From Founder To CEO

Apr 27/2022

Alex experienced a spiritual awakening that led him and his co-founders to build the the most downloaded and used Catholic app in the world. As the business was transforming, so was Alex. Alex learned how important it is to "surrender" as you transition From Founder To CEO.
Joe is as real as it gets. He is a Founder and CEO who tells it like it is and pushes himself to get better and be better...every day. What I truly appreciate about Joe is his embrace of the idea that, "The obstacle is the way." As Founders, we know this, practice this, and[...]
Enlisted Marine. Marine Officer. Husband. Father. Pharmaceutical Salesman. Firefighter. Founder & CEO. City Councilman. COVID-19 survivor. International Bestselling Author. These are just some of the roles that Zachary has excelled in during his short life. He certainly has had a big and growing impact on the firefighting profession, building safety, and now with his new[...]
When you meet Chideha for the first time, you immediately know. You know he is a special person. You know he cares about every person he comes into contact with. You know that he strives for excellence in everything his does. You know he actually is learning from YOU and incorporating YOUR life's lessons into[...]
Blinds.com is an incredible business story and Jay is an incredible Founder CEO. In his new book, he talks about the 4 Es...the foundational principles on which his success was built. After he and his team successfully built Blinds.com, he sold the company to Home Depot and continued leading for quite some time after. In[...]
Donnie is as transparent as you might expect, being a Marine. His amazing company is helping thousands of business owners connect with the right people. So, I found it really interesting that he made a decision as a Founder & CEO that initially did not connect with his people. Sometimes, as Founders, and as we[...]
WOW! We could not have asked for a better 400th Podcast Episode Guest! And, Jason Fried delivered. He was super candid about a great many topics that I think you will really enjoy listening about and learning from. In this interview, Jason discusses: What he considers to be the harder part of the transition From[...]
Tutoring is big business. And, Myles and the team figured out how to provide this valuable service for FREE to thousands of students. It wasn't easy. And, it became even harder when he and his co-founder, Victor, realized that two other co-founders may not be in it for the long haul. What do you do[...]
You may remember Ashley from her appearance on ABC TV's "Shark Tank." At the end of the show, Ashley received and accepted an offer from Daymond John. What you don't know is the rest of the story. Unfortunately, like many other deals on the show, this one did not make it through post show due[...]
My draw dropped open when Norman told me how much money in energy costs he saved a Brazilian company. He and his team take a decidedly business approach to their environmental efforts. And, Norman is quite articulate about the power of using your "breakdown" as your "breakthrough." He details the time his hand went numb[...]
What started as a side hustle, caught him by surprise when Google reached out with an intriguing offer. As a self-described, "not a people person," Abhinav realized that he had to recruit more experienced leaders and bring on team members who can do one thing well and really define their ares of scope much better.[...]
Surprising and delighting customers as they interact with their digital wallet is the expertise of Elias Guerra and his team at Popwallet. Many parts of the world have embraced the digital wallet faster than the United States. Elias has been patient as the technology is adopted more here. In fact, patience has been key to[...]
Have you ever heard a Founder say he enjoys buying business insurance. I thought so. It takes a special kind of Founder to tackle the business insurance industry and David and his team are doing just that. I appreciated David's candid and thought-provoking story about Founder courage versus Managerial Courage. In this interview he explains[...]
Krister and I last spoke in 2017 in episode 185. It was an intense conversation. Why? Because Krister's journey has been so intense. When I saw that his new book was a #1 WSJ Bestselling book, I was not surprised. Because his journey has been so rich with insights, he has taken these life lessons[...]
The pandemic wreaked havoc on many businesses. But, how many of you know a Founder who launched DURING the pandemic? Allow me to introduce you to Tara. Tara knows the locs business inside and out. She and her team created a product that revolutionizes the way those with locs, take care of their locs. And,[...]
Who doesn't like a good walk in the forest? It turns out that walking in the forest is even more important than we realize. Jared and his team have been able to quantify the importance of nature, and many are taking notice. When you are a mission driven Founder like Jared, it can be hard[...]
A larger number of people in the United States are "gig workers." And, that number has increased steadily. Craig and his team know this and are on a mission to help serve this group of hard working people connect easily with the organizations that hire them. He is also quite articulate about the intersection of[...]
Phillip's Book Click Here! Phillips Free Assessment: www.phillipstutts.com/insights
Tim has been a friend for quite some time. I admire him for so many reasons...not the least of which is his prowess at sales. In fact, it was this skill that also prevented him from scaling. What? Yes, his skills at sales limited the company's ability to grow. Why? Listen to him yourself and[...]
Know How To Connect With Investors: www.CrucialConnections.com GoLoot: https://www.igoloot.com/ Lucas On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-b%C3%A9land-4ab1b5174/
Zac Mason helps many Founders get fit. Zac on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachzac/ Zac on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coachzacmason
I sincerely appreciated Lucas' candor. He and his team are quite innovative with their approach to creating experiences for brands and their customers. And, he is quite articulate about his personal struggle From Founder To CEO at the ripe age of 19. It has to do with the difference between setting expectations versus setting objectives...it's[...]
Wool. An old friend with a new twist from a team that is on fire. Dan chronicles the rise of Unbound Merino and also the merits of being "The Lazy Co-Founder." What exactly does that mean? Listen and hear for yourself.
Fix Your Fundraising Flubs: Join www.crucialconnections.com Matt's tech is terrific. Matt is too. 🙂 He not only talks about why personalized video emails have such high conversion rates, but he also talks about why some co-founder relationships have such high failure rates. He shares a particularly painful time period when he and his CTO were[...]
Need Help Raising Capital: www.crucialconnections.com Live events seem like a distant memory. But, not to Evan. He is a leading expert on the thing that keep live events going...ticket sales. Listen as he describes his journey and the decision points he used to sell his company...before COVID-19 hit.
JOIN THE WAIT LIST FOR CRUCIAL CONNECTIONS: www.crucialconnections.com Krista has beat cancer...twice. And, she worked her way through some shady characters undermining her business. These very challenging situations led her to greater discoveries about herself AND a new path for her business. She is an inspiration to us all. Listen and you'll see why.
Sign Up for Crucial Connections (www.crucialconnections.com) Have you ever wondered why some investors invest in your company and some don't? Have you ever wondered why some people buy into your ideas and some don't? Well, this successfully excited Founder and Former CEO might be able to help you. Suneel Gupta wrote an amazing book entitled,[...]
Shift From Fundraising Failure To A Fundraising Phenom: www.CrucialConnections.com Todd walks through Myth #3 of Founder Fundraising
Shift From Fundraising Failure To A Fundraising Phenom: www.CrucialConnections.com Todd walks through Myth #2 of Founder Fundraising
Shift From Fundraising Failure To A Fundraising Phenom: www.CrucialConnections.com Todd walks through Myth #1 of Founder Fundraising
Become A Fundraising Phenom: www.CrucialConnections.com This was such a FUN interview, with two people who quickly captured my heart. Nicole and Mario are the Emmy Award Winning Co-founders you will want to listen to twice. They share so much wisdom in this episode that I thought about breaking it up into two episodes. First, they[...]
Become A Fundraising Phenom: www.CrucialConnections.com Tyler is incredible. What he has been able to accomplish as a Founder while being a college student and college athlete is incredible. You can probably hear in his voice that Tyler is very humble. And, he admits that does not like asking for help...or money. So, raising capital was[...]
Financial projections for a Founder CEO are quite precarious. On the one hand you want to be careful not to over promise because others are relying on your predictions. On the other hand, you want to also send that message that you are optimistic about the future potential of the company...now, in the short-term, and[...]
It takes a special person to be a wife, mother, physician, AND Founder. That special person is Dr. Allison Hull. Listen as Allison explains her passion for health and well-being. And, I also encourage you to listen as she explains her personal challenge in keeping engaged with her team, using meetings effectively, and keeping her[...]
Wow. Shae! She will inspire you and move your heart. She shares her divinely inspired story as well as a few other really interesting topics: How and why she hired a CEO. Moving away from being a "doer" What allows her to get into a "listening space" And more... She is a wealth of wisdom[...]
Justin's enthusiasm for success is infectious. However, beneath that enthusiasm is a lifetime of struggles, challenges, and unique experiences that few have had quite like he has. Justin makes a great case why it's so important to take care of yourself as a Founder, so that you have the capacity to take care of your[...]
Who you let in and out of your life is VERY important. Who you let in and out of your networks is VERY important. Who you let into and out of your company is VERY important. Liz has seemed to master these expertly. With backing from Sequoia, she and her co-founders have carved out servicing[...]
I am a reluctant Cincinnati Bengals fan. (see their record for my reluctance justification). But, then again, I am not really a big football super fan anyway. But, I live in Ohio and I have seen (and heard) football superfans...especially from the school that starts with "THE." 🙂 Despite this lack of interest, I was[...]
My wife was a military spouse for a short time period. It's a very challenging role to be in, for sure. Michelle and her co-founder have harnessed the incredible skills and experiences of this force amazing group of people to help another amazing group of people...Founders like you. Michelle details how the company started and[...]
CB Insights lists the company that Mike Praeger founded as a FinTech unicorn. Take a look here. Mike has some incredible insights about the history, the industry and of course one of the big lessons he learned on the journey From Founder To CEO.
I must admit...I could eat burgers from Sonic for every meal. So, when the former CEO of Sonic agreed to come on the show to help YOU learn from his experiences, I certainly could not say no. Cliff talks about his new book (Master of None: How a Jack-of-All-Trades Can Still Reach the Top) and[...]
Being an entrepreneur is challenging. Being an entrepreneur AND a parent is even more challenging. For some, being a black entrepreneurial parent can be even tougher. James knows this. As a Founder himself, he understands the struggle and partnered with people like Brad Feld and many others to build this amazing startup Foundation. He's also[...]
Mario and his team are the real deal. His passion for people and culture is quite inspiring. He and his company's work is legendary. That's why his story about hiring the wrong person seemed so interesting to me. It's not something he takes lightly. And, his lesson is profound.
Dr. Choi shares some incredible insights and actions you can take to leverage neuroscience in order to improve YOUR performance. His LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenekchoi/ His Website: https://destinyhacks.co/ His Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-neurohacking-podcast/id1545882602
If you are looking to be inspired by a Founder's startup story, look no farther than this interview with Gwen. She sure does have grit and a lot of other positive qualities. And, like the rest of us, she also has more to learn about herself on the journey From Founder To CEO. In this[...]
We all lose loved ones. This year seemed particularly difficult. You might say I was quite touched by Joe's mission. He and his team are really trying hard to make it easier to stay connected to our loved ones. As Joe has scaled the company, he has had to deal with his own challenges reaching[...]
COVID-19 has made it even more difficult for artists to launch and sustain a living. That's why I LOVE what Nicholas and his team are doing for artists. They have created a platform that helps take the middle man out and add the profits in for artists who have traditionally not gotten a fair shake.[...]
Some of you dream about building a great company and achieving a great exit by having your company bought by a company like Berkshire Hathaway. That exactly what Vic did...more than one company. In this candid interview, Vic speaks about the journey to those sales and how a piece of feedback about "loosening his grip"[...]
Dan Soviero, Founder of Signature, discusses how he and his team focused on simplicity for his customers AND his business and how that generated a lot more success.
Dan is one of those guys that you immediately like. He is a former lacrosse players who just wants to help other lacrosse players. He explains why his company has been so successful and why he and his Co-Founder parted ways Co-Founder relationships are tricky. Dan speaks to this issue with a high degree of[...]
Check out Zac's website: https://topmencoach.com/ Top Men Method Zac shares the 4 Limiting Beliefs/Myths that hold Founders back from achieving fitness while they scale.
About a year ago I started paying attention to some of the new approaches to lead generation many Founder were using. They include quizes, calculators, assessments, polls, and chatbots. Want to get to know one of the Founders who has made these lead generation tools easily accessible to us? Yes? Then, listen to this episode[...]
I have always been passionate about great reporting and quality journalism. I started out as a paper delivery boy and later a journalist for a short time period. I guess that is one of the reasons Arjun and I really hit it off. He started as a paper delivery boy as well. Today, he is[...]
Register For Their Couples Academy Event On Dec 1: https://justownit.co/the-couples-academy/ Justin and Alyse's website: https://justownit.co/ Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-roethlingshoefer-7252a766/ Alyse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyse-gaulin-a7128211/
This is one former Navy Seal you are going to want to listen two...twice...and read his book too: "The Process, Art, and Science of Leadership" Errol's Book: https://leader193.com/the-process-art-and-science-of-leadership/ Errol's Website: https://leader193.com/ Errol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/errol-doebler/
I think you may want to listen to this interview...twice. Shawn is incredible. He is one of the deepest thinking Founders I think I may have interviewed in 5 years. Why? He discusses something that many of us Founders struggle with...the tension between reaching the aspirational elements of entrepreneurship and the realities of the moment.
The relationship between the barber and the barber's client is very important. No one understands that more than Obi and his co-founder. They started "The Cut" in 2016 and have seen incredible growth. That growth has come with the need to grow as a leader. For Obi, delegating certain things has been a challenge. Listen[...]
If you are looking for an example of a hardworking Founder & CEO, look no further than Carl Daikeler. Carl has been leading his company for 21 years and has the failures and success...more of them...to show for it. In this interview, Carl details what makes Beachbody unique, how he and his team successfully navigated[...]
I grew up in Connecticut and LOVED when we were able to get Dunkin Donuts' Munchkins® Donut Hole Treats. So, many years later having the opportunity to interview Robert Rosenberg, the CEO of Dunkin Donuts for over 30 years, THAT was a REAL treat. Bob and spoke about his new book, "Around the Corner to[...]
15 years ago, Kara and her husband, Theo, set on on a grand adventure. With no experience in the beverage industry, they wanted to create a beverage drink with only one thing in it, fruit...nothing else. That proved harder than you might think. She chronicles the ups and downs of Hint Water in her new[...]
If you aren't using a valid and reliable pre-employment assessment to augment your hiring efforts, then you may be missing an opportunity. Josh explains why and also talks about his own mistakes with hiring.
Johanan has created a win-win-win with Algas Organics. He takes nuisance seaweed that washes up on the beaches of his island country, turns it into fertilizer for farmers, and employees a growing number of fellow citizens in the endeavor. I think you’ll be amazed at what he and his team have accomplished in a relatively[...]
AJ will impress you will his LinkedIn Ads knowledge, his dedication to his craft, and his work ethic. But, I think you'll also be impressed by AJ's candid and transparent story about becoming the leader of his company.
Nick and his fellow Founders had a big exit with Carvana. Yes, that Carvana. Now hey are tackling the car load market with a great deal of experience from their previous company. Nick gets real about stress and hitting the wall. He shares what he does and we discuss what you can do when you[...]
This was a hard conversation to have. I'm grateful to Rachel for trusting her story with me. All our entrepreneurial journeys have struggles that help transform us. Rachel and others like her, sometimes have an additional struggle. I left this conversation more informed and greatly inspired. I hope you are too.
Queen City Angels Entrepreneur Boot Camp September 22-23, 2020: Sign up HERE Scott Scott Jacobs, Executive Director of QCA, Shares 4 Mistakes Founders Make Pitching Angel Investors
Sponsored By: www.arrestfounderstress.com Meetings are are an interesting topic. When you combine that with SaaS "feature" talk, you can burn through a lot of time. Jeroen and his team have created a great platform to help you sell more and input data less. While doing so, he has become even more savvy about how to[...]
Sponsored By: Arrest Founder Stress Data science and bras? An unlikely combination? Not if you are a former Google employee and MIT grad. Heidi and her team have systematically taken on an industry that saw very little innovation and along the way helped millions of women find better comfort and and confidence. Of course, as[...]
Sponsored By: Arrest Founder Stress Millions of entrepreneurs know about Mailchimp, because Mailchimp made millionaires of entrepreneurs known. What started as an email marketing platform for small businesses has grown to a full-fledged marketing platform made for growing businesses. And, at the helm for 20 years with his Co-Founder Dan Kurzius, is Ben Chestnut. Ben[...]
Sponsored By: Arrest Founder Stress I always find it so fascinating when Founders create technology that helps creates win wins for everyone. That's what Ralph and the team at Vestorly did for many of us who are content creators. Listen as Paul details the path he took and how his aversion to conflict created a[...]
Try our FREE Course: Arrest Founder Stress You can relate, right? Taking on customers, clients, business, etc. that maybe you should not have? Perhaps you should have said no, but you did so because you needed the revenue to keep the lights on? Shaun candidly talks about that very situation and what he learned from[...]
4 Founders Just Talk About It Talk about what? Race in America Erin Green: Founder of Verify Services Perry Jeffries III, Founder of The Entrepreneur's CFO Shaun St.Hill, Founder of Tech & Main, LLC and me, Todd Uterstaedt, Founder of From Founder To CEO
Imagine selling millions of your product, but then having an inventory problem. That was the situation Greg faced. Listen to what he did and how he had to change himself and the company.
I have a special treat for you in this episode. I am VERY excited to introduce you to my long-time friend from way back in my neighborhood of Ansonia, CT, Adam Hallet. Adam shares some great stories about his shift from Founder to CEO...and a few stories about me, too. 😉 I hope you enjoy[...]
Sponsor: www.stressfreefounder.com I enjoyed speaking with Jake. He is an impressive Founder. And, I appreciate his candor about "ego." We can all learn from this conversation.
Sponsored by: www.StressFreeFounder.com Tobias is a Founder originally from Vienna. In this really interesting interview, he shares why introducing a Silicon Valley culture in the African country he started his business in, did not really work and what you can learn about creating a culture, too.
SPONSRED BY: www.stressfreefounder.com Jason and his team have created a learning platform that is truly incredible. He started this in his early 20s with lots of learnings along the way. It was his thoughts on "letting go" that I think you will all want to listen to.
Gut health is important to all of us. We need good "gut buddies" to stay healthy. And, we need good "team buddies" for our startups to thrive. Tina shares the one interview question that tells her a lot about whether or not she should hire a new team member.
You probably have seen Dr. Gundry. His book "The Plant Paradox" is a best seller. His supplements are widely popular and celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Usher, and Tony Robbins all credit him with their good health. It seems Dr. Gundry is on top of the health world. But, it wasn't always like that. He struggled[...]
Alex led his team through a huge nightmare. COVID-19 prompted him to quickly change his entire in-person SaaS conference business model. And, wow, he and his team quickly turned their business into virtual conferences. In fact, up until June 9, you can still get tickets to his big conference: SaaStock Remote. Buy tickets here: https://www.saastock.com/remote/
Sponsored by: www.stressfreefounder.com Marc's new (relatively) book, "It Will Never Work" is really wonderful book. I like it because Marc seems to be very honest about him Reed Hastings and the birth and growth of Netflix. I'm not surprised since "radical honesty" is a hallmark of the culture at Netflix. Marc was very revealing in[...]
SPONSORED BY: www.stressfreefounder.com Maria is a proud New Yorker and a skillful Founder. She has successfully navigated and pivoted her business through the dot-com bust, 9-11, the 2008 recession and now the COVID-19 crisis. She shares the 4 actions you can take to successfully lead through crisis and come out winning.
Pat and his team are having an enormous impact. Pat is the CEO of GAN, THE organization supporting the success of over 100 independent accelerators...in over 120 cities. He is also the CEO of GAN Ventures. In this interview, Pat walks us through what he believes are the new Coronavirus job description components for him[...]
Gunner and his team are on the front lines of battling COVID-19 and other pathogens in hospitals. Their amazing "tower" helps to lyze the "bugs" that linger in hospital rooms after a patient leaves. It's not something that they just came up with. It's a technology that they have been perfecting over the years. And,[...]
Anand really believes in his mission. With over 20 years of experience in his industry, Anand has created something whose time has come...technology for financial advisors...one of the last areas of business life to still be operating somewhere back in the 1980s era. It's a tough area to break into because of a fair amount[...]
