Ricky Shah is the Director of Kumon Chesterfield, a high-performing education franchise known for its strong enrollment and operational discipline. A former Kumon student who completed both the math and reading programs, Ricky’s story comes full circle as he eventually acquired and now leads the same center where he once studied and taught. His background spans teaching, nonprofit work, statewide political campaigns as a field organizer, and entrepreneurship through operating UPS Store franchises with his family before transitioning fully into the Kumon business.

In this conversation with Raj Tut, Ricky breaks down what it takes to scale a people-driven business: redefining delegation as a strategic growth tool, identifying the “1–3 tasks only I can do,” and systematizing everything else through hiring, training, and clear accountability. The episode also explores family business dynamics, the challenge of separating work from home life, and lessons learned from leading through disruption—especially during the COVID transition and operational crises like severe weather. Key themes include building trust through consistent communication, training for real-world scenarios, maintaining standards through culture, and leading calmly when the team looks to you for direction.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut⁠ ⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

⁠Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Kumon (National Website): https://www.kumon.com/

Email: chesterfield_mo@ikumon.com

Phone: (636) 537-5522

Timestamp:

00:00 Delegation philosophy and focusing on tasks only the owner can do

01:35 Introduction to Ricky Shah and Kumon Chesterfield

02:19 Early journey as a Kumon student and love for math and learning

04:17 Post-college path through nonprofits and burnout from red tape

05:42 Transition into statewide political campaigns

07:50 What campaign work actually looks like and the role of a field organizer

09:32 Extreme work hours, pressure, and leadership lessons from politics

12:42 Shift into entrepreneurship and family business roots

15:06 Operating UPS Store franchises as a family-run business

18:29 Pros and cons of working with family and taking work home

20:46 How a Kumon center operates day-to-day

22:37 Individualized learning, fluency metrics, and student progression

25:32 Director influence vs standardized curriculum across Kumon centers

27:44 Full-circle story of acquiring the same Kumon center he grew up in

30:22 Taking over during COVID and adapting operations

32:40 Leading through disruption and maintaining calm in crises

34:22 Diagnosing learning gaps and adapting to post-COVID students

36:13 Leadership presence and why the team looks to the leader in emergencies

38:44 Hiring, training, and building accountability through systems

40:38 Transitioning from instructor mindset to director mindset

42:36 Working on the business instead of in the business

45:56 Passion, trust, and long-term student success

50:08 Deciding what to delegate and what to keep

54:20 Why Ricky personally handles parent meetings and sales conversations

55:56 “Hole in one” advice on delegation and scaling a business

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/ LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Connect with the Guest

In this episode, we sit down with Rob Zeitler, President and Co-Founder of FLEX Payment Solutions, a family-owned B2B fintech company specializing in payment processing for niche and highly regulated industries. With over 20 years in the electronic payments space, Rob has helped build FLEX into a direct-payment processor serving sectors like consumer lending, CBD/hemp, tribal and native-owned businesses, and emerging cannabis markets, while earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for multiple consecutive years.

Rob walks Raj through his entrepreneurial journey—from funding legal settlements and building custom software without being a programmer, to exiting that first venture, joining his family’s lending business, and eventually launching FLEX to solve real-world payment pain points. He explains how FLEX built a moat around compliance and regulation in “high-risk” markets, why they’ve leaned into hyper-focused niches like tribal lending and cannabis, and how EOS-style systems have allowed him to stay in the visionary seat instead of doing everything himself. Along the way, Rob shares his philosophy on hiring people smarter than you, preparing the next generation of his family to join the business, the future of compliant cannabis payments, and his “hole in one” advice: don’t be afraid to ask for help, give without expecting something in return, and surround yourself with people who make you better.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut⁠ ⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/ ⁠

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with the Guest

Rob’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-z-9524273/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flex-payment-solutions

Email: rob@flexpaymentsolutions.com

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 Opening & Introduction to Rob Zeitler

