Building a Business that Lasts

Jay Owen

Many businesses are started every day, but the number that lasts the test of time is much lower. So what separates the businesses that last and those that don't? With this podcast, we intend to find out. Each week, we'll feature conversations with business owners who have latest the test of time to gather stories, tips, and ideas, that will help others grow.

  • 47 minutes 50 seconds
    Win at Work and Succeed at Life with Michael Hyatt

    What does it take to build a business that lasts—without losing yourself or your family along the way?

    Michael Hyatt, bestselling author, speaker, and business leader, joins Jay Owen to share his journey of turning around companies, setting boundaries, and creating a life of intentional success. From leading as CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers to building Full Focus with his daughter as CEO, Michael has lived out the “double win”—winning at work and at home.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why most people “drift” through life—and how to design yours with intention
    • The turning point that helped Michael redefine success and protect his family
    • Practical ways to set boundaries that create freedom, not constraints
    • How to navigate parenting through every season, from kids to adults
    • Where AI fits in business and life—and how to use it without losing your humanity

    Michael’s story proves that lasting success isn’t about working more hours—it’s about leading yourself first, setting clear boundaries, and building a legacy that matters.

    Learn more about Michael’s work at https://fullfocus.co and his new AI newsletter at https://aibusinesslab.ai.


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    Listen to other episodes and see videos of the podcast at http://buildingabusinessthatlasts.com

    11 September 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 58 seconds
    Scaling from $46k to $20m+ in just a few Years

    What does it take to grow a business from $46K to $16M in just five years?

    Beth Lachance, founder and CEO of GMVA (Global Medical Virtual Assistants), joins Jay Owen to share her incredible story of rapid growth, purposeful leadership, and how saying “no” to distractions helped her say “yes” to scale.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • How to rethink your systems for 10X growth
    • Why imposter syndrome might actually be a strength
    • How to build culture with 1,300+ remote workers
    • The power of niching down—and staying focused
    • What work-life balance really looks like as a founder\

    Beth’s journey proves that sustainable growth is possible when you combine vision with values—and listen to your gut.

    Learn more about GMVA at https://gmva.com.

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    Listen to other episodes and see videos of the podcast at http://buildingabusinessthatlasts.com

    16 July 2025, 7:00 pm
  • 53 minutes 31 seconds
    Building a Partnership That Lasts: The HW Contracting Story

    The founders of HW Contracting share their 15-year journey from getting laid off to building a successful roofing business together, highlighting the realities of partnership, narrowing business focus, and balancing work with family life.

    • Started business out of necessity after both being laid off during economic downturn
    • Initially took on any construction jobs that would pay the bills
    • Made difficult transition to narrowing focus exclusively to roofing
    • Learning to say "no" to projects outside their specialty was challenging but transformative
    • Compared $20k bathroom remodel taking six weeks versus $20k roof installation completed in one day
    • Hired consultant to help define clear partner roles and responsibilities
    • Building systems that allow the business to function without the founders' constant involvement 
    • Creating lanes of responsibility prevents conflict and builds clarity
    • Trust between partners is essential for long-term success
    • Reject "work-life balance" in favor of a "work-life blender" approach
    • Being fully present in the moment whether at work or with family
    • Entrepreneurship provides unique flexibility despite its demands

    Do the right thing for the customer every time, and your business will be on solid ground.


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    9 July 2025, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    The Reality of Growth: Leadership and Transformation with Craig Carder

    In the FIRST episode of 2025, Craig Carder from C3 Medical Device joins us to share the raw, unfiltered truth about the struggles and sacrifices of entrepreneurship.

    We dive into the challenges of letting go, building effective leadership, and creating systems that drive growth. Craig opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped his journey, revealing how resilience and adaptability are key to lasting success.


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    13 January 2025, 6:00 pm
  • 44 minutes 35 seconds
    Letting Go of Control: The Importance of Leadership, Systems, and Processes with Emily Floyd

    Welcome to another episode of Building a Business that Lasts! In today's episode, we have an insightful conversation with Jay Owen, a successful entrepreneur, about the challenges and triumphs of building an enduring business while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

    Join us as Jay shares his personal struggles with email addiction and the steps he takes to disconnect and trust his team while on vacation. We also delve into the importance of personal growth and self-care practices, such as meditation and gratitude, for entrepreneurs.

    Throughout the episode, Jay and our host, Emily Floyd, discuss the common challenge of facing imposter syndrome as successful business owners. They share their experiences of learning to overcome this by realizing that perfect communication is not always necessary and by seeking support from others.
    We also explore strategies for acquiring new business, the importance of persistence and learning from failures, and the difficulties of balancing client service with business development. Jay and Emily highlight the challenges of hiring and leading effective leaders, both internally and externally.

    Emily shares her own inspiring journey of transitioning from working in retail to running a successful pediatric medical billing business in Dallas. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's strengths, surrounding oneself with a supportive team, and achieving significant business milestones while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

    Stay tuned as we discuss the cultural belief that entrepreneurs must do everything themselves and the importance of delegating tasks, implementing standard operating procedures, and building a great management team aligned with the same vision.

    Join us for this engaging conversation filled with valuable insights and practical advice for building a business that lasts!

    00:00 Transitioned from retail to pediatric billing business.
    05:10 Fulfillment in business comes from passion.
    08:18 Need an operator to ensure process compliance.
    10:18 Hiring based on shared vision and passion.
    13:42 Improving processes through intentional and clear assignments.
    18:31 Leading leaders requires a different skill set.
    22:07 Overcame imposter syndrome, connected with industry leaders.
    25:50 Trial and error leads to success.
    29:50 Balancing scalability with doing the unscalable.
    31:54 Entrepreneur milestones led to finding needed structure.
    33:45 Entrepreneurs need rest for success and balance.
    38:39 Asking how to maintain boundaries with clients.
    41:46 Request password, delegate, prioritize, delegate to team.
    44:00 Video offers business tips, free resources, subscribe.

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    5 August 2024, 7:00 pm
  • 55 minutes 57 seconds
    Business as a Ministry with Mike Sharrow

    What does it look like to run a business as a ministry? Is it possible in today's complex political climate? In this episode, Mike Sharrow, CEO of C12, talks through that topic along with other strategies to help leaders and entrepreneurs build a business without being stressed out, worn out, and ready to quit. C12 if a Christian business forum that meets monthly all over the world to help leaders build a great business for a greater purpose. 

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    Listen to other episodes and see videos of the podcast at http://buildingabusinessthatlasts.com

    31 January 2023, 10:00 am
  • 52 minutes 52 seconds
    The Ultimate Sales Machine with Amanda Holmes

    Getting the right sales strategy in place is more important than ever. On this episode, I talk to Amanda Holmes, CEO at Chet Holmes and daughter of the author of The Ultimate Sales Machine. A framework used by thousands of businesses around the world to double their business.    https://chetholmes.com/ch4/

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    22 November 2022, 10:00 am
  • 49 minutes 48 seconds
    The Difference Between a Vendor and a Partnership with Tim Burke

    What’s the difference between a vendor and a partnership? Why should you care about your ROI or LTV in marketing — what even are those? How do you transition from traditional marketing to digital marketing? We talk about all these things and more on this episode.

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    27 September 2022, 11:00 am
  • 19 minutes 52 seconds
    Vision, Passion, and Future - 904Now Interview

    Listen into my interview on the 904Now internet show where I talk about business growth, teams, vision, passion, and future. 

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    30 August 2022, 11:00 am
  • 41 minutes 44 seconds
    Own Your Past, Change Your Future with Dr. John Delony

    Hustle, run, charge ahead, and pull yourself up by your bootstraps! So much of entrepreneurship is like this, but if we're not careful, we can end up mentally unwell faster than we think. When that happens it affects everyone around us. It's easy to end up in a place where our past and false stories are crafting the narrative of our life that isn't helpful or healthy. In this episode, I talk with Dr. John Delony from Ramsey Solutions about how we can own our past and change our future. This conversation will create value for all leaders, owners, and entrepreneurs. 

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    16 June 2022, 9:00 pm
  • 13 minutes 50 seconds
    5 Things You Must Know Before You Build an App

    A lot of people are looking for different kinds of apps for their business. Every now and then people think, “I can’t find an app that does what I need. I need to build a custom app". Along the way, I’ve seen people do that really well and not really well. I’d like to give you a few tips that will help you build an app successfully. If you are thinking about building an app, there are 5 things you need to know before you start.

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    Listen to other episodes and see videos of the podcast at http://buildingabusinessthatlasts.com

    31 May 2022, 11:00 am
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