Introducing Visionary Playbook, a new series designed to give entrepreneurs practical tools and real-world insights they can actually use. Each conversation brings together local experts to share what they’ve learned, what works, and what they wish they’d known sooner.

This week's expert is Tim Kanter of Kanter Solutions in Thousand Oaks. Tim breaks down how founders can scale without burning out, losing control, or turning every decision into a crisis. If you’re stuck doing everything yourself, this conversation shows you what to delegate first, what to hire for, and how to build a business that can run without you.

Tim brings more than 30 years of business leadership to the conversation, including launching, buying, partnering with, and selling more than two dozen businesses, plus building Get Benefits into a $3 million-plus company before exiting in 2024.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

- The fastest way to tell if you are the bottleneck in your own company

- Why “just do it yourself” is often the most expensive decision a founder can make

- How to decide what belongs above your floor and what should be delegated below it

- Why standard operating procedures make delegation easier and growth less chaotic

- The first hires that can transform a small business

- How to think about cash flow when every new hire feels risky

Tim shares the mindset shift that takes founders from operator to visionary, including the power of “who, not how,” the importance of a strong foundation, and why strategic investment is often what unlocks real growth.

Cristina keeps the conversation grounded in the real challenges local business owners face—from being buried in administrative work to trying to grow without losing the quality that made their business special.If you’ve ever wondered why your business only moves as fast as you do, this episode will challenge that assumption and give you a clearer path forward.

Subscribe for more episodes of the Visionary Playbook, a new series featuring practical advice from entrepreneurs, experts, and business leaders who can help you build and grow with more clarity and less chaos.

Tim Kanter is the founder of Kanter Solutions, a fractional executive team that helps service-based businesses with operations, finance, marketing, HR, and technology.

Learn more about Kanter Solutions:https://kantersolutions.com/

Follow Conejo Valley Visionaries:https://www.instagram.com/conejovalleyvisionaries/

Loved this episode? Leave us a 5-star review — it helps more visionaries like you discover the show and keeps inspiring conversations coming your way.

Got a visionary story to share? We’d love to hear it. Reach out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠conejovalleyvisionaries@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ — we're always looking for bold founders, creatives, and changemakers to feature.

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions

The round brilliant diamond is out. Yellow gold is back. And lab-grown diamonds have completely changed the game.

Shira Weber, owner of Vadore Jewelry in Thousand Oaks, joins Cristina to talk about the jewelry trends she’s seeing firsthand — including the engagement ring cuts that are suddenly everywhere (thanks, Taylor Swift!) and why she says 9 out of 10 of her customers are looking for lab-grown diamonds.

Shira also has a fascinating story of her own. She grew up in her family’s jewelry business in Ventura before becoming a therapist, and then eventually took to the leap to opening a fine jewelry boutique of her own. Nearly one year in, she shares what she’s learned about running a business, building trust with customers and carrying on a family legacy while creating something that's entirely hers.

We talk about:

• Why lab-grown diamonds have become so popular

• The engagement ring cuts replacing the traditional round diamond

• Why yellow gold is making a comeback

• The jewelry pieces everyone wants right now

• How Shira’s psychology background influences the way she works with clients

• What it’s really like to run a jewelry business

•And the story behind the engagement ring Shira’s uncle designed for her

Vadore Jewelry is celebrating its one-year anniversary September 25–26 with discounts on select jewelry, sips, bites, a raffle, gifts with purchase and complimentary ring cleaning.

If you love jewelry, are thinking about an engagement ring, or are curious about the people and businesses shaping the Conejo Valley, this is a good one.

Connect with Vadore Jewelry ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Conejo Valley Visionaries ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Loved this episode? Leave us a 5-star review — it helps more visionaries like you discover the show and keeps inspiring conversations coming your way.

Got a visionary story to share? We’d love to hear it. Reach out at ⁠⁠⁠conejovalleyvisionaries@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ — we're always looking for bold founders, creatives, and changemakers to feature.

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions

How does one start a film festival? For Kelley Miller, the co-founder of the Calabasas Film Festival -- now in its 13th year -- it all began over a cup of coffee with the mayor of Calabasas and her father in which she said "I think that's a me-thing."Today, the festival has grown from three days to five, bringing filmmakers, actors, and movie lovers together to celebrate film and the community around it.In this episode of Conejo Valley Visionaries, Kelley shares how she went from studying film in Italy to working in Hollywood PR, and eventually creating a film festival of her own.We talk about:- How the Calabasas Film Festival got started- Why Kelley wanted to create a film celebration rather than a competition- What it takes to organize a film festival from the ground up- How she has adapted through theater closures, COVID, and other challenges- Why the festival’s young filmmaker program is so meaningfulIf you love supporting movies, make sure to check out the Calabasas Film Festival September 23–27.

Connect with Calabasas Film Festival ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Conejo Valley Visionaries ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Loved this episode?Leave us a 5 star review — it helps more visionaries like you discover the show and keeps inspiring conversations coming your way.

Got a visionary story to share?We’d love to hear it. Reach out at ⁠⁠conejovalleyvisionaries@gmail.com⁠⁠ — we're always looking for bold founders, creatives, and changemakers to feature.

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions