How a College Student Bought His Professor’s Business

Andrew Oleson never planned to become the owner of the company he admired most. While still in college, he took a chance, walked into his professor’s office, and made a bold offer that would change the course of his life. Today, as CEO of PDG+Creative, Andrew helps businesses build stronger brands, clearer marketing strategies, and deeper customer connections. In this episode, he shares why business is ultimately about people, not numbers, how company culture became his greatest competitive advantage, and the lessons he carried from military service into entrepreneurship. Through stories of leadership, branding, hiring, and business growth, Andrew reveals what it takes to build a company designed for long-term impact and lasting legacy.

Key Takeaways

• Why Andrew bought a business from his college professor at just 24 years old
• The surprising lesson that shifted his focus from numbers to people
• How a 90 to 120-day hiring process helps create a high-performance culture
• What military service taught him about leadership, teamwork, and accountability
• Why successful branding starts with strategy, storytelling, and understanding people

Notable Quotes

• "About six months into this business, I realized it had absolutely nothing to do with numbers. It was all people."
• "I don't just get to go to work, I get to run to work."
• "Ideas only get stronger when they're challenged."
• "If a picture is worth a thousand words, what's it saying and to who?"
• "Every entrepreneur wakes up and the world spins because we get up and push it with our feet."