Built for This

Progress Over Perfection: The Truth About Scaling a Service Business with Chris McManus

In this raw and practical episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Chris McManus, founder of GC Landscaping Inc., who scaled his business from mowing lawns to a multi-million-dollar full-service landscaping and pool construction company in just six years.
Chris shares his unconventional journey from semi-professional motocross into entrepreneurship, where he redirected his competitive drive into building a business from the ground up. What followed was rapid growth driven by action, risk-taking, and learning in real time rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
Carly and Chris dive deep into the realities of scaling fast, from acquiring another company and doubling operations overnight to navigating the chaos that comes without strong systems. Chris opens up about the lessons learned around onboarding, infrastructure, and leadership, and how he evolved from being deeply involved in every detail to building a management team that can operate independently. This episode is a powerful reminder that growth does not come from perfection. It comes from progress, adaptation, and the willingness to move forward before you feel ready.
 
Key Themes:
Action Beats Perfection: Why taking bold action, even when unprepared, accelerates growth and learning.
Systems Enable Scale: How processes, onboarding, and infrastructure become essential as a business grows.
Leadership Means Letting Go: Why developing people and trusting your team is the key to sustainable expansion.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“I’m a firm believer in biting off more than you can chew and then figure it out.”“When you’re growing and scaling a company, you’re not going to be perfect — not if you want to do it fast.”“If my people are taken care of, they’ll take care of my customers.”
 
About Chris McManus:Chris McManus is the founder of GC Landscaping Inc., a company he built from the ground up into a multi-million-dollar landscaping business in just six years. In 2025, he expanded into pool construction, continuing to scale with a long-term vision of reaching a $25 million valuation by 2035. Known for his action-oriented mindset and relentless drive, Chris focuses on building systems, developing people, and creating a business that can grow beyond its founder.
 
Connect with Chris McManus:https://gclandscapinginc.comhttps://www.instagram.com/gclandscapinginc/

Built Through Mistakes: What It Really Takes to Grow a Business with Dave Gulas

In this honest and practical episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Dave Gulas, co-founder of EZDC 3PL and host of the Beyond Fulfillment podcast, to explore what it really takes to build and scale a business in a demanding, fast-moving industry.
Dave shares how he transitioned from a 20-year career in pharmaceutical sales into launching a third-party logistics company, stepping into an industry he initially underestimated. What followed was not a smooth trajectory, but a rapid education in execution, problem-solving, and learning through mistakes.
Carly and Dave dive into the realities of entrepreneurship that rarely make the highlight reel. From saying yes to the wrong clients and scaling too quickly without systems, to underestimating the importance of visibility and marketing, Dave unpacks the lessons that shaped his growth. He explains how content creation and launching a podcast became unexpected catalysts for building relationships and generating inbound opportunities. Alongside this, he shares the simple but powerful systems, like daily team huddles and a customer-first culture, that helped his company expand, open a second warehouse, and continue scaling sustainably.
This episode is a grounded look at entrepreneurship in action, where progress comes from doing, learning, and refining over time.
 
Key Themes:
Action Creates Clarity: Why starting before you feel ready accelerates learning and sharpens decision-making.
Not Every Opportunity Is Worth Taking: How saying yes to the wrong clients can create unnecessary strain and slow growth.
Visibility Drives Growth: Why founders must actively build their presence to generate trust, relationships, and inbound opportunities.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“I believe you really learn best by doing.”“If I wasn’t visible and out there as a founder, the company would never grow the way we needed it to.”“Providing value first just worked out in ways that benefited us indirectly.”
 
About Dave Gulas:Dave Gulas attended the University of Michigan-Dearborn before building a more than 20-year career in sales and executive roles within the medical and pharmaceutical industries. He is now the co-founder of EZDC 3PL, a third-party logistics company headquartered in Kentucky, providing warehousing, fulfillment, and transportation services to manufacturers and ecommerce businesses.
Since launching in 2022, EZDC 3PL has become known for its personal service, fast response times, and flexibility, helping clients grow by acting as a true extension of their operations. Dave also hosts the Beyond Fulfillment podcast, where he interviews entrepreneurs and shares insights into the realities of building a business.
 
