Shows
Founders and EmpanadasScaling Food Waste Solutions: Smarter AI, Smaller Footprint, with Adam Bailey, Co-Founder & CTO @ TopangaThe future doesn’t belong to the loudest idea. It belongs to the teams that can execute in the messiest industries.In this episode of Founders & Empanadas, Joshua sits down with Adam Bailey, Co-Founder and CTO of Topanga.io, to explore what it really takes to scale technology that solves real-world operational problems—starting with food waste.Adam shares how Topanga pivoted from food delivery to building a kitchen intelligence platform used by universities, hospitals, and senior living communities across North America.They dig into...2025-05-0741 minFounders and EmpanadasBuilding Games, Battling Burnout, and Betting on Global Talent, with Max Albert, CEO of Adrenaline InteractiveIs in-game advertising the future of media? Can Hearthstone be a mental health tool? Why do most founders fail with overseas talent?In this episode of Founders & Empanadas, I sit down with Max Albert—founder of Adrenaline Interactive and former eSports athlete turned venture-backed gaming CEO—for a fast-moving conversation on the real future of gaming, monetization models that aren’t predatory, and the personal story behind how gaming helped him recover from depression and drop back into life.We cover:Why in-game product placement will e...2025-04-3046 minFounders and EmpanadasInnovation Isn’t a Brainstorm: How to Build When the Playbook Breaks, with Michigan Labs’ Mark JohnsonMost leaders talk about innovation. Mark Johnson actually builds for it.In this episode of Founders & Empanadas, I sit down with Mark Johnson, Co-Founder of Michigan Software Labs, to unpack what innovation really looks like inside high-stakes teams, enterprise orgs, and day-to-day life.We cover:Why the best innovation comes from crisis, not comfortWhat NASA’s Apollo 13 mission can teach you about leadershipHow to empower junior teammates to share ideas without fearThe one ex...2025-04-2237 min
Built to Scale: B2B Growth with Rym BenchaarRedefining Global Staffing – Joshua Eidelman of NeoWorkIn this episode of Built to Scale: B2B Growth, we sit down with Joshua Eidelman, Founder & CEO of NeoWork, to explore how his company is transforming the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. NeoWork specializes in providing tailored offshoring and nearshoring solutions, connecting businesses with top-tier talent in customer experience, IT & development, AI training, and creative services.Joshua shares his journey in identifying the gaps within traditional BPO models and how NeoWork addresses these challenges by investing in recruiting, training, and continuously incentivizing top-level talent. He discusses the importance of mental health in the workplace, highlighting NeoWork's...2025-04-1720 minFounders and EmpanadasTied Up in Brazil, Broke in Sri Lanka, and Evan Cassidy Still Built a 7-Figure AgencyWhat do you do when you’re hogtied at gunpoint in a Brazilian penthouse? Or broke in Sri Lanka trying to make a business work from scratch?For Evan Cassidy, those weren’t hypotheticals—they were chapter one.In this raw and revealing episode of Founders & Empanadas, Joshua Eidelman sits down with Evan to unpack the wild, global journey that eventually led him to build Booming Brands, a white-labeled video editing agency now producing 4,000+ videos per month.They cover:The violen...2025-04-0935 minFounders and EmpanadasSupport Is Not a Cost Center: How to Scale CX Without Losing Your Soul, with Susana De SousaIs your customer support team seen as a cost center—or a strategic growth engine?In this episode of Founders & Empanadas, Joshua Eidelman sits down with Susana De Sousa, CX advisor and former leader at Airbnb and Loom, to challenge the outdated thinking around support. They dive deep into how support teams can drive expansion revenue, reduce churn, and directly contribute to product and retention strategy.Susana shares hard-won lessons from scaling support at hypergrowth startups, how to build automation without losing the human touch, and why CSAT might be...2025-04-0347 minFounders and EmpanadasThe Founder's Status Limbo, AI Anxiety, and the Art of Clear CommunicationStarting a company means embracing a strange, often uncomfortable reality: status limbo.One day, you’re managing a team, earning a solid paycheck, and working in a nice office. The next, you’re back to zero—no salary, no brand recognition, no credibility beyond your own conviction. It’s the most disorienting transition in a founder’s journey, and if you don’t learn to sit with it, it can