Today we're thrilled to welcome Abby Gates, founder and CEO of SproutWise, a people and culture consultancy that helps early-stage startups build durable, human-centered companies that can actually scale. With 20 years of experience across talent acquisition, people operations, and HR leadership in tech—and having survived four company exits—Abby reveals why the most "viable" startups often have the worst people systems, and how stage-appropriate structure can prevent invisible organizational risk from compounding before it's too late.

Key Topics Covered:
• How AI-native organizations should build teams differently (possibility vs probability mindsets)
• Why entry-level workers need adaptability more than technical skills in the AI era
• The viability paradox: how startup success masks critical people problems
• Three non-negotiable people systems every 5-20 person startup needs
• The real cost of keeping "brilliant but corrosive" team members
• Why every company exit involves grief (not just champagne)
• Michigan's ecosystem challenges: talent, infrastructure, and burnout
• How to diagnose people problems before they become existential crises

Links:
• SproutWise: https://www.sproutwise.com
• Connect with Abby Gates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbygates/

Today we're thrilled to welcome Max Albert, CEO and co-founder of Adrenaline Interactive, an Ann Arbor-based startup revolutionizing in-game advertising. 

Max went from software engineer at Ford to creating a top 10 mobile game with tens of thousands of daily players—then discovered the massive opportunity to help brands like FIFA, Dr. Squatch, and Chipotle reach Gen Z gamers through seamless product placement in Fortnite, Roblox, and Discord. 

In this episode, Max shares how he's building the future of advertising in gaming's $250 billion industry.

Key Topics Covered:
• How Max quit Ford to build Deep Pass Jam, a top 10 NFL mobile game
• Why interstitial ads ruin the gaming experience (and what works instead)
• The Sydney Sweeney Dr. Squatch campaign that reached 500K+ Fortnite players
• How brands can reach Gen Z where they actually spend their time—in games
• Brand safety considerations for gaming advertising
• The "platformification" of gaming: Roblox, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, and what's next
• Why gaming is now bigger than movies and music combined
• Building Adrenaline Interactive from manual service to automated platform
• Real-time bidding coming to in-game ads in 2026
• Michigan's growing gaming and startup ecosystem
• Practical advice for brands considering gaming advertising

Links:
Adrenaline Interactive: https://www.adrenalineinteractive.ai
Game Jam Podcast: https://www.gamejampodcast.com
Max Albert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-albert-4b0b02a9/
Deep Pass Jam: Available on iOS and Android

Today we're thrilled to welcome Richard Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Menlo Innovations, bestselling author of "Joy, Inc." and "Chief Joy Officer," and a pioneer in building intentionally joyful workplace cultures. 

For 24 years, Richard has been proving that putting joy at the center of business isn't just feel-good philosophy—it's a practical approach to creating software people love while building teams that thrive. 

In this conversation, Richard shares the journey from his heartbreaking disillusionment with the tech industry to founding a company with the audacious mission of ending human suffering in the workplace.

Key Topics Covered:
• The origin of "The Menlo Way" and why Richard centered his company around joy
• How a childhood bookshelf project revealed the true meaning of joy and service to others
• Why software professionals will work for free if they can consistently delight users
• The transformation from Vice President to founder and designing a radically different way to work
• What makes Menlo's culture unique: open workspaces, pair programming, and transparency
• Ann Arbor's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the power of community in building success
• Richard's nuanced take on AI, the future of software, and why technology will make us more human
• Practical advice for leaders: "Get out of the house" and build serendipitous relationships
• How to create intentional cultures that unlock creativity, innovation, and imagination

Links:
Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly updates: https://www.maximize.media/the-ryan-morrison-show
Menlo Innovations: https://www.menloinnovations.com
Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menloprez/

Today we're thrilled to welcome Troy Morris, Co-Founder and CEO of Kall Morris Inc., a Michigan-based space logistics startup designing technology to capture and relocate space assets in orbit. Troy shares his journey from studying psychology at Northern Michigan University to leading a company with over $5 million in funding and 20+ team members tackling one of space's most critical challenges: orbital debris. With a background managing multi-state business units generating $15-17 million in revenue at Snap-on Tools, Troy brings a unique blend of corporate leadership and deep-tech entrepreneurship to solving the space debris crisis—a problem that threatens the future of all space operations.

Key Topics Covered:
• The space debris crisis and why 36,000 tracked objects threaten everything in orbit
• How KMI went from dorm room conversations about the rocket equation to $5M+ funded startup
• Customer discovery in an emerging market: validating the space logistics industry
• Lessons from leading revenue-producing teams in critical industries and applying them to deep-tech
• Why psychology and behavior analysis inform leadership in technical startups
• The difference between commercial, defense, and civil space customers
• KMI's vision for space stations, refueling operations, and recycling satellites in orbit
• Why 21 of 22 UN climate change measures depend on space-based technology
• Realistic timeline for humans on Mars: Troy's 2080 prediction
• Building a world-changing space company in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Links:
Kall Morris Inc.: https://www.kallmorrisinc.com
Michigan Founders Fund: https://michiganfoundersfund.com

Today we're thrilled to welcome Jordan Morgan—a professional basketball player, University of Michigan engineering grad, founder of The Jordan Morgan Foundation, and CEO of Spin.Travel. 

Jordan took the iconic charge that sent Michigan to the 2013 National Championship, then built a decade-long pro career across Europe while representing Slovenia's national team. 

Now he's using his platform to drive generational change in Detroit's inner-city communities through education, outreach, and sports, while building his startup - Spin.Travel. 

This conversation explores the intersection of athletics, engineering thinking, entrepreneurship, and purpose-driven leadership.

Key Topics Covered:
• Balancing Division I basketball with Industrial & Operations Engineering at Michigan
• The selfless play at the 2013 Final Four that defined his legacy
• Building a 10-year professional career across Italy, France, Turkey, and Slovenia
• What it means to represent Slovenia as an American-born national team player
• Starting The Jordan Morgan Foundation to create generational change in Detroit
• How engineering mindset translates to basketball IQ and decision-making
• Interning with startups and earning an entrepreneurship certificate as a student-athlete
• The non-negotiable role of education in athletic development
• Lessons from living and competing in multiple countries
• Balancing founder life with professional basketball demands
• Current NBA insights: Cooper Flagg, Pistons as dark horse, and league trends

Links:
The Jordan Morgan Foundation: https://www.jordanmorganfoundation.org
University of Michigan Men's Basketball: https://mgoblue.com/sports/mens-basketball
Basketball Federation of Slovenia (KZS): https://www.kzs.si/en/
U of D Jesuit High School: https://www.uofdjesuit.org
TechArb: https://techarb.com
Subscribe to The Ryan Morrison Show: https://www.maximize.media/the-ryan-morrison-show

#JordanMorgan #MichiganBasketball #ProfessionalBasketball #Engineering #Entrepreneurship #DetroitYouth #SocialImpact #StudentAthlete #FinalFour #NonprofitFounder #EuropeanBasketball #SlovenianNationalTeam #UniversityOfMichigan #BasketballPodcast #FounderStories #TheRyanMorrisonShow #PurposeDriven #GenerationalChange #IOE #CollegeHoops

Today we're thrilled to welcome Claire de Vries, an emerging filmmaker, creative producer, and recent honors graduate from the University of Michigan's Film, Television and Media program. 

Claire led Imagination Films, one of the most active student-run production groups in the country, and is the writer, director, and producer behind the psychological thriller "We're Not the Same" – a film created entirely by an all-female crew that challenges traditional Hollywood narratives and subverts the male gaze.

Key Topics Covered:
• How frustration with Hitchcock's Vertigo sparked the creation of a female-forward psychological thriller
• Building a film production with an entirely all-female crew and the power of collaborative filmmaking
• Using color symbolism and costume design to depict psychological transformation (from bland to pink to white)
• Drawing inspiration from personal experiences with sisterhood, competition, and constantly being compared
• The story behind "We're Not the Same": half-sisters, obsession, and loss of identity
• Going through 10+ script drafts while interning at HBO Max
• Winning the Hopwood Award for scriptwriting at University of Michigan (despite considering it her "weakest skill")
• Practical filmmaking advice: stop waiting, find your friends, and just start creating
• Leveraging Instagram and TikTok to build your filmmaking skills and audience
• Why Michigan deserves more film incentives and how to showcase Ann Arbor on screen
• Navigating the film festival circuit and building a career as a producer and director

Links:
• Claire de Vries on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-de-vries/
• University of Michigan Film, Television and Media Program: https://lsa.umich.edu/ftvm
• M-agination Films: https://www.m-aginationfilms.com/
• Subscribe to The Ryan Morrison Show: https://www.maximize.media/the-ryan-morrison-show

#TheRyanMorrisonShow #ClairdeVries #IndependentFilm #FemaleFilmmakers #PsychologicalThriller #WereNotTheSame #AllFemaleCrew #WomenInFilm #FilmProduction #UniversityOfMichigan #StudentFilmmaker #MichiganFilm #AnnArborFilm #FilmFestivals #TheFemaleGaze #FilmmakingAdvice #EmergingFilmmakers #ImaginationFilms #HopwoodAward #FilmDirector

Today we're thrilled to welcome Jeff Hoffman, the award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Priceline.com and uBid.com. 

As Chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network working across 200 countries, Jeff has built multiple billion-dollar companies and learned powerful lessons about the difference between marketing and brand building. 

In this episode, Jeff breaks down why explosive growth comes from inbound demand—not just ad spend—and shares the exact framework he used to disrupt the travel industry. He's also a Grammy Award-winning producer, Emmy Award-winning executive producer, bestselling author of "SCALE," and founder of World Youth Horizons, a nonprofit supporting children globally.

Key Topics Covered:
• The three critical factors that made Priceline a multi-billion dollar success
• Why marketing is linear but brand building creates exponential growth
• The FedEx Principle: How to create inbound demand without spending on ads
• The "bunch of people that do stuff" problem most companies have with their messaging
• Building rock star teams over big teams: Quality vs. quantity in hiring
• How to identify your most distinguishing trait and make it your brand message
• Why Jeff intentionally entered Hollywood to learn entertainment marketing strategies
• The Midnight Bagels story: Finding problems on campus and solving them
• Jeff's advice to college entrepreneurs: "Try stuff" instead of overthinking

Links:
• Global Entrepreneurship Network: https://www.genglobal.org
• Jeff Hoffman's Website: https://www.jeffhoffman.com
• World Youth Horizons (Jeff's Nonprofit): https://www.worldyouthhorizons.com
• SCALE Book by Jeff Hoffman & David Finkel
• Priceline.com
• The Unreasonable Group

#JeffHoffman #Priceline #Entrepreneurship #StartupAdvice #BrandBuilding #MarketingStrategy #BusinessGrowth #CollegeEntrepreneurs #GlobalEntrepreneurship #ScaleYourBusiness #StartupSuccess #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessStrategy #InboundMarketing #TeamBuilding #RyanMorrisonShow

Today we're thrilled to welcome Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars and Foundry Group, bestselling author of "Venture Deals" and his latest book "Give First: The Power of Mentorship." 

With over 35 years as an early-stage investor and entrepreneur, Brad has been instrumental in shaping modern startup culture through his investments in companies like Fitbit, Zynga, and MakerBot, and his pioneering work building entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide.

In this special episode recorded at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Indianapolis, Brad shares the philosophy that has defined his career and influenced thousands of founders globally.

Key Topics Covered:
• The origin and evolution of the "Give First" philosophy—helping others without expecting immediate returns
• The Boulder Thesis: Four principles for building thriving startup communities anywhere in the world
• Why entrepreneurs (and instigators) must lead with a 20-year perspective
• How Techstars evolved from "pull" to "push" and back to "pull" again—and the lessons learned
• The critical difference between having a "North Star" versus understanding your mission and continuously evolving
• Brad's four priorities approaching 60: reading, writing, running, and spending time with wife Amy Batchelor
• Why transactional relationships kill startup community momentum
• The importance of inclusivity and continuous engagement in building sustainable ecosystems

