He was six years old, riding shotgun in a Dodge Dakota, running the plow controller while his dad pushed snow at 2 a.m. By 22, he was buying 30 skid loaders, signing bank loans, and managing 10 major box store locations in a city he'd barely lived in for a year.

In the first episode of ICEBREAKER, host Amanda sits down with Austin Alff of Alf Construction, a 33-year-old who has never had a W-2 job in his life and built a multi-state snow and ice operation almost entirely without marketing or social media. Just grit, risk tolerance, and a relentless commitment to doing what he says he's going to do.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• The origin story — how a firefighter's side hustle in Atlantic, Iowa turned into a family legacy that's still servicing the same locations 20+ years later

• The big jump — what it felt like going from 2 sites to 15 overnight, and what it really takes to fund that kind of growth

• Growing without marketing — how Austin scaled across Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and beyond on reputation alone

• The liquid de-icing conversation — misconceptions, misapplication, and why Austin believes education is the biggest opportunity in the industry right now

• Advice for the 20-year-old in a Dodge Dakota — the two things Austin says he wishes he'd learned sooner

This one's packed. Whether you're in year one or year twenty, there's something in Austin's story that's going to hit home.

Don't give up. Ask for help. Keep pushing.

Subscribe to ICEBREAKER on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube. Got a guest suggestion? Email us at podcast@myicesolutions.com or find us on LinkedIn.