Just Get Started

Feeling “successful” on paper but quietly miserable inside?In this episode, I sit down with no BS success coach Lauren Hannon to talk about what happens when you blow up the life everyone else envies — the big house, the big paycheck, the in-ground pool — because you’re disgusted with how misaligned it feels.Lauren and I get into the real inner work behind change: listening to your gut, noticing disgust instead of numbing it, re-writing brutal self-talk, and taking the very first small step when you don’t know “what’s next” yet.If you’ve ever stayed in a high-paying role because you’re the breadwinner, afraid to start over, or unsure what else you’d even do, this one’s for you.00:00 – Introductions01:20 – Blowing up a “perfect” life: money, house, pool, status 02:05 – What a “no BS success coach” really does 05:28 – Rapid Fire intros 05:50 – Quit vs. push through: listening to your gut and your body 10:29 – The 9-option whiteboard for big decisions 15:25 – How Lauren talks to herself when things go badly 21:14 – Books that rewired her view of success, money & greatness 24:54 – Morning routines, auto-drip coffee, and protecting your energy 31:36 – The slow build to disgust: 2020, remote work & misalignment 38:19 – Why high earners stay stuck in jobs they’ve outgrown 42:45 – Breaking the doom-scroll cycle & why paying for help matters 47:18 – Step one if you’re quietly miserable in a “good” life 49:31 – How to connect with Lauren + closing thoughts👋 Say hi to Lauren:https://cupalo.io/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannonlauren/ 👋 Say hi to your host, BrianWeb: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this episode, Jeremie Kubicek returns for his third appearance to talk about his new book The Voice-Driven Leader and what it actually takes to develop people, not just manage them. We get into personality-driven onboarding, how to hire your first few team members, why equity is so often misallocated, and when to prune a business that isn’t working. Jeremie also shares humbling stories from the dot-com era, his favorite interview question, and why Elon Musk is the perfect example of intent plus relentless action.If you’re an early-stage founder trying to build a real team (not just a product), this one’s for you.Key Discussion Points:- Why “hyper-personalized” development beats one-size-fits-all training- The four stages of development: onboarding, immersion, empowerment, and multiplication- Speaking your team’s “voice language” so you can actually influence themJeremie's decision filter for saying “yes”- Why starting is way more mental than most founders expect- Why he admires Elon Musk’s mix of intent, action, and empowerment- How to find your early “Persons of Peace” instead of just filling roles- Jeremie's favorite hiring question: “Who are you?” (being vs doing)- Using pruning (not sunk costs) as a framework for tough founder decisions00:00 – Introduction 02:32 – Building a roadmap for developing people by personality type 03:25 – Speaking your team’s language: the five-voices metaphor & café-in-France example 05:03 – Five Voices AI: tone checks, onboarding prompts, and “no excuses” leadership06:07 – Rapid Fire Q1: Jeremie's decision filter – True North, DNA / skeleton / skin test 08:53 – Rapid Fire Q2: What people misunderstand about starting – belief, mindset & self-doubt 10:31 – Rapid Fire Q3: When Jeremie wanted to give up – pruning portfolio companies13:01 – How Jeremie thinks about equity: hired guns vs co-founders, earn-ins, sweat equity & phantom stock 18:12 – Rapid Fire Q4: Humbling dot-com failure in African-American haircare & not knowing your customer 20:00 – Apprenticeship, African-American haircare, and why startup fundamentals travel across industries21:38 – Rapid Fire Q5: Why Elon Musk embodies intent + action and empowered leadership 24:21 – Past vs present vs future: feeling responsible for what you built vs pruning for what’s next 27:40 – Listening like a founder: best-idea-wins, MVP thinking & the pressure of early hires31:26 – “Persons of Peace,” culture-first hiring, and why your first teammates can’t just want a J-O-B 34:25 – Jeremie's favorite interview question: “Who are you?” (being vs doing) 37:33 – Do founders need leadership coaching? Org clarity, financial plans & Sherpa team leaders41:22 – Resilience vs sunk cost: using pruning instead of “I have to see this through” 44:45 – Jeremie's next chapter: future of work, AI, forced diversification & entrepreneurship under pressure 46:32 – Wrapping up and where to find Jeremie onlineConnect with Jeremie Website: https://www.jeremiekubicek.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiekubicek/ Book: The Voice-Driven Leader - https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Driven-Leader-Playbook-Personalized-Development/dp/1394150660 Connect with Brian 👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi:Website: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/ PS - If you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time: https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

AI used to feel like a “someday” technology. Now it’s a power tool founders can use this weekend to build real products, validate ideas, and even qualify leads while they sleep. In this episode, I’m joined by Cooper Simson of Martell Ventures to talk about the real front lines of AI: shutting down a profitable AI startup, spotting bad ideas in a hype cycle, and using AI to build, sell, and iterate faster—without getting lost in the noise.Topics we cover:When AI actually “caught fire” and why development is becoming commoditizedHow Cooper turned grant writing into an AI startup (and why he shut it down even though it was working)Practical signals it might be time to wind down your product or pivotThe difference between product validation and true product–market fitWhat Martell Ventures looks for in founders (domain expertise + speed of action)Common AI founder mistakes: copycat products, no defensibility, and one-and-done toolsWhy so many founders struggle with sales (and how to sell problems, not features)How to use AI to 10x your output: system prompts, voice-to-text tools, and AI lead qualifiersA simple 2-step playbook to go from idea → customer conversations → weekend MVPCooper’s own “just get started” moment building a Shopify sales-tax tool for his fiancée’s businessChapters:0:00 – Introduction1:30 – Cooper’s first AI startup: grant-writing software in the “GPT 1.0” days 5:30 – Knowing when to shut down a ‘working’ business (government risk, sunk cost, AI catching up)10:10 – Rapid Fire Q1: The Post-It note he’d give the next generation (“Just go sell”) 11:35 – Rapid Fire Q2: Mantra when things get hard (glass-half-full & keep the sail up) 12:30 – Rapid Fire Q3: Priorities when everything feels urgent (Eisenhower Matrix in real life) 14:15 – Rapid Fire Q4: Staying motivated when the wins are slow to come 16:10 – Rapid Fire Q5: Cooper’s next Just Get Started moment (Shopify sales-tax tool for his fiancée)20:45 – What makes an AI idea worth building vs “because we can build it” 24:00 – Common founder mistakes: copycat AI, no defensibility, one-time-use tools & ignoring churn 29:15 – Why founders struggle with sales (and how to sell the problem, not the product) 33:30 – Practical AI for founders: voice tools, system prompts, AI callers & weekend MVPs 39:07 – Two concrete steps to go from idea → conversations → AI-built productFind Cooper Online:Website: https://www.danmartell.com/ventures/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooper-simson-896957b1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cooper.simson/Find your host, Brian, online:Web: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/If you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time:📨 Sales Skills For Founders newsletter https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this conversation, Chris LaFay (Founder, Classic City Consulting) shares a decade of hard-won lessons on staying profitable, avoiding bloat, and building an agency that lasts. We dig into “one-glass focus,” why not niching can still be strategic, when to pass on work, partnerships without finders fees, pricing and retainers, and the KPI that quietly compounds new business: intentional outreach.In this episode, you’ll learnWhy “one glass” focus beats scattered growthProject variety vs. “niching down” (and how to niche by systems, not industry)The comparison trap: learning from peers without copy-pasting their playbookWhen referral partnerships work without commissions—and when they don’tThe 4 R’s growth engine: Retain → Reactivate → Referral → Recruit (new)Don’t hire on a hope: catching operational bloat before it sinks marginsPricing, retainers, and the “help agencies look great” strategyThe single KPI Chris tracks in good seasons: weekly intentional check-insHow to handle sunk costs with a “fans-first” lens (Savannah Bananas inspo)Mentorship as a cheat code for clarity and decisive actionChapters:00:00 Intro 09:04 One-Glass Focus: creator energy, momentum, and why projects stay interesting 11:29 Project Variety > Burnout: why new client problems keep the work fresh 14:15 Do You Need a Niche? Niching by WordPress/Shopify & repeatable frameworks 15:32 Peer Comparison Without Copy-Paste: learning from others, keeping identity 18:44 Outreach > Everything: how early agencies stall without consistent relationship-building 25:24 Partnerships Sans Finder Fees: when passing leads is the value (and exceptions) 31:10 Adding Value to Your Agency Network: beyond referrals; community & support 32:17 Risk You’re Glad You Took: the hiring lesson that reshaped the business 37:51 Silencing the Inner Critic: external processing & mentor mirrors 41:22 Most Valuable KPI: weekly intentional reach-outs (and why they compound) 46:55 Action Taker You Admire: David Feldman & decisive leadership 51:49 Sunk Costs & When to Quit: “fans-first” filter + staying lean on OPEXConnect with Chris:Founder – Classic City Consulting Website: https://classiccity.