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Learn how to create real social impact as a business leader by opening hiring pipelines to underserved talent and looking beyond short term charity. Meaningful corporate impact occurs when companies offer direct employment opportunities to marginalized individuals rather than relying solely on donations. Partnering with comprehensive community programs helps break generational poverty cycles by providing people with transferable skills, career stability, and ongoing mentorship. Committing to hire capable individuals from underserved backgrounds strengthens company culture while creating permanent economic mobility. Denise Whiter, Executive Director of New Beginnings Support Program, joins Sonia Couto on Tenacity with Sonia C. to examine practical community investment. Denise explains how their year long programs, including the Step Into Success initiative and certification with Humber Polytechnic, prepare women for corporate roles at organizations like Ernst & Young and TD. She also highlights the EmpowerMe personal development curriculum and outlines goals for their annual Angels in Action Gala at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. What you'll learn • How to create real social impact as a business leader through direct hiring • Why short term training fails to resolve poverty compared to year long support • How transferable skills in digital literacy and business writing open corporate career paths • What common misconceptions prevent companies from hiring women rebuilding after crisis • How businesses can participate in the Angels in Action Gala or contribute through Canada Helps and Zeffy This conversation is for founders, executives, and hiring managers who want to move past performative corporate responsibility and build practical employment pathways for overlooked talent. Learn more about Denise Whiter and support the New Beginnings Support Program through their website: https://newbeginningsprogram.ca/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Beth Flippo, CEO of Drone Express, shares the real story behind building a drone delivery company and earning FAA drone certification with limited funding. She explains how a five year regulatory process, intense competition, and major setbacks became the very things that built a more resilient company. In this episode: • The personal problem that inspired the creation of Drone Express. • How Beth landed Kroger as her first customer by targeting a massive market. • Why she viewed strict FAA regulations as a collaborator, not an obstacle. • The leadership strategy she used to keep her team focused during long periods without obvious progress. • How the company navigated a critical parachute testing phase while running out of money. • The challenges of raising capital as a female founder in a male dominated industry. • Why she believes having it harder ultimately builds a stronger, more successful company. Connect with Beth Flippo and learn more about Drone Express: [Insert Links] #founderstory #dronetechnology #entrepreneurship #faacertification #startuplife #womenintech #leadership #fundraising #businessstrategy #resilience #tenacitypodcast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Becoming a leader people naturally trust starts with becoming a stable, consistent presence who is confident in who they are. In this conversation, founder and medical provider Shawn Gibbs explains why the most trusted leaders are like cruise ships, not dinghies: steady and unwavering because they have done the internal work. Shawn shares lessons from his journey building companies, including GiveGowns, which redesigns hospital gowns to restore patient dignity. Drawing on his experience in both healthcare and entrepreneurship, Shawn explains why outcomes are determined long before a meeting or sale ever begins. He provides a clear framework for building trust intentionally, not just with customers, but within your team and in your leadership. Listeners will learn practical methods for improving communication, clarifying expectations, and creating a culture where people feel valued and understood. In this episode, you will learn: - The power of defining your desired outcome before any meeting or negotiation. - The story behind GiveGowns and how it restores confidence for patients. - A simple communication technique to ensure clear expectations and build trust. - Why intentionality is the key to designing trust into your company's culture. - How to help your team members grow, even if their goals are outside your company. - The one thing to start doing to become a leader people are naturally drawn to. This episode offers a clear guide to building trust with customers, patients, and your team. Follow Tenacity with Sonia C. for more honest conversations and practical lessons for founders. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Building brand authority in the age of AI requires a marketing ecosystem built on sustainable systems, not chasing the latest tools. In this conversation, branding and ecosystem strategist Laurens Tijssen explains how founders can create lasting market presence. He shares insights from his journey, which started with an online payment at age 14 and led to working with over 150 clients, including high profile entrepreneurs and global brands. Laurens explains why the fundamentals of business and branding still matter more than ever. Listeners will learn: - The marketing ecosystem framework of Attention, Interaction, and Transaction. - Why resourcefulness and strong fundamentals are more important than any single AI tool. - How to earn trust with high profile clients and build reputational capital. - The difference between strategic shortcuts and deceptive tactics that break trust. - Why Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is a critical focus for brands today. This episode offers a clear perspective on how to build a brand that grows stronger over time. If you are a founder working to build a more resilient and visible business, follow Tenacity with Sonia C. for more honest conversations and practical guidance. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Making better founder decisions requires intentionally designing the process to include cognitive diversity and counteract common biases. In this episode, Sonia C. speaks with Kylee Ingram, a former international television producer who is now the CEO and co-founder of Wizer, a technology company focused on decision science. Kylee shares what she has learned about the science of group decision making from her work with clients like the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation and from her time inside technology accelerators. Kylee explains how founders can improve the quality of their choices by structuring the conversations that lead to them. She offers practical advice for building stronger, more effective teams. Listeners will learn: - The difference between personality and cognitive diversity, and why a mix of thinking styles leads to better outcomes. - Warning signs that your decision making process is flawed, including instant agreement and the influence of the loudest voice. - Why leaders and influential team members should speak last in a decision meeting. - How to find the right people to help you decide, even if you are a solo founder. - Common patterns from technology accelerators, including the dangers of mentor whiplash. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Your brand's authentic story is its most powerful sales asset because it builds human-to-human trust before the first sales call. In this episode, video strategist Graham Kuhn explains how founders can use strategic video, specifically a "brand story video," to shorten the sales cycle, escape the noise of AI-generated content, and connect with customers on a deeper level. Graham and Sonia discuss why so many founders struggle with video, confusing visibility with trust and hustle with clarity. Graham shares his framework for creating videos that don't just get views, but build credibility and drive revenue, even in complex B2B industries. He explains that you are always selling to a human, and your story is your biggest differentiator. In this conversation, you will learn: - Why your unique story is your most effective sales and marketing tool. - The difference between a generic "About Us" video and a high-impact brand story video. - A simple, practical technique to overcome the fear of being on camera. - How to use video to shorten the sales cycle and warm up potential clients. - Why authentic human connection is your best advantage in an age of AI. - How to identify and overcome imposter syndrome as a founder. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

At some point, being scrappy stops being a strength. You have customers. You have a team. Maybe you've raised capital. Revenue is coming in. But you're still making every decision, solving every problem, chasing every task, and holding the company together yourself. So when does your startup actually become a company? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with entrepreneur, investor, author, and business operator Scott Abbott for a candid conversation about what founders often get wrong when they try to scale. Scott has raised more than $35 million, built and led companies generating billions in sales, invested in startups, and learned some of his hardest lessons by making the mistakes himself, including being fired from his own company. Together, Sonia and Scott unpack the uncomfortable transition from startup hustle to operating discipline and why the habits that helped you survive the early days can eventually become the very things holding your company back. They get into why scrappiness has an expiration date, what happens when a business becomes too dependent on its founder, why founders need to understand cash flow and their numbers, and how better systems can actually create more freedom instead of more bureaucracy. They also talk about founder ego, coachability, burnout, AI as an operating tool, the responsibility that comes with taking outside capital, and why working harder isn't always the answer to a company that has stopped scaling. In this episode: • When scrappy startup culture starts hurting growth • Why some businesses stay stuck in “startup mode” for years • The difference between building a business and building a scalable company • Why founder dependency can become a liability • The financial numbers founders can't afford to ignore • What investors notice about founders who aren't as coachable as they think • Why systems and processes can give founders more freedom • How AI can support better operations without replacing leadership • Why hustle culture eventually catches up with founders • What Scott learned after being fired from his own company If your company is growing but everything still depends on you, this conversation is worth hearing. Because starting a company takes hustle. Building one that can survive without you takes something else. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Every founder loves talking about the win. Very few talk about what it actually cost to get there. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, entrepreneur, investor, and bestselling author Ari Rastegar shares the stories most founders never tell. From borrowing $3,500 while still in law school to believing he'd become a millionaire overnight, only to wake up $800,000 in debt, Ari opens up about the failures that shaped how he builds businesses today. This conversation goes beyond startup success. Ari explains why failure isn't the opposite of winning, it's the process that makes great founders. He shares how unexpected setbacks taught him to prepare for uncertainty, why every entrepreneur should stress-test their business before a crisis hits, and how rebuilding his health became just as important as rebuilding his companies. If you're building a startup, navigating uncertainty, recovering from a setback, or questioning whether the grind is worth it, this episode offers practical lessons from someone who's lived through both the highs and the lows. In this episode, you'll learn:Why failure is one of the greatest advantages a founder can haveHow Ari went from a $3,500 loan to building a multi-billion-dollar real estate businessThe startup mistake that turned a million-dollar win into an $800,000 lossHow to prepare your business for black swan events and unexpected crisesWhy hustle alone isn't enough to build a sustainable companyThe mindset shift that helped Ari rebuild both his business and his healthWhat resilience actually looks like when you're under pressure If you've ever wondered whether you're the only founder struggling behind the scenes, this conversation is for you. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Every founder starts with a vision. Very few end up building the company they originally imagined. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with Nick DAmbrosio, Founder and CEO of NOMADICS, to unpack what it really takes to keep a business alive through nearly two decades of change. Nick shares how his company unexpectedly evolved from an environmental consulting firm into a defence engineering and digital intelligence company after landing a government contract by accident. What followed wasn't one dramatic pivot, but years of adapting, building credibility, making difficult decisions under pressure, and letting go of the identity he originally built the company around. Together, they discuss why trust takes years to earn, how founders make decisions when the stakes are high, what it takes to work with government agencies, and why resilience matters more than having the perfect business plan. The conversation also explores one of today's biggest topics: AI. Nick explains why founders should think of AI as a tool, not a replacement for human expertise, and why building the next generation of talent still matters. If you're navigating uncertainty, considering a pivot, or trying to build a company that lasts, this episode offers practical lessons from someone who's led a business through recessions, COVID, major industry shifts, and constant change. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why successful founders eventually outgrow their original business model • How to build trust in industries where mistakes aren't tolerated • What founders misunderstand about government contracting • How to make better decisions under pressure • Why AI should support your business, not replace your people • How to build a company designed for long-term resilience If you're an early-stage founder, a scaling CEO, or an entrepreneur facing difficult decisions, this conversation will challenge the way you think about growth, leadership, and staying relevant over the long haul. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Burnout isn't the real problem. The real problem is the kind of ambition that's driving you. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with entrepreneur and agency founder Bianca B. King to unpack the difference between toxic ambition and joyful ambition, and why so many founders unknowingly build businesses from a place of survival instead of purpose. Bianca's journey began long before entrepreneurship. After leaving home at just 13 years old, she learned that ambition was about survival. That mindset helped her rise through commercial real estate, close more than $1.4 billion in transactions, and earn top industry recognition, but it also led to burnout. After leaving a successful corporate career to launch her own agency during the Great Recession, Bianca found herself with just $38 in her business bank account. That moment forced her to rethink not only how she ran her business, but why she was building it in the first place. In this conversation, Sonia and Bianca discuss: Why founder burnout often starts with survival thinkingThe hidden cost of hustle cultureHow to recognize the warning signs before burnout takes overWhy cash flow is the first system every founder should masterThe mindset shift from employee to founderWhy relationships are your greatest business assetHow to build a business that supports your life, not one that consumes itWhat "joyful ambition" looks like in practice If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or business leader feeling exhausted, questioning your definition of success, or trying to build a sustainable business without sacrificing your well-being, this episode is for you. About the Guest Bianca B. King is the founder of a boutique marketing agency with nearly two decades of experience helping businesses grow. She's also the creator of the concept of Joyful Ambition, challenging entrepreneurs to redefine success around purpose, agency, and fulfillment rather than constant hustle. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Enterprise AI is moving faster than most companies can keep up. But according to Larissa Schneider, the biggest challenge isn't the technology. It's execution. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, I sit down with Larissa Schneider, Co-Founder and COO of Unframe, to discuss what it really takes to build an enterprise AI company, earn the trust of Fortune 500 customers, and scale a startup in one of the most competitive markets in tech. Larissa shares why she and her co-founders left successful careers in enterprise technology to build Unframe, how strategic partnerships helped them break into enterprise sales, and why competing against companies like Microsoft and Google requires more than great technology. We also dive into the reality behind raising more than $100 million in venture capital. Contrary to what many founders believe, raising money doesn't reduce the pressure. It raises the stakes. Larissa talks openly about the responsibility that comes with rapid growth, hiring a global team, making decisions with incomplete information, and learning to let go as a leader so others can step up. If you're building a startup, selling into enterprise organizations, leading AI initiatives, or navigating the challenges of scaling a business, this conversation is packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately. In this episode, we discuss: • Building enterprise trust as an early-stage startup • Breaking into Fortune 500 organizations • Strategic partnerships that accelerate growth • What investors don't tell you about raising capital • Why enterprise AI projects succeed or fail • The build vs. buy decision for AI solutions • Leading high-growth teams without becoming the bottleneck • Why founders should spend less time online and more time talking to customers This episode is for founders, startup operators, technology leaders, and anyone looking to understand what it really takes to build and scale a company in today's AI-driven world. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/110196575/ Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happens when your business grows faster than your systems, leadership, and life can handle? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, Sonia sits down with Lauren Cockerell, founder of Kaidar & Co, to unpack the scaling mistake that nearly cost her everything. After being laid off while 8 months pregnant, Lauren built her company from the ground up. But years later, rapid growth, hiring pressure, operational chaos, and leadership stress forced her to confront a hard truth: more revenue does not automatically create a better business. Lauren shares the real behind-the-scenes reality of scaling a service business, including: Growing revenue by 70% and watching systems breakMaking hiring decisions too quicklyNavigating a business partner exitBalancing leadership with motherhoodlearning why niching down creates clarityRebuilding the company around intentional growth instead of survival mode This conversation is for founders who are: overwhelmed by scaling pressureexperiencing founder burnoutstruggling with leadership decisionstrying to build a sustainable businessquestioning whether the company they built still fits their life If you are scaling fast but feeling exhausted, this episode will help you rethink what success should actually look like. https://soniacouto.com/podcast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happens when your business growth is no longer limited by strategy, but by your leadership? In this episode, Sonia sits down with Eric Dingler to unpack the leadership lessons that emerge as businesses scale. Eric shares the moment he realized his team kept having the same conversations because leadership systems and communication clarity were missing. Together, they explore: Why growing teams require different leadership stylesHow unclear communication creates confusion and inactionThe difference between brainstorming and decision-makingWhy leaders unintentionally slow executionHow accountability and ownership are built into company cultureThe importance of intentional meetings and clear outcomesWhat leaders must change about themselves to scale effectivelyThis conversation is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs, founders, executives, and team leaders who want to improve communication, create alignment, and build organizations that execute with confidence. Whether you’re leading a startup, growing a team, or trying to move your business to the next level, this episode will challenge the way you think about leadership. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What does it really take to build something new when there’s no blueprint, no certainty, and no external validation? In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C., Sonia sits down with Sam Berman, founder of LARC, to talk about the internal war of entrepreneurship, the emotional cost of building, and the mindset required to keep going when doubt, isolation, and pressure hit hard. Sam shares how LARC grew from a napkin sketch into a company serving some of the largest organizations in the world. He breaks down why obsession matters, when founders need to pivot, how to validate an idea early, why integrity matters more than skill when building a team, and what unresolved personal weight can do to a founder’s ability to lead. This is a practical conversation about resilience, conviction, market validation, decision-making, and the discipline required to keep building when the path is unclear. Key Takeaways The real battle in entrepreneurship is often psychological, not operational.Obsession can fuel endurance, but it does not replace market validation.If the market gives no traction, founders need to pivot honestly rather than romanticize the struggle.Big ideas require founders to dismantle “I’m not enough” thinking and stop playing small.Teams matter because founders do not need to have every skill themselves.Integrity is a stronger hiring filter than raw skill.Founders need to make decisions, move, and course-correct instead of waiting for certainty.Emotional discipline matters because fear, anger, rejection, and doubt can distort leadership.Unresolved personal weight does not disappear under pressure; building often brings it to the surface.Bold outreach can open doors, even with very large companies. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Most founders think fundraising is about pitch decks, introductions, and traction. But investors are evaluating more than just that; they are also looking for credibility. In this episode of Tenacity with Sonia C, we explore a new fundraising strategy more founders are starting to use: visibility as leverage. PR is no longer just about press coverage. It’s about positioning yourself as a credible, trustworthy founder that investors feel confident backing. We break down: Why investors often trust founders they’ve heard of before they meet themHow PR builds authority and reduces perceived riskWhy personal brand influence investor confidenceHow founders can use visibility strategically when preparing to raise capitalThe difference between marketing visibility and credibility visibility If you’re building something real but struggling to get investor traction, this episode introduces a new way to think about fundraising strategy. Because investors don’t just fund ideas, they fund founders they believe in. If you enjoyed this conversation, follow Tenacity with Sonia C for more honest discussions with founders who share the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, growth, and resilience, without the highlight reel. Follow Our Socials: Website: https://soniacouto.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TenacitywithSoniaC Host IG: https://www.instagram.com/soniactech Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy