The First Customer
Ever wondered how to use your experience to start or grow a business?
The First Customer intimately dissects successful entrepreneurs journeys to their first customer. Learn from practical real-life examples of regular people transforming into superheroes by starting their own business.
Buckle up … the rocket is taking off!
Episodes
183 episodes
The First Customer - The Three To Twelve Month Rule in Personal Branding with CEO Jason Barnard
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jason Barnard, CEO of Kalicube.Jason recounts his beginnings in the music industry, where he started a record label after failing to secure a deal for his band. This led him to his first ...
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Season 1
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Episode 184
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22:49
The First Customer - The Power of Community in Building A Successful Consultancy with Dave Reinhold
In this episode, I was very, very lucky enough to interview my former boss, Dave Reinhold, Founder of VentureCPO. Growing up in New York, Dave recounts his first “business” selling bubble gum and fans to classmates, reflecting a lifelon...
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Season 1
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Episode 183
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22:52
The First Customer - The Secret Sauce For Success in Cybersecurity with Co-Founder Deanna Sheward
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Deanna Sheward, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Capablanca.Deanna shares her unique journey from academia to entrepreneurship. She recounts how her background in art, architecture...
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Season 1
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Episode 182
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24:05
The First Customer - The Quiet Wins: The Formula for Progress with Founder and CEO Sean Languedoc
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Sean Languedoc, Founder and CEO of Outforce AI.Sean recounts his unconventional start in business, inspired by advice to "learn by doing" instead of pursuing an MBA. He shares his experie...
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Season 1
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Episode 181
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25:23
The First Customer - Pioneering Solutions for an Inclusive Future with Founder Jordan Saunders
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jordan Saunders, founder and CEO of NextLink Labs.Jordan reflects on his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his early days in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, building computers at age 12. H...
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Season 1
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Episode 180
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22:46
The First Customer - Aligning People, Purpose, and Progress with Co-Founder Alex Levin
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Alex Levin, Co-Founder and CEO of Regal.io.Alex grew up in Manhattan with a father who ran a steel service business. Alex absorbed early lessons about business operations and efficiency. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 179
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21:12
The First Customer - How To Drive Impactful SEO and Conversion Strategies with CEO Dave Schneider
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dave Schneider, the CEO of Shortlist.io.Dave shares his upbringing in Ashland, Massachusetts, a small town where entrepreneurship was not encouraged. He explains how his early life and fa...
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Season 1
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Episode 178
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26:51
The First Customer - Decoding Value Creation Through Pricing Strategies with Founder Dan Balcauski
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Dan Balcauski, founder and CPO of Product Tranquility.Dan shared his backstory, growing up in Chicago with no direct entrepreneurial influences but finding his path through engineering an...
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Season 1
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Episode 177
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25:54
The First Customer - Embracing the Wild Ride of Breaking Barriers with Founder Donnie Boivin
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Donnie Boivin, Founder and CEO of Success Champions Network.Donnie grew up in a blue-collar family, and never considered starting a business until he was in his 40s. Inspired by thought l...
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Season 1
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Episode 176
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23:17
The First Customer - The Power of Subscription Models in E-Commerce with Co-founder Baird Hall
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Baird Hall, co-founder of Churnkey. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Baird didn’t start his first company until he was 27, though he feels he could have begun earlier. His first v...
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Season 1
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Episode 175
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23:23
The First Customer - How to Find Your Authentic Voice in A Crowded Market with CEO Lynn Whitbeck
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Lynn Whitbeck, Founder and CEO of Petite2Queen.Lynn grew up in a mid-sized town, and her experience in the Girl Scouts, where she spearheaded a cookie-selling strategy with a shy friend, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 174
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22:36
The First Customer - The Transition from Services to Product-focused Business with CTO Len Covello
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Len Covello, CTO and Co-founder of Engage People. Len discusses his early influences, including growing up in Toronto and being inspired by his father, who was an entrepreneur in the cate...
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Season 1
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Episode 173
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24:20
The First Customer - How To Ace Your Business Strategy with Co-Founder Andrew Watson
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Andrew Watson, Co-Founder of Igloo Media. Andrew recounts his upbringing in Italy and England, and how his initial aspirations as a tennis player eventually led him to entrepreneurship in...
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Season 1
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Episode 172
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16:39
The First Customer - Building A Legacy In Ice Cream with Founder Sanket Karamchandani
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Sanket Karamchandani, Founder of Miss Neeta's Ice Cream Parlor. Sanket shared his entrepreneurial journey from a childhood dream inspired by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to becoming a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 171
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19:18
The First Customer - Raising the Bar in Digital Journalism with Co-founder and CEO Christopher Wink
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview a very, very, special friend, Christopher Wink, Co-founder and CEO of Technical.ly.Chris discussed his upbringing in a rural corner of Northwest New Jersey, which lacked exposure to techn...
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Season 1
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Episode 170
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33:49
The First Customer - Leveraging AI to Transform and Innovate Business Models with CEO Jeff Bruno
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jeff Bruno, CEO and Co-founder of B.Modelr. Jeff shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began in Philadelphia, and how his passion for small business finance led him to create his frac...
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Season 1
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Episode 169
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24:53
The First Customer - From West Coast Setbacks to Mobile App Stardom with CEO Jedidiah Weller
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview a very special friend, Jedidiah Weller, the CEO and Founder of Open Forge and Startup Wars. Jedidiah shares his entrepreneurial journey, beginning in rural Pennsylvania, where he grew up ...
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Season 1
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Episode 168
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33:52
The First Customer - Elevating Athlete Brands Through Game-Changing Moves with Founder Jack Adler
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jack Adler, CEO and Founder of Out2Win Sports. Jack shares his journey from growing up in Bluebell and Villanova to his time at Syracuse University, where he founded Out2Win Sports in 202...
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Season 1
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Episode 167
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17:44
The First Customer - The Importance of Taking Risks and Making Mistakes with CEO Leopold van Oosten
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Leopold van Oosten, the CEO and Founder of Amsterdam Standard. Leopold recounts his entrepreneurial journey, which began in a small, unremarkable town in the Netherlands. Initially studyi...
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Season 1
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Episode 166
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19:12
The First Customer - How To Become A Market Maven with Expert In You CEO Ann Carden
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Ann Carden, CEO and Founder of Expert In You.Ann delved into her entrepreneurial journey, which began in Missouri, influenced by her father, an entrepreneur. Ann's early ventures started ...
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Season 1
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Episode 165
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24:50
The First Customer - Redefining Strategic Consulting for a Changing World with Founder Tomé Duarte
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Tomé Duarte, the Fractional CTO and Founder of Penguin Objective.Tomé shares how he started the year strong with a record-setting Q1, crediting his meticulous use of spreadsheets for mana...
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Season 1
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Episode 164
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22:36
The First Customer - Optimizing Success By Blending Process and Creativity with Jennifer Cresswell
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jennifer Cresswell, Founder of Thoughtgro. Jennifer grew up in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area and having a background in industrial engineering from Cornell, Jennifer's drive to improv...
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Season 1
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Episode 163
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20:17
The First Customer - Unleashing the New Era in Content Creation with Founder Tim Branyan
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Tim Branyan, founder of TrueFanz.Tim grew up in Kokomo, Indiana and explained how his early life, including the influence of his comedian father and his curiosity, shaped his entrepreneur...
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Season 1
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Episode 162
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23:02
The First Customer - Shifting Tech Landscapes through Digital Drift with CEO and Founder Jim Keeney
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Jim Keeney, founder and CEO of Dapt Tech.Jim explains that the entrepreneurial drive is fueled by a desire to build things and solve problems, which began for him in childhood. He talks a...
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Season 1
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Episode 161
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25:54
The First Customer - Orchestrating Mental Health Masterplan with CTO and Co-founder Mark Allen
In this episode, I was lucky enough to interview Mark Allen, Co-founder and CTO of Cobalt Innovations Inc. Mark grew up in Bluebell, Pennsylvania. He credited his wife’s influence for igniting his entrepreneurial spirit. Initially ...
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Season 1
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Episode 160
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23:31
