If we think of CEOs as pilots, the executive advisor is the one everyone turns to when every light on the panel is flashing, the cockpit glows red, and all you can see outside are black clouds, grey skies, and lightning bolts.

In this episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by Steve Duddy. Steve is a CEO, Executive Advisor, Speaker, and Board Director. The go-to person for leaders seeking guidance to navigate rough waters. His greatest contribution lies in providing transformational leadership to young, underappreciated companies, helping them achieve financial success and, above all, tackle challenges with a forward-thinking mindset.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-eighth episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll hear about the emotional aspects of being a leader, why effective communication is crucial during crises, and how to set real-world expectations for you and your team. Steve also talks about the mindset shifts every leader must go through to thrive during challenging times, the side of fundraising no one talks about, how to deal with underperformers, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Provoking sustainable change amidst the heaviest storms (3:00)
• What every leader needs to land the plane in awful weather (6:40)
• Why is forward thinking crucial to go through the fire unburnt (11:00)
• Steve's technique to guide entrepreneurs through uncertainty (14:20)
• The only way to deal with underperformance in your team (18:40)
• The side of fundraising no one talks about (23:50)
• What transformational qualities are a must-have for entrepreneurs (30:00)
• Steve talks about the mindset shifts for success (35:30)

Connect with Steve Duddy:

• LinkedIn
• Duddy Executive Services
• Email: duddy.steven@gmail.com

Resources:

• My new book! Mindset Matters
• Quiz! What's Your Social Entrepreneur Style?
• Avant-garde Entrepreneur Academy Waitlist

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social entrepreneurs out there, this one's for you: Yes, you built something incredible from nothing. Yes, your work is changing lives, making things easier for so many. Yes, you create jobs and provide financial security for dozens of families. But no, you don't have (nor should you have) all the answers. No, you're not meant to do everything alone. You don't have to play God.

In this episode, I'm excited to be joined by Mohamed Ahmed. Mo is an AI Business Leader specializing in AI Cloud Infrastructure at Intel with a track record of scaling AI-driven ventures. He is also the Author of "The Inside-Out Entrepreneur and the Founder and President of Boundless Founder. Relying on his many years of experience (and the hundreds of lessons learned the hard way), Mo helps entrepreneurs build the mental resilience and strategic clarity they need to scale their businesses.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-seventh episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll hear Mo's unique recipe to build the resilience and mental endurance you need to take your social enterprise to the next level without sacrificing your mental health or jeopardizing your relationship with your family. Mo also shares his thoughts on the importance of seeking mentors and advisors, why he believes it is crucial to rely on family and friends to succeed as an entrepreneur, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Mo on the importance of building resilience and mental endurance (2:40)
• From engineer to entrepreneur (6:50)
• Why resilience is key in entrepreneurship (18:00)
• The importance of networking (25:10)
• How to balance ambition and personal well-being (33:00)
• Why you should look after your personal branding (44:00)

Connect with Mohamed (Mo) Ahmed:

• LinkedIn
• Boundless Founder
• Get a copy of Mo's book, "The Inside-Out Entrepreneur: Become the entrepreneur you were born to be"
• Join the Boundless Founder's community
• 
  

Resources:

• My new book! Mindset Matters
• Quiz! What's Your Social Entrepreneur Style?
• Avant-garde Entrepreneur Academy Waitlist

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Common sense tells us that every salesperson works for the "yes," but what if the key to closing more deals is pursuing the "no?"

Today, on our fourth episode of the Up-Level Your Impact Business series, the amazing AJ Vassar reveals how shifting our perspective can transform how we sell. AJ is a Small Business Systems Engineer, Podcast Host, Speaking Booking Representative, and the kind of salesperson you've never seen before.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-sixth episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll hear AJ's incredible life story, his relentless mentality that helped him transform challenges into growth experiences, and his unique approach to sales. AJ also shares his thoughts on the unique strength introverts bring to sales, explains why he believes going after the "no" in sales is crucial, debunks myths about sales, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• AJ talks about his rough childhood (5:20)
• From the car to the penthouse. Dealing with challenges 101 (11:00)
• Sales is about conviction (17:10)
• The salesperson everybody wants to have around (20:10)
• AJ introduces the Profitable Persuasion Framework (29:50)
• Why you should go after the "no" (35:20)

Connect with AJ Vassar:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Get a copy of AJ's book: Day Grades: From Homelessness to Giving 5 Cars Away and Much More in Just 3 Short Years
• Free Tool: Knowledge Profits Assessment
• Subscribe to the Business Problem Solvers podcast

Resources:

• My new book! Mindset Matters
• Quiz! What's Your Social Entrepreneur Style?
• Avant-garde Entrepreneur Academy Waitlist

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you had thirty seconds to pitch your company to an investor who could turn your vision for your social enterprise into a reality. Would you be ready?

This week, in our third episode of the Up-Level Your Impact Business series, we're tackling every doubt, fear, and uncertainty you might have about fundraising with Scott Nichols. Scott is the Founder of Velocity Pitch Decks and a professional Pitch Deck writer, with a knack for providing client-centric, solution-oriented services that get startup founders funded and help jobseekers land their next best role.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-fifth episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll get countless tips to craft the perfect pitch deck for your social enterprise, discover why you should create extra-short, short, and long pitch decks, and learn the most common mistakes you should avoid when putting together your pitch deck. Scott also debunks the myths about raising capital, teaches the right way to approach investors, and much, much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• From writing resumes to becoming a professional pitch deck writer (3:40)
• What should and what you shouldn't include in your pitch deck (9:40)
• Most common mistakes people make when writing their pitch deck (13:00)
• Why it feels so hard to tell your own story? (18:30)
• Scott's top tips for approaching an investor (21:00)
• Scott debunks the myths about raising capital (26:50)

Connect with Scott Nichols:

• LinkedIn
• Visit Velocity Pitch Decks' website
• Connect with Velocity Pitch Decks on LinkedIn
• Follow Velocity Pitch Decks on Instagram

Resources:

• My new book! Mindset Matters
• Quiz! What's Your Social Entrepreneur Style?
• Avant-garde Entrepreneur Academy Waitlist

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As social entrepreneurs, we are in business to relieve, help, or solve the problems of those we serve. We are so connected with our mission that selling is the last thing on our minds.

Yet making a business ready to be sold is much more than finding a buyer, it is about preparing for success years in advance (regardless if you're selling or not).

Today, in our second episode of the Up-Level Your Impact Business series, we chat with the brilliant Leslie Hassler about growing, scaling, and selling businesses effectively. Leslie is a business strategist, speaker, and the founder of Your Biz Rules. With almost 20 years of experience in the field, Leslie helps entrepreneurs maximize the value of their businesses, whether they're planning to sell or just thinking of scaling.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-fourth episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll learn to make your business valuable enough to attract potential buyers, the common pitfalls to avoid when getting your social enterprise ready for sale, and practical tips on creating a scalable and financially sound enterprise — one that works for you, not the other way around. You'll also learn about the three-year rule for selling, the differences between growth and scaling, how to reduce owner dependency, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Leslie talks about the most common mistakes business owners make (4:00)
• The three-year rule for selling (6:10)
• What is the difference between scaling and growing a business? (9:20)
• Three ways business owners should be paid (13:10)
• How to increase your business value before selling (21:15)
• What buyers look for in a business they're interested in (24:00)
• What it takes to start seeing our social enterprise as an asset, not a job (26:20)
• Why you MUST celebrate each win (30:00)

Connect with Leslie Hassler:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Free Guides

Resources:

• My new book! Mindset Matters
• Quiz! What's Your Social Entrepreneur Style?
• Avant-garde Entrepreneur Academy Waitlist

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You don't need a massive budget to craft a clever, compelling, and effective marketing campaign, and you don't need to wait until your business is wildly successful to invest in branding or advertising. One of the biggest myths about marketing is that it is expensive, and the other is that it is only worth it after you've "made it."

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Sydney Sam as we kick off the Up-Level Your Impact Business series. In this first episode, we dive into marketing and branding. Sydney is a global speaker, trainer, and coach—an "entrepreneur's entrepreneur." He is the founder of Openspace Global, a member of the D&AD Impact Council, and the CEO of Workspace Global.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-third episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. Join us as we dive into the intersection of mission-driven business and effective marketing, debunk the myths about marketing and branding, and go over the marketing trends of 2025. Sydney also shares solutions to the most common marketing roadblocks, breaks down complex marketing and branding concepts into simple language, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• A bit about Sydney's background and first steps in marketing (4:20)
• What's the difference between marketing and branding? (7:50)
• How to build your brand's soul, body, and purpose (13:00)
• Sydney talks about the marketing trends for 2025 (17:00)
• How expensive is it to promote your business? (24:10)
• Two of the biggest myths in marketing (35:00)

Connect with Sydney:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Visit Openspace's website

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have a million-dollar idea, work your butt off, sell it, live the dream. Tempting, right? But the real reward lies in turning your business into a force for good—healthier, sustainable, and driven by purpose. One path is a myth; the other redefines success in business and life.

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Mark Rampolla. Mark is a Los Angeles-based, visionary entrepreneur, the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GroundForce Capital, and the Co-Founder and now Board Member of ZICO. He founded ZICO in 2004, grew it into one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the world, and sold it to The Coca-Cola Company in 2013. In 2021, he re-acquired the company and, from his new role as a Board Member, renewed his focus on sustainability and innovation.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-second episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll hear about Mark's unique perspective on entrepreneurship, his passion (and unique skill) to create and develop businesses that do good while doing well, and his hands-on approach and deep commitment to helping teams grow, innovate, and succeed. Mark also reflects on the wildfires in California, which profoundly affected him both as a community member and personally, resulting in the loss of his home and everything he owned.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Navigating loss. Why our gratitude and resilience muscle must always be on point (4:24)
• What growing ZICO taught Mark about the business of building sustainable businesses (10:28)
• Mark talks about his decision of re-acquiring ZICO (19:00)
• How to build a strong team and why this is crucial (28:10)
• Entrepreneurship from an investor's perspective (34:10)
• Mark shares advice for young entrepreneurs (37:20)

Connect with Mark Rampolla:

• LinkedIn
• ZICO

Let's Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When D-day arrives and elite athletes are about to jump into the arena, trying to compensate for the missed training sessions during the preparation process is pointless. Their success will depend only on their consistency in the previous months. It is the same for social entrepreneurs regarding our spiritual and mental readiness.

The only difference is that we never know when life will throw us onto the field and make us play the biggest game of our lives.

Today, we talk about how to keep it together when life hits us with a two-by-four. Last Autumn, what started as a routinary rotator cuff surgery in one of my husband's shoulders developed into a rare condition that not only threatened his life but caused him tons of excruciating pain. Unexpectedly, life forced us to put our lives on hold and pushed us into the arena with no other weapons than our love, faith, and the tools we forged in the good times.

Tune in and listen to the sixty-first episode of Avant-garde Entrepreneur. You'll hear about my experiences as a caregiver, the lessons learned during these difficult times, the five things that helped me the most to keep it together during this massive crisis, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How ready are we to eat our own cooking? (1:50)
• That moment when life shows us who is in charge of things (4:00)
• The benefits of going small and delegating (13:10)
• Value your quiet time (15:20)
• The power of meditation and focusing on what we want to feel, not what we're going through (18:30)
• Trust your team (21:00)
• Never underestimate the massive power of gratitude (23:20)

Resources:

• My new book! Mindset Matters
• My email: Trisha@TrishaBaileyPhD.com
• Quiz! What’s Your Social Entrepreneur Style?
• Avant-garde Entrepreneur Academy Waitlist

Let’s Connect!

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.