Building Texas Business

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Brad Coleman, Owner and CEO of Safeway Driving, for a conversation that goes far beyond driver’s education. Brad shares his remarkable journey from racing professionally in NASCAR to leading one of Texas’s most established driving schools, and how that transition became the foundation for a purpose-driven business. Brad talks about how his passion for cars and driver safety first took shape, what he learned competing at the highest levels of motorsports, and how those lessons carried into entrepreneurship, leadership, and business growth. He also explains how Safeway Driving has evolved from a traditional local driving school into a modern franchise operation with a strong reputation, innovative curriculum, and a measurable impact on driver safety across Texas. Along the way, the conversation explores topics like overcoming adversity, building the right team, protecting company culture, balancing accountability with empathy, and growing a business without compromising quality. Brad also offers candid insight into the pressure of racing, the mindset required to get back behind the wheel after a serious crash, and how confidence and preparation can make all the difference, both in business and on the road. It’s a compelling episode about resilience, reinvention, and what it looks like to build a business that is both scalable and deeply meaningful. For business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders looking for lessons in growth, culture, and long-term vision, this conversation delivers plenty to take away. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Safeway Driving

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Chris Howard, founder and CEO of Softeq Development, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, innovation, and building a technology company over nearly three decades. Chris shares how he started his business after leaving IBM, the early risks he took, and the lessons he learned while growing Softeq into a full-stack engineering firm working across hardware, software, and emerging technologies. He explains how a mindset of constant learning has been critical to staying relevant in an industry that continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Chris and Chris discuss what innovation looks like in practice, how business owners can think about adopting new technologies, and why curiosity and adaptability are essential traits for long-term success. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is changing the way companies operate and what leaders should be doing today to prepare for what comes next. The discussion also highlights lessons in hiring, culture, and leadership, including how to build teams that can grow with the business and deliver consistent results over time. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, technology, and leading a business through constant change, this episode offers practical insight from a founder who has done it for nearly 30 years. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Softeq

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Erin Gajdalo, CEO of Pluralsight, for a conversation about leadership, company transformation, and the challenges of scaling technology businesses. Erin shares the story of her first year leading Pluralsight and the dramatic changes the company has undergone. After stepping into the role, she faced a lender takeover, the need to rebuild the executive team, and the challenge of resetting the organization’s culture and go-to-market structure to return the business to growth. Chris and Erin discuss the realities many startups and SaaS companies face after periods of rapid expansion, including how leaders must align teams around clear priorities, understand where to invest resources, and make difficult decisions during a turnaround. Erin also explains how her leadership style evolved as the company worked through its transformation. The conversation also explores how organizations are responding to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Erin explains how Pluralsight helps companies develop technology skills, build AI literacy across their workforce, and ensure employees understand how to effectively use emerging tools. This episode offers insight into leadership, culture, and the decisions required to guide organizations through periods of change and transformation. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Pluralsight

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Steve Montgomery, President and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, for a conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, and the growth of one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. Steve brings more than three decades of experience in both the private and public sectors. Before leading the Fort Worth Chamber, he helped build and grow a healthcare information technology company, joining as the fourth employee and helping scale the business before its eventual sale. That experience shaped his perspective on entrepreneurship, small business challenges, and the importance of building strong teams. Chris and Steve discuss the mission of the Fort Worth Chamber and its role in advocating for businesses, connecting companies with opportunities, and helping create an environment where businesses can grow and thrive. Steve explains why Fort Worth is experiencing significant growth, pointing to the city’s expanding population, available land for development, and its strategic location within the Texas economy. The conversation also explores leadership lessons from building startups, including hiring philosophy, the importance of culture, and the value of adaptability in growing organizations. Steve shares insights from his work with businesses across Fort Worth, along with trends he’s hearing from local leaders as they navigate economic uncertainty and global market pressures. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, leadership development, and the factors driving business growth across Texas, this episode offers valuable perspective from someone working directly with companies every day. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Roe Patterson, co-founder and Managing Partner of Marauder Capital, for a candid conversation about leadership, resilience, and building energy businesses in one of Texas’ most cyclical industries. With more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas sector, Roe has built, scaled, sold, and led companies across the energy spectrum, including serving as CEO of a public oilfield services company and completing more than 130 M&A transactions throughout his career. Today, he invests in and advises energy and industrial services businesses, bringing both operator experience and board-level perspective to the table. Roe shares what it takes to navigate downturns, manage risk, and know when to walk away, whether from a deal, a strategy, or a hiring decision. He discusses the importance of capital discipline, the industry’s shift toward lower leverage and return of capital, and how technological advancements such as automation and AI continue to reshape energy production without replacing the people who make it work. The conversation also explores culture, mentorship, and leadership evolution. Roe reflects on lessons learned from early setbacks, the power of listening over talking, and why humility and decisiveness must coexist in strong leadership. From hiring philosophy and team retention to innovation and safety in the field, this episode offers practical insight for business owners navigating growth in dynamic industries. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, energy, leadership development, and the realities of building businesses in Texas, this episode delivers hard-earned wisdom from someone who has seen the industry from every angle. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Marauder Capital

