The Breakout Bunch

From getting fired just months into his first mortgage job to building a reputation as the guy clients trust for life, Aaron Kramer’s story is proof that resilience, identity, and intention matter more than any rate sheet.

In this episode, Aaron breaks down how he:

• Built his career around long-term relationships, not one-time transactions

• Learned that the real sale isn’t the rate — it’s you

• Differentiated himself instantly in a high-pressure panel interview

• Got hired on the spot… then fired three months later

• Faced financial rock bottom when COV...

From growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere to building multiple seven-figure businesses, Seth Berge’s story is proof that sales, discipline, and timing can completely change your life.

In this episode, Seth breaks down how he:

• Grew up on a farm in rural North Dakota with no intention of staying small

• Discovered sales through door-to-door hustling while still in college

• Made his first sale in under 15 minutes — and never looked back

• Built a career around commission-only sales and uncapped earning potential

• Made ove...

From a surprise layoff to building her own hospitality marketing business, Jessica Kruebbe proves that sometimes losing your dream job is the best thing that can happen to you.

In this episode, Jessica breaks down how she:

• Went from being Director of Marketing overseeing 15 restaurant locations — to getting laid off overnight

• Landed her first client two weeks before the layoff (and turned it into a full-time business)

• Built her “Mini CMO” brand helping small restaurant groups scale like pros

• Moved across the country — twice — to chase opportunity and growth

• Balanced fa...

At 16, doctors told Chené Micah Williams he’d never live a normal life again.

Three knee surgeries. A lifelong pacemaker. Every reason to stop.

Instead, he turned pain into purpose — becoming Pacemaker Shane, a fitness trainer and heart-health advocate who inspires thousands.

In this episode, Chené breaks down how he:

• Survived open-heart surgery and learned to live with a pacemaker

• Faced three major knee operations before he was 25

• Battled depression, doubt, and identity loss after his diagnosis

• Rebuilt his body and mindset through training and faith

•...

From professional athlete to investment banker — to founding one of America’s fastest-growing premium café brands.

Nicholas Stone’s story is about betting on yourself, building community, and finding purpose through human connection.

In this episode, Nicholas breaks down how he:

• Went from professional Australian Rules Football to investment banking in New York

• Built Bluestone Lane as a side project — starting with a 200-sq-ft basement café and no signage

• Opened 12 stores while still working full-time before taking the leap

• Turned a $1,500/month Midtown lease into a multi-milli...

Carlos Gutierrez makes $400,000 a year knocking on doors selling solar panels. Five years ago, he was working restaurant shifts for $30K annually.

Here's what actually happened between then and now.

Carlos moved to the U.S. from Mexico at nine years old. Worked the usual immigrant hustle - Burger King, tire shops, whatever paid. When COVID killed his restaurant job, he tried sales.

The twist: he went straight into 100% commission door-to-door solar. No base salary, no guarantees. His family thought he was insane.

First year: $78K. Not bad for someone who'd...

From having his car repossessed at 22 to writing a $250,000 check for a mentor in his early 30s (the equivalent of ~$800K today), Doran Andry proves that the boldest bets are the ones you place on yourself.

In this episode, Doran breaks down how he:

• Grew up with little money but massive vision—thanks to a dad who “expanded the mind” early

• Failed his first business in 6 months (and reframed it as tuition)

• Found a millionaire mentor and executed 30-day KPI plans until it clicked

• Paid $250,000 for a peak-performance coach—and why it was “...

From failing grades and scooping ice cream to running one of the top mortgage teams in Massachusetts — Kyle Regan’s comeback story is proof that the right mentor, mindset, and grind can change everything.

In this episode, Kyle shares how he:

• Grew up watching his dad in sales at WB Mason and caught the “professional friend-maker” bug early

• Struggled with school, grades, and depression, feeling counted out and underestimated

• Worked in warehouses, scooped ice cream, and waited tables — until one regular at Bertucci’s changed his life forever

• Got pulled into mortgage...

From $10/hour snack bars to $558,000 a year in solar sales — Daniel Snow proves discomfort is the real path to growth.

In this episode, Daniel breaks down how he:

• Worked under the table at 13 and learned the grind early

• Butchered his first sales job selling golf clubs (to his dad’s friend)

• Chased a jewelry passion all the way to New York — only to realize passion without profit doesn’t work

• Moved across the country with nothing but a suitcase (and got lost on day one)

• Pivoted into college, landed at...

From the NFL to foreclosure to building a life-changing coaching empire — Setema Gali’s story is proof that you can rebuild from rock bottom.

In this episode, Setema (ex-Super Bowl Champion with the Patriots) breaks down how he:

• Grew up in a Polynesian family in Utah and learned hustle from his first paper route at age 10

• Found his knack for sales doing commission-only phone jobs before the NFL

• Made it to the Patriots, won a Super Bowl, then lost it all within two years

• Transitioned into mortgages and real estate — the...

You don’t need a perfect start — you just need to show up.

In this episode, Jon Ladas shares how he:

• Grew up in Boston and watched real estate from the sidelines before jumping in

• Dropped out of college, worked dead-end sales jobs, and hit rock bottom

• Lost his car, walked 45 minutes to work, and rebuilt from literally nothing

• Leaned on faith, structure, and consistency to find his footing

• Got licensed in real estate and went all-in, even when it didn’t make sense on paper

• Closed 27 de...

From six figures at 19 to losing it all — Nick Pletke proves that real freedom is built, not bought.

In this episode, Nick breaks down how he:

• Made over $100K before most people pick a major — and lost it all

• Rebuilt from scratch by learning how to wholesale, market, and sell without shortcuts

• Avoided the pressure to niche down — and built multiple verticals instead

• Learned hard lessons about partnerships, boundaries, and trust

• Embraced detachment from money, social validation, and surface-level success

• Builds with the long game in mind — decades...

Everyone talks about success. Almost no one talks about the in-between.

Welcome to The Breakout Bunch — where real stories from real entrepreneurs come to life.

Hosted by Austen Tucker, this show cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of what makes business owners tick. These are honest, unpolished conversations with self-made founders who are in it for more than just the money — they’re chasing purpose, impact, and something bigger than themselves.

Austen knows the grind firsthand. He’s a seasoned mortgage broker leading a division at one of the nation’s...

Everyone talks about success. Almost no one talks about the in-between.

In this episode, Sam Hijazin breaks down how he:

• Left behind a stable engineering career to become a loan officer — and hated every sales call

• Took a 3-hour application call with a Hawaii client… just to keep him on the phone

• Leveraged his engineering mindset to write the cleanest files in the industry — and got promoted fast

• Lost everything when the lender he worked for collapsed — PTO, options, and six years of grind

• Took the biggest risk of his life...

Everyone talks about success. Almost no one talks about the in-between.

In this episode, Emma (27) breaks down how she:

• Left Indiana during COVID, moved to California in six weeks, and rebuilt her entire clientele from scratch

• Worked 7 days a week, did Instacart and Amazon Flex to survive, and filled her books in 18 months

• Used free hair as a marketing play — what worked, and what she’d never do again

• Fought burnout (three kinds), set boundaries, and learned to listen to her body

• Redefined wealth as freedom — “How long can I go with...

From party promoter to mortgage mogul — Joe Shalaby proves it’s not about where you start, but how relentless you are.

In this episode, Joe breaks down how he:

• Started promoting hookah lounges with belly dancers and DJs at 14

• Built a personal brand before it was a buzzword — all through nightlife and word-of-mouth

• Left acting and graduated early, then jumped into mortgages with zero safety net

• Got burned by shady employers who withheld commissions — and bounced back

• Launched his own brokerage at 24 with flyers, hustle, and a “boots on the ground”...