Founders in Full
Founders in Full explores the future of family-focused solutions—from innovative tech startups to mission-driven services and products that help parents, caregivers, and families thrive.
Each episode features candid conversations with founders on what it really takes to start and scale: from customer research and product-market fit to brand positioning and marketing strategies that drive growth.
Whether you’re a family-focused founder, investor, or advocate, you’ll hear real stories and practical lessons on finding your ideal customer, crafting trust-building messaging, choosing the right channels, and prioritizing time and budget when every decision counts.
Hosted by Dan Ritzke—Fractional CMO and FamTech Marketing Consultant—Founders in Full shares the stories and insights of the people shaping the next generation of family-centered solutions.
Episodes
23 episodes
Mike George | Soaring Families
Mike George, Founder of Soaring Families, shares how three decades of caring for his son with complex medical needs led him to create a platform that helps families move from overwhelm and exhaustion to confidence and hope. What began as a pers...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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1:05:23
Anthony Snowell | LifeSummary.ai
Anthony Snowell, Founder of LifeSummary.ai, shares how his background in computer science—and his personal experience navigating the chaos of family documents after losing his mother—inspired him to build an AI-powered platform that helps famil...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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1:13:13
Barrie Farivar | Leaf
Barrie Farivar, Founder of leaf, shares how her experience at Google—and her life as a mom—sparked the idea for a private audio app designed to help families preserve the voices and stories that matter most. What began as a personal project to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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1:08:16
Tim Carstensen | Foam Party All Stars
Tim Carstensen, Founder of Foam Party All Stars, shares how a summer side hustle turned into a thriving entertainment business that brings joy to kids (and relief to parents) across the Chicago suburbs. A full-time elementary PE teacher by day,...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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1:02:41
Lauren Clough | bQuest
Lauren Clough, Co-Founder of bQuest, shares her path from a 13-year career in her multigenerational family business and a stint in private equity to building a mission-driven platform that helps families navigate aging, loss, and end-of-life ca...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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1:08:05
Paul Richardson | Tumbleweed
Paul Richardson, Founder of Tumbleweed, shares how his own family experiences—and a 20-year career in healthcare—sparked the idea for a digital platform that helps families plan for aging and end-of-life. After losing six loved ones in six year...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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1:23:55
Michael Taverna | The Ad Village
Michael Taverna, Founder of The Ad Village, shares his journey from a career in digital marketing and ad tech to building a mission-driven platform designed to protect kids online. Drawing on his experience working with major automotive brands ...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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1:12:06
Greg Hearn | Petunia
Greg Hearn, Founder of Petunia, shares his journey from a career in automotive and tech to creating a mission-driven platform that helps families navigate the complex, emotional process of senior living. Inspired by his own family’s experience,...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:09:39
Erica Bethe Levin | Globowl
Erica Bethe Levin, Founder of Globowl, joins me to talk about her entrepreneurial journey—from launching one of Chicago’s first digital publications to helping scale a venture-backed hospitality tech startup, to now leading a mission-driven CPG...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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1:22:08
Cindy Abel | Vescent
Cindy Abel, Founder of Vescent, joins me to share how her career in tech and decades of experience running a consulting firm—combined with her personal experience as a parent—led to building a mission-driven platform that supports teen girls th...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:05:04
Sara Mauskopf | Winnie
Sara Mauskopf, Co‑Founder & CEO of Winnie, joins me to share how her background in tech and product leadership at companies like Google, Twitter, and Postmates led to building a fast‑growing marketplace that helps parents find childcare.
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:06:47
Katie Taylor | Child Life On Call
Katie Taylor, Founder & CEO of Child Life On Call, joins me to share how her background as a certified Child Life Specialist led to building a podcast and a parent‑facing app that supports families through medical experiences.In thi...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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1:06:38
Dale Jarosz | Bschool Travel
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Dale Jarosz, co-founder of Bschool Travel, a company that designs immersive international learning experiences for MBA and university students.Dale’s journey started in mechanical...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:14:16
Chris Borek | Spira Farms
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Chris Borek, co-founder of Spira Farms, a Chicago-area vertical farm growing nutrient-dense microgreens for restaurants, grocery stores, and health-conscious consumers.Chris’s journey sta...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:26:47
Lauren Cain | Elm Dirt
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Lauren Cain, founder of Elm Dirt, a company reinventing the way we care for lawns, gardens, and soil health—using the power of microbes, composting worms, and a lot of trial and error.Laur...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:07:55
Joe Weber | Four Star Mushrooms
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Joe Weber, founder of Four Star Mushrooms, a Chicago-based mushroom company on a mission to transform our food system through regenerative agriculture, chef-driven partnerships, and urban farming...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:08:52
Sarah Spliethoff | Sunniemade
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Sarah Spliethoff, founder of Sunniemade, a personal care brand on a mission to make sustainability feel effortless with plant-powered, plastic-free products that people genuinely love using.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:03:21
Will Nitze | IQBAR
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Will Nitze, Founder and CEO of IQBAR, a company on a mission to fuel brain and body with clean-label functional nutrition products—from protein bars to hydration mixes and brain-boosting coffee.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:04:42
Keith Wakeman | SuperBetter
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Keith Wakeman, co-founder and CEO of SuperBetter, a platform that helps people build resilience, improve mental health, and achieve personal growth by applying the psychology of gameplay to real ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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1:24:02
Kristian Altuve | Dance Motion Marketing
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Kristian Altuve, co-founder of Dance Motion Marketing, a growing agency that helps dance studios across the country fill their classes and grow their businesses through done-for-you marketing.
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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58:40
Mike Valente | Renovation Sells
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Mike Valente, founder and CEO of Renovation Sells, a fast-growing franchise business that helps homeowners prepare their homes for sale through smart, design-driven renovations.Mike shares...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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1:14:00
Nick Nagele | Whiskey Acres Distilling Co.
In this episode of Founders in Full, I talk with Nick Nagele, co-founder of Whiskey Acres Distilling Co., one of the only true seed-to-spirit farm distilleries in the U.S.Nick shares how a fifth-generation farm background, a passion for ...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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1:14:23
