Founders Future

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Amar Elm, we sit down with Michael Podolsky, co-founder and CEO of PissedConsumer.com, a leading online review and reputation management platform. Michael shares the fascinating origin story of PissedConsumer, born from a personal vacation disaster that left him frustrated with the lack of consumer recourse. What started as a $200 investment has grown into a platform with over 200,000 company profiles, empowering consumers to voice their experiences while helping businesses turn feedback into actionable improvements.

Michael also discusses his second venture, WiserBrand, a digital marketing and AI consulting firm that emerged from PissedConsumer’s success. He dives into the challenges of staying ahead in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, the importance of AI in content moderation, and his philosophy on leadership—emphasizing transparency, employee growth, and adaptability in an AI-driven world.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we dive into the world of AI and industrial innovation with Tara Javidi, Co-Founder and CTO of KavAI. Tara shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, blending her expertise in information theory and machine learning to build AI systems that interpret and predict real-world industrial challenges. She discusses KavAI’s mission to enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability in complex environments like refineries through "curiosity-enabled AI," emphasizing the intersection of deep tech and real-world impact.

Tara also explores the evolving AI landscape, highlighting the importance of staying product-focused amid rapid technological advancements. She reflects on the balance between foundational research and scalable solutions, the role of intentional data processing, and the power of teamwork in driving meaningful innovation. Whether discussing KavAI’s pilot projects or the future of AI in industrial settings, Tara’s insights reveal a visionary approach to solving critical global challenges.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we sit down with Joe Pici, Founder & CEO of Pici & Pici Inc. and creator of Sell More Virtually. With over 30 years in sales training and keynote speaking, Joe shares his journey from football coach to sales expert, driven by the need to fill gaps in skill-based sales training. He dives into the power of live, hands-on coaching—including real cold-calling sessions—and how his unique approach has helped entrepreneurs and businesses book millions in revenue.

Joe also discusses his vision for scaling Sell More Virtually, a membership platform offering on-demand sales training, weekly live masterminds, and a massive library of resources. He emphasizes the importance of human connection in sales, even in an AI-driven world, and reveals why he still prioritizes direct client engagement over automation. Whether you're an entrepreneur, sales professional, or business leader, Joe’s insights on lead generation, sales psychology, and business growth are invaluable.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Jae Encarnacion sits down with Ross Aiosa, founder of Product Management Advisor (PMA), to explore his journey in empowering product professionals through mentorship, AI-powered tools, and a dynamic learning community. Ross shares how his own career challenges inspired PMA’s mission, the core services driving growth (including resume optimization, coaching, and job boards), and his vision for scaling while maintaining trust and credibility in the product management space.

Ross also discusses the importance of starting small, staying close to users, and building with purpose—key lessons from PMA’s early success. Whether you’re an aspiring product manager or a seasoned leader, this conversation offers actionable insights on career growth, community-driven solutions, and leveraging AI for professional advancement.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Jae Encarnacion sits down with Chuck Thokey, co-founder of Top Rep Training, to uncover how he’s transforming sales teams in the home improvement industry. With over 20 years of high-stakes sales experience, Chuck shares how his immersive boot camps, AI-powered sales simulators, and coaching programs help contractors and sales professionals achieve close rates as high as 60%. He dives into the science behind his training methods, debunking common sales myths and emphasizing the power of consistency and momentum in closing deals.

Chuck also discusses the challenges of scaling a coaching business while maintaining quality, the pitfalls of AI in sales (and why most AI agents still fail), and why word-of-mouth referrals drive Top Rep’s growth. Whether you’re in home services or sales training, this episode is packed with actionable strategies on leadership, scalable systems, and staying ahead of industry evolution.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we dive into the journey of Paul Barnhurst, widely known as the FP&A Guy, a premier FP&A educator and thought leader with over 100,000 LinkedIn followers. Paul shares how he transitioned from corporate finance to building a thriving business centered on empowering finance professionals through training, certifications, and cutting-edge insights. He breaks down his multiple revenue streams—from corporate training and affiliate partnerships to his popular FP&A-focused podcasts—and discusses his vision for becoming the go-to marketplace for FP&A professionals.

Paul also reveals his unique approach to content creation, why he avoids affiliate deals with software vendors to maintain credibility, and his plans for scaling through AI-powered tools and potentially launching his own certification program. Whether you're an entrepreneur, finance professional, or content creator, this episode is packed with actionable insights on building authority, monetizing expertise, and strategically growing a niche-focused business.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Erin Aldrich-Shean, former Olympian, 4x World Championship athlete, and founder of Ascension Coaching and Consulting. Erin shares her incredible journey from elite sports to corporate America—and how a career crisis led her to discover her true passion: coaching professionals through career transitions. She breaks down her business evolution, from initially targeting athletes to pivoting into a powerful three-tiered coaching model (Land, Launch, Lead) that helps clients navigate job searches, career advancement, and executive leadership.

Erin dives into her lead generation experiments, from Google Ads to LinkedIn outreach, and reveals why she prioritizes joyful selling over aggressive tactics. She also opens up about scaling challenges, relinquishing control as a founder, and her vision to transition into business coaching—helping other entrepreneurs reach 7-8 figures while maintaining work-life balance. Whether you're a coach, consultant, or career-driven professional, Erin’s story is packed with lessons on resilience, strategic pivots, and building a mission-driven business.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we sit down with Melisa Cunningham, founder of Emplify Consulting, a boutique HR strategy firm transforming how Fortune 500 companies approach employee experience. With nearly 30 years in HR operations—including leadership roles at GE and ServiceNow—Melisa shares how she identified a critical gap: large organizations often lack clarity on how to modernize HR, despite knowing what they want. Emplify bridges this divide by combining deep practitioner expertise with AI-driven strategy, helping clients build foundational knowledge systems before deploying cutting-edge tools.

Melisa reveals why she prioritizes quality over rapid growth, her unique "consultant-as-practitioner" approach, and how Emplify is developing a groundbreaking payroll evaluation product set to launch in 2025. She also unpacks the future of HR operations, emphasizing that AI’s potential hinges on robust data foundations—a lesson learned from her first client’s successful roadmap. For founders navigating consulting, Melisa’s advice on confidence, strategic partnerships (like her Dubai-based colleague Vijaya), and work-life balance is gold.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, Shannon Wallis, Founder of Cascade Leadership, shares her extraordinary journey from growing up in the bottom 10% of the socioeconomic ladder to becoming a global leadership consultant for Fortune 100 companies. The pivotal moment? A life-changing encounter at a Hare Krishna temple in India, where a priest’s humble response—“Why would I be proud? It’s what God called me to do”—inspired her to build a business rooted in service. For 15 years, Shannon has blended corporate leadership development with pro bono work for nonprofits tackling poverty through education, proving that purpose and profit can coexist.

Shannon dives into her unique business model (100% referral-based!), the power of “prodigal leadership” for first-generation professionals, and her upcoming Leadership Institute designed to amplify voices from underrepresented backgrounds. She also reveals her struggle to transition from word-of-mouth growth to scalable marketing—and why she’s finally embracing LinkedIn, YouTube, and crowdsourcing to reach her ideal audience. For anyone hesitating to answer their own “calling,” Shannon’s advice is simple: Start with one step. The rest will follow.