PODCAST · business
Hello Chaos
by Jennifer Sutton
Every day, entrepreneurs all over the world roll out of bed and say: Hello, Chaos. And more often than not, we’re having that conversation in our own heads. It’s time to crack the dialogue wide open. Hello Chaos is a weekly podcast dedicated to entrepreneurs and founders, published every Sunday. It is another platform brought to you by OrangeWIP. It is a megaphone and round table created specifically to welcome bright, stubborn, visionary minds to a conversation founders have been craving. Here, founders have permission to vent—or be vulnerable. To bring the wildest ideas. Their greatest obstacles. And find a national sounding board for solutions. Here, we want founders show off—or allow them to speak their truth. To meet challenges head-on. To make hyper-local community connections. And share “aha!” and “oh shit” moments. Welcome to Hello Chaos. Founders, it's time to unmute yourself.
Episodes
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Ep. 222 Marcus Blair - Good Business Advice Is Terrible At The Wrong Stage
Marcus Blair lost his job during COVID and kept every single bill. So he did what you do when rent is due. He took whatever work would pay, from ecommerce builds to SEO, even though Omega Business Solutions was never meant to be a marketing company. Six years later, he'll tell you the hardest…
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Ep. 221 Lon White - He Measured Risk for 25 Years
Lon White built a career on knowing exactly how things go wrong. For 25 years he was the person companies called in a crisis, running pandemic response, threat assessments, and high risk executive travel. He even ran his own consulting firm. But a career spent measuring risk kept him from the big...
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Ep. 220 Katie LeDoux - Her Great Idea Didn't Sell Itself
Katie LeDoux had the résumé. The Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center, and a clear idea for helping nonprofits get funded. She figured that was enough. It wasn't. When she launched Sunflower Grant Writers, she was new to Omaha, didn't know anyone, and the world was shut down. Clients didn't line up at...
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Ep. 219 DeMario McIlwain - Being Early To AI Cost Him
DeMario McIlwain built the future before there was a market for it, and the head start cost him more than it paid. He was teaching prompt engineering before ChatGPT existed, and he became the first in the US to put AI avatars in front of a learning platform, back when the rest of the world was...
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Ep. 218 Maggie Bilby - Rich Families Fail By Gen Three
Every founder eventually runs into the same math. If a business cannot survive without you in the room, you have not built a business, you have built a demanding job. Maggie Bilby watches that failure play out at the highest stakes imaginable, inside families worth thirty million dollars and…
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Ep. 217 Megan Rosen - She Escaped Client Hours And Built A Startup
Megan Rosen spent a decade building other people's businesses before she let herself build her own. She helped her family's construction company break into franchising, then took an Illinois food brand from nine family owned locations to a private equity buyout, and somewhere inside all that...
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Ep. 216 Joy Foster - Scaled to £2.2M & Still Couldn't Read the Numbers
Joy Foster built a company that helped 16,000 women rebuild their working lives. She also ran it for years without knowing what a P&L was. TechPixies was winning awards and climbing past £2.2 million in revenue while its founder was still learning the money on the fly, the same founder who'd run...
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Ep. 215 Dr. Maria Nemeth - The Expert Who Got Taken by a Ponzi Scheme
She was the expert everyone called when they needed answers. A clinical psychologist who trained psychiatrists and coached leaders. And she still handed 35,000 dollars to a man she'd known for three months, after a little voice and half her friends told her not to. It was a Ponzi scheme. She lost...
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Ep. 214 Ryan Schwartz - Your Steady Paycheck Is Lying to You
The loudest players in Ryan Schwartz's world win with billboards, billion dollar claims, and referral schemes that would turn your stomach. Ryan walked the other way. He's a personal injury attorney in Atlanta who's run his own firm for 12 years, and he built the whole thing on the one asset none...
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Ep. 213 Debbie Simmons - You Didn't Burn Out Because You're Weak
Most of what the world calls founder success is just survival mechanisms wearing a nicer outfit. Control, hustle, urgency, being the one who holds it all together. Debbie Simmons ran on those for years and built a multimillion dollar organization from nothing. Then her body shut down and handed…
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Ep. 212 Brian Samson - He Made $10M and Learned the Wrong Lesson
Making a lot of money can teach you the wrong lesson about yourself. Brian Samson turned about two thousand dollars into more than ten million in revenue, ran sixty recruiters, and walked around convinced he was exceptional at sales. He says it plainly now. He wasn't. Then the market shifted, the...
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Ep. 211 Gary Acevedo - Your Business Is Stuck Where You Are
Gary Acevedo can look at a room and tell you what is about to go wrong in it. Not the strategy, the thing underneath. He has spent forty years on this, starting from a first year of college where he was brilliant, capable, and a week from a nervous breakdown. What pulled him out became the work.…
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Ep. 210 Kashaun Cooper - Pressure Doesn't Change You. It Reveals You.
Kashaun Cooper used to get written up at work for pushing back on every process anyone handed him. Now founders pay him to build the exact thing he used to hate. That's not a fun contradiction, that's the whole story. He didn't wake up one day and become a systems guy. He just figured out…
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Ep. 209 Frank McShane - Their Downtime Was Costing $23,000 an Hour
Frank McShane spent years leading other people's companies before deciding he was done working for someone else's vision. Instead of taking the easy path back into a big firm with someone else's risk tolerance, he bet that most business owners are chasing the wrong fix, hunting for more customers...
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Ep. 208 Robin Ferguson - You're Living Someone Else's Life and Don't Know It
Robin Ferguson has started more things than most people will in a lifetime. A neonatal ICU. An urgent care. A church. A leadership coaching program that grew to 25 coaches. And then, at a milestone birthday, she finally started something for herself. Three months in, hitting walls with no...
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Ep. 207 Ken Miller - He Lost 20 Years to Addiction and Prison. Here's What He Built Next
Ken Miller shouldn't be where he is. Twenty years on the streets. Three stints in prison. A crack addiction that nearly took everything. And yet here he is running multiple businesses, generating $700K a year, mentoring founders all over the country, and talking about kindness like it's the most...
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Ep. 206 Adam Povlitz - The Recovering Micromanager Who Finally Learned to Let Go
Most founders think the goal is to be the best person in the room. Adam Povlitz spent a decade proving that was true, then spent the next decade paying for it. As second generation CEO of Anago Cleaning Systems, he walked into his father's franchise and quietly became the thing holding it back....
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Ep. 205 Hart Fandrich - She Built 5 Businesses Because Nobody Would Hire Her. Now She Calls It Peace.
Nobody would hire Hart Fandrich. Not because she was unqualified but because she moved every three years as a military spouse and no employer wanted to bet on someone who'd be gone before she got good at the job. So she stopped asking for permission and started building five businesses over 15...
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Ep. 204 Andrew Stallings - Laid Off on Monday and Bought the Company by Summer
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Your Network Is Not a Safety Net. It Is the Business. Andrew did not build Athelo Group on a pitch deck or a business plan. He built it on a decade of relationships that were already in place before he ever wrote a check. When founders underinvest in genuine connection and only...
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Ep. 203 Carl Stecker - The $407 Pharmacy Bill That Wouldn't Let Go
What founders will take away from this episode: 1️⃣ The problems that won't let go are the ones worth building for Carl couldn't shake the $407 pharmacy bill. It stuck to him like a tick, and that obsession became FreeRx. When something frustrates you so deeply that you can't stop thinking about...
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Ep. 202 Greg Arnold - You’re Not Lacking Confidence You’re Lacking Reps
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Confidence Comes After The Reps Waiting to feel ready is one of the fastest ways to stay stuck. Greg realized confidence was never the starting point. It came from showing up consistently, taking uncomfortable action, and proving to himself he could handle the next step. If you...
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Ep. 201 Rob Ekno - He Followed the Calling Before the Business Existed
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Clarity Usually Comes After the First Step Rob didn’t have a five year roadmap when he started building the film festival. He had conviction and a willingness to move before everything made sense. A lot of founders stay stuck because they think certainty comes first. It usually...
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Ep. 200 Mitchell Levy - What Got You Here is Quietly Killing Your Next Level
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ What got you here will keep you stuck Mitchell watched successful businesses collapse not because they failed, but because the environment changed. The real mistake is holding on too long to what used to work. If you keep optimizing an outdated model, growth will feel harder…
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Ep. 199 Alicia Hughes & Jenny Ladd - The Biggest Mistake Founders Make About Customers
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ People don’t buy your product, they buy the feeling Warm Hugs took off because of what people felt, not what was inside the box. That is the part most businesses miss early. If the emotional connection is not clear, growth gets harder no matter how good the product is. If it is...
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Ep. 198 Vida Stanic - You Got Traction But It's Still Wrong
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Traction does not mean you are right Vida got customers fast and still walked away. That is the part most founders ignore. Just because people are buying does not mean the foundation is strong. If you keep building on the wrong thing, you are not scaling. You are just going...
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Ep. 197 Brian Thompson - Growth Isn’t the Problem It’s Letting Go
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ You’re the bottleneck whether you see it or not Brian didn’t realize growth was stalling because of strategy or demand. It was because everything still ran through him. The moment you become the approval layer for everything, your business hits a ceiling. If you ignore this…
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Ep. 196 Chris Hallberg - Why Most Founders Struggle to Scale Their Business
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Right people fix more than strategy ever will Most businesses are not stuck because of bad ideas. They are stuck because the wrong people are sitting in the wrong seats. Chris built his entire approach around this, and it is simple. Upgrade the people, and everything else gets...
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Ep. 195 Justin Banner - The Founder Bottleneck No One Talks About
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Build systems or stay stuck in the business If everything runs through you, you do not have a business yet. Strong founder systems and business process automation turn your daily tasks into repeatable operations your team can run without you. 2️⃣ Simplicity scales better than...
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Ep. 194 Rebecca Rosselli - The Truth About Building a Modern Agency
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Systems protect you, not contracts Most founders think a contract will protect their business. It won’t. Rebecca learned that adaptability in your process matters more than what’s written on paper. Build payment structures and delivery systems that protect your cash flow so...
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Ep. 193 Haley Hoover - From Mom Frustration To Product Startup
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Start With The Problem Not The Product Great products usually start with frustration. Haley Hoover did not set out to build a startup. She simply wanted to fix a daily problem she faced as a mom. Founders who build around real pain points create solutions people instantly...
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Ep. 192 Shanise Pearce - Turning Adversity Into a Mission
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Your hardest moment can reveal your real mission The thing that disrupts your life can also redirect it. Shanise’s cancer diagnosis forced her to rethink everything and ultimately led her to build The Advocate’s Table. Founders often discover their true work in moments they…
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Ep. 191 Cody LaHoste - Misalignment Is Why Startups Stall
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Alignment Beats More Marketing Startups don’t stall because they lack tactics. They stall because story, sales, and strategy aren’t pulling in the same direction. Before you layer on more activity, fix the disconnect. Alignment scales. Noise doesn’t. 2️⃣ Your Edge Is Your...
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Ep. 190 Caroline McDavid - Turning 14 Million Views Into a Fuel Franchise
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Viral Is Fuel Not Strategy Going viral can open the floodgates, but it’ll also expose every crack in your systems. Caroline’s 14 million views brought massive franchise demand, and it forced her to tighten processes fast. Attention amplifies what already exists. Build your...
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Ep. 189 Anna Peterson - When Your Pain Becomes the Product
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Build From Pain, Not Trend Zenimal didn’t start as a market play. It started with night terrors and panic attacks. When you build from lived experience, your conviction outlasts the hype cycle and the hard seasons. Don’t chase what’s trending. Solve the problem that shaped you...
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Ep. 188 Haylee Jordan - The Reality of Building in Regulated Chaos
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Go deep before you go wide Trying to be everywhere at once spreads founders thin and kills momentum. Haylee’s approach with Fabric was to anchor in Colorado first, learn the market, and earn real traction before expanding. Focus creates signal, not noise, especially in complex...
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Ep. 187 Garrett Peters - When the Founder Becomes the Bottleneck
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ If it needs you, it will break A business built entirely on the founder eventually becomes the bottleneck. Garrett learned that real scale starts when you offload the work that drains you and build systems that move without you. If your ecommerce business pauses when you step...
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Ep. 186 Matt Olin - Why Community Outperforms Capital For Founders
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Connection Beats Perfection Every Time Waiting until something feels perfect costs you momentum. Matt built community and credibility by shipping ideas early, gathering people fast, and letting connection do the heavy lifting. Founders grow faster when they move forward...
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Ep. 185 David Sauers - Turning a Sh*t Experience Into a Scalable Business
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Build from real frustration The strongest businesses start by solving a problem you actually lived. David did not chase an idea. He fixed something that bothered him deeply. If the problem hits close to home, your solution will be sharper and more durable. 2️⃣ Own what you…
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Ep. 184 Aleksandra Simanovsky - Trust Does Not Transfer After Corporate
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Your Name Opens Doors. Your Business Earns Trust Aleksandra learned quickly that past credibility helps start conversations but it does not close them. Founders still have to prove value again and again. Show your work, stay consistent, and let results speak louder than your...
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Ep. 183 Lael AnnMarie - Stop Chasing Yes and Build What Matters
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Build Values In, Not Later Bootstrapping a product based startup forces clarity fast. When values like ethical sourcing and sustainability are baked in from day one, they guide manufacturing decisions, wholesale sales strategy, and who you say no to. The right constraints…
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Ep. 182 Mido Said - The Trap Of More And How Founders Escape It
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Peace creates freedom before profit does Chasing more revenue without strong systems leads straight to founder burnout. When peace comes first, clarity improves and the business stops running you. Time freedom is a sign the foundation is working. 2️⃣ Plug profit leaks before...
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Ascension Happens Quietly First
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Ascension happens quietly first Real growth rarely feels dramatic. It shows up as clarity, confidence, and internal alignment long before momentum or visibility arrive. 2️⃣ Clarity beats scale 2025 was not about getting bigger. It was about getting sharper. When founders get...
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The Year We Shed & Learned to Run
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Growth requires shedding before momentum appears The most meaningful progress in 2025 came from letting go of legacy habits, misaligned systems, and comfortable assumptions. Founders who released what no longer served them created space for clearer execution and stronger...
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The Chaos That Carried Us Through 2025
Key Takeaways 1️⃣ Founders who last think past the next win The most shared stories came from builders focused on legacy, clarity, and long term value instead of quick growth. Across every industry, thinking beyond the next milestone changed how these businesses scaled. 2️⃣ Human centered...
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Ep. 181 Geoff Thatcher
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ A setback can push you forward Getting fired pushed Geoff into building something better. When your environment stops valuing you, that is often your cue to bet on yourself and make the leap you have been avoiding. 2️⃣ Keep your equity and buy support Feeling overwhelmed does…
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Ep. 180 Kris Rice
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Your Gut Is a Strategy Tool Kris built ChillPod by trusting intuition even when the cold plunge market felt crowded and manufacturing costs were heavy. Founders move faster when they follow the signal pointing toward real opportunity. 2️⃣ Inexperience Can Be Your Superpower…
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Ep. 179 Kelly Dowd
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Empathy is your secret weapon Kelly Dowd proves that strategic empathy for entrepreneurs is a real game-changer. When you pay attention to energy shifts, body signals, and how people behave, you lead with clarity instead of chaos. This kind of empathetic leadership for founders...
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Ep. 178 Elena Ciccotelli
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Control Your Controllables Elena grew her EV podcast and niche EV media brand by focusing on what she could shape each day. You cannot control electric vehicle industry timelines or how fast a partnership lands, but you can control your content strategy for founders, your...
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Ep. 177 Andrew Oliver
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Capacity Is a Mindset, Not a Limit Andrew and his team thought they were maxed out until they pushed harder and realized they could handle twenty times the business. Most founders underestimate what they can sustain because they stop testing their ceiling. When you think you…
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Ep. 176 Tara Rolstad
Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Truth Beats Perfection Every Time Tara reminds us that hiding the hard parts only isolates us. The same goes for business. When you lead with honesty about burnout, limits, or lessons, you invite others to do the same. Real connection always outperforms polished perception. 2️⃣...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Every day, entrepreneurs all over the world roll out of bed and say: Hello, Chaos. And more often than not, we’re having that conversation in our own heads. It’s time to crack the dialogue wide open. Hello Chaos is a weekly podcast dedicated to entrepreneurs and founders, published every Sunday. It is another platform brought to you by OrangeWIP. It is a megaphone and round table created specifically to welcome bright, stubborn, visionary minds to a conversation founders have been craving. Here, founders have permission to vent—or be vulnerable. To bring the wildest ideas. Their greatest obstacles. And find a national sounding board for solutions. Here, we want founders show off—or allow them to speak their truth. To meet challenges head-on. To make hyper-local community connections. And share “aha!” and “oh shit” moments. Welcome to Hello Chaos. Founders, it's time to unmute yourself.
HOSTED BY
Jennifer Sutton
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hello Chaos have?
Hello Chaos currently has 227 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hello Chaos about?
Every day, entrepreneurs all over the world roll out of bed and say: Hello, Chaos. And more often than not, we’re having that conversation in our own heads. It’s time to crack the dialogue wide open. Hello Chaos is a weekly podcast dedicated to entrepreneurs and founders, published every Sunday. It...
How often does Hello Chaos release new episodes?
Hello Chaos publishes regularly with 227 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Hello Chaos?
You can listen to Hello Chaos on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Hello Chaos?
Hello Chaos is created and hosted by Jennifer Sutton.
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