Leading In The Dark

Would you walk away from a deal with great numbers? Brenden Van Buren has, more than once.Nick Akers sits down with Brenden, President of Pro Max Fence Systems. Brenden bought the company through a search eight years ago, tripled it, and later partnered with private equity.They cover:Why fit with the seller can matter more than the financialsDiligencing PE firms, not just letting them diligence youDisclosing weak numbers before close, and what it cost himWhy handwritten letters still beat email for finding proprietary dealsFor searchers, owners, and anyone weighing a sale.Learn more about Inzo and the show: https://www.inzotechnologies.com/podcast?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=litd-brenden-van-buren&utm_content=show-notes

Is printing a dying industry? Connor Pera bet his career that it isn't.Nick Akers talks with Connor, owner of The Print Authority in Nashville. Connor bought the company through a self-funded, part-time search while working in CPG marketing.They cover:Self-funded vs. traditional search: more equity, smaller dealHow print demand shifted from bulk orders to fast, small runsSelling web-to-print portals to multi-location brands and franchises"High wall in, high wall out" and why distributed customers stickThe real cost of ownership: leverage, growth, and stressA candid look at buying an unglamorous business and growing it.

What does a quality of earnings report actually catch? Patrick Dichter's team has run them on more than 100 deals.Nick Akers sits down with Patrick, owner of Appletree Business Services, a New Hampshire accounting and tax firm he bought without being an accountant.They cover:How a non-CPA can own an accounting firmThe marketing that worked, and the $8,000 billboard that didn'tWhy gross profit is the first KPI a service business should watchThe QoE findings that most often kill dealsWorking capital disputes, and when they aren't worth losing a deal overEmail payment fraud hitting small businessesPractical lessons for buyers and owners.

Mike Hess, founder and executive director of the Blind Institute of Technology, joins Leading In The Dark for a powerful conversation about leadership, disability inclusion, workforce development, and challenging assumptions inside modern organizations.Born blind and shaped by a decades-long career in enterprise technology, Mike shares how his lived experience influenced his leadership philosophy, why companies continue to overlook an incredibly capable talent pool, and how BIT is helping people with disabilities build meaningful careers in tech across the globe.This episode explores servant leadership, imposter syndrome, innovation through adversity, organizational culture, and the difference between hiring someone out of charity versus recognizing the real business value they bring.It’s a conversation about leadership, perspective, and building organizations that truly put people first.

Michael Hofer, CFO of Navajo Transitional Energy Company, joins Nick Akers on Leading In The Dark for a conversation about leadership, mergers & acquisitions, artificial intelligence, and navigating transformation inside large organizations.Michael shares lessons from leading through private equity-backed growth, global integration projects, operational restructuring, and large-scale organizational change. The discussion explores how leaders communicate vision during uncertainty, align teams around value creation, and balance short-term performance with long-term strategy.The episode also dives into the real-world impact of AI inside businesses today—from contract analysis and predictive maintenance to improving operational efficiency and supporting employee performance.Additional topics include:Private equity leadership dynamicsChange management and communicationAI adoption in business operationsEnergy infrastructure and increasing demandThe future energy mix and sustainabilityLeadership lessons from global executive rolesMichael also discusses the unique perspective of working within a Native American-owned enterprise and the long-term thinking that comes with generational stewardship.🎧 Listen to this episode of Leading In The Dark for practical insight on leadership, innovation, and transformation in modern business.

What does it take to re-home over 1,100 dogs a year?In this episode of Leading In The Dark, Nick Akers sits down with entrepreneur Kristen Duhr — founder of Home 2 Home Canine Orphanage and multiple dog-centered businesses across the St. Louis region.Kristen shares:How she built a foster network capable of handling 40+ dogs in a single dayThe operational realities of rescue logisticsWhy training dogs is really about training humansThe problem with pain-based training methodsMissouri’s overpopulation challengesHer upcoming 2026 surgical center focused on spay/neuter, dentals, and heartworm treatmentThis conversation goes beyond rescue work.It’s about leadership, discipline, systems, and building scalable compassion.If you care about entrepreneurship, impact, or the intersection of structure and heart — this episode delivers.

In this episode of Leading In The Dark, host Nick Akers sits down with entrepreneur Chris Edwards to unpack a full Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition journey—from corporate finance to consulting, through acquisition, exit, and back to startup life.Chris shares how he acquired a flooring business through a self-funded search, scaled it through operational improvements, and ultimately exited with a remarkable return. More importantly, he opens up about the emotional side of ownership: managing inherited culture, navigating seller dynamics, leading through turnover, and redefining purpose after a successful exit.Now building a new business from scratch, Chris reflects on the lessons that shaped his leadership philosophy—and why mastering organic growth is critical before the next acquisition.This episode is a must-listen for aspiring searchers, operators, founders, and anyone wrestling with what comes after success.

In this episode of Leading In The Dark, Nick Akers sits down with Garth Fasano, President and Co-Founder of RaYnmaker, to explore a leadership journey shaped by entrepreneurship through acquisition and rapid technological disruption.Garth shares how acquiring a traditional outsourced sales business forced him to confront a hard truth: the core business model was on borrowed time. What followed was a bold decision to pivot—shutting down a call center and rebuilding the company as an AI-powered autonomous sales platform for small businesses.This conversation dives into:What searchers and ETA entrepreneurs often underestimate after closingHow to evaluate risk when technology is changing faster than your timelineWhy small businesses may have a unique advantage in adopting AIThe leadership mindset required to act before disruption becomes inevitableA candid, thoughtful episode for founders, operators, and leaders navigating uncertainty—and deciding when to take their biggest swing.

What does leadership look like when there’s no playbook?In this episode of Leading In The Dark, Nick Akers sits down with Savannah Rush, Managing Partner at Funded Ventures, to explore her journey from engineering at WashU to consulting at McKinsey, earning her MBA at Harvard Business School, and ultimately stepping into the operator seat through entrepreneurship via acquisition (ETA).Savannah shares candid insights on:Why ETA has become one of the most popular paths for MBA graduatesThe realities of owning and operating a small businessLeading teams without industry expertiseBuilding trust after an ownership transitionWhy small towns may offer some of the greatest opportunities for long-term value creationThis conversation pulls back the curtain on leadership in its rawest form — early mornings, imperfect plans, real people, and learning by doing.If you’re curious about entrepreneurship, acquisition, or what it truly means to lead when there’s no manual, this episode is for you.

From Freight Yards to Global Leadership: A Conversation with Robert Mueller of RIM LogisticsIn this episode of Leading In The Dark, host Nick Akers sits down with Robert Mueller, President of RIM Logistics, for an insightful conversation about leadership, legacy, and navigating an industry undergoing immense global change.Robert shares how his family’s multi-generation history in trucking shaped his worldview, why his father launched RIM Logistics at age 46, and how international experience—from England to Hong Kong—became the catalyst that transformed his own career trajectory.This episode explores:• Building a half-billion-dollar company without private equity• The leadership “punches” that force you to grow• What overseas experience teaches you about grit, humility, and perspective• How to protect culture as a strategic advantage• Why today’s emerging leaders must have a plan, seek mentors, and differentiate themselvesIt’s a candid, grounded conversation about real leadership in a challenging era—and what it takes to rise above the noise.Listen now and subscribe for more stories from leaders who found clarity in their darkest moments.