How do you go from a conservative CPA career to owning the #1 hockey retail store in Washington—without ever having laced up a pair of skates?

In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked, host Seth Rudin is joined by Rick Bauman to pull back the curtain on a 35-year journey in the franchise world. Rick didn't just survive in retail; he dominated the "Play It Again Sports" system by leaning into adaptability, pioneering rental models, and knowing exactly when to exit at the top of his game.

If you’ve ever wondered how to build a business that is "sellable" from day one, this conversation is your roadmap. Rick shares the raw, emotional reality of walking away from a legacy and the practical steps he took to ensure his financials were ready for a high-value broker exit.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The CPA to Entrepreneur Pivot: Using analytical skills to build a retail empire.

• The Power of "Gut Feel": Why Rick tells younger entrepreneurs not to over-analyze in the age of the internet.

• The "Rental" Secret: How adding a rental and service arm transformed his store into a top-tier performer.

• Selling on Top: Why you should never wait for a "fire sale" to exit your business.

• The Identity Shift: What life really looks like the first year after selling a 30-year legacy.

What happens when a single regulatory shift unlocks millions of dollars in previously "lost" tax revenue for an entire industry?

In this episode of Entrepreneurship Unlocked, we dive deep into the seismic shifts hitting the cannabis landscape. Hosts Kelsey Ellis and Diego De La Torre from Opsahl Dawson join the conversation to break down the massive implications of the recent executive order moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III.

For years, cannabis entrepreneurs have been hamstrung by the notorious Section 280E, a tax code that prevented them from deducting standard operating expenses—often resulting in effective tax rates as high as 70%. We explore the "how" and "when" of this reclassification and what it means for the future of the industry.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The Death of 280E: How moving to Schedule III finally allows cannabis businesses to operate on a level playing field.

• Banking & Liquidity: Why this shift could finally open the doors to traditional financing and institutional investment.

• The R&D Incentive: How businesses can now leverage tax credits to innovate and scale.

• Strategic Timing: What business owners need to do right now to prepare their accounting for these massive changes.

• The Global Ripple Effect: How federal reclassification impacts state-level operations and future legalization efforts.

In this episode, Seth Rudin, Senior M&A Broker at IBA, sits down with Billy Huntley, Commercial Relationship Manager at Washington Trust Bank, to pull back the curtain on the complexities of buying and selling businesses within the high-stakes aerospace and defense sectors.

Drawing from their successful track record of closing deals together—including suppliers for military operations and Boeing—Seth and Billy break down the unique variables that define this industry.

From managing high customer concentration and long-lead working capital to navigating the critical "change of control" process with massive aerospace entities, this conversation is a masterclass in specialized business brokerage and commercial banking.

#BusinessBrokerage #MandA #Entrepreneurship #AerospaceIndustry #DefenseContracting #CommercialBanking #BusinessExitStrategy #ManufacturingBusiness #WorkingCapital #InvestmentBanking #PacificNorthwestBusiness #SmallBusinessSales #AcquisitionEntrepreneurship

Most strategic plans fail not because they are bad ideas, but because of poor execution.

In this exclusive interview with OneAccord, M&A expert and serial entrepreneur Seth Rudin breaks down the high-performance framework for bridging the gap between a visionary "Strategic Plan" and daily operational "Execution."

Whether you are preparing a business for sale or scaling a mid-market company, Seth’s insights on strategic agility in 2026 are essential for every CEO.

#StrategicPlanning #BusinessExecution #SethRudin #OneAccord #CEO #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #StrategicAlignment #ManagementConsulting #ScaleUp #CorporateStrategy #KPIs #BusinessSuccess #Entrepreneurship #OperationalExcellence #ExecutiveLeadership #GrowthMindset

Manufacturing is the backbone of the economy, but scaling a plant requires more than just hard work—it requires strategic capital.

In this episode, we dive deep into the Capital Accelerator Program of CAMPS (Center for Advanced Manufacturing Puget Sound), a program designed to help manufacturing leaders bridge the gap between operational excellence and financial acceleration.

We explore how manufacturing companies can leverage specific capital accelerators to modernize equipment, optimize supply chains, and prepare for high-value exits.

#Manufacturing #CapitalAccelerator #CAMPS #IndustrialGrowth #Industry40 #ManufacturingFinance #SupplyChain #OperationalExcellence #SmartManufacturing #BusinessScaling #Lending #CapitalMarkets #FactoryAutomation #Reshoring #IndustrialStrategy #EngineeringManagement #B2BGrowth

Is buying a business the ultimate wealth-builder or a one-way ticket to a financial disaster?

In this episode, we sit down with M&A experts Seth Rudin and Paul Long to peel back the curtain on the deals that never made it to the finish line—and some that did, only to become nightmares.

From Chinese tariffs crushing margins overnight to police arriving at a contract signing to arrest an employee for embezzlement, these aren't your typical "guru" success stories.

We explore the high-stakes world of mergers and acquisitions, the "invisible" red flags in due diligence, and the hard-won lessons every entrepreneur needs to know before signing an LOI.

#Entrepreneurship #BusinessAcquisition #MandA #SmallBusiness #BusinessStrategy #Investing #PrivateEquity #SethRudin #PaulLong #BusinessDisasters #DueDiligence #SearchFund #SMB #BusinessOwner #VentureCapital #Startups #FinancialFreedom #CorporateFinance #RiskManagement #DealFlow #ScalingBusiness

Success in M&A isn't just about finding the right target—it is about finding the right banker.

In this episode, Billy Huntley of Washington Trust Bank explains what business owners need to know about banking solutions when acquiring a company.

We explore how to structure your debt, what lenders look for in a buyer, and the common mistakes that kill deals during the financing stage.

If you are looking to grow through acquisition, this deep dive into the world of commercial lending is a must-listen.

#Podcast #BusinessPodcast #Acquisitions #Banking #Finance #MandA #Entrepreneur #Lending #BusinessGrowth #Investment #WashingtonTrust #CEO #FinancialFreedom #Success

Operating a successful C-store is about more than just selling fuel—it is about mastering the retail ecosystem.

In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Elliott of Stuart Range Consulting to discuss the nuances of optimizing gas stations for maximum cash flow.

We explore inventory selection, layout efficiency, and the common pitfalls that keep owners from hitting their true profit potential. If you want to turn your retail location into a high-performance asset, this conversation is essential listening.

Joined today by Bryan Elliott from Stuart Range Consulting

#Podcast #BusinessPodcast #GasStation #CStore #Entrepreneurship #RetailStrategy #ProfitGrowth #BusinessOwner #Consulting #WealthBuilding #CommercialReal Estate #Management #SuccessMindset