Best Kevin Kruse Podcasts (2025)

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223, Nationals Preview w/Neil Chadwick! 51:13

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4d ago51:13

51:13

Send us a text Whether you are a first time attendee, or a veteran attendee of the National Sporting Clays Championship at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio TX, there are new developments, new changes, and lots in store for those attending the 2025 National Championship! We are joined by Neil Chadwick, who is not only a course manager fo…

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Ep. 87: Michael Wilkins, Shamrock Capital | How Sector Focus Impacts Deal Flow and Growth 45:15

4d ago45:15

45:15

Shiv interviews Michael Wilkins, Partner at Shamrock Capital, to explore the opportunities PE firms can unlock through deep expertise in sectors including media, entertainment and sports. Michael explains how industry focus and long-term networks translate into proprietary deal flow, why value creation plans need to be tailored to each company rath…

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222, Payouts w/Cory Kruse & RAD Chad Roberts! 1:05:24

12d ago1:05:24

1:05:24

Send us a text SHOW ME THE MONEY! Payouts at tournaments. It's a tricky thing. Where is the money going to come from? Is payout that important to you? What if you are in one of the lower classes and could win $300, $400, maybe double that? Would it change your perspective on tournaments? Would you compete more often? We are joined by Cory Kruse and…

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Ep. 86: How To SaaS Team | Turning Marketing into a Growth Engine for PE-Backed Companies 53:51

12d ago53:51

53:51

In this episode, Shiv Narayanan sits down with members of the How To SaaS client services team to talk about the most common marketing challenges inside PE-backed portfolio companies—and how to solve them. Chief Client Officer Farhad Chikhliwala, VP of Marketing Taylor Moore and Director of Marketing Tatiana Morand discuss why poor tracking and mis…

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Ep. 85: Brian Boorstein, Granite Creek Capital Partners | Using Flexible Capital Structures to Unlock Growth 35:31

18d ago35:31

35:31

Shiv interviews Brian Boorstein, Co-Founder and Partner at Granite Creek Capital Partners. On this episode, Brian shares how to leverage flexible investment structures to unlock growth in lower middle market companies. Learn about the importance of aligning capital, talent and opportunity, and hear about how rigid investment mandates can cause PE f…

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221, Gun & Trophy Insurance w/Larry & Cole Cushman! 1:01:35

19d ago1:01:35

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Send us a text Insurance. The one thing you HOPE you will never need, but you better have it right when you do need it! Its a piece of mind for your beloved firearm, and, in this case, your trophy mounts! Meet Larry and Cole Cushman of Gun & Trophy insurance. This family owned business specializes in insuring your firearms in a way that no other in…

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220, From 2-strokes to 12ga, w/David Pingree! 1:13:09

26d ago1:13:09

1:13:09

Send us a text Sporting clays as a whole, is growing. Where we are headed, can be down the right path, or the complete wrong turn. Much like our own personal performance, we often turn to someone who has been there and done that, to give us guidance. So why not consult someone from a sport that was in the same growing phase years ago, that we are i…

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Ep. 84: Garrett Marsilio, Delta-v Capital | Creating Liquidity Through Secondaries in Tech 33:44

25d ago33:44

33:44

Shiv interviews Garrett Marsilio, Partner at Delta-v Capital. On this episode, Garrett dives deep into the evolving landscape of secondaries in private markets. Learn how secondary investments are creating new liquidity pathways for venture-backed companies and why this is becoming a preferred strategy. Hear about adding post-investment value throu…

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Ep. 83: Kade Thomas, Emory Oak Partners | Scaling Service Businesses with a Long-Term Approach 40:42

1M ago40:42

40:42

Shiv interviews Kade Thomas, Founder & CEO of Emory Oak Partners. On this episode, Kade explains how his firm grows service businesses. Learn about a proven approach to building companies from the ground up, integrating acquisitions, using centralized teams to handle shared services and using data to guide marketing and cross-selling strategies.…

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219 If it flies, it dies! w/Joe Charnigo! 52:26

1M ago52:26

52:26

Send us a text When you think about the world of clay target shooting, you think of primarily one discipline or another. Trap, Skeet, or Sporting clays. Meet Joe Charnigo. Joe, shoots trap, sporting, ZZ-birds, and pigeons! But to be clear, he doesn't just "shoot" these events, he often WINS these events! We caught up with Joe while he was at the In…