lead to some really bad decisions.In the latest Founders & Empanadas episode, Joshua Eidelman sat down with Patrick Rafferty, co-founder of UserHub, to unpack the mental game of startup life, the role of...2025-03-1236 minFounders and EmpanadasHow To Maintain Your Company’s Culture During a Period of Rapid Growth, with Melissa RosenthalIn this episode, Joshua Eidelman sits down with marketing powerhouse Melissa Rosenthal to discuss her journey from media disruptor at BuzzFeed to B2B marketing innovator at ClickUp. Melissa shares candid insights on applying B2C strategies to B2B marketing, building high-performing teams during hypergrowth, and her philosophy on brand building. She opens up about the emotional challenges of working 20-hour days at a rocket ship startup, her approach to hiring and managing talent, and her current venture OutLever, which turns companies into their own media publications. Don't miss Melissa's hot takes on founder mindset, including why friction...2025-03-0537 minFounders and EmpanadasWhy Most Leaders Miss Their Team's Genius Zone: Unlocking Hidden Talent, with Dawn Eidelman, PhDThere's something special about sharing empanadas and diving into deep conversations about life, learning, and entrepreneurship with family. Last week, I had the joy of sitting down with Dr. Dawn Eidelman—who happens to be my mother—for an episode of Founders and Empanadas. As we talked about her incredible journey from academia to global education innovator, I couldn't help but reflect on how growing up in a family of educational entrepreneurs shaped my own view of what's possible in our interconnected world.2025-02-2645 minFounders and EmpanadasHow To Manage A Cross-Cultural Team Like a Pro with Joshua Eidelman, Founder of NeoWorkIn this special Q&A episode, Joshua Eidelman, founder of NeoWork, answers listener questions about entrepreneurship, building global teams, and driving operational excellence across cultures.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction1:57 How immigrant parents shape entrepreneurial resilience4:33 Driving performance with overseas teams in non-confrontational cultures7:15 Essential Tagalog terms for managing Filipino teams12:59 Operational excellence with LatAm teams23:23 Navigating cultural differences in global leadership26:38 Cross-cultural alignment strategies28:09 Combating founder loneliness29:34 Building trust between technical and non-technical teams31:16 Balancing speed and sustainability...2025-02-2115 min
The Augmented LifeHow To Manage A Cross-Cultural Team Like a Pro with Joshua Eidelman, Founder of NeoWorkIn this special Q&A episode, Joshua Eidelman, founder of NeoWork, answers listener questions about entrepreneurship, building global teams, and driving operational excellence across cultures.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction1:57 How immigrant parents shape entrepreneurial resilience4:33 Driving performance with overseas teams in non-confrontational cultures7:15 Essential Tagalog terms for managing Filipino teams12:59 Operational excellence with LatAm teams23:23 Navigating cultural differences in global leadership26:38 Cross-cultural alignment strategies28:09 Combating founder loneliness29:34 Building trust between technical and non-technical teams31:16 Balancing speed and sustainability to prevent burnout34:19 Closing thoughts and call for more questionsJoshua shares personal insights from building NeoWork's international team, including practical tips for managing...2025-02-1815 minFounders and EmpanadasThe Founder-Parent Myth: Fluvio's CEO, Devon O’Rourke, on Why Having Kids Isn't What You ThinkAs the host of Founders and Empanadas, I've had the privilege of sitting down with many entrepreneurs to explore the intersection of business and life's major milestones. My recent conversation with Devon O'Rourke, founder of Fluvio, was particularly enlightening. We dove into how becoming a new parent will change your life— but maybe not as much as you might think.Over spicy mystery-meat empanadas (which we later discovered were chicken), Devon shared how his journey into fatherhood coincided with his most successful month at Fluvio. What struck me most was his approach to preparing for paternity leave – instead of micr...2025-02-1246 minFounders and EmpanadasHow You Can Succeed in Business with No Safety Net, with Azure Printed Homes Founder, Gene EidelmanFrom Soviet refugee to successful entrepreneur: Gene Eidelman joined his son on Founders and Empanadas to share his journey from arriving in America with $400 to building a $35M sustainable housing venture.
