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A private equity buyout can deliver a big check. But what happens after the deal closes? For business owners, private equity offers a chance to monetize years of hard work and address succession challenges. But the payout may come with a loss of control, staffing pressures, and an uncertain timeline for future returns. Ewell Smith welcomes John Scott, a partner at Anders CPA in St. Louis, to Close The Deal Podcast for a practical conversation about the risks and opportunities of private equity transactions. John shares what he's observed in professional service firms, including law firms and accounting firms, and explains why founders need to think beyond the initial buyout. They also discuss private equity interest in franchising, rollover equity, and what makes a business financially attractive to buyers. KEY TAKEAWAYS Why private equity is attractive to founders facing succession challengesHow buyouts can affect employee salaries, hiring, and developmentWhy owners should think carefully before giving up majority controlWhat a delayed second payout could mean for sellersWhy clean financials and reliable forecasts matter before a saleHow financial maturity assessments can identify areas to improveMEMORABLE MOMENT John Scott: “If you have messy financial information, you're not gonna get a premium, you're gonna get paid a discount.”ABOUT JOHN SCOTT John Scott is a partner at Anders CPA in St. Louis. He discusses private equity transactions, business financial readiness, and the firm's financial maturity model for identifying areas of improvement. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Think you have a time management problem? Amanda Van Der Heiden says the real problem may be your priorities, communication, or leadership. In this episode of Close The Deal Podcast, Amanda joins Ewell Smith to break down why productivity hacks alone often don’t solve the problem—and what busy professionals can do instead. Amanda explains why your calendar is one of the clearest indicators of your priorities. If an important goal never gets scheduled, the demands of the day can quickly take over. She also explains how to identify the work that truly moves the needle and why unclear communication between leaders and employees can turn a simple assignment into hours or even days of wasted effort.  Key Takeaways A time management problem may actually be a prioritization problem.Important goals need dedicated calendar time.Urgent and noisy tasks aren't necessarily the work that creates progress.Your most productive schedule depends on your own energy and circumstances.Clear expectations can eliminate significant amounts of wasted work.Leaders and team members share responsibility for confirming understanding. About Amanda Amanda Van Der Heiden is a chief learning consultant with a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology. She works in learning and development and has helped skill up thousands of people around the world.  Connect With Amanda Free goal development workbook: https://gtdscorp.com/go/ ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

You have the knowledge. You have the experience. But can you get what’s in your head across to someone else in a way that actually makes an impact? That’s the communication problem Andrew Hurteau helps professionals solve. Andrew spent the first half of his career as a professional actor, performer, acting teacher, and coach. He eventually shifted that experience toward professionals who may never have signed up to be performers—but suddenly find themselves presenting to teams, clients, boards, and audiences. Andrew joins Ewell Smith to explain why one of the most common presentation habits can work against you: writing everything down first and then trying to deliver those written words naturally. The problem? We don’t speak the same way we write. Andrew explains how to get back to your authentic speaking voice, why a presentation deck should illustrate your ideas instead of becoming the presentation, and how stories can turn dry information into something people understand and remember. Key Takeaways: Start with the most authentic version of yourselfTranslate written material back into the way you naturally speakUse bullet points and visuals as triggers rather than scriptsLet your deck illustrate your wisdom instead of trying to contain itUse stories to give information context and meaningRecognize communication as a core part of leadershipMemorable Moment “Your deck…should illustrate you. You should not be narrating your deck.” — Andrew HurteauAndrew shares the example of a leader who had spent years delivering a required rules-and-regulations presentation. By replacing a rules-first approach with relevant stories, the leader told Andrew that instead of feeling like a “traffic cop,” he finally felt like a coach and a leader. About Andrew Hurteau Andrew Hurteau is based in Oakland, California. After working as a professional actor, acting