Épisodes

  • 50 | Gary Kellstrom Jr. - The Solo Founder Betting Everything on a UVC Breakthrough

    50 | Gary Kellstrom Jr. - The Solo Founder Betting Everything on a UVC Breakthrough
    Jul 7 2026
    What if the most dangerous thing in a hospital room is the air itself?Gary Kellstrom Jr. spent 17 years in the medical device industry before betting everything on one idea. He is founder and CEO of Geared Power Biotech, the Wayne, New Jersey startup behind BioGuard UVC, a wearable device that inactivates airborne pathogens in exhaled breath before they reach anyone else.With J. Michael Fischer Jr., Gary explains why he stopped trying to filter the air and started attacking the source. They get into the pivot from a transmission prototype to a pandemic era mask, the FDA Safer Technologies Program, a previous exit that went wrong, and the hard middle of holding patents, awards, and congressional support with no revenue yet. Gary also opens up about his years as a Skip Barber racing driver and what racing at the limit taught him about control.If you want to see what conviction looks like before the win is guaranteed, this is the founder story most people never hear in real time. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – The wearable device built to neutralize pathogens in your breath before they reach anyone else[02:50] – What 17 years inside a medical device giant really taught him[08:28] – The dinner where three neighbors handed him 90,000 dollars without being asked[09:34] – The pandemic pivot that turned a transmission company into a biotech[10:08] – The previous exit that got reverse engineered out from under him[10:58] – Why losing control on paper can still leave you in control[13:52] – How the mask works, and why the chambers matter more than the light[15:06] – The UVC dose that kills Covid, and the 10 times more he applies[17:11] – The emergency room problem that got doctors excited[18:25] – Every win you can imagine, and still pre-revenue. How he holds it together[22:00] – The FDA path that skips the clinical trial, and why it matters[24:09] – From hot rods to pro racing, and where the obsession started[28:43] – What racing at the limit taught him about running a company[31:39] – The hospital statistic that makes the whole market obvious[36:32] – The small decision that quietly changed everythingMentioned ResourcesCrossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. MooreBD (Becton Dickinson)Stevens Institute of TechnologySAPFDA Safer Technologies Program (STeP)NJMEP (New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program)NJBIA (New Jersey Business and Industry Association)HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ)New Jersey Business Action CenterNJEDA (New Jersey Economic Development Authority)Skip Barber Racing SchoolIROC (International Race of Champions)Trans Am Series, SCCA Pro racingWatkins GlenEY Entrepreneur of the YearBioNJNew Jersey Commission on Science and TechnologyAbout the GuestGary Kellstrom Jr. is the founder and CEO of Geared Power Biotech, a Wayne, New Jersey medical device startup developing BioGuard UVC, a wearable, filter free device that uses germicidal UVC light to inactivate airborne pathogens in exhaled breath at the source. A mechanical engineer and Stevens Institute of Technology graduate, he spent 17 years in the medical device industry and is a serial entrepreneur with a prior exit. BioGuard UVC has earned the inaugural Coolest Thing Made in New Jersey award, congressional support, and acceptance into the FDA Safer Technologies Program, and Gary was named a 2026 EY Entrepreneur of the Year New Jersey finalist. He is also a former Skip Barber pro series racing driver.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteImportant LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank.Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    39 min
  • 49 | Michael Balsamo - How to Stop Your Restaurant From Bleeding Cash

    49 | Michael Balsamo - How to Stop Your Restaurant From Bleeding Cash
    Jun 30 2026
    What if most restaurants fail for reasons that have almost nothing to do with the food? Half of them close, and last year nearly 10,000 shut down across America.In this episode, J. Michael Fischer Jr. sits down with Michael Balsamo, founder and CEO of The Sage Advisory Group, to unpack why. Michael grew up in his family's Italian restaurant on Long Island, worked every job from the dish pit to the dining room, and spent 25 years in the industry before building Sage to give independent owners the systems most never have. They get into the three forces every restaurant must manage, the pre-opening mistakes that sink first-time owners, and why trust, not money, is the new currency of business.Thin margins, scarce talent, and passion alone will not keep the lights on. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:03:38] – Growing up behind the line in a family Italian restaurant that lasted 25 years[00:07:08] – Why he walked away from taking over his dad’s restaurant[00:10:01] – The number most owners never hear: how many restaurants quietly close every year[00:11:12] – The three forces every restaurant has to manage, and where most lose control[00:13:33] – The single biggest challenge the industry has faced since COVID[00:14:31] – The pre-opening trap that can flip your P&L upside down before you open[00:15:51] – The three kinds of owners who call Sage, and the best time to reach out[00:18:21] – What actually happens in the first two weeks of a restaurant checkup[00:23:57] – How to fix a struggling restaurant without scaring off your guests[00:25:33] – Why the new currency of business is trust, not money[00:27:42] – Hiring hard: the first move that decides whether your team stays[00:29:59] – The 4th of July mistake that taught him never to manage on impulse[00:33:10] – The habit that keeps him grounded after 25 years in a brutal business[00:35:28] – The small thing that felt like nothing and ended up changing everythingMentioned ResourcesFordham UniversityJohnson & Wales UniversityCon EdisonLenny’s Clam BarBR GuestBLT SteakRunning Your Restaurant With Intention (Michael Balsamo’s upcoming book, working title)About the GuestMichael Balsamo is the founder and CEO of The Sage Advisory Group, a hospitality advisory firm that works hands-on inside independent restaurants to build the financial and operational systems most owners have never had. He grew up in his family’s Italian restaurant on Long Island, earned his degree and MBA from Fordham University, and spent more than 25 years across the industry, from the dish pit to leading teams at respected New York restaurant groups, before founding Sage. He is currently writing a book on running a restaurant with intention.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteImportant LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment BankGoing Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    39 min
  • 48 | Jay David – How to Rescue a Dying Business Before It Is Too Late

    48 | Jay David – How to Rescue a Dying Business Before It Is Too Late
    Jun 23 2026
    What if the numbers you trust most are the ones steering your business into the ground?Jay David has spent his career inside food manufacturing plants, where real decisions carry real consequences. He is a turnaround operator and the author of Turnaround Revelations, and he speaks a language most consultants do not, having lived on both the finance and operations sides of a struggling business.In this conversation with J. Michael Fischer Jr., Jay breaks down the cost of saying yes, why the price your accounting tells you to charge is often the price that starves your business, and how a company can walk away from $700,000 of profit without realizing it. He explains why you can never cut your way back to profitability, what idle equipment and empty desks really signal, and why the moment you are worried about making payroll is the moment it is already too late.If you run or advise a business that is grinding and you cannot figure out why the harder you cut, the worse it gets, this is the perspective most owners only find after the damage is done. The death spiral is quiet until it is not. Listen now.Timestamped Highlights[00:03] Why every yes eventually starts costing you something[02:07] The baseball player who dropped out, then got hooked on a single community college class[05:47] Working doubles, closing the bar at 2 am, and out-earning his own accounting job[08:34] Building a 3D Excel model of the factory floor to see what every decision really costs[09:31] From scorekeeper to player, and running cost accounting for an $850 million company two years out of school[10:42] The billion-dollar land grab that buried the balance sheet in debt[13:06] The first walk-through: what dust, idle machines, and empty desks quietly tell him[16:27] Why he refuses to make friends, and how he delivers the tough medicine anyway[19:13] The cost of saying yes, and why the market already decided your price[23:02] The $700,000 contract a firm walked away from for almost no reason[26:30] The signal that means it is already too late to save the business[27:18] Why you can never cut your way back to profit[28:18] The death spiral that starts when every conversation is about cost[31:01] The small shift from finance to operations that changed how he reads every businessMentioned ResourcesDo Business Better (Jay's consulting firm and website)Turnaround Revelations, Jay David's book on AmazonThe Goal, the manufacturing book Jay recommendsAbout the GuestJay David is a food manufacturing turnaround operator and consultant, and the founder of Do Business Better. Across a career that has run from cost accounting to operations, he has worked inside companies, including a Chicago candy maker, Favorite Brands, Nabisco, and Kraft, helping struggling manufacturers and other businesses fix what is actually broken instead of cutting their way to failure. He is the author of Turnaround Revelations.🔗 LinkedIn | Website Important LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment BankGoing Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    32 min
  • 47 | Why the Biggest Offer Can Cost You Everything

    47 | Why the Biggest Offer Can Cost You Everything
    Jun 16 2026

    What if the highest offer on the table is the one that leaves you with the least?

    A founder once turned down an offer, then a month later celebrated a bigger one that put less money in his pocket. In this solo episode, J. Michael Fischer Jr., Managing Director at DBD Investment Bank, explains how that happens and why the number on the front page of a letter of intent is not the deal.

    Michael breaks down what actually decides what a founder keeps: cash at close, rollover equity, earnouts, escrows, the working capital peg, asset versus stock structure, and tax exposure. He shows why the highest bid is rarely the best bid, why you have to diligence the buyer as hard as they diligence you, and why the strongest exits are built 12 to 24 months before a sale ever starts.

