Founders Future

In this engaging episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner interviews Peter Winick, founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Leverage, a boutique consultancy dedicated to helping thought leaders, authors, and keynote speakers scale, monetize, and effectively leverage their expertise. Peter shares his journey of building a unique business model that bridges the gap between the creative side of thought leadership and the operational demands of running a successful enterprise.

Peter explains how his company begins client engagements with strategy development, tailoring solutions to align with each client’s goals. Over the past 16 years, Thought Leadership Leverage has evolved to meet changing market needs, offering long-term support in branding, platform development, and go-to-market strategies.

The conversation delves into Peter’s three-pronged client acquisition approach: inbound content strategies, targeted outbound campaigns, and cultivating a robust referral network. He highlights the challenges of creating predictable revenue streams in a professional services business and reflects on the importance of balancing demand generation with scalable operational capacity.

Peter also discusses the future of the thought leadership industry, including his company’s move towards licensing intellectual property and developing scalable learning solutions. He shares candid advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing the value of “ready, fire, aim” action, which prioritizes taking the leap over waiting for perfection.

This episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration for thought leaders, consultants, and entrepreneurs aiming to scale their impact and business.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Laura Skinner engages in an insightful conversation with April Sabral, the CEO of April Sabral Leadership. April shares her journey of founding her company, driven by her extensive experience in retail management and the realization of the critical role effective leadership plays in enhancing customer experiences. She discusses the significant gap in affordable leadership training tailored specifically for the retail industry, which inspired her to create programs that resonate with managers' unique challenges. April elaborates on her multifaceted training approach, including live workshops, ongoing group coaching calls, and online courses, emphasizing the importance of follow-up to ensure lasting impact. The conversation also highlights her innovative methods for measuring the return on investment in leadership training through employee retention and sales performance. April reveals her successful go-to-market strategy utilizing LinkedIn for networking and brand building, as well as her exciting plans to launch an AI coaching tool in early 2025. As the episode concludes, April discusses her vision for scaling her business, including self-service options for small business owners and the importance of refining messaging to effectively reach her target audience. This episode offers valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, the significance of leadership in business, and practical strategies for growth in the retail sector.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Alison Godfrey, founder of AG Concierge Coaching, a firm dedicated to providing executive coaching and leadership development for C-suite executives. Alison shares her journey from corporate America to entrepreneurship, recounting how a values misalignment prompted her to leave her corporate role and embark on a career of starting and scaling multiple successful businesses.

Alison reflects on her first venture as the U.S. distributor of Polar heart rate monitors, a role that taught her resilience and adaptability despite the challenges of being cut out of the business after its success. Her entrepreneurial journey evolved with lessons on navigating failure, embracing growth through pain, and maintaining optimism during difficult times.

The discussion delves into Alison’s approach to work-life balance, including a transformative reset that enabled her to prioritize family while managing international business operations. She emphasizes the dynamic nature of balance and the importance of aligning personal values with professional ambitions.

Alison also shares insights into her marketing strategies as an executive coach, touching on both successes and pitfalls, including her experiences with LinkedIn marketing and the significance of building an authentic online presence.

Looking ahead, Alison envisions 2025 as a year of working closely with select C-suite executives, fostering conscious capitalism, and helping leaders align their businesses with purpose-driven values. Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is simple yet profound: don’t take yourself too seriously and take the leap with courage and curiosity.

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders seeking inspiration on navigating values-driven growth and creating a meaningful impact.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Ange MacCabe, CEO and founder of Intuity Performance, a company dedicated to transforming managers into champion leaders through what they call "whole person performance." MacCabe shares her journey from being a senior HR leader who felt frustrated with corporate culture to launching her own business just as the pandemic began in 2019. Rather than hindering her progress, the pandemic actually helped establish her business model, with 80% of services still being delivered virtually today.

The conversation delves into MacCabe's early challenges as an entrepreneur, including the fundamental questions of identity, strategy, and business direction. She describes how she tackled these challenges by embracing continuous learning, taking basic business courses, and developing crucial habits for running her organization. MacCabe emphasizes the importance of authenticity in leadership development, explaining how her company practices internally what they preach externally, including maintaining transparent communication and accountability among team members.

Looking toward the future, MacCabe reveals Intuity's ambitious plans for 2025, including the launch of Emotive AI, an artificial intelligence coaching system. This innovative tool aims to accelerate leadership development by combining AI technology with human coaching to help leaders understand themselves better and develop faster. She shares impressive statistics about the potential impact of their AI solution, including its ability to increase productivity by 20% and save companies with over 150 employees approximately $2.3 million. The episode concludes with MacCabe's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of belief in oneself and ensuring alignment between business ventures and personal values, describing entrepreneurship not as a job but as a passion project that requires sustainable and intentional growth.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Joe Fitzgerald engages in a compelling conversation with Nishat Jones, the founder of Strategy 8, a consulting firm dedicated to helping B2B clients enhance profitability through customer-centric brand and digital strategies. Nishat shares her journey from a 25-year corporate career to entrepreneurship, revealing how being laid off became a pivotal moment that propelled her to launch her own business. She discusses the challenges and triumphs of her first year as a solopreneur, including the importance of flexibility, building a strong client base, and the necessity of effective time management. Nishat emphasizes the value of personal connections in the B2B space, advocating for one-on-one engagements over digital outreach to foster trust and credibility. As the conversation unfolds, she highlights the growing trend of fractional executives in the marketing industry and the role of AI in shaping future strategies. Nishat concludes with valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, stressing the significance of delivering consistent value and building trust with clients. This episode is a rich exploration of entrepreneurship, marketing strategies, and the evolving landscape of business in today's digital world.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Joe Fitzgerald welcomes Nate Regier, the founder of Next Element, to discuss his unique journey from clinical psychology to entrepreneurship. Nate shares how he transitioned from a successful career in clinical practice to the corporate world, driven by a desire to apply behavioral change principles to improve workplace dynamics. He explains the founding of Next Element in 2008 during a recession, highlighting the initial challenges of securing clients and the importance of delivering measurable results to gain traction. Throughout the conversation, Nate emphasizes the significance of effective communication and culture change within organizations, detailing how his team developed proprietary assessments to track progress and drive performance improvement. As the discussion unfolds, Nate reflects on the evolution of his business, the lessons learned from adapting to market demands, and the importance of building a strong team with diverse expertise. He also shares insights on planning for the future, including a 10-year transition plan to ensure the sustainability of Next Element. This episode offers valuable perspectives on entrepreneurship, the power of data-driven decision-making, and the journey of creating a lasting impact in the corporate world.

In this compelling episode of *Founders Future*, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Nicholas Love, CEO of Color Group, an innovative challenger brand agency specializing in omni-channel marketing and brand reputation management. Nicholas shares how Color Group stands out by emphasizing intelligence-driven strategies through its unique model, incorporating channel, audience, cultural, and artificial intelligence. 

Nicholas describes the agency’s evolution from a side hustle in 2019 into a full-service firm catering to verticals like higher education, technology, healthcare, and even the veterinary industry. He also highlights Color Group’s nonprofit initiatives under "Dope Thinkers," focusing on empowering historically marginalized communities by establishing student-run agencies, preparing future leaders for ownership, and addressing healthcare disparities in Black and Brown communities. 

The conversation takes a personal turn as Nicholas reflects on his career journey, including pivotal moments of professional growth, his drive to create inclusive opportunities, and how his leadership style has been shaped by his experiences as a father. His approach to leadership, rooted in empathy and active listening, fosters a culture where individuals are empowered to succeed authentically. 

Looking ahead to 2025, Nicholas outlines ambitious plans for Color Group, including launching a "Dope Thinkers Only" conference, developing proprietary technologies, and expanding their influence with global activations in Ghana and beyond. 

This episode is an inspiring exploration of leadership, innovation, and purpose, offering valuable lessons for entrepreneurs, marketers, and changemakers.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Joe Fitzgerald welcomes Adi Klevit, the founder of Business Success Consulting Group, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey and the importance of process documentation for business growth. Adi shares her background as an industrial engineer and her transition from working in the consulting world to starting her own business. She explains how she identified a critical need among small to medium-sized companies for effective process documentation and optimization, which led her to pivot her consulting services to focus on this niche. Throughout the conversation, Adi emphasizes the challenges she faced in finding clients and the strategies she employed to build her network, including leveraging her natural ability to connect with others. She highlights the impact of her work, sharing success stories of clients who have significantly improved their onboarding processes and reduced errors. Adi also reflects on the lessons learned during the pandemic, including the importance of diversifying marketing strategies and embracing online networking. As she looks to the future, Adi discusses her plans for scalability, including writing a book and expanding her team. This episode offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs seeking to streamline their operations and achieve sustainable growth.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Chris McNeany, founder of Blazing Ginger, a corporate training company. Chris shares how he branded his company based on his red hair and transitioned from working in corporate training for 15 years to launching his own LLC four years ago. Rather than creating new curriculum, he strategically licenses proven training materials while differentiating his services through certification in Acumax, a unique brain-wiring assessment tool that helps companies reduce turnover and increase revenue.

The conversation explores Chris's journey into entrepreneurship, which was catalyzed by his involvement with the Los Angeles LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the opportunities it presented for diverse supplier certification. He discusses the challenges of early business ownership, particularly feeling overwhelmed and learning to prioritize efforts between private sector clients and government contracting. Chris also shares his revelation that successful entrepreneurship isn't about doing everything alone, but rather about building relationships and knowing when to seek help or delegate tasks.

Looking toward 2025 and beyond, Chris sees continued opportunities in addressing employee turnover, particularly as workplace dynamics evolve across generations. He emphasizes the measurable impact of his services on reducing turnover costs and improving employee satisfaction. The discussion concludes with Chris's insights on the future of corporate training, including the integration of AI technology, and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, which centers around having passion, purpose, and a flexible plan while remaining open to input from others. Through his experience with Acumax, Chris also highlights the importance of understanding different thinking styles in business partnerships, as exemplified by his relationship with his business partner.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald speaks with John Winters, founder of Lifestyle Performance Training (LPT), a fitness studio dedicated to creating a comfortable and private environment for individuals beginning or continuing their fitness journeys. John shares his inspiration for founding LPT, driven by his desire to offer a calm, welcoming space for people who may feel intimidated by traditional gyms.

John reflects on his journey in the fitness industry, from being told he wouldn’t succeed due to his quiet demeanor to embracing his personality and cultivating a unique niche. He explains how he transitioned from working in big-box gyms to owning his studio, where he prioritizes creating a safe and inclusive culture for both clients and staff.

The conversation delves into John’s approach to leadership, his philosophy of "relationship marketing" to build a loyal client base, and his commitment to work-life balance, including non-negotiable time for family. He shares insights into the evolving fitness industry, including the impact of new weight-loss medications and the shift towards coaching and habit-based approaches to wellness.

Looking ahead, John envisions expanding LPT to multiple locations while maintaining the personalized culture and high-touch service that define his brand. His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: pursue something you’re passionate about because building a business requires more than just strategy—it requires heart.

This episode offers practical insights and inspiration for anyone navigating entrepreneurship, leadership, or the fitness industry.