The Founderz Lounge - Business Podcast

The Founderz Lounge Episode #106 with IFBB Pro John Rivas. What does bodybuilding teach you about business? In this episode, John Rivas joins Don and Steve to talk about the mindset, discipline, risk, and obsession behind both high-level bodybuilding and entrepreneurship. John shares how strength training gave him a direct connection between effort and results, what it took to chase bodybuilding at a professional level, and why hitting a major goal can still leave you asking, “What do I do now?” They also get into leaving a steady paycheck, opening a gym, building multiple businesses, learning entrepreneurship the hard way, and how relationships with other business owners helped John see what was possible. From competing at the highest level to owning Pro Strength Gym and building businesses around fitness and supplements, John’s story is a look at what happens when discipline in one part of life starts shaping everything else. If you are a founder, entrepreneur, business owner, athlete, or anyone trying to understand the mindset behind high performance, this episode is for you. Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer [00:53] Meet IFBB Pro John Rivas [04:26] Competitive From a Young Age [09:19] First Bodybuilding Show [14:43] Why Weightlifting Clicked [18:17] Powerlifting to Bodybuilding [26:04] The Cost of Chasing Records [31:23] Leaving Corporate to Bet on Himself [33:23] From Trainer to Business Owner [37:41] What Bodybuilding Teaches About Business [40:32] Bodybuilding Rapid Fire [42:06] Creatine and Overrated Supplements Key Takeaways: • Big risk. Big reward. ~John Rivas • “You’ve gotta be wired just a little bit differently.” ~John Rivas • The effort you put into strength training comes directly back to you. ~John Rivas • Chasing a major goal can cost time with family, career opportunities, and even your health. ~John Rivas • Reaching the goal does not always give you the feeling you expected. ~John Rivas • High performance requires discipline 24/7 because eventually the work you skipped shows up. ~John Rivas • The same discipline that drives bodybuilding can translate directly into business. ~Steve Bon • In business, process matters just like form does in bodybuilding. Doing it the right way keeps you from getting hurt or wiped out. ~Steve Bon • “I was always just average, right? Until I found weightlifting and bodybuilding.” ~Don Varady Connect with John Rivas:: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john.c.rivas/?hl=en Pro Strength Gym: https://www.instagram.com/the_prostrengthgym/?hl=en Gym Sign Up: https://psg.gymmasteronline.com/portal/signup?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaf2pDmH8MPlpqqh4fi5FwKm66bwDbvlB5rcp0N210ppb-ZSyTaZ_n3nW4MB2w_aem_PxdijEpwdCVwAodGID2Cuw Troponin Supplements: https://www.instagram.com/troponinsupplements/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL00qsZ6bVOxRwucO-vJgCQ Connect with Don and Steve… Don Varady: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By: Clean Eatz: Website: https://cleaneatz.com/ Bon’s Eye Marketing: Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/

The Founderz Lounge Episode #105 with Don Varady and Steve Bon. What would a franchisor with 100+ units do if he had to start a franchise from scratch today? In this episode, Steve puts Don through a full reset of Clean Eatz and asks what he would keep, what he would change, and what he would never do again after more than a decade of building and scaling a franchise brand. Don breaks down why he would invest in operations earlier, why product still comes before identity and team, why communication matters more than most operators realize, and why a skilled franchise attorney is non-negotiable from day one. They also get into starting with almost no money, choosing the right leadership hires, avoiding bad consultants, growing too fast, and the lesson Don would give himself if he could go back to the beginning: take your damn time. If you are a founder, franchisor, business owner, or entrepreneur thinking about starting a franchise, scaling a franchise business, or building stronger operations from the start, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons from someone who has already made the mistakes. Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer [00:56] Starting Clean Eatz From Scratch [01:52] Starting With Almost No Money [04:13] Building Better Systems Earlier [16:36] Operations and Finance First [19:00] Product Before Identity and Team [20:03] Growing a Franchise Regionally [22:54] The Risk of Outside Consultants [26:51] Why You Need a Franchise Attorney [28:11] Take Your Damn Time Key Takeaways: • “You can be the best operator of anything, but if you don't like to talk, you're done.” ~Don Varady • “Product has to go first or what do you got?” ~Don Varady • “You gotta trust your gut, man.” ~Don Varady • “I would never do this again without an attorney. Ever.” ~Don Varady • “Take your damn time.” ~Don Varady • “Quality over quantity in franchising, that is life or death.” ~Don Varady • “The franchise is your product. You gotta put the time and the quality into it.” ~Steve Bon Connect with Don and Steve… Don Varady: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By: Clean Eatz: Website: https://cleaneatz.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon’s Eye Marketing: Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477

