Built for This

Carly Pepin
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

 Where vision meets execution and legacy begins. Built For This is the podcast for founders, business owners, C-Suite Executives, and vision-driven leaders who know their business isn’t just what they do, it’s an extension of who they are. Hosted by business strategist and human behavior specialist Carly Pepin, each episode dives into candid, intelligent conversations with high-performing business owners and executives. These are the real stories behind growth: the pivotal moments, the internal shifts, the strategic moves, and the unseen pressure that comes with building something that lasts. With a sharp eye for strategy and a deep understanding of human behavior, Carly brings out the clarity, conviction, and contradictions that drive exceptional leadership. You’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what it actually takes to grow a business without losing yourself in the process. This is where business and personal development meet: honest, direct, and built to bring life to your vision. Whether you’re growing your next big thing or recalibrating to get back on track, Built For This is your space to think, build, and lead with purpose.

  1. 4h ago

    High Performance, Highly Human: Anne Green on Building a Culture That Can Change

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Anne Green, CEO and principal at G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group, to explore what more than three decades in communications has taught her about leadership, culture, trust and navigating change. Anne describes herself as an "accidental business person" and "accidental CEO." Originally planning to become a literature professor, an internship in public relations changed her direction and eventually gave her a front-row seat to building and leading a business. Carly and Anne explore why leadership begins and ends with communication and trust, why mission and values need to mean something in people's everyday work, and how leaders can help teams navigate uncertainty without pretending to have every answer. They also discuss the anxiety surrounding AI and workforce change, the importance of maintaining a growth mindset, and Anne's belief that businesses have more power than they realize to shape a future where organizations can be both high performance and highly human.   Key Takeaways Communication Isn't About What You Said. It's About What Actually Landed. Anne believes "leaders are repeaters." Communicating something once doesn't mean people understand it. Leaders need to continually reinforce important messages while making sure employees understand what those messages actually mean for them. Culture Has to Be Lived, Not Simply Defined. Mission, vision and values shouldn't be static words on a page. Anne continually returns to what G&S's values mean in practice and how different people experience them, treating culture as something that evolves alongside the organization. Leaders Have More Agency Over the AI Future Than They Think. Rather than simply asking what AI will do to jobs and organizations, Anne believes leaders should be asking, "What do we want to happen?" Businesses have an opportunity to actively shape how people and technology work together instead of treating the future as something happening to them.   Memorable Quotes "I want to be high performance and highly human. I don't think those are in conflict. I think you can be both." "Well, if it wasn't for the humans, it'd be easy." "When you're feeling pressure, when your whole body is screaming no to something, when you feel immediately resistant, can you pause and say, maybe we can. Yes, we will try."   About Anne Green Anne Green is CEO and a principal at G&S Integrated Marketing Communications Group, bringing more than 30 years of experience in marketing communications. She oversees performance and operations across G&S Business Communications and MorganMyers, while helping cultivate a growth-oriented culture and leading key external relationships. Anne also serves as executive sponsor of the organization's DE&I Advisory Board and Generative AI team. Previously, Anne served as president and CEO of CooperKatz & Company, an award-winning communications agency she helped build for two decades before its acquisition by G&S. She is also a Trustee of Vassar College and has served on the boards of the PR Council and LifeWay Network.   Connect with Anne https://gsimcg.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@BuildingBrandGravity/videos https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-brand-gravity-attracting-people-into-your-orbit/id1625131980 https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-e-green

    High Performance, Highly Human: Anne Green on Building a Culture That Can Change

  2. 4d ago

    Connect. Engage. Support. Ron Robinson's Blueprint for Changing Education.

