What exactly does a Fractional VP of Sales do, and when does a business need one?

In this episode of Up In Your (Family) Business, Todd Rimer talks with Patrick O'Donnell, founder and president of Top Tier Selling Solutions and a licensed Sales Xceleration Advisor based in Indianapolis.

Patrick brings 30 years of award-winning sales leadership experience to small and mid-size businesses that are ready to grow but aren't sure what's holding them back, collaborating with owners across industries like healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and technology to build the sales strategy, structure, and talent needed to move from unpredictable revenue to sustainable growth.

Patrick shares how he evaluates a company's sales strategy, process, talent, technology, and infrastructure before developing a custom plan tailored to its needs. He explains why fractional leadership goes beyond traditional consulting. Through his approach of diagnose, prescribe, and implement, he works alongside the sales team rather than simply providing recommendations from the sidelines.

Todd and Patrick also discuss the importance of owner self-awareness, why sales and marketing need to remain aligned, the value of giving every voice on a sales team a seat in the assessment process, the challenges of changing long-standing sales habits, and AI readiness. As a business owner himself, Patrick speaks to what it means to be a true critical partner who is willing to tell a business owner what they need to hear.

Patrick also shares examples of successful engagements that ultimately resulted in his helping clients hire a full-time sales leader to take over the organization he helped build.

What does it mean to step into leadership of a family business that has been serving its community for more than a century?

In this episode of Up In Your (Family) Business, host Todd Rimer talks with Anna Lokers, fifth-generation owner of Lokers Shoes located in downtown Holland, Michigan.

Anna's journey with the family business began as a middle schooler working part-time alongside her father. She officially joined Lokers Shoes full-time in 2010 and became an owner in 2019, making her the first woman to lead the business and the first to bring a non-family business partner into ownership.

Founded in 1913, Lokers Shoes has evolved through five generations while staying grounded in what has always mattered most: people. Anna shares the lesson from her grandfather that continues to guide her: "Every customer is a blessing." And she talks about the relationships with customers and employees that make the business special.

This fun and wide-ranging conversation explores Anna's unexpected path to ownership, what she has learned along the way, the traditions she has carried forward, the things she and her business partner are doing differently, and what it means to run a family business in a community like Holland.

Anna also shares what goes into choosing the brands and products Lokers Shoes carries, why she personally wears many of them, and what she hopes people experience when they walk through the store's doors.

It's a personal look at the people, personality, history, and heart behind Lokers Shoes, and the fifth generation carrying its legacy forward.

Jaclyn Ricci had no formal business training. What she had was street smarts, an entrepreneurial spirit, a strong lifelong work ethic, and a determination to succeed.

She shares how she built The LadyBug Pest & Wildlife Control from the ground up into a six-time IndyStar Best Pest Control award winner, and how she's created a workplace people don't want to leave.

Jaclyn is a licensed structural pest control and nuisance wildlife operator who now speaks at conferences across the country and sits on planning committees for Purdue's Pest Management Conference and the Indiana Pest Management Association.

She talks about what it's like leading in a male-dominated industry, the lessons from her first year in business, and the story behind releasing over 1,000 bats from a church in Zionsville.

Jaclyn also opens up about running a family business with her husband Johnny, and son Jadin, and her plan to scale The LadyBug from $3M to $5M in the next two years.

She also breaks down the systems and culture behind her team's growth, from onboarding to promotion, and why so many of her employees choose to build a career at The LadyBug.

If you're a family business owner figuring things out as you go, or you're looking for a place to work where you can grow professionally and build a career, not just clock in for a job, this conversation is for you.

Other than the founding of the business, succession from one generation to the next is the most important event a multigenerational family business will ever experience.

And yet, most owners delay it, treating succession like something they can deal with later, when retirement is closer, when the next generation is ready, or when it feels more urgent.

That waiting creates real risk and often leads to poor outcomes, and the challenge doesn't rest only with the owners.

Many next-generation leaders are unsure, or unwilling, to take over at all.

In reality, succession is rarely as straightforward as simply preparing the next generation to step into leadership and ownership.

In this episode, Todd Rimer sits down with Bob Paden, a business broker and advisor, owner of Bob Paden Group, a member of Advanced Business Brokers, and a licensed Value Builder professional, to explore what succession planning actually looks like for family businesses.

Bob shares what owners need to understand to protect the value of their business and the legacy behind it.

This conversation goes beyond theory.

Through real-world scenarios, emotional dynamics, and practical steps, Todd and Bob discuss what owners can do right now, before they're forced to, or before it's too late.

Todd Rimer sits down with Rodney Wead, Strategic Partner at Schooley Mitchell, to explore a financial reality many growing businesses experience, but few fully understand.

Revenue is increasing, yet cash feels tighter.
Work is expanding, yet margins feel pressured.
Growth is happening, yet financial stress remains.

Why?

Because growth brings complexity. More employees, more vendors, more software, more contracts, more recurring costs, and more financial commitments that don't go away when sales fluctuate.

While inflation and rising prices play a role, much of the financial pressure businesses feel actually comes from inside their own operations. The systems that worked when a company was smaller often can't support the demands of scale.

This conversation explores why cost control often improves profit faster than revenue growth, how unmanaged contracts and recurring expenses quietly drain margins, and why many businesses can uncover meaningful savings without changing vendors or disrupting operations.

If your company is growing but financial pressure hasn't eased, this episode will help you understand why and what to do about it.

Podcasting isn't about going viral. It is about building relationships, credibility, and community over time.

In this episode of Up In Your (Family) Business, Todd Rimer chats with fellow host Kyle Corbin, creator of the Made In Indiana podcast, to talk about why he started the show, what problem it was built to solve, and how podcasting has become one of the most underutilized business tools for entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses.

Kyle shares the purpose behind Made In Indiana, how inviting others into the spotlight builds trust faster than traditional marketing, and why being a guest on podcasts is just as valuable as hosting one. Todd and Kyle compare notes as hosts, discussing identity, brand voice, preparation, guest experience, and how a podcast allows people to know your expertise, personality, beliefs, and values long before a sales conversation ever happens.

They also tackle a common obstacle that Kyle experiences often: convincing owners and leaders that they have something worth sharing, and why starting a podcast is not about ego, but about service. If you have ever wondered whether podcasting is worth your time, how it fits into a business strategy, or what makes a show meaningful instead of noisy, this episode will provide the insights to help you make that decision for yourself and your brand.

Business owners face a unique challenge: how to reward key employees, protect their business, and prepare for retirement, all without overpaying in taxes or relying solely on selling the company someday.

In this episode of Up In Your (Family) Business, host Todd Rimer welcomes back Alex Parrish, Financial Advisor and Director at The Spectrum Financial Group, joined by her father and company President, Dennis Parrish.

Together, they share creative compensation strategies most business owners have never heard of, from executive bonuses and deferred compensation plans to using permanent life insurance as a tax-advantaged wealth-building tool.

They will discuss why traditional benefits fall short for business owners, how these strategies can help you retain and attract top talent, and how life insurance can serve as both a protection plan and a powerful financial engine for long-term security.

If you're looking for innovative ways to grow, protect, and leverage your business and personal wealth, you won't want to miss this conversation.

Tune in to hear:

• How to use life insurance as a vehicle for compensation, retention, and key employee benefits.

• The tax-smart strategies high-earning business owners are missing out on.

• Why selling your business isn't a retirement plan alone.

• How creative planning with permanent life insurance can build tax-free wealth you can't outlive.

• Real case studies showing how strategic planning enhances both business and personal financial goals.

• The mindset shift from income now to strategic wealth for later.
  
  

If you've ever wondered how to reward your team, protect your business, and lower your tax burden, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Up In Your (Family) Business, Todd Rimer sits down with DJ Blatherwick, Director of Culture and Business Development at Brick + Ember Outfitters, for a candid and heartfelt conversation about living out faith in both the workplace and the marketplace. Not just through actions, but through honest, appropriate openness.

After spending 15 years as a pastor, DJ transitioned into the business world with a passion for building healthy teams, meaningful culture, and values-driven leadership. He shares how his faith shapes his life and work, how he came to Brick + Ember Outfitters (owned by a former pastor), and how faith and values influence the way DJ and the company serve its people, customers, and community.

Together, Todd and DJ discuss:

• Why people want to work for organizations that stand for something meaningful

• Why values are most powerful when lived out consistently

• How faith can shape leadership, decision-making, and relationships.

They also talk about why living out faith is not only about actions, but about being willing, when appropriate, to acknowledge and share the values and beliefs that shape how we live and lead. This episode invites listeners to consider what it looks like to authentically live their values, not loudly or forcefully, but through everyday actions and the quiet confidence of a life well-lived.

Whether you are a leader, an employee, or a family business owner, this conversation offers encouragement, perspective, and a reminder that faith and values don't stop at the church door. They're meant to be lived where we work and serve every day.