Founders Future

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we dive into the real-world culinary journey of Chef Deb, uncovering how she transformed her passion for food into a thriving multi-venture business. Over two decades, Deb built everything from restaurants and catering companies to a personal chef service and a juice brand. Today, she leverages those hard-earned lessons to coach other culinary professionals—helping them scale, stabilize income, and move from day-to-day grind into visionary leadership.

In the second half, we explore Chef Deb’s “No BS” coaching philosophy. Honest, compassionate, and actionable, she challenges her clients to break free from the feast‑or‑famine cycle and build sustainable businesses around lives they love. From her signature SHARPEN workshop to high‑level coaching engagements, Deb shares how she empowers chefs, bakers, caterers, and foodpreneurs across North America and the UK to define their “why,” streamline operations, and step into CEO roles with confidence.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we dive into the inspiring journey of Melanie Koerperich, Founder & CEO of Milrich Virtual Professionals LLC. With over 35 years of experience in business and leadership, Melanie shares how she built a US-based virtual assistance firm that empowers small businesses by handling everything from scheduling to marketing—while also creating meaningful work-from-home opportunities for veterans, parents, and other professionals. From her unexpected career shift to scaling a mission-driven company with 55+ team members and 200+ clients, Melanie reveals her strategies for growth, client retention, and fostering a top-tier remote workplace culture.

Discover how Melanie leverages referrals, organic marketing, and team empowerment to drive success—without relying on paid ads. She also discusses her vision for scaling to $2M+ in revenue, the importance of financial literacy for entrepreneurs, and why celebrating employees is key to long-term business growth. Whether you're a founder looking to delegate or an aspiring entrepreneur, Melanie’s insights on balancing flexibility with scalability are invaluable.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Dhanesh Shelat, Founder and CEO of Leads Champs, a results-driven B2B lead generation and sales automation company. Dhanesh shares his journey from working at global brands like Citibank and L’Oréal to launching his own digital growth agency, blending his expertise in SEO, PPC, and web automation. He discusses the challenges of transitioning from a stable corporate career to entrepreneurship, the importance of niching down, and how he leverages offshore teams to deliver high-impact marketing solutions for clients.

Dhanesh also dives into the evolving digital marketing landscape, including the rise of AI and how businesses can adapt to stay competitive. He emphasizes the value of a "do good work for good people" philosophy, prioritizing sustainable growth over rapid scaling. Whether you're an agency owner, startup founder, or marketing professional, Dhanesh’s insights on balancing technical expertise with entrepreneurial grit offer a roadmap for success in today’s fast-changing digital world.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Don Lazzari, President of Delivering Value LLC, a sales performance consulting firm that helps B2B companies scale through disciplined, value-driven strategies. Don shares his remarkable journey from leading a team that grew a company from $250K to $22.5M in just 3.5 years to launching his own boutique consultancy after a private equity exit left him empty-handed. With over 15 years as a solopreneur, Don reveals how he helps CEOs—especially those whose strengths lie in tech or operations, not sales—build high-performing teams, implement pipeline "vital signs," and transition from day-to-day selling to strategic leadership.

Don dives into his signature fractional sales management approach, where he embeds with clients (like a medical imaging dealer he’s worked with for 5 years) to coach reps, optimize CRM dashboards, and drive predictable revenue. He also shares hard-won lessons for new consultants: why having a 12-month financial runway is critical, how niching down transformed his business, and why he prioritizes mentoring proteges over scaling into a large agency. Whether you’re a solopreneur or a CEO struggling with sales, Don’s insights on referrals, LinkedIn outreach, and the "pipeline pressure" metric offer a masterclass in sustainable growth.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Josh Taylor, Founder and CEO of Product EVO
—a product development and sourcing agency that helps entrepreneurs transform ideas into market-ready products. Josh shares his unconventional journey from finance and art to becoming a product development expert, revealing how his blend of analytical and creative skills led him to build a company that bridges the gap between vision and execution.

With a focus on founders generating $3M–$30M in revenue, Josh explains how Product EVO’s data-driven approach helps clients avoid the 90% failure rate of new products by validating ideas, streamlining features, and managing manufacturing—whether it’s a simple 6-month project or a complex 3-year build like the 6,000-part CNC machine they developed.

Josh dives into the challenges of scaling a high-touch service business, from his 15X ROAS Meta ad funnel to the struggle of replicating his founder-led sales process. He shares hard-won lessons on hiring sales teams (hint: hire 3 AEs at once) and why most product companies fail by overcomplicating their offerings.

Whether you’re a hardware startup or an established brand looking to expand your product line, Josh’s insights on manufacturing diversification (including his viral “Pros and Cons of Manufacturing Outside China” guide) and lean validation techniques are a masterclass in product-led growth.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, we sit down with Andrew Murkens, founder and CEO of 828 Biz Marketing, a faith-driven digital marketing agency based in North Carolina. Andrew shares his journey from running a ministry to launching a results-driven marketing business, emphasizing the power of authentic relationships, SEO, and AI in today’s digital landscape. He dives into his core strategies—web design, social media, and local SEO—while revealing how he’s scaling his agency with recurring revenue and intentional client acquisition.

Andrew also unpacks the future of digital marketing, highlighting the growing influence of AI, content clustering, and LinkedIn’s resurgence. He leaves listeners with a powerful piece of advice: “Be strategic, but don’t be afraid to buck the norms.” Whether you’re a small business owner or a fellow entrepreneur, this episode is packed with actionable insights on marketing, mindset, and sustainable growth.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Mishal Saeed sits down with Brittany S. Hale, Founder & CEO of BND Consulting Group, a leadership strategy firm empowering women executives with clarity and confidence. Brittany shares her unique journey from securities litigation to executive coaching, revealing how she helps leaders bridge the gap between intention and action. She discusses her three-tiered consulting model—fractional leadership, operational strategy, and performance enablement—and how she’s scaling her impact through AI-driven solutions while staying true to her "Be Nobody’s Darling" philosophy.

Brittany dives into the challenges of predictable lead generation, delegation vs. abdication, and why fractional leadership is in high demand. She also shares her vision for BND’s next phase—expanding into intimate, high-value engagements for startup founders and nonprofits. With insights on decision-making frameworks and fostering resilient teams, this episode is packed with wisdom for leaders ready to elevate their organizations.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, we dive into the visionary world of AI-powered go-to-market strategies with Jim Recker, Founder & CEO of Invenir AI. Jim shares how his company is revolutionizing business launches by using agentic AI to orchestrate marketing, sales, and customer care—eliminating inefficiencies and accelerating revenue. From the inspiration behind Invenir (hint: Zoom’s rapid feature releases) to the future of AI-human collaboration, Jim breaks down how autonomous agents will reshape industries while keeping human oversight essential.

Jim also discusses the challenges of AI adoption, security concerns, and how Invenir’s unique approach helps SMBs and enterprises streamline product launches 35-60% faster—without sacrificing quality. He shares insights on the evolving role of AI engineers, the impact on traditional job roles, and why businesses must balance tech innovation with human intuition. A must-listen for entrepreneurs and leaders navigating the AI revolution!

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, we sit down with Jevon Wooden, Bronze Star veteran and CEO of BrightMind Consulting Group, a leadership development firm revolutionizing empathetic, people-centered growth. Jevon shares his journey from military service to entrepreneurship, revealing how toxic leadership inspired his mission to help leaders and teams unlock their potential through emotional intelligence, coaching, and cultural transformation. He dives into his 5Y Framework—a root-cause approach to leadership—and how BrightMind’s customized "learning solutions" (not just training) empower small-to-midsize businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive.

Jevon also unpacks his scaling strategy, leveraging a collaborative network of vetted coaches and consultants to maintain excellence without bloating overhead. He highlights the power of relationships over transactions, the pitfalls of traditional ads, and why LinkedIn and Google My Business are his top lead gen tools. For leaders navigating today’s uncertain economy, Jevon leaves a golden nugget: "Success isn’t lonely—pull others up as you climb."

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Mark VanDyke, President of TranscendX, a consulting firm revolutionizing emergency preparedness and business continuity—especially in healthcare and regulated industries. Mark shares how TranscendX helps organizations move beyond redundancy to true resilience, ensuring they can thrive during disruptions like cyberattacks, power outages, or even active shooter scenarios. From their unique assessment-based approach to their newly acquired expertise in energy, government, and education sectors, Mark reveals why resilience isn’t just a "check-the-box" compliance task—it’s a survival strategy.

Mark also drops an exclusive: TranscendX recently merged with a 30-year global consulting firm, expanding their reach into nuclear power, universities, and municipal governments. Plus, he teases their upcoming XOS (TranscendX Operating System), a framework to help teams fix problems faster while maintaining clear communication during crises. Whether you’re in healthcare, manufacturing, or local government, this episode is a masterclass in building organizations that don’t just endure chaos—they outperform in it.