Just Get Started

Episode 471 features Alyona Mysko, Founder & CEO of Fuel Finance.

Chapters:

00:00 — Introduction

01:23 — How Alyona Met Alina Vandenberghe (Eastern Europe Bond)

03:59 — From Math Geek to Finance: Teachers, Simpsons, Degrees

07:02 — Big Four to Fractional CFO ➜ Founding Fuel Finance

08:44 — Opportunity Cost & Learning to Say No

12:28 — Biggest Risks—Startup, Product, Move to the U.S.

16:48 — What Founders Miss at the Start: Talk Money on Day One

23:42 — Profit 101: Your First Financial Plan & Realistic Forecasting

40:06 — Product-Market Fit Signals & Narrowing Your ICP

44:25 — Action Challenge: Set Your “Life Number” + Monthly P&L

Find Alyona Online:

Website: ⁠https://fuelfinance.me/⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyona-mysko/⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/alonamysko⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/alyona_mysko/⁠

About Alyona:

Alyona Mysko is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fuelfinance, an AI-powered financial planning and analysis platform built for SMBs. Before starting Fuel, she spent 10+ years as a CFO helping founders handle messy spreadsheets and build forecasts. Now she’s scaling that superpower with AI, giving founders real-time visibility into their numbers and faster decisions without hiring a full finance team.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠

LinkedIn:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠

Episode 470 features Amanda Goetz, a 2x Founder, CEO and 4x CMO and author of the book, "Toxic Grit: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have."

Find Amanda Online:

Website: https://www.amandagoetz.com/

Book: https://www.toxicgrit.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoetz/

Twitter: https://x.com/AmandaMGoetz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/

About Amanda:

Amanda Goetz is a 2x Founder, CEO and 4x CMO. She is an inspirational writer and content creator captivating millions of people every month through her social insights and newsletter “Life’s a Game”. Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to lead marketing teams at Ernst & Young, The Knot and still advises as Fractional CMO to multiple startups. She started her last company, House of Wise, during the pandemic in her garage, raised two rounds of venture capital and sold it in 2022 all while homeschooling three young children as a single mom. She found love again and lives with her partner and 3 kiddos in Miami, FL after a decade dodging hustle culture in NYC.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠

Episode 469 features Timothy Springer, Founder of Level Access and 1 to 100.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:50 Traveling and Balancing Work

03:57 Current Projects and AI Innovations

07:44 Partnerships and Entrepreneurial Support

11:51 Coaching and Operational Guidance

15:52 Goal Setting and Planning

19:52 Persistence and Overcoming Challenges

23:45 Market Timing and Business Viability

27:35 Finding Product-Market Fit

28:24 The Reality of Startup Timelines

30:36 Sales Strategies and Market Focus

35:11 Avoiding Common Startup Mistakes

40:11 Mindset Shifts Across Revenue Stages

47:29 Founder-Led Sales: When to Transition

53:14 Actionable Insights for Founders

Find Tim Online:

https://1to100.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/1-to-100/

https://x.com/1_to_100m

About Tim:

Tim Springer built a B2B technology company from his Stanford dorm room to $100M+ in annual recurring revenue—a path traveled by only 1 in 2,500 tech startups.

His story isn't about overnight success. It's about consistent execution over 25 years, navigating economic downturns, solving complex scaling challenges, and building sustainable growth. Tim's unique advantage? A rare combination of technical depth and operational expertise that bridges the gap between product innovation and organizational mechanics.

Throughout his career, Tim has maintained a commitment to both technical excellence and ethical business practices. His experience spans multiple economic cycles, from navigating the dot-com bust to the 2008 financial crisis, bolstering his leadership approach with resilience and adaptability.

Now, through peer benchmarking and battle-tested scaling methodologies, Tim helps CEOs cut through the noise to make better decisions faster and implement growth strategies that actually work.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

Episode 468 features Desiree-Jessica Pely, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Alfa (Top 50 GTM Startup).

Find Jessica Online:

Website: https://www.getalfa.ai

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pely/

About Jessica:

Desiree-Jessica Pely, PhD, is pioneering a finance-led approach to B2B sales, go-to-market strategy, and revenue growth. As Co-Founder and CEO of Alfa (Top 50 GTM Startup), she leads the development of an AI-driven platform that transforms complex market signals into precise, actionable insights for sales, marketing, and finance teams.

Jessica brings together a PhD in Financial Economics, a background in Computer Science, and hands-on entrepreneurial execution. She has collaborated with Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler, exploring the intersection of behavioral economics and decision-making, and began her career in quantitative finance and predictive modeling.

Her passion for redefining GTM strategy grew from a common challenge: sales teams drowning in data yet struggling to identify the accounts that matter most. Alfa was created to solve this, deploying AI research agents that identify high-value accounts, map markets, and adapt continuously to real-time changes, enabling companies to penetrate markets with precision and scale revenue smarter.

Recognized as the “Queen of Leads,” Jessica has been named among the Top 100 People in SaaS, and awarded Salesperson of the Year. Beyond her company, she is an active mentor, investor, and coach, championing the next generation of innovators in SaaS, FinTech, and AI.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

In episode 467, I'm joined by Pete Kazanjy, author of Founding Sales, and one of the earliest voices behind the “founder-led sales” movement. Pete shares lessons from building and scaling startups, the critical mindset shifts founders must make when selling, and why focusing on your ideal customer profile (ICP) is key to growth. From when to hire your first sales rep to the biggest blind spots founders face, this conversation is packed with practical insights for any early-stage entrepreneur navigating sales for the first time.

Find Pete Online:

Website: https://www.foundingsales.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kazanjy/

Twitter: https://x.com/Kazanjy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FounderLedSalesStories

Substack: https://founderledsalesstories.substack.com

Founder-Led Sales Stories Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GktosGS97HbPoVr8jq5T1

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

On this week's episode, I welcome in Andy Milligan to explore the art of entrepreneurship and personal growth. Discover how to balance ambition with authenticity and transform challenges into opportunities. Perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs and creatives eager to elevate their game and mindset.

Find Andy Online:

Website: ⁠https://www.mmgdesign.net⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmilligan/⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@mmgdesign⁠

Link To Podcast You Host (if applicable): ⁠https://www.mmgdesign.net/podcast⁠

About Andy:

I’m Andy Milligan, and I run a design and marketing consultancy called MMG Design. I help startups and small marketing teams improve the design and strategy of their website through redesign sprints, audits, and strategy sessions.

My story isn't super glamorous, but the theme is consistent in that I always show up and learn the next step along the way.

After playing college golf at Methodist University and transferring, I joined a small marketing team at the University of Findlay, where I started taking on freelance projects, unpaid, for small businesses locally. That experience introduced me to design, branding, doing it on the job and I quickly became obsessed with this concept of how design could drive real business results and seeing it firsthand. After graduation, I landed a job as a marketing designer near Columbus, Ohio, but after a layoff, I went all in on building my own business. That was coming up two years ago and I haven’t looked back or had another job since.

I got started like most people do, saying yes to freelance gigs I probably wasn’t ready for. But with each project, I got sharper: better strategy, better systems, and a much clearer sense of what I actually bring to the table from a design standpoint, and it led me to slowly niche down into websites and design strategy.

Along the way, I also launched Marketing by Design, my podcast where I talk with marketers, founders, and creatives about how to do this work in a way that actually feels sustainable and effective. It’s been a way to connect with people I admire, sharpen my thinking, and build trust with others in the space. I started posting on Linkedin every day since the layoff, and it's been a huge reason as to why I'm able to make the business work and meet my goals.

Right now, I’m based in Springfield, Ohio, working from a quiet apartment studio that gives me time to focus, reflect, and get better at what I do. I’m currently the VP of membership for the AMA Columbus chapter and involved with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. I spend at least 2 days per week doing in-person meetings with clients or other marketers in Columbus, and my time is spent between fulfillment of client projects and content.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

This week's episode welcomes in Gabe Marusca, a business development strategist and host of the Authority in the Wild Podcast.

