Your Startup Soundtrack
From breakthrough moments to hard-earned lessons, every Ready, Set, Startup! episode has actionable insights you can use to fund, build, scale, operate, or exit your startup. Start exploring the archive and find fresh perspectives that move you forward.
Episodes
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From Reactive to Relational: The Biology of Better, More Connected Leadership w/ Aya Jokub
Aya Jokub, a business psychologist researching connected leadership, believes most founders misunderstand what actually makes them effective under pressure. After a decade in high-stress digital marketing, she saw how a leader’s internal chaos quietly ripples through a team, shaping trust, performance, and culture. That experience led her to study the link between self-connection and leadership impact, and what she’s finding challenges the idea that so-called soft skills are optional. In this episode, we unpack why urgency often masks reactivity, how nervous system regulation influences decision-making, and why psychological safety is a strategic advantage in fast-moving startups. Aya explains what self-connection really looks like in practice, how presence changes communication even over Slack and email, and how leaders can create conditions where people feel safe, clear, and motivated to perform at a high level.
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Episode Resources
“The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life” by Alice Schroeder – Brandon references this biography while discussing the power of compounding and applying lessons early rather than staying stuck in the learning phase. (https://a.co/d/09ioHR6h)
Relational Leadership Theory – Aya references this academic framework that views leadership as a dynamic social process emerging from interactions, rather than a function of hierarchy or title. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984306001135)
Psychological Safety – A key concept discussed in relation to trust, performance, and team effectiveness. Often associated with Amy Edmondson’s research on teams and workplace culture. (https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54809)
“Where your attention goes, results show,” – Aya’s closing quote emphasizing focus and intentionality as drivers of outcomes. This idea aligns with the broader focus principle often phrased as “Where focus goes, energy flows.” (https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/focus.html)
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From Freelancer to Founder: Building a Full-Cycle Growth Agency w/ Artem Kuzmych of Applica
Artem Kuzmych, co-founder of Applica, went from freelancing in marketing to building a philosophy-infused mental health app that started scaling fast, until the App Store suddenly removed it and he spent the next two years fighting to get it back. That chaos forced a pivot that shaped everything he does now. Artem now helps mobile app founders grow with a full-cycle approach that goes way beyond paid ads, focusing on activation, monetization, retention, and the product experience that makes growth actually stick. We unpack how he validated early demand on Reddit, what it takes to hire people who can deliver value and communicate it, why he’d rather hire too late than too early, and how he keeps building a company while living through the war in Ukraine.
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Episode Resources
“I am immortal until God’s work for me to do is done. The Lord reigns,” Artem references a quote commonly attributed to Henry Martyn (https://www.azquotes.com/author/32976-Henry_Martyn; https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/immortal-till-his-work-was-done)
Notion – An all-in-one workspace for notes, docs, databases, and internal “wikis.” Artem mentioned saving the above quote in his personal Notion wiki. (https://www.notion.com/)
Reddit – A network of topic-based communities (subreddits) where people discuss niche interests and share feedback. Artem used Reddit to validate the app’s idea and content with real users before scaling paid acquisition. (https://www.reddit.com/)
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The Power of Ownership: Why Mission & Mindset Matter w/ Olympic Legend Jim Ryun
Jim Ryun went from getting cut from nearly every team to becoming the first high schooler in history to break four minutes in the mile. He credits much of that breakthrough to a coach who convinced him to adopt a dream he did not yet believe was possible, and to a moment when he decided to take ownership of it himself. That shift carried him beyond track into small business, public service in Congress, and eventually the Jim Ryun Running Camps, where he and his wife Anne blend elite training with character formation and faith. We unpack what ownership really means, how sacrifice becomes leverage instead of loss, what sports teach about leadership under pressure, and how to build something mission driven that outlasts you.
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Episode Resources
• Jim Ryun Running Camps (https://ryunrunning.com/)
• Philippians 4:13 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A13&version=NIV)
• Roger Bannister and the first sub four minute mile (https://www.olympics.com/en/news/roger-bannister-first-sub-four-minute-mile)
• Jim Ryun Running YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@JimRyunRunning)
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Nothing About Us Without Us: Teaching Kids Leadership Through Ownership w/ Leah K. Ellis of The Society of Child Entrepreneurs
Leah Ellis, founder of the Society of Child Entrepreneurs, is building a nonprofit that teaches kids ages 6 to 17 entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership by making it real. Kids launch actual businesses, sell at children’s business fairs, and then workshop what worked and what didn’t so they can iterate and grow. She traces her own entrepreneurial streak from selling five-dollar MySpace layouts in high school to running an in-home daycare, until black mold, a deployment, and the March 17, 2020 stay-at-home order forced a pivot that sparked her daughter’s first business and, by accident, the organization she runs today. We unpack what makes her program different, how she funds and scales a mission-driven nonprofit, and why “nothing about us without us” includes a junior board of directors so kids help shape the curriculum.
