OM DENNE EPISODE
What does it really take to build a company that lasts through economic collapse, industry disruption, and personal hardship... without losing your values or your people?
In this episode of It’s A Profitable Life, Ronit Enos sits down with Robert Reed, founder of Ergo Research, and Brock Goldberg, Chief Marketing Officer, for a powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention, and building a values-driven, family-style business.
Robert shares the defining moments that shaped Ergo’s journey — including the 2009 financial collapse that wiped out every factory they relied on, and the 2020 shutdown that forced a rapid digital pivot. Rather than folding, the company narrowed its focus, returned to its core mission of ergonomics, and rebuilt stronger each time.
Brock brings a deeply personal perspective, sharing his own journey through major health challenges and how discipline, consistency, and mindset transformed not only his health, but his leadership and life.
Together, they explore what it means to run a family-oriented company without ego, how trust and respect fuel long-term growth, and why preparation, financially and emotionally, is the difference between panic and possibility.
This episode is about far more than tools or tactics. It is about leadership, humanity, and what it truly means to live a profitable life in business and beyond.
In This Episode
0:00 Why this conversation has been years in the making
2:00 The 2009 collapse that forced a complete reinvention
6:00 Losing every factory and starting over from nothing
10:00 Why narrowing focus created exponential growth
14:00 The birth of ergonomic thinking in hairdressing
18:00 How education became a scalable business advantage
22:00 The 2020 shutdown and the pivot to digital
26:00 Why financial preparedness changes everything
30:00 Leadership without ego in family-run businesses
34:00 Brock’s health journey and redefining resilience
40:00 Discipline, routines, and consistency under pressure
46:00 What it really takes to work with people you love
52:00 Giving back and building purpose-driven products
58:00 Rapid fire questions: success, failure, and legacy
About the Guests
Robert Reed is the founder of Ergo Research and a pioneer in ergonomic styling tools. With over 40 years in the beauty industry, Robert has visited tens of thousands of salons worldwide and is the creator of The Art of the Blow Dry, a system designed to extend the careers and well-being of hairdressers.
Brock Goldberg is the Chief Marketing Officer of Ergo Research. Over the past 14 years, he has helped shape the brand’s growth, culture, and digital evolution while navigating his own personal health journey with resilience and discipline.
Together, they represent a rare leadership dynamic built on trust, humility, and shared purpose.
Visit https://ergostylingtools.com/
Brought to You By
Salon Cadence: The advisory network for salon, spa, and medspa CEOs scaling with systems, leadership, and Profit First for Salons - saloncadence.com
Vish: The color management system that turns waste into profit - getvish.com
Phorest: The all-in-one salon software that grows your business through automation, culture, and client connection - phorest.com
MySalonBooks: Real-time salon bookkeeping powered by Profit First for Salons - mysalonbooks.com
