Untrapped Entrepreneur

Peter Bergeron told his employees the family business was closed. The next morning, some returned to help, even though he couldn’t guarantee payment.In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, Peter, author of The Trapped Operator, shares the painful lessons of losing his father and closing the company they ran together. They had detailed procedures, but critical knowledge still lived in the founder’s head.For founders and business owners, this conversation explores founder dependency, the pride that makes asking for help difficult, and a question every owner should face: Can your business survive without you?Presented by our title sponsor, The Gents Place Franchise, founded by Untrapped host Ben Davis. Explore franchise ownership: https://www.tgpfranchising.com/http://linkedin.com/company/thegentsplaceFollow more(Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/untrapped-entrepreneur/Website: https://untrapped.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untrappedpod/

More clients should make your business feel more secure. So why can growth leave you chasing the next sale, hiring under pressure, and wondering how you’ll keep your team busy?In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, Ben sits down with Nirmal, founder of WP Creative, to unpack the survival cycle behind a growing service business. After moving from Nepal to Australia with an $18,000 loan, Nirmal built the agency with his wife. He shares what it felt like to keep finding the next project, why the traditional project model frustrated both his team and his clients, and how ongoing monthly partnerships changed the way the business operated.The conversation explores the evolution from an $89 maintenance plan to a broader offer with a $2,000 monthly minimum, the resistance that came with it, and why recurring revenue still requires consistent value for existing clients.Supported by The Gents Place Franchise, founded by Untrapped host Ben Davis. Explore franchise ownership:https://www.tgpfranchising.com/http://linkedin.com/company/thegentsplaceFollow more(Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/untrapped-entrepreneur/Website: https://untrapped.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untrappedpod/

Most people spend decades saving, investing, and accumulating wealth. But very few stop to ask a more important question:What is the money actually for?In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, wealth advisor, entrepreneur, and author Gary Preisser shares a different way to think about money. Instead of treating assets like trophies or focusing endlessly on growth, Gary argues that every dollar should have a purpose and a time when it will be used.We discuss why “more” is not a financial plan, why people who have saved their entire lives can struggle to spend money even when they can afford to, and how a scarcity mindset can prevent people from enjoying the wealth they worked so hard to create.Thank you to our sponsors:Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enThe Gents Place Franchise:http://tgpfranchising.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/building-business-matters-purpose-mens-grooming-franchise-5uuxe/

What if the CEO’s job isn’t to run the company?In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, Derek Fredrickson, founder and CEO of The COO Solution, challenges one of the most common assumptions entrepreneurs make as their businesses grow: that because they can do everything, they should keep doing everything.Derek explains why founders should spend more time thinking and less time doing, why entrepreneurs often become trapped as the operator inside their own company, and how getting out of the day-to-day can unlock greater clarity, confidence, growth, and freedom.We also discuss Derek’s journey from fractional COO to founder and CEO, how he built a seven-figure business in his first year, why he had to overcome his own resistance to sales, and the mindset shift that allowed him to step out of the room and trust his team to deliver results without him.Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/Follow more(Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/untrapped-entrepreneur/Website: https://untrapped.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untrappedpod/

Buying a business is supposed to create freedom. But what happens when you spend your money, take the risk, and end up creating another job for yourself?In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, Greg Mohr, founder of Franchise Maven and bestselling author of Real Freedom, breaks down one of the most common traps he sees franchise owners and entrepreneurs fall into: doing everything themselves.Greg has helped hundreds of people invest in franchise territories, but he has also helped thousands realize that franchise ownership was not the right fit for them at that point in their lives. In this conversation, he explains the difference between a founder and a franchisee, how to evaluate whether a franchise actually fits your skills and goals, and why following a proven system matters.Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/

What happens when you achieve the success you thought would make you happy, and it still doesn’t feel like enough?In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, Steve Barton, founder of Steve Barton Coaching and creator of the Game of Ten, shares lessons from more than four decades in business, including growing his family’s floral company from $200,000 to more than $2 million in annual revenue before moving into leadership and performance coaching.Steve breaks down some of the most common beliefs he sees holding entrepreneurs and high achievers back: “I’m not good enough,” “I don’t do enough,” and “I don’t have enough.” We explore why successful people can become trapped chasing more, what happens when your business or achievements become your identity, and why reaching the next financial or professional milestone may not solve the underlying problem.Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/Follow more(Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/untrapped-entrepreneur/Website: https://untrapped.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untrappedpod/

Entrepreneurs often start businesses to create more freedom, only to end up with less time, more stress, and a company that depends on them for everything.In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, third-generation entrepreneur and business coach Kenneth Kollasch breaks down what he calls the “someday fallacy,” the belief that you’ll finally have time for your spouse, family, friendships, and the life you want once the business reaches the next milestone.Kenneth explains why founders need to move through three distinct stages of business, starting, scaling, and stabilizing, and why skipping the stabilization stage can lead to burnout and even damage the business you’re trying to build.Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/Follow more(Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/untrapped-entrepreneur/Website: https://untrapped.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untrappedpod/

Can seven words really change the trajectory of a business?Aurora Winter says yes. After struggling to sell what she knew was a million-dollar idea, one change in messaging helped generate $3 million in sales in a single week. The product, price, and team stayed the same. The words changed.In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, Aurora shares what that experience taught her about messaging, storytelling, entrepreneurship, and the power of saying the right thing at the right time. She also opens up about losing her husband and business partner, rebuilding her life after tragedy, and how that journey eventually led her into film, television, publishing, and helping others turn their stories into opportunity.Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/Follow more (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/untrapped-entrepreneur/ Website: https://untrapped.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untrappedpod/

Growing fast sounds like every entrepreneur’s dream, but scaling before your leadership, cash flow, and sales infrastructure are ready can become one of the most dangerous traps in business.In this episode, entrepreneur and strategic advisor Kalanithi Venkatesan shares lessons from building and successfully exiting his professional services company, including why he planned his exit years in advance, how he increased the value of the business beyond revenue, the hiring mistakes that cost them money, why cash flow matters more than many founders realize, and the three things every company should have in place before pursuing aggressive growth.If you’re building, scaling, funding, or preparing to sell a business, this conversation offers practical lessons from someone who has experienced the entire entrepreneurial cycle.Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/

Starting a business is exciting, but moving too fast can create expensive legal and operational problems later. In this episode of The Untrapped Entrepreneur, business attorney and entrepreneur Matthew Fornaro explains why filing an LLC is only the beginning, which contracts and protections founders often overlook, how AI is changing legal work, and why every AI-generated document still needs professional review. He also shares lessons from building his own law firm, developing business knowledge outside the legal profession, protecting intellectual property early, avoiding costly marketing mistakes, and building a trusted network of professionals. This conversation is essential for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and founders who want to build on a strong foundation and avoid preventable mistakes..Thank you to our sponsor Forja:https://www.forjaanalytics.com/enhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forjaanalytics/