Raw and Real Entrepreneurship

Raw and Real Entrepreneurship

Get ready to step into the unfiltered world of entrepreneurship with the award-winning entrepreneur Susan Sly on the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast. Recognized and featured by major media outlets such as Forbes, MIT Sloan Management Review, CNBC, Fox, and CNN, Susan brings an exceptional blend of real-world experience and hard-earned knowledge to the podcasting stage. As the co-founder of a leading AI company, Susan harnesses her unique insider perspective to explore the hearts and minds of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. She presents candid, in-depth conversations that uncover the realities of their journeys, featuring enlightening discussions with illustrious founders like Glenn Stearns, Jesse Itzler, and Brandon Steiner. The Raw and Real Entrepreneurship Podcast is a dynamic and insightful show dedicated to revealing the unfiltered truths of entrepreneurship with new interviews every week. Through compelling stories and personal anecdotes, guests share their highs and lows, offering listeners a glimpse into the perseverance, resilience, and hard work required to navigate the unpredictable landscape of business ownership. From startup struggles to strategic growth, each episode provides valuable insights, practical advice, and actionable takeaways for aspiring and established entrepreneurs alike.

Episodes

June 5, 2025 51 mins
What does it really look like to build a business while silently drowning in debt? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, host Susan Sly sits down with Daniel Bussius, founder and CEO of Built by Love®, as he shares how he ended up $90,000 in personal debt—and the decision he now calls his biggest mistake. He opens up about scrapping a fully produced course, initiating a software build before the right structure and alig...
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What happens when success looks good on paper but feels empty? Clara Capano opens up about why she walked away from a lucrative six-figure opportunity—because it didn’t align with her values,  vision, or role as a mom. In this episode, Clara and Susan unpack what it takes to lead with clarity—and how that decision became the start of greater purpose, profit, and peace. Clara shares the intentional planning system she uses to set go...
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Sally Mueller helped shape the modern retail experience—leading iconic designer collaborations and category reinventions during her 25-year career at Target. Now, she’s co-founder and CEO of Womaness, a fast-growing brand breaking the silence around menopause and empowering women in midlife. In this raw conversation, Susan Sly and Sally unpack what it takes to pivot from powerhouse executive to startup co-founder, pitch 40+ VCs in ...
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After a devastating snowmobile accident at 40 mph that left him with 18 broken bones and punctured lungs, Navy SEAL Commander and CEO Mark Divine knew something had to change—not just in his body, but in his leadership. In this powerful episode, Mark joins Susan Sly to share how the crash became a defining turning point: dismantling outdated business models, releasing toxic partnerships, and rebuilding every aspect of his life with...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with David Young—founder of Federated Computer and the visionary behind Joyent, the cloud infrastructure company that powered Twitter and Tumblr before its $170M acquisition by Samsung. David shares an unfiltered account of building innovative cloud technology, losing his company due to personal struggles, and rebuilding his life through endurance sports and a...
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What happens when visibility doesn’t automatically lead to a business? For Kirpa Sudick — former contestant on The Bachelor Season 23 — the next step was clear: build a brand rooted in purpose and long-term value. In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly speaks with Kirpa about how she transitioned from public figure to business owner, scaling a coaching brand with authenticity, content strategy, and operational...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with John Worthington, founder of Sircles —a social recommendation app that raised over $1M in just six days on WeFunder and is on a mission to disrupt the Yelp model. They get candid about the real cost of building a startup, leading through chaos, and the emotional resilience required to scale. John shares his personal ‘why,’ how Sircles is creating a platform...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, host Susan Sly sits down with Hikari Senju, Founder of Omneky, to discuss his journey from a creative childhood to scaling innovative startups. Hikari dives into his early entrepreneurial experiences, the rise of generative AI, and how AI is transforming advertising. He also reveals the challenges of raising capital—having pitched to hundreds of investors—the power of networking, an...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with Susan Groeneveld, Founder of Sylvester.ai, to discuss the bold pivot that reshaped her AI startup. Initially launched as a B2C pet health platform, Susan made the strategic decision to shift to B2B, securing key contracts to expand into veterinary clinics and successfully raising funding in today’s tough investment climate. Susan G shares practical insights...
