From Underdog to Entrepreneur: Building Dreams with Pat Miller

What if the life you built isn't actually yours? In this episode, Pat Miller sits down with Jane Bond, a high-level strategist who helps successful people confront the truth beneath their achievements. From growing up in the hood to navigating multiple careers across industries, Jane shares how she had to unravel decades of identity to finally discover who she really is. This conversation dives de...

She chased success and found burnout, then rebuilt everything on her own terms. Sarah Saffari shares her unconventional path from aspiring doctor to entrepreneur, revealing how a chance encounter while traveling sparked her vision for freedom. From opening a gym that made money but drained her life, to pivoting into marketing and building a global influencer agency, her journey is filled with risk...

What if the odds stacked against you were actually the beginning of your greatest story? In this powerful episode of From Underdog to Entrepreneur, host Pat Miller sits down with author, speaker, and entrepreneur Paul Lamar Hunter, the 19th of 21 children who rose from poverty and homelessness to become the first in his family to graduate from college. Paul shares how rejection, hardship, and bein...

On this episode of From Underdog to Entrepreneur, host Pat Miller sits down with Michael Grinberg, CEO and Founder of The RevOps Shop, to unpack a journey that starts in a tiny Brooklyn apartment and scales into the world of AI, tech, and high-growth entrepreneurship. From selling on eBay at 13 to working at HubSpot and launching his own AI-enabled services firm, Michael shares the sacrifices, ris...

A random conversation in a crowded Nashville bar sparked a career shift that would change everything. On this episode of From Underdog to Entrepreneur, host Pat Miller sits down with Heather Creech, Marketing and Business Development Manager at Echo Power Electric, to talk about how a former educator found her calling in the blue collar world. From mentoring students to championing workforce devel...

What if the greatest business school you ever attended was your father's dinner table? Steven Padernacht grew up in the Bronx watching his father build a vertically integrated real estate business from the ground up, and those dinner-table deal talks became the foundation of Steven's own two-decade career in real estate. After losing his father at just 27, Steven took the five life lessons his dad...

What if the path you never planned becomes the one that transforms your life and business? In this conversation, luxury designer and strategic renovation advisor Rachel Niederhofer shares how she went from corporate finance to building a thriving design, construction-management, and real-estate brand. She opens up about the unexpected turns that shaped her entrepreneurial journey, the power of vis...

What if the money you leave your kids actually ruins them? In this episode of From Underdog to Entrepreneur, Pat Miller sits down with nationally recognized estate planning attorney Blake Johnson to unpack why traditional inheritance often creates entitlement—and how intentional legacy planning builds stronger families instead. Blake shares his journey from working alongside his father to buying h...

What if the fight that almost broke you became the discipline that built your success? In this episode of From Underdog to Entrepreneur, host Pat Miller sits down with business development coach, former Golden Gloves champion, and podcast host Ron Marvo to unpack a journey shaped by resilience, grit, and relentless curiosity. From a life-altering childhood crisis to championship boxing and ultimat...

What if success wasn't about closing deals—but about eliminating the option to quit? In this episode, real estate coach, investor, and author Josh Cadillac joins host Pat Miller to break down what it really means to build a business that lasts. From being raised in entrepreneurship at age nine, to losing everything in the 2008 crash, Josh shares how underdogs win—by outworking, outlasting, and out...

What if the setback you're facing right now is actually your greatest opportunity? In this episode, host Pat Miller sits down with entrepreneur, manufacturer, and mentor Rosemary Cescolini to unpack a powerful journey that began in teaching and evolved into building a multi-generation construction and manufacturing legacy. From learning the shop floor in a male-dominated industry to growing over 2...

What happens when a lawyer stops thinking like a prosecutor—and starts thinking like a business owner? In this episode, Pat Miller sits down with Damian Conforti, a former prosecutor turned trusted corporate counsel, to unpack what it really means to practice the business of law. Damian shares how relearning law through an entrepreneurial lens transformed the way he advises CEOs, founders, and lea...

A heart attack, a bankruptcy, and a lifetime of grit pushed Dan Sachkowsky to rebuild himself—and redefine what success really means. In this powerful conversation, Dan ("Big D") opens up about humble beginnings, multimillion-dollar wins, losing everything, and the wake-up call that turned pain into purpose. He and host Pat Miller dive deep into what it really takes to grow a business, lead with i...

What happens when life forces you to reinvent yourself? In this episode, Pat sits down with Chris Graffagnino — Army Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, and Founder of Graff Global — to talk about how an unexpected injury and an unshakable instinct led him from law enforcement to building an international risk management enterprise. Chris opens up about betting on himself, navigating unknowns, losing...

Most people run from the hard road — Ron Nussbaum runs toward it. In this episode, Pat sits down with Marine veteran, software founder, and Construction Champions podcast host Ron Nussbaum to talk about what it really means to start from nothing and build a life you're proud of. Ron shares how the underdog mindset shaped his journey from working his way up in construction, to walking away from the...

When life gave her no choice but to rise, Lena Piccininni built a career—and a legacy—out of pure grit. In this episode, Lena shares how losing her father at 17 forced her into survival mode, eventually leading her into the male-dominated world of barbering where she had to earn every ounce of respect. From teaching nationwide with Pacinos, to building a loyal client base from scratch, to launchin...

What if your side hustle on a school bus became a coastal lifestyle brand?  In this episode, Pat Miller sits down with Tomas Gesumaria, founder of East Waves Surf Co., to unpack how a high school passion for social media grew into a thriving East Coast surf community and apparel line. From screen-printing in his mom's garage to partnering with surf shops and breweries across the coast, Tomas share...

What if being overlooked was actually your greatest advantage? In this solo episode, host Pat Miller shares her powerful journey from loss and survival to resilience and success. Starting with just $100 and a relentless will to provide for her family, Pat reveals how being an underdog has shaped her path as an entrepreneur—and why your disadvantages can become the very foundation of your success....