The Founders' Journey

Dan Cremons, founder of Accelera Partners and a seasoned strategy architect, shares his inspiring journey from Cincinnati to the forefront of private equity. He emphasizes a human-centered approach, arguing that spreadsheets can't replace effective leadership. Discussing his books, he highlights the synergy between talent, energy, and meaning within organizations. Cremons also explores the importance of a value creation mindset in business education, advocating for a curriculum that fosters genuine engagement and personal fulfillment in the workplace.

In this episode of The Founders' Journey, Ryan Heckman sits down with Nancy Catarisano and Frank Longobardi of Insero Advisors to explore their remarkable journey from startup founders to industry leaders in the rapidly evolving accounting sector.Nancy and Frank share insights on navigating what might be the fastest-changing professional services landscape today - balancing technological innovation with human-centered culture. They discuss the industry's pressing challenges: workforce demographics, capital requirements for growth, and the surprising influx of private equity investment. Tune in as they reveal how their Rochester-based firm maintains small-company agility while executing with national-scale vision - proving that "unsexy" industries often drive the most exciting transformations.Frank Longobardi & Nancy Catarisano are not investors in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

In this episode of The Founders' Journey, Ryan Heckman sits down with Vance Brown, renowned entrepreneur and civic leader, to explore his evolution from ambitious North Carolina student to Colorado software pioneer. Vance shares his remarkable journey through three successful software ventures - from family-run Buildsoft to billion-dollar FrontRange Solutions to bootstrapped Cherwell Software.Vance reveals the emotional undercurrents of entrepreneurship - from early competitive drive to debilitating burnout - and his pivotal shift from success to significance. They discuss how personal crises became catalysts for growth, the spiritual dimensions of leadership, and how Vance transformed Colorado Springs' tech ecosystem through Exponential Impact and the National Cybersecurity Center. Tune in for profound insights on building companies with purpose and finding meaning beyond achievement.Vance Brown is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

The Founders’ Journey: Special 3-Part Series, Tariff TalksIn April 2025, sweeping new tariffs triggered market turmoil, shook CEO confidence, and sparked urgent questions across the business landscape. At Rallyday, we responded the way we did during COVID - by calling trusted voices on the front lines. And this time, we hit record.In just 48 hours, we captured three candid conversations exploring this moment from every angle: Wall Street (macro + markets) Main Street (operations + strategy) Your Street (mindset + leadership)All three episodes are available now — no politics, no punditry. Just clarity, curiosity, and practical insight to help you lead through what’s next.Part 3: Your Street with Brian Kight, Author of DailyDiscipline.comThe final chapter in our series hits closest to home — your street, your team, and your mindset. Longtime Rallyday partner and performance coach Brian Kight joins us for a riveting discussion on what it really means to lead during uncertainty. Brian doesn’t just offer platitudes — he delivers frameworks. He reframes adversity as opportunity, reminds us that belief follows action (not the other way around), and makes a compelling case for why the real competition right now is between disciplined responders and emotional reactors. This episode is for the leader in the mirror — the one whose response will define your team’s future.Brian Kight is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

The Founders’ Journey: Special 3-Part Series, Tariff TalksIn April 2025, sweeping new tariffs triggered market turmoil, shook CEO confidence, and sparked urgent questions across the business landscape. At Rallyday, we responded the way we did during COVID - by calling trusted voices on the front lines. And this time, we hit record.In just 48 hours, we captured three candid conversations exploring this moment from every angle: Wall Street (macro + markets) Main Street (operations + strategy) Your Street (mindset + leadership)All three episodes are available now — no politics, no punditry. Just clarity, curiosity, and practical insight to help you lead through what’s next.Part 1: Wall Street with Jacob Manoukian, Head of U.S. Investment Strategy of J.P. Morgan Private BankIn this first episode of our special three-part series, we sit down with Jacob Manoukian, Head of Investment Strategy at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, for a candid look at how the financial markets have responded to the April tariff shock. Jake offers more than just a Wall Street analyst’s perspective — he brings rare clarity and historical context to this moment, drawing fascinating parallels to the early days of COVID and offering a steady-handed interpretation of what market volatility is really telling us. This is a masterclass in decoding noise versus signal, understanding what’s driving CEO confidence downward, and identifying the scenarios — good, bad, and middling — that may lie ahead. If you’ve been struggling to connect Bloomberg headlines to boardroom decisions, this conversation is the perfect place to start.Jake brings a rare perspective-combining global insight, deep client experience, and a gift for translating macro events into practical takeaways. This conversation isn’t about politics or blame; it’s about understanding what’s really happening and how leaders can best position themselves and their organizations for what comes next.Jacob Manoukian is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

The Founders’ Journey: Special 3-Part Series, Tariff TalksIn April 2025, sweeping new tariffs triggered market turmoil, shook CEO confidence, and sparked urgent questions across the business landscape. At Rallyday, we responded the way we did during COVID - by calling trusted voices on the front lines. And this time, we hit record.In just 48 hours, we captured three candid conversations exploring this moment from every angle: Wall Street (macro + markets) Main Street (operations + strategy) Your Street (mindset + leadership)All three episodes are available now — no politics, no punditry. Just clarity, curiosity, and practical insight to help you lead through what’s next.Part 2: Main Street with Tim Van Mieghem, Co-Founder & Partner of The ProAction GroupIn Part 2, we shift from Wall Street to Main Street, where the ripple effects of tariffs are being felt in real time by business owners, operators, and the teams that keep America running. Ryan is joined by Tim Van Mieghem, Co-founder & Partner of The ProAction Group and a nationally recognized supply chain expert for private equity-backed companies, to discuss how leaders are adapting to sudden cost increases, sourcing disruptions, and shifting customer demand. Tim shares a deeply grounded framework for seeing clarity, acting decisively, and even using this crisis to create lasting culture change. He reminds us why operational excellence is still the ultimate lever — and how relationships, not spreadsheets, will determine who wins in this new era. Whether you’re a CEO, an operator, or an investor, you’ll walk away with actionable insights for steering your organization through uncertainty. Tim Van Mieghem is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

In this episode of The Founders’ Journey, Ryan Heckman sits down with Tameem Hourani, Founder & Principal of RapDev, to explore his bold journey from Bahrain to Boston and from Wayfair engineer to tech entrepreneur. Tameem shares how he launched RapDev while still at Wayfair, scaling it into one of the fastest-growing IT consultancies - without any outside funding. They dive into the realities of bootstrapping, embracing mistakes, and maintaining the mindset of “always being a startup.” Tune in for a backstage pass to true entrepreneurship.Tameem Hourani is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

In this episode of The Founders’ Journey, we sit down with telecommunications titan Dan Caruso, founder of Zayo Group and author of the newly released book Bandwidth.Known as "The Bear" for his intense leadership style, Dan shares how he built Zayo from zero revenue in 2007 to a telecommunications powerhouse with $1 billion in EBITDA, culminating in a $14 billion valuation when he stepped away in 2020 to lead Caruso Ventures.Beyond the impressive business metrics, Dan opens up about the personal side of entrepreneurship - his vulnerabilities, struggles, and mistakes. As fierce as he is in the boardroom, Dan reveals his softer side as a devoted father, husband, and champion of Colorado's entrepreneurial community.Join us for an intimate conversation with one of our most successful guests as he shares his entrepreneurial wisdom and the personal journey behind building a telecommunications empire.Dan Caruso is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

In this episode of The Founders’ Journey podcast, host Ryan Heckman interviews Susan Salgado who spent 15 years working with restaurateur Danny Meyer to scale Union Square Hospitality Group's magical culture. Salgado reflects on her journey from academic researcher to cultural architect, sharing how she led Meyer's hospitality-driven philosophies into systematic practices and legendary success as the company’s Director of Culture and Learning.  Through stories about her early days studying Gramercy Tavern as part of her Ph.D. dissertation to catalyzing Shake Shack's explosive growth, Salgado demonstrates how hospitality-infused cultures can transform any organization into new levels of growth and enduring significance.  If you loved Danny’s book, “Setting The Table”, you will cherish this opportunity to dig a little deeper into cultural best practices and powerful value creation strategies.Susan Reilly Salgado is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

What if everything we thought we knew about human potential in business was wrong? In this textured conversation with Jeff Hunter, founder & CEO of Talentism, he challenges conventional wisdom about leadership, personal growth, and organizational success. Hunter's fascinating journey has taken him through multiple start-ups, Electronic Arts during its revolutionary growth phase, and Ray Dalio's Bridgewater Associates. Now, through his groundbreaking work at Talentism, he shares provocative insights that will transform how you think about workplace performance. He reveals why confusion might be your greatest asset and offers a revolutionary perspective on how companies truly achieve exponential growth. Whether you're a CEO, investor, or someone passionate about unlocking your own potential, this episode promises to reveal new first principles about what drives success in business and life. Don’t miss this opportunity to begin the new year with new understandings and inspiration about growth at work and beyond.Jeff Hunter is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com