American Operator
See America’s small businesses the way they were meant to be seen — up close, on the ground, and through the eyes of the people who run them. American Operator documents the real stories of Main Street:
• We visit small businesses across the country.
• We highlight operators keeping their towns alive.
• We show what ownership actually looks like.
• And we expose the hidden cost of private equity roll-ups hollowing out local communities.
From family-owned shops to essential service businesses, from thriving main streets to towns devastated by outside ownership, we’re capturing the reality of American small business at a turning point.
Our mission is simple: keep America locally owned & operated by shining a light on the businesses, operators, and communities worth fighting for.
Subscribe and join the movement to rebuild, revive, and protect America’s small business backbone.
This is American Operator
Pod: @AmericanOperatorPodcast
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/theamericanoperator
Episodes
70 episodes
Why America Can't Find Electricians (And How We Fix It) | Emily Escobar | AO 70
Most people don't realize how difficult it is to become a licensed electrician.After more than 20 years in the electrical trades, Emily Escobar has seen firsthand why so many talented people struggle to advance. A master electrician, edu...
Profit vs Care: The Crisis in Senior Living | James Lee | AO 69
What happens when the people who cared for us become dependent on someone else for care?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with senior living expert James Lee, a 20-year veteran of the industry who has ...
The Secret to Building a Blue-Collar Brand People Love | Lance Ingram -Waterloo Turf | AO 68
What if the secret to building a great business had nothing to do with the product… and everything to do with purpose, people, and brand?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, we sit down with Lance Ingram
Why Honest Mary’s Chose Slow Growth Over Private Equity | Nelson Monteith | AO 67
What does it really take to build a successful restaurant business?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with Nelson Monteith, founder of Honest M...
What Makes Someone READY to Own a Business? | Will Fry | AO 66
America doesn’t have a shortage of small businesses.It has a shortage of people ready to take over.In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with American Operator founder & CEO Will Fry to talk a...
How Plumbing Outfitters Built an Elite Team Culture in the Trades | Ashley and Warren Stroud |AO 65
What does it actually take to build a successful trades business in America today?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with Ashley and Warren Stroud — founders of Plumbing Outfitters — to talk about...
A Masterclass in Business Growth | Wade Lombard | AO 64
What actually grows a business?Not what most people think.In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, Wade Lombard—founder of Square Cow Moving—breaks down what it really takes to build, scale, and protect a business over ...
SBA Head Kelly Loeffler: The Future of Small Business in America | AO 63
What does the future of small business in America actually look like?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, we sit down with Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, forme...
What Actually Makes a Business Sellable | Judd Goodrich | AO 62
What actually makes a small business valuable?And why do some buyers succeed… while others fail fast?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with Judd Goodrich — who has seen thousands of deals from the in...
Rebuilding American Manufacturing | Bret Boyd | AO 61
What does combat leadership have to do with running a business?More than you think.In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, Bret Boyd—West Point graduate, Army Ranger, and founder of Sustainment—shares how his expe...
Stop Talking About Deals. Start Learning How to Run a Business | Joseph Cabrera | AO 60
Everyone today seems obsessed with buying businesses.Spreadsheets. Deal terms. Financing strategies.ETA. Search funds. Private equity playbooks.But almost nobody is talking about the thing that actually matters…Runni...
The Internet Is Lying About Buying a Business | TJ BROGAN | AO 59
Most people talking about buying a business are focused on deals, numbers, and financial engineering…But what actually happens after the deal closes?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with TJ Brogan—a...
From Iraq to Small Business Owner: The Brutal Truth About Buying Your First Business | Nathan Lenahan AO 58
What does it really take to buy and run a small business?In this episode of the American Operator Podcast, JC sits down with Army veteran and entrepreneur Nathan Lenahan to talk about the real, unfiltered reality of business ow...
If You Wanna Build a Business, Make Cortisol Your Friend | Jonathan Lusk | AO 57
What happens when a former Wall Street professional walks away — and goes back to building with his hands?In this episode, JC sits down with Jonathan Lusk — a former Goldman Sachs professional who grew up on a farm, built h...
No One Knows What They Are Doing, So Act Like You Do I Joe Soelberg - AO 56 I
No one knows what they’re doing.The difference? Some people decide to act anyway.In this episode of American Operator, Joe Soelberg shares the mindset shift that changes everything: confidence isn’t about having all ...
Business Owners Will Respect You If You Do These 5 Things I Joseph Cabrera - AO 55 I
Are you constantly getting rejected by owners?In this solo episode of **American Operator**, we break down the **five things that actually earn trust and respect from legacy small business owners** — the kind of owners who’ve spent deca...
The Creator Of America’s Best Burger Chain I Patrick Terry - AO 54 I
How do you scale a fast-growing brand without losing your soul?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with the team behind P. Terry’s Burger Stand to talk about building one of Texas’s most beloved food brands by...
You Learn By Getting It Wrong; Advice From A Rally Racing Champion I Texas Dave - AO 53 I
What if the best training for business leadership didn’t come from a boardroom but, from the racetrack?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with Texas Dave to talk about how his background in racing and high...
Why A Business Owner Decided To Audit The Government I Scott Fitzpatrick - AO 52 I
What does accountability actually look like in government — and why does it matter to everyday Americans?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with Scott Fitzpatrick, Missouri State Auditor, for a candid conversation about t...
Petite Keep’s Shark Tank Success I Lindsay Mullenger I AO 51
What really happens after Shark Tank?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with Lindsay Mullenger, founder of Petite Keep, to break down her journey from building a product-driven business to landing a deal on Shark Tank — a...
The Power of Small Towns and Local Owners I Mexico, Missouri I AO 50
What happens when a town loses its hospital — and refuses to fall apart?In this solo episode of American Operator, we recap a powerful trip to Mexico, Missouri, a small town that faced what should have been a breaking point...
Why People Are Moving From White Collar To Blue Collar Jobs I ECO Air - Matt Gandy I AO 49
Why are more people walking away from white-collar careers and finding freedom in blue-collar work?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with Matt Gandy, owner of ECO Air, to unpack the growing shift from corporate jobs to s...
Running Your Small Town Like A Business I Josh Schroeder - Mayor of Georgetown I AO 48
What makes a small town thrive — and how do you grow without losing what made it special in the first place?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with Josh Schrader, Mayor of Georgetown, Texas, for a wide-rangin...
Why This Blue Collar Business Wins With Brand I Pinks Window Services with Brandon & Carter I AO 47
How do you go from corporate life to building a nationally recognized service brand?In this episode of American Operator, we sit down with the founders of Pink’s Window Services to talk about leaving corporate jobs, surviving COVID layo...
The American Dream Isn't Dead I American Operator - Will Fry & Joseph Cabrera I AO 46
Will Fry, Founder of American Operator, returns to the podcast to break down why Mainshares became American Operator—and what that shift means for the future of small business in America.In this episode, we unpack the real problem...