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AI is shaking up industries, but what does it mean for female founders in today’s challenging funding environment? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with five-time entrepreneur Melinda Wittstock—AI innovator, venture partner, and CEO of Podopolo. They break down the impact of AI disruptors like DeepSeek, the funding freeze on U.S. grants, and why women-led startups deliver higher returns yet stil...
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Kaylee Lieffers, Co-Founder and CEO of Blanka, shares how she built a top Shopify beauty app that helps entrepreneurs launch private-label brands—without holding inventory.  From bootstrapping and startup struggles to funding, hiring, and overcoming imposter syndrome, Kaylee reveals key lessons in scaling a tech business. A must-listen for founders, startup leaders, and e-commerce entrepreneurs! About Kaylee Lieffers: Kaylee's jo...
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In this Raw and Real Entrepreneurship episode, host Susan Sly sits down with Cody Schneider, Co-Founder of Swell AI. Together, they explore the dynamic landscape of startups, highlighting the rising trend of remote work and the power of global talent pools. Cody shares invaluable insights on scaling companies through innovative strategies like podcasting, live courses, and social media, emphasizing the critical role of community bu...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly chats with Jasmine Bhatti, a Registered Nurse and founder of Navi Nurses, about her journey from COVID unit nurse to healthcare innovator. Learn how Jasmine bootstrapped her company, scaled to 200+ nurses, and disrupted the industry with patient-focused care. She shares insights on finding clients, building a team, and managing stress. Whether you’re starting out or scal...
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In this inspiring episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, host Susan Sly sits down with Gregory Shepard, founder of BOSS Capital Partners, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Startup Life Cycle. Gregory shares insights from his groundbreaking research, including interviews with 1,200 founders, and highlights the phases where startups are most vulnerable—and how founders can navigate these challenges to achieve the ultimate goa...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with Morgan Kline, Co-Founder of Burn Boot Camp. Morgan shares her inspiring story of transitioning from parking lot boot camps to leading a thriving fitness franchise with over 400 locations and a best-selling book. The conversation touches on: Entrepreneurship & Career Transition: Morgan recounts how she left her corporate job to follow her passion, leveragi...
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In this Raw and Real Entrepreneurship episode, Susan Sly talks to Karen Gordon, Founder of Simpli5. Karen shares her journey from managing a thriving business with $1 million in monthly revenue to navigating that customer's bankruptcy. Her story highlights the importance of perseverance and strategic pivoting. Karen shares the practical implications of cognitive diversity. She discusses the importance of understanding one's streng...
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Ever wondered how a kid selling coloring books door-to-door could end up co-founding one of the hottest plant-based protein drink brands? In this Raw and Real Entrepreneurship episode, Susan Sly sits down with Chris Hunter, the unstoppable force behind KOIA. From hustling coloring book pictures in Youngstown, Ohio, to navigating the chaos of Four Loko, to breaking into major retailers like Starbucks with KOIA, Chris's journey is no...
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In this raw and riveting episode of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship Podcast, Susan Sly sits down with Nick Fogle, the resilient founder of Churnkey, to unpack the gritty truth of turning financial chaos into entrepreneurial gold. Their conversation dives deep into the whirlwind journey from crippling student loans to groundbreaking business success, offering a masterclass in transforming burdens into opportunities. Nick peels ba...
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Join Susan Sly, Raw and Real Entrepreneurship host, as she interviews Kevin Bibelhausen, the mastermind behind Fruition Capital and Heritage Fabrics. This isn't your typical business chat; it's a deep dive into the mechanics of buying and selling businesses, focusing on the crucial role of cash flow and profitability. Kevin opens up about his unlikely path from opera singing to dominating the business acquisition game. He breaks d...
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In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly pulls back the curtain on what it truly means to be a founder in the tech industry, challenging the notion that deep coding skills are a prerequisite for creating successful tech products. From her journey as an Award-Winning AI entrepreneur and her education at MIT, Susan shares four practical strategies for taking a Minimum Marketable Product (MMP) to market. She discus...
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