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Episode Resources
• Society of Child Entrepreneurs (SoCE) – Leah’s nonprofit teaching entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership to kids ages 6–17. (https://bit.ly/m/SoCEHub)
• SoCE Circle – SoCE’s online community and lesson-plan platform for families, homeschool groups, and programs. (https://bit.ly/m/SoCEHub
• Acton Children’s Business Fair – The platform Leah uses to host children’s business fairs; also lets anyone apply to host a fair. (https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/)
• Host an Acton Children’s Business Fair – The “start a fair” page Leah referenced for applying to host anywhere. (https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/start)
• “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz – Money management framework Leah uses to run the nonprofit with tight budgeting and ROI thinking. (https://mikemichalowicz.com/profit-first/)
• Profit First Professionals – The organization Leah worked with (training accountants/bookkeepers/coaches on implementing Profit First). (https://profitfirstprofessionals.com/)
• “All In” by Mike Michalowicz – Team/ownership framework Leah referenced for giving board/staff ownership over projects. (https://mikemichalowicz.com/all-in/)
• “Sparks to Stars: The Story of Astra & Zeke” by Leah Ellis – Leah’s published children’s book she wrote. (https://a.co/d/i34QqFg)
• Bookshop.org – The retailer Leah recommended because it supports local independent bookstores. (https://bookshop.org/)
• Search Institute: Developmental Assets Framework (40 assets) – The “top 40 skills/assets” Leah referenced as part of the standards/research base. (https://searchinstitute.org/resources-hub/developmental-assets-framework)
• Junior Achievement (JA) – One of the other organizations Leah mentioned that teaches entrepreneurship/financial literacy to kids. (https://jausa.ja.org/)
• Lemonade Day / My Lemonade Day App – The lemonade-stand entrepreneurship program/app Leah references (https://lemonadeday.org/mylemonadeday)
• YIPPEE Exchange – Entrepreneurship education marketplace/platform Leah mentioned. (https://yippee.exchange/)
• The Young CEO Club – Another entrepreneurship-for-kids organization Leah mentioned. (https://www.theyoungceoclub.com/)
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How Data-Informed Structure Can Turn Chaos Into Scalable Growth w/ Marcio Goncalves of WiseVAs
Marcio Goncalves, founder of a fast-growing virtual assistant agency (a team that handles admin and day-to-day tasks for busy founders) and a fully remote podcast production company, argues that scale comes from structure, not luck. He shares how his first taste of entrepreneurship started at 12, raising pet-store hamsters and finding homes for the new litters, and how that early instinct evolved into launching a podcast in 2012 before most people knew what a podcast was. He walks through leaving a steady salary after a quick real estate win, then building toward the businesses he runs today, including a virtual assistant company growing 10 to 15 percent month over month. We unpack how he turns getting new customers into simple math, the hiring order that helps founders stop being the bottleneck, and the kitchen-table low point that pushed him to adopt the Entrepreneurial Operating System framework plus personality assessments to steady the team and the metrics.
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Episode Resources
• EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) – A simple operating framework for running a business with clear priorities, weekly meetings, and a few key numbers to track. (https://www.eosworldwide.com/what-is-eos)
• “Traction” by Gino Wickman (https://a.co/d/3Ox5Q9d)
• Ninety – An EOS software (https://www.ninety.io/)
• Culture Index – A personality tool mentioned for hiring and team alignment. (https://www.cultureindex.com/)
• The Predictive Index, PI Behavioral Assessment – A personality tool for understanding how people are wired at work. (https://www.predictiveindex.com/assessments/behavioral-assessment/)
• Gatekeeper for Spark Mail – Screens and blocks senders to keep inbox clean. (https://sparkmailapp.com/features/gatekeeper)
• “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber (https://a.co/d/11bO4lH)
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Simplicity Wins: Inside the Mind of a Professional Investor w/ Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford, professional investor and co-founder of Nine Others, argues that simplicity wins. He shares how starting on the Venture Capitalist side sharpened his founder’s empathy, the early signals he listens for, and how one dinner became a global peer network. We unpack the pre-boom London fundraising scene, practical ways to cut noise from your pitch, and the community mechanics that actually move founders forward.