    If you are years of work away from the most important financial moment of your life, this is the perspective most founders only get after it is too late. The champagne runs out. The structure is what you live with. Listen now.

    Timestamped Highlights
    • [00:00] – The offer that paid less than the smaller one he turned down a month earlier
    • [00:40] – Why the big number on the LOI feels like the deal, and why it isn’t
    • [01:44] – How a single $50 million offer can mean two completely different lives
    • [02:43] – The line between a real exit and a job with a closing dinner
    • [03:22] – The “fine print” that is actually the entire deal
    • [04:37] – Why selling to private equity often means choosing your next boss
    • [04:53] – The reason the highest bid is almost never the best bid
    • [05:51] – The buyer you forgot to diligence, and why it costs you later
    • [06:59] – Why the best exits start 12 to 24 months before the sale
    • [07:54] – The one crack in your story that quietly drains your price
    • [08:05] – The invisible asset that holds every deal together
    • [09:38] – Valuation or outcome? The question that changes everything

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    10 min
  • 46 | Eric LeGrand – Can Your Worst Setback Become Your Greatest Business Edge?

    46 | Eric LeGrand – Can Your Worst Setback Become Your Greatest Business Edge?
    Jun 9 2026
    What if your greatest setback became your launchpad for impact and growth? In this episode, J. Michael Fischer Jr. sits down with Eric LeGrand, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and founder of LeGrand Coffee House and Eric LeGrand Bourbon. They dive deep into the raw realities of starting over after unimaginable adversity, challenging common myths about resilience, business, and success.Through candid stories and actionable lessons, Eric unpacks what it truly means to hustle, lead, and build wealth without shortcuts or gloss. This is not a highlight reel, but a playbook for those who refuse to quit. If you miss this episode, you miss the real stories and strategies that separate passionate survivors from passive dreamers. Listen now to claim practical insight you will not find anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights00:05 – The brutal truth behind business “overnight” success05:29 – Eric reveals the daily grind (and the real face of the hustle)11:58 – The single hospital moment that shifted Eric’s entire mindset13:55 – How elite athlete discipline became his recovery superpower16:05 – Resilience decoded: instincts, training, and relentless belief18:23 – What a “bad day” really looks like after starting over24:00 – The wild leap from motivational speaking to coffee entrepreneur28:51 – Why most business owners misunderstand profit (and what it actually takes)32:04 – The expensive, high-stakes world of launching a spirits brandMentioned ResourcesLeGrand Coffee HouseEric LeGrand WhiskeyChristopher & Dana Reeve FoundationBrian Axelrod (business partner)Rutgers UniversityCoach Greg SchianoGreen River spiritsMiletto Business AdvisorsACG Corporate Growth AwardsShopRiteNicholas CreameryRosie’s PizzaBroadway ChickenWalk to BelieveKessler InstituteAbout the GuestEric LeGrand is the founder of LeGrand Coffee House and co-founder of Eric LeGrand Bourbon. A nationally recognized motivational speaker and philanthropist, Eric is known for transforming life-changing adversity into a platform for business and community impact. He has been honored with ACG New Jersey’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership and resilience.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteImportant LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment BankGoing Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    43 min
  • 45 | How to Break the Cycle of Forced Succession

    45 | How to Break the Cycle of Forced Succession
    Jun 2 2026

    What if your family business legacy is actually a hidden burden?

    J. Michael Fischer Jr. dives deep into the emotional and strategic fault lines of succession where legacy, guilt, and honest conversations collide. This episode is for founders, operators, and advisors who care about more than just the numbers.

    If you've ever wondered what really happens when your children don’t want the business, or how to know if your succession plan is built on obligation or true desire, this conversation offers surprising clarity. Get ready to challenge what you think you know about legacy and continuity.

    Miss this episode, and you risk repeating the quiet mistakes that break families and companies alike. Listen now for honest, actionable strategies and discover why going beyond the deal is the only way to future-proof your legacy.

    Timestamped Highlights
    • 00:26 – The silent burden founders feel about legacy and identity
    • 01:35 – The brutal reality when the next generation rejects the business
    • 02:55 – Why irrelevance—not failure—is the real fear in succession
    • 04:22 – What children see versus what founders believe about the family business
    • 05:16 – How guilt and secrecy create fragile succession plans
    • 06:10 – Why legacy and obligation are dangerously different
    • 09:35 – The hidden signs your successor wants approval, not ownership
    • 11:31 – The pivotal moment: When honesty finally breaks the cycle

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    13 min
  • 44 | Dr. Maria Kunstadter – How Teledentistry Is Breaking Barriers to Better Health

    44 | Dr. Maria Kunstadter – How Teledentistry Is Breaking Barriers to Better Health
    May 26 2026
    Do you really understand the hidden link between your mouth and your overall health?In this high-impact episode, J. Michael Fischer Jr. sits down with Dr. Maria Kunstadter, CEO and co-founder of The Teledentist, to reveal why virtual dental care is so much more than a convenience. It’s a lifeline for millions missing out on essential oral health. They unpack the surprising ways virtual consults are crushing access barriers, breaking down old-school resistance, and quietly transforming how trust and results are built in healthcare.If you think a toothache is “just dental,” you’re missing the bigger, costlier risk to your health and wallet. Listen now to discover bold, exclusive strategies and untold stories from inside the revolution before your competitors or colleagues catch on. Your future advantage is waiting. Don’t let old thinking hold you back.Timestamped Highlights00:32 – The shocking cost of emergency dental visits no one talks about04:42 – The moment teledentistry exploded overnight (and why)07:26 – The three pillars that turn virtual consults into real results08:44 – What a 95 net promoter score really says about patient trust10:44 – How The Teledentist gets desperate patients fast access12:07 – Competition enters the scene and shifts the entire landscape13:45 – The crucial pilot that could save hospitals millions this year17:42 – Rural health secrets that cut 180-mile drives to one simple call19:24 – The invisible link between oral disease and your most costly health problemsMentioned ResourcesCignaAnthemAmerican Dental AssociationHenry Ford MuseumWebMDWorld Health OrganizationUniversity of Missouri Kansas City Dental SchoolBecker’s ConferenceVSee (telehealth platform host)About the GuestDr. Maria Kunstadter is CEO and co-founder of The Teledentist, a pioneer in 24/7 nationwide virtual dental care. With a rich background in clinical dentistry and healthcare leadership, she has driven innovation for patient access, championed medical-dental integration, and led key initiatives to serve vulnerable populations.🔗 LinkedIn | WebsiteImportant LinksFeel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment BankGoing Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    35 min
  • 43 | Amy Hedrick – Why Ignoring Device Hygiene Could Cost You Big

    43 | Amy Hedrick – Why Ignoring Device Hygiene Could Cost You Big
    May 19 2026

    What if the unseen threat in your daily tech use is more dangerous and more addressable than you think?

    In this episode, Amy Hedrick, CEO and founder of Cleanbox Technology, shares how a single unnoticed risk ignited a revolution in technology hygiene. Joined by your host, they dive deep into the urgent and overlooked dangers of shared devices, unpacking the surprising business opportunity lurking in plain sight. You'll hear untold stories of pivoting through pandemics, navigating brutal manufacturing realities, and the ruthless gap between brilliant ideas and execution.

    If you miss this conversation, you’ll risk being blindsided by threats to your business and personal safety that most still ignore. Listen now for real-world lessons in spotting hidden opportunities and building the solutions the world quietly needs. This episode reveals what others won’t before your competitors catch on.

    Timestamped Highlights

    00:24 – The overlooked threat hiding in your daily tech routine

    02:53 – The breakthrough realization that transformed an industry

    04:12 – Why solving the invisible risk is bigger than the tech itself

    06:20 – The simple science powering Cleanbox’s device safety

    09:05 – One minute to surprising results: Game-changing disinfection

    12:05 – Becoming the pick and shovel in a suddenly crowded industry

    16:19 – The brutal gap between innovation and execution

    18:50 – Pandemic chaos: What it really took to deliver under pressure

    25:15 – The industry secrets Amy used to stay far ahead

    Mentioned Resources
    • Smithsonian Institute
    • Mobile World Congress
    • IUVA (International UV Association)
    • UV Safe
    • ASTM

    About the Guest

    Amy Hedrick is the CEO and founder of Cleanbox Technology, a pioneer in UVC LED device hygiene solutions. With over a decade innovating in technology and manufacturing, she has led Cleanbox to market leadership across healthcare, education, and enterprise sectors. Amy Hedrick is recognized for her industry advocacy and commitment to next-generation tech safety.

    🔗 LinkedIn | Website

    Important Links
    • Feel Fully Alive: The 5 Dimensions of Vitality gives you the framework to thrive. Get your copy here.
    • Stay Ahead in Business: Michael shares strategies to boost your financial decisions. Read his latest blog.
    • Grow Your Wealth: Book a call with DBD Investment Bank

    Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
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    32 min