The Grit to Growth Podcast

In this episode, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Chris Van Dusen—a seasoned operator, investor, and marketer—who has built and scaled brands from scratch, led three successful exits, and now serves as a Senior Partner at Salico Capital. Broadcasting from Huntington Beach, California, Chris shares how he went from “accidental entrepreneur” to leading strategic growth investments for top-tier clients.
Chris walks us through his journey from finance to founding a CBD brand, a craft distillery, and a beauty care company. He gives us a behind-the-scenes look at scaling businesses quickly, the hard lessons learned during COVID, and what he looks for when evaluating operators and startups.
He also shares practical mindset advice for founders, including his powerful "buffalo vs. cow" metaphor and why discomfort is a daily training ground for success.
What You’ll Learn:
How to identify high-potential operators and ideas
Why discomfort is crucial for growth
How to scale a business without sacrificing brand
Lessons from rapid growth, leadership, and navigating uncertainty
Why jiu-jitsu helps prepare you for entrepreneurship
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Lisa Groon—veteran, healthcare leader, community advocate, and TEDx speaker—whose story embodies the power of following purpose over simply following a path.
Lisa shares her journey from a small town in South Dakota to 22 years in the South Dakota Army National Guard (as a musician, no less), and into a career in healthcare focused on quality improvement and patient experience. She opens up about the personal impact of her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and how it led her to focus deeply on dementia care and advocacy—including her recent TED Talk, "Finding Dignity and Joy in Alzheimer’s Disease."
Levi and Lisa dive into:
The value of blending service, education, and leadership
Lessons from her time in the National Guard
Her deep involvement in nonprofit work and the Harrisburg School Board
Her advice for navigating public service and community involvement
How to approach networking and conferences with confidence
Her surprising guilty pleasures and what gardening taught her about herself
Lisa’s story is a testament to what it looks like to serve with joy, purpose, and grit—on and off the stage.
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What happens when a former global corporate leader trades the boardroom for the laundromat? In this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi Te Slaa sits down with Jon Schemmel, the man some call the "Midwest Laundromat King." Jon shares how he went from buying his first laundromat in 2020 to building a 22-store portfolio across three states—and why every acquisition feels like uncovering a new mystery.
Jon opens up about the realities of running a laundromat business, the power of strong banking relationships, and the unexpected opportunities that come from saying yes to the right conversations—even if they happen over a blackjack table in Deadwood.
Beyond laundromats, Jon dives into his other ventures in real estate, land flipping, investing, and business consulting. This episode is packed with insights for anyone considering entrepreneurship, multi-stream income, or scaling a small business into something much more.
What You'll Learn:
How Jon scaled from one laundromat to 22 locations
The behind-the-scenes realities of running a 7-day-a-week operation
Why relationships (not just business plans) are the key to funding and growth
How side hustles and investments complement his main business
His “Red Belt” mindset for constant improvement
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What happens when a physician swaps scrubs for startups? In this episode, Levi sits down with Dr. Adam Finzen, a former clinician who now leads business development at WRS Health. Adam shares the pivotal moment during the pandemic that made him question the traditional path of medicine and what ultimately led him to transition into the health tech world.
We explore:
What inspired Adam to shift from practicing medicine to driving innovation in health tech
The challenges of selling to clinicians from a business development perspective
Why communication and connection are still his most valuable skills—even outside the clinic
His passion for Godzilla, books, and working from home as a dad of two
Insights on burnout, passive income, and redefining success for healthcare professionals
Whether you’re a clinician thinking about change, a startup leader working with medical clients, or just curious about Adam’s journey—you’ll take away powerful lessons about courage, pivoting careers, and building long-term impact.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.
 

