In this episode of Founders, Future, host Mishal Saeed sits down with Michael Schindler, Navy veteran and founder of The VUCA Principle, to explore his mission to revolutionize leadership development in an era of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Michael shares how his military background inspired a unique framework—transforming VUCA challenges into vision, understanding, clarity, and adaptability—and why traditional corporate training fails (75% of programs are ineffective, he notes). From coaching Fortune 100 executives to developing AI-powered "embodied companions" like Max, Michael reveals how his hybrid model bridges self-assessment, neuroscience, and moonshot thinking to help leaders upgrade their "operating systems" before scaling their impact.

Michael delves into the future of leadership development, where AI augments (but doesn’t replace) human coaching, and how his upcoming 2025 initiatives—like the HR Ally program—aim to redefine workplace culture. For aspiring entrepreneurs, he offers a counterintuitive truth: "Security is an illusion; solve real problems, prove your model on the side, and listen for that inflection point when it’s time to leap." With referrals driving growth (and a deliberate avoidance of "easy button" clients), Michael’s story is a masterclass in aligning profit with purpose—one veteran, leader, and AI bot at a time.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Ammar Elm sits down with Kari Mills, founder of Women's Sports Xcelerator, a pioneering consultancy dedicated to accelerating the business growth of women's college sports programs. Kari shares her journey from athlete and sports marketer to entrepreneur, discussing how her company helps athletic departments build strong brands, expand fan bases, and generate new revenue. She dives into the challenges of navigating the evolving landscape of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals, the cultural shift driving women’s sports fandom, and why filling stadiums is just the first step in unlocking long-term revenue opportunities.

Kari also opens up about the importance of trusting intuition as an entrepreneur, the power of organic growth through referrals in a tight-knit industry, and her vision for dominating regional markets before scaling nationally. Whether discussing the impact of social media stars like Caitlin Clark or the legal complexities of Title IX, Kari provides a compelling look at the future of women’s sports—and how her company is leading the charge.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Ammar Elm sits down with Tristen O'Bannon, founder of Beacon Strategy, a lead generation and business development agency revolutionizing outbound sales. Tristen shares his journey from selling pest control door-to-door to building a consultancy that prioritizes quality over quantity in lead generation—helping founders secure high-fit clients through tailored cold email systems, direct mail, and strategic positioning. He reveals why he avoids niching down, how he navigates the evolving challenges of outbound (like firewall changes and script fatigue), and his bold $2M revenue goal for Beacon Strategy.

Tristen dives into his philosophy of "educator over pitchman," emphasizing trust-building and intentional outreach. He critiques reliance on LinkedIn ("I don’t see the value in strictly LinkedIn outreach") and champions tools like Apollo for scalable prospecting. The conversation also explores founder-led sales, the pitfalls of robotic AI-driven outreach, and Tristen’s vision to expand into executive development—transforming not just lead volume, but sales processes for creative agencies and SMBs.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Ammar Elm sits down with Dr. Seth Dobrin, founder and CEO of Qantm AI, a pioneering advisory firm specializing in AI strategy and governance. With a distinguished career spanning molecular biology, Monsanto’s digital transformation, and serving as IBM’s first Global Chief AI Officer, Dr. Dobrin shares his insights on the future of AI—from the limitations of large language models to the revolutionary potential of world models and deterministic AI. He also discusses his venture fund, One Infinity Ventures, which invests in cutting-edge deep-tech AI innovations like neurosymbolic systems and quantum AI.

Dr. Dobrin dives into Qantm AI’s mission to democratize responsible AI adoption, offering tools like readiness assessments and governance software—once high-ticket consulting services now productized for scalability. He candidly addresses the challenges of transitioning from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of sales operations and his vision to shift Qantm into a subscription-based model. The conversation also explores emerging AI trends, including physics-based simulations and small models, while offering practical advice for aspiring consultants and technologists navigating the AI landscape.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Jeff Hulett, Founder & President of Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR), who’s bridging the gap between institutional decision-making and everyday financial literacy. A behavioral economist with 30+ years in banking and risk management, Jeff reveals how PFR’s unique "decision-first" approach helps students, content creators, and startups navigate complex financial choices—not through memorization, but by building scalable decision systems. From licensing patented software to universities to pioneering a "skin-in-the-game" fractional CFO model for early-stage businesses (where PFR takes equity + revenue share), Jeff unpacks why delayed gratification problems require radically different solutions than today’s instant-satisfaction economy.

