Inspired Insider With Dr. Jeremy Weisz | Ecommerce Interviews | Entrepreneurship | Inspirational Stories | Business Lessons

Shannon Hansen is the Owner of Lightfoot Media, a business he founded in 1995. Lightfoot Media is a full-service internet marketing agency focused on providing innovative ways to keep clients ahead of the competition. Shannon started his entrepreneurial journey at 21 while in college, where he created his first business that helped see him through college. Although Lightfoot Media is successful now, it has been a topsy turvy journey and was bankrupt for six years. After multiple iterations, Shannon’s figured it out, and his business has expanded rapidly, taking advantage of bigger and better opportunities. In this episode… The death or growth of any business depends on partnerships, employee recruitment, and retention. Without a system to continuously hire and retain A+ people in your company, you lose business and partnerships that could take you to the next level. The good news is that there’s a system that works to help you develop powerful partnerships and hire great people. It’s the CRMPPS (coachable, re

Matt Fraser is America's top psychic medium. He's also the star of the reality TV series Meet the Frasers on E! Entertainment. His sold-out live events, television appearances, and spiritual teachings have allowed him to bring healing, hope, and laughter to people all around the world. He's the Author of When Heaven Calls and We Never Die: Secrets of the Afterlife. Currently, he's on a nationwide live event tour throughout major cities. In this episode… The most challenging part of being a business owner is having so much self-doubt. We have so many limiting thoughts and limiting self-beliefs, and we're afraid to take that next risk or that next chance. When we’re scared of listening to ourselves, we miss out on trusting our intuition and psychic voice. When everybody around might be saying that your dream is not a good idea, that's when your intuition kicks in. It is that one voice inside that tells you it will. And when you listen to it, you can suddenly have these breakthroughs that nobody else has. Sadly,

Winnie Hart is the Founder and Chief Right Engine of TwinEngine, a brand growth agency fueled by purpose. Winnie is an industry-recognized interpreter of a business' brand and personality. She brings more than 30 years of experience in impacting firms and leaders to know what they stand for so that they can make a difference in the world.  She is the Author of Stand Out: Tools to Manage the 8 Fundamentals of Standing Out in Business. Winnie is also the creator of the One Page Marketing Plan and Brand in the Box, which are strategic tools to help brands build a clear, structured plan to stand out. For the past 15-plus years, Winnie has been a member and is currently a Global Board Director of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO).  In this episode… Is your business missing out on opportunities, and you don't know why? Or has your business grown to a level where you've lost touch with why you started in the first place? If you said yes to any of those questions, your business is out of alignment. And that impacts ev

Skyler (Sky) Fernandes is the Co-founder and General Partner at VU Venture Partners, a venture capital fund. He is also the Founder of Venture University, a multi-stage investment fund and a trade school for venture capital, private equity, and angel investing.  Sky has over 15 years of venture capital and private equity investing experience with over 150 portfolio companies. Prior portfolio companies include Beyond Meat (IPO'd, $14B), Sensity (acquired by Verizon, $300M+), ShopKick (acquired by SK Telecom, $200M), Made In Space (acquired by AE Industrial Partners), and more.  Sky is also the Co-founder of the #1 startup board game, The Next Big Thing: The Game of Entrepreneurship, backed by over 25 top accelerators and VC investors. In this episode… Investing in a startup is a significant risk, but the massive opportunity it holds is too good to pass on, especially for venture capitalists. What do these venture capitalists know that makes them invest millions into certain startups that almost no one has ever

Tom Foster is the Founder and Owner of Foster Web Marketing, a web design and Internet marketing agency. He is also the creator of DSS (Dynamic Self-Syndication) marketing automation software, a powerful and highly effective online application that allows clients to update every aspect of their website. Tom is a nationally recognized author and adept at marketing law firms online. He is the Author of The 7 Biggest Mistakes Lawyers Make With Their Web Marketing That Cost Them Millions in Cases, Clients, and Profits. Tom also authored How Smart Lawyers are Using Video on the Web to Get More Cases Without Breaking the Bank. He is the Co-author of the best-selling book, Shift Happens: America's Premier Experts Reveal Their Biggest Secrets to Help You Thrive in the New Economy. In this episode… It's every business owner's dream to one day hand over the reins of their business without feeling like they're giving up an arm and a leg. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs struggle with letting go and firing themselves fr

