A Founder's Life

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

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 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
 • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Kyle Clements
Website: https://quipli.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleclements/

What does it take to build a company without facing burnout?

In this episode, Kyle Clements, Founder and CEO of Quipli, shares how experiences at Uber and other venture-backed startups improved his mindset and prepared him to launch his own company and why he believes entrepreneurship should be sustainable, not exhausting.

Kyle discusses building Quipli during the pandemic, raising three young daughters while running a startup, and how marathon training has shaped his philosophy on balance. Instead of sprinting through entrepreneurship, he compares building a business to staying in Zone 2: a pace you can maintain for the long run and avoid burnout.

We also talk about focus, delegation, family, parenthood, health, and the courage required to become a founder.

What you’ll learn:

• Why sustainable success beats constant hustle
• How running shaped Kyle’s leadership philosophy and nurtured his resilience
• The importance of focus and eliminating distractions for personal development and businesses
• Why founders must learn to delegate and trust their teams
• How family influences better decisions and thriving in business
• Burnout is not a requirement

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The best entrepreneurial advice isn’t usually found in books.

It’s found in the people who have actually built businesses.

Over the course of Season 6 of A Founder’s Life, we sat down with founders who have built companies from scratch, overcome incredible setbacks, scaled across industries, and learned lessons that only experience can teach.

In this special episode, we’ve pulled together some of the most powerful moments from the season.

You’ll hear why:

* Your mindset is your biggest competitive advantage.
* Balance isn’t about doing less, it’s about knowing when to step back.
* Confidence often comes before success.
* The hardest seasons create the strongest founders.
* And sometimes the best advice is simply… don’t quit.

Whether you’re building your first company, leading a growing team, or looking for your next breakthrough, these conversations are packed with practical wisdom you can apply immediately.

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Entrepreneurship is often portrayed as overnight success, but the reality is built on resilience, long-term thinking, and the willingness to keep moving forward when things get difficult.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Grant McCrabb, Founder and CEO of GeoTrek Vans, to discuss his remarkable startup journey from flipping used camper vans to building one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer RV manufacturers in North America.

Grant shares how a simple side hustle evolved into a rapidly growing manufacturing company, why saying yes early helped create opportunities, and how endurance sports have shaped his founder mindset and approach to business leadership.

As an ultra-runner, Grant compares entrepreneurship to running a 240-mile race. Success isn’t about sprinting—it’s about learning how to pace yourself, overcome setbacks, and keep showing up day after day.

Throughout the conversation, we also explore family, resilience, leadership, risk-taking, product innovation, and why entrepreneurs should stop waiting for the perfect moment before starting.

Whether you’re launching your first startup, growing a small business, or leading an established company, this episode is packed with practical insights from someone building a business for the long term.

This episode covers:

• How GeoTrek Vans grew from a side hustle into a national manufacturer

• The importance of hiring people who are better than you

• Why endurance sports create better entrepreneurs

• Building resilience during difficult seasons

• How family shapes better leadership

• The biggest lessons from scaling a manufacturing company

• Why focus becomes more important as businesses grow

• The mindset required for sustainable business growth

• Practical startup advice for aspiring founders

Grant also shares the deeply personal story of how his father’s life-changing skiing accident reshaped his perspective on risk, resilience, and pursuing meaningful goals. That experience continues to influence the way he approaches entrepreneurship, leadership, and life.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, business leadership, founder stories, startup growth, and personal development, you’ll enjoy this episode.

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
 • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Grant McCrabb

Website: https://www.geotrekvans.com

LinkedIn (Grant): https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-mccrabb-51b0242b5/

LinkedIn (GeoTrek Vans): https://www.linkedin.com/company/geotrek-vans

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

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youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
 • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Kate Liburdi

Website: https://conversifi.com
Platform: https://app.conversifi.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateliburdi/

Language learning becomes truly powerful when it moves beyond textbooks and into real conversations. While technology has transformed education, the human connection remains the most valuable part of learning a new language.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Kate Liburdi, Co-Founder and CEO of Conversifi, to discuss how she’s transforming language learning by connecting students with native speakers around the world through authentic video conversations.

