The Crucial Role of Attorneys in Startups: Lessons from a Seasoned Entrepreneur

In this episode, Joe reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of hiring specialized legal counsel when starting a business. He discusses his experiences with different types of business structures and the significant financial benefits he achieved through proper legal advice, such as qualifying for QSBS (Qualified Small Business Stock) by structuring his software company as a C corporation. Joe advises new entrepreneurs to consult industry-specific attorneys to lay a strong foundation for their business and shares insights on effectively forming and maintaining legal relationships.

00:00 Introduction: Lessons from Starting a Company 00:16 The Importance of Hiring the Right Attorney 00:42 Choosing the Right Business Structure 00:58 Benefits of a C Corporation 02:11 The Role of Attorneys in Business Growth 02:23 Specialized Attorneys for Different Needs 02:45 Utilizing Attorneys as a Resource 03:31 The Value of Legal Advice in Partnerships 04:05 Finding the Right Attorney for Your Business Go hire an Attorney

Where does ambition really come from? Joe and his cohost dive deep into the messy reality behind entrepreneurial success—from studying 15 seconds at a time on the assembly line to scaling Go Brewing while implementing new systems with a lean team. They explore why 'work-life balance' is BS for entrepreneurs, how spite can fuel success, and why the path that looks clean from the outside is actually dirty and chaotic behind the scenes. Plus: why becoming obsessed beats building habits, and the liberating realization that no one actually cares about your journey as much as you think they do. Real talk about finding your own way in business and life.

James Lawrence, "The Iron Cowboy," and Joe sit down to discuss many topics, including a part of his story that isn't well known, Ironman training, mental toughness, and so much more. More info at

• https://www.notalmostthere.com
• https://www.gobrewing.com
• https://www.ironcowboy.com/
• https://chicagosep.com/contact-patrick-quinn/

Dan Cnossen is a Navy Seal, Paralympic gold Medalist, and leadership guru. Dan became a Navy Seal in 2003. Over the next six years, Dan was deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan and rose in rank to become the officer-in-charge of an 18-man SEAL platoon. In 2009, Dan was deployed to Afghanistan, into an area of heavy combat. There, on a night mission in the mountains, he stepped on an IED, losing both legs in the blast. He would later be awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor. As part of his rehab, he was introduced to the sports of cross-country skiing and biathlon. Never one to shy from a challenge, he eventually earned a spot on the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Team. At the 2018 Paralympic Games Dan stole the show, remarkably winning one gold, four silver and one bronze medal over a period of eight days earning the honor of Best Male Athlete of The Games.

IN THIS EPISODE…Dan Cnossen shares his incredibly heroic story of enduring the unthinkable while serving as a Navy Seal; stepping on a pressure plate that forever changed his life. He shares with Joe how he was able to take this seemingly insurmountable set back and pushed himself to train and become an Paralympic gold medalist as well as a public speaker and leadership guru.

🔍 Breakdown with Dan Cnossen: Chapter 1 (0:00): Introduction

Chapter 2 (1:53) Joining the seal team

Chapter 3 (10:35) Learning leadership ideals from seals

Chapter 4 (16:27) The BUDS experience

Chapter 5 (24:55) Mental tools used to get through BUDS

Chapter 6 (30:39) First years as a seal

Chapter 7 (36:37) What Afghanistan was like

Chapter 8 (41:18) The explosion

Chapter 9 (49:45) The hard road of recovery

Chapter 10 (57:27) Finding a future in sports

Chapter 11 (70:10) Mindset through challenges

Chapter 12 (77:24) Closing Remarks

📞 Connect with Dan Cnossen →https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-cnossen-75b9181ab →https://dancnossen.com →https://www.teamusa.org/usparanordicskiing/athletes/Dan-Cnossen

👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link → Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com

Connect with Joe on social here: →https://www.instagram.com/notalmostthere →Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere →Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura

Ayelet Fishbach PhD, is the Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and the past president of the Society for the Study of Motivation and the International Social Cognition Network (ISCON). She is an expert on motivation and decision making and the author of Get it Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation. Ayelet’s groundbreaking research on human motivation has won her several international awards, including the Society of Experimental Social Psychology’s Best Dissertation Award and Career Trajectory Award, and the Fulbright Educational Foundation Award.

IN THIS EPISODE…Joe discusses with Ayelet, who has dedicated her life to the science behind motivation and most recently published a book they get into today, how to best set yourself up for success in your personal goal setting. In this conversation, you will understand how to set goals you will stick with, focus on success in the middle of the journey of your goals, as the beginning and end tend to be blissful, and of course, significant strategy and tips you can start using today.

🔍 Breakdown with Ayelet Fishbach: Chapter 1 (0:00): Introduction Chapter 2 (3:11) Creating an environment for goals Chapter 3 (10:10) Understanding how to craft goals Chapter 4 (18:17) Empathy gap Chapter 5 (23:32) Do and don’t goals Chapter 6 (31:38) Intrinsic motivation Chapter 7 (40:25) Recapping identifying goals Chapter 8 (49:13) Instant gratification Chapter 9 (54:47) Planning for future success Chapter 10 (63:55) Closing Remarks

Material Referenced in this interview: →Get It Done by Ayelet Fishback →https://www.ayeletfishbach.com

📞 Connect with Ayelet Fishbach →https://www.instagram.com/ayeletfishbach →https://www.facebook.com/ayeletfishbach.getitdone →https://twitter.com/ayeletfishbach →https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-fishbach-b32a8b4

👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link → Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com

Connect with Joe on social here: →https://www.instagram.com/notalmostthere →Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere →Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura

Amy Purdy is the top-ranked female adaptive snowboarder in the U.S., a three-time World Cup para-snowboard gold medalist, the 2014 Paralympic bronze medalist, and the founder of Adaptive Action Sports, a nonprofit organization that helps youth, young adults, and wounded veterans with physical disabilities get involved with action sports. She is a professional motivational speaker who has been featured at both TEDx and Pop Tech and is also an actress, model, dancer, clothing designer, and experienced product spokesperson. Amy was the breakout star and a finalist on season 18 of Dancing with the Stars.

IN THIS EPISODE…Amy shares with Joe her story. She found herself in a seemingly insurmountable life situation at age 19, Amy contracted a virus that lead to the amputation of both of her legs. Not only does she share her feelings and the timeline of events of this life-changing moment, but most importantly, she shares how she was not only able to overcome the obstacles in her way, but dominate every goal she set for herself.

🔍 Breakdown with Amy Purdy: Chapter 1 (0:00): Introduction Joe introduces Amy and sets up the episode.

Chapter 2 (2:06) Recapping her story Amy contracted meningitis at the age of 19 and in a 48 hour time frame she found herself fighting for her life.

Chapter 3 (10:10) Premonition from an unlikely source While Amy shares a lot of her story, today she shared a story she hadn’t before. She was given a premonition from a massage therapist.

Chapter 4 (20:56) Spirituality intertwined with this life-changing event Anyone would find themselves in depression or having feelings of inability to move on, but not Amy.

Chapter 5 (24:15) Coming to terms with amputation Amy didn’t lose her legs immediately when she was admitted to the hospital, and she shares how she received the news.

Chapter 6 (31:51) Snowboarding Snowboarding was always something Amy had a passion for and was not going to allow her amputation or a lack of equipment to stand in her way.

Chapter 7 (37:32) The power of being present Amy’s mother demonstrated to Amy the power of positive thought and being present. Amy’s mother wouldn’t allow anyone with negative thoughts around her daughter.

Chapter 8 (46:02) Dancing with the stars This was not an easy experience, but a very rewarding one. Once again Amy found herself in a situation where she had to get creative and engineer this opportunity.

Chapter 9 (59:34) What’s next Amy embodies the “not almost there” mindset, and isn’t done yet. She is still setting goals and plans to crush them in 2022.

Chapter 10 (63:55) Closing Remarks Joe wraps up the episode and shares his final thoughts

Material Referenced in this interview: →On My Own Two Feet by Amy Purdy →https://amypurdy.com

📞 Connect with Amy Purdy →https://www.instagram.com/amypurdygurl →https://www.facebook.com/AmyPurdyGurl →https://twitter.com/AmyPurdyGurl →https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-purdy-3055a343

👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link → Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com

Connect with Joe on social here: →https://www.instagram.com/notalmostthere →Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere →Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura

Dr. Wendy Wood is a best-selling author and Provost Professor of Psychology and Business at the University of Southern California. Given her research over the past 30 years, she is widely considered the world's scientific expert on habit formation and change. She has published over 100 articles, and her research has been supported by Proctor & Gamble, National Science Foundation, the Templeton Foundation, and the Radcliffe Institute. She is the author of Good Habits, Bad Habits. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Washington Post, on radio shows like Freakanomics, and in podcasts like the People’s Pharmacy. A 2008 Radcliffe Institute Fellow, and 2018 Distinguished Chair of Behavioral Science at the Sorbonne/INSEAD in Paris, Wood has advised the World Bank, the Centers for Disease Control, and industries such as Proctor & Gamble and Lever Bros. In 2018, she gave the inaugural address in Paris for the Sorbonne-INSEAD Distinguished Chair in Behavioral Science.

IN THIS EPISODE…Wendy and Joe talk about her research and ideas in her book, Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick. Wendy Wood describes the “what the hell” effect when it comes to dieting and so many more case studies she shares with us. The best part of today’s episode is you will take away so many actionable tips you can start using today.

🔍 Breakdown with Wendy Wood: Chapter 1 (0:00): Introduction Joe introduces Wendy and sets up the episode.

Chapter 2 (2:54) Relationship with resolutons New Year's resolutions have a tendency to fail and Wendy explains to Joe why and the science behind it.

