Get Back 2 Work

A life-threatening diagnosis at 16 taught Jothy Rosenberg how to face seemingly impossible challenges and later helped him navigate the highs and lows of nine startups. He shares why customer conversations, focused execution, and strong company culture can make the difference between a promising idea and a sustainable business.In this episode, Bob Campana and Jothy Rosenberg discuss:Overcoming cancer, amputation, and isolationBuilding resilience through hard challengesCustomer discovery and product-market fitStartup mistakes, financing, and unit economicsCompany culture, hiring, and founder challengesKey Takeaways:Resilience grows when you focus on the next step and keep working toward what matters.Start by identifying a genuine customer problem that needs solving, rather than developing technology first and then searching for a market that might find it useful, ensuring that every innovation is grounded in real needs and delivers meaningful value to the people it aims to serve.Talk to prospective customers and test whether they will pay before scaling development.A minimum viable product should include only what customers need to pay for.Company culture requires active leadership: hire carefully, address harmful behavior quickly, and keep values visible.“People need to talk to 40 prospective customers before they can say, ‘Yes, I really understand.’” - Jothy RosenbergAbout the guest, Jothy Rosenberg:Jothy Rosenberg has a PhD in Computer Science from Duke University, where he remained as a CS professor for five years. He left academia and went on to found nine startups in areas ranging from supercomputers to internet security, to a TV show production company, to Hollywood special effects equipment, and a non-profit. Two of his startups had exits over $100M. Jothy’s most recent startup began as a DARPA program to develop a processor virtually immune to cyberattacks. It is called Dover Microsystems, which he founded and ran.Jothy has authored several technical books, a children’s book called Adventures on the Can Do Trail, and an entrepreneurship book called Tech Startup Toolkit. It’s a very honest recounting of the many mistakes a multi-time founder/CEO can make, which he hopes will help other founders be better prepared.Connect with Jothy Rosenberg:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jothy  YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DesigningSuccessfulStartups  Tech Startup book: https://www.amazon.com/Tech-Startup-Toolkit-launch-strong/dp/1633438422/  Jothy’s non-profit: https://whosaysicant.org  Jothy’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtOawXAx5A  Jothy’s website: https://jothyrosenberg.com  Connect With Bob Campana:Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel AlvarezAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

A search for a genuinely delicious trail snack became the start of a global food brand. Betty Lu shares how she turned overlooked produce into Confetti Snacks and built a business where bold flavors and fighting food waste go hand in hand.In this episode, Bob Campana and Betty Lu discuss:Travel as inspiration for Confetti SnacksUpcycling surplus and cosmetically imperfect produceRecipe development, flavor, and productionBrand identity, retail growth, and customer appealEntrepreneurial risk, mentorship, and future ambitionsKey Takeaways:A sustainability mission may attract first-time customers, but exceptional taste is what keeps them coming back.Transforming surplus produce into shelf-stable products gives overlooked ingredients a second life.As a business grows, maintaining consistent quality requires thoughtful experimentation, continuous recipe refinement, and careful adjustments to production processes.Great packaging captures attention and creates an emotional connection.Sometimes, the biggest opportunities emerge when you step beyond your comfort zone, take a chance on an untested idea, and find the courage to share your vision with people who might help bring it to life.“People vote with their taste buds. They don't care if you're trying to save the world.” - Betty LuCheck out Confetti Snacks’ shop on TikTok! https://vt.tiktok.com/ZTA5jU42c/?page=TikTokShopAbout the guest, Betty Lu:Betty Lu is the founder and CEO of venture-backed Confetti Snacks, based in San Francisco, NYC, and Singapore. Confetti crafts award-winning, perfectly crunchy, gourmet snacks made from nutrient-dense fruits & vegetables in internationally inspired flavors that celebrate diversity. The scrumptious plant-based snacks are colorful and made from real sliced veggies and fruit. The snacks are high in protein and fiber, an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and gently upcycled from imperfect produce or crop surplus to alleviate food waste.Connect with Betty Lu:Website: www.confettisnacks.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confettisnacks/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/confetti-fine-foods TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@confettisnacksinc?_r=1&_t=ZT-98S0m2aWzTK Connect With Bob Campana:Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel AlvarezAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Imagine this: the habits that made you successful are now holding your team back. How do you escape this hero trap? Bill Flynn explores how leaders can move beyond being the “hero,” build systems for better decisions, and create a workplace where people feel both capable and connected.In this episode, Bob Campana and Bill Flynn discuss:The Hero Trap and leadership bottlenecksStrategic destination, purpose, and systems thinkingDecision-making frameworks and reversible decisionsController, Builder, and Architect leadership stylesHuman connection, culture, and employee engagementKey Takeaways:As a company grows, leaders need to shift from making every decision themselves to building a capable, confident team that can make sound decisions independently without relying on the leader to manage every detail.Clear purpose and a well-defined strategic destination give people a shared guide for action.Good decision-making starts by understanding the real problem, not just choosing between two proposed options.Match the decision-making process to the stakes involved: this means making reversible decisions promptly, learning from the results, and adjusting as needed, while giving high-impact decisions more time for careful analysis.People are more likely to thrive when they can feel both unique and part of something larger.“Making a great decision is very different than having a great outcome.” - Bill FlynnAbout the guest, Bill Flynn:Bill Flynn is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and speaker, and the founder of Catalyst Growth Advisors. He is the author of Further, Faster and the forthcoming The Hero Trap (Berrett-Koehler, October 2026), with a foreword by Marshall Goldsmith. Drawing on roughly 30 years inside scaling companies, including 10 startups, 2 IPOs, and 7 acquisitions, Bill has coached hundreds of CEOs and executives across high-growth startups, operationally intensive businesses, and mission-driven organizations. He is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches community. His work is endorsed by Alan Mulally, Amy Edmondson, and Marshall Goldsmith.Connect with Bill Flynn:Website: www.catalystgrowthadvisors.com    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billflynnpublic  Connect With Bob Campana:Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel AlvarezAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

A business can be an owner’s greatest asset or a job they can’t sell. Learn how getting your finances, operations, and exit plan in order can improve a company’s value and make it a better business to own.In this episode, Bob Campana and Marty M. Fahncke discuss:Three-year preparation for a business saleClean financials, profit, and tax strategyOwner succession and staged exitsStrategic acquisitions as a growth strategyRecurring revenue and business valuationKey Takeaways:Start preparing well before a sale; financial records and operations take time to strengthen.Buyers look for clear, verifiable evidence of a business’s profitability and not simply a high revenue figure or the owner’s estimate of how much money the company makes.Delegating frontline tasks and management responsibilities helps the business operate without the owner’s constant involvement, making it more attractive and easier to transition to a new owner.Acquisitions can offer a path to growth by adding established customers, teams, and revenue streams.By strengthening financial systems, improving operations, and reducing dependency on the owner/s, businesses become easier to sell or even keep, depending on the owner’s final decision.“You don't know if a divorce (business sale) is on your horizon. You don't know. You know if one of those happens, then guess what? You're prepared to maximize that exit from that business.” - Marty M. FahnckeAbout the guest, Marty M. Fahncke:Marty M. Fahncke is a Certified Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor and seasoned world-class Marketer with over 30 years of experience in growing & scaling businesses, and over 25 years of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions.In that time, Marty has helped hundreds of small businesses scale to over $1 billion in total revenue, and executed nearly $500 million in Mergers and Acquisitions transactions.Marty is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book “Boomer Sells the Business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cashing Out & Living Large”. Don't let the name fool you; this book is a gold mine of information for business owners of ANY age or generation!Connect with Marty M. Fahncke:Website: https://www.westboundroad.com/available-for-acquisition.html  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyfahncke  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@westboundroad/videos  Connect With Bob Campana:Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel AlvarezAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

A founder’s vision can get buried beneath the day-to-day work of running a business. This episode explores how a fractional COO can turn that vision into practical systems and help owners reclaim time for growth and the life they want.In this episode, Bob Campana and Derek Fredrickson discuss:The COO as the bridge between vision and executionThe founder’s shift from operator to ownerFractional leadership and business growth stagesBuilding systems and empowering teamsRemote operations and lifestyle designKey Takeaways:Delegating outcomes, not just tasks, helps a founder step out of the daily bottleneck.A fractional COO can bring operations, sales, marketing, and finance into alignment, helping each function support the company’s broader strategy and growth goals instead of working in silos.Start by reviewing how the founder’s time is actually spent, then identify which responsibilities contribute most to the business so they can prioritize high-return work and reduce or delegate lower-value activities.Systems work best when they’re built with the team, documented, and improved through feedback.Define the personal goal behind the business; it can help guide decisions about how the company should operate.“I always say, listen, part of what our job is is to actually create the structure, the systems, the processes, not to take control of your business, but actually to give you control back.” - Derek FredricksonAbout the guest, Derek Fredrickson:Derek Fredrickson is the CEO and founder of The COO Solution, a fractional COO firm that works hands-on with 7- and 8-figure founders and CEOs to build the operational foundation their businesses need to scale. With over 16 years as a Chief Operating Officer and second-in-command, he now leads a team of fractional COOs embedded inside growing businesses across industries and hosts The COO Solution Podcast.Connect with Derek Fredrickson:Website: https://thecoosolution.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekfredrickson/Connect With Bob Campana:Website: https://www.bobcampana.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getback2workk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-campana-entrepreneur/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobcampana_/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel AlvarezAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.