Practical Business Skills & Tools Episodes
Aug. 14, 2025
1208: Why your tech stack starts with the PEOPLE behind your business w/ Jack Murphy
In this episode, Jack Murphy, founder of Motion 3 Technology, shares his unorthodox path from the nonprofit camping industry to building a tech consulting business that puts humans first. Jack dives deep into why most tech solutions fail not because of bad technology, but because they ignore people and change management. He breaks down the difference between managed service providers and true strategic tech partners, and why being a facilitator, not a dictator, is the future of IT. This conversa...
Aug. 5, 2025
1199: How CONVERSATIONAL UIs are the future – AND the present! w/ Yogesh Nagarkar
In this episode, we dive into the mind of Yogesh Nagarkar, the brilliant founder behind UNpkl—a next-gen network device that gives everyday users complete control over their WiFi in real time. With over two decades of experience in software and hardware development, Yogesh is bringing cybersecurity, AI, and simplicity together in one powerful, easy-to-use device. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur building a hardware or AI-integrated product, as well as those navigating the of...
Aug. 2, 2025
1196: How REAL-TIME AI is changing the job market (and the world!)... and it's ALREADY HERE w/ Congxing Cai
In this episode, Congxing Cai, founder of Synco AI and former engineering leader at Snap and Google, breaks down how real-time AI is transforming job interviews—and what this means for the future of work. From prepping behavioral answers to offering support during interviews, Synco is an AI assistant unlike any other. Congxing shares his entrepreneurial journey, his product development strategy, and how he's thinking far beyond tech to deeply serve everyday people navigating high-stakes moments....
July 31, 2025
1194: AI cold calling agents!? Personalized outreach!? Here's how to grow FAST with AI w/ Mike Ali
Mike Ali, founder of OnPath Marketing, shares how he’s revolutionizing the cold outreach game with AI-powered voice agents and personalized email systems. Starting with zero capital and a background in finance, Mike bootstrapped his business into a cutting-edge AI automation agency that helps companies scale their marketing without adding headcount. This episode is a masterclass in how to use AI to drive real-world results, build systems that sell, and focus on strategic growth. If you're an ...
July 23, 2025
1186: Leveraging PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT lessons to ease cognitive loads for developers (and enabling more SaaS opportunities!) w/ Claire Knutson
In this episode, Claire Knutson, founder of Bold Minds and creator of Traverzer, shares how they're transforming the way software engineers work by simplifying complex processes and reducing cognitive load. With over 20 years in software development, Claire’s entrepreneurial journey is driven by a desire to build tools that bring joy, speed, and clarity to development teams. You’ll hear how Claire made the leap into full-time entrepreneurship, the philosophy behind their work, and how simplic...
July 18, 2025
1181: How to build CONVICTION for your ideas (AND make them better with AI!) w/ Chad Vavra
Ever feel like you have a million-dollar idea but don't know the next step? Chad Vavra, a designer and developer with over 20 years of experience working with giants like Pixar, Google, and Meta, joins us to solve that exact problem. He breaks down how he’s democratizing the high-level strategies that used to cost companies hundreds of thousands of dollars and making them accessible to everyone. Chad introduces his platform, Chat Agency AI, a virtual consultant designed to help entrepreneurs ...
July 9, 2025
1172: Unlocking the POTENTIAL in every conflict w/ Katie Kolon
In this episode of the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast, host Brian Lofrumento sits down with Katie Kolon, a certified mediator and conflict resolution expert, to discuss how entrepreneurs can navigate conflict in business and life. Katie shares her unique perspective on turning conflict into opportunity and how understanding the human element can foster healthier workplace dynamics. As a former employment law attorney and founder of Mutual Ground Strategies, Katie's approach blends legal i...
July 8, 2025
1171: CONSENSUS-BASED AI models that can tackle cybersecurity, phishing, and more w/ David Beltran
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of cybersecurity and AI with David Beltran, a 30-year tech veteran and the founder of CypherShield. David shares how his insatiable curiosity led him from dismantling toys as a kid to becoming a cybersecurity architect at IBM, and now, a founder tackling one of the internet's biggest threats: phishing. His journey is both technically brilliant and wildly creative—melding science fiction, digital art, and entrepreneurship into a bold mission for safer ...
July 5, 2025
1168: Building out CUSTOM SOFTWARE solutions & managing client relationships with a global team w/ James McNamara
In this episode, we dive deep into the mind of James McNamara, founder of 8 Penny Labs, who brings a refreshingly practical approach to digital transformation. James shares how he helps mid-sized businesses modernize their systems, improve efficiency, and unlock growth—without the overwhelm. His expertise blends strategic clarity, tech insight, and business pragmatism, making this a must-listen for entrepreneurs navigating tech choices. Whether you're wrestling with outdated tools, thinking a...
June 30, 2025
1163: ALL the secrets of a tech stack (and tech STRATEGY!) that can help you GROW and SCALE w/ Azunna Anyanwu
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4nsZBFr In this episode, we’re diving into the mind of a three-time CIO and CTO who’s taken his decades of experience leading top 100 firms and brought it straight to small business owners like you. Azunna Anyanwu is the founder of The Agile CIO, where he helps entrepreneurs strategically and tactically harness tech to scale smarter—not just faster. Azunna doesn’t just understand tech—he understands how to align it with business growth. From streamlining o...
June 28, 2025
1161: BE LAZIER! Time to think in WORKFLOWS rather than TASKS w/ Aarti Anand
If you're still trying to do everything in your business manually, this episode is for you. Aarti Anand is the founder of Kodenyx AI, where she helps B2B CEOs and founders automate the most time-wasting parts of their business using intelligent AI agents. From lead nurturing to client onboarding, her systems run like a 24/7 team without the burnout, mood swings, or payroll. But this episode goes far beyond tech—it’s about mindset, lifestyle design, and challenging outdated beliefs about entre...
June 25, 2025
1158: The NON-TECHIE way to leverage AI for automation, efficiency, & customer experience w/ Tom Sprinkle
In this episode, Brian sits down with Tom Sprinkle, a longtime technologist and entrepreneur who's been at the forefront of emerging tech since the early days of the internet. Tom shares how he's helping everyday businesses tap into the real power of AI—not just for content creation, but for operations, automation, and customer experience. Listeners will walk away with a grounded, practical understanding of how AI is being used beyond the hype—and how to actually plug it into your own busines...
June 23, 2025
1156: MOST BUSINESSES FAIL! But here's how the data reveals we can maximize our success chances w/ Chris Johnson
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4kedNPu Chris Johnson is on a mission to make data-driven decision-making easy, affordable, and accessible for small businesses. As the founder of PeerView AI, Chris is transforming what was once costly, manual market research into a streamlined, AI-powered service that gives entrepreneurs revenue estimates, competitor benchmarks, and location-specific insights. In this episode, Chris shares how small businesses can finally harness the power of data without n...
June 19, 2025
1152: Getting out of SURVIVAL MODE + leveraging tech, data, and AI w/ Graeme Crawford
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/44pTw4S In this episode, Graeme Crawford shares how he transitioned from a successful corporate career working with Fortune 100 companies like IBM and Capital One to building data-driven businesses that empower smaller companies. Graeme reveals how AI and data intelligence, once the domain of massive enterprises, are now accessible to small businesses—and how he’s helping entrepreneurs harness this power for growth. His journey from intrapreneurship to entrep...
June 16, 2025
1149: This is NOT your average AI episode! This is about AI INTEGRATION into life + biz w/ Justin Coats
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4nbMvvN In this episode, Justin Coats shares his remarkable journey from the Marine Corps to becoming a leader in AI integration and personal development. Justin's expertise spans across complex systems, from helicopters and UAVs to Amazon businesses and now AI-driven business transformation. He explains why AI integration is the future—and how businesses can harness its power without losing the human element. If you've been wondering how to use AI strategica...
June 13, 2025
1146: NEUROSCIENCE & leadership skills to unlock the extraordinary inside YOU w/ Joanne Merrick
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/43GZjmm In this episode, Joanne Merrick shares how she’s reshaping leadership development by combining neuroscience with practical management strategies. Joanne, founder of The Leadership Recipe and author of Game On: Is Management Your Best Career Play?, explains why soft skills are actually hard skills — and how to develop them intentionally. Her global experience with companies like Deloitte and Amazon gives her a unique perspective on what makes a great l...
June 12, 2025
1145: How many AI agents can you put to work for your business? w/ Mark Brennan
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/3HH7re7 In this episode, Mark Brennan shares his incredible journey from working at Salesforce to founding Kynoch Labs, where he's pioneering the use of autonomous AI agents for business growth. Mark dives deep into the current state of AI, how businesses can leverage agent-based AI to boost efficiency and customer service, and why the AI revolution is closer than you think. This episode is packed with insights on how to integrate AI into your business and st...
June 9, 2025
1142: Navigating and leading the way with AI guardrails at the enterprise level w/ Shaun Ayrton
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4jQZ7WA In this episode, Brian interviews Shaun Ayrton, the CEO and founder of Galini, a Y Combinator and General Catalyst-backed startup helping enterprises deploy AI responsibly. Shaun shares his journey from working at McKinsey, where he drove over $500M in revenue growth, to founding Galini with his former college roommate. He explains how Galini is addressing the challenges of AI compliance, data privacy, and regulation—problems that are becoming more ur...
June 6, 2025
1139: AI that automates SALES, OUTREACH, and CUSTOMER SERVICE w/ Robert Chen
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/3HynY3V In this episode, Brian sits down with Robert Chen, a retired Army veteran turned tech entrepreneur, who’s changing the game in B2B sales automation. After pivoting from an events and social media platform, Robert founded SupportSales.ai — a groundbreaking sales software that automates lead generation, personalized email outreach, and even replies to incoming leads. Robert shares how AI is streamlining sales, reducing costs, and making business growth ...
June 5, 2025
1138: Automating online reselling and e-commerce with AI and your phone's camera w/ Graham Wood
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4jGZ0gc In this episode, Brian sits down with Graham Wood, founder of Shopik, a game-changing platform that automates product listings for resellers using AI and machine learning. After being laid off from Google, Graham leveraged his 20+ years of experience in aerospace, big tech, and media to create Shopik, helping companies cut down product listing time from 45 minutes to under 2 minutes. Graham shares his entrepreneurial journey, the role AI plays in stre...
June 2, 2025
1135: AI can do WAY more things than you think for your business (including AUTOMATION and AI agents!) w/ Coltrane Kubo
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4jvOisz In this episode, Brian sits down with Coltrane Kubo, co-founder of Aidgentic, an AI automation agency helping solopreneurs and small businesses streamline workflows and maximize efficiency. Coltrane shares how AI can do more than generate content—it can automate operations, enhance creativity, and serve as a true business partner. If you’re looking to save time, automate repetitive tasks, and leverage AI to grow your business, this episode is a must-l...
May 25, 2025
1127: BESPOKE AI solutions that know YOUR company and industry for BETTER results w/ Andrew Zang
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/3FwUtid In this episode, Brian sits down with Andrew Zang, a law-trained real estate expert turned AI entrepreneur, who’s building bespoke AI systems with a focus on responsibility, privacy, and first-party data. Andrew is the founder of Bespoke AIR (Artificial Intelligence Review), where he delivers secure, on-premise, and hyper-specific AI tools designed for real companies—not just tech demos. What makes this episode powerful is Andrew’s unique lens: a f...
May 23, 2025
1125: How Adam Serlin is Using Data to Drive Social Change (& What You Can Learn From His Journey!)
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/4mwiLcT In this episode, we dive deep into the power of data, technology, and accountability with Adam Serlin, founder of Independent Variable. Adam’s journey from working with at-risk youth in the justice system to leading a data-driven consulting firm is nothing short of inspiring. What started as a passion for improving community-based programs led him to develop cutting-edge data collection and analytics solutions that help nonprofits and government organ...
May 19, 2025
1121: FUTURE-PROOFING your business because THIS is what AI will do to ALL of us in the future w/ Marcus Blair
EPISODE STACK: https://stackl.ist/43jcJ6x Marcus Blair, founder of Omega Business Solutions, joins us to dive deep into how entrepreneurs can use tech intelligently to scale. From custom AI deployments to process optimization, Marcus isn't just chasing shiny objects—he’s solving real business problems with tailored digital solutions. His story of launching a business during COVID, combined with his grounded approach to technology, offers a playbook for future-focused entrepreneurs. If you're ...