Founders' Forum

Founders' Forum

By Marc BernsteinBusinessEntrepreneurship
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Founders' Forum episodes

  • Yoav Oren: Why His First Startup Idea Failed (And What Fixed It)

    A phone call from a Netflix producer. A childhood spent training in the Israeli desert. A year living in an industrial Chinese village to master martial arts. These are just pieces of the unconventional path that led Yoav Oren to build Zoog, a platform reconnecting grandparents and grandchildren separated by distance.

    On this episode, Marc Bernstein and co-host Pete Meyer talk with Yoav, co-founder and CEO of Zoog AI, about the winding road from combat service in the Israeli army to a career at SimilarWeb managing operations across China, and ultimately to founding a startup born out of pandemic isolation. When lockdowns kept his kids from seeing their grandparents, standard video calls just weren't cutting it. So Yoav built something better.

    What You'll Learn:

    • How a Netflix documentary shoot on martial arts around the world reshaped Yoav's career direction
    • Why Zoog's first version, a live storytelling app, failed to solve the real problem
    • The insight that led to Zoog's asynchronous model, letting grandparents record stories kids can watch anytime
    • The unique fundraising hurdles of building a consumer product in Israel's B2B-dominated tech scene
    • How Zoog balances fresh content creation with maintaining quality at scale
    • Where Zoog is headed next: live features, e-commerce, and using storytelling to boost kids' literacy

    About Yoav Oren:

    Yoav Oren is the co-founder and CEO of Zoog, a cross-generational communication platform. Prior to founding Zoog, he was the Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at Reimagine Ventures. Before joining Reimagine, he held several leadership positions at SimilarWeb. He served as the company’s Chief of Staff, working hand in hand with the CEO and the senior leadership team. He was also responsible for establishing and managing the company’s China operations and served as the General Manager of Greater China. In this position, he was responsible for the company’s data and commercial operations in the region and managed a team both in Israel and in China. During his tenure at SimilarWeb, he personally ran and closed deals with some of China’s greatest tech giants, including Baidu, Alibaba, JD.com, and closed the largest deal in company’s history at the time with Huawei. 

    Prior to his positions at SimilarWeb, he was relocated to Shanghai by a major American institutional company, where he set up and managed the company’s sales and marketing operations in all of Asia. He has worked and studied in China for over a decade. 

    Yoav holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in East Asian Languages and Cultures and Chinese (Cum Laude) , as well as an MBA from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Summa Cum Laude). 

    Yoav lives in New Jersey with his wife and three children. 

    Connect with Yoav:

    Website getzoog.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/yoav-oren

    Try Zoog:
    Access Zoog's special Founders Forum offer here:
    https://apps.apple.com/redeem?ctx=offercodes&id=1534413894&code=FOUNDERSFORUM 


    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by Zoog; a video creation platform that helps families create personalized, interactive stories where grandparents and children can connect across generations. Go to getzoog.com to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

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    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
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    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

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    29 min
  • Victoria Abadir on Turning Volatility Into Opportunity

    What happens when a former HR professional with zero art background decides to turn a vacant downtown bank space into a 15,000 square foot art gallery? Victoria Abadir did just that, and two years later, Lancaster Art Vault is profitable, thriving, and home to 24 resident artists.

    In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Victoria Abadir, founder of Lancaster Art Vault in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Victoria shares how a "crazy idea" turned into a pop-up test run, then a full gallery launch, all without a business partner or mentor. She opens up about learning permitting and licensing on the fly, figuring out art pricing with no industry background, and building a membership model that lets artists come and go without long-term lease commitments.

    Key Takeaways:

    • How a vacant bank space became a 15,000 square foot creative hub with 24 resident artists
    • Why a membership model (not traditional leases) keeps artists loyal and the business flexible
    • The power of community art calls to discover new talent and headline future shows
    • Lessons learned from launching early, before construction was even finished
    • Why listening to artists and pivoting quickly built trust and stronger community ties
    • How Lancaster's broader arts resurgence is fueling growth for spaces like the Vault

    About Victoria Abadir:

    Victoria Abadir is the founder and owner of Lancaster Art Vault, a 15,000-square-foot art gallery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, featuring 24 resident artists alongside rotating exhibitions. A Lancaster native, Victoria is a dedicated community volunteer with a passion for supporting and uplifting the city she calls home. Having served on various arts and community-focused boards, she saw an opportunity to transform an empty space into a vibrant hub that elevates and supports Lancaster’s creative community.

