I sat down with marketing expert and entrepreneur Carrie Loranger, who went from struggling to afford groceries (while working a Fortune 500 job!) to building multiple successful businesses and mentoring others to do the same. She breaks down the TRUTH about side hustles, the #1 mistake new entrepreneurs make, and how she’s creating a game-changing program in 2025.

We also talk about the SECRET behind why some people thrive in business while others struggle—and it all starts in your mind.

🚀 Want to learn how to execute on YOUR vision? This episode is packed with actionable insights and straight-up real talk. Don’t miss it!

This week on The Vision with Execution Show, I had the pleasure of speaking with Carrie Loranger, a fellow SCORE mentor and marketing expert, about the power of vision, execution, and the unexpected challenges of entrepreneurship.

Before we even got into our discussion, I had to share one of the strangest interactions I’ve had in a while—a mentee I was trying to help through SCORE decided he didn’t like our conversation and hung up on me. Then, for the next two days, I was bombarded with spam calls from health insurance companies—his bizarre way of getting revenge. But here's the kicker: he emailed me later to apologize. This got me reflecting on something I’ve come to accept—I seem to have a polarizing effect on people. Some admire me, some try to sue me, but in the end, it all comes down to the fact that I invite challenges into my life, consciously or not.

Carrie and I dove into the mindset that shapes our realities, discussing how our thoughts manifest our experiences. We talked about the importance of transitioning strategically from a 9-to-5 to entrepreneurship, the necessity of a financial cushion, and how sales is really just about solving people’s problems.

One of my favorite takeaways from our conversation? The reminder that nothing happens by accident. Whether you call it God, the universe, or fate, everything in our lives is drawn to us for a reason. Carrie’s journey—from corporate America to running a successful marketing business—reinforced that belief. She shared her experience with side hustles, from mobile notary work to forex trading, and ultimately, how she built a business that aligns with her passions.

We also touched on niching down, the power of community, and how she plans to scale her vision in 2025 with virtual group coaching. It’s a conversation packed with insights, real talk, and valuable lessons for anyone looking to turn their ideas into reality.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone struggling to transition into entrepreneurship or seeking clarity on their vision for the future. Tune in, take notes, and let’s execute on our goals together.

When I hit record on my podcast, I never know exactly how the conversation will flow, and that’s the way I like it. My guest today, Cort Brady, was dialing in from Draper, Utah, just about 20 minutes from me in American Fork. I could tell right away we were going to have a natural, laid-back conversation, which is exactly what I aim for when I bring people onto the Vision with Execution podcast.

I started by making sure our audio was good—podcasting isn’t always glamorous, and sometimes, you have to roll with the punches. Cort had to adjust his setup since his usual recording space was taken, but we made it work. That’s ingenuity at its finest. Once everything was set, we kicked things off, and I introduced Cort as the founder and CEO of Covalent, a company that helps founders build great teams so they can grow faster with less turbulence. I hoped I didn’t butcher that too much, but Cort seemed cool with it.

We got into our backgrounds, finding common ground in our entrepreneurial journeys. He shared that he met his wife at BYU-Idaho and was studying finance before leaving with just 20 credits left to jump into business opportunities. We both agreed that real-world experience teaches lessons no degree ever could. His path took him through door-to-door sales, founding Aspen, and eventually Covalent. I loved hearing how he navigated those transitions, learning from setbacks and successes alike. He even had a $500,000 software bet that didn’t quite pan out, but the way he described it—owning the failure, learning from it—was something every entrepreneur can relate to.

One of the biggest takeaways for me was his perspective on negotiation. Before our chat, I had a pretty negative association with the word, picturing a power struggle. But Cort reframed it as simply understanding what the other person wants and figuring out how to align that with what you can deliver. It’s not about winning the deal at all costs but about keeping the relationship intact so that there’s always another negotiation in the future. That clicked with me. It’s how I’ve tried to operate in business, even if I never called it negotiation before.

We also talked about personal goals—because business and life are deeply connected. Cort’s vision for 2025 is freeing 12 founders so they can focus on what they actually set out to do. He wants to grow Covalent’s software to 100K ARR and build his rental property portfolio, which he started last year with a buzzer-beater real estate deal made just before the new year. On the relationship side, he’s committed to strengthening connections with his wife, kids, and his ‘tier 1’ friends—the ones who are like family. That phrase stuck with me. We choose our friends, and some become as important as the people we’re born with.

Health was another big goal for him—hitting 9% body fat, building muscle, and even improving flexibility. I respected the way he approached it with clear, specific numbers. It reminded me of my own fitness journey and how tracking real metrics, like through DEXA body scans, gives you a much better picture than just looking in the mirror or chasing PRs at the gym.

As we wrapped up, I couldn’t help but reflect on how much ground we covered. Business, relationships, faith, health—it all matters. And Cort wasn’t just throwing out vague aspirations; he had a clear vision and an execution plan behind it. That’s the kind of mindset that gets people where they want to go.

Before signing off, I thanked him for being real and sharing his actual numbers and goals. It’s easy to stay surface-level, but conversations like this remind me why I do this podcast in the first place. It’s about learning from people who are making things happen, seeing what works, and applying those lessons to our own lives.

After we ended the recording, I promised to get the episode up by the next day and tag him on LinkedIn. If he could share it, great—but either way, I knew it was a solid conversation worth putting out into the world. And that’s what keeps me excited to keep hitting record, episode after episode.

Ryan shares his journey from rollerblading and competing in ballroom dance to performing on So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and even Broadway. He breaks down the three-step visualization process he used to go from struggling in competitions to becoming a national finalist. We also discuss how his wife, Ashley, overcame a life-threatening illness through the power of mindset and neuroscience.

Beyond dance, we explore the discipline of competitive shooting, the importance of humility in success, and our joint business venture, Idea Wins, where we help small businesses find ways to save money and operate more efficiently.

This episode is packed with inspiration, actionable strategies, and personal insights that can help you sharpen your vision and execute it in 2025. Plus, we have some fun imagining Ryan ballroom dancing, rollerblading, and target shooting all at once—because why not?

Key Takeaways:
✔ The power of visualization: first-person, third-person, and emotional connection
✔ Why daily rituals are key to success in any area of life
✔ How to stay humble while achieving your biggest dreams
✔ The importance of serving others and giving back before you "make it"
✔ Business strategies for maximizing efficiency and keeping more of your hard-earned money

🎯 Ready to level up in 2025?
Listen now and get inspired to turn your vision into reality!