Behind the Funnel

This was one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on Behind the Funnel. Marc Petitpas has led some of the biggest organizations and venues in Canada — from opening BMO Field as its first General Manager, to leadership roles with MLSE, the Air Canada Centre, Fusion Homes, and beyond. But this episode wasn’t really about titles. It became a conversation about: leadership pressure grief startin...

Episode Summary AI is everywhere. But most businesses are still using it wrong. In this episode of Behind the Funnel , I sit down with Amir Samani from BlackOps Studio to break down why most AI systems fail and what real integration actually looks like inside a business. We go deep into why businesses feel overwhelmed, how to actually implement AI step by step, and why most teams aren’t ready for...

Episode Summary Most businesses focus on tactics. Very few understand the systems behind them. In this episode of Behind the Funnel , I sit down with Angelo Masters Jr., founder of Jacker Digital, to break down what actually changes when you move from small business marketing to enterprise-level execution. We cover everything from running campaigns for brands like Netflix and Warner Brothers to he...

Episode Summary AI made execution easy. Too easy. Now the real problem isn’t how to build — it’s what to build . In this episode of Behind the Funnel , I sit down with Samim Safaei again to break down something most people won’t admit: They open ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool… and sit there with zero clarity on what to actually do next . We dive into the “efficiency trap” — why people feel produc...

Episode Summary AI was supposed to make building a business easier. But instead… it’s exposed a completely different bottleneck. In this episode of Behind the Funnel , I sit down with Samim Safaei from SIFT to break down what’s actually happening behind the scenes right now. We go deep into why most founders are stuck even with AI , what “expensive motion” really looks like, and why the real advan...

Solo or small team? Then you know the drill: 40 chat threads, half-finished docs, and no clear next step. In this episode, Samim Safaei , co-founder of SIIFT.AI , breaks down how their “Founder’s Compass” turns messy ideas into structured, repeatable validation — without losing speed. We cover: Why generic chat tools say “yes” to everything — and how SIIFT removes the fluff The real blocker: infor...

Most people underestimate nonprofits. They’re not small or slow—they’re a $400B U.S. engine (trillions globally) that run on trust. Our guest Cyrus Kazi , co-founder & CEO of Quantably , explains why trust is a data problem—and how his team built an “operating system for impact” that finally connects collection, analysis, and reporting. We cover: The multi-tool mess: why orgs juggle 17–25 disc...

Sick of living in your calendar? Founder Dario De Santis (Tweenlin) breaks down how his team is cutting the meeting overload—turning endless 1:1s and “quick syncs” into fast, human conversations without scheduling gymnastics. We dig into: The real cost of meeting sprawl (and why remote work made it worse) How Tweenlin’s AI deflects 1:1s and small-group meetings into on-the-fly conversations What e...

On this episode of Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Trey DeMobile , founder of Immersive Agentics , to unpack how small teams (from 2–15 people) are plugging in AI “employees” to reclaim time, reduce busywork, and tighten security without adding headcount. We dig into practical, repeatable workflows—like an autonomous social media manager and a personalization engine that drafts 1,000...

This week on Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Andrew Barrow , founder of Revenue Arc , a white-label programmatic ad agency running campaigns for household names—and flipping the traditional agency model on its head with a 50% gross revenue share back to partners and lifetime referral commissions . Andrew pulls back the curtain on how programmatic really works (CTV, display, audio, pre...

This week on Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Sebastian Mourra , founder of Alphana.ai — a platform built to help creators, businesses, and even record labels turn one piece of content into 30. We dive into how Alphana is building the future of content repurposing, going beyond short clips to power blogs, LinkedIn posts, newsletters, quizzes, eBooks, and even music marketing assets lik...

This week on Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Lily Yeoh, co-founder and CEO of C1Risk , to explore how her company is reshaping compliance and risk management with automation and AI. With over two decades in cybersecurity—from cryptography at Texas Instruments to consulting at Deloitte—Lily brings deep experience in helping Fortune 500 companies navigate evolving regulations, security...

This week on Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Simon Groom, CEO and co-founder of Magnify B , to unpack how he and his co-founder, David, turned decades of consulting experience into a SaaS platform that’s now helping thousands of small businesses save time, cut costs, and scale smarter . Born out of COVID lockdowns, Magnify B started as a consulting pivot and has already grown into wha...

This week on Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Dan Gudkov, founder of DoDocs AI , to unpack the journey from legal tech to a global automation solution that’s helping companies eliminate manual data entry and double their client capacity . Dan shares how DoDocs pivoted after customer feedback, the unexpected industries now reaching out (including a central bank in South America ), and w...

In this episode, I talk with Jeremy Nielsen , founder of Sally.co , the all-in-one platform that makes Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) simple, clean, and headache-free. Jeremy has overseen more than 9,000 SPVs and took all that experience to build Sally — the first system that puts everything in one place instead of juggling spreadsheets, emails, and off-platform tasks. We dig into: What an SPV ac...

In this episode, I talk with James from Nimblo — a 20+ year tech veteran who’s worked on everything from World of Warcraft and Red Dead Redemption 2 to United Healthcare. Now he’s using that same expertise to save small businesses millions by cutting out wasted time and automating repetitive work. We dig into: How James helps local companies save over $2M a year with simple automation His wild car...

In this episode of Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Jace Lander, founder of ONEX Technology, who went from running a structural steel company to building some of the wildest tech I’ve seen yet. We talk about Whale Tank —a crypto “Shark Tank” style launchpad for vetted projects—and OKX , an autonomous AI red team agent that can run full-scale cyber ops on its own. This was one of the mo...

What happens when solar becomes a get-rich-quick scheme? Luke Pollinger, founder of PVCA (Photovoltaics California), has spent the last 20+ years fixing the mess others leave behind. From abandoned utility projects to broken microgrids, PVCA steps in where others walk away. In this episode, we break down how the industry lost its way—and what it’ll take to bring trust and technical excellence back...

From cranberry bogs to clean power—this episode is a deep dive into how agrivoltaics could change the solar industry forever. Yarek Matacz sits down with Iain Ward , founder of Solar Agricultural Services (SolAg) , to explore how thoughtful solar development can preserve farmland, support farmers, and push the renewable revolution forward. They discuss soil health, developer responsibility, and ho...

Is the solar industry built on hype… or hard work? In this no-filter episode of Off the Grid on the Record , we sit down with Shawn Young — a true solar warrior who’s led teams, knocked doors, built businesses, and weathered every storm this industry could throw at him. If you're in solar sales (or thinking about it), this is the real talk you need. Shawn pulls back the curtain on: Why most new re...

Guest: Michael Janzen, aka Mr. Sunshine — industry veteran, consumer advocate, and founder of Mr. Sunshine Saves Topics Covered: 00:00 – Intro: Who is Mr. Sunshine? 02:00 – From wannabe rockstar to solar disruptor 04:00 – Why most reps are trained wrong 06:00 – Shutting down 50+ shady solar companies 08:30 – How policy changes impact real homeowners 10:00 – Net metering myths and the future of inc...

Episode Title: From Solar Hustle to Nuclear Playbooks: How Adeel Malik is Reinventing Energy Deals Guest: Adeel Malik – Vice President, IntelliSun Host: Yarek Matacz – Off the Grid on the Record Description: What does it take to go from knocking doors to winning government contracts? In this raw and revealing episode, Adeel Malik, VP at IntelliSun, breaks down the real behind-the-scenes challenges...

What happens when you install solar panels the wrong way? Bill Clinton (not that one), VP of Operations at EcoGen Services, has seen it all—from catastrophic fires to near-grid failures. In this episode of Off The Grid On The Record , Bill shares: The solar wiring mistake that burned a home to the ground Why most solar companies shouldn't be touching electrical work The "generator vs. solar" night...

Peter Roth started in cigars. Now he runs a lead gen machine that fuels solar companies in 30+ states—and he's just getting started. In this episode, we talk: The psychology behind effective cold outreach Why most solar lead gen models are broken by design The real reason Facebook ads don’t work (especially for solar) What makes a high-performance sales system scalable This isn’t your average foun...

What do Fortune 500 call centers, paintball, and 20MW solar installs have in common? Daniel Wier. In this episode of Off the Grid on the Record , I sit down with Daniel Wier, founder and CEO of Commonwealth Solar, to unpack how a Kentucky-based installer is reshaping the clean energy conversation with ethics, transparency, and a whole lot of grit. We dive into: Daniel’s journey from high-paid tech...