With a special ability to connect with fans and build a global community, Hanson put themselves on the map long-term through their popular music and, in recent years, their craft beer. But the band had many near misses while building their careers, like almost signing sketchy record deals and running out of beer at their first Hop Jam festival. Listen as Taylor Hanson talks about what he learned through years of posturing himself both as a musician and as an entrepreneur.

Verinovum is changing the way healthcare providers serve their patients. By making healthcare data easier to access and share, The Tulsa-based technology startup is mitigating health risks and ensuring better patient care. But despite their well-known success, the story of Verinovum wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Listen as cofounder Mike Noshay talks about the creative ways he kept his business afloat in the early stages— and how the company has evolved because of the choices he made.

It started with a sweet little drawing on a simple greeting card. Then Strawberry Shortcake exploded, becoming the star of everything from toys to clothing to bedding to lunchboxes. Based on the franchise's success, you would expect the artist behind Strawberry Shortcake to be living large. But Tulsa resident Muriel Fahrion actually hasn't made a dime off the character. Listen as Muriel (who also created the Care Bears) talks about the hard lessons she learned early in her career, and how those lessons led her on a path of entrepreneurship.

Identifying a need in his community for better representation, teacher Nehemiah Frank founded The Black Wall Street Times. Despite lacking formal journalism training, he created a publication that is drawing national attention as it offers a new perspective on Tulsa's African American community. Listen as Nehemiah talks about how the failure he experienced in other entrepreneurial endeavors prepared him to create one of the state's most progressive news sources.

Where do you go to find all the information about the latest news and cool stuff happening in Tulsa? For many, it's Tulsa People Magazine. A product of Langdon Publishing, Tulsa People has found great success- proving resilient through multiple economic downturns and the shrinking of newsrooms. But not all Langdon Publishing publications have experienced the same luck. Listen as publisher Jim Langdon talks about building his company and learning when to let go of ideas that just didn't work.

Driven by a deep passion for improving the lives of nursing mothers, Native American entrepreneur Stephanie Conduff founded Leche Lounge, one of Tulsa's most well-known startups. The company's portable lactation suites can be found around the country, including in the Nike (yes, that Nike) Headquarters. And while she's received wild support for the concept, Stephanie has also faced discrimination in investor meetings, leading her to fund the whole business herself. Listen as Stephanie talks about keeping up with demand, learning where to compromise and setting big goals.

A young, college grad seeks to create a business that combines some of his favorite things- beer, food and travel- and ends up revitalizing a whole section of downtown Tulsa in the process. Starting with McNellie's Pub, Elliot Nelson has created a restaurant empire that includes nine unique concepts in three major cities. But the growth of the McNellie's Group almost ended prematurely, as the company faced financial hardship early on. Listen as Elliot talks about how he got out of trouble and set himself on a path for incredible success.

Building a restaurant in an up-and-coming part of town is risky on multiple levels. Yet Mike Bausch, the founder of Andolini’s Pizzeria, continues to do it, opening locations in areas many would call “dead.” In our final episode of The F Word Season Two, listen as Mike explains the theory behind his expansion and how his life experiences (like a stint in the Marine Corps) prepared him for inevitable failures along the way.

If you make a deal on Shark Tank, the future of your company is all set, right...? Unfortunately not. Listen as Adam Teague, the founder of Two Guys' Bow Ties, talks about the highs and lows of life after his big TV debut- and how his international success lead to an even more profitable company called Plank and Mill.

A chemist fed up with the bureaucracy of a large corporation takes the leap to start his own company. Thanks to some grit, great people skills and a bit of luck, Dr. Dayal Meshri has become a global leader of chemical manufacturing with his company Advanced Research Chemicals. His clients include brands like General Motors, Panasonic and Intel, who all depend on him for the components to power their products. Listen as Dr. Meshri talks about overcoming fears and a difficult childhood to build his wildly successful company- and using his success to give back.