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Ron Robinson, founder, president and CEO of Expanded Learning Academy, to explore how his experiences with martial arts, education and character development led him to rethink how children experience learning. Ron shares how volunteering at his children's school became the unexpected beginning of his journey into education. After taking activities outside the traditional classroom and incorporating martial arts and character development, demand quickly grew to more than 1,000 students. Educators also began noticing improvements in attendance, engagement and behavior. Carly and Ron explore the philosophy at the heart of Expanded Learning Academy: connect, engage, support. They also discuss ELA's unconventional approach to hiring, why Ron chose franchising as a way to scale the mission, and his larger vision for developing the expanded-learning profession. Underneath it all is a simple goal: to make education the best part of the day for students, families and the people supporting them.   Key Takeaways You Can't Support Someone Until You've Connected With Them Ron's philosophy begins with connection. Whether working with a child or an employee, he believes you first need to listen and understand the individual. Only then can you meaningfully engage with them and provide the support they actually need. Hire the Person, Not Just the Resume ELA's Discovery Day turns the traditional hiring process around. Candidates first learn about and interview the organization, while Ron focuses on discovering who they really are beyond their professional resume. Skills can be developed, but understanding the person entering the culture matters enormously. Growth Sometimes Requires Recognizing That You're the Bottleneck Ron chose franchising because he recognized that trying to control every aspect of growth himself would eventually limit the organization. For him, scaling means creating systems that allow other capable people to lead, build and expand the mission.   Memorable Quotes "Before we can provide support, we have to first connect. We have to listen. We have to understand." "I don't want to learn about the resume version of you. I don't care about that version. I want to know about the version why your friends and family love and adore you." "I want education to be the best part of the day."   About Ron Robinson Ronald Robinson is the Founder, President and CEO of Expanded Learning Academy, overseeing the organization's growth and its franchising division, Expanded Learning Franchise, LLC. Before ELA, Ron led STORM (Special Team of Role Models), a national K–12 initiative focused on character development, positive behavior reinforcement and student engagement. Earlier in his career, he also grew a martial arts school from one location into a five-location franchise. Today, Ron is focused on expanding ELA while helping create stronger professional development and career pathways for people working in expanded learning.   Connect with Ron https://www.expandedlearningacademy.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/expanded-learning-academy/posts/?feedView=all https://www.facebook.com/expandedlearningacademy

    Connect. Engage. Support. Ron Robinson's Blueprint for Changing Education.

  3. Sep 28

    Patrick Brown On The One Thing That Scales Faster Than Your Business Is Your Problems

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Patrick Brown, founder of Unity Communications, to explore the reality of bootstrapping a business from a small team into a global organization with around 500 employees. Patrick shares how his experience in the Navy and an early need for technical talent unexpectedly led him into outsourcing. What began with a small team in the Philippines eventually became Unity Communications, helping companies build and manage global teams across multiple countries. But growth didn't happen overnight. Patrick spent 10 years reaching his first $1 million in revenue, learning sales, marketing, cash management, and how to make limited resources stretch along the way. Carly and Patrick also explore what happens when a company begins scaling and the problems start scaling with it, how he develops future leaders by giving them real responsibility, and why building a global culture requires curiosity and an understanding of different ways of working. They also discuss AI as a way to amplify people rather than replace them, and why Patrick's definition of success today is less about building the biggest company and more about having control over his time and being present for the people who matter.   Key Takeaways Growth Doesn't Just Scale Revenue. It Scales Problems. As Unity grew, challenges across HR, payroll, systems, and operations became bigger and more expensive. Patrick learned to bring in experts not simply to fix problems, but to teach his team how to solve them themselves and document what they learned. Don't Wait for Great Leaders. Give People the Opportunity to Become Them. Patrick develops emerging leaders by giving them meaningful responsibility during difficult situations, with senior leadership available when needed. He sees part of his role as a founder as creating opportunities for other people to step onto the stages he has already occupied. Decide What Success Means Before You Sacrifice Everything for It. As a single father, Patrick built his working life around being present for his children, even while working long hours. Today, he believes success is less about the size of the business or bank account and more about controlling your time, controlling your income, and being there for the people you love.   Memorable Quotes "The one thing that scales faster than solutions are problems. They scale so much faster." "I believe my job as an owner and founder is to find people and put them on stages because I've already been on that stage." "I can always make more money. I can't get that time back with them."   About Patrick Brown Patrick Brown is the founder of Unity Communications, an award-winning hybrid BPO helping organizations build global teams, streamline workflows, and use automation to amplify people rather than replace them. Unity Communications works with organizations across critical workflows and international markets, with Patrick believing that the trust clients place in his teams is ultimately the real currency of the business.   Connect with Patrick http://www.unity-connect.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/pdbrown/

    Patrick Brown On The One Thing That Scales Faster Than Your Business Is Your Problems

  4. Sep 24

    Michael Walliser On Why Technology Should Strengthen the Relationship, Not Replace It.

