The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Michael Segal.  Michael is the founder and CEO of Skylight.  Skylight is a leading digital photo frame and digital calendar brand that helps families stay connected.

Michael founded Skylight in 2014 while he was a student at Harvard Business School living hundreds of miles away from family, and was eager to invent a device that made it easy to share photos with far-away loved ones in a unique way. After raising $55K on Kickstarter, he created one of the first Wi-Fi connected digital photo frames which started shipping a few months later. Since launching, Skylight has grown to over 5 million users, and has become the #1 best-selling brand of digital photo frames on Amazon. Despite coming from a VC background, Michael has managed to grow the company profitably for nearly a decade entirely through bootstrapping.

I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Skylight  here:

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Erica Cole.  Erica is the founder of No Limbits.  This is a super interesting company with a mission. No Limbits was created with the goal of providing easy and accessible solutions to everyday problems.  After losing her leg in a car accident in 2018, Erica Cole found that her new prosthetic leg wasn't compatible with her existing wardrobe. So she went on to Shark Tank, received funding, and started a clothing company to solve the problem. 

I found our conversation inspiring and a great example of entrepreneurship. So please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about No Limbits and Erica here:

In this episode, Bela Musits interviews Stephen Barden.  Stephen is a specialist in organizational leadership and strategy. He has worked with board-level leaders to help them and their successors develop and implement strategies that benefit and sustain the entire organization. Stephen has clients in Europe, the USA, the UK, and Africa. He is also the author of the book "How Successful Leaders Do Business with Their World."

We had a great conversation, so be sure to listen to the episode!

You can find more about Stephen here:

In this episode, Bela Musits interviews Derek Slayton and Sean Magee, the founders and owners of Trampoline Design. They help companies develop branding and advertising campaigns to raise customer awareness and recognition. They have built their business slowly and steadily in this highly competitive field. We had a great conversation, so be sure to listen to the episode!

You can find more info about Trampoline Design here:

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Jenny Tse.  She is the founder of Sipping Streams Tea Company. Jenny was born in Hong Kong but raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. She spent her summers selling her mother's vegetables at the local farmer's market and was very active in the local community. Her vision for Sipping Streams began in the summer of 2004 when she began to notice how tea brought different people together.

Traveling to different tea farms in China encouraged her to teach about tea in her local community. Tse is a certified tea specialist. Her custom hand blends and specialty teas have won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at the North American Tea Championships, 2nd place at the Global Tea Championships, and 1st place for the Top Tea Infusionist Competition at the World Tea Expo 2011.

We had a great conversation so please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Sipping Streams Tea Company and Jenny here:

In this episode of the podcast, Bela Musits interviews Paul Baron, he is the founder and chief executive officer of The Wall Printer USA. Paul is responsible for all executive functions, assuring the growth of the corporation and of the businesses that purchase a Wall Printer. His decades of business experience span B2B, B2C, retail, manufacturing, distribution, international business, and franchising. Paul has personally developed and launched business concepts and supported successful revenue growth, which lead to exits for several start-ups and established businesses.  

We had a great conversation so please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about The Wall Printer and Paul here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by repeat guest Devon Watson. Devon was previously featured on episodes 24 and 142. We engage in a three-way conversation with Devon, Mike, and Bela on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Devon has written several posts about AI and is quite knowledgeable on the subject. We discuss the potential impact of AI and some of the positive aspects it can contribute to society. We also conducted a small experiment using AI, and the response we received was 90% incorrect.

You can find more info about Devon Watson here:

Today’s guest on the podcast is David Dussault, the founder of P1 Industries in Schenectady, NY.  He was a guest on the podcast black in EP-2.  David started P1 after leaving GE and has built a solid business in machining and fabricating precision metal components for the energy and defense industry.  Listen to how David has grown this company by keeping a  keen eye on building a customer service-focused culture.  P1 is a great example of applying entrepreneurship to traditional manufacturing businesses.  This was a long conversation, so I broke it into 2 parts.  This a part one.

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about David and P1 here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Anish Majumdar.  He is a career coach and an expert in the hidden job market.  We have a wonderful conversation about the most effective way to make new opportunities for yourself.

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Anish here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jeremy Ryan Slate.  He is an entrepreneur, media expert, author and CEO and founder of Command Your Brand. He studied literature at Oxford University and is a former champion powerlifter that helps visionary founders to impact the world and better mankind through podcasting and new media to create trust and opinion leader status. Podcast Magazine just included Jeremy on their 2022 40 under 40 in Podcasting list.  He is also the author of “Unremarkable to Extraordinary”

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Jeremy here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jonathan Jay.  Over the past 30 years, Jonathan has built and exited businesses in publishing, digital marketing, adult education, and preschool education. This experience has given him special insights into what mistakes business owners and investors should avoid in order to succeed.  His new book, “Business Buying Strategies” is a must read for anyone looking to grow their existing business or acquire a business.

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Jonathan Jay here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Steven Blue.  He is the CEO of Miller Ingenuity, a Keynote Speaker, and a Best-Selling Author.  We had a great conversation about leadership, building organizations, and focusing on your customer.

If you are watching the video version of this podcast, Steven’s video was not working, so the video is just me.

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Steven Blue here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Robin Singhvi.  He is a first-time entrepreneur.  He is the founder of SmartCue, a software as a service company (SAS) focused on helping customers sell software products and services in the B2B sector.  We had a great conversation about the challenges of starting a software company, selling software, and all of the other things founders need to do.

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Robin and SmartCue here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by  Reiner Lomb.  He is the author of “ASPIRE: Seven Essential Emotions for Leading Positive Change, No Matter Where You Are”. Reiner has been an executive at several major international corporations and turned his experience and philosophies into active coaching and leadership facilitation business.

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Reiner here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Brant Cooper.  He is a New York Times bestselling author of “The Lean Entrepreneur and CEO” and founder of Moves the Needle. Brant works as a trusted adviser to startups and large enterprises around the world. With  more than 25 years of expertise in changing industrial age mindset into digital age opportunities,

Please give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Brant here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Gary Frey.  Gary has served as president of four successful companies, including Bizjournals.com, a business news portal that he helped transform from a three-person organization to a $100 million company. He has done two turnarounds and held executive positions in two Fortune 100 companies. Gary leads business growth coaching and business development efforts for a regional CPA firm that serves privately held businesses and their owners.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Gary Frey here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by retired Major General Robert W. Mixon, Jr. has achieved over three decades of extraordinary leadership success in diverse organizations, including the United States Army where he commanded the 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Colorado prior to his retirement in 2007.

Subsequently, he served in executive leadership positions in for-profit and not-for-profit companies before starting his own leadership company, Level Five Associates, in 2014.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Robert Mixon here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Ben Knegendorf.  He founded Paramount Pet Health.  An e-comm store for cats and dogs.  He started a business with $500 and after 2 years has achieved $11M in revenue.  It is quite a contrast to the VC-backed businesses that raise $20-$30M and still do not make it to $11M in revenue after 2 years.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Ben Knegendorf here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Steven Adjei.  He is a fascinating, multi-faced individual who is an author, poet, healthcare consultant, and entrepreneur. He is the founding partner of BlueCloud Health (www.bluecloudhealth.com), a UK-based, African-focused healthcare firm that exists to provide solutions to health businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Steven Adjei here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Michelle Seiler Tucker.  She is a 20-year veteran of the mergers and acquisitions industry where she is a leading authority on buying, selling, financing, and growing businesses. We had a fascinating conversation about how founders and company leaders often do not think about positioning the company for a successful acquisition.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Michelle Seiler Tucker here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by  Devon Watson, Devon is the Executive Vice President of Global Banking & Chief Marketing Officer at Diebold-Nixdorf. Within his organization, he is also responsible for business development and acquisitions. The most common exit for entrepreneurs is being acquired or merged with another company. In my conversation with Devon, we discussed, what qualities Diebold-Nixdorf looks for in a potential acquisition,  how Diebold-Nixdorf evaluates acquisitions, and why a good strategic fit is critical.

You can find more info about Diebold-Nixdorf here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Brad Svrluga.  Brad is co-founder of primary Ventures based in New York City.  Primary is one of the premier early-stage VC firms in the United States.  He has over 20 years of experience in early-stage investing and Primary is the second VC firm Brad has co-founded.  We discuss how differentiating Primary from the crowded VC space has played a critical role in the firm's success.  Brad also shares his investing hot buttons and how elusive success can be in the entrepreneurial community.

You can find more info about Primary Ventures here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jim Senall.  Jim runs the Rochester Angel Network, (RAN) in Rochester NY.  We discussed how angel investing plays a critical role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.  Jim also described how RAN has evolved during the last 20 years, both in terms of its structure and the characteristics of the investments it makes.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about RAN here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Mark Drager.  He is a branding expert and helps entrepreneurs and companies refine their brand strategy and ensure their brand is consistent across everything they do. Your brand is how the world views you.  We had a great conversation about how to make sure your brand is not an afterthought.  It is exceptionally important and once established, not easy to change.  Mark emphasized how important it is to give branding some critical thought on day one of starting your business.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Mark Sheperd here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Billie Shepard.  She founded Billie Shepard Associates, where she leverages her acting experience and training methods in the business sector.  Her one-on-one coaching and group workshops help transform corporate speakers into influential leaders. We had a fascinating conversation on how many leadership speaking skills can be learned.  Unless you are a communications major, it is something most of us have no training in.  She has also written a wonderful book, “The Billie Shepard Presentation Method”.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Billie Shepard here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Andy Binns.  Andy is a corporate innovation guru, co-founder of Change Logic, and the co-author of “Corporate Explorer:  How Corporations Beat Startup at the Innovation Game”.  We had a fascinating conversation about innovation and entrepreneurship, both in large corporations and start-ups.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Change Logic here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Matt Kopko, the VP of Public Policy at Daily Pay.  We have a great conversation about on-demand pay and how it can positively impact the ability of employees to receive their pay daily and not have to wait 2 or 3 weeks for a paycheck. It’s an industry I did not know existed.  Also, for the first time ever, you can hear Mike rant a bit about how the less fortunate often get the short end of the stick in life.  And it is something that can easily be remedied if we have the will.

So give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Daily Pay here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined excited to be joined by James Quinn.  He is a managing director at JLL, a Fortune 500 company that assists organizations in developing and implementing their real estate strategies in the ever-changing world.  He also recently wrote a book titled “Tech Trends 24/7”.  We have a great conversation about technology and how COVID has impacted the pace of technology development and implementation.

Give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about James here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined excited to be joined by Misha Rubin. He is a mix of a psychologist, career coach, and job coach.  It's one of those topics I never thought much about during my career.  Maybe I should have.  He started his career working at one of the major accounting firms for 20 years and one day came to the realization he was not happy and decided to blaze out on his own.  He gives some excellent tips on finding your path to job satisfaction and happiness.

Give the episode a listen!

You can find more info about Misha here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by serial entrepreneur Andy Mowat, founder of Gated.  At Gated, they are changing the way email gets delivered and read.  We are all burdened by receiving way too many emails.  With Gated you can apply some economic theory to sending and receiving emails with some very interesting results.  Give the episode a listen!

You can find Gated here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Chris Bursey. He is the founder of Direct Communications Solutions. Direct Communication Solutions is a provider of Internet of Things (IoT) products and services. The Internet of Things is a term that generally means the coordination of sensors that sit on devices or vehicles or structures (that tell you things like temperature, location, amount of vibrations, etc.), the ability for those sensors to share data using wireless transmission methods (often cellular technology), with both other devices and with bigger software programs, so that simple devices become smarter - they can help managers, suppliers, and customers understand what’s going on with their equipment or products, and make better decisions.

You can find Direct Communication Solutions here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Kizzy Parks.  She is the founder and president of K Parks Consulting, a firm that provides corporate training, executive coaching, analytics, diversity and inclusion guidance, leadership development, and team building services mainly to US federal government clients but also they partner with large companies and other non-profits.  She has a wealth of experience contracting with government agencies.  She shares with us what she had learned and how any business can successfully bid on government contracts.

You can find K Parks Consulting here:

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Sean Folkson. He founded Nightfood, a company that produces sleep-friendly and nutritional evening snacks.  After a few rough starts, Nighfood is running full speed with a line of sleep-friendly ice cream.  The ice cream is formulated by leading sleep and nutrition experts to satisfy our nighttime cravings in a better, healthier, and sleep-focused way.

You can find Nightfood here:

In today's podcast, we are excited to be joined by Tarin Calmeyer.  Tarin is the founder of Remote Team Wellness...a startup that provides live digital wellness coaching, retreats, and workshops for corporate clients. We discussed the large pivot Tarin had to make with the onset of the COVID epidemic, the valuable lessons she learned, and how it has shaped her company.

You can find Remote Team Wellness here:

In today's podcast, we are excited to be joined by David Jay, founder, and CEO of Warm Welcome, a company that uses video to customize an initial customer experience to go beyond generic emails.  David is a serial entrepreneur, also having founded Agree.com.  We had a great conversation about the importance of building solid customer relationships and the video tools David has developed at Warm Welcome help address these challenges.

You can find Warm Welcome here:

Today we are excited to be joined by author Nathan Perez.  Nathan co-wrote The 20-Minute Networking Meeting. He is an executive career and job-search coach at Career Innovation, LLC. Nathan is a formally trained actor with a BFA in Theatre. Nathan’s 20-year career in the arts and entertainment world prepared him well for connecting with people. He also worked in the corporate world in places like Goldman Sachs in NYC.

You can find Nathan’s books  here:

Today we are excited to be joined by joined Dan Burcaw.  He is a serial tech entrepreneur founding several software technology companies  He is currently the Co-Founder & CEO of Nami ML.  Nami ML develops machine learning software to enhance mobile application subscriptions for a wide spectrum of businesses.  We discussed the challenges in starting technology businesses that are at the forefront of technology.

You can check out Nami ML here:

Today we are excited to be joined by joined Anthony Minessale.  Anthony is a pioneer of internet-based communications, having started 3 companies in the internet space.  He is currently the CEO and co-founder of SignalWire. SignalWire is a three-year-old company that provides internet-based telecommunication (voice and video) to companies.  Anthony has a great story about being a technology person who has founded several companies.

You can check out Signal Wire here:

Today we are excited to be joined by Ed Vincent, founder of FestivalPass, which is a global subscription marketplace for the live events industry. Ed is a serial entrepreneur and has a background in data analytics and the media industry.  We discussed how he funded the business and the impact COVID has had on his plans.  It’s a crowded space and Ed’s approach is novel.

You can check out Festival Pass here:

Today we are excited to be joined by Sam Holmes.  Sam is a sailor and has a YouTube channel to help fund his passion for sailing.  While working for Disney during the week, on the weekends Sam discovered sailing.  He sailed from California to Hawaii solo.  During the trip, he recorded some videos, which he uploaded to YouTube,  to share with his friends and as a memory of the experience.  He soon discovered others were watching his videos and he was making a little money.  Being a good entrepreneur, Sam saw this as an opportunity to fund his passion for sailing.  He had saved up some money so he quit his job and started sailing full-time.  He kept making videos for YouTube and now has a successful YouTube channel that generates sufficient income enabling him to chase his sailing dreams.

You can check out Sam’s YouTube videos here:

Today we are excited to be joined by Yael Joffe.  Yael is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of her current business, 3X4 Genetics, a nutrigenetics company that launched in 2018. 3X4 Genetics does genetic testing and focuses on genetic aspects of diet, exercise, lifestyle, and health. Yael has co-authored two books on genetics and is also an adjunct professor at Rutgers University. Yael joined me from her home in South Africa via Skype.

You can check out 3X4 here:

Today we are excited to be joined by Jason Forrest.  Jason is the CEO of the Forrest Performance Group.  Jason works with companies to maximize their sales effectiveness, through a combination of training, hiring, and culture building. We also discuss compensation strategies and building a high-performance sales team.

You can check out Forrest Performance Group here: