Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin

Eric Mulvin
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

From taking his last paycheck at Pre-IPO Yelp to building six companies and scaling Pac Biz Outsourcing globally, host Eric Mulvin knows what it means to keep moving forward when the easy choice is to stop. On Unfinished Business, he sits down with business leaders and visionaries where we explore what are they doing with AI today, how are they valuing and uplifting people in their organization and community. We focus on how are leaders using AI + HI, Human Intelligence, to grow and adapt. These are conversations about building and shaping the future and the crazy stories we create along our journeys. Because no matter what you’ve accomplished, nobody’s business is ever finished, we explore where those goals meet and the challenges we face in trying to achieve them.

  1. 5d ago

    [Vistage Series] The Human Skill AI Can’t Practice for You | Craig Weber

    What happens when AI can do more of the work, but still can’t have the difficult conversations for us? Craig Weber believes our ability to communicate, learn together, and perform under pressure will become even more important as AI changes the workplace. Craig is the bestselling author of Conversational Capacity and Influence in Action. He has spent decades helping leaders and teams get better at the conversations most people would rather avoid. In this episode, we break down: Why communication breaks down under pressureHow to balance candor with curiosityWhy teams avoid discussing their biggest problemsWhy difficult conversations need to be practicedWhat happens when we outsource too much thinking to AIWhy human skills could become a competitive advantageHow leaders can prepare their teams for uncertaintyCraig makes an important point about AI: it may help us prepare, but it can’t build our conversational capacity for us. Like going to the gym, someone else can’t do the reps for us. If AI is changing the technical side of work, this conversation explores the human skills that may matter even more. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Unfinished Business and Craig Weber 03:37 - What conversational capacity means 05:24 - Why communication under pressure requires practice 11:11 - Treating the workplace like a conversational dojo 15:39 - What poor communication costs an organization 22:55 - Finding the sweet spot between candor and curiosity 29:00 - Why AI can’t practice human skills for us 31:24 - What happens when we outsource our thinking to AI 35:33 - How Craig found his way into organizational development 43:04 - Lessons from working with thousands of Vistage CEOs 47:27 - Education and human skills in the age of AI 51:19 - Why uncertainty is increasing the need for stronger teams 1:03:49 - Why conversational capacity can become a competitive advantage 1:07:08 - Craig’s Unfinished Business About Craig Weber Craig Weber is an author, speaker, and leadership expert who helps people and teams improve performance by treating dialogue as a discipline. He is the author of the bestselling Conversational Capacity: The Secret to Building Successful Teams That Perform When the Pressure Is On and its sequel, Influence in Action: How to Build Your Conversational Capacity, Do Meaningful Work, and Make a Powerful Difference. Craig has been a Vistage speaker for more than 27 years and has put more than 10,000 CEOs through his conversational capacity workshops. His work has reached organizations ranging from smaller businesses and nonprofits to companies including Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Sony Pictures, and Boeing. He has received the Vistage International Speaker of the Year Award, Vistage Lifetime Achievement Award, TEC Vistage Canada Speaker of the Year Award, and a Vistage Top Performer Award. Connect with Craig Weber Website: conversationalcapacity.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/concapcraig/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@conversationalcapacity Books: Conversational Capacity and Influence in Action Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  2. Sep 30

    [Making an Impact Series] From Guitar Hero & Oculus to the Age of AI | Jack McCauley

    What does someone who helped build Guitar Hero and Oculus think about AI, failure, relationships, and what comes next? Jack McCauley has spent his career building things most people once thought were impossible or weren’t sure anyone would want. In this episode of Unfinished Business, Eric Mulvin sits down with Jack McCauley, co-founder and former chief engineer of Oculus VR, engineer behind the Guitar Hero franchise, inventor, educator, and lifelong builder. But this conversation goes beyond the familiar Oculus story. Jack shares how relationships he maintained over decades repeatedly created unexpected opportunities throughout his career, why he didn’t initially know Guitar Hero would become a massive success, and what failed projects taught him about moving forward. Eric and Jack also dig into AI and how it is already changing engineering, programming, entertainment, and the way people solve problems. Jack explains how he now uses AI tools for technical research that once required textbooks, spreadsheets, and hours of work—and why the next generation still needs creativity, hands-on experimentation, art, music, and opportunities to actually build things. In this episode, we break down: How decades-long relationships helped create some of Jack’s biggest opportunitiesWhy even experienced inventors can’t always predict which products will become hitsWhat Jack learned from Guitar Hero, Oculus, and projects that failedHow AI is changing the way engineers research and solve problemsWhy Jack believes AI could significantly disrupt white-collar workWhy creativity and hands-on building still matter in an AI-driven worldThe importance of staying connected and not burning bridges throughout your careerWhy Jack continues experimenting and inventing after everything he has already accomplishedIf you’re an entrepreneur, engineer, creator, leader, or simply trying to understand how AI will change the way we work and build, this is a conversation worth hearing. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Jack McCauley  04:01 - How relationships shaped Jack’s career  10:09 - Why Jack doubted Guitar Hero at first  16:09 - The relationships that eventually led to Oculus  25:04 - Learning to protect inventions with patents  28:19 - Why you should never burn bridges  33:26 - How Jack uses AI for engineering today  38:40 - AI’s impact on programming and white-collar jobs  48:33 - Raising creative kids in the age of AI  50:45 - How AI could transform Hollywood  54:41 - Lessons from Jack’s failed startups  1:01:11 - The story behind the Oculus acquisition  1:09:09 - Jack’s favorite inventions and projects  1:18:26 - Jack’s new low-energy water purifier  1:26:50 - Jack’s Unfinished Business About Jack McCauley Jack McCauley is an engineer, inventor, hardware designer, entrepreneur, educator, and philanthropist. He is best known as a co-founder and former chief engineer of Oculus VR and for designing the drums for the Guitar Hero video game series. At Oculus, Jack designed and built the Oculus DK1, DK2, and DKHD virtual reality headsets. His career also includes work on computer mouse technology, USB drivers, kernel mode drivers, arcade machines, and the digital audio system for Terminator 2. He holds numerous U.S. patents across software, audio effects, virtual reality, motion control, computer peripherals, and video game hardware. Jack earned his degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley and has authored research in artificial intelligence and mathematical modeling of AI-based systems. He continues pursuing new projects through his private R&D facility and hardware incubator. Connect with Jack McCauley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-j-mccauley-9237bb5/ Website: www.VeronaPure.com Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  3. Sep 22

    [Transportation Series] Building a Family Business That Moves Communities Forward | Jeremy Scalzi

    What happens when transportation becomes the difference between someone staying home and being able to reach healthcare, work, education, or their community? For Jeremy Scalzi, COO of M7, transportation has always been part of life. His family started M7 in 1987 with 15 vehicles in West Haven, Connecticut. Jeremy grew up around the business, from changing oil to working in dispatch and the call center, before eventually finding his own way back and helping lead the company today. But this episode is about much more than growing a family business. Jeremy shares the story behind his family's 12-year effort to help make on-demand wheelchair accessible transportation possible in Connecticut. What started with a newspaper story about a high school student with a spinal cord injury eventually became a long fight to change what transportation companies were legally allowed to provide. We also talk about how M7 adapted during COVID to continue transporting some of the most vulnerable people in its community, why transportation providers need to prepare for disruption before it arrives, and how AI and autonomous vehicles could reshape the future of NEMT. Jeremy also shares an important perspective for family business owners: give the next generation the freedom to choose whether the business is right for them. His own path included tech sales and transportation industry experience before he returned to M7 during COVID and discovered how much the family business meant to him. In this episode, we break down: ● What Jeremy learned growing up in nearly every part of a family transportation business ● Why family-owned transportation companies bring a unique perspective to passenger care ● M7's 12-year fight for wheelchair accessible transportation in Connecticut ● Why NEMT needs stronger standards, education, and accreditation ● How providers can balance rising costs with quality passenger care ● Where AI can improve routing, predictive analytics, and transportation operations ● Why human support still matters for vulnerable passengers ● How M7 adapted its operations during COVID ● Why business owners should give their kids freedom when it comes to joining the family business ● How public-private transportation programs can improve access to healthcare, jobs, groceries, and education Underneath all of it is a bigger idea: transportation is about more than getting from one place to another. Access to a ride can determine whether someone gets medical care, keeps a job, attends school, buys groceries, or remains connected to their community. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe to @bizwitheric for more episodes and updates. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Jeremy Scalzi and Accessible Transportation 04:53 - Growing M7 From 15 Vehicles to Around 200 07:29 - Growing Up in the Family Transportation Business 10:23 - The Evolution of NEMT and Passenger Care 13:56 - Why NEMT Standards and Accreditation Matter 16:17 - The 12-Year Fight for Wheelchair Accessible Transportation 22:01 - Why NEMTAC Matters to Transportation Providers 24:12 - Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Transportation 28:55 - How AI Could Improve NEMT Operations 33:02 - Why AI Can't Replace Every Human Conversation 36:45 - Making Transportation More Affordable and Accessible 43:21 - How M7 Adapted During COVID 46:17 - Should Your Kids Join the Family Business? 49:47 - What’s Jeremy's Unfinished Business? 53:32 - Connecting People With Healthcare, Jobs, and Education  About Jeremy Scalzi Jeremy Scalzi is the Chief Operating Officer of M7, one of Connecticut's largest providers of non-emergency medical transportation and on-demand wheelchair accessible transportation. M7 is a family-run transportation company founded by Jeremy's father in 1987 with 15 vehicles in West Haven, Connecticut. Today, the company operates around 200 vehicles across much of the state and focuses heavily on transportation for seniors, people with disabilities, healthcare services, and passengers requiring higher levels of assistance. Jeremy grew up around the business, gaining experience in roles including vehicle maintenance, dispatch, and call center operations before eventually taking on a larger leadership role. Beyond M7, Jeremy serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Non Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission (NEMTAC), as a board member of the Transportation Alliance (TTA), and as a board member of the Connecticut Health Council. He also serves as Chair of NEMTAC's Technology and Innovation Committee. His work focuses on improving accessible transportation, strengthening industry standards, educating policymakers and providers, and finding sustainable ways to connect people with healthcare and their communities. Connect with Jeremy Scalzi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-scalzi/ Jeremy also attends NEMTAC and Transportation Alliance industry events and encourages transportation providers interested in sharing ideas or learning about M7's programs to connect with him there. Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  4. Sep 15

    [Growth & Leadership Series] The Quarter Second That Can Change How You Lead | Andrea Isaacs

    What if knowing exactly what you need to change still isn’t enough to actually change it? We’re often told that growth starts with awareness. Recognize the problem, understand what you’re doing wrong, and make a different choice. But Andrea Isaacs believes there’s more happening beneath the surface. Once painfully shy and afraid to speak up or be seen, Andrea spent years trying to become more confident. Simply telling herself to “be confident” didn’t work. Her search for why eventually led her to explore personality, emotional mastery, embodiment, and neural pathways and to develop an approach to change that goes beyond intellectual understanding. In this episode, Eric and Andrea explore the hidden patterns that can keep people repeating behaviors even when they consciously want something different. They look at how those patterns show up in leadership, team trust, communication, risk-taking, relationships, and even the split second before we react under pressure. In this episode, we break down: Why knowing what needs to change isn't always enough to change itHow a leader's internal patterns can affect trust and team performanceThe “magic quarter second” between an impulse and a responseHow embodiment can help reinforce new neural pathwaysWhy getting uncomfortable can help leaders become more comfortable with riskWhy human intelligence and self-awareness still matter in an AI-driven worldAndrea also shares practical tools for recognizing and shifting patterns, including her Notice, Shift, Anchor (NSA)  framework, along with stories of individuals and teams learning to communicate, trust, and show up differently. If you're leading a team, growing a business, or trying to change how you respond when pressure hits, this conversation offers a different way to think about what's happening beneath the surface. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Unfinished Business Podcast 02:34 - Andrea's Journey From Shyness to Emotional Mastery 05:29 - Why Growth Requires More Than Insight 08:05 - When Strengths Start Holding a Team Back 14:05 - Notice, Shift, Anchor: A Practical Exercise for Change 17:03 - Trust, Communication, and the Patterns Affecting Your Team 24:23 - Self-Awareness and Becoming Free to Be Yourself 31:42 - The “Magic Quarter Second” Before You React 35:03 - Getting Uncomfortable: Confidence, Risk, and Growth 42:33 - How Old Patterns Affect Relationships and Communication 48:47 - AI, Human Intelligence, and the Skills We Still Need 53:00 - Self-Awareness in Leadership and Parenting 56:38 - Andrea’s Unfinished Business  About Andrea Isaacs Andrea Isaacs is a master of change whose work blends emotional mastery, embodied transformation, and neuroscience. Her approach draws on her background as a professional dancer and choreographer, where she explored the connection between movement, emotion, and authentic expression. She later combined that experience with personality work and her understanding of neural pathways to develop an embodiment-based approach to change. Andrea has worked with thousands of people in more than 30 countries, helping leaders, teams, entrepreneurs, and individuals better understand their gifts, recognize patterns that may be holding them back, and create new ways of responding and being. Connect with Andrea Isaacs Website / EQ Quiz: https://eqquiz.com Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  5. Sep 2

    [Growth and Leadership Series] What 60 Business Leaders Taught Me About Growth | Eric Mulvin

    What happens when your business starts growing, but you’re still stuck doing everything yourself?  In this solo episode of Unfinished Business, Eric Mulvin shares lessons from conversations with roughly 60 business leaders and his experience at the NEMTAC conference.He explores the challenges of scaling Pac Biz Outsourcing, why business owners need clarity before investing in marketing, and how AI platforms like ChatGPT are changing the way customers discover companies. Eric also discusses AI’s impact on customer support, the importance of people as a competitive advantage, and why Pac Biz is focusing more heavily on the NEMT industry. In this episode, Eric discusses: Lessons from conversations with 60 business leadersWhy Pac Biz is focusing on NEMTHow growth exposes operational challengesWhy business owners need to delegate and elevateHow AI is changing search and customer supportWhy people remain a key competitive advantageHow customer conversations can improve your marketingWhat Eric learned from NEMT leaders at NEMTAC Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Unfinished Business Podcast 00:55 - Lessons From 60 Business Leaders 03:55 - Pac Biz’s Growth Journey and Goal of 1,000+ Employees 06:02 - How ChatGPT and AI Are Changing Business Discovery 09:00 - Why Pac Biz Is Going All In on NEMT 12:50 - Why Customer Conversations Should Shape Your Marketing 14:24 - Why Business Owners Need to Delegate and Elevate 17:39 - AI, Automation, and Why People Still Matter 19:15 - How Growth Exposes Operational Problems 21:53 - Why Stepping Away Helps You See the Bigger Picture Connect with Eric Mulvin Email: eric@pac-biz.com Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  6. Aug 26

    [AI Series] What Happens When Everyone Has Access to AI? | Manuj Aggarwal

    What happens when every business owner has access to the same AI? Does it become your greatest competitive advantage—or does it eventually make everyone average? Manuj Aggarwal has been working with artificial intelligence since 2005, long before ChatGPT put these tools into everyone's hands. And he believes most of us are still thinking far too small about what AI can actually do. In this episode of Unfinished Business, Eric Mulvin and Manuj explore what happens when intelligence becomes accessible to virtually everyone. Why could businesses getting serious about AI today build an advantage that's incredibly difficult for competitors to catch? What happens when a one-person company can suddenly operate with capabilities that once required an entire organization? And if you and your competitors have access to the exact same AI tools, what actually makes you different? Then Manuj introduces something Eric hadn't heard described this way before: The “sixth level” of AI. It goes well beyond using AI to write emails, create content, analyze data, or automate your business. And it raises a much bigger question about where the relationship between human intelligence and artificial intelligence may ultimately be heading. What exactly is Level 6? You'll have to hear Manuj explain it. The conversation also explores what happens to jobs as AI becomes more capable, why human creativity may become more valuable rather than less, what today's kids need to prepare for the world ahead, and some unexpected applications of AI that push far beyond traditional business automation. And stay through the end for Manuj's answer to the signature question, “What's your unfinished business?” We've had some ambitious answers on this show. This one is on another level. If you think you're already using AI, this conversation may change your definition of what “using AI” actually means. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe to @bizwitheric for more episodes and updates. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Meet Manuj Aggarwal: Working With AI Since 200506:06 - The 60-Year Evolution of Artificial Intelligence09:15 - 25 Years of Building TetraNoodle11:48 - How Manuj Found His Way Into Technology12:31 - Is Your Salary Giving You a False Sense of Security?14:37 - Technology as a Force Multiplier19:24 - Are One-Person AI Companies About to Explode?20:54 - The AI Gold Rush Is Already Here24:26 - The AI Head Start Your Competitors Can't Easily Catch32:26 - What Is the "Sixth Level" of AI?38:53 - Is AI Making Everyone Average?44:32 - The Hidden Human Barrier to AI Adoption47:40 - Why Growth Requires Discomfort50:24 - What If We're Thinking Too Small About AI?53:49 - Can AI Solve Problems We Thought Were Unsolvable?56:59 - Can AI Understand You Better Than You Understand Yourself?1:01:47 - What Happens When the 40-Hour Job Disappears?1:05:18 - Why Creativity Could Become More Valuable Than Ever1:08:13 - What Should We Be Teaching Kids in the Age of AI?1:10:19 - What's Your Unfinished Business? About Manuj Aggarwal Manuj Aggarwal is the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of TetraNoodle Technologies, an AI engineering company focused on helping organizations use technology to create scalable solutions. Manuj began working with AI in 2005 and has spent decades exploring how technology can improve businesses and people's lives.His work through TetraNoodle has touched at least 10 million lives and generated more than $500 million in value. His AI implementation frameworks have been peer-reviewed and published in the Mensa Research Journal, and he holds four AI patents. His work goes beyond traditional automation. Manuj is particularly interested in the relationship between AI, human behavior, self-awareness, creativity, and personal development. His current work includes AI Merge, which he describes as a way of helping AI understand an individual more deeply so it can help uncover limitations and opportunities already present in their thinking. Connect With Manuj AI Merge: AImerge.live LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manujaggarwal/ Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  7. Aug 18

    [Creator Series] From Making a Living to Building a Life | Mark Schmidt

    What if the business making you money is also keeping you from the life you actually want? Mark Schmidt has spent decades reinventing himself. His career has taken him from house painting and entrepreneurship to serving as a worship pastor and eventually building a career in the reverse mortgage industry. Along the way, he learned that making money and building the right life are not always the same thing. In this episode of Unfinished Business, Eric Mulvin and Mark talk about the lessons that often take entrepreneurs years to learn. They explore what Mark calls the "dumb tax," the financial cost of learning things the hard way, and why understanding taxes and business structure earlier could have saved both of them significant money. Mark also shares what he learned from running a successful painting business that he ultimately didn't enjoy, why entrepreneurs should be careful about getting too good at work they hate, and how his different careers helped him understand where his strengths really belong. The conversation goes beyond business into retirement, relationships, financial freedom, creativity, and knowing when enough is enough. Mark also reflects on returning to music and finding space for the work that continues to bring meaning to his life. Listen to the full interview with Mark Schmidt to hear his perspective on building wealth, reinventing your career, and creating a business that supports your life instead of owning it. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Introduction to Unfinished Business03:21 - Starting a House Painting Business04:45 - Staying Too Long in Business05:59 - Never Get Good at Work You Hate08:20 - Knowing When It's Time to Move11:19 - When Your Business Starts Owning You12:02 - Understanding Revenue Versus Real Profit15:20 - Leaving Painting and Pursuing Music16:46 - Reinventing His Career as a Worship Pastor in Colorado20:50 - Marriage, Money, and Living Debt-Free26:41 - Finding a Career in Reverse Mortgages38:34 - Using Creativity to Eliminate Business Waste41:22 - Generosity as a Business Strategy47:28 - Working More Creates Diminishing Returns1:01:27 - What Retirees Really Need to Live Well1:07:21 - The Guitar That Helped Build His Life1:16:34 - Finding the Work Only You Can Do About Mark Schmidt Mark Schmidt is an entrepreneur and reverse mortgage professional whose career has taken several unexpected turns. Before entering the mortgage industry, Mark built a house painting business and later spent part of his career serving as a music pastor. Those experiences gave him a unique perspective on entrepreneurship, career reinvention, money, purpose, and the relationship between work and life. Today, his work in reverse mortgages allows him to help people think differently about their finances and retirement. His own entrepreneurial journey has also shaped how he thinks about taxes, financial mistakes, freedom, and recognizing when professional success no longer aligns with the life you want to build. Throughout his career, music has remained an important part of Mark's life, and he continues to explore creativity alongside business and his plans for the future. Connect with Mark Website: https://remarkablemortgage.com  Coming soon: betteratnothing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-schmidt-2551a541/ Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

  8. Aug 11

    [Creator Series] What a High School Band Says About AI, Social Media & Creativity | The Chenangos

    What can a high school band teach business owners and creators about AI, social media, and staying creative? The Chenangos are a group of high school friends from Orange County, California, making music in a world where artists are increasingly expected to think about algorithms, views, followers, and content alongside the music itself. Drawing inspiration from The Beatles, The Ventures, surf rock, jazz, funk, and other artists from generations before them, they’ve developed a perspective that feels surprisingly relevant to anyone trying to create something today. The band officially came together almost by accident. Days before a school talent show in January 2025, drummer Joey Bernabe needed a backup band after his original group fell through. His friends stepped in, they rehearsed once, performed together, and The Chenangos were born. In this episode of Unfinished Business, Eric Mulvin sits down with The Chenangos to explore what it looks like to create in an era dominated by social media and rapidly evolving AI. They discuss the pressure musicians face to chase trends and build an online audience — and why focusing too much on what gets views can pull creators away from the work that made them want to create in the first place. The conversation also tackles one of the biggest questions facing creators and businesses today: Where should AI fit into the creative process? The band shares where they believe AI can be genuinely useful, from learning new skills to restoring old recordings, while explaining why they don't want technology replacing the human process behind making music. Along the way, they talk about friendship, creative chemistry, learning from previous generations, finding an audience without losing yourself, and what they hope to accomplish before graduation takes their lives in different directions. Whether you're building a band, a business, or a brand, The Chenangos offer an unexpected Gen Z perspective on a challenge every creator faces: How do you embrace new technology without letting it dictate what you create? Listen to the episode to hear what a high school band can teach us about AI, social media, creativity, and making something because you genuinely love making it. Episode Highlights 00:00 - Welcome to Unfinished Business 02:23 - How The Chenangos First Came Together 04:04 - One Rehearsal Before Their First Performance 07:15 - Early Bands, Friendship, and Getting Serious 10:06 - Why They’re Drawn to Surf Rock, Jazz Fusion, and Older Music 12:41 - How The Beatles Inspired Their Music 15:26 - Getting an Unexpected Talent Show Reaction 16:24 - Their Goals Before High School Graduation 17:35 - Writing Original Music as Young Musicians 20:40 - Does Social Media Help Young Artists — or Distract Them From the Music? 24:10 - Where AI Belongs — and Doesn’t Belong — in the Creative Process 29:24 - What Gen Z Really Thinks About AI 34:43 - The Story Behind The Chenangos Name 36:09 - Will the Band Continue After Graduation? 41:00 - Their Musical Unfinished Business About The Chenangos The Chenangos are a high school band based in Orange County, California, blending influences from surf rock, jazz fusion, funk, pop, and classic rock. The members became friends through school and music, with several playing together as early as eighth grade. The current group officially formed in January 2025 when drummer Joey Bernabe needed a last-minute band for a school talent show. With only one rehearsal, the group performed together and decided to keep going. Their musical influences reach across generations, including The Beatles, The Ventures, Masayoshi Takanaka, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and other classic rock and jazz artists. As they enter their senior year, the band hopes to play more live shows, record original music in a studio, and continue developing a sound that reflects their wide range of influences. Band Members McCoy - Rhythm guitar  William - Lead guitar  Joey  - Drums  Oliver - Keys  Liam - Bass guitar Connect With The Chenangos on IG The Chenagos - https://www.instagram.com/thechenangos/ William - https://www.instagram.com/william.saxingtoniii/ Oliver - https://www.instagram.com/professorleukemia/ Unfinished Business with Eric Mulvin If you enjoy conversations with leaders who are building businesses, reinventing themselves, and creating impact, make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bizwitheric/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560126743830TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bizwithericYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BizWithEricLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mulvin/ Powered by Pac Biz Outsourcing Pac Biz Outsourcing helps NEMT, software, and eCommerce companies scale dispatching, customer support and back-office operations with dedicated teams in the Philippines. 🌐 Learn more: https://pac-biz.com 📩 Email: info@pac-biz.com 🎧 Podcast: https://yourunfinished.biz

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5
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2 Ratings

About

From taking his last paycheck at Pre-IPO Yelp to building six companies and scaling Pac Biz Outsourcing globally, host Eric Mulvin knows what it means to keep moving forward when the easy choice is to stop. On Unfinished Business, he sits down with business leaders and visionaries where we explore what are they doing with AI today, how are they valuing and uplifting people in their organization and community. We focus on how are leaders using AI + HI, Human Intelligence, to grow and adapt. These are conversations about building and shaping the future and the crazy stories we create along our journeys. Because no matter what you’ve accomplished, nobody’s business is ever finished, we explore where those goals meet and the challenges we face in trying to achieve them.

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