18 Mar March 19, 2026 – E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Sam Goodner and Financial Product Sales Trainer Jim Effner
Transcript
34:58 Jim Beach : All right? What are they lacking? Lacking when they come to you?
35:01 Neil Thubron : Well, that’s a really good question. I think typically, what they’re
Sam Goodner – Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Keynote Speaker and Author of Like Clockwork: Run Your Business with Swiss Army Precision
The formula for operational scalability is clarity plus repeatability plus time.
Sam Goodner
Sam Goodner is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and mentor with a passion for solving business problems through the innovative use of technology. A dual citizen of Switzerland and the United States, Sam has experienced a diverse journey from serving as a mountain infantry officer in the Swiss Army to being recognized as an Inc. 500 CEO and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In 1993, Sam founded Catapult Systems, which grew into the world’s leading Microsoft Systems Integrator before being acquired in 2013. During this same period, he also founded and sold two software product companies (PowerDOC and Inquisite), started a mobile application development firm (Mobile Alchemy), and launched a digital agency (Slingrock). A global traveler and lifelong learner, Sam took his family on a year-long journey around the world in 2014, homeschooling his two children while embracing education and exploration. In 2016, Sam invested in FlashParking, a small technology startup. As president and later chief strategy officer, he helped guide the company to becoming the largest parking technology company in the world with over $100 million in revenue and a valuation of $1 billion. Now retired from running companies, Sam focuses on sharing his insights with entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Jim Effner – President & CEO of P2P Group
You never want to be selling you always want to be solving problems.
Jim Effner
Jim Effner is founder and President of P2P Group, a company specializing in sales training for financial services professionals. His mission is to help bridge the gap between financial advisors’ potential and their performance. Prior to forming the P2P Group, Jim was Managing Partner of one of the largest Northwestern Mutual offices in the country. He built the Effner Financial Group to nearly 150 full-time and college advisors, insuring over 65,000 policyholders with a face amount of nearly $27 billion. A Million Dollar Round Table qualifier every year he worked in the business, Jim is now a lifetime member of MDRT. He was a three-time Recognition Dinner/Forum qualifier, which represents the top 5% of all Northwestern Mutual advisors. In fact, he was the youngest person to make Forum the first two times he qualified. As a new advisor, he led his region in 1990, 1991 and 1992, placing runner-up in the Bronze and Silver awards, and 3rd in the Gold. Jim has overcome numerous life challenges, including losing his hearing just 30 days after taking his Managing Partner contract. He brings his commitment to excellence, his passion, energy and conviction – along with his perspective of 30+ years in the industry – to every aspect of his business. A graduate of Valparaiso University with a degree in finance and economics, Jim has exemplary credentials in all facets of the industry – including sales, management and training. Jim and his wife, Lynn, live in Henderson, Nevada. They have three children: Brittney, Brianna, and Bryce.