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.
Founders in Full
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 and mobile data startups, Michael explains how he’s repurposing the very tools advertisers use—pixels, ad tracking, and programmatic buying—to disrupt harmful ads and instead serve children positive, uplifting messages.
We explore:
✅ How Michael combined his ad tech expertise with his passion for working with kids to create The Ad Village
✅ Why traditional ad blockers don’t solve the deeper problems of online advertising targeting children
✅ Examples of harmful ad targeting that manipulate kids’ self-esteem and behaviors
✅ How The Ad Village turns ad auctions into opportunities to serve positive, growth-oriented messages
✅ The importance of building partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and other parent-tech/FamTech orgs to scale impact
Michael also opens up about the challenges of shifting industries, the lessons learned as a bootstrapped founder, and why community is at the heart of creating safer online spaces for kids.
👉 Learn more about The Ad Village: https://theadvillage.com/
👉 Connect with Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltaverna/
Connect with me (Dan Ritzke):
I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results.
👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/
👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/
Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder:
👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/