My First Overnight Success

In this episode of My First Overnight Success, Michael Sawitz, Chief Enthusiasm Officer at FastStart.studio and longtime entrepreneur, shares the untold story behind building and scaling a 124-location franchise, achieving a multi-million-dollar exit, and dedicating his career to mentoring founders. From gripping a counter with "white knuckles" while waiting for his first customer to helping hundreds of startups navigate growth, Michael reveals the highs, the lows, and the lessons that shaped his entrepreneurial journey.Key Topics:• Building and scaling a 124-store franchise business• The lessons behind a multi-million-dollar exit• Why founder relationships can make or break a startup• Progress over perfection and building what customers truly need• Creating long-term success through mentorship, systems, and adaptabilityChapters 00:00 The Journey Begins: From Dreams to Reality 05:38 Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape 12:18 Building a Business: The Franchise Model 21:31 Lessons Learned: Trust and Team Dynamics 30:14 Creating Value: The Key to Success 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁:𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/CloneForce: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clone-force/

In this episode of My First Overnight Success, Grant Van Cleve, a global entrepreneur, angel investor, and ecosystem builder known for catalyzing world class companies worldwide, from early stage investing and venture capital to real estate development and cross border business building across the Balkans, MENA, and Southern California, shares his journey from real estate to startup ecosystems, highlighting the importance of adaptability, metrics, and ecosystem building in entrepreneurship.Key Topics:• Grant Van Cleve's background and journey • The analogy between real estate development and startups • The role of ecosystem building in entrepreneurship • Importance of metrics and data-driven decision making • The impact of AI on startups and venture building • Strategies for angel investing and startup scaling Chapters 00:00 The Journey of an Entrepreneur 02:54 From Real Estate to Global Ventures 11:45 The Role of Angel Investing 15:03 Building a Startup Ecosystem 17:53 The Evolution of a Change Maker 21:08 The First Startup Investment 33:00 The Role of a Venture Studio 35:49 Leadership and Team Dynamics 38:14 Navigating the CEO Experience 43:33 Philosophy of Leadership 46:52 Understanding Metrics in Startups 52:32 The Impact of AI on Startups 59:15 Creative Exit Strategies for Investors 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Grant Van CleveLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantvc/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/CloneForce: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clone-force/

In this episode of My First Overnight Success, we sit down with Sergey Sundukovskiy, Ph.D., Co-Founder, CTO, CMO, and Chief Product Officer at Salesmsg, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a SaaS company from the ground up. Sergey's path started in electrical and mechanical engineering before he immigrated to the United States and reinvented himself as a computer scientist, working his way up from senior developer to the C-suite. With over 25 years in tech, he shares hard-won lessons on product development, early-stage growth, and the mindset it takes to keep building through reinvention after reinvention. Key Topics:• Entrepreneurial journey and resilience• The role of technology and AI in mental health• Building distributed teams and remote work strategies• Lessons from startup exits and company buildingChapters00:00 The Impact of Personal Tragedy09:56 Learning from Mistakes: The Unfailing Approach15:06 Understanding Your Market: Beyond Demographics19:50 The Role of Technology in Mental Health25:02 The Future of AI in Therapy32:33 The Importance of Work Ethic and Flexibility38:51 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Setting Clear Goals46:27 Influential Figures in Business and Entrepreneurship𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Sergey Sundukovskiy, Ph.D.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssunduko/https://www.linkedin.com/company/salesmsg/X/Twitter: https://x.com/ssunduko𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/

In this special solo episode of My First Overnight Success Podcast, host Lillian Victoria Ng, TEDx speaker, author of Own Your Path, and leadership coach to CEOs and Fortune 500 executives, delivers a masterclass on what it truly takes to build a high-performing team and lead like a CEO.Most companies do not fail because of bad product. They fail because of bad leadership. Lillian has seen it firsthand: in boardrooms, in executive coaching sessions, and in her own life as a founder who navigated divorce, startup failure, and the long road back to her strongest self. In this episode she shares the 10 rules that define the CEOs who build empires versus the ones who burn everything down.Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:53 Rule 1: Vision Casting04:18 Rule 2: Be an A Player First06:41 Rule 3: Get Your Family on Board09:01 Rule 4: Know What Your Team Actually Wants11:23 Rule 5: Trust Your Intuition16:04 Rule 6: Lead with Charisma18:29 Rule 7: Protect Your Why20:42 Rule 8: Your Identity Is Your Brand23:07 Rule 9: Build a Bulletproof Mindset25:29 Rule 10: Be a Mentor, Not a CrutchFeatured host:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴TEDx Speaker | Author of Own Your Path | Leadership CoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/#Myfirstovernightsuccess #founder #entrepreneurship

In this episode of My First Overnight Success Podcast, we sit down with OG Arabian Prince, founding member of the legendary group NWA, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist, lifelong technologist, futurist, and venture investor. Long before the tech founder became a popular identity, Arabian Prince was blending music, creativity, and entrepreneurship: from running teen clubs in Compton at 15, to making his first record at 16 with $500 saved, to co-founding NWA with Dr. Dre, Easy E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, and C Ren. This is not just a music story. It is a story about curiosity, reinvention, ownership, and what happens when you refuse to stay inside a box.Chapters:00:00 Introduction: OG Arabian Prince02:00 First Dollar: The Teen Club in Compton08:00 Making His First Record at 16 with $1,00018:00 How NWA Was Formed at a Swap Meet22:00 Why He Left NWA: The Business of Music26:00 The Star Wars Theory of Entertainment56:00 What He Looks for When He Invests in Someone60:00 Do Not Buy a Waterfall Wall64:00 OC Tech Week and Pitchmasters𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: OG Arabian PrinceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ogarabianprincenwa/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ogarabianprince/Website: https://inov8capital.com/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/

In this episode of My First Overnight Success Podcast, Scott Bogdan, Co-Founder and COO of CloneForce AI, takes us through nearly three decades of entrepreneurship: from his first venture at age 10, to building DMARC Broadcasting with a deliberate "sell to Google, Yahoo, or Microsoft" strategy, to closing a $1.2 billion acquisition with Google, to now building the future of AI-powered work.In this episode we cover:• How DMARC was purpose-built with a Google exit in mind, down to the color schemes• The inside story of the $1.2 billion Google negotiation (including a memorable dinner and a bottle of wine he'll never forget)• How CloneForce builds AI teammates with identity, memory, and real execution power• What investors want to hear from AI founders right nowChapters:11:21 Building DMARC Broadcasting with a Google Exit Strategy13:43 The $1.2 Billion Google Acquisition Story16:01 Inside Google During Hypergrowth30:14 Culture in a Hybrid Human-AI Workforce32:40 Regulation, Governance and Autonomous AI Guardrails35:01 Advice for Founders Building with Agentic AI46:11 Final Advice for Early-Stage Founders51:00 Guest Recommendations for Future Episodes𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 Guest: Scott Bogdan, Co-Founder & COO of CloneForceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbogdan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clone-force/Website: https://www.cloneforce.com/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/

In this episode of My First Overnight Success Podcast, Victor Macias gets raw about building the world's first keto cookie from scratch, scaling it to 7 figures, landing a deal on ABC's Shark Tank, and then watching it all fall apart. Victor breaks down the financial collapse that followed the show, the 9 months he and his co-founder didn't pay themselves, and the dark period that made him question everything. But this isn't just a failure story. It's a comeback story. Today, Victor is the founder of Santana Snacks, a clean, Latin-inspired snack brand now in 500+ retail stores and growing nationally. He breaks down exactly what went wrong, what he'd do differently, and why losing it all was the best business education money can't buy.Key Topics:· Entrepreneurial impact and purpose· Importance of MVP and iterative testing· Financial metrics: margin and contribution margin· The emotional rollercoaster of startups· Strategic use of Shark Tank for growthChapters:00:00 The Journey Begins: Early Struggles and Aspirations02:29 Entrepreneurial Roots: From Childhood to First Ventures07:48 Education vs. Street Smarts: Finding Balance12:43 The Rollercoaster of Entrepreneurship: Success and Setbacks20:46 Lessons Learned: Metrics that Matter in Business29:56 The Shark Tank Experience: Preparation and Strategy39:35 Building a New Brand: Santana Snacks𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 Guest: Victor MaciasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victormacias/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/#Myfirstovernightsuccess #founder #entrepreneurship

In this episode, Idean Moslehi, the founder of Frowg Systems, Inc., creator of Forge Cascade, a decentralized knowledge operating system designed to make AI safer and reduce hallucinations, shares his unconventional journey from competitive gaming and a viral Solana meme coin to building infrastructure for the emerging AI agent economy. He explains how concepts like ISNAD lineage tracking, trust flames, knowledge capsules, and the "Ghost Council" work together to verify information and economize knowledge, while reflecting on altruism, education, and empowering underserved communities through technology.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Forge Cascade02:50 Understanding Knowledge Capsules and Trust Scoring06:06 The Journey to Creating Forge09:00 The Ghost Council and AI Integrity11:52 Tokenization and the AI Agent Economy15:11 The Impact of Forge on Education18:01 Empowering Individuals through Technology21:09 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗮: https://www.instagram.com/its.shoda?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝟯𝟯𝘄𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄: https://www.instagram.com/fr33wrld.show?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 Guest: Idean MoslehiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frowg/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀:𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 TCVNWebsite: https://www.tcvn.org/Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dw2jm-5jLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone Community Fund: https://lnkd.in/gUxKzCVVReed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/#Myfirstovernightsuccess #founder #entrepreneurship

In this 4th episode of My First Overnight Success Podcast, George Carpenter, Founder/CEO of multiple biomed startups with an aggregate exit value over $1 billion. Current President of TCA Venture Group OC, shares his journey from entrepreneur to investor, highlighting key lessons on startup turnaround, the impact of AI, and building resilient teams. Discover how experience, curiosity, and strategic thinking can lead to success in the fast-evolving tech landscape.Key topicsStartup turnarounds and lessons learnedThe role of AI in industry transformationBuilding resilient teams and leadership challengesChapters00:00 Journey of an Entrepreneur05:47 Lessons from Failure and Resilience12:00 The Importance of Team and Leadership24:01 The Future of AI and Human Intelligence28:30 The Role of AI in the Workplace32:14 Investing in Founders: The Human Element33:11 AI as a Core Business Component37:53 The Investment Process: From Pitch to Partnership 40:44 Characteristics of Successful Founders46:49 Building a Supportive Entrepreneurial Community𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 Guest: George CarpenterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcarpenter4/Website: https://tcaventuregroup.com/orange-county-chapter/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽:  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗖𝗩𝗡 Website: https://www.tcvn.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techcoastventurenetwork/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀: Sunstone: https://sunstonecommunity.org/ Reed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/

In this episode, Lillian Victoria Ng, TEDx speaker, author of Own Your Path, founder of Awesomeness Lifestyle, and a leadership coach, shares her journey from startup founder to leadership coach, emphasizing the importance of public speaking, embracing failure, and building high-performing teams. She discusses her upcoming podcast, her insights on leadership, and how to turn setbacks into comebacks.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Guest Background00:24 Lillian's Journey from Startup to Leadership Coach01:22 Influence of Mentorship and Personal Transformation02:19 Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking03:13 Lessons Learned from Public Speaking Experiences04:13 The Importance of Preparation and Authenticity05:35 Launching the 'My First Overnight Success' Podcast07:05 What It Means to Be Human and Share Your Story08:02 Turning Setbacks into Comebacks09:00 Closing Remarks and Community Support𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗮: https://www.instagram.com/its.shoda?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝟯𝟯𝘄𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄: https://www.instagram.com/fr33wrld.show?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==  𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 & 𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗴LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/𝗠𝗙𝗢𝗦 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀𝗧𝗼𝗻𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗽: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗖𝗩𝗡LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvn/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/techcoastventurenetwork/𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀:Sunstone: https://sunstonecommunity.org/Reed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/#Myfirstovernightsuccess #founder #entrepreneurship

 This episode is a fireside chat recorded live at Survivor 13, featuring Steve Kost, CRO of CloneForce AI, interviewed by fireside host, Tony Crisp, TCVN President, where we unpack the fast-moving world of AI, exploring the rapid evolution of agentic AI, strategies for market differentiation, and the future of AI workforce transformation.We dive into:The rapid rise of agentic AIHow companies can actually differentiate in a crowded AI marketWhat the AI workforce transformation really looks like (beyond the hype)Chapters00:00 The Acceleration of AI in Business03:09 Attracting Top Talent in AI Companies06:05 Navigating the AI Market Noise09:12 Identifying Ideal Customers for Agentic AI12:00 Overcoming Objections in AI Adoption14:49 The Future of AI and Workforce Dynamics18:11 Advice for Founders in the AI SpaceSpecial thanks for or guest:CloneForce: https://www.cloneforce.com/Steve Kost: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenkostsalesmarketingleader/Special thanks to our sponsors:Sunstone: https://sunstonecommunity.org/Reed Smith: https://www.reedsmith.com/Presented by Tech Coast Venture NetworkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/techcoastventurenetwork/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcvnHosts:Lillian Victoria Ng: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lillianvictoriaspeaks/ & LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvictoriaspeaks/Tony Crisp: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tonycrisp/ & LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonycrisp/Michael Sawitz: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sawitzmichael/ & LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsawitz/

In this episode of My First Overnight Success, we sit down with Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco, to uncover the real story behind one of Southern California’s most iconic lifestyle brands. From immigrant family grit and restaurant roots to surf culture, rapid expansion, franchise lessons, pandemic survival, and community-driven reinvention, Wing shares what it truly takes to build something that lasts. This conversation is a powerful masterclass in resilience, leadership, brand-building, and the mindset required to keep going when everything you’ve built is on the line.Show note:0:00 – From Surf Culture to Wahoo’s Fish Taco8:30 – Building a Brand Before Social Media19:45 – The Real Cost of Scaling34:00 – Surviving the Pandemic Through Service49:30 – Leadership, Legacy, and the Power of Being a ConnectorSpecial thanks to our sponsors:CloneForceSunstoneReed SmithPresented by Tech Coast Venture NetworkInstagram & LinkedIn: @tcvnHosts:Lillian Victoria Ng — @lillianvictoriaspeaksInstagram & LinkedIn: @LillianVictoriaSpeaksTony Crisp — Instagram & LinkedIn: @TonyCrispMichael Sawitz — LinkedIn: @MichaelSawitz

Welcome to My First Overnight Success, presented by TCVN. In this introduction episode, Lillian Victoria Ng shares what this show is all about: uncovering the truth behind success. Not the highlight reel — the hard lessons, pivots, failures, grit, and breakthroughs that shape every real journey. You’ll also meet co-hosts Tony Crisp and Michael Sawitz as we kick off a series designed for founders, builders, and anyone ready to turn vision into reality.