School for Startups Radio

August 15, 2025 – Don’t Be A Little Pitch Bryce North and The 7 Habits Sean Covey

Bryce North – Founder of Don’t Be A Little Pitch and PR Pro
If you can’t promote yourself, then why do I think you can promote me?If you can’t help yourself get exposure and seem influential, why do I thinkyou can help my business?
Bryce North is a serial entrepreneur with years of experience building, scaling, and running startups. He has built a reputable track record for his successes and has won many awards for his achievements in entrepreneurship. As a master storyteller, Bryce takes a unique approach when it comes to attention and has built strong relationships with the media and capital world. With a background in venture and angel capital, he has been offered numerous advisory roles and speaking opportunities all around the world. From being featured on Canada’s Dragons’ Den, owning the media with his personal and business brands, to building companies that have scaled to over 40 countries, he is sought after to help others create a name through online media and speaking opportunities.Sean Covey – Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and President of FranklinCovey Education – Read interview highlights here
Life’s not a competition. And if you get more, doesn’t mean I get less.We can both have an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Sean Covey, President of FranklinCovey Education, is a business executive, best-selling author, speaker, and innovator. Sean is devoted to transforming education throughout the world through a principle-centered leadership approach. Sean directs FranklinCovey’s whole school transformation process, called Leader in Me®, which is now in more than 5,000 schools and 50 countries throughout the world. Sean is New York Times bestselling author and has authored or co-authored several books, including The Wall Street Journal’s #1 Business Bestseller with more than 500,000 copies sold, The 4 Disciplines of Execution, The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, which has been translated into 30 languages and sold more than eight million copies worldwide. He is a versatile keynoter who regularly speaks to students and adults within schools and organizations and has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows and in print media. Franklin Covey Co today announced the release of a new special 30th anniversary edition of Stephen Covey’s (1932-2012) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which commemorates the timeless wisdom of The 7 Habits for a new generation with the book’s original content along with personal insights at the end of each chapter by Covey’s son, Sean Covey.

August 14, 2025 – Tree Ring Digital Marketing Paige Wiese and TED SuperStar Simon Sinek

Paige Wiese – Founder and CEO of Tree Ring Digital
The moment I stopped chasing every client and started focusing onserving the right clients, my business didn’t just grow – it transformed.
Paige Wiese is the founder and CEO of Tree Ring Digital, a top-ranked Denver-based marketing agency that develops high performance websites and digital marketing strategies for businesses nationwide. With 16 years of industry experience, Paige has seen companies and CEOs struggle to manage and maintain their assets through growth or transition. She has recently developed a proprietary digital asset management service to track and protect companies’ over 200 data points. Your brand is one of your most valuable assets—and your website and online presence are essential extensions of that value. My passion lies in helping businesses realize the full potential of their digital assets, transforming them into tools that not only support operations but also increase the overall worth of the company. Paige is a dedicated speaker and mentor on the topics of brand protection and business growth.Simon Sinek – SinekPartners and Management Consulting Consultant
You can take a good person and put them in a bad environment, they’recapable of doing bad things. Likewise, you can take a bad person and putthem in a strong and positive environment, and they’re capable of doing good things.
Simon is an unshakeable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are, and end the day fulfilled by the work they do. A trained ethnographer, Simon is fascinated by the people and organizations that make the greatest and longest-lasting impact. Over the years, he has discovered some remarkable patterns about how they think, act, and communicate, and also the environments in which people operate at their natural best. Simon may be best known for his TED Talk on the concept of WHY, which has been viewed over 60 million times, and his video on millennials in the workplace—which reached 80 million views in its first week and has gone on to be seen hundreds of millions of times. He continues to share inspiration through his bestselling books, including global bestseller Start with WHY and New York Times bestsellers Leaders Eat Last and The Infinite Game, as well as his podcast, A Bit of Optimism. In addition, Simon is the founder of The Optimism Company, a leadership learning and development company, and he publishes other inspiring thinkers and doers through his publishing partnership with Penguin Random House called Optimism Press. His unconventional and innovative views on business and leadership have attracted international attention, and he has met with a broad array of leaders and organizations in nearly every industry. He frequently works with different branches of the US Armed Forces and agencies of the US government, and is an adjunct staff member with the RAND Corporation—one of the most highly regarded think tanks in the world. Simon is also active in the arts and with not-for-profit work, or what he likes to call the for-impact sector. In 2021, he founded The Curve: a diverse group of forward-thinking chiefs and sheriffs committed to reform modern policing from the inside-out. Their purpose is to build a profession dedicated to protecting the vulnerable from harm while advancing a vision of a world in which all people feel justice is administered with dignity, equity, and fairness.

August 13, 2025 – Deep Listening Emily Kasriel and EO Founder Verne Harnish

Emily Kasriel – Deep Listening Expert, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, King’s College London and Author of Deep Listening: Transform Your Relationships with Family, Friends, and Foes―Transformational Communication, Listening, and Empathy Through an 8-Step Method 
There’s such an epidemic of loneliness in our society… we all needto be heard. It’s a fundamental human need and even a human right.
Emily is an experienced media executive who has led a range of high-profile projects on staff for the BBC as well as reporting and producing for the BBC from five continents. She has developed the Deep Listening approach as a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College Policy Institute in London and previously as a Practitioner in Residence at the London School of Economics. She has also drawn on her decade long experience as an Executive Coach, accredited with the Association for Coaching, and more recently as a workplace mediator.  She is currently a visiting scholar at Columbia University. Emily has led the BBC British Council Crossing Divides around the Globe project, signing up more than 1000 young people from 119 countries for her training in Deep Listening – following a pilot of 150 in Lebanon, 300 IBM executives from across Europe; executive coaches from multiple organisations, and cohorts of leaders from the British army to McDonald’s with the UK’s Forward Institute for responsible leadership. In her work at BBC News she led projects spanning BBC Crossing Divides to SoICanBreathe to setting up and running the BBC News Komla Dumor Award for African journalists – as well as leading arts and culture, religion and then the ideas department at the BBC World Service. She was previously a Senior Adviser to the Skoll Foundation  and a Visiting Fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford. She has written for a number of major publications and chairs a wide range of panels, events and interviews around the world, and is on the board of the Wingate Foundation. She has been awarded an MA from the University of Oxford and another from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University on a Rotary Fellowship.Verne Harnish – Owner, Gazelles, Inc. and Founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
If you don’t change your daily routine, goals are just hollow. Now,routines without goals are aimless, and so you need both.
Verne Harnish is founder of the world-renowned Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), with over 18,000 members worldwide, and founded and chaired for fi fteen years EO’s premiere CEO program held at MIT, a program in which he still teaches today. Founder and CEO of Scaling Up, a global executive education and coaching company with over 290 partners on six continents, Verne has spent the past four decades helping companies scaleup. The Global Scaleup Fellow at The Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard, he’s the author of Mastering the Rockefeller Habits; authored The Greatest Business Decisions of All Times,“ for which Jim Collins wrote the foreword; wrote Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0) which has been translated into 26 languages and has won eight major international book awards including the International Book Award for Best General Business book; and is the co-author of Scaling Up Compensation. His latest book is Start to Scale. Verne serves on several boards including vice chair of The Riordan Clinic; co-founder and chair of Geoversity; and board member of the social venture Million Dollar Women. A private investor in many scaleups, Verne enjoys piano, tennis, and magic as a card-carrying member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

August 12, 2025 – Rabbi Stephen Roberts, Cox’s Kelsea Warren and T-Mobile’s Alice Williams

