Break Free™

How do you grow an 11-person grassroots agency into a $12M statewide organization providing lifesaving supportive housing and victim services? In this inspiring episode of the Break Free Podcast, host David Mansilla sits down with Vanessa Volz, J.D., President and CEO of Sojourner House. Together, they explore the intersection of business discipline, empathy, servant leadership, and social justice. Vanessa shares her journey from practicing law to taking the helm of a nonprofit, guiding her team through funding struggles, expanding housing development, and scaling essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. 📌 Key Takeaways & Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & Sojourner House’s Mission 01:06 – Developing Permanent Supportive Housing & Property Rehab 03:25 – Vanessa’s Journey: From Law Practice to Nonprofit CEO 07:25 – Transitioning to Leadership: Listening & Team Building First 11:45 – The Mindset of Servant Leadership in Business & Nonprofits 13:46 – Navigating Organizational Turmoil & Establishing a Solid Foundation 15:01 – Rapid Growth & Pivoting During the COVID-19 Pandemic 20:04 – Mastering Fundraising Persistence & Overcoming Rejection 27:51 – Preventing Burnout: Daily Habits, Exercise, and Work-Life Balance 32:04 – Executive Coaching & Training the Next Generation of Leaders 🔗 Connect with Sojourner House & Vanessa Volz: Website: https://sojournerri.org Vanessa Volz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-volz/ 🎬 Subscribe to the Break Free Podcast for more inspiring conversations with business owners, community leaders, and visionaries making a real difference. #NonprofitLeadership #DomesticViolenceAwareness #VictimServices #SupportiveHousing #AffordableHousing #ServantLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #FundraisingStrategy #CrisisIntervention #BreakFreePodcast #SojournerHouse #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkLifeBalance

What does it really take to walk away from a safe career path, face down startup debt, and build a business that gives you total freedom over your time? In this episode of the Break Free Podcast, David Mansilla interviews Michael Garry, owner of Yardley Wealth Management. Michael shares his powerful journey from working as an attorney to stepping out on his own as a fee-only financial advisor and estate planning lawyer. Michael and David share honest, behind-the-scenes stories about the emotional and financial struggles of entrepreneurship—from dealing with slow billing cycles and lean early years to learning when to take profits out of the business to secure long-term peace of mind. Key Takeaways From This Episode: The Courage to Pivot: How Michael leveraged his law degree and finance background to make a high-stakes transition into independent financial advisory work. Surviving Start-Up Hardships: Real talk on managing $100K+ in startup debt, long payment cycles, and staying resilient when growth feels slow. Time Sovereignty & Freedom: Why the ultimate reward of business ownership isn't just revenue, but the autonomy to control your daily schedule and spend time where it matters most. Diversification & Passive Income: The dangerous trap of putting 100% of your capital back into your business, and why building external passive income streams protects your family's future. Building a Lasting Legacy: How to create an internal succession plan with partners and family members so your business thrives long after you step back. Subscribe to the channel for more inspiring interviews with business leaders changing their communities! #Entrepreneurship #FinancialAdvisory #EstatePlanning #BusinessSuccession #WealthManagement #CareerPivot #WorkLifeBalance #PassiveIncome #SmallBusinessGrowth #BreakFreePodcast

Welcome back to the Break Free Podcast! In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, host David Mansilla sits down with Gary Pinkerton, former US Naval Academy graduate, nuclear submarine officer, and seasoned entrepreneur, to dive deep into financial agency, business leadership, and wealth protection. After losing half his net worth in the Great Recession by trusting traditional financial institutions, Gary made a massive pivot. He realized that just like health or parenting, you cannot outsource your personal finances. Today, Gary teaches business owners and families how to take control of their cash flow, utilize Infinite Banking, and protect their legacy from the inside out. If you are an entrepreneur struggling with cash reserves, market volatility, or rigid traditional lenders, this episode is a must-watch! KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Stop Outsourcing Your Destiny: Why chasing the "safe W2 path" and relying on third-party financial advisors often fails entrepreneurs during economic downturns. The Hierarchy of Wealth: How to structure your personal and business finances from the ground up so you can withstand any financial storm. Infinite Banking Strategy: How to use specialized whole life insurance policies to store capital, grow money tax-free, and borrow against your own assets to fund business ventures. Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindset: How establishing strong financial reserves frees your mind from daily survival stress, allowing you to see endless business and community opportunities. Generational Legacy: How to use the "Rockefeller Legacy Trust" approach to pass wealth, values, and security down to future generations. RESOURCES & LINKS:• Learn more about Gary Pinkerton: https://garypinkerton.com #InfiniteBanking #FinancialFreedom #HierarchyOfWealth #LifeInsurance #TaxFreeGrowth #Entrepreneurship #PersonalFinance #WealthBuilding #GaryPinkerton #BreakFreePodcast #AbundanceMindset #FinancialAgency

How does a former nuclear submarine commander transition from decades of high-stakes military discipline to building lasting wealth and leading a purpose-driven business? In this powerful episode of the Break Free Podcast, host David Mansilla sits down with Navy veteran and financial strategist Gary Pinkerton! Gary shares his deep personal journey—from serving almost 30 years in the US Navy to navigating market crashes, escaping the "I can do it all myself" trap, and regaining true financial agency over his family’s future. Key topics covered: 🔹 Shifting from pure self-reliance to leading with higher purpose 🔹 The high cost of sacrificing family time for financial security 🔹 Why outsourcing your wealth stewardship is a dangerous gamble 🔹 Using real estate and liquidity to protect your business from economic storms Stop letting market volatility control your destiny. Learn how to take back control of your capital, build generational legacy, and lead with clarity! #FinancialFreedom #BeYourOwnBank #FaithBasedBusiness #GaryPinkerton #DavidMansilla #BreakFreePodcast #RealEstateInvesting #SubmarineVeteran #WealthPreservation #InfiniteBanking #Entrepreneurship #GenerationalWealth #BusinessAcumen #MindsetAndFaith #CashFlow

Why does achieving business success often bring more chaos instead of freedom? In this episode of the Break Free Podcast, host David Mansilla interviews Courtney De Ronde—a veteran CPA, Managing Partner, and business consultant who created the Simple ScaleUp System. Courtney shares her journey of building scalable frameworks that simplify operations, boost retention, and drive long-term profitability without extreme burnout. Whether you are struggling with cash flow, team alignment, or transitioning from owner to leader, this episode offers actionable strategies to take control of your organization's growth. 📌 Key Takeaways from This Episode: Process vs. Cash Flow Issues: Discover why cash flow crunches are often symptoms of broken operational processes rather than mere money problems. The Personal Productivity Maximizer: How to align your team's day-to-day execution with their intended job descriptions to clear workflow bottlenecks. The 4 Pillars of Business Intelligence: A holistic framework covering Finance, Leadership, Productivity, and Human Intelligence to make data-driven decisions. Values as a Filter & Magnet: How leading with authentic core values filters out bad-fit clients and attracts top-tier talent and partners. Sustainable Growth Over Overtime: Why capping hours and managing energy yields higher performance than working 70+ hour weeks. #BreakFreePodcast #CourtneyDeRonde #BusinessScaling #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessIntelligence #Systemization #VirtualCFO #ManagementConsulting #CompanyCulture #CoreValues #SustainableGrowth #Productivity #StrategicPlanning