Kate shares her journey from teaching French and English as a Second Language to leading technology initiatives at a Fortune 50 company before launching Conversifi, a platform now used by more than 100 universities to help students build confidence through real-world communication.

But this conversation goes far beyond education technology.

Kate opens up about one of the biggest failures of her career—a software project that consumed nearly $1 million before her team realized they had to start over. Instead of seeing it as defeat, she explains how embracing Agile development, customer feedback, and continuous iteration completely transformed both the product and her leadership philosophy.

We also explore entrepreneurship, focus, productivity, family, health, and why great founders often succeed by removing complexity instead of adding more.

Whether you’re building a startup, leading a growing team, or simply looking to become more intentional with your time, Kate shares practical lessons that every entrepreneur can apply.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why authentic conversations accelerate language learning

• The leadership lesson behind a $1 million product failure

• How Agile development changed Kate’s approach to building companies

• Why multitasking hurts productivity and focus

• The importance of customer feedback during product development

• How family influences better leadership decisions

• Why founders should simplify instead of overcomplicate

• How continuous learning creates better entrepreneurs

• The mindset required to build resilient companies

Kate also discusses adding new languages—including American Sign Language (ASL)—to Conversifi, why cultural exchange is just as important as vocabulary, and how meaningful conversations create deeper learning experiences than memorization alone.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, language learning, founder mindset, business leadership, startup journeys, and personal development, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

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This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
  • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Mike Schroeder

Website: https://roundstoneinsurance.com
Company's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roundstone
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelaschroeder
YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/roundstoneinsurance

Work-life balance isn’t about working less—it’s about knowing when to step back before burnout takes over.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Mike Schroeder, Founder and President of Roundstone Insurance, to discuss what it really takes to build a successful company while maintaining your health, family, and sense of purpose.

Mike shares his entrepreneurial journey, from studying law and discovering an opportunity to reinvent employer-sponsored healthcare, to building Roundstone Insurance into a national company helping thousands of businesses take control of their healthcare costs through innovative self-funded insurance solutions.

But this conversation goes well beyond insurance.

Mike explains why founders must recognize when they’re burning the candle at both ends, how travel and reflection help him regain balance, and why entrepreneurship requires accepting that your business will always occupy part of your mind.

We also discuss leadership, resilience, family, health, personal growth, and the mindset required to build a company that lasts for decades.

Whether you’re launching your first startup or leading an established business, Mike shares practical lessons every entrepreneur can apply.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Roundstone Insurance transformed employer healthcare
• Why work-life balance requires intentional decisions
• How to recognize the signs of burnout before it’s too late
• Why travel and reflection improve leadership
• The importance of building a trusted leadership team
• Why entrepreneurship demands complete commitment
• How family helps create perspective as a founder
• The value of resilience during difficult seasons
• Why optimism and continuous improvement drive long-term success

Mike also shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, the lessons he learned from taking entrepreneurial risks, and why founders should embrace the responsibility that comes with building something meaningful.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, business leadership, work-life balance, founder mindset, personal development, and building successful companies, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

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This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife 
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife
  • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Sarah Walker

Website: https://nuanceinteriors.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nuanceinteriors
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahplattwalker/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nuanceinteriors

Your home influences far more than your comfort—it shapes your health, mindset, relationships, and overall quality of life.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Sarah Walker, Founder and Principal Designer of Nuance Interior Design, to explore how intentional design can improve wellness, support families, and create spaces that help people thrive.

Sarah shares her journey from growing up in Dubai to founding an internationally recognized interior design firm that advises families and family offices around the world. Inspired by her father’s commitment to sustainability and her mother’s passion for art and holistic medicine, she built a business that combines beautiful design with science-backed wellness principles.

A life-changing car accident during design school transformed the way Sarah viewed the built environment. It became the catalyst for her mission to create homes that don’t simply look beautiful—they actively improve the lives of the people who live in them.

Throughout the conversation, we discuss entrepreneurship, wellness, leadership, sustainability, resilience, and why asking for help is one of the fastest ways to accelerate your personal and professional growth.

