Lay of The Land

Daniel Anstandig is the CEO of Futuri Media, a leading AI-driven platform he founded in Cleveland in 2009 to help companies build and monetize engaged audiences.Today, Futuri’s sales, content, and audience technology serves over 7,000 media brands across 22 countries, powered by a bold and passionate team recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies for nine years.Daniel has advised The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, Clear Channel R&D, the White House Commission on Remembrance, Glencoe-McGraw Hill, and various broadcasting companies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe on digital audience and revenue growth strategies. His research and editorials on radio and interactive media have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Billboard, and numerous trade publications. A proud two-time recipient of Edison Research’s 30 Under 30 Award, Daniel has also been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine for his work as a young entrepreneur.Outside of Futuri, Dan has developed more than 20 patents in audio, podcasting, AI, and broadcast technology. He also co-founded SparkTrade.io, a platform that democratizes AI-powered investment insights by offering real-time buy/sell signals to over 8,500 investors daily. He serves on the board of directors for Teaching Cleveland, part of Teaching Place—a nonprofit focused on social and civic engagement and education—and for Boxcast, a global leader in live streaming and remote mix technology. We previously heard more about Boxcast’s story from its founder and CEO, Gordon Daily, in episode 26 of Lay of The Land.As you’ll hear, Dan is thoughtful and articulate, offering clear insights into the evolution of media, curation in an age of information overload, the future of content creation, and life lessons learned from music that apply to entrepreneurship. He also shares reflections on building entrepreneurial teams, moving from Cleveland to Austin (and back again), the importance of community and trust, and much more.Please enjoy this insightful conversation with Daniel Anstandig!00:00:00 - Introduction and Background  00:04:36 - The Evolution of Media Consumption  00:06:51 - Daniel Anstandig's Entrepreneurial Journey  00:10:55 - Cleveland vs. Austin: A Tale of Two Cities  00:16:04 - The Importance of Community and Talent Retention  00:18:55 - The Role of Media in Society  00:23:01 - Futuri's Founding Vision and Evolution  00:27:03 - Cultural Influence on Business  00:30:53 - Lessons from Mentorship  00:32:55 - Navigating Legacy Media Challenges  00:37:00 - Curation of Information in the Digital Age  00:38:39 - Impact of Futuri's Innovations  00:42:54 - Transforming Intelligence in Trading  00:46:47 - The Future of Media and Content Creation  00:50:46 - Building Trust in New Media  00:52:56 - Futuri's Role in the Evolving Media Landscape  00:55:27 - Harnessing Machine Learning in Investments  01:00:34 - Democratizing Investment Strategies  01:09:36 - Lessons from Music for Entrepreneurship  01:12:20 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/anstandig/https://www.daniel-anstandig.com/https://futurimedia.com/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Sonia Winner is the CEO of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. In July 2018, she became the 10th director of the Museum in its more than 100-year history, dating back to 1920. Since then, she has spearheaded a $150 million reinvention of the institution—reimagining its campus and exhibits to highlight the interconnectedness of life on Earth.Under her leadership, the Museum continues its century-long legacy as one of the nation’s top natural history institutions, stewarding over 12,000 acres of protected ecosystems and housing more than 5 million artifacts and specimens. It is supported by a nearly 60-member Board of Directors, 140 staff members, and approximately $282 million in assets.Before joining CMNH, Sonia built an impressive career in higher education and philanthropy. At Columbia University, she led record-breaking fundraising efforts, helping to secure $6.1 billion for the university. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at Case Western Reserve University, serving as associate dean of both the Weatherhead School of Management and the School of Law. A lawyer by training, she also served as Director of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University.This was an amazing conversation! Sonia’s passion for this work shines through as we explore the transformative power of museums, cultivating childhood curiosity, the Museum’s rich history and legacy, her personal journey to leading a major cultural institution, the ambitious centennial project aimed at revitalizing the museum experience, the overall business of museums, and so much more.00:00:00 – The Magic of Museums and Childhood Curiosity  00:06:59 – Personal Reflections on Museums and Nature  00:09:07 – Sonia's Journey to the Museum Leadership  00:16:42 – Understanding the Cleveland Museum of Natural History  00:17:02 – The Museum's Legacy and Community Impact  00:19:56 – Honoring History While Embracing Change  00:25:50 – The Centennial Project and Its Vision  00:31:52 – The Business of Museums: Challenges and Opportunities  00:35:15 – Balancing Accessibility and Sustainability in Museums  00:36:28 – Creating Memorable Visitor Experiences  00:37:38 – Dinosaurs: The Gateway to Natural History  00:40:45 – The Role of Museums in Scientific Literacy  00:45:22 – Trust in Museums: A Reflection of Society  00:47:41 – Understanding the Value of Local Museums  00:50:04 – Personal Stories and the Impact of Museums  00:52:03 – The Future of Museums: Programming and Community Engagement  00:53:13 – Leadership Lessons in the Museum Sector  00:56:43 – Women in Leadership: Challenges and Opportunities  00:57:27 – Hidden Gem -----LINKS:https://www.cmnh.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-winner-2699123/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

