#38 Choose Power: Grit, Strategy & Legacy with Rosie Paulsen

What does it really take to buy a business—and successfully take it over? In this episode, Nicole Alicea sits down with Matt Lentz, owner of The Roofing Company, who purchased an established business with zero prior experience in the roofing industry. Instead of building from scratch, Matt chose a different path—acquiring an existing company and learning how to lead it from day one. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to evaluate a business before buying it • Creative financing strategies, including SBA and seller financing • What to look for when negotiating contracts and non-competes • How to take over a team and earn trust as a new leader • The challenges of transitioning ownership • How to grow and expand after acquisition (including adding new services like solar) Matt also shares the mindset that guides his decisions: doing the right thing for customers and employees—even when it’s not the most profitable

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Shane Combs—former ad agency owner and Assistant Director of Academic Programs at the University of South Florida—to explore what it really means to reinvent your career and guide others in finding their path. Shane shares his journey from leading a regional advertising agency to working closely with first-year college students through USF’s Exploratory Curriculum (ECM) program, helping them navigate uncertainty and make confident decisions about their future. We dive into leadership, purpose, and the evolving mindset of the next generation entering the workforce—along with the real-world lessons entrepreneurs and business owners need to understand to stay relevant. If you’re navigating change, leading a team, or thinking about your next move, this conversation will challenge your perspective and give you practical insight into what’s ahead. Produced by David “Fingers” Bell and hosted by Nicole Valentin Alicea.