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik sits down with Levi Goode, president of Goode Company, to talk about leadership, legacy, and building a business rooted in Texas culture. A fifth-generation Texan and three-time James Beard Award nominee, Levi grew up in the family business founded by his father, Jim Goode. From washing dishes as a kid to leading one of Houston’s most iconic hospitality groups, Levi shares what it means to carry forward a legacy while continuing to evolve. The conversation explores the realities of running a family business, earning trust as a leader, and preserving culture as a company grows. Levi reflects on the role Texas traditions play in Goode Company’s identity, from backyard barbecue and barbecue cook-offs to Houston Rodeo season, community gatherings, and the cookout culture that brings people together year after year. Chris and Levi also discuss leadership development, team culture, and the responsibility that comes with stewarding a brand that has been part of Houston’s food scene and rodeo tradition for decades. This episode offers thoughtful insight into entrepreneurship, hospitality, and what it takes to build a business that lasts in Texas. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Goode Company

Brandon shares how Surely became a leader in non-alcoholic wine and why nearly 90 percent of its customers still drink alcohol. Rather than targeting only those who are sober, the brand connects with people who want to enjoy wine on their own terms. He also introduces Arlow, the first legally recognized low-alcohol wine brand in the United States, offering half the calories and zero sugar while maintaining the full-bodied experience wine lovers expect. Listeners will learn how Arlow’s concept grew from Brandon’s deep understanding of consumer behavior and his curiosity about where the market was heading. He explains the technical challenges of dealcoholization, how his California-based team perfected the process, and what it takes to create a wine that meets both taste and quality standards in this emerging space. Beyond product development, Brandon discusses how Surely and Arlow have scaled from direct-to-consumer beginnings to major retail success. Today, Surely can be found in Target, Sprouts, Total Wine & More, and Spec’s. He explains how the company’s focus on profitability and sustainable growth has allowed it to thrive in a changing industry where investors now value lean operations over rapid expansion. As the conversation continues, Brandon shares leadership lessons from two distinct growth phases: one centered on fast-paced scaling and another built around operational discipline. He offers insights into the importance of communication, team alignment, and company culture, noting that even high-performing employees can hold a business back if they are not the right cultural fit. Brandon also reflects on his journey as a leader, emphasizing the need for transparency and collaboration, both with his team and with his investors. His approach to management highlights how curiosity, accountability, and clear communication can drive consistent results without compromising values. Now rooted in Austin with his family, Brandon talks about what makes Texas the perfect home for entrepreneurs like him. From the state’s unique energy to its strong business community and culinary culture, he shares why Texas has become the ideal place to grow both personally and professionally. Whether you are interested in brand strategy, leadership, or the evolving world of consumer products, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how clarity of purpose and innovative thinking can build a business that lasts. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Surely Wine About Arlow Wine

