Shows
The 5-Minute FounderS5 E26: Cloud Consulting with Emphasis on Educating Internal IT Teams [Aater Suleman, Flux7, an NTT Data Company]Aater Suleman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Flux7, a cloud consulting firm that helps enterprise clients adopt new technologies. In the interview, Aater shares the story of starting his company, how they acquired early customers, and more. If you'd like to listen to my other show, Stories, please visit thestoriespodcast.com or search "stories shawn ketcham" in your favorite podcast app. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media con...
2019-12-1915 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E25: SaaS to Better Manage Cyber Security [Mike Shultz, Cybernance Corporation]Mike Shultz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cybernance Corporation, a SaaS company that helps equip organizations to manage their cyber risk. In the interview, Mike shares the story of starting his company, his greatest challenge, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offers email and text messa...
2019-12-1813 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E24: Creating a Fun Place to Get Your Hair Cut [Michael Portman, Birds Barbershop]Michael Portman is the Co-Founder of Birds Barbershop, a chain of barbershops based in Austin. In the interview, Michael shares the story of how he and his co-founder Jayson went from being a screenwriter and a wall street trader, respectively, to opening their first barbershop in Austin. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone numbe...
2019-12-1715 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E23: Make Better Decisions in Commercial Real Estate with Local Data Insights [Marc Smookler, IdealSpot]Marc Smookler is the Founder and CEO of IdealSpot, which provides local data insights for businesses to make better decisions in commercial real estate. In the interview, Marc shares how he got the inspiration to start IdealSpot, best practices on customer acquisition, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishp...
2019-12-1614 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E22: Cloud-Based Supplier Portal to Better Manage Your Supply Chain [Tom Kieley & Clint McRee, SourceDay]Tom Kieley and Clint McRee are the co-founders of SourceDay, a cloud-based supplier portal to help companies better manage their supply chains. In the interview, Tom and Clint share how they got the idea for SourceDay, how they acquired early customers, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also...
2019-12-1312 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E21: Traveling to 15 Countries in 6 Weeks Sparks Idea for Travel Communication Company [Diego De Stefano, Trip Loop]Diego De Stefano is the Co-Founder and CEO of Trip Loop, a mobile app that streamlines group travel communication for group travel managers. In the interview, Diego shares how he got the inspiration to start Trip Loop, his greatest challenge, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offer...
2019-12-1211 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E20: How to Overcome Challenges with Government Regulations and Approvals [Blake Garrett, Aceable]Blake Garrett is the Founder and CEO of Aceable, which produces mobile educational courses with a focus on online driver's ed. In the interview, Blake tells the story of moonlighting when he first started his company, why they pivoted from mobile games, tips on going through government approval processes, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your lea...
2019-12-1113 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E19: Your People Are the Greatest Determinant of Success in a Startup [Will Mitchell, Rabbet]Will Mitchell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rabbet, whose software helps manage the construction finance process of real estate projects. In the interview, Will tells the story of starting his company, his greatest challenge, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offers email and text message marke...
2019-12-1015 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E18: Short-Term Insurance for Your Next Big Adventure [Matt Randall & Maria Miller, Life by Spot]Matt Randall and Maria Miller are the co-founders of Life by Spot, which provides short-term episodic life and injury insurance. In the interview, Matt and Maria share how they got started, how they acquired early customers, and how they overcame challenges in their industry. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishp...
2019-12-0913 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E17: Startup Develops Gun Detection Technology to Help Prevent Mass Shootings [Lisa Falzone, Athena Security]Lisa Falzone is the Co-Founder and CEO of Athena Security, which develops a gun detection technology using artificial intelligence that can alert authorities in real time while a crime is being committed. In the interview, Lisa shares the inspiration behind starting her company, best practices on acquiring customers, her greatest challenge, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to cap...
2019-11-1511 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E16: Tapping Your Investors' Industry Expertise to Navigate Customer Acquisition [Daniel Senyard, Shep Travel]Daniel Senyard is the Founder and CEO of Shep Travel, which helps companies monitor and save on business travel bookings made on consumer sites. In the interview, Daniel discusses how he acquired early customers for his company, the importance of having and gaining industry expertise from key investors and advisors, his greatest challenge, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored for...
2019-11-1514 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E15: Fulfilling Life Long Dream of Opening Burger Stand [Patrick Terry, P. Terry's Burger Stand]Patrick Terry is the Founder and Owner of P. Terry's Burger Stand, a chain of restaurants in Austin that serve all-natural burgers and fresh-cut fries. In the interview, Patrick talks about his life-long dream of opening a burger stand, his greatest challenge with the business, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone numbe...
2019-11-1314 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E14: First Mover Advantages and Challenges [Bryan Bittner, Virtual Staging Solutions]Bryan Bittner is the Founder and CEO of Virtual Staging Solutions, which provides digital furnishing of home photos. In the interview, Bryan talks about the challenges of being first in a market, how he acquired early customers, the advantages of doing direct sales, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more...
2019-11-1213 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E13: Founder Creates Natural Pest Protection for Pets [Stephanie Boone, Wondercide]Stephanie Boone is the Founder and CEO of Wondercide, which creates natural pest protection for pets. In the interview, Stephanie talks about her inspiration for starting the company, how she acquired early customers, her thought process on whether or not to raise investor capital, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and m...
2019-11-1117 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E12: Invest Any Asset Class into Your Retirement Fund [Henry Yoshida, Rocket Dollar]Henry Yoshida is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rocket Dollar, that provides self-directed IRAs to allow individuals to invest in asset classes of their choice. In the interview, Henry talks about how they acquired early customers, the importance of how one phrases written content, what he wish he would have known when starting his company, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized usi...
2019-11-0813 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E11: Company Developing Real-Life Iron Man Suit [Bill Welch, Apptronik]Bill Welch is the Co-Founder and CEO of Apptronik, an advanced robotics company based in Austin. In the interview, Bill talks about different technologies his company is building, including an exoskeleton armor suit similar to the iron man suit, how they acquired early customers, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and m...
2019-11-0616 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E10: Wireless Tech That Cancels Radio Interference [Hardik Jain, GenXComm]Hardik Jain is the Co-Founder and CTO of GenXComm, a company that makes wireless technology that cancels radio interference. In the interview, Hardik tells us how the company first started, how they acquired early customers, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offers email and text message marke...
2019-11-0510 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E9: The Importance of Learning How to Sell [Marcus Carey, Threatcare]Marcus Carey is the Founder and CEO of Threatcare, a cybersecurity startup based in Austin. In the interview, Marcus emphasizes the importance of learning how to sell, building a personal brand, the "give first" moto he learned in Techstars, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offers email...
2019-11-0418 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E8: Drones That Stop Bullets [Leah La Salla, Astral AR]Leah La Salla is the Technical Founder and CEO of Astral AR, which builds drones that stop bullets. In the interview, Leah talks about pivoting her company to drones that stop bullets, how they got their first customers, the importance of building relationships with uniformed police officers, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email...
2019-10-3116 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E7: Evolving from Professional Services to SaaS [Andrew Chen, Vyopta]Andrew Chen is the Co-Founder and General Counsel of Vyopta, which provides monitoring & analytics software for an organization's communication environment including voice, video, and meeting rooms. In the interview, Andrew talks about initially starting out as a professional services company to better understand customer pains, the importance of partner relationships, building the company organically first before taking venture funding, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of whi...
2019-10-3014 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E6: Serial Entrepreneur Focuses on Certified Pre-Owned It Hardware [David Schofman, PureWrx]David Schofman is the Co-Founder and CEO of PureWrxs, which provides OEM Certified Pre-Owned IT networking hardware solutions. In the interview, David talks about his history as an entrepreneur, how he initially got involved in certified pre-owned products, and more. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offers email and t...
2019-10-1523 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E5: Online Educational Videos for Medical Students [Jaime Fitch, OnlineMedEd]Jaime Fitch is the Co-Founder and CEO of OnlineMedEd, a clinical learning platform that provides online educational videos for medical students. In the interview, Jamie tells us about how he got started started by creating content prior to launch, how he got his first few customers, and his broader vision for the company. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to cap...
2019-10-1415 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E4: Using Machine Learning to Increase College Graduation Rates [Charles Thornburgh, Civitas Learning]Charles Thornburgh is the Founder and CEO of Civitas Learning, which uses predictive analytics and machine learning to help colleges and universities improve their graduation rates. In the interview, Charles tells the story of how he got his early customers and what his greatest challenge has been building the company, among other insights. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to cap...
2019-10-1112 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E3: Disrupting Staffing Industry by Partnering with Incumbent [Ernesto Lamaina, Adia]Ernesto Lamaina is the Founder and CEO of Adia, an app that connects businesses and job seekers. In the interview, Ernesto discusses the advantages of partnering with an incumbent in the staffing industry and how they acquired their first customers. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also offers email and t...
2019-10-1013 min
StoriesBonus 4: Leah La Salla, Astral AR Leah La Salla is the Technical Founder & CEO of Astral AR, which builds drones that stop bullets. In the interview, Leah talks about growing up in Illinois, her dad's influence on her as an engineer and his Hell's Angels affiliation, why she pivoted to drones that stop bullets, and much more. You can find the show notes and photo I took of Leah on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2019-10-082h 00The 5-Minute FounderS5 E2: A Godfather of Online Ticket Reselling [Randy Cohen, TicketCity]Randy Cohen is the Founder and Chief Energizing Officer of TicketCity, and also the owner and Chief Energizing Officer of Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill. In the interview, Randy tells the story of selling his first group of tickets more than 3 decades ago and also what it takes to stay relevant in the ticketing business for 30+ years. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored for...
2019-10-0817 minThe 5-Minute FounderS5 E1: PPC & SEO Gems from a Digital Marketing Wizard [Brian Wulfe, Effective Spend]Brian Wulfe is the Founder & CEO of Effective Spend, a digital marketing agency based in Austin. In the interview, Brian tells us the story of how he started his agency and also shares some marketing best practices on PPC, SEO, and digital PR. ----- Partners Wishpond – Wishpond offers a suite of tools to help businesses generate new leads. With Wishpond you can create beautiful landing pages, coupons, and social media contests, all of which can be customized using tailored forms to capture your leads’ name, email, phone number, and more. Wishpond also...
2019-10-0718 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E47: Setting up Processes for My Business to Run Without MeI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-09-1113 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E46: When to Change a Process in Your BusinessI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-09-0911 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E45: Making Short-Term Sacrifice for Long-Term RewardI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-09-0614 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E44: Pivoting from Pain to FunI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-09-0516 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E43: Moving Backward in Order to Move ForwardI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-09-0423 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E42: What I Learned from a Failed Sales HireI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-09-0311 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E41: The Value of Setting Quarterly GoalsI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-3021 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E40: How to Negotiate with a Budget ClientI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-2915 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E39: Finding Lifestyle Balance as a Solo EntrepreneurI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-2719 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E38: Overcoming Awkwardness of Asking for PaymentI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-2613 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E37: Prioritizing Investing In RelationshipsI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-2316 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E36: Why Coming Across as an Amateur Didn't Phase MeI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-2117 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E35: Overcoming Challenges of Managing FreelancersI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-2019 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E34: My Approach to Segmenting an Email Marketing ListI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-1926 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E33: Gaining Confidence Through Multiple Early SalesI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-1618 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E32: Old Seeds Planted Sprouting UnexpectedlyI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-1515 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E31: Finding the Solution After the Problem ArisesI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-1320 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E30: Maintain, Grow, and RefineI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-1211 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E29: Hiring a Salesperson with $0I'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-0915 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E28: Using a Phone Number to Increase