Find Gabe Online:

Website: ⁠https://www.gabemarusca.com⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabemarusca/⁠

Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/GabeMarusca⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/GabeMarusca⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorityInTheWild⁠

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@gabemarusca⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/maruscagabe/⁠

Authority In The Wild Podcast: ⁠https://authorityinthewild.com

About Gabe:

Gabe's focus is on helping established coaches and consultants serve clients better and longer, doing what they love and know best. Gabe's being driven by the mission to help 10,000 individuals achieve freedom through entrepreneurship.

Having lived through earning a mere $200 paycheck, experiencing burnout, and repeatedly rebuilding from scratch, Gabe deeply understands resilience and adaptation.

Over six years ago, he sold everything, bought a one-way ticket to Asia, and began traveling across continents. He's now visited 27 countries and lived in more than 10, proving his belief that anyone can design a fulfilling life without compromising their health or personal relationships.

When he's not developing new business strategies or engaging with industry leaders on podcasts, you'll likely find Gabe exploring tropical jungles, hiking active volcanoes, or swimming in the ocean.

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

Hey everyone! I haven't done a solo episode in a while but I wanted to share why I'm taking a summer break and how taking a step back might help you refocus and come back stronger.

Thanks again for listening in and we'll see you in September!

just get started,

Brian

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👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!

Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ 

Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

Epside #463 features Bryan Yates, Performance Coach and Experience Producer

00:00 – Intro01:10 – Burnout at Disney and leaving the grind08:15 – Tying identity to job title13:00 – Cycling, addiction, and obsessive patterns21:10 – Traits of people who successfully change24:05 – Change happens at the speed of pain28:50 – Status, motive, and marketability31:50 – Hunter vs. gardener mindset36:15 – Stripping away vs. transformation44:10 – Tactical daily mindset reset49:50 – Start with a clear why

Find Bryan Online:

Website: https://locomotivcoaching.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanyates/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachbryanyates

About Bryan:

Bryan Yates helps high-functioning creative leaders stuck in cycles of grinding. He trains them to shift perspectives and access their unused gears when they've hit inflection points.

After documenting 4000 hours of holocaust testimonies at Spielberg's Shoah Foundation, Bryan experienced the soul-crushing grind at Disney, where "don't bother coming in Sunday if you weren't here Saturday" was the unspoken rule. That taught him how patterns that create success become chains that prevent growth.

His journey through corporate burnout, two costly partnership dissolutions, and recovery from workaholism and alcoholism revealed that most high achievers operate in patterns that once served them but now trap them. He channeled these insights into building businesses including The Bovine Classic, "America's 4th-Hardest, Cow-Themed, Gravel Cycling Ride."

His coaching methodology draws from competitive cycling (where "always be shifting" preserves energy), performance coaching principles, and recovery wisdom. This unique blend creates his "Shift your..." framework—a systematic approach to accessing unused potential.

👋  Say hi to Brian!

Web: https://brianondrako.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianondrako

Episode #462 features Angela Hollowell, the founder of Rootful Media, a creative documentary film production company based in Durham, North Carolina.

Find Angela Online:

Personal Website: heyangela.co

Rootful Media Website: rootfulmedia.com

Honey & Hustle Podcast Website: honeyandhustle.co

Personal YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowell

Rootful Media YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@rootfultv

Creative Architects: https://castos.com/series/creative-architects

Twitter: www.twitter.com/anghollowell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/

About Angela:

Angela Hollowell is the founder of Rootful Media, a creative documentary film production company based in Durham, North Carolina. She is also the host of the video podcasts Honey & Hustle and Creative Architects by Castos. She creates documentary films about the outdoors, health equity, social impact, and environmental justice centering Southern voices. Her video interviews feature themes about creative entrepreneurship in North Carolina and beyond. In addition to her professional creative projects, she works to help visual storytellers and creative entrepreneurs build their audience and make an impact.

When she’s not working, she can be found in nature or enjoying a fruity beer or margaritas with friends.