In this episode, Mike Shannon and Corey Ferengul go one-on-one to unpack a provocative article claiming your CEO is suffering from AI psychosis and whether the diagnosis holds up against what they're actually seeing in the market. They cover: Why major layoffs at Meta, Oracle, and Square may have less to do with AI and more to do with overhiring The "management by magazine" problem and why it's more dangerous than ever in the AI era Which processes are the glass balls you absolutely cannot affor...
Apr 29, 2026•27 min•Ep. 43
Most executives are asking the wrong question about AI. It's not "how do I cut headcount?" It's "how do I grow without adding it proportionally?" Alex Kelleher, Founder & CEO of Quantum Rise, has spent his career answering exactly that. In this episode of Momentum Mode, Corey Ferengul and Mike Shannon sit down with Alex, a multi-time founder, former CMO of Deloitte Digital, and now CEO of a 110-person AI transformation firm, to unpack what it actually looks like to deploy AI inside mid-marke...
Apr 21, 2026•33 min•Ep. 42
Should you raise millions and blitz-scale, or build slow, stay lean, and keep control? Mike and Corey dig into one of the most consequential decisions a founder makes: how much money to raise, and when. Mike is two and a half years into his second startup (Impruve), and this time he's doing it differently. No $4M raised before product-market fit. No chasing the next round before discovering what the business actually is. In this episode, he breaks down what he learned the hard way the first time...
Apr 07, 2026•21 min•Ep. 41
What should you actually DO about AI as a leader right now? Not the hype, the real strategic decisions. In this episode, Mike and Corey break down the most pressing question executives are facing: how do you build a genuine AI strategy when the technology is changing faster than your planning cycle, investors are breathing down your neck, and employees are already using AI tools you don't even know about? We get into why cutting headcount is the wrong first move, what "shadow AI" in your organiz...
Mar 31, 2026•23 min•Ep. 40
In this episode of Momentum Mode, Corey Ferengul and Mike Shannon draw on their own experience on both sides of the table, as founders, executives, and investors, to break down what M&A readiness really means and why most companies aren't as prepared as they think. From the midnight due diligence call to the data gaps that quietly kill deals, they get into the details founders rarely hear until it's too late. They cover: Why not all revenue is equal and how buyers value it differently The ch...
Mar 25, 2026•20 min•Ep. 39
In this episode of Momentum Mode, Corey Ferengul and Mike Shannon sit down with Ann Perry, M&A consultant and former corporate development leader at companies including VMware, Intel, and McAfee, to unpack what really determines whether an acquisition succeeds or fails. From how startups actually get on the radar of strategic buyers to why integration should start before a deal is even signed, Ann shares hard-earned lessons from decades inside Silicon Valley deal rooms. They dig into the rea...
Mar 09, 2026•33 min•Ep. 38
In this episode of Momentum Mode, Corey Ferengul and Mike Shannon sit down with Marty Pletkin, Managing Director of Corporate Development at Deloitte, to unpack what really determines whether M&A deals succeed or fail. With decades of experience across global transactions, Marty shares a behind-the-scenes look at how acquisitions actually happen — and why leadership alignment, timing, and operational discipline matter far more than financial models alone. The conversation explores common mis...
Mar 02, 2026•28 min•Ep. 37
Most companies don’t fail because of a lack of ambition. They stall because they outgrow their structure. In this episode of Momentum Mode , Corey Ferengul and Mike Shannon sit down with Anthony Knierim to unpack what actually drives durable growth inside scaling organizations. From operational discipline and accountability to leadership evolution and system design, Anthony shares what separates companies that scale intentionally from those that grow into chaos. The conversation explores: Why ea...
Feb 23, 2026•23 min•Ep. 36
Feb 16, 2026•23 min•Ep. 35
Feb 09, 2026•28 min•Ep. 34
Feb 02, 2026•27 min•Ep. 33
Most companies say “people are our most important asset,” but few can prove it. Tom Alexander is trying to change that. As co-founder and CEO of Holistic, Tom is building tools to help companies actually understand and improve the employee experience. Not with vague platitudes, but with measurable, actionable data. In this episode, we dig into what’s really changed since the early days of Holistic, how the modern employee mindset has evolved, and why transparency isn't just a buzzword. It's a su...
Dec 08, 2025•40 min•Ep. 32
John Moakley has spent decades building, running, and investing in data-driven companies—long before “data science” had a name. In this conversation, John joins Mike and Corey to pull back the curtain on what private equity really looks for, how companies often miss the value sitting right in front of them, and why the current hype around AI mirrors the early days of data monetization. From turning a magazine subscription list into a revenue stream, to helping scale a $70M data business, to earn...
Sep 18, 2025•35 min•Ep. 31
What does a board member really look for in a CEO? What signals competence, and what quietly erodes confidence? In this episode, Mike and Corey sit down with returning guest Ira Weiss—educator, investor, and longtime board member—to decode the often-misunderstood relationship between boards and founding teams. Drawing from over 60 investments and hundreds of founder interactions, Ira shares how he evaluates early-stage CEOs, the underrated power of persistence and curiosity, and the true markers...
Sep 04, 2025•25 min•Ep. 30
Anar Isman didn’t start Ageless RX to build a business—he started it to challenge one of humanity’s most accepted limitations: aging. What began as personal curiosity turned into a mission-driven company now generating over $70 million in annual revenue. In this conversation, Anar joins Mike and Corey to unpack how he built Ageless RX from a late-night side project into a fast-growing, telemedicine-powered platform at the center of the longevity movement. He shares how COVID unlocked the company...
Aug 28, 2025•33 min•Ep. 29
From a farm town in Ohio to penthouse events with billionaires in Chicago—Andrew Gunderman’s journey is anything but ordinary. By his early twenties, he had already founded and sold a startup, built founder communities from scratch, and begun curating some of the city’s most exclusive circles of entrepreneurs, investors, and influencers. In this conversation, Andrew joins Mike Shannon and Corey Ferengul to unpack the strategy behind building Renowned Chicago, why exclusivity works when it’s pair...
Aug 21, 2025•33 min•Ep. 28
Uncertainty isn’t just a buzzword -- it’s basically the operating environment for every leader in 2025. From economic volatility to the unknowns of AI’s impact, executives are navigating conditions where the variables outside their control keep multiplying. In this episode, Mike and Corey break down how to lead through the fog—identifying what’s controllable, building flexible plans for the uncontrollable, and creating the right communication cadence with boards, teams, and customers. They share...
Aug 13, 2025•25 min•Ep. 27
Arnav Dalmia didn’t set out to build a fitness brand for older adults—but listening to customers led him there. In this conversation, Arnav joins us to unpack the unlikely evolution of Cubii, the company he co-founded that sold for north of $100 million after a decade-long grind that began with Kickstarter and a desk pedal idea. They dig into why early investors passed, what everyone got wrong about the market, and how a hard-earned product-market fit with seniors turned Cubii into a category-de...
Aug 07, 2025•28 min•Ep. 26
In this episode, Corey and Mike dive deep into one of the defining trends shaping AI’s next chapter: verticalization. They explore why general-purpose AI isn’t enough—and how the most compelling solutions are now being purpose-built for specific industries, starting with Mike’s own experience building an AI operating system for independent financial advisors. The conversation traces the journey from general tools to tailored workflows, covering: How to choose the right vertical by listening for ...
Jul 31, 2025•22 min•Ep. 25
In this episode, Mike and Corey sit down with Divey Gulati, co-founder of ShipBob, to explore a challenge few founders navigate successfully: staying in the seat as your company scales from basement hustle to global operation. They unpack what it takes to evolve from a single-product startup to a multi-product logistics platform, and why ShipBob’s culture—rooted in transparency, customer obsession, and founder access—has become its real competitive edge. From rethinking product strategy around c...
Jul 24, 2025•36 min•Ep. 24
In this episode, Mike and Corey dive into one of the most urgent divides forming in the business world: AI-native startups vs. legacy companies scrambling to retrofit their operations. They explore what it really means to build with AI at the core—not just as a tool, but as a fundamental shift in how problems are defined and solved. From legal bottlenecks to misaligned incentives, the conversation unpacks the cultural, operational, and strategic barriers that slow-moving companies face. And they...
Jul 17, 2025•24 min•Ep. 23
Guest Howard Tullman shares hard-won lessons from decades in tech—on grit, leadership, and why most startups are built on shaky ground. From AI’s limits to the collapse of workplace culture, this is a candid take on what founders, CEOs, and Gen Z need to hear right now.
Jul 09, 2025•37 min•Ep. 22
What really changes when you build your second company? In this episode, Corey and Mike discuss the mindset shift that happens when you’ve done it before—from forcing a business plan onto the world to discovering what’s actually needed. They dive into why iteration beats vision, how to turn low-fidelity ideas into learning engines, and the underestimated power of staying lean. Whether you're scaling your first startup or rethinking your next move, this conversation unpacks how second-time founde...
Jun 25, 2025•26 min•Ep. 21
What happens when a private equity executive and a PhD scientist team up to fix the way we consume news? In this episode, Mike Shannon and Corey Ferengul sit down with Tim Huelskamp, co-founder and CEO of 1440, the fast-growing media startup with over 4.5 million subscribers and some of the most enviable unit economics in digital publishing. Tim breaks down the strategic bets, early missteps, and flywheel mechanics behind building a high-trust, curiosity-driven brand from scratch. From his days ...
Jun 18, 2025•37 min•Ep. 20
Karl Hughes has done what many founders aim for but few actually achieve: he built a company that didn’t need him. In this episode, Karl shares how he scaled a technical content agency to seven figures, took a full month off, and began acquiring other small service businesses through micro M&A. We dive into: – How to design for founder independence – Why reps beat perfection when building teams – The overlooked opportunity in acquiring niche agencies – How to grow sustainably without outside...
Jun 12, 2025•31 min•Ep. 19
AI isn't just another tool—it’s a complete shift in how companies are being built, scaled, and operated. In this episode, Mike and Corey sit down with Eric Mills, founder of Density and Y Combinator alum, to explore what it really means to build an AI-native company. From early-stage experimentation to shipping with agents and orchestrated workflows, Eric brings a practical lens to the hype and a systems-level view on what’s actually working. They dig into how AI is collapsing cost structures, c...
Jun 04, 2025•34 min•Ep. 18
This week on Momentum Mode , we’re joined by Amanda Lannert, longtime CEO of Jellyvision, for a conversation that goes deep into the mechanics of building a strong, sustainable company culture. Amanda breaks down how Jellyvision’s values—like trust, responsiveness, and the deceptively powerful mantra “be helpful”—translate into everyday decisions, from hiring and onboarding to managing through layoffs. With clarity and candor, she shares the thinking behind the systems and rituals that have made...
May 30, 2025•22 min•Ep. 17
What does it really take to lead a company through high-stakes growth, acquisitions, and transformation? Dan Dal Degan—known to many as Triple D—returns for a deep dive into what most leadership playbooks leave out. Drawing on decades of experience scaling enterprise software companies, including an early role at Salesforce, Dan shares what it means to build strategy that’s not just understood by the C-suite but felt across the company. We get into why trust is the bedrock of strategy, how cultu...
May 16, 2025•23 min•Ep. 16
What actually happens after a founder steps aside and a new CEO steps in? Kelsey Behringer, CEO of Packback, joins us to unpack the emotional and operational realities of leading a company through a major transition—from a VC-backed startup to a growth-stage business under new ownership. Kelsey opens up about what surprised her most in the CEO seat, including the often-unspoken loneliness of leadership, and how she’s built systems of support, communication, and culture from the inside out. We ge...
May 01, 2025•23 min•Ep. 15
Venture capitalist and Booth professor Ira Weiss joins Momentum Mode to break down what great board members actually do, how investor dynamics shift across funding stages, and why early-stage founders should rethink how they engage with their boards. A candid conversation on strategy, signals, and the real work of scaling.
Apr 16, 2025•24 min•Ep. 14
