Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

Join seasoned franchising expert Cliff Nonnenmacher as he shares wisdom from decades of scaling multiple franchise brands. Discover how to finance growth through smart strategies and work ON your business, not IN it. Cliff unveils five recession-proof industries primed for investment and explains why avoiding food franchises might be wise. With insights into industry-agnostic investing and the importance of having an exit strategy from day one, this conversation offers invaluable guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Michael Greenberg, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Third Brain, dives deep into digital operations and AI readiness. He introduces the flywheel effect, highlighting how it enables sustainable growth over brute-force methods. Michael discusses the five levels of digital maturity crucial for business scaling and defines key differences between AI and automation. He emphasizes the importance of mastering foundational systems before integrating advanced technologies, and shares actionable strategies to help entrepreneurs streamline operations and escape the 7-figure grind.

What if AI could translate your pet’s barks and behaviors into early health warnings? In this episode, Brian sits down with Tim Maliyil, a visionary tech founder with over 30 years of experience, to discuss his latest venture, PerkyPet. Tim unpacks the journey of building an advanced AI platform designed to interpret your pet's vocal and physical cues, essentially acting as a 24/7 vet in your pocket. This episode is a masterclass for entrepreneurs on building a complex, high-stakes product from the ground up, navigating the crucial dynamics of a technical and non-technical co-founder partnership, and leveraging AI to enhance human capabilities, not replace them. Get ready to learn how to architect for massive scale from day one and why responsible AI is the future of innovation.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessThe Co-Founder Power Play: Learn how pairing deep technical expertise with specialized industry knowledge (like medicine) can create an unstoppable product vision.Architecting for a Billion Users: Discover Tim’s strategy for building a tech infrastructure that’s ready for massive scale from day one, without breaking the bank.The "Do No Harm" MVP: Understand why for high-stakes products, prioritizing quality and safety over speed is a non-negotiable for your minimum viable product launch.Leveraging AI for Founder Efficiency: Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Tim uses AI tools like Claude to condense a week's worth of product management work into just three hours.Navigating Critical Inflection Points: Uncover the two key areas—finance and technology—that Tim identifies as the make-or-break inflection points for any startup.The Human-AI Partnership: Hear why the future of AI isn't about replacing humans but enhancing their capabilities, and how to build technology that facilitates trust and escalates to human experts when needed.📝 About Tim Maliyil Tim Maliyil is a seasoned technology founder, builder, and operator with over three decades of experience creating innovative, forward-looking solutions. After successfully growing his previous company, AlertBoot, to over 160 employees and $40 million in revenue, he turned his attention to a new passion. As the co-founder of PerkyPet, Tim is channeling his deep technical expertise into revolutionizing pet care. He brings a unique perspective on how to architect complex systems for massive scale, manage the intricacies of a tech startup, and thoughtfully integrate AI to solve real-world problems.🎯 Tim’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Always be learning, but also check the source of where you're learning from."📢 Memorable Quotes"I always think AI plays here is to enhance human capability." – Tim Maliyil"The expectation of MVP in today's modern age is pretty high to begin with... Perky Pet especially, there's something that's of serious importance that we can do harm if we make a mistake. And the core piece is to do no harm." – Tim Maliyil"In the startup world, it's almost, I would say, week by week or month by month... The risk always grows as you have a user base there." – Tim Maliyil🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit PerkyPet’s WebsiteConnect with Tim on LinkedInFollow PerkyPet, Inc. on LinkedIn

