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
Release Date: 08/05/2025
The Family Bank: Building Generational Security with Steve Williams
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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
In this episode, Matt sits down with longtime friends Steve and Michele Sullins — two powerhouse restaurateurs who’ve built, bought, and sold multiple restaurants and retail stores over the past 35 years. Michelle started with a coffee cart in Sedona and grew it into a thriving restaurant empire, while Steve worked his way up from dishwasher to opening restaurants for major resort brands like Hyatt and Loews. Together, they’ve mastered the balance of systems, leadership, and partnership — both in business and marriage. From promoting employees into management to scaling multiple...
info_outline
What’s Matt’s Deal? From Janitor to 800+ Completed Transactions & 35+ Businesses Owned - Matt Uhler
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...
info_outline
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 ...
info_outline
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. ...
info_outline
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 –...
info_outline
The Challenges and Lessons of Finding a Business to Buy — Cristian Cruz
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 Cristian Cruz, a former Miami firefighter who walked away from a secure career and pension to pursue entrepreneurship and business ownership. Cristian shares his bold decision to leave behind stability for opportunity, his first steps into startups, and why he’s now focused on buying an established business instead of building from scratch. This candid conversation dives into risk, motivation, family legacy, and how Cristian is approaching his first acquisition with patience, direction, and clarity. If you’ve ever wondered what it...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outlineIn 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 and faith, and how Chad’s ability to maintain calm and rhythm through both recession and rapid growth has led to a fulfilling life—personally and professionally. Whether you're an aspiring business owner or seasoned operator, Chad’s story is a blueprint for creating legacy, freedom, and peace through entrepreneurship.
00:16 – Meet Chad Cook: 12 businesses, 34 years, and one donut-selling paper route
01:13 – How Chad built trust and relationships with buyers over the years
02:51 – Why Chad started his first business without a safety net
03:41 – Navigating weekends and family time in a Family Fun Center business
04:45 – A rundown of Chad’s business ventures over the decades
06:49 – Building and operating Castle Golf and Freedom Station
08:21 – Making big financial commitments in capital-heavy businesses
10:40 – What is a game route business and why it’s nearly passive
12:17 – Why game routes are one of the most passive models Chad’s found
13:15 – Involving the kids: How Chad built family into his businesses
14:40 – Strategy or opportunity? How Chad chose his businesses
18:20 – Designing businesses to be sellable assets
19:18 – How Chad and Brenda decide when it's time to sell
20:50 – Why selling a business takes years—not months
24:38 – Treating businesses like kids: Chad’s approach to growth and exits
25:44 – The importance of relationships in business and family
27:41 – Chad’s toughest business challenge: The Great Recession
30:40 – Surviving on credit cards—and the decision to go debt-free
33:15 – How income-producing debt differs from consumer debt
35:50 – Selling a business to his son—and watching him scale it fast
39:00 – Balance or rhythm? Chad's approach to work-life integration
44:01 – Who gave Chad a hand up? The mentors and loved ones who believed in him
Resources & Links
Want to be a guest on the show, or have a deal that you would like for us to evaluate? Apply here
Follow Us on Social Media
Instagram: @AmpedSuccess
LinkedIn: Amped Success
Tiktok: @Ampedsuccess
YouTube: @AmpedSuccess
📧 Contact Us: For inquiries, reach out at admin@ampedsuccess.com