The Ryan Morrison Show

Today we're thrilled to welcome Abby Gates, founder and CEO of SproutWise, a people and culture consultancy that helps early-stage startups build durable, human-centered companies that can actually scale. With 20 years of experience across talent acquisition, people operations, and HR leadership in tech—and having survived four company exits—Abby reveals why the most "viable" startups often have t...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Max Albert, CEO and co-founder of Adrenaline Interactive, an Ann Arbor-based startup revolutionizing in-game advertising.  Max went from software engineer at Ford to creating a top 10 mobile game with tens of thousands of daily players—then discovered the massive opportunity to help brands like FIFA, Dr. Squatch, and Chipotle reach Gen Z gamers through seamless prod...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Richard Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Menlo Innovations, bestselling author of "Joy, Inc." and "Chief Joy Officer," and a pioneer in building intentionally joyful workplace cultures.  For 24 years, Richard has been proving that putting joy at the center of business isn't just feel-good philosophy—it's a practical approach to creating software people love while bui...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Troy Morris, Co-Founder and CEO of Kall Morris Inc., a Michigan-based space logistics startup designing technology to capture and relocate space assets in orbit. Troy shares his journey from studying psychology at Northern Michigan University to leading a company with over $5 million in funding and 20+ team members tackling one of space's most critical challenges: o...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Jordan Morgan—a professional basketball player, University of Michigan engineering grad, founder of The Jordan Morgan Foundation, and CEO of Spin. Travel.  Jordan took the iconic charge that sent Michigan to the 2013 National Championship, then built a decade-long pro career across Europe while representing Slovenia's national team.  Now he's using his platform to d...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Claire de Vries, an emerging filmmaker, creative producer, and recent honors graduate from the University of Michigan's Film, Television and Media program.  Claire led Imagination Films, one of the most active student-run production groups in the country, and is the writer, director, and producer behind the psychological thriller "We're Not the Same" – a film create...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Jeff Hoffman, the award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Priceline.com and uBid.com.  As Chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network working across 200 countries, Jeff has built multiple billion-dollar companies and learned powerful lessons about the difference between marketing and brand building.  In this episode, Jeff breaks down why explosive growth co...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars and Foundry Group, bestselling author of "Venture Deals" and his latest book "Give First: The Power of Mentorship."  With over 35 years as an early-stage investor and entrepreneur, Brad has been instrumental in shaping modern startup culture through his investments in companies like Fitbit, Zynga, and MakerBot, and his pioneering w...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Pete Martin, founder turned ecosystem architect who's driving Michigan's startup renaissance. From co-founding data security company Alter and scaling through Series B, to returning home to Michigan and discovering a thriving tech scene he never knew existed, Pete shares his journey and vision for the state's entrepreneurial future.  Now at MSU Research Foundation,...

Today we're thrilled to welcome Amanda Lewan, Co-founder and CEO of Bamboo, Michigan's premier coworking network serving nearly 700 companies across four locations. Amanda shares the raw story of building from a speakeasy-style office above a bail bondsman to becoming a central force in Michigan's entrepreneurial transformation—creating authentic community, not just coworking spaces. Key Topics Co...

🎙️ In this episode of The Ryan Morrison Show, I sit down with Dr. Eric Fretz — a decorated Navy veteran turned transformative educator at the University of Michigan, with dual Ph. D.s in Psychology and Education. We dive into Dr. Fretz’s powerful transition from military life to academia, what leadership really looks like behind the scenes, and how teaching 8,000+ students has changed his worldvie...

🎙️ In this episode of The Ryan Morrison Show, I sit down with Hien Lam—a brand strategist, designer, and co-founder of Huck Finch who blends Buddhist philosophy with bold, intentional branding. We dive into how Hien’s background in Buddhist studies, history, and healthcare helped shape his unique approach to brand building. He shares why most brands feel hollow, how ego gets in the way of clarity,...

🎙️ In this episode of The Ryan Morrison Show, I sit down with Emefa Boamah—a trauma-informed coach and embodiment guide helping leaders reconnect with their bodies, break cycles of burnout, and lead from a place of deep inner truth. We dive into how Emefa blends ancestral wisdom, nervous system healing, and spiritual practice to support women and non-binary founders in business and life. We explor...

🎙️ In this episode of The Ryan Morrison Show, I sit down with Ryan Pelletier, founder of Morphite Boards — a startup that’s pushing the boundaries of mobility with high-performance, customizable, and collapsible longboards. We dive into how Ryan took Morphite from an idea in high school to a college side project to a full-blown company. We discuss the challenges of building hardware from scratch,...