Connect with Dave Gulas:https://ezdc3pl.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegulas/https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondFulfillmentPodcast

From Coachella to TikTok Shop: Where Live Content Is Headed Next with John Petrocelli

In this forward-looking episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with John Petrocelli, livestream pioneer and CEO of Bulldog Digital Media, to explore how live content has evolved into one of the most powerful forces in modern business.
John shares his journey from the early days of digital media, working with artists like Prince and helping shape direct-to-consumer distribution, to producing some of the most watched livestreams in the world. With more than a billion audience engagements and clients including Apple, Netflix, Coca-Cola, and Samsung, he offers a front-row view into how content, commerce, and technology are converging in real time.
Carly and John dive into the explosive growth of livestreaming during the pandemic, the rise of live commerce through platforms like TikTok Shop, and why brands are shifting from passive content to interactive experiences. John explains that the future is not about broadcasting to an audience, but engaging them as participants. From building lean, adaptive teams to managing the complexity of real-time production, this episode reveals what it takes to succeed in one of the fastest-moving industries today.
 
Key Themes:
From Viewers to Participants: Why engagement, interaction, and real-time connection are redefining how audiences consume content.
Live Commerce Is Transforming Sales: How livestreaming is becoming a direct revenue channel with higher conversion and stronger customer connection.
Execution Under Pressure: Why preparation, adaptability, and communication are critical when there are no second takes.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“The goal is to transform the viewer into a participant.”“It’s live. It has to happen at a certain time. There are no second takes.”“If you’re just broadcasting, people might come. But if you engage them, they stay.”
 
About John Petrocelli:John Petrocelli is a pioneer of the livestream industry, lifelong entrepreneur, and Founder and CEO of Bulldog Digital Media, a leading livestream production studio. Over his career, he has enabled some of the most-watched livestreams in history, generating more than one billion audience engagements across Fortune 500 clients.
Before founding Bulldog DM in 2012, John’s leadership roles in startups led to acquisitions by AEG, Google, and Akamai. Today, Bulldog DM partners with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Apple, AT&T, YouTube, American Express, Coca-Cola, Netflix, Samsung, and Qualcomm. His work has earned numerous industry awards, including Clio, Shorty, Webby, Cannes Lion, Epica, One Show, and BizBash, and he has spoken at major global events such as CES, NAB, SXSW, and Harvard Business School.
 
Connect with John Petrocelli:https://bulldogdm.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpetrocellihttps://twitter.com/johnpetrocelli | https://twitter.com/bulldogdmhttps://www.instagram.com/bulldog_dm/

From Napkin Sketch to Global Impact: Rethinking Logistics from First Principles with Sam Berman

In this thought-provoking episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Sam Berman, founder and CEO of LARC (Logistics Advanced Research Center), to explore how challenging deeply embedded industry assumptions can unlock real innovation.
Sam shares how LARC began as a simple idea sketched on a napkin and evolved into a global solution for transporting high-value, mission-critical equipment. At the heart of his approach is first-principles thinking, breaking problems down to their core and rebuilding solutions from the ground up rather than accepting inefficiencies as inevitable.
Carly and Sam dive into the hidden flaws within traditional logistics systems, from wasteful packaging to outdated processes that persist simply because they have never been questioned. By redesigning these systems with reusable, modular solutions, Sam demonstrates how businesses can simultaneously improve performance, reduce cost, and increase sustainability. This episode is a powerful reminder that many of the biggest constraints in business are not real limitations, but accepted norms waiting to be reimagined.
 
Key Themes:
Challenge Assumptions: Why many industries operate on outdated systems that exist because no one has questioned them.
Think from First Principles: How breaking problems down to their fundamentals leads to breakthrough innovation rather than incremental improvement.
Align Efficiency with Sustainability: Why better systems can reduce waste, lower costs, and improve outcomes at the same time.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“Most of the systems we rely on today weren’t designed to be optimal, they were designed to be acceptable.”“If you don’t question the assumptions, you end up optimizing a broken system.”“The goal isn’t to make something slightly better. It’s to build what should have existed in the first place.”
 
About Sam Berman:Sam Berman is the Founder and CEO of Logistics Advanced Research Center (LARC), a technology-driven packaging and logistics company redefining how the world’s most valuable equipment is transported. LARC designs reusable, modular crate systems built for high-value and mission-critical assets, including data center infrastructure, advanced electronics, aerospace components, and emerging AI hardware.
A lifelong entrepreneur and systems thinker, Sam has spent decades challenging legacy assumptions across logistics, manufacturing, and supply chains. Under his leadership, LARC has become a trusted partner to hyperscalers, global manufacturers, and Tier-1 logistics providers by delivering solutions that improve protection, security, sustainability, and total cost of ownership.
 
