In this episode, host Laura Skinner sits down with Shauna Smith, founder of Marketing Muse, to discuss her journey in scaling a business strategically while maintaining balance. After taking a hiatus to rethink her approach, Shauna shares how she is now focused on building sustainable growth through webinars, paid ads, and automation.

She opens up about the challenges of running a business solo, the importance of predictable lead generation, and why startups often misallocate funding. Shauna also breaks down her ambitious plan to scale her company to seven figures, including hiring key team members, launching courses, and leveraging financing options.

With a candid and insightful conversation, this episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs looking to grow their business without burning out.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Alysa (Aleesa) Southall, the founder and CEO of People Partner, to discuss how she is reshaping HR through a project-based, fractional model. Alysa shares her inspiration for launching her business after witnessing HR professionals struggle with burnout and limited resources. She explains how her unique approach helps companies bridge HR gaps without long-term commitments, offering interim support, project-based recruiting, and process development.

Alysa also dives into her biggest go-to-market challenges, from scaling as a solo entrepreneur to balancing client work and business development. She reveals her vision for expansion—creating a full-service HR ecosystem that supports job seekers, HR professionals, and organizations alike. Laura and Alysa discuss the evolving role of HR, the importance of people-first workplace cultures, and how AI and automation could play a role in scaling operations.

If you're an entrepreneur, HR leader, or business owner looking for innovative ways to optimize your HR function, this conversation is packed with insights on growth, efficiency, and the future of work.

In this episode of [Podcast Name], host Laura sits down with Adaeze, the founder of African Women in STEM, a community dedicated to supporting and empowering women pursuing STEM careers. Adaeze shares the founding story of the organization, the mission behind it, and the impact it has had on its members.

The conversation dives into Adaeze’s subscription-based membership business, exploring key growth strategies, challenges, and opportunities for scaling. Laura and Adaeze discuss ways to improve efficiency, enhance conversion rates, and create a predictable revenue model through subscriptions. They also touch on Facebook Ads and crowdfunding as potential growth levers.

Beyond business, Adaeze reflects on work-life balance, self-care strategies, and the importance of a supportive community for entrepreneurs. She shares insights into her plans for restructuring and scaling her business while staying true to its mission of empowering African women in STEM.

In this episode, we sit down with Tim Bradley, co-founder of Pennant Video, to explore the power of video marketing in sales and branding. Tim shares his journey in the industry, the importance of video in the middle of the funnel, and his Video Marketing Trifecta framework. He dives into how Pennant Video helps B2B brands and agencies craft compelling content that builds relationships and drives conversions.

We also discuss the keys to maintaining momentum in video marketing, leveraging LinkedIn for visibility, and developing a content strategy that resonates with your audience. Whether you’re a business leader, marketer, or entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights on how to effectively integrate video into your growth strategy.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Jeff Tetzlaff, founder of KPSV, to discuss his transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, his philosophy on sales, and his mission to help businesses unlock true value. Jeff shares how his deep expertise in sales strategy and business development has shaped his approach—focusing on selling outcomes rather than just products.

From the early challenges of building his company to leveraging digital transformation tools for sales acceleration, Jeff reveals insights on overcoming obstacles, staying adaptable, and the importance of aligning teams with a clear, value-driven vision. He also highlights the evolving landscape of sales, the power of demand generation, and why the best leaders surround themselves with experts.

For founders looking to refine their sales approach and drive business growth, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.

🔹 Key Takeaways:

1. Why understanding and communicating value is the key to successful sales.
2. How startups and SMBs can break free from "analog dinosaur thinking" and embrace digital tools.
3. The power of delegation and why founders should focus on their strengths.
4. Why long-term success is built on alignment, expertise, and the right network.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Caroline Woosenfranzia’ the founder of Uppercut First, to explore her entrepreneurial journey and vision for the future.

