Underwriting Confessions: When Business Owners Do the Unthinkable Artwork

The Integrated Entrepreneur

Welcome to The Integrated Entrepreneur with Jonathan Fodera, hosted by founder, author, public speaker, investor and entrepreneur Jonathan Fodera. On this podcast you'll learn strategies on how to become a better operator, how to acquire more clients for your company, how to retain those clients, valuable lessons, and how you can avoid the mistakes that Jonathan has triumphed on his path to $500M+ in financing for business owners and entrepreneur's.

Meet the Co-Host:
Keith Gause was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Jacksonville, Florida at the age of 2. He continues to reside in Jacksonville with my wife, Deanna, and two daughters: Addison (13) and Kylee (10) and their 4 dogs, a cat, a bearded dragon, and a snake. (If it were left to the ladies to decide, they would have a zoo!)

Keith’s childhood was spent playing sports, being an only child, and watching his father become an entrepreneur by continuously failing and trying again. His father built a multimillion-dollar company allowing him to retire and live the life he always dreamed about. Watching his father’s journey taught him a lot about business.

Not ready to jump into the family business, Keith went into the military in the year 2000 at age 18. He spent 5 years assigned to the 20th Special Operations Command in Ft. Walton Beach FL and spent a majority of his military career deployed to places that needed the most attention.

Keith continued in the world of excitement and danger by going into Law Enforcement where he spent 10 years working in Northwest Jacksonville. He worked the nightshift, 6pm -6am, which allowed him to have a full day to make an impact on what he ultimately wanted to do. That goal was to create an empire and to impact as many business owners as possible.

In 2009, wanting to care for his wife and first born in the best way, he took a big risk and spent his entire savings on an inactive business name and one inflatable bounce house. Bounce Around Jax Party Rentals was Northeast Florida’s #1 party and event rental business. At least that is what he believed!

By 2012, Keith was able to make a 7-figure exit and leave Law Enforcement and began to study all things finance & investing. He focused on learning about any mistakes he had made as a business owner and became obsessed with helping others avoid the same ones. That is how Tideland Consulting came to be. Now, Tideland operates in all 50 states and has created a non-bias ecosystem for growth-oriented entrepreneurs that maximizes how each dollar impacts the business, from protecting assets and reducing taxes to succession plans and exit strategies.

In 2023, Tideland aligned with GFG Solutions as a strategic partner to serve business owners at the highest level, with a white-glove service feel from a world-class team.

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The Integrated Entrepreneur

Underwriting Confessions: When Business Owners Do the Unthinkable

October 14, 2025 • Jonathan Fodera • Episode 95

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What's the wildest thing you've heard in a business meeting? In this episode, Jonathan Fodera and Joseph Viccora share humorous and cautionary tales from their experiences in underwriting and business financing. Tune in for a session of belly laughs and eye-openers as they share their most outlandish underwriting tales. These stories aren't just for laughs; they're golden lessons for any entrepreneur trying to navigate the maze of business financing.

Step into a high-pressure sales office, where the chaos rivals a Wall Street trading floor. You'll hear the tale of an awkward joke gone viral and a misadventure involving a CFO and a headbutt—yes, you read that right! These stories illustrate the importance of a positive workplace, strong leadership, and the perils of fake bank statements. Jonathan and Joseph share their youthful follies alongside a tip of the hat to motivational figures like Tony Robbins, underscoring the art of fraud detection and the value of a solid work ethic.

Finally, beware the siren call of business financing scams! The pitfalls of cash advances and shady debt consolidation practices are more common than you think. Through cautionary tales, this episode highlights the traps set by brokers hungry for quick commissions. These insights will guide you through the minefield of predatory schemes, stressing the importance of due diligence and choosing trustworthy partners. Tune in for a laid-back, informative ride that promises to be as enlightening as it is entertaining.

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