teacher, and coach, he shifted toward helping professionals bring their ideas to audiences in ways that are impactful and meaningful. Connect with Andrew: www.butterfieldspeaks.com/andrew ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Are you using AI in your business without thinking about what happens when it touches employee data, hiring decisions, terminations, or critical business systems? AI can make a business faster and more efficient, but small business owners also need to understand the risks they may be creating along the way. Ewell Smith sits down with Sara Skowronsk, who brings 25 years of multi-state employment law and HR experience to the conversation. Sara explains why businesses need simple guardrails around AI rather than blindly adopting every new tool. That includes deciding which AI platforms employees can use, protecting sensitive information, keeping humans responsible for HR decisions, and maintaining backups of the AI assets your company depends on. Key Takeaways: Don’t rely on AI alone to make hiring, disciplinary, or termination decisions.Establish clear guidelines for which AI tools employees can use.Protect Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information.Consider company-sponsored AI accounts so the business controls its data and workflows.Keep external backups of important prompts, agents, and automations.Continue applying human judgment instead of automatically accepting an AI-generated answer.Memorable Moment “Anytime you let AI make a decision for you that you cannot justify.”That warning captures one of Sara’s central points: AI may assist the process, but the business still has to be able to explain and stand behind consequential decisions. About Sara Skowronsk Sara brings 25 years of multi-state employment law and HR experience to her work with small businesses. Her work explores the intersection between HR and AI and how businesses can adopt AI while creating appropriate guardrails around its use. Connect AI Clarity Roadmap: aiclarityroadmap.com Email provided during the episode: [email protected] Sara also invites listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

You know what you need to do—but you still aren’t doing it. What’s actually keeping you stuck? Army veteran and executive coach Mark Reynolds joins Ewell Smith to unpack a problem almost every entrepreneur, executive, and business owner encounters: knowing something needs to change but failing to execute. Mark breaks the problem into what he calls the Three C Framework: clarity, competency, and character/courage. First, do you actually know what you want? Second, do you have the skills required to accomplish it? And finally, if you know what you want and know how to do it, what’s preventing you from acting? The conversation also explores why information is increasingly cheap, why working harder eventually stops being the answer, and how shortening your timeframe can help you move forward when a big goal feels overwhelming. Key Takeaways Get specific enough about your goal to know when you’ve achieved it.Determine whether your obstacle is clarity, competency, or courage.More information isn’t necessarily the answer when you already know what to do.Bring the timeframe closer when the bigger goal feels overwhelming.Treat creating a great day as an active process.Recognize when working harder is no longer enough to reach the next level.Memorable Moment “You can become whoever you choose to be, but it’s not a passive activity.” — Mark ReynoldsAbout Mark Reynolds Mark Reynolds is an Army veteran, executive coach, entrepreneur, author, and international award-winning speaker. He works with executives, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who are ready for change but need clarity and confidence about how to move forward. Connect With Mark ReynoldsCoaching.com [email protected] Mark is also active on LinkedIn. Follow or subscribe to Close The Deal Podcast and share this episode with someone who knows what they need to do—but hasn’t done it yet. Learn more at CloseTheDeal.com. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

What if your high-ticket offer isn't the problem? Esther Stewart, CEO of Cottn Owl, joins Ewell Smith on the Close The Deal Podcast to explain why struggling offers often come down to positioning, messaging, and an unnecessarily complicated sales funnel. Esther breaks down how to better communicate the value of your offer, differentiate yourself in a crowded market, and simplify the path that moves someone from prospect to client. She also explains why she prefers premium offers and shares the story of a therapist who launched a $7,500 coaching offer with $20 per day in ad spend. By the third month, according to Esther, the client needed to decrease the ad spend because she was getting too many booked calls to keep up with. Key Takeaways from Esther “It typically is not the offer. It’s just how the offer is positioned.”“Your story—who you are behind it—that’s part of what we’re selling.”“A funnel is taking your ideal client from just finding you online to becoming a client.”In this episode, you'll discover why positioning matters, what a sales funnel really needs to do, how your personal story can strengthen your marketing, and why simplifying your funnel may help you generate better opportunities. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