Caroline shares her motivation for leaving the corporate world—where office politics often overshadowed execution—and how she built a thriving consulting business focused on performance, impact, and results. She also reveals a major milestone: Uppercut First is celebrating its fifth anniversary, and she is launching a new venture—an eco-friendly offsite and event space in Lisbon, designed to help companies reset, strategize, and improve collaboration in a unique environment.

The conversation touches on key trends in leadership, including the increasing mobility of executives across companies, as well as the challenges of scaling a business. Caroline highlights how her sales expertise made the transition to entrepreneurship smoother but notes that packaging her knowledge into a structured offer was one of her biggest early hurdles.

She also shares insights into innovative approaches to company offsites, particularly how neurodiverse individuals process information differently. She describes how her new business will create engaging, digestible learning experiences using storytelling, gamification, and hands-on metaphors to improve retention and collaboration among teams.

As the episode wraps up, Caroline leaves founders with a thought-provoking challenge: How much do you really know about your company’s data, and how accurate is it?

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with HR Huntsman, founder and president of Leader’s Edge, to explore the journey of building and scaling businesses with a focus on leadership development.

HR shares his entrepreneurial story, from launching his first company at age 28 with passion but little experience to scaling it into a global organization with 200 staff across five countries. Through this journey, he discovered that sustainable growth hinges on developing leaders—an insight that became the foundation of Leader’s Edge.

Throughout the conversation, HR emphasizes the importance of multiplying leadership, shifting mindset from being a business operator to a people developer, and embracing "work-life integration" rather than chasing balance. He also discusses key challenges, including scaling with integrity and adapting leadership strategies to different generations.

Looking ahead, HR reveals exciting plans for 2025, including expanding into government contracts and launching a book on leadership systems. He leaves founders with a powerful takeaway: prioritize 30 minutes of daily thinking time to drive innovation and long-term success.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Hunter Surles, founder and principal of Rooted Advisory Group. Hunter shares his unconventional journey into entrepreneurship, from working in Fortune 500 companies and global consulting firms to taking the leap into business ownership.

He opens up about the challenges of transitioning from an independent contractor to building a full-fledged company, including navigating legal and financial complexities, acquiring clients, and defining the firm’s mission and values. Hunter emphasizes the importance of integrity in business, making strategic decisions rooted in long-term success rather than short-term gains.

Looking ahead, he discusses his priorities for 2025, including strengthening client relationships, refining Rooted’s brand and mission, and fostering a culture of camaraderie within his team. He leaves founders with a key piece of advice: think deeply before taking the leap into entrepreneurship, as the highs and lows can be extreme.

Episode Synopsis: 

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Jason Rosoff, CEO of Radical Candor, to explore the journey behind the company and its mission to transform workplace communication. Jason shares insights into Radical Candor’s growth, from its early bootstrapped days to a thriving business with 10x revenue growth and a global impact.

Jason discusses the company’s unique approach to scaling—not through traditional hypergrowth but by prioritizing meaningful, high-quality learning experiences. He explains how Radical Candor leverages organic brand awareness, book sales, conference appearances, and a growing paid advertising strategy to drive customer acquisition.

Additionally, Jason provides a behind-the-scenes look at Radical Candor’s evolving sales process, including its shift toward self-serve offerings and leveraging technology, such as AI, to enhance learning experiences. He highlights key lessons learned, including the importance of staying close to customers and resisting the urge to scale too soon.

In this episode of Founders’ Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Andrew Mellen, an organizing expert, best-selling author, and CEO of Andrew Mellen, Inc. Andrew shares his unconventional journey from theater producer to becoming a sought-after organizational expert. He recounts how a missed gig led to the accidental creation of his business and how word-of-mouth referrals propelled him into a thriving career.

Andrew dives into his strategies for scaling a service-based business, the psychology behind clutter, and why traditional self-paced courses fail for disorganized individuals. He also discusses his unique live coaching approach, high-impact transformation programs, and the newly launched coaching certification for those looking to master the Unstuff Your Life system.

Tune in for insights on personal organization, entrepreneurship, and how structure can lead to greater success and freedom.