: Animation Breaks Barriers: Storytelling That Transforms

1 hr 24 min

On this episode of Get Back to Work with host Bob Campana, internationally renowned visual artist Firdaus Kharas reveals how animation breaks barriers, using short, culturally authentic visuals to overcome stigma and save lives. Join in to hear rapid storyboarding, taboo‑busting ideas, and the human edge over AI. In this episode, Bob Campana and Firdaus Kharas discuss: Creativity vs. AI: human imagination winsHumor + brevity: short spots that stickCultural authenticity: locally believable visual detailsAnimation over posters: visuals that change behaviorProcess & persistence: storyboards, iteration, daydreaming Key Takeaways: Culturally authentic, concise animation can bypass defenses, change behavior, and deliver globally public health impact faster and more affordably than static campaigns.Human creativity remains essential; AI augments but cannot originate truly novel ideas.Short spots, sometimes as brief as twenty seconds, require extreme concision and repetition to embed messages across languages, increasing retention and prompting measurable behavior change over time more consistently.Storyboards, iterative drafts, and director-led attention to culturally specific, meticulous visual details, down to clothing, leaves, and camera movement, ensure emotional authenticity, audience identification, and broad social acceptance across diverse local regions.Persistence, prototyping, and embracing failure accelerate creative breakthroughs and build lasting shared audience trust. “Animation gives you what is called a suspension of your disbelief system, meaning that you know what you're seeing is not real, and therefore I use animation because I can do things that I could not do with normal people.” - Firdaus Kharas About the guest, Firdaus Kharas: Firdaus Kharas is a globally recognized social innovator, media producer, humanitarian, and pioneer in behavior change communication. For more than three decades, he has harnessed animation and mass media to advance social c...

Bryan Clayton: How He Built the “Uber for Mowing”

46 min

From a 13-year-old mowing lawns to building an “Uber for mowing” that serves 300,000 customers, this episode pulls back the curtain on scaling a blue-collar hustle into a tech platform, the messy reality of selling a business, and the human-first coaching that turns solo landscapers into sustainable owners. Tune in for hard-earned tactics, founder confessions, and the surprising lessons Bryan Clayton learned when he traded a lawnmower for an app. In this episode, Bob Campana and Bryan Clayton discuss: Building an entrepreneurial mindset from mowing lawnsScaling operations and delegating leadershipPreparing business for sale and identity shiftCreating GreenPal marketplace for lawn careCoaching vendors and enforcing accountability systems  Key Takeaways: Start small, systemize early, then duplicate operations to scale without burning out and preserve sanity.Preparing a business for sale requires rebuilding operations to align with buyer expectations, focusing on clear financials and scalable systems, because emotional attachments and lifestyle operations often reduce perceived value and complicate transition planning significantly.A marketplace succeeds by rigorously vetting providers, promoting reliability through reviews and metrics, and coaching operators to increase repeat bookings and efficiency.Accountability and coaching convert hardworking operators into sustainable, consistently profitable small-business owners.Constructive dissatisfaction, the founder’s persistent drive to fix problems and refuse complacency, fuels continuous innovation, propels strategic focus, and keeps teams aligned toward higher standards and measurable customer outcomes consistently. “We set out to create the app that works like Uber for lawn mowing, and that's what GreenPal is.” - Bryan Clayton About the guest, Bryan Clayton: Bryan Clayton started mowing lawns as a teenager with a push mower. Twenty years later, he’s the CEO of GreenPal — the app Entrepreneur Magazine calls *the Uber...

Catherine Bell: Awakened Companies: Leading with Presence, Purpose, and People

1 hr 7 min

Want your company to feel alive, not just profitable? In this episode, Catherine Bell maps a practical path, from waking your own self-awareness to reshaping relationships and team systems, so creativity and culture drive performance. Tune in for Enneagram-based tools, silence practices, and leadership moves that turn vision into collective action. In this episode, Bob Campana and Catherine Bell discuss: Alive/awakened organizationsThree rings: awaken self, relationships, teamsEnneagram for leadership and team diversityCreativity: silence, stillness, and collective processCulture vs. finance — the two-thirds culture rule Key Takeaways: Prioritize culture alongside finance to unlock sustainable performance and lasting organizational resilience.Begin leadership transformation by cultivating self-awareness, crafting a personal strategic vision, and practicing steady presence; these practices enable leaders to model values, inspire teams, and create psychological safety for sustained creativity.Use the Enneagram as a strategic tool to diversify team thinking, surface blind spots, and design complementary roles that accelerate collective innovation rapidly at scale.Silence and stillness unlock creative insights you cannot artificially create.Design leadership systems that invite participation, distribute control, and convert individual sparks into predictable, collective outcomes—driving measurable growth. “What most CEOs don't know is that if we focus two-thirds on corporate culture and 1/3 on financial success, that's where the magic is.” - Catherine Bell About the guest, Catherine Bell: Catherine R Bell is a successful entrepreneur, business leader, and best-selling business author. The Awakened Company, which she founded, focuses on helping organizations create healthy corporate cultures through awakening the self, relationships, and team dynamics. The Awakened Company (2015)—Catherine’s revolutionary business book—was awarded the Nautilus Book Award in Business an...

