Flex Forward

What happens when a successful cardiologist steps off the traditional career path to reclaim his time, freedom, and family life? In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet sits down with Dr. Ryan Mallory, an interventional cardiologist and founder of Halftime Freedom, to explore how he's redefined success on his terms.
Ryan shares his transition from a full-time employed physician to a 1099 locums lifestyle—working just 10 to 14 days a month while creating time and financial freedom through strategic short-term rentals and tax-efficient investing. He discusses how he uses geographic arbitrage to maximize income, how he's helping underserved communities, and why autonomy is a key antidote to burnout in medicine.
Whether you're a busy professional looking for better work-life balance or curious about passive income and time freedom, Ryan’s story is packed with actionable insights on mindset, risk-taking, and redefining career success.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this powerful episode, Nic Espanet sits down with Alex Gilmore, co-owner of CDR Construction & Roofing, to explore his journey from early struggles to entrepreneurial resilience. Alex opens up about overcoming addiction, supporting a brother through repeated battles with cancer, and navigating financial and legal chaos—all while building a successful construction company from scratch.
Listeners will hear how CDR Construction rose from the ashes of family and financial setbacks, why transparency and customer service are at the heart of their approach, and how Alex’s latest project—a contractor-focused app called Contractor Square—is aiming to build a safer, smarter community in the trades.
This episode is packed with real-world lessons for anyone in construction, entrepreneurship, or simply looking for inspiration to push forward when life gets hard.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet is joined by Scott Bullington, founder of Integrated Medical Services. With over 30 years of experience, Scott shares what makes his healthcare consulting firm different: a deeply personalized, transparent approach to medical billing and business coaching for medical practices.
Scott discusses the business side of healthcare — from helping doctors realize they’re running a business, not just a clinic, to teaching them to understand financial reports and make smarter decisions. He highlights why meeting clients where they are, with adaptable systems and ongoing coaching, is crucial to success.
The conversation also dives into Scott’s personal journey through entrepreneurship, overcoming self-doubt, and how reading and lifelong learning shaped his mindset as a business leader. Nic and Scott also talk about the importance of passive income, staying focused during life’s difficult seasons, and investing in your business for long-term sustainability.
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Greg Roberts, founder of Funding Your Way, to discuss how he's helping business owners access capital—especially when banks say no. Greg breaks down how his agency supports both startups and established companies, dives into the niche of business expense reduction, and shares why the human side of lending is what drives him most.
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet sits down with Steve Patrick, CEO of Level the Playing Field LLC, to dive into the complex world of insurance claims — and how contractors can negotiate better outcomes for their clients.
With nearly three decades in the industry, Steve shares his journey from paramedic to contractor, to claims adjuster, and finally to educator and entrepreneur. His mission? Training contractors to handle even the most difficult claims adjusters with confidence, professionalism, and most importantly, the right mindset.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Kyle Shafer, founder of Zera Music Company, to explore how passion for music and a heart for transformation led to building a thriving business from the ground up.
Kyle shares how his journey from a music education student to entrepreneur began with a desire to elevate both students and instructors. He dives into the challenges of launching a business with no formal background in business, the growth of his in-home and online music lesson service across DFW, and his company’s commitment to a singular, effective teaching philosophy.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Dr. Hardik Chodavadia, co-founder of Enamel Dentistry, joins Nic Espanet to share his entrepreneurial journey from his first practice in 2016 to launching his 10th location. Hardik discusses the value of authentic relationships in dentistry, why transparency matters more than ever, and how embracing communication—not just operations—led to exponential growth.
They dive into:
The importance of building trust with patients and team members
Lessons learned from hiring missteps and how leadership defines culture
Why focusing on transparency in billing and communication is transforming patient expectations
Hardik’s biggest regret when it comes to passive income—and what he would do differently
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Nic Espanet sits down with entrepreneur John Schissler, who dives into his journey of building a thriving franchise business. From taking a leap into an industry he’d never worked in, to scaling operations and building community-driven locations, John shares the mindset, values, and strategies that have helped him succeed.
They explore how John prioritized human connection and community involvement in an industry often driven by speed and transactions. You’ll hear about the power of building strong relationships—both with customers and employees—and how embracing discomfort can fuel personal and professional growth.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet reconnects with Shane Thomas, co-founder of Catalyst Equity Partners. Shane shares his journey from early investments in Class C properties to navigating complex financing and strategy shifts in today’s multifamily real estate market.
Shane gives listeners a candid look at the lessons he's learned since launching Catalyst in 2017, managing over 2,000 units as lead GP, and weathering recent industry-wide challenges. He emphasizes the importance of transparency with investors, long-term thinking, and building a resilient team. Shane also shares his outlook on why now may be the best time in years for investors to enter the multifamily space—and how Catalyst is preparing to capitalize on the opportunity.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Nick Lee, founder of Iceberg Cabinets, joins Nic Espanet on this episode of the Flex Forward Podcast to share the story behind his unique role as a cabinet and shelter specialist in the telecom world. From the roadside cabinets that power our internet connections to the massive nationwide push for rural broadband, Nick gives an eye-opening look into a side of tech infrastructure most of us never think about.
He talks about designing smarter cabinets that field techs actually want to use, how resilience and adaptability helped grow his company, and his creative take on passive income (spoiler: it involves a Suburban and Uber). Nick also opens up about hard-earned business lessons and how setbacks often paved the way for his company’s biggest wins—including a game-changing deal that’s set to take Iceberg Cabinets to the next level.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://flexforwardpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.