Turning Point: Founder Journeys from Grit to Glory

In this episode, Blaine Bertsch sits down with entrepreneur Kirstin Carey to unpack her journey through marketing, public speaking, the restaurant industry, and the wellness space. From launching gluten-free restaurants to creating a wellness program focused on reversing autoimmune conditions, Kirsten shares the highs and lows of building businesses driven by both passion and purpose. 

She discusses the emotional psychology behind s...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch sits down with Eli Portnoy to explore his candid and compelling journey through multiple startups. From launching his first venture in college to leading companies like Sense360 and BackEngine, Eli shares hard-won lessons on the importance of timing, resilience, and the power of customer insight. 

He opens up about the emotional toll of entrepreneurship, the challenge of bur...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch sits down with Adam Nathan, CEO of Blaze, to explore the mindset, experiences, and strategies that have shaped his entrepreneurial path. 

Adam shares lessons from his time at Apple and within government administration, revealing how a deep understanding of human needs and societal challenges has guided his approach to startups. He dives into the importance of structured business plann...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine sits down with Ken McKenzie, founder and CEO of Fresh Victor premium mixers, to explore his entrepreneurial journey from co-founding Republic Tequila to revolutionizing the cocktail mixer market. 

Ken shares insights on the evolution of the tequila industry, the role of personal relationships in business success, and the challenges of funding and scaling a new venture. The conversation explor...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine interviews Borja Cuan, Co-Founder of Four15 Digital, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the foundational lessons that have shaped his career. From selling golf balls as a child to leading a successful digital marketing agency, Borja shares insights on mentorship, networking, and the operational strategies needed to build a thriving business. 

He emphasizes the importance of identifyin...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine chats with Robert Grazioli, the Managing Partner of Bread, a Brooklyn-based Digital Agency. They dive into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship, highlighting the unique challenges and growth opportunities founders face—especially those transitioning from service-based businesses to product development. They explore key topics such as overcoming imposter syndrome, leveraging customer feedbac...

In this episode of Turning Point, Eric Hui, founder of Terracea, shares his journey from corporate life to creating a cold-weather outdoor apparel brand. He discusses identifying market gaps, the challenges of product development, and the importance of funding through platforms like Kickstarter. 

Eric reflects on the resilience needed to overcome setbacks, the shift from wholesale to a direct-to-consumer model, and the impact of cas...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch and Sheena White dive into the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, exploring Sheena’s reluctant start in business and the pivotal moments that shaped her journey to success. Together, they unpack the balancing act of financial management, from understanding the critical differences between cash flow and profitability to developing effective pricing strategies and forecasting tools. 

W...

In this episode, host Blaine Bertsch chats with Tom Schwab, founder of Interview Valet, for an in-depth discussion about the entrepreneurial journey. Together, they explore the challenges and rewards of building a business, emphasizing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the support of a strong community. Drawing from their personal experiences, Blaine and Tom highlight the value of learning through real-world practice ...

In this conversation, Blaine interviews John Gillham, founder of Originality AI, discussing his journey into entrepreneurship, the evolution of content marketing, and the impact of AI on content creation. 

John shares insights on building a remote workforce, the importance of customer focus, and strategies for small businesses to navigate the challenges posed by AI-generated content. The discussion highlights the need for ...

Join host Blaine Bertsch as he sits down with Mandi Gunzberger, a powerhouse entrepreneur with a track record of launching successful ventures like Babyology and Nourish Travel. Mandi dives into her entrepreneurial journey, sharing the early sparks that ignited her passion for business and the valuable lessons learned along the way. 

They talk about the highs and lows of hiring, team building, and finding creative ways to ...

In this episode of Turning Point, Blaine Bertsch interviews John and Mark Cronin, the father-son duo behind John’s Crazy Socks. In 2016, Mark found himself unemployed at 58, while his son John, who has Down syndrome, was facing the "21-Year-Old Cliff," where school support ends and options are limited. After exploring different ideas, John proposed starting a sock business, inspired by his love for colorful, fun socks. To...

Bradley Hamner, Founder and CEO of Blueprint OS, shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges he faced in scaling his business. He discusses the importance of sales skills, hard work, and the need for systems and processes to achieve growth and work-life balance. 

The turning point for him was realizing the value of structure and organization in his business. He started by organizing existing documents and creating unifo...

In this episode of "Turning Point," Blaine Bertsch, CEO of Dryrun, interviews Ilya Kroogman, founder of The Digital Panda, about his entrepreneurial journey and business growth. They discuss the challenges of hiring and the transition to remote work, emphasizing the importance of hiring for culture fit. The conversation dives into the impact of the pandemic on agencies, highlighting the benefits and challenges of a distri...

Join us on "Turning Point" as Mike Begg, co-founder and CEO of AMZ Advisors, shares his entrepreneurial journey and the evolution of his business. Mike discusses his early experiences, from working at a marina to selling on Amazon and launching his own brand. He explains the changes in the Amazon marketplace and the importance of building a professional brand with content marketing. Mike also talks about transitioning fro...

Join us on "Turning Point" as Brandon Gano, Co-founder of Whadif, shares his entrepreneurial journey. From starting young to focusing on larger, more profitable clients, Brandon discusses the importance of having a clear mission and vision for sustainable growth. He highlights building relationships, leveraging testimonials, and knowing where your customers are. Brandon also talks about his transition from running a franc...

In this episode of Turning Point, Herb Cogliano, Managing Partner at Aspire Growth Advisors, shares his entrepreneurial journey and insights into the employment business. He discusses the early industry days and how his father's company pioneered temporary staffing. Herb emphasizes relationship-building and its evolution in the staffing industry. He talks about pivoting businesses, data-driven decision-making, and the value of...

Adam Leventer, the visionary behind Scriberbase, unveils the narrative of his entrepreneurial voyage. Diving into the intricacies of launching a consulting venture and navigating the turbulent waters of the couponing industry, Adam talks about the evolution of Scriberbase into a premier authority in subscription commerce on a global scale. 

Emphasizing the pivotal role of recurring revenue, he sheds light on the trajectory of loyalt...

Zach Coleman, the owner of creative agencies GymMark and Creatitive, shares his entrepreneurial journey and the challenges he faced in the creative industry. He discusses the importance of having an entrepreneurial mindset and the influence of his parents' entrepreneurial journey. Zach talks about his transition from the corporate world to starting his own agency, emphasizing the need for continuous growth and the importance o...