Guests
Even if everyone has horror stories to tell, no one likes to talk about the pain they’ve been through, even less if it’s related to their work life. Client Horror Stories is the place where everyone who has a story to tell, and lessons to share from it, is welcome, regardless of their job, age, and industry.
Our guests are a compilation of very brave and passionate people who’ve decided to sit back and have an open-hearted conversation about the worst clients they’ve had in their careers. And of course, the possibility of having other people learn from their mistakes just as they did is a great plus.
Paul Sweeney has spent 25 years sitting across the table from business owners in genuine trouble — and he’s seen most of it. As a Chartered Accountant and Managing Director of Pretium Solutions, he helps owners fix the structural problems behind the chaos: the cash flow surprises, the plans that never survive contact with reality, the businesses that can’t run without them. He hosts The Business Behind Your Business podcast.
I’ve been building brands and digital systems since back when “under construction” GIFs were a thing. These days, I co-lead RIPE, a boutique agency where strategy, design, and tech all harmonize with each other.
I’m the person you call when your digital stuff looks fine on the surface but feels like a mess behind the scenes. I connect the dots; between your tech, your strategy, your team, and the people you’re trying to reach. Whether it’s rescuing a tangled CMS, fixing “mystery code”, or finally getting your SEO to pull its weight, I help turn “we should really fix that…” into “hey, this actually works now.”
I help values-driven founders and senior leaders navigate high-stakes change by strengthening both the human systems around them and the internal systems within them.
Lance Cayko is an architect, entrepreneur, builder, lecturer, and podcaster who co-founded F9 Productions Inc. in 2009 with Alex Gore, helping grow it into one of Colorado’s leading design-build firms specializing in residential, multi-family, and boutique commercial projects. With a background in hands-on construction and degrees in Building Construction Technology, Environmental Design, and Architecture from North Dakota State University, he has earned recognition including the 2016 Architizer A+ Award, 2024 BizWest Most-Influential Business Leader, and 2025 ColoradoBiz C-Level Executive Honoree. Lance also teaches architecture at the University of Colorado Boulder and NDSU, co-hosts the globally ranked Inside the Firm podcast, and founded Longmont Community Gardens to promote urban sustainability.
Beth Trejo is the CEO and Founder of Chatterkick, a social media agency that helps brands build trust, create human connection, and stay relevant in a fast-changing digital world.
Eric spent 12 years in Christian ministry before leaving the Baptist pulpit in 2002 to join the FBI, where he worked for 24 years in a variety of fields and served as a tactical and firearms instructor as well as a SWAT operator.