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Ep. 82: Amanda Good, Searchlight Capital Partners | Turning Good Businesses Into Great Investments 39:06

1M ago39:06

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Shiv interviews Amanda Good, Partner and Head of Value Creation at Searchlight Capital Partners. In this episode, Amanda shares practical strategies to transform good companies into great ones through operational excellence, team enhancements, and a disciplined planning process. Learn how to balance quick-win initiatives with longer-term strategic …

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218, The Caldwell Claycopter! 43:52

2M ago43:52

43:52

Send us a text Every once in a while, a new product comes along that is just downright fun! Introducing the new Claycopter by Caldwell! Now this is not a training tool for sporting clays, but if you are looking for backyard fun that will get friends and family out shooting, this fits the bill! Think of this as a handheld ZZ-bird launcher! With 100%…

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Ep. 81: Andrew Weinberg of Brightstar Capital on Blending AI with Traditional PE Strategies 35:08

2M ago35:08

35:08

Shiv interviews Andrew Weinberg, Founder, CEO & Co-Chair at Brightstar Capital Partners. On this episode, Andrew talks about transforming traditional private equity through an “invest and operate” or ”us and us” model. Learn how AI is becoming an integral value creation lever alongside traditional strategies and about practical examples of applying…

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217, A General Discussion + NSCA segment! 1:00:16

2M ago1:00:16

1:00:16

Send us a text For this months NSCA segment, Michael Hampton Jr. joins us to fill everyone in on the latest Executive Council meeting, as well as some announcements to up coming rule changes. We also addressed a listeners question that wrote in to us. After the discussion with Michael, we decided it was time to talk about a few topics that needed a…

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Ep. 80: Bradford Pilcher of Bonaccord Capital Partners on Unlocking PE Firm Growth Through GP Stakes 57:16

2M ago57:16

57:16

Shiv interviews Bradford Pilcher, Partner at Bonaccord Capital Partners. In this episode, Brad unpacks the GP stakes strategy – what it is, how it works, and why it’s more than just a passive investment. Learn how mid-market private equity firms can grow through capital formation, thoughtful product diversification, and talent strategy. Learn what …

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216, Changing Irons, w/Kevin DeMichiel 44:09

2M ago44:09

44:09

Send us a text Georgia native Kevin DeMichiel is no stranger to the sporting clays game. Feeling that he needed to make a change, about a year ago, Kevin switched from his Kreighoff to Blaser F3. While this may not seem like a big deal to some, it's a massive change to others. Any change to your equipment can take time to get used to. Everything fr…

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Ep. 79: Lloyd Metz, ICV Partners | Transforming Legacy Businesses with Capital, Digital, and EQ 46:45

2M ago46:45

46:45

Shiv interviews Lloyd Metz, Managing Partner at ICV Partners. In this episode, Shiv and Lloyd discuss investing in legacy or family-owned businesses in sectors like consumer goods (CPG), food and beverage (F&B), and business services. Learn how to drive transformation in these companies by modernizing operations, embracing digital, and scaling go-t…

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215, A mental discussion w/Dr. Jason Richardson! 1:13:50

2M ago1:13:50

1:13:50

Send us a text Dr. Jason Richardson is not only a sports psychologist and mental coach, but he is also a BMX world champion and Pan-Am gold medalist. He works everyday with professional athletes and he understands what it takes, MENTALLY, to win. Just recently, Dr Jason had joined us for a SCOOPS episode discussing sponsorships. Listen in as we ask…

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Ep. 78: Jon Nuger, Berkshire Partners | Prioritizing Culture Within PE Firms 43:17

2M ago43:17

43:17

Shiv interviews Jon Nuger, Managing Director at Berkshire Partners. Shiv and Jon discuss the importance Berkshire Partners places on culture within the firm and the impact this has on the way they invest and create value. Learn how a focus on culture can be a differentiating strategy, how it shapes your relationships and conversations (particularly…

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Ep. 77: Hilary Gosher, Insight Partners | Operational Excellence from Sourcing to Exit 52:21

3M ago52:21

52:21

Shiv interviews Hilary Gosher, Managing Director at Insight Partners. In this episode, Shiv and Hilary discuss how Insight’s 120-person Onsite team gives the firm a competitive edge across its portfolio. Learn how having an in-house operations team can be a force multiplier for portfolio companies by bringing deep functional expertise and strategic…

