Cincinnati Business Podcast

Every investor wanted the same thing from John Cavanaugh's student networking platform — sell ads, harvest the data, print money. When he said no, they told him he wasn't fit to run the company. He walked away from $14 million in buyout offers and shut it down rather than hand vulnerable college students' mental health data to the highest bidder. That decision became the foundation for everything he's building now.

John is the...

What does it actually take for employees to unionize, and what can business owners legally do about it? In this episode, Brian sits down with Kathy Carnes, labor-management attorney and professor at Northern Kentucky University, who has spent her entire career on both sides of the union debate. From running elections at the National Labor Relations Board to representing companies against unfair labor practice charges, Kathy brings ...

What do you do when you know it’s time to change, but you are not sure what the next move should be?In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Podcast, Brian Erickson sits down with Kurt Kersey to talk about reinvention, entrepreneurship, leadership, burnout, faith, and what it looks like to keep moving forward when business gets hard. Kurt shares the story of leaving a comfortable career, building something of his own, and n...

Cybersecurity and AI can both feel overwhelming for business owners, especially when every new headline makes it sound like you either need enterprise-grade protection tomorrow or you are already behind. In this conversation, Brian Erickson sits down with Jon Salisbury and Mike Camp from Nexigen to break down what actually matters for businesses in Cincinnati and beyond.

They unpack what cybersecurity really means for small and mid-...

If you feel like business growth is supposed to come from the perfect strategy, this conversation is a reality check.

Dave Knox has spent years building and advising high-growth startups and entrepreneurial ecosystems, including leading Blue North in Northern Kentucky and helping create places designed for “collisions” where the right people meet at the right time. In this episode, we talk about how entrepreneurs can bui...

Are you looking for a marketing unicorn who can do it all? In this episode, Betsy Wolking, President of AMA Cincinnati and Director of Marketing at Foster and Motley, joins Brian Erickson to debunk the biggest myths in business marketing.

Betsy shares why a Director of Marketing is actually a high-level project manager rather than a one-person production house.

We dive deep into the realities of marketing within highly regulated ind...

Dana Dunmyer shares the unlikely path from pastoral ministry to building enterprise technology at GE in the early days of the internet, and why he believes faith and leadership are meant to be integrated, not compartmentalized.You will hear practical leadership lessons for business owners and executives, including:- How to make high-stakes decisions when you do not have the full roadmap, just the next right step- What it looks like...

Can artificial intelligence ever truly replace the human touch in marketing and creative work? In this episode, Tobias Brauer — Executive Creative Director turned brand strategist — joins Brian Erickson to unpack what “good creative” actually means. Together, they explore how AI tools are reshaping marketing, where they fall short, and why emotional resonance and storytelling still matter more than volume.

To...

Veteran sales strategist Sean O’Shaughnessy joins the Cincinnati Business Podcast to unpack 40 years of wisdom on what really drives B2B sales success — trust, process, and people. Sean shares how he helps small and mid-market companies go from chaos to scalable systems, why most businesses fail at defining their Ideal Client Profile, and how AI is transforming sales — not by replacing people, but by augmenting th...

Most jobs are never listed, and nearly 80% of new opportunities come from referrals. But what if networking as we know it is broken? In this episode, Amy P. Vaughan — creative entrepreneur, author, and CEO of Together Digital — reveals why introverts often make the best networkers, how to close the “networking gap,” and what really builds meaningful business relationships.

Amy shares her journey from aspiring...

Data isn’t just for tech giants like Apple and Google — it’s the hidden key to small and mid-sized business success. In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Podcast, Brian Erickson sits down with Kyle Carter, founder of Zenylitics, to explore how data can uncover blind spots, simplify decision-making, and even save businesses from costly mistakes.

Kyle shares real stories — from urgent care centers losing ...

Is it better to roast or toast your competition online? In this episode, we dive into fascinating research from NKU professors Dr. Jose Torres and Dr. Ahn Dang, who studied how brands like Wendy’s and Coca-Cola use humor on social media to boost engagement.

We explore:

• Why roasting works for big brands but can backfire for small ones

• How “neutralization messages” can prevent backlash

• What local businesses should b...

John McCarthy is a talent expert, author of The Purpose Promise, and the founder of AG Management and PurposePromise.org. In this episode, we explore why so many professionals feel stuck at work—and what to do about it. John breaks down how self-awareness, reflection, and alignment with your purpose can help you find meaningful work and avoid the “treadmill of disengagement.”

We also explore the future of work: why...

Too many business owners are their business, which makes it nearly impossible to sell. In this episode, M&A advisor JT Harp, from Transworld Business Advisors, shares what founders need to understand if they ever want to exit successfully and create long-term value. We dive into succession planning, brand independence, and how to think beyond just building a great product.

Whether you're thinking about your next move or just get...

In this powerful episode, Chuck Mingo and Troy Jackson from Undivided reveal how business, faith, and community leaders can be catalysts for racial healing. From early experiences with race to launching a national movement, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how honest storytelling and courageous conversations are helping create spaces of true belonging. They break down what Undivided is, how it started in Cincinnati, and ...

Most business owners feel powerless when they see their health insurance premiums skyrocket year after year. But what if you could actually get money back from your plan?In this episode, we sit down with Scott Hetzel from Assured Partners to break down the hidden truths behind group health insurance—why some businesses get slammed with 50% rate hikes and others get paid by their plans. If you’ve ever been frustrated by ...

Season 1, Episode 021
Is Podcasting the Secret Weapon for Business Growth? (feat. Patrick Jones & Brian Erickson)

From Xavier University baseball to coaching with the Baltimore Orioles to launching a thriving recruiting business — Patrick Jones reveals how podcasting changed his career.

In this episode, Patrick breaks down:

• Why podcasting is the hardest but most powerful content medium

• How he used his show to land a jo...

What if your towel is dirtier than your toilet seat?After a career in professional soccer across the UK, Iceland, and the US, Tyler Collishaw made an unexpected pivot—launching Epiphany, a consumer product that tackles invisible problems lurking in your home and gym.In this raw, practical, and energizing conversation, Tyler shares how he went from a near-MLS draft pick to emailing 1,000 CEOs (and actually getting replies), to...

Discover what Cincinnati business leaders are missing when it comes to HR! In this episode of the Cincinnati Business Spotlight, we dive deep with Melissa and the team from HR Elements to uncover how human resources can be a game-changing asset for small and medium-sized businesses.

You’ll learn:
✔️ Why HR isn’t just compliance — it’s strategy
✔️ Common HR pitfalls that are costing companies big money