Lisa Larson-Kelley is the Founder and CEO of Quantious, a premier marketing agency specializing in emerging technology. Over the past decade, Lisa has grown the company from a small, two-person enterprise into a sought-after boutique marketing services agency. They’ve received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women President’s Educational Organization. Lisa is an online-video industry veteran, published author, and certified expert in emerging technologies. Her deep understanding of the developer ecosystem allows her to bridge the gap between tech-talk and marketing-speak.  In this episode… Since the pandemic began in 2020, companies working in remote or hybrid environments have struggled to keep everyone engaged and connected. As a result, they grapple with employee retention and productivity.  Fortunately, some have found the tools and tech to work through these challenges and succeed. Lisa Larson-Kelley is one of those using the latest tools to help foster a community while wo

Chris Madden is the Co-founder of Matchnode, a digital advertising and strategy firm that works with B2C brands. He also started Seabums, an NFT project focused on massively improving ocean health. They’ve donated over $140,000 to ocean charities within a six-month timeframe. In this episode… The cryptocurrency and NFT space continues to grow, and virtual experiences are becoming more common. Does this trend affect digital advertising strategies? And what should you know before entering these digital worlds?  Envisioning a future in which creators and people own digital networks, Chris Madden decided to create virtual communities of his own. He started Seabums, an NFT project that rallies around a cause — protecting our oceans. With this cause at the forefront and a community-led roadmap to help guide you, Seabums makes it easy to venture into the crypto and NFT world. Listen to this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast with Dr. Jeremy Weisz featuring Chris Madden, Co-founder of Matchnode and Founder of Se

Bill Harper is the CEO and Chief Creative Officer at wmHarper, a strategically-led, creatively-driven transformation agency. The agency focuses on brands in need of transformation and helps them transition from a stagnant awkward stage to a growth-generating stage.  Bill offers leadership teams the insights, strategy, and fearless creativity they need to set them on a path to reaching their full potential. Over his 30-year career, Bill has created compelling creative executions and success stories for brands like Denny’s, Ryobi, Bosch, Michelin, Delsey Luggage, and Music & Arts, to name a few. During Bill’s downtime, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing for striped bass, a good book, woodworking, and all things IPA. In this episode… Is your business taking two steps forward and three steps backward? Do you wish you could find a way to push through barriers so your brand could reach its full potential? Your brand has the potential to dominate its category, but it has to create a contagious, mar

Laurel Rundle is the Founder and CEO of Aha! Marketing, a leading provider of targeted product sampling that delivers millions of samples to consumers yearly through thousands of locations. They drive trials and awareness for top consumer products and natural brands. Over the past 20 years, they've worked with companies such as Gerber, Brita, Dove, and Gillette.  Laurel puts health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, education, and pet lifestyle brands at the center of human interactions that are already happening. So every brand campaign is delivered through one of their proprietary networks. In this episode… After creating an amazing consumer product, what’s next? How do you drive awareness for your product and get it in the hands of your preferred consumers? One sure way to do so is by delivering samples to your target market. This requires partnerships to get the products to the relevant consumers at the right time.  However, many consumer brands miss the context involved in driving awareness through trial. Th

Aalap Shah is a Chicago-born entrepreneur and Founder of 1o8, a performance marketing digital agency focused on driving sales for CPG companies nationwide on e-com and Amazon platforms. They've worked with companies like Gildan, Sweet Leaf Tea, Tio, So Crazy, and more.  Aalap has been recognized as a leader in Chicago's minority-owned digital marketing world and is known by multiple entities for his entrepreneurial and charitable endeavors. Crain's Chicago Business recognized him as one of Chicago's young emerging philanthropists, while the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship named him the National Volunteer of the Year.  In this episode… One of the greatest concerns for online retailers is retaining customers and keeping them engaged. It is especially critical now because customer acquisition cost has become astronomically high as brands scramble to lift online sales. Currently, only 20% of site visitors account for 50% to 70% of retail sales.  Trying to get new customers is great, but what if you tried to

Michele Tonkovitz is the Founder and CEO of Green Onion Creative, an agency that helps companies nationwide grow their brand awareness and achieve their marketing goals. She has over a decade of experience writing creative copy.  Michele also offers design, social media, PR, and vendor relations services. She holds a BA in journalism and mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In this episode… One of the hardest things for a business owner is transitioning from a solopreneur to building a team. The struggle comes from the extra time and effort needed to take on new tasks and roles required to build a team. It is also the mental stress of transferring knowledge to employees when it will take you minutes to get the job done.  Making that transition is more challenging in the creative space. Letting go and allowing someone else to take the reins can feel like you're in a room with no air, especially if you hate administrative work and managing people. But the truth is you'll have to let g

Jess Begen Galica is a corporate speaker and private coach. She helps high-performing women transform their career trajectories to find more purpose, balance, and fulfillment.  Jess has built a highly successful business career spanning almost every kind of corporate work environment, from top companies like Apple and Siemens to various startups to management consulting at Bain & Company. After becoming a new mom, Jess pivoted, researched, and wrote about women and careers. She soon discovered that her story is not unique — building a stellar career, doing everything “right,” but waking up lost.  She went on to study the career trajectories of more than 150 highly successful women and has become an expert on career reinvention. She is the Founder of Reclaim Your Career, where she helps women launch a career change. In this episode… To every working woman, you’re not alone in the guilt you feel when you try to reinvent yourself and make your next big career move. You think you have to climb a career ladder

Peter Billmeyer, SIOR, is a Co-founder and Managing Principal at Bespoke Commercial Real Estate, a company that finds, negotiates, finalizes, and extends custom real estate solutions for privately-held businesses and nonprofit organizations. In his role, Peter prides himself on business development and creative problem solving to drive value for clients continually. He has a business degree from Oregon State University and was an Academic All-American, a four-year starter, and three-year captain of the soccer team — and eventually played professionally. In this episode… Your company culture is everything, and you should protect it at all costs. What most people don’t realize is that your work environment has a lot to do with that. Beyond the pandemic and the need for many people to work remotely, how productive is your company’s work environment? Do your employees come in to work earlier? Are they hesitant to leave by the end of the day because they love it there? Contrary to what many people think, many empl

Michael LaVista is the Founder of Caxy Interactive, a Chicago-based custom software and technology company. Since 1999, they've been helping organizations create user-centered designs, content management systems, e-commerce, mobile application development, and much more. Over the past several decades, they have worked with clients like Motorola, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the American Dental Association. In this episode… Digital transformation has become a buzzword, and people struggle to figure out what it means beyond deploying tech tools and frameworks. It is more about scaling processes, systems, and eventually revenue. Unfortunately, many companies complicate their digital transformation attempts, turning innovation into a burden.  For example, when some companies try to improve the digital experience for customers, they often run into the common mistake of making customers jump through hurdles. They ask too much of the customer too early. But all the customer needs is what's

Marcia Dawood is an investor who has invested in over 200 early-stage private companies. She’s also a Venture Partner with Mindshift Capital. Mindshift Capital is a global, women-run venture firm investing in notable women-led companies solving big problems with sophisticated solutions. Marcia is also part of the Investment Committee for the Next Wave Impact Fund, serves as a Board Member and Advisor to Zive and Misfits Bakehouse, and is an Activator for SheEO. Marcia currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Angel Capital Association. In this episode… Angel investing is a risky asset class, and financial advisors often discourage putting in more than five to 10% of your net worth — and they are right. But many entrepreneurs either do not know this or do not factor it into their plan when contacting angel investors. So, these entrepreneurs see angel investors as always ready to write a check. After all, that’s what they do, right?  Nothing could be farther from the truth. From the invaluable experience an

Allie LeFevere is the Creative Director and Co-founder of Obedient, a humor branding agency. They turn businesses into unstoppable, unorthodox, unforgettable brands because they believe that standing out is not a matter of taste but of survival. Allie has spent the last decade working with brands to ensure their messaging isn’t a snoozefest.  Before starting Obedient, Allie was the VP of Engagement at a Chicago-based startup. She then jumped ship in 2014 to run her first business developing creative programs for companies like Dell, AT&T, Trunk Club, and emerging small businesses and startups. In this episode… Ultimately, the goal of marketing is to get your target audience to fall in love with your brand and do business with you. That involves connecting with your audience on a deep emotional level — even if you’re in a lackluster industry. Ironically, many brands see it as “out of brand” to infuse humor strategically to connect with their prospects.  Other brands desire this level of connection with the

Becky Feinberg-Galvez is the CEO and Co-owner of Candor Threads, a custom apparel company. The company was formerly known as Shop for Ties. Candor Threads first started as corporate textiles in 1982 when Becky's stepfather, Arnie Kapp, founded the business. He began making cold calls to sell ties, winning over customers and connections from his basement office — and, more importantly — instilled the importance of speaking with candor and treating every customer as a friend.  Becky joined Candor Threads as a Marketing and Sales Manager and moved into the CEO position following her stepfather's passing. As CEO, Becky has created steady year-over-year growth by introducing new products and implementing a customer-centered, detail-oriented approach to business. In this episode… We live in a world of uncertainties, and many times, there are more things out of our control that negatively impact our lives and business. In those uncertain times, such as when COVID-19 peaked, the most entrepreneurial question to ask i

Kevin Donlin is the Founder of Client Cloning Systems, a company that helps executives leverage the power of direct mail, email, and warm calls. Kevin has been involved in marketing since 1994 and sold one of the first ebooks online, which was the beginning of his e-commerce journey. By the late 90s, he was a Webmaster for FedEx, where he worked with some of the pioneers of online marketing. Since 1998, Kevin has been a copywriter and marketing advisor, delivering sales gains of more than $1 million on multiple occasions through direct mail and online marketing. He's been interviewed by ABC, CBS, NBC, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune magazine, and many more. He's a co-author and author of five marketing books.  In this episode… Is your business or product helping your customers avoid immense pain? If yes, why aren’t they rushing to do business with you and grow your revenue? One reason: you’re marketing like everyone else. What if there was a way to break people’s patterns, trigger their e

Ronen Menipaz is an Israeli investor, entrepreneur, and tech advisor. He's been a founder in the entertainment, ad-tech, and fintech space with over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience.  Ronen is the CEO and Founder of M51 Entrepreneur Labs, a private equity company located in Tel Aviv, Israel. The company helps empower fearless, passionate, and creative Israeli entrepreneurs to succeed by leveraging M51's ideas, time, and network of support. In this episode… There’s not too much that separates successful entrepreneurs from the not-so-successful ones. Unlike what many people think, it’s not about the numbers, but about the real superpowers of the entrepreneur. It is also about what makes the entrepreneur tick and their understanding of culture gaps.  Today’s guest, Ronen Menipaz, speaks to this issue. He calls the first superpower optimism. For Ronen, an entrepreneur is eternally optimistic because they’ll need all the optimism they can muster to support the other necessary superpowers. What are these othe

Amanda Holmes is the CEO of Chet Holmes International, a privately held company founded by highly publicized thought leader, Chet Holmes. The organization aims to help small to medium-sized businesses grow faster, better, and smarter. They have assisted over 250,000 businesses worldwide. It's the home to The Ultimate Sales Machine book, which was voted in the top 110 most recommended marketing and sales books.  Troy Aberle is a Coach for Chet Holmes International. He's worked with many companies and helped them sell over $400 million. He's used methodologies from Chet Holmes International to sell $12 million to prospects that were not interested and sold an entire year's quota in one week. He also runs a life and business strategy company. In this episode… How do you double your sales in 12 months? Will you increase marketing spending to reach more potential customers for more sales? What if there’s a way to double your sales and not spend more on customer acquisition? The Dream 100 is the fastest, least expe