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Behind the Founders
Behind the Founders is where we breakdown how founders actually run their businesses. from hiring to scaling and hard decisions. Produced by Cherry Assistant.
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Episode 4000:25:08
The Ultimate WOD: Leaving Adidas, Embracing Fatherhood & Building His Fitness Dream
Episode 40: Carmen Dörwald talks to Phillip Stucki about turning a personal passion into a business, balancing entrepreneurship and family, building systems for sustainable growth. Phillip Stucki was a former Adidas employee who spent th...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3900:48:54
Why Great Sales Starts With Understanding the Problem, Not Pushing the Sale- Cecilia Arbeláez
Episode 39: Carmen Dörwald talks to Cecilia Arbelaez Perez about what sales really looks like when you take the pressure, ego and stereotypes out of the equation. Cecilia Arbeláez Perez is a co-founder of Pulse Level Up, a fractional rev...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3800:33:12
Building the Future of STEM Education: How Vitalis Mutwiri Is Using AI & 3D to Transform Learning
Episode 38: Carmen Dörwald talks to Vitalis Mutwiri about building an early-stage education technology startup, navigating limited resources, assembling a team, engaging education stakeholders, and finding the balance between AI and huma...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3700:37:13
Former Accountant Building a Virtual CFO Business That Helps Companies Grow Profits
Carmen Dörwald talks to Tom Simic about building a business from the ground up, the financial strategies that drive profitability, scaling a virtual CFO firm, and the lessons learned from hiring and managing remote talent. Tom Simic is t...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3600:36:40
Building a Healthcare Business in the Age of AI- Iain Cahill's Journey
Episode 36: Carmen Dörwald talks to Iain Cahill about using AI to transform productivity, building businesses around customer needs, and strategically using offshore talent to scale during a critical growth phase Ian Cahill is the founde...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3500:36:07
What a 3x Ironman Knows About Building 100+ Businesses
Episode 35: Carmen Dörwald talks to Charles Cormier about inding product-market fit, the importance of sales and choosing the right ICP, using podcasts to generate qualified leads, building companies around AI, and his unconventional app...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3400:26:44
From Consulting to Creative: Ravid Razak's Journey
Episode 34: Ben Deckey talks to Ravid Razak about the impact of AI on the industry, the pivot in the business model, valuable insights into the operational structure, outsourcing, and work-life balance as a founder. Ravid Razak is the fo...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3300:30:15
From Forensic Science, Recruiter, Real Estate to Founder: Chris Gulotta’s Unconventional Journey
Episode 33: Carmen Dörwald talks to Chris Gulotta about the misconceptions, challenges of AI and the importance of balancing efficiency and the human element. Chris Gulotta is the founder of NxtLayr.AI, a business helping companies under...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3200:31:58
How a Former Executive Assistant Started Her Own Recruitment Agency
Episode 32: Ryan Bulpitt talks to Marlen Madrigal about the importance of passion, resilience, and the human side of hiring as a staffing agency founder. Marlen Madrigal was a former executive assistant with more than 12 years of experie...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3100:38:25
From Defusing Bombs to Building AI: Lysander Cuevas Jr.’s Journey into Entrepreneurship
Episode 31: Ryan Bulpitt talks to Lysander Cuevas Jr. about leveraging AI, SEO, and human connection in growing his consulting firm and helping clients adapt to rapid technological change. Lysander Cuevas Jr. reveals how he transitioned...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 3000:46:39
The Evolution of QPC Group: Insights from Lisa Spark
Episode 30: Carmen Dörwald talks to Lisa Spark about how unexpected life events propelled her into entrepreneurship and the lessons learned from her global travels. After her mother fell ill, Lisa helped run a family business, which ulti...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2900:26:43
From Radio Producer to Founder: How Willa Kammerer Built Firestarter Around Identity & Delegation
Episode 29: Ryan Bulpitt talks to Willa Kammerer about building a business around identity, personal branding, delegation, AI, and taking action before you have everything figured out. Willa Kammerer is a 17+ year entrepreneur and founde...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2800:30:56
