

Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business
Brian Lofrumento
Brian Lofrumento reveals everything you need to go from wantrepreneur – or someone who WANTS to own their own business – to a money-making, action-taking entrepreneur. Discover exactly how to start a business and build a raving audience of fans and customers who want to buy your stuff, and learn exactly how to best serve your customers and clients by building a customer-centric line of products and services. Brian has built multiple six-figure businesses, including a six-figure SEO agency at the age of 24, and now helps thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world grow, automate, and scale their businesses by implementing high-converting marketing strategies and systems into their businesses. Visit the show online and get a free copy of the book, Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, at TheWantrepreneurShow.com.Our show is made possible by the financial, time, and knowledge contributions of our amazing guests. Together with the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur host and team, our guests believe in the power of entrepreneurs lifting up other entrepreneurs, and their contributions make it possible for us to reach wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs all over the world.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 24, 2025 • 32min
1279: The "Nvidia-like" Business Model That Built a Top 30 Most Fundable Company w/ Benjamin Shapiro
From a tenured engineering professor at University of Maryland to the CEO of a revolutionary deep tech company, Benjamin Shapiro’s journey is a masterclass in calculated risk and strategic innovation. In this episode, Ben pulls back the curtain on Lumenuity, his company that's creating next-generation optics to power everything from our smartphones and drones to AR headsets and self-driving cars.This isn't just a conversation about cool tech; it's a deep dive into building a high-impact business with a lean, world-class team. Ben reveals the "Nvidia-style" business model that allows his small company to tap into massive global markets, why he’s “draconian” about focus, and the crucial mistake he sees most technical founders make. Tune in to learn how to pair groundbreaking innovation with an equally brilliant business strategy.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessThe "Nvidia" Business Model: Discover how to design and license high-value technology to mega-corporations, allowing you to dominate a market without building costly manufacturing plants.How to Pivot from Expert to Entrepreneur: Learn how Ben translated his academic skills—like rapidly learning new fields and extracting key information—into a powerful entrepreneurial advantage.The Power of "Draconian" Focus: Understand the executive mindset required to filter out "nice-to-have" opportunities and laser-focus your team’s resources on the biggest possible wins.Building a Lean A-Team: Hear Ben’s strategy for assembling a small team of world-class experts who can achieve more than a company ten times its size.The Hardware & Software Symbiosis: Get an insider’s look at how advancements in hardware (like cameras) are essential to unlocking the full potential of AI and software.From Idea to "Most Fundable": Learn the ingredients that helped Luminuity stand out from over 2,300 companies to be named one of the most fundable in the U.S.📝 About Benjamin Shapiro Benjamin Shapiro is a former engineering professor with a PhD from Caltech who made the bold leap from academia to entrepreneurship. After running a research group for 18 years, he gave up tenure to pursue his passion for building products from the ground up. Ben has been a C-suite executive at four different startups, including medical and brain-machine interface companies, and is now the CEO of Luminuity, a deep tech optics company poised to revolutionize the cameras in devices we use every day.🎯 Ben’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Get the people in quickly that know the stuff you don’t... and that includes soft skills." Ben emphasizes that technical founders often undervalue non-engineering expertise. Building a balanced team from day one is critical for success.📢 Memorable Quotes“We've put almost as much thought into our business model as we have into the tech. And that's crucial.” – Benjamin Shapiro“I'm not going to go after an opportunity that is nice to have. I'm going to go after the big things.” – Benjamin Shapiro“We have a small team that feeds into a huge market... and that's because we do the designs. And once we can prove to these mega-cap companies that our camera designs exceed what they can do, then we license it in.” – Benjamin Shapiro🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Lumenuity’s WebsiteConnect with Benjamin on LinkedInFollow Lumenuity on LinkedIn

Oct 23, 2025 • 31min
1278: The 10% Rule: How to Fuel Your Business Growth with Advertising w/ Tyler Martin
Ever wonder what separates an ad that gets ignored from one that builds a loyal customer base? It’s not about flashy templates or massive budgets—it’s about psychology and storytelling. In this episode, we dive deep with Tyler Martin, an agency founder who turned a senior-year internship rejection into a thriving advertising business. He breaks down the timeless principles from advertising legend David Ogilvy and shows how they are more relevant than ever in our short-attention-span world. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur who wants to stop wasting money on ineffective ads and start creating powerful campaigns that resonate emotionally, build trust, and drive serious growth for their business.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business📖 How to apply the timeless, psychology-driven principles of advertising legend David Ogilvy to your modern marketing strategy.❤️ The art of uncovering and telling powerful brand stories that create deep, emotional connections with your ideal customers.💰 The 10% Rule: Why reinvesting a non-negotiable slice of your revenue into advertising is the key to creating a compounding growth loop.🎯 Why trying to appeal to everyone is a recipe for failure and how to stand out by speaking directly to your niche audience.🎥 How to leverage today's low-cost, high-quality production tools to create professional video ads without an enterprise-level budget.🧠 How to use psychological triggers like fear, empathy, and comfort to make your product the undeniable solution in your customer's mind.🤖 Where AI fits into your marketing (and where it absolutely doesn’t) to maintain the crucial human connection that truly sells.📝 About Tyler Martin Tyler Martin is the owner and founder of Tyler Martin & Associates Advertising. His entrepreneurial journey began unconventionally when he was forced to create his own internship during his senior year of college. This necessity quickly blossomed into his mission and career. Inspired by the foundational principles of advertising giants like David Ogilvy, Tyler focuses on the power of storytelling and consumer psychology over fleeting trends. His unique perspective is that no business is too big or too small to benefit from powerful, story-driven advertising, and he’s dedicated to making it accessible for everyone.🎯 Tyler’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Just because something doesn't work within a month, keep going. Try, try, try until you succeed... and when you succeed, that's when you start reinvesting in your advertising. Never, ever, ever give up."📢 Memorable Quotes"You always want to inject an element of story into anything you create." – Tyler Martin"If every commercial looks the same, they essentially all say nothing." – Tyler Martin"Advertising is just so important that when you're saying nothing, you're going nowhere." – Tyler Martin🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Tyler Martin & Associates Advertising’s WebsiteConnect with Tyler on LinkedInFollow Tyler Martin & Associates Advertising on LinkedInFollow Tyler Martin & Associates Advertising on Instagram

Oct 22, 2025 • 36min
1277: The Empathy Edge... How to Lead Through Change Without Resistance w/ Rebecca Dhrimaj & Adine Stone
In this powerful episode, we're joined by Rebecca Dhrimaj and Adine Stone, the dynamic duo behind The Empathy Collective. They share their incredible journey from being laid off from their corporate roles (where Adine was Rebecca's manager!) to co-founding a change management consultancy built on empathy. They reveal why traditional "change management" often fails and how to instead build a resilient "change culture" where your team feels seen, heard, and engaged. For any entrepreneur leading a team through growth, pivots, or uncertainty, this episode is a masterclass in turning resistance into resilience and leading with compassion and confidence.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🚀 How to transform a personal crisis (like a layoff) into the foundation for a thriving, mission-driven business.🗣️ The critical shift from viewing change as a top-down project to embedding it as a collaborative part of your company culture.🔍 A proven three-phase process (Diagnostic, Workshop, Peer Coaching) to build genuine change readiness in your team before you ever hit "launch."🧠 Why involving your team in conversations before a change happens is the single best way to eliminate resistance and create buy-in.📖 How to use storytelling as a powerful, fun tool to help your team understand and embrace the change process without feeling like it's being done to them.🤝 The art of the "change conversation"—why leaders should listen more than they talk to make employees feel valued and understood.📝 About Rebecca Dhrimaj & Adine StoneRebecca Dhrimaj and Adine Stone are the partners behind The Empathy Collective, a forward-thinking change management consulting firm. Their partnership has a unique origin story: Adine was Rebecca's manager for seven years in the corporate world before their entire team was laid off. This shared, sudden change became the catalyst for their business, fueling their passion for helping organizations navigate the human side of transformation. Together, they combine decades of experience to help leaders build resilient, change-ready teams one empathetic conversation at a time.🎯 Rebecca’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs"If you have a resistant employee or a reluctant child... rather than digging your heels in or trying to be defensive, I encourage you to be curious. Put your curiosity hat on and your empathy hat on. Try to put yourself in their shoes."🎯 Adine’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs"Don't wait. Don't wait for that phone call from HR to tell you you haven't got a job tomorrow. If you've got an idea, if you've got a dream... go out and do it."📢 Memorable Quotes“Change management should be just a natural part of your leadership style. It shouldn't be this separate project that you have to then launch or execute.” – Rebecca Dhrimaj“People are exhausted... one of the things... is really helping people to be resilient, to understand how they can manage these different waves of change.” – Adine Stone🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit The Empathy Collective’s WebsiteConnect with Rebecca on LinkedInConnect with Adine on LinkedInFollow The Empathy Collective on LinkedInFollow The Empathy Collective on InstagramFollow The Empathy Collective on YouTube

Oct 21, 2025 • 33min
1276: He Left a Cushy Wall Street Job to Fix Our Broken Education System w/ Nitin Gour
After nearly two decades in the corporate world of tech and finance, Nitin Gour felt a calling for something more meaningful. He realized that traditional education was failing to prepare youth for the real world, leaving a massive gap between academic knowledge and the essential life skills needed to thrive. In this episode, Nitin shares his incredible journey of leaving a stable director-level job at Citigroup to launch Bloomster, a mission-driven platform designed to equip children with the skills to navigate a rapidly changing, AI-driven future. This conversation is a masterclass in identifying a large-scale societal problem, taking a calculated leap of faith, and building a business that aims not just to make a profit, but to change mindsets and shape a better future.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🚀 How to transition from a successful corporate career into a completely different industry by identifying a problem you’re deeply passionate about.🧠 Why tackling massive, society-level problems can be a more powerful business strategy than solving small, niche issues.💡 The power of a multi-year "discovery phase" to validate your mission and build a solid foundation before taking the entrepreneurial leap.🛠️ How to leverage skills from your past career—even if they seem unrelated—to build and lead your new venture effectively.💪 Why resilience is non-negotiable and how to prepare for the "punches in the face" that every founder inevitably experiences.🌍 How to build a business focused on teaching essential "soft skills"—like self-awareness and adaptability—that are becoming critical in an AI-dominated world.📝 About Nitin Gour Nitin Gour is the founder and CEO of Bloomster, a dynamic platform empowering students with over 25 essential life skills. With nearly 18 years of experience in high-level roles in technology and finance at Citigroup, Nitin recognized that academic success alone is not enough to prepare young people for real-world challenges. This realization inspired him to leave the corporate sector in 2022 and establish Bloomster, a platform dedicated to closing the gap in traditional education and fostering self-awareness, confidence, and well-rounded growth for the next generation.🎯 Nitin’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "If there's something that's persistent and you hear it over and over, pay attention to it. Don't overthink... just take a leap of faith. I'm sure you will struggle initially, but ultimately you'll get to where you want to be."📢 Memorable Quotes “Like many entrepreneurs, my life's journey hasn't been a straight line. It's been a series of pivots, decisions, slow burning realizations, and an evolving thought process that ultimately led me to where I am today.” – Nitin Gour“Everybody has a plan until they get a punch in their face. You will get punched. But if you're at it—if you truly believe that this is your mission, this is your calling—then you don't look back. You just keep forging your way forward.” – Nitin Gour“Success isn't about career milestones or material achievements. It's about how we navigate through life and how enjoyable and successful that journey is.” – Nitin Gour🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Bloomster’s WebsiteConnect with Nitin on LinkedInFollow Bloomster on LinkedInFollow Bloomster on FacebookFollow Bloomster on Instagram

Oct 20, 2025 • 34min
1275: This AI Replaces Your Follow-Up (And Works 24/7) w/ Fitzgerald Light II
Tired of leads slipping through the cracks because you’re too busy to follow up? This episode is your solution. We sit down with Fitz Light, a former investment banker and venture capitalist turned AI founder, who became obsessed with solving the universal entrepreneurial problem of dropping the ball. He breaks down how his company, FlightSuite AI, is making advanced, practical AI accessible to small businesses. This isn't science fiction; it's a tool that can handle your inbound calls, texts, emails, and social media messages with context and intelligence, turning inquiries into booked appointments while you focus on what you do best. Tune in to discover how to use AI as a team multiplier, reclaim your time, and build a business that runs itself 24/7.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🚀 How to respond to every new lead in under 5 minutes without lifting a finger, dramatically increasing your conversion rates.🧠 The critical difference between basic automation (“if this, then that”) and contextual AI agents that can truly manage conversations for your business.💰 Practical AI use cases that go beyond lead capture, including automated invoice follow-ups and seamless review collection to boost your cash flow and reputation.📈 Why you should view AI as a powerful multiplier for your team, allowing a small crew to operate with the efficiency and scale of a much larger company.🤖 How to implement a system that turns inbound interest from your website, social media, and phone calls into booked appointments—even while you sleep.🧭 The crucial mindset shift from getting stuck on "strategy" to being guided by "vision" to navigate the unpredictable twists and turns of entrepreneurship.📝 About Fitz Light Fitzgerald Light II is the founder of FlightSuite AI and a Charlotte-based entrepreneur recently named a 2025 Charlotte 30 Under 30 honoree. With an impressive background that includes graduating from Florida State University at 18 and earning his Master's in Finance from Vanderbilt at 21, Fitz brings a sharp perspective from his time in investment banking and venture capital. It was his experience working with founders in VC that ignited his passion for entrepreneurship, leading him to build a platform that gives small and service-based businesses the technological firepower they need to compete and scale efficiently.🎯 Fitz’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Vision is stronger than strategy." Your business plan is just a starting point, and it will inevitably change. A powerful vision is what will carry you through the chaos and uncertainty of building a business.📢 Memorable Quotes “AI is a multiplier for your team, not necessarily a divider or a subtractor. If you have a team of two people or you have a team of three people and you're using AI agents, now you can operate like a team of 15 people or 20 people.” – Fitz Light“I think the industry standard now is you want to respond to a lead within five minutes or less, otherwise the engagement rate of that lead drops significantly. And with AI, everything is just getting faster and faster.” – Fitz Light“Vision is stronger than strategy... a lot of times the strategy and the plan that you have will not go as planned. And that is just called life.” – Fitz Light🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit FlightSuite AI’s WebsiteConnect with Fitzgerald on LinkedInFollow Flight Suite AI on LinkedInFollow Fitzgerald on Instagram

Oct 19, 2025 • 19min
1274: What happens when it's NOT YOU, but it's them!? (Here's why your marketing might not be working...)
