Just Get Started

In episode 467, I'm joined by Pete Kazanjy, author of Founding Sales, and one of the earliest voices behind the “founder-led sales” movement. Pete shares lessons from building and scaling startups, the critical mindset shifts founders must make when selling, and why focusing on your ideal customer profile (ICP) is key to growth. From when to hire your first sales rep to the biggest blind spots founders face, this conversation is packed with practical insights for any early-stage entrepreneur navigating sales for the first time.Find Pete Online:Website: https://www.foundingsales.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kazanjy/Twitter: https://x.com/KazanjyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FounderLedSalesStoriesSubstack: https://founderledsalesstories.substack.comFounder-Led Sales Stories Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GktosGS97HbPoVr8jq5T1

On this week's episode, I welcome in Andy Milligan to explore the art of entrepreneurship and personal growth. Discover how to balance ambition with authenticity and transform challenges into opportunities. Perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs and creatives eager to elevate their game and mindset.Find Andy Online:Website: ⁠https://www.mmgdesign.net⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign/⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmilligan/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@mmgdesign⁠Link To Podcast You Host (if applicable): ⁠https://www.mmgdesign.net/podcast⁠About Andy:I’m Andy Milligan, and I run a design and marketing consultancy called MMG Design. I help startups and small marketing teams improve the design and strategy of their website through redesign sprints, audits, and strategy sessions.My story isn't super glamorous, but the theme is consistent in that I always show up and learn the next step along the way.After playing college golf at Methodist University and transferring, I joined a small marketing team at the University of Findlay, where I started taking on freelance projects, unpaid, for small businesses locally. That experience introduced me to design, branding, doing it on the job and I quickly became obsessed with this concept of how design could drive real business results and seeing it firsthand. After graduation, I landed a job as a marketing designer near Columbus, Ohio, but after a layoff, I went all in on building my own business. That was coming up two years ago and I haven’t looked back or had another job since.I got started like most people do, saying yes to freelance gigs I probably wasn’t ready for. But with each project, I got sharper: better strategy, better systems, and a much clearer sense of what I actually bring to the table from a design standpoint, and it led me to slowly niche down into websites and design strategy.Along the way, I also launched Marketing by Design, my podcast where I talk with marketers, founders, and creatives about how to do this work in a way that actually feels sustainable and effective. It’s been a way to connect with people I admire, sharpen my thinking, and build trust with others in the space. I started posting on Linkedin every day since the layoff, and it's been a huge reason as to why I'm able to make the business work and meet my goals.Right now, I’m based in Springfield, Ohio, working from a quiet apartment studio that gives me time to focus, reflect, and get better at what I do. I’m currently the VP of membership for the AMA Columbus chapter and involved with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. I spend at least 2 days per week doing in-person meetings with clients or other marketers in Columbus, and my time is spent between fulfillment of client projects and content.

This week's episode welcomes in Gabe Marusca, a business development strategist and host of the Authority in the Wild Podcast.Find Gabe Online:Website: ⁠https://www.gabemarusca.com⁠LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabemarusca/⁠Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/GabeMarusca⁠Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/GabeMarusca⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorityInTheWild⁠TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@gabemarusca⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/maruscagabe/⁠Authority In The Wild Podcast: ⁠https://authorityinthewild.comAbout Gabe:Gabe's focus is on helping established coaches and consultants serve clients better and longer, doing what they love and know best. Gabe's being driven by the mission to help 10,000 individuals achieve freedom through entrepreneurship.Having lived through earning a mere $200 paycheck, experiencing burnout, and repeatedly rebuilding from scratch, Gabe deeply understands resilience and adaptation.Over six years ago, he sold everything, bought a one-way ticket to Asia, and began traveling across continents. He's now visited 27 countries and lived in more than 10, proving his belief that anyone can design a fulfilling life without compromising their health or personal relationships.When he's not developing new business strategies or engaging with industry leaders on podcasts, you'll likely find Gabe exploring tropical jungles, hiking active volcanoes, or swimming in the ocean.

Hey everyone! I haven't done a solo episode in a while but I wanted to share why I'm taking a summer break and how taking a step back might help you refocus and come back stronger.Thanks again for listening in and we'll see you in September!just get started,Brian++++++++👋  Come say hi!Web: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/brianondrako 📧 Join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletterhttps://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🎧   Listen to the Just Get Started PodcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-get-started-with-brian-ondrako/id1315477238 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FjLPVWfahX1rT0MMFhxvD?si=e61ad283b3de4ace iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-just-get-started-podcast-61217509/ 📺  Watch on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@brianondrako

