startup journey - Clicks and bricks Podcast

Episode #280: Bryant Cruse

Tania Khazaal (Tanya the Herbalist), CEO of Your Life Tania Khazaal—better known as Tanya the Herbalist—is a coach, creator, and community builder helping people reclaim health, purpose, and agency. After witnessing her mother’s decline on pharmaceuticals, Tania dove into herbalism, rebuilt her own well-being, and transformed a tea side-hustle into a seven-figure, mission-driven brand. Today, through CEO of Your Life and her She’s Empowered community, she champions faith, emotional resilience, and practical daily habits that create lasting change. In this episode, Tania shares how she shifted from corporate life and basement tea packing to digital products, courses, and coaching—while keeping her compass set on faith, family, and service. Her framework centers on four pillars (inner world/spirituality, lifestyle & well-being, relationships, and vision/legacy) and a deceptively simple cadence: 18 minutes a day. Top Takeaways From crisis to calling: Her mother’s health battle sparked a deep dive into herbalism and holistic healing, leading to a purpose-led business. Product → platform: Moving from physical teas to ebooks, funnels, and courses unlocked scale and financial freedom. Four-pillar operating system: Inner world (faith), health, relationships, and vision—progress across all four creates durable happiness. Relationships matter: She spotlights estrangement as a “silent epidemic” and teaches emotional regulation over cut-off culture. 18 minutes a day: Small, daily commitments compound to ~100 hours/year—enough to change your health, business, and life. Ready to be the CEO of your life? Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42QHMV4EYW0 (search: “Clicks and Bricks Tanya the Herbalist”) Memorable Quote: “You can literally change your entire life in 10 years with 18 minutes a day.” Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Tania Linkedin Instagram Facebook

Episode #197: John Standish – Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer at Charlee.ai

Episode #191: David Wald – Co-Founder & CEO of Aclaimant

David Wald – Co-Founder & CEO of Aclaimant David Wald is the Co-Founder and CEO of Aclaimant, a Chicago-based risk management platform helping businesses keep their people safe and reduce workplace risk. With a background in consulting, venture capital, and startup growth—including time with Groupon’s early venture fund—David brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial experience and operational discipline. His journey shows how risk management, when digitized, can transform business safety and efficiency at scale. Key Takeaways from the Episode From Investor to Founder: David began his career at Bain & Company before joining Lightbank, Groupon’s venture fund, where he learned firsthand how successful founders iterate and scale. The Spark for Aclaimant: What started as his girlfriend’s (now wife’s) father’s insurance idea became a thriving company with 60 employees and Series B funding. Fixing Outdated Systems: Aclaimant moves risk management out of the “paper form era” into digital workflows—helping companies prevent accidents, manage incidents, and reduce insurance costs. Family Business Done Right: Building a company with his father-in-law wasn’t without challenges, but David credits honesty, trust, and shared passion as the keys to success. The Future of Risk & Tech: Beyond insurance, David sees Web 3.0 and blockchain as technologies that will revolutionize industries—though like 3D printing, it will take time to mature. Catch the full conversation with David Wald and host Ken on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRF9c8hv9kY Memorable Quote: “If you don’t know how to lose, you can never really win. In startups, you’re getting your butt kicked all the time—what matters is how you learn from it.” – David Wald Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with David Linkedin Globe

Episode #185: Paul Pacun

Paul Pacun, co-founder of Vablet, shares how the iPad sparked his vision for digital sales enablement and lessons every entrepreneur should know.

Episode #182: Keith Fix – Founder & CEO of RetailAware

Episode #177: Time Doctor – Liam Martin

Liam Martin of Time Doctor: Optimizing Remote Work Through Data and Grit Liam Martin, co-founder of Time Doctor, joined Clicks & Bricks Podcast to share his raw, real, and inspiring entrepreneurial journey—from college dropout to building one of the world’s most powerful remote work platforms. Based in Montreal, Liam is a data-driven leader on a mission to transform how we work in the digital age—and he’s not afraid to question everything along the way. Here are five key takeaways from the episode: Entrepreneurship isn’t a choice—it’s a calling. Liam describes it as something you do because nothing else fits. After being fired from almost every job, he found his place creating his own systems instead of living in someone else’s. Time Doctor was born from solving his own problem. While running a virtual tutoring business, Liam couldn’t track how long tutors were actually working—so he built a tool to fix that. Today, that tool is used by teams in 43+ countries. Remote work has permanently changed the game. Before the pandemic, 4.5% of the U.S. workforce was remote. Now it’s over 30%—and Liam says the best talent expects that flexibility. AI isn’t coming—it’s here. Time Doctor uses machine learning to analyze thousands of work patterns and offer actionable productivity insights. The company boasts the world’s largest second-by-second work database. High performers deserve freedom. Liam urges leaders to give their top 10% the space to thrive—even if that means 10 smoke breaks a day. “Measure output, not process.” Ready to dive into the future of remote work, entrepreneurship, and AI? Watch the full episode now at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzeIeE4p32w Memorable Quote: If you’re not passionate about solving the problem, you’ll probably quit before the breakthrough. Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Liam Facebook Linkedin Globe

Episode #150: Beautiesltd.com – Greg Shugar

Greg Shugar of Beau Ties Ltd.: From Attorney to E-Commerce Trailblazer Greg Shugar is no stranger to reinvention. After leaving a stable career as an attorney, Greg became a pioneer in online menswear with The Tie Bar in 2004—before most people even trusted buying clothes online. Now the owner of Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont, Greg has led two e-commerce brands to incredible growth through scrappy resilience, market intuition, and a commitment to adapting with the times. In this episode of Clicks & Bricks, Greg shares the inspiring journey of building a $19M-a-year business from his basement, selling it at the peak, and later buying a competitor just before the pandemic—and still growing 500% despite the chaos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTpFAPRQ9_E Episode Takeaways: Still growing & adapting: From tote bags to scarves, he’s now exploring how to evolve a men’s brand into a lifestyle brand for women—without losing the original customer.Started from a tie-ruined morning: The idea for his first business came from a ruined tie and the realization that neckwear didn’t need to be expensive. Built with zero funding: Greg bootstrapped the business with a $50k home equity loan—never raised or borrowed another penny. Pivoted hard during the pandemic: When bow tie sales disappeared, he shifted to masks and scaled production using old tie designs. Rebuilt with purpose: Greg rehired furloughed staff with earnings from mask sales and expanded the product line to serve a new female customer base. Still growing & adapting: From tote bags to scarves, he’s now exploring how to evolve a men’s brand into a lifestyle brand for women—without losing the original customer. Watch Greg’s full entrepreneurial journey and get inspired to make your next pivot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTpFAPRQ9_E Memorable Quote: “The number one attribute of any entrepreneur is being resourceful.” Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Greg Linkedin Globe

Episode #131: FrizBit – Ata Gur

Ata Gur of Frizbit: Retargeting Abandoned Carts and Rewriting E-commerce Rules Ata Gur, founder and CEO of Frizbit, joined the Clicks & Bricks Podcast to share how his passion for digital marketing evolved into building one of the most innovative retargeting platforms in the e-commerce world. Based in Barcelona, Ata helps online retailers recover lost sales through automated, personalized messages via email, SMS, and web push notifications—without relying on third-party ads. With his keen understanding of customer behavior and the future of digital marketing, Ata offers powerful insights every e-commerce entrepreneur should hear. Top Takeaways from Episode 131 with Ata Gur: Retargeting drives profitability: 98% of users leave without buying. Recovering abandoned carts through email, SMS, and web push is the lowest-hanging fruit for boosting revenue. No third-party cookies, no problem: Frizbit’s platform uses first-party data to personalize communication, preparing e-commerce stores for a cookie-less future. Knowledge is power: Ata’s third startup succeeded because he built it in an industry he knew intimately—digital marketing for e-commerce. Tenacity is non-negotiable: Ata failed twice before finding traction. His journey is proof that persistence pays off. Test your tools: Even SMS—often overlooked due to privacy concerns—can be a high-converting channel when used with real value and customer respect. Don’t miss the full episode – hear Ata’s startup journey, his expert breakdown of e-commerce tactics, and how to future-proof your business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8R6_bhDTD4 Memorable Quote: “If you’re solving a real problem you understand deeply, and you stay patient, success is only a matter of time.” – Ata Gur Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Ata Instagram X-twitter Linkedin Envelope

