The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas.
Episodes
EP-86 Larry Ludwig - Founder of Investor Junkie and Ludwig Media
25 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Larry Ludwig. Larry is founder and CEO of Ludwig Media Inc. and founder of Investor Junkie which he sold for $6MM several years...
EP-85 Justin Goodbread - Founder and CEO Financially Simple
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Justin Goodbread. He started his first business, a landscaping business, at the age of 15 and operated it while he earned a deg...
EP-84 Darrin Jahnel #2 - Co-founder and CEO of Jahnel Group
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Darrin Jahnel, CEO of Jahnel Group. Darrin co-founded the company with his brother, Jason. Their company does software developm...
EP-83 Jake Jorgovan - Founder and CEO of LeadCookie and Content Allies
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Jake Jorgovan the founder and CEO of LeadCookie and Content Allies. Jake is another example of an entrepreneur who is seeking a...
EP-82 NYBizLab-Clarkson Small Business Owners COVID Panel
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the edited audio of an online small business owners/leaders panel discussion that I participated in. We discussed how the COVID outbreak has i...
EP-81 Tracey Bissett - CEO Bissett Financial Fitness
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Tracey Bissett the founder and CEO of Bissett Financial Fitness. Tracey is on a mission to help entrepreneurs understand the fi...
EP-80 Rytis Lauris - Co-founder and CEO of Omnisend
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by Rytis Lauris - Co-founder and CEO of Omnisend. Omnisend provides e-commerce support for small and medium size companies. In thi...
EP-79 Rich Honen - Coronavirus and its lasting impact
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are excited to be joined by Rich Honen. He is a partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, our show sponsor. In this episode, Rich and I discuss how Phil...
EP-78 Catherine Hover - Coronavirus and its impact on my small business
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing havoc all over the globe. Today we are joined by Catherine Hover. This was an impromptu recording of a conversation ...
EP-77 Michael Zipursky - Founder, Consulting Success
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Michael Zipursky. Michael is a serial entrepreneur, who started his first business while still a student. On several...
EP-76 Geoffrey Merrett - Adirondack Adventures
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Geoffry Merrett. Geoff and I are both on the Ski Patrol at Gore Mt in upstate NY. We have known each other in that c...
EP-75 Primary Venture Partners - Co-Founder Brad Svrluga
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Brad Svrluga. Brad and Ben Sun co-founded Primary Venture Partners. They have built Primary Ventures into the premie...
EP-74 Andy Schell - Ocean Sailor
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Andy Schell, founder of 59º North - a company that offers guided trips for people who want to sail long-distance oc...
EP-73 Greg Rex
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Greg Rex. He has started several businesses and recently wrote a book titled, STOKED: A Spiritual Journey from Emplo...
EP-72 Matt Scarchilli
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Matt Scarchilli. Matt started his career as a pharmacist, then a pharmaceutical rep. As a "soccer dad" he saw an opp...
EP-71 Ron Coury - U.S. Marine, serial entrepreneur and author.
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Ron Coury. A former U.S. Marine, Coury has seen and done a lot in his 45 years in Las Vegas. He is an observational ...
EP-70 Adam Robinson - Founder GetEmails
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Adam Robinson, founder of GetEmails. Adam is a serial entrepreneur who started his career working on Wall Street and...
EP-69 Tom Rosecrans - RockSport Indoor Climbing Gym
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Tom Rosecrans. A high school teacher during the day and an entrepreneur rock climber on nights and weekends, Tom and...
EP-68 Abe Kamarck - founder of True Made Foods
20 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, today's guest is Abe Kamarck, the founder of True Made Foods. We had a wonderful discussion about how his concern for his children's ...
EP-67 Jackie Ducci: Author and founder of Ducci and Associates.
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Jackie Ducci. She is the founder of Ducci and Associates, a recruiting firm that connects companies with prospective...
EP-66 Janet Tanguay - Founder The Hammock Way of Life and The Biz Idea Shower
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Janet Tanguay. She had founded several companies and written two childrens books, She is also an accomplished artist...
EP-65 George McGehrin - Founder and President of McGehrin Group
30 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Geroge McGehrin. George is the founder and President of McGehrin Group. We had a wonderful conversation about recrui...
EP-64 Mike & Shelley Spain - Chef Co-Founders of Seneca
23 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guests are Mike & Shelley Spain. After attending the Culinary Institute of America, (CIA) and gaining some important work exp...
EP-63 Tami Cole - CEO at Docstrats
16 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Tami Cole. Five years ago she acquired a long-standing company from its founder. That makes for an interesting journ...
EP-62 Ian Measeck: Adirondack Paint and Paper - A Family Business
09 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Ian Measeck. Ian along with his father run the family business, a house painting and wallpaper company. The business...
EP-61 Chris Martell: President and Co-founder of Druthers Brewing Company
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Chris Martell. Chris and his brother co-founded Druthers, a very successful micro brew-pub and restaurant. It's a fa...
EP-60 Brian Epstein: Founder of Deep Blue Communications
25 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Brian Epstein. He is the founder of Deep Blue Communications, which was recently acquired by Comcast. Brian shares h...
EP-59 Emily Soccorsy and Justin Foster founders of Root and River
18 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guests are Emily Soccorsy (So-KOR-SEE) and Justin Foster. They founded Root and River. Justin did some consulting for Emily a...
EP-58 Catherine Hover - Founder of Palette Cafe in Saratoga Springs, NY
11 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Catherine Hover. We had a great conversation at Palette Cafe, which she founded. Our conversation was actually in a ...
EP-57 Becky Daniels - Executive Director of Discover Schenectady, NY
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Becky Daniels the Executive Director of Discover Schenectady. Major industrial cities, like Schenectady, saw explosi...
EP-56 Jeff Schwartz - Partner at Phillips Lytle LLP
28 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Jeff Schwartz. Jeff is one of the lead entrepreneurship practice attorneys at Phillips Lytle. I have known Jeff for ...
EP-55 Jim Williams a.k.a Jetson - Founder of Upper Hudson Coffee
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Jim Williams. Jim founded Upper Hudson Coffee, located in North Creek, NY where he roasts coffee that captures the h...
EP-54 Jon C. Warner - Author of 40 books, accomplished entrepreneur, and all-around great person
14 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Jon C. Warner. John is the author of 40 books, his most recent SLAM is a wonderful guide book for anyone starting a ...
EP-53 Mike Wacholder - Life changing event. Part 2
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, This is part 2 of my conversation with Mike Wacholder. Mike was my boss for a number of years when I worked at Rensselaer Polytechnic...
EP-52 Mike Wacholder, the best boss I ever had. Part 1
30 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Mike Wacholder. Mike was my boss for a number of years when I worked at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, (RPI). Whe...
EP-51 Sustainability, Global Warming and Entrepreneurship
23 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This is a mini-episode where we discuss sustainability, global warming and how entrepreneurs can discover opportunities, build a business, and make a ...
EP-50: Jeremy Redman - The Long and Winding Path to Effective Leadership and Culture
16 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners: This week, we have a wide-ranging conversation with Jeremy Redman about, among other topics, leadership and organizational culture. W...
EP-49: Ravish Majithia - Small Steps Can Make a Big Impact on Sustainability
09 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hi listeners: We talk with this week's guest, Ravish Majithia about commercializing his ideas that make small but very important steps in improving th...
EP-48: Mini - The Price is Right? Really? Pricing Strategies for Products and Services
02 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners! This week, we have a mini-podcast for you about pricing strategies. Some might think this is a boring topic. But no! Setting the opt...
EP-47 Manuj Aggarwal - An Entrepreneur Helping Entrepreneurs
26 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hi listeners: How do entrepreneurs get new products to market when working with a limited team and limited resources? One way is to work with a person...
EP-46 Hanson Grant - Living Entrepreneurship Everyday
19 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Hanson Grant. He is an example of a person who was born with the entrepreneurship gene turned on at birth. Hanson's ...
EP-45 Rich Honen - Entrepreneurship and horse racing
12 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Rich Honen. For a side-hustle he owns several race horses. In this episode, Rich describes how the horse racing busi...
EP-44 Victoria Yampolsky - Founder of Start-up Station
05 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Hello listeners, Today's guest is Victoria Yampolsky, She is a Cornell Comp Sci grad, a Columbia MBA, has worked on Wall Street, is a film producer, a...
EP-43 Rich Stokes - CEO and Founder of Winston Privacy
29 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Rich Stokes. He is the founder and CEO of Winston Privacy. This is his second company, his first was AdGooroo an internet ad data ag...
EP-42: Mini - Where's the Beef?
22 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to one of our "mini" sessions where we discuss a topic of general interest. In today's topic we discuss the recent introduction of the "Imposs...
EP-41 Tobi Saulnier: Founder and CEO - 1st Playable Productions
15 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Tobi Saulnier, She is the founder of First Playable Productions, where they develop interactive computer games to educate, transform,...
