Retained Trust

Want to know what it takes to build, scale, and sell your agency?

Retained Trust is a weekly podcast where host Karl Hughes goes deep with digital service business owners to uncover the habits, tactics, and strategies they’ve learned to grow successful companies. Along the way, you’ll hear about Karl’s journey running and acquiring niche digital agencies as he learns from guests with a variety of backgrounds and experience levels.

Recent Episodes

Dec. 17, 2024

EP.08 - Building Trust Through Authentic Content: David Flanagan's Story

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with David Flanagan, founder of The Rawkode Academy and a veteran in developer advocacy. David shares his entrepreneurial journey, from building a niche YouTube …
Dec. 10, 2024

EP.07 - Mastering Business Finances with Chris Gwinn

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Chris Gwinn, founder of Midwest CFO, a fractional CFO firm helping small businesses thrive by optimizing financial strategies and preparing for growth or ex…
Dec. 3, 2024

EP.06 - Building Resilience: Kon Kruglyak on Staffing Challenges and Entrepreneurial Growth

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes speaks with Kon Kruglyak, founder of Candidate IQ, about the realities of starting a staffing business in challenging economic times. Kon shares his journey from corporate…
Nov. 26, 2024

EP.05 - Building Beyond Boundaries: Kurt Schnakenberg's Journey from Chicago Brass to ADBM

In this episode of Retained Trust , host Karl Hughes sits down with Kurt Schnakenberg, co-founder of Chicago Brass and ADBM, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative approaches he’s using to redefine his ind…
Nov. 19, 2024

EP.04 - Building Businesses That Last: Karl and Manny’s Journey

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes invites his business partner and close friend, Manuel Weiss, to share their dynamic journey of entrepreneurship, partnership, and building lasting businesses. From Manuel’s…
Nov. 12, 2024

EP.03 - From Sales to Startup: Jared Gibson’s Insights on Building a LinkedIn-Focused Agency

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes is joined by Jared Gibson, co-founder of Outworks, a marketing agency helping founders and executives build influence on LinkedIn. Jared shares his transition from a tradit…