#140 - Cody Grandadam - The Flashlight Guy Who Lit Up Big Box Retail
Release Date: 07/28/2025
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The Necessary Entrepreneur
Udo Erasmus, founder of Udo’s Choice and a longtime thinker on health and human nature, joins Mark Perkins on The Necessary Entrepreneur for a reflective conversation about pain, purpose, and understanding how we’re wired as human beings. Udo explains why pain often forces change, but why pursuing a clear vision is far more powerful and sustainable. Drawing from decades of observation and experience, he outlines his framework for understanding the six parts of human nature and why most people struggle without a clear understanding of their internal makeup. Throughout the conversation,...
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#171 - How Synchrony Is Redefining Social Connection for Neurodivergent Adults: Rebecca Matchett
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Rebecca Matchett, co-founder of the Synchrony App, joins Mark Perkins on The Necessary Entrepreneur for a real-world conversation about building a startup before you fully know what you’re getting into, and why that can actually work in your favor. Rebecca shares what she learned launching her first company, the mistakes founders only recognize in hindsight, and the hard-earned lessons that now shape how she builds. They dig into early product decisions, marketing and branding at the startup stage, and what it really takes to turn an idea into a functioning, growing app. This episode cuts...
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#170 - Mike & Kass Lazerow Return — “Shoveling Sh*t” and the Truth About Building Companies Together
The Necessary Entrepreneur
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#169 - How Entrepreneurs Should Actually Think About Money | Patrick Rogers (Elkridge Advisors)
The Necessary Entrepreneur
In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Patrick Rogers, Partner at Elkridge Advisors, for an in-depth conversation on wealth management for entrepreneurs, financial decision-making, and building long-term financial clarity as a business owner. Patrick advises founders, executives, and high-earning entrepreneurs on financial planning, investing, and capital strategy, especially during periods of growth, liquidity events, and business transitions. In this episode, he breaks down the most common financial mistakes entrepreneurs make, why complexity often creates...
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#168 - Why Execution Beats Hype in Business — Tyler Dunagin on Scaling Turnserv
The Necessary Entrepreneur
What does it really take to build a scalable company in an unglamorous, operationally intense industry? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Tyler Dunagin, Founder and CEO of Turnserv, to unpack what it actually looks like to build a high-growth business in the vacation rental and hospitality space, where execution, reliability, and trust matter more than hype. Tyler shares the real story behind founding Turnserv, a platform built to solve one of the biggest pain points in short-term rentals: coordinating cleanings, inspections, and turnovers at...
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#166 - William Spengler on Building a Scalable Recruiting Firm, Incentives, and Leading with Accountability
The Necessary Entrepreneur
How do you build a people-first business that actually scales, without bloated bureaucracy, misaligned incentives, or empty culture talk? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with William Spengler, founder and principal of Frederick Fox, a high-growth, equity-driven recruiting firm redefining how staffing agencies operate. William shares the real-world lessons he’s learned scaling Frederick Fox to nearly $10 million in revenue, growing a national team of recruiters, and building a model centered on ownership, accountability, and operational discipline....
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#165 - Thais Saenz on Leadership, Culture, and Building High-Performing Teams as You Scale
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#164 - John Mitchell Reveals the Hidden Pattern Holding Entrepreneurs Back
The Necessary Entrepreneur
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#163 - Ben Lytle on Leadership, AI, and Thriving Through Rapid Change
The Necessary Entrepreneur
In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Ben Lytle, serial entrepreneur, futurist, former CEO of Anthem, and author of The Potentialist, to explore how business leaders can thrive in the fastest period of change in human history. Ben explains why fear-based leadership leads to bad decisions, why resilience alone is no longer enough, and why the future belongs to those who focus on preparedness, constant learning, and wisdom. Drawing from decades of experience building companies and studying human potential, Ben shares how AI and intelligent automation...
info_outlineFrom broke at 24 to building a multimillion-dollar flashlight empire on the shelves of Walmart and Target, Cody Grandadam's story is one of grit, mindset, and relentless drive. In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down in-studio with the man known as The Flashlight Guy to uncover how a small-town hustler from Illinois created jobs for hundreds, revitalized a massive abandoned clock factory, and turned a side hustle into a national brand, all without outside investors or a roadmap.
Cody opens up about what it really takes to get into big box retail, and why personal development, not capital, was the most important ingredient in his success. He shares his thoughts on working with family, building culture, what young entrepreneurs often get wrong, and how manifestation, discipline, and full ownership of your life can shape your future.
If you've ever wanted to create something out of nothing or wondered how far pure belief and action can take you, this conversation is your blueprint.
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