Founders' Forum

How do you turn decades of corporate experience into something that truly lasts—both in business and in your community? In this episode of Founders Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Tom McEvoy, CEO and Founder of LumberCon LLC and Founder and Board Chair of the Uptown Theater in West Chester, Pennsylvania. After spending 24 years with Armstrong World Industries—including leadership roles overse...

What happens when a White House correspondent trades breaking political news for building a purpose-driven PR agency? In this episode of Founders’ Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Ronica Cleary to talk about clarity, intention, and the realities of growing a modern communications business. Ronica Cleary is the Founder and CEO of Cleary Strategies, a full-service public relations agency serving...

What if the biggest risk to your business isn’t technology itself—but your relationship with it? In this episode of Founders’ Forum , Marc Bernstein sits down with Darek Hahn to explore why strong human connection is the missing link in modern IT and leadership. Darek Hahn is the founder and CEO of AffinIT, a relationship-first managed IT services company, and the soon-to-be-published author of Te...

She wanted to work for Merck. They rejected her. Best thing that ever happened—because Theresa Hummel-Krallinger was never meant for a lab. Theresa Hummel-Krallinger, CEO and Chief People Officer of High Five Performance, spent 18 years at Prudential before launching her consulting firm in 2002. But here's the twist: she's also a stand-up comedian, Emmy Award winner, and founder of Meet...

He went to Penn State to become a doctor. But bartending at his stepmother's Irish pub changed everything—and now he's creating memories for Lady Gaga tours and corporate events alike. Josh Funk, President and CEO of TFB Hospitality, discovered he was a math nerd who runs restaurants. After hating pre-med despite a 1400 SAT, one hospitality course showed him restaurants are "chaos m...

She was babysitting to pay rent while building a business. But that 27-year-old had something her 44-year-old self admires—fearless grit. Renee Patrone Rhinehart, founder and CEO of Events by Renee and Party Host Helpers, started event planning in 2007 when the economy crashed. Working part-time jobs for eight years, she went full-time in 2015. When clients kept asking for bartenders and servers,...

What if a cup of coffee could do more than wake you up? Matt Ramsay, founder and co-owner of Denim Coffee, shares how a late-night campus job sparked a mission to build cafés that are about people first, not transactions. While working 11 PM shifts, Matt noticed students weren’t coming in just for drinks—they were lonely. With over 40% of college students experiencing extreme loneliness, he saw co...

The son of a serial entrepreneur never planned to start a business. But after 21 years in the Marine Corps, intelligence community, and U.S. Cyber Command, Kevin Hyde learned that service isn’t just a mission—it’s a mindset. Now President of Layer 8 Security, Kevin transitioned from defending national cyber interests at the NSA to helping businesses stay secure and compliant. Launching in 2014–15...

Retirement? That's not in Ray Loewe's vocabulary. At an age when most slow down, Ray's launching his most meaningful venture yet. Ray Loewe, founder of The Luckiest Guy in the World, LLC and host of Changing the Rules podcast, has spent decades helping people design lives on their terms. After selling his financial planning business and running a podcast for six years with 200+ epis...

What if your next customer never touches a search results page? That's the reality David Sonn spotted early—and it's transforming digital marketing. David Sonn, Founder and President of Arc Intermedia, launched one of Philadelphia's first digital-only customer acquisition agencies in 2010. People now learn about brands inside AI assistants, asking longer questions and trusting compr...

Starting a business in 2017 meant navigating COVID supply chain nightmares and now tariff challenges. But for Nik Mondo, bootstrapping through chaos became the ultimate test of creativity and integrity. Nikolas Mondo, founder and CEO of Mondo Media Solutions, built a thriving commercial AV and technology integration company from the ground up—no private equity, no shortcuts, just grit and word-of-...

No college degree. Dyslexia. A childhood spent tinkering with code on AOL. None of it stopped Todd R. Kueny, Jr. from building AI solutions that are transforming how pharmaceutical companies navigate FDA compliance. Todd R. Kueny, Jr., Co-founder and CTO of PatientWing and Claris AI, shares his unconventional journey from childhood coding on AOL to leading cutting-edge AI solutions in life science...

What happens when parents can't find safe, dignified housing for their adult child with autism? They build it themselves—and create a blueprint for communities nationwide. Jim and Nancy Richardson are changing the future of neuro-inclusive housing in America. As parents of a 31-year-old son with autism, they faced a heartbreaking reality: no housing options existed that would keep Michael saf...

A foundation in hospitality can teach lessons that last a lifetime — especially when it comes to building businesses rooted in people and purpose. In this episode of Founders' Forum, co-hosted by Armon Vincent, Founding Partner of Catalyst Technology Partners, Gray Brandeis, Founder and CEO of Scholar Hotels LLC, shares how his background in hospitality has shaped his approach to building aut...

What does it take to overcome life’s toughest obstacles and build a successful business? Thomas J. Knox, Chairman and CEO of Pinpoint Health Benefits, shares an entrepreneurial journey that’s a true testament to perseverance, lifelong learning, and seizing opportunities in the face of adversity. Tom’s story begins in public housing, where he sold newspapers, caddied, and started working from a you...

What happens when life throws you off course? For Coach Malcolm Allison Hairston, CEO of Raku Products LLC and inventor of The Hipsetter, those moments became the training ground for greatness. In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc talks with Coach Malcolm—a leader, educator, and motivator—about how he turned personal and professional challenges into a blueprint for success. Drawing from h...

What if scaling your business wasn’t about doing more, but choosing better? In this inspiring Founders’ Forum episode, host Marc Bernstein talks with Shikha Miglani, co-founder of Saarthee, a global strategy, analytics, and AI firm helping enterprises across telecom, media, retail, banking, and healthcare make smarter, fairer decisions with data. From being the only woman engineer on India’s facto...

Jim Logue didn’t start ThermOmegaTech, he reinvented it. When he stepped in, the company was overly reliant on one industry and struggling with culture. Today, it’s a $35M business with nearly 150 employees, serving sectors from aerospace to railroads—and even space. In this conversation, host Marc Bernstein and returning guest Branden Moyer, founder of Buzz Brands, talk with Jim about the “four p...

Entrepreneurship is never a straight line—it’s full of zigzags, ups and downs, and lessons learned along the way. In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Tatiana Barakshina, PhD, MBA, Managing Partner at Bazis Americas LLC, to explore her remarkable journey from Russia to the U.S. and her path to co-founding a successful healthcare market research firm. Tatiana share...

How do you turn setbacks into fuel for impact? Valecia “Dr. V” Dunbar has made a career out of answering that question. In this episode of Founders' Forum, Dr. V shares her journey as a founder, strategist, and visionary leader. From overcoming personal and professional challenges to creating spaces where leadership and innovation can thrive, she shows us what it means to transform adversity...

What if the key to business success is simply letting go? In this episode of Founders' Forum, Justin Currie, Owner of Thema Home Care, founder of Masters of Home Care, and Inc. 5000-recognized entrepreneur, shares how embracing the “Let Them Theory” transformed not only his mindset but also his business. Justin’s entrepreneurial journey took him from the oil fields of Saskatchewan to launchin...

What does it take to spot an opportunity before the world even has a name for it? For Scott Reuter, Principal at Product Data Command, the answer lies in curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to reinvent when the market shifts. From launching a computer products buying group in the 1980s, to pioneering one of the first product information management (PIM) systems in the 1990s, to today’s AI-po...

What does it take to step into a family business, honor its legacy, and still make it your own? Marc Bernstein welcomes Karla Trotman, President & CEO of Electro Soft Incorporated, to share her remarkable story. From the company’s humble beginnings on her family’s kitchen table to becoming a trusted manufacturer for the defense, aviation, and transit industries, Karla has guided Electro Soft t...

From growing up on a dairy farm to leading a successful packaging machinery company, Dick DeNenno’s story is one of faith, resilience, and entrepreneurship. As founder and president of Reliant Packaging Machinery, Dick has spent 35+ years in the industry and built a reputation for being knowledgeable, attentive, reliable, and likable. In this episode of Founders’ Forum , Marc Bernstein talks with...

From Disney custodian to bold brand strategist, Branden Moyer’s journey proves that knowing your story can transform your business. In this episode of Founders’ Forum , Marc Bernstein talks with Branden, founder of Buzz Brands, about creating unforgettable, story-driven identities and why authentic branding starts with self-awareness. Branden shares how his time at Disney shaped his approach to cu...