Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

Ever feel like you have a brilliant business plan, but something mysterious always gets in the way of executing it perfectly? This episode is your answer. Dominique Samari, a former attorney turned strategist and healing arts practitioner, pulls back the curtain on the invisible forces—the hidden organizational and leadership patterns—that sabotage our success. This isn't just another strategy session; it's a deep dive into building a business that is not only successful on paper but is resilient, collaborative, and truly impactful in practice. Dominique shows us how to bridge the critical gap between a great idea and a profitable reality by focusing on the one thing that matters most: human connection.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🚀 How to identify the fear-based patterns in your leadership that stifle creativity and growth within your team.
• 🤝 Why "healing-centered leadership" is the next evolution for building resilient, high-impact organizations that thrive in complexity.
• 💡 A framework for bridging the critical gap between a brilliant plan and successful, real-world execution.
• 🧠 How to quiet the loud voice of your intellect to finally hear and trust your entrepreneurial intuition, even when it doesn't make logical sense.
• 🤖 A balanced perspective on using AI as a powerful tool without losing the human connection that truly drives your business forward.
• 📈 The secret to building "relational infrastructure" from day one to create a culture that fuels, rather than fights, your strategy.

📝 About Dominique Samari 

Dominique Samari is an experienced attorney, strategist, coach, and healing arts practitioner who masterfully blends analytical strategy with a deep understanding of human dynamics. With over 15 years of experience leading planning and training efforts for organizations, including rebuilding rule of law infrastructure in Afghanistan, she has a unique global perspective on what makes teams succeed or fail. Through her companies, Kin Consultant Group and the tech platform Kin Universe, she helps organizations increase trust and strengthen the connections needed to turn ambitious plans into tangible success.

🎯 Dominique’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

"Don't wait until you have cultural problems—design for relationships from day one."

📢 Memorable Quotes 

• “My intellect is like, ‘well, that's crazy making.’ And then I take the steps, follow my intuition, and it's f*cking magic.” – Dominique Samari
• “[Intuition] is always there. It's always ready for us to use, but you have to chip away the things that get in the way of you accessing that.” – Dominique Samari
• “Culture eats strategy for breakfast. You can have the best ideas, the best strategy but if you aren't building a culture that can actually execute that, then it's all for naught.” – Dominique Samari

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Kin Consultant Group’s website
• Visit Kin Universe’s website
• Connect with Dominique on LinkedIn
• Follow Kin Consultant Group on LinkedIn

Ready to stop letting fear dictate your entrepreneurial journey? In this episode, Brian sits down with Théa Watkins, an impactful coach with 27 years of experience as a global business leader. Théa shares her incredible story of leaving a secure corporate career to build a business around her passion: helping people and organizations realize their full potential. This episode is a masterclass in overcoming the mental hurdles that hold entrepreneurs back. You'll learn why embracing discomfort is the key to growth, how vulnerability can become your greatest leadership tool, and the practical steps to build unwavering self-belief so you can finally feel the fear and do it anyway.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• The Power of "And Thinking": Discover how to reframe daunting challenges by acknowledging that fear and excitement can coexist, giving you the fuel to take massive action.
• Unlocking Team Potential: Learn Théa's facilitation strategy for building deep trust and collaboration by creating a space for intentional vulnerability.
• Fly Higher, Not Lower: Understand the powerful metaphor for why playing small is more dangerous than aiming for your biggest goals and how to build the courage to soar.
• From Corporate to Entrepreneur: Hear the unfiltered story of making the leap and the specific actions that turned a passion for inclusion into a thriving consulting business.
• The 10-Second Mindfulness Hack: Learn a simple Positive Intelligence technique to quiet the "fight or flight" response and create the mental space needed for strategic thinking.
• Vulnerability as a Leadership Choice: Uncover what vulnerability actually looks like in a business context (hint: it's not about sob stories) and how saying "I don't know" can make you a stronger leader.

📝 About Théa Watkins 

Théa Watkins is an impactful coach and expert facilitator with over 27 years of international experience as a business leader in the financial services industry. After a long and successful corporate career, she took the entrepreneurial leap to found Théa Watkins Consulting. Today, she channels her passion and expertise into helping individuals and organizations realize their full potential through the principles of inclusion, transforming team dynamics and empowering leaders to build more effective, respectful, and high-performing environments.

🎯 Théa’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs 

"Feel the fear and do it anyway... and never stop believing in yourself."

📢 Memorable Quotes

• “Nothing is achieved in life without some struggle and some level of discomfort. That's where the growth and the evolution happens.” – Théa Watkins
• “Excitement is an emotion or has the same physiological impact on your body… as fear.” – Théa Watkins
• "Vulnerability is a key leadership choice in today's world... it's part of showing your humanity." – Théa Watkins

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Théa Watkins Consulting’s website
• Connect with Théa on LinkedIn
• Follow Théa Watkins Consulting on LinkedIn
• Follow Théa Watkins Consulting on TikTok

In this episode, Brian sits down with Dom Kwong, the engineer-turned-CEO who is revolutionizing personal mobility with Damon Motors. Dom shares the inside story of how he’s tackling one of the biggest challenges in transportation—motorcycle safety—by applying advanced technology and data analytics in ways the industry has never seen before. This episode is a masterclass in innovation, showing how personal experience can fuel a world-changing business idea. For wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, Dom provides a powerful blueprint for identifying massive market gaps, adapting proven tech from other industries, and building a mission-driven company that creates something the world desperately needs (and thinks is incredibly cool).

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• How to turn a deeply personal problem into a scalable, tech-driven business.
• The strategy of adapting proven technology (like automotive sensors) to innovate in a completely different industry.
• Why data and context are the keys to creating next-level value and insights for your customers.
• A lesson in market adoption: Why "safety" by itself doesn't sell, but integrating it into a cool, desirable product does.
• How to build a demonstrator product to prove your concept and open up massive licensing opportunities.
• Why literally becoming your customer is non-negotiable for developing breakthrough products.
• The financial models, like subscription services, that can lower the barrier to entry for mass adoption of new technology.

📝 About Dom Kwong

Dom Kwong is the CEO of Damon Motors, an electric motorcycle company on a mission to make personal mobility safer for everyone. With over 25 years of experience in hardware engineering and manufacturing, Dom has led global teams at companies like Intel and developed groundbreaking products, from the world's first sports heads-up display to smartphones. He holds numerous US and international patents and brings a unique engineer's perspective to solving complex, real-world problems. Dom's passion is driven by his firsthand experience as a motorcyclist, giving him an unparalleled understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the industry he is transforming.

🎯 Dom’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

You must understand the problem you are trying to solve by putting yourself directly in your customer’s position—not just in their shoes. To truly innovate, you have to live the pain points and experience the world exactly as they do.

📢 Memorable Quotes

• “The problems that we try to solve are the ones that we experience firsthand.” – Dom Kwong
• “The rider is always in control... because you're in control, that gives you greater confidence of your surroundings and that makes you safe.” – Dom Kwong
• “Motorcyclists develop motorcycle technology. That's it. You know, full stop.” – Dom Kwong

💡 Actionable Takeaways

• Look at adjacent industries for inspiration. Identify proven technologies that you can adapt to create a breakthrough in your own field.
• Don't just sell a feature (like safety). Integrate your core value proposition into an aspirational product that people desire for its overall appeal.
• If you lead a team, ensure they are deeply connected to the customer's experience. If they aren't, find ways to immerse them in it.
• Embrace "imposter syndrome" as a tool to stay humble and continuously listen to your team, your customers, and your industry.

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Damon Motors’ website
• Connect with Dom on LinkedIn
• Follow Damon Motorcycles on LinkedIn

Ever get that feeling of "senioritis" in December? The days get shorter, the holidays get closer, and the temptation to mentally check out and just "drift" until the new year is real. But what if that drift is costing you your momentum for next year? In this Solo Sunday episode, Brian pulls back the curtain on why the most successful entrepreneurs use this time not to slow down, but to decide. Inspired by a powerful conversation with an upcoming guest, Brian breaks down why the opposite of drifting is deciding, and how the choices you make right now are what truly set the stage for a breakout year. If you want to start 2026 ahead of the pack instead of playing catch-up, this episode is your catalyst.

