Founders lose great people in the day-to-day moments where pressure overrides self-awareness, feedback gets ignored, and defensiveness replaces trust.

In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Farah Harris to unpack why emotional intelligence is one of the most underrated skills in business and why it matters more as teams grow.

Farah Harris is an emotional intelligence expert, licensed therapist, founder of WorkingWellDaily, and the bestselling author of The Color of Emotional Intelligence. Together, they break down what EQ actually means and explore a core founder challenge: how do you lead well under pressure when your reactions, habits, and blind spots are shaping the culture around you?

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:24 What does emotional intelligence actually mean for founders?

Answer: EQ is not being calm all the time; it is understanding emotions in yourself and others and staying regulated under pressure.

00:02:45 How can founders become more self-aware?

Answer: Farah says self-awareness grows through repeated check-ins by noticing what you feel, where it shows up in your body, and what that data may be telling you.

00:07:13 Why do high-performing founders fall into numbing habits after work?

Answer: Habits like drinking, scrolling, or overworking can become avoidance patterns when leaders use them to escape emotions instead of processing them.

00:18:39 How can a founder know whether they are actually self-aware?

Answer: Farah argues that self-awareness without feedback is incomplete, so leaders need honest input from others to know how they are really landing.

00:20:17 How do you get honest feedback from a team when you are the boss?

Answer: It starts with psychological safety, consistent feedback culture, and a calm response when people say something uncomfortable.

00:28:39 What should founders do when they disagree with feedback?

Answer: Focus on impact over intent, add context where needed, and use better communication to close the gap between what was meant and what was felt.

00:46:00 Why do employees resist change, new systems, or AI tools at work?

Answer: Resistance is often a fear response, and leaders reduce it by explaining the why, lowering uncertainty, and helping people feel supported through change.

00:58:10 What is one practical way founders can improve EQ today?

Answer: Start by asking, “How am I feeling right now?” a few times each day and make feedback a normal part of team culture.

Watch the full episode for a no-fluff conversation on emotional intelligence, founder lessons, leadership blind spots, and building a healthier team culture.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Farah

Website: https://workingwelldaily.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/farahharrislcpc

Check out The Color of Emotional Intelligence here: https://workingwelldaily.com/books/

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

Purpose is easy to talk about. Building a company around it is much harder.

In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Brian Floriani, founder of Bernie’s Book Bank and BUKU Branded, for a conversation about what happens when a founder stops chasing surface-level success and starts building from conviction.

For founders and operators, this is a practical conversation about purpose, sacrifice, money, and leadership. Alex and Brian unpack how service shapes decision-making, why mission matters when business gets hard, and what founders should ask themselves if they feel stuck on the hamster wheel of growth.

00:00:00 Introduction

Answer: Alex introduces Brian and sets up a conversation about relationships, community, technology, and what success should actually mean for founders.

00:08:00 How can a company give away 100% of net profits and still work as a real business?

Answer: Brian explains that the company pays salaries, taxes, and operating costs first, then gives the remaining profit to literacy as part of the model.

00:16:12 How did Brian Floriani find his purpose as a founder?

Answer: After personal loss and time working in an under-resourced school, he saw literacy inequity up close and built Bernie’s Book Bank in response.

00:19:00 What should founders do if they have not found their purpose yet?

Answer: Brian says they need to actively seek ways to serve others because purpose becomes clearer through action, perspective, and service.

00:24:20 What questions should burned-out founders ask themselves?

Answer: He says founders need to ask what they are building for, why they want it, and whether the collateral damage is worth it.

00:37:00 How should founders think about brand versus marketing?

Answer: Brian defines brand as the feeling people get from a company and says strong brands match that feeling with consistent actions.

00:44:10 What actually builds strong client relationships in a B2B business?

Answer: Trust is built through authenticity, vulnerability, humility, and genuine curiosity without an agenda.

00:47:20 Why should some founders stop trying to be the CEO?

