Above & Beyond: Where Excellence Meets Elevation
Above & Beyond: Where Excellence Meets Elevation is a podcast that dives deep into the stories of business owners, community leaders, and aspiring entrepreneurs who are striving to make an extraordinary impact. Each episode explores their roots, motivations, and defining moments to inspire listeners on their own journey to excellence.
Episodes
58 episodes
Shoulder Surgeries Ended His Baseball Dream — Now He Runs a Painting Empire
Jason Bressler was an Arizona high school All-Star pitcher who played at Chase Field on Father's Day, threw in the low 90s, and had his sights set on ASU — until two labrum surgeries ripped the glove off his hand for good. Today, he's the owner...
Breaking Defiance: Thriving in Nonconformity | Liz Ponce, Embracing Authentic Success
Jän Simon interviews Liz Ponce, a twin mom and co-owner of Arizona-based LZR Marketing, about building a marketing agency without choosing a niche and balancing creativity, leadership, and family. Liz shares growing up in Jackson, Michigan and ...
He Built a Billion-Dollar Real Estate Company — Then Lost It All | Boaz Gilad
Boaz Gilad on Unmasking Success: From Actor to Billion-Dollar Real Estate—and Losing It AllHost Jän Simon welcomes Boaz Gilad—entrepreneur, performance strategist, founder of Zenith Clubhouse, and author of The Zenith Code—to ...
Risk and Reinvention Lead to a Blessed Life | John Weiss
On Above & Beyond: Where Excellence Meets Elevation, host Jän Simon sits down with John Weiss—owner of ProBlast LLC and co-owner of Minuteman Press in Mesa—whose path from Anchorage, Alaska to Arizona is shaped by constant reinvention. John...
From Challenges to Changemaker | Sarah Watts, Leading with Love
She Built the Gilbert Chamber’s Business Resource Center Used by 800+ Businesses in 18 Months | Sarah WattsJän Simon interviews Sarah Watts, president and CEO of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and newly appointed chair of Arizona Chamb...
How a “One-Stop Shop” Idea Turned Into $60M+ on Amazon | Steve Rolle
What if the path to freedom isn't found in following the traditional playbook, but in learning how to own your decisions, your time, and your future? In this episode of Above & Beyond, host Jän Simon sits down with Steve Rolle—...
Pivots and Perseverance: LJ, Ted, and Bob Redefine Their Destinies
In a roundtable on business and life pivots, host Jan Simon talks with LJ Richardson, Bob Flecken, and Ted Bliefnick about leaving corporate paths for entrepreneurship and the motivations behind those decisions. LJ describes abruptly quitting a...
From Broken Ribs to Real Estate Success | Brett Johnson
In this episode of "Above & Beyond: Where Excellence Meets Elevation," host Jän Simon sits down with Brett Johnson, a licensed real estate professional serving the Phoenix and Denver metro areas. Brett shares her journey from a competitive ...
When Life Labels You a Failure… Build Anyway | The Eric Lopez Journey
Eric Lopez shares his journey from growing up in small-town Illinois with an absent father to being raised by his mother, stepfather, and influential older brother, including a turbulent period living with his dad in California that led to drug...
From Small Town Dreams to Big City Success | Dallas Sloan's Transformative Journey
In this episode, Dallas Sloan shares her journey from growing up on acreage in southern Alberta to moving to Arizona at just 23 years old to pursue her dream of building a multi-modality beauty business.She opens up about launching Co...
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From Life's Setbacks to Stronger Connections | Brian Riley's Story
Recorded remotely from Brian Riley’s garage pub hangout, this episode follows Brian’s path from growing up in Enfield, Connecticut and playing football and baseball to a life shaped by “saying yes,” including a chance retail interview that laun...
From Comfort to Calling: Navy Veteran Elisha Kameyama on Faith, Family, and Building Red Crane Digital
Elisha Kameyama, CEO and co-founder of Red Crane Digital in Phoenix, shares how embracing discomfort fuels growth, then traces his journey from growing up in California and Colorado as a pastor’s kid through joining the Navy two weeks after hig...
Transforming Struggles into Strength | Tank Giles' Journey
Tank Giles, a Daytona Beach native, shares how sports helped him navigate a challenging childhood, including family violence that led to being taken from his parents twice and periods living with a football coach and later with his sister. He e...
Healing Through Energy: A Journey from Illness to Inspiration | Alia Gauthier
Alia Gauthier, co-founder of Tinted Salt in Chandler, Arizona, shares her journey from leaving Iran at age 11 during the revolution and war era, living in Turkey for 18 months, and arriving in Toronto as a refugee without speaking English. She ...
From Missionary Skills to Legal Mastery | Adam Baugh
Adam Baugh, partner and co-owner at Withey Morris Baugh, shares how lessons from his LDS mission in Atlanta—speaking Spanish, living on a budget, learning empathy, and developing door-to-door communication skills—became the foundation for his c...
Overcoming Adversity to Achieve Excellence | Phil Passante
Phil Passante shares why he prefers “excellence” over “expert,” framing it as a continual pursuit, then traces his journey from an idyllic childhood outside Milwaukee to moving to Arizona in 1986 seeking better weather and opportunity. After ea...
Harnessing Passion for Community Empowerment | Matt Dallas
Matt Dallas, a Gilbert resident, shares his journey from growing up in upstate New York and playing baseball through college to selling Cutco, experiencing a serious illness (double pneumonia and Stevens-Johnson syndrome) that led him to move t...
Navigating Uncertainty to Embrace Possibility | Frank Stirpe Jr
From Indian Wells during the 6th annual APN Golf weekend, Frank Stirpe Jr. reflects on how Above Par Network began in January 2019 as his personal “Rolodex” for solving inevitable life and business problems, then evolved into a service-first, r...
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Navigating Challenges to Success in Construction | Lawrence Naranjo
Lawrence Naranjo, a renovation and construction entrepreneur, discusses why honesty and transparency with clients matter in life, business, and construction. He shares his Arizona upbringing, family background, and experiences in sports, golf, ...
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What shapes a leader long before the title ever comes? - Ted Bliefnick
In this episode, Ted Bliefnick opens up about growing up in Decatur, Illinois—where faith, sports, community, and hard work laid the foundation for his life. He shares candidly about battling ADD and depression, the heartbreak of losing close f...
From Washington to Arizona: Sally Harrison's Path of Impact
This episode features Sally Harrison, president and CEO of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce since 2013, who moved from Washington state to Arizona in 2004 and joined the Mesa Chamber in 2008 after a 20-year career helping grow a physical therapy pr...
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Embracing Change: Brock Mather’s Path After Football
Join us for an insightful conversation with Brock Mather, a former Division 1 linebacker whose life has been profoundly shaped by discipline, family, and competition. Raised in Ridgecrest, California, Brock spent nearly two decades on the footb...
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Service with a Personal Touch: The Larry Schendelman Approach
In this episode, we sit down with Larry Schendelman, the founder of A&J Graphics and Promotions, who shares his unique journey from working in the printing industry as a teenager in New York City to moving across the country and establishin...
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From Tires to Triumph: LJ Richardson's Journey of Perseverance and Faith
In this episode, we sit down with LJ Richardson, a family-first entrepreneur known for his dedication, hard work, and strong relationships. LJ shares his incredible journey from struggling with the possibility of alcoholism to finding stability...
From Cigars to Self-Discovery: Inside Frank Bellavia's World
In this compelling episode, we dive deep into the life of Frank Bellavia, founder of Fido Cigar Company. Born in New York and raised in California, Frank moved to Arizona with his wife to bring a long-held dream to life after spending over 20 y...
