The Long Game with Mitch Long

QuietLoud Studios

Mitch Long started in insurance with a pager and a roll of quarters. Thirty years later he's still showing up — and now he's having the conversations that don't usually make it onto a LinkedIn post. The Long Game is where Mitch sits down with business owners, founders, and people who've been around long enough to know what actually works. They talk about how they got started, what they got wrong, what they'd do differently, and why the basics still win. And sometimes Mitch and his son Adam sound off on First and Long — their ongoing football conversation about the NFL, their beloved Steelers, and why six Super Bowls still doesn't make the heartbreak any easier. First and long usually means your team just screwed up. Sounds about right. First and Long is a SportsEpreneur series. Produced by QuietLoud Studios, a KazSource brand.

Episodes

  1. From NASCAR Garages to Sim Racing: Casey Mahoney of Victory Sim

    28 Jun

    From NASCAR Garages to Sim Racing: Casey Mahoney of Victory Sim

    How Casey Mahoney turned a racing background, IT skills, and a niche idea into a business people can actually experience. In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long talks with Casey Mahoney about Victory Sim Experience, the racing sim center he built in Hickory, NC. Casey shares how he got into racing early, worked around NASCAR, and later found a way to combine that background with technology and entrepreneurship. They also get into the shift from building simulators for other people to creating a space where customers can come race for themselves. It is a conversation about finding a lane, adapting when a market changes, and building a business around experience instead of just equipment. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT How Victory Sim Experience worksWhy sim racing is more realistic than people expectCasey’s early background in racingWorking around NASCAR and local race teamsHow the housing crash pushed him into a career changeCombining racing knowledge with IT skillsWhy COVID changed the sim industryTrade shows, rentals, and building a business around eventsWhat makes a sim center work as an experienceWhy Hickory made sense as the home base CHAPTERS 00:21 – Mitch meets Casey and asks about the business00:31 – What Victory Sim Experience is and how it works01:02 – The different types of racing people can do01:14 – How the company started building simulators in 201201:24 – COVID, trade shows, and the shift into events02:07 – Turning idle equipment into a sim center02:26 – Racing events, trade shows, and where the business travels03:09 – Casey’s racing background and working for Bill Elliott’s team03:39 – The recession, layoffs, and making a career change04:00 – Learning IT and combining it with a racing background04:30 – Building sims, growing demand, and new competition05:29 – The sim center, reservations, and walk-in traffic06:11 – How long people race and why 30 minutes is usually enough06:39 – Why sim racing is not a video game07:32 – Tracks, skill levels, and how beginners get started08:34 – Growing up in Hickory and being a Bill Elliott fan08:50 – What Casey actually did around race teams when he was younger09:26 – Favorite tracks and how racing has changed over time10:20 – Why sim racing felt new before it became mainstream11:21 – The hardware, the cost, and why the experience matters12:16 – Staffing, family, and Casey’s son working in the business12:47 – Where the trade show work happens13:24 – Using simulators to pull people into a booth14:14 – Whether Casey wants more locations in the future15:19 – Mitch wraps up and connects Casey’s story back to motorsports Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & Payphones Connect with Casey Mahoney: LinkedIn | Victory SIM | Facebook More from The Long Game Italian Food, Family, and Community with Tom Cook of Tutti’sFrom Green Beret to Blackhawk Pilot to Financial Planner: Nick O'Kelly on Risk, Family, and Starting OverNASCAR, Family, and Starting Over with Chip GoodeAbout This Podcast and Series The Long Game is a series under Entrepreneur Perspectives. Produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand. Get in touch with Eric Kasimov:X | LinkedIn Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    16 min
  2. Italian Food, Family, and Community with Tom Cook of Tutti’s

    25 Jun

    Italian Food, Family, and Community with Tom Cook of Tutti’s

    What growing up around big family meals taught Tom Cook about food, hospitality, and building something local. In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long talks with Tom from Tutti’s Italian Market and Deli in Concord, NC about family, food, teaching, and the path that led him into the restaurant business. Tom shares how growing up in a New York Italian family shaped the way he thinks about meals, community, and what it means to bring people back to the table. They also get into entrepreneurship, opening a business with his brother (Johnny Cook), learning from mistakes, and why Tutti’s is really about people as much as it is about food. It is a conversation about family traditions, local business, and creating a place where customers feel known. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT Growing up in a New York Italian familyHow food and family meals shaped Tom earlyTeaching English before opening Tutti’sWhy Concord felt like the right place to build something localOpening a deli without a restaurant backgroundWhat Tutti’s means and why the table mattersLearning patience, trust, and mistakes as a new ownerHow Tom and his brother, Johnny Cook, built the business togetherWhy community matters more than transactionsBuilding a team that feels like family CHAPTERS 00:20 – Mitch introduces Tutti’s and asks Tom about his background00:56 – Growing up in a second- and third-generation Italian-American family02:00 – Tom on education, teaching, and staying connected to UNC Charlotte03:36 – How family ended up in the Charlotte area05:00 – A family full of teachers, writers, and creatives06:21 – Why entrepreneurship and family history shaped the business08:35 – Why Concord became the right place to open Tutti’s10:14 – The market, wine, and creating a local place people remember11:08 – What Tutti’s means and the idea of bringing people back to the table13:13 – The Godfather, lasagna, and favorite dishes on the menu15:07 – Making food from scratch and why that still matters15:19 – Early business challenges, patience, and learning to trust people16:00 – Building the deli with Johnny and opening later than planned17:00 – Why getting open in time for his grandfather mattered so much19:00 – Imposter syndrome and starting a food business with English degrees20:00 – Why Tutti’s is in the people business21:36 – Repeat customers, community, and knowing people by name22:07 – How catering became a bigger part of the business24:20 – Staffing, culture, and building a strong team26:10 – Family meal with the staff on Tuesdays27:08 – Mitch on family dinners and why they mattered so much28:17 – Why this building felt right from the start29:00 – Creating the kind of local place people come back to Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & Payphones Connect with Tom Cook: Tutti's Italian Market & Deli More from QuietLoud Studios One Post Is Content, A Body of Work Is Authority — KazCM From Green Beret to Blackhawk Pilot to Financial Planner: Nick O’Kelly on Risk, Family, and Starting Over — The Long Game Why Youth Soccer Needs Player-Led Pathways | Brando Babini of Youth 4 Youth FC — SportsEpreneur About This Podcast and Series The Long Game is a series under Entrepreneur Perspectives. Produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand. Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    30 min
  3. From Green Beret to Blackhawk Pilot to Financial Planner: Nick O'Kelly on Risk, Family, and Starting Over

    23 Jun

    From Green Beret to Blackhawk Pilot to Financial Planner: Nick O'Kelly on Risk, Family, and Starting Over

    What a Green Beret turned Blackhawk pilot turned financial planner learned about risk, family, and starting over. In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long talks with Nick O’Kelly about military life, aviation, family, and the road that led him into financial planning. Nick shares how he went from struggling in college to becoming a Green Beret, then a Blackhawk pilot, before eventually starting over in a new career after leaving the military. They also get into the mindset shift of moving from service into sales, how Nick built his practice, and why his approach to financial planning starts with the end state in mind. It is a grounded conversation about discipline, family, long-term thinking, and helping people make better financial decisions. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT Nick O’Kelly’s path from college to Special ForcesServing as a Green Beret in OkinawaBecoming a Blackhawk pilot and flying in special operationsWhy he left the military and started overThe challenge of moving from service into salesHow Cadence Wealth Partners approaches financial planningWhy Nick starts with the end state in mindHelping clients stay steady when markets get shakyFamily, coaching, and being intentional with timeWhy trust and referrals matter in a growing practice CHAPTERS 00:00 – Mitch and Nick connect over their military family background00:11 – Nick on high school, college, and joining the military01:00 – Special Forces training and becoming a Green Beret01:30 – Serving in Okinawa and starting a family01:50 – Aviation, flight school, and becoming a Blackhawk pilot02:10 – Flying with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment02:26 – Mitch on growing up in a military family02:47 – Why Nick left the military03:24 – Building a plan before leaving service03:40 – Becoming a finance nerd and earning the CFP designation04:06 – The hardest part of starting in the business04:30 – The mindset shift from quiet professional to finding clients05:15 – Mitch on sales, listening, and helping people solve problems06:18 – Nick explains Cadence Wealth Partners and how they plan backward07:00 – How they review plans and keep clients focused long term07:37 – Market swings, fear, and staying the course09:06 – Nick on family, kids, and youth sports10:27 – Coaching baseball and protecting time with family11:35 – The joke behind “undefeated dad”12:13 – Military culture, parenting, and adjusting expectations at home13:24 – Nick on building value and growing through referrals14:18 – Mitch on relationships that have lasted decades14:58 – Why trust matters more than transactions15:00 – Nick on growth, hiring, and expanding the practice Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & Payphones Connect with Nick O'Kelly: LinkedIn | X | Cadence Wealth Partners More from QuietLoud Studios Hydration Breaks, Fox Ads, and the Americanization of the World Cup — SportsEpreneur The Real Value of Podcasting in 2026 — KazCM NASCAR, Family, and Starting Over with Chip Goode — The Long Game How a 21-Year-Old Built a 1,000-Player Soccer Company in College | EP197 — Entrepreneur Perspectives About This Podcast and Series The Long Game is a series under Entrepreneur Perspectives. Produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand. Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    16 min
  4. NASCAR, Family, and Starting Over with Chip Goode

