Today, I’m talking to my good friend and serial entrepreneur Aaron Chamberlin. Aaron is a well known chef here in the Phoenix area who has owned a number of restaurants, including Saint Francis, Taco Chelo, and Phoenix Public Market, diversified across industries, and achieved success in a field notorious for its extraordinary challenges.

In our conversation, Aaron shares lessons from his 37 years in the restaurant business. You’ll hear the story of how he honed his skills under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, why it’s so common for “successful” restaurants to barely turn a profit, and the hard lessons he learned that helped him experience remarkable growth, personally and professionally, since 2018.

Key takeaways:

• How Aaron discovered his passion for cooking and survived 70+ hour weeks while earning very little money in New York City.
• What inspired Aaron to open Saint Francis in his home state of Arizona, why the business was an immediate public success, and what drove him to sell it.
• How Aaron shifted his mindset as he opened Taco Chelo and the Phoenix Public Market to improve his profit margins and his growth.
• What Aaron has done to diversify his investing, share his passion with his family, and weather the storms along the way.

More interview resources can be found on the episode page: https://www.bayntree.com/87

Interview Resources:

• Watch Episode on YouTube
• Aaron Chamberlin on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• Taco Chelo
• Taco Chelo on Instagram | Facebook
• Phoenix Public Market Cafe
• Tempe Public Market Cafe
• Ghost Ranch
• Michel Richard
• Jean-Georges Vongerichten
• Daniel Boulud
• Restaurant DANIEL
• La Grande Orange Grocery
• Robert Lynn
• Craig DeMarco
• Postino
• Chelsea's Kitchen
• Radio Milano
• Gennaro Garcia
• Fife Symington
• Scott Barker
• Copperstate Farms

Today, I’m talking to Ryan Madrid, co-founder of Bison Ventures and host of the Into The Storm Podcast.

After leaving corporate America, he joined VIP Mortgage as the Director of Business Development. Before long he was bringing in one billion in mortgage loan sales on his way to being in the area's top 1% of mortgage lending.

In this conversation, Ryan talks about his entrepreneurial journey with deep family roots, how Bison Ventures’ corporate culture has helped them become one of Phoenix’s leading mortgage companies, and the power of building a culture to create great client experiences.

Key takeaways:

• Why incredible customer service is key to weathering tough times in any industry.
• The advice Ryan’s uncle gave him to help him leave corporate America and find his true calling.
• How Ryan survived tough personal times, left the corporate world, found his business partner, and got on a new track to success.
• What differentiates Bison Ventures from other mortgage firms.
• The humbling business challenges Ryan has faced in the last several years–and how he got through them.

Interview Resources

• Bison Ventures
• Bison Ventures on LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• Ryan Madrid on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
• Into the Storm Podcast on YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Instagram
• Abbott
• Johnson & Johnson
• VIP Mortgage
• Fantasy
• Stuart M. Crawford
• Breanna Burton
• Jeremy West
• Jay Barbour
• Keith Teegardin
• Anthem
• Brian Moore
• Liz Kleven
• Trisha Madrid
• Lana Ambrose

If you’re growing a business and a family, you’re probably more than a little familiar with moments of chaos. And if you’re listening to this podcast, you probably know how it feels to have too much on your plate and perhaps wondered how to make positive, powerful shifts in the face of big challenges.

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to my friend and mentor Elizabeth Winkler. Elizabeth is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Meditation Teacher, and her work has helped thousands of people all over the world.

In today’s episode, we dig into the power of mindfulness, how to start (and stick to) a meditation practice of your own, and how to use these incredible tools to declutter your mind, tap into your superpowers, and approach everything in your life in flow.

Key takeaways:

• What it means to practice mindfulness and live with intention.
• What stops people from having a meditation practice.
• How to help unwind the Type-A mind to harness your energy more effectively.
• Why fear is at the root of your perfectionism–and what to do about it.
• Why there’s never been a better time to start meditating than right now.
  

Interview Resources

• Elizabeth Winkler
• Elizabeth Winkler on Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok
• The Shadow & the Light Podcast
• davidji.com
• Calm
• Insight Timer
• Dr. Andrew Huberman
• Michael Singer
• The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
• The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael A. Singer
• Jamar Rogers
• The Voice