Founders Future

In this episode of Founders Future, Elliott Boll is joined by Laura Barnard, the founder of Breakthru Brands, and the author of Leadership Types. Laura shares her inspiring journey of founding Breakthru and her vision for changing leadership paradigms. She recounts her transition from a consulting role to creating a business focused on increasing visibility and diversity in leadership, drawing on her experience in branding, psychology, and leadership.

Laura explains how her book challenges traditional leadership stereotypes, offering a new model of leadership that incorporates motivational psychology and archetypes. She highlights the 12 leadership types and how they can be used both for personal growth and team development.

Looking ahead, Laura discusses her strategy for scaling Breakthru, focusing on B2B partnerships with organizations interested in transforming their leadership cultures. She also addresses the challenges of reaching decision-makers and how to approach the slow sales cycle in leadership development.

For entrepreneurs and leaders, Laura’s advice is clear: don't worry, work. By focusing on action and solving problems, founders can navigate obstacles and push their businesses forward. Tune in for actionable insights on leadership, business growth, and the importance of diverse leadership in today's world.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Bill Ryan, the principal consultant and founder of Ryan Consulting, to explore his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons he's learned along the way. Bill shares the pivotal moment that led him to launch his consulting business, driven by a desire to help others work safely, effectively, and efficiently.

Bill discusses the challenges of building his brand, particularly in marketing, and how he discovered the power of strategic partnerships to amplify value for his clients. From listening as a cornerstone of leadership to carving out time for intentional reflection, Bill offers practical advice for entrepreneurs striving to align their work with personal values and goals.

Looking ahead, Bill shares his vision for expanding collaborative relationships in 2025 and emphasizes the importance of aligning with complementary organizations to create holistic client solutions. Whether you're a founder, a leader, or someone seeking inspiration for your own entrepreneurial journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights and thought-provoking reflections.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joe Fitzgerald sits down with Premela Deck, founder of SD Family Services, a unique mental health practice focused on forensic mental health. Premela shares her entrepreneurial journey, explaining how her background in law and social work led her to create a business that blends legal and therapeutic services for families involved in the court system, particularly in divorce and child custody cases.

Premela discusses the challenges of transitioning from a legal practitioner to a business owner, highlighting the importance of evolving leadership and managing a diverse team. She also addresses the shift in her approach to family law, emphasizing a holistic, collaborative method instead of traditional adversarial litigation. With a focus on improving communication and solving conflicts before they escalate, SD Family Services offers a new path for families facing legal challenges.

Throughout the episode, Premela explores her marketing strategies, the significance of word-of-mouth referrals, and the delicate balance of managing legal and mental health services. Looking to the future, she shares her vision for expanding her practice regionally while continuing to educate and train new forensic mental health professionals. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the intersection of law, mental health, and business development in the unique world of family services.

In this episode of Founders Future, Joseph Fitzgerald sits down with Kevin Lee, the founder of Did It, to dive into the fascinating journey of his evolving digital marketing agency. From co-founding an SEO technology company in the pre-Google era to transforming his business into a full-service digital marketing agency, Kevin shares invaluable insights on adapting to technological changes and overcoming key challenges along the way.

He discusses the early days of SEO, the evolution of Did It through multiple acquisitions, and the unique ways they’ve integrated cutting-edge technology into their marketing strategies, including a groundbreaking invention in direct mail. Kevin also reflects on his personal growth as a leader, including lessons learned in delegation and balancing innovation with effective management.

As AI continues to shape the future, Kevin explains how his latest project—an AI-powered voice product designed to enhance business development—has not only solved his own challenges but also evolved into a potential game-changing tool for other entrepreneurs.

In this episode, Bill Flynn, CEO of Catalyst Growth Advisors, shares his journey as a serial entrepreneur who has scaled businesses from the ground up to hundreds of millions of dollars. Bill discusses his transition from working in a startup environment to leading a division in a larger company, where he faced and overcame a significant technical crisis, ultimately improving customer satisfaction. He dives into the challenges of leadership, the importance of acquiring and retaining clients, and how surrounding yourself with experts can elevate your business. Bill also reflects on his coaching philosophy—encouraging his team to create a growth roadmap, which initially faced resistance but ultimately led to success. Now an executive coach, Bill imparts his knowledge to others, teaching a proven growth framework to help businesses thrive. This episode provides invaluable lessons on resilience, leadership, and strategic growth for entrepreneurs and executives alike.

In this episode of Founders, Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald sits down with Jan Trautwein, co-founder of Coliberate Ventures, to discuss his journey from physics student to entrepreneur. Jan shares how his career evolved from tech startups to personal coaching and, ultimately, to founding Coliberate Ventures with his partner Diara. Together, they help independent consultants refine their offerings and implement smart lead-generation strategies to scale their businesses.