05:10 Rob’s First Business and Early Entrepreneurial Lessons

10:20 Transition to the Family Lending Business

15:30 Discovering Payment Innovations & The Spark for FLEX

20:40 Entering Regulated & Niche Markets (Lending, CBD, Hemp)

25:50 Working With Native American Tribes

1:00 Technical Challenges, Compliance & Operating in High-Risk Industries

36:10 Hiring the Right People & Learning Not to Do Everything

41:20 Implementing EOS and Stepping Into the Visionary Role

46:30 The Future of FLEX & Cannabis Payments

51:40 Rob’s “Hole in One” Advice

56:50 How to Connect With Rob & Episode Closing

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/ LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Jason King is the Director of Real Estate and Impact Investing for Lewis and Clark Holdings, the Hillman family office, where he oversees investments across real estate, clean energy, affordable housing and tax-related strategies. Over his career, Jason has invested close to $1 billion across more than 4,000 multifamily units, student housing, industrial, and medical office properties. He shares how his path from rural Michigan to urban planning, affordable housing development in Chicago, and ultimately landing in St. Louis shaped his empathetic, community-focused approach to capital allocation.

In this conversation, Jason and Raj dive into how family offices think about risk, partners, and long-term holds; why tax credits and clean energy are powerful but complex tools; and how Lewis and Clark evaluates deals across multifamily, industrial, senior housing and solar. Jason unpacks a case study in innovative skilled nursing (“cottage” model vs legacy facilities), explains why reputation and alignment with partners are non-negotiable, and talks candidly about the challenges and opportunities in St. Louis—transit, density, regional collaboration, and downtown perception. They also explore where development still pencils, which asset types look compelling over the next 10–20 years, and Jason’s “hole in one” advice: there’s no such thing as a good deal with a bad partner.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/
Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with our Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-king-1239244/

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00:00 How Jason approaches research, expertise, and networking when entering new asset classes

00:01:03 Jason’s background: rural Michigan, urban planning, affordable housing, and career path before St. Louis

00:07:05 Early real estate lessons: managing zoning hearings and navigating diverse stakeholder interests

00:10:19 Jason’s perspective on St. Louis: strengths, challenges, and regional collaboration

00:14:32 What Lewis & Clark Holdings is and how a family office operates

00:16:09 Understanding tax credits, affordable housing finance, and the move into clean energy

00:23:35 Real estate strategy: acquisitions vs development, long-term holds, partner selection, and risk

00:27:17 Case study: the “cottage model” skilled nursing investment and how COVID validated it

00:38:34 Asset classes for the next decade: multifamily, shallow-bay industrial, data centers, and solar

00:56:29 Jason’s hole-in-one advice: there’s no such thing as a good deal with a bad partner

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Amit Kothari is the founder & CEO of Tallyfy, an AI-driven startup focused on helping companies document, track, and continuously improve their processes. Born in Kenya, raised in London, and now calling St. Louis home, Amit’s path runs from flipping rare stamps to pay off university debt, to poetry, to a decade consulting on process improvement—before launching his current company. Grants first took him to Chile to MVP the idea, then to St. Louis, where he built a fully remote team serving customers worldwide.

The conversation dives into Toyota-style continuous improvement applied to office work; why onboarding (employees and clients) is a high-leverage process; and how generative AI finally made “right product, right time” possible by auto-drafting SOPs and migrating PDFs into runnable workflows. Amit shares tactics for async, global teams; transparent, GDP-adjusted pricing; keeping moats via customer love, not just features; and a future where AI + robotics tackle physical tasks. His closing advice: skip the flashy fad—solve “unsexy,” real problems people actually feel every day.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/
⁠Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with the Guest

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitkoth/

Timestamps:

