Raw and Real Entrepreneurship®

What does it really take to walk away from stability and build something from scratch? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® , Susan Sly sits down with Alisa Sparks , Founder and CEO of Linden Creek. They unpack Alisa's journey from managing multi-million-dollar budgets for Naval aircraft to building a luxury interior design, home staging, and Airbnb setup brand. Linden Creek is now fr...

This episode features a conversation with Rebecca Matchett, co-founder and COO of Synchrony , about the grit, courage, and resilience required to build a business—even in the face of deep personal and professional reinvention. Rebecca shares her entrepreneurial journey, starting with a volume-focused lemonade stand and later co-founding the iconic fashion brand Alice + Olivia , where she learned t...

In this inspiring episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® , Susan Sly sits down with Tracey Wheeler Noonan, co-founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes, to uncover how a Shark Tank appearance led to a multi-million dollar exit to Hickory Farms. Tracey shares the behind-the-scenes story of landing a deal with Kevin O’Leary, navigating public scrutiny, building a scalable business from a home kitchen, and...

Could watching a game show inspire the creation of a billion-dollar company? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship®, host Susan Sly sits down with Shawn Nelson, founder and CEO of Lovesac, who shares how a lightbulb moment during The Price Is Right led to 27 years of building a public company—through bootstrapping, winning $1 million from Richard Branson on reality TV, surviving Chapter...

What does it take to launch a female-founded brand in 700 Target stores—with no prior CPG experience? In this raw and real conversation, Susan Sly sits down with Amiee LeMaire, founder of ZEYA, the first true innovation in home fragrance since Febreze. Discover how this former Hollywood producer transformed a deeply personal passion for non-toxic, functional fragrance into a fast-growing brand sel...

What if the path to business ownership didn’t require a million dollars—or even quitting your job? In this episode, Susan Sly sits down with Alex Smereczniak , founder of Franzy —an AI-powered platform on a mission to create one million entrepreneurs by reimagining franchising. After scaling a laundry startup to a $100M valuation, Alex is now focused on using technology to democratize business own...

In a time of AI, rapid change, and constant disruption, what does it really take to lead? Susan Sly sits down with physicist, tech executive, and executive leadership coach Dr. Toni Collis for a candid conversation about the realities of leadership in uncertain times. From subtle bias and burnout to walking away from a successful tech career, Toni shares how she rebuilt her path with purpose and n...

What if the anxiety, overworking, or self-doubt you feel as an entrepreneur isn’t just about your business, but the patterns you inherited? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship ®, Susan Sly sits down with trauma-informed psychologist Dr. Pauline Yeghnazar Peck to explore how inherited trauma and cultural expectations shape entrepreneurs. From high-achievers who feel like they’re always...

What does it really look like to build a business while silently drowning in debt? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , host Susan Sly sits down with Daniel Bussius, founder and CEO of Built by Love®, as he shares how he ended up $90,000 in personal debt—and the decision he now calls his biggest mistake. He opens up about scrapping a fully produced course, initiating a software build...

What happens when success looks good on paper but feels empty? Clara Capano opens up about why she walked away from a lucrative six-figure opportunity—because it didn’t align with her values,  vision, or role as a mom. In this episode, Clara and Susan unpack what it takes to lead with clarity—and how that decision became the start of greater purpose, profit, and peace. Clara shares the intent...

Sally Mueller helped shape the modern retail experience—leading iconic designer collaborations and category reinventions during her 25-year career at Target. Now, she’s co-founder and CEO of Womaness, a fast-growing brand breaking the silence around menopause and empowering women in midlife. In this raw conversation, Susan Sly and Sally unpack what it takes to pivot from powerhouse executive to st...

After a devastating snowmobile accident at 40 mph that left him with 18 broken bones and punctured lungs, Navy SEAL Commander and CEO Mark Divine knew something had to change—not just in his body, but in his leadership. In this powerful episode, Mark joins Susan Sly to share how the crash became a defining turning point: dismantling outdated business models, releasing toxic partnerships, and rebui...

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , Susan Sly sits down with David Young—founder of Federated Computer and the visionary behind Joyent, the cloud infrastructure company that powered Twitter and Tumblr before its $170M acquisition by Samsung. David shares an unfiltered account of building innovative cloud technology, losing his company due to personal struggles, and rebuilding his li...

What happens when visibility doesn’t automatically lead to a business? For Kirpa Sudick — former contestant on The Bachelor Season 23 — the next step was clear: build a brand rooted in purpose and long-term value. In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , Susan Sly speaks with Kirpa about how she transitioned from public figure to business owner, scaling a coaching brand with authenticity...

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , Susan Sly sits down with John Worthington, founder of Sircles —a social recommendation app that raised over $1M in just six days on WeFunder and is on a mission to disrupt the Yelp model. They get candid about the real cost of building a startup, leading through chaos, and the emotional resilience required to scale. John shares his personal ‘why,’...

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , host Susan Sly sits down with Hikari Senju, Founder of Omneky, to discuss his journey from a creative childhood to scaling innovative startups. Hikari dives into his early entrepreneurial experiences, the rise of generative AI, and how AI is transforming advertising. He also reveals the challenges of raising capital—having pitched to hundreds of i...

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , Susan Sly sits down with Susan Groeneveld, Founder of Sylvester.ai, to discuss the bold pivot that reshaped her AI startup. Initially launched as a B2C pet health platform, Susan made the strategic decision to shift to B2B, securing key contracts to expand into veterinary clinics and successfully raising funding in today’s tough investment climate...

AI is shaking up industries, but what does it mean for female founders in today’s challenging funding environment? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , Susan Sly sits down with five-time entrepreneur Melinda Wittstock —AI innovator, venture partner, and CEO of Podopolo. They break down the impact of AI disruptors like DeepSeek, the funding freeze on U.S. grants, and why women-led sta...

Kaylee Lieffers, Co-Founder and CEO of Blanka, shares how she built a top Shopify beauty app that helps entrepreneurs launch private-label brands—without holding inventory.  From bootstrapping and startup struggles to funding, hiring, and overcoming imposter syndrome, Kaylee reveals key lessons in scaling a tech business. A must-listen for founders, startup leaders, and e-commerce entrepreneurs! A...

In this Raw and Real Entrepreneurship episode, host Susan Sly sits down with Cody Schneider, Co-Founder of Swell AI. Together, they explore the dynamic landscape of startups, highlighting the rising trend of remote work and the power of global talent pools. Cody shares invaluable insights on scaling companies through innovative strategies like podcasting, live courses, and social media, emphasizin...

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , Susan Sly chats with Jasmine Bhatti, a Registered Nurse and founder of Navi Nurses, about her journey from COVID unit nurse to healthcare innovator. Learn how Jasmine bootstrapped her company, scaled to 200+ nurses, and disrupted the industry with patient-focused care. She shares insights on finding clients, building a team, and managing stress. W...

In this inspiring episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship , host Susan Sly sits down with Gregory Shepard, founder of BOSS Capital Partners, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Startup Life Cycle . Gregory shares insights from his groundbreaking research, including interviews with 1,200 founders, and highlights the phases where startups are most vulnerable—and how founders can navigate these c...

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with Morgan Kline, Co-Founder of Burn Boot Camp. Morgan shares her inspiring story of transitioning from parking lot boot camps to leading a thriving fitness franchise with over 400 locations and a best-selling book. The conversation touches on: Entrepreneurship & Career Transition : Morgan recounts how she left her corporat...

In this Raw and Real Entrepreneurship episode, Susan Sly talks to Karen Gordon , Founder of Simpli5. Karen shares her journey from managing a thriving business with $1 million in monthly revenue to navigating that customer's bankruptcy. Her story highlights the importance of perseverance and strategic pivoting. Karen shares the practical implications of cognitive diversity. She discusses the impor...

Ever wondered how a kid selling coloring books door-to-door could end up co-founding one of the hottest plant-based protein drink brands? In this Raw and Real Entrepreneurship episode, Susan Sly sits down with Chris Hunter, the unstoppable force behind KOIA. From hustling coloring book pictures in Youngstown, Ohio, to navigating the chaos of Four Loko, to breaking into major retailers like Starbuc...