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What started as a side hustle is now a multi-employee business with customers across the country...

In this episode, we sit down with Kendall and Bailey Beykirch, the married co-founders of KenzKustomz, to talk about how they built a thriving custom accessories brand rooted in hustle, resilience, and an eye for design.

Originally launched to serve a niche market with personalized tote bags and phone cases, KenzKustomz quickly evolved into a fast-growing brand with a loyal customer base and a hands-on approach to scaling.

Kendall and Bailey open up about learning business the hard way from purchase order mishaps and TikTok virality to handling copycats and managing a warehouse team in their 20s. If you're a young founder navigating the chaos of early growth, trying to turn a good product into a lasting business, this episode is packed with real-world insights you won’t find in a business book.

Summary

Kendall first started KenzKustomz out of her dorm room, fulfilling orders by hand and figuring things out as she went. Bailey soon joined her full-time, bringing a complementary skillset that helped them professionalize operations. Together, they leaned into social media, word-of-mouth, and direct engagement with customers to build momentum without outside capital.

From managing inventory to training employees, Kendall and Bailey learned how to grow in real time. They walk through key turning points like opening their warehouse space, investing in the right equipment, and responding to a TikTok boom that sent their order volume through the roof.

As their business scaled, so did the pressure. Bailey shares how they worked through burnout, solved packaging and fulfillment challenges, and protected their intellectual property in a competitive online space. Now with clear roles, a strong backend system, and a roadmap for future product lines, they’re focused on long-term sustainability.

Highlights

00:00 KenzKustomz origin story

07:30 Working with influencers

27:00 Moving into retail
38:00 Instagram account deleted...
51:00 Hat of the Month Club
57:00 What's next for KenzKustomz?

Key Takeaways

1. Start with what you have - You don’t need a warehouse, investors, or a business plan to launch, just a product, a platform, and some persistence.
2. Be ready to learn as you go - Real growth happens when you treat every challenge (inventory, hiring, marketing) as a lesson to level up.
3. Clear roles build better businesses - Knowing your lane and respecting your partner’s strengths makes all the difference in a growing company.

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For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com

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What does it look like to step out of a successful brokerage career and build your own investment firm from scratch?
In this episode, we sit down with TJ Lefler, founder of Lefler Capital, to talk about entrepreneurship, capital allocation, and what it really takes to build something sustainable in Northwest Arkansas.

After years of experience in commercial real estate, TJ transitioned from being a dealmaker to becoming an owner and investor. Today, his firm focuses on strategic, long-term real estate investments and brings a measured, patient approach to growth.

Whether you're running a small business, expanding into real estate, or simply looking for clarity on what “smart growth” looks like, this conversation delivers tangible insights from someone who's in the trenches.

Summary

TJ shares why he chose to leave the brokerage world and take the risk of starting his own firm. He talks about the key inflection points in that transition, including what he underestimated, what he got right, and why ownership has changed how he thinks about long-term value.

Lefler Capital isn’t chasing volume. It’s focused on the right deals with the right partners. TJ explains his criteria for investing, how he structures deals, and why patience is often the hardest but most important strategy. For small business owners considering real estate as a path to scale, this segment offers tactical advice.

As a founder, TJ emphasizes keeping things simple, staying focused, and knowing your numbers. He shares how he approaches growth, manages investor expectations, and builds a team that operates with clarity and consistency. His playbook is refreshingly straightforward and widely applicable beyond real estate.

Highlights

00:00 T.J.s background

15:00 Making Deals in a "small town"

27:00 Bloom Building in Bentonville
35:00 Balancing 'Investor Return' and 'Community Impact'
54:00 What's next for Lefler Capital?

Key Takeaways

1. Know when to bet on yourself - Leaving a steady income isn’t easy, but timing, preparation, and conviction matter more than comfort.
2. Simple systems win - Don’t overcomplicate your growth strategy. Start with a clear plan, tight numbers, and steady execution.
3. Ownership changes everything - When you own the asset, whether it's real estate or your business, you think differently about risk, time, and long-term value.

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For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com

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What does it take to not only build a thriving company but to buy it back after it fails and make it stronger than ever?

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Zweig, founder of Zweig Group, a nationally recognized consulting firm for architects and engineers. Mark opens up about his multi-decade entrepreneurial journey from fixing up houses and starting a consultancy from scratch, to surviving bankruptcy, private equity disasters, and buying back his own business.

Whether you’re a new founder, a tired operator, or an aspiring entrepreneur with no roadmap, this episode will give you a masterclass in perseverance, problem-solving, and building a business with your bare hands.

Summary

Mark shares how he left Boston and a successful consulting firm to restart his life in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He explains why NWA’s welcoming, “Wild West” spirit made it the ideal place to teach, build, and rebuild. As a former architect-turned-entrepreneur, Mark’s story weaves together content creation, education, real estate development, and grit, all with one goal: make things better than you found them.

Mark describes himself as a “fixer,” and it shows. From flipping homes with authenticity and style to taking back the reins of Zweig Group after a failed private equity takeover, he’s done it all. His philosophy? Stay in the fight, outlast the storm, and don’t be afraid of risk, just don’t take stupid ones. He breaks down the true cost of failure (not just the trendy kind), how to navigate debt and cash flow crises, and why being hands-on with your team and customers matters more than ever.

Today, Mark teaches entrepreneurship, sits on multiple boards, mentors former students, and writes with brutal honesty. His definition of success is simple: “Spending your time the way you want, with the people you want to be with.” He makes the case for acquiring existing businesses instead of starting new ones, urges young founders to own their role, and reminds us all that you’ll never fail if you don’t give up.

Highlights

00:00 Afraid of taking risks?

10:30 Starting Zweig Group

20:00 Remodeling Homes
31:00 Buying back Zweig Group
43:00 Teaching at Walton College of Business
57:00 Starting a Business in NWA

Key Takeaways

1. Don't romanticize failure. “Fail fast” sounds good in a TED Talk, but in the real world, failure can wreck your credit, reputation, and relationships. Experiment, yes, but don’t build a business on the idea that it’s okay to crash.
2. Buying a business > starting one (most of the time). Acquisitions are often less risky, with built-in cash flow, customers, and teams. Startup worship has made founders overlook this path.
3. Success is ownership over your time. True freedom isn’t money or scale. It’s doing what you want, when you want, with people you respect.

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For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com