Keep It Brief

Natalie Dawson

Each week, I sit down with the operators, founders, and investors building companies and moving capital to unpack the thinking, decisions, and conviction behind how they win.

Across four pillars, Money, Operations, Capital, and Influence, Keep It Brief breaks down how wealth is built, companies are run, capital moves, and power works.

Decades of hard-won business lessons, distilled into every episode.

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26 episodes
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Avg 56 min
English

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S1 · E24
Monday · 51 min
The Hiring Mistake That Costs Founders Hundreds of Thousands | Carly Kremer
Build a business that can grow without depending on you. Learn more about Elite Edge: http://nataliedawson.com/event Carly Kremer, founder of 'The Beekeepers Naturals', ran out of rent money, moved onto a friend's couch for a year, and kept going. Today her brand, Beekeepers Naturals, is in 20,000 stores. She explains how she did it without an operations background and without giving up control of her company. The founder of Beekeepers Naturals breaks down why she left Goldman Sachs and ended up selling propolis at farmer's markets. She shares how she built a supply chain of pesticide-free apiaries that investors called crazy, and why it now protects her brand. She also reveals how she set up her first term sheet so she could never lose decision-making power. Carly walks through what went wrong on her first maternity leave and how she staffed up to take a real break this time. You'll also hear how she decides what to build, why she waited five years to get on camera, and what is working in marketing right now. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - How to build a loyal customer base by selling face-to-face before you scale - Why you should own your term sheet before you take a dollar of outside money - When to step away from your business and how to make sure the team can lead CHAPTERS 0:00 Carly Kremer On Raising Money Without Losing Control 1:16 Propolis, Goldman Sachs And Farmer's Markets 11:41 How A Product Builds A Cult Following 13:44 Why It Took Five Years To Get On Camera 18:40 Beekeepers' Naturals Sustainable Supply Chain 24:34 Own Your Term Sheet And Stay The Boss 31:16 Maternity Leave Mistakes And Radio Silence 41:03 Product Development And Customer Feedback 44:50 Why She Wrote A Children's Book About Bees 49:25 Nano Influencers And Being Your Own Influencer FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM CARLY KREMER: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carly.kremer 🌐 Substack: https://carlykremer.substack.com Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
Thursday · 15 min
Why the Way You Dress Changes Who You Become
What you wear does more than change how other people see you. It can change how you think, perform, and see yourself. In this bonus solo episode of Keep It Brief, Natalie Dawson shares five pieces from her wardrobe and the lessons each taught her about identity, confidence, credibility, and growth. She explains why a blazer became a daily cue to lead, why she stopped dressing for different versions of herself, why holding on to old clothes can keep you attached to an old identity, and how one outfit taught her the difference between looking good and communicating authority. This episode continues the conversation from Rebecca Minkoff’s appearance on Keep It Brief by turning the lens inward. Your wardrobe is already sending a message. The question is whether it matches the person you are becoming. YOU’LL LEARN How clothing can influence your focus and performance Why your wardrobe should reflect the person you are becoming How to reduce decision fatigue with timeless staples When your appearance can undermine the message you want to communicate Why confidence sometimes means dressing differently from everyone around you
S1 · E23
October 19 · 50 min
"I Almost Lost My Business In 9 Months Because Of This" | Rebecca Minkoff
Rebecca Minkoff bootstrapped her handbag brand for seven years to a $100M Brand. Then two hires she trusted almost sank it in nine months. The fashion designer and founder shares why her biggest wins came from going against the grain, how designing for editors instead of customers hurt her apparel line, and why she would take the valuation her team once passed on. We also get into why not every business should take investor money, how she learned the language of business by asking what EBITDA meant in her own boardroom. And why no night or weekend she worked ever changed her company's path. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN - How to spot the red flags in a hire before they damage your business - Why you might not need investors to build a company that lasts - When to say no to events and opportunities that pull you from family CHAPTERS 0:00 Rebecca Minkoff On Bootstrapping And Breaking With The Pack 4:17 Designing For Editors Instead Of Customers 7:19 Why Following The Pack Never Worked 9:42 Turning Handbags Into Milestone Purchases 13:23 Treating Business Cards Like Cash 17:47 Investor Lessons And A Missed Valuation 22:54 Learning The Language Of Business 26:47 Staying Present As A Mom And A Founder 38:20 The CMO Who Almost Sunk The Company 46:27 Using AI To Join Cultural Moments FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM Rebecca Minkoff: 🌐 Website: https://www.rebeccaminkoff.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E22
