Levi Lindsay, former cofounder of VidArmy and now CMO at Hona, sat down with Joe Grover to share his story of how he started VidArmy. Believing hustle would lead to success, he worked for years without pay but unfortunately battled cofounder disputes and lost himself in the process.

As a recent college graduate, Levi started VidArmy after getting the idea from a friend. The first few years went well as they slowly gained clients and eventually added two more partners—without an official partner agreement—and a CEO. When COVID hit, a government loan provided their first real working capital. Instead of stabilizing the business, it fueled over-expansion and bad hires and forced the partners to work without a paycheck.

Levi found himself on the edge of burnout and suffering panic attacks when one partner demanded a permanent 6% of future revenue. He had built his entire identity around VidArmy, convinced that walking away meant failure. But everything changed when he finally decided to step away as his wife requested, “I just want my husband back.”

From his experiences, Joe and Levi discuss the importance of giving yourself permission to quit in order to find yourself again. They explore the dangers of the sunk-cost fallacy, how some leaders deplete themselves to the point of losing who they are, and the trap of the “I’ll be happy when” mentality.

Links:

Levi Lindsay: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/levilindsay/)

Joe Grover: LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/joelgrover/)

This episode is sponsored by Amplēo, offering fractional executives in finance, marketing, and HR. Visit ampleo.com to learn more.

Chapters:

[0:00 - 1:44] Intro

[1:44 - 5:26] The Birth of VidArmy and Early Struggles

[5:26 - 10:44] Scaling Up

[10:44 - 28:55] Partnerships, Paychecks, and Panic Attacks

[28:55 - 41:53] The Breaking Point and Letting Go 

[41:53 - 46:05 ] The Aftermath and Personal Recovery

[46:05 - 57:59] I’ll be happy when . . .

[46:05 - 1:00:00] Permission to Quit

#TheRealFWord #PermissionToQuit #Failure #Entrepreneurship

In this episode, Kortney, a partner at Amplēo and former marketing executive at Qualtrics and Weave, flips the script on failure, believing that the real F word isn’t failure—it’s fear.

From bombing on stage as a stand-up comedian to marketing ahead of product at Qualtrics, Kortney shares how embracing failure helped her iterate, learn, and ultimately drive success. At Qualtrics, she played a key role in pushing the company’s vision beyond what the product could do at the time, forcing innovation to catch up. She also helped launch X4, bringing in Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey as keynote speakers.

At Weave, she went through four CEOs in 12 months and witnessed firsthand how ego, fear-based decision-making, and reactive layoffs can damage a company’s culture in ways that some businesses never recover from. She reflects on moments in which she let fear and ego dictate her own responses and shares how therapy and self-awareness helped her shift toward leading with belief and intention.

Throughout the conversation, Joe and Kortney dive deep into leadership, ego, and the cost of short-sighted decisions, whether in startups or personal growth. Kortney also shares her “First Fridays” practice—a commitment to actually enjoying the life she’s working so hard to build—as a way to combat fear and burnout.

Links:

Kortney Osborne: LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/kortneyosborne/)

Joe Grover: LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/joelgrover/)

This episode is sponsored by Amplēo, offering fractional executives in finance, marketing, and HR. Visit ampleo.com to learn more.

Chapters:

[0:00 - 0:49] The Real F Word Isn’t Failure—It’s Fear

[0:49 - 2:40] Lessons from Stand-Up Comedy

[2:40 - 18:59] Marketing at Qualtrics & Launching X4

[18:59 - 35:28] Fear-Based Decisions & Ego

[35:28] - 39:51] Patterns of Failure in Business Growth

[39:52 - 54:55] Redefining Success: First Fridays & Living with Intention

#RealFWord #FearVsFailure #EntrepreneurMindset #OvercomingFear

In this episode of The Real F Word, venture capitalist Kristy Muir shares her deeply personal and inspiring journey of resilience, failure, and growth. Kristy opens up about the defining moments of her life—from navigating single motherhood on welfare and struggling to provide for her daughters to exiting her first startup. She reflects on the tough lessons learned through her entrepreneurial journey, her transition into tech leadership, and her current role as a venture investor.

Kristy’s story is one of grit, vulnerability, and triumph. She discusses recognizing failure patterns, the importance of listening to customers, and the power of storytelling in business. Most memorably, she shares how a $30 pink tinsel Christmas tree became a lasting symbol of hope and light during the hardest times. Tune in for an honest, insightful conversation about overcoming adversity, embracing the hard, and building a life of purpose and impact.

About Kristy
Kristy is a seasoned senior executive and investor at Pelion Venture Partners. With a proven track record in customer experience, M&A, strategy and operations, she has successfully overseen multimillion-dollar business acquisitions and cross-functional teams of 70+ across five countries.

This episode was recorded on December 6th, 2024.

-Links-
For (Kristy Muir):
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristylmuir/

For (Joe Grover):
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelgrover/

#RealFWord #Venture Capitalist #Failure #Hardearnedwisdom #Startup #Founder #Entrepreneur.

Joe Grover sits down with Damon West—3-time Wall Street Journal best-selling author and one of America’s most sought-after speakers—to explore the devastating impact of failure and the power of redemption. Damon shares his journey from having it all to losing everything after receiving a life sentence in a Texas maximum-security prison (talk about FAILURE.) They unpack the hard-hitting lessons Damon learned during his seven years behind bars and how the transformative "Coffee Bean" mindset helped him rebuild his life. With profound insights on overcoming failure, Damon inspires everyday entrepreneurs to turn their lowest moments into fuel for success.

Links:
Damon West: Instagram | LinkedIn | Website
Joe Grover: LinkedIn

#RealFWord #OvercomingFailure #CoffeeBeanMindset #EntrepreneurInspiration

Speaker Bio:
Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice, is an internationally known keynote speaker, 3 times Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and former crime boss in Dallas, who was sentenced to Life in prison for Organized Crime. USA Today calls him the “modern-day Shawshank Redemption and the most in-demand speaker in America.” 

At 20 years old, he was a Division 1 starting quarterback at the University of North Texas, when he suffered a career-ending injury and turned to hardcore drugs to cope with disappointments of life.

After graduation, he worked in the United States Congress and trained to be a
stockbroker for United Bank of Switzerland (UBS).One day at UBS, he was introduced to methamphetamines; he became instantly hooked—and the lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit. After a fateful discussion during his incarceration with a seasoned convict, Damon had a spiritual awakening. He learned that, like a coffee bean changing with the application of heat and pressure, he was capable of changing the environment around him. Armed with a program of recovery, a renewed faith, and a miraculous second chance at life, Damon emerged from over seven years of prison a changed man. On parole in Texas until 2073, his story is one of hope, redemption, grit and the resilience of the Human spirit.

Joe Grover sits down with Jake Bengtzen, an innovative entrepreneur and the founder of Zipper.

They discuss the multi trillion dollar health care problem, the crazy premiums, extra fees and how Jake was on a mission to solve it, using his company: Zipper.
After 92 pitches, 7 investing angels, 18 months of grinding and paying himself only 3 times, he eventually hit rock bottom.  

Jake realized the healthcare problem was too big to solve and it was time to shut down Zipper. 

Jake shares, “There are a lot of people who choose unhappiness over uncertainty.” What matters most now, is what you are going to do after failing.

Growing up, he was exposed to the realities of entrepreneurship by his father and grandfather, both of whom started and ran small and medium sized businesses. As a young full-time college student, Jake networked his way into an entry level sales position at an up and coming Utah fintech startup called Finicity. It was an incredible journey where he took on various roles, including that of Chief of Staff. After the company was acquired by Mastercard for just under $1 Billion, Jake started contemplating making his own entrepreneurial jump.

This led to starting Zipper Health, a healthcare fintech startup focused on lowering the cost of healthcare for individuals and families. Rising healthcare costs is a problem that is near and dear to Jake.

Jake is a husband and father to 3 kids (with one more on the way at the time this episode was filmed).Outside of professional pursuits, Jake got hooked on triathlons about 10 years ago and has competed in Ironman. He is adamant about qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Jake also loves playing pickup basketball, fly fishing, and golfing.

This episode was recorded on November 8th, 2024

-Links-

For Jake Bengtzen:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-bengtzen-0a8ab365/

For Joe Grover:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelgrover/

#entrepreneurship #realfword #startups #Failure #zipper

Joe Grover sits down with the journal enthusiast, traveler, entrepreneur, and founder of Rustico Leather,  Isaac Childs. In this episode, they discuss how Rustico Leather started, the challenges of parting ways with loyal employees, insights into product development, and how journaling is a therapeutic tool.

Isaac has been a serial entrepreneur and business owner for most of his life. While in college, his passion for writing and travel led him to create and build Rustico.com, a leather goods company that focused on journals and notebooks.  Isaac's lifelong passion for journaling and  His vast knowledge and expertise have made him a highly sought-after speaker on the effective methodologies and science behind the subject.  He is a practicing yogi, breathwork practitioner, and meditation guide.  Isaac can often be found traveling the world, hanging out with his kids, or fly fishing on a remote spot on the river. 

This episode was recorded on September 27th, 2024

-Links-

For Isaac:

https://www.instagram.com/mindfulnessmatrix/

For Joe:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelgrover/

#entrepreneurship #ecommerce #businessgrowth #Journaling #leathercraft #realfword

Joe Grover sits down with serial entrepreneur, mother of four, and partnership specialist Lindsey Ivie. They discuss her journey as a leader in marketing, stories from the businesses she’s consulted, and why balance can fulfill both personal and professional commitments.

Lindsey is an expert in channel sales, partner management and ecosystem development through networking and events marketing. Lindsey identifies valuable company partnerships and creates environments where those relationships thrive in the most organic, natural and productive ways. She has established valuable relationships with tech giants like Microsoft and Cisco, as well as E Commerce focused tech brands like Klaviyo and EasyPost along with other broker partners for clients. Lindsey flips the script on boring webinars and tired networking events into compelling experiences that are engaging, lead generating powerhouses.

This episode was recorded on September 19th, 2024

-Links-
For Lindsey Ivie:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseyivie/

#WorkLifeBalance #Entrepreneurship #MarketingLeaders

Chapters
00:00:00 - Navigating Entrepreneurial Setbacks and Growth
00:08:37 - Sales Strategies for Startups
00:13:39 - Building Only Brands Platform and Marketplace
00:22:39 - Balancing Work and Family Life
00:30:26 - Embracing Failure and Learning Lessons
00:40:53 - Lessons From Entrepreneurial Failures and Growth
00:44:14 - Journey of Resilience and Growth

What if failure wasn’t something to be feared, but embraced as a vital part of the entrepreneurial journey? Join us in this eye-opening episode as we sit down with Steve Arntz, a renowned entrepreneur and intrapreneur, to dissect the "Real F Word"—failure. Steve candidly shares his roller-coaster ride through the business world, from getting fired from his first job to facing monumental career decisions that shaped his path. He opens up about the mental and emotional toll of these experiences, and the often unseen sacrifices that come with entrepreneurial endeavors.

You'll be taken through Steve's pivotal career moments, such as the advice he received from Dave Grow about consulting at Bain, a tempting counteroffer to stay at Lucid, and a bold promise from Ryan Smith that underscored the lucrative allure of Qualtrics. We explore how these choices were less about missing opportunities and more about finding the perfect fit. Steve's journey eventually led him to Instructure, where he learned the profound importance of risk-taking and the real lessons that come from facing commercial challenges head-on.

We round off our conversation by redefining success beyond traditional financial metrics. Steve emphasizes that true success lies in the meaningful impact on people's lives and the invaluable lessons learned. He shares his thoughts on resilience, storytelling in leadership, and the necessity of a strong support system. This episode is packed with deep insights and real-life experiences that will resonate with anyone looking to understand the true essence of success and the indispensable role of persistence in entrepreneurship. Don’t miss out on this must-listen discussion that promises to reshape your perspective on failure and success in the business world.

What if the key to solving your remote work communication woes lies in a video messaging app? In this episode, we sit down with Josh Little, a seasoned entrepreneur, to unpack the story behind Volley, an asynchronous video messaging app designed to bridge the gaps left by tools like Slack and Zoom during the pandemic. Josh takes us through the exhilarating early days of Volley's development, from the viral response to an initial survey to the rapid prototyping that garnered early traction and significant interest from both users and investors.

The journey wasn't without its hurdles. We delve into the psychological barriers that professionals encounter with video messaging and the challenge of gaining user adoption in a high-risk, low-trust work environment. We discuss the iterative process of refining Volley's features and the stark contrast between workplace communication and more personal, low-risk environments. Despite promising signs from YouTubers and content creators, Volley faced insurmountable obstacles, prompting a pivot toward a consulting model.

Join us as we listen to Josh reflect on the emotional toll of entrepreneurial failure, sharing candid insights on the impact on his health, relationships, and investor expectations. He offers valuable lessons on resilience, the importance of perseverance, and the evolving landscape of asynchronous communication. Despite the setbacks, Josh remains optimistic and driven, believing that his best work is still ahead and determined to repay the trust of his early supporters.

This episode is sponsored by Ampleo. Ampleo offers fraction executives in finance, marketing, and HR to companies of all sizes. Visit ampleo.com to learn more.

From the high stakes of securing venture capital to the crushing reality of laying off a beloved team, Bubba Page opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of tying one's identity to the fate of a business. Kickstarting our discussion with his experience at Launch Leads followed by the ambitious yet challenging Outro, Bubba provides invaluable insights into the realities of entrepreneurial life.

The emotional toll of startup failure can be devastating, but it's also a powerful catalyst for personal growth. Bubba bravely discusses the struggles of trying to sell a business amidst repeated rejections and the ensuing battles with depression and anxiety. Through candid reflections on personal setbacks and the path to recovery, we explore how faith, physical fitness, and self-reflection became pillars of Bubba's resilience. Wrapping up our conversation, we underscore the indispensable lessons learned from failure and encourage young entrepreneurs to embrace setbacks as integral steps towards success. This episode is a poignant reminder that growth often stems from our greatest challenges.