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik talks with Bobby and Janice Jucker, co-owners of Three Brothers Bakery, about what it takes to build and sustain a family business through two centuries of change, challenge, and perseverance. From their family’s remarkable story of survival and entrepreneurship to leading one of Houston’s most beloved bakeries today, Bobby and Janice share how resilience, culture, and community have guided every decision along the way. They explain how they turned hardship into strength, rebuilding again and again after floods, fires, hurricanes, and even a pandemic, while staying true to their roots and their people. Janice discusses lessons learned from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and how they transformed a toxic workplace into a culture grounded in care, communication, and accountability. Bobby reflects on the balance between preserving tradition and embracing innovation, from hand-rolled bread to digital recipe systems and modern production technology. Together, they offer practical insights on leadership, disaster recovery, and the power of people, proving that success is not about avoiding challenges but about how you rise after them. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, legacy, and leading with heart, this episode is a masterclass in perseverance and purpose from one of Texas’s most enduring family businesses. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Three Brothers Bakery

In this special live 100th episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik talks with Dean Reynaldo Valencia, President and Dean of South Texas College of Law Houston, and Billy Murphy, CEO of University Lands, about the intersection of law, leadership, and innovation in shaping Texas’ future. From higher education to resource management, both guests share how Texas institutions are adapting to a rapidly changing world while balancing tradition and transformation. Dean Valencia discusses the law school’s century-long commitment to access and opportunity, its pioneering online programs, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping legal education. Murphy offers a look inside University Lands, where a small team manages 2.1 million acres and billions in annual revenue to fund public universities, while navigating emerging challenges such as renewable energy, AI, and sustainability. Together, they explore how legal training builds critical thinking and leadership skills that extend far beyond the courtroom, and why innovation, ethics, and stewardship remain central to Texas’ continued growth. If you’re interested in leadership, education, and the forces shaping the future of business in Texas, this milestone episode offers a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation about progress built on purpose. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About South Texas College of Law About University Lands

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik talks with Nubia Pérez, CEO and part-owner of Gretna Machine Shop, a Houston-based precision manufacturer serving the energy, aerospace, and defense industries. Nubia shares the remarkable story of how her family built Gretna from a single-garage operation in 1980 into a certified lean manufacturing company, and how she later transformed it through leadership, culture, and purpose. After her father’s passing in 2012, Nubia faced a decade of uncertainty before realizing that the company’s future depended on her stepping forward. She reveals how she rebuilt Gretna from within by creating accountability, redefining its culture, and leading with empathy and transparency. From embracing EOS to driving diversification from oil and gas to aerospace, Nubia explains what it takes to modernize a second-generation family business while honoring its legacy. She also shares her perspective on automation, AI, and making manufacturing “mindful” again. If you are interested in leadership, culture change, and the evolution of Texas manufacturing, this episode offers a powerful look at resilience, renewal, and what it means to lead with heart and purpose. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Gretna Machine Shop

In this special live 100th episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik talks with Dean Reynaldo Valencia, President and Dean of South Texas College of Law Houston, and Billy Murphy, CEO of University Lands, about the intersection of law, leadership, and innovation in shaping Texas’ future. From higher education to resource management, both guests share how Texas institutions are adapting to a rapidly changing world while balancing tradition and transformation. Dean Valencia discusses the law school’s century-long commitment to access and opportunity, its pioneering online programs, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping legal education. Murphy offers a look inside University Lands, where a small team manages 2.1 million acres and billions in annual revenue to fund public universities, while navigating emerging challenges such as renewable energy, AI, and sustainability. Together, they explore how legal training builds critical thinking and leadership skills that extend far beyond the courtroom, and why innovation, ethics, and stewardship remain central to Texas’ continued growth. If you’re interested in leadership, education, and the forces shaping the future of business in Texas, this milestone episode offers a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation about progress built on purpose. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About South Texas College of Law About University Lands

In this episode of Building Texas Business, Chris Hanslik talks with Bobby and Janice Jucker, co-owners of Three Brothers Bakery, about what it takes to build and sustain a family business through two centuries of change, challenge, and perseverance. From their family’s remarkable story of survival and entrepreneurship to leading one of Houston’s most beloved bakeries today, Bobby and Janice share how resilience, culture, and community have guided every decision along the way. They explain how they turned hardship into strength, rebuilding again and again after floods, fires, hurricanes, and even a pandemic, while staying true to their roots and their people. Janice discusses lessons learned from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and how they transformed a toxic workplace into a culture grounded in care, communication, and accountability. Bobby reflects on the balance between preserving tradition and embracing innovation, from hand-rolled bread to digital recipe systems and modern production technology. Together, they offer practical insights on leadership, disaster recovery, and the power of people, proving that success is not about avoiding challenges but about how you rise after them. If you are interested in entrepreneurship, legacy, and leading with heart, this episode is a masterclass in perseverance and purpose from one of Texas’s most enduring family businesses. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Three Brothers Bakery