Jeff also shares why content creators are PFR’s fastest-growing client segment, how neuroscience informs their financial education frameworks, and the counterintuitive truth that "success is a lagging indicator of your decisions." Whether you’re an entrepreneur struggling with cash flow, an educator rethinking financial literacy, or a founder scaling through uncertainty, this episode offers actionable insights on turning decision science into competitive advantage.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, Ed Jalinsky, founder of Paxion Cybersecurity, shares his mission to democratize cybersecurity through consulting, education, and AI-driven SaaS solutions. Inspired by personal experiences—from 9/11 to a family member’s devastating online scam—Ed reveals how Paxion’s three revenue channels (consulting, education/talent development, and proprietary AI tools like Paxi AI) aim to protect businesses and vulnerable populations. With an $8M valuation and a Series A in progress, Ed discusses the challenges of lengthy enterprise sales cycles, building a scalable sales force, and aligning profit with purpose through nonprofit partnerships.

Ed also dives into the future of Paxi AI, a GenAI-powered XDR platform set to launch in 2026, and emphasizes the critical need for "cyber maturity" across generations. From cold showers for focus to Tony Robbins-inspired habits, he shares how mindset and mentorship fuel his rapid growth. With a focus on mid-market enterprises and underserved communities, Ed’s vision blends cutting-edge tech with human-centric security—proving that cybersecurity isn’t just about tools, but education and accessibility.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Ammar Elm sits down with Jason Patison, founder and CEO of Defiant Media, a full-service marketing agency blending creativity and technology to deliver transformative marketing solutions. Jason shares his journey from tattoo artist to television network executive and finally to entrepreneur, detailing how his passion for creativity led him to launch Defiant Media. He discusses the challenges of client acquisition in a crowded digital space, his vision for VR in marketing, and why he believes standing out with unique content is the key to success—without niching down too soon.

Jason also opens up about his goals for Defiant Media, including scaling to a national agency and building a dedicated studio space. He emphasizes the importance of passion in entrepreneurship, the fluidity required in today’s AI-driven marketing landscape, and why he prefers working with one client per industry to maintain authenticity. Whether discussing lead generation strategies or the future of immersive marketing, Jason provides candid insights for aspiring agency owners.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Sabrina Amjad, Founder of Vanbri Consulting, a boutique firm helping organizations navigate digital transformation through human-centric strategy and AI adoption. A former Deloitte and EY consultant with global experience across 5 continents, Sabrina shares how her journey—from Bangladesh to building Dubai’s judicial system to advising Fortune 500 companies—led her to launch Vanbri. She reveals why most tech transformations fail (hint: it’s not the tech) and how her firm bridges the gap between C-suite vision and frontline execution, especially for mid-market companies.

Sabrina also pulls back the curtain on the challenges of scaling a niche consultancy—from the feast-or-famine cycle of referrals to assembling a team of seasoned strategists. She discusses her vision for Vanbri’s next chapter: launching a female-led think tank with powerhouse leaders from Saudi Arabia to the WHO, and offers listeners free advisory hours to help them navigate today’s turbulent business landscape. Whether you’re a consultant, transformation leader, or purpose-driven founder, this episode is packed with insights on turning complexity into clarity.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, JJ Englert, founder of No Code Alliance and top 1% Bubble developer, shares his journey from filmmaker to no-code pioneer. After raising $300K for a failed marketplace startup, JJ discovered Bubble in 2019 and rebuilt his vision—generating more revenue in 6 months than his previous venture did in 3 years. Now, through No Code Alliance, he empowers professionals to harness AI and no-code tools with courses like Intro to AI Agents (7+ hours of hands-on training), while running the leading no-code podcast This Weekend: No Code + AI.

JJ reveals why organic growth via LinkedIn/Twitter and value-driven content outperforms paid ads for his $200 courses, and how AI is reshaping SaaS into "personal software." His advice? "Stay curious—AI won’t replace people, but it will replace those who don’t use it." With a passion for democratizing tech, JJ envisions a future where anyone can build custom solutions without code—while teasing his dream venture studio for serial builders like himself.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, Talha Siddiqui, founder of Brillionhouse Digital, shares his journey from writing college essays for cash to building a full-service digital marketing agency that transforms brand narratives. What started as a knack for persuasive copywriting evolved into a mission to solve the "messaging bottleneck" businesses face—revealing how authentic storytelling drives revenue growth. Talha breaks down Brillionhouse’s unique "Apple-inspired" model: an in-house team handling everything from branding to lead gen, ensuring cohesive messaging. He highlights a recent nonprofit campaign for Palestine that raised $200K in a single day, proving the power of unified storytelling.

Talha also dives into scaling challenges, from turning down clients due to capacity constraints to his hunt for elite account managers. With a focus on high-ticket industries like real estate and finance, he shares lessons on balancing rapid growth (like his award-winning 3-year revenue surge) with sustainable systems. For aspiring agency owners, Talha’s advice is blunt: *"If you’re leaving a 9-to-5, know you’re trading it for a 9-to-9—only do this if you love it."* His vision? Leveraging Brillionhouse’s success to fuel his other ventures, including an architectural materials business, while staying true to storytelling as the ultimate growth lever.