Founding Empathive: How Ashley Janelle Built the UX Boot Camp She Wish She Had
Episode 28: Carmen Dörwald talks to Ashley Janelle about her journey of identifying gaps in traditional UX training, leading her to develop a program that offers hands-on mentorship and personalized coaching. Ashley Janelle is an award-w...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2700:24:28
Why Most Marketing Agencies Get It Wrong: Austin Rohleder on Building a Founder-First Agency
Episode 27: Carmen Dörwald talks to Austin Rohleder about building a founder-first marketing agency, leveraging AI and data, and the realities of growing a business from the ground up. Austin Rohleder is the founder of Capstone Marketing...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2600:23:41
From Accidental Accountant to Thriving Entrepreneur: How Saadi Sabah Scaled an Accounting Firm
Episode 26: Carmen Dörwald talks to Saadi Sabah about taking the leap from corporate employment, learning to delegate, building a team and sustainable client relationships, and using AI and automation to scale more efficiently. Saadi Sab...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2500:37:05
How a Father-Son Conversation Sparked a Boot Camp Revolution
Episode 25: Carmen Dörwald talks to Erik Gross about the importance of fundamentals in tech education, the impact of AI, and the value of building a diverse student body. Erik Gross is the co-founder of The Tech Academy, a software devel...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2400:44:50
From Scaling Too Fast To Building Smarter: Nicky Fairclough on AI, Business Pivots & Founder Freedom
Episode 24: Carmen Dörwald talks to Nicky Fairclough about scaling too quickly, learning from costly mistakes, using AI to build leaner businesses, knowing when to pivot, and designing a business around the life you actually want. Nicky...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2300:26:31
From Homeless to Building 6- Figure Businesses: Marcel Löwigt on Sales & Scaling with Systems
Episode 23: Carmen Dörwald talks to Marcel Löwigt about how to harness technology to scale your business effectively without the burden of high agency retainers. Marcel Löwigt is a serial entrepreneur with more than 18 years of experienc...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2200:28:57
What If You Don't Need to Scale? Natasha Bhogal on Building a Business Your Way
Episode 22: Carmen Dörwald talks to Natasha Bhogal about the importance of building long-term client relationships, learning to lean into resistance, and why founders don't always need to follow the conventional definition of success. Na...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2100:34:32
Why Most Sales Teams Fail: Chuck Thokey on Building High-Performing Teams
Episode 21: Carmen Dörwald talks to Chuck Thokey about building high-performing sales teams, developing talent, and transforming sales through ethical coaching and AI-powered simulations. Chuck Thokey is the Co-Founder of Top Rep, a lead...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 2000:32:06
The Best Executives Aren't Applying Jobs: Here's how Christopher Haywood Rethought Executive Search
Episode 20: Carmen Dörwald talks to Christopher Haywood about innovative approaches to executive search and evolving practices over 15 years. Christopher Haywood is the founder of Strategic Executives Agency, specializing in executive se...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1900:25:55
Building with Purpose: Stephanie Reese on Entrepreneurship, AI & Mission-Driven Growth
Episode 19: Carmen Dörwald talks to Stephanie Reese about the role of AI, talent, leadership and capacity challenges in mission-driven organizations. Stephanie Reese is the founder of Higher and Thread, where she helps mission-driven org...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1800:44:05
The Long Game: Lisa Colantuono's 25-Year Journey Building Lasting Partnerships
Episode 18: Carmen Dörwald talks to Lisa Colantuono about her 25-year journey in agency search consulting, the importance of trust, relationship-building, and authentic care in business success. Lisa Colantuono is the founder of Agency S...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1700:28:05
He Left Engineering. Moved To Colombia. Started Over.
Episode 17: Carmen Dörwald talks to Kavian Spells about his journey from engineering to digital entrepreneurship, transition to Colombia, the importance of strategy, branding, and leveraging AI in building a successful online business. K...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1600:26:35
She Lost Everything. Then She Rebuilt Careers for Thousands.
Episode 16: Carmen Dörwald talks to Jan Barlow about how her holistic approach helps marginalized groups, including veterans, foster care alumni, and formerly incarcerated individuals, find meaningful employment and purpose. Jan Barlow f...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1500:26:15
He Quit Corporate for $14/ Hour...Then Built A Thriving Laundry Business
Episode 15: Ben Deckey talks to Ayad Mirjan about his journey of building Orange Bag Laundry from a residential service to a nationwide B2B logistics and laundry company. They discuss insights on automation, hiring, scaling, and maintain...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1400:24:12
Revolutionizing Mobility for the Visually Impaired: Cornel's Journey
Episode 14: Carmen Dörwald talks to Cornel Armariei about revolutionizing mobility for the visually impaired through advanced AI and robotics. Cornell's journey to founding .Lumen began in a family where everyone except him lived with a...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1300:31:46
The Hospital Failed His Brother. So He Built AI to Save Lives.
Episode 13: Carmen Dörwald talks to Sailesh Pattnaik about his journey from personal tragedy to healthcare innovation with AI, the challenges of building AI solutions in healthcare, team setup, and future plans for global expansion. Afte...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1200:38:48
9-5 recruiter and Youtuber manages a coaching business while rebuilding after a layoff
Episode 12: Carmen Dörwald talks to Dellyn Lee about his journey from in-house recruiting to building his own brand, Dylan Digital, blending gaming and career coaching, innovative strategies for job hunting, the role of AI, and how to ba...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1100:34:46
How Losing Her Job Led to Building a Global Women's Community
Episode 11: Carmen Dörwald talks to Liz Rivas about building meaningful connections in a digital world, overcoming loneliness through community, and turning a personal challenge into a global platform for women travelers. Liz Rivas is th...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 1000:26:50
How One Founder Built a Business Across Continents
Episode 10: Carmen Dörwald talks to Brendan Lebitsch about his entrepreneurial journey, insights into manufacturing and sourcing in China, and how AI tools are transforming his business operations. Brendan Lebitsch founded High Life Tech...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 900:38:30
He Built a Nonprofit at 18. Now He's Building the Future of AI.
Episode 9: Carmen Dörwald talks to Tyler Raciti 38:03 Personal Journey and Final Thoughts
Listen to the episodeEpisode 800:22:34
She Took a Freelance Side Hustle and Built an Agency Serving Major Fashion Brands
Episode 8: Carmen Dörwald talks to Terri Trovato about expert insights on digital marketing strategies and the role of AI in enhancing creativity. Terry Trovato has over thirteen years of experience in digital marketing, navigating throu...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 700:29:39
He Started a Life Sciences Company During the Pandemic. Here's What Happened.
Episode 7: Carmen Dörwald talks to Quy Tran about the importance of resilience and adaptability in navigating and recognizing career changes, industry challenges and new opportunities during crises. Quy Tran is the founder of Sound Life...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 600:42:23
How He Started From Scratch and Built a Movement
Episode 6: Carmen Dörwald talks to Rickard Jean-Noel about strategies for growth, overcoming challenges, and leveraging social media and AI to build his multifaceted career in his non-profit.Rickard Jean-Noel is the executive director an...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 500:30:59
Inside Chad Vavra's Journey from Cisco to AI Founder
Episode 5: Carmen Dörwald talks to Chad Vavra about using AI to accelerate entrepreneurship, validate business ideas, and help small teams achieve more without increasing headcount. Chad Vavra, founder of ChatAgency.ai, shares his journe...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 400:39:23
She Left Corporate HR to Help Companies Thrive
Episode 4: Carmen Dörwald talks to Kimberly Celic about the importance of leadership, culture, and hiring the right people for company growth and success. Kim Celic is the Founder and CEO of Transformative People Solutions. With extensiv...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 300:35:27
Juggling Fatherhood, Acting and a $60M Business
// Episode 3: DhungJoo Kim talks to Leonard Jackson about how to transform your life through taking action. Leonard Jackson has starred in over 200 commercials while being a full time parent and building a company, Norfleet Transportatio...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 200:29:28
From Hoops to Hustle: A Journey from Basketball to Business Success
Episode 2: Aleksandar Hadzhiyski talks to Carmen Dörwald about his inspiring journey from professional basketball to founding Titan Agency, a thriving marketing firm. Discover how Aleksandar leverages AI and team empowerment to drive suc...
Listen to the episodeEpisode 100:07:08
How Andrew Baker Scaled a Financial Advisory Using Offshore Talent
What does it actually take to scale a modern financial services company?In this episode of Behind the Founder, we sit down with Andrew Baker, founder of Financial Haus, to break down exactly how he built and scaled his business from the...
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