Building the Biz

Branden Maurin is an entrepreneur, innovator, and founder of Modern Sustainable Water, a modern luxury brand redefining everyday essentials through intentional design and sustainability. With a decade of leadership experience spanning military service and executive protection for Silicon Valley elites, Branden brings a unique blend of strategic insight and purpose-driven innovation to the consumer...

Jennifer Tsay is the CEO and co-founder of Shoott, a photography platform offering free photoshoots where clients only pay for the shots they love. Operating in over 60 U.S. cities, Shoott supports 750+ freelance photographers and boasts a 4.9-star rating on Google. With a background in finance, project management, and the arts—including acting credits in The Other Two, The Blacklist, and national...

David Hirschfeld is a veteran tech entrepreneur and the founder of Tekyz, a software development firm that helps startups build smarter, faster, and leaner. He’s also the creator of the Launch 1st framework, which helps founders validate their ideas and launch products before writing a single line of code. With over 30 years of experience in tech, AI, and automation, David knows what it takes to t...

Cristin Browne is a former Army Aviation officer and tech executive with leadership experience at Ibotta, Homebot, and Twilio, where she specialized in building revenue and operations teams during periods of rapid growth. Today, she’s the founder of Brave Peak Capital, where she’s focused on acquiring and running a mission-driven, tech-enabled services business in the lower middle market. A proud...

Jonathan Mast is a visionary entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and certified AI Persona specialist. As the founder of White Beard Strategies, he helps businesses enhance their digital workforce by creating custom AI personas that reflect their brand’s voice, values, and goals. With a deep background in marketing and a passion for emerging tech, Jonathan blends creativity and strategy to deli...

Elina Panteleyeva is the founder of Dood Woof, a wellness brand for doodle dogs. Here, Elina shares her journey from a tech project manager to an entrepreneur, sparked by a layoff in 2023. She discusses her immigrant background, initial ventures, and how a book inspired her to start her business. Elina emphasizes community engagement, detailing how she built a loyal customer base by addressing doo...

Dave Won is a TEDx Speaker, Certified Money Coach (CMC), and the Founder & CEO of Dave Won & Co. Dave has been recognized as a global Top 30 subject matter expert by The Outlier Project.  From conferences and summits to the corporate workplace, Dave has been empowering sales teams to transform their money mindset and turn their money blocks into confident, value-driven conversations that u...

Motivational speaker, Marine Corps veteran, and two-time world record athlete T. Shane Johnson is one of the most inspiring speakers and sales coaches in the country. Each year, T. Shane hikes across America as a motivational keynote speaker, running from coast to coast to inspire the homeless and veterans’ communities to raise awareness about veteran suicides. His journey has covered over 7,000 m...

Justin Donat is the CEO and founder of True North Restoration. He started the company in 2015 and franchised his brand in 2021. Justin grew up on a small farm in southwest Missouri, went to the University of Arkansas for undergrad, and received his MBA at John Brown University. When he’s not working, Justin loves spending time with his wife and three kids riding bikes, hiking, and skiing. In this...

James Hilovsky is a dedicated franchise broker who channels his passion for empowering entrepreneurs and sports professionals by guiding them towards business ownership dreams. With a wealth of experience in customized franchise matching and rigorous due diligence, he ensures clients make informed decisions aligned with their goals.  Beyond transactions, James fosters long-term success through ong...

Jeff Martinez has served as the President of By Ray Industries since 2004, leading his family business to become a trusted name in cleaning, painting, and renovation for the apartment and multi-family housing industry. Under his leadership, the company has consistently delivered exceptional service, growing its reputation for quality and reliability. In 2023, Jeff expanded his portfolio by acquiri...

Boris Katsnelson is a Managing Director at Black Iron Advisers, returning to his roots in client advisory. He has over 20 years of investment banking, private equity, operating, and transformational leadership experience that span the media, telecom, consumer products, e-commerce, franchising, home services, and real estate industries.  Boris began his career in investment banking for Wachovia Sec...

Michael Jacobson is the CEO of French Florist, a florist franchise. He lives in Southern California and loves to help local florists flourish across the United States. Michael fell in love with the industry after taking over his uncle’s flower shop. That love, coupled with a scalable model, has helped other florists create a more profitable model while doing what they love. His mindset has catapul...

John Knicely is a husband, father, and business owner. After a career as a news anchor in Charlotte, Dallas, St. Louis, and Seattle, John founded Story on Purpose in 2019 with the inspiration and guidance of Microsoft's chief storyteller, Procter & Gamble's chief storyteller, and several entrepreneurial mentors.  High-growth companies navigating transitions such as M&A or generat...

Danaya Wilson is the award-winning co-founder and CEO of BetterCertify. Recognized as a "40 Under 40" honoree, Danaya has helped individuals, companies, and industries navigate compliance and occupational safety education clearly and decisively. Over the past 17 years, she has brought a revolutionary approach to regulatory training that has changed outcomes across different business sect...

Gary Robinson is a marketing guru and cycling enthusiast. He is the co-founder and editor of Colorado Avid Cyclist and is also the President and Founder of Inside Line Marketing. Gary and I have known each other for years and recently reconnected as he shared his powerful story of overcoming tough odds and bouncing back with a new zest for life. In this conversation, Gary shares the story of how a...

Matt Eversmann is a retired US Army First Sergeant and a keynote speaker and industry expert. His experiences in the military and other industries have inspired him to help people prepare to achieve great things. His speaking topics include leadership, military, and veterans. He has also co-authored several books, including The Battle of Mogadishu (2004), Walk in My Combat Boots (2021), and ER Nur...

Misty Rose Gold is a business success coach and executive coach. She excels at helping business owners and executives manage their stress levels while attaining their goals. Misty has helped multiple businesses move forward by improving all aspects of the human element within a business. She specializes in helping executives fine-tune communication skills and enhance relationship skills, which lea...

Ray Master is a difference-maker. He wants more for people, not from them. Passionate about seeing people actualize their resources and enjoy their blessings, Ray brings over two decades of leadership, education and counseling experience to every client. Ray joined the Financial Services industry in 2013.  Ray lives in Arizona and enjoys serving people in his local community as well as in other st...

As an attorney in Colorado, Catherine Hammond provides estate and tax planning services to individuals and businesses. Catherine’s primary focus is protecting families from the devastating legal effects of disability and death through the creation of comprehensive, value-based estate plans that minimize taxes, costs, and government interference. Catherine learned firsthand the effects of failing t...

Jordan Pendleton is on a mission to help couples get on the same page about money so that they can create a life that they LOVE and live out their purpose(s) together! She does this through her podcast, "You, Me & Money" where she explores the dynamics of relationships and money to help get couples out of fighting and into experiencing financial freedom. Jordan’s mission also include...

R.J. Johnson, also known by his pen name Luke Chance, is the author of God Doesn't Waste a Thing and the founder of Not My Will Ministries. His incredible journey serves as a testament to the power of faith and resilience. After serving seven years in prison out of a 20-year sentence, R.J. has dedicated his life to delivering hope to those behind bars and educating the community about the ong...

Mike is the CEO and Managing Partner of Paige Black, a strategic marketing company that uses a 3-step process to help companies grow revenue. Mike has experience in psychology, information technology, and marketing. He earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver and, for seven years, led a team of therapists at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado...

Sam Shooster is the president of his family’s family office, with a focus on impact investing in Israel. He’s a former area developer for an international franchise group, as well as the co-founder of the Overcomer’s Journal, a 90-day therapeutic journal for renewal of the mind. Sam is also a business coach, father of two kids, a hockey player, and die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. Sam shares all...

Julie Hruska is the CEO and High-Performance Coach of Powerful Leaders. Julie is also a council member with the Forbes Coaches Council. She empowers leaders to transform mindset barriers into opportunities for growth, maximize their impact, and cultivate a high-performance work environment. Additionally, Julie is a published co-author with a new book titled "Cracking the Rich Code”. She’s a p...