The First Customer

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Oshri Cohen, founder of Red Corner. Oshri delves into his entrepreneurial journey and the evolution of his consulting practice as a fractional CTO. Oshri reflects on his upbringing, shaped by early experiences of independence and resilience due to facing racism. From launching his first business at 13 to establishing a custom development shop in his...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Steve Kilberg, CMO of SKRP Media LLC. Steve dives into his journey as an entrepreneur and his role in helping businesses grow and sell their assets. Steve shares how his upbringing in Detroit, with a father encouraging independence, shaped his entrepreneurial spirit. Despite initially working for others, Steve's desire for autonomy led him to v...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Fahvyon Jimenez, Founder and Principal of Jimenez Strategy & Analytics, Fahvyon grew up with a father who was a business owner, and he got inspired by the idea that the best way to accomplish things is through entrepreneurship. Drawing from his experiences and skills in data science and ethnography, Jimenez Strategy & Analytics focuses on he...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Scott Anderson, founder of Doubledare Executive Coaching, Consulting, and Search. Scott shares his early entrepreneurial endeavors, from starting a shoeshine business at a young age to launching an advertising agency and eventually transitioning to executive coaching. Scott delves into the significance of location-based niches and the power of focus...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Sean Boyce, founder of Nxt Step Consulting. Sean reflects on his roots in Philadelphia, the impact of his education and network on his entrepreneurial spirit, and the lessons learned from his early attempts at business. Sean talks about his first business, an endeavor aimed at solving issues in the recruiting industry, and the pivotal lessons he gai...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Edward DuCoin, founder and partner of Orpical. Edward grew up in South Jersey and his early experiences with financial struggles and observing his family's challenges fueled his entrepreneurial spirit. Starting with a ski tours business at 13, he eventually founded a teleservices company that grew to over 1,500 employees. Orpical, initially a w...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Roy Vella, Managing Director and Founder of Vella Ventures Ltd.  Roy delves into his upbringing in Brooklyn and its influence on his entrepreneurial journey. Roy reflects on his formative years, emphasizing the cultural impact of being from Brooklyn and the street-savvy and hustling mentality ingrained in him. Roy's family background highlights...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Marc Adler, the Fractional Chief Technology Officer of CTO as a Service. Marc reveals his roots in Queens, New York, and his unique exposure to the world of stockbroking through his father's career, setting the stage for his journey into the tech industry. Marc reminisces about his early days in tech, starting as one of the first Windows develo...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Cody Eddings, the CEO and co-founder of SnapRefund. Cody shares his entrepreneurial journey, rooted in childhood experiences in St. Louis, Missouri, where he initiated small businesses like mowing lawns. Growing up, Cody explores tech background, from playing World of Warcraft to becoming a software engineer and co-founding SnapRefund. It delves int...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Fiona Jamison, President and CEO of Spring International.  Fiona's journey from a British helicopter factory to becoming the accidental CEO of a prominent HR analytics firm is both fascinating and inspiring. Having purchased the company to ensure its continuity, Fiona shares the unconventional story of how her three-year plan turned into a long...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview John Rossman, managing partner of Rossman Partners. John shares his journey from growing up in Portland, Oregon, to becoming an executive at Amazon and eventually starting his own business, Rossman Partners. John emphasizes the importance of simplicity and efficiency, highlighting how these principles, inspired by his time at Amazon, have shaped his...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Brittany Jenkins, Founder of WeAreTech, an ed-tech platform providing equitable digital literacy tools to underserved communities. Brittany delves into the genesis of WeAreTech, and the challenges in the tech industry that led her to create a platform for equitable digital literacy. Originally from San Diego, California, Brittany reflects on her lai...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jamon Holmgren, founder and CTO of Infinite Red. Jamon grew up in a small town in coastal Oregon and recounts his early experiences with coding, starting a business, and the influence of his father, who was an entrepreneur. Jamon shares insights into his first business endeavors, from coding projects for a friend's construction company to start...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview The Chaz Wolfe, Owner and Founder of Gathering The Kings. Growing up in a single-mother household in Columbia, Missouri, Chaz emphasizes the impact of his challenging upbringing, instilling in him the values of grit, commitment, and determination. He highlights his father's influence, a veterinarian and cattle rancher, discovering him later in...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Justin Leusner, CEO and founder of TDAY Sports. Justin shares insights into his journey as the founder and president of TDAY Sports, revealing his roots in a small town near Philadelphia and his passion for creating YouTube videos since childhood. He details the evolution of TDAY Sports, highlighting its six different channels covering various sport...

In this episode, I was extremely lucky to interview John Trevisani, currently a Software Engineering Manager at Ask Media Group but also a multi-talented individual with interests ranging from being a pilot, author, entrepreneur, and musician! John grew up as one of five children and shared its impact on fostering his entrepreneurial spirit. John delves into his experience starting a business that...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Justin Furniss, CEO and founder of SecureCoders. Justin grew up in South Jersey, sharing anecdotes about growing up near a rodeo and his initial hesitations about entering the entrepreneurial world. After college, Justin's perspective shifted, and he delved into building software, and creating a product called Groundwork. Justin also discusses...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dave Albin, Founder of Firewalk Productions, LLC. Dave shares his incredible life journey. Born to a single mom in Hollywood, California, Dave's early years were marked by the mysterious departure of his biological father. Facing financial struggles, his mother made the difficult decision to put him up for adoption, leading him to a loving fami...

In this episode, I was very lucky to interview the fantastic Manoj Sinha, Co-founder of BISIL and my flight instructor! Manoj reflects on his entrepreneurial journey that began in 1990. Starting with a background in engineering and an MBA from a top-tier school, Manoj worked in esteemed companies like ITC Limited before founding BISIL. Despite the challenging initial timing of the Gulf War, Manoj...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jim Aloye, CEO/Founder/Owner of Aloye Enterprises LLC. Jim grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, and Strongsville, Ohio, and attributes his entrepreneurial spirit to navigating through challenging situations during his childhood. Jim's entrepreneurial journey began with Aloye Computer Enterprises, an IT firm that adopted a "do or die" app...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Scott Daigger, the founder and owner of Buddy Web Design and Development. Scott grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and shared how his parents' entrepreneurial spirit influenced his journey. Scott discussed his first attempt at starting a business in his early twenties and the evolution that led to the establishment of Buddy Web Design and Dev...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Todd Fisher, Chairman and Founder of Intraprise Solutions Todd shares his entrepreneurial journey from a small town in New York to building a successful business with a focus on health information technology and financial services. From starting as a web-enabled business solution in 1997 to his ventures like Mobile MD and Enterprise Health, Todd dis...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Andrew Kahl, CEO of BackBox. Andrew grew up in the Midwest influencing his work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. He shares that his first business was a data security software company, which he started at the age of 30. The company aimed to encrypt data leaving the enterprise, and its first customer was PepsiCo, marking a successful start. Andrew e...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Pete Taylor, co-founder and CEO of The Awakened Man. Pete shared insights into his entrepreneurial journey. Hailing from just outside London, Pete's early hustle began with selling Pokémon cards, foreshadowing his future endeavors. After a successful stint in the corporate world and establishing an architectural company, Pete embarked on a pers...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Bobby Reed, Executive Producer and Founder of Loaded Pixel. Bobby was originally from Kansas, then moved to Denver, and later transferred to Nebraska to pursue film and video production. He gained valuable experience working with Husker Vision, a program focused on sports events and video production. His passion for creating visually appealing conte...