In this episode of Beyond the Balance, host Mike Manganillo talks with Shannon Thomas, co-founder of ⁠Fratelli’s Delicatessen⁠ in Apex, North Carolina, about what it really takes to start a business while maintaining a full-time corporate career. Shannon shares her journey from international finance and Wall Street to IT tech sales at Red Hat and Pure Storage—all while launching a family-owned deli rooted in community, tradition, and great food. We explore the realities of small business financing, overcoming COVID-era setbacks, adapting quickly after opening day, and why listening to your customers is one of the most important skills an entrepreneur can develop.

What does “balance” really look like over the course of a long career? In this episode of Beyond the Balance, host Miller sits down with Bruce Groce, a recently retired tech leader who spent 32 years at SAS, rising through the ranks while navigating the realities of work, family, leadership, and personal fulfillment.