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Grit and Growth Business

Welcome to the Podcast

Recent Episodes

June 24, 2025

The Power of Knowing Your Numbers

You can build an incredible business with your hands, your heart, and your grit—but if you’re not paying attention to the financial heartbeat of that business, you’re driving blind. In this episode, Ralph walks you through wh...
June 17, 2025

Feeling Stuck in Your Business? It's Time to Redefine Your Business Model!

Sometimes the problem isn’t your effort—it’s your blueprint. In this episode of Grit & Growth Business , Ralph tackles one of the most overlooked but critical issues in entrepreneurship: a misaligned business model. If you’re...
June 10, 2025

The Cost of Easy: Why Shortcuts Sink Small Businesses

Every entrepreneur hits that moment—the pressure is high, the cash is tight, and the whisper of a shortcut sounds like a rescue. But those “quick fixes” often come with a price you don’t see until it’s too late. In this episo...
June 3, 2025

Mastering Cash Flow: Four Gritty Moves to Take Control

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m., wondering how to make payroll, meet expenses, or just keep your dream alive, this episode is for you. Ralph Estep Jr. kicks off Grit & Growth Business by cutting...
April 25, 2025

Transforming Challenges into Growth: Welcome to Grit and Growth Business

Episode Summary: You didn’t build your business the easy way—and this podcast doesn’t pretend it’s easy either. Welcome to Grit and Growth Business —a weekly show for small business owners who built it from scratch and are st...

Recent Blog Posts

June 24, 2025

The Power of Knowing Your Numbers: Your Key to Business Control and Confidence You built this business with your bare hands, your smarts, your sheer effort. You can fix almost anything that comes your way. You solve complex customer problems with…

Read the Blog Post
June 17, 2025

Feeling Stuck in Your Business? It's Time to Redefine Your Business Model! You're working harder than ever. You're pouring in the hours, making the sacrifices. But the needle just isn't moving. Or maybe, when it does move, it’s not enough to …

Read the Blog Post

About the Host

Ralph Estep Jr. Profile Photo

Ralph Estep Jr.

Author, Father, Husband, Rancher

Ralph V. Estep, Jr. is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background in finance, accounting, technology, and entrepreneurship. As the principal at Saggio Management Group, Inc., he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in various roles throughout his career.

Ralph's educational journey began at St. Mark's High School in Newark, Delaware before attending the University of Nebraska where he was an esteemed member of the Cornhusker Marching Band and had the privilege of performing at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

Continuing his pursuit of knowledge and excellence, Ralph earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Delaware. He further expanded his academic achievements by obtaining a Master's in Business Administration from Wilmington University.

Throughout his professional journey, Ralph has been recognized for his outstanding accomplishments and commitment to excellence. He is a member of prestigious organizations such as the Golden Key National Honor Society and Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society.

With an extensive range of professional designations including Licensed Public Accountant (LPA), Accredited Business Accountant (ABA), Accredited Tax Advisor (ATA), Accredited Tax Preparer (ATP), and Internal Revenue Service Registered Tax Preparer (RTRP), Ralph possesses comprehensive expertise in tax preparation and financial management.

Beyond his impressive qualifications, Ralph has actively engaged with various community programs as both a mentor for Junior Achievement and through participation in the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training Program.

Throughout his career journey thus far, Ralph has held significant positions that have showcased both his financial acumen and leadership abilities. Notably, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Westminster Presbyterian Church where he streamlined financial operations through implementing electronic reporting mechanisms resulting in improved accuracy and efficiency.

Additionally, Ralph made significant contributions during his tenure at American Spirit Federal Credit Union where he rose to Executive Vice President after being promoted from staff accountant to Vice President of Financial & Lending Operations. His involvement in the credit union's community charter and collaboration with Fiserv to develop an in-house financial management system demonstrated his commitment to innovation and growth.
Ralph's expertise extended further as he joined Morris, James, Hitchens and Williams, a prominent law firm in Wilmington, Delaware. As the firm controller, he played a pivotal role in enhancing technology utilization, internal controls, communication systems through the development of a comprehensive intranet platform.

Recognized for his exceptional performance at Aftech (a Fiserv resource), Ralph redesigned their client communications system while also improving management performance across the organization. His efforts were acknowledged by Fiserv for his superior contributions.

In 2005, Ralph established The Estep Group as a public accounting firm based in Townsend, Delaware. With an emphasis on leveraging cutting-edge cloud technology and adopting paperless office practices, he built a world-class technology accounting practice that catered to hundreds of business and individual clients. Later rebranded as Saggio Management Group and Saggio Accounting+PLUS when relocated to Smyrna, Delaware. The business is now located in Middletown, Delaware.

Driven by his passion for technological advancements within the industry, Ralph founded Virtuale Success Inc., offering clients access to state-of-the-art cloud services through turn-key virtual computer desktops. In partnership with another Silicon Valley pioneer, in 2013, he launched Capital Cloud Solutions which provides comprehensive cloud technology solutions nationwide.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Ralph is happily married to Jennifer Estep, and together they have two sons. His dedication extends beyond work, fostering strong family bonds alongside career accomplishments.

In addition to his professional endeavors, Ralph co-founded Estep Farm LLC in 2014 where they raise black angus cows. He also created the Ask Ralph podcast in 2017 where he shares valuable insights on finance, taxation, and entrepreneurship. Ralph has even hosted "Ask Ralph" show on radio platforms, enabling him to reach wider audiences with expert advice.

Ralph V. Estep Jr.'s remarkable journey exemplifies excellence, harnessing expertise across finance, taxation, technology, and entrepreneurship. He continues to make significant contributions within these fields while maintaining strong ties within both professional circles and personal life.

Reviews

Excellent podcast

"This is information that actually helps. Seriously, if I'd heard this information 25 years ago, I would've avoided years of unnecessary stress. I'm looking forward to every episode giving me anothe…"

Mark | June 4, 2025

Gave me chills - love it!

"Gave me chills, love it! It all hit home to me. Started with nothing, did it on my own, everyone doubted me including my parents asking why I don’t just get a 9-5 job. Good stuff!!"

Justin | April 27, 2025