Founder Unfiltered - What Founders Think But Never Say

Epizódok

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  The Hard Lessons Nobody Tells You When You Leave Corporate 13.08.2026 36p

  Leaving Uber was one of the strangest experiences of my life. One day I'm running a business line worth billions of dollars, the next I have no manager, no structure, no salary, and no idea whether I'm doing a good job. In this episode, part three of my conversation with Kassidy Warren, I get into everything that happened after I left: pitching my first consulting client on a $25k proposal I basically made up on the spot, learning to ask for what I actually want (something corporate culture trains out of you), and the existential wobble of defining success for myself for the first time.We talk about why so many founders confuse their identity with their business, and why separating "I am Bradley" from "I am the business" was the single biggest unlock in my entrepreneurial journey. I share how a mastermind group, a few minutes of intentionally feeling hard emotions, and a shift from chasing metrics to falling in love with process changed how I run Mylance day to day. We also get into how Mylance came to be, why posting daily on LinkedIn became my entire marketing engine, and why keeping your hard-won expertise to yourself is, in my view, the most selfish thing you can do.If you're building something on your own and wondering whether the chaos is normal, this one's for you.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Intro to part three00:16 Everything after Uber01:18 Making up a $25K proposal02:08 First entrepreneurial leap02:52 Learning to ask for what you want03:29 Why corporate discourages asking04:14 Knowing your market value04:42 Never Split the Difference tactic05:24 Falling into consulting06:06 Existential first months solo07:18 Building an informal advisor board08:06 Corporate structure vs going solo09:10 Starting a mastermind for support09:51 Facing the fear of shutting down10:13 Separating self from the business11:29 Letting yourself feel emotions12:26 Trauma responses and burnout13:21 Ditching fancy business models14:19 Falling in love with process15:07 Systems as 98% of the game15:30 Planning nights for needle movers17:14 Purpose over hitting numbers18:09 Why Mylance was founded19:06 The first client conversation20:12 Researching the market21:32 Sales and marketing struggles21:49 Building trust through daily posts22:52 Coaching program pivot23:19 The $12,000 sale story24:07 The power of compounding trust25:04 Posting consistently, small audience26:00 What a thousand followers is worth26:42 Speak from the "I," not the "you"27:43 Fear of being seen29:19 Entrepreneurship as self-improvement30:05 Keeping expertise to yourself is selfish32:04 Content as a mirror for others34:00 Where to find Bradley and Mylance
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  AI Can Steal Your Skills. It Can't Steal This with Abhijit Bhaduri 06.08.2026 36p

  I've talked to a lot of guests on this show, but this conversation with Abhijit Bhaduri gave me a word I haven't stopped thinking about since we recorded it: hunar.Abhijit has led learning and leadership development at Colgate, Wipro, Microsoft, and Pepsi. He was Wipro's first Chief Learning Officer, has written six books, and has built an audience of nearly a million followers on LinkedIn. But none of that is really what we talk about. We talk about the thing underneath all of it.Hunar is a Persian-origin word used in Hindi and Urdu, and it sits somewhere between mastery and artistry. Abhijit breaks down the difference between talent (what you're born with), skill (what can be taught and benchmarked), and hunar (the unrepeatable stuff you bring from your own life, your disappointments, your obsessions, your weird taste in music) that shows up in your work whether you mean it to or not. He tells the story of Alfred Hitchcock's childhood and how a single terrifying afternoon became the signature of "the master of suspense." We talk about Roger Federer, why his rivals cried when he retired, and why AI can replicate a skill but never a signature.If AI can build the CRM, write the copy, and do the accounting, the thing that makes your product yours isn't the execution. It's you, integrated into the work. We talk about what that means for building in public, for LinkedIn content, and for founders trying to differentiate in a market where everyone has access to the same tools.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Introducing Abhijit Bhaduri01:14 The through line across his career02:29 Going out on his own after big brands04:42 Building identity without a big name05:15 Where the idea of hunar began06:13 Talent versus skill versus hunar07:41 The Alfred Hitchcock origin story09:23 How fear became his signature10:47 The unsigned painting analogy12:17 Why AI can steal skill, not hunar13:30 Why we still need teachers14:12 The human side AI can't replicate15:28 What makes a CRM actually different16:08 The industrial era of interchangeability17:45 Why benchmarks hurt mental health18:24 His next book, AI Identity19:17 The vulnerability of being unique20:01 Bringing storytelling into corporate work22:40 Illustrating his own LinkedIn content23:15 Roger Federer as a hunar example24:34 Why his rivals cried at his retirement26:20 Learning from others without copying them27:00 How founders can go find their hunar28:42 Coaching founders on money and identity30:15 What works for him on LinkedIn32:07 Posting consistently over years33:33 Writing for yourself and the reader34:07 His closing message to founders35:11 Where to find Abhijit Bhaduri
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  The Billion-Dollar Uber Business Nobody Talks About 30.07.2026 29p