Derek Fredrickson: How Fractional COOs Turn Founder Vision into Scalable Growth

44 min

The difference between a growing business and a scalable one isn't talent; it's execution. In this episode, Bob Campana sits down with Derek Fredrickson, founder of The COO Solution, to explore how fractional COOs transform founder vision into scalable execution through systems, accountability, smarter meetings, and AI-powered operations. In this episode, Bob Campana and Derek Fredrickson discuss: Fractional COO model and ideal growth stageBuilding operational systems and SOPsKPIs, accountability, and leadership alignmentRedesigning meetings for better executionAI-powered knowledge management and scaling Key Takeaways: Sustainable growth comes from repeatable systems, not heroic effort.Clear ownership of a few meaningful metrics creates stronger accountability than tracking everything.Operational improvements should simplify work for the team rather than add complexity.Effective leaders balance structured execution with empathy and trust-building.AI is becoming a powerful tool for preserving institutional knowledge, but human judgment remains essential. “We're building knowledge bases for all of our clients, so that every meeting, every slide deck, every email, every Loom video, every Asana project management task ... is all brain dumped into a custom library in AI that we have for our client.” - Derek Fredrickson About the guest, Derek Fredrickson: Derek Fredrickson began his career on Wall Street, managing teams and projects to meet year-end goals, but he wanted to make a more profound connection. After helping scale his wife's business to multiple 7-figures, he found his passion in helping other entrepreneurs achieve the same success. For over 16 years, Derek has helped business owners grow to 7 and multiple 7-figures while reclaiming their freedom. He launched The COO Solution to bring this proven approach to more entrepreneurs at an affordable investment. With a supportive leadership style, Derek and his team ensure smooth operations, build solid teams, and i...

Doug Thorpe: Servant Leadership That Actually Works

51 min

An executive coach with military roots breaks down practical servant leadership: how trust, small behavioral tweaks, and purposeful introspection create real performance gains for leaders and teams. Tune in for frameworks you can apply this week to lead steadier and build stronger teams. In this episode, Bob Campana and Doug Thorpe discuss: Military-to-civilian leadership differencesServant leadership & “greater good”Building trust and psychological safetyCoaching vs. consulting; leader developmentAI, tech, and the pipeline for young leaders Key Takeaways: Leadership begins with the person you choose to become because lasting influence always starts from within.Trust grows through meaningful conversations that happen consistently over time.Small changes in the way you communicate and behave may seem insignificant at first, but they can quietly reshape relationships, strengthen influence, and produce lasting results.Coaching helps leaders discover their own path, while consulting provides expert guidance and helps put solutions into action.AI should enhance people's capabilities rather than replace the middle managers who develop practical experience, coach others, and form the leadership pipeline that organizations depend on for long-term success. “[My book] Steady is a culmination of about eight years of my coaching work and over 1000 engagements, and it's all centered on that core question I mentioned a moment ago  - What kind of leader you want to be?” - Doug Thorpe Grab a copy of Steady, HERE: www.dougthorpe.com/steady  About the guest, Doug Thorpe: Doug Thorpe is the President and CEO of HeadwayExec, LLC and the Doug Thorpe Group. With more than 30 years of business and leadership experience, Doug has become a trusted advisor to CEOs, business owners, and senior leadership teams looking to improve performance, strengthen their organizations, and lead with greater confidence. As an executive coach, consultant, and podcast host, Doug has spent decades helping...

Steve Preda: Taking Founders to the Next Level with Summit OS

46 min

In this conversation between Steve and Bob, you’ll hear how a former investment banker-turned-operator built Summit OS by synthesizing 70+ iconic business books to help founders decentralize decisions, create unique advantages, and keep climbing to the next level. In this episode, Bob Campana and Steve Preda discuss: Founder dependency and the hub-and-spoke problemShifting to a decentralized “synapse” decision modelLimits of basic operating systems and going deeperDesigning unique activities and Strategy OS for differentiationExecution cadence, leadership structure, and AI’s role in business Key Takeaways: Companies eventually hit a ceiling when every meaningful decision still flows through the founder, no matter how capable that founder is.Rewiring the organization into a “brain” of connected, autonomous employees allows decisions to be made closer to the action and frees leadership for strategy and innovation.Growth-minded teams quickly need richer toolkits, deeper strategy, and ongoing learning, all of which Summit OS offers, to avoid stagnation.True competitive advantage comes from intentionality and resources other firms don’t have. AI is most powerful as a force multiplier, handling non-creative work, offering fresh perspectives, and elevating productivity so human teams can focus on intuition and higher-value thinking. “[Artificial Intelligence (AI)] It’s going to improve productivity across the board, so people are going to compete at a higher level, and I don't think it's going to kill as many jobs as people think it might.” - Steve Preda Find Where Execution Is Breaking Down in Your Business — In 5 Minutes, HERE: https://executionmomentum.com/  About the guest, Steve Preda: Steve Preda is the Founder and Operating Partner at Summit OS Group and an operational architect for founder-led service businesses. Before moving to America, he built and sold an investment banking firm in Europe, and since 2013, he has coached CEOs and SMB leadership teams on build...

