From high school dropout to serial entrepreneur, with BenchMade Modern founder Edgar Blazona
Release Date: 10/18/2022
How to Create a Culture of Trust and Accountability
Measure Success Podcast
A business is only as strong as its team. Sean Glaze has worked with leaders across industries to improve teamwork, accountability, and communication. In this episode, he shares the mindset shifts and strategies needed to turn a group into a high-performing team. Key insights: ✅ Why most teams fail to work together effectively ✅ How to create a culture of trust and accountability ✅ The key to improving communication and team alignment If your team struggles with misalignment, lack of engagement, or poor collaboration, this episode will help you fix...
info_outline
You Need to Know Key CFO Strategies
Measure Success Podcast
Growth is exciting—but without strong financial strategy, it can lead to cash flow issues and missed opportunities. Jody Grunden, co-founder of Summit CPA, explains how Virtual CFOs help businesses scale without financial blind spots. Key insights: ✅ How forecasting helps businesses avoid financial pitfalls ✅ The most common cash flow mistakes—and how to fix them ✅ Why strategic CFO planning leads to long-term success If you want to scale with confidence and financial clarity, don’t miss this episode. Need CFO services? ! Connect...
info_outline
Greatest Cost of Tariffs on American Business
Measure Success Podcast
New U.S. tariffs have created real risks for businesses, but they’ve also opened a path for opportunity. In this episode, economist Dr. Bill Conerly joins us to explain the ripple effects of the tariff policy—from pricing pressure to supply chain shifts. We talk through how leaders can stay calm, analyze real risks, and take decisive action. You’ll learn: How tariffs affect pricing and demand What supply chain and labor issues matter most right now Practical steps for staying competitive under pressure Don’t wait to react. Listen now and lead with clarity. Let 40 Strategy help...
info_outline
How to Build a Winning Sales & Revenue System
Measure Success Podcast
Revenue growth isn’t about luck—it’s about having the right strategy. Mark Osborne has helped businesses scale faster by fixing broken sales processes. In this episode, he shares what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to predictable revenue growth. Key insights: ✅ Why most businesses struggle with sales conversion ✅ How to build a scalable and repeatable sales system ✅ The key to aligning marketing and sales for faster growth If your sales pipeline feels unpredictable, this episode will show you how to create a system that works...
info_outline
Why Now is the Best Time to Be an Entrepreneur
Measure Success Podcast
Business success isn’t just about working harder—it’s about understanding the trends shaping the future. In this episode, Lewis Schiff shares the three mega trends that are changing the way entrepreneurs create value and grow businesses. Key insights: ✅ Why now is the best time to be an entrepreneur ✅ How to leverage intellectual property for business growth ✅ The role of technology in scaling smarter, not harder If you're looking to future-proof your business and increase its value, this episode is for you. Need help with your numbers? Book...
info_outline
How to Communicate Strategy That Drives Results
Measure Success Podcast
Strategy means nothing if your team doesn’t understand it. Dr. Michael Gerharz helps leaders simplify complex ideas so they can inspire action. In this episode, he explains why most strategies don’t translate into execution and how to communicate with clarity. Key insights: ✅ Why leaders overcomplicate their message ✅ The power of clarity in strategic communication ✅ How to align teams and accelerate execution If your message isn’t getting through, it’s time to make strategy simple and actionable. Subscribe to our . Connect...
info_outline
What Is the Best Strategy That Changes Everything
Measure Success Podcast
Strategy without action is just a wasted plan. In this episode, Dr. Thomas D. Zweifel, author of Strategy in Action, explains why most strategies fail before they even start—and how leaders can fix this gap. Key insights: ✅ The biggest mistakes organizations make in planning ✅ Why leaders struggle to execute strategy ✅ How to align teams for faster results If you want to close the gap between planning and action, this episode is a must-listen. Interested in being a Trusted Partner with 40 Strategy? Connect with Dr. Thomas:...
info_outline
How to Build Integrity in Business & Life
Measure Success Podcast
Why does accountability feel like an attack? Because most people aren’t ready to be 100% responsible for their actions. In this episode, Jeffrey Klubeck, author of The Integrity Game®, explains how integrity is more than just keeping your word—it’s about fully aligning your actions with your values. Key insights: ✅ The two biggest misconceptions about integrity ✅ Why accountability often triggers ego defense ✅ How to create a culture where follow-through is the norm Success in business and leadership isn’t about talking about...
info_outline
The Magic Power of Service In Business & Life
Measure Success Podcast
What happens when you reach success but still feel empty? Bill Carmody knows that struggle firsthand. Despite building a seven-figure business, he realized that more money wasn’t the answer. In this episode, Bill shares the mindset shift that changed everything—moving from scarcity to abundance and service over self-interest. Key takeaways: ✅ Why "more" doesn’t always mean better ✅ How service and purpose create true success ✅ The three myths that keep people trapped in scarcity Interested in becoming a podcast sponsor? If you want...
info_outline
How to Lead Without Burning Out
Measure Success Podcast
Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about impact. In this episode, Elena Agaragimova, talent development expert and host of The Shift Podcast, shares how leaders at all levels can develop stronger management skills, engage teams effectively, and prevent burnout. Key insights: ✅ Why most managers lack proper leadership training ✅ How to manage change and team dynamics ✅ Strategies to balance performance and well-being Whether you're a seasoned leader or new to management, this episode offers practical tools to navigate today’s workplace challenges....
info_outlineFrom building his own furniture as a teenager because his first apartment had none, to founding one of the most popular sofa brands in the world, Edgar Blazona is no stranger to building a business successfully — on his own terms. And the lessons he’s taken from that journey can be applied to any business, in any industry.
Edgar is a modernist American furniture designer and founder of DTC sofa brand BenchMade Modern, which he sold to furniture powerhouse American Leather. He’s a high school dropout, turned graffiti artist, turned serial entrepreneur.
Listen to the full conversation for more on Edgar’s background, the business lessons he’s learned from his unconventional experiences, and how he’s ensured success in the long-term, not just the short-term.
Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn:
- More of Edgar’s backstory, including his struggles in school, what happened after he dropped out of high school, and how his first apartment at age 16 inspired his future company
- How Edgar scaled his business from selling solo pieces of furniture outside a bar over the weekends, to a much larger enterprise
- What Edgar’s “furniture college” was, and how that experience changed the course of his life
- Edgar’s experience with the “fake it ‘til you make it” philosophy
- What it’s meant to Edgar to have his “eye on the prize” and how that’s helped guide his business development
- The difference between a short-term and long-term business mindset, and some of the biggest lessons Edgar learned throughout his own experience
- The genesis of the “Ask Edgar” program that Edgar started as a way to add value to his customers—and what other companies can learn from that concept
- How Edgar measures success in his business (beyond the finances)
- The chip on Edgar’s shoulder that has driven much of his success
- Edgar’s “COVID slump,” how that period of time affected his creativity, and how he got himself out of the rut
Resources Mentioned in This Episode: