Episodes
-
Jorge Martinez and Andre Vinay, co-founders of Black Development Group, join Founder’s Story to reveal how they’ve reimagined hospitality by turning apartments into branded hotel-style residences. With a growing partnership with Wyndham, they’re building global investment-friendly resorts in places like Tulum, Los Cabos, and Punta Cana—offering individuals a new way to own a piece of paradise.
Key Discussion Points
From Hot Dogs to Hotels: How Andre began as a teen entrepreneurThe Condo-Hotel Model: Why selling individual units funds entire resort buildsStrategic Partnerships: How Wyndham helped them go globalOwnership, Not Headaches: Giving investors turnkey properties without the hassleScaling Across Borders: Why Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic are nextLean Hotel Ops: How tech and outsourcing reduce overhead and boost profitDefining Success: Why they believe they're still just getting startedKey Takeaways
Partnership beats competition when scaling fastA profitable hotel doesn’t need a front desk—just a smart systemYou can own a slice of a global resort without building from scratchInnovation often lies in blending business models, not reinventing them
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Sally So, founder and CEO of Genomii.ai, joins Founder’s Story to share how her lifelong battle with eczema sparked a breakthrough: your health isn’t just in your genes—it’s in your data. Sally reveals how she’s building a digital twin for every human, one that can track your biological age in real-time and coach you back to youth.
Key Discussion Points
From Suffering to Science: How chronic illness led Sally to build Genomii
The Digital Twin Era: What it means to have an AI version of yourself in your pocket
Biological Age Tracking: Why you might age 0.6 or 1.6 days overnight
The Longevity Movement: How Genomii is gamifying health and reversing aging
Stress, Sleep & Biomarkers: What really causes you to age faster
AI, Human Emotion & the Future of Connection: How Genomii balances tech with humanity
Gamified Wellness: Why the future of health might look like Duolingo
Building a $10B Vision: Sally’s plans to scale, IPO, and live 100+ years
Key Takeaways
Every action you take could be aging—or reversing—your biological clockAI-powered personalization will soon outperform generalized healthcareEmotional and social connection remain essential to longevityWellness apps of the future will feel more like companions than toolsClosing Thoughts
Sally So isn’t just building a health app—she’s engineering a future where your phone knows your body better than your doctor. If you’ve ever wondered how long you’ll live—or how young you can stay—this is your episode.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Episodes manquant?
-
Alex Monahan, Stanford engineer turned sports betting entrepreneur, joins Founder's Story to reveal how he bootstrapped OddsJam—dubbed the Bloomberg Terminal for Sports Betting—to a $160 million exit. From obsessing over data to outworking every competitor, Alex shares the gritty journey from side hustle to acquisition, the power of YouTube for growth, and why he’s still not done building. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to win in a high-stakes, high-growth niche—this is the playbook.
Key Discussion Points
The Obsession That Sparked a Startup: Why Alex's love for data, poker, and probability planted the seed for OddsJam.
From Reddit to Revenue: How early Reddit posts and $6 subscriptions helped them land their first customers.
The $20K MRR YouTube Days: Why DIY content outperformed influencers—and how one video changed the game.
The Math Behind the Millions: How understanding sports betting odds led to a product users couldn’t find anywhere else.
Exit Without Burnout: Why selling didn’t change his life—and how growing slowly kept him grounded.
Building a Data Moat: How they acquired their data provider and outpaced competitors with speed and accuracy.
Founder Lessons in Focus: Why juggling multiple startups never works—and why you need to outwork everyone.
Key Takeaways
Don’t build for hype—build what you wish existed.Your edge is what you obsess over when no one’s watching.Distribution is a weapon—master YouTube, Twitter, and content that teaches.Staying focused beats being flashy—especially when billion-dollar markets are on the line.Closing Thoughts
OddsJam wasn’t built on luck. It was built on obsession, precision, and the relentless grind of a founder who knew where his edge was—and ran with it. Whether you’re launching your first business or gunning for your own exit, Alex’s journey is a reminder: master your niche, own your platform, and never stop betting on yourself.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Dr. Arjen de Jong, an aerospace engineer and founder of AirTulip, joins Founder’s Story to share how clean-room tech, fluid mechanics, and a little smoke visualization led to a Shark Tank pitch—and a consumer sleep product unlike anything else on the market.
From clean air in dentist offices to hydrogen water-style traction for your bedroom, Arjen walks us through how laminar airflow can drastically improve health, reduce allergies, and even reinvent how we think about air.
Key Discussion Points
Clean Room to Clean Sleep: How a cigarette in a laminar flow booth sparked the product idea
Pivoting Post-COVID: Why dentistry was the real product-market fit before sleep
Shark Tank Secrets: The casting line, the 30-minute pitch, and walking away from an offer
Visualizing Air: How lasers and wind tunnels helped explain an invisible product
Consumer Trust vs. Engineering Genius: Why educating the market is the hardest part
Scaling a Physical Product: The difference between B2B machinery and consumer DTC
Long-Term Vision: From side hustle to orbiting planet—Arjen’s exponential success roadmap
Key Takeaways
Think Laterally: The best innovations come from cross-industry application of existing techEducate First, Sell Second: Customers need to believe the invisible before buyingPersonal Experience Sells: Real stories of health improvement drive conversionCommunity = Credibility: DTC success hinges on trust, repetition, and consistencyDon’t Just Launch—Prepare for the Surge: Shark Tank is a spotlight, not the finish lineClosing Thoughts
AirTulip isn’t just another sleep gadget—it’s a physics-first approach to rethinking how we breathe. Dr. Arjen de Jong’s journey proves that the smartest solutions aren’t always the loudest. Tune in to learn how engineering curiosity, strategic pivots, and real-world validation turned laminar airflow into a movement.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Yash (the "Water Genie") and Smile (an Ironman athlete) co-founded Dr. Water to solve what they call the world’s most overlooked health crisis: dehydration. With backgrounds in sustainability and performance science, the duo reveals how hydrogen water can transform energy, recovery, and aging—while also cutting plastic waste. They share the journey from building DTC wellness brands to going viral on TikTok and pitching billionaires via cold emails.
Key Discussion Points
The Spark of a Problem: Why 75% of Americans are dehydrated—and what that does to your body.
From Ironman to Founder: How Smile’s training journey revealed major hydration myths.
Hydrogen 101: The science behind hydrogen water, molecular research, and anti-aging benefits.
Design Meets Wellness: Creating the first modern hydrogen tumbler with UV filtration.
Go-to-Market Playbook: Why social selling (TikTok, Meta) beat Amazon for this brand—and how they got their first billionaire buyer.
Founders Who Fit: Why this co-founder duo works—9 years of history, clarity of roles, and shared obsession.
Educating a Market: Using MMA athletes, NFL doctors, and real stories to take hydrogen water mainstream.
Key Takeaways
Water is Wellness: You can’t absorb supplements, recover well, or think clearly without proper hydration.Science Backed, Lifestyle Led: Products need to heal and be something people love showing off.Social is the New Shelf: Founder-led brands that educate and entertain will win on TikTok and YouTube.Complementary Founders Scale Faster: Visionary + executor beats any solo genius.Hydration is the First Habit: If you fix water, you unlock the foundation for every other wellness behavior.Closing Thoughts
From battling microplastics to unlocking cellular energy, Dr. Water isn’t just a hydration brand—it’s a movement. Tune in to learn how two first-time founders went from global agriculture and Ironman races to building a multi-country wellness company that just might reshape the water industry from the inside out.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Sanjay Chadha, co-founder of SAV Associates, brings over 25 years of global experience in corporate finance, cybersecurity, and risk management. From navigating boardrooms in Vietnam and Madagascar to safeguarding data in North America, Sanjay has advised more than 1,000 clients on building resilient, profitable companies. In this episode, he reveals the costly mistakes most founders make—plus how to prevent a deepfake disaster from taking down your business.
Key Discussion Points
Why He Left Corporate Life: The spark that pushed Sanjay to leave Big Four consulting and build a global advisory firm.
Global Lessons from 7 Countries: What living and working across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East taught him about scaling internationally.
How to Think Like a CFO: The most overlooked financial mistakes—and why founders must read the story behind their numbers.
Cybersecurity & Deepfakes: Why AI is a blessing and a bombshell—and how one email nearly tricked his entire firm.
Risk is the New Currency: Why protecting data matters more than profits in today’s tech-driven landscape.
Cash Burn ≠ Growth: The trap of fast-spending founders and the secret to building companies that last.
Key Takeaways
Startups don’t fail from bad ideas—they fail from poor financial fluency.If you can’t read your numbers, you can’t write your success story.Cyber risk isn’t optional anymore—one deepfake could cost your company everything.Global mindset, local agility: Scaling safely starts with structure, not size.Every number tells a story—and your CFO should know how to read it.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Kit Gray, President and Co-Founder of PodcastOne (NASDAQ: PODC), reveals how he parlayed childhood radio fandom into a thriving public podcast network. From early iPod hacks with Adam Carolla to structuring live reads, community-first ad packages, and an IPO, Kit shares the timing, tactics, and tenacity behind PodcastOne’s $51M revenue and its 200-show roster.
Key Discussion Points
Radio Roots & Howard Stern: How listening to sports talk and Stern’s brand-building ignited Kit’s love for audio.
Selling the Download: Early deals with Adam Carolla (ProFlowers, LegalZoom) that proved CPMs & CPA tracking worked.
Building a Network: Moving from one-off ad reads to 360° packages—audio, video, social—for A&E, Lady Gang, Jordan Harbinger, and more.
Timing the Tides: Why the iPhone, COVID lockdowns, and YouTube’s podcast push turbocharged growth.
Going Public: Lessons (and flip-flops) on spinning out, partnering with bankers, and using equity to align talent.
Community over Impressions: Why buying engaged audiences beats mass buy, and how brands scale with niche pods.
Key Takeaways
Be first, but stay fast: Early movers in on-demand audio captured both talent and advertisers.Proof precedes scale: Start with one host, one campaign; use hard ROI data to win bigger deals.Sell the community, not just ad slots: True influence lies in loyalty, not lowest CPM.Equity aligns interests: Offering stock to creators fosters retention and shared upside.Adapt or fade away: From iPods to social streams to IPO filings, continual reinvention is non-negotiable.Closing Thoughts
Dive into how Kit Gray built a soup-to-nuts podcast empire—signing singers turned podcasters, structuring ad-stacked communities, and trading on NASDAQ—and walk away with a playbook for finding, owning, and monetizing the next great audio audience.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Alessandro Figliano, Founder & CEO of Jet 365, shares how he turned a love for flying into a luxury aviation brand trusted by F1 and high-net-worth clients. From flying school to building a white-glove charter service, Alessandro breaks down how Jet 365 blends safety, personalization, and tech into an experience the new generation of elite travelers demands, while maintaining the service standards legacy brands lost.
Key Discussion Points
Pilot to Founder: How Alessandro funded a flying school through his first business, then transitioned from hobbyist to charter operator.
Seeing the Gap: Why a fragmented broker space inspired Jet 365’s concierge model—tailored for both tech-savvy users and traditional luxury clients.
F1-Level Partnerships: How a personal network led to Jet 365 becoming the aviation provider for a Formula One team.
Luxury that Listens: The power of referrals, retention, and saying yes—even when a plane breaks down hours before takeoff.
High-Touch Meets High-Tech: How Jet 365 is building a new platform to serve both automated and white-glove clientele.
Custom Over Scale: Why Alessandro rejects fast growth in favor of sustainable, service-first expansion.
Key Takeaways
Solve before you scale: High-end clients don’t care about volume—they care about flawless delivery.White-glove wins: Luxury is less about cost and more about care. Every detail matters.Two types of clients, one standard: Whether booking online or via a concierge, the experience must exceed expectations.Build in public (quietly): Real partnerships and growth happen behind the scenes, not on Instagram.Sustainability > speed: Growth that protects service levels will outlast shortcuts every time.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
David Royce, a serial entrepreneur (Aptive Environmental) recounts his journey from a broke college door-to-door rookie to scaling a pest-control startup into a $500 million national leader—and why he’s now taking a well-earned sabbatical.
Key Discussion Points
The Rookie Summer: How a disastrous first week of door-to-door sales prompted David’s self-education marathon in sales books.
Systems Over Spark: Building replicable training, manuals, and processes that delivered 2× results and launched him into leadership.
Scaling Pains: Why hyper-growth nearly bankrupted his first venture and how he raised capital to keep pace.
Leveling Up: Swapping his original exec team for seasoned billion-dollar operators to navigate the jump from regional to national scale.
Entrepreneurial Highs & Lows: The dopamine rush of the early years, the burnout of success, and the intentional one-year pause to rediscover purpose.
Investor IQ: Why proven operators attract funding, and the difference between a slick pitch deck and a battle-tested team.
Sabbatical Mindset: Lessons on stepping back, letting others lead, and treating entrepreneurship like a lifelong sport you can pause and replay.
Key Takeaways
Master your craft first: hands-on experience de-risks your startup journey.Build playbooks, not personalities: systems scale; individuals stall.Growth capital is a double-edged sword—raise just enough to stay nimble.Only the paranoid survive: swap in fresh talent as your needs evolve.Sabbaticals can reboot your passion—sometimes stepping off the gas is the smartest move.Closing Thoughts
Tune in to learn how David Royce became an accidental CEO, why he sold his own dream once (and why he’ll do it again), and how even the fastest-growing entrepreneurs need time off to stay in the game.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Matt Raad (CEO & Co‑Founder of eBusiness Institute) shares how he and his wife, Liz Raad, went from farming and zoology students to buying, scaling, and exiting online businesses. Learn why “page‑five” passion sites can be goldmines, how AI accelerates growth, and the blueprint for low‑risk, high‑cash‑flow digital entrepreneurship.
Key Discussion Points
From Kangaroos to Cashflow: How Matt & Liz leveraged rural roots and early manufacturing M&A mistakes to discover online’s superior risk‑return profile.
Valuing Digital Assets: Why net profit × 1–5× multiples, recurring revenue, traffic quality, and audience/community strength are your core due diligence metrics.
Finding Diamonds in the Rough: Hunting bargains via Flippa classifieds and private outreach to page‑5+ Google sites—plus the art of negotiating with cash and escrow.com.
Build, Automate, Flip: Renovate niche blogs with SEO, monetization (ads, affiliates, sponsorships), and AI‑assisted content editing to boost profits.
Scaling with AI: How ChatGPT, Claude & Gemini are slashing team sizes, turbocharging site builds (ten‑minute bootcamp wins!,) and cutting content costs.
Exit‑Ready Growth: Why hitting 7‑figure ARR unlocks private‑equity interest, and how leadership + repeatable processes maximize your sale multiple.
Key Takeaways
Start Small, Win Big: Learn website building, buy a sub‑$5K site, and experiment with AI—no big capital required.Audience Is Asset: Communities trump page‑one rankings; loyal followings drive recurring, scalable revenue.Due Diligence Matters: Practice on low‑risk deals, use escrow for safe transfers, and know threshold profit multiples.Niche Is King: Passionate micro‑niches host undervalued sites ripe for 10× upside with the right know‑how.Exit Strategy: Buyers buy growth potential and proven teams—build with scalability and clear leadership in mind.Closing Thoughts
Ready to quit the nine‑to‑five grind? Tune in to discover a battle‑tested playbook for buying, scaling, and exiting online businesses with Matt & Liz—plus actionable steps to launch your own digital side hustle.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Alfonso Gurreri, A Harvard-educated lawyer turned hands-on entrepreneur, founded RICI Contracting in 2022 and has since grown it into a full-service powerhouse. Today, RICI delivers construction, asphalt paving, snow & property maintenance, waste management, and facility services across Ontario. Alfonso shares how he parlayed legal training into strategic vision, weathered early food-truck misfires, and now innovates a once-old-school industry with sustainability, operational excellence, and client-first focus.
Key Discussion Points:
Law Meets Hard Hats: How a top-tier legal education taught Alfonso discipline, risk assessment, and negotiation skills he now applies to multimillion-dollar contracting bids.
Early Failures to Firm Foundations: The food-truck chapter that taught him to test market fit, manage debt serviceability, and pivot swiftly into construction.
Building RICI’s Service Portfolio: The step-by-step playbook for adding roll-off trucks, portable toilets, paving rigs, and snow-plow fleets—each driven by recurring revenue needs.
Ideally Niche Clients: Why focusing on property managers, REITs, and pension-fund portfolios ensures monthly billing reliability and repeat business.
Innovation & Sustainability: How Alfonso is modernizing a legacy sector through advanced equipment, AI-powered fleet surveillance, and eco-minded operational upgrades.
Scaling with Discipline: His criteria for debt-financed expansion, in-house versus subcontractor work, and turning low-risk jobs into entry points for higher-ticket contracts.
Key Takeaways:
Strategic Pivoting: Embrace early failures as fast-feedback loops that uncover scalable opportunities.Debt Serviceability Test: Only invest in capital assets when your recurring cash-flows can safely cover the payments.Client Lifetime Value: Lock in high-margin, recurring services for the same ideal customers rather than chasing one-off gigs.Operational Excellence: Leverage technology, standardize processes, and build sustainability into every service offering.Closing Thoughts:
Alfonso Gurreri’s journey from articling desks to asphalt crews illustrates that true entrepreneurial grit lies in mastering finance-savvy expansion and relentless client focus. Tune in to discover how RICI Contracting is redefining Canadian facility services—one strategically financed roll-off bin at a time.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
After engineering stints and an immigrant-family push toward a PhD, Brian Le accidentally fell into entrepreneurship, first by noticing Bird scooters on campus, then by solving students’ last-minute snack and supply crises with app-powered micro-convenience. A Y Combinator alum, Brian tells how COVID tested Need’s model, why blind ambition is a superpower in your twenties, and how he sees college (and AI) shaping the next generation of founders.
Key Discussion Points
Engineering Roots → Accidental Startup: How Bird scooters at UCLA sparked a “Why not?” moment.
YC Crash Course: The plunge from no-name founders into the world’s top accelerator—and why every twenty-something should consider it.
Pandemic Pivot: When campus shutdowns zeroed out revenue, why doubling down on your mission becomes your strongest play.
Pitching 101: The art of “selling” your startup: story-driven conviction and painting a vivid vision five-to-ten years out.
College’s True Value: It isn’t just classes—it’s community, hands-on experiments, and leadership labs for budding founders.
AI as a Tool, Not a Threat: Why aspiring entrepreneurs should harness AI to supercharge impact, not replace human ingenuity.
Key Takeaways
Ignorance Is Bliss: Youthful “delulu” ambition fuels moonshot ventures that grizzled veterans second-guess.Sell the Vision: A great pitch isn’t a slide deck—it’s an emotional story backed by unwavering conviction.Embrace Crisis: A downturn isn’t a dead end—it’s a moment to build your foundation and outpace slow movers.College = Sandbox: Beyond tuition, campus life offers accelerators, orgs, and friendships that forge real-world entrepreneurs.Check them out https://wefunder.com/need
Closing Thoughts
Brian Le’s journey proves that true founders are often “accidental”—ignited by frustration, honed by trial, and scaled by audacious positivity. Whether you’re racing a scooter or racing a market, the college decade remains the ultimate launchpad for ventures that dare to deliver.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Colin Walsh CEO & Co‑Founder of YayDay; CEO of P&G Specialty Beauty and Dr. Roshini Raj board‑certified gastroenterologist, Gut Renovation author, co‑founder of Tula & YayDay share how beauty meets biotech in a gut‑first wellness brand. They reveal why fiber + magnesium is only the start, and how gut health underpins sleep, mood, immunity—and even skin health.
Key Discussion Points
Roots in Beauty & Medicine: How Roshini’s probiotic skincare journey at Tula and Colin’s 20‑year beauty career sparked a gut‑health collaboration.
Gut Microbiome 101: What exactly lives in your gut, why its balance matters for everything from digestion to mood, and how fiber (prebiotics), beneficial bacteria (probiotics), and postbiotics play their part.
YayDay’s “Triple Play”: The science behind their prebiotic fiber blend, digestive enzymes and sleep‑boosting magnesium glycinate—why it works where Metamucil and melatonin fall short.
Brand with a Cause: Reinventing embarrassing “health” routines into a joyful, results‑driven ritual—how great packaging, expert science and rapid, tangible benefits build trust in a crowded wellness market.
Marketing & Growth: Lessons from Procter & Gamble on creating proven efficacy, growing word‑of‑mouth, and earning “trust capital” through real customer results.
Exit Strategies: What acquirers really buy (growth potential + leadership) and why thoughtful timing—and full clarity on post‑exit roles—matters for founders.
Key Takeaways
Your gut is its own “organ”—its microbes influence sleep, skin, mood and immunity.Simple rituals win: combining prebiotic fiber + enzymes + magnesium delivers near‑instant sleep and digestion benefits.Brand trust is built on proven results, expert endorsement and joyful, approachable design.Marketing health means sampling broadly, showcasing real reviews and earning attention over time.Whether you build or sell, acquirers want teams who can scale the brand far beyond today’s footprint.Closing Thoughts
Tune in to learn how two industry legends turned an awkward health topic into YayDay’s delightful daily ritual—plus practical tips on gut wellness, branding in a noisy market, and creating exit‑worthy growth.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Korosh Farazad traded a UK law career for two decades of pioneering structured finance in hospitality real estate. Today, his Farazad Advisory specializes in value-add hotel acquisitions—85–200 rooms, no global brands, 3–5-year hold—in gateway cities across North America and Western Europe. From SLS Dubai to a sudden Swiss relocation, Korosh reveals the deal architecture, market pivots, and hard-won lessons behind his boutique empire.Key Discussion Points:
The Spark: How a people-person’s obsession with behind-the-scenes hotel value drove Korosh from courtroom to keys.
Deal DNA: Why only sub-200-room, unbranded hotels qualify, and how minority stakes plus franchise tie-ins deliver 1.8–3× returns.
“SLS Dubai” Benchmark: The guest-experience blueprint that turns check-in into a 24-hour mousetrap of F&B and nightlife options.
Market Pivot: Exiting a cooling UK scene, relocating to Switzerland in five weeks, and sealing first Swiss deals in record time.
Architects of Upside: Balancing debt-serviceability and in-house expertise to self-power roll-off trucks, paving rigs, and franchise roll-outs.
Failure → Fuel: Why every crash taught him more than success, and how relentless iteration builds the confident dealmaker.Key Takeaways:
Start Small, Crawl First: Deeply master every back-and-front-of-house nuance before running.Value-Add Over Core: Seek the “unfinished canvas” hotels that reward hands-on branding and operational revamps.Crystal-Clear Criteria: 85–200 rooms • no legacy brand • three-to-five-year hold • gateway city tourist flow.Speed to Market: Quick pivots (e.g., Switzerland in five weeks) beat protracted, high-cost transformations.Closing Thoughts:
Korosh Farazad’s journey reminds us that hospitality deals aren’t hotel-chain clones but stories begging to be rewritten. Tune in to discover how structured finance, guest-obsessed engineering, and bold market moves can redefine real estate success—one boutique acquisition at a time.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Kuty Shalev shares how a college accounting grad became a pioneer of fully remote software consulting—25 years before “work from home” was a thing. He explains why speed, adaptability, and “soft skills” (EQ as deliberate practice) trump raw IQ in today’s agile, AI-driven world.
Key Discussion Points:
A Serendipitous Start
From PwC-sponsored coding at Columbia to founding a lean software firm with Pricewaterhouse as Year-One client.
Early adoption of Skype‐powered remote teams to solve developer shortages.
Building a True Remote Culture
Lessons learned: codifying checklists, connectivity standards, and clear response SLAs.
Hiring only those who thrive in remote settings—surfing from the beach, caring for family, or rural living.
Soft Skills as a “Must-Have”
Reframing EQ as a learnable “soft skill” through deliberate practice and gamified coaching.
Engineers with high EQ excel at adapting to rapid change, cross-team collaboration, and maintaining motivation.
Digital Transformation Reimagined
Rejecting one-size-fits-all platforms in favor of modular, vendor-agnostic architectures.
Rapid, low-risk proofs of concept that scale, saving time and budget.
Remote model enables access to global talent, faster staffing (2–3 weeks), and reinvesting office savings in senior engineers.
Speed & Resilience
Speed as competitive advantage in a landscape where AI and new tools emerge daily.
Overcoming early stumbles by showing up, iterating fast, and leveraging trust and feedback loops.
Key Takeaways:
Speed Wins: Rapid iteration and fast staffing trump slow, monolithic “big-bang” IT projects.
EQ Matters: Soft skills can be learned; they unlock collaboration, resilience, and better outcomes.
Remote Is a Strength: A 25-year remote track record proves that location-agnostic teams deliver quality, flexibility, and cost efficiency.
Modularity Over Monoliths: Architect for choice—cloud providers, SaaS, and stacks—so you can pivot as technology evolves.
Show Up Relentlessly: Consistent effort, forgiveness of failure, and learning from mistakes fuel long-term success.
Closing Thoughts:
Lueinalta’s journey shows that innovation isn’t just about tech—it’s about people, practices, and the courage to redefine work itself. By mastering speed, empathy, and modular design, founders can build resilient organizations ready for whatever comes next.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
April (“Waepril”) shares how battling teenage acne sparked her obsession with ingredient-led skincare and launched her Instagram career. From zero views in quarantine to brand partnerships and a new website, she reveals the mindset, strategies, and resilience needed to turn personal struggle into a thriving beauty business.
Key Discussion Points:
Origins of Her Passion:
Teenage acne eroded April’s confidence, driving her to decode product labels and hunt active ingredients that truly work.
