In this captivating episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere sits down with Alexander Harmsen, the visionary founder of Portfolio Pilot. Alexander shares his remarkable journey from aspiring astronaut to tech entrepreneur, highlighting his relentless pursuit of innovation and success. Dive deep into Alexander's experiences as he recounts the challenges and triumphs of pitching to over 100 investors, ultimately raising millions of dollars in venture capital. Discover the strategies and insights that helped him navigate the complex world of fundraising, and learn how his tenacity and unique vision led to the creation of groundbreaking technologies. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned professional, this episode offers invaluable lessons on perseverance, innovation, and the art of the pitch. Tune in to be inspired by Alexander's story and gain a fresh perspective on the entrepreneurial journey.
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Use promo code “PODCAST” at PorfolioPilot.com to get 30 days free!
Guest Links:
https://portfoliopilot.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=goal+crazy
Twiter: @AlexHarm
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Background
02:59 The Journey from NASA to Startup Founder
05:57 Building Iris Automation: Challenges and Innovations
10:05 Navigating Regulatory Hurdles in Drone Technology
12:56 The Importance of Customer Discovery and Feedback
18:03 Lessons Learned from Fundraising and Investor Relations
23:58 Securing the First Investor and Building Credibility
25:53 Navigating Investor Feedback and Rejections
29:02 Shifting Strategies: From Vancouver to San Francisco
32:24 Finding the Right Investor Fit
36:24 The Importance of Regulatory Understanding
37:35 Leveraging Past Success for New Ventures
40:19 Identifying Market Gaps in Financial Advisory
45:45 Building a Personalized Financial Advisory Platform
52:13 The Future of AI in Financial Management
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere interviews Tazh Wilding, a multifaceted entrepreneur and worship leader. Tazh shares her journey from the health and fitness industry to founding the Strong Souls Podcast and her ministry. She discusses the importance of connecting with people, finding joy in work, and the challenges of transitioning to a ministry-focused life. Tazh emphasizes the significance of community, accountability, and using one's gifts to serve others, providing valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and those seeking their calling.
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Guest Links:
Instagram:@tazhwilding and @strongsoulspodcast
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strong-souls-podcast/id1744035805
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere interviews Blake Serrano, an entrepreneur who has taken a unique path through business acquisition. Blake shares his journey from being a tech consultant to acquiring and running a fabric business. He discusses the challenges he faced, the lessons learned from previous ventures, and how he leveraged his tech background to innovate in the fabric industry. The conversation also touches on the importance of audience building, marketing strategies, and future aspirations in the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship.
Website: https://sewsnip.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sew_snip
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sew_snip
Chapters
00:00 The Journey to Entrepreneurship
03:05 Discovering the Fabric Industry
05:53 Initial Ventures and Lessons Learned
08:58 Acquiring the Fabric Business
11:53 Building an Online Presence
14:45 Challenges and Solutions in Operations
17:49 Scaling the Business
20:38 Finding Stability and Growth
23:31 The Power of Audience and Marketing
26:32 Future Aspirations and Industry Insights
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere interviews venture capitalist Ben Wiener, who shares his journey from entrepreneur to investor. Ben discusses the challenges of securing investment capital, the importance of effective pitching, and the strategies for finding and building relationships with investors. He introduces the HEART framework for crafting compelling pitches and emphasizes the significance of mentorship in the startup ecosystem. The conversation provides valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to navigate the complexities of fundraising and investment.
Links:
Fever Pitch Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Fever-Pitch-Selling-Raising-Launching/dp/B0F6QZ3B1D/
Website
https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwiener/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital
03:01 The Journey from Entrepreneur to Investor
05:53 The Art of Pitching: Lessons Learned
08:46 Finding Investors: Strategies and Insights
11:56 Building Relationships with Investors
15:03 The HEART Framework for Effective Pitching
17:56 Understanding Investor Psychology
20:47 Navigating the Startup Landscape
24:10 The Role of Mentorship in Investment
26:55 Conclusion and Resources for Entrepreneurs
In this engaging episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere sits down with Oliver Clingain, the innovative founder of Ascenxion Marketing. Oliver shares his journey from being a student-athlete to becoming a successful entrepreneur, highlighting the pivotal moments that led him to establish his own business. With a focus on leveraging AI tools for marketing and growth, Oliver provides valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of starting a service-based business. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of relationship-driven marketing and the role of AI in modern business strategies.
As the conversation unfolds, Oliver discusses the significance of perseverance and trusting the process, offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on navigating the early stages of business development. He also shares his experiences with various AI tools and project management systems that have been instrumental in his success. Whether you're a tech founder looking to scale or simply interested in the entrepreneurial journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights and inspiration. Connect with Oliver on LinkedIn or Twitter to learn more about his work and explore opportunities for collaboration.
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Guest Links:
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-clingain/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliver_clingain/
X: https://x.com/olivercling/status/983128988586475520
Website: https://ascenxion.io/
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere interviews Melinda Jackson, a seasoned public relations expert and entrepreneur. They discuss the fundamentals of public relations, the journey of starting a PR agency, and the importance of visibility and credibility for businesses. Melinda shares insights on effective PR strategies, the challenges of media outreach, and the value of building relationships with influencers and journalists. The conversation also covers the role of affiliate marketing, the nuances of paid speaking engagements, and the decision-making process for entrepreneurs considering DIY PR versus hiring a professional.
Listeners will gain valuable advice on how to approach PR, whether they're looking to hire a professional or tackle it themselves. Melinda discusses the significance of starting small, leveraging local media, and the power of influencer marketing. She also touches on the evolving landscape of journalism and the role of affiliate programs in today's media environment. With practical tips and personal anecdotes, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in enhancing their brand's visibility and credibility through effective public relations strategies.
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In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere sits down with Dusty Holcomb, an executive coach and founder of the Arcus Group. Dusty shares his journey from being an executive leader for over 28 years to becoming a passionate advocate for servant leadership. He delves into the transformative power of serving others, recounting how a retired Colonel instilled in him the belief that leadership is about enabling others to succeed. Dusty emphasizes the importance of focusing on the journey rather than just the destination, a lesson he learned through years of experience and reflection.
Throughout the conversation, Dusty and Jason explore the nuances of leadership, discussing the significance of self-leadership and the role of purpose and vision in guiding teams. Dusty shares insights on how leaders can connect the dots for their teams, helping them understand the impact of their work and fostering a culture of discretionary effort. The episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills and create meaningful change within their organizations.
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Guest Links:
Website: https://arcqusgroup.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustyholcomb/
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason Vandevere engages in a compelling conversation with Jim Bramlett, an accomplished entrepreneur and author. Jim shares his journey from founding multiple businesses to writing books that encapsulate his learnings. The discussion delves into Jim's early experiences with entrepreneurship, highlighting the lessons learned from his initial ventures, including a failed restaurant and a trucking company. These experiences taught him the importance of understanding market needs and focusing on the customer rather than personal ambitions. Jim emphasizes the significance of identifying and fulfilling unmet needs in the market, a principle that has guided his successful ventures, including Five String Solutions, a company that revolutionized the final mile transportation industry by providing a seamless data experience akin to Amazon's.
Throughout the episode, Jim shares valuable insights into the four key criteria that drive consumer behavior: convenience, competitive pricing, user experience, and trust. He illustrates how successful companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Uber have mastered these elements to dominate their respective markets. Jim also offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of researching competitors, understanding customer needs, and continuously improving the user experience. He encourages entrepreneurs to embrace challenges, seek mentorship, and remain passionate about solving customer problems. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship and build a customer-centric business.
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Guest Links:
Website https://www.jimbramlett.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Hassle-Simplify-Satisfy-Succeed/dp/1965319009/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jimbramlett1
Coaching: https://app.vistage.com/sites/s/chairs/0032E00003JQg7kQAD/jim-bramlett
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason Vandevere welcomes Kelly Janssen's Mensch, a dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Black Dog Productions and KJ Fit. Kelly shares her inspiring journey into entrepreneurship, driven by the example set by her hardworking immigrant father. She discusses the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of passion and resilience. Kelly's story is one of determination, as she navigated the ups and downs of building her businesses, including a special events company and a fitness brand, while maintaining a balance in her personal life.
The conversation takes a deeper turn as Kelly opens up about a life-altering experience that led her to write her book, "Outside God's Umbrella: A Journey from Darkness to Light." She recounts a traumatic incident that tested her faith and resilience, ultimately leading to personal growth and a renewed sense of purpose. Through her story, Kelly highlights the power of forgiveness, the importance of aligning one's work with personal values, and the strength found in overcoming adversity. Her journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of faith and community support in the face of life's challenges.
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Guest Links:
Event Planning: https://goblackdoggo.com/
Fitness Business: https://kj-fitt.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Outside-Gods-Umbrella-Journey-Darkness/dp/B0DQV7Q6B6
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, host Jason VanDevere speaks with Brittany Hopkins Whitlick, founder of Lotus Yoga School and author of 'Dancing with Ourselves.' Brittany shares her journey from being a professional dancer to starting her own yoga studio, discussing the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. The conversation delves into the importance of community in yoga, the role of ego in personal growth, and the dynamics of the drama triangle versus the empowerment dynamic. Brittany emphasizes the significance of gratitude and mindfulness in navigating the entrepreneurial journey, ultimately encouraging listeners to embrace their inner journey and the challenges that come with it.
Guest Links:
Website: https://www.brittanyhopkins.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Our-Selves-Practical-Harness/dp/B0DWT2W4SM
In this episode, Jason chats with Derek Kelly, a marketing agency owner who once swore he would never go into business. Derek shares his story of starting Clear Sound Consulting and how he shifted his perspective on sales from something "sleazy" to a way of building genuine, long-term relationships with clients. He talks about the early days of his business and the one-year window he had to make it work.
Derek breaks down his core marketing philosophy into three simple parts: understanding your audience, defining your brand, and clarifying your communication. He gives practical advice for anyone starting out, highlighting the power of referrals from your first few customers. He also shares a simple but effective strategy of calling past clients that can lead to immediate business and discusses when it's really the right time to start spending money on paid advertising.
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Guest Links:
Website: https://www.clearsoundconsulting.com/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clearsound-podcast/id1725858995
In this episode, Jason talks with Dr. Jairo Borja, an author and consultant who helps entrepreneurs find funding for their businesses. Dr. Borja shares his own story of how he turned a side hustle in financial and leadership coaching into his main business back in 2019. They discuss the first practical steps someone should take when they have a business idea but need between $10,000 and $100,000 to get started.
Dr. Borja gives a step-by-step guide on what to prepare before approaching a lender, including a business plan, customer research, and financial projections. He explains the difference between getting a loan through an institution versus raising private money from your network, and what to expect with the timeline for each. The conversation also covers his personal experience investing in real estate and the importance of masterminds for growth.
Guest Links:
Website: https://borjaconsultinggroup.com/
Dealmakers! book: https://www.amazon.com/Dealmakers-Raise-Unlimited-Capital-Deals/dp/B0F6K9WXZ8
In this episode of Goal Crazy Podcast, Jason talks with Anna VanAgtmael, a yoga instructor and travel designer who hosts retreats around the world. They start by discussing what makes a retreat different from a regular vacation, defining it as more intentional travel where people can step away from their daily lives to gain clarity. Anna shares how these trips often help people who feel stuck or are seeking a change, sometimes leading to major life decisions.
Anna also walks through her own story of starting the business after a car accident forced her to pause and re-evaluate her career in molecular diagnostics. She offers practical steps for anyone interested in planning their own retreat, covering topics like how to get started without much money, ways to find your first clients, and how to price the experience. She also shares some of the biggest lessons she's learned, from not over packing the schedule to the importance of having support staff.
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Links:
In this episode, Jason talks with David David Brugh, the co-founder and president of Meridian Bird Removal, a nationwide company that specializes in removing birds from commercial buildings. David shares how his interest in entrepreneurship started at a young age, influenced by watching his father run his own business. What began as a hunting and trapping hobby with a friend eventually grew into a side business as people started asking for their help with local wildlife problems.
The business shifted from a hobby to a serious venture after a call from a big box retailer about a single bird that had been in their store for over a year. David explains the pivotal moment he agreed to service all of the brand's locations in the state, a decision that launched the company's growth nationwide. He also discusses the challenges of scaling the business, the importance of company values, and how they made the conscious decision to grow without taking on debt.
Links:
David's website: https://meridianbirdremoval.com/
In this episode, Jason talks with leadership coach and author Jenn Landis about how to achieve major breakthroughs in your career. Jenn shares her personal story of going from working three part-time jobs, including one stocking shelves at Walmart, to eventually landing a C-suite executive role at a multi-billion dollar company. She defines a breakthrough as that fist-pumping moment of triumph when you accomplish something difficult that you've been working toward for a long time, moving you to a completely new level of performance or business.
Throughout the conversation, Jason and Jenn dive into what it takes to make these breakthroughs happen. They discuss the importance of having a community that supports you, the power of mentors who see your potential, and how external achievements and internal mindset shifts go hand-in-hand. Jenn also introduces her simple framework for creating change, which involves "breaking up" with old patterns, "breaking in" new skills and mindsets, and finally "breaking through" to a new reality.
Guest Links:
Website: https://www.jennlandis.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDY42614/
In this episode of Goal Crazy Podcast, Jason sits down with Kerri Roberts, the CEO of Salt & Light Advisors. With 20 years of experience in corporate HR, Kerri decided to start her own firm to help small and mid-size businesses build the operational foundations they so often miss. She explains that many entrepreneurs are passionate about their service or product but overlook the essential HR structures needed to grow effectively, leading to preventable stress and chaos.
In their conversation, Kerri shares the unique story of how she transitioned from employee to entrepreneur by convincing her company to let her go and then hire her back as their first consultant. She offers practical advice for business owners on hiring their first employees, including the importance of setting 3 to 5 clear goals to define what success looks like in any role. They also discuss how creating structure isn't about being restrictive, but about giving owners and their teams the clarity needed to scale the business and sleep better at night.
Guest Links:
Website: https://kerrimroberts.com/
Company Site: https://www.saltandlightadvisors.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/HR-Easy-Button-Practical-Foundation/dp/B0FD91RDHY/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-waste-the-chaos/id1723388520
In this episode of the Goal crazy podcast, Jason tackles the question many aspiring entrepreneurs ask: "what business should I start?". Jason discusses two different strategies: the "easy money approach" and the "dream driven approach". He explains that the first question to ask isn't what business to start, but what your "dream lifestyle" is that you want to create. Your business is the means, not the end; the lifestyle you want is the end.
After you discover your business idea, you need to validate it's a winner before you spend a bunch of money launching it. The episode explains how to do this by "seeking expert counsel" and finding someone who's already started a similar, successful business and asking them how they did it. Jason also talks about how to launch your business, with a focus on marketing. You'll learn that you need to tell people about your business so they can become customers and how "influencer marketing" can help you tap into an existing audience for free.
Find Jason on:
Website: goalcrazy.com
Join our book Review Team: https://goalcrazy.com/reviewteam
In this episode of the Goal Crazy Podcast, Jason sits down with Kasim Aslam, a successful entrepreneur and bestselling author of You vs Google. Kasim shares his journey from a string of business failures to building and selling an eight-figure Google Ads agency—without ever running an ad himself. He talks about why failure doesn’t have to be a setback, how he stumbled into entrepreneurship while chasing an acting career, and what it really takes to build something that works.
They also dive into practical advice for starting a business, choosing what to pursue, and how to build a team that can run without micromanagement. Kasim breaks down his hiring process, the value of treating people like miracles—not commodities—and why taking action matters more than perfect planning. Whether you're already in business or still thinking about it, this episode is full of ideas you can actually use.
Links:
Newest book: https://paretotalent.com/hire
Website: https://kasim.me/
Get Kasim’s help getting a rockstar EA: https://paretotalent.com/
In this episode of Goal Crazy Podcast, Jason sits down with Spencer Hilligoss, the CEO and co-founder of Madison Investing. Spencer shares his story of leaving a 13-year career in Silicon Valley to become a full-time entrepreneur. He discusses his initial reluctance to get into business and what finally changed his mind. A pivotal moment came from watching his colleagues leave their demanding jobs to launch their own successful company, which sparked the realization that he could do the same.
Spencer gets into the specific steps he and his wife took to change their lives. It started with a candid weekend conversation where they mapped out their financial goals and set a timeline to achieve them. He talks about the process of finding time to work on his new venture while still at his day job and his journey into real estate investing, from buying his first rental property to discovering passive investment opportunities.
Find Spencer on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilligoss/
Website: https://www.madisoninvesting.com/
In this episode, Jason sits down with Don Harbert, a master motivator who has helped many individuals and businesses, including Jason's own family, to clarify and achieve their goals. Don shares his journey into this career, which started when he faced potential job loss and discovered a passion for helping others after attending a franchise meeting in Waco, Texas. He discusses how this path led him from time management and personal leadership groups to one-on-one coaching, impacting thousands over the years.
Don talks about the significance of finding your purpose in life, an insight he gained from an exercise called the "Wheel of Life." He explains the difference between dreams and goals, emphasizing that goals are dreams with written action steps, deadlines, and the use of tools like visualization and affirmations. Don also stresses the importance of persistence, tracking progress, and maintaining a strong "want to" attitude when facing challenges in business and life.