Starting your own business takes courage, but sustaining it requires vision, resilience and a deep commitment to your values. In this episode, we sit down with Ilona Brunner and Takaya Brunner, Partners at Brunner Accounting Group, to discuss the journey from big accounting firms to building their own successful practice. They share their experiences of entrepreneurship, the challenges of balancing family and business and the importance of identifying ideal clients and sticking to core values.

Key Takeaways:

(01:21) Early careers at PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG shaped IIona and Takaya’s approach to client service.

(05:39) Starting a family pushed them to create a business on their own terms.

(07:10) Family support and a fearless mindset fueled their entrepreneurial journey.

(10:38) Defining their “why” and ideal client shaped their business for long-term success.

(15:01) Understanding your ideal client and their needs is the foundation of lasting success.

(20:37) Building a business around your values allows you to thrive personally and professionally.

(22:10) Courage is pushing through fear and finding strength in past successes.

(26:39) Nurturing relationships can open unexpected doors and opportunities.

Resources Mentioned:

Ilona Brunner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilona-brunner-2993b93a/

Takaya Brunner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/takayabrunner/

Brunner Accounting Group | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/brunner-accounting-group/

Brunner Accounting Group | Website

https://brunneraccounting.com/

Thanks for listening to “The Courageous Choice.” Be sure to leave us a review and subscribe so you don’t miss any conversations.

For more information, visit gigtalentagency.com or email us at podcast@gigtalentagency.com if you have any questions.

#StartupCulture #OrganizationalTransformation #StrategicLeadership #BusinessGrowth

Stepping away from corporate success to build something of your own takes more than strategy, it takes courage. We sit down with Jennifer Smith, Career + HR Consultant of Flourish Careers LLC and Gig Talent, to unpack what it takes to leave a successful corporate career and build a fulfilling independent practice. With a background in HR across Fortune 50 companies, Jennifer shares how she traded predictability for purpose and leaned into her intuition to build a values-driven business. From graveyard shifts to consulting, she reflects on what it means to take courageous steps, trust your gut and redefine success on your own terms.

Key Takeaways:

(01:21) Career success doesn’t have to come at the expense of well-being.

(03:41) HR wasn’t an obvious path. Jennifer carved her own by volunteering and showing up.

(06:50) “Five minutes to flourish” helped her build momentum while still in her day job.

(13:37) The pandemic shifted her focus fully to coaching.

(16:26) A “portfolio career” allows Jennifer to flex different muscles and manage risk.

(19:06) Prioritizing three things per week keeps her focused and energized.

(20:51) Redefining success based on alignment and fulfillment, not promotions.

(25:40) Trust the glimpse — it may lead to more than you imagine.

Resources Mentioned:

Jennifer Smith

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferlsmith9200/

Gig Talent

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gig-talent/

Flourish Careers LLC | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-careers/

Flourish Careers LLC | Website

https://www.flourish.careers/

The Muse

https://www.themuse.com/

Frito-Lay

https://www.fritolay.com/

PepsiCo

https://www.pepsico.com/

Thanks for listening to “The Courageous Choice.” Be sure to leave us a review and subscribe so you don’t miss any conversations.

For more information, visit gigtalentagency.com or email us at podcast@gigtalentagency.com if you have any questions.

#StartupCulture #OrganizationalTransformation #StrategicLeadership #BusinessGrowth

We’re kicking off our new podcast, “The Courageous Choice,” talking to Lynn Herrick, Chief Operating Officer at Blucrest. Lynn shares how she navigated one of the most defining leadership moments of her career — taking over a high-turnover call center in the middle of a private equity transition. She walks us through her courageous decision to reimagine operations through the lens of empathy, stability and purpose. Lynn’s story offers practical inspiration for leaders transforming culture, scaling teams and placing people at the center of business strategy.

Key Takeaways:

(02:31) Why Lynn left a safe legal path to join a risky startup.

(05:01) What made her initially say no to the COO role, and why she changed her mind.

(07:48) Replacing fear-based systems with a culture of trust and stability.

(13:29) Tactical changes that led to a drop in employee turnover from 20% to under 2%.

(15:55) How to unify engineers and customer service teams through shared purpose.

(19:44) The moment Best Buy cited “meaningful work” as the reason for their $800M acquisition.

(22:52) Advice for young professionals: resilience, self-awareness and knowing when to walk away.

Resources Mentioned:

Lynn Herrick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnkantorherrick/

Blucrest | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/blucrest/

Blucrest | Website

https://blucrest.com/

Thanks for listening to “The Courageous Choice.” Be sure to leave us a review and subscribe so you don’t miss any conversations.

For more information, visit gigtalentagency.com or email us at podcast@gigtalentagency.com if you have any questions.

#StartupCulture #OrganizationalTransformation #StrategicLeadership #BusinessGrowth