Ep 20 - How Does Your Company Culture Affect Business? – Interview with Bret Eldridge, Director of National Accounts for Hoshizaki America

At the Big Truths, we are always trying to dig deep to discover the hidden gems of what makes good business good, and bad business bad. We have brought you a diamond today. Bret Eldridge, Director of National Accounts for Hoshizaki America, a leading commercial ice machine manufacturer, shares his thoughts with Joe and Travis about how his 25+ years at Chick-fil-A shaped him, his philosophies, and more. Joe having spent 15 years with Chick-fil-A teams up with Bret on their deep infusion of Chick-fil-A culture as they unpack the significance of those learnings on small business.

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About the Podcast

BIG Truths of Small Business

A deep philosophical dive into small business and the people that run them.

Having recognized over decades that small business works differently than big business, serial entrepreneurs , Joe Watkins and Travis Cassell, take us on a journey to quantify, qualify, and strip back the curtains of small business successes and failures, and to uncover the real stories behind their leaders, owners, and founders.

They will talk philosophy, politics, culture, music, and good old fashion small business fundamentals as they interview small business owners all over the southeast of America to discover the golden nuggets, hidden gems, fast tricks, and trade secrets as to what makes a great small business tick.

Furthermore, they will unravel the TRUTHS of what's REALLY important as they analyze how to maintain balance in your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social lives.

About your hosts

Joe Watkins

Joe Watkins is not just a Business Coach & Consultant; he's a serial entrepreneur with a deep fascination for how businesses operate and how to enhance them. With over 30 years of entrepreneurship and leadership experience, Joe uses his practical coaching model called the "6 FIBERS of Life & Business" to guide small business owners and executives. Drawing from his successful ventures, including a seven-figure business exit, Joe brings real-life experiences and a results-oriented approach to help clients achieve their goals.

His expertise extends to the real estate space, where he's achieved significant success by flipping over 450 homes, renovating over 1000 properties, building 200 new construction houses, and managing 1600 single-family rental properties since 2006. Before venturing into real estate, Joe owned a Chick-fil-A restaurant during his decade-long stint in the restaurant business.

Beyond business, Joe is a multi-faceted individual. He's competitive in golf, plays the guitar and sings, holds a strong faith, enjoys long motorcycle trips, and cherishes his family—his wife and two grown kids. Joe Watkins brings a diverse set of skills, experiences, and passions to the table, making him a dynamic and well-rounded professional.

Travis Cassell

Growing up in a family business, Travis had an up-close look at what "being the boss" was like. It often requires longer hours and an immense amount of sacrifice but is fueled by the success of clients and employees. Helping people grow and win is what it is all about. In his experience with both Fortune 500 companies and small family businesses, the biggest lesson he has learned is that “there are no shortcuts.”

Travis has worked in the real estate business in some capacity since 1994, first as a realtor, then as a top producing mortgage loan officer. In 2002, he began purchasing rental homes of his own and discovered there was a real need for a professional property management service. And thus, Travis co-founded Cutting Edge Property Management in 2004. He sold this business in 2007 and became founder and CEO of Lighthouse Property Management in Atlanta, GA.

Under Travis’s leadership, Lighthouse grew to more than $25,000,000 in managed assets. In 2019, he successfully merged Lighthouse with Bravo Group Real Estate and was rebranded as Yesirent Property Management. Yesirent currently manages assets in excess of $100,000,000 in the metro Atlanta market. Travis remains with the firm as Associate Broker and President of Sales and Business Development.