ConversionsI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-0829 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E27: What's Your Why?I'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-0717 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E26: Launch a Website for Your Business in a DayI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-0515 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E25: How I Got a Sale, Step by StepI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-0221 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E24: Overcoming the Sunk Cost FallacyI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-08-0112 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E23: How to Overcome Issues with an EmployeeI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-3118 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E22: Trying to Find Work Life Balance in a StartupI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-3019 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E21: Should I Just Quit?I'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2918 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E20: Just-In-Time KnowledgeI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2616 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E19: Sparking Curiosity in Sales PitchI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2523 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E18: How Getting Customer Feedback Can Improve Your BusinessI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2417 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E17: Working Through Startup Pain Points One at a TimeI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2324 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E16: Building Trust Through In-Person SellingI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2223 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E15: Increase Sales by Asking Your Customers the Right QuestionsI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-2116 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E14: Hiring Multiple People to Do the Same JobI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1918 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E13: Using Discounts to Attract New CustomersI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1729 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E12: Continuous Small Improvements May Add up over TimeI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1630 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E11: Creating Processes to ScaleI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1523 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E10: Great Tool for Training EmployeesI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1219 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E9: Got My First Two Sales TodayI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1125 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E8: Testing to See What WorksI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-1022 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E7: Leveraging Established Relationships to Grow Your BusinessI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0918 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E6: Offering a Free Sample to Generate BusinessI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0832 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E5: Who to Hire First? I'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0519 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E4: Building a Business Website and Selling Online in 2 DaysI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0427 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E3: How to Stay Lean in a Bootstrapped StartupI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0308 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E2: What Are My Skills as an Entrepreneur?I'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0213 minThe 5-Minute FounderS4 E1: I'm Starting a New CompanyI'm currently in the process of starting a new company. This season I take you on a day-by-day journey of my progress.
2019-07-0126 minThe 5-Minute FounderS3 E29: Things Always Take Longer Than You Think [Ryan Wong, Visier]Ryan Wong is the Co-Founder & CTO of Visier, a people analytics and workforce planning company. In the interview, Ryan tells us how he acquired early customers, and that he wish he would have known that things always take longer than expected in a startup. ----- Partners SEMRush – SEMRush is a suite of marketing tools that offers solutions for SEO, pay-per-click, content, social media, and competitive research and is trusted by over 3 million marketers worldwide. With their On Page SEO Checker, you can analyze Google ranking factors affecting your website’s performance and...
2019-05-3012 minThe 5-Minute FounderS3 E28: Growing a Mobile Games Company [Kenshi Arasaki, A Thinking Ape]Kenshi Arasaki is the Founder & CEO of A Thinking Ape, a mobile games company based in Vancouver. In the interview, Kenshi tells their story about entering Y-Combinator, and also talks about why culture is so important to a startup's success. ----- Partners SEMRush – SEMRush is a suite of marketing tools that offers solutions for SEO, pay-per-click, content, social media, and competitive research and is trusted by over 3 million marketers worldwide. With their On Page SEO Checker, you can analyze Google ranking factors affecting your website’s performance and get actionable recommendations base...
2019-05-2915 minThe 5-Minute FounderS3 E27: Online Wealth Management Platform for Canadians [Chris Nicola, WealthBar]Chris Nicola is the Co-Founder & CTO of WealthBar, an online wealth management platform in Canada. In the interview, Chris talks about being early to market in the online wealth management space in Canada, and what his greatest challenge has been so far. ----- Partners SEMRush – SEMRush is a suite of marketing tools that offers solutions for SEO, pay-per-click, content, social media, and competitive research and is trusted by over 3 million marketers worldwide. With their On Page SEO Checker, you can analyze Google ranking factors affecting your website’s performance and get actionable recommendations base...
