What do you get when you mix grit, vision, AI, and a little shark obsession? You get McKenzie "Macka" Pemberton Whiteley.

In this episode of Purpose Driven Progress, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Macka, whose grandfather once said he'd end up in jail or become a multimillionaire — he's halfway there.

We dive into:

• The highs and lows of real entrepreneurship (and why it's not for everyone)

• Building sales and marketing systems that scale

• The power of AI in prospecting and business growth

• What most people get wrong about LinkedIn outreach

• And how a four-year follow-up turned into a rapper wearing Macka’s $5,000 custom tracksuit 👀

Whether you're a founder, salesperson, or creative, this conversation will challenge the way you think about hustle, patience, vision, and building systems that don’t burn you out.

💬 Want to build a sales system that actually works for you? Reach out and let’s talk coaching:
👉 https://www.jacobhickscoach.com

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Macka’s biz: https://www.qualityclientacquisitions.com

• Book: Influence by Robert Cialdini

—

#EntrepreneurLife #SalesStrategy #AIForBusiness #PurposeDrivenProgress #LinkedInOutreach #FollowUpMatters #SalesCoach #MarketingTips #FounderJourney #CustomFashion #PodcastInterview

In this high-energy episode of Purpose Driven Progress, I sit down with Dalton Jensen—sales pro, player-coach at P Club, and a man who thrives in the trenches of outbound strategy. We dig into why cold calling still works, the mindset you need to survive in sales today, and why real success comes from systems, not just goals. If you've ever wondered what separates top performers from everyone else, this episode is your mirror. Let’s go.

P Club

Dalton Jensen on LinkedIn

You don’t build resilience in the spotlight—you build it in the shadows, brick by brick. In this episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, host Jacob Hicks (speaker, success coach, and longtime sales pro) reveals the power of feeding the foundation—the often-overlooked daily habits that create lasting personal and professional growth.

Whether you're an entrepreneur scaling your business or a salesperson chasing big goals, this episode is a wake-up call to stop skipping the basics. Jacob walks through five powerful strategies that create a strong foundation:

• Weekly family dinners

• A simple daily gratitude practice

• Spiritual or mindfulness routines

• Movement that feels good

• Intentional, consistent sleep habits

Backed by research and real stories, this episode will help you reconnect with your purpose, reduce burnout, and build systems that support sustainable success. If you’ve ever felt like your life or business was outpacing your peace, this one's for you.

Quick Update — Purpose-Driven Progress is taking a short break, but don’t worry — we’ll be back with fresh episodes starting July 1st!

In the meantime, check out some of our past conversations or grab my Entrepreneur’s Starter Kit for actionable insights you can use right away. Thanks for listening — talk soon!

“If nobody saw it… then it didn’t flop.”

In this powerful episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, Jacob Hicks is joined by Miles Harmon, founder of Mogul Money World and a creative powerhouse behind brand campaigns with the NFL, Amazon, Ulta Beauty, and Roc Nation. Miles shares his journey from DIY web developer to building a storytelling-centered media company that redefines what it means to connect with culture.

You’ll hear:

• Why perfectionism kills momentum—and what to do instead

• How Miles helps founders tap into authentic, long-game branding

• The importance of cultural storytelling and why “hidden figures” matter

• Why experimentation is the key to progress in creative business

• How to pivot without losing purpose

• The future of Mogul Money World and untold fashion & entertainment stories

🔗 Follow Miles Harmon:


@mogulmoneyworld

💥 Whether you’re a marketer, creative, or founder trying to get out of your own head and tell a story that matters, this conversation is packed with insight, soul, and actionable advice.

#PurposeDrivenProgress #MilesHarmon #MogulMoneyWorld #BrandStorytelling #CreativeEntrepreneur #RunTheExperiment #OvercomePerfectionism #CulturalStorytelling #StartupJourney #BuildTheBrand

“The only way you don’t succeed is if you quit.”

In this episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, Jacob Hicks sits down with Brady Gaschler—a serial entrepreneur, restaurant owner, corporate leader at Plexus, and a man of faith navigating new fatherhood. From DJing weddings and launching restaurants to leading teams in the corporate world, Brady shares his gritty, grounded approach to growth, leadership, and living intentionally.

You’ll hear:

• How Brady balances entrepreneurial chaos with structured execution

• What it means to fail forward—and how he trains his team to reframe failure

• The “scurvy clock” metaphor for staying spiritually and mentally grounded

• How faith shapes his leadership and decision-making

• Why intention, not just busyness, creates real progress

• How he challenges team members to lead themselves

🔗 Connect with Brady Gaschler on LinkedIn

💡 This episode is packed with wisdom on leadership, faith in the workplace, mindset shifts, and how to keep going when it gets hard—whether you're a founder, team leader, or just trying to show up with more purpose every day.

What if the only thing standing between you and 80% more business... is your follow-up?

In this solo episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, Jacob Hicks breaks down one of the biggest mindset blocks in sales: the fear of being annoying. If you've ever worried that you're pestering people by following up, this episode is for you.

You'll learn:

• Why 80% of sales happen after 5 or more follow-ups

• What actually makes follow-ups annoying—and what doesn’t

• How to create a system for consistent, value-driven follow-up

• Why answering common questions can transform your outreach

• How to shift your mindset from pest to pro

• A practical next step to start today

🎁 Grab Jacob’s free Entrepreneur Sales Toolkit mentioned in this episode: https://jacobhickscoach.com/entrepreneurs-sales-toolkit/#

✅ This toolkit includes follow-up strategies like:

• The 10x10 system

• The 36-touch model

• Rejection handling tips

• CRM selection insights
  ...and more.

Don't let fear or inconsistency kill your momentum. Learn how to follow up like a pro—and watch what happens to your pipeline.

#PurposeDrivenProgress #SalesFollowUp #EntrepreneurTips #SalesSystems #OvercomeFear #FollowUpLikeAPro #SalesMindset

What do two national championships, a coffee app, and a dual-use defense VC firm have in common? One incredible founder: Kati Findling.

In this episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, Jacob Hicks dives into Kadi’s wild and purpose-driven journey—from selling Happy Meal toys as a kid to building My Coffee Pass, a startup that helped local coffee shops thrive... until COVID hit. Now the VP of Stony Lonesome Group, Ka brings a founder’s lens to investing in companies at the cutting edge of national security, AI, and defense tech.

You’ll hear:

• Why great teams matter more than great ideas

• What to look for (and avoid) when raising capital

• How to pitch a VC the right way—and what makes them instantly say no

• Lessons from startup failure, and how they shaped her success in VC

• Her newest project, Digital Athlete, and what’s coming in 2025

🔗 Connect with Kadi Findling:

• Kadi Findling on LinkedIn

💡 Kadi also shares powerful mindset tips on abundance vs. scarcity, how to spot “bad capital,” and why your early-stage team will make or break your startup.

This is one of the most wide-ranging, tactical, and inspiring episodes yet. Whether you're building your first business or fundraising your fifth, don’t miss this one.

What do building toilets in Ghana and scaling startups have in common?

In this powerful episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, host Jacob Hicks sits down with Tagan Horton, a growth strategist whose career has taken her from international development work in West Africa to leading growth for major tech companies. Tagan shares how her nonprofit work shaped her ability to empathize, ask better questions, and drive mission-aligned success in the for-profit world.

You’ll learn:

• How building sanitation solutions in Ghana sparked a passion for scalable change

• Why empathy is a superpower in sales and strategy

• How to balance metrics-driven growth with purpose-driven impact

• Why curiosity and diagnostic thinking make better leaders

• How Tagan uses tools like ChatGPT to vision-cast her next big moves

🔗 Connect with Tagan Horton:

• Tagan Horton on LinkedIn

💡 Tagan’s next step? An MBA from Clark Atlanta University—and continuing to create meaningful change at every level.

Whether you're a nonprofit leader, startup founder, or sales strategist, this episode will challenge you to lead with purpose and think globally.

What does it really take to turn a simple idea into a seven-figure product business?

In this episode of Purpose-Driven Progress, host Jacob Hicks sits down with Nick Barrett, founder of Cord Brick, a sleek, practical solution to cord chaos that’s now sold over $1 million in products. Nick shares his journey from failed jobs and self-doubt to successful entrepreneur—and why taking action is more powerful than endless research.

You’ll learn:

• How Cord Brick was born from a personal frustration

• Why prototyping is more important than perfection

• The truth about manufacturing, patents, and design iteration

• How to build lean using freelancers over employees

• Why users don’t always know what they need—and how to lead them anyway

🔗 Links from the episode:

• Cord Brick Website

• Nick Barrett on LinkedIn

💡 And keep an eye out for Nick’s next launch: Mug Brick, a desk-friendly drink holder built with the same design philosophy.

Whether you're building your first product or trying to scale smarter, this conversation is packed with real talk and sharp insight.