Episodes
Rocky Cherry, Chief Growth Officer of Cherry Coatings, a commercial coatings contractor based in Dallas, Texas joins the podcast.
Transforming lessons learned from his time in the MLB into his leadership style, Rocky has built a team that focuses on its people and making a positive impact in their lives fueled by servant leadership. Hear how his experiences in baseball have changes his perspective on failure in every aspect of life, particularly in business, and helped him navigate future obstacles.
March 8, 2023
Janis Burke, CEO of the Harris County Houston Sports Authority, an organization charged with attracting major sporting events to Houston, joins the Building Texas Business podcast. Janis shares the importance of leaders clearly articulating a common goal for the members of their organization, and establishing a mindset of showing up every day to give your best effort.
February 22, 2023
Jason Ferguson, Managing Partner of Calvetti Ferguson, a CPA firm with offices throughout Texas, joins the podcast.
Hear how he built a company culture based on the firms different client partners in tax, audit, and risk compliance practices. Jason talks about the importance of figuring out who your company really is and what it stands for. He firmly believes that staying disciplined and committed to building collaboration is the key to success for any company.
Jason also shares the three big risks of a business labor pool: staffing, industry concentration, and macroeconomic risk, and how these clients needed to have the culture they wanted to serve them.
February 8, 2023
Troy Elmore, President of Sandler Training, a Houston-based company established in 2003 joins the podcast. Troy shares why he thinks, in addition to having core values for your company, it is important to have core behaviors so that you can make those values action. Troy also discusses how he uses a concept titled the "Three P's" to help motivate his people.
November 30, 2022
Cheers to our 40th episode! To celebrate we hosted a live event where we talked to Ryan and Crystal Waugh of Waugh Family Wines to share their story about how they started their wine business.
Their inspiration to get into the wine business is not only unique, but one that has a bit of romance attached. Hear Ryan share how meeting Crystal amplified their business to the next level, how Crystal has crafted a unique B2C model, and a few wine tips that you won't want to miss.
November 16, 2022
Cody Johnson, CEO of National Signs, a prominent sign company in Houston, joins the podcast.
A serial entrepreneur since the age of 25 with a diverse background in startups, Cody has built various companies around the world from Malaysia, India, and Mexico. Listen to his unique story and how he has found success across various continents and the keys to building an intentional and impactful team.
November 2, 2022
Jing Johnson, Founder and CEO of Prism Renderings, joins the Building Texas Business podcast. Jing was inspired to start her own company as a way to balance her professional and family commitments. In doing so, she has grown her company over the past 16 years by building a team made up of all working moms.
Listen to hear the motivation behind creating Prism Renderings and how Jing created her own lane, based on the resources and training she already possessed, all while redefining time management in her own terms.
October 19, 2022
Carrie Colbert, founder of Curate Capital, a venture capital firm focused on investing in companies founded by women with products for women joins the podcast to share her unique story.
Carrie's shares her beliefs in aligning incentives and being transparent in communication and financials have sparked her success.
October 5, 2022
Matt Brice, Founder of Federal American Grill, shares his passion for treating people right. Matt discusses how his mission to improve the lives of everyone he touches has helped him build a company with a learning culture, grounded in values like empathy.
September 14, 2022
Michael Scheurich, CEO and Founder of Arch-Con corporation, joins the podcast to share how he has built a strong team by creating a positive work environment, opportunities for growth in ownership and staying competitive with compensation.
Michael's clarity around purpose and passion has fueled Arch-Con's success, and his passion for commercial construction shines through his stories.
August 24, 2022
David Gow, CEO of Gow Media, a large multi-platform media company based in Houston, joins the Building Texas Business podcast to share his journey as a successful leader.
David has lead Gow Media for over 15 years, which has digital content sites including Culturemap.com, Sportsmap.com, and Innovationmap.com.
Listen to David give great advice on what it means to be a supportive, attentive leader who fosters consensus and cooperation.
August 10, 2022
Jenna Jackson, Founder and CEO of P+R Creative Group, joins the Building Texas Business podcast to tell us how she took 20 plus years in TV production and built her company with a focus on telling great stories.
P+R Creative Group is a Texas based full service creative agency that helps its clients around the world through the entire creative process.