The conversation dives into the challenges of transitioning from employee to entrepreneur, overcoming identity shifts, and battling self-sabotage. Jan also shares insights into navigating a business and life partnership, managing work-life balance, and staying aligned with personal values.

Listeners will gain practical advice on leveraging existing skills to start a business, why productized consulting is a game-changer, and how to make meaningful contributions to industries that resonate with their values.

In this episode of Founders’ Future by Closers.io, host Joseph Fitzgerald sits down with Marie-Claire Ashcroft, the self-proclaimed "Professional Rebel." As a photographer, authenticity strategist, and advocate for self-discovery, Marie-Claire shares her unique journey from an accidental entrepreneur to helping others embrace their authentic selves.

The conversation dives deep into her transition from a corporate career that didn't align with her values to starting her photography business as a way to combat personal struggles with depression. Over nearly two decades, she’s evolved her business to not only capture people’s best moments through photography but also guide them to overcome self-doubt and embrace their individuality through authenticity coaching.

Marie-Claire opens up about her challenges, including overcoming low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, and finding business strategies that worked for her neurodivergent mind. She discusses her mission to empower others—especially creatives and entrepreneurs who feel they don’t "fit the mold"—to redefine success on their own terms.

With insights into personal branding, mental health, and the importance of embracing what makes you different, this episode is an inspiring reminder to forge your own path and challenge societal norms. Tune in to learn more about Marie-Claire's journey and her advice for anyone ready to step outside the box and build a life and business that aligns with their true self.

In this inspiring episode of Founders Future, host Elliott Boll sits down with Vincent Edwards, the CEO of Empire Builders, to explore his remarkable entrepreneurial journey. From his early days in financials and mortgages to his pivot into consulting and capital raising, Vincent shares the pivotal moments that led to the creation of Empire Builders. Over the past decade, he has raised over $100 million for startups and founders, helping countless entrepreneurs achieve their growth goals.

Vincent dives deep into the challenges he faced along the way, including the tough lessons he learned in the early days of his mortgage business and the balance of leadership. He shares one of the most valuable lessons he’s learned about leadership — that it’s not about titles but about motivating, educating, and guiding a team towards success. As he discusses the misconceptions surrounding entrepreneurship, Vincent emphasizes the importance of commitment, long hours, and the sacrifices necessary to succeed.

Looking ahead, Vincent reveals his plans for growth, including the creation of the Empire Builders Foundation and the launch of EB Ventures, an investment platform designed to connect founders with investors. His mission now extends beyond financial success, as he seeks to build a legacy and give back to underserved communities by fostering entrepreneurship among marginalized groups.

In this episode, Vincent offers invaluable advice for aspiring founders, encouraging them to jump in, take risks, and enjoy the ride. Tune in for powerful insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, and building a lasting empire.

In this episode of Founders.Future, Elliott Boll sits down with Nate Thompson, founder and CEO of Triumphant Transition Partners, to explore his journey in the healthcare industry and the inspiration behind his business. Nate opens up about his early days in dental equipment sales, where he uncovered a significant need: dentists selling their practices without proper representation, often for far less than their worth. This led Nate to create a company that ensures healthcare professionals get the full value for their businesses, providing expert representation in practice sales.

Nate shares valuable lessons learned from his early entrepreneurial experiences, including the challenges of navigating bad partnerships and managing a growing business alone. He discusses the realities of work-life balance in the startup phase and reflects on how the focus shifts from balancing everything to dedicating oneself fully to the venture.

Looking ahead, Nate's priorities center around enhancing client experience and focusing on quality rather than quantity. He also emphasizes the importance of hiring based on intuition and experience, not just raw talent. His best piece of advice for fellow founders? "Just do it." Nate encourages entrepreneurs to show up every day and put in that extra effort, which ultimately sets successful founders apart from the rest.

This episode offers deep insights into navigating business partnerships, scaling with purpose, and the importance of integrity in business operations. Don't miss Nate’s advice for founders ready to make an impact in their industries.

In this episode of Founders' Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Robin Greaves, the co-founder of Pravi, to discuss how her company is transforming the fundraising landscape for small to medium-sized charities. Robin shares the inspiration behind Pravi, which stemmed from her personal experiences working with charities and encountering challenges in donor acquisition.

Pravi addresses a critical gap in the charity sector, helping organizations without extensive donor data leverage technology and AI to identify potential donors, craft effective messaging, and design impactful fundraising strategies. Robin provides insights into Pravi’s early journey, including their successful Innovate UK Smart Grant, the development of their MVP, and their organic approach to building a waitlist and gathering feedback from users.

Laura and Robin also dive into the importance of testing marketing strategies, scaling internationally, and creating tailored solutions for diverse charity needs. With plans to expand into markets like the U.S. and Canada, Robin envisions Pravi as the go-to platform for small and medium charities seeking sustainable growth. This episode is an inspiring conversation about blending innovation with social impact to empower nonprofits worldwide.