Founders Future

In this engaging episode of *Founders Future*, host Laura Skinner interviews Tim J. Smith, PhD, the founder and CEO of Wiglaf Pricing. Tim shares his journey as a “forced entrepreneur,” starting Wiglaf Pricing after a career pivot during the 2000 tech downturn. Over the past 20 years, Tim has built a consulting business that specializes in pricing strategy, empowering companies to optimize their revenue through thoughtful and analytical pricing models. 

Tim discusses the critical role of mathematics and data analysis in pricing, highlighting the importance of creating tailored strategies for diverse industries, from healthcare equipment to SaaS platforms. He explains his methodologies, including list pricing, discount management, and advanced techniques like dynamic pricing and versioning. 

The conversation also explores Tim’s approach to client acquisition, emphasizing the power of maintaining a strong network and leveraging educational content to build credibility. Tim candidly shares his challenges, including navigating economic downturns, procurement roadblocks, and the complexities of scaling a niche consultancy. 

Looking ahead, Tim unveils his plans for a new pricing tool called “Sydney,” designed to help medium-sized businesses manage pricing for complex product and customer portfolios. He shares his vision for using AI and simplified tools to address gaps in the pricing software market. 

This episode is packed with practical insights on pricing strategy, entrepreneurship, and building a sustainable consulting business. It’s a must-listen for business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to master the art of pricing.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Joe Fitzgerald sits down with Bianca Foti, the founder of Next Edition, to explore her entrepreneurial journey and the innovative strategies her company employs to help brands effectively communicate their identity and engage with stakeholders. Bianca shares her background in financial services and how her desire for a more dynamic work environment led her to pursue freelance copywriting, eventually evolving into a full-fledged business focused on brand strategy and messaging. She discusses the importance of unifying corporate vision and aligning teams, especially during times of change, and highlights the challenges of maintaining predictable income and overcoming imposter syndrome as a business owner. Bianca emphasizes the significance of empathy in leadership and the value of nurturing existing client relationships to drive growth. As the conversation unfolds, she reveals her ambitious plans for 2025, including expanding into the European market and enhancing their offerings with experiential branding strategies. This episode provides listeners with valuable insights into the complexities of entrepreneurship, the power of effective communication, and the importance of emotional connection in business.

In this insightful episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Doug Dvorak, founder and CEO of The Sales Coaching Institute, a company specializing in sales coaching, training, and fractional sales leadership services. Doug shares his journey from a 20-year corporate career in sales and marketing to launching his own business 21 years ago, driven by his passion for helping organizations achieve sales excellence.

Doug recounts the challenges of transitioning from a secure corporate role at IBM to entrepreneurship, reflecting on the fear, excitement, and necessity of building a business from the ground up. He highlights how The Sales Coaching Institute provides individualized coaching, group training, and interim sales leadership to fill gaps for companies across North America and beyond.

The conversation explores the evolution of sales tools and technologies over the past two decades, including Doug’s use of AI and automation to optimize content creation, scheduling, and client interactions. He provides actionable insights for entrepreneurs on leveraging modern tools like AI-powered transcription, presentation, and scheduling apps to save time and improve efficiency.

Looking ahead to 2025, Doug shares his vision for scaling The Sales Coaching Institute, with a focus on fractional sales leadership, live training sessions, and expanding the one-on-one coaching segment. He also offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, including utilizing community resources like SCORE and the Small Business Development Council to refine business plans and navigate the challenges of starting a company.

This episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration for business leaders, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs seeking to scale their organizations and embrace emerging technologies.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner interviews Rory Flynn, founder of Systematiq AI, a company revolutionizing how businesses optimize their workflows through operational AI. Rory shares his journey from leading a digital marketing agency to discovering the transformative power of AI, born out of necessity when his team struggled to meet the demands of their growing client base.

