Fueled By Progress

⚡Want to build a business that actually works? My team at Motive11 can help—websites, systems, and strategy for modern entrepreneurs → https://motive11.com

Agency founder Chris LaFay joins me to talk about growing a web business from small-town freelancing to seven figures, the power of sharing experience instead of advice, and what it really takes to scale sustainably without losing yourself.

🔗 Connect with Chris LaFay:
Website: https://www.classiccity.net
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislafay
X: https://x.com/chrisjlafay  

🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:
Website: https://markszymanski.co
Facebook: https://mjs.link/FB
Instagram: https://mjs.link/IG
LinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LI
X: https://mjs.link/X
YouTube: https://mjs.link/YT

About the show:
Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward.

If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪

Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/links
Video/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.com

Chapters:
0:00 Intro and why I film first conversations
1:12 Meet the guest Chris LaFay and Classic City Consulting
3:11 How we got connected through Andy Milligan
4:30 Accountability partner dynamic and daily check-ins
6:40 Experience vs advice and why stories land better
8:46 Lessons from Entrepreneurs’ Organization on sharing experiences
10:46 My learn try share motto and staying authentic
12:10 What I’m excited about now daily shorts streak hits 100
13:20 Documenting life systems and personal website roots
15:03 Chris’s background slow and steady agency growth
16:25 Content ramp up and finally starting a podcast
18:58 Framing the studio and committing to a setup
20:06 Content to drive Classic City sales the game plan
21:17 Collaborations and mini series with agency partners
22:52 The dual CTA idea and jabs before the right hook
24:05 My path agency vs creator split and tradeoffs
25:27 Chris’s origin suburbs of Atlanta and early freelancing
27:12 Pricing mindset shift charging more with confidence
29:21 Scaling to 1.3M and hard lessons on expenses
30:53 Selling to CMOs vs founders and changing rooms
33:04 College path MIS degree and real world skills
35:39 First WordPress class and stepping up to teach
37:49 From Dreamweaver to WordPress becoming the core stack
41:26 Shopify side work and where it fits
42:53 What Chris does today founder CEO head of sales
44:38 Relationship driven sales and creating a repeatable engine
48:04 Why ads waited the need for a foot in the door offer
50:14 ICP clarity B2B SaaS with complex content models
52:18 Component libraries CPTs and empowering marketing teams
54:50 How they entered B2B SaaS referrals and Slack groups
56:40 Personal sites as scratch pads and short posts
59:28 Substack vs WordPress and owning the home base
1:02:44 Personal brand ideas fractional consulting with founders
1:05:20 Building new lines of business inside existing engines
1:06:56 Community and mentorship possibilities
1:07:24 Wrap up and where to find Chris LinkedIn and Classic City

⚡Want to build a business that actually works? My team at Motive11 can help—websites, systems, and strategy for modern entrepreneurs → https://motive11.com

In this episode, 24-year-old agency founder Andy Milligan reveals why he ditched WordPress, built 30+ sites on Webflow + Framer, and publicly tracks every dollar of revenue.  

🔗 Connect with Andy Milligan:
Website: https://www.mmgdesign.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindulmilligan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmilligan
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign
X: https://x.com/mmg__design
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mmgdesign

🔗 Connect with Mark Szymanski:
Website: https://markszymanski.co
Facebook: https://mjs.link/FB
Instagram: https://mjs.link/IG
LinkedIn: https://mjs.link/LI
X: https://mjs.link/X
YouTube: https://mjs.link/YT

About the show:
Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward.

If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since episodes recorded in my car—thank you. We’re still just getting warmed up 💪

Host --- Mark Szymanski: https://markszymanski.co/links
Video/Audio Production --- Nathaniel DeHaven: https://elevatedmultimedia.com
Sponsor --- NitroPack: Get 10% off with code "MJS" at https://mjs.link/NitroPack

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:43 - Meet Andy Milligan: 24-Year-Old Making $10K+/mo (Golf Pro → Web Agency)
6:35 - From Scratch Golfer to Eating Disorder Recovery (Raw Story)
15:51 - How Personal Training & Golf Lessons Became His First Business
21:47 - Instagram Reels → $40/hr Golf Lessons (Early Hustle Exposed)
26:21 - NitroPack Ad: Make Your Site Blazing Fast (Use Code MJS for 10% Off)
27:20 - Why Daily YouTube Shorts = Therapy + Lead Gen Gold
31:26 - Identity Lags Reality: “I Still Wake Up Like the Kid Who Got Laid Off”
35:56 - Discipline = Where Your Calendar Is (Not Motivation)
44:55 - Painful Feedback = Probably True (Family vs. Internet Trolls)
50:00 - Whole Foods Diet: Meat, Eggs, Fruit, 5lbs of Potatoes (Mark’s Catalyst)
1:12:38 - Discipline Is NOT Blanket — It’s Pillar-Based
1:26:54 - Balancing Deep Relationships vs. Shallow Founder Network
1:34:39 - WordPress vs. Webflow/Framer: The REAL Builder War (No BS)
1:40:02 - “You Have to Code PHP to Customize WordPress” — Andy’s Old Myth
1:47:30 - Why Gen Z Designers Flock to Framer & AI Tools (And Fail)
1:53:31 - “Clients Don’t Care About the Tool — They Care About Leads”
1:58:24 - Don’t Switch Platforms If You’re Making Money (Mark’s Warning)
2:01:41 - Final Verdict: Tool Debates Are for Technicians, Not Founders
2:02:00 - Where to Find Andy (Agency, Podcast, LinkedIn)

Fueled By Progress is back. New studio, fresh clarity, same mission: candid conversations that document the journey and help us all move forward.