Wombi Rose: Engineering Magical Moments with Lovepop’s Paper Art

46 min

A former naval architect turns ship-design software into a tool for crafting emotional, pop-up greeting cards and builds a multimillion-dollar brand around human connection. In this conversation, you’ll hear how art, engineering, trust, and grit turned a simple kirigami insight into Lovepop and tens of millions of “magical moments.” In this episode, Bob Campana and Wombi Rose discuss: Origin story: naval architecture, Harvard, and discovering kirigami in VietnamTurning engineering skills into handcrafted, laser-cut greeting cardsMission, production, and team culture at Lovepop (including Vietnam operations)Co-founder trust, vulnerability-based leadership, and company cultureGrowth via Shark Tank, QVC, retail expansion, corporate/custom cards, and AI Key Takeaways: Deep technical expertise can be repurposed in surprising ways when you stay open to new contexts, which, in this case, involves applying ship-design methods to paper art.Building a resilient company culture starts with a foundational commitment to relationships and vulnerability-based trust, not just revenue and growth.Emotional impact can be made and scaled when art and engineering work together.Major exposure moments like Shark Tank or QVC can be inflection points, but they only pay off when the underlying business, operations, and product are ready.Loving the work itself provides the grit and persistence needed to navigate the inevitable emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship. “There's no substitute for the human creativity and the desire to create something new.” - Wombi Rose About the guest, Wombi Rose: Wombi Rose is the co-founder and CEO of Lovepop, a company that transforms paper cards into engineered emotional experiences. Wombi and his co-founder, John Wise, initially trained as naval architects and discovered Kirigami in Vietnam, leading to the creation of Lovepop. The company has grown from a Harvard Business School idea to a nationally recognized brand, appearing on Shark Tank and achi...

Patrick Donohue: Good Capital, Bad Capital, and the Real Cost of Growth

48 min

When does capital become a growth engine, and when does it quietly destroy a business? In this episode, we dive into the difference between good and bad money, how to think about valuation, and what every founder needs to know before signing their next loan or giving up equity. In this episode, Bob Campana and Patrick Donohue discuss: Early entrepreneurial roots and family influenceHill Capital’s investment focus and “execution vs. concept” riskGood capital vs. bad capital and predatory lendingBreakout valuation and getting paid for future potentialKey criteria, cash-flow focus, and protecting owner control  Key Takeaways: The most important investment decision often starts with the human connection.Capital that looks convenient and fast can carry hidden costs that quietly drain cash flow and eventually kill a business.Valuation is fundamentally about the net present value of future cash flows, and owners must learn to articulate a credible future to capture any of that today.Protecting ownership and control matters because most companies become solid “nice” businesses, and giving away too much equity or control too early can turn a strong exit into a disappointing personal result instead of a life-changing one.Tracking cash, what others owe you, and what you owe others creates a simple but powerful dashboard for staying in control of the business’s financial health. “Good capital looks like it has a face, you know who it is, you know where the money is coming from. In full transparency, you know the terms of that capital.” - Patrick Donohue About the guest, Patrick Donohue: Patrick E. Donohue is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and valuation expert with a lifelong passion for business that began with a lemonade stand at age four and investing in Coca-Cola at age ten. As the founder of Hill Capital Corporation, he leads a private investment fund dedicated to fueling the growth of established small and mid-sized businesses through capital and community support. P...

Dr. Mitchell Levy: Rethinking Leadership Through Clarity and Stakeholder Trust

56 min

When all other leaders are obsessed with quarterly returns and optimization, what happens when you put clarity, credibility, and meaning back at the center of your business? In this episode, Bob and Dr. Mitchell Levy break down the C‑Pop, executive abundance, and why your legacy is written in the lives of your stakeholders, not your balance sheet. In this episode, Bob Campana and Dr. Mitchell Levy discuss: Executive Abundance framework and the 4CsThe C‑Pop (customer point of possibility) and extreme clarityInput–output model for effective communication and delegationEmployee empowerment, respect, and workplace “vibe”Stakeholder trust, AI, and the shift toward a meaning-making age  Key Takeaways: Clarity at the level of three to nine words, captured in a C‑Pop, can anchor a company’s purpose and focus every decision across teams and departments.Most organizations still measure leadership success almost exclusively through investor returns, ignoring the deeper health and well-being of employees and customers.Communication often fails not because leaders don’t speak, but because they don’t define the inputs and desired outputs clearly enough for others to act on.When employees are respected, empowered, and aligned with a meaningful purpose, they naturally create better customer experiences and stronger cultures.As AI and automation advance, the real competitive edge will come from leaders who create meaning, build trust with all stakeholders, and leave a legacy beyond financial metrics. “If you empower and respect your employee base? Guess what they're going to do? They're going to take care of your customers.” - Dr. Mitchell Levy About the guest, Dr. Mitchell Levy: Mitchell Levy, Ph.D., is the creator of the Executive Abundance™ leadership framework, a Global Credibility Expert, and an executive coach who helps leaders align purpose with performance. A two-time TEDx speaker and international bestselling author of more than 60 books, he has spent decades helping lead...