    19 May

    NASCAR, Family, and Starting Over with Chip Goode

    What 19 years on pit road taught Chip Goode about pressure, family, and building a second career. In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long talks with Chip Goode about sports, NASCAR, family, and how he made the jump from pit road into insurance. It starts with football and the NFL Draft, but the bigger story is about work, timing, and knowing when it is time to build something new. Chip shares how he spent 19 years on NASCAR pit crews, what that life demanded, and why he eventually needed a different path for his family. He also gets into the move into insurance, buying an agency, and what it means to have more control over your work and your time. CHAPTERS 00:20 – Mitch checks in with Chip and the conversation starts with business00:46 – Rate increases, tighter underwriting, and a tougher insurance market01:10 – NFL Draft talk and why Chip likes the Panthers building up front02:34 – Steelers fans, draft night, and the Aaron Rodgers question04:29 – Why teams get stuck chasing average instead of finding their quarterback06:44 – Chip on growing up in Statesville and being around racing early07:00 – Football, basketball, UNC Charlotte, and getting into NASCAR07:53 – Chad Little, Jeff Burton, Juan Pablo Montoya, and life on pit crews09:06 – How Chip first got into the sport through his dad10:43 – Getting into Victory Lane as a kid11:00 – From helping on weekends to jumping over the wall in 199812:27 – The physical and mental side of being on a pit crew13:52 – Meeting his wife and balancing racing with family life15:00 – A streak of 730 straight Cup races16:26 – Why family eventually changed the way he saw the job18:04 – Coaching, showing up for kids, and the value of flexibility20:27 – His daughters, college, and musical theater22:07 – Why Chip moved from NASCAR into insurance23:23 – The call that pushed him toward Farm Bureau24:00 – Getting licensed while still working race weekends25:01 – The chance meeting that led to buying an agency26:13 – What independence changed for Chip as an owner29:00 – Mitch on starting over in sales and learning to live on what you produce30:00 – Faith, timing, and the checks that showed up right when they were needed Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & Payphones Connect with Chip Goode: LinkedIn | X  More from the KazSource Network The Real ROI of Podcasting — KazCMRemote Work in Today’s Financial Advisory Industry — Entrepreneur PerspectivesThe Long Game | Episode 1: Wes Connor on 50 Years in Business — KazSourceThe Economics Behind College Football's NIL Explosion — SportsEpreneur About This Podcast and Series The Long Game is a series under Entrepreneur Perspectives. Produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand. Get in touch with Eric Kasimov:X | LinkedIn Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    32 min
  5. Slade Lewis on Leadership, Follow-Up, and the Future of Insurance