✨ Why This Matters for You

This isn't just another end-of-year reflection. It's a strategic advantage:

• Gain a Competitive Edge: While everyone else is coasting, you’ll be making the key decisions that create unstoppable momentum for Q1.
• Take Control of Your Future: Your results in six months are a direct consequence of the decisions you make today. This episode shows you how to be intentional about it.
• Escape the "New Year's Resolution" Trap: Stop waiting for a magical date on the calendar. Brian shows you how to use the natural rhythm of this month to build your future self, starting now.
• Turn Downtime into "Up-Time": The natural holiday slowdown isn't a time to drift; it's a gift of space to think, strategize, and decide without the usual daily noise.

📝 Key Takeaways

• Next Year Starts Now. The entrepreneurs who crush it in January and February didn't get lucky; they used December to make pivotal decisions.
• The Opposite of Drifting is Deciding. Drifting is passive; deciding is an act of creation. You must consciously choose to decide on your direction, identity, and actions for the year ahead.
• Success Has a Delay. The life and business you have today are the results of choices made long ago. The decisions you make this week will determine where you are months from now.
• Decide Who You Will Be. The most important decision isn't just what you'll do, but who you'll be. Define the identity of the person who achieves your 2026 goals, and start living as them now.
• Decide What to Leave Behind. Making powerful decisions also means choosing what habits, mindsets, and projects are not coming with you into the new year.

🚀 Put It Into Action

This week, use the gift of this "slower" season to make one powerful decision:

• Where in your business or life are you currently "drifting" instead of deciding? Acknowledge it.
• Make one concrete decision about who you will be in 2026. What is a core trait of that identity? (e.g., "I am a founder who executes without hesitation.")
• Decide on one thing—a habit, a project, a mindset—that you are officially leaving behind before the new year. Write it down and commit to it.

🔗 Stay Connected

• Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode
• Connect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrian
• Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to stop drifting and start deciding

📣 Special Thanks and Shout Out to a Brilliant Creator!

A huge thank you and shout out to Andrew Safnauer for the incredible conversation that inspired this episode! Brian was so fired up after their chat about the power of decision-making that he knew he had to share the core message with you. You'll get to hear the full, amazing interview with Andrew on December 20th in episode #1336. Get ready, because his story and mindset are going to blow you away

This episode is a masterclass in resilience from a man who has lived it. Aaron “Sergeant Q” Quinonez takes us on his incredible journey from a Marine special forces operator to a homeless veteran battling PTSD, and ultimately to a purpose-driven CEO of a 150+ employee company. This isn't just an inspiring story; it's a practical blueprint for rewiring your brain to overcome any obstacle. For wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, this episode is critical because it breaks down the science behind mindset, showing you how to intentionally build the mental fortitude required to survive and thrive in the chaotic world of business. Sergeant Q’s powerful blend of military grit and scientific insight will leave you fired up and equipped to conquer the battlefield of your own mind.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• The Neuroscience of Motivation: Learn how serving others scientifically builds the four key brain chemicals (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins) you need to stay motivated and fight off burnout.
• Conquer Your "Negative Bias": Discover how your brain is hardwired to focus on the negative and learn the exact steps to override this programming to take calculated risks and push past failures.
• The "ACC" Advantage: Understand how intentionally doing hard things physically grows the part of your brain (the Anterior Cingulate Cortex) responsible for resilience, giving you the capacity to handle bigger business challenges.

📝 About Aaron Quinonez 

Aaron “Sergeant Q” Quinonez is a Marine veteran, leadership speaker, mental health advocate, and multi-business-owning entrepreneur. After serving as a forward observer in a special forces capable unit in Iraq, he faced a brutal battle with PTSD that left him homeless. Through a combination of faith and a deep dive into neuroscience, he rebuilt his life and founded a janitorial company that now employs over 150 people. Aaron's unique perspective comes from combining his elite military training with his raw, personal journey of recovery to provide a no-nonsense, science-backed approach to building an unconquerable mindset.

🎯 Aaron’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs 

"When we see those big things coming at us that are scary...we need to meet whatever that challenge is head long on the battlefield. But for us, it will be the battlefield of the mind.”

📢 Memorable Quotes

• "When we feel discomfort, that's not a reason to run. That is a catalyst for growth. We need to say, 'Hey brain, I understand that that in the past has caused me pain, but today I'm going to push through and see what's on the other side.' That's how you build resilience." – Aaron Quinonez
• "When I feel down, when I feel depressed, when I feel anxious, I go look for somebody to help because I know I need those four chemicals to counterbalance those negative emotions that I'm having." – Aaron Quinonez
• "There are no easy days. The easy day was yesterday. And so we've got to do the hard things and push through." – Aaron Quinonez

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit evolve’s website
• Visit The Mental Health Janitors’ Podcast
• Connect with Aaron on LinkedIn
• Follow Sgt Q on Facebook
• Follow Sgt Q on Instagram
• Follow Sgt Q on TikTok
• Subscribe to Sgt Q on YouTube

AI feels like a superpower, but how do you actually harness it to create real, measurable growth? In this episode, we sit down with Kacy Webster, a "positive disruptor" and CEO of Profit Quiver, who transforms how businesses navigate the complexities of the AI era. Kacy breaks down why technology is never the real problem—it's the leadership mindset and the failure to bring your people along on the journey. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur who wants to move beyond surface-level AI tools and build a future-proof organization. Kacy's 25+ years of executive experience shines as she delivers a clear, human-first roadmap for making AI your company's greatest competitive advantage.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🚀 The Human-First AI Framework: Learn why 90% of AI implementations fail and how to ensure yours succeeds by focusing on people and mindset before technology.
• 🧠 Shift from Finite to Infinite Thinking: Discover how to break free from small, tactical questions (like "write me a social media post") and start using AI to solve your biggest strategic challenges.
• 📈 Why CEOs Must Own the AI Strategy: Understand why delegating AI initiatives is a recipe for disaster and how to lead the charge to redefine your market.
• 🎯 The Profit Equation of AI: Kacy explains how to strategically implement AI to do more than just cut costs—it’s about enhancing efficiency, amplifying human potential, and securing your market relevance.
• 🤖 Beyond the Hype: Get a realistic view of how AI can amplify your team’s humanity by automating redundant tasks, freeing them up for high-level creativity, strategy, and connection.
• 💡 Assess Your "Future-Readiness": Learn the key pillars to evaluate—vision, mindset, systems, and culture—to see if your business is truly prepared to compete in the new world of work.

📝 About Kacy Webster

Kacy Webster is a growth partner to visionary CEOs who want to transform their organizations for the AI era. As the CEO of Profit Quiver and a consultant with over 25 years of executive experience in education, workforce development, and enterprise transformation, she is an expert at bridging the gap between grand strategy and flawless execution. Kacy calls herself a "positive disruptor," and her unique gift is demystifying complex technology while focusing on human potential. She provides leaders with the clarity and tools they need to build more productive, strategic, and innovative teams.

🎯 Kacy’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

“Doing nothing is a problem. You are going to in the end, not be able to keep up and compete as this evolves and rolls out... if it isn't me that you reach out to, do something.”

📢 Memorable Quotes

• “Technology isn't ever the problem. It's the mindset and the alignment and helping people navigate and see how they can use solutions in order to do great things.” – Kacy Webster
• “If you're not moving in this AI era, you are falling behind. And it isn't just efficiency, erosion, it's relevance and your ability to compete.” – Kacy Webster
• “I believe it's [AI] coming to amplify our humanity because the more time that we will have... we will have time to be more humane.” – Kacy Webster

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Profit Quiver’s website
• Connect with Kacy on LinkedIn
• Follow Profit Quiver on LinkedIn

Get ready to be energized! This episode features the incredible Brandi Croghan, founder of The What If Collective, who shares her powerful framework for unlocking human potential. Brandi explains how a corporate restructuring became the catalyst for her to finally bet on herself and launch her own business. She dives deep into the "What If Mindset," a transformative approach anchored in curiosity, connection, and belonging that is essential for today's leaders. This episode is a must-listen for any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur who wants to build high-performing teams, lead through uncertainty, and cultivate the courage to take the entrepreneurial leap.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🚀 How to reframe challenging moments (like a layoff) as the perfect opportunity to bet on yourself and launch your own venture.
• 🤝 Why curiosity is your greatest tool for connection and leadership, no matter your personality type.
• 📊 The data-backed reasons why building trust and belonging isn't "fluff"—it's the critical foundation for team performance and revenue growth.
• 🧠 How to lead effectively through change by embracing vulnerability and admitting you don't have all the answers.
• 💡 A powerful framework for transforming your team's mindset from jaded and disconnected to curious, connected, and innovative.
• ✨ How to apply the "Leap and the Net Will Appear" philosophy to your own entrepreneurial journey and find the courage to move forward.

📝 About Brandi Croghan

Brandi Croghan is the founder of The What If Collective and the creator of the "What If Mindset," a framework that helps leaders unlock their full potential. With over two decades of experience in leadership development and employee engagement, Brandi has partnered with teams across biotech, pharma, and the beauty industry, including her time with the iconic brand Bumble and bumble. Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, she brings a unique perspective that blends corporate expertise with the grit and humanity needed to build cultures where innovation and high performance thrive.

🎯 Brandi’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

"Stay grounded in that 'What If?'... What if is more than a mindset, it's a movement... of asking 'What if I looked at this differently?' What if I just stayed more curious?'"

📢 Memorable Quotes

• “For the first time I just thought, ‘What if I bet on myself this time?’” – Brandi Croghan
• “You cannot skip the creation of trust and connection between you and your team... it cannot be left out of the equation if you want performance.” – Brandi Croghan
• “Every single one of us wants to be seen, heard, and understood. Every single one of us.” – Brandi Croghan
• “I just leap, you know, and the net’s gonna appear.” – Brandi Croghan

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit The What If Collective’s website
• Connect with Brandi on LinkedIn
• Follow The What If Collective on LinkedIn
• Follow The What If Collective on Instagram

Feeling anxious or overwhelmed by the rise of AI? This episode is your antidote. Charisse Tabak joins us to reframe the conversation, shifting the focus from fear to empowerment. She reveals how the key to mastering AI isn't just about learning to prompt—it's about mastering your own internal state. Charisse explains that by combining AI skills with embodied leadership, entrepreneurs can navigate this new technological era with clarity, confidence, and calm. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur who wants to understand how to partner with AI to augment their intelligence and creativity, ensuring they lead the charge rather than get left behind.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🧠 The "Two S's" Framework: Discover why combining your mental STATE with technical SKILL is the secret to unlocking true AI capability in your business.
• 🤝 From Replacement to Partnership: Learn to reframe your relationship with AI as a creative and intelligent partner that augments your expertise, not a tool that replaces it.
• 🗣️ AI as a New Language: Understand why learning to "speak" to generative AI is like learning the new language of the future, positioning you and your business for long-term success.
• 🧘 How to Beat AI Overwhelm: Get practical, science-backed techniques for managing stress and anxiety so you can approach learning AI from a place of calm and curiosity.
• 🚀 Demystifying Generative AI: Cut through the noise and get a clear, simple explanation of what generative AI is and how you can start using it to improve your workflows today.
• 🌱 From Personal Setback to Business Opportunity: Hear Charisse's powerful story of turning a career pinnacle setback into a mission-driven business that helps others thrive.

📝 About Charisse Tabak 

Charisse Tabak is the founder of agency, a company dedicated to helping non-technical professionals navigate the future of work with clarity and confidence. After two decades leading teams and guiding Fortune 500 brands in data-driven marketing and digital transformation, she now focuses on the overlooked human side of AI adoption. Charisse’s unique approach blends AI literacy with embodied leadership practices, providing a holistic framework that empowers individuals to shift from overwhelm to agency. Her grounded, real-world perspective makes her a powerful voice for making the future of work more humane and intelligently designed.

🎯 Charisse’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs 

"Stick with your passion and your belief and just keep at it."

📢 Memorable Quotes 

• "Think about this as learning a new language. Because if you can learn this new language, you're going to be able to speak to the future." – Charisse Tabak
• "It wasn't so much about how do I get back to where I was, but where am I going to?" – Charisse Tabak
• "You're working as a partnership with the AI large language model rather than it's more powerful than me." – Charisse Tabak

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Aigent-C’s website
• Connect with Charisse on LinkedIn
• Follow Aigent-C on LinkedIn

Peter Williams is the definition of a multi-talented entrepreneur, seamlessly blending raw creativity with razor-sharp business strategy. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on his journey of building Designerds, a creative agency that has served global giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Samsung for over a decade. Peter reveals the "grit and hard work" required in the early days, the mindset shift needed to transition from a hands-on creative to a visionary CEO, and the strategic thinking that sets his agency apart from the competition. This episode is a masterclass for any founder looking to scale a service-based business, build an elite team, and find the courage to take calculated risks that lead to massive growth. Peter’s story will inspire you to stop wishing, start doing, and build a business that is not only successful but deeply meaningful.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🚀 How to strategically differentiate your agency by solving the real problem, not just fulfilling the client's initial request.
• 🤝 The power of embedding yourself with clients to build unshakable trust and become a true extension of their team (hear his wild iMacs at Samsung story!).
• 📈 The "level up" framework for constantly expanding your skills to meet new client demands and stay ahead of the curve.
• 🧠 How to successfully transition from a hands-on practitioner to a strategic CEO focused on the financial health of the business and empowering your team.
• 💥 The "not afraid to lose" philosophy that fuels bold, game-changing decisions like buying out business partners and launching entirely new ventures.
• ⚙️ Actionable strategies for managing multiple businesses without burning out by cycling projects and carving out dedicated time for each venture.
• 💡 How to transform your own everyday frustrations into innovative, patent-pending products, just like Peter did with his second company, Luna Park Creative.

📝 About Peter Williams

Peter Williams is the founder and CEO of two successful companies: Designerds, a San Francisco-based creative agency now in its 11th year, and Luna Park Creative, a product innovation studio. With Designerds, he has led his global team to deliver world-class design for brands like Amazon, Walmart, and Samsung by embedding with in-house teams to create meaningful work. As a creative who has mastered the art of business, Peter brings a unique perspective on scaling a service business, taking calculated risks, and turning personal passion projects into profitable ventures.

🎯 Peter’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

"Whatever you pursue, do it from a place of meaning for yourself. It's hard work to be an entrepreneur... it should be rewarding. Nobody should start a business or continue to work in a business where it's just taking you down. It should be bringing you up."

📢 Memorable Quotes

• "I'm gonna stop wishing and start doing, because that list will just be unfulfilled forever if I don't start taking action.” – Peter Williams
• “You have to have some level of interest in seeing how far you can push your own abilities and your own expertise.” – Peter Williams
• "It's not like one day you're the CEO. It happens over time." – Peter Williams

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Designerds’ website
• Visit Luna Park Creative’s website
• Visit DRYE™ Fan’s website
• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
• Follow Designerds on LinkedIn
• Follow Luna Park Creative LLC on LinkedIn

Tired of launching new projects, software, or processes only to see them fail because your team won’t get on board? In this episode, Scott Sager, founder of ChangeMap, breaks down the critical difference between project management and true change leadership. He reveals why even the most perfectly planned initiatives flop and how you can bridge the gap between building a great solution and getting your team to actually use it. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur looking to lead transformations with confidence, not guesswork. Scott shares how he’s using AI to measure a team’s "readiness for change," turning scattered feedback into a clear, actionable score that predicts success.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• Why "on time and on budget" is a useless metric if your team doesn't adopt the change.
• How to use AI not to replace empathy, but to scale it across your entire organization.
• The "readiness score" concept: a simple, powerful way to measure your team's capacity for change before you invest time and money.
• The critical link between organizational trust and the ability to implement new ideas successfully.
• How to identify change "saturation" and "collisions" to avoid overwhelming your team and causing burnout.
• The difference between project management (building the bridge) and change leadership (helping people cross it).
• A framework for turning scattered feedback from spreadsheets, emails, and conversations into unified, actionable insight.

📝 About Scott Sager 

Scott Sager is the founder of ChangeMap, an AI-enabled platform that helps organizations navigate transformation with clarity. With over 15 years of experience leading large-scale change initiatives, he saw a recurring problem: leaders struggle to understand what's holding their teams back from adopting new systems and processes. This insight led him to build a tool that makes change management more data-informed and human-centric. Scott brings a unique blend of academic rigor and real-world consulting experience, making complex concepts like organizational readiness accessible and actionable for any leader.

🎯 Scott’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs 

"It's not just curiosity. It's putting in that work to listen and being the person who's going to work the hardest to listen... There are going to be those people who want to help you make it better. Those are the voices to listen to."

📢 Memorable Quotes

• “Salesforce doesn't make you a great salesperson. Salesforce equips your organization to help you sell better... people still need to walk across [the bridge] to get to the cool stuff on the other side.” – Scott Sager
• “We injected AI into the platform not to replace empathy and engagement. We put it in there to scale it.” – Scott Sager
• "High trust environments can take on a lot of change, low trust environments not a whole lot." – Scott Sager

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit ChangeMap’s website
• Connect with Scott on LinkedIn
• Follow ChangeMap on LinkedIn