Entrepreneurs Corner Podcast

What happens when business leaders start treating AI as the decision-maker instead of a decision-making tool?

In this episode of the Entrepreneurs' Corner Podcast, I sit down with Heather Mallette, founder and CEO of The Decision Line, to explore the intersection of AI, executive judgment, and leadership accountability.

Heather brings more than 20 years of HR and executive leadership experience to a problem more businesses are beginning to face: How much decision-making should we actually hand over to AI?

Her answer is clear, technology can inform a decision and recommend a course of action, but human judgment still carries the accountability.

We break down practical examples involving employee retention, organizational problems, leadership conflict, AI implementation, and the downstream consequences that can easily be missed when leaders focus only on the immediate numbers.

We also talk about why AI won't repair broken systems, how leaders can use AI as a devil's advocate, why asking for feedback and doing nothing with it damages organizations, and why businesses may be better off starting AI adoption with a small group of internal champions.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why high-consequence decisions require greater human judgment

[00:00] – Meet Heather Mallette and The Decision Line

Heather also shares how The Decision Line grew from a conversation in a senior leadership group, how she finds clients, and what she is building next, including a book based on her AI and executive judgment framework.

Heather's message for leaders navigating AI is simple: We should be more human, not less human with AI.

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Building a business doesn’t always require quitting your job and going all-in overnight.

In this episode of the Entrepreneurs' Corner Podcast, I sit down with Johnny Lynum, serial entrepreneur, real estate investor, retired Air Force officer, author, and founder of Lynum Capital Partners.

Johnny’s entrepreneurial instincts started early from lawn care and car washing to buying products wholesale and reselling them in college. But his path eventually took him into a 20-year Air Force career while he and his wife built a real estate business on the side.

We unpack how Johnny translated military leadership and risk-management skills into entrepreneurship, built a fix-and-flip operation while serving full-time, and eventually made the jump into multifamily real estate.

Johnny also walks through the deal that changed his trajectory: an 18-unit property he discovered after attending a multifamily conference. We discuss how he financed that first larger deal, brought investors into the opportunity, used promissory notes alongside equity, and continued growing his portfolio.

Later, we get into the next evolution of Johnny’s career as a financial advisor. He explains why diversification became increasingly important to him and discusses 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trusts, REITs, alternative investments, and the challenge real estate owners can face when transitioning wealth to the next generation.

What You’ll Learn:

[00:00] Meet Johnny Lynum

Johnny’s story is a reminder that entrepreneurship rarely follows a straight line. Build a plan, manage the risk, surround yourself with the right people and keep taking action.

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What happens when everything that made you successful in one chapter of your life doesn’t work the same way in the next?

In Episode 5 of the Entrepreneurs' Corner Podcast, I sit down with Brandon Jenkins, a former Navy helicopter pilot, military professor, and executive coach who helps leaders navigate major transitions.

After 26 years in the Navy, including four years at the Naval Academy and 22 years on active duty, Brandon turned his leadership experience toward coaching people who are moving into new arenas. That could mean transitioning from the military to civilian life, going from a W-2 career to entrepreneurship, moving from leading a team to leading other leaders, or simply entering a new chapter professionally.

We get into why blindly following another person's playbook often doesn't work, why understanding your values and purpose matters, and how coaching differs from consulting, advising, mentorship, and therapy.

Chapters

[00:00] — Meet Brandon Jenkins

Brandon also shares how he structures his coaching relationships and the types of leaders and professionals he works with.

If you’re entering a new chapter in business, leadership, or your career, this conversation offers a different way to think about what should come next.

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What if one of the most important skills in entrepreneurship is being willing to become a beginner again?

In Episode 4 of the Entrepreneurs' Corner Podcast, I sit down with Jack Sparling, co-founder of Aspire Success, to explore purpose-driven entrepreneurship, mentorship, personal development, and what it takes to keep growing when you don't have everything figured out.

Jack shares how Aspire Success began in Japan in 2011, where he and his wife helped young professionals and couples gain clarity around their careers, lives, and long-term goals. Today, as Jack steps more fully into entrepreneurship himself, he's applying many of those same principles to his own journey.

One of the biggest? Get comfortable being a beginner.

We talk about why failure can be part of the learning process, how entrepreneurs can shorten their learning curve by surrounding themselves with experienced people, and why waiting for perfection can keep you from making meaningful progress.

• Why entrepreneurs need to become comfortable being beginners

Chapters

Jack also shares three principles he believes entrepreneurs should remember: be comfortable being a beginner, stay close to people who help you grow, and stay true to your purpose.

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What if the best business opportunity isn't exciting at all?

On Episode 3 of Entrepreneurs’ Corner Podcast, host John Misarti sits down with David Bisaillon, a former pest control business owner who now works as a franchise consultant and business coach.

David started in pest control without a college degree, built his own company, developed the systems needed to grow it, and eventually sold the business. Along the way, he learned firsthand how difficult entrepreneurship can be when you're building without a playbook.

Today, David helps prospective entrepreneurs evaluate franchise opportunities particularly in home services and he has a strong preference for what he calls “boring/simple businesses.”

[00:00] — Meet David Bisaillon

David also explains why services like pest control, gutter cleaning, landscaping, pressure washing, and cleaning continue to interest him: they solve ordinary problems customers need addressed again and again.

If you've been thinking about business ownership but assume you need the next groundbreaking idea, this conversation offers another perspective.

Connect with David Bisaillon:

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Running a successful specialty business takes more than technical skill: it takes trust, expertise, and genuine passion.

In this episode of Entrepreneurs' Corner Podcast, John Misarti sits down with Chris Heilbrun, owner of Big Sky Bow Shop, to discuss building a business around bowhunting, servicing compound bows and crossbows, and educating customers on proper equipment maintenance.

Chris also shares why customer relationships matter more than sales and offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to turn a hobby into a business.

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AI is no longer a future concept, it's already reshaping how businesses communicate, qualify leads, and manage customer relationships.

In this episode of Entrepreneurs' Corner Podcast, John Misarti sits down with Jordan Fleming, Co-Founder and Chairman of Smartphone.io, to discuss the evolution of AI-powered conversations, CRM integration, and what businesses need to understand about the emerging AI workforce.

Jordan shares how Smartphone.io grew from a simple Podio phone integration into a sophisticated conversational platform, explains why most companies are implementing AI incorrectly, and reveals how AI agents are changing sales, lead qualification, and customer engagement.

The conversation also explores FCC regulations, TCPA compliance risks, and Jordan's upcoming book, The AI Workforce.

[00:00] Introduction

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