Links:
Give First: The Power of Mentorship - https://www.techstars.com/give-first
Techstars - https://www.techstars.com
Foundry Group - https://foundry.vc
Feld Thoughts Blog - https://feld.com
Startup Communities Book - https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Startup+Communities
Venture Deals - https://venturedeals.com
Anchor Point Foundation - https://www.anchorpointfoundation.org
Global Entrepreneurship Congress - https://www.gec.co

#BradFeld #Techstars #GiveFirst #StartupCommunities #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #FoundryGroup #StartupEcosystem #Mentorship #BoulderThesis #TheRyanMorrisonShow #StartupAdvice #FounderJourney #VCInsights #EntrepreneurMindset

Today we're thrilled to welcome Pete Martin, founder turned ecosystem architect who's driving Michigan's startup renaissance. From co-founding data security company Alter and scaling through Series B, to returning home to Michigan and discovering a thriving tech scene he never knew existed, Pete shares his journey and vision for the state's entrepreneurial future. 

Now at MSU Research Foundation, Pete is building infrastructure to connect founders, track ecosystem growth, and change the perception of what's possible in Michigan.

Key Topics Covered:

• Pete's founder journey from Wall Street to data security startup Alter

• The serendipitous discovery of Michigan's startup ecosystem through Michigan Tech Week

• Why distribution and storytelling are the new competitive advantage in the AI era

• Building Michigan Founders Fund's statewide network and the 1% pledge

• Launching the first Michigan startup job board to connect talent with opportunities

• Creating data infrastructure to measure and showcase Michigan's innovation economy

• Major wins: Duo Security, OneStream, Lineage Logistics, Our Next Energy

• The coming Midwest podcast network and why centralized content distribution matters

• Why Michigan isn't making a comeback - it's already here

Links:

Michigan Founders Fund: https://michiganfoundersfund.com/

Michigan Tech Week: https://michigantechweek.com/

MSU Research Foundation: https://msuresearchfoundation.org/

The Flannel Rocket (podcast network): https://theflannelrocket.com/

#MichiganStartups #Entrepreneurship #StartupEcosystem #TechInMichigan #VentureCapital #StartupFounder #MichiganTechWeek #EcosystemBuilding #Innovation #MidwestTech #StartupCommunity #DataSecurity #FounderJourney #MichiganFoundersFund #Podcasting #Distribution #ContentStrategy #MSU #AnnArbor #Detroit #StartupGrowth

Today we're thrilled to welcome Amanda Lewan, Co-founder and CEO of Bamboo, Michigan's premier coworking network serving nearly 700 companies across four locations. Amanda shares the raw story of building from a speakeasy-style office above a bail bondsman to becoming a central force in Michigan's entrepreneurial transformation—creating authentic community, not just coworking spaces.

Key Topics Covered:
• From rejection to revolution: Starting Bamboo with $5K borrowed from a partner's dad
• The power of density: Why diverse communities beat exclusive accelerators
• Community-led development: How Amanda co-created a 40,000 sq ft Grand Rapids hub with 100+ stakeholders
• Building through COVID: Opening Royal Oak during the pandemic while WeWork collapsed
• The launch committee model: Turning customers into co-creators
• Career elevator vs. corporate ladder: Surrounding yourself with people who lift you up
• Michigan's ecosystem transformation: From bankruptcy to #1 emerging tech hub globally
• Bridging writing and entrepreneurship: Lessons from being a Pushcart Prize-nominated author and CEO

Links:
Bamboo Detroit: https://www.bamboocowork.com/locations/downtown-detroit
Bamboo Royal Oak: https://www.bamboocowork.com/locations/royal-oak
Bamboo Ann Arbor: https://www.bamboocowork.com/locations/ann-arbor
Bamboo Grand Rapids: https://www.bamboocowork.com/locations/grand-rapids
Amanda's Website: https://www.amandahudson.co/
Midwest Humble Substack: https://midwesthumble.substack.com/
Start Garden: https://startgarden.com/

#AmandaLewan #Bamboo #MichiganStartups #Entrepreneurship #CoworkingSpace #StartupEcosystem #DetroitBusiness #CommunityBuilding #TheRyanMorrisonShow #StartupCommunity #MichiganBusiness #Founders