Tired of generic AI outputs and complex business strategies that go nowhere? In this episode, we sit down with Eric Levine, a former strategy leader at Meta who is revolutionizing how we approach business planning. Eric shares why most businesses are using AI in its most elementary form and reveals the untapped potential for automating deep, strategic work. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur who wants to move beyond basic prompts and use AI to create powerful, actionable strategies that drive real growth. Eric breaks down how he, as a non-technical founder, built his own sophisticated AI platform, StratEngine AI, proving that you don't need to be a coder to build the future.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🤖 AI Beyond the Basics: Discover why generic AI tools are "overly agreeable" and often inaccurate for complex strategy, and how to start thinking about AI as a powerful analysis engine instead of a simple content generator.🛠️ The "Vibe Coding" Method: Learn how non-technical founders can build sophisticated software by focusing on architecture and letting AI handle the coding details.🚀 From Passion Project to Pro Skills: Uncover how starting a small, for-fun project (like Eric's scuba diving app) can be the perfect training ground to develop the tangible skills needed for your primary business venture.📈 Automating the Manual Slog: Understand how to identify and eliminate time-sucking manual tasks, like building presentations, to free up your time for high-value strategic thinking and execution.🧠 Leverage Expert Frameworks Instantly: Find out how you can use AI to correctly apply proven business frameworks like Blue Ocean Strategy without falling into common pitfalls.🤝 Enhancement, Not Replacement: Hear a compelling argument for why AI will empower consultants and experts by saving them time, not make them obsolete.📝 About Eric Levine Eric Levine is the founder of StratEngine AI, a groundbreaking SaaS platform that helps leaders transform complex problems into clear, actionable strategies. Before his entrepreneurial journey, Eric honed his strategic skills at Meta, leading global initiatives that drove hundreds of millions in growth. With a unique background as a philosophy major turned business strategist, Eric brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of technology and creativity. He is a master at simplifying the complex and is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs to build smarter, not harder.🎯 Eric’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Listen to yourself, don't listen to anyone else. Look deep inside yourself and figure out, 'Is this something that I really want to pursue? Am I passionate enough to do it?'... If you really believe in what you're doing, then you can be successful."📢 Memorable Quotes“Vibe coding is just an architecture problem. You're giving the AI an architecture of what you want to happen and how you want things to interact... and then it just plugs in all the details.” – Eric Levine“That's one of the things that's an issue with the chat model right now is that they're overly agreeable... I'll put in incorrect recommendations or adjustments just to see if it'll agree and guide me down the path. And it almost always does.” – Eric Levine🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit StratEngine AI’s WebsiteConnect with Eric on LinkedInFollow StratEngine AI on LinkedIn

Ever been told to "think bigger," only to feel like it just means chasing more ambitious, overwhelming goals? In this deeply personal Solo Sunday episode, Brian pulls back the curtain on the dominant thought that has been reshaping his entire approach to business for the past six months. He challenges the traditional definition of "thinking big," arguing it's not about the size of your ambition, but the size of your perspective. Join Brian for a raw, unfiltered look inside his head as he explores how shifting from a "me-centric" survival mode to a CEO's vantage point can unlock new levels of growth, opportunity, and impact by creating "excess value" that extends far beyond yourself.✨ Why This Matters for YouThis mindset shift is crucial for moving from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur:It helps you break free from the survival-mode thinking that keeps you trapped in the day-to-day grind.It empowers you to make decisions as a founder building an asset, not just a freelancer trading time for money.It opens your eyes to growth levers beyond your own personal effort, like strategic hiring and smart investments.It’s the first step toward building a business that can thrive and create impact, even when you’re not involved.📝 Key TakeawaysBigger Perspective, Not Bigger Ambition. "Thinking bigger" is less about wanting to be the next Minute Maid and more about zooming out to see your business from a 30,000-foot view. It’s about vantage point, not just scope.Escape the Survival Trap. Early on, we ask "me-centric" questions to survive (e.g., "How can I replace my income?"). True growth begins when you start asking questions about the business as its own entity.Create "Excess Value." When your business generates more value than you need to survive, you can reinvest it. This "excess value" can create opportunities for team members, allow you to invest in better tools, or hire experts to fill your gaps.Ask Founder-Level Questions. Instead of asking "How can I do this?", start asking "What does this business need to thrive?" or "What would this look like if I wasn't involved?" The quality of your questions determines the quality of your answers.Build an Engine, Not Just a Job. Thinking from a wider perspective means you focus on all the components of your business engine—brand, marketing, client experience, team—and how they work together, rather than just focusing on your individual tasks.🚀 Put It Into ActionThis week, conduct a "Vantage Point Audit" on your business:Identify one decision you're making from a "survival" or "me-centric" mindset. How would that decision change if you made it from a "CEO vantage point" focused on the long-term health of the business?Ask yourself: "If I were to take a month-long vacation, what part of the business would break first?" This reveals where you're a bottleneck and where you need to build better systems or bring in support.Where can you create a small piece of "excess value" this week? It could be documenting a process for a future team member, investing in a tool that saves you time, or paying a contractor for an hour of expert advice.🔗 Stay ConnectedSubscribe to the show so you never miss an episodeConnect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrianShare this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who is ready to shift their perspective and think bigger.