Emphasis on teaching followers how to read ingredients rather than chase marketing claims.
Authentic Community Growth:
Early quarantine boredom turned into daily posting despite tiny view counts—passion kept her going.
Advice for new creators: embrace originality, adapt trends into your own voice, and persist through slow growth.
Monetization Pathways:
As follower count climbs, brands seek her out for product launches and paid collaborations.
Amazon affiliate links and TikTok/IG Shop as accessible entry points before launching a full e-commerce site.
Content Differentiation:
Stand out by infusing every reel with your personality and story, not just mimicking top trends.
Trend hijacking vs. trend transformation: use popular formats as springboards for unique angles.
Overcoming Personal Loss:
A pause after her father’s passing led to renewed clarity and commitment—turning grief into motivation.
Balancing vulnerability and positivity to build deeper audience trust.
The Future of Social Commerce:
Huge potential in live selling on TikTok, YouTube Commerce, and Amazon Live, especially for beauty demos.
The importance of user-friendly affiliate programs for creators without bespoke websites.
Key Takeaways:
Ingredient Literacy Is Power: Teach your audience to look past branding and focus on actives that actually deliver.
Passion Fuels Persistence: When growth stalls, genuine enthusiasm and a personal “why” will carry you forward.
Authenticity Wins: Audiences connect with real stories and personalities more than polished, generic content.
Accessible Monetization: Start with affiliate links and brand collaborations before scaling to full e-commerce.
Closing Thoughts:
April’s journey proves that turning personal pain into purpose can create a loyal, engaged community—and a viable business. By prioritizing ingredient expertise, authentic storytelling, and resilience, any creator can transform their passion into influence and income.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Sheelam Chadha discusses her bold journey from two decades in corporate real estate to launching her own firm, Dry Capital, symbolically founded on International Women’s Day 2025. Driven by the desire to break the glass ceiling and leverage her extensive experience in the volatile European real estate market, Sheelam shares insights into navigating uncertainty, the importance of trust, and the power of strategic networking.
Key Discussion Points:
From Corporate to Founder:
The motivation behind launching Dry Capital after encountering limitations in the traditional corporate structure.How Sheelam turned professional frustrations into entrepreneurial opportunity by creating a company aligned with her vision and values.Navigating Market Volatility:
Insights on how major events—like Brexit, COVID-19, and recent interest rate hikes—have reshaped the European commercial real estate landscape.Why traditional bank financing is increasingly limited, and how Dry Capital provides alternative private capital solutions to help companies navigate prolonged market challenges.Challenges and Advice for Women Entrepreneurs:
The barriers faced by women in traditionally male-dominated industries and how Sheelam overcame criticism by cultivating resilience and self-belief.Practical advice on why women should embrace risk, leverage supportive networks, and pursue their entrepreneurial visions without hesitation.Strategic Networking and Building Trust:
How critical building and maintaining a professional network has been throughout Sheelam’s career.Advice for young professionals: proactively attend industry events, build genuine relationships, and cultivate trust that can last decades.Valuable Corporate Experience:
How experiences during economic downturns and corporate restructuring periods provided Sheelam with invaluable insights and resilience.Why challenging times offer greater learning opportunities compared to periods of easy growth.Key Takeaways:
Embracing discomfort and uncertainty can drive significant personal and professional growth.Genuine trust and integrity within professional relationships can be a key differentiator and asset throughout one's career.Courage, belief in oneself, and leveraging past corporate experiences can empower entrepreneurs to launch and scale their own businesses successfully.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Aaron Marcum spent over two decades in the home care industry before founding Breakaway365, a coaching program designed to help agency owners scale their businesses while reclaiming the time, energy, and freedom they’ve lost. In this episode, Aaron shares what inspired him to launch Breakaway365, how positive psychology transformed his approach to leadership, and what he's learned from coaching hundreds of overwhelmed home care entrepreneurs.
Drawing on data from his previous venture, Home Care Pulse, Aaron explains how burnout, poor delegation, and always-on leadership are silently eroding the effectiveness of many agency owners. Through Breakaway365, he now empowers leaders to rethink how they build their businesses—with scalable systems, strong culture, and purpose-driven leadership at the core.
Key Discussion Points:
The Burnout Epidemic in Home Care Leadership:
Aaron shares how most agency owners lose sight of their original vision due to constant stress and reactive leadership. Breakaway365 was created to help them "break away" from always being on and return to the freedom they set out to create.
Positive Psychology Meets Entrepreneurship:
Backed by a master’s degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, Aaron explains how mindset shifts—like reframing setbacks as temporary—can radically transform business owners’ resilience and performance.
Keeping Culture Framework:
A proprietary model developed by Breakaway365 focused on retention and team growth.
K.E.E.P. stands for Knowledge, Empowerment, Engagement, and Partnership.Emphasizes autonomy, relationships, and confidence as the “arc of growth” that drives team loyalty and performance.AI-Driven Purpose Matching:
Aaron introduces a powerful tool Breakaway members use to help caregivers define their personal purpose, aligning it with the company’s mission—enhancing retention and employee engagement from day one.
Three-Day Immersive to Three-Year Commitment:
Breakaway365 starts with a transformational three-day event where owners define their Breakaway Blueprint—a roadmap tailored to what they truly want from their business. The program then continues for up to three years, offering tools, coaching, and AI-powered systems to build lasting success.
Why This Matters:
Home care is a mission-driven industry deeply impacted by leadership burnout and staff turnover.Breakaway365 is not just about growing revenue—it's about restoring joy and purpose to business ownership.Aaron’s approach is adaptable across industries, offering a blueprint for any founder looking to scale with sanity.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
Yaroslav Lazor and Sergiy Korolov take us on their fascinating journey from passionate software engineers to innovative entrepreneurs at Railsware. They share how their love for building software evolved from personal passion into a thriving business, influencing multiple industries and countless lives. Railsware’s approach of treating every internal process as a product is central to their ability to innovate, scale, and continuously improve.
Key Discussion Points:
Origins & Inspiration:
How their genuine passion for software as a transformative force inspired the founding of Railsware.Viewing software development as an exciting sport—endlessly challenging and infinitely rewarding.Product Mindset & Business Evolution:
The philosophy of approaching every company function (legal, finance, recruitment) as a "product" to enhance efficiency and user experience.Balancing in-house product development with collaborative ventures to constantly engage with fresh ideas and challenges.Building & Scaling Successful Companies:
Why early-stage entrepreneurs must juggle multiple roles, from visionary to executor.The critical importance of team-building, sharp decision-making, and scaling thoughtfully as the business grows.Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs:
Embracing a "founder mode craziness," coupled with conscious decision-making, intuition, and deep domain knowledge.How luck, timing, persistence ("don't quit"), and managing your own psychology are underestimated yet critical factors in entrepreneurial success.The Impact of AI:
AI’s role as a productivity booster rather than a complete replacement for creative roles such as writing, design, and software development.How AI fosters clearer articulation of ideas, better prototyping, and expanded creative possibilities.Key Takeaways:
Passion and continuous learning fuel entrepreneurial longevity.Treating business processes as products helps create clarity and efficiency.Understanding timing, persistence, and adaptability is critical for sustained success.Leveraging AI effectively enhances human potential rather than replacing it.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands -
In this episode of Founder's Story, Raza Sheikh, Founder & CEO of Identable, explains how he distilled his own frustration with fragmented SEO, content, and social tools into Identable—“one platform, zero fragmentation.” Designed for businesses of every size, Identable combines AI-powered SEO, content creation, social scheduling, and lead capture into a single dashboard. Raza describes how his technologist roots and Antler VC experience revealed a universal pain point: marketing teams wasted hours wrestling with disconnected systems instead of crafting strategy.
Key Discussion Points:
Inspiration & Problem: Juggling multiple free AI utilities, legacy SEO tools, and agencies left teams burned out.Founder’s Path: Solving his own go-to-market struggles led to a platform that any entrepreneur can use.Core Features: Unified website optimization, AI-driven content generation, social posting, and real-time lead tracking.SEO Meets GSO: Integrating traditional backlink SEO with generative search optimization for structured, AI-aware content.AI’s Role: Speed and scale—using AI to handle repetitive tasks so humans can focus on strategy and creativity.Takeaways:
Fragmented marketing stacks cost time and talent; consolidation boosts both productivity and results.Generative Search Optimization (GSO) is the next evolution of SEO—structure and semantics matter.AI tools amplify human insight but must be steered by clear strategy and intent.Closing Thoughts:
Whether you run brick-and-mortar shops or digital agencies, Identable offers a streamlined, AI-powered path from content idea to customer capture—freeing teams to innovate rather than integrate.
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY
* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com
* Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com
* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands - Montre plus
