Business Growth Spotlight

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Jen Henderson, founder and CEO of Tilt, the HR tech company transforming how organizations handle leave management. Jen opens up about her personal journey that led to Tilt’s creation, the hurdles she faced as a female founder, and how her team is reshaping a critical yet often overlooked part of the employ...

Show Notes:  In the 100th episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Paul Tedford, CEO of WM Synergy, to dive into the critical factors manufacturers and distributors must consider when choosing the right ERP system. Paul outlines the 3 P’s of ERP success, Product, Partner, and Platform,  and why overlooking any of them can derail long-term growth. He also shares insig...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Alex Karzag, the VP of PMO at Producers Trust, to explore how mission-driven leadership and strategic partnerships are shaping the future of global food systems. Alex shares his unique journey from startup roles to leading operations at Producers Trust, emphasizing the importance of aligning mission and val...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Brandon Powell, Founder and CEO of Hatchworks AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way companies operate and scale. Brandon shares valuable insights on: The role of AI in transforming business operations and driving efficiency. Adapting to changing market needs to stay competitive. Ov...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Akash Mukherjee, Head of Product Management at Chartmetric, to explore the shifting landscape of the B2B SaaS industry. Akash shares his unique perspective on how SaaS companies can stand out in a highly competitive market, the growing impact of AI in software development, and why differentiation and trust-...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Amr Saafan, founder of NileBits, a leading software development company based in Egypt. Amr shares his journey in the tech industry, highlighting the importance of building trust with clients across different cultures, and the unique challenges of scaling a business while preserving company culture. The con...

Show Notes: In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with David Berg, Founder and CEO of Commander AI, to explore how he built a niche sales platform tailored to the waste management industry. David shares his perspective on what it really means to define success as a founder, the balance between AI-driven outreach and maintaining a personal human touch, and ho...

Show Notes: In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk chats with Ryan Wimpey, founder of Tip Top K9 Dog Training, about building a thriving business in the dog training industry. Ryan shares his journey from starting out to creating a proven franchise model, tackling challenges in marketing, lead generation, and scaling along the way. He also highlights the importance of...

Show Notes: In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Katie Mineck, VP of Customer Success at DigitalOwl, to dive into the future of AI, leadership, and customer success. Katie shares how DigitalOwl is leveraging AI to transform medical record summarization: not to replace people, but to empower them. She explains why companies hesitant about AI should sta...

  Show Notes: What does it really take to build a sales engine that fuels long-term business growth? In this episode, we sit down with Jill Pederson of SalesStar, who breaks down the strategies, systems, and mindset needed to make it happen. Jill shares:  ✨ Why a strong, well-trained sales team is the backbone of growth  ✨ How a compelling positioning statement sets you apart in the market  ✨ O...

Show Notes:  What happens when a creative intern with a knack for storytelling decides to shake up the way businesses connect with prospects? You get Pitchfire—a platform that’s reimagining how sales outreach is done. In this episode, Ryan O’Hara takes us on his rollercoaster ride from intern to founder, and trust us—it’s anything but boring. We dive into:  ✨ How Pitchfire went from idea to game-...

Show Notes: In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk interviews Carlos Mats, the founder of IKA, a company focused on leveraging AI to enhance customer relationships and automate business processes. Carlos shares his journey from being an artist and technologist to creating a pioneering AI platform that aims to revolutionize user interaction with technology. The conversa...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host, Heidi Schalk,  interviews Danny Maloney, CEO of Tailwind, to explore the realities of entrepreneurship, business growth, and marketing innovation. Danny shares how Tailwind has evolved through strategic pivots, the critical role of customer feedback in shaping product development, and why transparency is essential for strong leadersh...

Show Notes: In this episode, Heidi Schalk sits down with Lilit Azatyan, co-founder of Pogos, takes us inside her entrepreneurial journey in the tech and healthcare outsourcing industry. She opens up about the real challenges of leadership—building trust, learning to delegate effectively, and navigating the fast-changing world of healthcare technology. Lilit shares how Pogos partners with startups...

Show Notes:  In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with David Daneshgar, founder of Whippy AI, to explore the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and what it takes to scale a business effectively. David shares lessons learned from his startup journey, emphasizing the critical role of sales processes, strong documentation, and strategic hiring. The conversation co...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk speaks with Jonathan Silverstein, founder of Mobile1st, about the critical role of website optimization and data analytics in accelerating business growth. Jonathan delves into the challenges businesses face in today’s fast-changing digital marketing environment, offering practical insights on how to effectively engage dec...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk speaks with Hari Srinivasan, founder and CEO of iCover, about how technology is reshaping the life insurance landscape. They explore the innovative use of AI and predictive analytics to simplify underwriting and improve the overall buying experience. Hari shares key insights on marketing strategies, the value of referrals...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk speaks with Raghu Bala, co-founder of Synergetics, about how businesses can harness the power of AI to drive growth and innovation. Drawing from decades of experience in the software industry, Raghu explores the transformative potential of AI in corporate training and beyond. The conversation addresses common misconceptio...

In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , we sit down with Alejandro Rivas-Micoud, CEO of Userlytics Corporation, for a powerful conversation about why user experience (UX) is no longer optional—it's mission-critical. Alejandro breaks down the evolution of usability testing, from manual processes to today’s cutting-edge, AI-driven research tools. He shares how companies that truly listen...

  Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk speaks with Christina Hawatmeh, founder of Scopio, a platform designed to bridge the gap between global creatives and major brands. Christina shares the vision behind Scopio, detailing her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges she faced as a woman navigating the tech space. The discussion highlights the power of vis...

  Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk sits down with Daniel Peña, co-founder and CEO of DevSavant, a specialized software development firm. Daniel shares his unexpected path from the legal world to the tech industry, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the founding of DevSavant and the principles that guide its success. The discussion explores how the compa...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight, host Heidi Schalk speaks with Anthony Bay, founder of Techquity, who brings decades of experience in technology and media to his latest venture. Anthony shares the story behind Techquity’s creation—a partner-driven collective dedicated to helping businesses harness technology for both growth and positive social impact. The conversation expl...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk sits down with Trevor Greenway, co-founder and CEO of interVal, to explore how AI is transforming the way business owners and financial advisors understand and act on business valuation. Trevor shares the story behind interVal’s development and how the platform empowers users with real-time, data-driven insights that supp...

In this episode of the Business Growth Spotlight podcast, host Heidi Schalk speaks with Jennifer McKnight of Cobb International, who shares her unique transition from the world of luxury brands to leading an outdoor cooking company with a global vision. Jennifer discusses how aligning internal team values with a brand’s mission can drive long-term success and create a loyal customer base. The conv...

Show Notes: In this episode of Business Growth Spotlight , host Heidi Schalk speaks with Jenny Morehead, CEO of Flex HR, who shares her unique journey from a background in sales and marketing to leading a human resources company. Jenny discusses how HR, often seen as an administrative function, can actually serve as a strategic engine for business growth when properly aligned with company goals. T...