Founder Unfiltered - What Founders Think But Never Say

Every founder faces the same paradox: you need to project confidence to attract clients, while internally battling imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Bradley Jacobs gets real about the emotional challenges of building a business and how your limiting beliefs directly impact your growth. Discover how subtle self-sabotage—like settling for convenient guests instead of ideal ones, or using AI shortcut...

In this powerful follow-up conversation, Ellie Holbert returns to share her remarkable first year as an independent consultant. Just 10 months after launching MPAC Advisory Services, Ellie has not only exceeded her corporate salary by 30-50%, but built a pipeline worth 11X her former income—with 96 active opportunities. What makes Ellie's journey even more compelling is how she achieved these...

Closing out 2025 with complete transparency about what worked, what failed, and what I'm taking into the new year. As the founder of Mylance, I'm sharing the three strategies that drove real results—52 consecutive podcast episodes, powerful automation systems, and a game-changing business pivot—alongside the three patterns I'm leaving behind in 2025. This is about more than reflection. It's about...

This Christmas, forget the tactics and tools. Your fractional business needs 10 foundational gifts from you—and they're all within your control. In this episode, I break down the vision, honesty, systems, and self-trust required to build a six-figure fractional practice. Whether you're struggling with imposter syndrome, tolerating low-value clients, or lacking consistency in your marketing...

In this episode, we dive deep into the strategies fractional executives need to break through revenue plateaus and build truly scalable businesses. Ann Carden shares her framework for creating a "million-dollar offer" by getting laser-focused on what you do best and who you serve. I explore with Ann why so many fractionals undervalue and undersell themselves, often losing money even on s...

Maximize your take-home pay as a fractional executive with proven financial structures. Ran Harpaz, founder and CEO of Lettuce, reveals how LLCs and S Corps work together to protect your business legally while optimizing your tax treatment. Learn the critical salary-to-distribution ratios, why proper S Corp management matters, and how to avoid common compliance pitfalls that leave money on the tab...

Understanding how your ideal clients actually buy is the difference between hoping deals fall in your lap and building a predictable client acquisition system. Bradley Jacobs breaks down the complete B2B buyer journey—from the first random encounter where prospects barely notice you exist, through building familiarity and curiosity, to that critical trigger moment when pain becomes urgent enough t...

Natalia Zacharin went from making $7/hour to building a $3M accounting firm in just five years. Here's exactly how she did it. In this episode, Natalia shares the specific lead generation channels that work (and which ones don't), why she invested $50K in a mastermind when she only made $108K, and how to differentiate your services in an oversaturated market. Whether you're a fractiona...

Bradley Jacobs reveals the simplified marketing strategy that powers Mylance's growth in under one hour per week. After years of trial and error with various marketing channels, Bradley has narrowed his focus to two primary pillars: strategic podcasting and LinkedIn content creation. The key insight centers on creating one piece of high-quality content weekly through this podcast, then transfo...

Fear of difficult conversations costs fractional executives money, peace of mind, and accountability with clients. Greg Stephens, certified professional behavior analyst and author of "Build New Bridges: The Art of Restoring Impossible Relationships," shares his framework for having conversations you've been avoiding—whether about unpaid invoices, scope creep, or boundary violations....

Starting a business has never been easier—which means standing out has never been harder. Bradley Jacobs explains why your founder story is the most underutilized asset in your marketing toolkit and how to use it effectively on LinkedIn. Discover the framework for sharing authentic professional experiences that build trust without feeling cringy or self-promotional. Bradley shares insights from si...

Glenn Poulos, veteran sales leader and author of "Never Sit in the Lobby," joins Bradley Jacobs to share battle-tested sales strategies for fractional professionals. Glenn co-founded GAP Wireless, scaled it into a leading tech distributor, and successfully exited twice. He breaks down his signature approach: the "punch, perfect pitch, and close" methodology that helps founders...

Running a fractional business means juggling countless tasks that drain your time and energy. In this episode, we walk through 20 practical automations that handle everything from client follow-ups to content creation, giving you hours back each week to focus on billable work and business development. Discover how to automate your sales pipeline with AI-powered meeting summaries, build a simple CR...

Mark Jackson, co-founder and CEO of Besolo, joins Bradley Jacobs to discuss the operational challenges facing fractional executives and independent consultants. Mark shares his journey from fractional CRO to building Besolo, a comprehensive back-office solution for solopreneurs. The conversation explores the critical infrastructure decisions every business-of-one must make, including entity struct...

This week, I'm breaking down why playing small in your fractional business is the fastest path to burnout and underearning. I contrast two consultant profiles: Consultant A, who accepts any client, charges low rates, and relies solely on referrals, versus Consultant B, who sets premium rates, actively develops business, and fearlessly pursues high-value clients. The difference? Consultant A mi...

Bradley Jacobs welcomes Ash Seddeek, founder of Mivante and fractional Organizational Change Management Advisor, who has worked with executives at Cisco, Uber, and Google. This conversation explores the psychological barriers that hold fractional consultants back from reaching their full potential, centered around the powerful Marianne Williamson quote: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequ...

Many fractional executives struggle with the same challenge: "I don't have time for business development." In this solo episode, Bradley Jacobs tackles this common excuse head-on, revealing the harsh truth that finding new clients is the most important part of your business, whether you like it or not. Bradley breaks down the difference between "not having time" versus &quo...

Bradley Jacobs sits down with Jon Younger, a renowned expert on the future of work, freelancing, and independent consulting. Jon brings decades of experience as a best-selling author, multiple-time exited founder, and PhD from the University of Toronto, plus he's currently working with AI agents. The conversation explores how the fractional and freelance workforce has exploded since COVID and wher...

Bradley Jacobs breaks down his most viral LinkedIn post that garnered 750,000 views and generated 22 sales calls. Using his insider experience at Uber's Raleigh launch, Bradley reveals the five key components that made this content resonate: a compelling hook, detailed storytelling, specific insights, clear structure, and an engaging winner-versus-loser narrative. He demonstrates how fractional ex...

Bradley Jacobs sits down with human behavior expert Brian Bogert to explore how internal "waste" sabotages business success. Bogert, who survived having his arm torn off in a childhood accident, shares how early trauma shaped his drive to prove himself through performance - a pattern many fractional executives will recognize. The conversation dives deep into identifying destructive behaviors like...

This week we’re tackling one of the biggest challenges you face as a fractional executive: how to reach out on LinkedIn without sounding salesy or cringy. Bradley Jacobs breaks down why most outreach fails and share my value-first approach that builds genuine relationships instead of pushing for immediate sales. We’ll walk you through four distinct outreach strategies, from contribution-based mess...

Former engineer Lasada Pippen reveals how he overcame crippling fear and self-doubt to build a successful keynote speaking and coaching business. This powerful conversation explores the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship that most people never talk about. Discover Lasada's unique approach to business development, including his door-to-door strategy that landed him speaking engagements and co...

After building a successful fractional consulting practice and working with thousands of fractionals, I'm sharing the essential roadmap I wish I had when starting out. Drawing from years of experience and insights from thousands of fractionals, I reveal what I did right and the critical lessons I learned along the way. I emphasize the importance of talking to everyone willing to listen, asking big...

Ellie Holbert made the leap from corporate management consultant to independent consulting just five months ago - and has already built a pipeline worth over $1 million. As founder of Impact Advisory Services, she specializes in organizational effectiveness and leadership coaching for midsize innovation companies. After her initial contract was unexpectedly canceled just two weeks into her journey...

Feeling like a fraud as a fractional executive? You're not alone. Bradley Jacobs reveals the hidden psychology behind imposter syndrome and shares battle-tested strategies to overcome self-doubt. Every successful fractional professional faces this challenge when transitioning from the safety of corporate life to running their own practice. Bradley breaks down why high achievers are particularl...