Episode #116: Luvafoodie – Michelle Mazzara

Michelle Mazzara, Founder of Luvafoodie: From Dating for Foodies to Clean Eating Success Michelle Mazzara took a leap of faith when she left the security of corporate America to chase her entrepreneurial dreams. What started as a dating site for food lovers evolved into Luvafoodie, a thriving clean eating and holistic product brand. In this episode, Michelle shares her inspiring journey of pivots, passion, and perseverance, showing what it takes to build a brand from scratch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9GtX6Sh55g&list=PL-aGDTmvrRSNUYOSG_x0JG7BNLmjoLWZs&index=50 This Episode’s Highlights Big Leaps Pay Off: Michelle left her corporate career at Sara Lee to build something entirely her own—starting in a completely new industry with zero experience. Pivoting with Purpose: When the online dating space proved too competitive, she quickly shifted Luvafoodie into a consumer products company focused on clean, natural foods. Problem Solving with Passion: A short shelf life for her first product, caramels, led her to develop longer-lasting chocolates, spices, and eventually salt-free spice blends inspired by her personal health journey. Health-Driven Mission: After battling heart disease, Michelle became a champion for clean eating and created products that help others lead healthier lives, including a spice line for pets. Entrepreneurial Grit: Michelle built Luvafoodie without investors, driven by her passion to help people eat better and create products that genuinely make people smile. You have to want this more than anything else you’ve ever wanted, because you’re going to work harder than you ever anticipated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9GtX6Sh55g&list=PL-aGDTmvrRSNUYOSG_x0JG7BNLmjoLWZs&index=50 Memorable Quote: You have to want this more than anything else you’ve ever wanted, because you’re going to work harder than you ever anticipated. Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Michelle Facebook Globe Instagram X-twitter

Episode #115: CrankWheel – Gilsi Sigvaldason

Guest Profile: Gilsi Sigvaldason of CrankWheel — Simplifying Sales Calls with Instant Screen Sharing Gilsi Sigvaldason, co-founder of CrankWheel, joined the Clicks & Bricks Podcast to share how his bootstrapped Icelandic startup revolutionizes cold calls and sales demos. With over 60,000 users worldwide, Gilsi and his team help sales professionals close deals faster by making screen sharing instant, simple, and available on any device—no downloads required. If you’re in sales or lead a business frustrated by long sales cycles and no-show demos, this episode is for you. Gilsi’s down-to-earth approach to entrepreneurship, rooted in solving real problems, shows how focus and simplicity can win in tech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-FNw5wSNk8&list=PL-aGDTmvrRSNUYOSG_x0JG7BNLmjoLWZs&index=49 This Episode’s Highlights Start Simple, Stay Focused: CrankWheel solves one problem—seamless screen sharing—and refuses to overcomplicate their product. Shorten the Sales Cycle: Instantly show prospects your solution during the first phone call, cutting multi-call sales processes down to one. Bootstrapped & Profitable: Instead of chasing venture capital, CrankWheel stayed lean, grew customer-first, and is now used on six continents. Sell the Solution, Not the Software: The team prioritizes creating real-world results over piling on features customers never asked for. Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Solve the frustrations you experience at work; chances are others feel the same pain and will pay for a fix. Catch the full conversation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-FNw5wSNk8&list=PL-aGDTmvrRSNUYOSG_x0JG7BNLmjoLWZs&index=49 Memorable Quote: We are selling a solution, not a problem.” — Gilsi Sigvaldason Want to be a Guest on our Show? Apply Now Connect with Gilsi Facebook Linkedin Globe

Tag: startup journey