Tildet Varon and Leroy Hite on Family Business Success (Family Business Radio, Episode 67)
On this episode of Family Business Radio, host Anthony Chen welcomes back two powerhouse guests: Tildet Varon, founder of Growing with Truth Inc., and Leroy Hite, founder of Cutting Edge Firewood.
Tildet shares how the painful loss of her family’s business in Turkey fueled her lifelong mission to help other family enterprises thrive. She reveals why communication is the root of both peace and profits and how “hidden conversations” within families often shape business outcomes more than strategy or operations.
Leroy recounts his journey of transforming firewood from a commodity into a luxury experience, overcoming years of grueling labor, financial strain, and near-collapse before scaling nationally and ultimately selling the business. He explains why risk-taking, perseverance, and humility are essential traits for any entrepreneur.
Anthony adds his own financial planning perspective, tying together lessons on values, vision, and long-term purpose.
This episode offers hard-won insights for family business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to balance grit, growth, and legacy.
Anthony concludes the show with thoughts on crafting a legacy of memories, reminding us that you can’t buy time or memories.
Family Business Radio is underwritten and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
Tildet Varon, Growing With Truth
- Silence is often mistaken for peace in family businesses; avoiding hard conversations creates hidden resentments.
- Communication with clarity, care, curiosity, and compassion is the foundation for both harmony and profitability.
- Helping families surface their “hidden conversations” builds trust, belonging, and collaboration.
- Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are essential to breaking barriers and sustaining success.
Leroy Hite, Founder, Cutting Edge Firewood
- Firewood isn’t a commodity, it’s an experience—people will pay a premium for ambiance, aroma, and connection.
- Entrepreneurship requires grit: he worked 100+ hour weeks, sold his house, and lived on maxed-out credit cards to keep his dream alive.
- Success comes from embracing hard things; failure teaches lessons that can power future ventures.
- Leadership demands humility—outsiders who won’t learn from the ground up make poor decisions.
- Barriers are opportunities: don’t quit, but pivot and persevere.
Anthony Chen, Lighthouse Financial, and Host, Family Business Radio
- Financial planning shouldn’t start with numbers; it begins with clarifying vision and purpose.
- The key question is, “What is my ideal lifestyle and why?” before designing any plan.
- Aligning money with values ensures financial strategies truly serve family and personal goals.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
Tildet Varon, Growing with Truth Inc.
Tildet Varon is the President of Growing With Truth Inc., where she has dedicated over 20 years to helping family businesses thrive both in relationships and profitability. She specializes in guiding family business leaders through the unique challenges they face, including managing family dynamics, legacies, emotions, and expectations. With a hands-on approach, Tildet helps break cycles of stress and power struggles by creating clear roles, improving communication, and building effective succession plans. Her work focuses on turning conflicts into collaboration so that family relationships and business performance can flourish simultaneously.
With a rich background as a keynote speaker, trainer, business coach, and Inner Mastery Specialist, Tildet combines lived experience with proven strategies in leadership and conflict resolution. She has also been an organizational development consultant and mentor to many leaders. Tildet tailors her approach to each family business’s unique needs, placing a strong emphasis on strategic decision-making and holistic growth. Her mission is to help family businesses transform internal challenges into lasting legacies, supporting both the health of the business and the well-being of the family members involved.
Leroy Hite, Founder, Cutting Edge Firewood
Leroy Hite transformed firewood from a mere commodity into a luxury brand featured in prestigious venues including the Oval Office, Netflix, the Today Show, and Fox & Friends. He revolutionized the perception and consumption of firewood by creating an entirely new industry. Leroy’s philosophy centers on the belief that extraordinary results come from embracing discomfort and risk and that growth does not happen when you are comfortable. His journey from having only $12 in the bank to building a premium nationwide brand exemplifies his commitment to breaking conventional boundaries and thinking boldly outside the box.
Leroy’s impact is demonstrated not only by millions in delivered value and a wave of competitors he inspired nationwide, but also by the recognition he has received, such as the Berry College Entrepreneurial Spirit Award and being a two-time 40 Under 40 honoree. Cutting Edge Firewood, which he exited last year, elevated a product often plagued by quality issues—half of the firewood market was bug-infested—into a status symbol of quality and craftsmanship. Leroy’s story is one of grit, perseverance, faith, and relentless innovation, proving that with the right mindset, anything once deemed impossible can become a defining success.
Anthony Chen, Host of Family Business Radio
Family Business Radio is sponsored and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. Securities and advisory services are offered through OSAIC, member FINRA/SIPC. RAA is separately owned, and other entities and/or marketing names, products, or services referenced here are independent of OSAIC. The main office address is 575 Broadhollow Rd., Melville, NY 11747. You can reach Anthony at 631-465-9090, ext. 5075, or by email at anthonychen@lfnllc.com.
Anthony Chen started his career in financial services with MetLife in Buffalo, NY, in 2008. Born and raised in Elmhurst, Queens, he considers himself a full-blooded New Yorker while now enjoying his Atlanta, GA, home. Specializing in family businesses and their owners, Anthony works to protect what is most important to them. From preserving to creating wealth, Anthony partners with CPAs and attorneys to help address all of the concerns and help clients achieve their goals. By using a combination of financial products ranging from life, disability, and long-term care insurance to many investment options through Royal Alliance, Anthony looks to be the eyes and ears for his client’s financial foundation. In his spare time, Anthony is an avid long-distance runner.
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