Frank Okunak
Frank Okunak is a distinguished business leader and advisor with more than 30 years of experience guiding multinational corporations, start-ups, and restructured businesses. Throughout his career, he has held key…
Interview
More conversations with founders. Different format, same honesty. These interviews dig into the messy middle of building something. The part between the big idea and the press coverage that most people skip over. Spoiler: that’s where all the interesting stuff happens.
The founders here share what actually fills their days. Not the Instagram version. The real one. With the early mornings, the difficult conversations, and the moments of genuine doubt that somehow coexist with genuine excitement. It’s a weird combination. Ask any founder.
What makes these conversations worth reading is the specificity. Not vague advice like “follow your passion” or “think outside the box.” Actual details. How they got their first customer. What they’d do differently. The habits that keep them from losing their minds.
Some of these founders run companies you’ve heard of. Most of them you haven’t. Yet. That’s kind of the point. The best insights often come from people who are still in the trenches, not the ones writing memoirs about trenches they left years ago. Browse through. Find someone in your space. Or don’t. Sometimes the best perspective comes from a completely different industry.
Drew Soule
Drew Soule grew up in the Chicago suburbs, where family and resilience shaped his outlook on life. Living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, he learned early on the power of persistence…
James Brady Washburn
James Brady Washburn’s story is one of grit, movement, and purpose. Born into a football family, he grew up surrounded by the game’s energy and discipline. His father, Jim Washburn,…
Jeff Rothbard
Jeff Rothbard, affectionately known as “Coach Jeff,” is a passionate tennis professional who brings decades of leadership, strategy, and dedication to his work on the court. Based at the South…
Ken Raymie
An established member of the south Texas business community, Ken Raymie held leadership roles with Generations Federal Credit Union from 2014 to 2024. Joining the firm as vice president of…
Krishen Iyer
Krishen Iyer grew up with a curiosity for business and a drive to build. That early interest carried him through his years at San Diego State University, where he studied…
George Stanley Paving
George Stanley didn’t grow up with plans to run his own company. He just believed in doing a good day’s work—and doing it right. That mindset led him to the…
Kaeita Rankin
Kaeita Rankin is an accomplished project manager in the pet supplies industry, known for successfully leading product launches, supply chain initiatives, and cross-departmental projects that drive measurable results. With more…
Bobbie Mangini
Bobbie Mangini’s story doesn’t start in Hollywood—it starts in suburban Illinois. Born Roberta Lynn Mangini in Medinah, she grew up one of six kids, and the only one who loved…
Boss Laser
In 2012, Daniel Fox started Boss Laser out of Sanford, Florida with a clear purpose: fix what wasn’t working in the laser cutting world. Back then, buyers had two options—machines…
Duron Ontario
Duron Ontario Ltd. began in 1959 as a small, skilled crew in Ontario with a focus on quality work in concrete, waterproofing, roofing, and restoration. Over the decades, they built…
Ben Roper
Ben Roper grew up in Richmond, Virginia, in a family with strong roots in both business and public service. His grandfather served as mayor of Petersburg while running a successful…