In this episode of Small Strides Big Business, Krystal sits down with Tad Nottage, founder of Aloha Insurance, to break down a 30+ year journey of resilience, smart decisions, and one powerful philosophy:

👉 People don’t need to love your product—they need to love working with you.

From surviving a life-changing accident to scaling a thriving agency in Hawaii, Tad shares the real lessons behind:

• Building a business from the ground up

• Hiring (and keeping) the right people

• Why customer service is your biggest competitive edge

• How AI is transforming—not replacing—teams

• And what most business owners are still getting wrong

This is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, agency owners, and anyone looking to grow a business without losing the human touch.

✔ The 90-day hiring rule that saves businesses ✔ Why answering your phone still wins ✔ How AI can save HOURS (without cutting jobs) ✔ The mindset shift that unlocked real growth

🎧 Tune in and discover how small strides can truly lead to big business.

#AIinBusiness #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #Automation #TechInBusiness

In this episode, Mark Zimmerman, Founder of Aurifex Financial, shares the powerful moment that changed his perspective forever—delivering an insurance check to a grieving widow.

That experience shaped his mission: 👉 To help families protect what matters most 👉 To guide people from paycheck-to-paycheck living to financial stability 👉 To bring trust and education back into the insurance industry

This conversation goes beyond policies and premiums. We dive into: ✔️ Why insurance is really about wealth protection ✔️ The importance of financial education in today’s world ✔️ How to balance lead generation with real client relationships ✔️ Overcoming fear and taking action in sales and business ✔️ What it truly means to serve, not sell

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a financial professional, or someone looking to better understand how to protect your future—this episode delivers real, actionable insight.

🎧 Tune in and rethink what financial protection really means.

📌 Connect with Mark Zimmerman: 🌐 Aurifex Financial

📚 Join his free community: Aurifex Wealth Blueprint

👉 If you found value in this episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this.

In this episode of Small Strides Big Business, we sit down with Michael Wish, an independent insurance advisor and educator with over five decades of experience.

From starting at just 18 years old to building his own agency at 26, Michael shares real-world lessons on: ✔️ Adapting to industry changes (tax laws, tech, and now AI) ✔️ Why disability insurance is often misunderstood ✔️ The importance of asking the right questions ✔️ How mentorship and relationships shape long-term success ✔️ What it truly means to be “client-first”

💡 One powerful takeaway: "I’m here to help my clients. That’s the bottom line."

If you're an insurance professional, entrepreneur, or someone looking to better protect your financial future—this conversation is packed with insights you can use.

In this episode of Small Strides Big Business, Krystal sits down with Jeremiah and Jonah Dew—better known as the Banking Bros—to unpack the concept of infinite banking and how it’s helping families rethink the way they save, spend, and build wealth.

They break down:

• The difference between “if” vs. “when” financial products

• Their simple 3-cup system to understand cash flow and equity

• How people are using this strategy to pay off debt, fund purchases, and keep their money growing

• Why it’s never too late to start taking control of where your money lives

Plus, they share powerful insights on:

• Building a brand through consistency

• Leveraging systems to scale a business

• The framework: Eliminate. Automate. Delegate.

If you’re ready to challenge traditional thinking and take more control over your financial future—this episode is for you.

James shares his unconventional journey from law school to becoming the founder and clinical director of Sonder Counseling, where he now leads a growing team of clinicians.

We dive into the realities of building a service-based business, scaling a counseling practice, and balancing the human side of therapy with the operational side of running a company.

If you're an entrepreneur, healthcare professional, or business leader, this conversation offers powerful insights into leadership, culture, and sustainable growth.

From rising marketplace premiums to negotiating hospital bills, this conversation dives deep into practical strategies that could save individuals, families, and small business owners thousands of dollars.

🎯 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why you should never pay the first medical bill How hospital pricing really works

What 501(c)(3) nonprofit hospitals don’t advertise

Alternatives to ACA marketplace health plans

How defined benefit plans compare to traditional coverage

Why specialization is the key to long-term insurance success

How referral partnerships grow an insurance business

Whether you’re self-employed, a small business owner, or an insurance professional, this episode is packed with real-world insights you can apply immediately.