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Michael Walliser, real estate entrepreneur and technology founder, to explore what happens when someone with more than two decades of industry experience decides to build the technology he wishes he'd had all along. Michael shares the evolution of EasyDigz, from spreadsheets and pieced-together systems to a connected platform designed for independent real estate brokers. At the heart of that journey is a simple idea: technology should strengthen the relationship between brokers and their clients, not become another layer competing for their trust. Carly and Michael also explore the realities of building with AI, including the enormous difference between creating an impressive prototype and developing something reliable enough for high-stakes customer experiences. They also discuss Michael's approach to leadership, why he values people who are comfortable admitting what they don't know, and how the Japanese principle of Kaizen has helped create a culture focused on improving systems rather than blaming people.   Key Takeaways Technology Should Protect the Relationship You're Trying to Build Every time a broker sends a client to another platform for information, documents, or updates, part of that relationship can shift to another brand. EasyDigz was designed to keep the broker at the center of the customer experience and maintain their position as the client's source of truth. A Working AI Prototype Isn't the Same as a Production-Ready Product AI allows Michael's team to move incredibly quickly from an idea to a prototype, sometimes within hours. But something working once doesn't mean it's reliable enough for a critical customer workflow. For Michael, AI is incredibly valuable for experimentation, but reliability still matters more than novelty. Fix the Process Instead of Blaming the Person Michael applies the principle of Kaizen and continuous improvement to leadership. When something goes wrong, the goal isn't simply to identify who made the mistake. It's to understand where the process failed and improve the system so the same problem is less likely to happen again.   Memorable Quotes "At any given time, if someone's confused, it's probably not just that person. So if someone gets confused, we should fix that for everyone." "It does nothing and everything simultaneously." "My first step is finding people who are willing to accept there's an infinite amount of more to know."   About Michael Walliser Michael Walliser is a real estate entrepreneur and technology founder with more than 20 years of hands-on industry experience. After spending two decades working inside real estate, Michael founded EasyDigz to solve the operational challenges he had seen brokerages struggle with firsthand. He is also the founder of Carolina Land Experts and has led institutional-level projects, including a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Today, his work sits at the intersection of real estate, operations, technology, and process innovation, with a particular focus on helping independent brokerages operate more effectively.   Connect with Michael https://easydigz.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-walliser-0a268a9

    Michael Walliser On Why Technology Should Strengthen the Relationship, Not Replace It.

  5. Sep 21

    They Said It Was Impossible. Annie Lu Built It Anyway.

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Annie Lu, co-founder and CEO of Laminar, to explore how she and her brother David are bringing AI into one of the world's most critical industries: manufacturing. As third-generation manufacturers, Annie and David grew up around factory floors and saw both the expertise required to keep them running and the opportunity to make those processes more efficient. That experience eventually led them to build Laminar and pursue a bold vision for self-driving factories powered by real-time data and process-aware AI. Annie shares what happened when established industry experts told them their idea was impossible, and how returning to first principles helped them challenge assumptions that had existed for decades. Carly and Annie also explore why successful technology needs to be built around the people actually using it, why AI's next frontier extends beyond screens and into the physical world, and how being different from the established players became one of Laminar's greatest advantages.   Key Takeaways "Impossible" Can Sometimes Mean "We've Never Done It That Way" When experts told Annie and David their vision wouldn't work, they didn't ignore their experience. Instead, they went back to first principles and questioned why it was considered impossible, allowing them to challenge long-held assumptions and test a different approach on real factory floors. Build Technology Around the People Who Actually Use It Laminar's technology has been heavily shaped by listening to plant operators and understanding the realities of production environments. For Annie, great technology isn't about what looks impressive on a screen. It has to solve problems for the people doing the work. What Makes You Different Can Become Your Advantage Rather than trying to look like established manufacturing technology companies, Annie and David leaned into their unique combination of manufacturing experience, science, engineering, AI, and customer empathy. That difference gave them a new way to approach longstanding industry problems.   Memorable Quotes "What makes us different is also our asset." "We build for problems that we can empathize with." "When people have the explainability, it fosters trust because they know why something works."   About Annie Lu Annie Lu is the co-founder and CEO of Laminar, where she is using Process-Aware AI to help redefine the future of CPG manufacturing through self-driving processes designed to improve productivity and sustainability. Recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and BizJournal BostInno 25 Under 25, Annie co-founded Laminar with her brother, David Lu. As AI transforms industries around the world, her focus is making sure manufacturing isn't left behind.   Connect with Annie https://runlaminar.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/annielulaminar/ https://x.com/annieJlu

    They Said It Was Impossible. Annie Lu Built It Anyway.