Chapter 3 (5:09) Making new habits stick You need to create habits that are not just occasional practices, but ones that will become second nature.

Chapter 4 (9:23) Instant gratification We are a society of instant gratification and instant results. Habits take time to form and that is important to understand.

Chapter 5 (15:30) Time for a habit to stick There are many conflicting anecdotal thoughts on how long it takes a habit to stick, however, Wendy has significant research to answer this question.

Chapter 6 (26:08) Eliminate friction When creating a new habit, one of the most important aspects is to remove friction. Understanding your environment and removing obstacles is best.

Chapter 7 (34:47) Consistency and bad habits You need to stick with it. Consistency will help you with your new good habits but can also keep you stuck in bad habits.

Chapter 8 (42:29) Vietnam study There is an incredible study around drug use and soldiers from Vietnam. The research shows the importance of the environment.

Chapter 9 (46:56) Influences around us Social media can be a major influence and habit in our lives. It can be so important to make sure we are putting up boundaries.

Chapter 10 (50:11) Closing Remarks Joe wraps up the episode and shares his final thoughts

Material Referenced in this interview: →Good Habits Bad Habits by Wendy Wood →https://goodhabitsbadhabits.com

📞 Connect with Wendy Wood →https://www.instagram.com/profwendywood →https://www.facebook.com/GoodHabitsBadHabits →https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-wood-15180a15 →https://twitter.com/ProfWendyWood

👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link → Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com

Connect with Joe on social here: →https://www.instagram.com/notalmostthere →Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere →Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura

Alan Krashesky is an Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist. As ABC 7's primary news anchor, he currently co-anchors three of ABC 7's top-rated weekday newscasts at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. Among Chicago's most trusted news anchors, Krashesky is well-known and respected for both his news anchoring and news reporting. Every newscast he has anchored has consistently been rated No. 1 in the Chicago market. He joined ABC 7 as a general assignment reporter in 1982. Krashesky's reporting in Chicago and abroad has earned high praise. He has earned numerous Chicago Midwest Emmy Awards and a Chicago Headline Club Peter Lisagor Award. He is considered one of the top reporters in the market to cover major domestic and international stories. He gained his first broadcasting experience in college when he was a news anchor on WICB-FM radio in Ithaca, New York. In addition to his career accomplishments, Krashesky has a long and outstanding history of volunteering his personal time for community service. He serves as a mentor for students interested in broadcast journalism and is a local spokesperson for Alzheimer's disease. He is also a member of the Chicago Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Society of Professional Journalists. Krashesky was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but attended the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a residential school for children with financial and social needs.

IN THIS EPISODE…Joe and Alan talk about his impressive career, Alan has been a news anchor for almost 40 years. While the news, its content, and digging into the idea of truth in media is a part of the conversation, Alan’s personal story is also incredibly important. Alan talks about his upbringing and how a horrible tragedy led to a life path, while may seem unorthodox, ultimately gave him the stability he needed to become the successful person he is today. Alan advocates for forward progress over perfection. Goals are important, but things can happen along the way that can take you down a different path.

🔍 Breakdown with Alan Krashesky: Chapter 1 (0:00): Introduction Joe introduces Alan and sets up the episode.

Chapter 2 (2:00) Alan’s early life Alan’s father was taken from him too soon. His mother could not handle taking care of her children alone, so Alan was sent to an all boys school

Chapter 3 (22:29) Letter to his wife While a young man, Alan met his now wife at a time where there was no social media and they corresponded with hand written letters.

Chapter 4 (24:36) Decisions pave the way You often cannot connect the dots by looking forward, only by looking back. You may not know why an event is happening in your life until it has passed you.

Chapter 5 (33:55) Crime and media coverage Alan was a victim of a terrible crime and therefore is able to bring his empathy and compassion to the stories he tells.

Chapter 6 (60:12) How to process live information Being on air and gettinig information live can be stressful, but Alan explains how he is able to manage and recover from any mistakes.

Chapter 7 (65:41) Leadership and finding the we vs me You are only as good as the team around you. Make sure you are finding the right people to surround yourself with.

Chapter 8 (65:41) Finding truth in the news The most important point to keep in mind, is your source of truth. Also you need to keep in mind affiliations surrounding your media.

Chapter 9 (70:52) Critics of the world Developing thick skin is important and to learn the importance of not giving attention to negativity.

Chapter 10 (77:59) Closing Remarks Joe wraps up the episode and shares his final thoughts

Material Referenced in this interview: →Channel 7 News →https://www.mhskids.org/

📞 Connect with Alan Krashesky →https://www.instagram.com/alan_krashesky →https://www.facebook.com/krashesky →https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-krashesky-4714368 →https://twitter.com/KrasheskyABC7

👊 To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link → Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com

Connect with Joe on social here: →https://www.instagram.com/notalmostthere →Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthere →Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura