In this week’s episode of Breaking Battlegrounds, we kick off with an insightful segment featuring Aaron Steed, the CEO of Meathead Movers. Despite the numerous accolades, including being recognized by the Obama Administration, Meathead Movers recently faced a federal lawsuit alleging age discrimination. It’s important to note that no individual filed a complaint against Meathead Movers; this action came directly from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. We delve into the details of the lawsuit, exploring the implications and challenges ahead. Following this, Ashley Hayek, Executive Director of America First Works, engages in two segments, shedding light on her new book, “Beat the Elites,” the fentanyl crisis, and her early entrepreneurial endeavors of selling Mistletoe’s during the holidays. Lastly, we are joined by Patrick Byrne, founder of Overstock.com, discusses whistleblower complaints aimed at Jack Smith. Kiley is back this week for Kiley’s Corner, where she takes us on a delightful exploration of the history of ugly Christmas sweaters. Don’t miss these thought-provoking conversations shaping our current landscape!
About our guests
Aaron Steed started Meathead Movers in 1997 as a way to make money while going to school and to support himself while being a competitive wrestler. Always wanting to be the best on and off the mat, he strived to create the best moving company by utilizing clean-cut, drug-free, student athlete movers who are professionally-trained. Meathead has grown to become the largest independent moving company in California with over 700+ employees and 120+ trucks. Currently, Meathead has six operation centers in Central and Southern CA and three storage facilities with plans to expand in the future.
Aaron has led his team to land on the Inc. 5000 “Fastest growing companies in the US” list for eight years in a row, making them the top 2% of fastest growing companies in the country. Aaron has also been recognized as Small Business Administration’s “Young Entrepreneur of the Year,” and the White House’s “Top 100 Entrepreneurs” under the age of 35 who are making a difference. His passion for serving the community is reflected in his company, as well as in his work on the board of NCADV, and for the French Hospital. He is also the Founder of the MoveToEndDV, which has inspired hundreds of businesses all over the world to give back to domestic violence programs.
Ashley Hayek is Executive Director of America First Works, Chief Engagement Officer America First Policy Institute and Author of her new book Beat the Elites. Ashley is originally from the small agricultural town of Clovis, California, and serves as AFPI’s Chief Engagement Officer. Hayek is a political strategist with over 15 years of experience in political, non-profit, and organization consulting, most recently serving on the Trump-Pence 2020 presidential campaign as the National Coalitions Director. At the age of 22, she started her first company in the loft of her townhouse in San Diego and within five years became the premier political and non-profit fundraising firm in Southern California. Hayek attended the University of California, San Diego, where she received a degree in Political Science, and is the proud wife of a United States Marine and mom of five. Despite her relentless commitment to work, she is devoted to her family, juggling it all in her best stilettos.
Patrick Byrne received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Asian studies from Dartmouth College, a master’s in philosophy (ethics) from Cambridge University as a Marshall Scholar, and a doctorate in philosophy (focusing on political theory, jurisprudence, and economics) from Stanford University. He has taught at the university level and frequently guest-lectures on business, the Internet, leadership and ethics.
Patrick served as chairman, president and CEO of Centricut, LLC, a manufacturer of industrial torch consumables, then held the same three positions at Fechheimer Brothers, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company that manufactures police, firefighter and military uniforms. Patrick Michael Byrne is the former CEO of Overstock.com, Inc., a Utah-based internet retailer that has been publicly traded since 2002.
In 2001, Patrick began Worldstock.com, Overstock.com’s socially responsible store for products handcrafted by artisans from developing nations and rural areas of the USA. To date, more than $30 million has been returned to Worldstock’s artisan suppliers.
A classical liberal, Patrick believes that our nation’s future depends primarily on a sound educational system and a healthy capital market. Towards those ends, Patrick serves with Rose Friedman as co-chair of the Milton & Rose Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, supporting legislative reform to bring educational choice to parents. Patrick has also founded 19 schools internationally that currently educate more than 6,000 combined students.
In 2005, Patrick began a vigorous campaign against corruption in our capital markets through securities manipulation. His stance quickly caught the attention of Wall Street analysts and reporters and remains a point of high controversy today. The Deep Capture website grew out of this campaign.
