When Andy Weiner, founder and president of Rock Step Capital, built his company’s cultural blueprint — “The Rock Steps” — he made one rule clear: Don’t be a jerk. But even he admits… he once broke it. “I hired a brilliant jerk,” Andy says. “And I learned the hard way…
When COVID hit, thousands of stores vanished overnight. But the survivors — the Targets, Walmarts, and Costcos of the world — fought back. They built e-commerce engines of their own. They turned stores into distribution hubs. And they started taking market share back from Amazon. In this episode of Capitalist…
From Walmart Wreckage to Cash Flow Kings: How Retail Failure Forged a Private Equity Real Estate Playbook That Wins in Hometown USA I’m thrilled to share some incredible insights from my latest podcast episode with Andy Weiner, the founder and president of Rock Step Capital. Andy’s journey in the real…
For Nick Ehret, CPA Ehret, Managing Partner & CFO of Hill Capital Corporation, it’s simple — helping entrepreneurs reach the outcomes they dream about. “I hope that when founders look back at working with us, they say taking capital from Hill Capital helped them get where they wanted to go.”…
That’s the harsh reality many founders face. As Nick Ehret, CPA Ehret, Managing Partner & CFO of Hill Capital Corporation, explains, too many entrepreneurs give up too much equity too soon — and don’t realize the trade-offs until it’s too late. In this episode of Capitalist Culture®, Nick breaks down…
As Nick Ehret, CPA, Managing Partner & CFO of Hill Capital Corporation, puts it: “For 99% of people, letting it run in the market makes sense. But for the few who choose to invest in private companies, it has to make sense beyond the returns.” In this episode of Capitalist…
The Anti-VC VC: Nick Ehret Reveals How to Fund Founders the RIGHT Way – No BS, No Predators, Just Real Wins! I’m thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast with you. This time, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Nick Ehret, the Managing Partner and CFO…
Former Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn put it perfectly: “Everybody has their story—a divorce, an illness, a sick child, a battle with cancer. We all need to be more tuned into each other on a human level. Let’s just be decent people.” In a world obsessed with performance and progress,…
Former Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn says it best: “AI is going to require leadership to not walk away from its humanity, but to recommit, reconnect, and reinspire that human connection.” If we let machines make every decision, our companies risk becoming lifeless and soulless. But when leaders lead with…
Former Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn put it perfectly. “AI is never gonna calm a room when employees are anxious. It’s never gonna manage a crisis with heart.” Technology can make us faster, smarter, and more efficient. But leadership—the kind that builds trust, steadies teams, and leads with empathy—can’t be…
That was the question a young Best Buy associate from Peoria asked CEO Brian Dunn during a company town hall. And in that moment, Brian had a realization that every leader needs to hear: “How do I not know that? What have I been doing?” Instead of dismissing it, he…
What 4,000 Stores Taught Me About Leadership: Brian Dunn on Culture, Courage, and the Truth About Growth I’m thrilled to share some incredible insights from my latest podcast episode with the legendary Brian Dunn. Brian’s journey from a frontline associate to CEO of Best Buy is nothing short of inspiring.…
Rhett Ross, Principal of Bayport Group, Managing Member of Leach Industries, and Senior Advisor to G2 Capital Advisors, joins Capitalist Culture to talk about the accelerating intersection of AI, automation, and human performance. From autonomous drones on the battlefield to smart machines reshaping industry, Rhett explores how technology is advancing…
“Everyone talks about Boeing’s failures—but no one remembers when a 777 cartwheeled across an airport and no one died.” In this clip from Capitalist Culture, Rhett Ross—Principal of Bayport Group, Managing Member of Leach Industries, and Senior Advisor to G2 Capital Advisors—pulls back the curtain on the unseen brilliance of…
AI isn’t just changing technology—it’s redefining energy. As data centers expand and computing power skyrockets, the world’s demand for reliable, carbon-free baseload energy is surging—and there’s only one real answer: nuclear. In this clip from Capitalist Culture, Sam Gibson, Founder & CEO of Hadron Energy, breaks down why the future…
75% of Americans now support nuclear energy—a stunning shift for an industry long seen as controversial. Sam Gibson, Founder & CEO of Hadron Energy, believes this moment represents a turning point in American competitiveness. “The demand is clear—and the answer is even clearer,” he says. After decades of hesitation, the…
At just 10 years old, Sam Gibson decided he was going to become a mechanical engineer—and eventually, he did a lot more than that. Now the Founder & CEO of Hadron Energy, Sam is one of the youngest visionaries in nuclear energy, building micro reactors that could redefine how the…
I started this business with $10,000—not because I wanted to make money, but because I cared about the problem. At just 27, Sam Gibson, Founder & CEO of Hadron Energy, is redefining what it means to build something meaningful. His mission isn’t about chasing wealth—it’s about impact. He’s developing 10-megawatt…
The Nuclear Gold Rush Nobody Is Talking About, How Sam Gibson Is Quietly Building the Power Source That Will Run the World I’m thrilled to share some exciting insights from our latest podcast episode, where I had the pleasure of interviewing Sam Gibson, the visionary founder and CEO of Hadron…
For Peyton Smith, Founder & CEO of Black Kanyon, success isn’t about titles, money, or milestones. It’s about freedom. At 25, that was his dream. It took years of work, risk, and growth to realize—he’s living it now. Because when your work challenges you, sharpens you, and makes you better…
When storms roll off the Rocky Mountains, most animals run away—trying to outrun the pain. Buffalo do the opposite. They charge straight into the storm. Why? Because they know facing the storm head-on gets them through it faster. That’s the mindset Peyton Smith, Founder & CEO of Black Kanyon, has…
Peyton Smith, Founder & CEO of Black Kanyon, didn’t grow up dreaming of deals—he grew up driving tractors in South Dakota. But those early lessons in grit, ownership, and hard work built the foundation for everything that came after. As Peyton puts it: “You get out of what you put…
That’s the question Peyton Smith, Founder & CEO of Black Canyon, asks his team when they come to him looking for answers. Because great leaders don’t create dependence—they create decision-makers. Peyton’s philosophy is simple: If you make the best decision you can for the company, you’ll never get fired for…
The PE Maverick Who Makes the Impossible Possible, How Peyton Smith Turns Ordinary Companies into Life Changing Machines I'm thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast, featuring an inspiring conversation with Peyton Smith, the Founder and CEO of Black Canyon, a private equity firm based in South Dakota.…