Grit Daily Startup Show

Hooman Tavakolian has built a career spanning Wall Street, wrestling, sports diplomacy, and international humanitarian work. He explains why the discipline that helped him rise from poverty also led him to reconsider the idea of being “self-made,” recognizing the coaches, strangers, colleagues, and small acts of kindness that shaped his path.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Propulse Your Career founder Robert Saltz explains why artists need to develop the professional skills surrounding their craft rather than waiting to be discovered. Drawing on his experience in hospitality, higher education, career services, and life alongside a successful opera singer, he explores ownership, visibility, resilience, financial awareness, and the career strategy creative professionals are rarely taught.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Educator and SciEdScrumming founder Heather Cowap explains how Agile Scrum and Universal Design for Learning can give students more agency without sacrificing accountability. She argues that as AI becomes more common in classrooms, schools need to teach collaboration, planning, self-assessment, and the foundational knowledge students must have before technology can become a useful tool. [email protected]://sciedscrumming.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heathercowapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LawShift CEO Nick Kringas explains why AI is changing how injured people search for legal help long before they ever contact a law firm. Drawing on years in legal marketing, he argues that firms competing only at the moment of intake are overlooking the part of the client journey where trust is increasingly being formed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ceramics artist and business owner Gina DeSantis has built a career around handmade work while navigating wholesale, retail, staffing, pricing, and production limits. She explains why creative businesses often need a different definition of scale, one that protects craftsmanship while still creating room for sustainable growth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ideal Siding CEO Alex Filipuk explains why great ideas and strategy are not enough to build a successful company. Drawing on his journey from serial entrepreneur to franchisor, he shares why execution, complementary teams, and patient growth turn ambitious visions into scalable businesses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rei Cosmetics founder Nami Soejima saw a simple gap in the beauty market: American consumers were becoming obsessed with Japanese cosmetics, yet many of Japan’s most trusted brands were still difficult to buy in the U.S. She shares how she turned that frustration into a growing retail business, navigated tariffs and cross-border logistics, and learned that patience and trust are essential when doing business with Japanese companies. Website: https://www.reicosmetics.com/ Social Media: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Anime NYC (August 20-23rd, Javits Center): Booth #5632 https://www.reicosmetics.com/blogs/news/rei-cosmetics-at-anime-nyc-2026 Harness the Full TikTok Shop eCommerce Suite (Sept 15th)https://maven.com/ecomm-biz-school/learn-tiktok-ecommerce-in-2-hoursSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Candie Zar believes exercise is more than a workout—it's the foundation for confidence, longevity, and showing up as your best self. The founder of SWEATWITHCANDIE shares how discipline, community, and consistency can transform not only your body but every area of your life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ProAssisting co-founder Ethan Bull explains why experienced executive assistants are no longer reserved for large corporations. He shares how fractional support, human expertise, and AI can help growing businesses scale without the overhead of traditional hiring.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Serial entrepreneur Steve Burns discusses why the future of food delivery is not another app, but a purpose-built robotics platform. He explains how physical AI, specialized hardware, and relentless cost optimization can make delivery safer, faster, and dramatically more affordable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entertainment executive Steven Saxton discusses why artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of filmmaking, publishing, and music—and why creators need better ways to protect their intellectual property. He explains how Hollywood Studios™ aims to provide secure collaboration, responsible AI tools, and stronger ownership for creative professionals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott McPherran explains why rapid growth can expose law firms to hidden profitability, cash-flow, and governance risks. He also outlines how better reporting and business intelligence can help firm leaders make faster, more informed decisions without pulling attorneys away from practicing law. Enright-McPherran Professional ConsultingEnright-McPherran Professional Consulting helps organizations navigate complex business transformations through executive leadership, technology strategy, operational improvement, and business intelligence. Founded by Scott McPherran, the firm partners with private equity sponsors, law firms, and middle-market companies to improve profitability, governance, and executive decision-making. Current thought leadership includes the emerging discipline of Law Firm Economics, helping firms gain greater visibility into profitability, cash flow, and long-term performance as they grow in size and complexity.Website: https://enright-mcpherran.com/Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-mcpherran-76375a7/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sytes co-founder and CEO Rafael Weiss saw millions of dollars in potential real estate deals delayed or lost because tenants, landlords, developers, and brokers struggled to connect. His answer was to build a marketplace that makes commercial real estate matching easier—and refuse to assume throwing more money at the problem would make it grow faster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lossdog CEO Tom Sosnoff is building technology designed to help people understand what their careers may actually be worth. Drawing on decades of financial modeling and company building, Sosnoff argues that better information, faster decisions, and longevity can create opportunities that traditional systems often leave hidden.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remote Leverage founder and CEO Abbas Mohammed explains how replacing founder bottlenecks with specialized global talent helped him scale from working 16-hour days to building a business generating $1.5 million a month. His approach reveals why better hiring, stronger fulfillment systems, and AI-enabled teams are becoming critical to sustainable growth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ari Rastegar, founder of Rastegar Capital, explains why real estate, investing, and technology are entering a once-in-generations reset. He shares how AI, automation, market cycles, and personal reinvention are reshaping business, leadership, and the future of opportunity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suzy of Suzy and the Substitutes shares the story behind her new rock single “21st Century” and the long road that brought her into music as an independent artist. She discusses the message behind the song, her unusual creative process, and the collaborators who help shape the band’s rotating sound. The conversation explores persistence, reinvention, rock’s tradition of social commentary, and why it is never too late to pursue the music that has always been part of you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mimmo Cricchio, an independent travel advisor with Fora Travel, discusses how a family business rooted in Italian hospitality became the foundation for his career in travel. Drawing on his background with his family’s Baltimore restaurant and years spent helping travelers experience Italy, he explains why thoughtful planning, local knowledge, and human relationships still matter in an age of DIY booking tools. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, meaningful travel, client trust, and why a great trip should feel enriching rather than stressful.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Vedaprabhu Basavarajappa, founder and CEO of BeamGrid, shares how conviction, grit, and deep technical expertise helped him build a company focused on intelligent RF infrastructure. From satellite-to-phone connectivity to infrastructure monitoring and future wireless energy systems, BeamGrid is working to make connectivity, sensing, and energy move more seamlessly through space, air, and structures. The conversation explores deep tech entrepreneurship, government-backed innovation, RF engineering, and why the hardest companies may also be the most important to build.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pierre Aurimond, founder and CEO of FlexMode, is building a sports-based community platform designed to help professionals connect in the real world. In this episode, he explains why traditional networking is losing relevance, how Miami's wellness culture inspired FlexMode, and why shared experiences create stronger connections than social apps ever could. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, community building, and the growing demand for meaningful offline interaction in a digital-first world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janese Murray, founder of Inclusion Impact Consulting, breaks down why performance alone is not always enough for women of color navigating corporate spaces. She explores executive presence, personal brand, mentorship, sponsorship, perfectionism, and the pressure to code-switch without losing oneself. This conversation offers a grounded look at how professionals can build influence, manage the internal critic, and move through work with more strategy and self-belief.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian Fielkow, author of Make Safety Happen, explains why safety is much bigger than compliance and why strong defenses often create stronger growth. Drawing from leadership roles in trucking, logistics, and risk-intensive industries, he shares how culture, trust, and operational discipline can become competitive advantages. The conversation explores everything from acquisitions and employee retention to AI's changing role in coaching and workforce engagement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Vinci, CEO of Vico, joins the podcast to explain how AI-powered forecasting can quantify uncertainty and help people make better decisions. Drawing from his background in intelligence and investing, he shares how predicting probabilities—not certainties—can shape everything from global policy to everyday life choices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sid Dobrin joins the podcast to discuss his book The Not So Perfect Machine and why artificial intelligence is already shaping daily consumer life in ways most people never see. He explains how AI influences shopping, media, scams, pricing, trust, and decision-making, while offering practical ways people can regain control.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Grit Daily Startup Show, host Phillip Lanos sits down with Canadian-born aviation technology pioneer and global business executive, Louis Bélanger-Martin. As a seasoned entrepreneur who spends nearly six months of the year in the air, Louis shares his three-decade journey of transforming the commercial passenger experience. From co-founding DTI Software to eventually leading acquisitions that formed Global Eagle Entertainment—a $650 million integration of media and satellite services—Louis has consistently shaped how the world stays entertained at 40,000 feet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.