Answer: Brian explains that real scale comes from knowing where you create the most value and letting stronger operators lead where needed.

Watch the full episode for an authentic founder interview on purpose-driven leadership, startup growth, B2B branding, and building a business that means something. Subscribe to Founder Talk by Alex Sheridan for more founder conversations grounded in real decisions, not recycled advice.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Brian

Websites: https://www.berniesbookbank.org/

https://bukubranded.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfloriani/

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

Scaling usually does not break because of the strategy first. It breaks because the people side of the business cannot support the next stage of growth.

In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Lindsay Dagiantis, founder of blueprintHR, to unpack what founders miss when they wait too long to build real people systems.

Lindsay is a Chicago-based fractional HR leader who helps growing companies build the structure, clarity, and senior-level perspective needed to scale, and this is a practical conversation for founders and operators trying to grow without creating chaos.

Alex and Lindsay get into the work behind scaling a business: leading with more honesty, building trust, auditing meetings, knowing when HR becomes a real business need, and handling performance issues before they become expensive problems.

Key Takeaways:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:10 Why should founders stop using autopilot greetings with the team?Answer: Lindsay explains that leaders build trust when they acknowledge reality instead of pretending everything is normal.

00:09:29 How can founders get better at small talk that actually builds relationships?Answer: Better conversations start with curiosity, context, and listening, not scripted check-ins.

00:15:00 Should founders rethink early Monday morning meetings?Answer: Yes; leaders should question recurring meetings, audit calendars, and stop creating stress for the sake of routine.

00:23:00 What should HR actually do in a growing company?Answer: HR should connect people, operations, compliance, and business goals across the full employee journey.

00:27:39 When does a 15 to 25-person company need real HR systems?Answer: Usually before the founder thinks it does, especially once hiring, promotions, and compliance start creating friction.

00:37:33 How should founders handle an underperforming employee before jumping to a PIP?Answer: Start with a direct human conversation, ask what is going on, and look for the real issue first.

00:53:35 What is one of the highest-ROI things a leader can do for retention and performance?Answer: Give specific recognition early and often, because thoughtful feedback from leadership carries real weight.

Watch the full episode for a grounded conversation on scaling a business, people systems, and the management decisions that shape culture long before they show up on a dashboard. Subscribe for more authentic founder interviews and no-fluff startup podcast conversations.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Lindsay

Website: https://www.blueprinthr.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayharrisondagiantis/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueprinthrco/

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

Are you building something the market actually wants, or just getting excited about a smart idea?

In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Elina Conley, Founder of Azenity Consulting and a patent-holding innovator who helps companies turn promising ideas into real commercial opportunities. What starts as a conversation about AI agents quickly becomes a deeper founder discussion about go-to-market strategy, product-market fit, disciplined experimentation, and how to know what is actually worth building.

The conversation also turns into a live workshop where Alex puts his own business model on the table, and Elina pushes on the assumptions behind relationship-driven growth, positioning, customer value, and conversion. It is a real founder conversation about how businesses grow, where go-to-market often breaks down, and what founders miss when they confuse activity with traction.

Key takeaways:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:20 How should founders evaluate a new AI or automation tool without derailing the business?

Answer: Elina recommends starting with a small, controlled experiment and measuring whether the tool improves performance without breaking what already works.

00:08:40 What are AI agents in practical terms for founders?

Answer: She describes them as tireless assistants that follow specific instructions, automate repeatable tasks, and still require human oversight.

00:17:45 How can founders keep AI useful when project context gets too large over time?

Answer: Her solution is a canonical project summary that captures the true state of the work and can be reused as context later.

00:29:10 What is the first step in any go-to-market strategy?

Answer: Before building channels or messaging, founders need to validate that the product solves a real customer problem.

00:50:45 What is the real business value of a relationship-driven podcast?

Answer: Alex argues it creates easier access to ideal clients, accelerates trust, and opens the door to deeper follow-on conversations.

00:55:25 How do founders grow consistently without constant ups and downs?

Answer: Elina says sustainable growth comes from validating pain points, delivering solutions profitably, and choosing disciplined innovation over random expansion.

00:59:25 What are the main ways an established company can keep growing?

Answer: She outlines three paths: continuous improvement, white-space innovation, and growth through acquisition or licensing.

Watch the full episode and subscribe for more authentic, no-fluff founder interviews.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Elina

Website: https://www.azenityconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elina-conley/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/azenity-consulting/

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

Most founders talk about delegation. Very few build a company that can actually run and grow without them.

In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Daniel Tataje, founder of Mercy Dental Group, to unpack his path from arriving in the US from Peru, unable to practice dentistry, to building a 13-location organization with more than 135 team members.

For founders and operators, this is a grounded conversation about scaling a business without losing purpose. Daniel explains why he never chased expansion for its own sake, why authentic marketing only works when the message is true, and why culture breaks when delegation is treated like a productivity hack instead of a duty to develop people.

This episode offers practical founder lessons on team buy-in, perfectionism, leadership development, and building a business that people can lead well in the founder’s absence.

Key takeaways:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:35 What can founders learn from being forced to start over?Answer: Starting below his skill level pushed Daniel to learn every part of the business, which later made him a stronger operator and leader.

00:11:15 How should founders think about growth in the early stage?Answer: Daniel focused on making one small practice excellent first instead of chasing scale too early.

00:17:20 What helped Mercy Dental grow so quickly after launch?Answer: A clear mission, strong patient experience, and trust-driven execution helped double revenue within a year and created inbound growth opportunities.

00:21:35 What does authentic marketing actually mean for a founder-led business?Answer: It means presenting the real identity of the business and then delivering on that promise so character, not spin, builds reputation.

00:24:45 How do founders get employees to believe in the mission?Answer: The founder has to become the first true follower of the mission because teams rarely buy into a purpose the leader does not fully live.

00:38:20 How do you build a business that runs without the founder?Answer: By inspiring and empowering capable people, trusting their strengths, and building leadership at every level.

00:40:55 Why do so many founders struggle to let go?Answer: Control usually comes from perfectionism and fear, especially the belief that no one else can serve the client as well as the founder.

Watch the full episode and subscribe to Founder Talk for more authentic founder interviews with operators who have actually built what they teach.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Daniel

Website: https://www.danieltataje.com/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daniel-tataje-a12264131

Purchase Daniel's book, The Leader Humanity Needs: How to Lead With Heart and Become a Force for Good in the World:https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Humanity-Needs-Heart-Become/dp/1967587426

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

The founders who win are not always the loudest. They are the ones people trust fastest.

In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Joshua Feagans, Founder and Managing Partner of Feagans Law Group, to unpack what founders can learn from the courtroom about persuasion, trust, client relationships, and high-stakes decision-making.

Josh leads the firm’s trial team and litigation practice, handling complex injury and wrongful death cases, but this episode is not just a legal conversation. It is a practical discussion about how founders earn trust faster, guide clients through uncertainty, communicate with more authority, and avoid the subtle mistakes that weaken credibility.

Alex and Josh also get into the difference between clients and customers, why authentic connection beats polished performance, how transparency builds influence, why filling silence can hurt you in high-stakes conversations, and what it takes to stand out in a crowded market without sounding like everyone else.

Key takeaways:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:26 What is the difference between a client and a customer?

Answer: A client is trusting you for judgment, guidance, and problem-solving over time, not just buying a one-off product or service.

00:33:25 How do founders get people to trust them quickly?

Answer: By authentically connecting with them. Humor, presence, shared context, and being genuinely yourself build trust faster than trying to sound overly polished or strategic.

00:36:01 How do you influence people without sounding manipulative?

Answer: You inform them. Teach clients the process, give them accurate information, and let trust compound over time.