July 27, 2022
Eddie Martin, President and CEO of Tilson Homes, joins the podcast to discuss the dynamics involved in taking over a leadership of a family business and priming it for growth and positive culture. Tilson Homes is one of the oldest family owned and operated home builders in Texas and is currently celebrating its 90th Anniversary.
July 13, 2022
As we celebrate the One Year Anniversary of the Building Texas Business podcast, we are taking it back to Episode 1 with Houston legend, Johnny Carrabba. Johnny is the founder of The Original Carrabba’s Restaurant on Kirby Drive in Houston, Texas and the inspiration for the nationwide chain of restaurants.
Johnny talks about his passion for culture, humility, and good old fashioned courtesy as he shares his ups and downs with the evolution of the restaurant industry and his original vision for expansion.
He believes the keys to success are in the Carrabba's fundamentals: food, service, cleanliness, energy and enthusiasm. Comparing running a restaurant to coaching a football team is not only a true mark of Texan, but he shares if he really was destined for this role prior to birth.
June 29, 2022
We are celebrating the Houston Zoo's 100th anniversary with the Zoo's President and CEO, Lee Ehmke!
Lee discusses the conservation efforts and improvements undertaken by the Houston Zoo and how contributions and partnerships are leading to world wide efforts to save animals in the wild.
This episode is an exciting venture into the world of global animal welfare and the efforts being undertaken to protect all the amazing creatures we share this planet with.
June 8, 2022
June Dively, CEO of SiEnergy, a gas utility company based in Austin, Texas, joins the podcast to let us into the mind of a trailblazer and we explore what it means to build a customer focused business that has no use for the word "No".
Si Energy are committed to delivering efficient, clean-burning natural gas at reasonable costs, and June has successfully grown the company over the past 10 years by eliminating the word "no" from her vocabulary and building a team that, above all else follows through on their word to the customers.
May 25, 2022
Josh Jacobs, Co-Founder and CEO of the The Blue Ox Group, a commercial real estate brokerage based in Houston details the business principles he applies to help set the foundation for his company and how its core values support the way they work. Inspired by the fable of Paul Bunyan, the larger-than-life lumberjack who could achieve the impossible, he started his company in June of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic.
May 4, 2022
Kelly Hall joins the latest episode of the Building Texas Business podcast. Kelly, CEO of Harvey Builders, a full-service general contractor whose true mission is creating relationships that lead to spaces where great things happen.Starting as a project manager 29-years ago, Kelly worked his way up to become CEO in 2018. He discusses the importance of leaders being visible, listening to their employees and demonstrate empathy.This episode is valuable to anyone in a leadership position, and Kelly's experience and perspective demonstrate why Harvey has a great reputation.
April 20, 2022
Ali Naser CEO and Founder of AltruVista, a wealth and life planning company for entrepreneurs in Houston discusses how he started his company, as well as how he's built it over the past 13 years. Additionally, hear about the lesson's he has learned over the years that led him to write the book he recently launched, "The Business Owner's Dilemma".
April 6, 2022
Ralph J Vasami, CEO of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas joins the Building Texas Business podcast to share his uniquely inspiring story of triumph.
Starting as a high school intern in their meteorology department and rising to the position of CEO in 2007, he credits being a lifelong learner and staying curious as two of the qualities that have helped him lead Universal for the past 15 years.
March 23, 2022
The latest episode of the Building Texas Business podcast features two guests - Chef Kiran Verma, Chef and Owner of Kiran's restaurant in Houston, and her daughter Puja Verma, Director of Operations and Development.
Chef Kiran is known as the Godmother of Indian fine dining, and Kiran's is a beloved restaurant in Houston. Alongside her daughter, they share the inspiring story of perseverance and innovation as they introduced food from their beloved culture to the Houston community and beyond.
March 9, 2022
Bob Harvey, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston region's principal business organization joins the podcast to share his optimism about the economic future of Houston.
Bob was a successful business leader in his own right before taking over at the Partnership 10 years ago, and in this episode, we discuss the trends he's seeing in the employer, employee relationships, and company culture post-COVID, and how Houston's corporate leaders are engaging more with the area's institutions of higher education to produce a more employable workforce.