00:00 Amit’s early insight: people struggle at work because they lack clear processes
01:30 Introducing Amit and his company’s mission
02:50 Personal background: Kenya → London → Computer Science
03:55 Paying off university debt through rare stamp flipping
05:40 Creative years in poetry, art, and exploration
07:00 Startup origin: Chile grant → moving to St. Louis with Arch Grants
10:40 The core problem: documenting vs actually improving processes
14:15 Improving employee onboarding and why it affects culture and productivity
25:10 How AI finally unlocked scalable SOP & workflow creation
39:25 Running a global remote team & building culture asynchronously
51:30 The future: AI + physical automation (robots)
56:59 Final advice: Solve the “unsexy” real problems people ignore

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website:

https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Dr. Calvin Cajigal, a first-generation physician and partner at Pain Management Services in St. Louis, joins Raj Tut for a deep dive into the realities of modern healthcare. After earning his medical degree through UMKC’s competitive six-year program and completing his anesthesia and pain management training at the University of Iowa, Dr. Cajigal has built a career balancing clinical excellence with entrepreneurial insight. His story—from overcoming adversity as a minority student to becoming a respected pain management specialist—highlights resilience, mentorship, and the pursuit of meaningful, patient-centered care.

In this episode, Calvin and Raj explore the business of medicine and what it takes to thrive as a physician today. They break down how declining reimbursements and rising overhead push doctors toward hospital employment, explain the RVU (Relative Value Unit) compensation model, and discuss how to deliver quality care amid financial constraints. Calvin also shares strategies for clinical efficiency, reflections on private equity in healthcare, and his philosophy on maintaining ethics and compassion in practice. The episode closes with his health and lifestyle advice—including sleep, fasting, cold plunges, and red-light therapy—underscoring his belief that good medicine starts with taking care of oneself.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: twitter.com/ItsRajTut

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

Instagram: instagram.com/ItsRajTut

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with the Guest

Dr. Calvin Cajigal

https://www.getcare.ssmhealth.com/find-a-doctor/doctor-details/calvin-g-cajigal-md

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 – Why private practice is struggling and the real cost of running a clinic

02:10 – Dr. Calvin Cajigal’s background: growing up in St. Louis and early adversity

05:00 – Choosing medicine, UMKC’s 6-year program, and discovering anesthesiology

08:30 – Finding his calling in pain management and learning patient-centered care

12:20 – How RVUs and hospital pay systems actually work 16:10 – Private practice vs. hospital life: balancing profits and patient outcomes

20:30 – Building an efficient medical team and avoiding “lazy medicine”

25:10 – Private equity in healthcare and its impact on care quality

30:40 – What patients should look for in a good physician 35:40 – Dr. Cajigal’s “hole-in-one” advice: taking care of your health first

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Brian Thies is the Vice President of National Commercial Services at ATA National Title Group, a large Midwest-based title agency that handles complex commercial and residential transactions across multiple states. With 22+ years in the industry, Brian has operated at every scale—from small agencies to national platforms—specializing in multi-state deals and construction disbursing.In this conversation, Brian gives a fast “Title 101,” clarifying how title insurance covers past problems (liens, taxes, judgments) rather than future risks, and why owners and lenders get separate policies. He walks through construction disbursing and fraud prevention (especially wire fraud), explains how scale and underwriter options matter on big projects, and shares where volume is moving (storage, restaurants, hotels) alongside a pragmatic view on interest rates and M&A-driven growth.Connect with the Host (use exactly)Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut⁠ ⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtutConnect with the GuestLinkedIn (Brian Thies): https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-thies-27332a4 LinkedIn Company: https://www.atatitle.com/ Atatitle Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ata-national-title-group LinkedInTimestamps for Key Segments00:00 Title 101—how title insurance differs from auto/life 02:10 Role & platform scope; national coverage and team 03:41 Brian’s path: KC → Mizzou → banking → title 07:15 The connector mindset and building deal flow 13:34 Scaling: small vs boutique vs large title shops 15:54 Owner’s vs lender’s policy; liens vs judgments 18:07 Construction disbursing explained with live examples 31:12 Rates, volume, sectors (storage, restaurants, hotels) 42:48 Fraud stories; wire-safety playbook and best practices 49:54 “Hole-in-one” advice: relationships compoundThis podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.comConnect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Mitchell “Mitch” Walsh is the Director of CRE Debt & Equity Originations at Gantry, with over nine years of experience in commercial real estate finance. Based in the St. Louis area, Mitch has underwritten and closed loans across multifamily, industrial, retail, and other asset classes and has been part of Gantry’s growth following its acquisition of Triad. He helps sponsors structure deals with life insurance companies, agency lenders (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac), and CMBS providers, leveraging his deep market knowledge and relationships. LinkedIn

