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Podcast · 987 episodes

The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

by Josh Elledge of UpMyInfluence.com · English

The Thoughtful Entrepreneur features candid, commercial-free conversations with the founders, CEOs, and B2B leaders building the companies and ideas shaping their industries. Each episode runs 15-25 minutes, built for busy professionals who want substance without the filler. Guests include agency owners, consultants, coaches, and executives with real stories, hard-won lessons, and specific insight for business leaders focused on growth. Host Josh Elledge has conducted 3,000+ interviews, helped launch 300+ podcasts, and has been directly involved in generating $40M+ in client results through relationship-driven media. He knows what makes a guest worth featuring and what makes an appearance actually worth the guest's time. Want to be featured? Guests are selected through PodVerified, the platform built by podcast hosts to restore trust and quality to podcast guesting. If you're a serious B2B expert with a clear message and a story worth sharing, apply here: 👉 https://PodVerified.com/podcast

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2485 - Guide to Finding and Booking Event Talent Without Breaking the Bank with Gigsalad's Mark SteinerGigSalad event marketplace—how to find and book event talent affordably, using SEO, a freemium membership model, and lower booking commissions (under 10% vs ~20% with traditional speaker bureaus).22 Sep 2026 · 20 min · 8 chapters
2484 - Coaching Small Business Owners Through Leadership Challenges and AI Automation Trends with Kenneth KollaschKenneth Kollasch, a certified business coach, discusses how small business owners can scale without burnout by fixing leadership decision-making and installing cohesive systems, plus current AI…21 Sep 2026 · 19 min · 10 chapters
2483 - Automate the Busy Work, Amplify the Human Touch with YouEX AI's Tom GersicHow YouEX AI (UX.ai) automates sales “busy work” while preserving the human touch—by deeply embedding AI into the sales workflow from web lead to CRM to follow-up and routing.18 Sep 2026 · 18 min · 11 chapters
2482 - Building Houses and Businesses Without Losing Your Mind with John CavendishBuilding a house and a business without losing your mind; why “freedom” can feel elusive for second-decade founders; how to find the biggest growth lever and stop hedging across too many offers.17 Sep 2026 · 18 min · 8 chapters
2481 - The Bold New Approach to Business Visibility with Houndstooth Media Group's Vivienne WagnerVivienne Wagner (Houndstooth Media Group) explains a “visibility, not hype” approach to marketing: start with strategy (who you help, what you do, who you’re for), build “foundational” messaging/SEO…16 Sep 2026 · 18 min · 6 chapters
2480 - Leading Change Through Clarity, Compassion, and Communication with Connie Rawson Coaching's Connie RawsonHow leaders can handle “candid conversations” during change using clarity, compassion, and effective communication—especially in restructuring, layoffs, mergers/acquisitions, and new leadership…7 Sep 2026 · 19 min · 9 chapters
OBI 7“One Big Idea Friday” episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur featuring four short interviews (four experts, four business ideas) on founder mindset, physical AI, truthful measurement/Bitcoin…4 Sep 2026 · 40 min · 15 chapters
One Big Idea 6 - Driving Purpose-Driven Growth: From Identity Alignment and Cellular Health to Executive Resiliency“One Big Idea Friday” episode with four short business conversations: identity/self-leadership in an AI era; empathy as a measurable marketing growth strategy; passive real-estate investing to…4 Sep 2026 · 41 min · 16 chapters
One Big Idea 5 - Driving Institutional Growth: From Inner Leadership Healing and Career Reinvention to AI-Driven Search AuthorityEpisode “OBI 5” is a One Big Idea Friday compilation: four short interviews with one question each, focused on business leaders growing without “noise.”2 Sep 2026 · 46 min · 19 chapters
One Big Idea 4 - Driving Operational Excellence: From Algorithm-Free Organic Scale to Transformational Self-LeadershipOperational excellence and leadership cohesion—how to scale without noise by creating strategic consistency, improving people leadership through perception, freeing CEO time with a chief of staff,…2 Sep 2026 · 35 min · 17 chapters
