Kenny Bonus started his first business at ten years old, delivering newspapers by wagon for ten cents a house. That early taste of being his own boss never left him, and it shaped the drive that carried him through everything that came next. Years later, he left a stable career at a big four accounting firm with zero clients and a savings buffer, betting on himself to build something of his own.

In this episode, Kenny and host Jordan Grady talk about growing up in poverty in a divorced household and what that shaped in him, the mother who told him to switch his major to accounting, and the CPA exam he failed four times before passing every part. He explains why he started Bonus Accounting at his dining room table in 2016, how community networking planted the seeds that grew the firm to more than 30 people across four offices in Butler and Erie, and why he calls his staff coworkers instead of employees.

He also gets candid about burnout, delayed gratification, the vision boards he credits for hitting revenue goals within a thousand dollars, and why being a dad shapes everything he does.

At the end, he shares the single most important thing he would tell any aspiring entrepreneur, see the vision clearly, commit to the destination, and remember that you only fail when you quit.

Learn more about Kenny and Bonus Accounting at: https://bonusaccounting.com/

John Giles spent four years writing restaurant software in his grandmother's basement in Butler, PA before he sold a single copy. What he built from there reached 82 resellers and more than a dozen countries, landing Future POS in the top five hospitality software companies in the United States.

He sold the company in 2017. By 2019, he was building again.

In this episode, John and host Jordan Grady talk about growing up on public assistance in Butler County and what that shaped in him, the trial-by-fire first year of getting a software company off the ground, the complicated decision to sell, and why he is back with Round Two POS and Butler Business Systems. This time he is building on simpler technology, designed to actually protect the restaurants he has spent decades serving.

He also gets candid about the credit card processing industry and why bringing it in-house was the only way to make sure his customers stopped getting squeezed.

At the end, he shares what he would tell any aspiring entrepreneur: start small, build on your wins, learn from the losses, and never count your chickens.

Learn more about John's current businesses at:
https://round2pos.com/
https://butlerbizsys.com/

Coming Soon!

Welcome to The Ballad of Butler County! Explore the vibrant business landscape of Butler County, PA, with the Butler County Chamber of Commerce's official podcast. Hosted by Chamber President Jordan Grady, each episode dives into the stories of the entrepreneurs, executives, and officials who are the backbone of Pennsylvania's top county for incoming investment. Tune in to discover the people behind our thriving community, with one special guest featured per episode.