Founders Future

In this episode of the Founders Future podcast, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Marty Gilbert, founder of Nsang (North Shore Executive Networking Group), a global job search coaching service. Gilbert shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began organically as a part-time networking group that grew from 6 to nearly 12,000 members over 14 years. With a background in marketing and having worked for major companies like Sony and Motorola, Gilbert leveraged his professional experience to create a unique job search coaching approach.

Gilbert explains that Nsang helps job seekers and professionals looking to change careers by applying marketing principles to personal branding. Initially running in-person meetings in Chicago, the business transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning to a fully online, global platform. His competitive edge comes from his marketing background, which differs from traditional job search coaches who typically have HR or recruiting experience.

The conversation explores Gilbert's insights on entrepreneurship, work-life balance, and the evolving job market. He discusses the challenges of being a solopreneur, managing multiple business responsibilities, and the importance of planning and scalability. Gilbert is particularly passionate about how technology, especially artificial intelligence, can help businesses communicate and engage with their audience more efficiently. He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to be strategic, understand their audience's needs, and remain adaptable in a changing business landscape.

In this episode of "Founders Future," host Joe Fitzgerald engages in a compelling conversation with Rob Kaminski, co-founder of Fletch, a product marketing consultancy tailored for B2B SaaS startups. Rob shares the inspiration behind Fletch, detailing how he and his co-founder, Anthony Pierry, identified a significant gap in the market: many startups struggled to clearly articulate their value propositions on their homepages. Through a structured process, Fletch has successfully assisted over 350 startups in refining their messaging and positioning. Rob discusses the challenges they faced in the early stages, including establishing credibility without a track record and the difficulty of selling strategy without tangible deliverables. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on a specific service to achieve repeatability and success. The conversation also touches on the work-life balance of entrepreneurship, highlighting how passion for their work fuels their commitment, even amidst the inevitable challenges. Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the journey of building a niche consultancy and the lessons learned along the way.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Joseph Fitzgerald interviews Amanda Maddalena, founder of Madfit, an online transformation company focused on holistic health, encompassing mind, body, and soul. Amanda shares her personal journey from being a bikini competitor with a traditional in-person fitness studio to founding Madfit. Her realization that external fitness does not equate to internal health led her to delve into neuroscience, mindset work, and preventative health practices.

Amanda recounts the challenges and opportunities brought by the pandemic, which prompted her to transition her business online. Despite initial struggles with technology and scaling, her passion for helping others kept her motivated, even in the face of personal hardships like losing her father in 2021. This tragedy reinforced her commitment to addressing mental health alongside physical fitness.

Looking to the future, Amanda plans to expand into corporate wellness, focusing on stress reduction, mental health, and employee well-being as part of a comprehensive approach to health. She emphasizes the importance of intention in business, advocating for purpose-driven entrepreneurship over monetary goals alone.

Amanda’s journey underscores her belief that work-life balance is attainable through mindset shifts and prioritization, and she encourages others to embrace personal growth, coaching, and collaboration. Listeners can connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for more resources and insights.

In this episode of *Founders Future*, host Laura Skinner interviews Alex Theuma, founder of SaaStock, the leading B2B SaaS conference in Europe. Alex shares his entrepreneurial journey, from organizing small SaaS meetups to creating a globally recognized event that draws thousands of founders, investors, and SaaS leaders annually. 

Alex recounts the origins of SaaStock, which started in 2015 as a passion project to connect SaaS founders and provide valuable education and networking opportunities. Initially built through a combination of blogging, podcasting, and meetups, SaaStock grew rapidly, culminating in its first conference in 2016, which drew 700 attendees. Today, SaaStock has expanded into the U.S. market and attracts over 3,500 participants at its European events. 

The discussion highlights SaaStock’s evolving go-to-market strategy, from grassroots content marketing to leveraging larger-scale partnerships, targeted email campaigns, and speaker-driven engagement. Alex also dives into the challenges of operating in a saturated market and the importance of differentiating through exceptional customer service and strong branding. 

Listeners will gain insights into Alex’s approach to growth, including embracing innovation, implementing account-based marketing, and balancing inbound and outbound strategies to sustain momentum in a competitive space. 

Alex concludes with valuable lessons from his nine-year journey, emphasizing the importance of persistence, adapting to market changes, and staying true to the mission of supporting SaaS founders. 

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, event organizers, and SaaS enthusiasts looking to learn from one of the industry’s most influential leaders.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner speaks with Sofia Castillo, co-founder of Simera, a groundbreaking platform connecting global companies with top-tier talent from Latin America and the MENA region. Sofia shares her unique journey, starting as the founder of an ed-tech company in Guatemala that was acquired by Simera, where she later became a co-founder.

Simera's mission is to simplify and optimize the hiring process by leveraging AI-driven data matching, enabling companies to find the right talent quickly and cost-effectively. Sofia explains how the platform not only addresses inefficiencies in traditional hiring practices but also empowers professionals from underrepresented communities to access global job opportunities.

Sofia delves into Simera’s go-to-market strategies, discussing how the company has prioritized organic growth, partnerships, and leveraging influencers over traditional advertising. She emphasizes the importance of tailoring strategies to the unique needs of target markets, noting the cultural nuances of Latin America that have shaped their approach.

The conversation also explores the balance between scalable, trackable systems and experimental, non-scalable strategies, which Sofia believes are essential for innovation and long-term growth. Looking ahead, Simera is exploring a self-service model for its technology while maintaining a personal touch for markets that demand it.

With insights into experimentation, scaling strategies, and Sofia’s inspiring story as a woman in tech, this episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs and innovators seeking to build impactful, forward-thinking businesses.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner sits down with Kaus Manjita, co-founder of Mason, a trailblazing e-commerce operating system. Kaus shares the journey behind Mason's creation and its mission to simplify and streamline online retail experiences for businesses of all sizes.

Mason tackles the complexity of the modern shopping journey by offering a unified platform that uses predictive and generative AI to enhance customer decision-making, optimize pricing, and streamline the browse-to-buy process. By bringing together various tools like merchandising, promotions, and data analytics into one seamless stack, Mason empowers businesses to deliver better, more engaging shopping experiences.

Kaus discusses the company’s origins, including her team's background in retail tech and the realization that many small-to-mid-sized retailers lacked access to cutting-edge tools. Since its founding in 2020, Mason has grown into a profitable global company, working with major retailers like Reliance in India and brands on platforms like Sephora in the U.S.

The conversation highlights Mason’s customer acquisition journey, starting with a channel-led, product-centric approach to prove product-market fit, then transitioning to a scalable inbound lead model. Kaus shares the challenges of addressing different stages of growth—from securing initial traction to scaling and retaining customers—and discusses the company’s future goals, including expanding into new markets and targeting enterprise-level clients.

Kaus’s personal insights into blending corporate and startup experiences, embracing chaos while building structure, and the importance of asking for help offer invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs navigating their own journeys.

This episode is perfect for anyone in e-commerce, tech innovation, or retail looking for inspiration and practical strategies to succeed in a competitive space.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner interviews William McCoon, the CEO and founder of Gravitae, a cloud consultancy specializing in agnostic technology solutions. William shares his inspiring entrepreneurial journey, which began with programming on a Commodore 64 as a child and led to winning a young entrepreneur award in Ireland for his early web development business. After a successful corporate career with companies like Salesforce, William took the leap to start Gravitae, a consultancy aimed at helping businesses leverage cloud technologies effectively.

William delves into the challenges of building Gravitae over the past 11 years, including transitioning from a one-person operation to leading a team while maintaining a personalized client experience. He emphasizes the importance of trust, delegation, and delivering consistent value to establish long-term client partnerships. His approach centers on quality over quantity, prioritizing multi-year collaborations with clients who align with Gravitae’s ethos.