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214, World renowned target setter, Jamie Peckham! 33:13

3M ago33:13

33:13

Send us a text Most recently at the 2025 US Open, Jamie Peckham had a set the FITASC targets, and in 2024, he set the World FITASC at Game Unlimited, here in the USA. After seeing his targets, and hearing that he travels the world over setting targets, it was time to call him up! Jamie has a unique way of setting a target to make them look not only…

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Ep. 76: Richard Erickson and Stan Bikulege, Lightview Capital | Scaling Founder-Led B2B Services Businesses 34:01

3M ago34:01

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Shiv interviews Richard Erickson, Co-Founder and Managing Director, and Stan Bikulege, Principal, at Lightview Capital. In this episode, Richard and Stan discuss how they invest in and scale founder-led B2B services-based businesses. Learn about the benefits of recurring and reoccurring revenue, their value creation strategy, and how to align with …

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Ep. 75: Raj Bakhru, BlueFlame AI | How AI Is Transforming Private Equity Workflows 38:12

3M ago38:12

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Shiv interviews Raj Bakhru, CEO and Co-Founder at BlueFlame AI. In this episode, Shiv and Raj discuss how generative AI is transforming private equity operations. Learn how AI agents are already reshaping workflows across sourcing, diligence, and portfolio value creation. Hear how PE firms can leverage proprietary data and build internal AI committ…

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213 Novice to Masters PT3, The Pinnacle w/Ben Husthwaite 1:11:33

3M ago1:11:33

1:11:33

Send us a text This the 3rd installment in our Novice to Masters series, The Pinnacle. This episode is centered around the AA to Master class. However, there is a ton of great information for all to learn from. We are joined by world renowned coach and World Champion shooter, Ben Husthwaite. Ben travels the globe teaching and has led many of his st…

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EPS 212, Joe Pinchin + Ohio State Preview! 1:00:20

3M ago1:00:20

1:00:20

Send us a text While at the 2025 U.S. Open, we finally caught up with Joseph Pinchin! Joe is an amazing young shooter, originally hailing from Jamaica, but raised in Florida. His journey through the SCTP amateur ranks and now into the pro ranks of sporting clays is very interesting and insightful. Joe now calls Covey Rise in Husser Louisiana his ho…

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Ep. 74: John Stewart, MiddleGround Capital | Optimizing Operations in Industrial Manufacturing Portcos 44:34

3M ago44:34

44:34

Shiv interviews John Stewart, Founder and Managing Partner at MiddleGround Capital. In this episode, John shares his expertise in investing in the industrial B2B manufacturing space — from his two decades at Toyota, to moving to the investment side of the equation. Learn about underwriting the value creation plan and creating enterprise value for i…

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211, Novice to Masters pt2, The Climb w/Tracy Wright! 52:32

4M ago52:32

52:32

Send us a text Part 2 of 3, of the Novice to Master series, The Climb! We are joined by Tracy Wright for this episode as Tracy walks us through how he helps his students at this phase of their game. We cover what should be happening past the foundation stages and how you should be progressing, what you should be doing to help you progress, and a wh…

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Ep. 73: Alex Russ, Evercore | How to Stand Out in the Fundraising Crowd 45:35

4M ago45:35

45:35

Shiv interviews Alex Russ, Senior Managing Director & Head of North America at Evercore’s Private Funds Group. In this episode, Alex shares his experience helping private equity GPs raise funds from LPs. Learn how to approach fundraising in the current market, the characteristics that successful fundraisers have in common, and the importance of a s…

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210, Novice to Masters PT1, The Foundation w/Karen Miles! 54:46

4M ago54:46

54:46

Send us a text Welcome to "Novice to Masters". This is the Foundation, part 1 of our 3 part series. This episode will focus primarily D&C classes, but you will be surprised what you can learn, or may have forgotten from the basics! For this first episode, we have Karen Miles join us from start to finish! Why did we choose Karen for this part 1? Bec…

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Ep. 72: Chris Sznewajs, Pacific Avenue Capital | Investing in Companies with “Unnatural” Owners 43:43

4M ago43:43

43:43

Shiv interviews Chris Sznewajs, Founder and Managing Partner at Pacific Avenue Capital. In this episode, Chris and Shiv discuss carve-outs, buyouts, and the non-traditional types of investment deals available for “unnatural” owners – founders and investors who are ready for a transition. Learn how to underwrite these types of deals, and what benchm…