Connect with Sam Berman:https://www.larc.co/https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelberman/

Leaving the Expected Life: How Richard Blank Built a Company by Choosing Authenticity

In this inspiring episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Richard Blank, entrepreneur and CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center, to explore the unconventional path that led him from Philadelphia to building a thriving business abroad.
Richard shares how stepping away from family expectations and societal pressure allowed him to pursue a life aligned with his own values. At twenty-seven, he moved to Costa Rica and started a company from scratch in a completely unfamiliar environment. What many would have considered a risky leap became the foundation for a successful business built on authenticity, culture, and human connection.
Throughout the conversation, Richard dives into the human side of leadership, explaining why communication, empathy, and culture are the real drivers of performance. From training voice agents to build genuine rapport with customers to fostering a workplace where people feel respected and supported, he demonstrates how emotional intelligence transforms both teams and outcomes. This episode is a powerful reminder that growth often begins when we step beyond comfort zones and choose a path that reflects who we truly are.
 
Key Themes:
Authenticity Opens Doors: Why choosing your own path, rather than following expectations, can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Culture Drives Performance: How respect, communication, and empathy create stronger teams and better business results.
Growth Lives Outside the Comfort Zone: Why moving abroad and starting from scratch became the catalyst for Richard’s resilience and success.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“Sometimes you have to leave the life that’s expected of you in order to build the life that’s truly yours.”“People remember how you make them feel. That’s just as important in business as it is in life.”“If you build the right culture, people don’t just work for you. They grow with you.”
 
About Richard Blank:Richard Blank describes his life as a spiritual vision-quest journey that required stepping beyond family expectations and societal pressure in order to live authentically. At twenty-seven, he left Philadelphia and moved to Costa Rica, where he built a company from the ground up that would eventually become Costa Rica’s Call Center, which he has led as CEO since 2008.
Giving back is a core part of Richard’s philosophy. Each year he endows a scholarship at Abington Senior High School for students pursuing world languages at the university level. A lifelong enthusiast of vintage arcade culture, he also built the largest collection of restored American pinball machines and antique jukeboxes in Costa Rica.
 
Connect with Richard Blank:https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/costa-ricas-call-center-2/
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXShttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Costa Rica’s Call Center commercial with Rapper GblackDaBest and Freestyle break-dancer Yeik Lawson Rodríguezhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQvGZYcX71s
Feliciano School of Business visit with Richard Blankhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prcJZJnTm28

From Field Problems to Scalable Solutions: The Mindset of an Engineering CEO with Alfredo Dominguez

In this insightful episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Alfredo Dominguez, CEO of Velocity Artificial Lift Solutions, an engineering company dedicated to helping oil and energy producers operate more efficiently through practical, field-driven technologies.
Alfredo shares how his background in engineering shaped his leadership philosophy, one rooted in problem-solving, precision, and building solutions that actually work under real-world conditions. But the conversation quickly moves beyond technical innovation into the realities of leadership under pressure.
One of the most defining challenges Alfredo faced came when his company was targeted by a conspiracy involving a former employee and supplier attempting to steal proprietary designs and undermine the business. Navigating that experience forced him to confront uncertainty, protect his team, and make difficult decisions under immense pressure. Through it all, Alfredo leaned into a values-based leadership approach grounded in honesty, dependability, and respect.
Carly and Alfredo explore how engineering thinking can transform business leadership, how resilience is built during the hardest moments, and why values become the stabilizing force when stakes are highest. This episode reveals how adversity often becomes the proving ground where stronger leaders are forged.
 
Key Themes:
Leadership Is Forged in Crisis: Why the true test of leadership comes during uncertainty, pressure, and unexpected threats.
Engineering Thinking for Business: How breaking down complex systems into solvable problems creates practical innovation.
Values Anchor High-Stakes Leadership: Why honesty, dependability, and respect create stability in technical and high-risk industries.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“Even in the darkest moments, clarity and support can emerge if you stay open enough to see it.”“Engineering is really about translating complex problems into practical solutions.”“Your values are what keep you grounded when the pressure is highest.”
 
About Alfredo Dominguez:Alfredo Dominguez is the CEO of Velocity Artificial Lift Solutions, Inc., where he leads the development of engineering services and technologies designed to help oil and energy companies produce more efficiently and cost-effectively. With a career rooted in applied engineering and field-driven problem solving, Alfredo specializes in translating complex technical challenges into scalable, practical solutions.
His work has been recognized through multiple published and presented technical papers, reflecting his commitment to advancing performance and reliability within the energy sector. Alfredo leads with a values-driven philosophy centered on honesty, dependability, and respect, principles that guide both his technical decisions and company culture.
 
Connect with Alfredo Dominguez:https://www.velocityals.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/velocity-als/https://www.facebook.com/people/Velocity-ALS/61557251253835/https://www.instagram.com/velocityals/

Designing for Human Behavior: How Spaces Shape the Way We Live and Work with Joy Lynskey

In this insightful episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Joy Lynskey, founder and CEO of Jewel Toned Interiors, an award-winning interior design studio known for creating people-centered environments that combine creativity, psychology, and purpose.
Joy shares how her early fascination with psychology shaped the way she approaches design today. Rather than focusing only on aesthetics, she examines how environments influence how people think, feel, and interact. From corporate offices to commercial spaces, Joy explains how intentional design can reinforce company values, improve employee wellbeing, and transform customer experiences.
The conversation also explores Joy’s entrepreneurial journey, from growing up as the daughter of a business owner to leading a design firm in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry. As the first female president of the Construction Executives Association, she reflects on the importance of mentorship, leadership, and building teams that empower people to grow. This episode reveals the powerful intersection between psychology, leadership, and design and how the spaces we create ultimately shape the cultures we live and work within.
 
Key Themes:
Design Begins with Emotion: Why every project starts with a single question: how do you want people to feel in this space?
Spaces Communicate Culture: How the built environment can reinforce company values like collaboration, innovation, and wellness.
Leadership Through Empowerment: Why mentorship, empathy, and continuous growth are essential for building strong teams and thriving businesses.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“Interior design is really a blend of art, math, science, and the study of people.”“We always start by asking clients one question: how do you want people to feel in this space?”“You can’t just put your core values on the wall. Design lets you actually bring them to life.”
 
About Joy Lynskey:Joy Lynskey is the Founder and CEO of Jewel Toned Interiors (JTI), an award-winning, women-owned interior design studio based in Fort Lauderdale. With more than two decades of experience across design, construction, and planning, Joy leads JTI in creating inspiring, people-centered environments with a focus on serving underserved communities. Her work extends beyond design through partnerships with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Be Strong International, Junior Achievement, and Make-A-Wish.
A passionate mentor and advocate for leadership development, Joy became the first female president of the Construction Executives Association in 2023. Her impact has been recognized through numerous honors, including Entrepreneur Organization’s Entrepreneur of Excellence and IIDA South Florida’s Star of the Year.
 
Connect with Joy Lynskey:http://www.jeweltoned.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-lynskey/https://www.linkedin.com/company/jewel-toned-interiors/https://www.instagram.com/jeweltonedinteriors/

You Are Only as Hot as Your Last Party: The Reality of Entertainment with Connor Treacy

In this candid episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Connor Treacy, a Los Angeles–based entrepreneur working at the crossroads of nightlife, music, culture, and business. Connor offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to stay relevant in the entertainment industry, where momentum is fleeting and yesterday’s success quickly fades.
Connor shares how he co-founded OffSunset during the uncertainty of COVID and grew it into a multimillion-dollar hospitality brand built largely through word of mouth, mystique, and carefully curated experiences. He explains the strategy behind controlled launches, protecting brand momentum, and building communities rather than simply throwing parties. The conversation explores the volatility of early entrepreneurship, the pressure of maintaining relevance, and why entertainment ultimately revolves around value exchange.
Now working in talent management while building systems around artists and partnerships, Connor breaks down why producing your own product matters, how positioning yourself for opportunity beats constantly chasing it, and why calculated luck consistently outperforms blind ambition. This episode is a thoughtful exploration of timing, resilience, and designing a career that does not depend on a single hit.
 
Key Themes:
Value Creates Relevance: Why success in entertainment comes from bringing something meaningful to the table rather than relying on popularity.
Plan Beyond the Hit: How understanding industry cycles allows entrepreneurs to celebrate momentum while preparing for what comes next.
Position Yourself for Opportunity: Why strengthening your network, credibility, and knowledge increases the chances that major opportunities find you.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“Anything I’ve ever wanted, I got it — it just sometimes comes later.”“You’re only as hot as the last party you did.”“It’s honestly more nerve-wracking once you get the hit — because then you have to make another one.”
 
About Connor Treacy:Connor Treacy is a Los Angeles–based entrepreneur and music executive operating at the intersection of culture, business, and civic life. He co-founded OffSunset, a high-profile West Hollywood hospitality concept that grew into a multimillion-dollar annual business through disciplined brand-building and community design. Connor currently works across talent and venture partnerships while completing his MBA at USC Marshall and earning a Master of Studies in Law from USC Gould School of Law. Known for combining creative instinct with operational discipline, he focuses on building durable systems, partnerships, and platforms that outlast trends.
 
