The First Customer

This episode is extra special because I was lucky enough to interview THE AJ Bruno, Founder and CEO of QuotaPath. AJ wears many hats—he's a limited partner, podcast host, serial entrepreneur, commercial pilot, dad, and much more! AJ delves into the personal aspects of his life, including his upbringing in Pittsburgh, where his father's entrepreneurial spirit and career as a commercial pi...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jerry Macnamara, CEO and Founder of Proven Chaos.  Jerry grew up just outside of Philadelphia and his entrepreneurial spirit wasn't directly influenced by his parents but rather by his high school soccer coach. Inspired by his frustration as a senior leader making others rich with his decisions, he decided to start his own ventures. His first b...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Matt Watson, Founder, CEO, and CTO of Full Scale. Matt grew up around entrepreneurial parents who ran a flea market business, he gained early exposure to the world of business and sales. His first venture, Venn Solutions, stemmed from a serendipitous encounter with a car dealer needing software assistance. This initial success led to the growth of V...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Adam Trachtman, Director and Owner of Lucid Circus. Adam's upbringing in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and his formative years at a creative and performing arts high school in Philadelphia laid the groundwork for his journey. With a blend of analytical precision inherited from his mother and a risk-taking spirit from his father, Adam embarked on a b...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Karim Kerachni, Co-founder of Steamates and head of franchise development for Massachusetts at PropertyGuys.com. Karim shares insights into his entrepreneurial journey and unique approach to productivity while traveling the world. Born in Canada and raised in France, Karim's upbringing in a family of entrepreneurs and his diverse cultural backg...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Whitney Stowell, Founder and CEO of Cribworks. Whitney discusses his entrepreneurial journey from a rural upbringing to navigating the fast-paced business world. Growing up on a farm instilled an entrepreneurial spirit in Whitney, who later transitioned into the professional realm by working in government and defense contracting. Whitney delves into...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Olivia Parkes, CEO of The Systems Boss. Olivia shares her story of moving from the UK to Chicago, driven by a desire to pursue her dreams and create a thriving enterprise in the United States. From her early aspirations to her eventual realization of starting her own company, Olivia's tale is one of determination, resilience, and unwavering ded...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Rachel King, CEO and Founder of King Law Firm. Rachel offers insights into her journey as an entrepreneur and lawyer. Her upbringing, shaped by divorced parents and small business owners in the family, instilled in her a passion for law and entrepreneurship. Her father's profession as a lawyer and exposure to small business operations influence...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Mike Powrie, CEO and Founder of CloudWave. Mike delves into the genesis and evolution of CloudWave as a disruptive force in the contact center industry. Mike's background in IT, particularly in unified communication, laid the groundwork for his entrepreneurial journey. CloudWave was born out of frustration with the antiquated and inefficient sy...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Adrian Knight, CEO and Founder of Spectacular Group. Adrian delves into his journey as an acquisition entrepreneur and his unique approach to business. A World Champion participant in the Spartan games, Adrian shares his experiences and insights into building successful ventures. Adrian's entrepreneurial journey began at a young age when he sta...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Bob Moore, CEO and co-founder of Crossbeam, a leading company in the partnership intelligence space. Bob shares his journey, emphasizing his passion for solving the challenges of partnership growth, which led to the inception of Crossbeam. He delves into the essence of Crossbeam, portraying it as a data-centric solution that revolutionizes partnersh...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview The Jasmin Alić, Founder of Hey Jay, and also a  LinkedIn aficionado.  Jasmin dives deep into his journey, starting with his childhood in war-torn Bosnia. Despite the adversity, Jasmin found solace in American hip-hop, which sparked his love for English and writing. Initially aspiring to be a rapper, Jasmin's career took a turn towards educatio...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Luis Castaneda, co-founder and CTO of Capablanca.  Luis dives into his journey from growing up during the emergence of the internet to his current role in the tech space. Luis shares how his early experiences with DIY computing in a culture of innovation laid the foundation for his career in technology. He discusses the ever-evolving landscape of te...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Kelley Thornton, CEO and Founder of Tiege Hanley. Kelley's inspiration for Tiege Hanley stems from his personal experience and observation of the skincare market's untapped potential in the United States. Initially, he sought to cater to older demographics like himself but found unexpected success among younger consumers due to strategic d...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Lamees Butt, SVP of Zoovu. Lamees delved into her journey from a humble upbringing in East London to her current role in the tech industry. Growing up in East London instilled in Lamees a hunger for success and a drive to think outside the box. Despite facing challenges, she pursued her passion for entrepreneurship, starting with a personal shopping...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Brian Childress, Founder and Fractional CTO of Summit Labs. Brian shares his journey from growing up in Virginia to founding Summit Labs, inspired by his grandfather's entrepreneurial spirit as a custom home builder. Despite lacking initial tech interest, Brian discovered his passion for software development in graduate school and founded Summi...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Ron Gidron, the CEO and founder of xtype, a platform engineering solution for ServiceNow customers. Ron shares insights from his background growing up on a farm in Israel to becoming an entrepreneur in the tech industry. Despite his humble beginnings, Ron's journey led him to work with companies like Mercury Interactive before venturing into en...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Barbara Spitzer, CEO and founder of Two Rivers Partners, LLC. Barbara grew up as an army brat and moving frequently, Barbara developed resilience and anxiety, which later shaped her career as a consultant. Despite her anxiety, Barbara adopted a mantra of perseverance and preparation, which helped her excel in client meetings and presentations. After...

In this episode., I was lucky enough to interview Laura-Beth Trucks, the CEO of LB Trucks Coaching. Laura-Beth shares her journey from Alabama to Colorado, where she worked in nonprofit leadership development, to eventually founding her coaching business. After completing her master's degree in clinical mental health, she realized her passion for coaching and decided to start LB Trucks Coachi...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Gregory Shepard,  CEO and co-founder of BOSS Startup Science. Gregory shares his journey, highlighting his challenges growing up with autism, dyslexia, and other conditions in a tough environment. Despite adversities, he recalls his entrepreneurial spirit emerging early, from selling Rubik's cubes to catching and selling rattlesnakes for profit...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview the fantastic Dai Manuel, Chief Transformation Officer at DaiManuel.com. Dai discussed his upbringing in Ontario with two entrepreneurial parents and how their work ethic influenced him. He recounted his journey from personal training to selling fitness equipment, highlighting the transition to performance-based pay structures and his success in sal...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Caden Braly, CEO and Founder of Innovative Risk. Caden discusses his upbringing in Prosper, Texas, surrounded by a community of entrepreneurs, including his father and grandfather, who instilled a strong entrepreneurial spirit in him. Despite initially being hesitant about entering the insurance industry due to witnessing the stresses his father fac...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Patric Shannon, Founder of LeadSnap. Patric delves into his origins in a small town in Dayton, Ohio, and his unexpected foray into professional poker and subsequent transition to entrepreneurship. Patric  shares about his early career as a tax accountant and his serendipitous discovery of online poker, which ultimately led him to pursue a career as...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Krish Ramineni, CEO and Co-founder of Fireflies.ai. Krish dives into his entrepreneurial journey from Silicon Valley to founding one of the most innovative AI platforms. Krish shares how his upbringing in a family of entrepreneurs fueled his passion for technology and startups, leading him from UPenn to Microsoft and eventually to co-founding Firefl...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Susan Coelius Keplinger, CEO of Force of Nature. Susan shares insights from her journey as a marketing titan and entrepreneur. Growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, Susan's path led her to chase the internet dream in San Francisco after college. She co-founded Triggit, an ad tech company, with her brother Zach, learning valuable lessons in entrepr...