  This is part two of my conversation with Kassidy Warren, and if you haven't listened to part one about launching Raleigh, the Lyft wars, and Uber Eats in Miami, go back and start there first.This episode picks up right where things got hard. I talk about getting rejected for a role I was asked to interview for, and the lesson that rejection taught me about making career moves about what a company actually needs instead of what I want. From there I take you through moving to Europe to launch Uber Eats in Milan, managing a team of over 25 Italians without speaking the language, and learning the difference between managing and leading the hard way.Then I get into the part of my Uber story almost nobody knows: Uber Freight. I walked into a warehouse in San Francisco with a handful of people from the freight world and helped build a digital freight brokerage from scratch, inside a hundred billion dollar industry that was still running on phone calls and fax machines. Two years later, that business crossed a billion dollar valuation. I talk through the two-sided marketplace problem we got completely backwards at first, why enterprise sales in freight is a game of pure reliability, and how Uber's willingness to make big, bold, expensive bets is what actually built the business.If you're building something new inside an old industry, or you're trying to figure out how much risk you're actually willing to take on to grow, this one's for you.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Intro and part two setup00:40 The rejection that taught a lesson01:10 Launching Uber in Italy overview01:23 Getting rejected for the Madrid GM role01:50 Applying anyway without fluent Spanish02:07 The call that changed everything02:49 Putting ego aside to add value03:11 Asked to launch two cities at once04:01 Choosing Milan over Madrid04:47 Launching Uber Eats in Milan05:16 Grassroots marketing with no brand05:45 The lunch culture clash06:38 Managing the pressure from corporate07:39 First launch day: 50 orders vs 1,00308:16 Becoming a pure manager for the first time08:52 What he'd do differently in Italy09:44 Deciding to come home after seven months10:04 Hearing about the Uber Freight acquisition10:52 Getting the call to join Freight11:16 Why chaos and building excite him12:02 Sponsor: Lodify13:05 Walking into the Freight warehouse14:03 The disconnect between plan and reality14:44 Breaking the news to leadership15:08 Grassroots interviews with truck drivers16:15 Crossing a billion dollars in two years16:39 The hundred billion dollar fragmented market17:00 The chicken-and-egg marketplace problem18:07 Why loads mattered more than sign-ups19:35 First time doing enterprise sales20:01 What shippers actually care about20:39 Proving reliability with the worst loads21:16 How they hit a billion dollar valuation21:38 Growth versus profitability tension22:32 Spot market versus contract market23:16 Beating the market with technology24:23 Using the Uber name as leverage25:22 Would Freight work without Uber's name25:54 What made Uber succeed overall26:24 Travis and the big bold bets philosophy27:41 Bradley's own lessons from getting slapped down28:38 Setting up part three
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  Stop Selling Your Product. Start Selling How You Think with Simon Bowen 23.07.2026 49p

  This episode changed how I see my own business.Most founders think their product is the thing they sell. It isn't. Your thinking is the real product.I sat down with Simon Bowen, founder of the Models Method and creator of the Genius Model, a system he's used for nearly 30 years to help founders and consultants turn complex expertise into visual frameworks that actually close deals. Simon's work spans 30 countries and industries from defense to one-on-one coaching, and he's spent his career helping people get out of their own heads long enough to see what they actually know.We get into why "uniqueness" is a trap in a world flooded with AI-generated marketing copy. Simon breaks down his framework for company genius: the 20% that's truly yours (your original perspective, shaped by your story) integrated with the 80% you've curated from everything else in your industry. We talk about why purpose doesn't make the sale, why the sale is made in the how, and Simon walks through a real example of finding "the ache," the deep, often unnamed problem underneath the problem a customer says they have.If you've ever struggled to explain what makes you different, or felt like imposter syndrome was creeping in because so much of what you do isn't "original," this conversation will change how you think about your own value.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Intro to Simon Bowen00:56 Simon's origin story02:35 Ideas start as a drawing04:10 Facilitating rooms that disagree05:24 The real Pareto principle06:44 Getting rooms to the breakthrough09:24 What is company genius10:09 Make me safe, help me win11:04 Why AI breeds sameness12:00 Thinking is the real product13:15 The founder's story as a lens15:13 The laundromat example begins18:03 Curate, create, integrate19:02 Imposter syndrome reframed20:28 Purpose, mechanics, and magic21:29 Consistency builds reliability22:15 Culture creates character23:13 The believability crisis25:12 Purpose doesn't make the sale26:55 The sale is made in the how28:44 What AI can't replace32:02 What the market really wants34:19 Introducing "the ache"36:02 The acne treatment example39:05 Three levels of problem40:59 Naming the ache42:00 Why founders forget their own ache44:34 Closing thoughts on business46:01 Business as the cornerstone of community48:37 Where to find Simon Bowen
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  90% Market Share in 6 Months: The Wild Ride of Running Uber at 24 16.07.2026 40p

