Tenacity with Sonia C.

Most startups don’t fail because founders lack ambition. They fail because founders build in a vacuum, avoid the real problem, and keep operating at the wrong level for the stage of the company. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with startup founder, investor, and author Andrew Ackerman, who has built multiple companies and invested in more than 70 early-stage startups. Andrew shares the patterns he sees repeatedly across founders, the mistakes that quietly kill startups, and the habits that separate companies that survive from those that disappear. One of the biggest misconceptions founders have is that building a startup is about big ideas and innovation. In reality, most founders spend the majority of their time doing whatever needs to be done just to keep the business moving forward. Throughout the conversation, Andrew breaks down the practical lessons founders usually learn the hard way, including why startups should test ideas before building, how to identify real customer problems, and the signals investors look for when deciding whether to back a founder. Sonia and Andrew also explore the realities of scaling a company, the pressure founders face as teams grow, and how leaders must evolve their skills at every stage of the startup journey. This episode is a reminder that building a company isn't about avoiding mistakes, it's about recognizing signals early, learning quickly, and adapting before time and capital run out. If you're building a startup, launching a product, or trying to turn an idea into a real business, this conversation offers insights that could save founders months, or even years, of costly mistakes. In This Episode You’ll Learn • Why founders should test ideas before building products • The most common mistakes first-time founders make • How investors evaluate startup founders • Why coachability is one of the biggest signals of success • The importance of customer discovery in startup growth • How founders transition from operator to CEO • Why founders must constantly learn new skills as companies scale • How to identify real problems vs surface-level startup challenges Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Many founders don’t start from nothing, they start from expectation. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with entrepreneur Jason Vanderveer, who made the unconventional decision to walk away from taking over his family’s multi-million dollar auto dealership business in order to build something of his own. Instead of stepping into a guaranteed leadership role, Jason started from scratch with an idea he developed in his basement, a productivity planner designed around how high performers actually set and track goals. That experiment eventually grew into a seven-figure product business, a community of more than 40,000 customers, and a 35-unit real estate portfolio. But the real conversation isn’t about planners or productivity. It’s about the moment founders face when the safe path starts to feel heavy, and the cost of staying aligned with expectations outweighs the risk of leaving. In this episode, Sonia and Jason discuss: • Why some founders inherit opportunity but still feel misaligned • The internal pressure of turning down a family legacy business • The painful focus group that almost killed Jason’s first product • Why most entrepreneurs chase “easy money” instead of meaningful work • The Triple L Framework Jason uses to evaluate business ideas • Why clarity about the life you want matters more than the business you build • How founders accidentally recreate the same burnout they tried to escape • The role dreaming, discipline, and boundaries play in sustainable entrepreneurship This conversation is for entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and operators who are navigating difficult decisions about career direction, business alignment, and long-term leadership. If you’ve ever questioned whether the path you’re on is actually yours, this episode will resonate. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

If you’re building something worth attention, you need to be ready for the spike. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Michael Dodsworth, a product leader who has spent two decades operating in high-pressure launch environments at companies like Salesforce and Optimizely, as well as in live event ticketing, where millions show up at once. This conversation isn’t about tickets. It’s about what happens when: Your product goes viral 3 million people hit your site at once Bots flood your checkout You oversell Your team panics And social media is watching Michael breaks down what actually fails first during a launch meltdown, why most companies are underprepared for spiky demand, and the systems founders should build before scaling attention. Sonia brings it back to what matters most: leadership under pressure, resilience when things break, and why calm founders win. If you’re planning: A product drop A Black Friday launch An influencer collaboration A waitlist release Or your first viral campaign This episode is your pre-flight checklist. Because going viral isn’t the goal. Staying up is. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When Success Stops Feeling Like Success: The Burnout, the Exit, and the Freedom Play What happens when you scale a business… and realize you’re no longer happy inside it? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Ian Noble, a former operator of a 16-location family dry cleaning business in Austin, Texas, who grew the company, modernized operations, survived COVID, and still found himself burned out. Ian shares the story behind scaling a service-based business: becoming the bottleneck, managing 90+ employees, navigating low margins, and pivoting the brand as customer demand shifted toward convenience and delivery. On the outside, the business was successful. Revenue was strong. The footprint was solid. But internally? The drive started fading. Ian opens up about the moment he realized he was physically present at home but mentally somewhere else, and how that became the signal that it was time to exit. He explains what founders often misunderstand about growth and success, why money doesn’t automatically create happiness, and how redefining “freedom” reshaped his next chapter. After the sale, Ian leaned into real estate investing, building both active and passive income streams, not as a hype play, but as a strategic way to create time flexibility and long-term wealth outside of one primary business. This episode is for founders who: -Are scaling but secretly exhausted -Feel like they’ve become the bottleneck -Are questioning whether success still feels aligned -Are thinking about exiting a business -Want to build wealth outside their main company -Are navigating founder burnout and identity shifts Sonia brings the conversation back to what Tenacity is about: resilience, rebuilding, and defining success on your own terms, not the market’s. Because sometimes the bravest move isn’t scaling harder. It’s stepping back. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

AI can generate content in seconds. Polished videos are everywhere. Websites all sound the same. So what actually wins in 2026? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Wes Towers, founder of Uplift360, to unpack why real, imperfect, human content is becoming the ultimate competitive advantage. Wes shares: The costly mistake that taught him to stay in his niche Why trust is eroding in trades, and how to rebuild it Why a less-than-perfect Google rating can increase credibility How founders can stand out in an AI-saturated world And the personal resilience required when life hits hard, but business doesn’t stop This conversation isn’t about algorithms. It’s about authenticity, discipline, and building a reputation that scales. If you’re a founder wondering how to compete when AI can do “everything,” this episode will show you why being human is your moat. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Legacy brands aren’t failing because their products are bad; they’re struggling because their systems, habits, and leadership decisions move more slowly than the market. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Joshua Lee, an e-commerce operator who helps legacy manufacturers and multi-generational brand owners modernize for today’s marketplaces without losing the heritage and soul that made the business work in the first place. They get real about what actually blocks transformation (hint: it’s not tech, it’s fear), why manufacturers hesitate to sell on Amazon or Walmart Marketplace, and what happens when offline-first brands suddenly have to learn B2C, paid ads, fees, customer service, and channel strategy, all at once. If you’re a founder building in e-commerce, retail, manufacturing, or B2B, this episode breaks down the mindset shift and practical first moves that set brands that adapt apart from those that stall. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why legacy brands delay digital moves for years, until a “life event” forces action The #1 fear founders have about Amazon: conflict with wholesale distributors Why strong offline brands struggle online: fees, ads, competition, and a new business model How to think about marketplaces like Amazon vs Walmart (and why inventory = power) The biggest mistake brands make when launching on Amazon: not taking the channel seriously A smart “first step” for founders who feel behind: a leadership readiness assessment Joshua’s definition of success: building a business with integrity, peace, and long-term vision If you’re rebuilding, pivoting, or preparing a company for the next generation, this one will sharpen your thinking. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Being busy feels productive until your revenue stalls, your calendar is full, and nothing meaningful is actually moving. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia unpacks why busyness is one of the most dangerous traps for founders and how identifying the one thing can unlock real growth. Joined by global CEO coach Loïc Potjes, this conversation strips away hustle culture and replaces it with clarity, discipline, and focused execution. Together, they break down how founders unknowingly create their own chaos, why most leaders confuse activity with progress, and how to diagnose the true constraint holding a company back, whether it’s leadership behaviour, a weak value proposition, or a lack of market focus. This episode is a must-listen if you’re overwhelmed, overcommitted, and still asking yourself why growth feels so hard. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why being busy is not the same as building momentum The simple question that cuts through overwhelm and exposes the real bottleneck How to identify the one thing that actually moves the needle Why most founders procrastinate, and what it has to do with misaligned strengths How to clarify your USP in 5 words and stop sounding like everyone else The leadership shift required when strategy isn’t the problem, you are A practical way to regain focus before building a 30-day growth plan Sonia guides the conversation with the lens every founder needs: tenacity, resilience, and disciplined thinking. This isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing what matters. If you’re ready to step off the hamster wheel and build with intention, this episode will change how you work, lead, and grow. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Most people think writing a book means sitting alone for months, struggling with words, doubting their ability, and hoping something good comes out the other side. That belief is wrong, and it’s costing founders credibility, confidence, and revenue. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Ben Cena, founder of High Value Author, to break down why publishing a book is not about being a writer, it’s about being strategic. This is a conversation for founders, consultants, and leaders who want to build authority, attract better clients, and turn their expertise into leverage, without burning years trying to “write.” Ben explains: -Why every leader already knows a book, even if English isn’t their first language -The difference between being a writer and being an author, and why that distinction matters -How most leaders sabotage their books by skipping strategy and alignment -Why books are solutions to problems, not creative projects -The biggest mistakes leaders make when self-publishing -How a book can increase conversions, credibility, and confidence -When publishing a book actually makes sense, and when it doesn’t -Why execution matters more than ideas in a market with millions of books Sonia brings the conversation back to what leaders really care about: -clarity, momentum, confidence, and progress. If you’re building a personal brand, consulting business, or leadership platform, and you’ve been told “you need a book” but don’t know where to start, this episode gives you the logic, structure, and mindset shift to decide your next move. This isn’t about becoming an author for ego. It’s about using a book as a tool for growth, credibility, and resilience. https://soniacouto.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Most founders obsess over building the product… then wing the exit, and that’s where they lose leverage, leave money on the table, and sometimes watch their company’s culture get dismantled after the deal. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Kevon Saber (multi-exit founder and the mind behind Legacy Outcomes) to unpack the uncomfortable truth: the M&A system favours repeat buyers, not first-time sellers. Kevon shares what he learned after multiple exits, why smart founders still get outmaneuvered, how to prepare your company years before a sale, and how to protect your people and mission when private equity or a strategic buyer comes knocking. You’ll learn: - Why founders often get “intoxicated” by the idea of an exit, and how it costs them -The difference between selling and achieving a peak outcome (right buyer, right price, right terms) -What buyers actually value (hint: it’s not always the flashy partnerships) -The 3 pillars to build with exit in mind: team, systems/documentation, and unit economics -How to improve metrics before going to market, and why a good advisor may tell you to wait 6–12 months -How to reduce regret by defining your seller objectives before emotions take over -How founders can put commitments in writing (employees, pricing, community/charity) and why buyer character matters even more -A real founder lesson: you can change skills, but you can’t change character, and why co-founder alignment is everything -What “spark” interest from a big company really means, and what a realistic timeline to close actually looks like If you’re bootstrapping, pre-revenue, scaling fast, or simply building something you care deeply about, this conversation is your reminder: exit strategy isn’t a last-minute event, it’s a leadership decision. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What if the biggest thing holding your business back… is you? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Jason Berkowitz, founder and CEO of a 15-year SEO agency, to unpack one of the hardest lessons founders must learn to scale: the power of delegation. Jason shares his journey from solo operator to agency leader, and why trying to do everything himself nearly became the biggest bottleneck in his business. Together, Sonia and Jason have a raw, honest conversation about letting go of control, trusting your team, and why founders who refuse to delegate often stall their own growth. They dive into: Why do founders become the biggest bottleneck in their companies The mindset shift required to move from freelancer to scalable founder How delegation unlocks better execution, stronger teams, and real growth Letting go of the fear that “no one will care as much as I do.” Making tough people decisions without guilt Building a business that scales without burnout or constant hustle This episode is for founders who feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or stuck doing everything themselves, and know something has to change. If you’ve ever thought “I’ll just do it myself”, this conversation may be the wake-up call you need. Real founders. Real lessons. Real rebuilding. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Every founder eventually faces the same hard question: Do I pivot, or do I hold the line? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., I sit down with award-winning filmmaker and executive producer Jaze Bordeaux to unpack what that decision really looks like when everything is on the line. Jaze shares the behind-the-scenes reality of independent filmmaking, from raising capital and navigating chaos to losing a third of his story mid-production and still completing what most never do. We discuss why filmmaking is no different from building a startup, how structure can save your vision, and why knowing what to kill versus what to protect is one of the most critical leadership skills a founder can develop. This conversation is for founders, creators, and entrepreneurs who are navigating pressure from investors, constant pivots, and the temptation to compromise to keep moving forward. In this episode, we cover: -When pivoting is strategic, and when it costs you your vision -How to lead when everything is breaking at once -Why most projects fail before they ever reach the market -The difference between ideas that sink your business and ideas that elevate it -How patience, timing, and structure create real momentum If you’re building something original and questioning whether to change course or stand your ground, this episode will help you think clearly, lead strongly, and move forward with conviction. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Ego can build companies, and it can destroy them. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Host Sonia Couto sits down with Robert Matzkin, serial entrepreneur, coach, and advisor who has launched 17 startups and exited two, to unpack the hard truths about ego, execution, burnout, and rebuilding as a founder. Robert shares how unchecked ego nearly cost him businesses, relationships, and clarity, and how learning to listen to data, coaches, and the market changed the way he builds and leads. From launching his first business at a young age to navigating investor pressure, failed bets, and personal burnout, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to survive and scale in entrepreneurship. Together, Sonia and Robert dive into: -Why the ego is one of the most dangerous forces in entrepreneurship -The difference between being coachable and ignoring your instincts -How founders can recover from burnout without losing momentum -What investors actually look for when raising capital today -Why execution and traction matter more than ideas -How to protect yourself from bad investors and broken partnerships -Why the most successful founders still have coaches This episode is for founders, startup leaders, and entrepreneurs who are navigating pivots, failure, burnout, or high-stakes decisions and need grounded, real-world insight from someone who’s been there. If you’ve ever questioned yourself as a founder, struggled with ego, or felt the weight of building alone, this conversation will remind you that tenacity isn’t about being fearless, it’s about learning, adapting, and executing anyway. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Most founders don’t fail because of a lack of passion. They fail because they don’t understand their numbers. In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Phillips, Co-Founder and COO of Fully Accountable, to break down the financial blind spots that quietly sink startups, and the simple systems that can save them. Rachel went from practicing law to building one of the fastest-growing outsourced accounting firms in the digital and e-commerce space. But her journey wasn’t smooth. At one point, she was running payroll with $2 in the bank account, choosing to bet on herself rather than take on the wrong clients. This conversation is packed with the kind of clarity every founder needs, especially if numbers make you nervous. We talk about: • The #1 financial mistake early founders make • Why your bank account balance is NOT an indicator of success • When you actually need a CFO (and when you absolutely don’t) • Cutting the bottom 20% to double your profit • How to turn your accounting department into a profit center • Building and scaling a remote-first culture long before it was normal • The moment Rachel realized she had to niche down or risk losing everything If you are scaling, pivoting, fundraising, or simply trying to understand your financial reality, this episode will give you the confidence and clarity you’ve been avoiding. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

At just 20 years old, Aleksandar Svetski lost everything, $200,000 in debt, wiped out by the stock market, living on a friend’s floor, and selling door-to-door to afford a can of tuna. That rock-bottom moment didn’t break him; it built him. In this raw and unapologetic conversation, Sonia sits down with Alex to unpack the failures, pivots, and rebuilds that shaped his unconventional path from debt to becoming a leading voice in the Bitcoin space. From early entrepreneurial mistakes to launching the world’s first Bitcoin-only savings app to stepping away when regulation and burnout crushed his joy. Alex shares the truth behind resilience that most founders rarely discuss. In this episode, we dive into: -Losing $200K and rebuilding from zero -The life-changing lessons of door-to-door rejection -Why his early startup failed and how that led to Bitcoin -Battling regulators while trying to innovate -Knowing when persistence becomes self-destruction -How to avoid “founder Frankenstein” product mistakes -What the next generation of Bitcoin adoption will really look like If you’re a founder facing uncertainty, burnout, or the fear of letting go, this episode will challenge how you think about resilience and what it truly means to rebuild. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What makes a founder walk away from stability, an excellent salary, and a clear corporate path, just to start over from scratch? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Marco Benitez, CEO of ROOK, shares the pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of his life. From a national Taekwondo champion in Mexico to a biomedical engineer and then climbing the ladder in big pharma, Marco had everything society tells us to want. Yet he felt deeply unfulfilled. When his wife asked, “Why are you so sad?”, it forced him to face a truth he’d been avoiding: he was meant to build, not maintain. Sonia and Marco unpack: ⚡ The internal battle between comfort and purpose ⚡ How he navigated a high-risk pivot from fitness wearables to healthcare & insurance ⚡ The real emotional cost behind raising capital (400 investor calls!) ⚡ Why being “in love with the problem, not the product” saved his company ⚡ What founders misunderstand about resilience and long-term vision ⚡ The future of health data, wearables, and consumer control ⚡ How to make the leap when fear has you frozen This episode is a powerful reminder that tenacity isn’t loud; it’s the quiet decision to keep walking, even when the world tells you to stay where it’s safe. Follow us on: Website: https://www.soniacouto.com/Podcast IG Channel: https://www.instagram.com/tenacitywithsoniac/ IG Host: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soniactech You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniacouto/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555526145296 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What does it take to build and scale a tech startup while your country is under attack? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Ukrainian founder Oleksandr (“Alex”) Buratynskyi, co-founder of T-Travel, shares the raw, unfiltered truth about growing a startup during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with no outside funding, constant uncertainty, and the pressure to keep his team motivated while the world around him shifted overnight. Alex opens up about: -The hackathon spark that pushed him from QA testing into entrepreneurship -Bootstrapping T-Travel through wartime conditions when investors disappeared -How the invasion changed everything, from funding to timelines to team morale -The biggest mistake he made as a founder (and how it cost years of time and money) -Why overbuilding early nearly crushed the company -How he scaled to 37,000+ users without VC dollars -The mindset tools he used to stay steady while leading through crisis -His philosophy from his book Systematic Adaptiveness, and how founders can apply it in their own moments of chaos This conversation serves as a blueprint for fostering founder resilience, resourcefulness, and psychological endurance. If you’re navigating failure, rebuilding after a setback, or fighting to keep your dream alive, Alex’s story will remind you that tenacity is a strategy, not just a trait. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When you try to serve everyone, you end up serving no one. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia Couto sits down with Gabriel Kaam, founder and CEO of K&R, to unpack one of the hardest, but smartest, growth decisions a founder can make: niching down. Gabriel shares how focusing his agency on fashion and luxury e-commerce helped him land clients like L’Oréal, Givenchy, and Louis Vuitton, without a sales team. He opens up about the early struggles of scaling, why being small became his biggest superpower, and how founders can win trust from big clients, even when you’re still building. You’ll learn: -Why niching down is the key to sustainable growth -How being small and flexible can attract global brands -The truth about managing client expectations and setting boundaries -How to sell your idea before your product -Why cheap hires cost more in the long run If you’re building a startup, agency, or SaaS, this episode is your reminder that focus isn’t a limitation, it’s leverage. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What does it take to leave a decade-long career at JP Morgan and build a profitable fintech startup in one of the most stigmatized industries in America, Cannabis? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., host Sonia Couto sits down with Aubrey Amatelli, founder and CEO of PayRio, the first payment provider focused exclusively on cannabis and alternative medicines. Aubrey shares her journey from the stability of corporate banking to the chaos of startup life, all while raising three kids as a single mom. She opens up about: Leaving JP Morgan to launch a cannabis fintech from scratch Turning stigma into strategy in an underbanked industry Hitting profitability in under 12 months, self-funded Balancing motherhood, burnout, and leadership in a male-dominated space How one platform crash reshaped her entire approach to resilience This conversation is a masterclass in tenacity, purpose-driven leadership, and building credibility when the system isn’t built for you. 🎧 Listen if you’re a founder breaking barriers, rebuilding after setbacks, or redefining success in a stigmatized industry. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When you think of breast cancer, you probably don’t think of men, but you should. In this episode, Phil Alderson shares his story of surviving male breast cancer, a diagnosis most men never imagine they’ll face. From the moment he found a lump to navigating isolation, stigma, and the lack of male-focused support, Phil’s honesty will challenge what you think you know about breast cancer. As two survivors, one male, one female, Sonia and Phil go into: - The reality of male breast cancer (yes, it happens) - Why early detection saves lives - How stigma and silence make men more vulnerable - The need for more inclusive awareness and language - Rebuilding identity and purpose after cancer If you’re a man, a father, a brother, this episode could save a life. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

When Alexandra Goldwell was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer as a single parent and lifelong healer, she was forced to confront the limits of her strength and the depth of her beliefs about healing. A psychologist and somatic therapist for over 25 years, Alexandra had spent her career helping others process pain, but breast cancer became her most personal teacher. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, we have an honest and transformative conversation. Alexandra shares how she approached her diagnosis differently, why she delayed surgery, and the mental and emotional practices that helped her navigate fear, isolation, and uncertainty. We also talk about the often-ignored post-cancer phase, the disorientation, the grief over a changed body, and the process of redefining your identity and priorities after survival. This isn’t just a story about breast cancer; it’s about agency, resilience, and rewriting your life on your own terms. 🎧 Listen now for a conversation that will speak to anyone facing a life-changing diagnosis, a significant transition, or the challenge of starting over. https://www.instagram.com/tenacitywithsoniac/ https://www.instagram.com/techiesoniac Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands