Introducing "Think Big, Buy Small"

Introducing "Think Big, Buy Small"

Author: Southwestern Family of Podcasts - Southwestern Family of Companies October 20, 2025 Duration: 58:50

Today on the podcast, we’re excited to feature a conversation from Think Big, Buy Small, produced by our friends at Harvard Business School. Hosted by HBS professors (and former Action Catalyst guests) Rick Ruback and Royce Yudkoff, Think Big, Buy Small explores the world of entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA), highlighting how ambitious leaders build lasting wealth and careers by acquiring and growing small businesses. Each episode features candid conversations with CEOs, investors, and entrepreneurs who have taken the leap into small business ownership.

On this special episode, you’ll hear their discussion with Paige Sopcic, who left behind a promising engineering career to pursue entrepreneurship. Paige shares her journey from Harvard Business School to acquiring CanSource, a fast-growing beverage can supplier, just months before the pandemic hit. She reflects on leading the company through the chaos of COVID-19, scaling operations to meet unprecedented demand, and ultimately selling the business to TricorBraun in 2023.

Listen to more episodes of Think Big, Buy Small and follow the podcast: https://link.mgln.ai/7Fgb85


What does it take to move from thinking to doing, from planning to achieving? The Action Catalyst is a podcast built on the premise that real progress requires more than just motivation-it demands actionable insight. Each conversation features a different top leader or accomplished achiever, but the focus remains consistently practical: extracting the hard-earned lessons they learned on their way up. You’ll hear stories not just of success, but of the setbacks and plateaus that preceded it, with guests offering concrete strategies for navigating those inevitable challenges. This isn’t about abstract theory; it’s a resource for anyone feeling stuck in mediocrity or unsure of their next step in business, personal development, or their professional journey. The discussions are designed to help you uncover a more personal source of inspiration and then translate that into a clearer path forward. Tune in for a regular dose of candid advice and proven methods to help dismantle obstacles and reach your specific goals. The Action Catalyst is produced by the Southwestern Family of Podcasts, part of the Southwestern Family of Companies, and delivers these conversations with the understanding that sustained action is the most powerful catalyst for change. You’ll find each episode centers on a transferable idea or a shift in perspective that you can apply immediately, making the podcast a tool for ongoing education and self-improvement.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Action Catalyst
Podcast Episodes
CLIP:  Cutting a Cruise Ship In Half [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:08
Richard Fain, the chairman and former long-term CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, explains how Royal Caribbean elevated the entire cruise industry, and why, early in his career, he literally, LITERALLY, had to cut a cruise s…
CLIP:  Creating the Creed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:26
Karla Lewis, an executive sales and leadership coach and Partner with Southwestern Consulting, and Steve Frody, co-founder of City2Shore Real Estate, share the value of aligning your business and team behind a shared cre…
CLIP:  Unstructured Data, Moore's Law, and Hallucinations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:18
Gayathri Krishnamurthy, Head of Product Marketing at Level AI, explains how AI is beginning to use data differently from previous versions and how the rate at which it's capabilities are expanding is exponential, but how…
Thanksgiving Wishes from Stephanie Maas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:44
Action Catalyst host Stephanie Maas breaks down her favorite parts of the Thanksgiving holiday, and what it really means to have an "attitude of gratitude".
CLIP:  The Parts of Purpose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:17
Executive business and life coach and Partner with Southwestern Consulting, Steve Reiner breaks down the key steps towards identifying and living into your purpose.Hear Steve and Tom's full interview in Episode 187 of Th…