00:41:50 What communication mistake hurts people in high-stakes conversations?

Answer: Filling silence. In depositions and business conversations, overexplaining creates problems.

00:48:05 What marketing strategy works best in a crowded local market?

Answer: Community branding and referral-driven trust,, not just buying more attention online.

00:51:01 How do you stand out when competitors offer similar services?

Answer: By narrowing your focus and improving the experience. Josh differentiates through local positioning, deeper client care, and a concierge-level approach.

For founders, operators, and service-based business owners, there are real lessons here on better communication, better positioning, and better long-term relationships.

Watch the full episode to hear the complete conversation.

🔗 CONNECT WITH Josh

Website: https://feaganslawgroup.com/our-team/joshua-m-feagans/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-feagans-192b7063/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/feaganslawgroup/

If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠

If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.

Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/

#FounderTalk #EntrepreneurPodcast #StartupLessons

A lot of founders say they want freedom, but end up building a business that depends on them for everything. In this episode of Founder Talk, Alex Sheridan sits down with Angelo Sisco, founder of Sisco Advisors, to unpack why that happens and what it takes to build a company that can scale without burning out the person leading it. The conversation gets into founder identity, emotional patterns, control, trust, leadership, and the difference between building a business around a person versus building a company around an idea. Key Takeaways:00:00:00 Introduction00:00:42 What is the founder’s trap?A: Angelo explains that many founders believe achievement, money, or scale will finally make them feel fulfilled, only to find the insecurity still follows them. His core point is that founders need to change who they are being before the business can truly change. 00:08:30 How do founders break out of constant striving and burnout?A: Angelo shares how emotional intelligence, self-awareness, retreats, therapy, and putting himself in uncomfortable environments helped him understand his patterns. 00:16:30 How do you build a business that can run without you?A: The shift happens when the founder stops making every decision revolve around themselves and creates shared accountability around a bigger mission. 00:20:35 How can founders scale an advisory or consulting business that depends on their expertise?A: Angelo recommends creating structured programs, building recurring revenue, charging for real value, and removing low-level tasks from the founder’s plate. 00:31:25 What helps founders avoid burnout beyond business strategy?A: Angelo argues that nervous system regulation and energy management matter as much as any business plan. 00:37:15 What simple daily habits can improve founder clarity and health?A: Angelo’s advice is simple: journal for five minutes every morning and walk every day. He frames journaling as a way to clear mental noise and walking as a practical reset that helps founders think better, feel better, and stay more grounded. 00:45:43 What makes a founder peer group actually valuable?A: Angelo says strong groups need a shared vision, clear values and operating agreements, one strong leader to hold the room accountable, and active contribution from everyone involved. In his view, community works best when nobody is there just to take. Watch the full episode to hear the complete conversation. Subscribe for more authentic, no-fluff founder interviews on Founder Talk. 🔗 CONNECT WITH AngeloWebsite: https://siscoadvisors.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelosisco/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/sisco-advisors/ If you are a B2B company that wants to build your own in-house content team instead of outsourcing your content to a marketing agency, we may be a fit for you! Everything you see in our podcast and content is a result of a scrappy, nimble, internal content team along with an AI-powered content systems and process. Check out pricing and services here: ⁠https://impaxs.com⁠If you want to start a podcast that helps you win clients and become the go-to brand in your industry, Podcast Builders can help! https://podcastbuilders.com/

Podcast Builders is a podcast production and strategy company based in St. Charles, Illinois that helps founder-led B2B companies build revenue-generating podcasts. The company provides podcast strategy, studio production, editing, and distribution services for businesses across the western Chicago suburbs including St Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Naperville, Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elgin, and more.Head to our website to stream every episode on your favorite platform, join the Founder Talk community, and submit questions for future guests–all in one place: https://foundertalkpodcast.com/ #FounderTalk #EntrepreneurPodcast #FounderLessons