Crunching Your Growth - Growth Class

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Brian Leeper, President of Floral Services LLC. They discuss the realities of scaling a product-based business inside competitive retail environments and the leadership mindset required to grow beyond the startup phase.  Brian shares how early failures shaped his approach to delegation, emphasizing that leaders must learn to let go...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Emma Crepeau , CEO of Jack Archer . Emma shares the behind-the-scenes reality of transforming a complex portfolio of small Shopify brands into a focused, scalable business, and why eliminating distractions was the first critical step toward growth.  She explains how her team made the difficult decision to deprecate multiple brands...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Rick Smith , co-founder and CEO of HyVIDA Brands, Inc. , a beverage technology company pioneering hydrogen-infused drinks and scalable hydrogen delivery systems. Smith shares how his background in engineering and medical technology led to the invention of proprietary hydrogen infusion methods designed to integrate seamlessly into...

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Brandon Salomon , Chief Operating Officer of Providence Diamond , Rhode Island’s premier luxury jewelry and watch retailer known for its curated fine jewelry collections and longstanding partnership as an Official Rolex Jeweler.  They explore how evolving consumer behavior—from the impact of smartphones and wearable tech to rising...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Edward Terry , CEO and Founder of The Shutter House . They explore how identifying an underserved niche in exterior window treatments led to the development of a scalable franchise model built on specialized services, operational systems, and strong market demand.  Edward shares how focusing on exterior shutters—an often overlooke...

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Kun Yang , co-founder and CEO of Pricklee . They explore the early days of launching a new beverage brand in 2021 and the unexpected momentum that followed when the team received an invitation to apply to Shark Tank just days after their initial launch.  Kun shares the behind-the-scenes reality of navigating one of the most influen...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Geovanni Leiva , founder of Leyva’s Coffee . Geovanni shares the origin of his mission-driven coffee business and how his deep roots as a fourth-generation coffee farmer shaped his commitment to building a transparent, vertically integrated supply chain that supports farming communities.  Geovanni also discusses the long-term visi...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Kashaun Cooper , leadership strategist and founder of Five Stages of Yes . They discuss how leaders can maintain clarity and decisiveness when pressure rises and why leadership breakdowns rarely happen from lack of information, but from hesitation and unclear decision-making under stress.  Kashaun shares insights from his Five Sta...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Lany Sullivan , operations specialist and founder of Lany Sullivan where she and her team help businesses streamline processes, build efficient systems, and unlock growth through better operations and delegation.  They explore how operational gaps silently drain both revenue and time, why most money “leaks” are rooted in broken sy...

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Steve Walsh , founder of Bison Equity Group , a private equity firm dedicated to helping founders and investors scale high‑potential companies with strategic capital and disciplined execution.  Steve shares his insights on why rapid growth often breaks customer connection and how staying rooted in your audience is essential to sust...

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Phoebe Tan , co‑founder and CEO of Taelor , a Silicon Valley‑based menswear rental and styling subscription service that combines AI‑driven outfit recommendations with personalized stylist support to help busy professionals simplify their wardrobes and express their best selves. Phoebe discusses how Taelor uses data and artificial...

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Jacob Johnson , CEO and founder of Calyan Wax Co. , a mission‑driven home fragrance company that crafts clean, soy‑based candles and donates a portion of revenue to combat human trafficking in the United States.  Jacob shares how Calyan evolved from a garage startup into a growing business with a purpose beyond profit, highlighting...

In this episode of The Growth Class , host Phil Masiello interviews Michael Monaghan , Partner and Portfolio Manager at Founder ETFs LLC , about the creation and strategy behind the Founders 100 ETF (ticker: FFF) and how founder‑led companies can offer unique long‑term investment opportunities.  Michael explains how FFF trades on major U.S. exchanges and is designed to be accessible to a broad ran...

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Susana Chen , co-founder of Never Have I Ever , an artist-licensed press-on nail brand redefining beauty as wearable art. The conversation explores Susana’s journey from working on global product launches to building a brand from the ground up through hands-on testing, customer feedback, and disciplined proof-of-concept validation....

In this episode of The Growth Class, host Phil Masiello interviews Marc McConnaughey , CEO of BioBond . They discuss the realities of building sustainable materials that can truly compete with petroleum-based products, and why performance, safety, and cost discipline must come before marketing claims.  Marc shares how BioBond is engineering plant-based adhesives and coatings designed to meet stric...

n his role as a mentor and coach to entrepreneurs, serial-entrepreneur Jeremy B. Shapiro helps small business owners make the transition from “solopreneur” to “business owner” – an important distinction that many entrepreneurs can easily miss when working “in” their business instead of “on” their business.   For over two decades, through structured mastermind groups, one-on-one coaching, and consu...

On this week’s episode of Crunching Your Growth , I sit down with Andre Ankri — founder of UTS Group , Metador , and Beyzim — to unpack how traditional industries can win with automation, AI, and smarter systems. Andre started in construction and security technology and went on to build companies that integrate advanced tech into very real, very offline businesses. From access control and automati...

Want to raise capital for your business? I am laying out exactly what to do based upon my experiences and from investors.  If you can’t answer five simple questions, what is your product, what problem does it solve, how does it solve it, who buys it, and what they’ll pay, you’re not raising capital today. In this video I break down what PE & VCs told me directly at an investor conference, incl...

Stop romanticizing the idea. Start validating the business. In this video I’m breaking down the 3 tough truths I tell every founder I coach. They’re uncomfortable… and they’re the difference between “we’ll see” and “we’re scaling.” Tough Truth #1 — Your Initial Idea Is Probably Wrong Your first idea is a hypothesis, not a business model. The market does not care how in love you are with your solut...

Startups don’t fail because they run out of money — they fail because they scale too early, too fast, and with the wrong strategy. In this no-fluff video, startup mentor and growth expert Phil Masiello reveals the 5 most common — and fatal — mistakes founders make when scaling their business. Whether you're in SaaS, e-commerce, tech, or services, these lessons apply to any founder serious abo...

WELCOME TO THE FIRST YEAR OF STARTUP SUCCESS! If you just followed our "12 Steps to Start a Business" video and are now officially operating, congratulations! But getting off the ground is only half the battle. The first year of running a startup is all about testing, adapting, and proving your model. In this deep-dive, we share the top 10 actionable, battle-tested tips every new founder...