CDR Lippold bravely led his sailors during the horrific suicide bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 when 17 sailors died. Kirk understands what it takes to lead during crisis situations. He shares his thoughts about what Founders can do as they are confronted with difficult decisions and big expectations during COVID-19. His Website: https://kirklippold.com/[...]
I asked Craig to come on the show because he is a wealth of knowledge and experience. Not only did his team just finish moving a considerable number of clients to home-based work in response to COVID-19, he also successfully navigated the 2008 recession after going through a "divorce" with his co-founder. Listen as he[...]
Phillip is a former guest on the show that I wanted to bring back for a good reason. His agency, Win BIG Media has an exclusive partnership with the largest data collection company in America. They have been working with them over the past 5 weeks to analyze consumer behavior in the marketplace regarding COVID-19,[...]
Now, more than ever, we need to know what is happening in the hearts and minds of our team members. Santiago and his team have married up software and coaching that does just that. Santiago is well versed in the research about engagement and productivity. He is also very candid about how his leadership, at[...]
Communications Expert & Attorney, Jenny Kay, shares Founder Crisis Communication Tips During Covid-19 Her Company: https://kaycommunications.co/ Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jekay/
These are stressful times for many Founders. What usually is a challenging role to be in, has been turned into a crazy race to stay alive. That's why I have been striving to bring you insights from Founders who have launched and exited multiple startups. Brendan is one of those guys. You may recall "Bear[...]
We dissect one of the pillars of Mike Robbin's new book: "We're All in This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Belonging" - We talk about the importance of "sweaty palm" conversations all the time, and especially during times of crisis. Get his new book here: https://mike-robbins.com/together/ Before starting his business[...]
As we battle Covid-19, I was grateful that Johannes joined me on the podcast. His views on "collective intelligence" are quite inspiring. And, it's his own understanding of himself as a leader that was quite ironic. Let me know what you think.
Bobby Herrera is the successful Founder & CEO of The Populus Group, THE company that help you manage your non-permanent workforce. Bobby is also a U.S. Army veteran and author of one of my favorite books, "The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading" which you can buy on Bobby's personal site here: https://bobby-herrera.com/ Bobby[...]
Todd O'Brien has a popular podcast you'll want to check out: http://keepitweirdmedia.com/podcast He and I talk about what we have learned interviewing entrepreneurs over the years.
Andrew was guest #2, 5 years ago. It was truly an honor to have him back on the show where he discusses two key issues: 1) how he is navigating a pilot shortage 2) a specific experience about remote leadership that taught him a valuable lesson we all can learn from as the globe embraces[...]
She grew SolidCore to over 70 locations and thousands of members including big fans like Michelle Obama. But, nothing has compared to the heart-wrenching decisions Anne has had to make in response to the global pandemic. Anne reveals the steps she has taken to take care of her team members, as best she can, and[...]
Imagine having an intelligence system that proactively finds the right information you need to craft the best messages for sales prospecting. That is what Daniel and his team have created. And, as an early stage Founder, Daniel continues to learn valuable lessons. One big one...how being the "hero CEO" creates more problems than it is[...]
Are you contributing or contaminating? That is a question that Brad invites advisors, family members, friends, etc., (who desire to give advice to rising Founders) to think about. He talked exclusively with us about how he navigates this question with his successful family members in Wisconsin.
You may know Evan. He is the guy with over 2 million subscribers on YouTube aiming to help you believe your entrepreneurial ambitions can come true. But, have you ever stopped to think if Founders like Evan have fears, doubts, and concerns? Evan gets real candid with me and details his biggest fear and what[...]

If you are a Founder who loves the company you started, and you want to be the CEO that pilots it to sustained success, you’re in the right place! Hear from dynamic, inspiring, and successful Founders as they share their insightful stories and practical tips that make becoming the CEO more fun, stress free, and easier to build and scale the company and life of your dreams. Your guide, Todd Uterstaedt, is super passionate about Startup CEO success and wants to help boost your leadership capabilities, confidence, and mindset so that you can: 1) Build, scale, and lead your company commensurate with your dreams and aspirations 2) Maintain control of your company 3) Enhance your company’s valuation for possible succession or a profitable exit. It’s leadership development for the busy Founder and CEO.

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