  6. Sep 17

    Quality Over Quantity: Building a Franchise That Can Actually Scale with Anthony Badalian

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Anthony Badalian, President and COO of STRIDE Fitness, to explore what it takes to reinvent a fitness brand while building a franchise model designed for sustainable growth. Anthony shares how STRIDE has evolved from a primarily treadmill-based concept into a broader HIIT and recovery experience, and why staying relevant means paying attention to where customers and the fitness industry are heading next. Carly and Anthony also explore STRIDE's "franchisee first" philosophy, testing new ideas at its Huntington Beach flagship before rolling them out across the network, and Anthony's three-part filter for decisions: Does it drive revenue? Is it duplicatable? Is there a proven process behind it? They also discuss navigating change, developing great people, balancing data with human connection, and why opening fewer high-quality locations can ultimately create a stronger franchise system.   Key Takeaways Slow Down Before You Scale STRIDE uses its flagship location as a "test kitchen," giving the team an opportunity to test, measure, and refine ideas before asking franchisees to invest in them. Moving quickly matters, but proving something works before scaling it matters more. Put the Franchisee at the Center of the Decision Anthony continually returns to a "franchisee first" philosophy. New partnerships, processes, and changes are considered through the lens of the people who have invested their own money into the brand because successful franchisees are essential to a successful franchise system. Build for Where the Market Is Going Rather than protecting what STRIDE had always been, the team looked at member behavior, attrition, competitors, industry research, and broader fitness trends. Those insights helped evolve the model around strength, cardio, recovery, and a more complete wellness experience.   Memorable Quotes "You've got to be 10 steps ahead. Otherwise, your members are going to be looking for other opportunities." "Successful businesses start with people that are taken care of and successful people." "It's important to take your time and really make sure that every location you open, you open with integrity, you open with quality, and you do right by the franchisee."   About Anthony Badalian Anthony Badalian is the President and Chief Operating Officer of STRIDE Fitness, bringing nearly two decades of experience in the fitness industry and more than a decade in executive leadership. Throughout his career, Anthony has held leadership roles with Rumble Boxing, Club Pilates, and 24 Hour Fitness, specializing in franchise growth, sales strategy, team development, and scalable operations. At STRIDE Fitness, he oversees national operations and brand expansion while helping evolve the brand through high-energy workouts, recovery, technology, and a strong community-focused experience.   Connect with Anthony https://www.stridefitness.com/ https://www.instagram.com/stridefitness https://www.linkedin.com/company/19185521 https://www.facebook.com/STRIDEFitness

    Quality Over Quantity: Building a Franchise That Can Actually Scale with Anthony Badalian

  7. Sep 14

    Building Leaders Before You Need Them with Jenn Harrold and Franco Greco

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Jenn Harrold, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at NewDay USA, and Franco Greco, Chief Revenue Officer, to explore how NewDay is intentionally developing the leaders it will need for its next stage of growth. Jenn and Franco share why the company recruits recent college graduates and invests heavily in training, mentoring, and clearly defined career paths. Rather than constantly looking outside the organization for leadership talent, NewDay gives high performers opportunities to progress quickly and begin developing others. They also discuss the company's "fail learn" mentality, radical transparency, immersive onboarding, and why leaders need to continually reinforce the organization's priorities as the business evolves. Carly, Jenn, and Franco also explore how this approach extends beyond employees to NewDay's customer experience and its broader commitment to serving veteran families.   Key Takeaways Don't Just Hire for the Role You Need Today NewDay looks for ambition and leadership potential from the beginning. Employees are shown what progression can look like and given opportunities to mentor, manage, recruit, and develop others as they move through the organization. Make Failure Part of How People Learn NewDay's "fail learn" mentality recognizes that emerging leaders will make mistakes when taking on new responsibilities. The focus is on honest feedback, understanding what happened, and carrying those lessons forward. You Can't Communicate the Priorities Too Often As the company grows and priorities change, Franco believes leaders need to keep repeating what matters most. Consistent communication helps people understand not only where the business is going, but why.   Memorable Quotes "We always tell people we're an overnight success, and we've been doing it for 26 years." — Franco Greco "Don't get tired of saying the goals. And once you've repeated it, repeat it again." — Franco Greco "It's not just about getting bigger and having more people doing more work. It's also about making sure that the infrastructure and the leadership... is in place." — Jenn Harrold   About Jenn Harrold and Franco Greco Franco Greco is Chief Revenue Officer at NewDay USA, a national VA mortgage lender. After joining the company as an Account Executive in 2013, Franco progressed through the organization to become CRO. Today, he focuses on scaling revenue operations, developing talent, and helping NewDay continue serving more than 100,000 veteran families. Jenn Harrold is Senior Vice President of Human Resources at NewDay USA and brings more than 20 years of HR experience across fintech, technology, and logistics. She specializes in talent acquisition, performance management, culture, and building the people infrastructure organizations need to grow. Together, Jenn and Franco are helping NewDay build high-performing teams and develop an internal pipeline of leaders capable of supporting the company's continued growth.   Connect with Jenn and Franco https://www.newdayusa.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/newday-usa/ https://www.instagram.com/newdayusa/

  8. Sep 10

    From 2,000 Flyers to 5 Million Viewers: The Revry Story with Damian Pelliccione.

    In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Damian Pelliccione, CEO and co-founder of Revry, to explore how an idea that started in a living room grew into a global LGBTQ streaming network reaching around five million monthly active viewers. Damian shares how Revry initially launched as a subscription service before an unexpected advertising inquiry from Lexus opened the door to an entirely different business model. That shift eventually helped Revry build relationships with major advertisers while developing original programming centered around what Damian describes as "queer joy." Carly and Damian also explore the realities of raising capital as a minority-owned media company, how the diversity of Revry's founding team became a competitive advantage, and the role data has played in helping the company understand and serve its audience. It's a conversation about entrepreneurship, representation, sustainability, and building a business that can ultimately operate without its founders having to hold everything together.   Key Takeaways Pay Attention When the Market Gives You a Signal Revry didn't begin with advertising at the center of its business model. But when Lexus unexpectedly approached the company, Damian and his team recognized what the market was telling them and were willing to change direction rather than remain tied to their original plan. Diversity Can Be a Business Advantage Revry's founders come from very different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Damian believes those differences have strengthened the company by allowing the team to approach challenges and opportunities from multiple angles. Sustainability Changes the Founder's Role After years of worrying about payroll, bills, and keeping the company moving, reaching a point where Revry could operate without its founders being involved in everything became an important milestone. For Damian, building something that can function beyond the founders themselves is a meaningful measure of success.   Memorable Quotes "Passion fuels innovation. And if you truly have passion for what you're doing, you can innovate anything." "Invest in the relationship, not the deal." "A business is just one big problem you're trying to solve consistently, and it's just getting better and better and better at it."   About Damian Pelliccione Damian Pelliccione is the CEO and co-founder of Revry, a global LGBTQ streaming network available across more than 60 connected TV, FAST, OTT, desktop, mobile, and smart TV platforms. As an openly non-binary CEO and advocate for the business value of investing in queer audiences and companies, Damian has become a prominent voice across streaming media, representation, and DEI. They were named one of Business Insider's "Top 16 Power Player Execs in AD Video Streaming Space," while Revry has also been recognized by Apple as "App of the Day."   Connect with Damian https://revry.com/ https://Instagram.com/DamianMedia https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianmedia

    From 2,000 Flyers to 5 Million Viewers: The Revry Story with Damian Pelliccione.
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About

 Where vision meets execution and legacy begins. Built For This is the podcast for founders, business owners, C-Suite Executives, and vision-driven leaders who know their business isn’t just what they do, it’s an extension of who they are. Hosted by business strategist and human behavior specialist Carly Pepin, each episode dives into candid, intelligent conversations with high-performing business owners and executives. These are the real stories behind growth: the pivotal moments, the internal shifts, the strategic moves, and the unseen pressure that comes with building something that lasts. With a sharp eye for strategy and a deep understanding of human behavior, Carly brings out the clarity, conviction, and contradictions that drive exceptional leadership. You’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and what it actually takes to grow a business without losing yourself in the process. This is where business and personal development meet: honest, direct, and built to bring life to your vision. Whether you’re growing your next big thing or recalibrating to get back on track, Built For This is your space to think, build, and lead with purpose.

Information

  • Creator
    Carly Pepin
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Built for This