The Founderz Lounge Episode #104 with Don Varady and Steve Bon. When does the founder become the bottleneck holding the business back? In this episode, Don and Steve break down the warning signs that show up when founder leadership turns into control, micromanagement, and too many decisions running through one person. They get into why every important decision needing your approval is a red flag, how “nobody can do it like I can” slows growth, and why founders have to learn the difference between staying involved and refusing to let go. Don and Steve also talk delegation, teaching your team how to think critically, empowering leaders to make decisions, and the ego that can make founders hold onto control long after the business has outgrown it. If you are a founder or business owner trying to scale a business, build stronger leadership, improve business systems, or figure out whether you are the one slowing growth down, this episode is for you. Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer [01:04] When the Founder Becomes the Bottleneck [01:54] Founder Bottleneck Warning Signs [04:07] Leadership vs Control [06:38] Working More as the Business Grows [08:09] When Your Team Stops Making Decisions [13:31] Letting Leaders Challenge You [15:56] Signs You’re Slowing the Business Down [18:38] Micromanager vs Absentee Founder [19:16] Perfectionism vs Speed [19:57] Firing and Delegation [21:04] What Your Executive Team Really Thinks Key Takeaways: • “Is it leadership or control?” ~Don Varady • “We were too scared to let go.” ~Don Varady • A founder who will not delegate can become the biggest thing slowing the business down. ~Don Varady • Micromanagement kills growth faster than an absentee founder because the team never gets room to move. ~Don Varady • “Every department’s waiting on you” is one of the clearest signs you have become the bottleneck. ~Don Varady • If the team is not thinking critically, the founder still has to ask why they were not taught or empowered to do it. ~Steve Bon • “It’s never gonna be perfect. Move.” ~Steve Bon • At some point, founders have to let other people hold the “brand baby” and learn how to lead without controlling everything. ~Don Varady Connect with Don and Steve… Don Varady: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By: Clean Eatz: Website: https://cleaneatz.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon’s Eye Marketing: Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477

The Founderz Lounge Episode #103 with Don Varady and Steve Bon. Do you really need a CEO, or are you hiring the title because it feels like the next step? In this episode, Don and Steve break down executive leadership through the lens of founders who have actually made the hires, gotten some right, and learned from the ones that did not work. Don shares why Clean Eatz hired a CMO before the brand was ready, what went wrong with a later CEO hire, and why experience on paper does not automatically mean someone will fit your culture or leadership team.They get into when to hire C-suite leadership, why founders should hire slow and vet beyond the highlight reel, how to build trust with new executives, and when a strong Director of Operations may be more valuable than jumping straight to a CEO. They also talk about delegation, staying connected to legal, finance, and growth, and the balance every founder eventually has to figure out: giving leaders enough room to run the business without completely losing touch with it. If you are a founder or business owner building an executive leadership team, scaling a company, or trying to get out of the day-to-day without losing the culture you built, this episode is for you. Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer [01:01] Building Trust With Executive Leadership [02:25] Hiring a CMO Too Early [03:58] Hire Slow, Fire Fast [06:16] When Executive Hires Go Wrong [08:15] Do You Really Need a CEO? [13:49] The Leadership Hire Don Would Make First [14:57] How to Vet C-Suite Candidates [19:03] Executive Experience vs Culture Fit [19:39] What Founders Should Never Fully Delegate [27:53] Can the Business Run Without You? [28:40] Executive Leadership Red Flags Key Takeaways: • Hire slow, fire fast. ~Don Varady • The right executive hire can still be wrong if the business is not ready for the role. ~Don Varady • A strong Director of Operations can be the founder’s right hand. ~Don Varady • “Don’t hire on a highlight reel.” ~Don Varady • Experience on paper means nothing if the leader cannot get adoption from the team. ~Steve Bon • Founders can delegate responsibility without completely removing themselves from the parts of the business that matter most. ~Don Varady Connect with Don and Steve… Don Varady: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By: Clean Eatz: Website: https://cleaneatz.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon’s Eye Marketing: Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477

The Founderz Lounge Episode #102 with Don Varady and Steve Bon. When should you build an in-house marketing team, and when does it make more sense to hire an agency? Don and Steve break down the real tradeoffs between internal marketing and outsourced marketing, including cost, brand knowledge, creative quality, speed, accountability, and what changes as a business grows. Don shares how Clean Eatz used Bon’s Eye Marketing before the brand could afford a full internal marketing department, then gradually built more capabilities in-house. They also dig into agency retainers, marketing salaries, content production costs, brand strategy, paid advertising, marketing ROI, and why marketing should not be blamed for every revenue problem. For founders, operators, and business owners trying to scale a brand without wasting money or building the wrong team too early, this is a practical look at how marketing structure should evolve with the business. Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder. Timestamps: [00:00] Trailer [01:35] In-House vs Agency [03:26] When Outsourcing Makes Sense [06:13] Why Local Agencies Matter [13:26] Building the Internal Team [17:46] Who Knows the Brand Better? [19:18] Creative Quality vs Speed [22:20] Agency Cost vs In-House [26:17] Marketing vs Sales [29:09] The $500K Marketing Challenge [36:22] Internal vs Agency Lightning Round [40:00] Final Thoughts Key Takeaways: • “Is an agency actually cheaper, or does it just feel that way because you're paying a retainer?” ~Don Varady • You do not need to hire 10 people on day one. The right agency can help build the brand early, then evolve as the internal team grows. ~Steve Bon • Good content is expensive. Talent, cameras, equipment, editing, and production all add up fast when a young brand tries to build everything internally. ~Don Varady • Not every piece of content needs to be fast. If one great brand video helps sell franchises, quality matters more than a three-day turnaround. ~Steve Bon • “Driving revenue isn't marketing's only job.” ~Don Varady • Marketers have a trust problem. Like used car salesmen, they have to prove they are not just the next person making promises. ~Steve Bon • A $10,000 agency retainer can sound expensive until you compare it to the cost of hiring an entire internal marketing team. ~Don Varady • Creative turnover costs more than a salary. When someone leaves, part of the brand knowledge and creative rhythm leaves with them. ~Don Varady Connect with Don and Steve… Don Varady: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By: Clean Eatz: Website: https://cleaneatz.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon’s Eye Marketing: Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477