2479 - Scaling CrossFit to Help Everyone Train Safely and Succeed with King William District CrossFit's Dan KachtikDan Kachtik (King William District CrossFit, San Antonio) explains how to scale CrossFit for busy adults to train safely, avoid injuries, and succeed via efficient programming and “functional…16 Aug 2026 · 17 min · 10 chapters
2480 - The Proven Marketing Strategy Every Small Business Should Be Using with Client Magnet CRM's Drew Dorenfest.Drew Dornfest explains a “proven” small-business growth strategy built around SEO plus email marketing and review generation, aiming to create steady inbound leads and repeat customers rather than…15 Aug 2026 · 20 min · 9 chapters
2479 - Combining Veteran Leadership and AI to Empower Small Businesses with Protech Consulting Group's Kamar PerkinsKamar Perkins, an Army quartermaster veteran, discusses how ProTech Consulting Group uses AI/ML and analytics to build scalable software for federal, state, local, and commercial clients, and how his…14 Aug 2026 · 15 min · 10 chapters
2478 - Helping Tech Founders Evolve from Technical Experts to Inspiring Leaders with Human Interfaces' Vladimir BaranovTech founder coaching on evolving from technical expert to inspiring people leader, using “human interfaces” and mindset transformation; includes safe practice “sandboxes” for leadership skills and…13 Aug 2026 · 16 min · 10 chapters
2477 - Climbing Mountains While Solving the Biggest Challenges in Drug Delivery with Ter-Antonyan Consulting LLC's Vardan Ter-AntonyanFounder Vardan Ter-Antonyan discusses how Tarantonian Consulting helps pharma and dietary supplement companies overcome technical and operational bottlenecks to launch products faster, scale…12 Aug 2026 · 19 min · 11 chapters
2476 - Why Focus and Mental Fitness Are the Ultimate Business Advantages for Founders with Unicorn Coach's Cornelius SchmahlHow founders can gain “mental fitness” and focus to make better decisions and build durable, high-cashflow businesses; also how unicorns are created via experience, focus, and leverage (often…11 Aug 2026 · 20 min · 8 chapters
2475 - Aligning Faith, Mindset, and Strategy to Unlock Business Freedom with Bridge to Freedom's Bridget HomAligning faith-informed mindset with business strategy to achieve “business freedom,” improve prospecting and client conversations, and reduce self-sabotage through intentional daily practices.10 Aug 2026 · 19 min · 9 chapters
2474 - Creating Authentic Brands in a World of Synthetic Content with Lobo Media Marketing's Jiun LiaoCreating authentic “human marketing” brands that build relationships and stand out amid AI-generated/synthetic content and algorithm-first tactics.9 Aug 2026 · 19 min · 9 chapters
2473 - High Hopes and Legal Loopholes in a Candid Chat About Cannabis with Rudick Law Group's Juliana SalazarState of U.S. cannabis law and regulation, especially the shift from medical to adult-use, plus legal “loopholes” and compliance hurdles for entrepreneurs and cross-border trade.8 Aug 2026 · 20 min · 11 chapters
2472 - Building a Self-Sustaining Business for Greater Profit and Work-Life Harmony with Lifeonaire's Jason WojoHow to build a self-sustaining, profitable business that gives founders time, freedom, and “life back,” including a framework to design the life you want, then remove yourself from day-to-day work…1 Aug 2026 · 21 min · 9 chapters
2471 - Why Every Seller Should Understand Trust-Based Tax Strategies with Capital Gains Tax Solutions' Brett SwartsTrust-based capital gains tax strategies for business/stock/Bitcoin/real estate exits, using an irrevocable individual trust with an installment sale/promissory note to defer capital gains taxes and…31 Jul 2026 · 22 min · 9 chapters
2470 - The Proven Strategy for Contractors to Generate More Qualified Leads with United Foundry's Matt DeLongUnited Foundry’s Matt DeLong explains how contractors (builders, remodelers, roofers, etc.) can generate more qualified leads by rebuilding their websites and strengthening trust signals, then using…30 Jul 2026 · 18 min · 7 chapters
2469 - Publishing for Real Authority in the Age of AI with Digital Authors' Wiebke TaschPublishing nonfiction “for real authority” in the AI era—why 2026–2028 may be a good window, how to use AI ethically without producing generic “AI slop,” and how a book functions as a long-term…29 Jul 2026 · 21 min · 7 chapters
2468 - Preparing Your Service Business for Growth and a Higher-Valuation Exit with Exit 3D Studio's Muriel TouatiPreparing a service business for growth and a higher-valuation exit by reducing founder dependency, creating predictable revenue, and building an inbound engine (content/LinkedIn) plus repeatable…28 Jul 2026 · 20 min · 8 chapters