21st Century Entrepreneurship

Join us in this remarkable episode where we dive into a conversation with Vedran Habel, founder of the pioneering NGO - UNUO. Embark on a journey of inclusion, empowerment, and innovative approaches to disability. Vedran narrates the story of UNUO's inception 15 years ago, its commitment to providing holistic support for children and adults with disabilities, and its transformational efforts to integrate them into society.The episode's highlight is UNUO's latest groundbreaking project – organizing the first-ever European culinary competition exclusively for people with disabilities. Vedran shares with us the essence of this initiative, their endeavours across 19 countries, and the inspirational individuals involved. This competition is not just about food but about stirring societal norms and changing attitudes towards disability.In a heartfelt discussion, Vedran addresses the prevailing challenges, including the lack of visibility for people with disabilities in regular workplaces, and urges everyone to change the narrative. Listen to Vedran's unyielding hope for a future where disability is not a barrier to employment and inclusion isn't just spoken about but practised in every workplace.

In this eye-opening episode of 21st Century Entrepreneurship, our guest is Frank Licea, co-founder of a fast-growing tech startup. Frank shares his experiences in building a business in the competitive tech market without a household brand. From costly marketing attempts to a pivot towards focusing on personal branding, Frank's journey offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs navigating similar waters.Frank talks about the company culture, highlighting the importance of clear internal values and authenticity in communication. While his company does not necessarily project these values explicitly in marketing materials, Frank emphasizes the power of aligning with customers who share these values. This strategy has resulted in higher-quality leads and easier sales.Frank also discusses the significant changes happening in the workplace, particularly in the recruitment and technology sectors. Observing a slow but gradual shift towards hybrid work models, Frank shares insights about the future trends of the workplace based on his extensive experience managing over 100 different teams.In his vision for the next five years, Frank hopes to see his company becoming a default infrastructure for managing global teams. Currently focused on Latin America and the US, the company is exploring how it can support a range of roles worldwide, opening up access to international talent.If you're an entrepreneur, leader, or simply curious about the future of work, Frank's experiences and insights offer invaluable lessons. Share this episode with your network, and we would appreciate if you could rate and review us on your podcast app. Be sure to catch our next episode of 21st Century Entrepreneurship for more conversations that matter. Stay tuned!

In this episode, we welcome Cole Shepard, partner at Legacy Group and founder of Green Coffee Company. His enterprises both aim to bridge the gap between finance and industry, while driving meaningful change.Cole's work in the coffee industry showcases his commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. By reinventing how coffee is grown and processed, he's made significant advances in waste management and water usage.Shepard began in the corporate sector before leveraging his skills to revolutionize coffee farming. His mission to create the largest specialty coffee farming operation is driven by his desire to leave a meaningful, positive legacy.Cole's strategy also targets high net worth investors seeking alternative investment options. Recognizing a market gap, he's created opportunities for these individuals to realize higher returns via private investments, promoting international diversification and inflation hedges.Shepard and his team continually innovate, shaping businesses that prioritize environmental and social responsibility. Shepard's vision for the Green Coffee Company aligns with the emerging importance of sustainability in business.We close today's episode urging listeners to explore novel entrepreneurial opportunities. As shown by Shepard, creating businesses that are profitable and contribute positively to the world is the future. So, keep dreaming, learning, and innovating. Until next time, seize the opportunities of the 21st century in your entrepreneurial journey.

In this compelling episode, we explore the wisdom of Mark Myers, a renowned business strategist and tax efficiency expert who reveals transformative strategies to elevate your business growth and profitability. Mark illuminates how small to medium business owners often overlook the potential of treating their tax liability as a profit centre. He offers insightful tips on how a proactive approach to taxes can significantly increase businesses' profit. He emphasizes the crucial role of a well-structured team for tax efficiency and profitable growth. He provides insight into how companies can strategize their operations for optimal tax management, regardless of size.The episode also touches on the pivotal role of proactive planning in exit strategies. Mark underscores the importance of structure before the sale of assets, to either eliminate or defer taxes.Key Takeaways:Treating tax liability as a profit center can significantly increase profitability.A proactive approach to tax efficiency is vital. Businesses need to understand and utilize the available "coupons" in the tax code.As a business grows, its tax efficiency or inefficiency support system should grow with it. This may involve building an in-house team or contracting professionals.The awareness of the necessity of a team for tax efficiency is often lacking in private companies. It usually becomes a forced requirement upon becoming a public company or during an exit.Proactive planning before selling appreciated assets, like businesses or real estate, can help eliminate or defer taxes.If you're an entrepreneur looking to optimize your business profitability or planning an exit strategy, listen in to uncover how proactive tax management can transform your business. As Mark says, "Start paying attention to how much taxable income you have and how you can adjust that to keep more of it." Don't miss this episode!

In this illuminating episode, we dive deep with Yoav Vilner, the innovator behind Walnut, a leading no-code platform that's reshaping the face of B2B sales. Yoav shares his entrepreneurial journey, which saw him create a category in tech and secure a staggering $60 million in his first deal. With a strong emphasis on brand-first strategy and a team of intelligent, dedicated individuals, Yoav’s story is a testament to the power of innovative thinking and purposeful execution.Throughout our discussion, Yoav provides insights into his leadership style, emphasizing the importance of connecting with his team and customers on an emotional level. He shares his thoughts on the future of sales, predicting a shift towards product-led growth and automation. His success hasn't come without challenges, though, as he opens up about the stress of founding a company and how he manages it with various strategies, like mindfulness and focusing on morning routines.Some of the key takeaways from this episode include:The importance of letting your product sell itself through Product-Led Growth (PLG)The value of building a brand that resonates emotionally with your audience.Why the initial team in a startup is crucial to its success.The significance of filtering out advice and staying true to your vision.How Walnut has distinguished itself in the tech market, securing trust from clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to smaller tech startups.Tune in to learn about Yoav Vilner's journey, the founding of Walnut, and how they're spearheading a new wave of modern selling. For those interested in the future of sales, entrepreneurship, or simply inspired by innovative success stories, this episode is packed with insights and practical advice. Let's build the future of B2B sales together!

Join us in this riveting episode as Jill Kushner Bishop, founder and CEO of Multilingual Connections, takes us on a journey of her entrepreneurial adventure. Discover how she shifted from running four different businesses to specializing in translation services, all while raising a child and maintaining her sanity. Explore how she adopted artificial intelligence and machine translation tools while maintaining the human touch, and how she expanded her business to bridge cultural and language gaps in market research. This episode is filled with stories of leaps of faith, embracing change, and building a globally recognized business.Jill provides invaluable insights on scaling a business, managing a team, and harnessing the power of AI in the language industry. If you're an entrepreneur, a linguist, or anyone interested in the interplay of AI and human expertise, this is one episode you don't want to miss.Tap into Jill's wisdom, adaptability, and innovation, and learn how to navigate the exciting world of language and technology. Hit the play button and immerse yourself in this captivating entrepreneurial journey.Key takeaways from this episode include:Embracing Change in Business: Learn how Jill came to embrace the efficiency and potential of AI and machine translation, highlighting the importance of adaptability in business.Scaling and Specializing: Hear about Jill's transition to focusing on corporate business services, enabling her company to scale efficiently and effectively.Bridging the Gap in Market Research: Discover how Jill's company expanded their service portfolio to fill a market gap by offering bilingual research services.

In this podcast episode, Jared Goetz, a successful entrepreneur and eCommerce millionaire before his 30s, discusses his transformative journey from a laser-focused eCommerce tycoon to a proponent of self-awareness and inner growth. Famous for founding Zendrop, a platform connecting suppliers with online merchants and boasting millions in sales since 2019, Goetz shares his pivotal shift towards nurturing the 'inner empire.'With his new-found belief in maintaining a balance between work, personal reflection, and 'mindless activities,' Jared unveils his revised pie chart of life, promoting a significant increase in reflection and personal time. His message for the world's entrepreneurs is powerful and practical: to envision from a state of abundance and high energy, and establish disciplined habits, illustrated by his own adoption of the '75 Hard' program.Jared also emphasizes the magnetic power of self-confidence and the vital role of networking in achieving one's goals. Despite being a former grind-hard businessman, he cautions aspiring entrepreneurs against spending time with people who may unintentionally undermine their success due to their own fears and insecurities.This episode offers insightful and transformative advice for entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of personal growth, discipline, and positive networking for success in life and business. Tune in to understand how Jared Goetz shifted from eCommerce dominance to cultivating the prosperity of inner empires.

In an engaging interview, Debois delved into the motivations behind Pointerpro, how it assists professional service providers, his entrepreneurial experience, and the company's commitment to social responsibility.Key Takeaways:Networking and Collaboration in Content Marketing: Debois emphasized the importance of collaboration in content marketing, illustrated by the B Two B Blogger Boost Group, a community where content marketers share and mention each other’s content to boost visibility and relevance. This approach cultivates relationships, boosts authority, and enriches content.Pointerpro’s Role in Automating Advisory Processes: Pointerpro helps professional services companies digitize their advisory processes by creating custom online assessments that generate personalized reports. This process significantly reduces manual work, decreases the time-to-business impact, and enhances the ability to scale without extra headcount.Strategic Steps to Digitization: Debois advises businesses to specialize, switch from time and material billing to fixed pricing, and model their expertise into a maturity framework before digitizing their processes. This structured approach ensures the successful implementation of automation.Debois' Entrepreneurial Mindset: Rather than identifying as a serial entrepreneur, Debois expresses satisfaction in growing and scaling a single business, deriving joy from overcoming challenges and witnessing the progress of Pointerpro.A Balance Between Professional and Personal Life: Debois underscores the importance of sports, like kitesurfing and biking, and family as essential elements of maintaining balance and coping with the pressures of entrepreneurship.Social Responsibility Commitment: Despite being a small company, Pointerpro sponsors Habercuts, a Belgian organization that supports children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This initiative aligns with Debois' belief in the value of social responsibility.Learn more about Stefan Debois and how Pointerpro can help you digitize your professional services to optimize your advisory process, reduce time to business impact, and increase scalability. It’s time to turn the tides in your favour, just as Debois does when mastering the waves in his favourite pastime, kitesurfing.

In this compelling episode, we delve into the mind of Steven Weigler, a distinguished attorney and former prosecutor, who has crafted a unique blend of hard and soft skills to deliver holistic legal services. Steven provides an in-depth look into his journey from prosecuting serious crime in Miami to representing entrepreneurs in distress, bringing empathy and a robust knowledge of the law.Listen as Steven expounds on his methodology, seamlessly integrating human empathy, the study of law, zealous advocacy, and a commitment to his clients. He emphasizes the importance of listening, understanding, and adapting to the diverse needs of his clients, always putting himself in their shoes to gain a profound understanding of their circumstances.One of the key takeaways from this conversation is Steven's belief in a holistic approach to his work. His dedication to staying abreast of the evolving landscape of the law and his insistence on zealous advocacy demonstrate his commitment to delivering comprehensive and well-rounded representation.Steven also gives us a glimpse into his personal life, revealing how his interests and passions outside of work shape his professional life. From his love for travel and music to his enthusiasm for competitive sports, Steven's diverse interests infuse a unique perspective into his legal practice.Furthermore, Steven shares his personal strategies for maintaining a work-life balance, which include maintaining a regular routine and practising journaling. His attention to his social-emotional well-being inspires entrepreneurs and professionals alike, emphasizing the importance of self-care in pursuing professional success.This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs seeking to understand the intricate blend of soft and hard skills required in law practice and empathy's role in client relations. Steven's insights into law and life will leave listeners inspired and enlightened.

In this riveting episode, we hear from Sam Kwak, a real estate entrepreneur, YouTube sensation, and creator of a multimillion-dollar consulting business. With a wealth of experience behind him, Sam provides us with a treasure trove of actionable insights:Test your market: Learn how Sam used social media platforms to gauge his audience's needs, leading him to a successful pivot that drove his career forward.Embrace change: Discover why Sam believes that adaptability and readiness to pivot based on market needs are key attributes of successful entrepreneurship.Customer-focused mindset: Sam stresses the importance of falling in love with your customers, understanding their needs, and delivering value, affirming that this is the key to sustainable business growth.The value of content creation: Explore how Sam's approach to documenting and sharing his journey on YouTube not only amassed a large following but also opened new business opportunities.Who, not how: Embrace Sam's philosophy of focusing on "who" can help you reach your goals rather than the "how", demonstrating the power of relationships and collaborations in business.Investing in learning: Sam details the process of gradually diving into a new subject, from basic YouTube videos and books to courses, coaching, and mentorship, promoting a consistent growth mindset.Did Sam Kwak's entrepreneurial journey inspire you? Do you wish to unlock your financial freedom and explore the world of real estate? Then dive into his journey and learn more about accelerated banking and other strategies he shares on his YouTube channel, The Kwak Brothers. Remember, as Sam says, "Stop trying to figure out the how. Find the right people, attract people." Start your journey by subscribing to our podcast for more insightful interviews with successful entrepreneurs. Together, we can accelerate your path to financial freedom!