2019-05-2812 minThe 5-Minute FounderS3 E26: Why Keeping Your Startup's Team Local Is Crucial [Rakesh Soni, LoginRadius]Rakesh Soni is the Co-Founder & CEO of LoginRadius, an enterprise SaaS Customer Identity Management platform based in Vancouver. In the interview, Rakesh explains the importance of having your startup's team in the same location, and also provides key tips on raising venture capital. ----- Partners SEMRush – SEMRush is a suite of marketing tools that offers solutions for SEO, pay-per-click, content, social media, and competitive research and is trusted by over 3 million marketers worldwide. With their On Page SEO Checker, you can analyze Google ranking factors affecting your website’s performance and get a...
2019-05-2714 minThe 5-Minute FounderS3 E25: Overcoming the Personal Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur [Matias Marquez, Buyatab Online]Matias Marquez is the Founder & CEO Buyatab Online, a platform that helps brands sell gift cards online. In the interview, Matias talks about the challenge of building a brand reputation for his company and also the personal challenges that come along with being an entrepreneur. ----- Partners SEMRush – SEMRush is a suite of marketing tools that offers solutions for SEO, pay-per-click, content, social media, and competitive research and is trusted by over 3 million marketers worldwide. With their On Page SEO Checker, you can analyze Google ranking factors affecting your website’s perf...
2019-05-2412 minStoriesBonus 3: Mike Maples, Jr (Floodgate)Mike Maples, Jr. is a founding partner at Floodgate, a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage investments in tech companies. A few of Mike and Floodgate's notable investments include being the first investor in Twitter, as well as early investors in Lyft, Digg, Taskrabbit, and Twitch, just to name a few. In addition to being an investor, Mike is a serial entrepreneur. And in the interview, Mike tells us about his first business, how he got into investing, some of his best investments, as well as a couple he regretfully missed out on. You can find the show notes an...
2019-05-212h 03StoriesBonus 2: Matt Loper, WellthMatt Loper is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wellth, which uses behavioral economics to drastically improve care plan adherence in patients with chronic conditions. Said more simply, Wellth has a mobile app that helps people to remember to take their medicine. And they have a very high success rate at doing so. In the interview, we discuss a lot of things including Matt's experience sleeping three hours a night while working at an investment banking firm prior to founding Wellth, why Matt chose to start this company in particular, how he got his first investor and adviser...
2019-03-051h 39
StoriesLebron James 1st Intern Becomes 1 of 40 Black Female Founders to Raise $1M in Investor Capital -- Ashlee Ammons, Co-Founder of MixtrozAshlee Ammons, who is the co-founder of Mixtroz, along with her mother Kerry Schrader, who is also a co-founder of the company, each became one of 40 black female founders ever to raise $1M or more in investor capital. According to Forbes, less than 6% of venture capital goes to women founders. And if you haven't listened to my interview with Ashlee, I would highly recommend you check it out. It's Episode 2 of Season 1. Ashlee has a very interesting story, including being the first intern to Lebron James, then later working with many other celebrities including Leonardo Dicaprio, Oprah, and J...