In this episode, we explore:
The unique advantages of the immigrant founder mindset
How starting with nothing shapes business strategy
Building Azure Printed Homes and revolutionizing sustainable housing
Why patience and profitability trump the "move fast" startup mentality
Lessons from cold-calling with a thick accent to closing multi-million dollar deals
2025-02-0547 minFounders and EmpanadasUnexpected Mistakes Founders Make When Raising and How You Can Avoid Them, with Aaron SchwartzOn this episode of Founders and Empanadas, I sat down with Aaron Schwartz, co-founder of Orita.ai, to discuss the often-overlooked pitfalls of fundraising. He shared counterintuitive insights that challenged my understanding of the fundraising process, and offered tips that can help anyone raise capital more quickly.2025-01-2942 minFounders and EmpanadasThe Realities of Parenthood and Startups: Lessons from Jessica Bell van der WalIn the latest episode of Founders and Empanadas, Jessica Bell van der Wal, founder of Frame, shares her journey from healthcare executive to entrepreneur and family-building advocate. Over empanadas, Jessica reveals the deeply personal and professional moments that inspired her to create a company focused on making fertility and family planning more accessible and less stigmatized.
Jessica's path to founding Frame began with her own fertility journey, which she describes as a mix of confusion, shame, and perseverance. "I was blindsided by how hard it was," she says, recounting years of fertility treatments, high costs, and emotional hurdles. Despite...2025-01-1547 minFounders and EmpanadasThe Marathon of Founding and Health: Insights from Monji DolonBuilding a startup is often likened to a marathon, not a sprint. For Monji Dolon, founder of Measured, the journey has been deeply intertwined with personal health—physical, mental, and emotional. His experiences as a first-generation immigrant, a startup founder, and someone who transformed his health paint a compelling picture of resilience and innovation.2025-01-0736 minFounders and EmpanadasAlison Campbell’s Burnout Story and How it Led Her to Create her Company, UnBurntSuccess stories in tech and business often sound the same. Hustle harder, sleep less, squeeze more into every minute. Alison Campbell lived that story for twenty years, climbing through the ranks at Workhuman, Wayfair, and Morgan Stanley. But she noticed something most people don't talk about: the same playbook that launches careers often ends up breaking the people running them.
As the founder of unBurnt™, she's not just talking about burnout - she's rebuilding how companies think about performance from the ground up. After years of driving growth at hyperspeed, she's now the person leaders call when they realize th...2024-12-1137 minFounders and EmpanadasHow Brett Doyle Grew Mosaic by Embracing Filipino CultureIn this episode of Founders & Empanadas, Joshua Eidelman was joined by Brett Doyle, Founder & CEO of Mosaic Solutions.
Brett's been leading Mosaic in the Philippines, helping businesses in the food, beverage, and retail sectors get smarter with data to boost their profits. From optimizing inventory to managing entire restaurant operations, Mosaic’s platform has become a key player in Southeast Asia.
In this conversation, Brett shares how embracing the unique strengths of Filipino culture has helped fuel Mosaic’s success. By leaning into family values, building personal connections, and adapting to the more subtle aspects of communication, Brett has buil...2024-10-3051 minFounders and EmpanadasDante DiCicco’s Recipe for Founder-Market FitDante DiCicco’s family has been running Italian spots in Central California since 1956. So when he saw how outdated processes were making life harder for small restaurant owners like his family, he knew there had to be a better way.
Enter Zitti: a platform leveling the playing field for smaller restaurants, enabling them to operate with big-chain efficiency.
In this Founders & Empanadas episode, Dante explores how his understanding of a market through first-hand experience helped him build a product that actually relieved the pain points of its users.
This episode is perfect for non-technical founders looking to build around wh...2024-10-2341 minFounders and EmpanadasHow Our Immigrant Fathers Shaped Us as Second Generation FoundersOn this episode of Founders & Empanadas, I sat down with my cousin, Steven Eidelman. We both grew up with entrepreneurial fathers who emigrated from the former Soviet Union, and their journeys had a huge impact on how we approach our own work as second-generation founders.
Steven is the co-founder of Modern Animal and previously started Whistle. Together, we reflect on what we’ve learned from our dads—their grit, their drive, and the risks they took coming to the U.S. with almost nothing. We’ll talk about how those lessons have shaped our own entrepreneurial paths and the balanc...2024-10-1643 minFounders and EmpanadasFailure as Fuel: A Conversation with Serial Entrepreneur Samantha RoseSamantha Rose joined me this week on Founders and Empanadas to talk about the role failure has played in shaping her businesses including GIR, Mvnifest, and Endless Commerce.
Whether it was product recalls (faulty tongs), software pivots, or figuring out how to build a remote team in Colombia, her career has been defined by learning from missteps, and finding ways to laugh even when things are tough.
In this episode, we chat about some of her most memorable failures, how she manages team morale when things go sideways, and why staying close to your customers is key to getting...2024-10-0945 minFounders and EmpanadasHow To Pivot Your Business Without Losing Your MindMike Rama is the Founder of Brands Meet Creators, he joined Founders and Empanadas to share his tips for pivoting a business successfully.
In this episode, Mike explores this theme more in depth and gets into:
- His experience with hiring and managing a remote team in the Philipines
- The challenges and benefits of running in-person creator events
- His approach to building a community-driven business model2024-10-0240 minFounders and EmpanadasBPO Essentials You Can't Afford to IgnoreIn this episode, I’m exploring the very exciting world of… Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
I took some time to get granular with some of the common challenges I see.
Here’s what we'll cover:
- Motivating remote teams
- Cultural nuances when working with teams from the Philippines and Colombia
- Surprising benefits of outsourcing through BPO
- What to look for in BPO contracts
- Important questions to ask in an RFP when considering BPOs
- Setting clear expectations with KPIs
- Top tools for managing remote teams2024-09-2510 minFounders and EmpanadasHow to Survive the Dark Side of Startup Fundraising, with Santi JaramilloBefore Santi Jaramillo was an executive coach, he was an entrepreneur that started, or was a key player in several companies now worth almost $100M. Drawing on years of doing the work himself, he now helps founders navigate the complexities of growing their businesses. He's also the co-author of "Agile Engagement" and was recognized as Indiana's Latino Businessman of the Year in 2016, among other accolades.
In this episode, we talk through the dark side of fundraising and how to cope with rejection. Santi challenges glorified narratives of startup culture, getting real about the mental and emotional struggles that founders...2024-09-1147 minFounders and EmpanadasHow To Not Destroy Yourself While Building Your Company, With Ryan Vaughn, CEO of Inside Out LeadershipMeet Ryan Vaughn - coach, CEO at Inside-Out Leadership. Over 15 years, he founded and led three companies. His last venture, VNN, became the largest and fastest-growing high school sports marketing platform in the US. He raised $20M from leading VCs, building a team of over 100 employees and scaling VNN to capture nearly 20% of the US market. From pitching to scaling and managing hyper-growth, Ryan's lived the full startup lifecycle.
But behind the scenes, Ryan struggled with tying his self-worth to his company's success. After a tough exit from VNN, he set out on a journey of self-discovery and learned...2024-09-0442 minFounders and EmpanadasA Deep-Dive Q+A With Joshua Eidelman, The Founder of NeoWorkThis episode is a bit different from our usual format. Instead of hosting a guest, Joshua Eidelman, CEO at NeoWork, is taking the hot seat to address the questions that have been hitting my DMs.
From the strategic advantages of outsourcing to the challenges of managing remote teams across different cultures, he delves into the nitty-gritty of building and scaling a business, and also touch on some of the personal challenges that come with being a founder, including managing mental health and finding support networks.
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur looking to optimize your operations or a first-time founder...2024-08-2810 minFounders and EmpanadasFrom Writer to $1M Closer: The Sales Tactics That Saved Rob Hoffman’s CareerStarting as a writer, Rob Hoffman’s career took a turn when he jumped into sales at a startup, closing $500,000 in his first year and doubling that the next. This was the foundation for co-founding Contact Studios, where Rob serves as CEO and leverages his blend of content expertise and sales acumen to help marketers scale their content production without increasing headcount.
In this episode, Rob discusses the emotional rollercoaster of balancing sales with other startup duties, the power of authenticity in closing deals, and the art of leveraging diverse skills in the sales process. Rob's insights on his cu...2024-08-2136 minFounders and EmpanadasInside the [Hive] Mind of beehiiv’s CEO, Tyler DenkThis week's episode features Tyler Denk, the brilliant mind behind beehiiv. If you aren’t familiar, Tyler's journey is one that's sure to inspire - from teaching himself how to code and founding his first company, VentureStorm, to playing an instrumental role in Morning Brew's incredible growth and $75 million exit. Now, as the CEO and Co-Founder of beehiiv, Tyler is empowering creators and publishers to engage with their audiences like never before.