James Trawick built one of the most ambitious rodeo and music festivals in America. But despite the success, there was still a commitment he'd been postponing. In this episode of Close The Deal, James shares the story behind Hondo Rodeo Fest, the challenge of launching in New Orleans, and the personal goal that kept getting pushed aside. The conversation ultimately reveals something many entrepreneurs face: When does building the dream start crowding out the things that originally gave life meaning? Key Takeaways Launching large-scale events in new marketsBuilding relationships through communityFamily-first leadershipThe importance of intentional recreationWhy personal commitments deserve deadlines James Trawick is the Founder and CEO of Hondo Rodeo Fest and a lifelong advocate for rodeo culture, family values, and community experiences.  🎙 KEY MOMENT "I'm hoping to have all of that in play inside 12 months." "I've gotta get that done." "I've gotta spend quite a bit of time in the saddle in September." CTA Subscribe, share, and visit CloseTheDeal.com. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Kris Grey helps organizations recover failing projects and scale operations through better systems and project management. But behind the business success was a harder truth: years of neglecting his health, relationships, and personal priorities while trying to survive entrepreneurship. In this episode of Close The Deal, Kris shares: losing his job three days after becoming a fathersurviving nine months without stable incomehow survival mode reshaped his lifewhy entrepreneurs delay taking care of themselvesthe commitment he’s making to change direction before it’s too lateThis conversation goes beyond business systems. It’s about the promises leaders quietly break to themselves. KEY MOMENT “I can’t be there for anyone else if I’m not there first and foremost for myself and in a healthy state.”  Key Takeaways Why convenience slowly destroys long-term healthThe danger of operating permanently in survival modeHow small systems create life-changing momentumWhy entrepreneurs struggle to prioritize themselvesThe connection between health, leadership, and familyGuest Bio Kris Grey is the founder of Creatapult, where he helps companies improve operational systems, recover delayed projects, and scale more effectively through structured project management. Subscribe, share this episode, and ask yourself: What commitment have you delayed long enough? More episodes: Close The Deal Podcast ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Andrea Anderson built a massive online audience helping people buy cars and negotiate confidently. But success created a new problem: visibility. In this episode of Close The Deal, Andrea opens up about growing beyond the screen and confronting the one thing she still struggles with - public speaking and leadership visibility. Despite building 100,000+ followers online, Andrea admits she’s naturally introverted and uncomfortable being the center of attention. Now she’s making a commitment that forces her into the next version of herself. This conversation dives into: growth through discomfortidentity shiftsleadership visibilityauthenticity in contentwhy introverts often win in salesthe impact mentorship can have on confidence and growthAndrea also shares how mentor Russ “Flips Whips” Richardson encouraged and challenged her to think bigger about visibility and leadership. THE COMMITMENT Andrea commits to participating in: 🥊 5 public-facing events or speaking opportunities before the end of the year Even if it makes her uncomfortable. KEY TAKEAWAYS Visibility creates new levels of pressureConfidence usually follows actionPersonal brands grow through authenticityIntroverts can become elite communicatorsThe next level often requires discomfortMentorship can accelerate growth dramaticallyANDREA' S CLOSE THE DEAL QUOTES “You can feel uncomfortable and still move forward.” “I’m not the loudest person in the room.” “Those uncomfortable feelings don’t mean you should stop.” ABOUT THE GUEST Andrea Anderson, known online as Andrea Sells Cadillac, is a top automotive sales professional and content creator helping customers and sales professionals navigate confidence, negotiation, and growth. 🎙 KEY MOMENT (TRANSCRIPT) “I’d be scared to death… but I would do it.” 👉 Listen to hear why Andrea committed to stepping into more public leadership opportunities before the end of the year. Subscribe, share the episode, and visit CloseTheDeal.com for more conversations around business, growth, and leadership. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Success can quietly damage a marriage if couples aren’t intentional. In this episode of Close The Deal, Rock Sandretto shares the commitment he and his wife are making to protect their relationship while continuing to grow multiple businesses together. After battling addiction during the opioid epidemic and spending time in jail, Rock rebuilt his life through faith, family, and entrepreneurship. What started as helping his wife run a salon eventually grew into a multi-location business with 65 employees and several vertically integrated companies. But somewhere along the way, Rock realized something many entrepreneurs eventually face: Every conversation became about business. Every trip became a working trip. And the relationship itself needed attention. The Decision Rock and his wife had to decide whether they would continue allowing business to dominate every part of life… or intentionally create space for their marriage outside of work. The Commitment By Q3, they’re committed to hitting specific KPI goals across all their businesses for three consecutive months. If they hit the goal, they’ll take a Ritz-Carlton cruise together for their 20-year anniversary. No business talk allowed. Who This Episode Is For Entrepreneur couplesBusiness owners building with their spouseLeaders balancing growth and relationshipsAnyone rebuilding after addiction or failureHigh achievers trying to avoid burnoutWhat You’ll Learn How Rock transitioned from coal mining into entrepreneurshipThe leadership lessons behind scaling a businessWhy culture matters more than metrics aloneThe importance of protecting relationships intentionallyHow commitment creates accountability in life and businessKey Takeaways / Themes This episode is a reminder that success means very little if your relationships are falling apart in the process. Rock’s story shows how intentional commitments, faith, and boundaries can completely change the trajectory of your business and marriage. Guest Bio Rock Sandretto is the co-owner of Salon 431 and several related businesses focused on salon products and distribution. Alongside his wife, he has helped scale the business into a thriving multi-location operation centered around leadership, mentorship, and culture. Quotes Section “You don’t belong here.”“Failure and success go hand in hand.”“Are we sacrificing relationships just to grow the business?”Call to Action Listen now and visit CloseTheDeal.com to learn more about the commitments driving entrepreneurs forward. 🎙 Key Moment (Transcript) “Are we sacrificing relationships that we’re supposed to have in order to grow the business? It’s just not worth it to me.” 👉 Listen to hear how Rock Sandretto commits to protecting his marriage while continuing to grow multiple businesses. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

This episode is about a decision most people avoid: choosing what you really want over what feels safe. The Decision Aideen had to choose: 👉 Stay focused on a stable business 👉 Or finally step into her identity as a singer The Commitment She commits to releasing an 8-song album by January 1st and performing live shortly after. Who This Episode Is For Creatives stuck in executionEntrepreneurs balancing passion vs incomeAnyone delaying something meaningfulWhat You’ll Learn Why identity matters more than skillHow self-doubt delays actionThe power of small daily progressWhy expression requires riskHow to start before you’re readyKey Takeaways / Themes This episode proves that the biggest barrier isn’t talent—it’s ownership. Once the decision is made, everything else follows. Guest Bio Aideen Ní Riada is a voice coach and singer helping people express their truth through voice and creativity. Quotes Section “Your voice is needed.”“We’re all guessing through life.”“I avoided the very thing I teach.”Call to Action Listen now and visit CloseTheDeal.com 🎙 Key Moment (Transcript) “I’ve been putting off releasing an album… but I’m committing to 8 songs by January 1st.”  👉 Listen to hear how Aideen commits to finally owning her voice and releasing her first album. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

This episode is about a decision most entrepreneurs avoid— Do you stay comfortable, or do you scale when the opportunity shows up? Sam Caruso is facing that moment right now. The Decision Sam has momentum, clients, and opportunity. But now he must choose: → Keep things manageable and predictable → Or build a team, take bigger risks, and scale fast One path protects him. The other defines him. The Commitment Sam is committing to: → Scale his business to handle 6 active campaigns → Build a real team and infrastructure 📅 Deadline: End of November Who This Episode Is For Entrepreneurs ready to scaleConsultants stuck in solo modeSales leaders facing growth decisionsAnyone avoiding a big moveWhat You’ll Learn How to scale without losing controlWhy difficult opportunities create leverageThe importance of building the right teamHow to create momentum through actionTurning local success into national demandKey Takeaways / Themes Growth doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from making a decision—and backing it with action. This episode is about stepping into that pressure. Guest Bio Sam Caruso is a seasoned political strategist and executive coach with decades of experience leading complex campaigns and advising organizations on growth and leadership. Quotes “If you don’t take the work, people stop calling.”