Connect with Connor Treacy:https://instagram.com/theconnortreacyhttps://x.com/theconnortreacyhttps://linkedin.com/in/connortreacyhttps://youtube.com/@theconnortreacy

From $2.5 Million to 142 Countries: The E! Story and What Came After with Larry Namer

In this powerhouse episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with media pioneer Larry Namer, co-founder of E! Entertainment Television and chairman of multiple global media ventures, to unpack how a scrappy startup became a worldwide entertainment brand.
Larry shares how E! launched with just $2.5 million, 11 employees, and 31 interns, eventually expanding into 142 countries. But this conversation goes far beyond celebrity culture. Larry dives into his work building media platforms in Russia and China, navigating post-communist business environments, and redefining what “Hollywood” means in a digital world where creativity is no longer tied to geography.
He explains how vertical dramas, immersive experiences, and AI-powered workflows are reshaping entertainment, and why AI will never replace human imagination but will dramatically amplify it. Larry also unpacks his leadership philosophy, from hiring for work ethic and developing interns into executives, to giving teams room to fail without sinking the ship.
Now focused on purpose-driven programming, Larry is creating socially impactful content and launching global masterclasses through the World Film Institute to democratize access to world-class creative education. This episode is a masterclass in trusting your instincts, mastering your ego, and building platforms that outlast you.
 
Key Themes:
Creativity Requires Instinct and Self-Editing: Why innovation depends not just on generating ideas, but on having the discipline to kill the wrong ones without ego.
AI Amplifies Humans, It Does Not Replace Them: How AI saves time and accelerates output, while true originality still comes from human minds.
Every Business Is Now a Media Business: Why content creation is no longer optional and how those who adapt will thrive in the next era of influence.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“AI samples what’s already been done. New ideas only come from one set of brains. Human beings.”“The worst thing you can do is waste your time.”“Don’t let the good things go by because you didn’t have the nerve to say, I’m going to make this happen.”
 
About Larry Namer:Larry Namer is the Co-Founder of E! Entertainment Television, Chairman of LJN Media, Chairman of the World Film Institute, and President of Metan Global. Over the course of his career, he has built and invested in media companies around the world, shaping global entertainment and pioneering new formats across continents.
 
Connect with Larry Namer:🌐 http://ljnmedia.com📸 https://www.instagram.com/larrynamertv📘 Book: https://amzn.to/3YjfOSg

The Art of Preventing Stupid with Matthew Davis: Building a 1000% Growth Law Firm Without Unforced Errors

What if explosive growth is not about taking bigger risks, but about refusing to make predictable mistakes?
In this episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Matthew Neill Davis, attorney, entrepreneur, and founder of Davis Business Law, a firm that achieved more than 1000% growth in eight years and became one of the rare law firms to earn a place on the Inc. 5000 list.
Matthew reveals that the secret behind that growth was not flashy marketing or reckless expansion. It was discipline, systems, leadership presence, and a relentless commitment to eliminating what he calls “unforced errors.” From reducing client concentration risk to implementing succession planning that protects against catastrophe, Matthew explains how to build a company that can survive leadership loss, market shifts, and internal dysfunction. Drawing from his book The Art of Preventing Stupid, he outlines how strategic defense creates sustainable offense and why responsible leadership requires both service and strength.
This conversation is a masterclass in strategic paranoia, operational clarity, and building an enterprise designed to outlive its founder.
 
Key Themes:
Eliminate Unforced Errors to Unlock Growth: Why scaling comes from removing preventable breakdowns across key business systems before they cost you.
A Players Thrive Under Accountability: How raising standards, not lowering them, increased production and strengthened culture.
Protect Your People First: Why prioritizing employee growth, autonomy, and mastery builds resilience and long-term performance.
 
Memorable Quotes:
“Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity.”“If you’ll deal with your vulnerabilities, you’re the one who gets to capitalize on the opportunities.”“Leading A players is easy. Give them autonomy, give them standards, and tell them to carry the message to Garcia.”
 
About Matthew Neill Davis:Matthew Neill Davis is an attorney, heavy metal guitarist, and entrepreneur who led his solely owned firm, Davis Business Law, through more than 1000% growth over eight years, making it one of the very few law firms to achieve Inc. 5000 recognition. The firm now operates nine offices from San Antonio to Kansas City. With more than twenty-five years of experience advising business leaders, Matthew now teaches entrepreneurs how to address vulnerabilities so they can capitalize on opportunities through his proprietary Strong Protected Business System.
Matthew lives in Enid, Oklahoma, where his family has resided for six generations. He holds degrees from the University of Oklahoma, Cornell University, and Cornell College.
 
Connect with Matthew Davis:🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/davisbusinesslaw📘 https://www.facebook.com/davisbusinesslaw