Build with Sophia

What happens when the strengths that made you successful become the very things holding your organization back? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I’m joined by Bill Flynn, the Architect of Scalable Leadership and author of Further, Faster. After 30 years leading startups through IPOs and acquisitions, working alongside leaders such as Alan Mulally, and even pitching Steve Jobs, Bill discovered...

In this episode of Build with Sophia, digital marketing strategist Vi Wickam shares nearly three decades of experience helping owner-operated businesses transform marketing from guesswork into a predictable growth engine. We discuss digital marketing strategy, SEO, Google Ads, AI, branding, human psychology, and how small businesses can compete successfully against larger companies by focusing on...

What happens when what a leader intends to communicate isn’t what their team actually hears? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Dr. Desiree Williams, a healthcare executive, author, speaker, and leadership advocate with more than 25 years of leadership experience. We explore the human side of leadership, including emotional intelligence, communication, workplace culture, account...

In this episode of Build with Sophia, Sophia sits down with Keith Perhac, founder and CEO of SegMetrics, to explore one of the biggest questions facing modern businesses: Is your marketing actually working? Keith shares how his journey from developer to marketer and entrepreneur led him to build SegMetrics after seeing businesses struggle to understand which marketing activities were truly driving...

How do technology companies move beyond founder-dependent sales and build a predictable revenue engine that can scale globally? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I’m joined by Zeeshan Qedwaee, an Enterprise Revenue Architect and Commercial Advisor with more than 20 years of global sales leadership experience. We discuss the founder-led sales trap, value-based enterprise selling, the Cost of In...

In this episode of Build with Sophia, I speak with entrepreneur, author, and business strategist Brad Aman about artificial intelligence, business, success, and the future of the American Dream. Brad shares his journey of becoming a millionaire by the age of 40 and explains why he believes AI can create new opportunities for people who are willing to learn and adapt. We talk about how AI may affec...

Why do so many organizations invest in innovation but struggle to turn great ideas into meaningful business results? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Noel Sobelman, senior advisor and author of Innovation Portfolio Management: Linking Strategy to Execution, to explore what it really takes to turn innovation strategy into measurable impact. With more than 25 years of experience...

What happens when AI changes the way marketing works? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I’m joined by Vaibhav Gupta, Co-Founder of AgentDee and a marketing leader with more than 13 years of experience across fintech, SaaS, and consumer brands. Vaibhav shares what he has learned from working across multiple countries and markets, why he believes traditional performance marketing and agency mode...

What does it really take to turn an idea into a physical product? In this episode of Build with Sophia, Sophia speaks with Brandon Christian, founder of Remory, about the real journey of designing, developing, testing, and manufacturing a product. Brandon takes us back to the very first device he built for his grandmother and explains how the product evolved through three enclosure generations. We...

Does ranking first on Google still guarantee that customers will find you? In this episode of Build with Sophia, Sophia speaks with Shanzila Ahmed, co-founder of ReachLLM, about the growing world of AI search and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Shanzila explains why a business can rank highly on Google but still be invisible when someone asks ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity for a recommendati...

What happens when the founder becomes the biggest obstacle to the company’s growth? In this episode of Build with Sophia , Sophia speaks with Steve Snedegar, a four-time CEO, executive advisor, and founder of Stage 5 Partners. Steve shares practical lessons from decades of leading businesses through growth, transformation, integration, and turnaround. We discuss leadership bottlenecks, decision-ma...

What if making your business more accessible could also help you reach more customers and grow? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Maxwell Ivey, known as The Blind Blogger, an accessibility expert, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, and founder of The Accessibility Advantage. Maxwell shares nearly two decades of experience helping businesses understand accessibility and explains why...

As artificial intelligence continues to transform the workplace, what human skills will matter most? In this episode of Build with Sophia, Dr. Angela Meyers—author of Versatile: Human Intelligence in an Artificial Age—shares why curiosity, lifelong learning, and adaptability are becoming the most valuable career advantages of the future. Drawing from her experience in federal leadership developmen...

Can putting people first actually make your business more profitable? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Todd A. Krause—TEDx Speaker, CPA, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Silversun Consulting. Todd shares the remarkable story of buying a business just days before the COVID-19 shutdown and transforming it into a thriving, award-winning company that more than doubled its reve...

Why do so many business transformations fail, even when leaders have a clear strategy and talented teams? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Jeff Niebuhr, an experienced executive leader who has spent his career leading large, complex technology and delivery organizations through modernization, scale, restructuring, and transformation. Jeff shares a pragmatic, real-world perspec...

What happens when AI becomes more than an assistant and starts doing real business work? In this episode of Build with Sophia, Sophia speaks with Olga Popova, founder of SpacAd and creator of Treasury. Olga shares how she runs a media business with just two humans and a fleet of AI robots, reaching more than 205,000 people across 39 countries. We discuss AI agents, entrepreneurship, automation, th...

What happens when leaders have to make important decisions under pressure, with incomplete information and no guarantee of the outcome? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Silvia Rizzo, who works at the intersection of high-performance sport and business, exploring leadership, decision-making, error management, and mental resilience. Drawing from her experience in high-performanc...

What happens when technology makes it easier to work alone—but harder to truly connect? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Michael Hensel, founder of Lattecino, a café discovery platform built around real measurements rather than opinions. Michael shares his journey as a solo founder, digital nomad, and entrepreneur who has spent more than a decade building businesses from cafés...

What does it take to walk away from a secure career and build a life as an entrepreneur? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Matthew Estrin—entrepreneur, author, speaker, and founder of 477 Distilling. After serving as a pastor for 15 years, Matthew took a bold leap into entrepreneurship and has since built seven businesses. We explore the courage it takes to embrace uncertainty,...

What does it really take to lead when the path ahead is uncertain and there is no clear finish line? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Craig Wahl, author of The Walk: Leadership When There Is No Finish Line, to explore the realities of leadership, endurance, and navigating high-stakes challenges. Craig shares lessons from leading a $500M hypergrowth run, scaling a team from 8 t...

What if leadership wasn’t just about acquiring more skills—but about rewiring the way you think? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Arnold Beekes, founder of Brain Athletes and a pioneer in combining psychology, neuroscience, innovation, sports, and spirituality to help people become better leaders. With more than four decades of experience in technology, organizational leadersh...

How can nonprofits meet today’s needs while building the financial strength they need for tomorrow? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Joe Rockey, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Elite Business Cruises, to explore one of the most difficult challenges facing nonprofit organizations. Joe explains why nonprofits can become trapped in a cycle where every available dollar is nee...

Why do technology and AI projects fail even when organizations have talented people and good technology? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Rob Broadhead, a Fractional CIO, software architect, entrepreneur, and founder of RB Consulting, to explore the hidden operational challenges that can prevent businesses from successfully adopting technology and AI. With more than 30 years o...

What does it take to walk away from a successful executive career to build a business from the ground up? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Antonino “Anto” Li Brizzi, entrepreneur, former CEO of Omnia Technologies North America, and founder of CLINQ ZERO, an innovative non-alcoholic sparkling wine brand. Anto shares the realities of leaving a $50M+ leadership role, the lessons...

What if the biggest factor affecting your success isn’t your strategy but your behavior? In this episode of Build with Sophia, I sit down with Debbie Longo, an Executive Behavioral Coach and founder of Life In Bloom NY, Inc., to explore the powerful connection between behavior, leadership, communication, workplace culture, and business performance. With more than 24 years of coaching experience, D...