As advisors, we get to have fascinating conversations with interesting people every day. It is those conversations that inspired this podcast, where we interview business owners, high-performing individuals, and industry leaders to better understand how they made important decisions in their lives. By exploring these “inflection points” we hope it helps others think through decisions in their own lives, while giving a glimpse into the types of conversations we have with clients. While our role as advisors may mean different things to different people, the goal remains constant: we help people think through where they are in their lives, and how to get where they want to go.

For episode 10, we sat down with entrepreneur John Basalyga. John is the President of Eastern Roofing Systems, and JBAS Realty, a commercial real estate development and management company. During this conversation, John tells his personal story, how his career has evolved over the years, and why he is so passionate about improving Scranton and the entire region through his work. We also look ahead and discuss some of the projects he and his team are working on. John explains the principles he operates by and talks about the experiences that have shaped him into who he is today. He also takes us inside the room for some of the deals that helped catapult his career, including his 2015 purchase of the former Steamtown Mall out of foreclosure.

While he may own a roofing company, he believes strongly in the importance of putting yourself and others in a position where there is “no ceiling” to the potential upside if you work hard. Maybe most importantly, he explains how he believes that having confidence in yourself must be the foundation from which everything else follows. John tells a couple stories about how believing in himself in critical moments helped him takes leaps in his career no one else thought was possible. We also discuss why he avoids negative people at all costs, and why it is essential not to let others’ opinions distract you from listening to your own instincts.

Finally, John talks about why we need to be willing to act with purpose. While you can plan and do as much analysis as you want before moving forward, without the courage to act we cannot accomplish anything meaningful. Whether it is financial planning, starting a business, or any other undertaking in life, the most important step is the first one- getting started. Thanks so much to John for sitting down with us, and we hope you enjoy this episode.