Episodes
Dec. 24, 2024
EP.09 - From Intern to Industry Leader: George Zlatin’s SEO Story
In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with George Zlatin, co-founder of Digital Third Coast, a Chicago-based SEO and digital marketing agency. George shares his unconventional entry into the digital m...
Dec. 17, 2024
EP.08 - Building Trust Through Authentic Content: David Flanagan's Story
In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with David Flanagan, founder of The Rawkode Academy and a veteran in developer advocacy. David shares his entrepreneurial journey, from building a niche YouTube c...
Dec. 10, 2024
EP.07 - Mastering Business Finances with Chris Gwinn
In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Chris Gwinn, founder of Midwest CFO, a fractional CFO firm helping small businesses thrive by optimizing financial strategies and preparing for growth or exi...
Dec. 3, 2024
EP.06 - Building Resilience: Kon Kruglyak on Staffing Challenges and Entrepreneurial Growth
In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes speaks with Kon Kruglyak, founder of Candidate IQ, about the realities of starting a staffing business in challenging economic times. Kon shares his journey from corporate ...
Nov. 26, 2024
EP.05 - Building Beyond Boundaries: Kurt Schnakenberg's Journey from Chicago Brass to ADBM
In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Kurt Schnakenberg, co-founder of Chicago Brass and ADBM, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative approaches he’s using to redefine his indu...
Nov. 19, 2024
EP.04 - Building Businesses That Last: Karl and Manny’s Journey
In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes invites his business partner and close friend, Manuel Weiss, to share their dynamic journey of entrepreneurship, partnership, and building lasting businesses. From Manuel’s ...
Nov. 12, 2024
EP.03 - From Sales to Startup: Jared Gibson’s Insights on Building a LinkedIn-Focused Agency
In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes is joined by Jared Gibson, co-founder of Outworks, a marketing agency helping founders and executives build influence on LinkedIn. Jared shares his transition from a traditi...
Nov. 5, 2024
EP.02 - Building Strong Roots: Shannon Beasley on Local SEO and Growth Strategies
In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes sits down with Shannon Beasley, founder of Acorn to Oak Strategies, to discuss her path from a biomedical engineering student to a local SEO agency owner. Shannon shares how...
Oct. 28, 2024
EP.01 - Navigating Personal Branding with Sunny Shah: Community, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship
In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes sits down with Sunny Shah, founder of SunnyCreators, a digital marketing and personal branding agency. At just 28, Sunny has built his name in Chicago’s entrepreneurship and...