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lafay/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/7aHdpQXccPOE9YTcDJe4gZConnect with Brian: Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/If you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this engaging conversation, professional cyclist Alison Tetrick shares her journey from a competitive tennis player to a successful cyclist, discussing the importance of mental health, the joy of sports, and the need for community support. She emphasizes the significance of encouraging youth, especially girls, to stay in sports and find joy in their pursuits rather than focusing solely on competition. Alison also opens up about her personal challenges, including overcoming fear and anxiety after traumatic experiences, and the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive individuals. The discussion highlights the value of enjoying the process and finding personal inspiration in one's goals.Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:50 Current Projects and Initiatives05:43 The Journey of a Cyclist11:42 Overcoming Challenges and Mental Health14:38 Rapid Fire Questions23:10 The Importance of Enjoying the Process28:55 Navigating Fear and Anxiety36:44 The Role of Sports in Personal Development43:40 Encouraging Youth in Sports51:33 Final Thoughts and AdviceFind Alison Online:Website: www.alisontetrick.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amtetrick/ Twitter: https://www.x.com/AMTetrickInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/AMTetrickYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AMTetrick TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@AMTetrick Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMTetrickShop: https://saga-ventures.myshopify.com/👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Web: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Episode 472 features Dr. Sheila Gujrathi, a biotech entrepreneur, executive, and champion for under represented leaders. Her new book, "The Mirror Effect: A Transformative Approach To Growth For The Next Generation Of Female Leaders" is out now.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Book Announcement02:15 The Unmet Need: Writing for My Younger Self05:30 Overcoming Challenges: A Personal Journey09:45 The Power of Mentorship and Sponsorship14:00 Spiritual Growth and Finding Purpose18:20 Building a Personal Board of Directors23:10 The Inner Critic and Self-Compassion28:45 The Importance of Storytelling in Leadership33:00 Navigating Negative Work Environments37:15 Conclusion: Embracing Vulnerability and ConnectionFind Sheila Online:Website: ​​https://sheilagujrathimd.com/ TEDxTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DpDx6T3-X4 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheila-gujrathi-md/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheilagujrathimd/ Book: https://sheilagujrathimd.com/book/ About Sheila:Sheila is a biotech entrepreneur, executive, and champion for under represented leaders. Over the past 25 years, she’s had the privilege of developing life-changing medicines for patients with serious diseases while building and running private and public biotech companies—including some exciting exits. Today she’s a founder, chairwoman, board director, strategic advisor, and consultant to start-up companies and investment funds. Dr. Gujrathi was the co-founder and former CEO of Gossamer Bio and former Chief Medical Officer of Receptos. Her journey started at Northwestern University, where she earned both her M.D. and biomedical engineering degree, and took her from the halls of Harvard, UCSF, and Stanford to the corporate offices of Fortune 500 companies like McKinsey, Genentech, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.Dr. Gujrathi has earned multiple leadership awards, including AIMBE Fellow, BLOC100 Luminary, Healthcare Technology Report Top 25 Women Leaders in Biotechnology, Corporate Directors Forum Director of the Year, and Fiercest Women in Life Sciences. But what really lights her up is creating the inclusive environments she wished she’d had throughout her career. That’s why she co-founded the Biotech CEO Sisterhood, a group of trailblazing female CEOs—because we’re all better when we support each other. ++++++++👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠LinkedIn:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠

Episode 471 features Alyona Mysko, Founder & CEO of Fuel Finance.Chapters:00:00 — Introduction01:23 — How Alyona Met Alina Vandenberghe (Eastern Europe Bond)03:59 — From Math Geek to Finance: Teachers, Simpsons, Degrees07:02 — Big Four to Fractional CFO ➜ Founding Fuel Finance08:44 — Opportunity Cost & Learning to Say No12:28 — Biggest Risks—Startup, Product, Move to the U.S.16:48 — What Founders Miss at the Start: Talk Money on Day One23:42 — Profit 101: Your First Financial Plan & Realistic Forecasting40:06 — Product-Market Fit Signals & Narrowing Your ICP44:25 — Action Challenge: Set Your “Life Number” + Monthly P&LFind Alyona Online:Website: ⁠https://fuelfinance.me/⁠Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyona-mysko/⁠X: ⁠https://x.com/alonamysko⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/alyona_mysko/⁠About Alyona:Alyona Mysko is the CEO and Co-Founder of Fuelfinance, an AI-powered financial planning and analysis platform built for SMBs. Before starting Fuel, she spent 10+ years as a CFO helping founders handle messy spreadsheets and build forecasts. Now she’s scaling that superpower with AI, giving founders real-time visibility into their numbers and faster decisions without hiring a full finance team. ++++++++👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Web:⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠LinkedIn:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠

Episode 470 features Amanda Goetz, a 2x Founder, CEO and 4x CMO and author of the book, "Toxic Grit: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have."Find Amanda Online:Website: https://www.amandagoetz.com/Book: https://www.toxicgrit.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoetz/Twitter: https://x.com/AmandaMGoetzInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ About Amanda:Amanda Goetz is a 2x Founder, CEO and 4x CMO. She is an inspirational writer and content creator captivating millions of people every month through her social insights and newsletter “Life’s a Game”. Amanda graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to lead marketing teams at Ernst & Young, The Knot and still advises as Fractional CMO to multiple startups. She started her last company, House of Wise, during the pandemic in her garage, raised two rounds of venture capital and sold it in 2022 all while homeschooling three young children as a single mom. She found love again and lives with her partner and 3 kiddos in Miami, FL after a decade dodging hustle culture in NYC.++++++++👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Web:⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠LinkedIn:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠

Episode 469 features Timothy Springer, Founder of Level Access and 1 to 100.Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:50 Traveling and Balancing Work03:57 Current Projects and AI Innovations07:44 Partnerships and Entrepreneurial Support11:51 Coaching and Operational Guidance15:52 Goal Setting and Planning19:52 Persistence and Overcoming Challenges23:45 Market Timing and Business Viability27:35 Finding Product-Market Fit28:24 The Reality of Startup Timelines30:36 Sales Strategies and Market Focus35:11 Avoiding Common Startup Mistakes40:11 Mindset Shifts Across Revenue Stages47:29 Founder-Led Sales: When to Transition53:14 Actionable Insights for FoundersFind Tim Online:https://1to100.com/https://www.linkedin.com/company/1-to-100/https://x.com/1_to_100mAbout Tim:Tim Springer built a B2B technology company from his Stanford dorm room to $100M+ in annual recurring revenue—a path traveled by only 1 in 2,500 tech startups.His story isn't about overnight success. It's about consistent execution over 25 years, navigating economic downturns, solving complex scaling challenges, and building sustainable growth. Tim's unique advantage? A rare combination of technical depth and operational expertise that bridges the gap between product innovation and organizational mechanics.Throughout his career, Tim has maintained a commitment to both technical excellence and ethical business practices. His experience spans multiple economic cycles, from navigating the dot-com bust to the 2008 financial crisis, bolstering his leadership approach with resilience and adaptability.Now, through peer benchmarking and battle-tested scaling methodologies, Tim helps CEOs cut through the noise to make better decisions faster and implement growth strategies that actually work.++++++++👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠

Episode 468 features Desiree-Jessica Pely, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Alfa (Top 50 GTM Startup).Find Jessica Online:Website: https://www.getalfa.aiLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pely/About Jessica:Desiree-Jessica Pely, PhD, is pioneering a finance-led approach to B2B sales, go-to-market strategy, and revenue growth. As Co-Founder and CEO of Alfa (Top 50 GTM Startup), she leads the development of an AI-driven platform that transforms complex market signals into precise, actionable insights for sales, marketing, and finance teams.Jessica brings together a PhD in Financial Economics, a background in Computer Science, and hands-on entrepreneurial execution. She has collaborated with Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler, exploring the intersection of behavioral economics and decision-making, and began her career in quantitative finance and predictive modeling.Her passion for redefining GTM strategy grew from a common challenge: sales teams drowning in data yet struggling to identify the accounts that matter most. Alfa was created to solve this, deploying AI research agents that identify high-value accounts, map markets, and adapt continuously to real-time changes, enabling companies to penetrate markets with precision and scale revenue smarter.Recognized as the “Queen of Leads,” Jessica has been named among the Top 100 People in SaaS, and awarded Salesperson of the Year. Beyond her company, she is an active mentor, investor, and coach, championing the next generation of innovators in SaaS, FinTech, and AI.++++++++👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi!Web:⁠⁠⁠ https://brianondrako.com⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/⁠⁠⁠ Or, if you’re an early-stage B2B Founder, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn to “un-suck” at sales, one newsletter at a time. 📨 ⁠⁠⁠https://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