Founders Future

In this episode of Founders Future, we sit down with Kate Viana, founder of Non-Toxic Nonprofits, to explore how culture and communication are shaping the future of the nonprofit sector. Kate shares her journey from working in nonprofit communications to launching a consultancy focused on creating emotionally healthy workplaces. With a unique blend of direct honesty and deep empathy, she discusses how her work is helping leaders become better cultural stewards—something she believes is critical for long-term organizational success. She opens up about the growth of her brand, the impact of her webinars, and how she's been able to build momentum with the support of a mission-driven team. We also discuss the challenge of scaling new sub-brands like Nonprofit Text, an AI-powered toolkit designed to support under-resourced organizations with ready-made communication templates. Kate reflects on the balancing act of leading multiple initiatives while remaining focused on sustainability, long-term vision, and team alignment. Looking to the future, she shares why she believes the consulting space is on the verge of a generational shift—one that prioritizes psychological safety, work-life harmony, and authentic leadership. This conversation is an honest, grounded look at what it takes to build not just a successful business, but a meaningful movement.

In this high-impact episode of Founders Future, host Mishal Saeed is joined by Lissy Alden, the visionary founder and CEO of MYNDY, a platform at the forefront of redefining mental wellness through a new lens: mental fitness. Lissy opens up about her journey from Wall Street to wellness, building MYNDY from a personal mission into a purpose-driven SaaS company with the ambition to lead an entirely new category.

We dive into how MYNDY is navigating early-stage growth through AI-assisted outbound, strategic content development, and deeply humanized customer engagement. Lissy shares her candid take on scaling outreach, refining product-market fit, and driving meaningful impact in a space where authenticity and trust matter more than ever.

She also offers a glimpse into her long-term vision—transforming mental fitness into a cultural norm, much like physical fitness became in the '80s—and eventually positioning MYNDY as the go-to name in the industry. Plus, she shares her dream of launching a nonprofit research arm to evangelize real solutions in workplace wellness.

In this powerful episode, Mishal Saeed is joined by Jono Bacon, founder of State Shift, for an in-depth conversation on what it really takes to scale a coaching business—without compromising authenticity.

Jono shares how State Shift has evolved into a truly scalable company, with systems in place that could double its client capacity today and support even greater growth tomorrow. From the way coaching is delivered to how best practices are documented, every part of the business has been designed with intention.

The conversation also dives into marketing and sales—two areas Jono has approached with thoughtfulness and care. He opens up about exploring advertising, webinars, and building a go-to-market machine, while keeping a close eye on maintaining quality and client trust. In a world flooded with generic outbound messages and growth hacks, Jono advocates for personalization and depth.

If you're a founder, coach, or service provider looking to grow sustainably and stay true to your values, this episode is for you.

In this power-packed episode, Mishal Saeed sits down with Alyssa Dver — confidence expert, bestselling author of eight books, and the visionary behind the American Confidence Institute and Ela. Together, they dive deep into what it takes to build a scalable, mission-driven business that balances personal branding with global reach.

Alyssa shares the mindset behind using her books as high-value lead magnets, the importance of meeting audiences where they are (across LinkedIn, email, and social media), and why the best marketing starts with trust, not transactions. She also opens up about the challenges of transitioning from a founder-led brand to a scalable enterprise with a team of over 50 global trainers.

From CRM strategy to sales cycle variability, international growth hurdles to the power of documented systems, Alyssa lays down real-world advice for any founder looking to scale smart and lead with integrity.

Whether you're just launching your startup or navigating a growth plateau, this episode will give you practical, proven insights to elevate your marketing, sales, and operations — all while staying deeply human.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Jae Encarnacion sits down with Joe Santana, CEO of Joseph Santana, LLC — a trailblazing leader transforming how companies approach diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). With decades of leadership experience and a powerful pivot from outsourcing executive to DEI strategist, Joe shares the epiphany that reshaped his career: DEI isn't just about fairness — it's a strategic lever for business growth.

Joe takes us back to the moment he realized how untapped talent pipelines were holding companies back, and how bridging that gap led to a 17% revenue increase. From there, he walks us through how his company empowers Chief Diversity Officers and Employee Resource Groups through high-impact executive briefings, podcast-based learning, and future-focused insights via the CDO Power Circle.

This episode is packed with actionable takeaways on aligning DEI with business objectives, building scalable programs that equip leaders and teams, and preparing organizations for workforce trends—from AI to remote work.

If you're a founder, executive, or DEI leader looking to embed inclusive leadership into your growth strategy, this conversation is a masterclass.

In this episode of Founders  Future, host Mishal Saeed sits down with Slaidel Hernandez, the founder and CEO of PulseCRM.ai, a cutting-edge CRM platform designed to streamline operations for automotive dealerships through AI-powered tools. From humble beginnings in his family’s cleaning business to becoming a rising tech entrepreneur in Tucson, Slaidel shares how personal challenges in lead generation led him to build an AI-driven CRM that prioritizes automation, lead qualification, and sales enablement.

Listeners will get an inside look at the evolution of PulseCRM.ai—from its grassroots development to its rapid growth through referrals and hyper-targeted outreach. Slaidel also dives into his strategies for balancing AI with human touch, the future of CRM and automation in auto tech, and the importance of speed and adaptability in the ever-evolving AI landscape.

Whether you're a founder, marketer, or tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with real-world insights and tactical advice for building systems, scaling teams, and delivering value through innovation.

In this inspiring episode, Laura Skinner sits down with Alina Addison, a former corporate trading executive who made a courageous leap from the security of the financial world, founder of ADAPTAA, a leadership coaching firm dedicated to helping individuals and organizations navigate change through emotional intelligence and courageous leadership. Alina shares her inspiring journey from a corporate trading career to becoming a leadership coach, driven by her personal experience as a single mother and the challenges of raising a son with autism.

Discover how Alina leverages neuroscience and positive psychology to empower leaders to embrace discomfort, take calculated risks, and transform their professional and personal lives. She also discusses her vision for ADAPTAA’s leadership retreats in Transylvania, designed to cultivate resilience and excellence.

This episode is packed with actionable insights on overcoming fear, reframing failure, and building the courage needed to adapt and thrive in today’s rapidly changing world.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Ammar Elm sits down with Sam Dixon and TJ Mathis, co-founders of OneTap, a next-gen fashion shopping platform revolutionizing how Gen Z discovers and shops for clothing. Sam and TJ share their journey from college classmates to startup founders, walking us through the evolution of their idea—from a rewards management concept to an AI-powered e-commerce solution built on personalization, community, and creator-driven influence.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Mishal Saeed sits down with Kate Viana, founder and principal consultant of Non-Toxic Nonprofits, to explore how she’s transforming workplace culture across the nonprofit sector. Drawing from years of experience in the field, Kate shares how recurring issues like burnout, gossip, and internal dysfunction inspired her to create a consulting practice focused solely on healing toxic environments.

Kate walks us through the evolution of her business model—from affordable “Culture Checkups” to high-touch, multi-month engagements—and explains how she’s helping small to mid-sized nonprofits build healthier, more sustainable teams. She also opens up about her approach to growth, how she’s expanding with new sub-brands under Viana Communications, and the challenges of balancing momentum with long-term sustainability.

Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, aspiring consultant, or purpose-driven entrepreneur, this episode offers actionable insights on leadership accountability, client acquisition through trust, and building value-driven services that scale without compromising impact.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Ammar Elm sits down with Mary Jane Copps — better known as The Phone Lady — a trailblazing entrepreneur who’s spent nearly two decades helping businesses bring humanity back into communication. With over 15,000 people trained and 700+ clients served, Mary Jane has built a powerful business around a skill many now take for granted: talking on the phone.

She shares the origin story of her company, the evolving needs of sales and customer service teams, and how real-time conversations are not just surviving — but thriving — in a digital-first world. From training financial advisors to auditing startup sales calls, Mary Jane breaks down the art of tone, listening, and overcoming phone anxiety. Whether you're a founder, team leader, or just someone who dreads dialing a number, this episode offers a refreshing reminder: conversation is still one of your strongest tools.