In this solo relaunch, I share why “MJS Podcast” never fully resonated, the story behind the FBP name (and why I’m proud to bring it back), how my year reshaped my direction, and what’s coming next—guests, deeper conversations, and consistent momentum.

What’s inside:

• Why I sunset the MJS Podcast and revived FBP
• The naming story and brand decisions
• A quick history of FBP (car recordings → guest era)
• Reworking the RSS feed + channel setup
• The roadmap for upcoming episodes and guests

Subscribe & follow:

• Fueled By Progress on your favorite podcast app: https://fueledbyprogress.com/
• YouTube (Fueled By Progress): https://youtube.com/@FueledByProgress/
• My main channel:  https://youtube.com/@markjszymanski/
• Second channel (BTS / real-time updates):  https://youtube.com/@MarkSzymanski2/

About the show:
Fueled By Progress is a podcast about candid conversations with builders, creators, and curious people—focused on decisions, disciplines, and stories that move us forward.

If you’re new here, welcome. If you’ve been here since the car recordings—thank you. We’re just getting started.

💡If you like how I think about business, technology, and systems on Fueled By Progress, you can find the best way to work with me or learn more at https://markszymanski.co/start

Join me for a conversation with Nick Saraev, AI automation expert, agency owner, and content creator who scaled his service business to $72K/month.

In this episode, we explore the intersection of technology, business mindset, and content creation strategy. Nick shares his journey into AI automation, revealing why focusing ruthlessly on revenue-generating activities is the key to success.

We discuss the power of transparency in marketing, the value of personal branding, and practical advice on building systems that deliver demonstrable ROI for clients.

Whether you're looking to transition from technical skills to entrepreneurship, scale your service business, or leverage AI automation for growth, this conversation offers actionable insights from someone who's built successful businesses in both the technical and educational spaces. Plus, Nick shares his time management philosophy that allows him to create massive amounts of content while still maintaining a thriving agency and personal life.

GUEST: Nick Saraev
- Website: https://nicksaraev.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicksaraev
- Maker School: https://www.skool.com/makerschool/
- Make Money With Make.com: https://www.skool.com/makemoneywithmake/

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction to Nick Saraev
8:35 - Conversation with Nick starts
9:04 - Nick's perspective on why transparency and authenticity will be crucial in an AI-saturated future
11:05 - Comparing our journeys from web development to exploring automation opportunities
14:11 - Nick's path from struggling with WordPress to discovering front-end and AI technologies
17:56 - The limitations of web design and why ROI-focused services are more valuable
20:18 - The generational differences between WordPress and AI/automation communities
25:12 - Why you need existing profitable processes before applying automation and AI
29:04 - How to identify automation opportunities that deliver 100x results for businesses
33:09 - Navigating criticism when sharing revenue figures and dealing with "trust fund kid" accusations
38:13 - Nick's advice on when to start teaching: "learn, achieve, then share" to build credibility
42:17 - Time management secrets: effectiveness over efficiency and the $500/hour mindset
45:00 - Being ruthless about focusing only on tasks that generate significant ROI
51:00 - Why growth solves most business problems better than optimization or hiring
56:20 - The technician vs. entrepreneur spectrum and moving beyond technical skills
59:08 - Three recurring revenue models for automation businesses explained in detail
1:01:15 - Nick's inspiring story about confidence in success and where to find his content

Join me for an enlightening conversation with Matt Medeiros, the "Podfather of WordPress" and creator of The WP Minute, as we dive deep into the world of content creation, personal branding, and playing the long game in the digital space.

In this episode, Matt shares his 15+ years of experience as a digital professional and reveals why he consciously chose to build without chasing fame or algorithms. We explore:

- The true value of personal branding vs. building sellable assets
- Why Matt avoids the content hamster wheel of viral marketing
- The importance of creating for the love of the game, not just metrics
- How podcasting serves as the ultimate "dynamic resume"
- The transition from WordPress to AI and what's next
- Strategic insights on when to name products after yourself (and when not to)
- The "blue collar digital worker" mindset
- How authentic content creation leads to unexpected opportunities
- Building sustainable content businesses without burnout

Matt discusses his journey from running a WordPress agency to becoming a key voice in the podcasting space, his experiences with various ventures (from The Matt Report to The WP Minute to South Coast FM), and why staying "in the mix" has been his most valuable content strategy.

Whether you're a content creator, entrepreneur, or someone interested in building a lasting digital presence, this conversation offers invaluable insights on creating meaningful content that stands the test of time.

GUEST: Matt Medeiros
- Website: https://craftedbymatt.com
- WP Minute: https://thewpminute.com
- Gravity Forms: https://gravity.com 

Welcome to the first episode of the MJS Podcast!

I'm Mark Szymanski, and in this introduction, I share why I'm starting this podcast journey to have authentic conversations with interesting minds who have mentored and influenced me. I explain my background in WordPress, digital marketing, and content creation, plus my previous podcasting experience with "Fueled by Progress."

This podcast will focus on business, technology, AI, psychology, and philosophy through raw, unedited conversations with people who are innovating in these spaces. I believe strongly in my motto "learn, try, and share," which drives this podcast's purpose.

Episodes will be released 1-2 times monthly, running about an hour each. Subscribe to join me in these valuable conversations, and find all my other content at https://mjs.bio!

More of a watcher than a listener? Me, too. Here's the video.

CT is in the 'Burgh!

CT Kaupp is a Wisconsin native that has a true passion for web design and entrepreneurship. He is the owner of CT Kaupp, LLC, a full-service web design firm, and the host of the Business In Boardshorts Podcast. His approach to web design emphasizes developing strong relationships with his clients. He takes care of everything, so they can focus on running their business.

CT talks about the importance of building relationships with people, why he likes podcasting, his concerns with social media, how he stays ultra productive, and much more!

Watch CT's last appearance on FBP!

Follow CT: Facebook  -  Instagram  -  LinkedIn  -  Website

Follow CT Kaupp, LLC: Facebook  -  Instagram  -  LinkedIn  -  Website

Follow Business In Boardshorts Podcast: Instagram  -  LinkedIn  -  Website

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Thank you for listening!

FBP Website: fueledbyprogress.com

YouTube: Fueled By Progress

Instagram: @fbpapparel

She's Back!

Amanda Masters has become a fitness fanatic over the past 14 months. She went from zero exercise to now working out 5 days per week. How'd she do it? She found a few great influences on social media that positively impacted her and now she's looking to inspire others to do the same via her brand, Amanda's Inspiration. On top of that, Amanda is also an Apparel Designer for Fueled By Progress and the Co-Host of AM In The PM. 

Amanda talks about her fitness journey to this point, how working out has improved her life, her goals for Amanda's Inspiration, and much more!

Check out Amanda's previous FBP episode!

Follow Amanda's Inspiration: Facebook  -  Instagram  -  LinkedIn  -  TikTok  -  Twitter  -  YouTube  -  Website

Follow AM In The PM: Facebook  -  Instagram  -  LinkedIn  -  TikTok  -  YouTube  -  Website

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Thank you for listening!

FBP Website: fueledbyprogress.com

YouTube: Fueled By Progress

Instagram: @fbpapparel

Benjamin Cartwright is back as our first repeat guest! He is a U.S. Military veteran and entrepreneur with thoughtful perspectives on the current U.S. political and economic landscape.

In this second time around, Benjamin provides updates on his new venture, Stonebridge Security Consultants, which is set to launch later in 2021. SSC will provide a variety of security services to its clients across the country.

A lot has happened in the world since Benjamin's first appearance, as well. He further defines his position as an anarcho-capitalist by sharing his thoughts on the new Presidential administration, human rights, and other geopolitical issues.

Check out Benjamin's previous FBP episode!

Connect with Benjamin & Stonebridge Security Consultants: Email  -  Facebook  -  Instagram

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Thank you for listening!

FBP Website: fueledbyprogress.com

YouTube: Fueled By Progress

Instagram: @fbpapparel

Joe Tersak is a Pittsburgh native with a fierce passion for 2 things: self-improvement and cryptocurrency. By day, he works as an Elite Senior District Manager at ADP. By night, he is the host of Viva La Coin, his YouTube channel and brand devoted to educating others on cryptocurrency.

Joe's story is something that everyone can benefit from hearing. Like many of us, he has had to struggle to find his purpose. His journey has not been easy, but it has hardened him into a relentless warrior. One of his life mottos is to "Be your own hero". In times of great hardship, we need to be able to look within to find the strength to keep going.

Joe got into the crypto space in 2017. Back then, it was less developed, but many people still saw the opportunities it offered. Over the next couple of years, Joe's involvement stagnated a bit as he continued to navigate life. Then, 2020 came. He realized that a lot was about to change and he dove back into crypto, even deeper than before. Right now in 2021, as the US dollar deteriorates, we are all living through the early stages of, quite possibly, the greatest shift in global economics of all time. Educate yourself on cryptocurrency!

Joe talks about his battle to find his purpose, the bargain he upholds every day, why people should care about cryptocurrency, the current state of the global economy, and much more!

Follow Joe: Facebook - Instagram  -  LinkedIn  -  Twitter

Follow Viva La Coin: Instagram  -  Twitter  -  YouTube

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Thank you for listening!

FBP Website: fueledbyprogress.com

YouTube: Fueled By Progress

Instagram: @fbpapparel