The Start, Scale & Succeed Podcast

In this no-nonsense episode, Sheldon Wolf, Founder of Intellitary Real Estate & Mortgage Referral Network, shares why “follow your passion” is dangerous advice and how to build businesses designed to profit from day one. If you’re thinking about starting a business but worried you’ll turn a hobby into a money pit, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why following your passion alone often leads to starting the wrong business

- How to build a business backwards from monetization instead of from the idea

- What the hidden costs of customer acquisition do to true profitability

This episode is ideal for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 1 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Sheldon "The Wolf" Wolf is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and business architect with more than 30 years of experience in real estate, finance, lending, and technology. He spent his career identifying broken business models and redesigning them from the ground up. Today, he's the founder and CEO of Intellitary, an AI-powered "Un-Brokerage" strategically engineered backward to scale rapidly, generate substantial recurring revenue, and maximize enterprise value. Sheldon believes the biggest opportunities aren't found by improving existing industries—they're created by seeing what everyone else misses and challenging assumptions others accept as fact.

Want to learn more about Sheldon Wolf's work at Intellitary Real Estate & Mortgage Referral Network? Check out his website at https://intellitary.com/

Connect with Sheldon Wolf through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheldon-wolf67/

Email Sheldon Wolf at [email protected]

In this empowering episode, Dominic Forth, CEO of Thought Leaders America, shares how early-stage founders can build credible visibility and turn media into real revenue. If you feel stuck because no one trusts you enough to buy yet, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why your revenue problem is often a trust problem, not just a lead problem

- How to use podcasts to gain visibility and real-time feedback without waiting for perfection

- What to do with media appearances so they become revenue-generating assets

This episode is ideal for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 2 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Dominic Forth is the CEO of Thought Leaders America and creator of the Media Millionaire Method. After 20 years inside the world's biggest newsrooms, he relocated from the UK to the US. He built a 7-figure business—generating over $1M in under two years using media as his sole growth channel, before even establishing a traditional sales funnel. He has placed hundreds of clients across 200 US TV stations and helped founders and CEOs turn a single 3-minute interview into a revenue-generating asset. A near-fatal rafting accident on the Zambezi River and multiple Ironman finishes shaped his Calm, Clarity, Courage leadership framework, which he uses to help leaders stop being the best-kept secret in their market.

Want to learn more about Dominic Forth's work at Thought Leaders America? Check out his website at http://www.thoughtleadersamerica.com/

Connect with Dominic Forth through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-forth/

Subscribe to Dominic Forth's newsletter Authority Brief at https://www.authoritybrief.com/

In this timely episode, Daniel Carpio, Co-Founder of Veri, shares how AI has collapsed the old barriers so you can now scale yourself as the new unit of growth instead of relying on one employer. If you struggle with feeling locked into a single job for income, identity, and security while sensing the game has changed, you won't want to miss it.

You will discover:

- How to start with radical self-assessment of your real skills, assets, and constraints before building anything

- Why tight feedback loops across every time horizon are now the only way to avoid compounding the wrong bets

- What nondelegable risks you must own yourself once traditional employment no longer absorbs them for you

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 1 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Daniel "Danny" Carpio is an organizational architect, systems builder, entrepreneur, and author of the upcoming book The Unfirm: The New Unit of Scale Is You. Over the past 13 years, he has helped build organizations that raised more than $25 million in capital and achieved nine-figure valuations. Danny specializes in organizational design, AI-native operating systems, and helping founders and small teams achieve self-scale by creating smarter systems instead of relying on traditional organizational growth.

Want to learn more about Daniel Carpio's work at Veri? Check out his website at https://joinveri.co/

Connect with Daniel Carpio through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-carpio-9703a043/

Check out Daniel Carpio's Twitter at https://x.com/augmentedthings

Get a copy of Daniel Carpio's book The Unfirm: The New Unit of Scale is You at https://www.amazon.com/Unfirm-New-Unit-Scale-You-ebook/dp/B0GZF9FLCR

In this insightful episode, Aleya Harris Founder and Owner of The Evolution Collective Inc., shares how strategy drag quietly drains your momentum as a Level 5 CEO and how story-driven leadership turns team misalignment into forward motion. If you struggle with your executive team interpreting the same strategy five different ways, delayed decisions, duplicated work, or investments that somehow never move the business forward, you won't want to miss it.

You will discover:

- How to spot strategy drag as the hidden resistance that keeps your approved plan from actually happening

- Why answering “what does this mean for me” for every person is the real key to execution

- How to use storytelling frameworks and belief archetypes to get true buy-in without changing who people are

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 5 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Aleya Harris is an award-winning keynote speaker, former Google executive, and CEO of The Evolution Collective. She created the Story-Driven Leadership™ Framework, helping founders, CEOs, and leadership teams build trust, strengthen communication, and scale their businesses through authentic leadership. Blending executive experience with practical business strategy, Aleya equips entrepreneurs with actionable tools to lead high-performing teams, create memorable brands, and thrive in an AI-driven marketplace. Her engaging, story-driven approach has inspired audiences across corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial communities.

Want to learn more about Aleya Harris' work at The Evolution Collective Inc.? Check out her website at https://www.evolutioncollective.com/

Connect with Aleya Harris through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleyaharris/

Check Aleya Hariss' personal website at https://www.aleyaharris.com/speaking

In this liberating episode, Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Owner of Nell3D, shares why stopping is not the same as quitting and how strategic subtraction creates more impact and fulfillment. If you feel stuck doing more and more yet still dissatisfied or exhausted, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why stopping is different from quitting and essential for high performers

- How to use the Stop-Drop-Roll process to subtract strategically

- What happens when you create space instead of always adding more

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 1 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey (aka Nell 3D) is a Subtraction Activist, Forbes Leadership contributor, and creator of the Lead in 3D framework. She helps ambitious, big-hearted leaders build success that feels as good as it looks, so they can have the impact they care most about. Her Systematic Subtraction method has served leaders at companies from Google to Bank of America and the National Park Service.

Want to learn more about Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey's work at Nell3D? Check out her website at https://www.nell3d.com/

Connect with Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nell3d/

Watch Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey's Tedx Subtract to Succeed: The Case for Doing Less at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzRp2sQQNGc

Get guest pass for FULL access to Subtract to Succeed at https://nell3d.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=376f87b3

In this practical episode, Hugo van den Biggelaar, CEO and Co-Founder of The Bitsing Company USA, shares why growth hacks fail and how a balanced, insight-driven method makes growth predictable again. If you’re approving budgets that don’t return and feel stuck playing permanent whack-a-mole, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why chasing silver-bullet growth hacks keeps you stuck fixing one fire after another

- How to use actual revenue data instead of gut feel to decide where to invest

- What a balanced growth strategy looks like so you don’t starve today’s business

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 4 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Hugo van den Biggelaar is a Dutch entrepreneur and former Director at Nike, now based in Brooklyn, New York. When his time at Nike ended, he made his biggest bet yet: moving to New York to bring BITSing to the US. BITSing is a proven growth methodology with a 30-year track record across more than 1,000 organizations, from global giants like BMW, HP Enterprise, and DHL to fast-growing startups and scaleups. BMW tripled its market share. HP grew revenue 168% across 72 countries. DHL added 22%. Hugo works with founders and leadership teams to diagnose where growth is breaking down and rebuild it in a proven way. He is currently building BITSing USA from Brooklyn, one client at a time.

Want to learn more about Hugo van den Biggelaar's work at The Bitsing Company USA? Check out his website at https://bitsing.com/

Connect with Hugo van den Biggelaar through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugovandenbiggelaar/

In this practical episode, DeeAnn Palin, Founder and CEO of ONPOINT Business Solutions, shares why treating HR as pure overhead keeps founders stuck and how to turn people strategy into a real growth lever. If payroll feels like your biggest expense yet you’re still leaking talent and time, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why treating HR as pure expense creates hidden leakage and blocks the next growth stage

- How to know when fractional strategic HR support becomes cheaper than doing nothing

- What the real math of turnover and misallocated rewards is costing you every year

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 4 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

DeeAnn Palin is the Founder and CEO of ONPOINT Business Solutions, where she partners with CEOs and boards to help growth-focused companies navigate critical transitions. With over 20 years of executive leadership experience and more than a decade as a business owner and coach, she brings both strategic insight and operational expertise. Known as the “CEO Whisperer,” DeeAnn helps leaders solve complex HR and organizational challenges while preparing their companies for the next stage of growth.

Want to learn more about DeeAnn Palin's work at ONPOINT Business Solutions? Check out her website at https://onptbiz.com/

Contact DeeAnn Palin directly at https://onptbiz.com/contact-us/

Connect with DeeAnn Palin through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/deeannpalin/

In this practical episode episode, Thanos Diacakis, Founder of Cosmic Teacups, shares why engineering teams often feel expensive and slow—and how to fix the real bottlenecks. If you’re questioning whether your development team is worth its payroll or wondering why timelines keep slipping, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why ignoring Investments and Risk creates technical debt that slows everything down

- How to replace long specs with short feedback loops so the team stays on course

- What weekly investment in process improvement compounds into dramatically higher velocity

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 5 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Thanos Diacakis helps startups and growing companies overcome software bottlenecks, scale engineering teams, and deliver high-quality products faster. With over 25 years in software development, his background spans both early-stage ventures and tech giants like Uber and Included Health, where he led the technical integration of the JUMP Bikes acquisition, scaling the platform to 45k vehicles and over 2 million monthly trips. He’s seen elite teams stall when outdated processes leave them too heads-down to course-correct. With lean, evidence-backed practices, he unlocks faster delivery and greater developer satisfaction, so velocity rises while burnout falls.

Want to learn more about Thanos Diacakis' work at Cosmic Teacups? Check out his website at https://www.cosmicteacups.com/

Connect with Thanos through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanosd/

In this value-packed episode, Lacey Newman, Founder of Lacey Newman LLC, shares how to stop over functioning so your first hires actually make life easier instead of busier. If you’re still the best at every task and your growing team only adds more work, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why being the best at the work keeps your new team dependent on you

- What must change when the systems that got you here can no longer hold the next level

- How to hire and let go using the 80% rule so people can truly support you

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 3 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Lacey Newman is a founder, coach, and keynote speaker who has helped thousands of high-performing women build lives and businesses that are truly their own. Over two decades, Lacey built and scaled a real estate team to nearly $1B in sales volume, hosted an Emmy-nominated TV show, and grew her personal income to seven figures, all while raising two children on her own, proving that ambition and motherhood don’t have to compete. Today, she helps ambitious women break the cycle of over-functioning, untangle their identity from productivity, and reinvent their work from a place of clarity instead of burnout—so they can build wealth and freedom without sacrificing themselves.

Want to learn more about Lacey Newman's work at Lacey Newman LLC? Check out her website at https://laceynewman.com/

Connect with Lacey Newman through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacey-newman1/

Check Lacey Newman's Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/heylaceynewman/

In this strategic episode, Scott Ritzheimer, Founder of Scale Architects, shares how to push forward into Predictable Success even when your team is imbalanced and you’re already in Whitewater. If external pressures force you to scale despite missing the ideal style mix, you won’t want to miss it.

You will discover:

- Why some organizations must drive to Predictable Success even with an imbalanced team

- How to protect the operator voice using the designated driver strategy

- What five systems you must build while still freeing operators to execute

This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stages 3,4,5 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quiz

Scott Ritzheimer is the founder of Scale Architects and a leading expert on organizational life cycle and founder leadership. He has helped launch nearly twenty thousand businesses and nonprofits and, before turning thirty-five, built and sold his own multimillion-dollar company after a decade of double-digit growth. Today he helps founders and CEOs who have people to lead but are still buried in the daily grind, giving them a clear next step instead of a theory. He is host of the Start Scale Succeed podcast and author of The Founder's Game.

Want to learn more about Scott Ritzheimer's work at Scale Architects? Check out his website at https://www.scalearchitects.com/

Connect with Scott through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottritzheimer/

Pre-order a copy of Scott Ritzheimer's book "The Founder’s Game" at https://www.scottritzheimer.com/book/pre-order