INspired INsider Podcast

Bill Bauernfeind is the founder of RedHawk Food Group. RedHawk Food Group is dedicated to providing incredibly delicious and healthy foods to consumers of all ages. Formed in 2014 by experienced food and beverage business leaders and investment, financial and operating managers, RedHawk entered into a long term license agreement with Jamba Juice, Inc. to produce, market and sell a specialized line of Certified Organic, non-GMO fruit snacks that are made with real fruit and provide 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C in each serving. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:44] Bill Bauernfeind joins the podcast to talk about Jamba Fruit Snacks. [2:15] Bill talks about how they developed the flavors & the partnership with Jamba Juice. [4:15] How has this work differed from Bill’s work with Safeway and other retailers. [5:10] Bill’s proudest moment in business. In this episode… Have you ever wondered what it would be like to connect with a major brand for a strategic partnership? Does that sound like a crazy opportunity that you’d never be able to arrange? It doesn’t have to be! On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and business leader Bill Bauernfeind. In his conversation with Jeremy, Bill talks about how Jamba Fruit Snacks got started, challenges they faced along the way, how they created a strategic partnership with Jamba Juice, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Bill’s story! What would it take for your business to form a strategic partnership with another brand? Would you even consider that type of an offer or does that relationship lack an appeal to leaders in your industry? For Bill Bauernfeind and his team, partnering with Jamba Juice was a no-brainer. In the health and snack world, Jamba Juice has a huge following and is known as a “Trusted brand.” By connecting with Jamba Juice as a marketing partner, Bill was able to leverage their branding to promote a fantastic product. Make sure to visit their website located in the resources section at the end of this post. One of the most significant challenges for most consumable products is getting the public to take a chance on something new. Think about it, when was the last time you purchased something you’ve never tried before? Let’s face it; people are creatures of habit. To help get their product recognized and in the hands of customers, Bill and his team travel all over the country passing out samples and talking about their product. Their efforts have paid off, and Jamba Fruit Snacks are getting stocked in more and more retail stores. What lessons can you learn from Bill’s story? Resources Mentioned on this episode Jamba Fruit Snacks Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Dr. Andrew Goldman is the co-founder of Good Day Chocolate. Andrew created the business with his longtime friend and fellow entrepreneur, Simeon Margolis. Good Day Chocolate creates candy-coated chocolate balls that contain taurine — said to boost neurological development — alongside caffeine from green tea extract. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Jeremy introduces his guest, Dr. Andrew Goldman. [2:30] What were some of the early Good Day Chocolate products? [4:25] Andy shares some milestones they’ve achieved along the way. [5:45] Why it’s a good idea to avoid trendy products. [6:40] Closing thoughts from Andy and Jeremy. In this episode… How do trends and fads start? Is there some secret global group out there that decides and dictates the timing of certain fads? How do you think trends and fads start in your industry? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and innovator, Dr. Andrew Goldman. In his conversation with Jeremy, Andrew opens up about how he started Good Day Chocolate, milestones they’ve reached along the way, plans for the future, why they don’t follow trends and fads, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Andrew’s story! Did you know that everyday experiences and tasks can serve as the inspiration to launch whole industries? It’s true! That’s exactly what happened when Dr. Andrew Goldman came up with the idea for candy that acts as the vehicle to get health supplements into the hands of children and adults. There were lots of early experiments with Good Day Chocolate products, from lollipops to caramels and eventually landing on chocolate as the best option. Curious about Good Day Chocolate? Make sure to check out the link to their products located in the resources section at the end of this post. How do you stay ahead of the curve when it comes to trends and fads without seeming like your business is a sell out who goes chasing them? The balance between catering to market demands and striking out on your own path is a tough one to navigate. In some ways, you could accuse Good Day Chocolate of hopping on the health supplements bandwagon, but the fact that they carefully think about and consider how their products will affect their customers is an important distinction. They’ve found a way to walk that tightrope between trends and what’s good for the customer. What can you learn from Good Day Chocolate’s story? Resources Mentioned on this episode Good Day Chocolate Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Anthony Constantino is the co-founder of Sticker Mule; one of the most popular custom sticker websites with printing operations in the United States and Europe. Stickermule is the easiest and fastest ways to buy custom printed products. You can order in simply 60 seconds and they turn your design or illustrations into custom stickers, magnets, buttons, labels and packaging in a few days. Their customers have included Amazon, Nike, Google, Facebook, Netflix and many more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:50] Jeremy introduces his guest, Anthony Constantino. [4:45] Why does Sticker Mule allow small batch orders? [10:00] Anthony talks about connecting with GitHub. [12:30] Learning from customer feedback. [14:00] Anticipating customer needs. [16:00] An obsession with simplicity. [19:15] How did Anthony meet his business partner? What is that relationship like? [26:00] Anthony talks about how he sets his priorities and how they recruit employees. [29:10] Where did the name, Sticker Mule come from? [32:40] What has been the hardest position to hire for? [38:00] Anthony shares his approach to giving bonuses and why they went international. [41:10] Creating a healthy work culture. [43:30] What did Anthony learn from this time wrestling? [50:00] What motivates Anthony? [52:45] The lowest moment in Anthony’s career. [56:00] Anthony shares a proud moment in his career. In this episode… What does it look like to create a business with the objective of anticipating customer needs before they voice them? How would that impact customer service? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Anthony Constantino. In his conversation with Jeremy, Anthony explains why he started Sticker Mule, how he met his business partner, what the work culture is like at Sticker Mule, lessons he has learned along the way, and much more. Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn from a seasoned business leader like Anthony! If you wanted to build a business, where would you start brainstorming ideas? Would you go with something that is super popular and trendy or would you go with something more mundane? How long do you think it would take for you to land on the idea of creating stickers? If you are like most people, that would be WAY down on the list! Anthony and his business partner were determined to make a splash in the ecommerce marketing space, and they decided a business producing promotional stickers was the way to go. They weren’t wrong! Today Sticker Mule is known as a thriving and successful business. What can you learn from their story? When was the last time you felt like a business anticipated your needs as a customer? These are the businesses that make using their site or their product an absolute dream. Would your customers say that about your business? At Sticker Mule, the concept of a friction-free customer experience didn’t just materialize out of the blue; it started from the top! Anthony is passionate about making his customer’s experience a pleasant one. You can see Anthony’s passion played out in the clean and functional layout of Sicker Mule’s website. Could it be time to rethink your customer’s experience with your organization? How do business partners come to going into business together? Some attend business school together, others have a chance meeting, and then there are those who have known each other for decades. Anthony has known his business partner for many years; in fact, they met because he was Anthony’s father’s friend. It just goes to show you that you never know how the people you meet and the people already in your life can contribute to your future plans. Where have you met key business associates and partners in your career? What are the central values and principles of your company? We all know that there is a difference between written or stated values and the actual values of an organization, rarely are they the same. From the sound of it, at Sticker Mule values like humility and diligence remain at the forefront because of their leader, Anthony Constantino. Anthony describes the work culture as very humble, logical, and independent. He loves the fact that he doesn’t have to do too much handholding, his team gets his direction and his vision and runs with it. How do the company values play out in your business? Resources Mentioned on this episode To get 10 custom stickers for $1 Go to https://www.stickermule.com/inspired GitHub Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Dr. John and Debra Bruinsma are the founders of Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets. In 1995, Dr. John while leaving his dental office for the day and grabbed a sugar-free lollipop to enjoy on the ride home. That lollipop didn't even make it to the door before being thrown out. He thought, "We give these to our patients?" There had to be a better alternative! From there he went on a mission to develop the best tasting, sugar-free candy and Dr. John's was born! Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Jeremy welcomes his guests, Dr. John and Debra Bruinsma. [3:00] Why the Bruinsma’s decided to add Xylitol to their product. [5:00] Some of the challenges they’ve faced along the way. [6:45] What was it like to have a product featured on Good Morning America? [9:45] John and Debra talk about what it is like working together. In this episode… Wouldn’t it be nice to have your cake and eat it too? If that cake or sweet snack is healthy too, then all the better! On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneurs and innovators John and Debra Bruinsma. In their conversation with Jeremy, the Bruinsma’s explain how they came up with the idea for healthy sweets, why they decided to add Xylitol to their product, lessons they’ve learned along the way, what it is like working with their spouse, and much more! Don’t miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring John and Debra’s story! After years of handing out sub-par, sugar-free, sweet snacks to patients at his dental office, Dr. John Bruinsma felt like it was time for a change. John and his wife, Debra went to work creating a sweet, sugar-free alternative that kids and adults would love. Dr. John's started out with great tasting sugar-free lollipops, solely for the dental industry. They’ve since expanded their operation and became their own suppliers back in 2013. You can learn more about the amazing products they feature at Dr. John’s by visiting their website located in the resources section. It’s one thing to build a startup from the ground up but its another thing entirely to start and run a business with your spouse! How do you think you’d do in that situation? Would you and your spouse make for good business partners? Thankfully, John and Debra Bruinsma had a wonderful working relationship and had similar passions and opposite yet complimentary skill sets. They will be the first people to tell you that building a business with your spouse isn’t easy, but it is possible! What can you learn from John and Debra’s story? Resources Mentioned on this episode Dr. John's Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Sayan Sarkar is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of the health supplement brand, InvigorateNOW Health Sciences. He is also the creator of Sark Media Direct, a direct marketing consultancy that specializes in helping entrepreneurs grow to seven figures and beyond in the health, e-commerce, and consulting agency industries. Sayan helps combine cutting edge online marketing strategies with traditional direct response marketing. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Martha Stewart, Organifi, Zenith Labs, and more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:45] Jeremy introduces his guest, Sayan Sarkar. [6:30] What is the Star Story Solution? [8:40] Sayan talks about his early career. [11:00] How learning to copy write helped turn things around for Sayan. [15:50] Sayan talks about working with Martha Stewart. [20:45] Why using the word, “Free” can help your message work. [23:40] A common mistake that many direct mail advertisers make. [28:45] Should you sell your product on Amazon? How Sayan’s sales funnels work. [34:00] Addressing specific pain points. [36:00] A great idea that Sayan hasn’t taken action on. [39:45] Advice that Sayan has for agencies that are looking to scale. [43:45] Sayan talks about a big mistake he made early on and how he fixed it. [45:45] A reciprocal swap that Sayan created. [53:10] Sayan talks about the lowest moment in his career. [55:30] How losing 75 pounds helped Sayan gain self-confidence. [59:00] When did Sayan end up quitting his finance job? What systems did he put in place in his business? In this episode… What is the marketing strategy for your organization? Have you used direct marketing efforts before? How can your business market in a way that stands out from the rest of the competition in your industry? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and entrepreneur, Sayan Sarkar. In his conversation with Jeremy, Sayan opens up about how he got started with direct marketing, what it was like working with Martha Stewart, lessons he has learned along the way, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Sayan’s story! Are you looking for ways to communicate the story and unique appeal of your product or service? Have you ever heard of the star story solution? According to Sayan Sarkar, some of the most successful ads of all time centres on a star or hero that people can relate to. Then the ad will proceed to tell the story of the hero as they confront an issue or challenge in their life. Ultimately, the ad ends with the hero discovering an answer to the problem they’ve been trying to solve. This whole formula is called the star story solution. Have you seen effective use of this formula? Can you imagine blowing through $20,000 in your first year of a startup with nothing to show for it in terms of sales and revenue? Sounds like a nightmare, right? How in the world do you come back from such a rocky start? Thankfully, Sayan Sarkar was able to discover the one thing holding his business back, copywriting. As he looks back at his career, Sayan points to the moment when he learned how to write sales copy as the moment when things turned around for his business. No one came along to hold Sayan’s hand and walk him through the process; he had to learn on his own! Did you know that by simply including the word, “Free” in your ad or offer you could see your conversion rates spike? It's true! While there are no guarantees, after years of research and experience in the direct marketing industry, Sayan is convinced that this approach works. Including the word, “Free” is not a magic bullet! You have to use that word effectively, and you have to make your offer appealing. Don’t assume that if you can win customers over with an ad campaign alone, you’ve got to deliver on the goods! Are the days of direct marketing through the mail over? One might be led to think so with the rise of Google Ads and various social media advertisement options, but they’d be wrong! The truth is, people still respond to direct marketing efforts through the mail today. Do you have to do things differently than you would for your online audience? Yes, but the results are worth it! Don’t assume that your audience won’t respond to direct marketing; too many businesses are doing that. For more insights on how to market your business, make sure to connect with Sayan by visiting the link to his site located in the resources section at the end of this post. Resources Mentioned on this episode Sark Media Direct Esther Kiss Think and Grow Rich Psycho-Cybernetics The 4-Hour Body For bigger companies - https://sarkmediadirect.com/8-figures (or the direct to article version - https://sarkmediadirect.com/steps-to-8-figures) For newer companies - https://sarkmediadirect.com/case-study (or the direct to article version - https://sarkmediadirect.com/6-steps) Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Tom and Eric Healy are the father and son team behind The No Bake Cookie Co and AvoLov Avocado Chips. AvoLov’s chips are made from real hass avocados, dried to a crisp and seasoned to perfection. The No-Bake Cookie Company is based in Bend, Oregon, the lifelong home of founder, Carol Healy. Both Carol and her husband Tom grew up in the small community located in the heart of Oregon, at the base of the Cascade Mountains. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Tom Healy joins Jeremy to talk about The No-Bake Cookie. [2:10] Who was the first customer? How did they expand production? [3:30] Tom talks about getting The No-Bake Cookie featured on QVC. [4:00] Tom’s son, Eric joins Jeremy to talk about Avocado Chips. [6:15] Where can you find Avocado Chips? What is Eric proud of from the journey? In this episode… Remember when the days when the things you snacked on were made from simple ingredients? These days, there’s no telling what number of lab-grown chemicals and ingredients are used in the snacks we feed our kids and ourselves! What is the solution? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from both Tom and Eric Healy. In their conversation with Jeremy, Tom and Eric talk about how they got their business off of the ground, what it took to develop their snacks made with simple ingredients, and much more. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to learn from Tom and Eric’s fascinating story! When you start a new company, one of the biggest fears is how will you find an audience for your product or service. Where would you start if you had to start tomorrow? How would you bring in customers or distributors for your product? Tom Healy was convinced that he had something special the No Bake Cookie he and his wife created. After reaching out to several distributors and wondering which one would bite on the no-bake cookie, they were thrilled to hear Nordstrom would carry the cookies at their Espresso Coffee Bars. What can you learn from Tom’s story and his success with Nordstrom? Did you know that Avocado chips are notoriously difficult to turn into chips? Think about it; avocados are a very finicky fruit with a smooth and creamy texture. The significant challenge of turning avocados into chips didn’t deter Eric Healy; he had the vision for a healthy snack with simple ingredients. After numerous trials and tests, Eric and his team were able to successfully create their product, AvoLov Avocado Chips. When they unveiled the end result at Exo West, Eric was amazed at the overwhelmingly positive response from the public. Make sure to learn more about AvoLove Avocado Chips and The No-Bake Cookie Co through their websites located in the resources section at the end of this post. Resources Mentioned on this episode Avocado Chips The No-Bake Cookie Co Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Alex Bates has spent the last decade bringing artificial intelligence and machine learning to the forefront of the industrial market. In 2016, Alex sold his company, Mtell to AspenTech for $38 million. Unlike most tech startups, Alex and his co-founder raised only $1m in funding and maintained ownership of the majority of the company. As part of the acquisition, Alex had to stay with AspenTech for two years. Now, he's dedicating his life to driving AI tech forward. Alex wrote his book, "Augmented Mind: Al, Superhumans and the Next Economic Revolution", he is an active angel investor, and he is a partner in AI incubator The Sandbox.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [3:10] Jeremy introduces his guest, Alex Bates. [5:15] What is the difference between AI and IA? Where did Mtelligence come from? [13:50] How did Alex and his team approach larger organizations? [15:45] Alex talks about how the business grew. How did they choose which product to focus on? [19:15] The highs and lows of a startup. [21:30] Alex talks about the acquisition process and tips for making it succeed. [25:30] What was the moment like when Alex decided to leave Aspen Technology? [27:15] Alex talks about the AI projects he is working on with his incubator. [33:15] What led Alex to write his book, “Augmented Mind?” [35:30] Practical applications of augmented intelligence. [37:00] Why intuition can make all the difference. [39:25] How far away are we from prolific self-driving cars? [43:15] Why Alex believes our economic model will soon be obsolete. [44:45] Alex talks about getting into a “Flow state.” [48:15] What is Alex’s favorite aspect of his book? [51:30] Alex shares a low moment from his career. [54:15] A proud moment from Alex’s career. In this episode… What goes into creating and then selling a tech startup? Where does a leader go after reaching that zenith of success? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Alex Bates. In his conversation with Jeremy, Alex talks about where the idea for Mtell came from, how they were able to grow the company, what the acquisition process was like, why he loves working on AI, and much more. If you’ve ever wanted a peek inside the world of a tech startup, this is the episode for you. Don’t miss it! If you were to script how a tech company would get started how would write it? Chances are, you probably wouldn't come up with a story the like one Alex Bates shares. He happened to meet his business partner on a camping trip where the two hit it off and eventually decided to go into business together creating, Mtell. They dabbled with augmented reality for a brief period of time and then ultimately landed on their work bringing artificial intelligence and machine learning to the forefront of the industrial market. What can you learn from Alex’s story with Mtell? How in the world does a tech startup like Mtell grab the attention and interest of big businesses like Exxon Mobil? As it turns out, it is about as challenging as it sounds! Alex and his team knew that they had something special with the idea and solutions they were coming up with at Mtell, but they struggled to get any businesses to take them seriously. Eventually, Alex would learn the secret; you can’t be a jack-all-trades; you’ve got to master one specific niche and build out from there. As challenging and frustrating as those early days were Alex, is thankful for all the lessons he has learned along the way. As they built Mtell up, Alex and his business partner entertained offers from serious businesses and investors who wanted to acquire the tech startup. Unfortunately, many of the interested parties would get a close up look and then back out. Can you imagine what that type of experience does the morale of a business leader? Alex didn’t let the fail acquisitions keep him down; he stayed focused on growing the business and doing everything he could to add value. A little over ten years since its inception, Alex and his business partner were able to successfully sell Mtell in 2016 to Aspen Technology. Where is the future of our society headed? Will AI and augmented tech end up taking over our lives or will we go in a different direction. Alex Bates is convinced that we will see more self-driving cars and other improvements become mainstream and accessible. When you hear from Alex, you really get the sense that he has a hopeful and optimistic view of the future. He even believes that our current economic model will soon be obsolete. You can go deeper with Alex’s perspectives and follow the work he invested in by visiting the link to his website located in the resources section. Resources Mentioned on this episode Neocortex Ventures Augmented Mind: AI, Superhumans, and the Next Economic Revolution Peter Diamandis' Abundance 360 Peter Thiel Elon Musk Steve Jobs Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation - We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Tony Migacz is the Founder and President of Cheesewich. Cheesewich was designed with today’s fast-paced health-conscious consumer in mind. Healthy low-carb and gluten-free meals are not always readily available. However, Cheesewich prides itself in bringing healthy snacks to moms looking for great lunch alternatives for their children, busy laymen needing high protein fuel and executives craving that high energy to make that next risky deal. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:40] Tony Migacz joins the podcast to talk about Cheesewich. [2:30] What got Tony into the food business? What was the first Cheesewich? [4:45] A proud moment from Tony’s journey. In this episode… Do you have a good idea you’ve been sitting on for several years? When will you take action on that good idea? What is holding you back? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and business leader, Tony Migacz. In his conversation with Jeremy, Tony talks about how he got started in the food industry, why it took him so long to start Cheesewich, lessons he has learned along the way, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Tony’s story! What was the last good idea you decided to take action on? Has it been a while? There are many business leaders with great ideas out there who are waiting for the right time or for someone to come along and give them a push in the right direction. Twelve years ago, Tony Migacz had the idea to create a “Cheesewich” product that placed a piece of meat between two slices of cheese. Tony didn’t take action on this idea for many years but finally decided to use his good idea when his kids nudged him to do so. What can you learn from Tony’s story? Life has a way of getting in the way, right? From hurried breakfasts to a quick bite to eat for lunch, most professionals don’t have the time to make a good choice when it comes to snacking. Sure, you could do the responsible thing and plan out your meals or prep your food several days in advance, but there are many people out there who just can’t get ahead that way. Whatever the circumstance, Cheesewich is a great solution for people on the go who want something besides a snack filled with sugar. To learn more about Cheesewich and their amazing products, make sure to check out the link to their site in the resources section below! Resources Mentioned on this episode Cheesewich's website Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation - We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Howard Marks is the co-founder of StartEngine, a premier equity crowdfunding platform. They connect investors with tomorrow’s progressive companies. StartEngine aims to revolutionize the startup business model by helping individuals invest in private companies on a public platform helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:25] Jeremy introduces his guest, Howard Marks. [2:20] What did the gaming industry look like in the early 90’s? [8:00] How did Howard get involved in the gaming industry? [13:40] Howard talks about how StartEngine started. [15:50] Who works with StartEngine? [18:00] What it takes to raise money for startups. [20:10] Howard talks about the future of StartEngine. [23:00] The lowest moment and proudest moment in business for Howard. In this episode… Can you imagine a business built around helping startups get the funding they need? Why do startup entrepreneurs need help? Why can’t they get the funding they need on their own? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from innovator and entrepreneur, Howard Marks. In his conversation with Jeremy, Howard talks about how he got started in the gaming industry, why he decided to start StartEngine, what it takes to raise money for startups, plans for the future, challenges faced along the way, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Howard’s story! Where do you go after you’ve spent a large portion of your career working in the software and gaming industries? Do you use that experience to start your own software or gaming company from the ground up or do you do something else entirely? Howard Marks was ready for a change and realized that there weren’t any startup accelerators or any programs to help young entrepreneurs get started in the LA area. To fill the gap and put his business experience to use, Howard and his business partner, Ron Miller created StartEngine. StartEngine’s mission is to help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams by democratizing access to capital. If you were tasked with creating a startup from scratch, what would be your first step? Where do you think you’d find funding? How would you test and validate your ideas? There are nearly 6 million businesses in the US, yet the majority of these companies have a difficult time accessing capital, whether through public markets or venture capital. After starting out as a tech accelerator, the team at StartEngine decided to pivot their focus to helping startups raise capital by building a crowdfunding platform. StartEngine was empowered to make this pivot with the passage of the JOBS Act in 2012. For the first time, anyone, regardless of wealth, could invest in private businesses and buy shares of stock, debt, revenue share, and more. What keeps you in the fight? Seriously! What is it that motivates you each and every day to go to work and engage in your profession? Do you love problem-solving? Do you enjoy dreaming up big and ambitious projects? Or is there something else that animates and motivates you? Howard Marks views his work as a responsibility he has to be a productive member of society and but beyond that; he loves helping startups. When Howard looks back at his journey of success, he notices a lot of lucky breaks along the way, and he wants to play an active roll in helping others enjoy the success he has experienced. Make sure to check out the great work that Howard and his team are doing at StartEngine by visiting their site located in the resources section. Resources Mentioned on this episode www.Startengine.com Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

James Cruickshank is the founder and CEO of Treeting Cards. James came up with the idea for Treeting Cards when he was seven due to the deeply felt injustice of his mom not buying him an Xbox. James’ cards are filled with unexpected twists and turns and are a true reflection of what he loves to do most —make people laugh! His little brother, Jack, with his unrefined and outlandish humor, contributes a lot of ideas as well and works as his right-hand man. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:44] James Cruickshank joins the podcast to talk about his product, Treeting Cards. [3:50] What was the first version of Treeting Cards? What do people use it for? [5:40] How does James spend his time? Where do the ideas come from? [7:40] What are some of the challenges of running the business? [9:20] The proudest moment for James. In this episode… What if there was a way to send a funny card with treats built in? Sounds like a kid’s dream come true! That is because it is a kid’s dream come true, specifically, one kid’s dream, James Cruickshank. On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from James as sits down to talk with Jeremy about his business, Treeting Cards. In his conversation with Jeremy, James opens up about where the idea for Treeting Cards came from, what people use the cards for, how James spends his time, challenges they’ve faced along the way, plans for the future, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring James’ story! Let’s face it; most greeting cards are forgettable. Have you been to a kid’s birthday party lately? They tear through the cards looking for the good stuff, cash or gift cards! One kid had a brilliant idea, let’s attach treats to the cards! Treeting Cards is the brainchild of James Cruickshank; he’s worked hard to build his business with the help of his family members. You have to get a look at these cards; they are fun, playful, eye-catching, and cute! James’ story goes to show that you don’t have to have all the answers or everything mapped out to get a good idea off of the ground. It’s so strange to think that there are kids out there that are YouTube stars who are trying to figure out how to scale their brand and business. Were you trying to figure out how to scale your business when you were a kid? We should encourage and celebrate kids who are willing to step out with a bold idea and start something new. Jame Cruickshank is currently trying to work out how to scale his business, Treeting Cards and how to market their product during the holiday season. It seems like James is headed in the right direction, Treeting Cards are the perfect gift for the person who has everything! Make sure to check out the link to the Treeting Cards website located in the resources section at the end of this post. Resources Mentioned on this episode Treeting Cards Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.