Deya Booker, an HR expert and founder of Bloom & Beacon HR, reveals how small businesses can harness effective people strategies to drive growth. She emphasizes the importance of building a strong team culture, even remotely, and explains the critical differences between hiring contractors and employees. Deya shares how AI can help streamline HR tasks while preserving the human touch and offers essential tips for hiring friends and family. With actionable insights, she encourages leaders to cultivate employee growth through regular check-ins and to lead with purpose.

Dr. Carlos Castañeda is revolutionizing the mental health industry by bridging the gap between clinical expertise and cutting-edge technology. In this episode, he shares his journey from licensed counselor and professor to the founder and CEO of ThinkAITA, a digital health company using AI to support, not replace, therapists. He breaks down how he identified a critical gap in patient care—the time between sessions—and built a HIPAA-compliant AI platform to provide support when it's needed most. For any entrepreneur, this episode is a masterclass in turning deep industry knowledge into an innovative, scalable, and ethical business that genuinely cares for the people it serves.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🚀 How to transform academic research and professional expertise into a high-impact startup idea.🤖 Why framing AI as a supportive tool—rather than a replacement for humans—can unlock new markets and build trust with customers.🤝 The power of building a "village" through strategic partnerships with universities, incubators, and other organizations to accelerate growth.🧠 A powerful mindset shift for overcoming the fear of taking risks and why the biggest leaps often feel like a "giant abyss" but are really just a small step.VALIDATE: The crucial role of stress-testing your product with outside perspectives to overcome founder bias and ensure market fit.💼 The key differences between being a solo practitioner and a scalable entrepreneur, and how to make the transition.💰 How to identify and monetize the "in-between" moments in your customer's journey where they need the most support.📝 About Dr. Carlos CastañedaDr. Carlos Castañeda is the Founder and CEO of ThinkAITA, a pioneering digital health company developing PSYTA, a HIPAA-compliant AI platform that extends therapeutic care beyond the session. As a licensed professional counselor and assistant professor of psychology, he combines over a decade of clinical expertise with deep research into AI's role in behavioral health. Dr. Castañeda’s unique perspective as both a practitioner and a tech innovator allows him to build solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also safe, ethical, and grounded in the real-world needs of clinicians and their clients.🎯 Carlos’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs"The leap toward an action might feel like a giant abyss between you and the road to success. But you should still take the leap because when you do and you turn around, you tend to learn that that giant abyss was actually just a small step."📢 Memorable Quotes“We're getting hit with rejections all the time. And that's my ammunition to keep going. It's not something to let me hold me back.” – Dr. Carlos Castañeda“I think it honestly takes a village for us to help heal someone. And I think it takes a village for us as entrepreneurs. We need to find that right village and people to help us grow and thrive.” – Dr. Carlos Castañeda"We need to accept when things go wrong as well or if we are wrong. It's been great to be able to work with people who have helped me see what could happen and how we've immediately fixed those before we've launched." – Dr. Carlos Castañeda🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit ThinkAITA’s WebsiteConnect with Dr. Carlos on LinkedInFollow ThinkAITA on LinkedIn

In this powerhouse episode, Brian sits down with Chandra Brubaker, the founder and CEO of Brainchild Technologies and a true "Olivia Pope of tech fires." Chandra shares her incredible journey from a curious kid taking apart computers and running an Italian ice business to becoming a fractional CTO for fast-growing companies. This isn't your typical tech-heavy talk; Chandra masterfully breaks down how to combine technology, AI, and strategy with the irreplaceable human element of business. For any entrepreneur feeling overwhelmed by the pace of change, this episode is a masterclass in making advanced tech feel actionable, human, and focused on genuine growth.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessHow to leverage AI to free up your team from mundane tasks so they can focus on high-value, human-centric work like building customer relationships.The critical importance of integrating technology directly into your strategic plan from day one, rather than treating it as an afterthought.Why cultivating curiosity is the single most important skill for you and your team to adapt and thrive in the fast-paced world of AI.How to take a "bottoms-up" approach to leadership, listening to the people doing the day-to-day work to uncover the real challenges and opportunities in your business.The strategy for managing technological adoption within your team by understanding and serving early adopters and late adopters alike.How to reframe layoffs and job changes due to AI as opportunities to upskill your team and move them into new, more impactful roles.📝 About Chandra Brubaker Chandra Brubaker is the Founder and CEO of Brainchild Technologies, where she acts as a fractional CTO and AI strategist for small and mid-sized businesses. With over 25 years of leadership experience across diverse sectors like philanthropy, media, and financial services, Chandra has a rare and powerful perspective on digital transformation. She grew up with an innate curiosity for technology and a natural entrepreneurial hustle, which she now uses to translate complex tech chaos into clarity for her clients, proving that technology's greatest power is its ability to enhance human connection and drive strategic growth.🎯 Chandra’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs Embrace a three-fold approach to your entrepreneurial journey: lean into curiosity, find the balance between risk and fear, and always remember to smile.📢 Memorable Quotes“I was dubbed the Olivia Pope of Tech fires because I was always that person fixing things and translating chaos into clarity.” – Chandra Brubaker“It's not if you will use and adapt to AI, it's actually when... If there is no curiosity in this speed and transformation of technology, you will get left behind.” – Chandra Brubaker“A lot of organizations do not incorporate technology in their strategic plan, and that number one can set you up for failure.” – Chandra Brubaker🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Brainchild Technologies’ WebsiteConnect with Chandra on LinkedInFollow Brainchild Technologies on LinkedIn

Tired of hearing about AI in theoretical terms? This episode is your antidote. We sit down with Yehoyada (Yoyo) Mandeel, an AI implementation expert who is bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and traditional, non-tech businesses. Yoyo explains why every company—from your local moving company to a real estate agency—is about to become a digital business, and how accessible AI makes this possible. This episode is packed with value for any entrepreneur who wants to move beyond the hype and start using AI to solve real-world problems, reduce costs, and eliminate the tasks that cause burnout in their business. Yoyo’s deep experience with global giants like SodaStream and his current mission with Marzipan Tech provide a masterclass in making advanced technology practical and profitable for everyone.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🤖 Why every business, regardless of industry, is becoming a digital business and how you can get ahead of the curve.💡 The simple question to ask that immediately reveals where AI can have the biggest impact: "What is the task that you hate most about your business?"🚀 How agentic AI is making custom, proprietary software affordable and accessible even for small businesses with just $5-10 million in revenue.📈 The "AI Officer as a Service" model and why every company needs to start thinking about AI at the executive level to drive real change.🤝 How to frame conversations about AI to non-tech stakeholders by focusing on value and pain points, not technical jargon.👥 Why AI won't replace your team but will instead augment their capacity, freeing up human capital for more dynamic, creative, and complex work.🛠️ A simple framework for deciding what tasks to give to AI: If you can explain it to a personal assistant in four hours and never talk to them again, it’s ready for automation.📝 About Yehoyada (Yoyo) MandeelYehoyada (Yoyo) Mandeel is the founder and CEO of Marzipan Tech, an AI implementation agency dedicated to making intelligent systems accessible to traditional industries. After a fascinating early career that included studying law, clerking at the Israeli Supreme Court, and working in the Prime Minister's office, Yoyo realized his true passion was in leveraging technology for non-tech businesses. He has since led technology, innovation, and digital transformation for global giants like SodaStream, Adama, and G42, bringing a results-oriented approach to bridging the gap between business goals and cutting-edge AI solutions. Yoyo’s unique vision is to empower the "underserved" small and medium-sized businesses that have historically been left out of the tech revolution.🎯 Yoyo’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs"Be able to build yourself with the future. Don't fight it and embrace it and enjoy it... Always leave 20% that you're trying new things."📢 Memorable Quotes“If there is a process usually that you hate doing, and that you're doing it more than three times a day, then give it to AI.” – Yehoyada (Yoyo) Mandeel"In the future I believe every business will be a digital business, and that's a pattern that I'm confident in, actually I'm betting all my career on this.” – Yehoyada (Yoyo) Mandeel🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Marzipan Tech’s WebsiteVisit nxty AI’s WebsiteConnect with Yoyo on LinkedInFollow Marzipan Tech on LinkedInFollow nxty AI on LinkedIn

After a panic attack in a six-star hotel ended his glamorous-on-the-outside corporate consulting career, Victor Costa set out on a journey to find meaning, studying philosophy, religion, and even filmmaking. This exploration led him to a profound discovery: just like music has 12 notes, business is governed by timeless patterns. In this episode, Victor shares how he decoded these patterns into his proprietary "Ten Pillars of Harmony," a framework he now uses to help businesses diagnose their root problems—not just the symptoms. For entrepreneurs feeling the chaos of growth or burnout, this episode is a masterclass in stepping back, identifying the real narrative driving your business, and making simple, powerful changes that restore balance and unlock sustainable success.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🔍 How to look past surface-level symptoms (like burnout) to uncover the true root cause of chaos in your business (like poor governance).🎶 The “12 Notes of Business”: Learn how timeless patterns in order, change, and communication govern every company, no matter the industry.📖 Why your company's unwritten "story" is more powerful than your strategy—and how to start writing the narrative you actually want.🧠 How to transform a personal crisis or burnout into the foundational insight for a powerful, mission-driven business.💡 A simple framework (The 10 Pillars of Harmony) to diagnose your own company's health and identify which areas are out of balance.❓ The single most powerful question to ask yourself and your leadership team to regain clarity and alignment: "Is this the story we want to write?"📝 About Victor Costa Victor Costa is the founder of Vocalis, a consulting firm that helps organizations transform challenges into growth opportunities. His unique methodology, the "Ten Pillars of Harmony," is the product of 15 years of professional experience advising over 40 companies in 20+ countries. After a successful but unfulfilling corporate career led to a personal crisis, Victor dove into philosophy, comparative religion, and filmmaking to reconnect with his purpose. This eclectic journey gave him a powerful new lens through which to view business, allowing him to see the timeless, universal patterns that determine organizational success or failure.🎯 Victor’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "I truly believe that everyone is an artist... it's not about how great you do it. It's just about doing it... The world needs real artists. We need people that are willing to add their personal input to what they do."📢 Memorable Quotes"We pick villains and heroes and victims... and these narratives, they take a life of their own... My first question is, 'Is this the story you want to write?'" – Victor Costa"I began to think, is there maybe something not necessarily old, but maybe timeless that we have forgotten about? And would the answer to our timely needs be in those timeless patterns?" – Victor Costa"There are billions if not trillions of songs and they're all made of the same 12 notes. It doesn't mean that every song is the same... My quest in business was exactly that: what are the universal patterns in business?" – Victor Costa🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Vocalis’ WebsiteConnect with Victor on LinkedInFollow Vocalis Consulting on LinkedIn