In this episode of Success for the Athletic-Minded Man, host Jim Harshaw Jr. sits down with Luke Peters—entrepreneur, CEO coach, and founder of NewAir—to unpack the real journey behind building an 8-figure business from scratch.
Luke started with nothing—earning 25 cents an hour in his family’s donut shop—and worked his way up to an $80M exit. But his story isn’t about hype. It’s about grit, smart decisions, and hard-earned lessons.
Episode Notes – Success for the Athletic-Minded Man feat. Luke Peters
Title: From 25¢/Hour to an $80M Exit – Luke Peters on Scaling Smart, Building Sellable Companies, and Skipping the Grind Trap
Host: Jim Harshaw
Guest: Luke Peters – Founder of NewAir, CEO coach, and 8-figure exit entrepreneur
Overview:
Luke Peters didn’t stumble into success—he earned it. From humble beginnings working in his family’s donut shop to building and exiting an $80M company, Luke shares the real story behind what it takes to scale a business the smart way.
In this episode, we dive deep into:
- Why chasing revenue is the fastest way to stay stuck
- How Luke used SEO in the early 2000s to cash-flow his startup from day one
- The pivotal shift in 2012 that forced him to go all-in on brand over direct-to-consumer
- His unconventional journey from hazardous waste scientist to ecommerce mogul
- What most business owners get wrong about margins—and why 5% just doesn’t cut it
- How to build a leadership team that adds enterprise value and makes your company sellable
- The difference between hustle and strategic hustle
- How Luke structured win-win incentives that got A-players to run through walls
- Why emotional hiring and personality-driven decisions sabotage long-term growth
- What most CEOs overlook when preparing for an exit—and how to avoid leaving money on the table
Whether you're looking to scale, exit, or just stop being the bottleneck in your own business, this episode is packed with real talk and actionable insights.
Whether you're grinding in year two or looking to exit in year fifteen, Luke’s story offers a blueprint few are willing to share. It’s tactical, honest, and packed with the kind of insight that only comes from being in the trenches.
Bonus:
Grab the free Action Plan from this episode (and all others) at JimHarshawJr.com/Action
Follow Luke:
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LinkedIn: Luke Peters
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Website: Apex CEO