October 12 · 1 hr 1 min
Great Customer Service Is Simple & Almost Nobody Does It | Drybar Founder
If you own a salon or know someone who does, DM “SALON” to @nataliedawson on Instagram and I’ll send you the details on what we’re building and how to get involved. Drybar grew from one salon to 150 locations. She sold $35 blowouts and scaled it to a $255M exit. Alli Webb says demand was never the hard part. Alli is the founder of Drybar and the creator of Messy, a new hair care line. Her rule was simple. Make every customer feel cared for, down to the smallest detail. The hard part was making that feeling last once she wasn't in the room. In this conversation, Alli explains how she trained a team to do it her way, what broke as Drybar grew, and why great service falls apart the moment the founder steps out. What You’ll Learn How to turn the skill only you have into training your team can follow Why small details like your front desk greeting decide whether customers come back When growing faster means running a second business you never planned for CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:25 Why Drybar Customers Felt Cared For 8:13 Training Stylists To Scale Drybar 19:21 Why Demand Outran Stylist Supply 25:01 Franchise Vs. Company-Owned Salons 30:06 Why Managers Must Think Like Owners 34:17 Turning Customer Complaints Into Growth 38:12 How To Pick A Retail Location 41:01 Small Details That Drive Retention 46:05 Why Alli Webb Launched Messy 57:29 Taking Risks After Drybar FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM ALLI WEBB: 🌐 Website: https://www.alliwebb.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E21
October 5 · 1 hr 12 min
Viral Brand Expert: Going Viral Won't Grow Your Business (Doing This Will) | Camille Moore
Camille Moore's first viral video hit a million views in a weekend. It brought in just three leads. She says that gap between attention and actual business is exactly what most founders get wrong about branding. Camille Moore is the founder of Third Eye Insights and host of The Art of Brand podcast, and companies like Nike, Red Bull, and Harvard pay her to teach branding. She breaks down the real difference between branding and marketing, why going viral once means nothing if you can't repeat it, and why most small business owners are asking the wrong questions about social media. You'll also hear her take on using AI without losing your own taste. Watch to learn how to figure out what's actually broken in your brand, why chasing virality wastes your time, and how to build content people actually connect with. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to find what's actually broken in your brand before you touch social media Why going viral one time does nothing for your business long term When it's time to fire your content team and start over CHAPTERS 0:32 Finding What's Actually Broken In Your Brand 4:40 Branding Vs Marketing Is Not The Same Thing 11:47 Cringe Mountain And Why Starting Sucks 19:14 Content Ideas For A Tire Shop Or Hair Salon 26:55 Mental Availability Vs Purchase Availability 37:19 Why Most Marketing Agencies Are Bad 49:05 How To Develop Taste As A Brand 51:01 Why Nike And Lululemon Are Losing Right Now 1:07:11 Your Brand Is A Symphony FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF:📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON:📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM CAMILLE MOORE:🌐 Website: https://camille-moore.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E20
September 28 · 43 min
Why You Should Never Start a Business You’re Passionate About
Most people want to build a business around what they love. I believe that can be one of the fastest ways to fail. Recorded during the first live edition of Keep It Brief, this audience Q&A covers money, scaling, wealth, and the decisions that separate a profitable business from an expensive passion project. I explain why I turned down a $250,000 investment opportunity from a clothing brand I love, share the five habits I built during COVID that I still refuse to give up, and break down why seven-figure earners can still feel broke. I also explain how to choose the right skill to build a business around and why you should finish building or selling your first business before starting another. Brandon Dawson even joins the conversation to share how leaders can align their teams around company goals. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN - Why passion alone is not enough to build a profitable business - How to keep your lifestyle from growing as quickly as your income - How to choose the right skill or opportunity to build around - Why you should finish or sell one business before starting the next
S1 · E19
September 21 · 59 min
50 Years of Leadership Knowledge in 59 Minutes | Bestselling Author John Maxwell
John Maxwell has written more than 90 books, sold 38 million copies, and spoken on over 14,000 stages. After 50 years teaching leadership, he says the hardest lesson is still learning to confront yourself before you confront anyone else. The New York Times bestselling author of "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" breaks down the mistakes he made as a young leader, starting with the hard conversations he avoided for years and the rule he now sets on day one so nobody is ever blindsided by one. He shares the answer that stopped him 30 years ago, from a business owner who said he wouldn't take back a single failure, and why it took him three decades to feel ready to write the book on it. He also opens up an idea he's writing right now, one he's only been working on for three months, and how he uses AI without handing over his own judgment. Watch to learn how to confront a problem without losing trust, why caring for your team matters more than being liked, and what to do with a failure so you actually get something back from it. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why you tell your team a hard conversation is coming before there's anything to talk about How to find out whether you're the problem, and who has to be the one to tell you When to stop chasing the right answer and start choosing a direction CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction 1:09 The Law That Decides If You Can Lead 3:31 Impact Vs Sustainability After 50 Years 6:52 The Three Questions Every Team Asks 9:32 Why Leaders Must Confront Themselves First 20:42 Making Decisions Against Yourself 32:33 Learning To Confront After Years Of Avoiding It 35:36 The Bad Advice Nobody Should Trust 40:03 How To Get A Return On Failure 49:04 Using AI Without Losing Yourself 54:17 Why People Copy What They See FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM JOHN MAXWELL: 🌐 Website: https://www.maxwellleadership.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright CardoneVentures.com(http://CardoneVentures.com)(https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E18
September 14 · 1 hr 29 min
Grant Cardone Built an $5B Empire & Still Feels Like He's Failing
Grant Cardone does not believe success makes life easier. It gives you bigger problems, higher stakes, and fewer people you can trust to make the decision for you. In this episode, Grant breaks down how he developed the certainty to act before he had all the answers. We talk about why he still considers himself an underachiever, why doing everything right can still take you backward, and why being wrong on your own terms can be more valuable than following someone else’s advice. Grant also tells the story behind releasing his own deposition against the advice of his lawyers, and what that decision reveals about trusting your judgment when the experts around you disagree. We also get into the lesson behind buying a surfboard before learning to surf, the danger of listening too closely to family and friends, and his prediction that AI will become the biggest bust in stock market history. After seven years as business partners, I wanted to understand what continues to drive Grant, why he refuses to feel satisfied, and what business owners can learn from the way he makes decisions. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to build certainty in yourself before you trust anyone else's advice Why the worst advice you get comes from the people closest to you When the room you are in stops matching the goals you wrote down CHAPTERS 0:00 The Man Who Divides Every Room 1:47 Two Plus Two Can Equal Bankruptcy 4:00 Why You Have To Be Willing To Be At Zero 11:31 Get The Surfboard Before You Learn To Surf 17:57 The Takeaway: I Am In The Wrong Room 41:46 Hashtags, 30 Posts A Day And Other Bullshit 42:50 Why AI Will Be The Biggest Bust 54:27 Six Years Of Lawsuits Over $10,000 59:33 Uploading His Own Deposition To YouTube 1:26:03 Certainty Is The Whole Answer FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM GRANT CARDONE: 🌐 Website: https://grantcardone.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E17
September 7 · 1 hr 11 min
Elena Cardone: The Mindset That Turned Our 2 Worst Years Into $5B
Join the "Clear Club" for free and get the book: clearbuilders.com/Elena Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health: https://www.amazon.com/Dianetics-Modern-Science-Mental-English/dp/140314446X Most people are told to pick one. The marriage, the family, or the empire. Elena Cardone built all three at once, and she says the thing that finally made her powerful was giving up her independence. The "Build an Empire" author and 10X Ladies founder breaks down the 2008 collapse that nearly wiped them out, why she walked away from acting to support Grant Cardone, and how she and Grant found a purpose big enough to hold a 22 year partnership together. She explains the decision she made to never love again and how she got rid of it, why she refuses to let anyone invalidate her or her daughters, what she learned about money that most women get wrong, and who you actually have to become before billionaire is even on the table. Watch to learn how to build a partnership that takes you past your own ceiling. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to stop invalidating yourself and the people closest to you Why the version of power most people chase is the wrong one Why holding cash in the bank quietly costs you money every year When independence stops making you powerful and starts capping you CHAPTERS 00:00 How Elena Cardone built marriage, family and an empire 01:05 The 2009 crisis that changed everything 05:18 Why independence can limit your growth 07:52 Why marriage should be 100 and 100 09:59 How Elena transformed the way she communicates 11:19 Understanding the mind changed her life 13:13 The analytical mind vs the reactive mind 15:39 The belief that kept Elena from love 19:30 How personal growth changes your presence 22:26 Why choosing the right mentors matters 26:09 The biggest misconception about marriage 30:31 Redefining success through impact and influence 33:16 What real power actually looks like 35:55 Why Elena refuses to invalidate herself 40:06 Raising confident, self-determined children 45:03 Building a family around shared goals 46:05 Why the Cardones made their legal battle public 53:16 Why principles matter more than the money 58:35 The mistake women make with wealth 01:01:32 Why earning money is not enough 01:03:18 How Elena built her own investment income FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM our Guest Elena Cardone: 🌐 Website: https://www.instagram.com/elenacardone/?hl=en 📖 Elena's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Build-Empire-How-Have-All/dp/1945661542 Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E16
August 31 · 50 min
How A Simple Google Doc for Friends Built an 8-Figure Brand | Dianna Cohen
Most founders hold onto the CEO title for as long as they can. Dianna Cohen gave hers up after five years, and she did it after turning a Google Doc she wrote for her girlfriends into Crown Affair and the number one dry shampoo at Sephora. The Crown Affair founder explains why she refused to over-raise, how she got her first $2 million on a 10 page deck with no financials, and why she has raised in steps ever since. She breaks down how to match a product to the retailer it sells in, why listening beats pushing product, and what she calls pinches of poison, the small off-brand choices that slowly kill a company. She also shares why she is not the best CEO for her own business and what changed when she stopped being in every room. Watch to learn how to raise money on your own terms, build a brand with real soul, and hand off control without losing the vision. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to raise only what you need so money never buys you bad habits Why the product has to speak the language of the store it sells in When to hand the CEO job to someone who is better at it than you CHAPTERS 0:00 Crown Affair Built From A Viral Google Doc 3:04 Blinders On While Everyone Chases Trends 9:00 The Dry Shampoo Nobody Expected To Win 12:51 Listening Beats Pushing Product 16:56 Building A Brand World With Soul 19:58 Pinches Of Poison That Kill Brands 23:26 Raising 2 Million Before Launch 29:15 Investors Bet On The Jockey 38:41 Why She Stepped Down As CEO 47:55 Take Your Time And Pay Attention FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson MORE FROM our Guest: 🌐 Website: https://www.crownaffair.com/ https://www.instagram.com/diannacohen/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E15
August 24 · 55 min
86% Of People Are Using AI Wrong, Here's How To Get Ahead | Chris Workman
89% of small businesses say they use AI. Only 14% have actually built it into how they operate. Chris Workman explains the gap and why the businesses that close it in the next five years will pull away from everyone else. Chris is the Head of Technology at Cardone Ventures and the person who embedded AI into every function of a $225 million company. He didn't just buy tools. He redesigned how the business runs. In this conversation we get into why the tech investment that used to wait until $45 million now has to happen at $3 million. What an AI agent actually needs from your business to do real work. And why the one system most owners skip matters more than any tool they download. We also get into the jobs question. How many roles has AI actually replaced, and what most people get wrong about AI and layoffs? He's also my brother. So I asked the questions nobody else would get away with. Watch to learn what to build first so AI can actually work inside your business. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to pick the one business system your whole company should run on The difference between adopting AI and actually integrating it When to hire someone to lead technology in a small business CHAPTERS 0:00 89% Of Small Businesses Now Use AI 4:55 The Business Breakpoint That Moved Forward 10:23 What An AI Agent Actually Does 13:38 Why The AI Hype Fizzled Out 16:15 The One System Every Business Needs 22:15 The Autonomy Slider Explained 31:56 Speed To Lead And 18 Roofing Companies 41:45 The $100,000 Token Bill 46:03 Why AI Did Not Cause Layoffs 52:54 Hiring Your First Tech Leader Comment "AI" on my latest Instagram post to learn about integrating AI to scale your business. Link to get you booked for our next Elite Edge event: http://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM CHRIS WORKMAN: 🌐 Website: https://cardoneventures.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E14
