From Burnout to Balance: Dr. Mark Costes on Building, Losing, and Rebuilding Success - Dr. Mark Costes (Part 1 of 2)
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
Release Date: 06/11/2025
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What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
In this episode of What’s Your Deal?, Matt sits down with close friend and colleague Steve Williams, CEO of Aspire Family Bank, to unpack a powerful alternative to traditional estate planning: the Family Bank. Steve shares his journey from growing up in generational poverty to climbing the corporate ladder— and then walking away to build a boutique real estate development firm with his wife. Along the way, he learned the hard lessons of leadership, doing hard things, and raising kids who have accountability instead of entitlement. Covering topics like—why whole life insurance are the...
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Marriage, Life & Business: A Conversation with Audrey Uhler
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
In this heartfelt episode, Matt sits down with his wife, Audrey Uhler, for an unfiltered conversation about marriage, blended family life, and the realities of running multiple businesses together. They share how they’ve navigated financial stress, busy travel schedules, parenting transitions, and the constant pull between work and family. Matt and Audrey open up about what it takes to keep both a marriage and a business thriving through seasons of change. They also talk about the emotional shift that comes with an emptying nest, rediscovering purpose, and dreaming up their next chapter...
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Building, Scaling, Exiting: How Steve & Michele Have Built and Ran Multiple Restaurants (Without Burning Out) - Steve and Michele Sullins
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
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What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
Matt shares the origin story behind his career in business brokerage and ownership: growing up with a single mom working seven days a week, taking third-shift janitorial work at 13, and starting his first company at 17. A shop teacher’s nudge (“why not start a business doing what you already know?”) led to a janitorial company that scaled from one account to 40 employees across New Hampshire and Massachusetts. That first exit came with hard lessons—especially around reading P&Ls and not letting the business “run” the owner. The sale also revealed a bigger truth Matt has...
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Franchise to Framework and the People-First Profit Strategy - Dana De Vito
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
Today we welcome Dana De Vito, a longtime business owner, franchise operator, and co-founder of Elite Performance Associates. From owning Jack in the Box and Scooter’s Coffee franchises to coaching business leaders, Dana shares his insights on responsible growth, the difference between consulting and coaching, and why defining a desired end statematters more than tactics. This conversation digs into lessons learned from franchising, building culture, and balancing ambition with life outside of business. Timestamps: 00:01 – Intro & welcome to the show ...
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Preparing Your Business for Sale (Part 2) - Lindsay Denton
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
In part two of our series on preparing your business for sale, Matt is once again joined by Lindsay Denton. Together they dive deep into the often-overlooked details that can make or break a deal: commingled entities, lease negotiations with landlords, environmental and maintenance concerns, and the importance of correctly titled assets. Packed with real-world stories, hard-earned lessons, and practical strategies, this conversation is a must-listen for business owners looking to maximize their exit value — and for buyers who want to understand the hidden risks behind the numbers. ...
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Preparing Your Business for Sale (Part 1) - Lindsay Denton
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
Part 1 of a two-episode series on preparing your business for sale. Today, Matt is joined by Lindsay Denton (Financing Specialist at WCI Business Brokers) to break down what sellers must have dialed in before they list. Timestamps: 1:00 – Why seller preparation matters 3:10 – Business financing vs. home financing 5:50 – The importance of organized financials 7:55 – Real-world examples of deals derailed 15:10 – When sellers change their minds mid-process 19:30 – Hidden obligations & underlying debt issues 23:15 –...
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What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
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Built to Sell: How Chad Cook Turned 12 Businesses into a Life of Freedom and Balance - Chad Cook
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
In this episode of What’s Your Deal?, Matt sits down with longtime client and friend Chad Cook—a true serial entrepreneur who has started, grown, and sold 12 businesses over the last 34 years. From his humble beginnings running a paper route and selling donuts to owning large-scale Family Fun Centers and a statewide Dippin’ Dots distribution business, Chad shares the real stories behind his business ventures, including the wins, the lessons, and the near-bankrupt moments. Matt and Chad discuss the strategic mindset required to build sellable businesses, the importance of family support...
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Real Talk on Risk, Resilience, and Revenue - David Davis
What's Your Deal? - Insights on Business Acquisitions and Management for Smart Investments
In this episode of What’s Your Deal?, Matt Uhler sits down with David Davis—an academic-turned-entrepreneur who transitioned from a PhD and professorship in hospitality to launching not one, but three service-based businesses. David shares his real-world startup journey, including the shift away from higher ed, the grit it took to build Fuse Topline Solutions, Boundless Hospitality, and a commercial laundry operation, and the financial realities of building a business from scratch. This conversation is packed with wisdom on balancing family and business, managing investor relationships,...
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In this powerful first part of a two-part series, Matt sits down with Dr. Mark Costes—dentist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Dental Success Institute and Dental Success Network. Mark shares the raw and inspiring journey from starting a small practice in Prescott Valley, Arizona to owning 16 dental offices. But this isn’t just a success story—it’s also a cautionary tale about burnout, loss of balance, and the wake-up call that changed everything.
You’ll hear how Mark rebuilt his life and business after reaching his financial goals but feeling unfulfilled. He dives into the systems he created to regain health, family connection, and purpose—including his Four Futures framework that evaluates success beyond just the bottom line.
Whether you're a entrepreneur, or someone chasing success, this episode delivers real, practical insight about scaling, failing, and ultimately finding alignment.
Tune in next week for Part 2, where we go deeper into leadership, systems, and sustainable business growth.
Timestamps:
00:15 - Meet Dr. Mark Costes and His Journey from Dentist to Business Leader
01:55 - Building a Life in Prescott and Powerful Local Connections
03:26 - Reflecting on Family, Fatherhood, and Entrepreneurial Growth
05:00 - Mark’s Start in Dentistry and Buying His First Practice
06:04 - Why He Chose Prescott Valley and the Strategy Behind It
06:30 - Scaling to 6 Practices and the Cracks That Emerged
07:15 - Losing Key People and Realizing He Wasn’t Systemized
10:00 - From 6 to 16 Practices: What Worked and What Didn’t
10:20 - Launching the Podcast and Building the Dental Success Empire
11:00 - Stats and Reach of Mark’s Podcast After 10 Years
13:58 - Mark’s First Business: Tacos, Cheeseburgers & an MBA
17:15 - Learning from Mistakes and Collapsing Time for Others
18:35 - Entrepreneurship, Burnout, and the Myth of Balance
20:00 - Hitting Financial Goals and Still Feeling Empty
21:45 - The Four Futures: Mind, Meaning, Muscle, and Money and How to Measure and Improve Each Quadrant
25:23 - Knowing When You’re Out of Alignment and Resetting
26:50 - Outro and What’s Coming in Part 2
Resources & Links
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