    8 May

    Slade Lewis on Leadership, Follow-Up, and the Future of Insurance

    What strong leaders do, why follow-up still wins, and how insurance is changing fast without losing the human part. In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long talks with Slade Lewis about how he got into insurance, the turns his career took along the way, and how he ended up in a leadership role at Pinnacle. They also get into sales, management, technology, and what has changed in the business over time. It is a practical conversation about relationships, follow-up, and how to lead people well. It also gets into AI, rising premiums, and why clients still need a real person they can call when something goes wrong. CHAPTERS 00:21 – Mitch kicks off the conversation from the road01:03 – Slade on growing up in Hampstead and going to UNC02:30 – A journalism degree with a concentration in advertising03:09 – Slade’s first job in insurance with Jefferson Pilot04:00 – Moving from service into sales04:27 – The bulldog hair company car story06:14 – Leaving insurance for pharmaceutical sales and coming back07:20 – Product roles, UnitedHealthcare, and becoming a broker08:26 – Slade’s current role and how he thinks about leadership10:48 – The biggest sales challenges in insurance today12:00 – Why answering calls and following up still separates people13:34 – How client meetings shifted from face-to-face to Zoom14:20 – Technology, DocuSign, and doing business across states14:57 – Why AI may transform agencies faster than expected15:58 – The caution around database underwriting and automation16:50 – How AI is already shaping health insurance underwriting17:41 – Rising health insurance costs and the pressure on employers18:35 – Standard rate increases in the small group market19:20 – Looking for options when traditional carriers say no19:43 – Auto and homeowners insurance costs keep climbing20:18 – Roof issues, storm risk, and what is driving property costs21:36 – Slade reveals he was his high school typing champion Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & Payphones Connect with Slade Lewis: LinkedIn More from the KazSource Network The Real ROI of Podcasting — KazCMWhat Happened to CFB Bowl Games — SportsEpreneurThe Long Game | Episode 1: Wes Connor on 50 Years in Business — KazSource About This Podcast and Series The Long Game is a series under the Entrepreneur Perspectives umbrella. Produced by QuietLoud Studios — a modern media network and a KazSource brand. Get in touch with Eric Kasimov:X | LinkedIn Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    23 min
  6. First & Long: The Steelers Are Stuck and We're Not Okay

    24 Apr

    First & Long: The Steelers Are Stuck and We're Not Okay

    Welcome to First & Long — a father-son football conversation between Mitch and Adam Long. Steelers fans, NFL obsessives, and yes, they've already argued about this. In this episode, Mitch and Adam talk about the NFL Draft, the Steelers, the Bills, and a couple of Pittsburgh trip stories that did not exactly go to plan. They also get into quarterbacks, roster building, fan frustration, and why teams still have to win up front. It is a loose football conversation, but the main point is clear: quick fixes usually are not enough. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT Pittsburgh trip stories and hotel disastersWhy the draft always starts argumentsThe case for building the line before chasing a quarterbackWhy where a quarterback lands mattersWhether the Steelers should give Will Howard a shotWhy the Steelers feel stuck in the middleWhy teams still win in the trenchesWhether Buffalo is doing enough around Josh Allen CHAPTERS 00:01 – Mitch sets up a talk about the draft and Pittsburgh trips00:18 – Adam’s advice on where not to stay in Pittsburgh00:43 – The hotel story that went bad fast01:50 – The legendary bar encounter in Pittsburgh02:19 – Running into the same guy again in Virginia02:45 – Mitch and Adam get into the draft03:06 – Adam on the Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, and Kirk Cousins05:30 – Mitch makes the case for trading the top pick09:30 – Why quarterback success depends on where a player lands12:37 – Mobility, protection, and what the Steelers lacked last year15:24 – Adam on play calling and helping players succeed17:25 – What the Steelers should target in the draft19:57 – Jeremiah Love, offensive line help, and winning in the trenches23:37 – Mitch on following the draft without pretending to know every prospect25:16 – The argument for seeing what Will Howard can do27:42 – Why Adam does not want Aaron Rodgers back30:31 – The cost of being scared to have a losing season35:15 – Bo Nix, the Broncos, and what could have been38:42 – Mitch turns to the Bills and Josh Allen41:52 – Why Buffalo may be at a key point Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & Payphones More from SportsEpreneur The Business in College SportsHow the NFL Turns Chaos into an AssetThe NFL Owns the Media About This Podcast and Series First & Long with Mitch and Adam Long — a SportsEpreneur series. SportsEpreneur:X | LinkedIn Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    40 min

  7. 24 Apr

    50 Years in Business with Wes Connor

    What 50 years in insurance teaches about relationships, change, and why the basics still matter. In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long sits down with Wes Connor to talk about how he got into insurance, what kept him in it, and what 50 years in the business has taught him. They get into family business, remote selling, hiring challenges, commercial and personal lines, and why life insurance still stands apart from products people are required to buy. It’s a grounded look at what still matters in the business, what has changed, and why the basics still win. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT How Wes Connor got into insurance in 1975From kitchen table sales to DocuSign and video callsWhy relationships still matter in a more digital businessWorking with family across generationsHiring challenges in today’s insurance marketCommercial versus personal lines in a changing marketWhy life insurance feels different from mandatory coverageDisability, long-term care, and planning before it’s too lateCHAPTERS 00:20 – Mitch welcomes Wes Connor00:41 – How Wes got into the insurance business03:15 – Starting out and falling in love with the work05:21 – How selling insurance has changed over the years08:00 – Podcasts, technology, and the next generation in the business11:00 – Working with family and building an agency over time12:00 – Hiring challenges and the shortage of new agents16:23 – Disability insurance, income protection, and planning gaps16:52 – Wes breaks down his agency’s commercial and personal lines mix19:19 – Why selling life insurance is more satisfying21:00 – Real examples of how life insurance changes outcomes for families23:29 – Long-term care, aging, and staying healthy Connect with Mitch Long: LinkedIn | KazInsurance | Read: Pagers & PayphonesConnect with Wes Connor: LinkedIn | Website | Instagram More from the KazSource Network The Real ROI of Podcasting — KazCMWhat Happened to CFB Bowl Games — SportsEpreneurRemote Work in Today’s Financial Advisory Industry —Entrepreneur Perspectives About This Podcast The Long Game with Mitch Long. Produced by QuietLoud Studios, a KazSource brand. Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    26 min

  8. 24 Apr

    The Long Game: Meet Mitch Long

    Why stories beat pitches, why showing up still matters, and what this series is about. Eric Kasimov sits down with Mitch Long to kick off The Long Game. Mitch has been in the insurance business for over 30 years. He started with a pager and a roll of quarters. He built his book by showing up every Tuesday until people just started handing him the business. Now he's here to have conversations with business owners about how they got where they are — the real version, not the LinkedIn version. What We Talk About: Criminal justice major to insurance salesmanThe 93-year-old woman and the bell storyWhy face-to-face still matters (and why it's not enough anymore)Pagers, Blackberries, and the quarantine pivotThe buggy whip salesman problemNIL, college sports, and what it means to stay relevantChapters: 00:14 – What this show is and how conversations work01:00 – Mitch's path into insurance08:27 – Podcasting as a way to connect13:00 – Old school meets new school21:30 – Adjusting how you reach people23:45 – Pagers, payphones, and quarters26:00 – Blackberry, Gateway, and what happens when you don't evolve28:00 – The buggy whip salesman30:00 – Mitch's grandfather sold matches31:30 – MC Hammer selling records out of his trunk32:01 – NIL and financial literacyConnect with Mitch Long LinkedIn | KazInsurance More from the KazSource Network Ambient Influence in Content — KazCMThe Benefits and Issues of NIL — SportsEpreneurIs College Still Worth It? — Entrepreneur Perspectives About This Podcast and Series The Long Game with Mitch Long. Produced by QuietLoud Studios, a KazSource brand. Get in touch with Eric Kasimov:X | LinkedIn Credits:Music by Jess & Ricky — SoundCloud

    34 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Mitch Long started in insurance with a pager and a roll of quarters. Thirty years later he's still showing up — and now he's having the conversations that don't usually make it onto a LinkedIn post. The Long Game is where Mitch sits down with business owners, founders, and people who've been around long enough to know what actually works. They talk about how they got started, what they got wrong, what they'd do differently, and why the basics still win. And sometimes Mitch and his son Adam sound off on First and Long — their ongoing football conversation about the NFL, their beloved Steelers, and why six Super Bowls still doesn't make the heartbreak any easier. First and long usually means your team just screwed up. Sounds about right. First and Long is a SportsEpreneur series. Produced by QuietLoud Studios, a KazSource brand.

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