Founders Future

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Mauricio Velasquez, President and Founder of The Diversity Training Group, to explore his 30-year journey transforming workplace cultures for clients like NASA, Toyota, and the White House. Mauricio shares how a toxic boss inadvertently launched his career—when she tried to strong-arm him into an unfair deal, he walked away, only to have her clients flock to him instead. From humble beginnings on a Baltimore houseboat ($520/month overhead!) to pioneering DEI strategies now under political scrutiny, he reveals why his work—rebranded as "psychological safety" and "emotional intelligence" training—remains indispensable for talent retention and performance.

Mauricio unpacks his "lifestyle-first" approach to scaling a consulting business, including writing Tackling Toxicity (which tripled his speaking fees) and bundling IP into reusable digital assets. Despite headwinds, he’s doubling down on retainers, ombudsman services, and strategic alliances—proving that companies still value inclusion when framed as "trust-building." His hard-won advice? "Market like you’re fighting bias squared—because you are. But stand your ground: oxygen is to breathing what DEI is to capitalism.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Ammar Elm, we sit down with Ritchie Nkana, founder of My Body Vitality, to explore his transformative journey from burnt-out banker to peak performance architect. Ritchie shares how his personal struggle with health, energy, and work-life imbalance led him to create Operator’s Edge—a holistic program that bridges physical fitness, financial performance, and mindset mastery for elite achievers. With certifications in sports therapy and metabolic coaching, Ritchie reveals why traditional fitness solutions failed high-performers like him, and how his 90-day framework helps clients upgrade their energy, systems, and relationships without restrictive diets or endless gym hours.

Ritchie dives into the science behind his method, explaining how exercise boosts productivity (20%), slashes cortisol (31%), and fuels neurogenesis—making it a non-negotiable for success in business and life. He unpacks the evolution of his offer from 1:1 coaching to a mastermind model, where collective problem-solving drives "full-spectrum wins." For founders, his hard-won advice is gold: "Persistence over perfection—your vision will feel lonely until it’s undeniable.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we sit down with Lindsay Gaskins, Founder & CEO of BREAKTHRU, to explore how her leadership development platform is reshaping organizational culture through cohort programs and team dynamics. Lindsay shares her journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, revealing how BREAKTHRU’s mission to "change the face of leadership" emerged from her own experiences breaking barriers in male-dominated industries. With a focus on trust-building and collective leadership, she discusses the pivot from direct-to-consumer coaching to institutional partnerships—and why team dynamics have become the unexpected growth engine in today’s polarized workplace climate.

Lindsay dives into the challenges of scaling a bootstrapped service business, from the inefficiency of email outreach to the power of in-person networking and thought leadership (like her book Leadership Types). She unpacks her "whale-hunting" strategy for landing enterprise clients and her vision for BREAKTHRU’s future: becoming an embedded tool within larger platforms driving systemic change. For founders, her hard-won advice is gold: "Persistence over perfection—it takes 18 months to land a dream client, but the right network compounds.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, we sit down with Will Scott, Founder & CEO of The Culture Fix, to explore how businesses can transform their organizational culture into a measurable, value-driven asset. Will shares his journey from building treehouses as a child—complete with rules to foster harmony—to pioneering the 9 Deeds in 90 Days framework, which helps companies embed core values into daily operations. He reveals why most organizations struggle with culture despite knowing its importance and how his approach creates alignment, boosts employee engagement, and drives performance.

Will dives into the global impact of his work, from speaking engagements in Argentina to consulting with Fortune 50 companies, and explains why culture isn’t just a "soft" metric—it’s a measurable driver of success. He also discusses the challenges of scaling a mission-driven business, the power of storytelling in leadership, and why defining your company’s why (like helping immigration attorneys focus on "keeping families together") can reignite passion across teams. Whether you’re a startup founder or a seasoned executive, Will’s insights offer a roadmap to building a culture that employees love and customers trust.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we sit down with Curtis Kelley, Co-Founder & CEO of The Culture Marauders, to explore how his military background and passion for storytelling evolved into a mission-driven media platform. Curtis shares how his podcast-turned-business empowers independent creators and entrepreneurs to amplify their voices through authentic storytelling, with a focus on cultural awareness and collaboration. From launching in 2020 to now offering full-scale podcast production (including his signature "Drop the Mic Experience"), Curtis reveals how organic growth through veteran networks and word-of-mouth referrals has shaped his journey—and why DEI remains at the heart of his vision.

Curtis dives into the challenges of scaling a purpose-driven business, particularly in today’s polarized climate, where some hesitate to share their stories openly. He discusses his deliberate approach to growth, emphasizing personalized client relationships and the power of "leveraging what you’re great at." With plans to expand into a multimedia hub (think: a "Marauder App" for diverse cultural content) and immersive community experiences, Curtis’s vision is clear: "Educate, include, and let every voice shine." For founders tuning in, his advice is gold: "Do something great, have fun with it, and make it your own.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Mishal Saeed, we sit down with Perry Johnson, President & CEO of Omnimedia, to explore how his 25+ years in marketing have shaped his mission-driven approach to brand storytelling. Perry shares how Omnimedia helps businesses craft narratives that are both inspirational and informational, bridging the gap between fragmented messaging and authentic connection. From humble beginnings in 2011 to now expanding into Atlanta and beyond, Perry reveals why client retention and word-of-mouth referrals are the backbone of his growth—and how incentivizing long-term partnerships keeps brands coming back.

Perry dives into the challenges of scaling a boutique agency, emphasizing flexibility in project-based and ongoing client engagements. He discusses why LinkedIn and organic networking remain his top acquisition channels (despite rarely posting), and his plans to experiment with paid ads and geographic expansion. For founders tuning in, Perry’s advice is simple but powerful: "Stay in communication—don’t be afraid to look for your clients." Whether you’re a solopreneur or leading a team, his focus on visual storytelling, adaptability, and relentless networking offers a roadmap for sustainable growth in the ever-changing marketing landscape.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Jae Encarnacion, we meet Marc Koehler, founder of Lead with Purpose and former U.S. Navy submarine officer, who distilled decades of high-stakes leadership into a revolutionary framework. After turning around struggling companies for 20 years, Marc realized traditional business tools were too rigid for today’s disruptive world—so he adapted the Navy’s "Fast Attack Leadership" model (used to operate nuclear submarines with 130-person crews) into a one-page success plan for modern teams. His approach blends mission alignment with agility, helping organizations like hedge funds and food industry giants transform disengaged teams into high-performing units.*

Marc shares how Lead with Purpose scaled by adding revenue "steps" between his $29 book and $250K consulting programs—including keynote speaking (booked through top bureaus like Washington Speakers) and a SaaS platform for creating one-page strategic plans. He reveals a shocking stat: only 9% of leadership teams are aligned on mission/vision until his method boosts it to 93%. For founders, Marc’s advice cuts deep: "Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about facilitating knowledge, then stepping back so your team can solve problems like a submarine crew in crisis." A masterclass in adapting military precision to entrepreneurial growth.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Mishal Saeed, Adam Calli, founder of Arc Human Capital, LLC, shares how a layoff during the pandemic became the catalyst for launching his HR consulting firm. What began as a survival move—taking a $10K/month contract to pay his mortgage—evolved into a thriving fractional HR business serving SMBs with compliance, recruiting, and payroll solutions. Adam reveals how he’s grown the company over 10 years by prioritizing flexibility (no "one-size-fits-all" service packages) and leveraging his "matchmaker" approach to pair clients with seasoned HR consultants.*

Adam dives into his unconventional growth playbook—from strategic networking in B2B groups to earning media placements in HR publications—and why he’s betting on AI-powered recruiting tools to scale. He also shares hard-won lessons on building business credit separate from personal finances, the power of peer advisory groups for founders, and his vision to expand into larger enterprises (250+ employees). For entrepreneurs navigating service-based businesses, Adam’s blend of scrappy resilience and strategic system-building offers a masterclass in sustainable scaling.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Karyn Vadnais, we meet Nathan Schock, president and co-founder of FiveFour Training, who transformed his early career struggles in corporate America and startup leadership into a mission to help businesses build unstoppable teams. After a pivotal moment running a failing startup solo, Nathan realized his passion for developing people and processes—leading him to co-found FiveFour, which specializes in aligning purpose, people, and processes to reignite growth. He shares how a major pivot (and a life-saving coach) helped refine their model from generic virtual training to hands-on business transformation and leadership development, proving that sometimes the best solutions come from fixing what you once broke.

Nathan dives into FiveFour’s evolution, including their recent acquisition of Locals Love Us—a community marketing platform—and their shift toward cohort-based leadership masterminds. He also unpacks the future of employee training, emphasizing the transformation economy (where businesses charge for outcomes, not services) and the critical role of manager development in retaining talent. For aspiring founders, Nathan’s advice is gold: “Do the work before coaching the work—and trade free services for testimonials to accelerate trust.” A masterclass in turning personal setbacks into scalable solutions.

In this episode of Founders, Future, with host Karyn Vadnais, we meet Pesh Patel, founder of A Kidney Life and a kidney transplant recipient who turned his near-fatal diagnosis into a mission to empower patients through education, coaching, and community. Pesh shares his harrowing journey—from collapsing in Melbourne with 2% kidney function to surviving rejection post-transplant—and how it inspired him to launch a newsletter (now a thriving platform) that bridges gaps in kidney care. He dives into his holistic coaching approach, emphasizing nutrition, mental health, and his impactful "Kidney Kids Day" initiative, which gives pediatric patients and caregivers respite through sporting events.*

Pesh discusses the systemic challenges in kidney disease treatment, where reactive care overshadows prevention, and his vision for scalable solutions—like widespread screenings in underserved communities and advocating for xenotransplants. His advice for founders in health advocacy? "Stay curious, disrupt with authenticity, and remember: setbacks are just lessons." With a blend of grit and grace, Pesh’s story reminds us that life’s toughest battles often spark the most transformative missions.