Modern Founders

In this episode of Modern Founders, I sit down with Benas, a freelancer turned agency founder, to talk about what it really takes to turn a skill into a real business.

We get into the early struggles of freelancing, finding your first clients, learning sales, escaping the feast-or-famine cycle, and building long-term client relationships.

This one is for freelancers, solopreneurs, service providers, and early-stage founders trying to build something that actually lasts.

We cover:

Why his first year only made $800
Freelancing vs. building an agency
How to find your first clients
Why sales matters so much
Escaping feast-or-famine work
When to niche down
Building retainers and long-term clients
Why YouTube is underrated for business

Drop a comment with your biggest takeaway.

Connect with Benas:

Website: https://avium.vip/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benasleo/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@UCMhNdqVY3HFZQ3I5bH3xWGA

Connect with Modern Founders:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/barrett-williams-662497324
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Modern.Founders

In this episode of Modern Founders, Barrett sits down with Andrew Ackerman, a serial entrepreneur, early-stage investor, innovation expert, professor, and author of The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey. Andrew has invested in over 70 startups and mentored or advised hundreds of founders, giving him a deep understanding of what actually separates ideas from real businesses.

We talk about why most first-time founders build too fast, how to test an idea before wasting time and money, what investors really look for, how to find your business model, and why the best founders keep their opinions well-reasoned but loosely held.

Andrew also breaks down simple startup lessons from his book, The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey, a story-driven guide that follows the journey from early idea to funded startup.

Connect with Andrew:

Website: https://www.andrewbackerman.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurs-Odyssey-Approach-Startup-Success/dp/1032883545/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbackerman/

Connect with Modern Founders:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Modern.Founders
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/
Website: MeloAdMedia.com

Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, and entrepreneurs breaking down what it actually takes to build a business in today’s world.

In this episode of Modern Founders, I sit down with John Sampogna, co-founder and CEO of Wondersauce, to talk about what it really takes to build and grow a business in today’s world.

John shares practical lessons from growing Wondersauce from the early days into a 100-person agency, including how to land your first clients, build trust, hire smarter, create repeatable systems, and use AI without losing originality.

They also break down why founders should focus less on quick wins and more on building a brand, understanding their customers, and creating work people actually remember.

Connect with John:

Website: https://www.wondersauce.com/

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

Connect with Barrett:

Website: https://meloadmedia.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrett-williams-662497324/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/

In this episode of Modern Founders, we sit down with Courtney and Slava, the husband-and-wife duo behind Puptique. They share their journey of moving away from traditional, lean e-commerce models to build a high-touch, retail experience focused on community activation.

We dive deep into the strategic reasoning behind their membership-based model, why they believe loyalty programs are a myth, and how they navigate the unique challenges of building a brand as a couple. Whether you are a solo founder or building with a partner, this conversation provides a blueprint for creating a category-leading business in a crowded market.

In this episode of Modern Founders, Barrett sits down with Amit Zandberg, the 22-year-old founder and CEO of Allpros.

After spending over $10,000 on online courses, Amit saw a major problem: people often don’t know if a course is actually worth it until after they buy it.

So he built Allpros, a platform that helps people review and evaluate online courses, mentors, and creators before spending their money.

In this conversation, we talk about:

- Why online courses are hard to trust
- What makes a course worth buying
- Red flags to look for before investing
- The real cost of bad advice
- How Amit built Allpros
- Why trust matters in business

This episode is for founders, creators, and entrepreneurs who want to make smarter decisions before investing in online education.

Connect with Amit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-zandberg-9b2072317/
Allpros: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allpross/

Connect with Barrett:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrett-williams-662497324/
Modern Founders:
https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/
MeloAd Media:
https://meloadmedia.com/

In this episode of Modern Founders, I sit down with George Little, entrepreneur, designer, and founder of Brandzap, to talk about what it really takes to build a business in today’s market.

George shares his journey from designer to founder, how he built his consultancy, and why early-stage entrepreneurs need to get specific about who they serve, what problem they solve, and how they position their offer.

In this episode, we talk about:

- Why being too broad can hurt your business
- How micro-agencies are becoming a bigger opportunity
- Why people don’t just need good design they need clarity
- How AI is lowering the barrier to entry for founders
- The importance of pressure testing your ideas early
- Why being human is still one of the most underrated founder skills

Connect with George:

Website: https://www.brandzap.xyz/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rglittle3/

Connect with Barrett / Modern Founders:

MeloAd Media: https://meloadmedia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrett-williams-662497324/


Thanks for watching. If you found value in this conversation, make sure to like, subscribe, and follow along for more conversations with founders building in the modern era.

In this episode, I sit down with Thalia Vila, the founder of Resilient Meals, a high-quality meal prep company based in Central Florida. Thalia shares her inspiring journey from a failed restaurant attempt during the COVID-19 lockdowns to building a successful, health-focused business that prioritizes transparency and real food.

Key Highlights

The "Anti-Factor" Approach: How Thalia competes with Huge companies by using fresh, local ingredients, avoiding seed oils, and keeping recipes to fewer than 10 recognizable ingredients.

Finding the Right Audience: Why her initial focus on gym-goers failed and how she pivoted to serve busy professionals and moms who value quality over macros.

Systems and Legacy: Thalia discusses the operational systems built by her late husband, Jesse, and how she transitioned from the creative side to managing a team of six.

Marketing Through Authenticity: The power of being "unapologetically yourself" and why word-of-mouth and community trust often outperform viral social media metrics.

Connect with Our Guest

Website: https://www.resilientmealsfl.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thalia-vila-bb35a0289/

Connect With The Host:

Website: https://meloadmedia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrett-williams-662497324/

The conversation covers the journey of Zach Brown from education to the financial industry, the challenges faced, and the importance of financial education. It also delves into the role of a financial advisor and the need for financial education in schools and colleges. The discussion highlights the impact of market fluctuations and the value of professional expertise and emotional support provided by financial advisors. The conversation covers the advantages of investing during market fluctuations, the concept of buying low and selling high, and the drawbacks of whole life insurance policies as an investment option. It emphasizes the importance of understanding market dynamics and making informed investment decisions.

Takeaways

• Financial education is lacking in traditional school curriculums
• The role of a financial advisor is to provide professional expertise and emotional support during market fluctuations Investing in the stock market during market fluctuations can be advantageous.
• Whole life insurance policies may not be the best investment option for wealth building.

The conversation covers Lucas's journey from Hong Kong to New Zealand, his experience in the insurance industry, and the challenges and strategies of running a business in New Zealand. It also delves into the dynamics of lead generation, client relationships, and risk management in the business. The conversation covers topics such as calculated risk in business decisions, disruption in the industry, building a brand, content creation, employee management, and learning from industry leaders.

Takeaways

• Cultural differences in sales and business between New Zealand and other countries
• The importance of client-first approach and integrity in the insurance industry Calculated Risk
• Disruption and Branding
• Content Creation
• Employee Management
• Learning from Industry Leaders

Chapters

• 00:00 Risk Management and Business Growth
• 42:00 Building a Brand and Content Creation
• 50:09 Learning from Industry Leaders and Entrepreneurship