Steel City Growth

Cash Is King, Culture Matters, Private Equity Reality
Today’s guest is Jon Arnold, former wealth-management founder turned private-equity and real-estate fund manager. After selling JR Wealth Management (~$12M) and a real-estate firm, Jon now runs Vision Funds (Vision RE, Vision 1, Vision 2), focusing on dividend real estate, an absolute-return long/short fund, and an income fund. He shares battle-tested lessons on grit, operational discipline, and how owners can survive a choppy economy.
Takeaways
  • Persistence Over Everything: “Don’t quit.” Three to five years of staying power separates winners from the pack.
  • Operations Drive Valuation: PE pays for turnkey—tight ops plans, clear strategy, disciplined EBITDA.
  • Cash Is King: Stockpile cash, secure/keep LOCs open before credit tightens.
  • Culture Keeps Talent: Old-school command-and-control fails; today’s teams stay for culture and growth.
  • PE Reality Check: Traditional PE often optimizes the bottom line at the cost of people—know who you’re selling to.
  • AI & The Next Decade: White-collar roles compress; trades and AI-fluency are defensible lanes.
  • Stick to the Game Plan: Don’t abandon a well-scouted plan mid-game; work your plan, plan your work.
Quote of the Show:
“Persistence breaks down resistance.” — Jon Arnold

What problem can listeners help Jon solve?
Jon is actively meeting owners with sell-ready, operations-tight companies and brokers/sellers of AAA/NNN real estate in OH/PA. Warm intros welcome.


Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to John Arnold's Journey
05:01 Transitioning from Healthcare to Business
10:15 Lessons from Jiu-Jitsu Applied to Business
15:17 Current Ventures in Private Equity
20:54 The Impact of Private Equity on Businesses
22:59 Current Economic Landscape and Its Challenges
25:41 The Future of Work and AI's Role
25:46 Key Strategies for Business Growth
28:19 Healthcare and Education: A Call for Reform
30:57 Preparing a Business for Sale to Private Equity
31:49 Strategies for Business Owners in Turbulent Times
37:07 Identifying Opportunities in a Changing Market

Links:
Ways to Tune In:

Creators and Guests

Host
Bill Ilgenfritz
Producer
Nathalee Arroyo

What is Steel City Growth?

Welcome to Steel City Growth! Each week, we’ll explore the passions, expertise, and experiences of business owners and founders in the greater Pittsburgh area. Steel City Growth is proudly sponsored by Murphy Business—committed to providing exceptional services to meet all your business needs.