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Episode Resources
– Nine Others – Official Website (co-founded by Matthew Stafford) (https://9others.com/)
– “What’s Keeping You Up at Night?” by Matthew Stafford & Katie Lewis (https://a.co/d/hMhyJBI)
– Overview of Matt & STAFFORD VC (https://www.stafford.vc/?pvs=143)
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Finding Your Funding Fit w/ Cheryl Kellond of Play Money Studios
Cheryl Kellond has built startups from the ground up, survived the crash of a hardware business, raised millions in venture capital, and walked away with battle scars. In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead a company through chaos. We get into why hiring fast can backfire, how funding can trap you, and what founders often overlook when chasing growth. Cheryl talks candidly about ignoring her gut, managing burnout, and staying true to the reason she started in the first place. It’s a sharp, honest look at the difference between building a business and building one that lasts.
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Episode Resources
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz (https://a.co/d/9j9DMya)
Tyler Denk’s Beehiv Newsletter (https://www.beehiiv.com/blog/newsletter-behind-the-scenes)
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When Core Values Beat Venture Capital: Building a Bootstrapped Business w/ Jesse Mecham of YNAB
Jesse Mecham, former accountant and creator of You Need A Budget, argues that your real money problem is worry, not math. He shares how a tiny spreadsheet he built to fix one household cash crunch became a calm, profitable business, and what he learned from building his software and methodology: YNAB (You Need A Budget) at night while working full time, botched early hires, and the moment he stopped playing small. We unpack the myths around raising money, co founders, and five year plans, how to grow slowly on purpose without feeling behind, and practical ways to feel in control of your money again. Along the way, Jesse shows how changing your relationship with money can reshape how you think about risk, work, and the life you are building.
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Episode Resources
You Need A Budget (YNAB) – Jesse’s budgeting software and methodology that he created. (https://www.ynab.com)
True Alignment: Linking Company Culture with Customer Needs for Extraordinary Results, by Edgar Papke. (https://www.truealignment.com/true-alignment/)
“Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. This book speaks about how systems and people can benefit from volatility and stress.(https://a.co/d/hWw7TJW)
“Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.” by Ron Chernow. (https://a.co/d/gUs7qXn)
“Washington: A Life” by Ron Chernow. (https://a.co/d/bzkS3F0)
“Goals! ” by Brian Tracy. This book is a classic goal-setting and personal development book. (https://a.co/d/9wnWUi4)
“Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. A Personal finance book. (https://a.co/d/aSFlfOq)
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Healthy Founders, Healthy Exits: The Human Side of Startup Success w/ Reuben Levinsohn of Washington Advisors & Ventures
Reuben Levinsohn, professional investor and founder coach behind Exit Quotient Ventures and Flying with Founders, argues that clarity and discipline win. He shares how starting from an “exit first” mindset sharpens founder focus, the early signals he listens for like EQ, leadership quotient, paid pilots, and a clean path to $1M ARR, and when to graduate beyond founder-led sales. We unpack the red flags that kill momentum, practical ways to earn a second meeting, and the founder-wellness routines that keep you in the game. Along the way, Reuben breaks down what he saw in Pavewise and Protein Pints, and how to turn traction into a real go-to-market engine.
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Episode Resources
Flying with Founders: Founder Coaching, Meetups, Retreats. (https://www.flyingwithfounders.com/)
Flying with Founders Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@FlyingWithFounders/videos)
Reuben’s Venture Capital: Exit Quotient Ventures (https://www.exitquotient.com/)
Webinar event series: “Inside the Mind of a VC / Investor” (https://www.flyingwithfounders.com/fwfevents/inside-the-mind-of-a-vc-customer-satisfcation)
Pavewise: AI-assisted planning for paving in relation to weather. (https://www.pavewisepro.com/)
Protein Pints: High-protein ice cream startup that Reuben angel-backed. (https://proteinpints.com/)
Catalina Crunch: Exec talent the Protein Pints founders recruited from. (https://us.catalinacrunch.com/)
“Lift Others as You Climb” by Scott D. Idle (https://scottidle.com/ , https://a.co/d/hvRFPYv)
“The Founder’s Survival Guide” by Rachel E. Turner. (https://www.thefounderssurvivalguide.com/ , https://a.co/d/8BkG46M)
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Smiling, Dialing, and Scaling: Building a Staffing Agency for Call Centers w/ Jule Salem of Salem Solutions
Jule Salem turned a panicked request to staff 200 call-center reps into the foundation of Salem Solutions. In this episode she shares how “smiling and dialing” became a scalable system, why call centers require highly skilled technical talent, and the playbook she uses to fill high-volume roles without sacrificing quality. You’ll hear her early scrappy origins, the mindset that converts urgent problems into opportunity, and practical tactics for building a staffing agency that lasts.
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Episode Resources
Salem Solutions Company Site (https://www.salemsolutions.com/about/)
View Show Notes