Founders Future

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Jae Encarnacion sits down with Tom Oakes, founder of Referral Program Pros, to explore the power of LinkedIn outreach and referral marketing for B2B service providers. Tom shares his journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, highlighting the key challenges and insights that led to the creation of his company.

He breaks down the evolution of his business, the misconceptions around LinkedIn outreach, and how his team crafts highly personalized, high-value engagement strategies that drive real results. Tom also discusses his revenue model, client acquisition strategies, and the bottlenecks he's working to overcome as he scales his business.

Looking ahead, Tom reveals plans for automation, AI-powered outreach tools, and expanding his sales team to remove himself from daily operations. Whether you're a business owner looking to leverage LinkedIn for lead generation or an entrepreneur navigating growth challenges, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Dr. Sheva Guy, the founder and principal consultant of BAT Consulting. Dr. Guy shares her journey into equity and inclusion work, the inspiration behind her consulting firm, and how she helps organizations foster accountability and transformation.

She opens up about her personal experiences with discrimination, how she turned adversity into an opportunity, and the unique ways she supports neurodivergent professionals—particularly women and non-binary individuals with ADHD. From setting boundaries and embracing her strengths to exploring the intersection of AI and bias, Dr. Guy provides valuable insights on navigating work, life, and business while staying true to one's values.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with AI thought leader and entrepreneur Manuj Aggarwal, founder of TetraNoodle Technologies. Manuj shares his incredible journey from navigating the dot-com bust to pioneering AI-driven business solutions, offering a firsthand look at how emerging technologies shape industries.

The conversation explores the diffusion of innovation, the mindset of successful entrepreneurs, and how businesses can strategically adopt AI to stay ahead. Manuj also discusses the rise of digital minds—AI-powered systems that will supplement executive decision-making—and the exponential growth in AI’s capabilities, with models expected to surpass human intelligence by a factor of ten in the coming years.

For founders and business leaders, Manuj leaves us with a powerful insight: while AI will handle execution, the most valuable skills of the future will be deeply human—empathy, critical thinking, and communication.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll welcomes Asia Johnson, founder of Seizing 61:1, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and the challenges of scaling a consulting business. Asia shares how her personal experience as a mother of a child with autism led her to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and, eventually, to launching her own consulting firm focused on leadership development, workforce optimization, and executive coaching.

She reflects on the difficulty of rebranding herself beyond her clinical expertise and the traits that distinguish successful business leaders from those who struggle to implement change. Asia also reveals her focus for 2025—understanding capacity, balancing work and family, and being intentional with her opportunities.

In a key takeaway for founders, she emphasizes the importance of hiring based on strengths rather than just skills or instinct. She encourages business leaders to adopt a data-driven approach to talent placement, ensuring employees are in roles where they naturally thrive.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Steve Werner, the founder of Hour of Champions, to explore his transformational journey from personal adversity to empowering others through mental, physical, and spiritual conditioning. Steve shares how he overcame significant life and business challenges by reframing his narrative—shifting from victimhood to heroism—and how this shift attracted the right people and opportunities into his life.

Throughout the conversation, Steve introduces his concept of “the noise,” the ever-present ups and downs of life and business, and how mastering this noise is key to long-term success. He provides powerful anecdotes, including his signature “bite the pear” strategy for handling difficult conversations with empathy and humor.

Looking ahead, Steve discusses his mission to scale his impact by building high-achieving groups and fostering powerful connections among entrepreneurs who are ready to elevate their mindset. He leaves listeners with a simple yet profound piece of advice: When in doubt, pretend you know the answer—confidence and action will take you further than hesitation ever could.

In this inspiring episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Rachel Minion, founder of Rockstar Moon, to discuss resilience, reinvention, and the journey of building a thriving business from the ground up.

Rachel shares how the 2008 financial crisis led to the collapse of her family’s printing business, leaving her unemployed and struggling to find her next step. Determined to take control of her future, she started Rockstar Moon as a side hustle while navigating a corporate career—including a high-profile marketing role at Ticketmaster.

However, when the pandemic hit and live events came to a halt, Rachel was faced with another turning point. Instead of returning to the corporate world, she took the leap and went full-time with Rockstar Moon, growing it into a business that has now helped over 100 small businesses across the country.

Rachel and Laura dive into the challenges of scaling a business, the importance of follow-ups in sales and marketing, and why she’s now focused on making herself not the bottleneck in her company’s growth. Plus, Rachel shares insights on building credibility for B2B businesses, leveraging automation, and how live music has always been at the heart of her journey.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Bill Dillmeier, founder of Venture Fuel and Aperture Advisors, to explore the challenges and opportunities of scaling a startup. Bill shares the inspiration behind Venture Fuel, a firm that provides fractional executive leadership to help founders bridge gaps in their expertise—whether in technology, sales, finance, or strategy.

He discusses the evolution of the startup landscape, how access to funding has shifted, and what investors now demand from early-stage companies. Bill also highlights the key traits of successful founders, emphasizing self-awareness and the importance of mentorship.

Tune in for insights on navigating today’s startup ecosystem, why founders should focus on their strengths, and how to strategically build the right team to drive long-term success.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Ryan Weller, the founder of Counter Diversion, to explore the complex world of unauthorized sellers, price erosion, and brand protection in e-commerce. Ryan shares his journey from the sporting goods industry to launching a business that helps brands regain control over their distribution channels.

They dive into the challenges companies face with gray market sellers, the impact of Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) violations, and how Counter Diversion provides a scalable solution to monitor, enforce, and protect brand integrity. Ryan also discusses bootstrapping his company, navigating early-stage hurdles, and what the future holds for e-commerce brand enforcement.

If you're an entrepreneur, brand owner, or e-commerce seller, this episode is packed with valuable insights on maintaining pricing power, combating unauthorized resellers, and building a resilient brand strategy.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Amber Vanderburg, the founder of The Pathwayz Group, a global leadership development organization. Amber shares her journey from working in HR and talent development across healthcare, sports, and academia to launching her own company and scaling it into an internationally recognized team of facilitators and coaches.

She reflects on the challenges of starting as a solo entrepreneur, the unexpected impact of COVID-19 in accelerating global expansion, and the role of relationships in business growth. Amber also provides an exciting look into the company's 2025 initiatives, including a disruptive approach to online learning, their first-ever leadership event, and the launch of new educational resources.

Wrapping up, Amber shares two powerful lessons for entrepreneurs: the importance of continuous learning and intentional decision-making in business growth.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Adam W. Barney, energy coach and author of Make Your Own Glass Half Full. Adam shares his journey from a nonlinear 20-year corporate marketing career to coaching hundreds of leaders on sustainable performance, resilience, and energy management.

The discussion explores why burnout isn’t a badge of honor but rather a sign of mismanaged energy, and how founders can optimize their natural energy rhythms for greater impact. Adam introduces the concept of energy stacking—balancing mental, physical, and emotional energy—and explains why traditional work-life balance is a myth.

He also reveals his big goals for 2025, including writing his second book and launching a new podcast, Founders' Failures, dedicated to the lessons learned from entrepreneurial missteps. Plus, he opens up about his personal growth, the importance of strategic partnerships, and how leaders can avoid sabotaging their own success.

If you’re a founder looking to scale without burning out, this episode is packed with actionable insights