Better Together

In this episode of the Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Andrea Hawkins, a leadership expert focused on helping organizations build stronger, healthier cultures. The conversation explores what it really takes to create an environment where people feel valued, engaged, and motivated to contribute. Andrea shares practical insights on building trust within teams, foster...

In this episode of the Better Together Podcast, Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold sit down with Kiley Romero, co-founder of Smooth Mortgage Company, to explore what it really takes to transition from a corporate career into entrepreneurship. Kiley shares her journey of stepping away from the structure of corporate life and building a business rooted in transparency, strong leadership, and a client-first a...

In this episode of the Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Tiffany Castagno, an HR and people culture consultant, to explore what it truly means to build a healthy, people-first workplace. Drawing from her experience in corporate HR and consulting, Tiffany shares practical insights on how organizations especially small to mid-sized businesses can strengthen their cultu...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Tiffany Deans, founder of Grounding Work LLC, to explore what it really looks like to step into entrepreneurship especially when the path isn’t planned. After a 20-year career in federal HR, Tiffany shares how she transitioned into building her own people-centered business during one of the most uncertain times the COVID-1...

In this episode of the Better Together Podcast, Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold sit down with Jeff Leach, co-founder of Adaptivity Group, to explore the realities of transitioning from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship. Drawing from his experience at Accenture and building his own business, Jeff shares insights on navigating self-doubt, making faster decisions, and surrounding yourself with the r...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold sit down with Tina Larsson, co-founder of The Folson Group and author of Living the High Life , to explore what it really takes to challenge systems and build something meaningful. Tina’s journey from Wall Street analyst to co-op reformer in New York City is anything but conventional. What started as a personal challenge within her own...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Matt Nettleton, a sales trainer and entrepreneur, to talk about what actually drives consistent business growth. This conversation cuts through the noise around sales and focuses on what matters prospecting, accountability, and building a culture where sales is understood and executed consistently. Matt shares lessons from...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Olivier Egli, founder of Be Like an Apple Tree and creator of the Do Happy Work Movement , for a conversation that goes far beyond business into identity, purpose, and what it really means to live and work in alignment. Olivier’s journey didn’t start with clarity. It started with a breaking point. After building a successf...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Eric Keosky-Smith, a conscious entrepreneur and fractional executive, to explore how businesses can grow more intentionally in today’s environment. Drawing from his experience across multiple industries, Eric shares insights on the role of a fractional executive, the importance of strategic thinking, and how partnerships c...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Keith Meyerson, a learning and talent strategist, to explore what it really takes to build strong leaders inside organizations. From his early experience in the Marine Corps to launching over 50 learning and talent systems, Keith shares a grounded perspective on why leadership development often falls short — and what needs...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold sit down with Adi Klevit, founder of Business Success Consulting Group, to explore one of the most overlooked drivers of business growth: systems. Adi built her company around a simple but powerful idea businesses don’t scale on effort alone, they scale on clarity, structure, and repeatable processes. In this conversation, she breaks do...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold sit down with Kristi Cline a three-time certified resume writer and job search strategist to unpack what it really takes to navigate career transitions with clarity, confidence, and direction. Kristi’s work is rooted in real experience. After facing challenges in her own job search later in her career, she built We Write It Now to help...

In today’s Better Together Podcast, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold are joined by Cory Dunham, an executive leadership coach, to explore what it truly takes to move from burnout to bold, purpose-driven leadership. Cory shares his journey from introversion to empowering leaders, and how real transformation begins with aligning leadership to personal values. The conversation dives into the role of fear in...

What does it really take to build not just one business, but multiple businesses, with your spouse by your side? In this episode, Anton Rudziuk and Monica Amariz open up about the journey of building seven businesses together while also building a marriage, a family, and a culture-led company. From their early days figuring things out without a blueprint to scaling internationally and leading dive...

In this episode of Better Together, Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold sit down with Jason Crawford, founder of HireOptions, to discuss how the right support can transform the way a business operates. Jason shares why most hiring challenges aren’t about finding people, but about finding the right fit . From behavioral alignment to communication and decision-making styles, he explains what actually makes a...

In this episode of Better Together, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Maartje Van Krieken, founder of Chaos Games Consulting and host of the Business Emergency Room podcast, to explore how businesses can navigate and stabilize during periods of chaos. With over 20 years of executive experience, Maartje shares her approach to identifying patterns within organizational challenges and applying...

In this episode of Better Together, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Cheryl Muccia, founder and CEO of CFO Your Way, to unpack one of the most overlooked areas of business growth financial clarity. Many business owners focus on marketing, sales, and operations, but struggle to truly understand their numbers. Cheryl shares why this gap can hold businesses back and how the right financial lea...

In this episode of Better Together, Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold sit down with Carol Schultz, founder and CEO of Vertical Elevation, to discuss one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face trying to do everything themselves. Carol shares her journey and breaks down what she calls “founder syndrome” where business owners feel like they have to be involved in every decision, every task, and every o...

In this episode of Better Together, hosts Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold welcome Ethan Bull, co-founder of Pro Assisting, to discuss the evolution of executive support and the journey of building a business with a spouse. Ethan shares insights on the importance of trust in the client-assistant relationship, the onboarding process for executive assistants, and the challenges of balancing personal and pr...

In this episode of Better Together, hosts Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold engage with Nicole Christian, founder of Verdant AI Solutions, who shares her journey from executive leadership to entrepreneurship in the AI space. Nicole discusses the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into small and mid-sized businesses, emphasizing the importance of problem-solving and the need for continuous lear...

In this episode of the Better Together podcast, hosts Kelly and Shawn Sundsvold interview Rachel Minion, founder of Rockstar Moon. Rachel shares her journey of resilience and transformation after facing significant challenges in her previous business. She discusses the importance of automation in scaling businesses without burnout and how transitioning from a done-for-you model to a done-with-you...

In this episode of the Better Together podcast, hosts Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold welcome Kent Kubie and Bryan Eckert, co-founders of KubiKai, a consultancy focused on helping startups and investors navigate the complexities of business growth. With over 50 years of combined experience, Kent and Bryan share insights on identifying fundable startups, common pitfalls founders face, and the importance...

In this episode of the Better Together podcast, Kelly and Sean Sundsvold interview Chad Ramberg, founder of BoxPro Insurance, who specializes in providing insurance solutions for registered investment advisors. Chad shares his journey from being a financial advisor to creating a niche insurance business that addresses the unique needs of financial professionals. The conversation explores the impor...

In this episode of the Better Together podcast, host Shawn Sundsvold and co-host Kelly Sundsvold welcome Marcus Ogden, a former NFL player turned entrepreneur and speaker. Marcus shares his inspiring journey from the NFL to facing bankruptcy and working as a janitor, which he refers to as his 'spoiled milk moment.' He discusses the importance of resilience, work ethic, and the lessons learned from...

In this episode of the Better Together podcast, hosts Shawn and Kelly Sundsvold welcome Alex Ward, founder of Automate My Co., to discuss his journey from running a bike courier service to helping small businesses streamline their operations through automation. Alex shares insights on the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of mental health, and practical steps for business owners to im...