The First Customer

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Joshua Davidson, CEO and founder of Chop Dawg. Growing up just outside of Atlantic City during the Great Recession, Josh saw firsthand how fragile traditional industries could be. Watching friends’ families lose homes and his father work multiple jobs gave him a survival instinct and a drive to create opportunities for himself. By the time he was a...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Rob Wenger, CEO and founder of Higher Logic. Rob shares how Higher Logic evolved from a LinkedIn-style networking idea into a powerful engagement platform serving over 3,000 clients worldwide. With a focus on professional communities—ranging from doctors and accountants to global corporations—Rob explains how the right mix of purpose, participation,...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Tim Haak, founder and Vice President of Innovation at Mile6.  Tim shares how growing up in a small-town family business shaped his entrepreneurial mindset, and how his curiosity for technology led him to build his first websites as a teenager—before he even had his driver’s license. From those humble beginnings to leading a digital product agency th...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Marco Benitez, CEO and founder of ROOK, a company revolutionizing how wearable health data is integrated and used. Marco opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, from growing up in Mexico to moving his family to the U.S. to pursue bigger opportunities. He reflects on how his first startup shaped his path, how COVID-19 became the catalyst for ROOK...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Umair Khan, CEO and founder of Techamana. Umair explains that Techamana is a vetted talent marketplace designed to stand apart from traditional freelance platforms. Techamana ensures quality by rigorously evaluating technical skills, communication, and cultural fit before admitting freelancers to the platform. He explains that the company matches cl...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Melissa Sherman, founding CEO of MOBILion Systems, Inc. Melissa shares how her Midwestern upbringing and early career at DuPont shaped her blend of science and business acumen, transforming her from a researcher into a CEO. She talks about discovering her passion for building businesses around complex technology, drawing on experiences ranging from...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dan Abel Jr., the Chief Chocolate Officer of Bissinger’s Chocolate. Dan shares how his family grew up immersed in the candy business—starting from a small family-run operation in 1981 to acquiring and leading the iconic Bissinger’s brand today. Dan walks us through their unique family dynamic, how each sibling found their place in the business, and...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Adam Dakin, President and CEO of Keriton. Adam’s entrepreneurial journey starts with selling hats and t-shirts in college before building multiple venture-backed startups and leading health tech investments at DreamIt Ventures. When Keriton’s investors seek new leadership, Adam steps in with a plan to stabilize finances, restructure the team, bring...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Paul Byrne, President of Razoyo, a Texas-based custom software development company.  Paul shared how growing up in an entrepreneurial family in Wichita, Kansas—where his mom ran a fabric shop and his dad tinkered with tech ventures—planted the seeds for his own journey. We discussed how the concept of entrepreneurship has evolved from packing circui...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Nicky Senyard, CEO and founder of Fintel Connect.  Nicky shared the journey behind Fintel Connect—a digital acquisition platform that helps financial institutions across North America grow their customer base through affiliate marketing. She explained how the platform acts like the “plumbing” between banks and publishers like NerdWallet or Credit Ka...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview serial entrepreneur Eric McHugh once again! Eric dives into his latest venture, dataing.io, an AI-powered matchmaking app built to challenge the typical swipe-based dating model. He shares how the Web3 space supports his builder mindset and leads to the creation of Hold On Labs, a platform that launches products focused on meaningful connection. Wit...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Keilian Knudsen and Prags Mugunthan, co-founders of Pangea.ai.  Keilian and Prags explored their journey from university roommates in Scotland to building a global tech talent platform. Keilian described how growing up in Switzerland with an American mother and Norwegian father gave him a multicultural view of the world and a drive to create somethi...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Aubrey Amatelli, Founder and CEO of PayRio—the first payment provider focused exclusively on alternative medicine. Aubrey shared how her roots in Silicon Valley and a traditional finance career at JP Morgan eventually led her to launch PayRio, combining her passion for cannabis and her expertise in payments. She walked me through the complicated reg...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Ben Fellows, CEO and founder of Loop QA. Ben shares how his company addresses the growing need for highly skilled, mid-to-senior QA professionals in a market lacking structured training and clear entry paths. Loop QA focuses on embedding experienced testers directly into teams at startups and enterprises, filling a critical talent gap with candidate...

In this episode , I was lucky enough to interview Bill Douglas, CEO of Optic Wise, also known as “The Resilience Guy”. From buying his first car at 15 with money he made running a newspaper hustle, to surviving a coral snake bite and a paralyzing ski accident 30 years to the day later, Bill’s journey is a lesson in grit and perspective. He shares how these life-altering experiences pushed him to l...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Steven Webster, CEO of asensei. Steven reflects on the importance of learning through iteration. He shares how some of the company's earlier choices—while later adjusted—were necessary stepping stones that shaped their current success. Rather than dwell on what could have been done differently, Steven focuses on how each decision sharpened thei...

In this episode, I was lucky  enough to  interview a longtime friend and startup expert Gregory Shepard. Greg shares the story behind his new book, The Startup Lifecycle , which grew out of a four-year research project on why startups fail. With thousands of transcripts and 200,000 case studies, he saw the need to turn complex data into practical tools for founders. What began as a policy-focused...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Terence Bennett, CEO of DreamFactory. Terence shares his unconventional journey from a military intelligence officer to leading a developer-focused API company.  He explains how his entrepreneurial parents influenced his mindset and how his military background taught him to solve problems creatively. He also shares how dealing with dyslexia and join...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview James Griffin, CEO of Invene. James shares how he transitioned from a self-taught coder with early entrepreneurial tendencies to leading a successful healthcare-focused software firm. Raised in an engineering-driven household in McKinney, Texas, James initially pursued biomedical engineering before shifting to computer science, eventually leveraging...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jason Vego, co-founder and CEO of Bevz, a digital platform helping mom-and-pop liquor and convenience stores go online and manage inventory.  Jason shares how growing up with an entrepreneurial father planted the seed for his own ventures, including an early attempt to build software for dog groomers. The failure taught him valuable lessons about un...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Brett Tiagwad, founder and CEO of Elevated Angles. Brett shares his unconventional path from finance to drone media. After a challenging personal journey, including recovery and the loss of his mother, Brett found solace and inspiration in flying drones. What started as a therapeutic hobby quickly became a business idea when he realized the visual i...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Christian Espinosa, founder and CEO of Blue Goat Cyber. Christian shares his experience of growing up in poverty with an unstable home life, seeking structure in the Air Force, and eventually transitioning from a successful freelancing career to launching his first company, Alpine Security. Christian explains that boredom and the desire for growth p...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dori Yona, Co-founder and CEO of Simple Closure. Dori shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began with a childhood influenced by his entrepreneur parents and a deep connection to Silicon Valley. He first launched a dating app in Israel, but quickly pivoted to create Earny, a consumer fintech company that automated price protection refunds from r...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Mark Wormgoor, CEO and tech coach at The Maverick CTO. Mark shares that despite a successful 25-year corporate career in IT, he felt unfulfilled after reaching his long-term goal early and ultimately chose to go independent. He candidly reflects on the decision-making process behind leaving corporate life, his early startup missteps, and how a faile...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Bert TerHart, CEO and Founder of LeadBrain AI.  Bert shares how his upbringing in a small Canadian town and the work ethic of his entrepreneurial father shaped his approach to business. From surveying frozen land with his dad on holidays to founding three companies in the tech and healthcare sectors, Bert emphasizes the importance of deep customer c...