August 17 · 29 min
$30T Will Move Into the Hands of Women, Watch This Now
$30 trillion is shifting into women's hands and most people are getting the story wrong. This isn't just about women building wealth. It's about women outliving their partners and being handed the financial wheel with zero preparation. In this episode, I break down what the great wealth transfer actually means, why money moves twice inside most families, and why it wasn't until 1974 that women could even get credit without a man's signature. I share the five questions every woman needs to ask about her money before she's forced to, and the financial map I give every woman to build now. Plus, your questions answered: how to pick the right stat to anchor your career, what I had to unlearn about leadership in my twenties, and the first thing that breaks when a company scales from 50 to 150 people. Know what you own. Ask better questions. Get in the room before you're forced to lead it. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to build a financial map before you ever need it Why the confidence gap is about history, not ability When a growing company hits its breakpoint and starts going backwards CHAPTERS 0:00 The $30 Trillion Moving To Women 2:07 What The $30 Trillion Headline Really Means 4:57 Why Women Feel Unprepared With Money 7:08 What To Do Before You Inherit 16:43 Pick The Statistic You Want 19:27 What I Unlearned About Leadership 23:09 What Breaks At 150 Employees Link to get you booked for our next Elite Edge event: https://go.cardoneventures.com/nd-the-elite-edge?utm_source=Podcastndsocial&utm_medium=descriptionEE FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright CardoneVentures.com (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E13
August 10 · 55 min
$700M Lawyer: The Workers’ Comp Lie Nobody Talks About | Tina Odjaghian
Most business owners think workers comp is handled because they pay the premium. Tina Odjaghian says the hardest cases are the ones nobody can see, and she has recovered more than $700 million proving it. The Odjaghian Law Group founder explains why California’s workers’ comp system is broken, how invisible traumatic brain injuries get denied, and what employers miss in the first hours after an injury. She reveals how a missed “goose egg” during an ER visit became a mid-seven-figure case, and why she is taking a medical treatment case to the California Supreme Court. Tina also shares how she went from arriving in the United States at 10 years old with one suitcase and no English to building one of the country’s leading TBI litigation practices. Watch to learn how to protect your business, respond properly to an injury, and spot the damage nobody can see. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN How to respond in the first hours after a workplace injury Why paying the premium does not mean you are protected When a homeowner needs a workers comp rider and an umbrella policy CHAPTERS 0:00 From One Suitcase to $700 Million Recovered 4:39 One Suitcase And No English 7:43 Imposter Syndrome Never Fully Leaves 14:19 What Happens After A Workplace Injury 15:37 The Injury Nobody Can See 17:12 Why Workers Comp Is Broken 21:04 Protecting Your Business And Your Home 32:32 The Goose Egg The ER Missed 40:23 Losing Her Words At 17 43:41 Why Communication Is Underrated 53:17 Advice For Anyone Starting Over Comment KEEP IT BRIEF 13 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode! FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM TINA ODJAGHIAN: 🌐 Website: https://odjaghianlaw.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tinaodjaghian/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E12
August 3 · 53 min
$15M CEO: The Owner Trap that Keeps Your Business Small | Terra Harvell
