Chad Nikkel is a Business Guide at Next Level Growth, a firm that helps entrepreneurs and leadership teams scale their companies while maintaining a work-life balance. With over 25 years of experience, he has founded and scaled 11 businesses, including facilitating seven acquisitions and four high-value exits.
Ashley Richards is the Founder and CEO of E Squared Marketing, a digital marketing agency dedicated to helping service-based businesses grow through smart strategy, standout content, and meaningful connections. Ashley is passionate about creating flexible work environments, particularly in supporting working mothers in balancing their careers and families.
Vincent Moiso is the Founder and President of VIS Business Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, sales, and operations for small businesses in the flooring industry. Vincent is actively involved in industry organizations and has contributed to various technical committees and educational programs.
Don Williams is the CEO of Don Williams Global, a consulting firm that assists businesses in enhancing sales, marketing, and customer experience strategies. Don also hosts The Proven Entrepreneur Show, which shares insights on business growth and leadership.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- [1:47] Chad Nikkel shares lessons from building 11 businesses, surviving bankruptcy, and losing $6.5M in a deal gone wrong
- [6:20] How Ashley Richards launched E Squared Marketing as a new mom and built a team of working moms
- [12:32] Vincent Moiso reflects on leaving a partnership, starting a consulting firm, and running multiple businesses across industries
- [18:52] Don Williams recounts how EO helped him through a tough divorce and led him to chair a record-breaking EO event
In this episode…
Building a business is not just about strategy or hustle. For many entrepreneurs, real growth comes from community, vulnerability, and stepping up to lead. What does this look like in practice
Chad Nikkel built and exited 11 companies, learning a painful lesson about bankruptcy after losing millions in a deal gone wrong. Ashley Richards turned a blurry season of diapers and deadlines into a thriving agency that champions working moms. Vincent Moiso walked away from a stalled partnership, started fresh, and ran companies spanning consulting, litigation, and manufacturing. EO carried Don Williams through a brutal divorce, and saying yes to service helped him lead one of the most impactful events in the organization’s history.
In this episode of the Rising Entrepreneurs Podcast, recorded live at the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Leadership Conference in Honolulu, you’ll hear how these leaders turned setbacks into purpose, why serving others can be the most powerful growth strategy, and how EO continues to shape their journeys.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
- John Corcoran on LinkedIn
- Dr. Jeremy Weisz on LinkedIn
- Rise25
- EO San Francisco
- Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Leadership Conference 2025
- Chad Nikkel: LinkedIn | Instagram
- Next Level Growth
- EO Arizona
- EO Alchemy 2025
- Ashley Richards on LinkedIn
- E Squared Marketing: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn
- Vincent Moiso on LinkedIn
- VIS Business Group LLC
- Don Williams: LinkedIn | Email | Phone no.: (817) 691-4366
- Don Williams Global
- Jesse Itzler
- Jess Sims on LinkedIn
- Jon Gordon
- EO XCentric
Quotable Moments:
- “Made a mistake, you know, got sued, couldn’t pay it, you know, and ultimately had to file bankruptcy.”
- “I had two babies and a business. It was a blurry time in my life, but man, what a beautiful story it led to.”
- “I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I just knew I needed to get into a business, I needed to have ownership.”
- “My only regret in EO is that I didn’t join way back when it was YEO and I was a young entrepreneur.”
- “I always tell people, learn from my mistakes, I’ll help you through those things.”
Action Steps:
- Embrace vulnerability when sharing your story: Opening up about personal failures builds trust and inspires others to grow through adversity.
- Get involved in peer-led leadership communities: Joining organizations like EO connects you with entrepreneurs who support, challenge, and elevate each other.
- Say yes to leadership opportunities: Stepping into roles like event chair or committee lead strengthens your skills and expands your influence.
- Build a business that reflects your values: Aligning your company with your personal mission creates authenticity, attracts like-minded people, and drives fulfillment.
- Normalize life-work integration: Embracing your identity as a parent and entrepreneur fosters deeper relationships with clients and your team.
Sponsor for this episode…
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Episode Transcript:
Intro: 00:02
Welcome to the Rising Entrepreneurs Podcast, where we feature top founders and entrepreneurs and their journey. Now let’s get started with the show.
John Corcoran: 00:12
Hey everybody, this is John Corcoran with Dr. Jeremy Weisz, and this episode is a little bit different. This is a live interview that we recorded at the Global Leadership Conference from Entrepreneurs’ Organization, where some of the best entrepreneurs from around the globe share ideas and to learn about entrepreneurship. And of course, this episode is brought to you by Rise25, where we help B2B businesses to give to and to connect to their Dream 100 relationships and partnerships, helping you to run a podcast so that it generates a referral pipeline and ROI.
Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 00:44
Yeah, I mean, John, after both of us have been podcasting for over a decade, the number one thing in our life is relationships, and we’re always looking at ways to give to our best relationships, and we found no better way to do that over the past decade than to profile the people and companies we admire and shout from the rooftops what they’re working on and this interview is no different. So if you’ve thought about podcasting, you should go to rise 25.com to learn more or email us at. Support@rise25.com.
John Corcoran: 01:11
Thanks everyone. Enjoy the interview.
Dr. Jeremy Weisz: 01:12
Enjoy.
John Corcoran: 01:27
Hey everyone. John Corcoran here coming to you live from Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Leadership Conference in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii in 2025. I am from San Francisco and also Rise25, and I’m here with Chad Nikkel and Chad. You’ve got 11 different businesses over the years. And tell us a little bit about what business you’re focused on now, because I know you have a lot.
Chad Nikkel: 01:47
Yeah, yeah for sure. Thanks, John, for having me. 11 businesses, basically serial entrepreneur. I think it’s a sickness at this point. Right.
So in their seven acquisitions and sold four of them, two to private equity. So currently I’m a leadership team coach and just do business growth. Like, like really help you grow your business, get to that next level. I like to call it the return on life, right. Get you that return on life as an entrepreneur.
And that’s Next Level Growth. So the website’s nextlevelgrowth.com
John Corcoran: 02:12
And if you could going back looking back on all these all these highs and lows of entrepreneurship, is there one like really challenging period that you can think about that you can share that people can maybe relate to? Yeah. You know, having gone and survived through something like that.
Chad Nikkel: 02:27
Yeah. Yeah for sure. I mean, I may think back a couple, a couple like big things stick out, right? So I filed bankruptcy on my first company.
John Corcoran: 02:36
I think it was your starter company.
Chad Nikkel: 02:37
I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Well it was my starter company, but it was a ways into it. I think I was like 21, 22 at the time.
Made a mistake, you know, got sued, couldn’t pay it, you know, and ultimately had to file bankruptcy and close that company down. And that was the only time I punched a time clock really in my life. I went went to work for Learjet. I’m a pilot, so I love airplanes. I went to work for Learjet for a bit.
So that was a hard time. But then further in life I had a very large business, large operating roofing company in the Front Range of Colorado. Sold that to private equity. Made a mistake in the purchase agreement in the last $6.5 million on the table. Uncollected.
So. Wow. Yeah, there’s a there’s a thing or two there that, you know, has been along the way. So I always tell people, learn from my mistakes, I’ll help you through those things. You know, try and avoid the the bankruptcies.
John Corcoran: 03:20
And now you’re active in in EO, you’re incoming president and you’re also chairing Alchemy, which is the conference that’s happening in Scottsdale in October of this year. Talk a little bit about what EO has meant for you and how it has helped you as an entrepreneur.
Chad Nikkel: 03:34
Yeah for sure. Yeah. I’m incoming president for EO Arizona. We’re a great chapter in Arizona, 220 members and you know, excited but a little bit of imposter syndrome to take this thing over. Like, you know, why’d they pick me?
Right. So here we go. But EO has meant an awful lot along the way, though. You know, I was there for my divorce. It’s been there through, you know, highs and lows.
My, you know, my mother passed away from an aneurysm. My forum was there for all of that. Lots of things with EO has been there to support, you know, the highs of it as well, right? You know, going through forums, it’s, you know, changing a forum, actually building a new forum and just the global community. I’ve met so many awesome entrepreneurs all around the world that have been there for me.
You know, just like here at TLC, you know, you see somebody that you haven’t seen in 4 or 5 years from, you know, from the Middle East or Europe or whatever. And it’s it’s amazing to just spend time with them. So yeah.
John Corcoran: 04:21
Yeah. And give us a little preview about Alchemy. I’ve been to the last four alchemy. So I’m super excited to come, but it’s going to be in Scottsdale in October.
Chad Nikkel: 04:29
Yeah, super excited to have you, John. So Alchemy Scottsdale this year comes in the middle of October. So October 14 to 16in Scottsdale. Perfect time of year to be in Scottsdale. Got an amazing hotel, an amazing deal.
It’s basically half price of what the normal rate is. So the J.W. Marriott Camelback like looks out on Camelback. It’s it’s incredible hotel incredible space. But alchemy is this year we’ve got some incredible speakers. Jesse Itzler kicking us off.
We’ve got Jess Sims from Peloton, you know, doing some workouts with us. And, you know, awesome hikes, some wine tours, some really, really cool stuff. Some some secretive, you know, stuff that we probably won’t tell you about until the last, but really awesome stuff. And we’re excited to have.
John Corcoran: 05:08
You and the best time of year to come to Scottsdale to October.
Chad Nikkel: 05:11
Yeah, 100%. Yeah. The weather’s just kind of starting to cool down. You can still enjoy the time with the pool and time. Time with the spa.
Play some golf. We’ve got a really cool golf tournament. Bad birdies like sponsoring and providing a lot of gear for the golfers. That’s going to be super cool. But yeah, EO com is how you sign up.
We’ve got a couple of spots left. But you know come check us out. It’s going to be awesome.
John Corcoran: 05:31
Great. And where can people go to learn more about you and about your coaching business.
Chad Nikkel: 05:34
Yeah sure. My coaching business NextLevelGrowth.com. You know follow me on Instagram. My name is Chad Nikkel.
That’s another way, you know, just reach out. You know however, I’d love to connect with people. I love to just, you know, sit down and talk, you know, talk business, you know, have a beer, have a coffee and chill but really want to connect with me. Come to Scottsdale. eoalchemy.com in October.
John Corcoran: 05:55
Don’t message them on LinkedIn. Just come to the conference. All right Chad, thanks.
Chad Nikkel: 05:58
So find me there. We’ll hang.
John Corcoran: 05:59
Out. Yes. Thanks so much.
Chad Nikkel: 06:01
Thanks, John.
John Corcoran: 06:02
Hey, everyone. John Corcoran, I’m coming to you. Live from Entrepreneurs Organization’s Global Leadership Conference here in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, 2025. I’m here with Ashley Richards from E Squared Marketing Group. I believe it is.
And Ashley, you’re from Arizona. Tell us about your company and we’ll get into this whole story behind how you started it.
Ashley Richards: 06:20
Awesome. So I’m a third generation Arizona native. So very deep roots in the Valley. I own a digital marketing agency and it’s actually named after my kids. So my daughter Ellie and my son Eli.
I left my corporate job nine years ago to start my agency, and they’re really my why on why I’m here.
John Corcoran: 06:35
Do they tell mom all the time that they actually own the business because it’s named after them? Because my kids would probably.
Ashley Richards: 06:40
Do that all the time. They think they think they work there.
John Corcoran: 06:43
And you started it nine years ago. Tell us a little bit about how it started. Were you working in a marketing job and decided to go out on your own?
Ashley Richards: 06:49
Yeah, I mean, I have a degree in marketing. I’ve been doing marketing for a really long time. And, you know, I had my first born, I had my daughter in my arms. And I was in these crossroads of, do I go back to work full time? Do I be a stay at home mom, you know, and in that time, Nine years ago, working remote was weird and so I felt like I was in this crossroad, like, what do I want to do?
And I really felt strongly I could do both and I could do it well. So my husband really encouraged me to take a leap of faith, and I’m like, I’m just going to quit my job and start doing consulting work. And so I was doing consulting work. I had my son quickly thereafter. So I had two babies and a business.
It was a blurry time in my life, but man, what a beautiful story it led to. And so now I have a team of 30 women and 80% of my team is working moms. So I’m really big on advocating for the working mom. And it’s just been a fun journey, a fun ride.
John Corcoran: 07:32
We have a lot of working moms as well. I’m a big fan. Want something done? Give it to a working mom to do. They will get it done for sure.
So that’s a big team. What were the challenges in the early years though? Two young kids building up a business, satisfying clients. That sounds really difficult. How did you manage to, like staff up and get your stuff done?
Ashley Richards: 07:50
I think one of the challenges was I felt like I had to act like I was a corporate mom, right? Like I felt like I struggled to get a phone call at 10 a.m. and I’d like, run outside because I didn’t want him to know that my kids were at home with me. And so my struggles looked a little bit different than most entrepreneurs, but mine was balancing. I remember setting my kids up in front of a show and snacks, and I’d go outside and slide the glass door because I wanted to be professional. And so the quicker that I got over that and knowing that all my clients knew I worked from home, they loved the mission and the movement of what our agency was about.
