In this episode of 4200, Anthony sits down with Bill Tessar, founder of CV3 and a veteran of the lending industry, to unpack his bold entrepreneurial story. Bill shares how he turned a teenage tanning bed hustle into a decades-long career building billion-dollar lending companies. He dives into his early hunger for success, the lessons learned scaling Civic Financial, its unexpected wind-down, and how he rallied the same team to launch CV3 with unstoppable purpose. Bill reveals what truly drives him now, why people always come first, and his simple formula for sustainable scale.

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(00:00:0) Bill's upbringing, early struggles, and first taste of entrepreneurship.

(00:02:23) Launching a tanning business in his parents' garage at 17.

(00:02:50) Buying his first house at 18 and discovering the mortgage industry.

(00:06:01) Out-hustling everyone as a young loan officer.

(00:07:15) Founding his first company and scaling with early technology advantages.

(00:10:20) Transitioning to Civic Financial and spotting opportunity in business purpose lending.

(00:11:51) Scaling Civic to billions in production and navigating acquisitions.

(00:13:31) Civic's shutdown and its impact on hundreds of employees.

(00:17:32) Spinning up CV3 immediately after Civic's closure.

(00:18:53) Why people followed him instead of taking big offers elsewhere.

(00:22:12) CV3's rapid growth and the mission to "get their belt back."

(00:24:04) Bill's biggest advice: invert the org chart and put people first.

(00:25:19) His three-word formula for scaling any business.

(00:26:24) How to connect with Bill and CV3 today.

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Bill Tessar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamtessar

CV3: https://cv3financial.com/

In this episode of 4200%, Anthony speaks with Ed Bagden, Director of Operations at Lift Academy, a pioneering aviation training school under Republic Airways. Ed shares how his early days in a band, managing everything from marketing to tours, set the foundation for his entrepreneurial mindset. They examine the core of Lift Academy’s success, emphasizing perseverance, innovative training technologies, and streamlined processes that prepare students to transition smoothly from training to commercial flying. Ed also highlights essential strategies for scaling a business effectively, underlining the importance of standardized procedures and continuous improvement.

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(00:00:00) Ed Bagden's entrepreneurial beginnings with his band, Quickstep John

(00:01:41) Lessons in perseverance and advocacy from early music career

(00:02:49) Importance of perseverance and grit at Lift Academy

(00:03:45) Ed's path from pilot at Republic Airways to operational leadership

(00:04:47) Starting Lift Academy from the ground up

(00:05:22) Personal satisfaction from seeing graduates succeed

(00:06:35) Initial strategies for scaling Lift Academy's student base

(00:07:22) Lift's structured pathway preparing pilots specifically for Republic Airways

(00:09:25) Embracing VR and advanced simulators in pilot training

(00:11:20) Redefining flight training through modern technology integration

(00:12:18) Non-punitive safety reporting as part of Lift's training culture

(00:13:35) Continuous improvement and collaboration within the aviation industry

(00:14:15) Key considerations for scaling a business effectively

(00:16:19) How standardization impacts operational success

(00:17:11) Ed's definition of scaling with efficiency and growth

(00:18:58) Recommended resource: The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt

(00:19:49) How to connect with Ed and Lift Academy

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Ed Bagden on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebagden

Lift Academy: https://flywithlift.com/

In this episode of 4200%, Anthony sits down with Janine Cascio, CEO and President of Simplending Financial. Janine shares how her leap from family office to founding her own company was driven by a passion for passive income and empowering women in a male-dominated industry. She explores the role of mindset, culture, and authenticity in scaling a business, explains why simplicity is key to growth, and reveals how she’s building a supportive space for her team and clients. Janine also hints at her upcoming book and shares timeless advice for founders ready to scale with purpose.

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(00:00:00) Introduction to Janine Cascio and Simplending Financial

(00:01:04) Janine's definition of scaling as self-development

(00:01:37) Her journey into lending and the spark to start her own company

(00:02:48) Making the leap from employee to founder

(00:03:50) How friends would describe her personality and drive

(00:04:44) Building the right team and putting people first

(00:05:56) Lessons learned from early missteps and the power of keeping it simple

(00:07:53) Reinventing herself through mindfulness, yoga, and emotional intelligence

(00:09:18) Tips for founders ready to scale: finding the right people and mission alignment

(00:10:50) Embracing authenticity and standing out as a woman in lending

(00:12:37) Creating a culture where the team can be themselves

(00:13:45) The importance of saying no to stay true to company values

(00:16:48) Providing value through community and education

(00:17:23) Recommended books that shaped Janine's mindset

(00:19:47) What's next for Simplending Financial: scaling nationwide and a new book

(00:23:04) Final advice: enjoying the process and embracing each moment

Links:

Anthony Geraci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-geraci

Janine Cascio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-cascio-33181869

Simplending Financial: https://www.simplendingfinancial.com/