The Founder Factor

As one of the few women in venture-backed tech, Paige McPheely has worked hard to figure out how to stay authentic to who she is and what she cares about while also 'playing the game' effectively. In today's episode, we dig into how Paige has built her remote executive assistant business, Base, in a way that prioritizes 'being human' first. Plus, she offers some tips on fundraising and how to weather a potential recession.

Scott Millwood knows his way around entrepreneurship: from founding several companies of his own to mentoring up-and-coming entrepreneurs through NEXT. Join us as we dig into Scott's perspective on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and learn his tips on how to plug into South Carolina's entrepreneurial support network.

Scale is always scary, but that's never stopped Ryan Johnston and Ryan Heafy, Co-Founders of 6AM City. The hyper-local media company expanded from 7 cities to 24 in just nine months, more than tripling the size of its team and subscriber base. In this episode of The Founder Factor, we dive into the growing pains of scaling, and how the Ryans have navigated each new obstacle and opportunity.

Four years ago, Lelia King, Executive Director at Build Carolina, didn't even consider herself an entrepreneur because she didn't fit the typical mold. Now, she realizes there is no mold – and that's what makes entrepreneurship so exciting. In this episode, Lelia tells us about how she has learned to overcome Imposter Syndrome, navigate uncertainty, and give herself permission to go and try something new.

It wasn't until Jenna Spencer started taking time away from her virtual assistant company that the business really began to grow. Eight years and $5MM later, she still gives herself the rest and space she needs to guide AssistPro in the right direction. In this episode, we explore Jenna's approach to balancing work satisfaction with personal goals, and resisting the pressure to work around the clock.

You don't hear about many entrepreneurs who were kicked out of college. But that's exactly what instilled Austin Jones, Co-Founder of Daedalus Industrial, with one of his biggest superpowers: being okay with failing big and knowing how to come back from it. In this episode, we explore Austin's unconventional path to success and learn how some pretty crazy risks made all the difference – in his life and his business.

Welcome to The Founder Factor, where we’ll take you behind the scenes with South Carolina's most impactful entrepreneurs so that you can discover the strategies, ideas, and mindsets you need to unlock your next business breakthrough.

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