Neil Buettner: Treat Your Art Like a Business or It Won’t Treat You Like a Career

1 hr 2 min

What does it actually take to turn local gigs into a real, sustainable living as a musician? In this episode, Neil Buettner breaks down the business side of art, budgeting, pricing, adding value, and building human connections that keep your calendar full for decades. In this episode, Bob Campana and Neil Buettner discuss: Turning a summer of music into a full-time careerBudgeting, goal setting, and reverse-engineering income from gigsTreating music as a business and understanding market valueSaying no, finding a niche, and expanding into events/DJ/MC workHuman connection, referrals, and long-term client loyalty  Key Takeaways: A creative career becomes viable the moment it’s backed by a real budget, clear income targets, and a plan to hit them.Sustainable success in music comes from treating venues and clients as partners to be served, and not merely just stages to be used.Pricing is more about understanding market values rather than ego or “deserving” values.Saying yes to everything is necessary early on, but long-term growth depends on learning what to decline and where you truly fit.The gigs at bars and restaurants are often the top of the funnel, but networking your way to weddings, corporate events, and expanded services are where the real margins are. “You're not going to be everything for everyone, and you shouldn't try that, but finding your niche… I know where I'm successful.” - Neil Buettner About the guest, Neil Buettner: Neil Buettner is a Central Valley–based professional musician, real estate investor, and martial arts practitioner who has built a 20+ year career by treating music as both art and service. Starting with Suzuki-method violin as a child and later falling in love with acoustic guitar at Camp Jack Hazard, he’s evolved into a sought-after solo performer for fine dining venues, country clubs, and private events, known for crafting “active background” experiences that elevate the room rather than dominate it. Connect with Neil Buettner: Fa...

Pietro Peroni: How a $1 Pen Led to a Multimillion-Dollar Christmas Lights Business

26 min

A $1 counterfeit-detecting pen, a chance trip to China, and half a million meters of rope light set the stage for a lifelong journey in the Christmas lighting industry. In this episode, hear how a math teacher turned serendipity, risk, and China’s manufacturing engine into a global seasonal business. In this episode, Bob Campana and Pietro Peroni discuss: Pivot from teaching math and physics to entrepreneurshipDiscovering high-margin products and wholesaler-driven growthFirst experiences in Guangzhou and China’s “city of lights” ecosystemBuilding and scaling a professional Christmas lighting businessInnovation in LED technology and modular commercial Christmas trees Key Takeaways: A single product with unmet demand can be the springboard from a stable career into full-time entrepreneurship.Selling through wholesalers and agents can unlock scale that retail cannot.Locating production inside a complete supply chain cluster dramatically reduces friction and accelerates innovation.Constant research and development are always necessary because long-term growth in a seasonal niche depends on continuously reinventing products, from rope lights to new LED cables and modular trees.A business can evolve into a family legacy, allowing the founder to narrow focus while the next generation steps into leadership. “We started with this, and then some people used it for Christmas decoration… and I started to import rope light in big quantity. In one year, I sold 500,000 meters of rope light.” - Pietro Peroni About the guest, Pietro Peroni: Pietro Peroni is an Italian entrepreneur who transformed his career from teaching math and physics into building a global Christmas lighting business. Starting with a high-margin counterfeit-detection pen, he moved into importing rope lights and professional decorative lighting, ultimately specializing in large-scale Christmas installations for cities, malls, and public spaces. Splitting his time between Italy and China’s Pearl River Delta, he...

Victor Ochieng & Daniel Ekonde: Chasing the American Dream to Tell Africa’s Stories