  I was recently a guest on Cassidy Warren's podcast, For Your Own Good, and the conversation went so long and covered so much that I wanted to bring it here too. This is part one of a three-part series pulled from that interview, and it goes all the way back to when I was 24 years old, joining Uber and getting handed the Raleigh, North Carolina market.My job was simple to say and brutal to execute: beat Lyft. We launched on the exact same day, with basically the same product, and six months later we had 90% market share. I walk through exactly how that happened, the five-mile launch radius, the obsession with five-minute ETAs, the live recruiting with a backpack full of iPhones and cash incentives, and the sheer amount of experimentation inside a very tight discipline.I also get into launching Uber Eats in Miami from scratch in six weeks, saying no to an entire city team who wanted a flashy launch party, and instead building the actual marketplace first. Restaurants, eaters, couriers, in that order. This is what it looks like to own a market as if it's your own company before you actually know what you're doing, and to do it anyway.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Intro and episode setup00:46 Uber at 24, goal to beat Lyft01:27 Uber Eats Miami preview02:01 90% market share explained02:41 Early Uber culture, Wild West03:36 Launch day vs Lyft in Raleigh04:19 Five mile radius strategy04:58 Six months later, 90% share05:43 Focusing on one KPI06:33 Experimentation within discipline06:58 Incentive experiments explained07:29 Managing events and driver supply08:12 Pitching drivers on gig economy09:07 Background checks and security09:52 Signing up riders at UNC10:54 Organic growth over paid ads11:41 Who do you trust, then and now12:41 Comparing to AI hype today13:52 Communicating with skeptical users14:30 Answering 500 driver emails weekly15:52 Building a text expander system16:28 Transition to launching Uber Eats17:14 Getting picked for Uber Eats launch18:09 Six week launch challenge in Miami19:06 Three sided marketplace explained19:36 Metrics needed to launch20:07 Killing the launch party idea21:05 Biggest Uber Eats launch to date22:10 Becoming a leader under pressure23:07 Jumping in wherever needed24:03 Conflict on a commission team25:04 Offered the Miami GM role26:08 Reflecting on ownership mindset27:23 Talking to restaurant partners28:37 Explaining the restaurant pitch29:10 Ghost kitchens and on demand lunch31:02 Why the restaurant model failed32:20 DoorDash winning on volume33:12 Backpack full of iPhones story34:49 Copying competitor features35:23 Why Uber tracked Lyft so closely36:26 Live dashboards and supply scores37:39 Why lost riders rarely return38:18 Lesson on owner over optimization39:32 Door to door restaurant signups40:04 Closing and part two preview
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  I Watched $47 Billion Disappear at WeWork. Here's the Leadership Lesson That Actually Changed Me with Robin Daniels 09.07.2026 50p

  My guest this week, Robin Daniels has held executive roles at Salesforce, LinkedIn, Box, Matterport, and WeWork, and he's now Chief Business Officer at Zensai. He watched WeWork's valuation swing from $20 billion to $47 billion to nothing in the span of a single year, and what he took from that isn't a war story, it's a way of leading.We get into the delusion that fuels great founders, the fine line between visionary and reckless, and why people always buy with emotion and support with logic, no matter how "B2B" the sale looks. Robin shares the courage it took to buy a one-way ticket from Copenhagen to California at 21, why high performers fear not trying more than failing, and how he made the brutal transition from doer to leader by learning to trust his team and optimize for speed. We also talk honestly about imposter syndrome, self-promotion, and the question he asks people frozen by the fear of posting: can your ego handle a few people thinking you're wrong?His core argument is one I keep coming back to: you can't control outcomes, you can only control your inputs and your outputs, so reward how people show up, not just what they hit. Robin's book, The Human Success Playbook, is out now.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Meet Robin Daniels01:18 The Uber and WeWork parallels03:00 The founder's useful delusion06:00 Buy with emotion, support with logic08:30 Market B2B like B2C10:50 A one-way ticket to California at 2114:30 Fear of not trying vs fear of failing17:40 From doer to leader20:00 Why micromanagement kills teams23:00 Optimize for speed and trust25:30 The mistake that shaped his leadership28:00 Imposter syndrome at every level30:30 The voice that says you're a fraud32:00 Getting started on LinkedIn35:00 The 90-9-1 content model38:00 Can your ego handle the judgment39:30 Why worshipping outcomes backfires43:00 Reward how people show up47:40 The Human Success Playbook49:50 Where to find Robin
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  AI and the Founder Opportunity (Pt 4 of 4): What AI Can't Copy 02.07.2026 16p