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209, The Diva's w/Judy Rhodes + NSCA segment! 50:02

4M ago50:02

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Send us a text For this episode, Mrs. Judy Rhodes founder of the "Diva's, Women Outdoors World Wide". The Divas is a world wide organization for women that started in 1999, to help, teach, support, and train women in firearms and shooting sports. Listen and we cover all the ins and outs of this organization, how big they are, how you can join or ev…

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Ep. 71: Amanda Kim, Avante Capital Partners | How Your Mission Can Be a Valuable Differentiator 38:09

4M ago38:09

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On this episode of the Private Equity Value Creation podcast, Shiv speaks with Amanda Kim, Principal at Avante Capital Partners. As a majority women- and minority-owned private credit and structured equity fund, the team at Avante Capital Partners uses their unique insights and network to win deals, generate better returns and help women advance in…

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208, Dr. Jason Richardson & RAD Chad Roberts talk Sponsorships! 1:33:10

5M ago1:33:10

1:33:10

Send us a text We are joined by renowned sports psychologist Dr. Jason Richardson, along side RAD Chad Roberts for the topic of Sponsorships! Dr. Richardson specializes in working with professional athletes and often helps them navigate sponsorship negotiations. He is also a BMX World Champion, and a Pan-AM gold medalist! Chad Roberts is also a BMX…

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207, Alien Chokes w/Brandon Powell & Rhino Chokes! 51:07

5M ago51:07

51:07

Send us a text Rhino Chokes is constantly being innovative and thriving to be at the forefront of technology when it comes to performance. They recently signed with Brandon Powell and have developed a new choke series called the "Alien", Powell Performance Series. So what's it all about? How can a simple choke tube perform that much better? Listen …

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Ep 70: Mason Myers, Greybull Stewardship | Building Foundational Growth in Pre-Mid-Market Portcos 39:18

5M ago39:18

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Shiv interviews Mason Myers, Founder and CEO at Greybull Stewardship. In this episode, Mason explains why Greybull Stewardship focuses on pre-middle-market companies and the steps they take to set these companies up to be true middle-market companies primed for PE backing. Learn how they take companies under $5M in EBITDA and grow them organically,…

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Ep. 69: Devon Kirk and Jonathan Metrick, Portage | How Investment and Ops Teams Can Work Together 41:28

5M ago41:28

41:28

Shiv interviews Devon Kirk, General Partner, and Jonathan Metrick, Chief Growth Officer at Portage. Devon and Jonathan share their perspectives from different sides of the investment table – Devon is on the investing team while Jonathan is on the internal ops team. Learn about their experiences investing in global FinTech and financial services, wh…

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206, Taconic Distillery + News from Kolar! 49:40

5M ago49:40

49:40

Send us a text We are joined by one of the owners of Taconic Distilleries, Paul Coughlin. Paul has a very interesting background from not only the distillery, but his shooting journey and how life lead him to where he is today. This was a great interview and we were very privileged to have him join us on this episode and humbled to have him a part …

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Ep. 68: Joseph Hanna, Pivoting Model Partners | Product, Pivoting, and AI as Agents 49:50

5M ago49:50

49:50

Shiv interviews Joseph Hanna, Founding Partner at Pivoting Model Partners. In this episode, Joseph talks about differentiating between your product’s feature set and the customer’s perceived value in that feature set. Learn why companies should consider pivoting to AI to grow and sustain their business, and how companies can deploy and leverage AI …

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EPS 205, Tim Ward & NSCA update! 1:03:50

5M ago1:03:50

1:03:50

Send us a text The NSCA has been having some problems with their classification system. Instead of making assumptions, we called up Michael Hampton Jr. and asked him directly. While he was on the phone, we talked about the upcoming Championship tour and what everyone can expect as the season starts. We are then joined by Tim Ward of GTW Gunsmithing…

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Ep.67: Jim Sharpe, Unity Partners | Aligning Values with Growing Portcos 33:37

5M ago33:37

33:37

Shiv interviews Jim Sharpe, Partner and Head of Propel at Unity Partners. In this episode, Jim talks about how to truly action a company’s values and incorporate them into your growth plans while ensuring alignment with founders. Learn about building a culture of ownership, how to use employee equity as a growth strategy, and why clear and transpar…

