Standing on Business

Standing on Business is a podcast by Black Stag Industries featuring real conversations with entrepreneurs, builders, and leaders who are actively creating, growing, and standing on what they believe in. Each episode dives into the stories, lessons, and defining moments that shape their success. Raw, honest, and practical, SOB gives listeners the mindset and motivation to elevate their own path in business and life.

Standing on Business is a business podcast hosted by Black Stag Industries, with 16 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Black Stag Industries hosts Standing on Business, a business show with 16 episodes published.

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  Episode #18

  Episode 18 Eddie DePalma: Failure Is the Conduit to Success | Second Chances, Risk & Growth

  Sep 28, 202646 min

  In Episode 18 of Standing on Business, Ben sits down with Eddie DePalma, owner of Second Chance Diner, for a conversation about recovery, entrepreneurship, failure, leadership, and what it really takes to rebuild your life. Eddie shares the story behind Second Chance Diner and why the name is deeply personal. After overcoming addiction and reaching ten years sober, he walked away from an 11-year career as a barber with no clear plan for what was next. Eventually, a gut feeling led him into the restaurant business despite having zero experience. He put his life savings on the line, went broke three times before opening, and opened the doors with just $400 left. On day one, there was a line out the door. The conversation goes beyond the diner into Eddie’s approach to risk, trusting your instincts, building systems, becoming a business owner instead of an employee of your own business, and learning to view failure as part of the process rather than something to fear. Eddie also opens up about personal growth, accountability, outgrowing relationships, burnout, leadership, and becoming the kind of boss who invests in the people around him. For Eddie, success today is about more than what he can build for himself. It’s about who he can help build up along the way. At the center of the episode is a philosophy forged through second chances: failure can teach you what success never could, but you have to be willing to take the risk, learn from it, and keep moving forward.

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  Episode #17

  Episode 17 John Moore: Creating a Place People Belong | Business Beyond the Bottom Line

  Sep 22, 202645 min

  In Episode 17 of Standing on Business, Ben sits down with John Moore, co-owner of Flower Skate Shop in downtown Syracuse, to talk about building a business that has become much more than a place to buy skateboards. John shares the story of starting Flower in 2020, growing from a small basement shop into a downtown storefront, and creating a space centered around skateboarding, creativity, and community. They talk about the realities of independent retail, rising costs in the skate industry, changing trends, social media’s impact on individuality, and why building genuine relationships can matter more than chasing the bottom line. John also shares how Flower uses events, collaborations, and its physical space to give people a place to belong while helping grow Syracuse’s skate scene and introduce the next generation to the culture. At the heart of it all is a simple philosophy: be cool, be nice, be honest, be organic, and create something people genuinely want to be part of.

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  Episode #16

  Episode 16 Jeff Knauss: Creating More Value Than You Expect Back | Business, AI & Impact

  Aug 17, 202652 min

  In Episode 16 of the Standing on Business Podcast, we sit down with Jeff Knauss, entrepreneur, founder of Digital Hyve, and founder and CEO of Arcovo AI. Jeff shares the journey from leaving the traditional advertising world to bootstrapping Digital Hyve, scaling it into one of the fastest-growing private companies in the country, and ultimately selling the business. But for Jeff, the story didn’t end with the exit. After realizing retirement wasn’t for him, he went right back to building. We dive into what it actually takes to scale a company, why founders eventually have to stop doing everything themselves, how to hire around your weaknesses, and why working on the business becomes more important than working in it as you grow. Jeff also shares his perspective on AI and the future of work through Arcovo AI. Rather than viewing AI simply as a replacement for people, he sees an opportunity to automate repetitive work and give people more time to focus on the things humans uniquely do well. We also talk about work-life harmony, building a business around the life you actually want, the opportunities ahead for Syracuse and Central New York, and why growth for the sake of growth isn't always the right goal. At the center of the conversation is a philosophy Jeff has carried into business, relationships, and life: Create more value in the world than you expect back. Instead of approaching relationships transactionally, Jeff believes in helping people, creating opportunities, and providing value without constantly keeping score. Over time, that mindset can create an impact far greater than any single transaction. Episode 16 Jeff Knauss: Creating More Value Than You Expect Back | Business, AI & Impact Subscribe to Standing on Business for more conversations with entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders building meaningful things in Central New York and beyond.

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  Episode #15

  Episode 15 Holly Conti: Growing With Intention | Building a Business That Works for You

  Aug 11, 202654 min

  What does it actually take to grow a business without getting caught up in everyone else's definition of success? In Episode 15 of Standing on Business, Ben sits down with Holly Conti, Managing Partner of Full Swing Public Relations, to talk about entrepreneurship, intentional growth, public relations, marketing strategy, and the lessons that only come from building a business yourself. Full Swing Public Relations works with service-based businesses across the country, with a strong presence in Central New York and Boise, Idaho. Holly joined the company after leaving a stable career and, alongside her business partner, helped triple revenue year over year before reaching seven figures in their third year. Holly shares one of the biggest lessons from that journey: trust yourself and take intentional risks. Growth rarely feels comfortable while it's happening, and the challenges that come with building a company aren't necessarily signs that you're doing something wrong. Often, they're the next problems you need to learn how to solve. The conversation also dives into a major question for modern businesses: are you investing in marketing because it actually serves your business, or simply because someone told you that you should? Holly and Ben discuss the role of PR, social media, paid media, organic content, employees vs. contractors, managing overhead, measuring marketing results, and why there is no universal framework for growing a company. They also explore the untapped potential in Central New York and why smaller, highly relevant audiences can often be far more valuable to a business than chasing massive follower counts. In this episode: • Building Full Swing Public Relations to seven figures • Trusting yourself as an entrepreneur • Why growth is supposed to feel uncomfortable • Employees vs. contractors • Growing without unnecessary overhead • The real purpose of public relations • PR vs. social media • Why businesses waste money on the wrong marketing • Choosing marketing channels based on strategy • Why follower count isn't everything • Building trust and authority with your audience • The growing business and creative community in Central New York • Building a business around what actually works for you At the end of the day, Holly's philosophy is simple: forget blindly following "best practices." Understand your client, understand your data, know where you want to go, and build a strategy specifically around that. ️ Standing on Business — conversations with the entrepreneurs, operators, and people building what's next.

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  Episode #14

  Episode 14 Dr. Emad Rahim: From Survival to Significance | Building a Life of Impact

  Jul 1, 202647 min

  How do you go from being born in a Cambodian concentration camp to becoming an entrepreneur, professor, author, and leader helping shape the future of an entire community? In this episode of Standing on Business , we sit down with Dr. Emad Rahim , entrepreneur, educator, author, and Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Development at Bellevue University. Dr. Rahim shares an extraordinary journey marked by unimaginable adversity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for others. From surviving the Cambodian genocide and growing up in poverty to earning multiple doctoral degrees, launching businesses, authoring books, and becoming a nationally recognized voice in entrepreneurship and leadership, Dr. Rahim's story is a testament to what's possible when purpose outweighs circumstance. We also explore why Central New York is entering one of the most exciting periods in its history, how entrepreneurs can position themselves for the opportunities ahead, and why success isn't measured by titles or income—but by the impact you leave on others. Whether you're a business owner, student, aspiring entrepreneur, or someone searching for purpose, this conversation is filled with practical wisdom on leadership, resilience, networking, and building a meaningful life. Surviving the Cambodian genocide and growing up in Brooklyn and Syracuse Turning adversity into purpose Entrepreneurship as a vehicle for change Why opportunity favors those who take action Building meaningful relationships instead of transactional ones Networking the right way The SALT Framework: Survival, Adapting, Love, and Transformation Writing Resilience: From the Killing Fields to the Boardroom Why Central New York is positioned for incredible growth The Inspire Innovation Hub and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs Creating impact that lasts beyond business success If there's one message throughout this episode, it's this: don't wait for opportunity to find you—be willing to step forward, create value, and help build something bigger than yourself. 🎙️ Standing on Business features conversations with entrepreneurs, operators, and leaders building meaningful, people-first businesses throughout Central New York and beyond. Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms. Topics discussed:

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