What if the key to financial freedom isn’t making more money… but using the money you already have differently?

In this episode, I sit down with Howard Polansky, a former dentist turned “financial doctor”, who walks us through a strategy that completely reframes how we think about debt, cash flow, and leverage.

We unpack a strategy that challenges conventional thinking about debt, interest rates, and liquidity. Instead of obsessing over percentages, this conversation reframes the focus to what really impacts your life and business every 30 days — payments and cash flow.

You’ll learn how lines of credit can be used strategically, why discipline matters more than math, and how improving liquidity can accelerate your goals without increasing revenue.

This episode isn’t about financial hacks.

It’s about leverage, structure, and creating freedom sooner.

If you want your money working as hard as you do, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn

• Why focusing on interest rates can cost you more
• How lines of credit actually function
• The risks involved and how to avoid them
• How to improve cash flow without increasing revenue
• Why liquidity matters more than most people realize
• How strategic leverage can accelerate life goals

What happens when you launch a dessert brand in the middle of a global shutdown… scale it to 31 locations… and then face economic whiplash, legal chaos, and a near-hostile takeover?

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Thomas, co-founder of Cookie Co., to unpack one of the most honest entrepreneurial journeys we’ve ever had on BizNinja. This isn’t just about cookies. It’s about resilience, leadership under pressure, and what it really takes to rebuild when everything feels like it’s unraveling.

Matt didn’t plan to build a national cookie brand during a pandemic. But when his branding agency collapsed in March 2020, he and his wife Elise went all-in on Cookie Co.—a passion project born from her lifelong love of baking.

From selling cookies out of their garage (while neighbors suspected something sketchy) to hitting $1.3M in year one, the growth was explosive. Franchise interest poured in. Within a few years, they reached 31 locations across multiple states.

Then the economy shifted.

Eggs and butter doubled. Inflation soared. Franchisees struggled. A strategic partnership turned into a legal nightmare involving system lockouts and reputational damage.

Through it all, Matt shares what he’s learned about resilience, leadership, ego, and the brutal honesty entrepreneurship demands.

This episode is about grit. And it’s about evolving before the market forces you to.

What You'll Learn

• Why door-to-door sales is one of the best entrepreneurial training grounds
• How Cookie Co. scaled to 31 locations during economic uncertainty
• The hidden complexities of franchising
• What happens when inflation crushes your margins overnight
• How to navigate lawsuits, PR damage, and operational chaos
• Why listening to customers is your most underrated growth strategy
• The mindset shift required to survive and rebuild

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to BizNinja
02:40 Matt’s Early Entrepreneurial Roots
06:30 Launching Cookie Co During COVID
10:00 The Leap Into Franchising
15:50 Inflation Hits and the Real Struggles Begin
19:05 Strategic Partnership Turns Hostile
23:10 The Power of Pivoting and Listening to Customers
27:20 Business as a Vehicle for Life

What if the thing that helps you stand out in a digital world… isn’t more digital?

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Mark Stern, founder of Custom Box Agency, to unpack how physical products are making a serious comeback in business. From flipping Furbies as a teenager to building immersive onboarding experiences for lawyers, authors, and SaaS companies, Mark shares how analog experiences are becoming the secret weapon in a world flooded with AI and digital noise.

We talk about the lessons he learned in corporate America at Deloitte, why being a generalist can hold entrepreneurs back, and how stepping into your zone of genius unlocks true growth. Mark also walks through how physical products like card decks, game boards, and custom boxes can increase acquisition, retention, and lifetime value.

If you’re building a brand and want to create deeper connection, stronger engagement, and real-world impact, this conversation will stretch how you think.

What You'll Learn

• How corporate structure can actually prepare you for entrepreneurship
• Why physical products are gaining power in the age of AI
• The mistake most entrepreneurs make when scaling their business
• How to use physical experiences for customer acquisition and retention
• Why gamifying onboarding increases results and engagement
• The power of dynamic QR codes and hyper-personalization
• How a simple card deck can become a powerful front-end offer
• Why analog experiences create emotional connection and memorability