On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Sean talks with David Boyd, President of QuesTec Mechanical. David was selected for Como Business Times’ issue 20 Under 40 Class of 2023. David reflects on his early days and how he got to where he is today. He originally wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become an engineer, but realized that was not his passion. It was only during his studies that his passion for leadership took shape. He will talk about how he was inspired by books...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Vash Tomanec, co-founder and mindset coach at Mindtrepreneur, CEO and founder of Ecomtrack and founder of BullAds. Vash is passionate about building meaningful businesses that bring great value to others. Before attending university in England, Vash grew up in a small town in the Czech Republic, leading a normal life of video games and sports. At 18, he read ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad,’ which inspired him to become an entrepreneur and made...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Doug Diakite, a real estate investor and managing member at Nationwide Community Revitalization, about providing an affordable path to homeownership. Doug will talk about his career path, from working in sheet metal contracting to becoming a successful real estate investor. He will also delve into his college life experience at UC Santa Barbara, where he came across College Works during his junior year. Doug admits he felt unprepared...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Sean talks with Orlando Ordonez, a project engineer at Sundt Construction. Orlando grew up in Honduras, where soccer was a big part of his life. His love for soccer opened many doors for him, including scholarships to college. Despite having to work to support his family from the tender age of 12, Orlando persevered and eventually earned a degree in engineering. He shares his experiences immigrating to the U.S. and taking odd jobs, emphasizing the...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Athena Merage, Director of Development at Merage Investment Group. When her family fell apart, Athena had to learn to fend for herself at a young age. While attending school and working nights, she had to find her escapism, and art was her safe place. Also, since her father worked in construction, she spent a lot of time on building sites, which nurtured her creative side. Each of these experiences prepared her for a career in...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Phong Vo, CEO of Phong Vo Media and host of The Phong Vo Show podcast. During the episode, Phong reveals how he transitioned from his job to a full-time entrepreneur. You'll learn why you should look for internships. He'll talk about finding his personal tribe through College Works and highlight the benefits that came with that. After graduating, Phong had to make a difficult decision between a six-figure corporate job and working...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, our guest us Nick Niehaus, co-founder, and head trainer of the Business Video School. Nick is passionate about helping professionals learn how to use video in their businesses.  The show opens with Nick explaining his definition of excellence. He also talks about who he was before he came to College  Works and how that experience helped him overcome his social anxiety. College Works was pivotal for Nick because he comes from an engineering...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Jason Bay, founder and CEO of Outbound Squad, a sales coach and trainer for B2B reps and sales teams. Jason had an extremely structured childhood, thanks to his father being a former Marine and his mother, an immigrant from Hong Kong. This contributed to his early success as valedictorian at his high school, as well as his later work with world-class sales teams at companies like Gong, Medallia, Zoom, CBRE, Monday.com, GoGuardian,...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Johnny Rhee, founder and chief strategist of Next Door Home Upgrades. Johnny Rhee has over a decade of progressive business experience, including buying a struggling company in his early twenties and growing it into a top-performing business, as well as mentoring numerous executives and entrepreneurs. He believes in aligned values, teamwork and a culture of performance and accountability. In today's show, Johnny breaks down his...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Shawn Baldwin, President of Baldwin & Sons, who has an extensive background in residential real estate development and has held various positions of increasing responsibility with the Baldwin Companies. He is a graduate of the College of Southern California. Baldwin & Sons has been in business since 1956. Shawn will talk about his definition of excellence and the importance of leaving a legacy for future generations. He...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Lulu Lantzy, Chief Activation Officer at Auraria Higher Education Center and board member of the Asian Chamber of Commerce Colorado Board of Directors. Lulu, named one of the 40 Under 40 by the Denver Business Journal and one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by the Women's Chamber, has dedicated her career to mentoring and supporting students. Immigrating to America at the age of nine sparked her interest in...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Greg Genske, CEO of VaynerBaseball. Greg oversees all of VaynerSports' baseball player representation activities. Before his current role, he was Executive Director and President of Baseball at The Legacy Agency. Since 2015, Greg Genske has also served as a law professor at the University of California-Berkeley, his alma mater, lecturing on sports law, representation of professional athletes and negotiations. In 2009, Genske was...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Spencer Pepe, co-CEO at College Works Painting. Spencer graduated with a business degree from the University of California. With more than 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, Spencer talks about his career path, specifically his college experience and why he focused more on friendships and networking. His father's bankruptcy was a defining moment in his life. You'll learn how he refocused his life and how College Works proved...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Gabe Cooley, President of Rayco Exteriors. Gabe has established multi-million dollar construction companies over the past 14 years and will continue to do so in the future. He is dedicated to changing the way consumers view the service industry by providing exceptional customer service, quality products and ingenuity. Gabe will kick off with his high school experience, including why switching schools was a defining moment for him....

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks to Leah Engstrom, Senior District Manager at College Works Painting, where she has managed hundreds of thousands in revenue.  Leah is an undergraduate business student at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She will talk about her previous jobs before joining College Works, including all the valuable lessons she learned while working at Old Navy. Along the way, she figured out she was not cut out for working behind a desk and will...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Joe John Duran, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, Head of Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management, and best-selling author. From CNBC to CNN, Joe regularly provides financial commentary at TV. He has been profiled in numerous publications, including the New York Times and SmartMoney. Joe is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds MBA degrees from Columbia University and UC Berkeley. He will share his great American...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt talks with Andrew Reid, Global Head of Partnership Products at Vonage. Andrew is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from UC Santa Barbara. Andrew has spent more than 20 years in the tech industry working for several startups, including Google, AOL, Symantec, and AVG Technologies. He will talk about who he was before joining College Works, as well as his experiences there and the lifelong...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Michael Profant, President and Chief Executive Officer at Empire Works. Mike graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and quickly set out to start a business without any funding. Today, he oversees the development and operation of one of the largest architectural coatings and building restoration companies in the western United States. He will talk about his journey as CEO of a $100 million company. He will share...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Milton Miyashiro, CFO of National Services Group. Milton Miyashiro is known for operationalizing accounting, finance, regulatory compliance, and is a multi-dimensional financial accountant. He will talk about his path to excellence and becoming a CFO. You will learn why academic excellence in high school does not always equate to success later in life. He will talk about why he chose to major in accounting at the University of...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Jason Reid, co-founder of National Services Group, partner at CEO Coaching International, co-founder of College Works Painting and founder of Chooselife.org. Jason has spent most of his adult life building businesses with his partners. Over the past 25 years of experiencing both success and failure, Jason has learned one key lessons: RELATIONSHIPS ARE EVERYTHING. He will talk about who he was before College Works and how it changed...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Pete Schnepp, Owner of Envision Painting & Roof Coatings, Partner at Bug Science Pest & Termite and Partner at PRS Properties. Pete has always been on a quest for excellence. Raised by a single mom and growing up poor, greatly motivated him to make a better life for himself. He will talk about his path to excellence in high school, how his morals were instilled in him growing up, and the influence it still has today. He...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Hannah Perez, co-founder and CMO of SEEQ. Hannah focuses on marketing, sales, partnerships, and the customer experience. Back in her high school days, Hannah was an extremely athletic student, participating in sports such as soccer, basketball, and golf. You will learn about the skills she acquired along the way and how they continue to impact her life. She will talk about what was her main focus when she went to college. You will...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Kyle Lindsey, CEO of Platinum Decking. Kyle was the President of College Works for 11 years and did over $170,000 in sales. Quick fact: Wrestling was his favorite sport in high school. He will talk about how wrestling defined excellence for him and how it has influenced him to this day. He will also explain why finishing second was his worst nightmare. You'll learn about his first job and the most important lessons he learned....

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Tanner Halling, senior district manager at College Works Painting, prominent communicator, striving leader, and aspiring entrepreneur. Tanner is a junior at Fort Hays State University who is dedicated and hardworking in search of new opportunities. He’ll talk about growing up in a small town and all his efforts to stand out during high school. He'll also discuss why he felt lost after playing basketball for over 12 years and who he...

On today's episode of The Edge of Excellence, Matt chats with Jacob Abdulmasih, Senior Internet Consultant at iMatrix. Jacob is an executive with extensive experience in business management, sales, and customer service. He has mentored more than 30 executives on implementing growth and customer success strategies for their own organizations. He will talk about who he was before coming to College Works and why it has been a transformative experience for him. You'll also learn how his...