Rory explains how Systemat AI helps businesses identify inefficiencies and implement tailored AI solutions, from enhancing creative production to automating time-intensive processes. His innovative approach includes leveraging tools like generative AI for storytelling, streamlining onboarding workflows, and automating data analysis to save time and resources.

The conversation highlights Rory’s early adoption of AI, his meticulous tracking of its impact, and his transition from running an agency to founding Systemat AI. Rory also reflects on the challenges of building a personal brand, scaling his business, and listening closely to his audience to shape his offerings.

Looking to the future, Rory envisions expanding Systemat AI’s reach, introducing scalable product offerings, and launching paid communities and high-ticket workshops. His advice to entrepreneurs: test ideas thoroughly, listen to your market, and embrace AI as a tool for enhancing, not replacing, human ingenuity.

This episode is packed with actionable insights for entrepreneurs and business leaders interested in leveraging AI to transform their operations and scale effectively.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Laura Skinner welcomes Divyesh Dixit, co-founder of BambooBox, to share his entrepreneurial journey and insights into the challenges and successes of building a startup. Divyesh discusses his background as an engineer and his experience in developing B2B products, which ultimately led him to identify a gap in the market for marketing applications. He explains how he and his co-founder, Ankur, came together to create Bamboo Box, focusing on providing a 360-degree view of customer accounts to improve marketing qualified lead (MQL) scoring. As they navigate the complexities of the go-to-market strategy, Divyesh highlights the long sales cycles and security integration challenges they faced while targeting enterprise and mid-market clients. He shares how they have successfully reduced the sales cycle by incorporating program management services to support customers in adopting their tool. Looking ahead, Divyesh outlines their ambitious goal to triple revenue in the next 6 to 12 months by ensuring customer success and leveraging community engagement. The episode concludes with Divyesh offering key lessons learned from his startup experience, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer needs and maintaining resilience in the face of challenges. This episode provides valuable insights into the entrepreneurial landscape and the strategies that drive growth and success in the tech industry.

This episode of Founders Future dives into the world of Inclusive Agile with Carissa Peck, founder of the company. Carissa explains the mission of Inclusive Agile, which focuses on teaching companies and individuals how to implement agile methodologies while emphasizing psychological safety and inclusivity. She recounts her personal journey in tech, highlighting the challenges faced as a woman and her experiences with neurodiversity that led to the founding of Inclusive Agile.

The episode explores the early challenges of launching a business, the importance of strong leadership and the necessity of making difficult decisions to ensure progress. Carissa discusses how Inclusive Agile is helping the neurodivergent community in tech roles through coaching, training, and networking events designed to be more inclusive and accessible.

The conversation delves into the challenges of getting companies to embrace Inclusive Agile practices, as it requires a shift in mindset and a commitment to prioritizing psychological safety and diversity. Finally, Carissa offers valuable advice for neurodivergent individuals seeking jobs and entrepreneurs with business ideas, emphasizing the importance of taking time for self-reflection, learning, and navigating the process at their own pace.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald speaks with David Vander Jagt, founder of Vander Jagt CRO, a consulting firm providing fractional Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) services to B2B companies. David shares his journey from corporate roles in Fortune 500 manufacturing to launching his own business, where he helps companies achieve predictable, scalable, and profitable revenue growth.

David explains the unique value of a fractional CRO, highlighting how his diverse experience in sales, marketing, and revenue operations allows him to provide tailored strategies for businesses in the $2–10 million revenue range. He also reflects on the challenges of entrepreneurship, including the uncertainty of leaving corporate life, navigating early setbacks, and balancing the demands of running a business with family life.

The conversation delves into David’s methodology for aligning sales, marketing, and customer success teams with operational processes and technology to drive results. He shares his commitment to continuous improvement and discusses his plans for 2025, including refining his frameworks and leveraging tools like AI to enhance client outcomes.

This episode offers invaluable insights for business leaders looking to scale revenue while maintaining a customer-focused approach. Perfect for entrepreneurs, consultants, and anyone interested in the evolving role of the CRO.