Taking Flight: The Entrepreneurs Journey Podcast

Entrepreneurship is hard - but the right perspective makes all the difference. In this episode of Taking Flight: An Entrepreneur’s Journey , host Sarah Tourville speaks with Jim McNamara, founder of 8 Penny Labs, about building businesses that can compete in a fast-moving digital economy. Jim shares his unconventional path from literature to global technology leadership, including years of working...

Recorded live at EO Atlanta’s 30th Anniversary Signature Event, this episode of the EO Atlanta Taking Flight Podcast features Sirmantha Ellison, founder of From Sir With Love . Sirmantha shares her journey from public accounting to building a creative business centered on bespoke stationery, intentional corporate gifting, and the art of gratitude. She discusses working with corporations, nonprofit...

  In this powerful episode of EO Atlanta: Taking Flight , Sarah sits down with Mike Dames: West Point graduate, U.S. Army engineer officer, Afghanistan veteran, MBA from the University of Chicago, business investor, and CEO of Colography . Mike takes us on an honest and insightful journey through his transition from military leadership to entrepreneurship, revealing the highs, lows, and inner resi...

In this episode of the EO Atlanta Taking Flight Podcast , Sarah Tourville sits down with David Hern , CEO of Sofer Advisors , to dive into the art and science of understanding what makes a business truly valuable. David shares how his Atlanta-based, family-run firm helps companies of all sizes. From startups to long-established enterprises, he helps them discover their worth through detailed valua...

In this powerful episode of EO Atlanta Taking Flight, Sarah sits down with Erica Gwyn — an entrepreneurial powerhouse, faith-driven visionary, and purpose-led founder behind Seven Oaks Academy Montessori preschool in Gwinnett County, GA and The Nonprofit Guru, a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations grow with clarity and impact. Erica opens up about her extraordinary journey — from gr...

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Jaci Lund, founder of Treebird Branding, a creative agency that’s redefining what it means to build meaningful brands in a fast-changing world. Jaci shares the honest story behind starting Treebird out of creative frustration, the philosophy that drives their unique brand-building process (yes, it involves a little "witchcraft"), and how a floor tile at an Atl...

In this episode, Sarah Tourville sits down with Christian Dodder , founder of Fire Protection Services and longtime EO Atlanta member, to celebrate EO Atlanta’s 30th anniversary and unpack an inspiring entrepreneurial journey. Christian shares how he transitioned from selling his first company under a non-compete to diving headfirst into the complex, regulation-heavy world of fire and life safety...

In this inspiring episode, host Sarah sits down with Galina Juliana Cuada , founder of Galina Juliana Photography, a boutique production company specializing in cinematic, high-end architectural photography for luxury resorts and hospitality brands. Recorded live at EO Atlanta's 30 Year Anniversary Event, this intimate conversation dives into Galina’s journey from journalism to hospitality photogr...

In this episode of Taking Flight , we're reconnecting with Brad Stevens at the EO Atlanta 30th Anniversary Celebration. Brad is a former president of EO Atlanta (2020–2021), a University of Pennsylvania alum, and the Founder & CEO of Outsource Access - an outsourcing firm supporting 75+ industries worldwide with a team of over 500 professionals. In this conversation, Brad and Sarah dive into t...

In this new episode of "Taking Flight", Sarah chats with William Fogler, Founder and Principal of WM Events, a full-service event house known for its creative and logistical prowess. Since launching WM Events in 2004, William has transformed it into an award-winning company with a reputation for sky-high standards and unforgettable experiences. Originally from Denver, William chose Atlanta for his...

Join us in today’s episode as we chat with the magical, Scarlett Rosier, Co-founder and Director of Operations of Rhyme & Reason Design, an award-winning boutique advertising and design firm. Beyond her remarkable professional achievements over the last 16 years, Scarlett is also a proud horse owner of Theo, aka Priceless . In this lively conversation, Scarlett and Sarah dive into her entrepre...

Today, Sarah talks with Marlon Grigsby, Founder & CEO of Sentry IT. Marlon is on a mission to help CIO's secure & modernize their IT operations. In this episode, he tells us more about his background and his expertise in IT, Artificial Intelligence  and Cybersecurity. We also touch on his passion for entrepreneurship and coaching that has led him to make such a big impact on EO Atlanta. Ma...

In the first episode of 2025, Sarah Tourville is joined by Ken Paskins, CEO and Founder of GCE Consulting, a company at the forefront of business transformation, working with clients in over 10 countries. Ken shares his insights on the importance of building the right team to maximize value for both your business and clients. He reflects on his parents' entrepreneurial journey, the lessons it taug...

In this week's episode, we take flight with Kara Smith Brown, Founder & CRO of Lead Coverage and now an Amazon Best-Selling Author. A trailblazer in the B2B growth space, Kara is the driving force behind LeadCoverage, the only Go-to-Market agency dedicated to the supply chain and the largest consultancy in analyst relations, public relations, revenue operations, and lead generation. With a wea...

In this week's episode, host Sarah Tourville sits down with entrepreneur Scott Mackenzie. Scott has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and is founder of Private Family Wealth Advisors here in Atlanta. Scott has been a passionate member of EO Atlanta since 2022 and brings a wealth of experience as a MBA, CFP and CIMA. Scott talks about his first flight into entrepreneurs...

In our new episode of the EO Atlanta Taking Flight podcast, Sarah Tourville is joined by Flix CEO & Founder, Daniel Krauss. Daniel was recently a speaker at EO Nerve 2024 and has been on his mission of green mobility for almost 14 years. Daniel shares some of his business philosophies and how he got started on his entrepreneurial journey. One of which being that as an entrepreneur you have to...

We are BACK with another season of Taking Flight the EO Atlanta Podcast! We couldn't have asked for a better guest to lift off our season than entrepreneur and commercial pilot, Robin Sokoloff. We had to get Robin for our first episode as she "takes flight" on a daily basis teaching other entrepreneurs how to fly. Today, she teaches us how to take flight in our own businesses.  Not only is she FAA...

On this week’s episode of Taking Flight, Sarah Tourville had the pleasure of being interviewed by a guest host, Ethan King, former President of EO Atlanta! They delved into her journey into entrepreneurship, her passion for communications, and the vital importance of aligning skills with passion. Sarah shared insights from her experience working on international PR campaigns, discussed the challen...

Today’s guest is an expert in Functional Medicine, a podcast host, and an entrepreneur! Please welcome to the show Kristin Oja, Founder & CEO of STAT Wellness. Kristin joins host Sarah Tourville to share her holistic approach to functional medicine, challenges of managing a service-based business, and patient experience in healthcare innovation. Learn with Sarah about Kristin’s leap into her p...

Today’s guest is a Forbes contributor on Franchising and Best-Selling Author of Non-Food Franchising . Please welcome to the show Jon Ostenson, CEO and Consultant at FranBridge Consulting. Jon joins host Sarah Tourville to share the challenges and successes of entrepreneurship, the importance of niche specialization, and overcoming business challenges. Learn with Sarah about Jon’s entrepreneurial...

Today’s guest is an experienced real estate agent who is passionate about helping others create wealth and a portfolio they can retire on. Please welcome to the show Samantha Hayes, CEO of Atlas Real Estate. Samantha joins host Sarah Tourville to share her passion for real estate, and strategies in building passive incomes and wealth through it. Learn with Sarah about Samantha’s experiences and is...

Today’s guest has over 20 years of experience in his industry and has been a member of EO Atlanta since 2019. Please welcome to the show Jon Roman, Managing Partner at Transworld Business Advisors of Atlanta. Jon joins host Sarah Tourville to share his insights on understanding and respecting time limitations, trusting and empowering his team members, and providing coaching support! Learn with Sar...

Today’s guest has over 20 years of marketing, business development, and management experience! While being inspired to help marketers find agencies that are the most proficient in their respective disciplines, he has also received the AMA Atlanta - Jana Ferguson Mentorship Award and AMA Atlanta - Volunteer of the Year! Please welcome to the show Joe Koufman, Co-founder at ChooseATL and Founder &am...

Today’s guest is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur, author, and podcast host! Please welcome to the show Casey Cheshire, Founder & Chief Evangelist of Ringmaster Conversational Marketing. Casey joins host Sarah Tourville to share how Ringmaster prioritizes company culture, establishes authentic connections with clients, and how his own passion for podcasting was accidentally discovered and...

Today’s guest is an entrepreneur on her way to making nutrition healthier, accessible, and more affordable! Please welcome to the show, Leslie Zinn, Owner and CEO of Arden’s Garden. Leslie joins host Sarah Tourville to share her entrepreneurial journey of overcoming challenges and finding your purpose and passion. Learn with Sarah about Arden’s Garden’s commitment to food sustainability and connec...