Built Leadership
Built Leadership with James Onyks is a podcast about the real, human side of building a business. Hosted by entrepreneur and marketing agency owner James Onyks, each episode features conversations with business owners, founders, and operators about how they got started, where they are now, and the defining moments that shaped them into leaders. This isn’t just about success stories. It’s about the risks, setbacks, decisions, leadership challenges, and personal growth behind the business. Guests share what it took to go from starting out to managing teams, carrying responsibility, overcoming obstacles, and building something that lasts. Because James comes from a marketing background, the conversations also explore how entrepreneurs promote their businesses, find growth opportunities, attract customers, and scale with intention. Built Leadership is for entrepreneurs, aspiring business owners, and anyone interested in the journey behind leadership with the lessons learned, the pressure endured, and the people founders become along the way. P.S I have gone through a few name changes and finally settled on this one and I think its perfect!
Episodes
In this episode of Built Leadership host James Onyks interviews Ben Kander, founder and CEO of Welly Bottle. They explore how transparency in manufacturing and authentic storytelling can become powerful differentiators in a crowded consumer goods market.
Benjamin shares how showcasing the full production process—from raw steel to finished bottle—helps build deeper trust with customers while highlighting the value of dome...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Peter James, Founder and CEO of Manic Kat Records. Peter shares the journey of building an independent, artist-first record label that began as a passion project for his own band and evolved into an internationally recognized music company challenging traditional label models.
The conversation explores how frustration with the conventional music industry inspired Pete...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Grant Crowden, Owner of Deep South Construction Pros. They explore the journey of building a high-performance home services business rooted in reputation, leadership, and community trust. Grant shares how he walked away from a $10M operation he helped build to start over with a values-driven approach to construction, ultimately scaling Deep South Construction Pros int...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Stephen Machuga, founder of StackUp, a veteran-focused nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting military veterans through gaming and suicide prevention initiatives.
Stephen shares the origin story behind StackUp, explaining how his military experience and lifelong relationship with video games shaped the idea of “recreational therapy” as a practical w...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Andrea Battiola, Founder and CEO of Peak Couples & Sex Therapy, a multi-state virtual psychotherapy practice specializing in couples and sex therapy across Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington State.
Andrea shares the real story behind building a highly sensitive, regulated healthcare business from the ground up—starting as a solo practitioner a...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Thad Cardine, Executive Director of Shield Bearer Counseling Centers. Thad shares his journey from teaching and nonprofit leadership into scaling one of Texas’ growing faith-based mental health organizations.
He discusses how Shield Bearer Counseling Centers expanded from roughly 9,000 to more than 20,000 annual counseling services by transitioning from a contrac...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews James Burns, entrepreneur and operator in the veterinary endoscopy and medical device industry and founder of Endoscopy Support Services, Inc. They explore how Burns built a career spanning multiple ventures by applying systems thinking, operational efficiency, and long-term infrastructure building across industries including healthcare, restaurants, and print service...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Aaron DeLoach, founder of Impact City Football Club (ICFC), a faith-based soccer organization operating across multiple locations in the United States and Haiti.
They explore how Impact City FC was built from the ground up through a mission-driven approach that blends sports, faith, and community development, and how leadership decisions are shaped by purpose rather th...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Tarun Aleti, co-founder of PartRunner, a B2B AI logistics marketplace operating primarily in Mexico that has scaled to approximately $10M in gross revenue with a lean, profit-focused approach.
The conversation explores how the company was built without heavy venture capital reliance, instead prioritizing operational discipline, early cashflow generation, and organic g...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Sally Mueller, co-founder and CEO of Womaness. Sally shares how her personal experience with menopause led her to identify a major gap in the women’s wellness industry and build a modern brand focused on midlife health.
The conversation explores how Womaness transformed menopause from an overlooked and stigmatized category into a fast-growing wellness movement th...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews David Schroeder, CEO of RelianceCM. They explore how David has transformed a family-owned contract manufacturing business into a modern, system-driven operation focused on serving hardware startups and established brands.
David shares how the company is leveraging AI to build real-time operational visibility, allowing teams to identify and correct production issues ins...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews H. Adam Holt, CEO of Asset-Map. They explore how Adam transformed a career in financial advising into a fintech SaaS platform nearing $10 million in annual recurring revenue by solving one core problem: turning financial complexity into clear, visual insights.
Adam shares how simplifying communication—rather than adding more analysis—became the foundation f...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Nick Jooma, Chief Executive Officer of Infinite Allergy Labs. They discuss how comprehensive allergy and sensitivity testing is transforming the way individuals and healthcare providers identify the root causes of chronic symptoms and improve long-term health outcomes.
Nick shares insights into the company’s mission to move beyond symptom management and toward pr...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Will Bowden, Founder & CEO of Grasshopper Farms.
They explore how building a multi-state cannabis cultivation business requires adapting to vastly different regulatory environments, climates, and market conditions while maintaining a consistent business strategy.
Will breaks down the critical difference between business planning and operational execution, and how a ...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Natalie Tincher, founder and style strategist of BU Style. They explore how modern workplaces are navigating the growing tension between generational expectations, personal authenticity, and professional brand representation.
Natalie shares insights from her work helping organizations rethink outdated dress policies and communicate expectations more clearly, especially...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Dustin Bowers, founder of PLAEX. They explore the realities of building a deep-tech construction startup focused on transforming waste into scalable building materials through an interlocking modular system designed for durability, reuse, and circular economy applications.
Dustin shares the challenges of bringing physical innovation to market, including navigating six ...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Bradley Flowers, founder and CEO of Portal Insurance. Bradley shares candid insights into what it really takes to build a sustainable insurance business in an industry defined by long-term relationships, operational discipline, and retention-driven growth.
He explains why venture capital and fast-exit strategies rarely align with the insurance industry’s long-tai...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Daniel Plenge, digital marketing leader and former Director of Digital for Marc Jacobs. They explore how digital strategy evolved inside one of the world’s most recognizable fashion brands and what it takes to build scalable systems that keep teams moving forward.
Daniel shares insights from his experience launching social platforms, email programs, and e-commerc...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Christina Uzzardi, founder and CEO of Cheeks + Co. They explore the realities of building and scaling a modern facial and skincare business, including the mindset required to navigate uncertainty and the operational systems needed to sustain long-term growth.
Christina shares how overcoming imposter syndrome and learning to trust her resilience helped shape her leaders...
In this episode of Built Leadership, host James Onyks interviews Zach Cantrell, co-owner of SmartLevel Concrete. They explore the early stages of launching a concrete leveling business and the real-world lessons that come from building a company from scratch.
Zach shares how preparation, repetition, and persistence helped him and his partner secure their first sales and build early momentum, even when things didn’t go perfectl...
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