Rabbi Stephen B. Roberts – Author of A Truth versus The Truth: How Religious People Embrace or Resist the Modern World: A Guide to Recognizing and Talking About Faith in Everyday Life
It is important for us to look at our own gifts, and if God has given you agood business gift, particularly as an entrepreneur, run with it. Own thegifts that God has given you.
Rabbi Stephen B. Roberts, MBA, BCC is a nationally recognized leader in multifaith chaplaincy and spiritual care. With over 30 years of experience, he has helped shape how professional chaplains are trained, supported, and deployed in hospitals, disasters, and diverse community settings. He is the founding editor of Professional Spiritual and Pastoral Care, the first comprehensive, multifaith textbook used by thousands of chaplains, clergy, and spiritual caregivers. He is also the author of A Truth versus The Truth: How Religious People Embrace or Resist the Modern World, which offers a powerful and accessible framework—the Modernity Spectrum—for understanding how faith traditions respond differently to modern life. Rabbi Roberts served as Past President of the NAJC (now Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains) and was certified as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) in 1998. He played a central role in shaping national chaplaincy standards by working with the leaders of APC, NACC, ACPE, AAPC, CASC, and others to develop the Common Standards for Professional Chaplaincy, the Common Code of Ethics, and The White Paper on Chaplaincy. A longtime expert in disaster spiritual care, Rabbi Roberts co-edited both editions of Disaster Spiritual Care (Skylight Paths), still the go-to resource for clergy responding to crisis. After the 9/11 attacks, he was the first Spiritual Care Officer for the American Red Cross’s national spiritual care team in New York City and later chaired one of the largest post-9/11 interfaith conferences in the city. He founded and leads a distance-learning platform that supports the next generation of chaplains in preparing for certification and service. He is also Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Disaster Chaplaincy Services, a multifaith organization serving New York City in times of crisis. Ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 1995, Rabbi Roberts also holds an MBA from The Wharton School. His work bridges theology, public service, and strategic leadership—all grounded in a deep commitment to multifaith understanding and compassionate care.Kelsea Warren – Owner and Chief Happiness Officer of The Seamless Coach
I want them to feel empowered to speak up and share with theirleadership more about their feelings about tech use in the workplace.
Kelsea Warren is owner and chief happiness officer of The Seamless Coach LLC – and I am your workplace values expert. As a workplace wellbeing coach and consultant, I help individuals and businesses elevate wellbeing and prevent burnout by identifying and aligning their workplace values. As a former therapist and social worker, as well as a PhD student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, I take a holistic approach to wellbeing at work. Everyone’s using it, but not everyone is talking about it…and that’s AI in the workplace.  In fact, one new study from Cox Business shows that, although Gen Z and Millennials are using AI tools, they’re nervous to admit it to their bosses.Alice Williams – VP Marketing Consumer Group, T-Mobile 
We, internally at T-Mobile, talk about the challenger-to-champion journeythat we’ve been on for quite some time, meaning that, at one point in ourhistory, we had no choice but to be scrappy in our marketing because wehad nothing to lose. Well, now we have everything to lose.
Alice Williams is the Vice President of Product Marketing at T-Mobile, where she leads the team responsible for shaping how the company brings its most innovative products and services to life for customers. Her role sits at the intersection of technology, brand, and customer experience, translating powerful capabilities into meaningful stories and strategies. With a strong track record in enterprise strategy, experience design, go-to-market execution, and customer-first innovation, Alice helps ensure the ‘Un-carrier’ ethos is present in every product T-Mobile launches. Her ability to connect big-picture strategy with everyday relevance makes her a natural spokesperson for T-Mobile’s Best Network and groundbreaking initiatives like T-Satellite. T-Mobile is now able to take connectivity where it’s never gone before with T-Satellite with Starlink. Going live commercially in late July, the service will extend coverage in the 500,000 square miles of U.S. territory where traditional towers can’t reach. With T-Satellite, T-Mobile is the first and only wireless provider with a satellite-to-mobile network in the U.S. that automatically connects to most smartphones made in the last four years. With over 650 satellites already in orbit, the beta program has been incredibly successful. More than a million messages have been sent from areas unreachable by any terrestrial provider, from national parks and oil fields to remote corners across the country.

August 11, 2025 – Can I Rent Your Pool? Bunim Laskin and OwnUp Jennifer Long

Bunim Laskin – Founder and CEO of Swimply 
I started knocking on doors. I went on Google Earth to see who had poolsand who didn’t. I knocked on 80 doors, to be exact, and got four peopleto agree to let me rent out their pools.
On a hot day in 2018, as the oldest of 12 children, Bunim Laskin convinced his neighbor to let us use her pool for a fee. It sparked an idea. In 2019, Bunim launched Swimply, a platform that allowed people to rent private pools by the hour. Today, Swimply is available in 125 markets across the US, Australia, and Canada. It has expanded into pickleball, tennis, basketball, and entire homes and has raised $50+ million from Mayfield, Norwest, and GGV Ventures, as well as from the founders and CEOs of Airbnb, Poshmark, Instacart, and Lime Scooters.Jennifer Long – President and Master Coach at OwnUp! and Author of Workers are the Solution, Not the Problem
Your workforce is the solution, not the problem. The people closest to thework are the ones who will help you innovate the most because they’re init, they understand what their challenges are, and they’re willing to sharetheir perspectives and help you problem-solve how to move your business forward.
Jennifer Long is the President and Master Coach of Own Up! Accountability at Work®, a company dedicated to transforming workplace culture through accountability, clarity, and meaningful dialogue. With over 35 years of experience spanning Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, she is a trusted advisor to leaders at every level, helping them navigate performance challenges, build trust, and create high-performing teams. A Certified Master Coach and seasoned leadership consultant, Jennifer is recognized as an industry expert in corporate coaching. She has written and contributed to respected trade publications, including the ATD Infoline series and Chief Learning Officer magazine. She is the author of the Amazon bestseller Own Up!: How to Hold People Accountable Without All the Drama, a practical guide to fostering accountability through courageous conversations, and Workers Are the Solution, Not the Problem, which reframes employees as essential problem-solvers and drivers of innovation. Through Own Up!®, Jennifer designs and facilitates talent development programs and workshops that connect learning to real-world applications, ensuring meaningful, lasting results. She also hosts the Leadership Kung Fu podcast, sharing agile leadership insights and executive coaching expertise that empower business leaders to inspire, engage, and lead change effectively.
 

August 8, 2025 – Financial Freedom Justin Buonomo, T Mobile’s Alice Williams and Fallaw

Justin Buonomo – Founder, Owner & CEO of Journey To Financial Freedom
We won that competition, so we got about 350,000 in non dilutive funding,plus all nine major banks in the UK had to work with us by law for three years.
Justin Buonomo is the CEO and Founder of Journey to Financial Freedom, a coaching company that helps faith-driven individuals build wealth through biblical wisdom, proven financial strategy, and intentional stewardship. After overcoming financial hardship in his own life, Justin became passionate about helping others experience financial peace without guilt, shame, or confusion. Through his signature 4-Step Process for Financial Freedom, he and his team have helped hundreds of clients take control of their money, break generational cycles, and create a life that honors both God and their goals. Known for blending practical strategy with timeless principles, Justin’s work empowers clients to thrive personally, professionally, and spiritually.Kay Koplovitz – Chairman of Koplovitz & Co, Founder of USA Network & Sci Fi Channel and Author of Been There, Run That
I think it is changing. I think it’s healthier, and I also think it’s healthier formen, because I think men see the value of, you know, keeping the company,the family intact… and I think that men actually are beginning to enjoy therole of having some responsibility and access to their children in a waythat maybe their fathers or grandfathers never had.
Kay Koplovitz started her amazing career by using geosynchronous orbiting satellites to broadcast the Thrilla in Manila between Ali and Frazier, opening the world to global communications. She launched the first satellite delivered basic cable network, USA Network, creating the two revenue stream model – advertising and licensing – that still exists today. It is the model that makes the cable networks so profitable. During her tenure, she built USA into the #1 ranking in prime time viewership among cable networks, for 13 consecutive years. The Company was sold in 1998 for $4.5 Billion and became a publicly listed company. Today, she is devoted to helping women build their companies and create jobs. As Chairman of Springboard Enterprises, the nation’s premier platform for connecting women with venture capital, Kay helped 481 companies raise over $5.5 billion in new capital. Springboard partners with Angel Funds, VC’s and corporations to grow great female owned companies that have yielded extraordinary growth levels and positive liquidity events for investors including IPO’s. Her latest passion is joining thought leaders at Singularity University and XPrize to brainstorm ways to bring technology innovation to commercial enterprise and better the lives of the 7 billion people around the globe.

August 7, 2025 – Life After Debt Amber Duncan, Jimi Gibson Plays the Q10, and Shark Tank Judge Kevin Harrington

Amber Duncan – Founder of Life After Debt
If you can solve a universal problem, you’re going to have amillion dollar company. That’s just the way I see the world.
Life After Debt is led by Amber Duncan, a serial entrepreneur who has seen the bottom, struggled (like so many), and turned that struggle into a passion project – helping others and meeting them where they are. After Amber and her husband – both mortgage brokers at the time – declared bankruptcy during the financial collapse of 2008, they recognized a need for support that walks individuals out of the silent prison debt and bankruptcy puts them in. Since then, propelled by a desire to create space for vulnerability in the financial world, Amber has helped thousands of individuals and helped settle over $100 million in credit card debt. Amber knows that everyone has a story, and also that everyone has the ability to find life after debt.
Kevin Harrington – Shark on Shark Tank and the Owner of Harrington Enterprises
You try to figure it out. But when 18 of the 20 might be smallbusinessesthat just aren’t right down your alley, it becomes very difficult to focus.
Kevin Harrington has launched over 20 businesses that each grew to over $100 million in sales, showcasing his remarkable entrepreneurial prowess. His involvement in more than a dozen public companies has further solidified his reputation as a seasoned business professional. With an impressive track record, Harrington has successfully introduced over 500 products to the market, generating an astounding $5 billion in sales worldwide. His collaborations with renowned brands and celebrities such as Jack Lalanne, Tony Little, George Foreman, and the revolutionary I-Grow hair restoration product on QVC have garnered widespread recognition. Over the course of his four-decade-long career, Harrington has been immersed in various ventures, serving as an Original Shark on the Emmy-winning TV show “Shark Tank.” He has also established himself as the inventor of the infomercial, pioneering the As Seen On TV industry. Additionally, Harrington co-founded both the Electronic Retailers Association (ERA) and the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), showcasing his commitment to fostering entrepreneurial communities. Harrington’s business ventures have provided him with extensive global experience across diverse markets, including the establishment of distribution outlets in more than 100 countries. His remarkable achievements led Mark Burnett to personally select him as an Original Shark on Shark Tank, where he has filmed over 175 segments. Currently, Harrington is actively engaged in working with companies to enhance their distribution networks, analyzing electronic retailing opportunities, and effectively marketing products through various channels such as digital, social media, TV, radio, and print. He utilizes his vast network of celebrity relationships and leverages his extensive rolodex to open doors and drive success for his ventures. In fact, Harrington’s involvement has contributed to a tenfold increase in the stock prices of several public companies. Kevin Harrington’s extraordinary entrepreneurial journey and unparalleled expertise have positioned him as a prominent figure in the business world, inspiring countless aspiring entrepreneurs to follow in his footsteps.

August 6, 2025 – Prison to Street Smart Empire Chad Wade and Priceline Entrepreneur Jeff Hoffman

Chad Wade – Chief at UNS Wholesale and UpnSmokeOnline, Content Creator at Chad Wade TV and Author of Street Smart: How to Start a Million-Dollar Business and Run It like a Weed Empire
We ended up growing into five stores within two years, because we weredoing something everybody else wasn’t. We were telling them the truthabout what prices really cost and what products really were… we createdsomething called fair market pricing.
Chad Wade is a serial entrepreneur and industry expert. He is the CEO of UNS Wholesale, a top wholesale distributor for smoke shop owners in the US, and owner of 3 retail smoke shops in Louisville, Kentucky. In his best-selling book “Street Smart How to Start a Million Dollar Business and Run it Like a Weed Empire”, Chad shares strategies forged in the school of life to help you turn your passion into a thriving business, even if you’ve never studied business before! He could talk about: · The importance of keeping your employees appreciated: food and a kind word go a long way more than just a paycheck. · Why you have to know your customers: money they can spend, age, sex, marital status, etc. · The importance of increasing sales by being very knowledgeable about the products you carry · Why you should meet and greet every customer that enters the store.Jeff Hoffman – Priceline Entrepreneur, Hollywood Producer, Grammy Winner
There’s gotta be something in your life that lights your fire,and that’s the thing you should spend your time on.
Jeff Hoffman has been the CEO of both public and private companies. He was a part of Priceline.com. uBid.com, CTI, ColorJar, and more. Today, Jeff serves on the boards of companies in the US, Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia. He is on the board of directors of Global Entrepreneurship Week (supporting entrepreneurship in over 130 countries), the US State Department’s GIST program (Global Innovation through Science and Technology, working in 49 emerging nations), the APEC Startup Initiative (the Asia Pacific Economic Council’s 21-member nation association), and many others. He supports the White House, the State Department, and the United Nations on economic growth initiatives and entrepreneurship programs. Jeff is a frequent keynote speaker, having been invited to speak in over 50 countries,  speaking on the topics of innovation, entrepreneurship, and business leadership. His book, Scale: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back is a how-to guide for growing your business. He is also a Hollywood film producer, the producer of a Grammy winning jazz album, and has produced musical events including concerts, tours, and charity events with such artists as Elton John, Britney Spears, and NSYNC. Jeff is a featured business expert on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, CNN International, Bloomberg News, CNBC, ABC, and NPR, and in publications including Forbes, Inc., Time, Fast Company, and the Wall Street Journal. Jeff received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the national CEO Council, the Champion of Entrepreneurship Award from JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, and Rising Tide Capital, and the George Brown Award for International Cooperation.

August 5, 2025 – Product Development Diana Stepner and Live Nation ex-CEO Jason Garner

Diana Stepner – Author of Next-Gen Product Management: Future Proof Your Career
AI is able to accelerate that. It’s able to, you know, provide a lot ofcapacity and capabilities to two to three people. So whereas before,you might have needed more individuals to start a company, nowyou can do so quite quickly with a smaller number of folks.
Diana Stepner, a Silicon Valley native, has carved a path in the realm of product management and leadership. With 20+ years of experience, Diana has led diverse, global digital teams across startups, enterprise organizations, digital agencies, and software consulting. Her journey includes significant roles in companies like E.piphany, Cheapflights (acquired by Kayak), SimplePractice, Salesforce, Monster, Pearson, Razorfish (part of Publicis), and Epsilon. Her passion for Education and Career Development reflect Diana’s core philosophy of people-first leadership. This awareness led her to focus on coaching, combining extensive product leadership experience with a human-centered approach to help ambitious product leaders unlock their full potential. In her coaching practice, she prioritizes the importance of people in the product development process, reflecting her belief in empowering individuals to reach their full potential, building strong teams and fostering a culture of innovation and agility.  Diana is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) with an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential. Diana is not just a product leader and coach, she understands the crucial balance between technology, business, and human elements in driving successful product strategies.Jason Garner – Author of … And I Breathed, My Journey from a Life of Matter to a Life That Matters and Former Live Nation CEOS of Global Music
Within us is a warrior who can go out and do business, can pullout the sword when it’s necessary, but in me is also this monkwho can use serenity and calmness and love and kindness whenthat’s appropriate as well.
Jason Garner spent the first 37 years of his life running through the world holding his breath. Raised by a single mother and constantly moving from house to house, he threw himself into school and business, believing he had to be the best in order to be loved. From a weekend job at a flea market, he fought his way up to owning a concert promotion company and eventually became an executive at a Fortune 500 company. Along the way, he was married and divorced twice, raised two children largely on his own, met rock stars and sports legends, and accumulated wealth—until a series of life-shifting events, sparked by the sudden death of his mother, brought everything to a halt and forced him to confront his ego. In the quiet that followed, Jason stepped off the treadmill of constant striving and immersed himself in deep personal work. He studied health, spirituality, and the mind with renowned teachers, found the love of his life, and—perhaps for the first time—allowed himself to truly breathe. His journey led to a profound belief that life itself can be a meditation and that every act, no matter how ordinary, holds the potential to be an expression of love. He now shares the perspectives gained from this path—embracing the balance of money and happiness, business and spirituality, and the simple truth that we are not alone. Jason believes we are each perfectly placed in this moment to experience and transform life—together.

August 4, 2025 – Playground Tycoon Nic Breedlove and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s Brian Scudamore

Nicolas Breedlove – Visionary Entrepreneur and CEO of NVB Playgrounds and Author of Biography of Play: A CEO’s Perspective of Running through Seasons of Disruption in an Unfamiliar Industry of Commercial Playground Equipment
I don’t necessarily know that it’s 100% needed to be passionate about whatyou’re selling as much as it is about why you’re selling it. And eventually,you know, that passion did come.
Nic Breedlove is a visionary entrepreneur and the CEO of NVB Playgrounds, a company dedicated to creating safe, engaging, and inclusive play spaces that bring communities together. With over a decade of experience in the playground industry, Nic has revolutionized how schools, parks, and organizations approach play design by offering innovative solutions that combine creativity, safety, and durability. Under Nic’s leadership, NVB Playgrounds has become a trusted partner for clients across the country, helping them navigate the challenges of planning, budgeting, and building exceptional play areas. Nic is a sought-after speaker and storyteller who shares insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the power of play. When he’s not leading his team, Nic enjoys exploring the outdoors, creating impactful content, and connecting with audiences to inspire growth and innovation.Brian Scudamore – Founder & CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
We have a culture here in our entire O2E Brands family called the WTF culture. And what that really stands for is being willing to fail.
Brian Scudamore is the Founder and CEO of O2E Brands, the banner company for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, You Move Me, WOW 1 Day Painting, and Shack Shine. Brian is a serial entrepreneur, known for pioneering the professional junk hauling industry with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. Since conquering that market, he’s gone on to apply the O2E (Ordinary to Exceptional) formula to the painting, moving, and home-detailing industries. Currently, he’s at the helm of a burgeoning home-service empire; each brand has franchise locations in every major metro in North America and Australia. He’s a respected industry leader and speaker, well-known in the business community for his belief in people and passion for innovation. His companies have made celebrated appearances on ABC Nightline, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, CNN, The Today Show, Oprah, and CNBC. Brian’s story has been featured in Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and he contributes regularly to Forbes and Inc.com. He won the Lifetime Achievement Award Winner from the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization.