The Entrepreneurial Mindset Project

In this episode, we speak with Adam Pearson, co-founder of Fortunato No.4, a family-owned business producing some of the world’s finest chocolate. Their journey—from the streets of San Diego to the jungles of Peru—is an adventure you won’t want to miss.

After losing their family business, Adam, along with his father and brother, had to start over. Selling parts for mining equipment led them to a successful chocolate business serving global customers. Through perseverance, they discovered a rare cacao breed thought extinct. Today, their company produces premium chocolate and supports hundreds of cacao farmers in Peru.

Learn more in Adam’s book, Finding Fortunato. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Adam Pearson.

In this episode, we talk with Jaime Casap, former Chief Education Evangelist at Google. We discuss the evolving nature of learning and work, and why all students need to develop entrepreneurial attitudes and skills.

Jaime challenges us to rethink how we prepare students for today's world, shifting the question from "What do you want to be when you grow up?" to "What problem do you want to solve, and what do you need to learn to solve it?"

Join us for this insightful conversation, and enjoy the episode!

In this episode of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Project, we dive into the extraordinary journey of Bob Kramer, a master bladesmith and founder of Kramer Knives, known for crafting some of the world’s finest cutlery. Bob’s path is anything but conventional—ranging from clown college to oceanography and the culinary arts.

Through undiagnosed dyslexia and a relentless spirit of adventure, Bob’s story is a testament to the unpredictable yet rewarding nature of discovering opportunities and oneself. Join us as we explore how Bob turned his diverse experiences and passion into a remarkable business that redefined an industry.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Project. Today, I’m speaking with Dan Thorenson, a former Navy mechanic who became an unlikely entrepreneur.

Growing up in a small town in North Dakota, Dan floundered in school, that is until he discovered an auto shop program that took him from the very bottom of his class to the top.

After high school, he joined the Navy where he became an airplane mechanic, a skill that led to a stable career in the aviation industry. Yet, as he advanced in his career, he soon found himself at a desk job, a nagging inner voice asking, “is this all there is?”

Like many entrepreneurs, it was that nagging inner voice that led him to pursue an entrepreneurial path. Today, Dan’s business, Nordic Turbine Service, is serving clients around the world. Best of all, he is doing something that he truly loves.

Ultimately Dan’s story speaks to the power of entrepreneurial thinking as a way to create meaningful and prosperous lives.

Welcome to another episode of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Project.

Today, I’m speaking with Doug Katz, who is an award-winning chef and an amazing entrepreneur.

People open restaurants every day, and, as you probably know, the failure rate is extremely high. Yet Doug seems to have mastered the craft not only as a chef but as an entrepreneur.

While he wasn’t a great student, from a very early age, Doug knew he wanted to be a chef. By the age of 14 he started a catering business and never looked back. Today, Doug is an award winning chef and restaurateur who is at the top of his game. As a matter of fact, the Rolling Stones showed up at one of his restaurants just a few days after we spoke.

In this episode, we cover a lot of ground, from finding your passion and knowing your strengths to authenticity and the power of working with teams.

So, without any further ado, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Doug Katz.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Project 

Today, I’m speaking with Camillo Archuleta, an aspiring entrepreneur who stumbled into an opportunity to teach his eight-year-old daughter how to think like an entrepreneur. 

It all started when he challenged his daughter to raise the money she needed for a school fundraiser. Drawing on the lean startup principles he learned while earning an MBA, Camillo challenged his daughter to leverage her capabilities in ways that might create value for others. 

What unfolded is a masterclass in how to raise entrepreneurial children; one that clearly demonstrates the power of entrepreneurial discovery learning as a way to promote creative and critical thinking, effective communication and resourcefulness, financial literacy, and so much more. 

Ultimately, Camillo’s story clearly demonstrates the idea that children are not only desirous of more but capable of more. 

So, without any further ado, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Camillo Archuletta.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Project. Today I’m speaking with Rodney Walker.

This is truly an amazing story you won’t want to miss.

Raised on the south side of Chicago, Rodney was born to parents who both struggled with addiction. At the age of five, he was cast into the foster care system, where he was separated from his parents and siblings. As he put it, he felt like life was happening to him, that he had no control over his circumstances.

While the foster care system kept him in school, he struggled to keep pace, often finding himself in after school detention. Little did he know that exposure to entrepreneurship combined with a dedicated mentor would alter the course of his life.

Today, Rodney not only holds degrees from Morrehouse College, Harvard and Yale, he is also the author of several books and is now a sought-after speaker and entrepreneur.

So without any further ado, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Rodney Walker.

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the entrepreneurial mindset project. Today, I’m speaking with Jim Correll, an everyday entrepreneur who started an entrepreneurial mindset revolution that transformed his community.

At the age of 50, Jim was hired as an outside staff instructor to teach the Successful Entrepreneur Program at a small community college in Independence, Kansas.

At first, his efforts struggled to gain the attention of students who were otherwise focused on a degree. And because he was a non-academic outsider, he wasn't getting much support from faculty and staff.

Yet once he realized he needed to shift his focus from traditional business planning to the entrepreneurial mindset, things began to change as word soon began to spread.

Before long, Jim transformed an abandoned building into a thriving fab lab that soon became a hub of entrepreneurial activity. Soon, he was attracting not only degree-seeking students from the college but also everything from middle schoolers to mid-career adults, retirees, and everything in between. Some were starting businesses, some were reinventing their careers, and some were doing both.

This is a great story that demonstrates how one person can make a difference in their community by taking an entrepreneurial approach to grassroots economic development.

Most city government workers, even though they have a keen eye on business, simply stay where they are and do not venture outside their comfort zone. What would it take for them to unlock their hidden entrepreneurial leadership skills? In this episode, host Gary Schoeniger sits down with Rob Vigil, a retired government worker in the City of Albuquerque. He looks back on his unlikely journey of becoming an entrepreneurial leader within city government, who now encourages others to take action on their entrepreneurial aspirations. Rob shares strategies for overcoming the sphere of failure, the power of constant micro-experimentation, and appreciating the importance of your opinions. 

In this episode, Gary sits down with Joe Jaros, a remarkable entrepreneur who turned a pizza delivery job into a thriving career. Joe's journey is a testament to the transformative power of an entrepreneurial mindset, even in franchise ownership. Hailing from a working-class background in Cleveland, Ohio, Joe's story mirrors the essence of entrepreneurship: solving problems to empower oneself. They delve into crucial aspects of the mindset, from the significance of having a vision and reliability to continuous improvement. Joe emphasizes understanding the needs of both customers and employees. Tune in for a wealth of wisdom applicable to your job, life, or career. Join the conversation with Joe Jaros on this insightful episode!