DJ Eidson is the President and Co-founder of Limitless Minds, where he spearheads efforts to make elite mindset coaching accessible to everyone. Through their digital platform and programs, Limitless Minds has empowered hundreds of individuals and teams across organizations like Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Chick-fil-A, Bristol Myers Squibb, Goldman Sachs, Harvard Business School, and many others to enhance their performance and gain a competitive edge—just as Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, one of DJ’s co-founders, has done throughout his career.As a sought-after speaker and co-host of The Room Tilters podcast, DJ shares practical strategies for navigating change, overcoming adversity, and thriving under pressure — and as you’ll hear echoed throughout our conversation today, DJ embodies a commitment to excellence, pragmatic stoicism, and an inspirational presence that inspires and empowers others to realize their fullest potential.We cover the parallels between sports and business, the power of mindset, neutral thinking, what it means to be resilient, impacting a billion people, kindness as a business strategy, leading by example, love of Cleveland, and a whole lot more…I find there’s a certain magic at the intersection of peak performance and deep humility, and I felt that’s exactly where DJ — and this whole conversation — resides. I had a lot of fun listening to DJ’s stories, wisdom, and reflections on entrepreneurship, and I hope you all do as well.00:00:00 - From Pharmaceuticals to Entrepreneurship  00:09:35 - The Power of Mindset  00:12:01 - Early Influences and Entrepreneurial Spirit  00:18:39 - Building Limitless Minds  00:22:33 - Evolving Vision and Services  00:24:18 - Lessons from Sports to Business  00:29:10 - Differentiation in a Crowded Market  00:31:31 - Measuring Resiliency  00:32:45 - The Evolution of Limitless Minds  00:37:47 - Understanding Client Impact  00:42:23 - Aiming for Global Impact  00:44:49 - The Importance of Intentional Mindset  00:50:15 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://limitlessminds.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dj-eidson-limitlessminds/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Blake Squires, a serial entrepreneur from Cleveland, shares his dynamic journey from theater to tech. He reveals how early experiences in music management shaped his storytelling and marketing skills. Blake discusses the pivotal moments in founding Findaway, including the shift to audiobooks and the unique Playaway device. He emphasizes the importance of culture and team-building in scaling companies and the universal truths that drive innovation across industries. Blake also reflects on his values-driven approach to entrepreneurship and the rich startup ecosystem in Cleveland.

Carl Walz is an astronaut, a pioneer of space exploration, and a proud Clevelander! As an astronaut, Carl is a veteran of four spaceflights, logging a total of 231 days in outer space and performing three spacewalks during that time.A physicist by training, with degrees from Kent State and John Carroll University, Carl made his way to NASA via the Air Force, where he served as a flight test engineer and managed all engineering activities related to F-16 avionics and armaments.At NASA, he was a mission specialist on STS-51 in 1993, an orbiter flight engineer on STS-65 in 1994, a mission specialist on STS-79 in 1996, and ultimately served 196 days in space as a flight engineer on ISS Expedition Four from 2001 to 2002.His expansive career at NASA includes missions aboard the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). Most notably, Carl served as a flight engineer for ISS Expedition Four, living and working in space for 196 consecutive days. Later, as Director for the Advanced Capabilities Division at NASA Headquarters, Carl led critical programs involving Human Research, Technology Development, and Lunar Robotic Exploration.To say this was an awesome conversation would be the understatement of Lay of The Land…Our conversation explored his rigorous journey to becoming an astronaut, the profound experience of living and working in space, the awe-inspiring perspective gained from orbit, and the unique challenges of transitioning back to life on Earth. We also discussed his role in shaping the future of private sector space exploration (Oceaneering, Orbital ATK), international collaboration in space missions, and even his time performing with the only astronaut band in history!00:00:00 - Introduction to Carl Walz and His Journey  00:05:39 - The Path to Becoming an Astronaut  00:07:49 - The Ohio Astronaut Legacy  00:10:07 - Experiences in Space Missions  00:12:37 - The Awe of Spacewalks  00:14:58 - Life on the International Space Station  00:17:33 - Scientific Experiments in Space  00:19:46 - Dealing with Adversity in Space  00:21:41 - The Fulfillment of Space Exploration  00:23:56 - Transitioning Back to Earth and the Private Sector  00:30:55 - Navigating the Challenges of Spacecraft Development  00:35:09 - The Evolution of Public-Private Partnerships in Space  00:38:36 - The Future of Space Exploration: Mars and Beyond  00:43:59 - Perspectives on Extraterrestrial Life and UFOs  00:45:40 - The Unique Experience of an Astronaut Band  00:50:38 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-walz-21b4579/https://www.oceaneering.com/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Paul Roetzer is the founder and CEO of SmarterX and the Marketing AI Institute—a media, event, and online education company that he started back in 2016 to make AI accessible, approachable, and actionable for marketers and business leaders. Through the institute, he created MAICON—the leading annual Marketing AI conference, which is hosted here in Cleveland!He is also the co-author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing, and the Future of Business, the co-host of ​The Artificial Intelligence Show​ podcast, and the creator of ​The AI Literacy Project​, where he’s working to make AI education accessible and personalized for everyone.Paul graduated from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and has since consulted for hundreds of organizations, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. In 2005, he founded Ready North (formerly known as PR 20/20), a digital marketing agency that became HubSpot’s first partner agency and played a pivotal role in launching HubSpot’s entire partnership strategy. He successfully sold the firm in 2021 to Blue Cypress.This was such a fun conversation for me—I love thinking about how exponential technologies will affect the future of society, and that is exactly what Paul and I got to do—we explore the vast and profound implications of AI on the future of work and society overall while also exploring the business of conferences, the importance of AI literacy going forward, lessons from the early days of HubSpot, building in Cleveland, and a whole lot more!00:00:00 - The Evolution of Podcasting and AI Integration00:04:13 - The Journey of Building Marketing AI Institute00:07:12 - The Impact of AI on Marketing and Business00:09:47 - Navigating Challenges and Embracing Change00:12:38 - The Role of Conferences in AI Education00:15:15 - Cleveland as a Hub for AI Innovation00:17:48 - The Future of AI and Its Societal Implications00:20:32 - AI Literacy and Its Importance00:23:03 - The Philosophical Dilemmas of AI Decision-Making00:25:45 - The Uncertain Future of Work in an AI-Driven World00:35:59 - The Inevitable Disruption of Jobs by AI00:41:32 - AI's Impact on Knowledge Work and Industries00:46:35 - Marketing in the Age of AI00:49:46 - Defining AI Literacy and Its Future00:52:45 - Lessons from the HubSpot Journey00:57:04 - The Entrepreneurial Journey and Its Challenges01:01:30 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulroetzer/https://smarterx.ai/https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/-----SPONSORS: Impact Architects & NinetyImpact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we’ve heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Geoff Bruder, co-founder of GhostWorks Engineering and Sonic Fire Tech—a company redefining fire suppression—is fighting fires with acoustic wave technology.Geoff's journey is rooted in his work at NASA Glenn Research Center here in Cleveland, where he focused as a Research Engineer on projects like the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG), thermoacoustic stirling heat engine designs, and led the design for the Glenn Extreme Environment Rig (GEER) — the largest chamber on earth able to recreate surface conditions on planet Venus, so they could, amidst many other things, extend the useful life of power and cooling systems there from 10 hours to nearly 243 days.Since 2019, Geoff has been building Sonic Fire Tech applying this expertise to develop fire suppression systems that use acoustics — silent infrasound waves — instead of water or chemicals— to extinguish wood and chemical fires from a significant distance away from the fire itself. This approach offers a safer, more sustainable solution for wildfire prevention, home protection, industrial, and other applications where traditional fire suppression methods fall short.I'd encourage anyone curious what this actually looks like in practice to reference the link to a youtube video in our shownotes that demonstrates how Geoff is putting out fire with sound… the video is worth thousands of words.With over 15 patents, 3 publications, a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, graduate work at Case Western Reserve University, Geoff's journey from innovating at NASA to his own entrepreneurial ventures is one of ingenuity and impact, and I'm thrilled to share our fascinating conversation about his vision to transforming firefighting — please enjoy.-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreybruder/https://sonicfiretech.com/https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9cxlUOrIrcM-----SPONSORS: Impact Architects & NinetyImpact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we’ve heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Jared Semik, founder of Eternium Aerospace, a long-range, zero-emissions aircraft development company, is focused on sustainable transatlantic flight.A multi-service military aviation veteran with three global deployments, Jared began his career in the Marine Corps in 1999. He is an aerospace research and development engineer with over 20 years of experience working with next-generation zero-emissions aircraft systems. His expertise spans R&D, aircraft systems engineering, program management, talent and supplier development, and corporate partnerships for several global industrial and aerospace corporations. He has been ultimately responsible for the program development of 14 proprietary technologies.Jared holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration and has earned two U.S./PCT patents for aircraft systems and propulsion.As you’ll hear in our conversation, Eternium is a multi-decade endeavor, and Jared has taken a highly strategic and intentional approach to building the company. This includes fostering local partnerships with organizations like NASA Glenn and implementing a tiered development strategy that stages the creation of commercially viable milestones—such as the power unit, superconductive motor, and ultimately, the Archangel aircraft.Jared has an insightful perspective on risk and is a strong believer in the philosophy that “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and that “all the best things in life are on the other side of one’s fear.” This philosophy extends beyond his business and into his personal pursuits, which include rock climbing, mountaineering, SCUBA diving, skiing, and more.We discuss the challenges of achieving aircraft range and efficiency, the intersection of creativity and engineering, the technological breakthroughs required for zero-emission travel, the importance of long-term thinking, and much more. Please enjoy this fascinating and educational conversation with Jared Semik.-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-semik-aab07358/https://www.eterniumaerospace.com/-----SPONSORS: Impact Architects & NinetyImpact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we’ve heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Robert Marks founded Fidelity Voice and Data in 1999 with just a $600 investment, which he grew into a business generating over $30 million in revenue, making it one of the largest telecommunications and cloud services competitors throughout the Midwest. The company focused on providing high-speed Internet access to various industries.After selling the company in 2015, Robert turned his attention to giving back to his local community through various philanthropic initiatives.In 2020, however, Robert’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to solve a deeply personal problem during the pandemic—centered around the difficulty of sharing personal media with family. He raised $1.2 million and founded Projector as a keepsake company, building a personal streaming platform for legacy and memory preservation—the platform he wished had existed. The company now has thousands of subscribers, and Robert is in the process of raising a larger venture round to scale Projector.In our conversation, we unpack Robert’s journey as an entrepreneur, his transition from B2B to B2C, the nuances and opportunities within the keepsake and legacy market, how AI serves as technological leverage to lower the barriers to building companies, the lessons he imparts as an educator, the importance of corporate culture, his love for Cleveland, and much more!-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/-robertmarks/ https://projector.app/-----SPONSORS: Impact Architects & NinetyImpact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we’ve heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/

Andy Tran has lived more lives than just about anyone I know. He’s a serial entrepreneur who has started multiple businesses across industries, including tech, ammunition manufacturing, defense contracting, and tequila, among many others. Andy is a true modern Renaissance man whose path defies convention and serves as a testament to his deep curiosity, creativity, ability to execute, and humility.He has alpine mountaineered in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego while living out of the back of a truck; spent months in the interior of Alaska guiding caribou and moose hunts, as well as driving jet boats for the Discovery Channel. He has been embedded with Special Mission Units and Anti-Poaching Task Forces in South Africa and Kruger National Park. Additionally, he worked with Ecuadorian Special Forces on missions to hunt narco submarines in the Amazon jungle.Andy was also a professional MMA fighter, finishing his career with an undefeated record of 6-0. Beyond fighting, he helped start and lead Beta Academy DC, an MMA gym in Washington, D.C. At just 18 years old, he co-founded an architectural practice with his uncle and led the firm to become a multi-million-dollar enterprise.Most recently, Andy joined fellow Cleveland entrepreneur and Renaissance man Nick Dadas (featured on Lay of The Land episode #158) as Chief Marketing Officer of SISU Lifestyle....And the list goes on.It’s difficult to assign Andy a single label or category. However, to ground our conversation today: Andy is the founder of Arthur Street Ventures, a Cleveland-based venture design studio and holding company focused on developing, incubating, and providing seed and early-stage capital to companies operating in media, defense, consumer packaged goods, alcohol & spirits, cannabis, and apparel sectors.-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyctran/https://www.instagram.com/actran001-----SPONSORS: Impact Architects & NinetyImpact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we’ve heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/