Founders Future

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Milan Kohut, we sit down with Curtis Butler, the founder of Guided Ascent Career Coaching. Curtis shares his remarkable journey from a 30-year finance career to becoming an entrepreneur in his mid-50s, driven by a lifelong passion for mentoring and a mission to serve. He delves into why he believes he was "born to do this," explaining how his unique blend of high-level industry experience and genuine compassion allows him to act as an "everything coach" for his clients.

Curtis details his specialized "Campus to Wall Street" program, a high-ticket, outcome-driven service that helps college students and recent graduates land highly competitive roles in finance. He reveals his target market is often the parents, particularly moms, who invest in their children's futures. The conversation explores his tailored coaching process, which combines practical skill-building in networking and interviewing with crucial confidence-building, addressing what he calls an "epidemic in low self-esteem" among young people. Curtis also outlines his ambitious vision for scaling his impact through group coaching, building a team, and his long-term goal of partnering directly with corporations.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Olivia Sammons, we sit down with Kevin Benevides, the founder of The Canvas Within. Kevin shares his journey from an 11-year career in graphic design to becoming a creative entrepreneur and coach. He discusses the pivotal moment during the pandemic that pushed him to transition from freelancing to fully investing in his passion: a coaching business dedicated to helping men overcome people-pleasing behaviors and codependency to reclaim their authenticity and emotional maturity.

Kevin opens up about the realities of being a solopreneur, from mastering the art of organic marketing on Instagram to learning the sales process and managing every aspect of the business. He reflects on the challenges of wearing multiple hats and his vision for the future, which includes expanding into public speaking and group coaching to help more men while maintaining the freedom to structure his business around his life.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Olivia Sammons, we sit down with Pat Smith, the founder of Pat Smith Wellness. Pat shares his journey from a successful but unfulfilling career in corporate sales to creating a holistic wellness brand. He reveals the pivotal moment in 2016 that sparked his desire for change and explains how witnessing men who were "rich in money, poor in happiness" motivated him to become a guide for others seeking fulfillment from the inside out.

Pat delves into his unique "4R" methodology—Reveal, Release, Rewire, and Rebuild—which he uses to help middle-aged male professionals and executives break through personal plateaus and overcome stress and burnout. He discusses the importance of community through his men's group and his effective, relationship-driven marketing strategies, emphasizing the power of live events and authentic connection over traditional advertising. Finally, Pat outlines his vision for scaling his impact through a membership model while maintaining the high-touch, transformative coaching that lies at the heart of his mission.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Olivia Sammons, we sit down with Kyle Jaeger, the founder of Vendi Consulting Inc.. Kyle shares his journey from a decade in corporate sales leadership within the heavy industry and automation sector to taking the leap into entrepreneurship. He discusses the DNA of an entrepreneur, from his early days shoveling driveways in Canada to the fulfillment and challenges of running his own consulting firm.

Kyle delves into the core of Vendi Consulting Inc., which specializes in a hands-on, intensive approach to helping sales teams in manufacturing and engineering sectors optimize their operations and scale sustainably. He outlines his philosophy of working alongside leadership to rebuild processes, implement CRMs, and develop sales playbooks. Looking ahead, Kyle reveals his plans to scale by branching into high-level strategic consulting while building a dedicated solutions team, and leaves us with invaluable advice on the importance of integrity and taking action, even without having all the answers.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Zach Young, we sit down with Ima Miri, the founder and CEO of AIPoint.io. Ima, a seasoned expert with over a decade of experience in AI and cloud consulting, shares her journey from being inspired by her father's computer in the 1990s to now leading a company that builds practical AI solutions. She delves into the core philosophy of her work: creating AI-powered autonomous agents and workflows designed to augment human teams and enhance business efficiency, rather than replace people. Ima provides a realistic perspective on the current state of AI, discussing its limitations and the irreplaceable value of human connection in business processes.

The conversation explores the practical applications of AIPoint.io, which works with a diverse range of clients, from marketing agencies to real estate and recruitment firms. Ima explains their three engagement models: "done by you" (training), "done with you" (co-pilot), and "done for you" (managed services). She also shares her effective LinkedIn content strategy, which focuses on sharing authentic project learnings rather than news or direct sales pitches. Looking ahead, Ima reveals her focus on expanding into data enrichment, analytics, and the critical future fields of AI and data governance to help businesses build secure and compliant systems.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Milan Kohut, we are joined by Alejandra Crisafulli, an award-winning master life coach and the founder of Decide to Heal. Alejandra shares her powerful journey from business consultant to transformative coach, revealing the personal challenges that led her to discover life coaching over two decades ago. She opens up about her mission to help high-achieving women break free from the exhausting cycles of burnout and people-pleasing, moving them from merely surviving to truly thriving.

Alejandra delves into the evolution of her business, explaining her revolutionary "180 Method" and how she has structured her offerings to include digital programs, group coaching, and one-on-one support to create lasting change and scale her impact. She discusses her grassroots approach to marketing, the importance of authentic content, and her ambitious goal to guide 50 women per month toward a life of grace, strength, and divine fulfillment.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Milan Kohut, we sit down with Sukhdev Benning, the founder behind Learn Flow Mastery inc.. Sukhdev shares his journey from a creative entrepreneur in wedding photography and music production to discovering the power of flow states. He explains how his personal healing journey led him to develop a transformative coaching program designed to help visionaries and high-achieving leaders break through resistance, gain clarity, and activate their highest potential by living in a state of effortless momentum.

Sukhdev delves into the specifics of his five-stage process, which helps clients identify limiting patterns, reclaim their energy, and build a thriving lifestyle aligned with their inner vision. He discusses the importance of long-term, one-on-one work for deep, lasting change and reveals his plans for the future, including a digital product and an AI-powered "flow state companion" app designed to help users regulate their nervous system and maintain peak performance in stressful situations.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Milan Kohut, we sit down with Kenn Rivers, CEO of LeadConnect Pro. Kenn takes us back to the very beginning, sharing the unique origin story of his company, which started as a side project building a simple web page for a friend while he was still serving as a Green Beret in Okinawa, Japan. He explains how his background in military intelligence and investigation directly translated into identifying and solving critical marketing problems for businesses, ultimately leading to the creation of LeadConnect Pro.

Kenn delves into the core of his current business, detailing the AI-powered solutions that are leveling the playing field for small businesses. He explains their key products: the Visitor Intelligence Platform that captures contact information of up to 55% of website visitors, and the Invisible Lead System that uses AI to automatically engage those hot prospects with personalized emails within minutes. Kenn’s mission is clear: to empower sales teams with innovative sales intelligence and hands-on support, ensuring his clients can capture and convert the vast majority of leads that would otherwise bounce from their sites.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Milan Kohut, we sit down with Thomas Richman, a partner in the innovative sales and personal development community, The Lions Den Business. Thomas shares his journey from a varied corporate career to co-creating a platform dedicated to helping individuals unlock their potential in the digital age. He delves into the core mission of The Lions Den Business, which is to provide not just world-class sales and social media training, but a structured, supportive community for high-performers. Thomas emphasizes the critical importance of authenticity in business and on social media, especially as AI becomes more prevalent, and explains their deliberate strategy for scaling their community without sacrificing the quality and alignment of its members.

Thomas provides a detailed look into the client experience, from onboarding into active WhatsApp groups and daily huddles to accessing over 35 hours of training content. He discusses the organic growth strategy driven by his business partner's authentic social media presence and their generous affiliate program, highlighting the philosophy of building a strong, aligned core community before expanding through paid channels. Looking ahead, Thomas outlines the ambitious goal of scaling The Lion's Den to thousands of members while meticulously maintaining the quality and supportive environment that defines it. He leaves us with a key piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: lock onto a single plan and avoid the trap of shiny object syndrome to build a solid foundation for long-term success.

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Zach Young, we meet Kenny Weiss, a trauma recovery and relationship coach who embarked on a unique 30-year journey of self-healing before ever taking on a client. Kenny shares his powerful perspective on how unresolved childhood trauma is the root of adult struggles in business, relationships, and life. He introduces his transformative methods, the "Worst Day Cycle" and the "Emotional Authenticity Approach," explaining why his direct, truth-telling style often initially repels the very people he can help the most, and how confronting self-deception is the key to lasting healing and self-love.

Kenny delves into the mechanics of denial, describing it as a life-saving tool in childhood that becomes self-destructive in adulthood. He challenges the listener to consider the idea that we are all navigating the world with the emotional development of children and why popular culture reflects this. With profound honesty, Kenny discusses his personal goals, which are not centered on fame or business growth, but on being a father who can fully hear and acknowledge his children's pain to free them from any burden, embodying the very healing he teaches.