    Connect with Victoria:

    Website LancasterArtVault.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/victoria-garman-abadir
    Instagram instagram.com/lancasterartvault/
    Facebook facebook.com/people/Lancaster-Art-Vault/

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by Lancaster Art Vault; a contemporary art gallery and working artist studio space in the heart of downtown Lancaster. Go to lancasterartvault.com to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

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    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    29 min
  • Paul Spiegel on Turning an Accidental Pivot Into an Exit

    Paul Spiegel switched majors, took a job he knew nothing about, and turned it into Practical Energy Solutions, a company that worked with over 80 municipalities and eventually caught the eye of an acquirer. On this episode of Founders Forum, Paul joins Marc Bernstein and co-host Justin Tennant to unpack how a chance connection with Walmart pulled him into the energy business, why he had to convince clients to even care about energy audits, and how a "too good to be true" pricing model almost sank his pitch before it ever got off the ground.

    Paul shares how he built a team that stuck with him for over a decade, why hiring for passion mattered more than experience, and what finally pushed him to sell the business he spent 20 years building.

    Key Takeaways:

    • How a $1.1 million Walmart contract accidentally launched a new business line
    • Why "do you do energy audits" became the pitch that actually worked
    • How grassroots and municipal demand, not federal policy, has driven the energy efficiency market
    • What made hiring for passion (not experience) pay off long term
    • Why the acquisition led to Paul's three biggest revenue years, not his last

    About Paul D. Spiegel, PE, LEED AP:

    Paul has over 40 years of experience in commercial building design and construction, and energy evaluations of existing buildings. The first 20 years were primarily spent as project manager for quality assurance on large, high profile projects in the Philadelphia area, including the PA Convention Center, Wells Fargo Center, Lincoln Financial Field, the Kimmel Center, the Borgata Hotel and Casino, Citizens Bank Park, Wyeth World Headquarters, Cira Centre, among many others. The next 20 years were spent providing energy expertise and consulting to commercial building owners, and Practical Energy is providing ongoing support services on over 1,000 buildings in the region. 

    Connect with Paul:

    Website www.ssmgroup.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/paul-spiegel

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by SSM Group; a full-service engineering firm helping clients build efficient, resilient, high-performing facilities through energy strategy, infrastructure, and capital planning. Go to ssmgroup.com to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    29 min
  • Matt Bramson: Confidence Isn't the Secret, Vulnerability Is

    After 25 years building and scaling technology companies, serial entrepreneur Matt Bramson made an unexpected pivot: walking away from data-driven growth to build a platform that gets people to put their phones down. His new venture, Interact, uses QR code scans to spark real, face-to-face conversations at live events, no data collection, no monetization, just human connection.

    In this episode of Founders Forum, Matt joins Marc Bernstein to talk about the moment that changed his direction: watching a room full of teenagers sit in silence, scrolling instead of talking. He breaks down how Interact works, why he built it around a psychologist's 36 Questions framework, and how a cash incentive helps strangers break the ice. Matt also opens up about the internal battles every founder faces, from imposter syndrome to the pressure to always seem confident, and why vulnerability has become his most effective sales tool.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Interact turns two scanned QR codes into a shared conversation starter, with zero data collected or sold
    • The platform is built on a psychologist's 36 Questions method, escalating from light small talk to deep, meaningful dialogue
    • Matt's "aha moment" came from watching a house full of teenagers ignore each other in favor of their phones
    • Confidence and "fake it till you make it" are giving way to honesty and vulnerability as real drivers of trust
    • Sponsors can attach their brand to a conversation moment instead of a data-collecting ad
    • Matt's biggest founder challenge isn't external, it's internal: overcoming self-doubt and comparison

    About Matt Bramson:

    Matt Bramson is a serial entrepreneur and revenue architect who has spent 25 years scaling technology businesses — from a global communications platform to a $100M+ energy company — by building the systems and models that drive real growth. He's now co-founder of interACT, a patent-pending live-event platform designed to turn strangers into genuine connections, one face-to-face conversation at a time.

    Connect with Matt:

    Website interactforreal.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/mattbramson/
    X x.com/MattBramson

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by The Satell Institute; the leading CEO organization dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Go to satellinstitute.org to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    29 min
  • Michele Sullivan on Building Accountability Into Giving

    Michele Sullivan was born four feet tall in a world that didn't expect much from her, and she went on to lead one of the most respected corporate foundations on the planet.

    In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Michele Sullivan, former President of the Caterpillar Foundation and Director of Social Innovation, at Babcock Ranch. Michele shares how she rose through a male-dominated company over a 30-year career, eventually taking the helm of a foundation that had operated the same way for two decades, and rebuilding it around accountability, impact, and results. She opens up about growing up with a rare form of dwarfism, the confidence her parents instilled in her, and how "looking up" became both a literal and figurative philosophy that shaped her leadership style.

    Michele also reflects on working alongside global leaders, including a 45-minute meeting in the Oval Office with President Obama, her friendship with Bono, and why she remains passionate about supporting girls, women, and communities facing poverty even after retirement.

    Key Takeaways:

    • How Michele's parents built the confidence that carried her through a decades-long career at Caterpillar
    • Why she brought GAAP accounting and impact reporting standards to the Caterpillar Foundation, and the resistance she faced
    • The difference between foundation dollars and corporate social innovation dollars, and why the distinction matters
    • What it means to "look up" to everyone, regardless of how the world looks at you
    • Her advice for founders and leaders navigating visible and invisible challenges

    About Michele Sullivan:

    Michele is unforgettable — from a young person born with a very rare type of dwarfism, who, in spite of being looked down upon by others, learned to look up: to lead with an elevated view of others, a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world's most prominent philanthropy organizations. With inspiring style, she offers a unique perspective and inspiration for individuals and leaders that attests to the fundamental role one's perspective plays in their life.

    Connect with Michele:

    Website michelelsullivan.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/michelelsullivan/
    Instagram @followmichelel

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by The Satell Institute; the leading CEO organization dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Go to satellinstitute.org to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    30 min
  • Peter Barber on How to Professionalize a Commodity Business

    What does it take to turn a college side hustle into a 90-person company with 38 years of staying power? Peter Barber, co-founder and CEO of Two Dudes Painting Company, joins Marc Bernstein to share exactly that.

    Peter started painting houses as a Franklin & Marshall College student looking to cover tuition. What began as a way to pay for school turned into a full-time commitment when he and co-founder Brian McCaskey decided to go all in, doubling the business in a single year. Today, Two Dudes Painting employs a team of over 90 people across central Pennsylvania, all while staying true to its founding promise: quality work, on time, with zero hassle.

    In this conversation, Peter and Marc dig into reframing problems using Dan Sullivan's "thinking about your thinking" philosophy, building a service-first company culture in a historically low-perceived-value trade, and how paid volunteer time has strengthened both employee retention and community ties in Lancaster. Peter also opens up about his three-year vision for scaling the business into new markets and what it might look like to eventually step back from day-to-day leadership.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Why reframing "the problem behind the problem" leads to better decision-making
    • How Two Dudes Painting professionalized a trade seen as low-barrier and low-value
    • The power of paid community volunteer days for culture and retention
    • Lessons on scaling a relationship-driven business into new geographies
    • What it means to plan a leadership transition while staying mission-focused

    About Peter Barber:

    Peter Barber, the co-founder, and owner of Two Dudes Painting Company has been the driving force behind the company's success for over 38 years. Starting with just Two Dudes and an iconic orange VW bus, Peter has strategically grown the company to include a team of over 90 employees, all while maintaining a commitment to positively impacting the community. 

    Connect:

    Website twodudes.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/two-dudes-painting-company/?viewAsMember=true
    Facebook facebook.com/twodudespaintingcompany
    Instagram instagram.com/twodudespainting/

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by Two Dudes Painting Company, delivering quality painting services with zero hassle across central Pennsylvania. Visit twodudes.com to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    31 min
  • Lessons on Trust, Team, and Reinventing at Any Age with Susan Jacobson

    From running a presidential campaign at 28 to building a Philadelphia PR powerhouse, Susan Jacobson has never stopped betting on herself.