EP-40 Chris Hutchins: CEO - Grove: Personalized Financial Planning
08 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Chris Hutchins, Co-founder and CEO of Grove. Chris is the founder and CEO of Grove, a company on a mission to make financial planning...
EP-39: Mini - Funding Growth
01 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to one of our "mini" sessions where we discuss a topic of general interest. In today's topic we discuss funding growth in your business. Now t...
EP-38: Rob Salafia - From Street Performer to Management and Leadership Consultant
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Salafia started out his career as a street performer. Entertaining people as they walked by. He learned how to get people's attention and maintain...
EP-37: Jack Bosch - A different way to flip real estate
17 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Bosch came to the United States as a college student on a semester abroad program to improve his English speaking skills. He ended up finishing h...
EP-36: Helping startups grow their customer base - Nick Petros
10 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Helping startups grow their customer base - Nick Petros When Nick was in elementary school, a Legos Robotics project ignited his curiosity and gave h...
EP-35: Data Analytics and the Entrepreneur - Garett Howardson, Research Psychologist and Data Scientist
03 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is 'data science' and should entrepreneurs be focusing on it? Listener Matt B. recently posed this question to us. In response to Matt's question...
EP-34 Mini: Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
27 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
EP-34 Mini: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) One of the BIG mistakes I made in my first start-up was we did not test the market early. We got the product...
EP-33 Mini: Remote Employees
20 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As the economy becomes more and more digital, the percentage of the workforce working remotely keeps increasing. In this mini-episode we discuss the a...
EP-32: Is Entrepreneurship a Legitimate Career Path? College Student/Serial Entrepreneur Will Miles
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Can entrepreneurship be considered a career path for college students in the US? Will Miles tells his story, shares his lessons learned, and discusses...
EP-31: Being an Entrepreneur in a Non-Entrepreneurial Job: Tony Collins, President of Clarkson University
06 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you find yourself in a situation where the stable, traditional business you are running is being disrupted? One such industry underg...
EP-30: Do you have to start a business to be entrepreneurial? No Way! - Keri O'brian - Darn Good Yarns
29 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Keri O'brian is one of the first employees company founder and CEO, Nichole Snow hired. All companies need entrepreneurial thinking and action. Keri d...
EP-29: Kat Koppett. Using improv techniques in leadership training.
22 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kat Koppett - Actor, entrepreneur, and business leader. Kat is a 25-year improv veteran, including stints with Theatresports companies in New York Cit...
EP-28: Tony Civitella, immigrant to intern to CEO of Transfinder.
15 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tony Civitella started as an intern at Transfinder and is now CEO. Listen to his great life story starting at arriving in the United States with his p...
EP-27: Euwyn Poon the Co-Founder and President of Spin.
08 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Euwyn Poon was born in Singapore and moved to Canada as a young lad. His entrepreneurial tendencies and drive were evident at a young age. He entered ...
EP-26: Kate Cartini: Do you need to be a company founder to be an entrepreneur?
01 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Cartini started her working life as a TV News producer and now is one of the three key executives at Chloe Capital, a seed-stage VC firm investin...
EP-25: Drew Sheppard - The Prototypical (Partially) Gray-Haired Guy Supporting the Founders.
25 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder how business founders with a great idea and very little operational and finance experience make a start-up work? They hire people like Dre...
EP-24: From professional wakeboarder to Chief Marketing Officer of Diebold Nixdorf, a $4.5 Billion global financial technology business. Devon Watson has definitely taken the unconventional path.
18 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Devon Watson spent summers as a professional wakeboarder. Enjoying the sun and jumping wakes while getting a great tan. After Devon graduated from Cla...
EP-23 Mini: Coworking Spaces
11 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Coworking spaces have become the big buzz in the business world. From new startups to remote workers needing a meeting place. Some of these coworking ...
EP: 22 Marc Compeau - Professor of Business @ Clarkson University and Owner of Jake's on the water restaurant.
04 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The business professor starts a restaurant. Really? Marc Compeau clearly has the entrepreneurial gene. Marc's entrepreneurial activities started in pr...
EP- 21: Mini - Reading and Podcast List
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week we respond to a listener email. Bob K. writes; Bela and Mike, Just wanted to say I enjoy the podcasts but the latest one with Mark Dzwoncz...
EP-20: What do cyber tech, an espresso coffee bar, and co-working space have in common? Tyler Wrightson does them all.
18 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tyler Wrightson started his first company while still in high school. He quickly learned it's easy to start, but much more challenging to have a susta...
EP-19 Mini: Yearn to Learn
11 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Yearn to Learn. Today's topic for our Mini Episode is "The Yearn to Learn". A common characteristic among successful entrepreneurs is the yearn to lea...
EP-18: Figuring out what is important in life and focusing on it. Mark Dzwonczyk has worked at Draper Labs, built and exited a start-up, run a rural telephone company. A remarkable man who has given back in so many ways.
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Dzwonczyk journey is remarkable, make sure you listen at the end where he reveals what makes it so remarkable. An engineer with a great knack for...
EP-17 Mini: Raising Capital
28 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Raising Capital This is the second of our bi-monthly mini episodes. In these 5-10 mini episodes Mike and I will be discussing one topic of general in...
EP-16: Engineer, VC, Corporate Development, Consulting. John Cococcia has done it all.
21 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
John Cococcia graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and got a job working at a Ford Motor Company plant. His first assignment was supervisin...
EP-15 Mini: All Progress is a Result of Trying Something New
14 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first of our bi-monthly mini episodes. In these 5-10 mini episodes Mike and I will be discussing one topic of general interest. Our longer...
EP-14: Backpack around the world, teach English in Japan and build a successful business that is acquired - Simon Balint
07 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Balint graduated from high school and deferred entering Brown University for a year to backpack around the world. He then spent a few years teac...
EP-13: Entrepreneurship in Sweden - Gustav Joensson
24 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Gustav Joensson is an exchange student at Clarkson University. I sat down with him to discuss entrepreneurship in Sweden and how it compares to the Un...
EP-12: Bringing in talent to grow the business. Mitch Hara - Beekman 1802
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Mitch Hara started as an investment banker helping Beekman 1802 grow and ended up becoming CEO. Every growing business needs experienced talent, findi...
EP-11: Passion, Culture, and Supply Chain. Nichole Snow - Darn Good Yarns
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
EP-11: Passion, Culture, and Supply Chain. Nichole Snow - Darn Good Yarns Nichole's entrepreneurial adventures started with selling Betta fish to her...
EP-10: Kickstarter plus passion equals start-up. Charlotte Hayden - Craft Coffee Flavors
25 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
EP-10: Kickstarter plus passion equals start-up. Charlotte Hayden - Craft Coffee Flavors What do you do when you cannot find your favorite coffee fla...
EP-9: Holiday Bonus. Releasing 2 podcasts this week.
25 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
EP-9: Holiday Bonus. Releasing 2 podcasts this week. To kick off the Holiday season we are releasing 2 episodes this week. The period between Thanksg...
EP-8: Are lawyers entrepreneurs? Rich Honen - Venture Capital & Technology Practice Team Leader at Phillips-Lytle
11 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Lawyers can be great sources of advice to entrepreneurs and can also be entrepreneurs themselves. Rich Honen - Venture Capital & Technology Practice T...
EP-7: It's not about risk, it's about being prepared for the challenge. Craig Skevington - Serial Entrepreneur
28 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's not about risk, it's about being prepared for the challenge. Craig Skevington - Serial Entrepreneur Disruption, challenge, planning, and entrepr...
EP-6: Stretch assignments and how they are critical in building a career. Dave Kruczlnicki - CEO Glens Falls Hospital (Ret)
14 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How does vision develop? Dave Kruczlnicki the former CEO of Glens Falls Hospital in Glens Falls NY tells his story of how he took on assignments that ...
EP-5 You won't starve - Darrin Jahnel - Jahnel Group
29 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build a successful culture? Darrin Jahnel, co-founder of software developer Jahnel Group, explains the role of people and culture in his co...
EP-4: Having the courage to leave the mother-ship to start your own business - Hugh Johnson - Johnson Advisors
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Hugh Johnson, the founder of Hugh Johnson Advisors, Albany NY. Listen how Hugh built his career, from humble beginnings, into being a world renowned f...
EP-3: The second time is so much more fun - Ed Mitzen - Fingerpaint
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ed Mitzen, the founder of Fingerpaint in Saratoga Springs, NY. Fingerpaint is a marketing company with a list of clients any firm would be envious of....
EP-2: Re-invigorating america's manufacturing base utilizing entrepreneurship concepts. - David Dussault
18 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A great interview with David Dussault, the founder of P1 Industries in Schenectady, NY. David started P1 after leaving GE and has built a solid busine...
EP-1: Introduction to the podcast: The Unconventional Path: Secrets to Igniting Your Business With Bela and Mike
08 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to The Unconventional Path: Secrets to Igniting Your Business With Bela and Mike Your host for this podcast series are Bela Musits, the David...