A foundation in hospitality can teach lessons that last a lifetime — especially when it comes to building businesses rooted in people and purpose. In this episode of Founders' Forum, co-hosted by Armon Vincent, Founding Partner of Catalyst Technology Partners, Gray Brandeis, Founder and CEO of Scholar Hotels LLC, shares how his background in hospitality has shaped his approach to building authentic, human-centered brands. Gray opens up about the lessons learned from years of serving people f...
What does it take to overcome life’s toughest obstacles and build a successful business? Thomas J. Knox, Chairman and CEO of Pinpoint Health Benefits, shares an entrepreneurial journey that’s a true testament to perseverance, lifelong learning, and seizing opportunities in the face of adversity. Tom’s story begins in public housing, where he sold newspapers, caddied, and started working from a young age. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Tom entered the insurance industry, starting with sm...
What happens when life throws you off course? For Coach Malcolm Allison Hairston, CEO of Raku Products LLC and inventor of The Hipsetter, those moments became the training ground for greatness. In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc talks with Coach Malcolm—a leader, educator, and motivator—about how he turned personal and professional challenges into a blueprint for success. Drawing from his experiences in sports and coaching, he shares powerful lessons on discipline, mindset, and leadersh...
What if scaling your business wasn’t about doing more, but choosing better? In this inspiring Founders’ Forum episode, host Marc Bernstein talks with Shikha Miglani, co-founder of Saarthee, a global strategy, analytics, and AI firm helping enterprises across telecom, media, retail, banking, and healthcare make smarter, fairer decisions with data. From being the only woman engineer on India’s factory floor to leading a respected AI company, Shikha shares a journey that proves you can balance i...
Jim Logue didn’t start ThermOmegaTech, he reinvented it. When he stepped in, the company was overly reliant on one industry and struggling with culture. Today, it’s a $35M business with nearly 150 employees, serving sectors from aerospace to railroads—and even space. In this conversation, host Marc Bernstein and returning guest Branden Moyer, founder of Buzz Brands, talk with Jim about the “four pillars” that guided the turnaround: staying relevant, putting customers first, engaging employees...
Entrepreneurship is never a straight line—it’s full of zigzags, ups and downs, and lessons learned along the way. In this episode of Founders' Forum, Marc Bernstein sits down with Tatiana Barakshina, PhD, MBA, Managing Partner at Bazis Americas LLC, to explore her remarkable journey from Russia to the U.S. and her path to co-founding a successful healthcare market research firm. Tatiana shares how her educational journey, from earning her MBA in Illinois to completing her PhD in Chicago, shap...
How do you turn setbacks into fuel for impact? Valecia “Dr. V” Dunbar has made a career out of answering that question. In this episode of Founders' Forum, Dr. V shares her journey as a founder, strategist, and visionary leader. From overcoming personal and professional challenges to creating spaces where leadership and innovation can thrive, she shows us what it means to transform adversity into opportunity. With her unique perspective, Dr. V offers lessons not just in resilience, but in bui...
What if the key to business success is simply letting go? In this episode of Founders' Forum, Justin Currie, Owner of Thema Home Care, founder of Masters of Home Care, and Inc. 5000-recognized entrepreneur, shares how embracing the “Let Them Theory” transformed not only his mindset but also his business. Justin’s entrepreneurial journey took him from the oil fields of Saskatchewan to launching a thriving senior care business in Pennsylvania. Along the way, he faced challenges—like being turne...
What does it take to spot an opportunity before the world even has a name for it? For Scott Reuter, Principal at Product Data Command, the answer lies in curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to reinvent when the market shifts. From launching a computer products buying group in the 1980s, to pioneering one of the first product information management (PIM) systems in the 1990s, to today’s AI-powered solutions at Product Data Command, Scott’s 30+ year journey has been anything but linear. A...
What does it take to step into a family business, honor its legacy, and still make it your own? Marc Bernstein welcomes Karla Trotman, President & CEO of Electro Soft Incorporated, to share her remarkable story. From the company’s humble beginnings on her family’s kitchen table to becoming a trusted manufacturer for the defense, aviation, and transit industries, Karla has guided Electro Soft through challenges and growth with vision and grit. Key Takeaways: How doubt can actually be a p...
From growing up on a dairy farm to leading a successful packaging machinery company, Dick DeNenno’s story is one of faith, resilience, and entrepreneurship. As founder and president of Reliant Packaging Machinery, Dick has spent 35+ years in the industry and built a reputation for being knowledgeable, attentive, reliable, and likable. In this episode of Founders’ Forum, Marc Bernstein talks with Dick about his unexpected journey—from teaching in Rome and pursuing ministry to navigating financ...
From Disney custodian to bold brand strategist, Branden Moyer’s journey proves that knowing your story can transform your business. In this episode of Founders’ Forum, Marc Bernstein talks with Branden, founder of Buzz Brands, about creating unforgettable, story-driven identities and why authentic branding starts with self-awareness. Branden shares how his time at Disney shaped his approach to customer experience, how a cleaning company with the wrong name taught him the value of clear messag...
What if restaurants could predict exactly who would walk through their doors tomorrow? Matt Wampler, CEO and co-founder of ClearCOGS, has made this vision a reality by leveraging AI to solve the restaurant industry's biggest challenges. In this episode, Matt shares his journey from a struggling Jimmy John’s franchisee to an entrepreneur transforming the restaurant landscape. Key Takeaways: Struggles and Turning Point: Matt took over a failing Jimmy John’s franchise in DC, transforming it th...
What if your resume didn’t matter as much as your actual skills? In this episode, Marc Bernstein sits down with Sandesh Sukumaran, the self-funded Founder and CEO of Outcome Logix, to explore how the hiring landscape is evolving—and how tech, transparency, and a bit of fishing zen can lead to smarter staffing. Sandesh opens up about his entrepreneurial journey from Mumbai to Pittsburgh, from Y2K hiring days to leading an AI-powered staffing firm. He also shares the personal risks he took to b...
What do sports, the military, and high-tech entrepreneurship have in common? For Michael Eckstein, they’ve all been part of the same playbook. Michael Eckstein, founder of Vector Sports Science and former CEO of multiple tech ventures, shares his powerful journey of discipline, reinvention, and innovation. From military school to motion-capture technology used by Major League Baseball teams, Michael’s story is packed with resilience, insights, and purpose-driven pivots. He discusses how sport...
What does it mean to stay ahead of the curve as a founder in the tech world? Virind Gujral’s journey, Founder & CEO of EV Bots, reveals how continuous learning and innovation drive success. Virind’s entrepreneurial journey began with a desire to learn and explore, which led him from India to the United States. Starting as a mechanical engineer, Virind’s path quickly evolved as he dove into the world of robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous vehicles. After working in the f...
What happens when the podcast host becomes the guest? In this special episode of Founders' Forum, the script is flipped as Ryan Sullivan, founder of Podcast Principles, interviews Marc Bernstein about his incredible journey from aspiring rock star to entrepreneurial financial advisor. Marc opens up about his early dreams of music stardom and how that passion eventually led him to law school and a career in entertainment law. But after years of navigating the entertainment industry’s challenge...
What does it mean to be a "river person" in business? Bobby Reed’s entrepreneurial journey shows how following your passion with determination can lead to success. Bobby's path to founding Loaded Pixel began with a high school teacher handing him a camera, sparking a lifelong passion for video production. From Super Bowl broadcasts to the Olympics, Bobby built his career by doing what he loved. But the turning point came when NBC Sports relocated, and Bobby chose entrepreneurship over a corpo...
What does it take to turn a brand-new technology into something that changes an entire industry? In this episode, Armon Vincent, the founding partner of Catalyst Technology Partners, shares his incredible journey from tech outsider to a trailblazer in healthcare innovation. Armon started out building websites for pharmaceutical companies but soon realized the power AI could have in transforming healthcare. Back when AI was seen as more science fiction than science fact, Armon took the leap, p...
What happens when a food scientist and bodybuilder creates a snack that’s as nutritious as it is delicious? Dr. Juan Salinas, founder of Perfect Life Nutrition and creator of Pnuff Crunch, joins the Founders’ Forum to share his journey from Honduras to Shark Tank and beyond. After two decades in the food industry, Dr. Salinas launched Pnuff Crunch—a high-protein, peanut-based snack designed for performance and taste. In this episode, he talks about the entrepreneurial highs and lows, his Shar...