Christian Klender’s career has taken him from software engineering and professional motorsports to building Watches of Charlotte.

In this episode of Anything But Typical, Christian shares how he broke into racing, helped build McLaren’s presence in Charlotte, and eventually made the jump into entrepreneurship.

We also talk about turning a passion for watches into a business, building trust with customers, raising capital, managing risk, and why sustainable growth matters more than simply getting bigger.

In This Episode:

• Breaking into professional motorsports • Working with IndyCar, NASCAR, and McLaren • Leaving the stability of a traditional career • Building Watches of Charlotte • Turning a passion into a profitable business • Building trust in high-value sales • Managing risk, investors, and growth • Staying grounded through career and life transitions

Learn more about Christian: WatchesofCharlotte.com Instagram: @WatchesofCharlotte

William McKee didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur. His path moved through engineering, technology, philosophy, travel, teaching, and eventually into building Knowmad Digital Marketing.

In this episode of Anything But Typical, William McKee joins Gary Frey and Ben to share how curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to keep evolving helped shape both his life and his business.

The conversation explores William’s early exposure to technology, the unconventional journey that led him into entrepreneurship, and what it has taken to keep Knowmad relevant through decades of change. From the early days of the internet to SEO, digital marketing, and now AI, William explains why staying curious has become one of his greatest advantages.

He also opens up about the realities of business growth, including costly pivots, finding the right support system, working alongside another visionary, building stronger processes, and learning when to step back and let the team operate in their strengths.

Resources Mentioned

Knowmad Digital Marketing, EO Accelerator, HubSpot, Marketing AI Institute / SmarterX, Charlotte Business Exchange, and EOS.

Connect With William McKee

Learn more about Knowmad Digital Marketing at www.knowmad.com. You can also find William McKee on LinkedIn by searching for William McKee in Charlotte.

About Anything But Typical

Anything But Typical shares real stories from entrepreneurs—not just the wins. Subscribe and share for more conversations about entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and everything that happens along the way.

**Episode Summary:** Erin Vogel, semi-retired sports car racing driver and founder of AE Victory Racing, shares her journey from growing up in a family of racing pioneers to becoming a team owner on a mission to create opportunities for women in motorsports. She discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, navigating a male-dominated sport, the messy transition from driver to team owner, and the leadership lessons learned along the way — including the importance of delegation, building culture, and embracing failure as fuel for growth.

Where to Find Erin ---

**Connect with Erin:**

- Instagram: @ErinVogelRacing and @AEVictoryRacing

- TikTok: @AEVictoryRacing

- Website: www.aevictoryracing.com