In this episode of Building Texas Business Podcast, Chris Hanslik talks with Jeff Ludy, Founder of The Window Experts, about what it takes to build a purpose-driven, disruptive business in the home improvement industry. Jeff shares how he turned a small garage startup into one of the most trusted window companies in the country, with a national footprint and the most-watched YouTube channel in the industry. He explains how his faith, integrity, and commitment to treating people with honesty, dignity, and respect have guided every decision along the way. From early lessons in sales and leadership to creating a “no-haggle” model that broke the mold for his industry, Jeff reveals how character and culture drive lasting success. He also shares the systems behind his hiring process, his four “C’s” of talent, and how he navigated growing pains—including scaling too fast and learning to lead through crisis. If you’re interested in leadership, entrepreneurship, and building a company that stands out by doing things differently, Jeff’s story is a masterclass in vision, integrity, and resilience. LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About The Window Experts

Building a business that lasts starts with building a culture that matters. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Andy Weiner, CEO and Founder of RockStep Capital, to talk about what it takes to create and sustain a truly fierce company culture. From his family’s early retail ventures to leading a national real estate investment firm with more than 9.7 million square feet under management, Andy has learned that success depends not just on smart deals but on shared values and disciplined behaviors. Andy reveals how his team lives by 25 guiding principles called “RockSteps,” specific behaviors that define how they respond, collaborate, and lead every day. With rituals like their weekly “RockStep of the Week” call and a focus on accountability, responsiveness, and family-first priorities, he has built an organization where integrity and energy drive performance. We also discuss how RockStep’s “Hometown America” investment strategy and vertically integrated structure have helped them thrive through changing markets, and why the company’s success begins with hiring for cultural alignment rather than skill alone. If you are passionate about leadership, culture, and the values that fuel great Texas businesses, this episode offers powerful lessons on how intentional leadership can transform an organization from the inside out.

Building successful businesses often requires embracing opportunities that find you rather than forcing predetermined plans. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Gregg Thompson, who runs multiple ventures with his brothers including landscape operations, nurseries, and the beloved Tiny Boxwoods and Milk & Cookies restaurants. We talk about how their family business evolved from a high school lawn mowing operation into a diversified enterprise spanning Houston and Austin. Gregg shares how their restaurant concept emerged accidentally when customers kept lingering at their West Alabama nursery, leading to an "accidental" expansion into hospitality. He explains their approach to hiring entrepreneurial people and giving them autonomy, plus how they've built robust back-office systems that support everything from landscape project management to baking croissants. The conversation reveals how measuring margins and sharing financial data across divisions creates a culture where creative people start thinking about gross margins. His philosophy centers on being in the "yes business" rather than automatically rejecting new ideas, combined with the belief that there's no limit to what you can accomplish when you don't know what you're doing. This mindset helped them navigate from municipal bonds to nurseries to restaurants without getting paralyzed by industry expertise they didn't possess. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Thompson+Hanson GUESTS Gregg Thompson TRANSCRIPT(AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: Hey Greg, I want to welcome you to Building Texas Business. Thanks for taking the time to come in. Gregg: Yeah, my pleasure. I'm really excited about this. Chris: Well, you've got a great story to tell. I can't wait to hear more of the details. So let's start. Just tell us about your businesses. I know there's more than one and kind of what it is that you're doing out there and what you feel like those businesses are known for. Gregg: So I work with two of my brothers and I work with a great partner on the restaurant side. And we have, I think, an interesting little business. I was asked about a year ago to do a little speaking engagement about our company and landscape architecture. That's how it all started. And they asked me to do a quick recap of our company, the history, kind of like this. And I started jotting down timelines and I thought, this is dry. There's really more to how it started. That's all I thought. What was really the genesis of it? How did we get here? And so I call it my dad's lawnmower story and I'm 61 and I had three brothers and we all grew up just working around the house and mowing yards and doing chores and getting allowance and all that stuff. And I think that's how we evolved to where we are today in terms of just being willing to get out and work. And my older brother Lance officially started our landscape company when he was in high school. We all had Chris: Really, Gregg: We all had jobs and chores and I worked at Baskin Robbins. I had one brother that worked at a gas station and Lance was always the most successful entrepreneur. Mowing yards. Well, yeah. So we all mowed the yard and we all got our little allowance and that was great. You get the satisfaction of mowing the yard and finishing and then you get a little economic reward from your dad In the form of an allowance. But Lance was always just really good at making money When we were kids. He bought a new motorcycle when we were kids and I bought a used one. He bought a brand new car when he was in high school, 10th grade off the showroom floor and then traded that in and bought another one. This was like 1980. And so he just was very scrappy and entrepreneurial and was working at a nursery not too far from here over on a sacket. And a lady came in Mrs. Presler and bought a bunch of plants and asked if he could come by and plant...