  This is part four of my four-part series on AI and the founder opportunity, and it's the one that answers the question I get asked the most: once AI makes it easy for anyone to build a product or service, what's actually left to protect?I walk through why AI is a multiplier, not a moat. The technology gets you to market fast, but so does everyone else's. What separates one founder from the next isn't the product, it's trust, credibility, and the story only you can tell. I share the honest version of my own journey building Mylance since 2020, including the products I sold and the ones I shut down, and why I don't count any of it as failure.I also get into the real reason most people never do this: not laziness, but fear of judgment. And I close with the four things I'd focus on if I were starting over: know what you're passionate about, validate there's a business in it, get honest about what's holding you back, and pick a strategy and stick with it for years, not weeks.No books or resources referenced in this one, just the lessons from building and rebuilding Mylance since 2020.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/Timestamps00:00 Welcome & what we're building00:39 Recap: the AI series so far02:20 AI is a multiplier, not a moat03:15 Why customers choose you03:46 Products I built and killed06:41 Your story is the differentiator08:28 Why founders hide instead of market09:37 The real reason: fear, not laziness10:58 Consistency over years, not weeks13:01 Recap: short game vs long game14:08 4 keys to set yourself up right15:52 Wrap up
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  Dr. Ruth Gotian Studied Nobel Winners, Astronauts & Olympians — Here’s What She Found 25.06.2026 43p

  I sat down with Dr. Ruth Gotian, a success researcher and executive coach who has spent her career studying the world's highest performers, Nobel laureates, NASA astronauts, and Olympic champions, to figure out what they actually do differently when the pressure is real.What surprised me most is how often these elite performers say "I don't know." They're not protecting their egos, they're staying curious and pulling knowledge from outside their lane. We dug into why imposter syndrome is actually a sign of your success, why high achievers fear not trying more than they fear failing, and why focusing on your next goal beats obsessing over the ultimate one.We also got into self-promotion, the thing so many founders avoid. Ruth's take reframed it for me: it's not about you, it's about the value and the people you put the spotlight on. And she shared a networking system, the 24/7/30 rule, that any founder can use right now.Resources mentioned: Ruth's book The Success Factor, her LinkedIn Learning courses, and the free Passion Audit at RuthGotian.com.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 What elite performers do differently01:15 The subway that sparked the research03:30 No one teaches you how to succeed05:00 The surprising power of "I don't know"07:00 Reading isn't it, open your mind09:30 Get out of your lane to learn11:30 Ego and saying "I don't know"14:00 Your five people set your baseline16:30 Think next goal, not ultimate goal19:00 They're terrified too20:30 Imposter syndrome is a strength22:30 Failure is just data25:00 Saying yes only to aligned goals28:00 Giving value across seasons30:30 Self-promotion is really value-giving33:30 Becoming a LinkedIn Top Voice36:00 Don't fear giving away your secrets39:00 Breaking through the praise plateau42:00 What got you here won't get you there44:30 Using AI for real human connection47:30 The 24/7/30 networking rule50:00 Remember your why
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  AI and the Founder Opportunity (Pt 3 of 4): Finding Your Product-Market Fit 18.06.2026 13p

  This is part three of my four-part series on how AI is reshaping the workforce, and it's the one I promised would be tactical. If you've listened to parts one and two, you know about the macro shift and the inner-game work, this episode is the playbook.I walk through the exact mistake most founders make: they get excited about an idea, build it, then go looking for customers, only to discover they built the wrong thing. I share the step-by-step process I used about a year ago to launch a brand-new product at Mylance, one that had paying customers before we'd even built it.You'll hear how I wrote out my hypotheses, ran real customer conversations instead of asking leading questions, built a no-code MVP I could ship in a day, and used the Sean Ellis score to know when I'd actually found product-market fit. I also talk about how tools like Claude Code, Lovable, and Base44 have made building fast, but figuring out what to build is still the hard part.Part four, on building trust and a sustainable customer experience, drops in two weeks.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Intro and what Mylance does00:50 Recap of parts one and two01:30 What this episode delivers02:15 The mistake most founders make03:00 Step 1: write your hypotheses04:15 Bradley's own hypothesis example05:30 Step 2: real customer conversations07:00 Talk to real ideal customers08:00 Step 3: brainstorm the MVP08:45 Build fast with AI/no-code tools10:00 Get customers onto the MVP11:15 The Sean Ellis score and PMF12:30 Why founders skip this step13:15 Recap, Part 4 coming in 2 weeks
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  "Nobody Cares About You" | Mark Samuel on Failure, Pivots & Founder Health 11.06.2026 32p

  I sat down with Mark Samuel for an episode that pushed back on a lot of startup gospel. Mark's a serial CPG entrepreneur. He built Iwon Organics into thousands of retail doors before licensing it, had a global brand in Fitmark that was acquired, and he's now building MARK'S, a better-for-you snack company. He also hosts the Let's Eat podcast, where he's interviewed over 250 CPG founders and operators.We got into why getting onto the shelf is the easy part and why velocity in the door is the metric that actually matters. Mark challenged my own belief that winners are simply the ones who never quit. His reframe: "keep going" means keep moving your feet, not keep pushing a product that's clearly not working. We talked about how to tell a real pivot from a sunk cost, the emotional weight of carrying private investors' money, and why he puts his own health ahead of family and work, in that order.It's an honest, unfiltered conversation about identity, failure, and starting over. No books or external resources were mentioned in this episode.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/Connect with Mark Samuel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markalansamuel/00:00 Welcome + meet Mark Samuel00:48 Iwon Organics: scaled then licensed03:00 Getting in the door is the easy part04:51 The emotional weight of investor money07:02 The numbers speak for themselves11:13 Marks' go-to-market: Amazon + DSD09:25 Pushback: do winners just never quit?09:46 "Keep going" means move your feet16:36 How to know: pivot or move on15:58 The Poppy outlier story21:00 Health, family, work — in that order24:53 Marks as a health & wellness platform25:25 Discipline over motivation25:45 On resilience27:00 What drives him now + brand position31:13 "Nobody cares about you" — the takeaway31:43 Where to find Mark
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  AI and the Founder Opportunity (Pt 2 of 4): Why Founders Stay Small 04.06.2026 15p

  In this episode — part two of my four-part series, AI and the Founder Opportunity — I get into the real stuff that keeps founders stuck. Not the tactics, not the tools. The fear.After talking with thousands of founders, I keep seeing the same patterns. Fear of judgment and rejection. Not knowing which move to make next. And that subtle, quiet thing where you're going through the motions but never quite giving it everything you've got — leaving yourself a back door just in case it doesn't work out.I talk about why action is the only thing that actually moves the needle on these blocks. Not therapy, not journaling (though those have their place) — but taking small, uncomfortable steps forward anyway. I share how I work with my own business coach, and why if you can't afford one, buying a smart friend tacos once a week might be the best investment you can make.I also get into why this moment — with AI making it easier than ever to build, test, and launch — is a massive opportunity for founders who are willing to stop waiting for the perfect idea, the right co-founder, or one more dollar in the bank. The riches are in the niches, and the tools to go after them have never been more accessible.No books or external resources were mentioned in this episode beyond a brief reference to 10x Is Easier Than 2x (highly recommended by Bradley).Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/
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  Are You Playing to Win, or Playing Not to Lose in Your Business? with Dr. Angela Kerek 28.05.2026 35p

  Most founders I talk to already know what they need to do — they just aren't doing it. In this episode, I find out why.Dr. Angela Kerek is a former professional tennis player, big law finance partner, and now founder of Active Giving — and her framework for sustainable performance completely reframed how I think about fear, self-sabotage, and what it actually means to give your all.We talked about the difference between playing to win versus playing to avoid losing, and how that same psychology that showed up on the tennis court follows us into every pitch, every client call, and every revenue goal we set. Angela shared how she realized she'd never truly given 100% in her entire career — not because she couldn't, but because if she gave everything and still lost, she'd have no excuse left. We dug into how to build a value system that's truly your own, why movement is one of the most underrated tools for mental resilience, and what it really looks like to live a sustainable, high-performing life without burning out. No books or external resources were mentioned in this episode. Find Angela and Active Giving at angelakeriek.com and activegiving.de.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.co Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ Connect with Angela Kerek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelakerek/00:00 Welcome & guest intro00:44 Angela's background02:39 Learning to succeed without losing yourself06:38 Winning in business vs. winning in sport07:35 Defining success on your own terms11:04 Process focus & planning the night before12:48 We know what to do — so why don't we?13:59 Self-sabotage: the fear beneath the avoidance14:53 Playing to win vs. playing not to lose19:58 Fear of giving your all — and still failing20:14 What we can and can't control21:23 What to actually do about it23:27 Building your own universe25:00 Blocking out the noise — from everyone26:27 Training the mind to come back to itself29:42 Why building a business is so hard30:16 Uncertainty and the hardest part of founding32:02 Closing thoughts & last advice32:18 Never stop following your dreams34:10 Where to find Angela & Active Giving34:49 Wrap-up
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  AI and the Founder Opportunity (Pt 1 of 4): The Macro, the Opportunity, and the Fear 21.05.2026 15p

  The AI revolution isn't coming — it's already here. Bradley Jacobs breaks down what the wave of tech layoffs actually signals and why he sees it as a massive opening for founders and solo entrepreneurs.With the cost and complexity of building software plummeting, Bradley argues that anyone with niche expertise can now create tailored solutions for underserved audiences that big companies will never touch. A focused, one- or two-person business serving a specific audience? More viable today than it has ever been — and getting more so by the month.But the real barrier isn't technical or financial. It's mindset. Bradley gets honest about fear, imposter syndrome, and the habit of playing small — drawing on quotes from Lady Gaga and Emma Watson to show that self-doubt is universal. The people who break through aren't fearless; they just act anyway. This episode sets the stage for a four-part series exploring the opportunity in front of every founder right now.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Welcome & episode overview01:15 Big tech layoffs & what they signal03:30 AI is still in its infancy05:00 The niche founder opportunity07:45 Custom solutions for underserved audiences10:00 Why being miserable at work isn't required12:30 What really holds founders back: fear15:00 Imposter syndrome — Lady Gaga & Emma Watson17:30 Playing big despite the fear19:45 Bradley's personal fear of playing big21:30 Miniseries roadmap: episodes 2, 3 & 423:00 DM Bradley & Mylance CTA
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  Take the Blame, Give the Credit: The Leadership Mindset That Scales with Asim Khaliq 14.05.2026 29p

  Most founders start their companies with a clear vision — and then accidentally become the biggest obstacle to that vision. Asim Khaliq has built seven companies and generated over $800 million in revenue, and he's seen this pattern play out over and over again.Bradley sits down with Asim to unpack why the founder mindset that launches a company is often the very thing that stalls it. Asim breaks down the difference between delegation and true decision design — and why most founders who think they're delegating are still bottlenecking everything. He also shares his framework for failure: fail often, fail cheap, fail fast. It's not about avoiding failure — it's about making sure each one only costs you $500, not $50,000.They also get into what's actually changing in e-commerce and business right now. Asim's take on AI is refreshingly practical: stop chasing every new tool, and figure out how AI fits your operations. And on the question of passion? Asim gives a honest answer — most great businesses are boring, and accepting that is part of what makes you a great founder.Learn More: Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Introduction & Asim's background00:51 Why the founder is the problem02:53 Delegation vs. decision design04:57 Staying close to your customer06:20 Humility and the best founders07:39 Key founder skills: culture, resilience, listening10:46 Fail often, fail cheap, fail fast13:23 Taking blame, giving credit15:23 How Asim builds personal resilience17:37 What's working (and not) in the market19:45 Practical AI use cases for e-commerce21:42 How to choose AI tools without overwhelm22:39 Claude vs. ChatGPT as strategic advisors23:47 Building a business that can survive AI25:55 Passion in entrepreneurship — the honest take27:51 Why great businesses are boring28:54 Where to find Asim
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  The Original Idea for Mylance Was a Fool’s Errand 07.05.2026 15p

  What if the biggest threat to your consulting business isn't competition — it's you trying to solve too many problems at once? Bradley Jacobs, founder and CEO of Mylance, shares the real story behind building Mylance from scratch: the bloated first pitch, the advisors who never called him out, and the cycle of adding products instead of cutting them.From a coaching program to bookkeeping to a custom outbound software tool to a done-for-you content agency — Bradley kept stacking solutions on top of solutions, all while drifting further from what actually worked. It took stripping everything back down to a no-code MVP built in Notion and Google Sheets to find real traction. The lesson: going deep on one problem for one customer beats going wide on ten.If you're a founder or independent consultant wondering why your business feels scattered, this episode will help you see the pattern — and give you the clarity to cut what's not working.Learn More:Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Welcome & Mylance intro00:45 The original Mylance pitch (Jan 2020)02:10 "HR for Freelancers" — the full vision03:30 Year one: coaching program takes off04:45 Adding bookkeeping to the mix05:30 Raising money, hiring a CTO, building software06:45 The core mistake: solving too much07:30 Advisors who couldn't spot the problem08:45 Emotional attachment to what you've built09:50 Shutting down coaching, pivoting to lead gen11:00 ZoomInfo-style software + done-for-you agency12:00 Repeating the mistake with content creation13:00 The AI reset — starting from scratch13:45 Back to user interviews: LinkedIn clarity14:20 The no-code MVP that actually worked14:50 One sentence rule & wrap-up
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  How AI is Reshaping the Founder Journey (From the Inside Out) with Manuj Aggarwal 30.04.2026 33p

  Most founders are using AI wrong — and it's quietly burning them out. I sat down with Manuj Aggarwal, founder and Chief Innovation Officer at TetraNoodle Technologies, who has been working in AI since 2005 and now sits at the crossroads of artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and psychology. His central argument: unfiltered AI output is like crude oil for the mind — it overwhelms, it bypasses your values, and it makes you busier without making you better.Manuj walks us through his seven-pillar AI Merge framework, designed to help founders engage with AI in a way that's actually aligned with who they are — their purpose, identity, relationships, creativity, time, peace of mind, and embodiment. He references the Japanese concept of ikigai as a practical starting point for purpose discovery, and explains why the founders who truly win in this era will be the ones who know themselves deeply first. He also shares the story of how he literally fired himself as CEO of his own company, replacing that role with an AI-powered digital twin — and why it's working better than he expected.If you're overwhelmed by AI noise, canceling plans to stay home and "just work," or chasing every new tool without a clear reason — this conversation will reframe everything. Manuj's message is counterintuitive but powerful: slow down, go outside, talk to real people, and use AI as a precision instrument rather than a crutch.Learn More: Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Welcome & intro: Manuj Aggarwal00:41 Manuj's background & origin story02:23 20 years in AI before ChatGPT03:09 AI's real impact on the founder mind06:56 Outsourcing decisions to AI: the risk07:08 Why AI doesn't know your values09:17 How to use AI the right way09:31 The 7-pillar AI Merge framework13:44 Breaking the addiction of working from home14:37 The evolutionary shift happening right now16:40 AI as the "middle 50%" of the past17:12 What is a digital twin for founders?20:24 How well does it actually work?21:32 Too many AI tools — how to choose22:11 Focus on problems, not tools24:05 Can you clone Elon Musk or Steve Jobs?24:40 Why someone else's nervous system won't help you26:46 How do you actually find your purpose?26:56 Ikigai, purpose, and the new economy
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  The Post That Got 22 Inbound Leads (And What It Taught Me About Trust) 23.04.2026 14p

  Most people think the problem with their LinkedIn content is time — but the real issue is fear. In this solo episode, Bradley Jacobs breaks down why generic, AI-generated posts destroy trust with potential clients, and what to do instead. Using a real story from his time on the Uber launch team in Raleigh — a post that earned 700,000 impressions and 22 inbound leads — Bradley shows exactly what makes LinkedIn content actually work: firsthand experience, specific detail, and a narrative that only you could tell.Bradley also walks through the framework behind effective LinkedIn positioning: defining your ideal customer, identifying their pain points, and building content pillars that make your presence consistent and credible over time. Whether you're a fractional executive, independent consultant, or B2B founder, this episode gives you a clear-eyed look at why your uniqueness is your biggest competitive advantage — and how to stop leaving it on the table.Build your founder brand with Mylance: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Intro & Mylance overview01:10 The webinar that sparked this episode02:05 Why LinkedIn content feels cringy03:00 The Uber vs. Lyft Raleigh story05:10 What made the post go viral06:30 Wins, losses & why both build trust07:45 What destroys trust on LinkedIn08:30 Fear is the real barrier, not time09:45 Positioning & content pillars framework11:20 Marrying personal stories with professionalism12:40 The 22 inbound leads lesson13:30 Wrap-up & Mylance free version CTA
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  The Advantages of Self-Doubt with Jamie Sylvian 16.04.2026 34p

  Bradley Jacobs sits down with Jamie Sylvian — a 30-year international communications consultant, author of the Executive Nomad Operating System, and founder of Executive Nomad. Jamie has worked with clients ranging from British Gas and global publishing houses to the British Royal Family, all while calling 13 countries home. He's built a business that sold for $200 million and survived a complete collapse in 2008.The conversation digs into the emotional reality of the founder journey — how to get back up after a deal falls apart, why stepping away from the business (rather than over-analyzing) is often the fastest path to clarity, and how Jamie's "Remarkable Wednesday" routine has grounded him for over two decades.Jamie reframes self-doubt not as a weakness, but as a productive tool. He shares how questioning whether Executive Nomad would resonate with anyone actually pushed him to validate the market, invest in learning AI, and sharpen his positioning. He also unpacks the moment Executive Nomad was born — a spontaneous conversation in a Greek harbor town with a recently made-redundant 54-year-old — and how it revealed that his decades of lived experience were far more valuable than he'd realized.For any fractional executive or independent consultant navigating identity, confidence, and the leap from corporate life, this conversation delivers honest, hard-won perspective.Referenced: Executive Nomad Operating System by Jamie SylvianLearn More: Elevate your voice: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Introduction & Jamie's background00:51 Biggest lesson from 30 years in business01:51 Staying true to your word — with others and yourself03:04 How Jamie recovers from major setbacks04:28 The power of stepping away: city walks & coffee07:06 Remarkable Wednesday: his 20-year weekly ritual09:00 What "Remarkable Wednesday" actually looks like09:39 How Executive Nomad was born in Greece12:15 Author of your life vs. victim mindset13:08 Using self-doubt productively14:22 Why saying no builds credibility16:48 Imposter syndrome & the confidence gap17:28 Learning from personality clashes21:02 Self-doubt as a research and validation tool21:51 Helping corporate execs find their second act23:34 "The Advantages of Self-Doubt"24:48 Separating your identity from your business26:36 Closing million-dollar deals on your own terms
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  The Mistake I Made at Uber That Taught Me Everything About Sales 09.04.2026 16p

  Most founders and fractional executives struggle with sales — not because they lack skills, but because they're leading with the wrong message. Bradley Jacobs breaks down how he learned this the hard way, sharing stories from his time at Uber that fundamentally shaped his approach to selling.It started with a rejection. After a successful Uber Eats launch in Miami, Bradley was turned down for a GM role and kept hitting walls when pitching for other positions internally. The problem? He was making it all about himself. The shift came when he reframed his pitch around what the company actually needed — launch expertise for a global Uber Eats rollout — and suddenly got a one-way ticket to Amsterdam.That mindset carried into his first consulting engagement, where he landed a $25K/month fractional role with a Series A startup by focusing entirely on their problem, not his credentials. No hard sell. Just a clear solution to a high-stakes challenge they were already facing.Bradley connects these lessons to content strategy and LinkedIn, arguing that value-first content works the same way: give generously, ask strategically, and when you do ask, make the ask itself a value exchange. The formula is simple — solve real problems, ask good questions, and share everything you know.Learn More: Elevate your voice: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Introduction and Mylance overview00:34 Learning to sell through mistakes00:56 The Uber Eats Miami launch story01:45 Hitting walls with internal pitches02:46 Lesson 1: Make it about them, not you03:41 Reframing the pitch around Uber's goals04:35 Getting the yes — a ticket to Amsterdam05:24 Fast forward: going fractional after Uber06:02 Reaching out to 12 companies cold06:44 Finding the problem worth solving07:19 Building the $25K/month proposal07:56 Landing the first consulting client08:50 Three core lessons from that win09:41 How content works like a proposal10:28 Sharing mistakes as value-add content11:01 One takeaway: always add value12:15 The give/give/give, then ask model12:37 How good questions create value13:41 Value-first content strategy explained14:17 The 90/10 rule: give vs. ask15:07 Summary and closing thoughts15:36 Check out Mylance
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  She Drove Her Company Into the Red — Then Sold It Five Years Later with Mindy Gibbins-Klein 02.04.2026 38p

  After three corporate layoffs, Mindy Gibbins-Klein decided she was done playing by someone else's rules. She went out on her own — no business plan, just determination — and built a career that now spans 15 books, two TEDx talks, and coaching over 50,000 leaders across 18 countries.Bradley Jacobs sits down with Mindy to dig into the real stuff: what it actually took to buy out her co-founder, run a publishing company into the red, and then — through radical ownership and a few honest conversations — turn it back around. She talks about selling the company five years later and freeing up 35 hours a week to focus on what she was built for.The conversation gets into the identity challenges founders face when they move from employee to visible leader — and why so many talented people hold back. Mindy makes a compelling case for just getting out there: speaking badly, writing imperfectly, being a beginner in public. She references her flagship book The Thoughtful Leader and the concept of choosing your influences intentionally — what she calls "the power of the UN": unfollow, unsubscribe, unplug. She also shares her personal mantra, shaped by years of Tony Robbins' Date with Destiny, and why saying it to yourself repeatedly actually works.If you've been sitting on your expertise instead of putting it into the world, this one's for you.Guest: Mindy Gibbins-Klein Website: mindygk.com LinkedIn: Mindy Gibbins-KleinBooks Mentioned:The Thoughtful Leader — Mindy Gibbins-KleinThink and Grow Rich — Napoleon HillBecome a LinkedIn thought leader: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/00:00 Introduction00:57 Mindy's background & accidental entrepreneurship02:36 Buying out a co-founder & turning the company around04:39 Navigating four years of losses emotionally06:30 Where self-belief comes from08:18 Advice for founders in a tough spot09:51 Habits, influences & the power of the UN10:40 Radical ownership & taking responsibility14:13 Separating identity from business outcomes16:59 Self-esteem and not being the business18:45 Owning the good stuff too20:08 What "leadership" actually means21:33 Winning in a tough market22:23 Visibility, credibility & quality over quantity25:10 LinkedIn strategy & reaching the right people26:00 What holds people back from being visible28:40 Be willing to be bad in public29:28 Handling haters & criticism online31:53 Overcoming fear of speaking on stage33:55 Going from employee to visible founder34:31 Personal mantras & choosing empowering beliefs36:49 How to find and work with Mindy38:10 Wrap-up