2018-12-0200 minStoriesBonus 1: David Mendlewicz, ButterflyDavid Mendlewicz is a serial entrepreneur who is the co-founder and CEO of Butterfly, which uses chat bots to offer real-time leadership training to managers based on their team's feedback. In the interview, we discuss a lot of things including how David had a challenging time with the school system early on, but how he eventually found his footing in entrepreneurship working on passion projects of his, starting and selling multiple businesses, and eventually moving to the US and co-founding Butterfly in 2014. You can find the show notes and photo I took of David on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2018-10-031h 38StoriesS1 E17: Marcus Cobb, JammberMarcus Cobb is the co-founder and CEO of Jammber, whose software helps record labels streamline their payment processes. In the interview, Marcus details his entrepreneurial journey including what he learned from his first exit and how he landed in Nashville. You can find the show notes and photo I took of Marcus on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2018-06-081h 46StoriesS1 E16: Mark Montgomery, Flo CoMark Montgomery is a serial entrepreneur and investor, known for his imprint in the music tech space. Mark is also the founder of Flo Co, which was birthed as a consulting firm and evolved into a startup factory of sorts. Mark has had multiple exits and has worked with the likes of Google, Under Armor, Nissan, General Motors, as well as others. You can find the show notes and photo I took of Mark on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2018-04-032h 05StoriesS1 E15: Meredith Edmondson, Glass ArtistMeredith Edmondson is one of Nashville's leading glass artists. Whether she's creating a fused glass vase for an interior designer or putting glass macaroons in the oven, Meredith is known for incorporating vibrant colors into many of the pieces she creates. In the interview, we learn about Meredith's story, how she became passionate about glass, and what the glass creation process entails. You can find the show notes and photo I took of Meredith on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2018-03-201h 00StoriesS1 E14: Kevin Grosch, Made In NetworkKevin Grosch is the co-founder and CEO of Made In Network, a video-first media company that develops, grows, and monetizes YouTube channels. In the interview, we learn about how tragedy changed Kevin's path that eventually led him to becoming an entrepreneur. You can find the show notes and photo I took of Ryan on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2018-02-221h 29StoriesS1 E13: Ryan Schemmel, Fort Houston Ryan Schemmel is the co-founder of Fort Houston, a makerspace which he founded with a handful of friends in 2011. In the interview, Ryan details the full Fort Houston story, while incorporating multiple noteworthy digressions along the way. You can find the show notes and photo I took of Ryan on the Stories website (thestoriespodcast.com).
2017-12-022h 31StoriesS1 E12: Mark Cleveland, HytchMark Cleveland is a serial entrepreneur who was recognized as entrepreneur of the year at the 2014 NEXT Awards. Mark was also recognized by the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization with the 2016 Innovation Award, was recognized as "Most Admired CEO" in both 2014 and 2015 by the Nashville Business Journal for two different companies (Swiftwick and Hobby Express, respectively), and has many more recognitions that you can find on Mark's website (markacleveland.com). Mark is currently the CEO of Hytch, an innovative transportation app, which he co-founded, that rewards people for taking shared transit. You can find the show notes a...
2017-11-112h 25StoriesS1 E11: Mike Harder, Green Hills ChurchIn Season 1, we're exploring entrepreneurship in Nashville. In each episode, I speak with a different founder to uncover their story and how that led to them starting their company. Mike Harder, is the co-founder and lead pastor of Green Hills Church, which he started in Nashville with his friend Brad in 2007. Since starting Green Hills, the church has grown to more than 200 regular attendees. In the interview, Mike talks about his childhood growing up in Columbia, why he decided to move to Nashville to start a church, what he's learned about leadership over the past decade, and more...
2017-10-241h 14StoriesS1 E10: Vic Gatto, BriovationVic Gatto is the co-founder and CEO of Briovation, which launches and supports stratups that address flaws in the health ecosystem. Brio operates a number of brands and businesses, one of which is Jumpstart Foundry, a seed-stage healthcare innovation fund which has invested in many dozens of early stage startups to date. In the interview, Vic discusses the first company he co-founded in the 90s (and later sold), why he transitioned to venture capital, and more. You can find both the show notes and photo I took of Vic on the Stories website, which is thestoriespodcast.com.
2017-10-101h 13StoriesS1 E9: Bob Bernstein, Bongo ProductionsBob Bernstein is the founder & CEO of Bongo Productions, which is both a collection of cafes and restaurants in Nashville as well as a wholesale business for both organic coffee and gourmet baked goods. Bongo is the company behind locally famous coffeehouses Fido and Bongo Java. The latter of the two was Nashville's first coffeehouse and was founded in 1993. As always, you can find both the show notes and photo I took of Bob at thestoriespodcast.com.
2017-10-031h 22StoriesS1 E8: Travis Gravette, Know Think ActTravis Gravette is the Vice President of Business Development at Nisolo, which makes handcrafted leather shoes and other leather goods. However, Travis is probably best known for being the founder of Know Think Act, a non-profit he started to serve the needs of impoverished communities in Africa. In the interview, we learn about Travis's journey, why he decided to started a non-profit right out of college, and why he ended up leaving the non-profit world to work in fashion. If you've been listening to the podcast but have not yet been to the website, you should really check it out. On...
2017-09-211h 43StoriesS1 E7: Mollie Decktor, mbodyMollie Decktor is the co-founder and CEO of mbody, which creates custom fit bras. And when I say custom fit, I mean that the bra is made specifically for your body. Mollie was having a difficult time finding bras that fit well and after hearing similar stories from friends, decided to start mbody to solve this problem. In the episode, we dig into Mollie's story, how she got into entrepreneurship, and learn about the technology she uses to make her custom bras, which is fascinating. If you'd like to view the notes on this episode or check out the photo I...
2017-08-291h 45StoriesS1 E6: Emily MahoneyEmily Mahoney is the co-founder of BRANDED Collective, which hand crafts pieces of jewelry, all of which are made by survivors of human trafficking. In today's show, Emily tells the story behind BRANDED and also goes into detail about her career as an actress. If you'd like to view the notes on this episode or check out the photo I took of Emily, you can do both on the Stories website, which is thestoriespodcast.com.
2017-08-081h 25StoriesS1 E5: Ben Stewart, Louder AgencyBen Stewart is the co-founder of Louder Agency, a digital marketing and web agency which he started in 2010 along with his co-founder Kurt Aschliman. Ben discusses how he went from doing freelance web design projects to running one of the hottest digital agencies in Nashville. And as always, if you want to view the notes on this episode or see how nice Ben's smile is in the photo I took of him, you can do both on the Stories website, which is thestoriespodcast.com.
2017-07-251h 10StoriesS1 E4: Rhonda Pinkerman, Poo Doo LeashIn this season, we explore entrepreneurship in Nashville. In each episode, I speak in depth with someone who founded a company there. My goal is to learn about their story and how that led them to starting their company. And today’s episode is with Rhonda Pinkerman. Rhonda is the Founder and CEO of Poo Doo Leash, an innovative patent-pending pet product company. Rhonda really enjoys going on runs with her dogs but got tired of carrying dog waste during their runs. And in 2011, she got the idea to create a custom leash product to solve this problem...
2017-07-071h 05StoriesS1 E3: Ben Bredesen, Fat Bottom BrewingIn this season, I take a trip down to Nashville to learn about the city's vibrant startup and entrepreneur culture. In each episode, I speak in depth with someone who founded a company there. My goal is to learn about their story and how that led them to starting their company. In this episode, I interview Ben Bredesen, the founder and owner of Fat Bottom Brewing Company, which he started in Nashville in 2012. A few quick disclaimers about this episode. First, we talk a lot about beer. So, this episode is for individuals of the l...
2017-06-201h 37StoriesS1 E2: Ashlee Ammons, MixtrozIn this season, I take a trip down to Nashville to learn about the city's vibrant startup and entrepreneur culture. In each episode, I speak in depth with someone who founded a company there. My goal is to learn about their story and how that led them to starting their company. Ashlee Ammons is the co-founder and COO of Mixtroz, a mobile app that event hosts use to help event attendees meet and network with one another at their event. In the interview, Ashlee discusses her very interesting career journey and how that ultimately led to her to...
2017-06-202h 31StoriesS1 E1: Dan Hogan, MedalogixIn this season, I take a trip down to Nashville to learn about the city's vibrant startup and entrepreneur culture. In each episode, I speak in depth with someone who founded a company there. My goal is to learn about their story and how that led them to starting their company. In this episode, I sit down with Dan Hogan, founder and CEO of Medalogix, a home healthcare analytics company. This guy is a hustler if I ever met one. Dan is a serial founder, who was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2016 Next Awards. D...
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