    In this episode of Founders Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Susan Jacobson, CEO of Jacobson Strategic Communications and Praxtera AI Institute, to trace her path from political operative to PR entrepreneur to AI fluency pioneer. Susan opens up about getting pushed out of a corporate role after a decade, writing her business plan on the back of an envelope with Jack Welch, and building a remote-first PR team years before it was normal. She also shares how a Wharton executive MBA program sparked the idea for Praxtera, her AI training company that just won a National Platinum Pinnacle Award.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Early belief from a parent can shape a lifelong willingness to take risks
    • Losing a corporate role can be the push needed to finally go independent
    • Building a team around trust and flexibility creates loyalty and better client work
    • Credibility in a service business has to be earned every single week
    • Personal networks and reputation can fund a business from day one
    • Watching where a major industry is headed can reveal the next big opportunity

    About Susan Jacobson:

    Sue Jacobson is CEO of Praxtera AI Institute and President of Jacobson Strategic Communications. Praxtera delivers live, two hour AI fluency training sessions on Zoom, co-led by a Wharton trained AI specialist and a senior communications strategist. The company recently won the national Platinum Pinnacle Award for AI Training. A Wharton MBA and former Chair of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, Sue is on a mission to make AI fluency accessible and practical for everyone, not just tech insiders.

    Connect:

    Website www.praxtera.com
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/susan-g-jacobson/ ; linkedin.com/company/ai-institute-a-jacobson-company
    Instagram instagram.com/thesuejway/

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by AffinIT, building strong IT partnerships through innovative managed services. Visit affinitmsp.com to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    29 min
  • Redefining Success as a Team with Jay and Preeti Gohel

    From an eight-year-old sweeping up scraps in his father's makeshift dental lab to co-leading a five-location practice with his wife and business partner, Jay Gohel's path into dentistry was anything but planned.

    In this episode, Marc sits down with Dr. Jay Gohel and Preeti Gohel of Aesthetic Dental Associates, husband-and-wife founders who built one of the largest privately owned dental groups in the Delaware Valley from a single practice they were forced into buying during the 2008 financial crisis. Jay handles the clinical vision; Preeti runs the numbers. Together, they've turned early struggles with no mentorship, a brutal economy, and blurred work-life boundaries into a thriving multi-office operation built on mutual trust and clearly divided roles.

    Key takeaways:

    • Why success isn't a fixed destination but a state of presence and balance
    • How starting a practice during the 2008 crash with zero mentorship shaped their approach to growth
    • The financial mistakes that quietly sink dental and small business practices
    • Why "work-life balance" may be the wrong goal, and what to pursue instead
    • How dividing responsibilities by strength, not title, built their partnership
    • The books that shaped their thinking on influence, focus, and self-trust

    Tune in for part one of this two-part conversation, and catch part two for more from Jay and Preeti as the conversation continues.

    About Jay Gohel DMD BDS:

    Dr. Jay Gohel, DMD, BDS, is the CEO and Clinical Director of Aesthetic Dental Associates, a five-location dental group and one of the largest privately owned practices in the Delaware Valley. His journey began in his father's makeshift home dental lab, where he learned the craft long before he ever intended to pursue it professionally.

    Forced into practice ownership during the 2008 financial crisis with no mentor to guide him, Jay built his business through hard-won experience. Today, he focuses on the clinical work he's most passionate about, full mouth rehabilitation and implant dentistry, while mentoring the doctors across his organization.

    For Jay, success isn't measured by financial reward. It's about being fully present, doing meaningful work, and leaving behind knowledge that helps others thrive.

    About Preeti Gohel:

    As the CFO of a multi-location dental group, Preeti Gohel leads financial operations for a growing dental organization with multiple practice locations.

    She is known for her ability to streamline financial chaos and create clear pathways to profitability.

    Her mastery lies in showing entrepreneurs how to increase profitability while expanding their net worth with intention, simplicity, and purpose.

    Preeti's work empowers leaders to build a legacy that endures long after the numbers are calculated. She brings a unique blend of operational expertise, strategic thinking, and values-driven leadership to help entrepreneurs achieve sustainable financial growth.

    Connect:

    Website theaestheticdental.com
    Instagram @thegainsgurl

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by Aesthetic Dental Associates, a Pennsylvania-based dental group dedicated to changing lives through exceptional dentistry, compassion, and community service. Go to theaestheticdental.com or call 610-701-0102 to schedule your appointment.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    30 min
  • Tim Austin on Building Community One Festival at a Time

    From a potluck dinner for Italophiles to a 20,000-person street festival, Tim Austin has turned small-town Lancaster County into a launchpad for big ideas.

    In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with architect and entrepreneur Tim Austin, founder of Colab XYZ and co-founder of Litalia Fest and the new Lancaster Capital Day. Tim shares his path from studying architecture at Cornell and earning a design degree in Milan, to returning home to Lancaster County and building a creative agency, reviving his family's historic Log Cabin Restaurant, and helping grow a neighborhood potluck into one of the region's fastest-growing cultural festivals. He also opens up about launching Lancaster Capital Day, a new festival honoring the city's surprising role in Revolutionary War history as part of the America 250 celebration.

    Key Takeaways:

    • How a summer studying in Milan shaped Tim's design philosophy and led him back to build a business in Lancaster
    • The entrepreneurial roots behind Colab XYZ, and why architects are natural business builders
    • The story of restoring his family's historic Log Cabin Restaurant, a former Prohibition-era speakeasy
    • How a small potluck for Italian speakers grew into Litalia Fest, drawing an expected 20,000 attendees in its fifth year
    • Why Lancaster played a surprising role as an early stop for the Continental Congress, and how that history inspired Lancaster Capital Day
    • Lessons learned scaling a grassroots event into a major community festival, from staging and sound to permits and vendor partnerships

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by The Satell Institute; the leading CEO organization dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Go to satellinstitute.org to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    29 min
  • From Near-Death to Breakthrough: Helen Denise's Founder Story

    Helen Denise left the Soviet Union with nothing but a suitcase and a knack for sales, and built a company that changed how women understand their own bodies. On this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with the CEO and Founder of Hilin Life Products, Inc. and inventor of KNOWHEN, to talk about ambivalence, risk, and the traumatic health event that launched a movement.

    After surviving an ectopic pregnancy in 1999, Helen turned personal crisis into purpose, developing KNOWHEN, the first-ever saliva-based ovulation test kit with a fertility app, and launching one of the world's first fertility tracking apps in 2013. She shares the hard lessons that came with entrepreneurship, from financial missteps to the importance of protecting your ideas early, and opens up about the vision driving her next chapter: a full line of devices designed to transform reproductive medicine for men and women alike.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Ambivalence isn't apathy. It's the discomfort of being pulled in two directions at once, and learning to recognize it can improve how you communicate and lead.
    • Big transformation often follows crisis. Helen's health scare became the spark for a 27-year mission in women's fertility health.
    • Protect your ideas immediately. Helen's biggest early mistake was delaying a patent on her first device.
    • Have capital and financial guidance in place before you launch. Passion alone won't cover a hungry business.
    • Legacy matters. Helen is building toward a full portfolio of fertility devices and a platform to educate women on reproductive health.

    Helen's story is proof that setbacks can become the foundation for a life's work. Tune in for a conversation full of resilience, hard-won wisdom, and a founder who refuses to slow down.

    About Helen Denise:

    Helen Denise is the Founder and CEO of HiLin Life Products, Inc. and inventor of KNOWHEN®, the FDA-cleared advanced saliva ovulation test and fertility monitor app that originated the saliva ovulation category in the U.S. and remains the leading saliva ovulation test worldwide. Her passion for women's fertility health was born from a near-death experience with an ectopic pregnancy, which led her to develop a saliva-based test with 98.9% accuracy in identifying a woman's five most fertile days. Before founding HiLin, Denise built a successful career at Zepter International, growing a North American sales territory from zero to $20 million, and her work has been featured in TIME, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and NBC News, among others.

    Connect:

    Wesbite knowhen.com ; knowhenovulationtest.com ; https://knowhenovulationtest.org/
    LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/helen-denise-1273377/
    Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Knowhen
    Instagram instagram.com/knowhen/
    YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE8oP9U2QXTcAMBMQ2VAl_A

    Marc Bernstein's Founders' Forum is brought to you by March Forward, LLC, and this episode is sponsored by The Satell Institute; the leading CEO organization dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Go to satellinstitute.org to learn more.

    📅 New episodes every Wednesday—hit “Subscribe” now!

    💬 Love the show? Let us know! Leave a quick rating & review here—your feedback helps us grow!

    📲 Stay connected with Marc Bernstein:
    ➡️ Follow on Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

    🎤 Got a success story worth sharing?
    We’re always looking for visionary founders to feature! Apply here to be a guest on the Founders' Forum Radio Show & Podcast.

    📩 Join our email list here so you never miss an episode.

    30 min

About Founders' Forum

From the publisher's feed

Great business stories and great people come together on Marc Bernstein’s Founders’ Forum!  Marc Bernstein sits down with business founders across the country to discuss their lives,…