Do you ever feel like you're pouring money and effort into marketing, only to hear crickets? Do you immediately blame your offer, your copy, or your strategy? In this Solo Sunday episode, Brian shares a crucial perspective shift that could change everything: sometimes, it's not you... it's them. Using a hilarious but powerful example of a completely mistargeted Instagram ad and the famous case study of Febreze's initial flop, Brian breaks down why your marketing might be failing for one simple reason: you're talking to the wrong people. This episode is your official permission slip to stop blaming yourself and start asking the right questions to find the audience that’s desperately waiting for what you have to offer.✨ Why This Matters for You This isn't just a theory; it's a strategic lever that can unlock massive growth:It frees you from the cycle of self-blame and endless tweaking of your offer.It helps you diagnose your marketing problems with objective clarity.It can save you thousands of dollars in ad spend by forcing you to focus on audience fit first.It shifts your perspective from "my product is broken" to "I need to find the right people."It’s the key to finding product-market fit and turning a struggling business into a thriving one.📝 Key TakeawaysPerfect Offer, Wrong People = Failure. It doesn't matter how incredible your product, copy, or call to action is if it’s being seen by people who have zero need for it.Question Your Targeting First. Before you rewrite your sales page for the tenth time, analyze who you're actually getting in front of. Your targeting might be the real issue, not your creative.The "Nose-Blind" Customer Problem. Like the original Febreze case study, your ideal customer might not even realize they have the problem you solve. You may need to find an audience that actively desires the result you provide.Inward vs. Outward Analysis. Entrepreneurs tend to look inward and blame themselves. Brian encourages you to look outward and analyze the audience first.Ownership Includes Audience. Taking responsibility doesn’t just mean fixing your offer; it means taking ownership of finding and getting in front of the right people.🚀 Put It Into Action This week, instead of changing your creative, audit your audience:Pick one marketing channel or sales process that feels stuck.Ask yourself with brutal honesty: "Am I 100% sure this is getting in front of the right person?"Think about the Instagram ad Brian described. Are you making a similar mistake by targeting too broadly?Challenge your assumptions. Is the audience you think you should serve the same as the audience who wants to be served by you?🔗 Stay ConnectedSubscribe to the show so you never miss an episode — we have an incredible lineup of guests this week you won’t want to miss!Connect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrianShare this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who's feeling stuck with their marketing. It might be the breakthrough they need.

Oct 18, 2025 • 33min
1273: The #1 Reason Traditional Industries are Ripe for AI Disruption w/ Zachary Farkas
Army veteran and nation-leading mortgage lender Zachary Farkas saw firsthand the chaos of real estate transactions and decided to do something about it. In this episode, he shares the journey behind founding Relos, an AI-powered platform that automates and simplifies the home-buying process for agents and clients. Zach breaks down how he leveraged his deep industry expertise to identify a massive problem hiding in plain sight and is now building the solution. This conversation is a masterclass in turning insider knowledge into a scalable tech company, navigating fundraising with a sales mindset, and why taking imperfect action is the most critical step for any entrepreneur.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🚀 How to leverage deep industry experience to identify and solve a multi-billion dollar problem that others overlook.💰 A masterclass in fundraising: Why treating investors like a sales pipeline is the key to handling rejection and securing checks.🤝 The power of relationships: How to use your existing network to test your MVP, get critical feedback, and land your first users.🧠 Why simplicity is king: How a minimalist approach to your tech stack (like a simple CRM) can keep you focused on what truly matters—doing the work.🤖 The secret to innovating in a traditional, relationship-driven industry without alienating the key players.📈 How to identify the true power dynamics in your market (like the 1% of agents driving 40% of transactions) to create a laser-focused go-to-market strategy.📝 About Zachary FarkasZachary Farkas is an entrepreneur whose journey began with building and selling duck hunting boats at just 16 years old. After serving in the Army, he became a nationally recognized mortgage lender, funding over $100 million in two years by focusing on veteran financial literacy. This experience gave him an insider's view of the chaos in real estate transactions, leading him to found Relos. Now, as the founder of an AI company shaking up a traditional industry, Zach brings a unique perspective on leveraging deep domain expertise to build innovative, problem-solving technology.🎯 Zach’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs"Action is always better than inaction, and it's a lot of times better than perfect action."📢 Memorable Quotes“Every no you get... you're just one step closer to a yes. I think that's just a way to handle rejection... I don't think rejection's a bad thing. And I think you learn a lot from rejection.” – Zachary Farkas“When you look at an industry that's built off of relationships, I would say mostly that's positive. I think that's why it's very hard to innovate technologically because a lot of the value proposition by real estate professionals is their relationships and their knowledge of their local market.” – Zachary Farkas"If you spend too much time maintaining systems, then you're not doing the actual work and like what you need to do. So I just use Pipedrive in its most simple form." – Zachary Farkas🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit relos’ WebsiteConnect with Zach on LinkedInFollow relos Software on LinkedIn

