In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Akalpit Gadre, a technologist and founder with deep experience in technical leadership, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.

Akalpit shares his journey as a foundry entrepreneur, how he approaches building technology-driven companies, and what strong technical leadership looks like in practice. He talks about navigating complexity in cloud systems, the importance of security-first thinking, and how founders and technical leaders should evaluate new technologies without getting distracted by hype.

The conversation also explores problem-solving at scale, decision-making under uncertainty, and what it takes to build resilient systems and teams in fast-moving technical environments. This episode is especially valuable for founders, engineers, and operators building products in AI, cloud, and security-focused spaces.

Topics Discussed

• Akalpit's background and path into technical leadership

• What it means to be a foundry entrepreneur

• Building and scaling cloud-based systems

• Cybersecurity as a foundational design principle

• Evaluating new technologies without chasing hype

• Leadership lessons from technical teams

• Problem-solving in complex systems

• Balancing innovation with reliability

• How founders should think about technical tradeoffs

• Long-term thinking in engineering and architecture

Connect with Akalpit Gadre

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akalpit-gadre/

Website: https://www.othentk.com/

Connect with Jason Cavness LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncavness

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejasoncavnessexperience/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness

Podcast: https://www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Sabina Nawaz, an executive coach and leadership advisor who works with founders, CEOs, and senior leaders navigating power, influence, and responsibility at the highest levels.

Sabina shares what she's learned from years of coaching executives as they step into positions of authority and why leadership often becomes harder, not easier, as power increases.

She explains how authority subtly changes behavior, how communication breaks down at the top, and why well-intentioned leaders can unintentionally create silence, fear, or distance on their teams. Jason and Sabina discuss executive presence, emotional regulation, feedback, and how leaders can stay grounded and human while still holding accountability.

Sabina also talks about the ideas behind her book, You're the Boss, and what leaders need to understand once they're officially "in charge." This episode is especially valuable for founders, CEOs, and operators who are scaling their influence and want to lead with clarity, self-awareness, and trust.

Topics Discussed

• How power changes leadership behavior

• Why communication often breaks down at senior levels

• Executive presence and influence

• Managing authority without creating fear

• Feedback loops and honest conversations

• Emotional regulation for leaders

• Listening as a core leadership skill

• Blind spots that appear as leaders gain power

• Staying human while holding accountability

• Coaching executives through high-stakes decisions

• Lessons from working with CEOs and founders

• What changes when you officially become "the boss"

Connect with Sabina Nawaz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinanawaz/

Website: https://sabinanawaz.com/ Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sabinacoaching/

Book – You're the Boss: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Youre-the-Boss/Sabina-Nawaz/9781668023181

Connect with Jason Cavness

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejasoncavnessexperience/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness

Podcast: https://www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Tait Covert, President and CEO of Sentry Computing, to talk about building a service-first managed IT company and what it really takes to support small and mid-sized businesses.

Tait shares his path into entrepreneurship, how his background in retail sales, graphic design, and project management shaped his approach to IT, and why clear communication and transparent guidance matter more than technical jargon.

He explains how Sentry Computing delivers contract-free managed IT services, prioritizes cybersecurity and reliability, and focuses on long-term client relationships over quick wins.

The conversation also covers leadership, customer trust, running a people-first services business, and how business owners should think about IT strategy without getting overwhelmed. This episode is especially valuable for founders, operators, and business owners who want practical insight into IT, cybersecurity, and building a service company that lasts.

Topics Discussed

• Tait's background and journey into entrepreneurship

• Founding and growing Sentry Computing

• What "service-first IT" really means

• Communicating technical concepts without jargon

• Cybersecurity basics business owners must understand

• Building trust with small and mid-sized businesses

• Leadership lessons from running an IT services company

• Balancing technical expertise with customer experience

• What business owners should prioritize in their IT strategy

Connect with Tait Covert

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

Connect with Sentry Computing Website: https://sentrycomputing.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sentrycomputing/

Connect with Jason Cavness

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejasoncavnessexperience/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness

Podcast: https://www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Shonta Riles, CEO and founder of Poppin Notary, to talk about building a trusted local service business, expanding beyond traditional notary work, and staying deeply connected to the community.

Shonta shares how he launched Poppin Notary in 2016, what it took to earn trust in an industry built on accuracy and reliability, and why customer service is the real differentiator for small businesses. He explains how his background hosting the Deprogram Talk Radio Show sharpened his communication skills and helped him connect with people from all walks of life.

The conversation explores Poppin Notary's expansion into shipping, printing, and private mailboxes, how Shonta thinks about growth without losing focus, and why building locally in Tacoma still matters. From notarizing documents in non-traditional settings to creating a one-stop service hub, this episode offers practical lessons for service-based entrepreneurs.

Topics Discussed

• Shonta's path to entrepreneurship and founding Poppin Notary

• Building trust in a service-based business

• What great customer service looks like in practice

• Lessons from notarizing documents in unconventional environments

• Expanding into shipping, printing, and private mailboxes

• Knowing when to add new services • Avoiding overextension while growing

• Building a business rooted in community

• The Tacoma small business landscape

• Communication skills developed through radio and media

• Leadership lessons learned as a local CEO

• Defining success beyond revenue

Connect with Shonta Riles

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shonta-riles-ab508214/

Website: https://www.poppinnotary.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@poppinnotary

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppinnotary

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Taylor Black for a wide-ranging conversation that spans AI, startups, big tech, and family life. Taylor shares his experience working at Microsoft, where he's been close to how AI is being built, adopted, and misunderstood inside large organizations. He talks about how startups and founders should think about AI realistically not as hype, but as a tool that rewards clarity, discipline, and execution.

Beyond tech, Taylor opens up about his family's journey through fostering and adoption, what it's taught him about responsibility, patience, and long-term thinking, and how building a family reshapes how you approach work and leadership.

He reflects on balancing ambition with presence, and why success isn't just about what you build professionally, but what you commit to personally. This is an honest conversation about building companies, adopting new technology responsibly, and choosing to show up fully at work and at home.

Topics Discussed

• Taylor's role at Microsoft and exposure to AI at scale

• How large companies actually adopt AI

• The gap between AI hype and real-world execution

• How startups should think about using AI

• Discipline and clarity as advantages in tech and business

• Lessons from working inside a major tech company

• Fostering and adopting children and what it teaches about leadership

• Balancing startup ambition with family responsibility

• Long-term thinking in both business and life

• Redefining success beyond career milestones

Support CavnessHR CavnessHR is building an AI-native HR system for small businesses with 49 or fewer employees automation plus a dedicated HR Business Partner.

Invest on Wefunder https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr

Download 7 free eBooks https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks

Join the Builders Club https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/

Connect with Taylor Black LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blacktaylor/

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Scott Strong, founder of Strong Fiber Systems, to talk about building a service-first business in the telecom industry and why sales discipline and customer service still matter in a world obsessed with automation.

Scott shares his journey into entrepreneurship, how he built Strong Fiber Systems by focusing on relationships and trust, and why doing the unscalable work, personal outreach, follow-ups, and real conversations creates a lasting competitive advantage. He explains the difference between motivation and discipline in sales, how strong habits outperform hype, and why customer service is becoming a lost art.

The conversation also covers leadership, networking without forcing outcomes, using AI without losing the human element, and what it really takes to build a business you can stand behind long term. This episode is packed with practical insight for founders, operators, and sales leaders building service-based companies.

Topics Discussed

• Scott's path into telecom and entrepreneurship

• Building Strong Fiber Systems from the ground up

• Sales discipline vs motivation

• Why doing the unscalable work still wins

• Customer service as a true differentiator

• Picking up the phone instead of hiding behind email

• Using AI to support sales without removing humanity

• Networking with authenticity

• Leadership, habits, and long-term thinking

Support CavnessHR CavnessHR is building an AI-native HR system for small businesses with 49 or fewer employees combining automation with a dedicated HR Business Partner.

Invest on Wefunder https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr

Download 7 free eBooks https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks

Join the Builders Club https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/

Connect with Scott Strong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-strong-entrepreneurship/

Company: https://strongfibersystems.com/

Phone: (888) 601-0123

Connect with Jason Cavness

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasoncavness

Podcast: https://www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Brandie Henry. A communication coach, consultant, educator and community advocate whose work bridges personal development, professional leadership, youth services and creative expression. Brandie runs S4S Management, where she coaches leaders on communication, clarity and emotional intelligence, while also serving the community through her work with Southwest Youth and Family Services (SWYFS).

Brandie shares how her early foundation in dance shaped her understanding of expression, confidence and presence long before she ever studied communication formally. She talks about the connection between rhythm, movement and emotional awareness, and how hip hop's influence helped her develop a grounded and authentic communication style.

Jason and Brandie dig into communication patterns, nervous system regulation, leadership, community programs, family support, and how growing up around hip hop culture gives people an intuitive understanding of timing, energy and storytelling. They even get into her Top 5 rappers list and why those artists shaped her perspective.

This is a memorable, wide-ranging conversation that blends leadership, creativity, culture and community impact.

• How dance shaped Brandie's early communication skills
• The influence of hip hop on expression, confidence and storytelling
• Brandie's Top 5 rappers list and why each one matters
• How she helps leaders communicate with clarity and emotional awareness
• The mission of S4S Management and the people she serves
• Trauma-informed communication and why presence matters
• Brandie's work supporting families at Southwest Youth & Family Services
• What youth and parents need most from community programs
• How nervous system regulation affects communication
• Why people fall into autopilot when speaking or listening
• Creating safe spaces for difficult conversations
• Leadership, awareness, identity and authenticity
• Brandie's advice for anyone who wants to communicate with more intention

Invest on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr
Download 7 free eBooks: https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks
Join the Builders Club: https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandie-henry1111/
Her Company – S4S Management: https://s4smanagement.com/
Southwest Youth & Family Services: https://www.swyfs.org/

In this episode of The Jason Cavness Experience, Jason sits down with Liz Galloway a global brand strategist, PR pro, experiential marketer, storyteller, TEDx curator, wellness advocate, and adventure-driven entrepreneur.

Liz's work spans luxury hospitality, wellness retreats, publishing, consulting, media production and high-impact brand development across Central America, Europe and the U.S. Liz shares how she built a life and career around curiosity, creativity and courage blending strategy with soul to help brands cut through noise and connect with people on a deeper level.

She and Jason explore the power of storytelling, experiential branding, adventure as a lifestyle, and why reinvention is essential for personal and professional growth. A vibrant, wide-ranging conversation full of insights for creatives, founders, marketers and anyone designing a meaningful life or meaningful work.

Topics Discussed

• Liz's background in branding, PR and experiential marketing

• What makes a story compelling in today's world

• Why strong brands need emotional resonance, not just visuals

• Adventures that shaped her perspective and leadership style

• The rise of experiential marketing and immersive experiences

• How she coaches TEDx speakers and curates powerful talks

• Building wellness, travel and transformational retreats

• Authentic storytelling in the age of social media

• Balancing creativity with business execution

• How to build a brand people genuinely care about

• Liz's advice for founders reinventing themselves

Support CavnessHR CavnessHR is building an AI-native HR system for small businesses with 49 or fewer employees automation plus a dedicated HR Business Partner.

Invest on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr

Download 7 free eBooks: https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks

Join the Builders Club: https://www.buildcavnesshr.com/

Connect with Liz Galloway

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

Website: https://brandsanitymedia.co/liz-galloway

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travel.to.wellness