Unity isn't just a buzzword. It's the foundation for business growth and community impact. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Jeff Williams, president of Graham Associates, to talk about how bringing people together drives both engineering success and civic transformation. Working with his firm who design iconic Texas projects including AT&T Stadium and Southlake Town Square, and during his three terms as Arlington mayor, he demonstrats how unity principles scale from boardroom to city hall. Jeff shares his approach to bridging generational divides through Friday "High Five" meetings that transformed skeptical baby boomers and millennials into collaborative teammates. His engineering firm rebuilt their office culture post-COVID by creating collaboration spaces and displaying core values throughout their workspace, showing employees they're not just designing roads but contributing to state-of-the-art hospitals. When people understand their larger purpose, engagement naturally follows. His upcoming book "The Unity Blueprint" captures lessons from leading Arlington through the pandemic faster than any other U.S. city, according to NYU research, and emphasizes that modern leadership requires teaching over commanding, with trust and value as non-negotiables for today's workforce. Success comes from transforming "my plan" into "our plan" through genuine input and buy-in, whether you're managing engineers or running a city. This conversation reveals how Texas businesses thrive by embracing partnerships over politics, with Jeff's $8 million citywide rideshare solution versus $50 million per mile for light rail proving that innovation beats tradition when unity guides decisions. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Graham Associates GUESTS Jeff Williams TRANSCRIPT(AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you'll meet Jeff Williams, CEO of Graham Associates and former mayor of Arlington, Texas. Jeff stresses the power of creating unity within a company to foster a strong culture and how training and developing your people it's critical to success. Jeff, I want to thank you for taking the time and welcome to Building Texas Business. It's great to be here. Jeff: Chris, it's always great to talk about Texas and especially business. Chris: Yes. So let's start with just introducing yourself and tell us what it is you do. What's your company known for? Jeff: Well, I own a civil engineering firm and we build communities. We design public infrastructure, highways, roads, utilities, but we also do sports facilities, churches, schools there. We've done a lot of different things. Some of our projects you might recognize in at and t Stadium, we were the civil engineers for it. And yes, we did work with the Jones family and we also also know Chris: Is Jerry World, right? Jeff: Absolutely. And it was an exciting project to work on and then it's amazing how well it's aged and still the top special event center here in the country. But then we've had South Lake Town Square, which was kind of the granddaddy of all of the town centers that's here and a really special place. Nebraska Furniture Mark. We got to work for Warren Buffett there and doing his grand scape development here in the Metroplex. But then we've also, we have Prestonwood Baptist Church, which one of the largest churches in the Southwest. So rewarding to be able to do that. And then we've got Westlake Academy, actually Westlake, Texas. We actually got to start from scratch there. It was a town that we got in on the very beginning. They had one subdivision and now they've got Fidelity's headquarters. Schwab is there, Deloitte, and then Viro, one of the most upscale developments in the state of Texas. So those are some of the fun projects that we've gotten to do. I think it's very rewarding. Chris: Yeah, no, I mean it sounds not just fun but impactful and kind of be...

