Finjan Show

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Lawrence Jackson, financial strategist and founder of Emerging Enterprise Group, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and purpose. Lawrence shares his journey from being laid off by banks to building a thriving consulting and training business that supports entrepreneurs and small business owners across Detroit.

From running...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami opens up a candid conversation about the fine line between startup success and failure — and how both are often misunderstood. Drawing from global experience with thousands of entrepreneurs, Ferris questions rigid definitions of failure and emphasizes the value of learning through doing.

From misunderstood business closure stats to why 80% of mic...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Mohamed Ahmed, founder of Average Mohamed, a grassroots initiative combatting extremist ideologies by promoting peace and democracy through an Islamic lens. Mohamed shares how a rise in ISIS recruitment in Minnesota inspired him to take action—using storytelling, cartoons, and face-to-face dialogue to counter radicalization.

From retail entrepreneur ...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, explores how the small habits we create every day shape not only our individual identities—but also the future of our communities.

Drawing from over a decade of global experience in entrepreneurship and small business development, Fares shares how consistent, purpose-driven actions can lead to long-term impact, especially in underserved and under...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Bette Schanafelt, a former corporate high-achiever who made a bold leap into entrepreneurship. After 35 years in corporate America, Betty realized she was unfulfilled. Her desire to help others understand the power of financial literacy led her to build her own financial services practice.

Faris and Betty dive into her story as an immigrant w...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, dives into a critical but often overlooked topic for entrepreneurs and small business owners: having a reliable digital backup plan.

Drawing from his personal experiences working with resilient entrepreneurs around the world — and his own journey navigating unexpected challenges — Faris stresses the importance of always having a backup plan. Not ...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Devin Miller, founder of Miller IP, a law firm dedicated to helping startups and small businesses protect their intellectual property. Devin shares his passion for entrepreneurship and recounts his journey from working at large law firms to founding his own company.

He reflects on growing his business from just himself and a paralegal to a fu...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, explores the crucial role of supporting entrepreneurship and small business development within economic and workforce development, particularly in underserved communities. He discusses the challenges faced by those tasked with supporting startups and small businesses, especially when they lack the necessary experience or resources.

Faris shares p...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Jeffrey Friedland, to uncover the highs, lows, and hard lessons of a career built on bold moves and reinvention.

Jeffrey shares how he became CEO of a NASDAQ-listed company at just 29, launched a global investor event business hosting over 230 conferences in one year, and helped companies go public in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He also ope...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, elaborates on the Resilent Entrepreneuer Canvas —  a practical tool developed through conversations with thousands of entrepreneurs navigating global crises. From the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to past economic downturns, the canvas captures how resilient leaders think, adapt, and move forward in uncertainty.

Faris discusses the four key pillars, mindset, self and environment, bus...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Marvin Storm, a seasoned professional with a diverse background in entrepreneurship and tech. Marvin shares his journey of launching startups, managing operations, and leveraging technology to drive growth. He also discusses the often-overlooked aspect of business exits—how to plan and execute a successful exit strategy, including key lessons learned from his own experiences.

Whether y...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, reflects on the relationship between passion and entrepreneurship. He challenges the common idea that passion is a prerequisite for starting a business, highlighting how many entrepreneurs discover their passion after launching ventures out of necessity. 

Faris dives into the entrepreneurial mindset, problem-solving, ...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Roman Golshteyn, founder of The Computer Guy (TCG) LLC, to share his remarkable journey from immigrant to long-time entrepreneur.

Roman talks about the pivotal moment he left a secure job as a help desk technician at a major law firm to follow his dream—and how that leap of faith turned into a successful 20+ year business providing IT and cyb...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, explores the big picture of entrepreneurship ecosystem development—what it is, why it matters, and how it can transform communities.

Faris breaks down the key components, from startup culture and small business support to workforce development and the creation of an entrepreneurial mindset. Whether you're looking to spark innovation in your city,...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Diondre Borel, founder of Cr8 Elite and former professional NFL player, to talk about the journey from professional sports to entrepreneurial success.

Diondre shares his passion for training and uplifting others, how he transformed a side hustle into a thriving business, and the grit it took to overcome the challenges brought on by the COVID-...

Your host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, discusses mentorship within the economic development community. What does mentorship really mean—and how does it differ from coaching, advising, consulting, or counseling? Faris explores these distinctions while reflecting on how meaningful mentorship can empower individuals to carve their own unique paths.

Whe...

Host of The Finjan Show, Faris Alami, welcomes Laszlo Heckler, founder of Achieve180 and an inspirational speaker who has motivated teams across multiple companies.

Laszlo’s journey is one of resilience—from experiencing homelessness and being adopted to overcoming poverty and learning English as a second language. Now a successful entrepreneur, he turned his passion for fashion into a thriving bu...