Founders Future

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, Stacey Bevill, CEO of Golden Career Strategies, shares her inspiring journey of revitalizing a legacy career coaching business with a fresh focus on manufacturing. With certifications in Lean Six Sigma and Zen Leadership, Stacey reveals how she's bridging corporate HR strategies with small business needs—helping manufacturers build resilient teams through customized coaching, outplacement services, and leadership development. She discusses her vision for scaling while maintaining a boutique feel, emphasizing the power of neurodiversity in the workplace and her unique approach to activating employees' innate strengths.

Stacey opens up about the challenges of predictable lead generation while staying true to her relationship-focused growth strategy. She shares insights on modern manufacturing's evolution, the science behind her coaching methodologies, and how simple techniques like music or movement can rewire neural pathways for better leadership. With heartwarming stories of transforming workplaces and practical advice for entrepreneurs, Stacey demonstrates how aligning people's natural talents with organizational needs creates thriving, joyful teams.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we meet Jonas Roeser, co-founder and CEO of Agent Review—a revolutionary platform bringing transparency to the insurance industry by verifying and showcasing agent credentials alongside consumer reviews. Jonas shares his unexpected journey from professional snowboarder to insurance marketing guru, revealing how he built Agent Review to solve a critical gap: helping consumers find trustworthy, vetted agents while giving agents a frictionless way to manage their online reputation. With AI-powered verification and review tools, the platform has onboarded 32,000 agents in just 4 months, positioning itself as the "Switzerland" of insurance matchmaking.

Jonas dives into Agent Review’s unique model, where agents can get verified (license checks, complaint history, etc.) for as little as $250/year, while consumers enjoy unbiased access to top-rated professionals. He also tackles tough questions—like handling fake reviews—and shares his vision for scaling the platform nationally before launching consumer-facing marketing. A firm believer in manifestation, Jonas reflects on how aligning timing, talent, and tenacity helped him pivot from action sports to disrupting a traditional industry—and why today’s AI-driven world makes verified reviews more valuable than ever.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, Mike Thomas, CEO of Track Selling Institute, shares the journey of reviving and scaling the legendary sales training methodology originally founded by Roy Chitwood. Mike discusses how he and his partner Ron Holm transformed the business from in-person workshops to a virtual-first model, leveraging AI and customized reinforcement tools to help sales teams retain and apply their training effectively. He also dives into their vision for industry-specific training and the future of sales in a post-pandemic, AI-driven world.

Mike unpacks the biggest challenges sales teams face today—getting in front of the right buyers, selling to decision-making teams, and adapting to in-person selling again. He explains how Track Selling Institute’s structured, repeatable process helps businesses close more deals while staying human-centric in an increasingly digital sales landscape.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Karyn Vadnais, Tiffany Joy Greene, MBA, founder of Mpwr People, shares her journey from surviving homelessness as a teenager to building a purpose-driven advisory firm. Tiffany reveals how education became her lifeline—a theme central to Mpwr People’s mission of empowering small businesses and nonprofits through membership-based coaching, consulting, and strategic partnerships. She discusses the challenges of scaling while staying true to her vision, the power of community over one-on-one services, and her quest to redefine the customer journey.

Tiffany also opens up about overcoming fear-driven distractions, her innovative revenue model (including free memberships), and tools like HubSpot and Microsoft Planner that fuel her operations. With plans to partner with accounting firms (the "electricity" of business), she underscores the importance of purpose as the North Star for entrepreneurs. Listeners gain actionable insights on balancing growth with authenticity and leveraging ecosystems for impact.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we dive into the journey of Aris Federman, founder of Blue Oak Productions, a video production agency blending high-quality visuals with strategic storytelling. Aris shares how his background in acting and passion for storytelling led him to launch the company, transitioning from narrative filmmaking to helping brands authentically communicate their mission through compelling video content. He discusses the challenges of scaling bespoke production services while maintaining deep client relationships and reveals his vision for intentional growth in both commercial and creative projects.

Aris also explores the power of authentic storytelling in marketing, emphasizing the importance of building community around a brand’s identity. From artisan bakeries to medical device companies, Blue Oak Productions crafts tailored video solutions that resonate with diverse audiences. Aris offers valuable advice for new entrepreneurs, urging them to embrace imperfection and take action rather than waiting for the "perfect" moment to start.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we meet Christina Maag, the dynamic founder of Hoopla, a Boise-based marketing merchandise and branded apparel company. Christina shares her journey from being an executive assistant at major corporations to launching Hoopla just before the pandemic—a timing she now sees as serendipitous. With no prior industry experience, she grew the business from $400K in its first year to $2M annually, leveraging referrals, community engagement, and a lean, women-led team. Christina opens up about the challenges of scaling, hiring missteps, and her philosophy of "burning the boat" to fully commit to entrepreneurship 346.

Christina dives into Hoopla’s evolution, from serving small orders to now focusing on Fortune 500 clients with complex needs. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in marketing, her team’s culture-first approach, and the pivotal moment she hired her first employee—while unexpectedly pregnant. With recent milestones like buying their own building and transitioning to self-financing, Christina reflects on intentional growth over rapid scaling and offers candid advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: side hustles rarely match the urgency of full commitment.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we meet Jerry Newman, founder of Tech Titan—an SEO and web development agency specializing in helping trades businesses (HVAC, plumbing, construction) dominate their local markets. Jerry shares his unconventional journey from running a virtual assistant business to becoming an SEO expert, driven by his hands-on construction background and frustration with agencies that overpromise but underdeliver. With a focus on client results over rapid scaling, Tech Titan offers tiered SEO packages and WordPress development, helping small businesses rank higher while avoiding the pitfalls of "SEO snake oil."

Jerry dives into the challenges of educating clients on SEO’s value, his shift from "taking any client" to prioritizing quality partnerships, and his systematic approach to fulfillment. He reveals his plans to hire his first full-time employee (once he adds 3 more clients) and his preparation for Google’s AI-driven search evolution. For founders, Jerry’s advice is clear: specialize early, invest in deep expertise (he credits Nathan Gotch’s SEO Academy), and focus on delivering measurable results—not just chasing leads.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Andrew Hartman, founder of Time Boss, a productivity consultancy revolutionizing how high-performing leaders manage time and avoid burnout. Andrew shares his personal journey from chronic overwhelm in early-stage startups to developing a transformative framework that helps teams scale efficiently while maintaining work-life balance. He dives into the systemic challenges of modern knowledge work, where 77% of professionals experience burnout, and reveals how Time Boss’s coaching model creates sustainable productivity through habit change and accountability.

Andrew breaks down Time Boss’s core offerings, from group coaching for leadership teams to workshops and digital courses, emphasizing the power of collective commitment to healthier work cultures. He also discusses his vision for scaling through a book and strategic partnerships, all while staying true to his mission: helping leaders achieve exceptional results without sacrificing their well-being. Tune in for actionable insights on escaping the grind and building a high-performance, low-stress workflow.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Brantley Davidson, founder of Prometheus Agency, a growth consultancy that bridges enterprise-level strategy with middle-market execution. Brantley shares his journey from leading client strategy at a WPP-owned agency to launching Prometheus, where he helps businesses optimize their tech stacks (like HubSpot and Salesforce) and integrate AI to transform sales and marketing operations. He reveals how his team identifies bottlenecks in CRM systems, automates workflows, and creates measurable ROI—whether through conversion lifts or operational efficiencies—while emphasizing that their goal isn’t to replace teams but to empower them with higher-value work.

Brantley dives into Prometheus’s client engagement model, from strategic audits to AI-first roadmaps, and discusses the evolving demand for hybrid solutions that stitch together tools like Make and Zapier. He also shares his vision for the next 12 months: a 50/50 revenue split between traditional CRM work and AI-driven transformations, particularly for companies that missed the digital transformation wave but are now ready to leapfrog with cutting-edge automation. Tune in for actionable insights on scaling tech-enabled growth without overwhelming your team.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Jason Katz, founder of IPM (Intelligent Protection Management), who shares his journey from American Express marketing executive to building a boutique growth consultancy that helps SMBs and startups create bulletproof growth engines. With nearly two decades in digital strategy and martech, Jason reveals how IPM combines performance marketing with CRM optimization to solve the "half of ad spend is wasted" dilemma—emphasizing data-driven ad strategies and their proprietary 94% CRM success rate (versus the industry's 70% failure average).

Jason dives into IPM's mission to equip every company with a reliable growth engine, whether through scalable digital ad systems or end-to-end CRM implementations. He discusses their shift from warm referrals to building a cold outreach engine, the challenges of transitioning to a scalable sales process, and why their "start small" philosophy (from single-platform tests to full tech stack builds) resonates with clients. Tune in for insights on balancing family life with entrepreneurial ambition, and how IPM's focus on operational foundations is setting them up for their next growth phase.