If you're looking for practical advice, entertaining stories, and an unfiltered look at the journey of building a successful company, you won't want to miss this episode.
Ke...2024-08-1440 minFounders and EmpanadasProduct Launches & Sustainable Business Practices Through the Lens of Crowdfunding Expert Mark PecotaIn this very special first episode of Founders & Empanadas, I had the pleasure of chatting with Mark Pecota, the CEO and Co-Founder of LaunchBoom. Mark's journey in crowdfunding started back in 2013 with the EcoQube campaign on Kickstarter and he has since helped clients raise over $100 million across 40+ countries. He also wrote the best-selling book Crowdfunded (seriously, just search "crowdfunding" on Amazon).
Mark went deep into the world of product launches and building sustainable businesses. While we talked a lot about crowdfunding, Mark's insights apply to broader challenges faced by founders today. We got into building momentum before a launch...2024-08-0741 min
Outsource Accelerator Podcast with Derek GallimoreOA 447: Startup Founder to Outsourcing - with NeoWork CEO Joshua EidelmanOutsourcing podcast
Get the full show notes for this outsourcing podcast here:
outsourceaccelerator.com/447
NeoWork
In this episode, Derek speaks with Joshua Eidelman, co-founder and CEO of NeoWork. The company provides outsourcing solutions for operations and animation.
They discuss how Joshua got into outsourcing, fostering a good workplace environment, outsourcing in the Philippines vs. Colombia, and NeoWork’s future plans.
References:
E: joshua@neowork.com
W: Neowork
LI: Joshua Eidelman
Start Outsourcing
Outsource Accelerator can help you transform your busin...2023-07-1325 min
SCOR INNOVATION PODCASTA Modern Solution: From Generational Poverty to Financial WellbeingManisha Dias, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships for SCOR in the U.S., hosts this episode of SCOR’s Innovation Podcast, interviewing Felix Ortiz, CEO and co-founder of Onuu. Onuu is the first of its kind, an all-in-one banking and insurance solution, built by and for Americans of modest means. Join us to hear how Ortiz's personal childhood experiences led him to harness the power of machine learning and digital technology to design an innovative solution for a long-standing problem: helping lower middle market consumers understand financial services and improve their financial wellbeing. • Felix W. Ortiz III is the CEO and co-f...2022-07-1311 min
Sentí Argentina AM 690 - AM RADIO CON VOS28.04.22AM690/Seronero/Hani/Martínez/Vélez/Avilés/Martín/Valdecantos/Slobayen/Viñuales-NEOWORKSHOP FEEDRALEmisión Jueves 28.04.22 Programa Sentí Argentina. Lunes a viernes de 18 a 19 Hs. AM 690. Ricardo Seronero.
Especial NeoWork Shop Federal en Buenos Aires.
Nota: Gustavo Hani. Pte de la CAT-Cámara Argentina de Turismo.
Nota: Yanina Martínez, Secretaria de promoción turística de la Nación.
Nota: Marta Vélez, Ministra de Turismo de Río Negro.
Nota: Esteban Avilés.Pte de la Agencia Córdoba Turismo.
Nota: Ricardo Martin, Intendente de Serrezuela, Provincia de Córdoba.
Nota: Diego Valdecantos. Secretario de Turismo de la provincia de Jujuy.
Nota: Sebastián Slobayen. Ministro de Turismo de la provincia de Corrientes...2022-05-0355 min
Beyond the Blue BadgeDissecting diversity data with Allie AttenwoodeAllie Attenwoode loves data. As a diversity data guru, she’s on a mission to empower others to utilize diversity data to inspire change at their companies. Allie joined Microsoft right after college and started in university recruiting before moving to senior recruiting operations coordinator. After Microsoft, she became a senior business intelligence engineer of inclusion and diversity analytics at Amazon. Now, she’s CEO and Co-founder of Tenty Diversity Analytics and an entrepreneur in residence at Neowork Ventures. In this episode of our Beyond the Blue Badge podcast, host Eddie Pate sits down with Allie to discuss why diversity data...2022-02-0231 min