Youssef Tawfik is a former national basketball player from Egypt who left a safe career in big tech to build his own company, Revi. Today, he’s helping businesses around the world use software and AI to modernize, especially the ones still stuck doing things with pen and paper in 2025. In this episode, Youssef shares his journey from working in big tech to building scalable solutions. He talks about how he knew it was time to bet on himself and offers valuable insights for any visionary founder ...
Jul 10, 2025•44 min•Ep. 51
Jason Hansen is a Certified Living Benefits Expert and founder of Midwest Family Financial. For over 20 years, he’s helped entrepreneurs and families use life insurance to protect their future, build tax-free income, and avoid financial disaster. Today, Jason joins me to break down a topic that confuses a lot of people: life insurance. We talk about what it really is, the difference between term and permanent life insurance, and how living benefits can help you while you’re still alive, not just...
Jun 26, 2025•40 min•Ep. 50
Josh Snyder is the VP of Sales at Zerion Software and FieldApps AI, where he helps companies dump inefficient processes and build custom AI-powered software without writing a single line of code. In today's episode, Josh shares how his team transformed from a traditional software company into a cutting-edge AI wrapper business that builds tools from simple client conversations. Josh joins me to dive into: how AI is removing the complexity from software development, drastically reducing costs, an...
Jun 12, 2025•43 min•Ep. 49
Dave Lava and Ilyssa Grant have quietly helped business owners save millions by rethinking how payment processing ‘should’ work. With backgrounds in business, tech, and entrepreneurship, they saw the flaws in the traditional system and decided to build something better. Today, they work with companies across the country to help them take back control of their revenue. Today, Dave and Ilyssa joined me to talk about what most people get wrong about credit card fees and why accepting them as “just ...
May 01, 2025•42 min•Ep. 48
Alek Ivanov is the founder of Synergy3, an HVAC company that’s grown to over 30 team members and more than $8 million in revenue. But his path to success was anything but smooth: and from arriving in the U.S. with just $8 to building a thriving business from the ground up, Alek bares it all. Today, Alek joins me to dive into the emotional and practical journey of entrepreneurship. Alek shares the chance encounter that led him into the HVAC industry, and the three factors that helped him build a ...
Apr 17, 2025•41 min•Ep. 47
How can SaaS fuel your business growth and keep you ahead of the curve? In this week’s episode of Entrepreneur Intel, host Wes Matthews sits down with Nathan Tyler, an experienced founder and SaaS expert, to uncover how data-driven decision-making can transform your company. Nathan shares his journey from building a web agency to creating BlinkMetrics, a SaaS platform that gives entrepreneurs real-time insights into their key business metrics. Learn how SaaS tools can automate performance tracki...
Feb 27, 2025•47 min•Ep. 46
How do you build a team that thrives together and drives business success? In this week’s episode of Entrepreneur Intel , host Wes Matthews sits down with Jay Hawreluk, founder of AcuMax Index, to explore how understanding team dynamics can transform your organization. Jay shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting with nothing but a vision in 2012, and how he developed a revolutionary tool to help businesses hire smarter, reduce turnover, and improve productivity. Discover why team dynamics p...
Feb 12, 2025•43 min•Ep. 45
In this episode, we sit down with Mike Harvey, founder of The Roof Resource, to explore his journey of disrupting the roofing industry. By applying innovative business models akin to Airbnb, Mike has redefined how roofing services are delivered, saving homeowners significant costs and earning their trust. He shares insights into his franchise model, the power of customer-centric innovation, and his vision for scaling this unique approach to other industries. Takeaways: The "Airbnb of Roofing" : ...
Jan 30, 2025•40 min•Ep. 45
In this episode, we explore the crucial relationship between visionaries and integrators in business, discussing how their collaboration can drive success and sustainability. Our guest shares insights on fostering the right company culture, the importance of behavioral assessments, and best practices for hiring and onboarding. We also dive into strategies for overcoming challenges faced by entrepreneurs, including loneliness in leadership, effective delegation, and scaling with purpose. This epi...
Jan 16, 2025•40 min•Ep. 44
In this episode of Entrepreneur Intel, we delve into the insights shared by Ben Quintana, who is the Principal at Kis Solutions. The conversation explores innovative approaches to advertising, creative strategies, and customer experience optimization. Ben brings a unique perspective rooted in data-driven decision-making and the application of economic principles to foster impactful customer interactions. Takeaways: Customer-First Strategies: Ben emphasizes the power of prioritizing customer expe...
Jan 02, 2025•40 min•Ep. 43
In this episode, Charles Leikauf, a fractional CFO and e-commerce marketing expert, shares insights into achieving marketing efficiency and driving revenue growth for e-commerce businesses. He discusses challenges with ad platforms, the importance of data accuracy, and strategies to optimize marketing spend. Charles also talks about how he works with clients to streamline financials and manage growth, using a playbook to guide decisions. If you're looking to boost your marketing effectiveness, t...
Dec 19, 2024•38 min•Ep. 42
In this episode, we dive into the creation and innovative mission of ZEC, a platform designed to modernize and simplify board meetings. Born from the founders’ personal frustrations at Moosejaw and CrowdRise, ZEC addresses the inefficiencies of traditional board presentations, which often spanned over 100 hours of preparation for decks exceeding 130 slides. By integrating cutting-edge AI and infusing lighthearted elements into a serious process, ZEC transforms board meetings into more productive...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min•Ep. 41
In this insightful episode, Wes speaks with Mario Lupia, an expert in operations and leadership, about the challenges faced by visionary entrepreneurs and how structured processes are essential for achieving their ambitious goals. The discussion centers around balancing visionary ideas with realistic operational strategies and the importance of having an experienced operator to transform vision into execution. Takeaways: Visionaries often have grand ideas but may struggle with practical executio...
Nov 21, 2024•42 min•Ep. 40
In this episode, Wes is joined by Mark Scrimenti, an expert in fractional leadership, to discuss the power of fractional executives and how businesses can scale effectively using frameworks like EOS. Mark shares his experience transitioning from digital marketing to fractional COO and how businesses can benefit from having strategic support without the commitment of a full-time executive. They explore the challenges of being a visionary leader, managing growth, and the importance of setting clea...
Nov 07, 2024•44 min•Ep. 39
In this episode, we sit down with a seasoned entrepreneur Alexandra Satine Co-Founder and Fractional COO/CFO at Your-Cohort. She shares her journey from building her first business in her 20s to gaining two decades of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and VC-backed startups. She discusses the importance of betting on yourself, managing time, and balancing operations, finance, and people in business. Tune in to learn about her unique perspective on startup infrastructure, the differen...
Oct 24, 2024•43 min•Ep. 38
In this episode, we dive into the transformative relationship between a visionary entrepreneur and a Fractional COO with our guest Melissa Rose Fractional CMO at Operate Light. The conversation highlights the critical need for founders to recognize when they can no longer do it all themselves, and how hiring the right COO, even fractionally, can propel their business forward. Through real-life anecdotes, the guest outlines the unique benefits of fractional leadership, including the ability to ac...
Oct 10, 2024•40 min•Ep. 37
In this episode, we sit down with Michael Eckhoff, Fractional CRO at Sales Growth International. He is an award-winning sales leader with experience across startups, scale-ups, and Fortune 500 companies. He emphasizes the significance of having a robust sales structure and offers insights into the changing landscape of sales, including the resurgence of face-to-face meetings and personalized buyer journeys. This episode provides valuable advice for entrepreneurs on leveraging fractional executiv...
Sep 26, 2024•44 min•Ep. 36
In this episode, we dive deep into the realities of entrepreneurship with Ryan Hogan. From navigating early failures to hitting product-market fit, Ryan shares the tough lessons learned along the way. Whether discussing the early false starts, how to pivot effectively, or scaling businesses like Hunt A Killer, this episode offers invaluable insights for entrepreneurs. The message is clear: never give up, because the difference between success and failure is perseverance. Takeaways: Perseverance ...
Sep 12, 2024•42 min•Ep. 35
In this insightful episode, Cameron Herold, a seasoned COO and author of six books, joins Wes to dive deep into the unique dynamics between CEOs and COOs. Cameron shares his journey from an EO member to scaling companies like 1-800-GOT-JUNK, and how his entrepreneurial upbringing shaped his approach to the COO role. The conversation explores the delicate balance of the CEO-COO relationship, the importance of trust and communication, and the role of the COO in driving business success. Cameron al...
Aug 29, 2024•38 min•Ep. 34
In this episode, we sit down with Tullio Siragusa to discuss the importance of involving executives, creating scalable systems, and how fractional roles can provide significant value without long-term commitment. We also explore how to nurture a culture where employees feel empowered and engaged. Takeaways: Involvement & Scalable Systems : Keep executives engaged and develop scalable systems for sustained success. Fractional Roles : Leverage fractional C-level executives to access high-level...
Aug 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 33
In this episode, we delve into the critical role of financial education for founders, especially those without a conventional finance background. Our guest, a seasoned fractional CFO, shares his approach to educating first-time founders about financial management and the art of interpreting business numbers. He emphasizes the importance of clean bookkeeping, understanding financial statements, and strategic financial planning. Takeaways: The guest highlights the lack of proper financial educatio...
Aug 01, 2024•40 min•Ep. 32
The episode touches on various aspects of entrepreneurship, particularly focusing on the role of peer groups and forums in business development and personal growth. Mike discusses the critical importance of having diverse perspectives in peer groups to avoid blind spots and enhance problem-solving capabilities. He emphasizes that successful peer groups consist of individuals with different strengths and roles (such as operators, strategists, rainmakers, visionaries, tech orchestrators, and integ...
Jul 18, 2024•46 min•Ep. 31
Want to bring your Idea to the next level? Most visionary entrepreneurs struggle with implementing their ideas onto paper. Jamie Munoz is a Fractional Integrator with Catalyst Integrators. She teaches the reason for an Integrator, process of Fractional Integration and how it can help bring your vision to life. Enhance your ideas and businesses to optimize your time and outcomes. Takeaways: The importance of harnessing human energy effectively, whether personal or within a team, is emphasized. Th...
Jul 04, 2024•40 min•Ep. 30
In this insightful conversation, Wes chats with Steve Hernandez, the CEO and President of The North Group. Steve shares his journey from being a military personnel to becoming a prominent figure in the intelligence and security industry. He discusses the importance of situational awareness, the complexities of handling threats in both personal and corporate realms, and provides valuable advice on business risk management. Additionally, Steve dives deep into the dark world of human trafficking an...
Jun 27, 2024•46 min•Ep. 29
Meet Dave VanderJagt, a Fractional CRO with over 15 years of experience in developing and managing high-performing B2B and B2C revenue teams. Dave discusses the critical role of a Fractional CRO, especially for companies under $20 million in revenue, and how aligning marketing, sales, and customer success is essential for growth. Dave joins Host Wes Mathews to explore the challenges of transitioning from founder-led sales to a structured team approach, the importance of having the right data and...
Jun 20, 2024•43 min•Ep. 28
Joining the show this week is a 5x sales leader who helps SaaS startups find opportunities to break new ground and make things grow. Please welcome to the show, CEO and Founder at Elizabeth Andrew consulting, Elizabeth Andrew! Elizabeth sits down with Host Wes Mathews to dive into some of the biggest challenges startup founders face. Elizabeth shares the challenges of founder led sales, the obstacles to overcome when returning to the workforce and the importance of learning on the job. Takeaways...
Jun 13, 2024•40 min•Ep. 27
This week’s guest has a rich background in corporate finance, and experience managing over $85M in assets. Please welcome to the show, Founder and Fractional CFO at Midwest CFO Chris Gwinn! Chris sits down with Host Wes Mathews and shares invaluable lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of finding high-demand, recurring revenue models. Chris also offers practical tips for business owners to ensure profitability, strategic planning, and financial forecasting. Takeaw...
May 30, 2024•42 min•Ep. 26
Join Host Wes Mathews on Entrepreneur Intel as he sits down with Jonathon Hensley, CEO and Chief Product Officer at Emerge. Jonathan shares profound lessons on leadership, strategy, and leveraging AI in business. Learn about his journey from Silicon Valley enthusiast to successful entrepreneur, and get insights into building a strong vision, fostering team alignment, and driving business growth. This episode is packed with valuable advice for both new and seasoned entrepreneurs. Takeaways: The m...
May 23, 2024•43 min•Ep. 25
Joining host Wes Mathews on this week’s episode of Entrepreneur Intel is a founder who has been on the Inc 5000 list several times, and is currently educating the next generation of entrepreneurs. Our guest is none other than President of Bauer and Associates, and Founder & Entrepreneur-in-Residence of Inc Magazine's Inc. Young Entrepreneurs, Dan Bauer! Wes and Dan sit down to dive into the work of Inc’s young entrepreneurs, and the skills that are essential to any entrepreneur. Dan shares t...
May 16, 2024•45 min•Ep. 24
Today’s guest is an entrepreneur who has successfully exited a company, wrote two books, and co-founded an organization that advocates for increased awareness around liver transplants. He’s served as the Global Chair of EO, and helps teach entrepreneurs how to be their best. Please welcome to the show, Co-Founder of Living Liver Foundation and the Global School of Entrepreneurship, David Galbenski! David joins Host Wes Mathews for a conversation on the challenges of rapid growth. David shares wh...
May 09, 2024•46 min•Ep. 23
