Business Growth & Scaling Episodes

Are you a leader, or just in a leadership role? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Army veteran and brand strategist LaToshia Ngu to dismantle the myth of the "natural-born leader." LaToshia shares her journey from the military to entrepreneurship, revealing how her experiences taught her that true leadership is a learned skill rooted in listening, adapting, and empowering others. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur who wants to build a thriving company culture, whether yo...

In this special Collab Week episode of Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, 10 founders come together to answer one deeply personal question: Tell us about a decision or mistake that haunted you, and how you finally put that ghost to rest. The ghosts in this episode include a strategy deck that walked out the door, funding turned down at the finish line, a six-figure funnel kept running out of attachment, and friendships that made hard calls even harder. It’s a wide-ranging, refreshingly honest episo...

In a world grappling with the rise of AI, how do we protect the invaluable human skills of critical thinking, creativity, and authenticity? Jordan Wolff, a former educator turned founder, is tackling this challenge head-on. In this episode, Jordan shares his journey from the classroom to launching Typed by Hand, an EdTech company designed to champion authentic student work, not police it. This isn't just a conversation about education; it's a masterclass in building a purpose-driven, bootstrappe...

Rayne Chapman, a creative director turned tech founder, joins the show to share how she transformed a personal frustration—the lack of a good way to save online inspiration—into a thriving business called Neat. This episode is a masterclass in building a product with deep intentionality, driven by genuine user needs rather than just adding features for the sake of it. For any entrepreneur or wantrepreneur, this conversation is packed with insights on how to leverage your unique background, use c...

Mark McSweeney, a 30-year veteran of the association and nonprofit world, shares powerful insights on governance, strategy, and leadership that apply to any business. He reveals the universal patterns of success he's observed across countless organizations and breaks down why even the most unique businesses face similar challenges. This episode is a masterclass in strategic thinking, teaching you how to get out of the "weeds," facilitate better conversations, and ask the kind of questions that l...

In this special Collab Week episode of Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, 8 founders come together to answer one deceptively powerful question: Think back to a flop or failure you’ve had in your business. How did it end up feeding something that worked? This episode covers ad campaigns that flopped, teams scaled too fast, AI projects that got ahead of the technology, a contractor who never delivered, an expo full of the wrong audience, a deal lost on the two-yard line, and a lot more. Together, th...

Nils Olsen, a former Airborne Infantry Officer, is rewriting the rules of defense technology with his AI-powered startup, Six Tango. In this episode, Nils shares his incredible journey from the front lines to founder, revealing how he took a problem he experienced firsthand in the military and turned it into a groundbreaking business. He unpacks the "Moneyball for the military" strategy, showing how data can uncover hidden opportunities in any industry. This episode is a must-listen for any entr...

Are you tired of feeling like your team is constantly distracted, solving the same problems over and over? In this powerful episode, former C-suite executive Rachel Honoway reveals how to break the cycle of "creative avoidance" and rewire your organization for true alignment and explosive growth. She shares why most leadership teams aren't nearly as aligned as they think and provides a simple exercise to expose the gaps immediately. For any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur who wants their team to m...

Feeling stuck, burned out, or hitting the same revenue wall year after year? This episode is your permission slip to stop searching for the next "perfect" strategy. We sit down with Shervon Laurice, a licensed psychotherapist and transformational coach who reveals why your biggest business breakthroughs have nothing to do with your marketing plan or sales funnel. She explains that real, sustainable growth comes from developing your inner world—regulating your nervous system, consciously shaping ...

In this special Collab Week episode of Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, eight founders come together to answer one deeply honest question: Take us back to a lean season in your business. How did you get through it, and how do you prepare differently now? Some are in a lean season right now. Some are still learning from their first one. Others have watched their busy seasons and slow seasons flip on them. It’s a wide-ranging episode about relationships, pipelines, cash, self-care, and why the best...

Ever frantically searched for your keys, wallet, or even your luggage at the airport? Daniel Daoura, the founder and CEO of Pebblebee, transformed that universal feeling of anxiety into a global tech company. Drawing on over a decade of experience developing tracking systems for military assets at Boeing, Daniel applied his deep expertise to solve an everyday problem. This episode is a masterclass in turning specialized knowledge into a consumer-focused brand, navigating the complexities of hard...

In this episode, Brian sits down with Micah Alexander, the 22-year-old co-founder of Junior Innovators, a company revolutionizing entrepreneurship education in K-12 schools. Micah shares his powerful journey from launching teenage businesses like snow shoveling and t-shirt companies to building a national education venture that teaches students to do business, not just study it. This episode is a masterclass in the "ready, fire, aim" philosophy, emphasizing that the best way to learn entrepreneu...

Are you so focused on growth that you're accidentally breaking the very things that made your business special? In this episode, we sit down with Jeri Larsen, a former C-suite executive turned founder of Manage for Good. Jeri reveals why the traditional, siloed approach to people, operations, and growth is a recipe for disaster during scale. She provides a masterclass on how to navigate the painful but necessary "inflection points" of growth by building a solid foundation first. This episode is ...

Ever felt like your corporate experience puts you in a box? Think again. This episode features Ali Benslimane, a tech veteran from Google and Stripe who channeled his experience into solving a deeply human problem: the bureaucratic nightmare of moving to another country. Ali shares how he and his co-founder built Aelos, a company that combines high-tech efficiency with a high-touch concierge service to help Americans relocate to France. This episode is a masterclass in leveraging your background...

In this episode, Brian sits down with Drew Alexander Forde, the world-renowned musician known as "That Viola Kid" who has masterfully blended artistic excellence with sharp entrepreneurial instincts. Drew shares his incredible journey from playing viola in NYC subways to performing with legends like Adele and Kanye West, and how those experiences forged his business mindset. This isn't just a story about music; it's a masterclass in turning a passion into a multi-faceted career, building a perso...

In this powerhouse episode, we sit down with Jaime Pesquera, the CEO and co-founder of the Madrid-based startup accelerator, Jupiter Base. Jaime breaks down the new rules for building a successful business in the age of AI, revealing how founders can create a protective "moat" around their ideas to thrive against fast-moving competition. This conversation is a masterclass for any entrepreneur feeling overwhelmed by the pace of technology. You'll learn how to leverage AI as a growth accelerator, ...

Alexander Torrenegra is an entrepreneur who doesn't just build businesses; he reinvents entire industries. In this episode, he shares the incredible journey of co-founding Voice123 with his wife, bootstrapping it into the world's first major voiceover marketplace, and how that experience laid the groundwork for his current venture, Torre.ai—an AI-powered platform set to automate and humanize recruitment globally. This episode is a masterclass for entrepreneurs on how to spot broken systems, ask ...

In this special Collab Week episode of Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, seven founders come together to answer one deceptively powerful question: What's something you started or learned long ago that's finally paying off? You'll hear from Shawn Sundsvold of GoldBear Media, Nate Hebbert of SelfWare Consulting, Raamon Newman of New Mavericks, Rami Akeela of Nera Systems, David Beltran of Accord Intelligence, Brandon Pankey of Blue Pine Works, Zeyno Dodd of AlgiSense, and Drew Mehta of ThinkFraction...

In a world where AI is making the hiring process feel more broken and impersonal than ever, how can entrepreneurs build teams based on trust and true capability? This episode features Josie Zhang, the founder and CEO of Griting.ai, who is pioneering a new approach. Josie breaks down how AI, when used correctly, can actually build a more trustworthy bridge between companies and talent. She reveals her framework for identifying real human potential beyond the resume, moving past biases to see what...

Tired of the daily "what's for dinner?" struggle and the mental gymnastics of healthy eating? Sushmitha Kanukurthi, a data scientist with over 20 years of experience at companies like Meta, turned this universal problem into her mission. She founded Nuven, a health-tech platform that acts as your personal AI kitchen assistant. This episode is a masterclass in leveraging deep professional expertise to build a unique, data-driven solution in a crowded market. For any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur,...

In this special Collab Week episode of Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, 13 founders come together to answer one deceptively powerful question: Tell us about something you picked up during your school years that had nothing to do with the actual coursework, but has helped you in day-to-day as a business owner. From a nightly outfit ritual that taught preparedness, to a rugby final that taught the difference between the right action and the right outcome, to a boss's two-word correction that refram...

In an era where AI tools like ChatGPT are making it easier than ever for students to cheat, how can we ensure real learning is still happening? This episode dives deep with Kevin Doshi and Patrick Roscio, the co-founders of Scholera, an AI-native platform designed to solve the biggest problems plaguing education today. They share their incredible journey from identifying a critical issue in academia—partly from their own experiences—to building a sophisticated tech solution from the ground up. T...

Felix Vicknair, an executive business advisor with 25 years of experience in supply chain and operational excellence, joins the show to demystify how small businesses can leverage the strategies of global corporations. He explains why focusing solely on revenue growth is a mistake and reveals the hidden opportunities for profit and efficiency that most entrepreneurs overlook in their day-to-day operations. This episode is a masterclass for any founder who feels overwhelmed and is looking for a s...

Ever feel like you’re running in place, surrounded by the same ideas, people, and routines? In this special Solo Sunday episode, Brian kicks off a brand new daily series by sharing one of the most powerful questions he asks himself to spark a new chapter of growth: "Where is my universe expanding?" He breaks down why your business can only grow to the limits of your personal world and how intentionally expanding your universe—through new connections, skills, and perspectives—is the key to unlock...