“I’m building something bigger than just me.”“This is the moment to scale.”Call to Action Listen, apply it, and make your move. Visit CloseTheDeal.com 🎙 Key Moment (Transcript) “The cost of not taking the work is nobody calls you anymore. The cost of taking the work and losing? You still get calls—but now you’re competing. So the real question is… do you want to be relevant, or do you want to be safe?” 👉 Listen to hear how Sam commits to scaling his business by November—and what’s at stake if he doesn’t. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Most entrepreneurs don’t struggle because they can’t build. They struggle because they avoid the decision that comes next. Heath Holmes already proved he can build—taking a business to $1.4M in just over a year. Now he’s at a crossroads that will define everything moving forward. Franchise the model… or build it himself and expand a different way. The Decision This isn’t theoretical. Heath has two clear paths: Scale through franchisingOr build a multi-service company he fully controlsBoth can work. Only one gets his full commitment. The Commitment By the end of the year, Heath is making the call. No more sitting in the middle. No more overanalyzing. He’s choosing a direction—and going all in. Who This Episode Is For Entrepreneurs at a crossroadsFranchise owners questioning their next moveBusiness leaders stuck between two good optionsAnyone avoiding a decision they know they need to makeWhat You’ll Learn How to think through a major business decisionThe real tradeoffs between franchising and ownershipWhy getting burned can sharpen your next moveHow to stop overanalyzing and commitWhat most business owners get wrong at this stageKey Takeaways This episode isn’t about starting—it’s about deciding. At some point, building isn’t the hard part. Choosing your path is. And the longer you wait, the more it costs you. Guest Bio Heath Holmes is the founder of One Guard Fencing in Birmingham, Alabama. With a background in telecom, real estate, and franchising, he built a $1.4M business in just over a year and now faces a defining decision on what comes next. Quotes “I got tired of making everyone else money.” “I learned more from losing than I ever did from winning.” “That should be me—that’s what drives me.”Listen in—and then ask yourself: 👉 What decision are you avoiding? When you’ve got your answer, go to CloseTheDeal.com and start closing it. ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Entrepreneurs are told to chase work-life balance - but what if that idea is completely wrong? In this episode, Tom Cox breaks down why trying to balance everything leads to failure in both business and family life. He shares a better approach focused on presence, consistency, and intentional decision-making. What You Will Learn: Why balance doesn’t workHow to prioritize your familyThe power of small daily momentsWhen to say noWhy hiring faster mattersGuest Bio: Tom Cox is a business advisor and former college football coach helping entrepreneurs improve clarity and structure. Links Mentioned: ThomasCox.co ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.

Most business owners don’t have a sales problem—they have a money problem. In this episode, Tom Cox breaks down why entrepreneurs who are great at their craft still struggle financially. From misunderstanding cash flow to ignoring margin, this conversation dives into the real issues holding businesses back. You’ll also hear a powerful shift in thinking: instead of just making money, you need to learn how to cycle it. What You Will Learn Why most entrepreneurs don’t understand moneyThe importance of marginHow to track cash flow properlyWhat cycling money meansHow to build real financial controlGuest Bio Tom Cox is a banking strategist specializing in helping entrepreneurs take control of their financial systems. thomascox.co ## Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes. The Close The Deal Podcast is where decisions and broken promises to oneself  get made. Hosted by Ewell Smith, this show features real conversations with high achievers - entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and competitors who are at a crossroads facing the decision they’ve been putting off.  This isn’t about theory, tactics, or surface-level advice. Every episode is built around one thing: 👉 A clear decision 👉 A real commitment If you’re building something, you already know the truth - there’s a decision in front of you that matters. This show is where you face it. 🔥 CALL TO ACTION  Want to be part of it? Go to CloseTheDeal.com and put your name on the board.