Some founders start with a business plan.
JR Lay started with a hot cocoa stand and an instinct for what people really needed.
It was fifth grade in Houston. A neighbor tried selling lemonade in December. JR, ten years old and observant, thought: that doesn’t make sense. So he set up shop across the street, selling hot cocoa instead. He sold out. The spark was lit.
This episode of Locality’s Making Bank Podcast dives deep into the kind of story that doesn’t just inspire—it clarifies. JR, now a two-time bestselling author and advisor to financial brands, unpacks the moments that shaped him: quitting his punk rock band in college after his now-wife told him to “make some meaning” with his life. Turning down a job that paid less than his side hustle. Blowing up a 7-figure business when it no longer aligned with the life he wanted.
It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t easy. But it was honest.
“All growth starts by simply telling the truth,” JR says. “And if we’re lying to ourselves, we’re probably lying to everyone else too.”
That commitment to truth, not trends, has carried him through personal breakdowns and professional pivots. When COVID cancelled his first book launch, he didn’t sulk; he launched a podcast. When his publisher collapsed during his second book release, he built his own publishing imprint.
Now, JR is focused on what’s next. He calls it the “Wisdom Economy,” a world where AI commoditizes knowledge, and real value lies in lived experience, shared stories, and human connection. It’s not just a good idea. It’s likely his next book.
“Every business is about people,” he says. “And wisdom, the kind that comes from pain and progress, is how we’ll grow from here.”
This episode isn’t just for bankers or entrepreneurs. It’s for anyone standing at a crossroads, wondering what’s worth holding onto and what’s time to let go.
Because as JR reminds us, sometimes the path forward isn’t left or right.
It’s the one you carve right down the middle.
Note: Since recording this podcast, JR Lay has launched Level Up Business, where he helps B2B entrepreneurs grow through brand research, podcasting, and book publishing.
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