Oct 17, 2025 • 32min
1272: The #1 Reason Your Strategic Plan Is Failing (And How to Fix It) w/ Rebecca Shah
Entrepreneurs are idea factories, but even the best ideas are worthless without execution. This episode tackles the massive gap between having a vision and making it a reality. Rebecca Shah, an expert in implementation and strategy, joins the show to break down why so many businesses get stuck in the "idea phase." She reveals the critical, often-overlooked dynamic between the "visionary" and the "integrator" – the two essential roles every successful company needs to thrive. This episode is a must-listen for any founder who feels overwhelmed by their own ideas, struggles with team alignment, or wants to build a sustainable operating system that prevents burnout and drives consistent progress.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessDiscover why your business needs both a big-picture dreamer (the visionary) and a practical doer (the integrator) to scale successfully.Learn how to create a strategic plan that isn't just a document that collects dust, but an actionable roadmap that guides your team's daily decisions.Get a step-by-step framework for creating an annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily review process to ensure you're always on track with your biggest goals.Understand why visionary founders must be willing to share control and empower their team to execute effectively.Identify the #1 reason entrepreneurs fail to execute (hint: it's adding too many priorities) and how to avoid it.Uncover why implementation is all about people and how to foster a culture that values coordination and collaboration.📝 About Rebecca ShahRebecca Shah is a master of execution who works at the intersection of strategy, people, and operations. With a background in the nonprofit sector and experience leading implementation efforts for organizations ranging from half a million in revenue to multi-billion dollar state agencies, she knows how to turn ambitious plans into tangible results. She founded her consulting practice in 2020 and later launched the Mission Delivery Network, a community dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations scale, sustain, and inspire their teams by strengthening the crucial role of the "integrator."🎯 Rebecca’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs"Know if you're a visionary by nature or an integrator."📢 Memorable Quotes"We overestimate what we can do in a month, but we underestimate what we can do in a year... we also have to take incremental steps towards that beautiful future that we see." – Rebecca Shah"Most of the time, [a strategic plan] happens once a year. In this operating rhythm, the idea is that you have this annual strategy review... but then you break it down quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily." – Rebecca Shah"The biggest one [derailer] is adding priorities without intentionality and without accepting reality that you can't just keep adding priorities and expect more and more to get done." – Rebecca Shah🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Mission Delivery Network’s WebsiteConnect with Rebecca on LinkedInFollow Mission Delivery Network on LinkedIn

Oct 16, 2025 • 32min
1271: How This Dual PhD is Connecting the Music Industry with AI and Gamification w/ Alan Hegron
In this episode, we sit down with Alan Hegron, a dual PhD scientist who traded the research lab for the startup world to solve a major problem in the music industry. Alan shares the incredible story behind Rhythmeet, his new platform designed to connect musicians, venues, and teachers. He breaks down how he’s applying a rigorous, scientific approach to building a tech company, from testing ideas and launching an MVP to strategically seeking co-founders to scale his vision. This episode is a masterclass in leveraging a unique background to your advantage, building a community-driven business, and maintaining an abundance mindset. Alan’s journey proves that the principles of problem-solving, experimentation, and collaboration are universal keys to entrepreneurial success, no matter your industry.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business🚀 How to translate skills from a completely different field (like science) into powerful entrepreneurial assets for building and leading a company.🧪 Why applying the "scientific method" of testing, iterating, and gathering feedback is crucial for effective product development.🤝 The strategy for building a network-effect business by identifying and providing immense value to one key user group first.💰 How to design a sustainable business model that prioritizes community and accessibility over charging users high fees.