Founders in Full

Cindy Abel, Founder of Vescent, joins me to share how her career in tech and decades of experience running a consulting firm—combined with her personal experience as a parent—led to building a mission-driven platform that supports teen girls through mentorship, mental health literacy, and community.

In this episode, we cover her career path, the early warning signs she noticed around social media and mental health, the evo...

Sara Mauskopf, Co‑Founder & CEO of Winnie, joins me to share how her background in tech and product leadership at companies like Google, Twitter, and Postmates led to building a fast‑growing marketplace that helps parents find childcare.

In this episode, we cover her career path, what drew her to Silicon Valley, the origin and evolution of Winnie, lessons learned from early pivots, and how she’s scaling a platform that...

Katie Taylor, Founder & CEO of Child Life On Call, joins me to share how her background as a certified Child Life Specialist led to building a podcast and a parent‑facing app that supports families through medical experiences.

In this episode, we cover her career path, the origin of the Child Life On Call podcast, how it evolved into a hospital‑licensed app, what she’s learned from early customers, and how she’s growin...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Dale Jarosz, co-founder of Bschool Travel, a company that designs immersive international learning experiences for MBA and university students.

Dale’s journey started in mechanical engineering, took him to Caterpillar designing hydraulic valves, and eventually led him to business school at Michigan—where travel, entrepreneurship, and frustration with the status quo planted the seeds f...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Chris Borek, co-founder of Spira Farms, a Chicago-area vertical farm growing nutrient-dense microgreens for restaurants, grocery stores, and health-conscious consumers.

Chris’s journey started in a condo during grad school, growing greens for his family while researching sustainability and nutrition. After his mother’s cancer diagnosis, what began as a personal health projec...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Lauren Cain, founder of Elm Dirt, a company reinventing the way we care for lawns, gardens, and soil health—using the power of microbes, composting worms, and a lot of trial and error.

Lauren’s path started in chemical engineering, took her through a high-pressure career at ExxonMobil, and eventually led to launching an e-commerce business with her husband. After years of freelancing ...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Joe Weber, founder of Four Star Mushrooms, a Chicago-based mushroom company on a mission to transform our food system through regenerative agriculture, chef-driven partnerships, and urban farming innovation.

Joe’s journey began with a deep interest in ecology and sustainable agriculture. But after a lightbulb moment listening to a Paul Stamets podcast, he realized mushrooms ...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Sarah Spliethoff, founder of Sunniemade, a personal care brand on a mission to make sustainability feel effortless with plant-powered, plastic-free products that people genuinely love using.

After more than a decade in the agency world—working in experiential marketing, creative strategy, and brand development—Sarah set out to build a brand of her own. What started as a side...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Will Nitze, Founder and CEO of IQBAR, a company on a mission to fuel brain and body with clean-label functional nutrition products—from protein bars to hydration mixes and brain-boosting coffee.

Will shares his unconventional path from selling software to oil and gas companies to launching a brain-focused nutrition brand out of pure obsession, grit, and a little bit of gray-hat market...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Rich Cohen, founder of Elevate Packaging, one of the first companies in the world to focus exclusively on compostable packaging. 

Rich shares how a sabbatical and a global backpacking trip led him to rethink the future of packaging—and ultimately build a business that's making a real environmental impact.

We dive into:

• How Rich bootstrapped a mission-driven business before “sus...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Nick Nagele, co-founder of Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., one of the only true seed-to-spirit farm distilleries in the U.S.

Nick shares how a fifth-generation farm background, a passion for agriculture, and a leap of faith led to launching a whiskey brand rooted in storytelling, transparency, and terroir.

We dive into:

• How a side project became a full-fledged distillery—after a very ...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Mike Valente, founder and CEO of Renovation Sells, a fast-growing franchise business that helps homeowners prepare their homes for sale through smart, design-driven renovations.

Mike shares how he went from hauling beer on Wrigleyville rooftops to launching a remodeling business—and ultimately building a national brand by finding a niche and committing to it.

We dive into:

• The windi...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Kristian Altuve, co-founder of Dance Motion Marketing, a growing agency that helps dance studios across the country fill their classes and grow their businesses through done-for-you marketing.

Kristian shares how he went from corporate consulting to freelancing in video production—and how hitting rock bottom eventually led to building a company that now serves over 120 studios every m...

In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Keith Wakeman, co-founder and CEO of SuperBetter, a platform that helps people build resilience, improve mental health, and achieve personal growth by applying the psychology of gameplay to real life.

Keith shares his journey from leading innovation at CPG giants like Nabisco and Kellogg’s to building a purpose-driven company rooted in science, mindset, and meaningful impact. His tran...