Founders Future

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Katie Keich, the founder of Athletes in Leadership, to discuss how her background as an athlete shaped her entrepreneurial journey. Katie shares the inspiration behind her company, which empowers athletes to develop leadership skills that transcend the field of play. She delves into the challenges of launching and growing a business, the lessons learned from sports that apply to entrepreneurship, and the strategies she’s using to scale her impact. Tune in for an insightful conversation on resilience, leadership, and the future of athlete-driven business ventures.

In this episode of Founders, Future, Jae Encarnacion sits down with Asha Strazzero-Wild, a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Outpointe, a healthcare consulting firm revolutionizing growth strategies for innovators in the sector. Asha shares insights from her experience at Health Leads and Rx Revenue, where she leveraged technology to enhance patient experiences.

Together, they explore her entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of scaling a mission-driven business, and how Outpointe is reshaping healthcare growth strategies. Tune in for a compelling discussion on innovation, leadership, and the future of healthcare consulting.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Jae Encarnacion sits down with Ray Erario, the 22-year-old co-founder of Young Bucks Sports Management. With a sports business degree from Arizona State University, Ray is on a mission to empower college athletes through NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities.

Ray shares how Young Bucks got started at the dawn of NIL, evolving from athlete protection to securing high-value brand deals and long-term career support. He discusses the agency’s business model, revenue structure, and client acquisition strategies, emphasizing a referral-based approach and deep athlete relationships.

The conversation also dives into misconceptions about the NIL industry, the operational bottlenecks Young Bucks faces, and Ray’s vision for sustainable growth. He highlights the importance of maintaining a strong company culture, prioritizing athlete success, and navigating the ever-evolving NIL landscape.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Mine Dedekoca, founder of Happy Work Studio, to explore her journey of transforming workplace happiness. Mine shares how her work on the future of remote work evolved into a thriving business during the pandemic, addressing the growing need for both productivity and well-being in the workplace.

She discusses the dual focus of Happy Work Studio—helping businesses optimize remote and hybrid work processes (B2B) and coaching individuals through career transitions (B2C). Mine highlights key sales and marketing challenges, particularly in scaling the B2C side, and shares how leveraging social media, paid ads, and nano-influencers has helped build brand visibility.

Looking ahead, Mine reveals exciting plans, including an AI-powered well-being companion, university-backed workplace assessments, and the launch of Turkey’s first Digital Nomad Festival. She leaves listeners with a powerful lesson: always listen to your customers and ensure your business solves real pain points.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Jae Encarnacion welcomes Lori Darley, the founder and CEO of Conscious Leaders. With nearly two decades of experience as a transformational coach and leadership expert, Lori shares how she is revolutionizing leadership development through conscious business practices.

Together, they discuss the importance of mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness in leadership, and how these principles can drive business success. Lori also reveals her journey from leadership coaching to founding a company that helps organizations cultivate high-performing, purpose-driven teams.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Raphael Akobundu, the founder and CEO of Huddle Men’s Health, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of starting and scaling a business, and his vision for the future of men's healthcare.

Raphael shares his background in sports and healthcare, detailing how his passion for fitness and nursing led him to explore testosterone replacement therapy and ultimately start his own clinic. He offers insights into the early struggles of entrepreneurship, from managing multiple roles to securing funding and hiring the right team.

Throughout the conversation, Raphael emphasizes the importance of focus, resilience, and taking the leap into business, even when the path ahead is uncertain. He also discusses his plans for expansion and his mission to educate men on the benefits of hormone therapy.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with serial entrepreneur and leadership expert Sara Myers, co-founder of Ekata, to discuss the future of workplace culture. Sara shares her journey—from launching successful businesses in the sporting goods and construction industries to experiencing the challenges of corporate toxicity firsthand. Fueled by a passion for improving leadership and engagement, she founded Ekata to help organizations cultivate thriving, people-centered work environments.

Sara and Elliott dive into the power of experiential learning, the biggest leadership pitfalls, and why most first-time managers struggle with employee turnover. She also introduces The Vibe Game, an innovative, gamified approach to workplace culture that fosters connection, engagement, and retention—especially in remote and hybrid teams.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Jae Encarnacion welcomes Margaret Graziano, CEO of KeenAlignment, to discuss the evolution of workplace culture and leadership transformation. Margaret shares her journey from a 20-year career in recruiting to founding KeenAlignment, driven by her mission to optimize employee engagement and retention.

She dives into her company’s unique approach to cultural transformation, starting with deep alignment—a process that helps organizations clarify roles, eliminate friction, and establish a strong foundation. Margaret also explains the evolution of KeenAlignment’s offerings, from leadership programs and coaching to the Culture Catalyst Program and her book, Ignite Culture.

Throughout the conversation, she reveals key insights into how businesses—particularly privately owned, multi-generational, and private equity-backed companies—can build high-performing, intentional cultures. She also breaks down her revenue model, marketing strategies, and sales process, offering valuable lessons for founders looking to scale their companies through cultural transformation.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Mark Musselman, founder of MX5 Coaching & Consulting, to explore his journey from leading a multi-generational family business to becoming a trusted coach for executives and entrepreneurs. Mark shares the pivotal lessons he learned navigating the bankruptcy of his family’s company and how that experience ignited his passion for coaching.

Throughout the conversation, Mark and Elliott discuss the traits that set truly transformational leaders apart, the importance of coachability, and why embracing uncertainty is critical for business success. Mark also provides insights on overcoming burnout, finding balance, and adapting to rapid changes—especially in today’s AI-driven landscape.

Whether you’re a founder facing challenges or a leader striving for growth, Mark’s wisdom offers practical takeaways to help you navigate your entrepreneurial journey with resilience and confidence.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Jae Encarnacion sits down with Tal Paperin, founder of KSW Solutions, a fractional sales and marketing consultancy for startups and SMBs. Tal shares his 20-year journey from an entry-level SDR to VP of Global Sales, managing hundreds of professionals worldwide. He uncovers a critical issue plaguing startups—neglecting sales and marketing, which leads to failure despite having great products.

Tal explains how KSW Solutions steps in as a fractional VP of Sales, providing hands-on execution rather than just consulting. He discusses his company's evolution, from working with traditional industries in Israel to now serving primarily U.S.-based clients across various sectors. The conversation covers KSW’s approach to client acquisition through organic LinkedIn outreach and targeted trade shows, as well as Tal’s philosophy on sustainable business growth.

With a refreshingly pragmatic take, Tal emphasizes the importance of identifying unique competitive advantages, solving real business problems, and resisting the pressure for unnecessary hypergrowth. Whether you're a founder struggling with sales strategy or looking for insights on scaling efficiently, this episode delivers valuable lessons from a seasoned sales leader.