February 10, 2022
Ryan Getz, Co-Founder, and CEO of WGA Consulting Engineers, a civil engineering firm in Houston, Texas joins the podcast to discuss the critical need to have a team-building mentality in your company. Ryan's passion about his business radiates as he talks about importance of setting a clear direction for the company and the need to establish core values – something WGA achieves by addressing accountability, respect, and empowerment.
January 12, 2022
Jesson Bradshaw, Co-Founder and CEO of Energy Ogre, an electricity management company based in Texas shares why he believes our economy benefits from the innovation derived from entrepreneurs and the importance for business leaders to find the right balance between charging forward with strategic initiatives and practicing patience to allow things to happen on their own timing.
December 15, 2021
Isaac Johnson, President, and CEO of TDECU, a credit union in the Houston area talks about his fascinating story. He shares how he built a parallel career in the military, serving in the US Army Reserves and the corporate world, coming up through law firms and then banking.
Hear Isaac talk about failure and why it's important to fail fast and move on, as well as his approach to culture, which comes from his military training and the mental of 'One Team'.
December 8, 2021
Robin Stanaland, CEO, Coach, and Business Advisor, joins the podcast to share her vast experience and knowledge.
She is a great resource for any entrepreneur or business owner. Not only because of her experience having founded and built her own company, a software and IT consulting firm, growing it to over 150 employees before selling it, but also as a Master Chair within the Vistage organization, and running an M&A consulting firm, working with CEOs and entrepreneurs to help grow their business.
Robin talks about the importance of setting a strategy with the end in mind and the importance of establishing core values in your business so you have those in place when you're making difficult decisions.
December 1, 2021
John Berger, CEO of Sunnova, a residential solar company based here in Houston, shares his mission to create a better energy service at a better price, believing residential customers should have energy independence. This conversation was recorded on stage at our first Building Texas Business Live event, and in it, you'll learn why John likens his company to a wireless power company and the Southwest airlines of solar rather than a traditional utility company.
November 17, 2021
Farid Virani, Founder and CEO of Prime Communication, the largest AT&T Authorized Retailer in the United States shares how he started in 1999 with one kiosk store in Baybrook Mall and by staying humble, hungry, and scrappy, built Prime to over 2080 AT&T retail stores across North America.
November 3, 2021
Sheila Enriquez, CEO and Managing Partner at Houston-based CPA firm Briggs & Veselka talks about her journey as a CPA into management and how she views all innovations as starting with the people. Sheila has received countless awards and accolades, including the 2020 Most Admired CEO by the Houston Business Journal, and brings a wealth of experience building this firm into the organization it is today.
October 27, 2021
The latest episode features Dr. Juliet Breeze, Founder and CEO of Next Level Urgent Care, a healthcare provider in the Houston area, founded on the belief that it's possible to provide high-quality, cost-effective medical care for all who need immediate attention for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
Learn how Juliet is bringing innovative thoughts to the practice of medicine, including focusing on customer service from a retail mindset and how they deliver healthcare at her company. She passionately believes in the mission of Next Level, and has many insights into the journey from inspiration to now having multiple locations.
October 13, 2021
Jamey Rootes, former President of the Houston Texans and MLS's Columbus Crew, and President and Founder of Lone Star Sports & Entertainment, appears on the latest episode of Building Texas Business. Jamey talks about his long career and how he combined a passion for sports and a strong work ethic into building two sports franchises from the ground up. His commitment to the sport, the people he works with, and the fans comes together in the culture he fosters in these organizations
October 7, 2021
Aaron Lyons, Founder and CEO of Dish Society, a casual farm-to-table restaurant brand with several locations across the Galleria area shares how he took a business-based approach to the restaurant industry, validating the market and building the first locations with scale in mind.
September 30, 2021
Sharon Birkman, Chairman and CEO of Birkman International, an industry-leading behavioral and occupational assessment company headquartered in Houston, Texas shares her passion for personal development. Sharon shares her approach to empowering human potential and how she believes raising a family helped her become a better business owner and create products that look at the multiplicity of characteristics that make you rich human being you are.
September 21, 2021
Our latest episode features Robert Whitman, Co-Founder of Forward Science, a privately held MedTech company based in Houston, Texas. Rob co-founded Forward Science in 2006 to change lives through early discovery, diagnosis, and treatment in oral cancer, and in this episode, you'll learn how he built the successful startup by focusing on legacy over currency.
September 16, 2021
Ziggy Gruber, Restaurateur and self-proclaimed "Delimaven" of Kenny & Ziggy's, a traditional New York Delicatessen Restaurant and Bakery specializing in Eastern European Jewish cuisine in Houston, TX shares his passion for his craft and community.
Kenny & Ziggy's is the heart of the local community, and Ziggy believes cultivating your employees helps build a strong family-oriented culture.
August 31, 2021
On the latest episode of the Building Texas Business podcast Goran Haag, President of Champion Fiberglass, credits this success to focusing on his people and his Christian values, and he shares some great insights from his experience.
The chemical engineer from Sweden started a company in Texas that has grown over the past 30 years, building from one to four product lines, even surviving and rebuilding after a devastating factory fire, to become the leading manufacturer of fiberglass conduit in the USA and Canada.
August 20, 2021
Reid Ryan, former president of the Houston Astros and currently the president of the Round Rock Express, talks about how lessons in baseball have translated into business building blocks. One of the most important, and one that is transferable to any business, is how his father taught him not to let the failure of your last pitch affect the success of your next.
August 11, 2021
Jacky Fischer, CEO of 3 Men Movers, talks about her story, why she believes culture is like a magnet, and what we can learn as a leader from Ted Lasso.
August 4, 2021
Jerry Lasco, Founder and CEO of Lasco Enterprises, parent company for 4 successful food and beverage concepts talks about his transition from being a pilot for the US Air Force to becoming a sommelier and ultimately a restaurant entrepreneur.
Jerry talks about how he instills leadership at all levels and its contribution to the success of his concepts. He also discusses the lessons learned in his military career that apply surprisingly well to running the restaurants.
July 28, 2021
William Vanderbloemen, the founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen, a Christian executive search firm talks about how an accidental pastor transformed into a successful entrepreneur and has lots of insight into company culture and why it’s important to be aware of the shadow side of your strengths.
July 21, 2021
Dr. Setul Patel, Founder and Managing Partner at FormulaMed, a health advocacy company based in Houston shares about how he went from being a physician to an entrepreneur, focusing on disrupting healthcare delivery by building a new sandbox.
July 16, 2021
Brent Gallagher, Co-Founder of Avenu Fitness, a Health and Lifestyle fitness center with two locations in Houston talks about his philosophy on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He shares how he incorporates small-town values into a unique workout experience, with the goal of making a healthy lifestyle sustainable.
June 28, 2021
Bethany Andell, President of Savage Brands, a Houston-based branding, culture building, and marketing agency talks about how she employs a servant/leadership mentality to her company and how her passion drives success at Savage and her client's business.
June 21, 2021
Owner and Restauranteur Johnny Carrabba talks about success and evolution in the restaurant industry, why he gave up on becoming an accountant and how running a restaurant is a lot similar to coaching a football team.
June 16, 2021
BoyarMiller Chairman Chris Hanslik introduces the Building Texas Business Podcast, a podcast about corporate innovation, entrepreneurship and business leadership in the Lone Star State. Hanslik interviews with thought leaders and organizational visionaries from across industry to talk about the latest trends, challenges and growth opportunities to take your business to the next level.
June 15, 2021
About the Show
Building Texas Business is an award-winning podcast about corporate innovation, entrepreneurship and business leadership in the Lone Star State. BoyarMiller Chairman Chris Hanslik interviews industry thought leaders and organizational visionaries in a discussion rife with leading edge information, the latest trends, case studies, and news. Business inspiration, growth, challenges, corporate culture and mentorship will be on the agenda. Enjoy the banter and glean valuable insight as the conversation unfolds. The podcast is a first-place winner in the communications category for content in the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Southwest Region’s Your Honor Awards 2021.
About BoyarMiller
BoyarMiller is a Houston-based law firm that serves as a strategic partner for organizations of all sizes – from mid-size businesses to Fortune 500 companies – across the country and around the globe. Our team is driven to advance client business goals, to achieve extraordinary outcomes, and to attain new possibilities as we work to deliver an exceptional experience.
Why would a law firm host a podcast like this? Because the people Chris Hanslik will be interviewing are exactly the type of people who make up our client profile here at BoyarMiller. We serve as the legal partner for business owners and entrepreneurs helping them realize their business goals.