In this episode, Mitch takes listeners through what lenders focus on when sizing loans — NOI, market vs. actual vacancy (with a “floor” vacancy assumption), and expense verification. He breaks down loan structure trade-offs: which lenders are best for which scenarios, how interest rate/spread environments affect proceeds, and what sponsors should expect in terms of DSCR, LTV, and prepayment terms. The conversation also touches on how Gantry’s scale and servicing insights give Mitch real-time visibility into expense benchmarks and underwriting norms. The takeaway: doing your underwriting homework, trusting your data, and ensuring you’re matching your goals (hold period, exit, refinancing) to the right lender product.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with the Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellwalsh/ Gantry Website: https://www.gantryinc.com

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 Intro and loan sizing example ($10M deal, $7M loan)

01:56 Mitch’s background and path into real estate finance

07:12 Triad’s merger into Gantry and what it means for sponsors

08:41 How lenders underwrite: NOI, vacancy, expenses, DSCR

13:09 “Trust but verify” — protecting lender and sponsor reputation

15:16 Matching loans to business plans and prepayment considerations

20:12 Life-co vs. Fannie/Freddie vs. CMBS — pros and cons

27:20 Servicing and real-world client support (insurance example)

29:13 Deals closing in today’s market and rate environment insights

38:33 Mentorship, career lessons, and Mitch’s “Just do it” advice

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Michael Hamburg is the founder of Pier Property Group, a St. Louis–based developer behind 1,200+ Class-A units and ~$340M in projects since 2016–2018. Raised around real estate, he studied economics at Vanderbilt, cut his teeth in real estate finance and tax-credit investing, and then launched PPG to develop adaptive-reuse and ground-up communities across the St. Louis MSA. His work includes Midtown’s Steelcote Square district and the mixed-use “Edwin” anchored by Target, the first Target inside St. Louis city limits in two decades.

In this episode, Michael explains why “location and demand drivers” sit above all else, why he pivoted from historic rehabs to scalable mid-rise, structured-parking builds, and how staying lean with repeat third-party partners reduces risk. He walks through his site underwriting process (programming, massing, costs, rents), shares the cold-call story that helped land Target in Midtown, and previews a pedestrian-connected, mixed-use plan in O’Fallon, IL tied to a 1.5M-visitor sports park. He also offers a 2025 reality check on rates, insurance, and flat rents—and closes with two timeless tips: be (politely) relentless, and pick up the phone.

Connect with Raj:

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with Michael:

Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hamburg-4b771525/

Website: https://www.pierpropertygroup.com/

About PPG & Bio: https://www.pierpropertygroup.com/about

Press (Target at The Edwin): https://www.slu.edu/news/2021/october/midtown-target-announcement.php

Timestamps:
00:00 Defining Class-A and demand drivers
01:29 Michael’s background and early career
07:59 Launching Pier Property Group and early historic projects
11:21 Pivot to ground-up development
36:28 The Target in Midtown story
41:21 Mixed-use project in O’Fallon, IL
45:19 Navigating 2025 challenges (rates, tariffs, rents)
51:12 Future of St. Louis development
59:27 Closing advice: persistence and pick up the phone

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/