Whether you’re building a business, designing your dream home, or looking to create a more intentional life, Sarah shares practical lessons that every entrepreneur can apply.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How your home affects your physical and mental wellbeing
• Why wellness should be part of every design decision
• How a life-changing accident shaped Sarah’s entrepreneurial journey
• The importance of sustainability in modern living
• Why founders don’t have to build everything alone
• How coaching and mentorship accelerate business growth
• The value of creating environments that reduce stress
• Why intentional design creates better daily habits
• How asking for help can transform both your business and your life

Sarah also shares why curiosity has been one of her greatest competitive advantages, how she balances entrepreneurship with family life, and why the spaces we create ultimately shape the people we become.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, wellness, business leadership, founder mindset, personal development, sustainability, and intentional living, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

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youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
  • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Josh Otero

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshotero/
Elanah AI: https://elanah.ai
Warrior GMR Foundation: https://warriorgmrfoundation.org

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Josh Otero, CEO and Co-Founder of Elanah.AI and Founder of the Warrior GMR Foundation, to discuss how technology, community, and purpose can transform mental health support for veterans, first responders, and everyday people.

Josh shares his entrepreneurial journey from financial services to launching multiple businesses in health, fitness, and technology. After witnessing the devastating rise in veteran suicides during the COVID-19 pandemic, he founded the Warrior GMR Foundation to create meaningful communities through gaming and peer support.

That mission eventually led to the creation of Elanah.AI, an AI-powered platform designed to provide immediate mental health support when human resources aren’t available—because mental health crises don’t happen on a schedule.

Throughout the conversation, we explore entrepreneurship, resilience, purpose, failure, leadership, and why some of the most impactful businesses are born from solving deeply personal problems.

Whether you’re building your first startup or searching for greater purpose in your entrepreneurial journey, Josh shares lessons that every founder can apply.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why purpose creates stronger businesses
• How AI can improve access to mental health support
• The entrepreneurial lessons hidden inside failure
• Why community is essential for wellbeing
• How gaming became a platform for meaningful human connection
• The importance of resilience during difficult seasons
• Why founders should solve problems they genuinely care about
• How continuous learning turns failure into growth
• Why the best entrepreneurs simply refuse to quit

Josh also shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career, why serving others became his greatest motivation, and how believing in yourself through failure ultimately creates long-term success.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, founder mindset, resilience, mental health, business leadership, startup journeys, artificial intelligence, and personal development, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

Subscribe Now!

youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
  • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Rusty Fulling

Website: https://www.fullingmgmt.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rustyfulling/
Company's LinkedIn: 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fulling-management-&-accounting

Financial leadership is about more than numbers—it’s about helping business owners make better decisions, build stronger companies, and create lives they actually enjoy.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Rusty Fuhling, Founder of Fuhling Management & Accounting, to discuss how financial clarity helps entrepreneurs grow healthier businesses and become better leaders.

Rusty shares his journey from corporate accounting to building a fractional CFO firm that helps companies across the United States improve profitability, strengthen financial systems, and make more confident strategic decisions.

But this conversation goes well beyond accounting.

Rusty explains why founders often spend too much time working in their business instead of leading it, how financial visibility creates better decision-making, and why success should never come at the expense of your family or your health.

Throughout the conversation, we explore entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial strategy, work-life balance, resilience, and the importance of building systems that allow businesses—and founders—to thrive.

Whether you’re launching your first company or leading a growing organization, Rusty shares practical lessons every entrepreneur can apply.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why every growing business needs financial visibility
 • How a fractional CFO can accelerate business growth
 • Why founders should make decisions based on data, not emotion
 • The importance of building systems instead of constant firefighting
 • How family and health contribute to long-term business success
 • Why delegation creates stronger companies
 • The value of financial discipline during uncertain times
 • How better leadership starts with better financial understanding
 • Why sustainable growth always beats rapid, uncontrolled growth

Rusty also shares the pivotal moments that shaped his entrepreneurial journey, the lessons he’s learned while helping business owners across multiple industries, and why great financial leadership is ultimately about giving founders more freedom—not just bigger numbers.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial planning, founder mindset, business strategy, accounting, and personal development, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

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youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
  • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Bruno Drummond

Website: https://drummondadvisors.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdrummond/

Success in entrepreneurship starts with mastering one thing: your mindset. Before you can convince customers, investors, or employees to believe in your vision, you have to believe in it yourself.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Bruno Drummond, Founder and CEO of Drummond Advisors, to discuss how growing up in Brazil, building multiple international companies, and leading teams across several industries shaped his approach to entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth.

Bruno shares his journey from selling products as a teenager to building a global advisory firm that helps businesses expand internationally. Along the way, he launched multiple companies in compliance software, real estate, and business operations, learning firsthand what it takes to scale organizations while wearing many different leadership hats.

But this conversation goes far beyond business strategy.

Bruno explains why your mind can become your greatest competitive advantage—or your biggest obstacle. He shares how developing a growth mindset, embracing discomfort, and staying calm under pressure have allowed him to navigate setbacks and continue building successful businesses.

Throughout the conversation, we explore entrepreneurship, business leadership, resilience, family, health, mindset, and the habits that help founders perform at their highest level.

Whether you’re starting your first business or leading an established company, Bruno shares practical lessons every entrepreneur can apply.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why mindset is every entrepreneur’s greatest asset
 • How a growth mindset creates long-term business success
 • Why learning never stops for great founders
 • The importance of staying calm under pressure
 • How family shapes leadership and personal priorities
 • Why health and consistency improve business performance
 • The value of embracing difficult moments instead of avoiding them
 • How building multiple companies requires different leadership styles
 • Why entrepreneurs succeed by pushing through self-doubt

Bruno also shares how losing his father at a young age changed his perspective on responsibility, why becoming a father transformed his leadership, and how his commitment to continuous learning has fueled decades of entrepreneurial success.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, founder mindset, business leadership, resilience, startup journeys, personal development, and business growth, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

Subscribe Now!

youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing [email protected] with the subject line Founder’s Life.

🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life
 • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife  
 • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/
 • Instagram: @afounderslife 
  • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife

👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Caleb Avery

Website: https://tilled.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-avery/

Building a successful startup isn’t about finding the perfect idea—it’s about choosing a problem you’re passionate enough to solve for the next decade.

In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Leo Gestetner sits down with Caleb Avery, Founder and CEO of Tilled, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey from selling payment solutions door-to-door at 19 years old to building one of the leading embedded payments platforms in the fintech industry.

Caleb shares how years of consulting software companies revealed a common problem: businesses were leaving millions of dollars in payment revenue on the table. That insight led him to found Tilled, a company pioneering the concept of “PayFac as a Service” and helping software platforms monetize embedded payments more effectively.

But this conversation goes beyond fintech.

Caleb opens up about launching a startup during the uncertainty of COVID-19 while raising two young children, the importance of having a supportive family, and why entrepreneurship is less about balance and more about being intentional with your time.

Throughout the conversation, we explore entrepreneurship, founder mindset, business leadership, resilience, family, and what it really takes to build a company that lasts.

Whether you’re considering launching your first business or scaling an existing startup, Caleb shares practical lessons every founder can apply.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why solving the right problem matters more than chasing trends
 • How embedded payments create new revenue opportunities
 • Why startups require long-term commitment and patience
 • The importance of being intentional with your time as a founder
 • How to balance entrepreneurship with raising a family
 • Why passion is essential for long-term business success
 • The value of staying focused during uncertain times
 • How COVID shaped both Caleb’s business and personal life
 • Why founders should build businesses they’re excited to run for the next ten years

Caleb also shares how his wife encouraged him to continue building Tilled during one of the most uncertain periods of his life, why being present with his children matters more than chasing the idea of perfect balance, and how consistency compounds into entrepreneurial success.

If you enjoy conversations about entrepreneurship, founder mindset, fintech, business leadership, startup journeys, business growth, and personal development, you’ll enjoy this episode.

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/leogestetner

Website

leogestetner.com/leo

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