Terra Harvell reveals why most salon owners have built an expensive job, not a valuable asset. The founder of Harper Ellis Hair Co. and Strata Salon Systems explains how better pricing, high-ticket services, team incentives and financial systems helped her salon reach a 28% net margin. Learn how stylists can raise their income, owners can reduce dependency on the chair, and salons can build scalable company value. In this episode: • Reverse engineer your income target into services, pricing and daily actions • Give top performers a reason to build inside your company instead of leaving • Install the leadership, compensation and operating systems required to scale Own a salon, or know an owner who is ready to build something bigger? Send Natalie a DM on Instagram with the word “salon” to start a conversation about Strata Salon Systems. FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM TERRA HARVELL: 🌐 Website: https://terraharvell.com/ 💇 Harper Ellis Hair Co.: https://www.harperellishair.com/ 📈 Strata Salon Systems: https://stratasalonsystems.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright CardoneVentures.com 2025 CHAPTERS 00:00 Why most salons are not valuable assets 02:18 Building a $750,000 business behind the chair 05:01 The money mistake Terra would change 08:22 Can a salon owner succeed without stylist experience? 09:37 Reverse engineering a stylist’s income target 13:08 Breaking the small-town pricing belief 14:37 Why great stylists struggle as business owners 18:14 Giving talented stylists a reason to stay 20:45 Redefining freedom for service providers 23:30 Booth rental versus commission 26:28 How Terra’s salon reached a 28% margin 29:11 The product launch that nearly sank the salon 34:11 Creating a faster hair extension method 38:21 The operating system behind scalable salons 42:24 Turning a salon into an asset with enterprise value 45:36 Finding the right salon owners and partners 48:49 Why long-term vision determines business value 51:40 How salon owners can explore Strata 52:36 Terra’s advice for building something bigger
S1 · E11
July 27 · 1 hr
Ex-SVB COO Explains the True Story No One Reported - Phil Cox
Most executives run from a company that's about to collapse. Phil Cox ran toward it. He was the COO of Silicon Valley Bank the day $42 billion left in a single afternoon, and the bank was gone by morning. The former Silicon Valley Bank COO breaks down how a bank built on safe government bonds became the fastest bank failure in U.S. history, why 93% of its deposits were uninsured, and what it was actually like inside the building during the 40 hours nobody saw. He also reveals why executive bonuses got paid out the same morning regulators seized the bank, what it was like watching longtime employees show up to work the week their retirement savings hit zero, and the business he spent 10 years building that ended up selling for one pound. You'll also hear what he'd change if he could go back, and why he still doesn't tell most people where he used to work. Watch to understand what really took down Silicon Valley Bank, and what nobody got right about it. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to protect your business if your bank suddenly can't move your money Why 93% of Silicon Valley Bank's deposits were uninsured when it collapsed Why bonuses were paid out the same morning regulators seized the bank CHAPTERS 00:00 The $42 billion bank run that changed banking forever 01:21 What really caused Silicon Valley Bank to fail 05:00 Why the bank’s investment strategy made sense at the time 11:28 The announcement that triggered the panic 15:43 How social media accelerated the first digital bank run 18:14 Inside the operations room during the collapse 22:36 The moment the bank was taken over 25:06 What happened after regulators seized SVB 28:36 Why Phil Cox chose to stay 30:28 Leadership, accountability, and executive decisions 35:56 Did venture capital firms have another choice? 40:36 How crisis changed Phil’s leadership forever 43:57 Building a culture that survives adversity 48:32 What Phil would change with hindsight 50:47 Living with the SVB legacy 54:57 What every business owner can learn from high-growth companies 58:07 The most important rule for leading through a crisis Comment KEEP IT BRIEF 11 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode! FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE 🌐 Website: https://cardoneventures.com Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
#9
July 20 · 56 min
9x Founder Was Fired & Broke But Never Quit - Kim Perell
Most founders think they need investors to build something big. Kim Perell says it's really about betting on yourself first, a lesson she learned by turning a $10,000 loan from her grandmother into a $235 million exit. The 100.co founder and 9x entrepreneur explains why she had to fire her entire team the same day she got fired herself, why there is no such thing as job security, and why rejection became her best source of feedback. She also breaks down the 70% rule she uses before every big decision and why she never waited for an investor to believe in her before building nine companies. Watch to learn how to build without waiting for permission, turn rejection into product feedback, and make big decisions before you feel fully ready. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to build a company without waiting for an investor to believe in you Why rejection is more useful as feedback than as failure How the 70% rule helps you make big decisions before you feel ready CHAPTERS00:00 The $10,000 bet that changed everything01:41 Why women founders keep outperforming expectations04:08 Kim Perell’s entrepreneurial track record05:20 Growing up with failure and resilience08:33 Lessons from the dot-com boom and bust12:34 Why every founder needs sales skills16:11 Getting fired and starting from a kitchen table20:32 Competing with yourself instead of others23:13 Scaling from startup to nine-figure business25:20 Hiring the people who help you grow29:10 Life after a $235 million exit34:19 What Kim looks for before investing36:21 Why every founder needs mentors38:20 AI, customer feedback, and better decisions42:22 Removing opinions with customer research45:01 Building purpose-driven consumer brands48:00 The biggest mistake founders make50:10 Raising resilient, grateful kids54:16 Why failure is never the finish line Comment KEEP IT BRIEF 10 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode! FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM KIM PERELL: 🌐 Website: https://100.co 📸 https://www.instagram.com/kimperell/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E9
July 13 · 1 hr 9 min
Inside the Strategy We Used to Scale Cardone Ventures (with Brandon Dawson)
In this episode of Keep It Brief, I sit down with my husband and Cardone Ventures co-founder Brandon Dawson to break down how he sold his last company, Audigy, for 77 times earnings after almost losing a $150 million deal the night before it closed. We unpack why 97% of small businesses never make it, and the one mistake that turned into an $800 million win. Comment KEEP IT BRIEF 9 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode! FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM BRANDON DAWSON: 🌐 Website: https://cardoneventures.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E8
July 6 · 1 hr 9 min
$9B COO: People Pay Premium For ONLY One Thing - Jeff Zwiefel
In this episode of Keep It Brief, I sit down with Jeff Zwiefel, former President and COO of Life Time Fitness, to break down how he helped grow the company from $139M to $2.3B in revenue over 27 years. We unpack why charging too little almost capped their growth, why he walked away from a company now worth $9B, and the leadership rule he says separates good businesses from great ones... Comment KEEP IT BRIEF 8 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode!  FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/  Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork  Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq  Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM JEFF ZWIEFEL:  🌐 Website: https://10xhealthsystem.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright [CardoneVentures.com] (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E7
June 29 · 46 min
Ex Wall Street: The Lie Keeping Women Out of Finance - Tiger Sisters, Cherie Brooke Luo & Jean Luo
In this episode of Keep It Brief, I sit down with Jean Luo and Cherie Brooke Luo, your Wall Street and Silicon Valley big sisters. Harvard MBA, Ex Goldman Sachs, Stanford MBA, Ex LinkedIn, these two are here to break down why women score lower than men in every single financial literacy category after a decade of tracking. We unpack why the gap has nothing to do with intelligence or access, why the finance world was never designed for women to win, and what they learned inside the rooms most women never get into. Comment Brief 7 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode! FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥 https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson/ Teamwork: https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM JEAN LUO AND CHERIE BROOKE LUO: 🌐 Website: https://tigersisterspodcast.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright CardoneVentures.com (https://cardoneventures.com) 2025
S1 · E6
June 22 · 1 hr 9 min
Self-Made Millionaire: The Funding Trap Nobody Mentions - Allison McNamara
In this episode of Keep It Brief, I sit down with Allison McNamara, founder of Mara, about the moment a celebrity accidentally made her product sell out globally. We unpack why bootstrapping beats every funded competitor and why she didn't copy what already existed on the market. Comment Brief 6 on my latest Instagram post for a PDF of my notes and takeaways from this episode! FOLLOW KEEP IT BRIEF: 📸 ⁠https://www.instagram.com/keepitbriefpod MORE FROM NATALIE DAWSON: 📸⁠ https://www.instagram.com/nataliedawson 🎥⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@thenataliedawson 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenataliedawson Teamwork: ⁠https://thenataliedawson.com/nd-teamwork Take my breakpoint quiz: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-NDbbq Check out my next event: https://cardoneventures.com/yt-ndEE MORE FROM ALLISON MCNAMARA: 🌐 Website: https://themarabeauty.com/ Information shared here is for educational purposes only. Individuals and business owners should evaluate their own business operations and identify any potential risks. The information shared here is not a guarantee of success. Your results may vary. Copyright ⁠CardoneVentures.com (http://CardoneVentures.com) ⁠(⁠https://cardoneventures.com⁠) 2025

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