That if you’re going to call me, you might hear my kids in the background and it’s still like that today, right? If client calls me past 5:00, I’m probably at a sporting event or picking my kids up, and they know that, you know, I can’t tell you how many times I was on zoom calls where I’m like, you know, my kids are home sick. And they’d make an appearance right in the zoom meetings. And I think the quicker that I realize that, that that community could just blend well, I could be a mom, I could be a working mom, I could do all these hard things together. And just how open my clients were about it was just incredible.
So our challenges were a little different.
John Corcoran: 08:47
There must have been it must have been a little scary stepping into that, though, in the early days, a little bit. Did you have doubt, like, should I really be revealing this?
Ashley Richards: 08:54
Yeah, I live in discomfort. I love it if I’m not uncomfortable, I’m not growing. And so that’s always been a big movement of mine. I had a pretty rough childhood, and that has led me to just really be resilient. And so I loved the challenge.
And with my husband’s support of knowing he’s never going to let me fall, let’s try this out, take some risks. And that’s where I was able to get the reward from it.
John Corcoran: 09:15
Let’s talk about alchemy. You are involved in alchemy. It’s the US West Region for Entrepreneurs’ Organization conference coming up this year in Scottsdale in October. Tell us a little about your role in it and what you guys are going to be featuring.
Ashley Richards: 09:30
Yeah, we’re really excited to host this year. It’s October 14th through the 16th in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. You don’t want to be anywhere else in October.
John Corcoran: 09:38
Beautiful time of year.
Ashley Richards: 09:39
It’s going to be stunning. And I’m leading all the marketing and communications for The Alchemy this year. And I love my team. There’s seven of us that are all Arizona members that are leading the charge, and it’s just an honor to lead with them and put together some incredible speaking events and opportunities for our members to come and experience alchemy.
John Corcoran: 09:55
And you have Jesse Itzler is coming and a few other announced speakers.
Ashley Richards: 09:59
We do. Jesse Itzler is coming. Jon Gordon is coming. Several other ones you’re not going to want to miss. We’re going to be doing an Alchemy Cup.
So a tournament with some special guests as well.
John Corcoran: 10:10
Very on brand.
Ashley Richards: 10:10
Yes, very on brand for Scottsdale. And some really cool experiences too. Going out to Phoenix Raceway and getting a meet and greet with the founder of that. So some really cool, like unforgettable things that you are going to be able to enjoy in Scottsdale.
John Corcoran: 10:23
And I assume you’ve been to other alchemy’s before. Why did you want to get involved in doing that? Because that’s a heavy lift. A lot of work for you.
Ashley Richards: 10:30
You know, EO has done so much for me that it’s very easy for me to give back. And those that are leading our co-chairs, our mentors of mine, they’re incredible leaders, so I can never say no to them. And so I really love the challenge of going. I’ve served a lot locally. And so the challenge of serving regionally was really just exciting for me.
So that’s what made me excited. I’ve never hosted an alchemy. I wasn’t a member when we hosted ten years ago. So something new to to challenge myself on with a community that I love so much.
John Corcoran: 10:57
And in the marketing world, what are you focused on now with with changes that are coming down the pike, with AI and content creation and stuff like that. What are you seeing working? What are you focused on?
Ashley Richards: 11:08
Yeah. So our agency really specializes in the organic content creation and we manage all the pages. So all the customer service. And so we’re seeing a big push. That customer service is what you expect on social media.
If you buy a shirt and you don’t like it, you’re going to send a direct message to that company. And so we are the receiving end of that where the customer service. So we are really leaning in on AI.
John Corcoran: 11:26
That’s a big change from the traditional role of marketing. Right?
Ashley Richards: 11:29
It is a very big change. But you know, still people connect on human to human level. So we are leaning into tools for AI. Absolutely. But we’re still seeing this need and demand for authentic connection and relationship, even digitally.
And so we get to connect kind of the both worlds of nurturing AI, but still having that human to human connection as well.
John Corcoran: 11:48
Yeah. That’s great. Where can people go to learn more about your company and also, of course, about alchemy?
Ashley Richards: 11:53
Yeah. So esquaredmarketing.com of course, we have a really fun Instagram page and LinkedIn and then eoalchemy.com for the upcoming alchemy.
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