The discussion also highlights the current go-to-market challenges, particularly in an uncertain economic climate where clients demand clear ROI justification before committing to investments. William outlines his strategies for addressing these hurdles, such as breaking down projects into manageable stages with measurable value, focusing on customer success, and leveraging his expertise to build trust and deliver tailored solutions.

This episode is packed with insights on scaling a consultancy, navigating sales cycles, and building strong client relationships, making it a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business leaders alike.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner interviews David Burnet, the CEO and founder of Invidar, an innovative tech company specializing in immersive technologies and SaaS solutions. David shares his remarkable journey from a university graduate navigating a pandemic-induced layoff to building a cutting-edge business that has worked with global brands like Samsung, Google, and LEGO.

David reflects on the humble beginnings of Invidar, starting as a freelance venture during the pandemic and evolving into a multifaceted company that creates enterprise-grade immersive tech solutions. From developing virtual environments for clients to integrating cutting-edge tools like Unreal Engine into Hollywood productions, Invidar’s growth is a testament to innovation and adaptability. The company is now exploring SaaS models, including tools for industries like utilities, healthcare, and defense.

The conversation highlights the challenges of navigating feast-or-famine cycles common in agency models, managing long deal cycles, and transitioning to more predictable revenue streams through productization. David provides insights into the importance of leveraging referrals, maintaining a lean but highly skilled team, and focusing on high-value, complex projects rather than chasing volume.

David’s personal story is equally inspiring—at just 29 years old, he has received numerous accolades, including recognition as a top young entrepreneur in the UK. His advice for aspiring founders centers on networking, hard work, and embracing uncomfortable challenges to foster growth.

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and building a business that pushes the boundaries of technology. Perfect for entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts looking for actionable insights and inspiration.

In this episode of *Founders, Future*, host Laura Skinner welcomes Kristian Lexeklint, co-founder of Hollywise, a startup dedicated to simplifying the travel planning process for groups. From their high school days to their professional careers in finance at prestigious firms like Goldman Sachs and Barclays, Kristian and his co-founder have always shared a passion for entrepreneurship.

Kristian shares the inspiration behind Hollywise, highlighting the common frustrations faced when planning group travel—balancing preferences, budgets, and logistics. Recognizing the lengthy and often painful process involved, they sought to create a more efficient solution. Hollywise aims to take users seamlessly from the inspiration phase through planning and booking, specifically catering to the unique challenges of group travel.

As they prepare for their official launch, Kristian discusses their current progress, including the integration of hotel bookings and successful manual transactions to test their system. He outlines the three pillars of their go-to-market strategy, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured product that drives growth.

Listeners can expect valuable insights into the startup journey, the travel industry, and the innovative solutions Hollywise brings to a common problem faced by travelers. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the future of travel technology.

In this episode of Founders Future, host Laura Skinner dives into an engaging conversation with Leon Lerman, CEO and founder of Cynerio, a healthcare cybersecurity company. Leon shares the inspiring story behind the creation of Cynerio, detailing its mission to address the critical cybersecurity gaps in the healthcare industry—a sector often underserved and heavily targeted by hackers.

Listeners gain insight into Cynerio’s journey from its founding in 2018, initially focused on securing medical devices like IV pumps and MRI machines, to becoming a global leader in healthcare cybersecurity. Leon discusses the company's innovative, network-based solutions, the challenges of scaling internationally, and their commitment to a strong company culture.

The conversation highlights Cynerio's customer acquisition strategies, emphasizing partnerships with channel resellers to navigate the complex and cautious healthcare market. Leon also reflects on his background in cybersecurity and his passion for go-to-market strategies, offering valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Looking to the future, leon shares Cynerio's vision to expand globally and release new products, all while tackling the universal issue of healthcare security. The episode concludes with actionable insights and a celebration of the company's remarkable progress.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a cybersecurity enthusiast, or curious about healthcare innovation, this episode offers inspiration and practical lessons on building and scaling a purpose-driven startup.