Forward Obsessed

The Future of Inbound Marketing with Bob Ruffolo

Dive into the rapidly growing world of Inbound Marketing with Bob Ruffolo, Founder and CEO of IMPACT, a company focused on helping people find success with inbound marketing through education, events, and agency services. After building his first website in 7th grade, Bob realized he had a talent for web design and a knack for helping people with marketing their business.
Bob started as a freelance Web Designer, then transitioned to creating IMPACT from the ground up. Bob built IMPACT as an inbound marketing firm, but over time transitioned the company’s model into a coaching and consulting firm after partnering with Marcus Sheridan, Author of “They Ask You Answer” 
 
In this interview, listen to Bob’s cautionary tale about entrepreneurial partnerships, how to protect your interests when starting a business, and how honesty and transparency are the most important aspects of a healthy company culture. You’ll get an  inside look on the loneliness of leadership, gain a better understanding on why “empathy flows down” in a hierarchy, and learn how a leader must understand how power dynamics change as a business grows. 
👀Learn more about IMPACT
📖Read “They Ask You Answer” By Marcus Sheridan
📚Other books our guest can’t live without:
“Rocket Fuel” by Gino Wickman 
“Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen” by Donald Miller
“Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't” by Verne Harnish
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The Future of Civic Engagement with Ben Berkowitz

Dive into the technology that helps governments solve problems with Ben Berkowitz, founder of the civic engagement SaaS SeeClickFix. When it comes to city affairs, Ben has always been an actively engaged citizen of New Haven, CT. One day, while trying to report some graffiti in his neighborhood to an unresponsive phone voicemail, Ben realized there had to be a better way to communicate problems to the local government. That is the origin of how Ben founded SeeClickFix, a civic engagement software that allows citizens to report issues to local governments through an app. In the last 15 years over 9 million reports to dozens of government agencies around the world have been submitted through this innovative software. After overseeing an acquisition by CivicPlus, Ben has since made an early retirement. 
 
In this interview, you’ll learn about Ben’s use of transcendental meditation to stay present in every moment, why leaving social media was one of the best decisions he ever made, and how he designed his retirement in a way that works for his family. If you’re interested in exploring the growing entrepreneurial landscape in New Haven and some of the unique companies and maker-spaces that make it ideal for young founders, check out the links below. 
👀  Learn more about SeeClickFix.
🔧 Explore the maker-space Make Haven.
Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation. 
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The Future of Combat Robotics with Kelly Biderman

Dive into the gritty, fast-paced world of combat robotics with Kelly Biderman, CEO of the Norwalk Havoc Robotics League. 
 
Get an inside look on the world of combat robotics, a sport for which dedicated fans will travel hundreds of miles, or watch 13 hours of a livestream, to see hand-made robots fight… and possibly explode. In this interview, Kelly celebrates the incredibly talented builders, the dedicated and diverse fanbase, and describes what her hopes for the future of combat robotics looks like. 
 
Explore Kelly’s past in media, including being Chief of Staff to the CEO of Katie Couric Media, how she fell into this niche sport, and why she fell in love with it. Kelly explains her leadership style that is helping this unique company expand their reach, why delegating to the experts is an important part of managing, what it means to be “Builder First,” and how she “Commits to the Pour” with everything she does. 
 
 
🤖 Buy tickets for NHRL’s next event from July 16-17: 
https://nhrl.io/wiki/index.php/Norwalk_Havoc_Robot_League
https://nhrl.io/
 
💻 Join NHRL’s Discord: 
https://discord.com/invite/ppMRZme
 
👀 Watch NHRL’s live streams and subscribe: 
https://www.youtube.com/c/NorwalkHavoc
 
📚 A book our guest can’t live without: 
The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency - By Chris Whipple
 
📺 A show our guest recommends: 
https://www.fox.com/lego-masters/
Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation. 
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The Future of Beer with Alisa “Lady Lager” Bowens-Mercado

Join Pete and David as they dive into the world of craft brewing with Alisa Bowens-Mercado, Founder, CEO, and Brewmaster at Rhythm Brewing Company. 
Learn about Alisa’s journey founding one of the nation’s first breweries that is owned and run by a woman of color. From a young age, Alisa was inspired by her grandmothers who both drank lagers and encouraged Alisa to “find her rhythm” in life. In this interview, we explore what it means to find your rhythm, discuss why building a brand is like telling a story, and learn about Alisa’s most important mantra that she repeats every day: 
“When you walk into a room, and you are the only person that looks like you in that room, know that you are in the right room. That is where change happens.”
 
You can use the Rhythm Finder at https://rhythmbrewingco.com/ to locate places that distribute Rhythm Brewing Beers.
 
If you’d like to learn more about Rhythm Brewing Company, contact Alisa at alisa@rhythmbrewingco.com
 
Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation: www.forwardobsessed.com
 
We Design Demand. Learn more about Digital Surgeons: www.digitalsurgeons.com

The Future of Data Storytelling with Andy Greenawalt

Join Pete and David as they dive into the world of data analytics with Andy Greenawalt, Founder and CEO of Storyhub.
 
In a world where every company claims to be data-driven, very few decisions are actually ever made using that data Andy has created a new way to decentralize and translate the complicated language of data analytics like no one else.
 
In this interview, learn about Andy's early successes, a happy accident that made one of his companies into a reality, and why having a truly bad day puts every other day into real context.
 
With Andy as your guide, wade through the murky waters of data analytics. Learn why most companies don't know how to use their data, the difficulties of data translation between "Spock" types and "Kirk" types, and why first movers in an industry can often fail.
 
Learn more about StoryHub at https://www.storyhub.ai/
 
A podcast that Andy Recommends: DadPod 
 
A book Andy can't live without: Trillion Dollar Coach by Bill Campbell
 
Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation: www.forwardobsessed.com
 
We Design Demand. Learn more about Digital Surgeons: www.digitalsurgeons.com

The Future of FinTech with Matthew Murphy

Join Pete and David as they dive into the world of FinTech & Entrepreneurship with Matthew Murphy, Early Stage Investor and General Partner at  Montage Ventures.
Matthew took advantage of a sudden opportunity in his early 20's to join the rapidly growing FinTech startup, E-Trade, a decision that  changed the trajectory of his life and career in the most unexpected way.  We dive into some of Matthew’s incredible highs and difficult lows, discussing the resilience and work ethic it took to create a series of start-ups in a volatile industry, FinTech.
Learn about the art of the pivot, whether or not the snooze button is your friend, what being afraid to fail can do for your business, and why an overfunded startup can lead to a disaster. As a successful venture capitalist, Matthew offers advice on how a founder can best make initial contact for a pitch meeting, and why great leaders are the key to having great teams.
Matthew is also the owner of Unwritten Wines (https://unwrittenwines.com/) and encourages all listeners to use the code "Podcast" at checkout for a limited-time discount. 
Find out more about Montage Ventures: https://montageventures.com/
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Books our guest swears by: 
"Trillion Dollar Coach," Bill Campbell
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Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation. 
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We Design Demand. Learn more about Digital Surgeons 

The Future of Information Technology with Ari Santiago

Join Pete and David as they dive into the world of technology and entrepreneurship with Founder and CEO of Compass MSP, Ari Santiago.
Ari’s story is truly inspirational, from his childhood days of when he started his first business selling bubble gum, to becoming paralyzed from the waist down at the age of 13 due to a skiing accident. The journey of overcoming adversity led to Ari’s passion in computers, which solidified the foundation of his career in information technology at the age of 14. 
Despite these setbacks, Ari’s entrepreneurial instincts and his unflappable spirit enabled him to build a multi-million dollar company that received a spot on Inc Magazine's list of fastest growing privately held companies in the US, as well as recognition from Marcum Tech as one of the Top 40 fastest growing technology companies in Connecticut.
Learn about how Ari was able to overcome the trauma of his accident, and turn a disability into an empowering cornerstone of his career. Ari also explains the number one secret to his success has been experimentation, experimentation, experimentation - and that taking the L.E.A.P could change the course of your career. 
Find out more about Compass MSP: https://compassmsp.com/
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Books our guest swears by: 
The Dip, by Seth Godin
Drive, by Daniel Pink
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Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation. 
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We Design Demand. Learn more about Digital Surgeons 

The Future of Tequila with Kat Hantas

Join Pete and David as they dive into the world of infused tequila with Founder and CEO of 21 Seeds, Kat Hantas. Kat explains her entrepreneurial journey of working in the television and film industry, transitioning to becoming a full-time mother, then discovering a massive product opportunity in the tequila industry through her own life experiences. 
Learn about Kat's journey & origin story of founding 21 Seeds.  This conversation outlines Kat’s methods of observation and market research that allowed her to find an unserved demographic in the alcohol industry. She also shares her perspective on building a team and raising capital from a new idea, and how her ability to follow her instincts led to growth & overall success for the brand.
In this interview, listeners will learn about how to connect with a specific target audience demographic, how to use personal experiences and cultural observation to find customers by tapping into trends, and how becoming a CEO is not about gaining control of a company, but about letting that control go to a team you trust. 
Find a 21 Seeds product at a store near you: https://www.21seeds.com/ 
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Visit us at Forward Obsessed and join the conversation. 
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We Design Demand. Learn more about Digital Surgeons 

The Future of Thrift Shopping with Topper Luciani

Join Pete and David as they dive into the twists and turns of the direct-to-consumer thrift clothing industry with Topper Luciani, founder of Goodfair. Learn about how the rising popularity of thrift shopping has unveiled the harmful effects of the clothing industry that fast fashion has created for our society and planet. Topper dives into why he's dedicated his life (and created Goodfair) to save the planet through thrifting.
Learn about Topper's journey, from buying and reselling used ties on Ebay, to building the skills of a savvy entrepreneur in the clothing industry.  Topper’s successes and failures led him to founding Goodfair, an online used clothing store with a mission to "save the world with thrift."In this interview, Topper explains his perspectives on branding as a form of communication, his insights on essential tools that every direct-to-consumer brand should utilize, and his personal philosophy that guides his life as well as his business.
Entrepreneurial Tools for the Road: 
Klaviyo: A marketing platform that helps eCommerce store owners deliver a more personalized experience for their customers through automated email and SMS pathways. 
ShipStation: A shipping software for eCommerce fulfillment, exceptionally efficient at syncing, managing, and shipping orders with detailed analytics. 
CartHook: A private Shopify application which enables online vendors to build customizable one-page checkouts and post-purchase one-click upsells. 
Kustomer: A new type of CRM for customer service that uses data-driven processes so clients can resolve conversations quickly across a wide variety of platforms. 
Books our guest swears by: 
Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill
Principles, by Ray Dalio
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We Design Demand. Learn more about Digital Surgeons