🤖 Leveraging AI and gamification not just as buzzwords, but as core tools to build trust, user engagement, and platform security.🚀 The power of launching an MVP: Why getting your product into the market for real-world feedback is essential, even if it's not perfect.🧠 How to shift from a scarcity to an abundance mindset when it comes to bringing on co-founders and building a powerful team.📝 About Alan Hegron Alan Hegron is the founder and CEO of Rhythmeet, a platform dedicated to empowering musicians by fostering connection, collaboration, and opportunity. With a Master's degree from Sorbonne University and a dual PhD in Life Sciences and Molecular Biology, Alan’s path to entrepreneurship is anything but conventional. During his time as a researcher at Columbia and NYU, he identified a deep need within the music community and used his savings to bootstrap a solution. Alan brings a unique and powerful perspective, combining a scientist's analytical approach to problem-solving with a genuine passion for building a more trusted and accessible music ecosystem.🎯 Alan’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "You need to be convinced into the product that you're developing, convinced into your vision and where you want to go. But you need to be very open-minded on all the critics and on other ideas." Hold a firm conviction in your vision, but maintain complete open-mindedness to feedback and criticism to avoid running straight into a wall.📢 Memorable Quotes“It's better to have 20% of a $100 million company than 100% of no company.” – Alan Hegron“This platform is meant for the community… Rhythmeet is built for musicians and is powered by the community. You take the feedback from everyone and you implement it into your product.” – Alan Hegron“It's painful to say I'm going to spend tens of thousands into something that I know will probably change, but it's necessary. If you don't do it, you will never move anywhere.” – Alan Hegron🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit Rhythmeet’s WebsiteConnect with Alan on LinkedInFollow Rhythmeet on LinkedIn

Oct 15, 2025 • 32min
1270: Reid Hoffman Says Your Job is Extinct by 2034... Here’s Your Escape Plan w/ Jess Lane
Feeling stuck, burned out, or trapped by the "golden handcuffs" of a corporate job? This episode is your permission slip to design a new future. Guest Jess Lane, founder of The Full Cup Co., shares her powerful story of being laid off from a unicorn tech company and turning that crisis into a catalyst for purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Jess breaks down her concept of "human sustainability design," a framework for creating a career and business that fuels you instead of draining you. This conversation is a masterclass for any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur who wants to build a business that is not only profitable but also deeply fulfilling and sustainable for the long haul.💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR BusinessLearn how to build a concrete plan to transition from your corporate job into entrepreneurship without starting from scratch or sacrificing stability.Discover how to identify and leverage your unique combination of skills, life experiences, and values to create an "AI-resistant" business that no one else can replicate.Understand why the perceived stability of a 9-to-5 is an illusion and how entrepreneurship can offer more control and security in a rapidly changing workforce.Jess shares her "Five Pillars of Well-Being" (physical, financial, mental/emotional, social, and professional) and how to assess them to prevent burnout before it starts.Hear how a major career setback can become the single greatest opportunity to build the business and life you've always wanted.Learn why finding a supportive community is non-negotiable for successfully navigating the emotional rollercoaster of starting and growing a business.📝 About Jesseca Lane Jesseca Lane is the founder of The Full Cup Co., a firm dedicated to Human Sustainability Design. After a 20-year career in marketing and advertising for Fortune 500 companies and helping build a tech company to unicorn status, a sudden layoff became her pivotal moment. This experience led her to pursue a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and create a system to help others navigate their own career transitions. Jess now helps high-achieving executives and entrepreneurs design purposeful, sustainable careers that align with their deepest values and prevent burnout.🎯 Jess’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Always remember, no one has your special sauce. If you feel called to solve a problem or a challenge or build something on your own, just remember, no one will do it exactly like you do it."📢 Memorable Quotes"No one has your special sauce... your background, your values, the desired impact you want to leave in the world, your exact skill set times, the experiences you've had. No one has that." – Jess Lane"If you're coaching someone to not be burnout and then sending them right back into the same environment that affects like 90% of their well being, you really can only do so much." – Jess Lane"You would be amazed at how people [open up], especially when you tell your own story and they understand that not only do you have the credentials to help them, but they also went through something really similar." – Jess Lane🔗 Links & ResourcesVisit The Full Cup Co.’s WebsiteConnect with Jess on LinkedInFollow The Full Cup Co.™ on LinkedIn