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Ep. 66: The Future of General vs Vertical AI | Shiv Narayanan, How To SaaS 40:50

6M ago40:50

40:50

Shiv Narayanan, Founder and CEO of How To SaaS, explains how AI can be leveraged by the private equity world. Learn about the differences between general and verticalized (or specialized) AI and how data is the product. Listen to how PE firms can use AI in the diligence phase, and the business strategy for companies to build their own vertical AI t…

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EPS 204, Tunnel 2 Towers & Team 911! 46:35

6M ago46:35

46:35

Send us a text September 11, 2001 was a tragic day for our country. However, in every negative, there is a positive. Enter Team 911 & T2T (Tunnel to Towers). We are joined by Frank Bruno and Andrew "Chic" Pisani of Team 911, along with Matt Milazzo from Tunnel To Towers. The two entities have teamed up to not only bring awareness, but help the fami…

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Ep. 65: Josh Schwartz, Growth Factors | Navigating Growth As An Operating Partner 38:48

6M ago38:48

38:48

Shiv interviews Josh Schwartz, Operating Principal at Growth Factors. In this episode, Josh talks about the unique operating partner model between Growth Factors and Bregal Sagemount. Learn his approach to value creation from the GTM side, how to look for growth levers during diligence, and how to navigate the political dynamics between operating p…

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203 N.E. Regional preview + MSCA news w/Amber Brown 58:27

6M ago58:27

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Send us a text To kick things off in this episode, we are joined by general manager, Jake Spengler, and sporting clays manager, Carla Forby of The Cardinal Center to discuss and preview the upcoming 2025 N.E. Regional. There is a lot that goes into making a shoot of that size a success. Jake and Carla give us the 411 on everything you need to know …

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Ep. 64: Todd Morrissey, Hidden River Strategic Capital | Alternative Avenues for Underserviced Companies 33:11

6M ago33:11

33:11

Shiv interviews Todd Morrissey, Partner at Hidden River Strategic Capital. In this episode, Todd shares alternative avenues for founders and entrepreneurs other than a growth equity buyout and private credit deals. Learn how they help companies determine how much capital they need to scale, the opportunities for combining debt and equity as an inve…

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EPS 202, Florida State Preview + NSCA segment! 39:47

6M ago39:47

39:47

Send us a text Bruce Potter, general manager at Blackjack Sporting clays in Sumterville Florida, joins us to discuss the upcoming Florida State Sporting Clays championship. We give you the 411 with everything you need to know about attending this amazing shoot! We are also joined by Michael Hampton Jr to bring us the latest with NSCA for this month…

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Ep. 63: Brad Armstrong, LMP | Supporting Portcos With an Advisor Bench 35:46

6M ago35:46

35:46

Shiv interviews Brad Armstrong, Partner at Lovell Minnick Partners (LMP). In this episode, Shiv and Brad talk about LMP’s approach to supporting their portfolio companies with a robust operating partner bench, as well as how to prioritize where to allocate budget, resources, and advisors when making value creation plans. Learn about weaponizing the…

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EPS 201, Jack Links Cup 2025 review + interviews! 39:14

6M ago39:14

39:14

Send us a text Jack Links Cup at Quail Creek Sporting Ranch in Okeechobee FL has now become the second largest shoot in the United States. With competitors of all ages and nationalities, it is become a huge event that has plans for even more growth next year! While on site, we caught up with David Debrule of ShellzShuker to discuss not only his sho…

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EPS 200! Audio from LIVE Q&A w/Jason & Sean! 2:09:55

6M ago2:09:55

2:09:55

Send us a text Can you believe it? Episode 200! We hosted a live Q&A show on YouTube and this is the audio from that show! We would like to thank each and every one of you for supporting us over the last 5 years and 200 shows! So here's to another 5 years and 200 more! - DEAD PAIR / KOLAR DRAWING - https://e.givesmart.com/events/HpS/i/_All/u1g0/?se…

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Ep. 62: Stephen Marks, Emmersion Capital | How to Navigate the Rewards and Risks of Nearshoring 40:48

7M ago40:48

40:48

Shiv interviews Stephen Marks, Managing Director, Emmersion Capital. In this episode, Shiv and Stephen discuss the benefits and challenges of nearshoring, including the economies of scaling your workforce in Latin America, onboarding and company culture, as well as macroeconomic risks and political challenges. Learn about labor arbitrage opportunit…