From the Ground Up

Randy Dominguez spent decades in finance before taking an unexpected turn into documentary filmmaking and helping bring The Jersey Sound to life. He joins John Boitnott to explain why New Jersey’s musical history deserves a broader telling, how local clubs and artists helped build communities, and what producing the film taught him about patience, risk, and starting over creatively. Dominguez also makes the case for preserving live music history now, before the people and places that shaped it disappear from memory.

Joan Dao started Ilesovi after watching her mother lose more than a handbag in a violent robbery and struggle for months to feel comfortable going out alone. She joins John Boitnott to explain how that experience became a patented anti-theft handbag, why security products fail when they ignore fashion and usability, and what years of prototyping taught her about manufacturing, patents, investors, and customer trust. Dao also shares why building a useful invention means solving the physical problem without asking women to give up the products they already want to carry.

Small trucking companies face many of the same safety and compliance demands as major fleets, but without the staff, software budgets, or margin for error. ClaimShield Co-CEO Gavin Robley joins John Boitnott to explain how poor compliance can drive up insurance costs, threaten access to freight, and expose carriers to fines or lawsuits that can jeopardize the entire business. He also shares how ClaimShield combines technology with hands-on support to make compliance easier to maintain and why a strong safety culture can become an advantage rather than another administrative burden.

Author and longtime entrepreneur Cliff Branch joins John Boitnott on From the Ground Up to discuss the unconventional career that took him from selling stereo equipment to college students to building nationwide businesses—and eventually to writing about American politics and culture. Branch shares the story behind his new book, American Made 2016 to 2026: A Nation in Turmoil, and explains why he felt compelled to document a decade of political upheaval. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, media fragmentation, social media, artificial intelligence, political polarization, and Branch's belief that Americans across the political spectrum need to stay informed, participate in their communities, and vote.

Noor Shikari spent nearly 15 years in the restaurant business before reinventing her career in financial services. On this episode of From the Ground Up, she joins John Boitnott to discuss what entrepreneurship taught her about cash flow, resilience, risk, and preparing for the unexpected. She explains why career changes don't erase your previous experience, how families can have healthier conversations about money, and why financial planning is less about predicting the future than creating options when life inevitably changes.

Real Motors co-founder Trent Dingman explains why building unconventional vehicles requires rethinking more than the vehicle itself. From Project : ARES to localized production and rapid prototyping, he shares how Real Motors is using engineering experimentation to reduce the capital, labor, and scale traditionally associated with automotive manufacturing.

Leadership coach, consultant, author, and professor Dr. Leigh Byers explains why leadership development begins before someone manages a team or earns an executive title. Drawing on her research, coaching work, and Positive Intelligence training, she explores how self-awareness, mental fitness, and a willingness to learn from other perspectives shape stronger leaders.

PetroVybe CEO Peter Snell explains why the rapid expansion of AI and data centers is creating a deeper conversation about the physical infrastructure behind computing. He discusses PetroVybe’s focus on natural gas production, the growing intersection between technology and energy, and why scaling an energy company requires patience, discipline, and a willingness to learn from failure.

Orchestrated Connecting founder David Homan explains why meaningful professional networks are built through curiosity, generosity, and trust rather than collecting contacts. Drawing on his experience connecting thousands of people around the world, he shares how entrepreneurs can build relationships long before they need an introduction, investor, client, or opportunity.

LawSHIFT CEO and founder Nick Kringas explains why businesses adapting to AI should focus less on the technology itself and more on the customer problems it can remove. Drawing on his experience in restaurants, SEO, and legal technology, he shows how LawSHIFT identified the overlooked “pre-intake” period as a critical source of friction in personal injury law.