Built In America

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Brett Rose, founder and CEO of United National Consumer Suppliers (UNCS), to explore his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned while scaling one of the nation’s leading wholesale distributors. From navigating market challenges to building a resilient company culture, Brett shares how relationships—not profits—have been...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Rich Thomson, CEO of Dreamliner, to explore how a transportation startup launched during the height of COVID-19 has grown into a key player in live entertainment logistics. From purchasing his first 12 buses in 2020 to scaling through acquisitions, Rich shares how Dreamliner became the backbone of celebrity tours and live events...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Justin Kolbeck, co-founder and CEO of Wild Type, to explore how cellular agriculture is reshaping the future of seafood. From cultivated salmon fillets to rethinking America’s reliance on imports, Justin shares how Wild Type is pioneering a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable approach to what ends up on our plates. He reflects...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Jordan Nathan, Founder and CEO of Caraway, to discuss how a personal health scare led him to create one of today’s most trusted cookware brands. Jordan shares how Caraway disrupted the kitchen market with non-toxic, eco-friendly, and beautifully designed products—quickly building a 150,000+ waitlist at launch and scaling into a...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Carl Daikeler, founder and CEO of Body (formerly Beachbody), to explore what it takes to build a fitness movement that transforms millions of lives. Carl shares the evolution of his company—from the early days of infomercials to launching one of the most successful at-home fitness programs in history, P90X, and reimagining it for...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Christian Anderson, co-founder of Watershed, to discuss building one of the most ambitious climate software companies out there. Christian shares the story behind Watershed’s founding and how a mission to reduce global carbon emissions turned into an enterprise-grade platform serving major companies worldwide. He dives into the...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Anna Squires-Levine, President of Industrious, to discuss her unconventional path to leading one of the largest co-working companies in the U.S. Anna shares how Industrious scaled by moving away from traditional leases and forming innovative landlord partnerships—creating hospitality-driven workspaces designed for the hybrid era....

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Ryan Chen, co-founder of Neuro Gum, to unpack the journey behind one of the most recognizable energy gum brands in the market. Ryan shares how a college friendship sparked the idea for Neuro Gum, and how the combination of caffeine and L-theanine helped create a functional product that enhances focus and energy. Ryan dives into...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Grant Hensel, Managing Partner at Entrepreneurial Capital and Founder of Nonprofit Megaphone, to explore his journey across a range of ventures—from digital marketing to e-commerce. Grant shares how his passion for entrepreneurship was sparked in his youth and how, over the years, he's launched multiple businesses—some that faile...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Dave Sherwood, CEO and co-founder of BibliU, to explore how he's transforming education by making textbooks more affordable and accessible. Dave shares the early missteps that led to BibliU’s pivot from a B2C to a B2B model, the complex challenges of breaking into the U.S. market, and how AI is reshaping the future of educationa...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Blake Hall, co-founder and CEO of ID.me, to explore his remarkable journey from Army Ranger to tech entrepreneur. Blake shares how his experience in military service shaped his approach to leadership and ultimately inspired the creation of ID.me, a digital identity platform now used by tens of millions of Americans. Blake opens...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Kevin Lavelle and Charlie Hill, co-founders of Harbor, a company reimagining baby monitoring for the modern parent. Kevin and Charlie share how their own experiences as fathers inspired them to build a smarter, safer solution for families—one that blends traditional baby monitoring with cutting-edge technology and remote patient...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Andrew Lacy, founder and CEO of Prenuvo, to explore his journey from practicing law in Australia to building a groundbreaking health tech company in Silicon Valley. Andrew shares how Prenuvo is reshaping the future of preventive healthcare through whole-body MRI scans and why the current model of reactive “sick care” is due for d...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Jacob Zuppke, CEO of Whisker, the company behind the Litter-Robot—a self-cleaning litter box that’s redefining modern pet care. Jacob walks us through the early days of product innovation, the complexities of launching hardware, and how Whisker carved out a leading role in a competitive and fast-growing industry. Jacob shares ho...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with Neil Feather, president of Point Wild, to unpack his journey in building a cybersecurity company focused on protecting everyday consumers. Neil reflects on the evolution of cybersecurity, the realities of business growth through both acquisitions and organic strategy, and how to build a company with strong values at its core. He...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Shadi Bakour, co-founder and CEO of Path, to discuss his mission to eliminate single-use plastic bottles through a sleek, reusable alternative. Shadi shares the origin story of Path, the inspiration behind its counterintuitive business model, and how early traction helped validate a bold idea in a competitive space.  Shadi d...

In this episode, Vijay Ravindran, founder and CEO of Floreo, shares how his background in tech and entrepreneurship led him to develop a virtual reality platform that’s transforming how we support neurodiverse learners. Floreo is an FDA-designated breakthrough device designed for individuals of any age and ability, operating at the cutting edge of healthcare, education, and immersive technology.&n...

In this episode, Sam Mahmood interviews Kelly Littlepage and Stephen Johnson, co-founders of OneChronos, a trading platform built to reduce inefficiencies in capital markets. From childhood friends to fintech founders, they share how their shared curiosity and drive to challenge the status quo shaped their entrepreneurial journey. They dive into the challenges of building a platform for institutio...

In this episode of Built in America , host Sam Mahmood sits down with John Katzman, renowned education entrepreneur and CEO of Noodle. Katzman shares his journey from founding Princeton Review to building Noodle, a platform reimagining the future of higher education. He unpacks what it takes to scale companies, the importance of risk-taking, and why solving real problems—not chasing trends—is the...

In this episode, Sam Mahmood sits down with Krystle Mobayeni, Co-Founder and CEO of BentoBox, to talk about her journey from web designer to tech entrepreneur. Krystle shares how a deep understanding of restaurant frustrations led to building BentoBox—a platform that empowers restaurants to control their digital presence beyond Yelp and OpenTable. They dive into the transition from agency work to...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Brendan Sweeney, founder and CEO of Popmenu, to explore how a simple frustration with static PDF menus led to a transformative platform for the restaurant industry. Brendan discusses the journey of turning menus into dynamic, interactive experiences that enhance customer engagement and drive business growth. He delves into the ch...

In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with Brendan Sweeney, founder and CEO of Popmenu, to explore how a simple frustration with static PDF menus led to a transformative platform for the restaurant industry. Brendan discusses the journey of turning menus into dynamic, interactive experiences that enhance customer engagement and drive business growth. He delves into the ch...

Show Description: In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood is joined by Martin Blencowe, co-founder of Cameo, to discuss his journey from a small town in England to building a platform that connects fans with celebrities through personalized video messages. Martin shares how a heartfelt video from an NFL client sparked the idea for Cameo, leading to a marketplace that delivers joy and...

In this special episode, we’re pulling together some of the most powerful insights shared by the brilliant minds who’ve joined us so far — founders, CEOs, and operators who’ve built, scaled, and sometimes stumbled their way through the wild ride of leadership.  From navigating founder identity to mastering strategic hiring, each guest has opened up with honesty and clarity about what it reall...

​In this episode of Built in America, host Sam Mahmood sits down with John Gagliardi, founder and CEO of Kane Footwear, to explore his journey from professional lacrosse player to pioneering a sustainable recovery shoe brand. John shares how his experiences in sports and the footwear industry inspired the creation of Kane, focusing on performance, sustainability, and innovation.​  John discus...