Building a successful business often means solving problems nobody else sees coming. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Merrilee Kick, founder of BuzzBallz, to talk about how she transformed a poolside idea into a ready-to-drink cocktail empire she sold to Sazerac in 2024. Merrilee shares her journey from high school teacher to manufacturing pioneer who bootstrapped through engineering challenges and suppliers who refused to sell her essential components. Her approach demonstrates that when traditional paths close, entrepreneurs must forge their own. We explore how Merrilee built a family-like culture with minimal turnover through practical benefits like daily cooked meals and extended holiday breaks. She discusses why fairness matters more than equality in building loyal teams. During COVID, she created an on-site school for employees' children and manufactured hand sanitizer for hospitals, showing how adaptability serves both business continuity and community needs. Merrilee reflects on mistakes that shaped her success, from coconut cream that solidified at room temperature to trusting the wrong people. She emphasizes that entrepreneurs must trust their gut instincts and move quickly when something isn't working. Her discussion about selling to Sazerac reveals the cultural shifts that come with acquisition and why selecting the right buyer matters as much as the price. The conversation reveals how a teacher's frustration with glass by the pool became a multi-million dollar business through relentless problem-solving and genuine employee care. Listen to discover why sometimes the best business education comes from cleaning your own warehouse bathrooms. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About BuzzBallz GUESTS Merrilee Kick TRANSCRIPT(AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you'll meet Merrilee Kick, founder of BuzzBallz. Merrilee shares her story of going from a high school teacher grading papers to a multimillion dollar manufacturer of ready to drink cocktails by trusting her instincts, being honest and fair, and keeping sales concepts funny. Merrilee, I want to welcome you to Building Texas Business. Thank you for taking the time to come on in the podcast. Merrilee: Thanks Chris. Chris: So let's start. You founded a very interesting company called BuzzBallz. Love the name. Tell the listeners what is BuzzBallz, what is the company and what's it known for? Merrilee: So BuzzBallz is a ready to drink cocktail company. It's a manufacturing company based in Texas, and I started it back in 2009. Our first sale was in 2010 and I sold it. I ran it for 15 years and then I sold it last year, may of 2024 to Sazerac, a big company, one of the world's largest manufacturers of bourbon and alcoholic spirits. And they were very interested in us because it was the convenience store channel and it was ready to drink. And so it was a little bit different twist for them. Chris: Very good. So what was the inspiration for you in 2009 to start a alcoholic beverage company? Merrilee: I was going through some hard times with my marriage and I was a high school teacher at the time and I wanted to be more financially independent. And my high school that I was working at said that they would give me a teacher's enrichment program to where I could go get my master's in administration and be a principal. And I was like, oh my God, no, I don't want to be a principal. No, I want to go into my own field, which was business because I taught entrepreneurship, business law, international business marketing, computer science, all those kinds of wonderful subjects to high school kids, and I wanted to get my degree and get my MBA in that. So I convinced them to let me do it. Got my MBA and BuzzBallz was my master's degree thesis project. I was grading papers by the pool thinking of what should my project be for my capstone, my final project...

In this episode of "Building Texas Business," I sit down with Molly Voorhees, the president of Beck's Prime, Winfield's Chocolate Bar, and Agnes Cafe. Molly shares her journey from Silicon Valley back to her roots in Houston's culinary scene. She talks about how her passion for food and community has shaped her approach to running family-run businesses and the importance of customer service. We explore the challenges of maintaining a successful family business, emphasizing the importance of respecting individual expertise and fostering a collaborative environment. Molly discusses how she integrates technology into operations, which can be challenging for mid-sized companies. Her experiences provide insight into the practical hurdles of implementing new systems while maintaining efficiency. Molly also reflects on the entrepreneurial spirit in Texas, particularly in Houston, where local businesses benefit from a supportive community. She shares how this environment has been beneficial, despite the uncertainties and challenges in the business world. Her approach to leadership involves patience and listening to her team, allowing them to voice their opinions and ideas. The conversation also touches on the importance of authenticity and resilience in business. Molly shares how facing challenges early on, like financial struggles and an empty restaurant, taught her valuable lessons. She emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness in corporate culture and maintaining open dialogue about success and failure. As Molly looks forward to upcoming projects, she invites listeners to experience the culinary adventures that celebrate innovation and community. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Beck's Prime GUESTS Molly Voorhees TRANSCRIPT(AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode you will meet Molly Voorhees, president of Beck's Prime, winfield's Chocolate Bar and Agnes Cafe. Molly shares her passion for bringing people together over quality food and service and how, in difficult times, she looks for the next right thing to do to keep the company moving forward. Molly, I want to thank you for coming on Building Texas Business. Thanks for coming in today. Molly: Thank you for having me Excited to be here. Chris: So we have a lot to talk about with you because you cover a lot of areas. So let's start Just tell everyone kind of what it is you do, the companies that you're involved in and what they're known for. Molly: So we started Beck's Prime back in 1985. I was just 10 years old so I did not start it, but my dad, a lawyer, winn Campbell, and an operating partner, a guy named Mike Knapp, started it together. And really my dad, winn, loves food and grew up in the burger business in Dallas. Chris: Ok, what was the burger place in Dallas? Molly: It was golf. Chris: I've had lots of golf, yeah, so he was 14. Molly: He tells some fantastic stories about, you know, his first day on the job, cutting onions and being a human trash compactor and sort of all the love, and ended up getting a law degree. But always loved the food industry, always wanted to be in it and came up with the concept of Vex Prime in 1985. I convinced a lot of people to gamble with him and invest and that was the very first Vex Prime on Kirby. Chris: OK. Molly: I was 10, just kid watching, watching it all happen, while I, you know, played sports and did all the things you do and went to college, ended up in um tech out in silicon valley for a long time during the the boom and bust period okay and which was fun went to business school and then wanted to to come back and be in the restaurant industry and grow it. Food is fun. It's very personal. I had sold being in tech. You're not selling something that brings necessarily as much moment-to-moment joy as feeding people Okay, necessarily as much moment to moment joy as feeding people. And I really felt like with...

In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Pete Mora, founder of Fajita Pete’s, to talk about his journey from running a full-service restaurant to building a scalable, off-premise food concept focused on delivery and catering. Pete shares how starting small and keeping the menu focused allowed him to maintain quality and simplify operations. He explains that by limiting the menu and designing the kitchen accordingly, they were able to keep costs low while serving large groups efficiently. His approach helped transition from dine-in service to a streamlined catering and delivery model. We also discuss the importance of hiring well and establishing effective systems. Pete admits he learned the hard way about managing people and the value of setting expectations early. As the company grew, building a culture based on respect, structure, and direct communication became essential to maintaining consistency across locations. Finally, Pete reflects on what it takes to be an entrepreneur. He emphasizes being prepared for challenges, not romanticizing the journey, and staying committed to the long haul. His advice is to set small, achievable goals and surround yourself with people who complement your weaknesses. It's not about doing everything yourself, but about building a structure that supports the growth of your business and your team. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Fajita Pete's GUESTS Pete Mora TRANSCRIPT(AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) INTRO Welcome to the Building Texas Business Podcast. Interviews with thought leaders and organizational visionaries from across industry. Join us as we talk about the latest trends, challenges and growth opportunities to take your business to the next level. The Building Texas Business Podcast is brought to you by Boyer Miller, providing counsel beyond expectations. Find out how we can make a meaningful difference to your business at BoyerMillercom and by your podcast team, where having your own podcast is as easy as being a guest on ours. Discover more at yourpodcastteam Now. Here's your host, chris Hanslick. Chris: All right, pete, welcome to Building Texas Business. Thanks for taking time to come on the show. I've been a big fan of your food for years, so really excited about this opportunity. Pete: Well, thank you. I know you told me that the babies grew up eating some of it, so those are always my favorite stories when we get to see multi-generational type of business. We've done some kids from kinder through college now. That's how old we are, that's how long you've been around, I love that I hope my daughters listen. Chris: They don't listen to all these. I think I know that to be true, but they're going to listen to this one. Hayden and Holland grew up on Fajita Pete's. For sure, Fajita Pete's, tell us what that is what you're known for, fajita Pete's. Pete: We're a very small footprint restaurant. 98% of what we do is off-premise. That's our thing. It's either pickup delivery. Catering is a huge part of what we do. By catering, we specialize in corporate catering. Okay, so office lunches, like here at your firm, people call us up 30 people, 11, 30, 14th floor, 29, 25, richmond, you know and then we just show up. They, they like the ease of it. We do three types of deliveries. We do with the warmers, with the servers if you need them, or just drop off and get out of your way which is the most? popular one, but we specialize in a very limited menu so that way we can feed the hundreds of people we do every morning on catering, and then at night we turn into a delivery company, kind of like a pizza company. You call us up, feed us for four. Boom, we show up at your door with the food. Chris: And I can attest that you show up fast. Pete: Yep, yeah, that's from those small menus, so we specialize. There's very few things I'm good at, so I try to do as little as possible so I...

A thriving business is built on people, not just product. This week on Building Texas Business, I spoke with Lynne Doherty and Clarissa O’Connell of Sonar, a developer-first software company founded in Geneva and growing fast in Austin, Texas. Lynne leads their go-to-market team, and Clarissa heads up people and culture: together, they’re shaping Sonar’s growth story in the U.S. We discuss Sonar’s journey from its open-source roots to serving over 28,000 organizations. Lynne shares how Austin’s tech ecosystem and talent pool have been key to expanding their operations, including the rollout of their latest product, SonarQube Advanced Security, an integrated solution that combines code quality with security. Clarissa highlights the cultural strategies that keep Sonar’s fast-scaling team engaged and committed, including an acronym-based value system (CODE) and a balanced hybrid work model. Over the conversation, we see how Sonar’s approach to innovation and people has evolved. From whiteboarding solutions on-site to building confidence in AI-generated code, their focus is on helping developers build better, faster, while maintaining a human connection. What stood out to me most was how Clarissa and Lynne use leadership not just to grow a company, but to create a space where culture and innovation reinforce each other. It’s a reminder that whether you're writing code or growing a team, trust and clarity go a long way. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LINKS Show Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Sonar GUESTS Clarissa O'Connell Lynne Doherty TRANSCRIPT(AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) INTRO Welcome to the Building Texas Business Podcast. Interviews with thought leaders and organizational visionaries from across industry. Join us as we talk about the latest trends, challenges and growth opportunities to take your business to the next level. The Building Texas Business Podcast is brought to you by Boyer Miller, providing counsel beyond expectations. Find out how we can make a meaningful difference to your business at BoyerMillercom and by your podcast team, where having your own podcast is as easy as being a guest on ours. Discover more at yourpodcastteam Now. Here's your host, chris Hanslick. Chris: In this episode, you will meet Lynne Daugherty and Clarissa O'Connell of Sonar. Both Lynne and Clarissa share how being based in Austin, texas, has helped accelerate their company's growth and influenced its culture. I'm going to say hello to Lynne and Clarissa from Sonar. Thanks for joining me on Building Texas Business. Lynne: Thanks for having us. Thanks for having us. Great to be here. Chris: So I'm going to just have a fun free-flowing conversation, but I do want to start with each of you telling us about yourself, but also about Sonar. What does the company do? What is it known for? Clarissa: Great. Lynne: Yeah, I'll start. My name is Lynne Doherty and I lead our go-to-market team here at Sonar, which, if you think about that, is almost everything that directly touches a customer it's sales, it's support, it's engineering, it's our customer success organizations, our demand marketing organizations, and so I've been here at Sonar a little over a year now and it's been a great and wild ride. To give you a little background on who Sonar is, so we're a company founded in Geneva in 2008. And since the beginning, we have been an organization focused on developers, a developer-first company. We came to Austin in 2018. It was our first US office is in Austin and since then we've continued to build out the team in Austin, including our CEO Clarissa, our head of HR, our new general counsel, our new CFO all sit out of Austin. So Austin is is our second biggest office outside of Geneva, where we were founded. What we do is we focus on developers and it's around reaching the market of developers. We have 7 million developers that use our products. We have 28,000 organizations that use us...