53 min

Two young journalists leave Kenya and Cameroon for UC Berkeley, trading local newsrooms for a global stage. In this conversation, they unpack the realities of the American dream, the future of African storytelling, and how authenticity will keep human creators essential in an AI-driven world. In this episode, Bob Campana, Victor Ochieng, and Daniel Ekonde discuss: Early life and entry into journalism in Kenya and CameroonRadio, sports, and music broadcasting careers in AfricaWinning scholarships and deciding to study at UC BerkeleyComparing opportunity, infrastructure, and systems in Africa vs. the U.S.AI’s impact on journalism, filmmaking, and education  Key Takeaways: When someone feels their community is misrepresented or ignored, that friction can ignite a lifelong commitment to journalism and storytelling that centers their people’s voices.Global exposure and advanced education are often strategic moves to move from freelancer to editorial decision-maker.Strong systems, infrastructure, and accountability dramatically shape how talent and hard work translate into opportunity.The American dream still motivates when combined with grit and readiness.Used well, AI can speed up tasks like transcription, drafting, and editing, but it still can’t manufacture the messy, emotional, context-rich judgment that comes from a real human being who has actually lived the story they’re telling. “The US pays for hard work. The US recognizes effort. That's one thing I've come to realize. If you just put in effort, you put in work, then I think you're good to go.” - Victor Ochieng About the guests, Victor Ochieng and Daniel Ekonde: Victor Ochieng is a Kenyan journalist, radio producer, and documentary filmmaker whose work is rooted in representing underheard communities from one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements. He began as a community radio volunteer in high school, later hosting reggae and African music programs and launching an online radio station to spotlight local...

Timothy Little: Why Small Groups Win Over Solo Trips

33 min

What happens when a former solo backpacker trades crowded tourist hotspots for intimate Sicilian baptisms, birthday parties, and hidden museums? In this episode, you’ll hear how deeply curated small group travel can transform your experience of Europe—from logistics and language barriers to food, community, and culture. In this episode, Bob Campana and Timothy Little discuss: Solo backpacking through Asia before the internetChoosing the right travel partnerDeep cultural immersion in Sicily via local relationshipsSmall group tours vs. mass tourism and cruise ship crowdsDiscovering hidden, less crowded European experiences  Key Takeaways: Small group travel can turn a trip into a shared story, layering in community, conversation, and connection that solo travel often lacks.The right travel partner—or group—matters as much as the destination, especially when energy levels, interests, and pace of activity need to align.Long-cultivated local relationships open doors to private parties, family events, and behind-the-scenes experiences that typical tourists never see.Mass tourism and cruise ship stops can overwhelm destinations and dilute the quality of the experience, but there are always quieter, richer alternatives nearby.Having guides, transportation, and logistics handled frees travelers to be present in the moment instead of worrying about navigation, tickets, and timing. “I wouldn't drive in any of these places, just too dangerous. And the other part about, as far as Ubering or catching a taxi, it's kind of … am I going to get internet reception here to actually call an Uber or something like that? Bussing is one way to do it, but it takes about a day to figure out, but to be shuttled around with a group of people, a completely different experience.” - Timothy Little About the guest, Timothy Little: Timothy “Tim” Little is an experienced traveler who has explored the world both as a solo backpacker and as part of curated small group tours. In his late 20s, he foll...

Lino Mansoni: How Thoughtful Itineraries Create Once-in-a-Lifetime Travel Memories

41 min

Tired of crowded cruise ports, rushed bus tours, and souvenir shops that all look the same? In this episode, Bob and travel designer Lino Masani break down the hidden costs of “hit and run tourism” and reveal how small group, relationship-driven travel can restore authentic, meaningful experiences. In this episode, Bob Campana and Lino Mansoni discuss: Over-tourism in major European citiesImpact of cruise ships and “hit and run tourism”Small group travel vs. mass tourismBuilding immersive, local-first itinerariesThe role of relationships and DMCs in high-quality travel experiences  Key Takeaways: Overtourism is degrading both local life and visitor experience in many iconic cities.Cruise-based “hit and run tourism” concentrates thousands of visitors into small areas for brief windows of time, benefiting trinket shops more than genuine local businesses.Small group travel creates a higher quality experience by avoiding crowds, accessing off-the-beaten-path locations, and making it easy to connect with local culture, food, and people.The best itineraries are relationship-driven, built through deep partnerships with local guides and local experts.True trip value is measured not just by cost, but by lasting memories, human connections, and how closely the real experience matches the dream you carried for months before traveling. “With Redwood Cafe Tours, what we push for is you're a local among the locals.” - Lino Mansoni About the guest, Lino Mansoni: Lino Mansoni is the CEO of Redwood Cafe Tours, a small-group travel company dedicated to creating authentic, high-touch experiences around the world. Drawing on deep relationships with local guides, farmers, business owners, and destination partners, he curates itineraries that avoid over-touristed hotspots and instead highlight off-the-beaten-path villages, zero-kilometer restaurants, and meaningful cultural encounters. Lino’s focus is on quality over quantity—ensuring that every trip delivers lasting memories, genuine...