In this episode of Small Strides Big Business, Dave McFadden shares how he and his wife Cindy turned a devastating start — hurricanes, a shrinking captive carrier, and two years of losses — into a 20-year success story as independent agency owners.

Instead of quitting, they pivoted.

They left the captive model, went independent, eliminated their brick-and-mortar office, and built a thriving virtual insurance agency powered by relationships, referrals, and exceptional customer service.

In this episode, Dave breaks down:

✔️ Why going independent was the turning point

✔️ How eliminating office overhead increased flexibility and profit

✔️ The #1 “kiss of death” mistake insurance agents make

✔️ Why personal touch beats automation and AI (for now)

✔️ How proactive client education reduces churn and builds 10+ year relationships

✔️ Why explaining coverage matters more than offering the lowest price

If you're an insurance agent, entrepreneur, or small business owner, this episode is packed with practical insights on resilience, retention, and building a referral-driven business that lasts.

Medical bills are one of the leading causes of financial stress—and often, they’re wrong.

In this episode of Small Strides Big Business, Krystal Small sits down with Assaf Frajman, a physician-turned-entrepreneur and Co-Founder of OctiHealth, to explore how AI is transforming the way medical bills are reviewed, reduced, and understood.

After witnessing a $9,000 medical bill corrected to just $1,000, Assaf set out to solve a problem impacting millions. Today, his company helps reduce healthcare costs by an average of 61%—not just for individuals, but for entire organizations.

They also dive into Assaf’s personal journey from medical school to tech, and what it really takes to pivot into a new career path.

In this episode of Small Strides Big Business, we sit down with Lidia Rodriguez, Co-CEO of Rewarding Insurance Agency in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

From knocking on doors in freezing temperatures to building a referral-driven agency rooted in trust, Lidia shares how personal tragedy shaped her mission to protect Hispanic families through final expense and life insurance education.

This episode is about: ✔ Building a niche in the Hispanic community ✔ Turning hardship into purpose ✔ Why insurance is NOT a part-time career ✔ The truth about commission-based income ✔ Scaling an agency with systems and heart ✔ The power of referrals and community trust

Lidia and her husband Miguel are not just selling policies — they are changing financial futures through education, transparency, and cultural understanding.

If you're: • An aspiring insurance agent • A Latino entrepreneur • A small business owner • Or someone passionate about community impact

This episode is for you.

In this episode of Small Strides, Big Business, Krystal sits down with Dillon Taylor, Founder & CEO of Ascent Financial Solutions, to talk about what entrepreneurship really looks like behind the scenes.

From spending nearly a decade in construction to building a thriving financial brokerage, Dillon shares the mindset shifts, leadership lessons, and service-first philosophy that shaped his journey.

This conversation goes beyond insurance and finance — it’s about identity, discipline, long-term vision, and building something that actually lasts. #EntrepreneurMindset #InsuranceIndustry #FinancialServices #SmallStridesBigBusiness #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #TheSilentGrind #EntrepreneurLife

Ted shares how he transformed his traditional brick-and-mortar agency into a fully virtual, service-center-driven model—eliminating payroll headaches, slashing overhead, and freeing up time to focus on what really matters: clients and growth.

💡 You’ll learn:

✅ Why hiring qualified staff is nearly impossible—and the bold solution Ted implemented

✅ How shifting client service to carrier service centers increased retention to 93%+

✅ The exact moment he “pulled the trigger” in November 2020—and why it was the best business decision of his life

✅ How operating costs dropped from $2,000/month to just $325

✅ His 4 non-negotiable tips for new agents entering the insurance industry

✅ Why Google reviews and modern tech are non-optional in today’s market

Whether you're an insurance agent, agency owner, or entrepreneur looking to streamline operations and future-proof your business, Ted’s story proves that sometimes, the bravest move is stepping off the ledge—and trusting the net will appear.

New episodes coming soon. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you don’t miss the launch!