Epside #463 features Bryan Yates, Performance Coach and Experience Producer00:00 – Intro01:10 – Burnout at Disney and leaving the grind08:15 – Tying identity to job title13:00 – Cycling, addiction, and obsessive patterns21:10 – Traits of people who successfully change24:05 – Change happens at the speed of pain28:50 – Status, motive, and marketability31:50 – Hunter vs. gardener mindset36:15 – Stripping away vs. transformation44:10 – Tactical daily mindset reset49:50 – Start with a clear whyFind Bryan Online:Website: https://locomotivcoaching.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanyates/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachbryanyatesAbout Bryan:Bryan Yates helps high-functioning creative leaders stuck in cycles of grinding. He trains them to shift perspectives and access their unused gears when they've hit inflection points.After documenting 4000 hours of holocaust testimonies at Spielberg's Shoah Foundation, Bryan experienced the soul-crushing grind at Disney, where "don't bother coming in Sunday if you weren't here Saturday" was the unspoken rule. That taught him how patterns that create success become chains that prevent growth.His journey through corporate burnout, two costly partnership dissolutions, and recovery from workaholism and alcoholism revealed that most high achievers operate in patterns that once served them but now trap them. He channeled these insights into building businesses including The Bovine Classic, "America's 4th-Hardest, Cow-Themed, Gravel Cycling Ride."His coaching methodology draws from competitive cycling (where "always be shifting" preserves energy), performance coaching principles, and recovery wisdom. This unique blend creates his "Shift your..." framework—a systematic approach to accessing unused potential.👋  Say hi to Brian!Web: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianondrako

Episode #462 features Angela Hollowell, the founder of Rootful Media, a creative documentary film production company based in Durham, North Carolina.Find Angela Online:Personal Website: heyangela.coRootful Media Website: rootfulmedia.comHoney & Hustle Podcast Website: honeyandhustle.coPersonal YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/AngelaHollowellRootful Media YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@rootfultvCreative Architects: https://castos.com/series/creative-architectsTwitter: www.twitter.com/anghollowellLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahollowell/About Angela:Angela Hollowell is the founder of Rootful Media, a creative documentary film production company based in Durham, North Carolina. She is also the host of the video podcasts Honey & Hustle and Creative Architects by Castos. She creates documentary films about the outdoors, health equity, social impact, and environmental justice centering Southern voices. Her video interviews feature themes about creative entrepreneurship in North Carolina and beyond. In addition to her professional creative projects, she works to help visual storytellers and creative entrepreneurs build their audience and make an impact.When she’s not working, she can be found in nature or enjoying a fruity beer or margaritas with friends.

Episode 461 features Alina Vandenberghe, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Chili Piper.Find Alina Online:Website: https://www.chilipiper.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinav/About AlinaAlina Vandenberghe is Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Chili Piper. She’s passionate about building fun SaaS products to solve hard problems and a company where employees thrive.Today, the Romania native and her husband are on their way to IPO — all while giving back to the community through our Citizens Of Our Planet foundation.Alina earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the Polytechnic University in Bucharest, Romania. She currently resides in New York City. Connect with Alina on LinkedIn.

Episode 460 features Michael Bryant, whose sole focus has been to help people get unstuck.Find Michael Online:Website: https://www.unstucker.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unstucker/About Michael:For over forty years, Michael Bryant's focus has been helping people get unstuck. He uses his background as an endurance athlete and seven-time Ironman finisher to help people overcome obstacles and stay focused. Individuals and industry leaders come to Michael to help them gain clarity in their professional and personal lives.He was a proponent of creating effective lives long before the term "work/live balance" was used. Helping people do work that gives their lives meaning and communicating and connecting with others are what gets Michael excited to get out of bed. (That and training for his next triathlon)++++++++👋  Come say hi!Web: https://brianondrako.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/brianondrako 📧 Join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletterhttps://salesskillsforfounders.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🎧   Listen to the Just Get Started PodcastApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-get-started-with-brian-ondrako/id1315477238 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2FjLPVWfahX1rT0MMFhxvD?si=e61ad283b3de4ace iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-just-get-started-podcast-61217509/ 📺  Watch on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@brianondrako

Episode 459 features Alli Rizacos, a Linkedin Business Coach.She runs a 3 day Bootcamp to help you jumpstart your coaching business on Linkedin:https://www.allirizacos.com/bootcampFind Alli Online: www.allirizacos.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allirizacos/About Alli:Alli Rizacos is a LinkedIn Business Coach, turning corporate leaders into successful coaches on Linkedin. She comes from a long background in sales, working at Salesforce for 8 years. She quit in 2021 to start her coaching business and has successfully launched 2 coaching business with over $1.2M in revenue all from her LinkedIn brand. She’s also a Virgo, Enneagram 3 and Projector…she means business but can see the imposter syndrome behind every business owner.

Episode 458 features Melissa Cohen, Founder of MBC Consulting Solutions, LLC and known affectionately as The "Good Witch of Linkedin" Website: https://www.melissabethcohen.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-beth-cohen/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissabethcohen/Newsletter: https://mail.melissabethcohen.com/Melissa Cohen is a personal branding and LinkedIn strategist. After decades in the fashion industry where she led teams at top American brands such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nautica, Melissa found her calling in helping others to love LinkedIn as much as she does. She works with private clients to build their brand, find their voice, and build their business. Melissa was recognized by the LinkedIn editorial team in January 2024 as a LinkedIn Top Voice.She is also the Chief Engagement Officer of DIY Influence (www.DIYInfluence.com), a collaborative membership community designed to build your visibility, find your audience, and develop your thought leadership.Melissa lives in New York City and is passionate about supporting girls and women in their educational and career journeys. She is a board member of Her Move Next, a 501(C)3 charity dedicated to empowering girls and young women through chess, community and competition, and was a founding member of Chief.She is the co-author of the Amazon Bestselling book, Your Career Resilience Blueprint: A Tactical Guide to Navigate Change, Overcome Obstacles, and Design Your Future.