Fountain City Founders

Scott Sullivan didn’t follow the traditional path to becoming a CPA — he got kicked out of college, rode the mortgage boom, and rebuilt from the ground up. Along the way, he learned what every founder eventually discovers: money tells the truth, whether you want to hear it or not.

In this episode, Scott shares his unfiltered journey from failure to financial expertise — and the lessons business owners can’t afford to ignore. We talk about tax myths that go viral for all the wrong reasons, when an S-Corp actually makes sense, and why mixing business and personal spending can wreck your company faster than you think.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re getting the right answers about your business finances — or just the easy ones — this conversation is for you.

Beth Anne Kennedy and Ellen Cobb didn’t just build a fitness studio — they built a community. In this episode, the sisters behind Novo Fitness share how a one-year lease, $1 classes, and a lot of late nights grew into one of Columbus’s most beloved local brands.

From balancing family and business to creating a culture where people feel they belong, Beth Anne and Ellen reveal how Novo became more than a place to work out — it became a movement rooted in connection, confidence, and care.

Opening a restaurant is tough. Keeping it open is even tougher.

In this episode of Fountain City Founders, we sit down with Hudson Terrell, owner of The Animal Farm and Gabagool in Columbus, GA, to talk about the realities of life in the restaurant business. Hudson shares his journey from dishwasher to entrepreneur, the lessons he learned from renovating historic buildings, and how he built a culture that keeps his team together.

Along the way, he explains why sales “heal everything,” why the so-called safe path can sometimes be the riskiest, and how resilience and leadership have guided him through challenges and growth. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a restaurant regular, or someone chasing your own dream, this conversation offers practical wisdom and inspiration for anyone building something that lasts.

Jake Koehler — Scuba Jake — turned lost iPhones and forgotten treasures in the Chattahoochee River into a global audience of 14 million. In this episode, he shares how “document, don’t create” became his mantra, why purpose often shows up in unexpected places, and what it takes to reinvent yourself (and your content) year after year.

It’s a conversation about risk, resilience, and finding meaning beneath the surface — in business, in life, and in the river.

From sweeping flower shop floors to designing luxury weddings, Lexiee Campbell has grown Campbell Creative Floral Co. and Flowers on 10th into two thriving floral businesses. In this episode, she shares how she turned a side hustle into a storefront, built her brand through social media, and reinvented her business to reach the luxury wedding market. It’s a story of grit, creativity, and resilience every entrepreneur can learn from.

Most people don’t launch a company with a sketch in Microsoft Paint. But that’s exactly how Lindsay deOliveira started Soothe Beginnings—a baby brand built around safety, sustainability, and solving a real problem for new parents.

In this episode, Lindsay shares how postpartum struggles, sleepless nights, and frustration with existing pacifiers led her to design a better one from scratch. We talk about her experience with Startup Columbus, raising money through Kickstarter, pitching her idea on a business reality show, and finding a factory that could bring her vision to life.

If you've ever wondered how a parent becomes a product founder, or what it really takes to build something from the ground up, this episode is for you.

John Anker didn’t set out to start a business — he needed a way forward. With no income and no backup plan, he started Ankerpak from his garage, driven by grit, faith, and a desire to solve real problems. In this episode, he shares what it takes to build through uncertainty and lead with purpose.

What starts in a warehouse doesn’t always stay there.

In this episode of Fountain City Founders, Steve Smithwick shares how he built Master Wall from a small local operation into a national brand. We talk about early risks, outgrowing your beginnings, navigating partnerships, and the quiet discipline it takes to grow something that lasts.

This is a story about more than success—it’s about building with intention.

After building a successful tech company, Reggie Luther took an unexpected turn — opening a running store and a coffee shop in downtown Columbus. In this episode, he shares why he made the leap, what it means to build community through business, and how purpose became his new bottom line.

A new voice is coming to Columbus. Fountain City Founders is a podcast about the people building the businesses you know—and the ones you haven’t heard of yet. This is a quick preview of what’s ahead: honest conversations with local entrepreneurs about risk, resilience, and what it really takes to grow something from the ground up. First episode drops July 2.