The First Customer

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jimmy Jacobson, CTO of Codingscape. Jimmy discovered programming through his father's university lab computer, unaware it could be a career. He later pursued computer science, freelancing while working at Overstock and Zappos. Zappos’ culture encouraged risk-taking, fueling his entrepreneurial drive. He co-founded Wedgies.com, a social media po...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Will Blackburn, co-founder of DevClarity. Will shares he's from Birmingham, Alabama, where he still resides. Although he moved to Atlanta, thinking Birmingham lacked a tech ecosystem, he returned after seeing local success stories and opportunities. Birmingham’s smaller, supportive startup community, centered around the Innovation Depot, made i...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Tatsiana Kirimava, CEO and co-founder of Orangesoft. Tatsiana shares that she grew up in various countries, including Poland, Belarus, and the U.S. She attributes her open-mindedness and independence to her parents, who encouraged her to make her own decisions. She highlights her ability to communicate effectively and build networks as essential ski...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview T. Brad Kielinski, Founder of IT Pros. Brad shared his journey from growing up in Plymouth Meeting near Germantown Academy to becoming a successful tech recruiter in Philadelphia. Inspired by witnessing his uncle and aunt’s homegrown business grow to 400 employees and his father’s inventive spirit, Brad gravitated towards entrepreneurship early on....

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Charles Sims, CEO and founder of Investimate. Charles shares how he grew up around innovation and leadership inspired him to build and scale ventures, starting with a paintball supply company as a child. His ability to adapt and thrive in chaos earned him the moniker "Hurricane CTO" during his tenure with organizations like the LA Clippers...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview David Snider, founder and CEO of Harness Wealth.  Growing up in Boston, David's early exposure to financial services and an interest in problem-solving shaped his career. After co-founding and helping grow Compass, a major real estate brokerage, he realized that navigating tax and financial complexities was a major challenge for business owners...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jason Shafton, CEO and founder of Winston Francois. Jason shares his journey from growing up in a family of entrepreneurs in Chicago to becoming a growth and marketing consultant for tech startups. Inspired by his parents’ business ventures in high-end audio equipment, Jason developed an early passion for business, launching a small airplane-selling...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Vladimir Baranov, CEO and founder of Human Interfaces. Vladimir had early exposure to the turbulent Russian business climate, which made him cautious about entrepreneurship, but his experiences in the U.S. gradually changed his perspective. In college, he created a textbook-sharing platform, an early taste of entrepreneurship, though without chargin...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Peter Bonney, CEO and founder of Fastbreak RFP. Peter shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his childhood in a small town in Massachusetts. Growing up with a father who ran shoe stores and constantly engaged in side hustles, Peter absorbed key lessons in customer focus and hustle. He reflects on how his early experiences shaped his busin...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Shae Feltz, CEO and founder of NOTICS, an IT service provider based in Minneapolis.  Shae delves into his humble beginnings in Brainerd, Minnesota, where he learned early on that working for someone else wasn’t for him. At just 16, Shae launched a mobile iPhone repair business, gaining valuable insights into marketing, sales, and fulfillment. He cre...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Brian Glick, CEO and founder of Chain.io  Brian traced his inspiration to a family background in leadership and entrepreneurship, coupled with firsthand experience in customs brokerage. Dropping out of college, Brian’s entry into the supply chain world began humbly, crawling under desks to set up computers. Over time, he recognized inefficiencies in...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jon Wise, the founder and CEO of Jon Wise Creative (JWC).  Jon started his childhood in suburban Atlanta, where his father ran a local software store. Jon recalls his earliest entrepreneurial endeavor at a community festival, selling “Tucker Rocks” to neighbors, which marked the beginning of his creative and business-minded spirit. After studying mu...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Etienne de Bruin, Founder and CEO of 7CTOs. Etienne shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his upbringing in South Africa to founding his organization that supports technology leaders. Growing up during a time of global isolation for South Africa, Etienne reflects on how this scarcity of resources fostered a strong entrepreneurial spirit...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Rachel Sanders, CEO and Co-Founder of Rootine. Rachel shares the transformative journey behind her health and wellness brand. Rootine’s mission is to empower individuals with personalized, data-driven health solutions, starting with custom multivitamins tailored to biological data. Rachel recounts how her upbringing in a holistic health-focused hous...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Hunter Fortuin and Tom Carmona, co-founders of Wolfjaw Studios.  Based in Troy, New York, Wolfjaw specializes in backend development for online gaming services, tackling the complex systems that enable matchmaking, account management, and telemetry. Tom recounts how the company’s first major client originated from a network connection cultivated ove...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jason Barnard, CEO of Kalicube. Jason recounts his beginnings in the music industry, where he started a record label after failing to secure a deal for his band. This led him to his first customer, a record company, which he gained through relationship building. He further explains the challenges he faced with his second company, a children’s entert...

In this episode, I was very, very lucky enough to interview my former boss, Dave Reinhold, Founder of VentureCPO. Growing up in New York, Dave recounts his first “business” selling bubble gum and fans to classmates, reflecting a lifelong drive for independence and resourcefulness. His early passion for technology blossomed with his first computer, a Commodore 64, which sparked a fascination with d...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Deanna Sheward, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Capablanca. Deanna shares her unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship. She recounts how her background in art, architecture, and research instilled in her a passion for learning and personal growth, which later fueled her pivot into the tech industry. Deanna explains how the skills she...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Sean Languedoc, Founder and CEO of Outforce AI. Sean recounts his unconventional start in business, inspired by advice to "learn by doing" instead of pursuing an MBA. He shares his experience launching a tourism venture during Expo 86 in Vancouver, which taught him the value of adaptability when the business didn’t take off as expected. Fr...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jordan Saunders, founder and CEO of NextLink Labs. Jordan reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his early days in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, building computers at age 12. He shares how his passion for technology led him to pursue consulting right out of college after studying computer science at Penn State. Over the past decade, Jord...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Alex Levin, Co-Founder and CEO of Regal.io. Alex grew up in Manhattan with a father who ran a steel service business. Alex absorbed early lessons about business operations and efficiency. While his father’s ventures in technology during the late 90s exposed him to a rapidly changing landscape, Alex initially explored entrepreneurship by selling wild...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dave Schneider, the CEO of Shortlist.io. Dave shares his upbringing in Ashland, Massachusetts, a small town where entrepreneurship was not encouraged. He explains how his early life and family background led him toward a more traditional career path, but eventually, after working a corporate job, he shifted to a more nomadic lifestyle with his wife....

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dan Balcauski, founder and CPO of Product Tranquility. Dan shared his backstory, growing up in Chicago with no direct entrepreneurial influences but finding his path through engineering and the software industry. He moved to Austin, Texas, over 20 years ago, drawn by its warmer climate and tech opportunities. Initially influenced by the dot-com bubb...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Donnie Boivin, Founder and CEO of Success Champions Network. Donnie grew up in a blue-collar family, and never considered starting a business until he was in his 40s. Inspired by thought leaders like Gary Vee and Tim Ferriss, Donnie made the leap after spending nearly two decades in sales, but quickly realized that building a successful business was...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Baird Hall, co-founder of Churnkey. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Baird didn’t start his first company until he was 27, though he feels he could have begun earlier. His first venture, a social audio network for sports fans, ultimately failed because while the product had passionate users, it generated no revenue. Baird reflects on how thi...