The First Customer

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Lynn Whitbeck, Founder and CEO of Petite2Queen. Lynn grew up in a mid-sized town, and her experience in the Girl Scouts, where she spearheaded a cookie-selling strategy with a shy friend, sparked her love for sales. That early success, along with her passion for helping people, laid the foundation for her sales expertise. Over time, Lynn moved into...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Len Covello, CTO and Co-founder of Engage People. Len discusses his early influences, including growing up in Toronto and being inspired by his father, who was an entrepreneur in the catering business. Len's passion for technology started at a young age with his first computer, a Vic 20, and continued to grow as he developed basic programming s...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Andrew Watson, Co-Founder of Igloo Media. Andrew recounts his upbringing in Italy and England, and how his initial aspirations as a tennis player eventually led him to entrepreneurship in the U.S. He describes his collegiate tennis career, where he honed his competitive spirit, which later translated into valuable skills in the business world. Andre...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Sanket Karamchandani, Founder of Miss Neeta's Ice Cream Parlor. Sanket shared his entrepreneurial journey from a childhood dream inspired by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to becoming a business owner. Growing up in the Bay Area, Sanket was driven by the desire to pursue something he loved, which he eventually realized was ice cream. Despite h...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview a very, very, special friend, Christopher Wink, Co-founder and CEO of Technical.ly. Chris discussed his upbringing in a rural corner of Northwest New Jersey, which lacked exposure to technology and entrepreneurship. Despite not coming from a family with a background in journalism or entrepreneurship, Chris shared how his parents' traits—his fat...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jeff Bruno, CEO and Co-founder of B.Modelr. Jeff shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began in Philadelphia, and how his passion for small business finance led him to create his fractional CFO service. However, after realizing the limitations of the service model, Jeff and his partner, Julian Wright, pivoted to focus on building a tech-driven p...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview a very special friend, Jedidiah Weller, the CEO and Founder of Open Forge and Startup Wars. Jedidiah shares his entrepreneurial journey, beginning in rural Pennsylvania, where he grew up in Amish country. He details how his experiences in a challenging upbringing without strong entrepreneurial role models spurred his drive to succeed. After a diffic...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jack Adler, CEO and Founder of Out2Win Sports. Jack shares his journey from growing up in Bluebell and Villanova to his time at Syracuse University, where he founded Out2Win Sports in 2021. The idea for his sports marketing firm, which specializes in connecting brands with athlete creators in the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) space, was born during th...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Leopold van Oosten, the CEO and Founder of Amsterdam Standard. Leopold recounts his entrepreneurial journey, which began in a small, unremarkable town in the Netherlands. Initially studying hotel management with aspirations of entering the hospitality industry, his path took a dramatic turn during an internship in London in 2001. There, he was expos...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Ann Carden, CEO and Founder of Expert In You. Ann delved into her entrepreneurial journey, which began in Missouri, influenced by her father, an entrepreneur. Ann's early ventures started with a doll business that she grew into a global enterprise, crafting and selling her own line of dolls. This experience instilled in her a deep understanding...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Tomé Duarte, the Fractional CTO and Founder of Penguin Objective. Tomé shares how he started the year strong with a record-setting Q1, crediting his meticulous use of spreadsheets for managing his operations and cash flow. Originally from Portugal, Tomé explains that he lived in Brazil and Ireland before settling back in his homeland, though his pri...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jennifer Cresswell, Founder of Thoughtgro. Jennifer grew up in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area and having a background in industrial engineering from Cornell, Jennifer's drive to improve and optimize systems led her to launch Thoughtgro in July 2022. Despite initial challenges and a steep learning curve, Jennifer emphasized that her success s...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Tim Branyan, founder of TrueFanz. Tim grew up in Kokomo, Indiana and explained how his early life, including the influence of his comedian father and his curiosity, shaped his entrepreneurial spirit. Tim's first business venture was modifying Xbox consoles during high school, which taught him about market demand and customer service. His first...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jim Keeney, founder and CEO of Dapt Tech. Jim explains that the entrepreneurial drive is fueled by a desire to build things and solve problems, which began for him in childhood. He talks about how Dapt Tech helps businesses track profit and loss by activity, allowing them to accurately assess the costs of specific jobs and make informed decisions ab...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Mark Allen, Co-founder and CTO of Cobalt Innovations Inc.  Mark grew up in Bluebell, Pennsylvania. He credited his wife’s influence for igniting his entrepreneurial spirit. Initially working in tech as a software consultant, Mark eventually co-founded Cobalt during the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform was developed rapidly in response to the urgent m...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Timothy Poore, the CEO and Co-founder of ATP Healthcare.  Timothy shared insights into his journey as an entrepreneur, reflecting on how his upbringing, particularly his parents' business endeavors, shaped his work ethic and determination. He discussed the origins of ATP Healthcare, a company that specializes in finding post-acute care placemen...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Catherine Griffin, Founder of Impactable. Catherine recounts how her experiences leading a fund and accelerator in Philadelphia, which focused on social entrepreneurship and global innovation initiatives, inspired the creation of Impactable. Catherine explains that Impactable is a predictive impact analytics and reporting platform designed for both...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Natalie Doyle Oldfield, CEO and founder of Success Through Trust Inc. Natalie grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and shares that she was inspired by her parents' strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. Her father’s experience as an author and business owner profoundly influenced her career path. Natalie discusses how her upbringing an...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Marc Portney, CEO and Founder of Globalsource Infrastructure Partners. Marc spent his early days in Queens, New York, where he displayed an entrepreneurial spirit by shining shoes for pocket money. He emphasizes the importance of relationships in business, recounting how his hands-on approach and authenticity have been pivotal in building and mainta...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Monik Pamecha, CEO and Co-founder of Toma. Monik grew up in Bombay and was influenced by his hardworking father. This environment fostered an early interest in technology, leading him to create websites and tech blogs as a teenager. His first notable venture involved writing a humorous blog about a school friend's body hair, which gained signif...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview a very, very special guest, Rick Nucci, CEO and co-founder of Guru. Rick, highly regarded in the Philadelphia tech scene, reflected on a memorable moment at the Founder Factory event, where he humorously referenced a sports figure to highlight the significance of operations roles in companies. He emphasized the vital role of operations professionals...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Bobby Varma, CEO and founder of Princeton Identity. Bobby shared her journey from her early life in India to her entrepreneurial ventures in the U.S. She highlighted how her father's love for travel and entrepreneurship influenced her adaptability and problem-solving skills, which are crucial traits for an entrepreneur. Bobby detailed her acade...

In this episode, I was  lucky enough to interview Joelle Flynn and Sonia Hounsell, co-founders and co-CEOs of FunkkOFF, a company that creates innovative oral care products. Joelle, a seasoned entrepreneur with a background in finance, and Sonia, an experienced brand manager with a passion for strategy and analytics, share their journey from childhood friends to business partners. They discuss the...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Mark Lin, Founder and CEO of Sliimeyhoney. Mark shares the journey of how he founded his gourmet slime company. He explains that Sliimeyhoney creates slimes that not only look and feel like favorite foods but also smell delightful, making them sensory toys. Mark started his business during the COVID-19 pandemic from his home's storage room whil...

In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jared Waters, CEO of Mini Materials. Jared shares his unique journey from a small-town upbringing to becoming an entrepreneur. Jared explains how moving frequently in his childhood helped him become more outgoing, a trait that benefits his entrepreneurial ventures. He reveals that he bought Mini Materials, a company known for producing miniature con...