In this episode, Levi Te Slaa welcomes Roger Pedersen, co-founder of East River Contracting, for an inspiring deep-dive into what it really takes to build a successful construction business from the ground up. Roger shares his early roots growing up in a family-run resort, the humble beginnings of East River with roofing jobs, and how a leap of faith—and a bit of grit—led to unexpected growth.
Roger talks about his journey from broadcast journalism into construction, the learning curves of starting a concrete division without a clear roadmap, and how partnerships and personalities have shaped the success of their business. He also opens up about the value of risk-taking, the importance of family, and what he's learned about structure—both in work and at home.
Key Takeaways:
The value of growing up around hard work and small business
How East River Contracting evolved from roofing to commercial framing and concrete
The upside of taking action before overanalyzing
Why balancing family and business matters more than ever
Lessons in risk, growth, and finding your own entrepreneurial path
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

From a farm kid in New Holland, South Dakota, to a multi-business owner making bold moves across the country, Robbie Veurink’s story is all about grit, growth, and getting your hands dirty—literally. In this episode, Robbie shares his journey from working for the City of Sioux Falls to founding three successful businesses. He opens up about knocking on doors to get his first clients, launching a construction manufacturing facility during COVID, and even battling for his life during a life-threatening illness. This conversation is packed with real talk, inspiration, and insight into what it takes to balance work you love with people you enjoy being around.
What You'll Learn:
How Robbie transitioned from government work to launching his own engineering firm.
The grind of building trust and a client base from scratch.
How he mixes office strategy with hands-on, in-the-field labor.
The inside story of starting Black Tie Components, a high-tech truss and wall panel plant.
Lessons from surviving a near-death health crisis and how it reshaped his business and life philosophy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.
 

From selling candy bars as a kid to reshaping multifamily real estate development, Dusten Hendrickson’s entrepreneurial journey is anything but typical. In this episode, Dusten joins Levi Te Slaa to share how his passion for design and efficiency evolved into Mailbox Money—a fast-growing real estate development company focused on intentional, impactful living spaces across the Midwest.
Dusten dives deep into how he scaled from roofing to real estate, why he pivoted away from picky homeowners to focus on tenants, and how he's leveraging thoughtful design to build efficient, high-demand rental properties. He also breaks down the syndication model, how to vet a development sponsor, and why the future of investing may lie in ground-up builds over value-add plays.
If you're a passive investor looking to understand why design matters, or you're just fascinated by the behind-the-scenes of real estate development, this episode is packed with practical insights and candid moments.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

On this episode of The Grit to Growth Podcast, Levi sits down with Erik Dwyer, a Minneapolis-based audio engineer and real estate investor. Erik shares his unique path from working audio gigs at sporting events and corporate shows to building a real estate portfolio one condo at a time.
Learn how a desire to save on rent while attending audio engineering school led Erik to buy his first condo—and how that sparked a long-term passion for real estate. Erik gets real about why he’s moved on from condos, what he loves about midterm rentals, and how partnering with others is key to scaling and maintaining balance in life.
Whether you're an aspiring real estate investor or just love stories of unconventional paths to success, this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and practical advice.
In this episode, Erik and Levi discuss:
How Erik blended freelance audio work with real estate investing
The pros and cons of investing in condos
Why midterm rentals might be the sweet spot
The value of partnerships in scaling real estate
Balancing work, side hustles, and family life
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.
 

In this episode, Andy Holst dives into the evolution of House of Brands—from its humble beginnings as Embroidery and Screen Works to becoming a premium provider of branded merchandise across the U.S. and Canada. Andy shares his insights on strategic rebranding, building meaningful client relationships, and scaling operations through world-class service and customization.
He discusses how understanding client needs before they’re even voiced has been a key differentiator, along with the role of employee culture and internal investment in long-term success. Andy also opens up about passive income strategies, particularly real estate syndications, and shares advice for those looking to grow not just a business, but a life aligned with personal and professional values.
Key Takeaways:
How a thoughtful rebrand positioned House of Brands for national success
What it takes to build a "white glove" service business in a crowded market
Why consistent branding across franchises and offices is essential
The power of win-win relationships in business and life
Insights on passive income and real estate investing for entrepreneurs
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Be A Guest Are you a successful business owner or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest on https://grittogrowthpodcast.com/guest and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

The Grit to Growth Podcast is for South Dakota’s hardworking business owners and professionals who believe in rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done. This show dives into the real stories of local entrepreneurs—especially in blue-collar and construction industries—who turned grit, determination, and sweat equity into success.