“The true answer in the startup world is those who are successful are almost always white men who have exited before.” Leslie Hyman says, “In order to compete particularly in the payment world and then in the multifamily world, it takes a fair amount of money. That is not easy, and I just want to call out, it’s hard, I mean women still get 2-3% of VC funds. That is unconscionable.”Leslie co-founded Circa, an organization that is reinventing rent. The company created a platform for renters to customize their payment experience, splitting payments if needed. Their goal is to increase the overall number of people that can successfully pay rent. After working at large companies for many years, Leslie decided to take the leap and build her own business. She details the impetus for that decision as well as the long road of funding she and her co-founders went through to gain a footing in the space. In this episode, Carol and Leslie dive into how the platform works and the ideal client. Leslie explains that no marketing is needed because the demand is so high on the part of renters. They also discuss how people are discovering Circa and how that is shifting as they grow. Learn more about Leslie Hyman and Circa. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

“I want to hear people acknowledge that they have failed,” Chuck Frydenborg says, “What I ask of my people is to make new mistakes. Don’t make the same ones over and over again. Then we got a problem. Make new ones. Learn from them.” MarketMuse, an AI platform for content creation and strategy, began as a personal science project. The original founder, Aki Balogh, was researching the space when he met the second founder, Jeff Coyle, and they joined forces to create MarketMuse 10 years ago.  Where does Chuck come in? After a long career in sales, you’ll hear what made him join the organization and what led him to become CEO, replacing Aki.  He also tells us his initial concern with the company and why he chose to work there despite it. In this episode, Carol and Chuck discuss all things content, from how to generate topics effectively to analyzing the “why” behind the content. You’ll also hear about Chuck’s views on introspection and why he believes it’s significant in success. Learn more about Chuck Frydenborg and MarketMuse. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

“I think we’ve learned pretty quickly that we can do work remote. (But) It is difficult to lead and it is difficult to be the leader you need to be without being around the leaders you’re going to replace,” Rick West says, “I think you’ll have a whole wave of people upset that they’re not the next partner…because they were in California on a beach doing amazing work but someone else was there around and available and they’re going to get those opportunities.”Rick co-founded Field Agent, a marketplace that provides B2B retail solutions through mobile research and retail data collection. Rick dives into how his company functions and talks about their most recent creation of “Plum Marketplace” to speed up and transform the process of purchasing services. Field Agent was originally created as a tool for the larger product and eventually, they decided to focus in and scale it. You’ll hear how the economy at the time inspired people to start using their product. In this episode, Carol and Rick discuss the swiftly changing technology in the industry and how Field Agent works to keep up with it. Rick discusses areas in his company’s growth that he would have approached differently in hindsight.Learn more about Rick West and Field Agent. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

“You take care of your people and your people take care of your company every day— on personal levels, professional levels. I know without a doubt that they have my back.” - Melissa Hurrington As CFO of Premier Claims, a public adjustment firm that advocates on behalf of the customer, Melissa leads with a people-first approach. Melissa says her company turns away about 50% of work because the policyholder may have been paid out appropriately or may not have had the right coverage in the first place. In this episode, Carol and Melissa discuss the inside workings and issues in the property insurance industry. They also delve into Melissa’s recruiting strategy and her unique way of hiring people based on skills- even if a title isn’t there. You’ll also hear about Melissa’s career journey including her time as an auditor, working concerts, and eventually the path that led her to Premier.Learn more about Melissa Hurrington and Premier Claims.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

“What we’ve done is we’ve really tried to take peoples’ skill sets and use them so that they’re not only doing what they’ve been hired to do but they’re doing what they love to do.” - Cynthia AdamsCynthia and two others started GrantStation in a one-room cabin in the woods of Alaska. The organization was created to connect nonprofits with grantmakers nationally and internationally in order to get the funding they need. Years later, it has now grown to 20 employees as a membership-based model. At just 14, Cynthia had her first encounter with fundraising-- for a horseback-riding club she was a part of. She discovered she had a special ability to get funding for projects and eventually began her career working for nonprofits. In this episode, Cynthia and Carol discuss a challenge in the philanthropy industry right now: new funding sources throwing off the traditional funding landscape. Cynthia also reflects on an issue that faces small nonprofits trying to get grants and how it is a “numbers game”.They also discuss the future of her company as she is planning to fully retire in the coming years. Learn more about Cynthia Adams and GrantStation. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jagadish Gattu (Jag) came to the US from India to get his master's and stayed here ever since. After working at many companies, he realized that many customer needs could be better fulfilled through AI. In 2019 he founded UptimeAI, an artificial intelligence-based predictive maintenance software provider for companies in heavy industries. Since its start, the company has grown to 24 employees.UptimeAI is different because it bridges the gap in knowledge in fields where this knowledge usually takes decades of experience to access. It uses human-like cognitive skills to problem-solve and self-learn, which distinguishes it from other tools, he says.In this episode, he and Carol discuss the effect Covid had on the company and the culture he has proudly created at UptimeAI, along with the inner workings of his organization. Learn more about Jagadish Gattu and UptimeAI. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“I’m sorry– there is no balance. Some people can separate the two, you know, but overall it’s integrating and how do you bring it all together and make it work harmoniously together,” Dan LaBroad says. Dan’s company, Ovation Health and Life Services, is an employee benefits firm aimed at helping employers create better health plans. Dan began his career in the restaurant industry, completely unrelated, and eventually got into insurance when he needed a license for one of his jobs. He later quit and since he had the license, he figured, why not find a job in the insurance industry? That’s where it all began. In this episode, Carol and Dan discuss diversity and how it affects communication in modern-day companies. Dan dives into a major lesson for him: how to adjust spending based on client numbers. He also talks about the concept of “self-funding” which is transforming health care benefits. Learn more about Dan LaBroad and Ovation.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“We made a big mistake. We configured the platform where—luckily it never saw production because it was caught in testing– but we had where we pointed the system to the wrong logo,” Brent Williams tells Carol, “We owned it. We said ‘This is us, we did this.’” Brent founded Benekiva, a SaaS technology platform that aims to transform the end-to-end insurance claims and servicing experience. Four years ago the startup employed only three people, and today it employs almost 60 people.After noticing the issue of an archaic claims and servicing system and then taking three years to research further, Brent began the journey of designing a platform to innovate it.In this episode, Brent recounts the process he and his co-founders took to get the startup going, prioritizing product development over immediate sales. And they discuss a key part of their growth: speaking at conferences. Carol and Brent discuss his talent strategy, especially with such a high growth rate. And you’ll hear about his number one hobby-- golf. Learn more about Brent Williams and Benekiva.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“You get this feeling of happiness when you do this,” Jitesh Shetty tells founders, “If that’s not happening, it’s almost like your system internally telling you: change something! Maybe that’s not the right idea for you, the right problem space…I think if that is not happening it will be very hard to succeed.” Jitesh, a three-time founder, most recently co-founded Credible, a SaaS company that helps businesses discover their environmental, social, and governance impact through data. His time growing up in India shaped his desire to become a business owner, he says. It also played a role in his current venture, Credible, which was initially formed after researching the state of manufacturing in India. In this episode, Jitesh recounts his experience founding previous startups, including one that captured the interest of both Google and Amazon. They discuss his company culture and the component he sees as key to having ambitious employees. You’ll also hear about a technique he uses once a week to stay present: silence. Learn more about Jitesh Shetty and Credible. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“You’ve got to cast a long shadow,” Eric Miller tells Carol. “We look a lot bigger than we are to our clients. They are always a little surprised that we are less than 100 people because we pack a bigger punch than these 4,5,600-person companies that we compete with.” Eric is a co-owner and Principal at PADT, a provider of tools and services that help companies design and manufacture their products. The origins of PADT trace back to the 90s when Eric and some fellow engineers at a large turbine engine company decided to create a startup based on three new technologies they had at the time.In this episode, Eric describes his relationship with his clients–mechanical engineers–and how important it is to build informational content outside of transactions to establish trust with them. He also recounts the effects of COVID on his culture and the steps he’s taken to ensure his culture stays intact in the remote world.They also discuss why he and his co-owners haven’t sold the company despite many offers and what it would take for them to sell. Learn more about Eric Miller and PADT.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Calvin Goforth founded VIC Tech in order to help commercialize new technologies invented by university researchers. VIC Tech began as a consulting firm for tech startups. After noticing that many professors with new technologies didn’t want to quit their roles to develop them, Calvin decided to shift. The company screens new technologies brought to them from various universities and analyzes the risks in moving forward and commercializing them. Few companies have made it to the funding stage where the startup is founded and functioning.In this episode, Carol and Calvin delve into his first startup and the journey to eventually selling it. Calvin walks us through how his current business model works and why professors are willing to give up equity. Calvin also talks about the talent pipeline and startup pipeline he’s formed alongside VIC Tech. Learn more about Calvin Goforth and VIC Tech. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“There is a financial responsibility that exists in every organization. Traditionally HR is not a part of those conversations. They’re the conversation that happens after that decision has been made, and they’re left to reconcile the reality that’s been created when they weren’t in the room.” - Matt BurnsMatt founded BentoHR, an HR operations consulting firm. After working as an HR executive for years, he saw the need to revamp how HR functions. He talks about his transition from corporate work to entrepreneurship and how his skills did or didn’t translate. In this episode, Carol and Matt discuss the current state of the workforce with Baby Boomers retiring and skillsets changing. Matt dives into the power dynamics between HR and executives in many organizations and the issues it causes. He also walks us through some examples from his past that demonstrate the problems with HR, starting with his MBA program. They also get into the idea of viewing employees from an “output” point-of-view rather than an “input.”Learn more about Matt Burns and BentoHR. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Sometimes when people spend too much time in corporate life, they kind of are taught to not think. Don’t think just do. And that is really like the opposite of what we want people to think,” Ozan Bilgen says, “We want people to be critical about the process and come up with their solutions as well, if possible.”Ozan founded Base64.ai, an artificial intelligence service that works as a one-stop-shop for processing any type of document. Before starting his own company, Ozan had been a part of major corporations such as Netflix, PayPal, Uber, and Microsoft after moving from Turkey. During his time at Uber, he came across the issue that Base64.ai now aims to solve.Base64.ai differs from its competitors in its rate of accuracy when extracting data, having 25% more accuracy than competitors, Ozan says. In this episode, Carol and Ozan discuss what he’s learned from working for major companies. He talks about wanting clients to overuse their services, a strategy he picked up at Netflix. Ozan also walks us through what the “no-code revolution” is and how it will further transform the tech industry. Learn more about Ozan Bilgen and Base64ai. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“She (Shahed’s wife) would go to a stakeholder meeting and tell me that ‘You haven’t done that properly…”” CEO Shahed Islam tells Carol. “Our team members have learned that. We have become a good example. Now they are arguing.”Shahed co-founded SJ Innovation, an IT solutions company, with his wife almost two decades ago when they were two traveling freelancers.The business has now grown to 170 employees across the globe. Although SJ Innovation is highly remote, Shahed talks about culture and how central it is to the company. In this episode, Carol and Shahed discuss coaching and the value of hiring one instead of relying on books. They also touch on the best way to gain clients, no matter the industry.  Shahed opens up about his health and the importance of prioritizing self-care and family life over work. Learn more about Shahed Islam and SJ Innovation. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“I learned over time the value of just getting everyone to get on the same page and move in a direction, albeit imperfect– because you can course correct. You can inspect and adapt as you go,” Phil Reynolds says, “It wasn’t about me being right, it was more about building alignment in the team.”Phil first founded BriteCore, a cloud-native platform for P&C insurers, and almost two decades later co-founded DevStride, a strategic project and portfolio management solution. The idea for his second company came from an issue his team came across at the first. DevStride was co-founded by four people, one being Phil’s wife. He walks us through how he wound up with those co-founders and what it’s like to work alongside his life partner. In this episode, Carol inquires about Phil’s removal from his role as CEO at BriteCore. They get into the idea of a leader giving up their position if it means the company will be more successful with someone else, even as the founder. Later, he goes into the important distinction between hiring great people and hiring seasoned people. They also talk about chatbots and the future of bots versus humans for customer support.Learn more about Phil Reynolds and DevStride.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“You manage engineers in a completely different way to how you manage salespeople, in a completely different way to how you manage finance people, and so on and so forth. And you have to be able to shapeshift your management personality into a context that is relevant to that point in time.” - Phil TeePhil has founded several successful software companies, his latest: Moogsoft, an AIOps incident management platform for engineering teams of large businesses. The company currently staffs around 160 people.Moogsoft was co-founded by Phil and his friend Mike Silvey. Phil tells us the story of how the two met over two decades ago, going from “drinking friends” to now being like an “old married couple” several businesses later.In this episode, Carol inquires about Phil’s lessons from the many companies he’s grown, including three successful exits and one incubator. Phil tells us one principle he stands by: A company must authentically solve a problem.They also get into Phil’s mindset on culture, how he sees the truth, and his practice of seeking out customers’ skepticism early on. He also provides advice for entrepreneurs looking to achieve the same success. Learn more about Phil Tee and Moogsoft.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“I’ve asked people to stop doing any multitasking— because this is a freaking illusion. It doesn’t work,” Vadim Peskov tells Carol. Vadim co-founded Diffco, an app development company.  Diffco helps tech startups build their software and, in some cases, also build out their business model. In order to make his days as CEO as efficient as possible, Vadim has learned to structure his tasks based on importance. With that comes leaving a meeting if it’s not crucial to be listening. He also encourages his team to do the same. In this episode, Carol and Vadim talk about another business he founded and why he decided to focus on Diffco in the end. They explore the concept of dividing attention, when it works and when it doesn’t. You’ll also hear them discuss Vadim’s challenges when it came to hiring and how he’s improved his process, especially when it comes to finding c-level talent. Learn more about Vadim Peskov and Diffco.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“I think most lawyers, they go for comfort. Maybe not comfort in the subject matter of what they’re doing, but comfort in their repeatable patterns. They go to the office, they do the same type of work each day. The cannabis industry was anything but that,” Bob Hoban tells Carol.Bob founded Hoban Law Group, which Clark Hill’s Cannabis Industry Group later acquired. His firm notably paved the way for lawyers in the brand-new industry of commercialized cannabis. Years into his career as a corporate lawyer, Bob’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. He began to explore cannabis as an alternative for her. This led him to naturally form relationships with leaders in the industry and start working in cannabis law. Bob walks us through the early days of his law firm and one of his biggest challenges as his company grew exponentially: management. In this episode, Carol and Bob dive into how Covid transformed his firm and ultimately led to the acquisition. They also talk about the details of the transition into “big law” and how employees felt about it. Learn more about Bob Hoban and Clark Hill’s Cannabis Industry Group.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“I was laying there so uncomfortable, afraid, anxious, confused, just clamoring for information to understand what all of these crazy acronyms were,” Michael O’Neil tells Carol about the genesis of his idea. After being treated for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Michael founded Get Well, an organization that aims to empower patients to take an active role in their health journey. Get Well utilizes technology to give people access to information about their health. It currently staffs over 340 people. In this episode, Carol and Michael discuss the challenges of breaking into the healthcare industry with a new concept. Michael walks us through his journey of funding the company, selling it to a private equity firm, and then acquiring a competitor.You'll hear about the variety of ways Get Well is now serving the industry beyond his original purpose. Michael also talks about his company values and the three elements he uses to balance his daily schedule as CEO. Learn more about Michael O’Neil and Get Well. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“People think once you raise money, that it gets easier. No. You only have more to prove.” - Sofiat AbdulrazaaqYears ago, Sofiat wanted to check out a food truck a friend had recommended and was unable to find it. This catapulted her and her friends into a journey to create GoodFynd, a way to connect customers to mobile businesses, helping food trucks to be more visible and profitable.Sofiat is a first-generation American, born to immigrants from Nigeria. After getting a law degree and working in the field, she still had entrepreneurship in the back of her mind, influenced by her grandmother growing up. When her co-founder came to her with the idea for GoodFynd, she knew it was time to dive in. Sofiat tells us about the impact of the company beyond food, helping diverse business owners and bringing accessibility to affordable, authentic cuisine in food deserts. Sofiat discusses what she calls “servant leadership” and how she’s found success with that mindset. In this episode, Carol and Sofiat talk about how she met her co-founders and how being friends has caused issues but has also been helpful in situations. You’ll hear about the process of getting funded as both a person of color and a woman and how an unexpected call transformed the journey. Learn more about Sofiat Abdulrazaaq and GoodFynd. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“If you’re just promoting yourself, you’ve lost people right there. You have to give back. The more you give back, the more people are going to be receptive to you and know that you are an industry leader.“ - Brandon LeibowitzBrandon founded SEO Optimizers, a digital marketing agency that helps companies gain online traffic through search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), Pay Per Click (PPC), blogging, and social media marketing (SMM). His company now employs upwards of 50 employees. Brandon began working in the space after graduating and eventually decided to start his own company centered around the free tool of SEO. Once he found success, he took the plunge and committed to it full-time. In this episode, Carol and Brandon explore what makes his business stand out from the fierce competition: something called backlinks. He also takes us on his journey from being a one-man-show to hiring a team, allowing him to focus on the business as a whole. Learn more about Brandon Leibowitz and SEO Optimizers.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“The future of work is changing, but also the future of travel,” Andrew says, “People are staying gone longer, they’re seeing that things are actually better in another place potentially for them, they don’t have to wait until they retire.”Andrew co-founded Insured Nomads, an insurtech and travel-tech platform aimed at helping travelers, ex-pats, and digital nomads explore and live with their well-being in mind. Insured Nomads is disrupting the industry with much-needed technology updates to make traveling and living abroad easier, Andrew says. In this episode, Andrew walks us through the main issues his company solves for people and the red tape involved in attempting to innovate in a highly regulated space. Carol and Andrew discuss outsourcing and how Insured Nomads aims to give companies other options than outsourcing. Andrew co-founded his business with others, one being his wife, so you’ll hear how that dynamic works on an everyday basis.  Learn more about Andrew Jernigan and Insured Nomads.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Chad Pytel began freelancing as a developer in high school and continued throughout college to make ends meet. Later he joined a startup that failed quickly and led him to form a new company with the team he built. He founded thoughtbot, an end-to-end product development and design consultancy. thoughtbot aims to bring a company’s idea to life and eventually give them the tools to have their own development team. In this episode, Chad tells us about his journey in zeroing in on a niche and realizing the necessity of saying “no” to certain prospective clients. Carol and Chad discuss strategies for gaining business and how Covid affected thoughtbot and its ability to stand out. You’ll also hear about Chad’s journey when growing the company from a small team to now a workforce of over 100 employees and the fear he had of becoming a large organization. Learn more about Chad Pytel and thoughtbot. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

When Ravi Maddimsetty began his start-up he had a vision of connecting the physical with the digital to help businesses engage with customers – not necessarily through QR code technology. But after trial and error, Ravi and his co-founder Sharat knew QR codes were the technology they had been looking for. Today their company, “Beaconstac” employs over 60 people and has worked with brands such as Pepsi and Amazon.Ravi and Sharat grew up together in the same city in India. And after both moving to the US decades later, they wound up being roommates in New York City, both working for large organizations at the time. Ravi says they constantly discussed start-ups and it was only a few years later that they began Beaconstac together. In this episode, Carol and Ravi explore the QR code space and how it’s rapidly growing in popularity. Ravi tells us about his goals moving forward with Beaconstac.When talking about hiring, Ravi tells us about what he calls the “10,20,30 rule” that he uses for any new employee. Learn more about Ravi Maddimsetty and Beaconstac. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Scott Snider began his entrepreneurship journey in high school when he started mowing lawns. His side gig quickly turned into a full-blown operation with several employees. With mentorship from his dad, he grew the business and strategically sold it seven years later. Scott now uses his dad’s same methodology to help other businesses. As the president of the Exit Planning Institute (EPI), Scott provides learning experiences, performance-enhancing resources, and strategic tools designed to help businesses exit in the best way. Whether it’s a one-man operation or a large manufacturing company, EPI aims to train advisors to help them grow and exit effectively. In this episode, Scott delves into the ins and outs of his industry and how the last few years have affected it. Carol and Scott also discuss his militant leadership style and how feedback from his closest employees made him change. He tells us about a value he upholds at EPI that he calls “putting it on the table” and why that is so significant. Learn more about Scott Snider and the Exit Planning Institute.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

In an effort to solve the growing issue of service technicians leaving the field, Aaron Salow co-founded XOi Technologies to help the workforce by providing much-needed data. XOi Technologies is an all-in-one communication tool connecting field service technicians, offices, and customers. His company now has over 90 employees. Aaron says a large part of the product's success comes from the fact that it’s built on actually listening to technicians and what they need. Aaron’s family worked in manufacturing and farming, leading him to have a passion for blue-collar work from a young age. And after seeing many companies struggle to find the right technician for specific work, his idea came to mind. He knew if he could connect the new technician on their first job with the man who had been repairing for 45 years, he’d close a wide gap. In this episode, Carol and Aaron discuss whether people have a price when it comes to accepting a new position or if the company culture is always the most important factor. They also talk about how insecurity played a part in his business creation.Learn more about Aaron Salow and XOi Technologies. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Yotam Segev aims to lead the way in the new and expanding cloud data security market. The space is part of the larger cyber security market and is growing quickly as data security becomes more and more complicated, Yotam says. Yotam’s company, Cyera, is a cloud data security firm that, while only being a year-and-a-half old, has already raised a large sum of capital. Carol presses Yotam on why he feels he is a “leader” in this emerging space. In this episode, Carol and Yotam discuss his company’s culture and Yotam challenges the widespread sentiment on work-life balance, saying some people prefer the fast-paced challenge of building something rather than being at a laid-back company. They also talk about the difficulties involved in being in such a new space and hiring employees. You’ll hear about his time in the renowned Talpiot Program in Israel and how it propelled him to be the leader he is now. Yotam says a big part of his culture is being open with each other about mistakes and discussing them as a team. Learn more about Yotam Segev and Cyera.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Years ago, Shane Foss had a back issue and checked into a nearby urgent care facility to get help. After getting services, he was billed $800. Fortunately, Shane had worked in the healthcare space and knew how to negotiate it down to $75. That’s when he got the idea to start Hooray Health, a company aimed at providing limited healthcare benefits to hourly workers that won’t break the bank. Shane’s business now has contracts with urgent care centers in major cities that keep the bill to $25, no matter the services needed. Shane says the healthcare benefit space needed innovation, especially in current times with many Americans unable to afford major medical benefit plans.Shane’s journey began in the airforce where he assisted with surgeries. He fell in love with medicine and later worked for several organizations in the field. Eventually, a friend asked him to help lead a healthcare benefits company, and that’s what gave him the knowledge to form his own.In this episode, Carol and Shane discuss how his company gained credibility in the industry and the mistakes he made in the process of raising capital. Shane tells about his talent strategy and balancing contracted employees versus permanent employees. Shane also opens up about his goal of implementing a culture of feedback and why the company doesn’t have one yet. Learn more about Shane Foss and Hooray Health. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Meet Jaci Russo: a mother of four and the founder and CEO of BrandRUSSO, a strategic branding agency. Beyond that, she also wrote a book on branding and created courses for people to learn how to brand their companies independently. “To me, it’s just about saying yes. That seems like a good idea. Sure I’ll try that! That seems like an awesome opportunity, yes let’s do that!” Jaci tells Carol. It was moving from Louisiana to Los Angeles and working at a large, well-known agency that changed Jaci’s mindset and gave her the confidence to do anything, she says. She eventually left her job to work at a start-up and then formed her own agency. Jaci says many of her clients simply don’t understand their target audience, in turn losing the effect of their messaging, so she acts as a translator. BrandRusso stands out from its 74,000 competitors in the way they do business, including how Jaci charges for services. In this episode, Carol and Jaci discuss the benefits of writing a book and how it can help a business. Jaci also tells us the common marketing mistakes she sees companies make before coming to her.You’ll also hear about the ten years of mistakes she’s made with hiring and how she moved past it and now prefers a “lean and mean” organizational structure. Learn more about Jaci Russo and BrandRUSSO.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

One value Guillermo Elizondo looks for in his employees is a “force of spirit” which he refers to as the spirit within someone that pushes them to meet a goal despite obstacles. With globalization and facing worldwide problems, Elizondo believes it’s our force of spirit that will help change the world. Elizondo co-founded Territorium, a global education technology leader providing an education delivery, measurement, and tracking ecosystem. With over nine million users worldwide currently, Territorium recently expanded into the U.S. partnering with major companies like Microsoft.The goal of Territorium is to help students in their transition from education to work. Territorium focuses on the skills students obtain in school and how they will apply them in the field. Guillermo took on the role of CEO as a teenager. He says it helped him in some situations because he was a student and saw many leaders as mentors, but it also led to mistakes. In this episode, Carol and Guillermo talk about the “million-dollar mistake” he made early on and about the transforming landscape of higher education in today’s world. Learn more about Guillermo Elizondo and Territorium.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Business is really simple. We make it so complicated. If you just take care of people, if you just want what’s best for them and you treat them like human beings—it’s amazing what will happen to your business,” says Wayne Mullins, founder and CEO of Ugly Mug Marketing: a marketing, social media, web design, and graphic design agency.Wayne says one key to success is thinking of clients as people rather than transactions and getting personal beyond the job at hand. It all comes down to two humans connecting, he says. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear how Wayne and his team prioritize human connection with clients. And then Carol and Wayne take a step back to dive into his journey from landscaper to founder of a marketing company. They discuss the company culture he’s created and an idea he lives by: Discomfort is necessary for growth. And he tells us how he implemented that concept among his employees. You’ll also hear how he chose his employees’ wellbeings over the expansion of his company and the tough decisions that came with that. Wayne speaks candidly about the marketing industry and what he believes many agencies are doing wrong: Measuring results based on “vanity metrics” rather than true leads.Learn more about Wayne Mullins and Ugly Mug Marketing. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Aneesh Dhawan’s journey in business started early. As a teenager, he worked with a team at MIT to install a desalinization device in Haiti. The following year he launched a marketing company and also helped set up a solar-powered device for a school in Haiti. And as a high school senior, he founded the company that would later become his current business: Knit. Knit helps brands understand the next generation of consumers by empowering Gen Z to share feedback over video. In other words, before brands launch marketing content, they hire Knit to make sure the content will appeal to the young generation; doing away with the archaic focus group method of gaining consumer feedback. “If you think about how brands are talking to their consumers today, it is definitely not built for this world,”  he tells Carol. Aneesh uses sports as an example: Data shows that Gen Z doesn’t broadcast games or go to watch in person as much as generations before them did. Instead, they stream games. So Knit helps sports-related brands figure out how to monetize streaming and how to enhance the in-person experience to fit Gen Z's interests. In this episode, Aneesh tells us about a high school program that shaped his business mindset. And he brings us on his journey of founding start-ups and dropping out of college to go all-in. Listen to hear how the pandemic actually helped him pivot his idea to solve an issue all-size companies were encountering. And how, as a young entrepreneur, he took on the hiring of a dozen employees. Learn more about Aneesh Dhawan and Knit. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

After over a decade of smooth sailing for Ted Lau, everything seemed to go wrong in his business at once: his partnership dissolved, a client filed a lawsuit, he underwent an audit, and he experienced high rates of turnover. The stress piled up and he had a mental breakdown. Ted sought help and his doctor advised him to take a few months off; but as a business owner, he knew that was a near-impossible task for him. So he took small breaks. Ted reflected and pivoted his business and in turn, his company found more success than ever before.  In this episode, Ted tells us how empathy changed his life — and business— for the better. Ted owns Ballistic Arts, a high-touch lead-gen digital marketing agency focused on helping B2B companies get leads. Ted and others started the company in a room above his parents' garage not long after graduating. Using Ted’s cold-calling know-how the team got off the ground and slowly found more and more clients. Ted takes us into his childhood and how his upbringing in an immigrant Chinese family shaped his attributes as a leader. And they discuss how seeing his workplace as his home negatively affected his employee relationships.You’ll also hear how Ted’s agency stands out from the rest, offering both creativity and data. Learn more about Ted Lau and Ballistic Arts You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz , LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/, and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verticalelevationinc/

People are lonely and Derrick Morton co-founded FlowPlay to keep them entertained. FlowPlay is a virtual world technology and game developer. It’s a platform where people can play games and create avatars to chat online with others.Derrick started on a completely different path: film school. He worked in the creative industry for a short period before realizing he had more to offer; so he got his MBA and three years later he created FlowPlay. With revenues at $42 million, he recently sold it to a casino group and took on the role of President in the company. In this episode, Carol and Derrick delve into a unique talent strategy Derrick uses: the “no asshole” policy. The policy must be enforced by him personally and has been successful, he says. Listen to the episode to hear more about it and how the company managed to differentiate itself from the over 100,000 competitors by selling luck rather than tokens.They also discuss the challenges he faced as a first-time founder, like the pressure he felt knowing people now relied on him for their salary. “It was the first time I had been responsible for people’s lives and livelihoods,” he told Carol. Derrick opens up about the change in culture he needed to make when his team was agreeing with his ideas, leading to some failures. He implemented what Carol calls a “culture of feedback.”Learn more about Derrick Morton and FlowPlay.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

After being a doctor for years, Bobby Peddi decided he wanted to start his own company. But he ran into an issue: There was a scarcity of information on how to start one. So Bobby spent hours researching and eventually figured it out. However, knowing that other entrepreneurs would come across the same problem, he decided to create a free state-by-state guide on how to start a company. “It was going to be my sort of ‘good deed’ to help other entrepreneurs,” he told Carol. The Really Useful Information Company, aka TRUIC, has revenues north of $10 million and employs 37 people. And, to this day, everything on the website is free. So how does Bobby make money? Listen to the episode to learn how a business providing free information can earn a profit. Bobby started in the field of medicine in the U.K. and planned on continuing when he moved to the U.S. But a few months after moving, he got the bug to start his own business and did just that. He named it Saagra, a wellness services company. Shortly after, TRUIC came to be, and Bobby decided to put all of his efforts into it, with plans of one day using it to fund Saagra. In this episode, Carol and Bobby explore how his lack of humility and focus led to mistakes and how failure helped him change. They also discuss the structure Bobby built at TRUIC, having what he refers to as “mission commanders” and a culture of respect. Learn more about Bobby Peddi and TRUICYou can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

At age 26, Jessica Gomez started a manufacturing company with her husband. She began with no money and no prior knowledge of how to run a business. Almost 20 years later, she has been named to the 2021 Women of Influence List by the Portland Business Journal and received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, among many other honors. Jessica’s business, Rogue Valley Microdevices, is a micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) foundry, in other words, a contract manufacturer. They fabricate physical devices for other companies. Jessica tells us about the very beginnings and how the recession gutted her company, forcing her to lay off the team she’d built. She and Carol also discuss the CHIPS Act and how it may benefit her industry. Jessica paints us a picture of what it’s like being a young woman in her industry.“I go to a conference and it’s 500 men in suits, and me and the staff,” Jessica says. Someone asks her, “Are you guys going to bring more coffee down for us? I think it is empty.” She responds, “No, no I’m actually here for the conference.”In this episode, you’ll learn about Jessica’s troubled upbringing which left her homeless at one point, and how she found success against all odds. Learn more about Jessica Gomez and Rogue Valley Microdevices You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Vimal Patel came from humble beginnings, working at a McDonald's and living with his cousin when he moved to America. A few years later he got a job in the hotel business, and currently, he manages 11 hotels. How did he get to where he’s at? A lot of mistakes and hard lessons, he says. As the President and CEO of QHotels, Vimal owns and operates several hotels; on top of that, he founded Innrly, a software that streamlines the day-to-day duties of hoteliers. It all started when he moved to America in 1991; he stayed with his cousin who owned a motel. He took a job working for his cousin and eventually formed his own hotel management company. As he expanded from three hotels to four hotels, he discovered errors in accounting and wanted to ensure they wouldn’t continue to happen. So he developed software to automate day-to-day processes. Now he sells the software to other hotels to utilize. In this episode, Vimal tells us about the company culture he’s built — one of empowerment and respect. He retains employees, the majority in housekeeping, by not micromanaging them and encouraging career growth within the hotels. For example, when he promotes someone, he provides time for the employee to make sure that they like the new role and can succeed before moving them permanently to the new position. Vimal discusses how he has time to manage an entire tech firm while leading QHotels. He also talks to Carol about current issues facing the hotel industry: a labor shortage and skyrocketing insurance prices that are causing hotels to also raise rates. Learn more about Vimal Patel and QHotels & Innrly. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Straight out of college, Joseph Landes landed a job at Microsoft and stayed for 23 years, growing into many roles and living in many countries throughout his time at the company. Upon meeting his current CEO, Vadim Vladimirskiy, he left Microsoft to start a very different journey. Joseph became the chief revenue officer of Nerdio, a technology firm that helps MSPs build cloud environments using Microsoft Azure. “Drop the dinosaur and get the goat!” he says, referring to when clients leave larger competitors for Nerdio because the company offers a better product at a lower cost. In this episode, we dive into what made Joseph stay with Microsoft for so long, and the adjustments he had to make moving from a massive organization to a startup. He talks about the even-keel mindset that one must have when running a startup and the importance of the entire company sharing that mindset.Carol and Joseph also discuss a challenge facing Nerdio: competition with other technology companies for talent. Joseph likes to use the concept of drivers and passengers when deciding who to hire; “drivers” refer to talent who constantly strive to get work done and are proactive in nature, no matter their role, and “passengers” refer to those who clock in and clock out. They talk about how to identify drivers from the very first interview and look for something Joseph calls the generosity gene. Learn more about Joseph Landes and Nerdio.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Marco Torres and his co-founders worked in the travel business and needed to find a way to get their clients to leave video reviews. They came up with an incentive: Offering a three-day hotel stay in Orlando or Las Vegas for leaving a review. The idea worked and hundreds of clients started taking videos. This planted the seed for a new company.Marco co-founded Marketing Boost, a B2B service that helps businesses improve their marketing strategy with incentive-based techniques. He tells us the driving thought behind it: Adding a bonus to whatever you’re selling instead of discounting it. For example, a company can offer a complimentary hotel stay or a restaurant voucher.Marketing Boost’s ideal client is a business that is already killing the game but wants to add extra value for its customers, although some of its clients are in early stages.Marco is based in Miami, but most of his employees are located outside of the United States. In this episode, Carol and Marco discuss what prompted him to look for workers abroad after hiring in the United States, and how Covid-19 affected a business highly based on travel.If you’d like to learn more about affiliate marketing and how it works, this is a must-listen.Learn more about Marco Torres and Marketing Boost.You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

In the ever-growing space of digital marketing, Ken Braun, co-founder of Lounge Lizard Worldwide, has carved out a niche that holds strong almost 25 years later.Ken found early success working in agencies, known for dreaming up the Ocean Spray slogan, “Crave The Wave”, and working with brands like Jose Cuervo. But 10 years in, Ken hatched the idea to start freelancing on the side. He created a website of his own and bought a spot with a niche offering: banner ads.Soon after, he received a message from a brand in South Africa and began fulfilling requests on his daily commute to New York City. After being burnt out from the overload of work, his wife Sharon encouraged him to quit his job and commit fully to Lounge Lizard, so he did.Ken’s agency became a million-dollar company in its first year.He does the work and does it well. Lounge Lizard offers help to companies of all sizes: Either developing a brand’s voice from the ground up or rethinking their current strategy. Ken often opens his client’s eyes to the metrics they already have at hand and how to use them to create a better working website.In this episode, Carol and Ken discuss a prominent issue facing Lounge Lizard: Large companies poaching his employees. Listen to hear more about Ken’s journey and his advice for anyone trying to break into the industry.Learn more about Ken Braun and Lounge Lizard Worldwide. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

From working out of his home to owning and operating a seven-office law firm – Matthew Davis knows the ins and outs of building a business from the ground up.Matthew founded Davis Business Law, a “soup to nuts” law firm for small businesses, recently featured on the Inc. 5000 list. He also authored the book “The Art of Preventing Stupid”, is working on another, and currently hosts two business-focused podcasts.It wasn’t Matthew’s dream to own a law firm though. Actually, it was quite the opposite. After working as a partner at a law firm early in his career, Matthew developed a revulsion to the idea of starting his own. But he also knew growth was limited on his own and the work as a solo attorney became overwhelming.He decided if he were to take the plunge, he would do it the right way — focus on bringing in good people.“I wasn’t going to put my heart and soul into building this company and not work with people that I just didn’t love hanging out with,” he told Carol.He bought a space and that was it.In this episode, Matthew opens up about his greatest challenges in transforming from a one-man-show into a manager of many and building a successful law firm with no outside funding. Carol also digs into his unique approach to finding lawyers to join his company — sending a message that stands out and is true to his culture.Learn more about Matthew Davis and Davis Business Law. You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

At age 27, Richard Blank made the bold decision to pack up and move to Costa Rica to work at a call center for a few months. Fast forward eight years – he opened his own call center with one essential component: pinball machines.Richard, founder and CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center, began his business out of his home with just a website and now operates a 300-seat call center.In this episode, he walks us through the unique culture that differentiates his call center from his competitors, one of those aspects being gamification. Richard proudly compares the workplace environment he’s created to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As the owner of one of the largest collections of restored pinball machines and jukeboxes, Richard strategically placed the games in-house for employees to blow off steam and socialize.“I just want to help them out on a rainy Wednesday if they’re not feeling very well,” he says, “I’ve seen the difference when people have been in the arcade.”He talks about the importance of genuinely celebrating his employees’ wins, and giving them a pep talk when they experience a low. It comes down to caring about them, he says, and showing vulnerability as a leader.Listen to hear more about Richard’s philosophies and how he’s tackled one of his greatest challenges yet: COVID and a work-from-home environment. Learn more about Richard Blank and Costa Rica's Call Center You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

James Laws, CEO and founder of Saturday Drive, puts it very succinctly, “Our number one value is people – over profits, process or products.” Starting his company in 2014 while working full time as a web administrator required family support, sweat equity and late nights. Making a deal with his wife to bootstrap the startup by banking two years of salary, Laws worked to solve the problem of reproducible and reusable contact forms and Saturday Drive was born.From the get-go, it was vital to distinguish the company by not doing what everyone else was. That became a mantra of staying five years ahead of the competition and establishing a culture of solving problems, feedback, and the necessary alignment vital for continued growth. As you’ll hear, Laws is adamant about work-life balance so much so that he terms Saturday Drive as a lifestyle company. For instance, while side hustles are encouraged, staff must care about the company’s work first.Of course, there were misfires and mishires where the culture ended up just happening. Laws now knows that it’s vital to lead culture intentionally to achieve alignment. And that alignment in goals, mission and values is vital for growth.Working under the philosophy that no business deserves employees, he believes that those who want to work with you must be earned. To that end, Laws focuses his efforts on developing his leadership team around strategic initiatives and key hires. He keeps learning and growing by running his own podcast, Leading to Fulfillment, where he interviews other CEOs and industry leaders about their experience.This podcast features a leader who always puts people and culture first. And it’s paid off.Learn more about James Laws and Saturday Drive Incorporated You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Two offices. Two countries. Two cultures. Charles Brecque, founder and CEO of Legislate, is leading the movement for small businesses and doing it across Europe. Legislate is a legal technology company that provides lawyer-approved contracts for small businesses that don’t have big legal budgets.It’s based on a knowledge graph technology (sporting a new US patent) that makes the contract data usable and searchable. And Charles maintains knowledge graph technology is the benefit that makes the difference. Most innovative technology starts with a problem that needs to be solved. Brecque felt that pain while working at Mind Foundry (artificial intelligence and automated data science) where the company was losing valuable contracts due to logjams at the legal review stage. Determining that a contract is really just a tangled set of relationships, Legislate was born out of the idea that contracts are knowledge graphs. The resulting templates are approved by lawyers and completely enforceable. How Brecque obtained initial angel funding in 2020 as a first-time founder during a pandemic is a fascinating story of determination, steadfast belief and ingenuity that will inspire and impress. As a founder with little leadership experience, Brecque quickly recognized the value of mentors, investors and fellow CEOs in learning by doing. His growing confidence has helped to create credibility that resulted in raising one million dollars in funding for building a proper team that now includes a development team in Spain, a chief legal officer, and an ambitious growth plan. Under Brecque’s calm leadership, the only path for Legislate and its straightforward focus on small business is up. Learn more about Charles Brecque and LegislateYou can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

In this podcast, you’ll hear how a history student ended up founding not one, but two tech companies. Dipanwita Das, CEO and co-founder of Sorcero, comes from a long line of accomplished female scientists who endowed her with a legacy of service, problem solving and system sustainability. And as a leader, she doesn’t take that legacy lightly. Founding Sorcero, an artificial intelligence and insights software platform that enables medical affairs teams to explore medically relevant content libraries, in 2018, Das was on a mission to bridge the gap between humans and acquiring the necessary data to make medically relevant decisions quickly. She was adamant about helping medical personnel find information that they normally wouldn’t have found. And Sorcero’s investors couldn’t be more pleased. They appreciate Das’s leadership in overseeing a “scrappy” team that keeps building on the fit-to-purpose platform while exercising diligent capital efficiency. Or as Das puts it, an effective marriage of purpose and profit. Das is articulate and elegant in relating her mistakes as a CEO, her team’s success as a whole and her delight in working in a field now staffed with many female leaders and workers. She is committed to setting her team up for success through continuous improvement which means if one loses, they all lose. Working shoulder to shoulder, says Das, brings about the change necessary to keep Sorcero innovating and moving forward. Learn more about Dipanwita Das and SorceroYou can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

This interview, with Mark Towler, chief executive officer of Phase 2, is a refreshing view of common sense leadership and authentic team management. Building a business with family also adds a challenging element that Towler has achieved with a certain amount of style.It all started when Towler’s brother asked him to partner in a company back in the 90s focusing on wide area networks (remember those?), website development and data storage. That spinoff became Phase 2, now building world class software created by an elite team of top tier software engineers headquartered in Oklahoma City. While Oklahoma isn’t exactly a tech mecca, Towler and Phase 2 have found it a very good place to do business.Hearing how Towler and his team have built the business through practical decision-making, or as he puts it, saying no to the right things that makes it easier to say yes to the right things, is a good refresher course on doing business for the right reasons. That, says Towler, requires relentless focus on the business’s core DNA – in this case, heavy software engineering. What that means for Phase 2 is a smaller client base with larger spend.Staying true to Phase 2’s identity and focus while keeping his team challenged by solving new problems has been a key element in building Towler’s role as the CEO. Because his background is in sales, marketing, and finance he realized that chasing dollars to grow revenue doesn’t make for retaining the best and the brightest in a highly specialized niche.Towler and Phase 2 are on a successful path because they know who they want to be and they are authentic in staying in their lane. It’s a good lesson and a good listen.Learn more about Mark Towler and Phase 2You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Katelyn Sorensen, President of B2B Social at Traject, CEO of Loomly and Sendible, found her calling as a leader very early in her career. Recruited to work at Traject, a social media company in the greater Seattle area providing a suite of tools for digital agencies and marketing, Sorenson volunteered to move to the United Kingdom where she now oversees multiple divisions and staff spanning the world.After graduating from Whitman College in 2012, Katelyn blossomed as an intern at Devtest, learning and growing and working her way up to a directorship at Fierce, Inc. where she was among the youngest executive team members.Of course, there were challenges – youth and lack of professional maturity chief among them. Sorenson credits amazing mentors, partner presidents and her executive coach with turning those challenges into problems solved. Those elements formed her as a leader who understands that incredible teams play a key role in her success.Working in the dynamic world of social media means change is the biggest constant and Sorenson has learned to jump immediately and pivot when necessary in managing an international staff across multiple time zones. Post-Covid employment landscapes represent a brave new world for leaders like Sorenson and she's up for the task. Sorenson’s refreshing perspective and gratitude for the lessons learned will continue to carry her far into the future. You’ll delight in Katelyn’s passion for people and her absolute authenticity throughout this energetic podcast.Learn more about Katelyn Sorensen and Traject You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.

Small business owners everywhere are faced with soul-sucking challenges: staffing, supply chain, inflation, and marketing. In this podcast, Amanda Hoffman, chief operations officer of Madwire, a platform providing “360 degree” umbrella of business management products and marketing services for SMBs and franchises, discusses how Madwire’s unique umbrella marketing approach takes marketing technology off the business owner’s plate. Over the last thirteen years, Madwire has garnered accolades and $28 million in funding providing customized marketing solutions that result in delighted customers across diverse industries. Started in 2009 by a father-and-son duo who recognized a need that resulted in making a niche for a one-stop marketing shop helping small businesses grow and their local communities glow, Madwire’s business model represents a throwback trend in business today – making an impact by putting the customer first.Like many of Madwire’s employees, Hoffman, recently promoted to COO, has found a home at a company that follows its own lead in doing everything they sell, or “eating its own dog food,” as she related how the owner described it. You’ll hear how Hoffman did it backwards – starting first at a big corporation and then transitioning to an award-winning small business acknowledged for its culture of making an impact, contributing to the solution, and providing the most value possible. Hoffman’s promotion caused some anxiety around making an immediate impact. What she’s learned about why every idea shouldn’t always be executed will surprise you.The learning curve brought some valuable insight into empowering teams to do what’s right for the customer above all else. That awesomeness has led to winning awards and gaining recognition for innovation, culture, and an ever-growing customer base. Not to mention very pleased investors. Maintaining Madwire’s brand and execution excellence standards is what gets Hoffman out of bed every day. And you can hear that excitement and positive energy throughout this great conversation. Learn more about Amanda Hoffman and Madwire You can find more information on all our episodes at Vertical Elevation, and you can find Carol on Twitter @carolbschultz or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/.