Abraham Navarro: From Mowing at Five to Building a Landscaping Brand

43 min

A kid who fell in love with mowing lawns at five grows into a stressed but driven entrepreneur managing crews, clients, and his own mental health. In this episode, Abraham opens up about the hidden pressures of small business, why he turned to therapy, and how he’s rebuilding his company with intention. In this episode, Bob Campana and Abraham Navarro discuss: Early passion for landscaping and first paid jobsWord-of-mouth growth and hiring the first employeesWorking “on” the business vs. “in” the businessStress, cash flow pressure, and seeking therapyLong-term vision: building a brand and the dream of owning a restaurant  Key Takeaways: Passion gets you started, but business skills keep you alive.Growing from a solo operator to a team inevitably introduces people problems, leadership gaps, and inefficiencies that directly impact profitability.When stress, cash flow fear, and constant firefighting pile up, talking to a therapist or mentor isn’t a luxury; it becomes a survival tool that lightens the emotional load and makes problems feel solvable again.Self-education, through mentors, audio, and books, is essential when formal business training is missing, especially for contractors and tradespeople.Building a resilient company means aiming beyond “more jobs” toward a clearer vision, delivering five-star service, securing financial stability, and protecting mental health for both the owner and the crew. “I'm actually seeing a therapist now, and… I've had two sessions so far, and the amount of weight that I feel comes off my shoulders after having a conversation with this individual. It's pretty incredible.” - Abraham Navarro About the guest, Abraham Navarro: Abraham Navarro is the owner of Ironstone, a landscaping company serving California’s Central Valley, built from a childhood passion that started when he first pushed a lawnmower at five years old. What began as mowing family yards and neighborhood fields grew into a word-of-mouth business, a contractor’s licens...

Danny Tabera: From Combat Marine to Conductor – An American Redemption Story

2 hr 1 min

A teenage kid from South Modesto joins the Marines, survives brutal deployments in Afghanistan, comes home broken, and starts over as a busboy. In this episode, you’ll hear how he rebuilt his life through hard work, mentorship, and family—on a journey from combat infantry to train engineer. In this episode, Bob Campana and Danny Tabera discuss: Childhood in South Modesto, family, and losing his fatherMarine Corps journey, Afghanistan deployments, and combat lossLearning Pashto and navigating locals, interpreters, and the CIAComing home broken, financial struggle, and restarting at Redwood CafeDivorce, blended family, and rekindling marriage while building a new career  Key Takeaways: Deep childhood bonds and early loss can shape a lifelong drive to lead, protect, and provide, even when the path becomes chaotic.Combat doesn’t just end on the battlefield; it follows people home.Mentorship and meaningful work can be a bridge between a broken identity and a rebuilt one, especially for veterans transitioning to civilian life.Relationships can fracture under the weight of trauma and bad decisions, yet humility, growth, and genuine support can open the door to reconciliation.Careers don’t have to be linear; skills from the military, construction sites, and customer-facing jobs can all stack into unexpected opportunities—like driving a passenger train. “At my lowest, I was just looking for anything to keep me sustained. There were mental, emotional, and historical scars that were all colliding at one point.” - Danny Tabera About the guest, Danny Tabera: Danny Tabera is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, blue‑collar craftsman, and emerging railroad professional whose journey runs from a tough childhood in South Modesto through three Afghanistan deployments and back into civilian life. After serving as an infantry assaultman and boot camp honor graduate with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines—specializing in rockets, breaching, and even learning Pashto to work with local communiti...

Henry Park: Humanizing the Restaurant Industry Through Partnership and Storytelling

10 min

A 25‑year veteran of the restaurant world shares how strategic partnerships, authentic storytelling, and a renewed focus on community are helping independent operators rebuild after a decimated industry. Hear how a lifelong collaboration with Cisco, a new café buildout, and a content‑driven approach are redefining what it means to serve food and connect people. In this episode, Bob Campana and Henry Park discuss: Career path across Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle, and UC Berkeley’s International HouseCisco’s role as a long-term partner in food sourcing and operationsPost‑pandemic challenges and new opportunities for small restaurant groupsUsing podcasts, video, and stories to support and de‑intimidate independent restaurateursThe Redwood Cafe project, community “third place,” and rebuilding human connection  Key Takeaways: Building long-term relationships with trusted suppliers, like Cisco, can stabilize operations and unlock better insight into trends, costs, and sourcing.The pandemic severely damaged the restaurant industry, but it also created a less crowded landscape where smaller operators can step forward and establish themselves.Large foodservice companies can feel intimidating to independent restaurateurs, and thoughtful, authentic content can make these partnerships feel more accessible and human.Restaurants function as vital spaces for human connection, and intentionally designing them as community “third places” can strengthen the social fabric of a neighborhood.Bringing chefs, beverage experts, and industry veterans into ongoing media conversations can inspire others and preserve the stories and ethos of the restaurant world. “These leaders, these restaurateurs, are looking to grow; they're going to be intimidated by a bigger company, Cisco. And so I think the idea that we spoke about is that if we're able to go ahead and provide some content and collaborate with a Cisco. You know, we can give them content that is going to make them feel less intimidating....

Steven and Vanessa Parks: From Teenage Car Lot to Boutique Hotel Visionaries

1 hr 44 min

From flipping cows into cars at 14 to transforming a crime-ridden roadside motel into a stunning boutique hotel, Steven and Vanessa Parks share a raw, real look at what it actually takes to build wealth, take big risks, and keep your marriage and faith at the center of it all. If you’re an entrepreneur wrestling with risk, cash flow, and calling, this episode will feel like a masterclass in betting on yourself without losing your soul. In this episode, Bob Campana, Steven Parks, and Vanessa Parks discuss: Early entrepreneurship in the car businessMeeting, marriage, and a shared vision for life and businessReal estate journey: single-family, multifamily, and AirbnbsBuying and transforming a distressed motel into Hotel BayitFaith, risk, and community-focused hospitality (hotel + café + Bible study) Key Takeaways: Skills learned young, like sales, negotiation, and reading people, can become the foundation for much bigger ventures later in life.Building wealth is very different from just generating income; at some point, you have to shift from being purely transactional to owning assets and businesses that create long-term value.Massive projects rarely go as planned: the hotel renovation ran out of money multiple times and revealed far more damage than expected, but persistence, creativity, and faith kept it moving forward.Integrity in deal-making, such as refusing to “backdoor” a distressed seller even when it would be cheaper, creates peace of mind and often opens better doors later.Hospitality can be a calling as much as a business: by designing a hotel, café, and event space around community, beauty, and spiritual connection, you can turn a property into a place of genuine impact. “It's not just a hotel, it's not just the cafe… It's also just giving back to the community, where they could find hope. If there's someone off the street who needs food, they can come by, and I'll give them a plate of food. Like, that's what it's about. It's about helping each other.” -...

Marco Keeps Yappen: Human Connection in a Swipe World

58 min

In this episode, Bob Campana and Marco discuss: Turning small-town news into big-time buzzCracking the code on “locally viral” TikToksFrom random rants to purpose-driven storytellingBuilding real-world community from online clipsPatterson’s glow-up: growth, Amazon, and what’s coming next Key Takeaways: The power of “local viral” beats follower counts, and Marco shows that dialing in on hyper-local topics like Patterson development and water issues can drive huge engagement, even when total followers are relatively modest.By compressing 10–15 minutes of city council or planning information into 60–120 second clips, Marco respects his audience’s time while still delivering real substance.Human connection turns content into community, and this reinforces credibility both online and offline.Consistency plus curiosity drives evolution because instead of chasing trends, Marco posts daily, listens closely to comments and DMs, and lets audience questions steer him toward new topics like schools, water quality, and major employers.Even while avoiding partisan takes and “hot” opinions, Marco’s fact-focused updates on projects like the Amazon facility help residents feel informed and involved in Patterson’s future. “I'm not an influencer. I'm your neighbor.” - Marco Keeps Yappen About the guest, Marco: Marco is a Patterson-based content creator and community storyteller who uses TikTok and Instagram to break down local news, development projects, and civic issues into short, digestible videos. Growing up native to the social media era, he experimented early with YouTube, vlogs, and TikTok before finding his niche in “locally viral” content focused on the Central Valley—especially Patterson. By attending city meetings, talking with local leaders, and listening to residents’ questions, Marco translates complex or confusing information (like water issues, new developments, and job-creating projects such as the new Amazon facility) into clear, high-energy clips that residents ca...

Laureen Campana-Schermeister: Tai Chi & Qigong Energy Practices for Modern Health

50 min

In this episode, Bob Campana and Laureen Campana-Schermeister discuss: What Tai Chi and Qigong Are (and How They Differ/Relate)Origins and History of Qigong and Tai ChiHealth and Scientific Benefits of Tai Chi/QigongHow to Practice: Frequency, Class Structure, and AccessibilityEnergy, Grounding, and Emotional Effects Key Takeaways: Tai Chi and Qigong are presented as intertwined practices: Tai Chi Chuan emerging from martial arts with a “supreme ultimate boxing” lineage, and Qigong as a much older energy practice focused on cultivating and moving chi. When chi is blocked, it’s associated with disease, pain, and emotional distress; when it flows freely, vitality, mood, and overall health improve.Rather than being treated as mystical or fringe, these practices are positioned as evidence-backed complements to Western medicine.Practice frequency is portrayed as both accessible and powerful: even 15 minutes a day of simple Qigong or Tai Chi can create noticeable benefits, and you don’t need mastery to feel results after a first session. The class structure Laurie uses, warmups, varied Qigong sets like the “Frolic of the Five Animals,” then a short Yang-style Tai Chi form, shows how practice blends physical exercise, visualization, and focused intent.  “Chi is this word that essentially means the animation of all life... when your chi runs out, you die, you expire your last breath, and you become back into the earth.” - Laureen Campana-Schermeister About the guest, Laureen Campana-Schermeister: Laureen Campana-Schermeister, NP, MPH, is an Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse and National Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner with decades of clinical experience. A graduate of the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine Fellowship and a Registered Herbalist Candidate with the American Herbalist Guild, she focuses on bridging conventional medicine with integrative and traditional healing practices. Laureen works collaboratively with clients to develop personalized approaches to...

Neil Buettner: From Campfires to Career: How He Built a Life in Music

1 hr 2 min

In this episode, Bob Campana and Neil Buettner discuss: Suzuki method and early violin trainingCamp Jack Hazard and campfire music influenceTransition from education/autism work to full-time musicBuilding a local music career as a businessReal estate investing and long-term financial planning Key Takeaways: Treat music (or any craft) as both art and service, and Neil shows that when you think in terms of what you can give an audience or a venue rather than what you can get, you create a sustainable career and stronger relationships.Outworking your competition often beats out-talent-ing them. Neil leveraged relationships from gigs into a home purchase and then into rentals, proving that creative people can build real wealth without abandoning their art.The Suzuki method, campfire performances, and working in special education all taught Neil to value practice, listening, and serving others—principles he now applies to business and life.Neil encourages younger musicians to figure out why they’re doing music, identify the specific markets they can serve, and then design their bookings, pricing, and song choices around that reality. “What makes art come alive is actually the imperfections and the spin through the lens of the artist themselves.” - Neil Buettner About the guest, Neil Buettner: Neil Buettner is a Central Valley–based professional musician, real estate investor, and martial arts practitioner who has built a 20+ year career by treating music as both art and service. Starting with Suzuki-method violin as a child and later falling in love with acoustic guitar at Camp Jack Hazard, he’s evolved into a sought-after solo performer for fine dining venues, country clubs, and private events, known for crafting “active background” experiences that elevate the room rather than dominate it. Connect with Neil Buettner: Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/neil.buettner.9/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neil_b_/?hl=en  Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/...

Bob Campana: Human Connection - The Real Competitive Advantage

36 min

In this episode, Bob Campana and Doug Sandler discuss: Power of human connection in businessEvolving, empathetic leadershipDesigning experiences, not just productsGrowth through immersive, hands-on experiencesLegacy built on relationships and memories Key Takeaways: Genuine human connection is a business advantage, not a soft extra; Bob built his pool company and restaurants by making people feel heard, respected, and understood at a deep level. Leadership style can and should evolve; Bob shifted from being reactive and abrasive to intentionally leaving every interaction in a “spirit of joy or happiness.” The restaurant isn’t just about food; it’s a carefully designed environment for escapism, warmth, and community connection. By placing people in safe but stretching situations, leaders can help them confront fear, build confidence, and form lasting emotional associations with the brand and with the relationship.Long-term fulfillment comes more from relationships and memories than from physical assets like cars, planes, or buildings.  “My goal on every exchange that I have with people now is to leave them in a spirit of joy or happiness, or feel that I heard them and respect them as a person.” - Bob Campana About the host, Bob Campana: Bob Campana is a California-based serial entrepreneur, author, and advisor with over 50 years of experience building businesses across various industries, including manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, and aviation. He is known for sharing candid reflections on the pressures of leadership, the necessity of grit and adaptability, and the importance of fostering human connection in business. Connect With Bob Campana: Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/  Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expe...

Get Back to Work: Real Talk for Entrepreneurs at Every Stage

8 min

In this episode, Bob Campana and Doug Sandler discuss: Human connection in businessEntrepreneurship after 60Brick-and-mortar business challengesGlobal sourcing and travel experiencesInspiration, resilience, and persistence in work Key Takeaways: Bob created this podcast to share five decades of small business experience and the lessons learned from the people he’s met along the way, as he believes those relationships and stories can offer real value to listeners who are still “in the game.”The show is aimed at multiple audiences: seniors or people over 60 who want to start something new, brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs in the trenches, and corporate folks considering a move into private enterprise. Episodes may dive into very specific, practical situations like sourcing products in China or working with agents who grease the wheels of global business.Bob emphasizes that businesses succeed through relationships and real people, not just technology or theory.Each episode is intended to spark inspiration and action, and Bob wants people to finish an episode feeling less alone in their challenges and more confident about pursuing their goals, no matter their age or stage. “I'm a lifelong entrepreneur. I'm 72 years old. I still have passion for life.” - Bob Campana About the host, Bob Campana: Bob Campana is a California-based serial entrepreneur, author, and advisor with over 50 years of experience building businesses across various industries, including manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, and aviation. He is known for sharing candid reflections on the pressures of leadership, the necessity of grit and adaptability, and the importance of fostering human connection in business. Connect With Bob Campana: Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/  Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio produ...

–

0 ratings from members

5
4
3
2
1

Rate this podcast

Log in to rate and review the shows you listen to.

No reviews yet — be the first member to rate "Get Back 2 Work".

This podcast, its content and its artwork are not owned by, affiliated with, or endorsed by Castquire.

Keep listening

Discover more podcasts like this.

Browse podcasts See the charts

Up next

  1. Nothing queued. Use + Queue on any episode to line it up.

0:00 0:00

Cookies

We set only what the site needs to sign you in and remember your theme. No advertising, no analytics. Read more.