Right About Now - Legendary Business Advice

Kate Monroe has survived the Marine Corps, stage four cancer and the fight to win back a company that was taken from her, and she’s come out stronger every time. The CEO of VETCOM and author of Wake Up Ready joins Ryan Alford to share how she shortens the distance between defeat and victory. Kate shares the lesson that taught her to decide how far she carries a setback, why she believes doing hard things early builds lasting grit, and why she had to leave behind people who wanted to keep her small. She also talks about serving veterans and her community, and why getting out of “the disease of me” changes everything. She also lays out practical habits from Wake Up Ready, including routines, putting everything on your calendar and the five-second rule. Topics Covered: Resilience and bouncing back from adversity Building grit through hardship Self-talk, identity and reinventing yourself Service and serving veterans High-performance habits and routines Going from “me” to “we” to scale POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH…

Ryan Alford talks with Ethan Ouyang, head of US at Atoms by DeepWisdom, about agentic AI that doesn’t just assist but executes. Atoms uses a team of coordinated AI agents to research markets, design products, build full-stack apps, launch them and optimize them for revenue, all from a single prompt. Ethan explains why execution is now close to instant, which leaves judgment and taste as an entrepreneur’s real edge. He also covers how Atoms handles databases, payments, Stripe integrations and deployment, how running on multiple AI models keeps costs down, and how non-technical founders can push through bugs. Ryan and Ethan wrap up with real small-business examples and a clear message for anyone worried about AI: stop fearing it and start using it. Topics Covered: • What agentic AI is and how multi-agent systems work • Going from rough idea to launched, revenue-ready product • Why judgment and taste matter more than technical skill • Atoms vs. prompt-to-app tools like Base44 • Cost efficiency through…

Why do some businesses stay stuck for 10 years while others 10X in three? Blake Erickson, co-founder of Scaling.com and co-author of The Science of Scaling with Dr. Benjamin Hardy, joins Ryan Alford to explain the mindset and moves behind rapid growth. Blake walks through his four steps to scale, from focusing on the future to building a team for the company you want to become. He explains why scaling is 80% psychology, why founders need to stop playing defense, and how big thinkers attract other big thinkers. He also shares a real case study of a company that grew from $20 million to $200 million in 12 months, and how to get The Science of Scaling audiobook for free. Topics Covered: • Four practical steps to scale a business • Focus and doing less, better • Hiring for the future, not the present • Scarcity, fear and the psychology of growth • Playing offense in business • A $20M to $200M case study POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing…

Where does your data go when you hand it to AI? Nicole Jiang, co-founder and CEO of Fable Security, joins Ryan Alford to break down the real security risks of AI adoption, and why most of them start with people, not technology. Nicole explains how messy data and loose permissions can turn AI tools into a liability, how attackers use AI to make phishing and impersonation scams more convincing, and why Fable’s personalized, just-in-time coaching works better than annual training videos. She also leaves listeners with easy habits to start today, from asking AI to sanitize sensitive information to regularly checking what’s being shared that shouldn’t be. Topics Covered: * The human side of cybersecurity * AI adoption across different industries * Data hygiene and AI integrations * AI-powered phishing and social engineering * Rethinking security training * Practical AI security habits POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment…

Getting the click is the easy part. Steve Oriola, CEO of Unbounce, joins Ryan Alford to explain what happens after it, and why so many businesses waste ad budget by sending paid traffic to generic pages instead of focused landing pages. Steve explains how to think about customer acquisition cost all the way through to the sale, how attribution can tell you which traffic sources bring your best customers, and how Unbounce uses more than 2 billion conversion events to benchmark performance by industry. He also covers how AI is speeding up page creation and testing. He also shares the lesson every leader is learning in the AI era: when building software gets cheap, focus becomes your biggest advantage. Topics Covered: • Post-click strategy and landing pages • Acquisition cost, lifetime value and attribution • Conversion benchmarks from 2 billion events • AI in conversion rate optimization • Staying focused when software is cheap to build POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one…

Scott Scovill was a self-described broken kid. He finished near the bottom of his class and flunked out of college, until a chance encounter with U2’s touring crew showed him a life he wanted badly enough to fight for. He joins Ryan Alford to talk about his new book, Tenacious: The Art of Relentlessly Pursuing Your Wildest Dreams, and the promise he made himself that night. Scott and Ryan unpack the real fear behind not trying, which is proving your doubters right, and why the fear of failure is usually worse than failing. Scott also shares how living like he was “writing a book” led him to astronaut training, Antarctica and touring Europe as Brad Paisley’s opening act. He also explains why grit and resilience can be learned, and how being grateful for the struggle helped him find his why. Topics Covered: Fear of failure and fear of judgment The moment that changed Scott’s life Taking the first step and staying tenacious Living your life like you’re writing a book Grit, resilience and finding your why POWER…

Cisco put AI agents in the hands of all 90,000 of its employees, and Joe Vaccaro, an SVP at Cisco, is here to share what they learned. He joins Ryan Alford to break down how business leaders can roll out agentic AI quickly while still keeping the trust and guardrails that critical systems need. Joe explains why agents act like overconfident teenagers, why clear and specific direction beats vague prompts, and how giving AI the right context changes everything. He also covers the real cost of AI tokens, how model routing will bring that cost down, and when a company should train its own model on its own data. His closing advice is simple: don’t hand AI off to someone else. Use it yourself, because that’s the only way to see where it can really transform your business. Topics Covered: Lessons from Cisco’s company-wide AI agent rollout Why AI is moving faster than any past revolution Guardrails, trust and safety for AI agents Prompting with clarity and context AI costs, model routing and on-device models Turning…

Derrick Hayes promised his father he would open a business. Years later, that promise became Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, a Philly-born, Atlanta-built brand now franchising across the Southeast. The founder and CEO joins Ryan Alford to tell the story of going from selling Italian ice nobody understood to running a cheesesteak spot people fly into Atlanta just to try. Derrick explains what fishing taught him about patience in business, why the winners keep going without proof, and why hustling without mastering your craft just makes you a “hobby hustler.” He also shares his biggest scaling lesson: be humble enough to build a team that challenges you. He also talks about the impact of bringing a business into a community, hiring locally, and his Blue Apron program, which gives young employees a real career path. Topics Covered: The Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks origin story Patience, belief and working without proof Hustling vs. mastering your craft Scaling and franchising a restaurant brand Building the right team and…

Arturo Nuñez has told stories for some of the biggest brands on earth, including Nike, Apple, the NBA and Pepsi. He joins Ryan Alford to explain what separates great marketing from expensive noise, and why a customer telling your story beats anything a brand can say. Arturo shares rare stories about Kobe Bryant's savage competitiveness, Nike's open, inspirational culture versus Apple's need-to-know secrecy, and the "Bleed Blue" campaign people in India still remember 15 years later. He also predicts that AI could make apps obsolete within two years. It all ties back to his new book, The Culture Compass: Navigate the Corporate World Without Losing Yourself. Arturo makes the case that your culture and your perspective are your edge at work, and that in a world where AI has all the answers, being uniquely human matters more than ever. Topics Covered: Authentic storytelling and word-of-mouth marketing Nike vs. Apple culture from the inside Lessons from Kobe Bryant's obsession with the craft Apple's business…

What if the most profitable car in your driveway is the cheapest one? George Madden, co-founder of Car Rental Coach, joins Ryan Alford to explain how older economy cars under $12,000 can rent for the same price as $30,000 cars. He shares how one $8,300 SUV brought in more than $15,000 in a year. George gives the honest numbers: about $1,000 a month in revenue per car, not the $3,000 people claim online. He also covers the commercial insurance most new hosts get wrong, why you should start with fewer than five cars, and how busy professionals can co-host their fleet and simply collect the check. Ryan also pulls out a lesson for any entrepreneur: document what you learn as you build, because your experience can become a business of its own. Topics Covered: Starting and scaling a Turo car rental business Choosing cars with the best return on investment Real revenue and profit numbers per car Commercial rental insurance and avoiding denied claims Theft, trackers and keeping cars rented Depreciation and tax…

Is your job a "star" role or an "extra" role? Matt Britton, founder and CEO of Suzy and author of Generation AI, tells Ryan Alford that AI will multiply the impact of creative problem solvers. Meanwhile, anyone who shows up waiting to be told what to do is at risk. Matt explains why Gen Alpha, the first generation raised with AI, will bring the biggest change to business and culture since the internet. He covers why the knowledge economy is collapsing, why he'd put coding and advanced math on the chopping block, and how parents can build creativity into their kids early. Matt also breaks down the three levels of AI, from prompts to automations to fully autonomous agents that can book your family vacation. He finishes with a warning for leaders: companies that don't reorganize for speed now will be the next Circuit City. POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Turn more leads into customers with one platform for CRM, marketing automation, appointment booking, Voice AI and customer follow-up. Start your 30-day free…

Marketing channels have changed dramatically since Jason Kocina began helping companies build websites in the 1990s, but he argues that the foundation of effective marketing remains the same. The Publicity.com partner and digital marketing president joins Ryan Alford to explain how businesses can protect their visibility as audiences move from traditional search engines to AI-generated answers. Ryan and Jason explore the evolving relationship between earned media, SEO, content marketing, paid advertising, social media, and sales automation. Jason explains why companies need documented messaging, a clearly defined audience, and consistent brand language before an agency or AI platform can market them effectively. They also discuss how skilled professionals use AI to work faster without sacrificing originality, strategy, or human judgment. This episode gives business owners a practical approach to choosing marketing channels, building authority, and remaining discoverable as search behavior continues to…

Many successful professionals are already coaching people for free without realizing their experience could become a meaningful source of income. Mitch Matthews joins Ryan Alford to share the Authority Bridge, his framework for adding coaching, speaking, and consulting to an existing career without destroying the life you have already built. They discuss why a small, well-defined audience can outperform a massive following, what most coach-training programs leave out, and how value-based promotion creates trust and consistent content. Mitch also explains why imposter syndrome can signal growth, how human connection keeps coaches valuable in the age of AI, and why the best coaches help clients uncover answers they already possess. The conversation offers a practical way to define success, dream bigger, and turn your knowledge into greater income, impact, and freedom. SPONSOR HighLevel gives entrepreneurs one platform for lead management, marketing automation, appointment booking, and customer follow-up. Start…

Artificial intelligence is transforming the workforce faster than schools and employers can update how they prepare people for it. Ryan Lufkin, Vice President of Global Academic Strategy at Instructure, joins Ryan Alford to examine the widening gap between traditional education and the skills modern businesses actually need. They discuss whether college degrees still hold value, why lifelong learning has become essential, and how certificates and microcredentials can help professionals remain competitive. Ryan also explains why communication, creativity, judgment, collaboration, and subject-matter expertise become more valuable as AI takes over routine work. The conversation offers a practical look at AI literacy, employee training, the future of entry-level jobs, and what businesses must do to develop an adaptable workforce. POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH HIGHLEVEL Save time, strengthen your follow-up, and manage more of your business from one AI-powered platform. Start your 30-day free trial using Ryan’s link:…

Robin Alex, co-founder of GoHighLevel, joins Ryan Alford to explain how better systems can make businesses more productive, profitable, and prepared to scale. He shares how GoHighLevel brings CRM, marketing automation, lead management, customer communication, scheduling, and other essential tools into one platform. Robin and Ryan examine the hidden costs of disconnected technology, manual follow-up, and inefficient workflows. They also discuss how business owners can use automation and AI to respond to leads faster, provide a stronger customer experience, and give their teams more time to focus on revenue-producing work. This episode offers a practical look at how the right technology can simplify business operations without eliminating the human relationships that drive long-term growth. BUILD A MORE EFFICIENT BUSINESS WITH GOHIGHLEVEL Replace disconnected tools, automate time-consuming tasks, and manage your marketing, sales, and customer relationships from one platform. EXPLORE GOHIGHLEVEL WITH RYAN:…

Real estate investor Justin Brennan grew up around construction and watched his father’s business collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. He joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to explain how that experience led him toward recurring-income assets, apartment investing, and a collaborative approach to raising capital. Ryan and Justin discuss real estate syndication, cash flow, bonus depreciation, and the two forms of value an investor can bring to a deal: check equity or sweat equity. Justin explains how someone with limited capital can become valuable by finding, analyzing, structuring, and managing promising multifamily properties. Beyond the financial strategies, they examine money as a tool for freedom, philanthropy, generational wealth, and greater control over your time. This conversation is educational and should not replace personalized financial, legal, or tax advice. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOHIGHLEVEL GoHighLevel helps businesses and agencies manage leads, automate follow-up, book…

The workforce shortage is not only a labor problem. According to Nicole Feenstra, it is also a storytelling and marketing problem created by companies that fail to make their opportunities meaningful. The DNA Agency founder joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to discuss employer branding, workforce development, skilled trades, artificial intelligence, employee retention, and the changing expectations of younger workers. They explain why employers should communicate purpose, career growth, impact, and culture instead of relying on generic job descriptions. Nicole also shares how digital advertising, audience targeting, geofencing, customer journeys, and rapid campaign testing can help organizations reach the right candidates. This conversation gives business owners a practical framework for making their companies more attractive to the people they want to hire. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOHIGHLEVEL GoHighLevel helps businesses and agencies manage leads, automate follow-up, book appointments, and keep…

Jason Brown grew up sleeping in sleeping bags, entered the stock market with $500, and eventually transformed a $10,000 student loan into a six-figure trading account. After one emotional trade wiped out approximately $250,000, he was forced to move home and rebuild his finances and investment strategy from the beginning. On Right About Now, The Brown Report founder and Five-Year Millionaire author joins Ryan Alford to explain how that failure reshaped his approach to risk, options trading, and wealth accumulation. Together, Ryan and Jason discuss financial advisors, stock charts, paper trading, financial literacy, and the importance of knowing when to exit a losing position. Jason also outlines his Five-Year Millionaire framework while emphasizing the education, practice, and discipline required before risking real money. This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. TOPICS COVERED Jason Brown’s childhood and early interest in wealth Losing most of his first…

Brett Farmiloe built Featured after seeing small-business owners with deep expertise but no reliable way to get quoted by the media. He joins Ryan Alford to discuss earned media, digital PR, AI search visibility, and the revival of Help a Reporter Out. They explain how media citations may influence LLM recommendations, why AI is compressing the marketing funnel, and why a single high-profile feature rarely produces instant revenue. Brett also shares how Featured and HARO connect journalists with verified experts while giving publishers greater control over AI-generated responses. The conversation offers a realistic strategy for building authority, earning backlinks, reaching customers, and becoming more visible across traditional search and AI platforms. TOPICS COVERED Brett Farmiloe’s journey from agency owner to Featured founder The difference between paid media and earned media How businesses can earn credible media coverage AI search optimization, AEO, and GEO Getting cited and recommended by large…

Lisa Holladay has spent her career building loyalty for Mercedes-Benz, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and now TIGER 21. She joins Ryan Alford to explain how intentional customer experience turns transactions into lasting relationships and why product quality alone cannot create brand love. Their conversation covers customer journey mapping, experiential marketing, surprise-and-delight moments, community building, and the challenge of creating meaningful value for ultra-high-net-worth members. Lisa also takes Ryan inside TIGER 21’s peer-learning model, where entrepreneurs and executives connect around investing, family, philanthropy, health, and life after a major business exit. Lisa and Ryan discuss what changed when she moved from global corporations with massive sponsorship budgets to an entrepreneurial organization where ideas can be tested quickly and leaders are trusted to take risks. TOPICS COVERED Lisa Holladay’s career at Mercedes-Benz and Marriott Building luxury customer experiences The relationship…

Yarin Gaon started his first company at 14, built and sold Israel’s largest military-goods e-commerce platform, and now helps founder-led businesses make smarter decisions about growth. On Right About Now, he joins Ryan Alford to explain why so many companies stall after reaching $1 million to $5 million in revenue and how “growth by subtraction” can improve profitability. Their conversation covers profit mapping, unprofitable bestsellers, ideal customer profiles, leadership alignment, and the hidden risks of building custom technology. Yarin also explains why entrepreneurs should establish predictable cash flow before raising outside capital and why keeping equity can matter more than chasing a bigger revenue number. This episode offers a practical framework for business owners who want stronger margins, fewer distractions, and a company that actually pays them more. TOPICS COVERED Starting a software business at 14 Building and selling an Israeli e-commerce company Why custom-built technology can hurt a…

Before founding Global Processing Systems, Moses Heredia worked crop fields with his immigrant mother, entered merchant services at $4.25 an hour, and survived a period when he could not afford basic utilities. One Spanish-language sales appointment showed him what commission could unlock; after becoming a top performer and rising through management, he walked away from an executive track to build his own company. On Right About Now, Ryan Alford asks Moses what actually sustained that climb, from fierce competition and disciplined selling to honest relationships and customer-first leadership. They discuss starting from a pickup truck, taking the first financial hit as CEO, protecting employees during economic crises, and building a culture that keeps people for decades. Moses also shares why faith, service, and helping others advance matter more to him than the number in his bank account. TOPICS COVERED Moses Heredia’s immigrant family and agricultural upbringing Discipline, faith, competition, and the…

Tony Vieira spent 36 years in beverage science and operations, helping Blue Moon recover from near cancellation and supporting White Claw through one of the fastest growth periods in the alcohol business. Now the former brewmaster and quality executive has left the corporate safety net to build mōcean drinkwerx with his son, Christian. Tony joins Ryan Alford to explain how product quality, consumer psychology, viral culture and production capacity turned two beverage brands into category leaders. They examine the risks hidden inside explosive growth, including pre-sold inventory, three enormous breweries built during COVID and excess capacity after demand peaked. Ryan and Tony also discuss building a company with family, creating an energy drink for adults and why founders must challenge the ideas they are most tempted to protect. TOPICS COVERED Tony Vieira’s 36-year beverage career Taking Blue Moon to number one in craft beer The product strategy behind Blue Moon’s drinkability White Claw’s rise and the…

The podcast industry no longer looks like the creative, audio-first business it was a decade ago. Jeff Umbro, founder and CEO of The Podglomerate and host of Podcast Perspectives, joins Ryan Alford to examine the rise of video podcasting, media consolidation, programmatic advertising and the decline of high-cost narrative shows. Jeff explains how creators can separate audience acquisition from retention, establish clearer goals and determine how much production quality actually serves the business. Drawing on his experience producing more than 700 episodes, Ryan opens up about overproduction, niche audiences and creating a show that generates relationships instead of chasing vanity metrics. Together, Ryan and Jeff offer a practical strategy for sustainable podcast growth: understand what the listener receives, diversify distribution and revenue, and avoid depending on one platform. TOPICS COVERED The evolution of the podcast industry Podcasting’s growing identity crisis Audio podcasts versus video podcasts…

Mode Mobile co-founder and CEO Dan Novaes joins Ryan Alford for a conversation about entrepreneurship, business pivots and turning smartphone activity into income. Dan shares how his instinct for finding overlooked opportunities took him from selling Pokémon cards as a kid to building a multimillion-dollar international electronics business before he finished college. Ryan and Dan unpack the creation of Mode Mobile, its growth from less than $100,000 in revenue to more than $25 million by 2022, and the development of an operating system that rewards people for everyday mobile activity. Dan explains why consumer attention becomes significantly more valuable when paired with action and how that relationship creates measurable value for users, advertisers and technology partners. The conversation also explores launching the EarnPhone, the challenges of entering the hardware business, the danger of pursuing growth at all costs and why Dan views the ability to pivot as his greatest entrepreneurial skill. TOPICS…

Chandler Bolt, founder and CEO of SelfPublishing.com, joins Ryan Alford for a tactical conversation about writing, publishing, and using a book to grow a business. Chandler shares the eight milestones his team uses to move authors from an idea to a finished launch and explains the four Ps behind a book that connects with the right reader. Ryan pushes on the questions entrepreneurs actually care about: how much publishing costs, how long the process takes, whether self-publishing beats traditional publishing, and what kind of ROI a book can realistically create. Chandler explains how the right book can generate leads, strengthen sales conversations, increase referrals, train customers and teams, and continue producing value years after publication. The conversation also challenges the obsession with bestseller lists and makes the case that for a business owner, revenue, authority and impact are far more important metrics of success. TOPICS COVERED • Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing • Chandler Bolt’s…

Steve Pratt joins Ryan Alford to explain why brands can no longer force people to pay attention. As the author of Earn It and co-founder of Pacific Content, Steve has spent decades studying what makes audiences willingly choose, remember and return to content. The conversation explores why traditional advertising metrics often reward weak marketing, how short-term thinking undermines long-term growth and why valuable content should feel like a genuine gift to its audience. Steve shares his framework for creative bravery and explains how brands can connect their expertise to content people would consume even if the company name disappeared. Ryan and Steve also discuss niche audiences, branded podcasts and the difference between paying for impressions and paying to generate an actual sample. This episode offers a practical strategy for marketers, founders and creators trying to stand out without becoming another interruption. Topics Covered Steve Pratt’s career in television, music and podcasting The creation…

Dani Lynn Robison joins Ryan Alford to explain why lasting wealth is usually built through consistent, repetitive decisions instead of exciting short-term opportunities. From working as a musician on cruise ships to building Freedom Family Investments and Oodles of Leads, Dani’s career has been shaped by learning where her strengths create the most value. She explains why many aspiring landlords eventually become passive investors, how clear communication earns investor trust and why entrepreneurs should resist expanding into businesses they do not want to operate. Dani and Ryan also explore customer retention, lead nurturing and the long-term value businesses lose by constantly chasing new prospects. The conversation closes with a practical discussion about passive real estate, artificial intelligence and building financial freedom without abandoning the work that gives your life purpose. Topics Covered Finding opportunity outside your original career Mentorship, consistency and following proven systems…

Liat Ben-Zur, author of The Bias Advantage, joins Ryan Alford for a direct conversation about why artificial intelligence is exposing fragile leadership, broken workflows and unclear accountability. Drawing on her experience leading technology transformations at Microsoft, Philips and Qualcomm, Liat explains why most unsuccessful AI initiatives are organizational failures rather than technology failures. Together, Ryan and Liat examine the difference between adopting AI and creating measurable business value. Liat outlines how leaders can begin with valuable problems, redesign workflows, establish clear ownership, build guardrails and stop experiments that fail to produce results. The conversation also explores why judgment, ethical clarity, adaptability and the ability to recognize missing context will define effective leadership in an AI-driven world. TOPICS COVERED Why AI initiatives fail to generate business value The organizational problems technology cannot solve Measuring outcomes instead of AI usage…

Going viral once can be luck, but doing it repeatedly requires a system. Brendan Kane, founder of Hook Point and author of The Guide to Going Viral, joins Ryan Alford to reveal the creative research, storytelling formats and retention principles behind consistently successful social media content. Drawing on his experience with global brands, celebrities and more than 5,000 content tests, Brendan explains why proven formats outperform trends, hacks and endless posting. Ryan and Brendan also explore personal branding, the opportunity available to niche businesses and why AI-generated content will not succeed without strong human judgment and storytelling fundamentals. Listeners will leave with a practical framework for creating content that attracts attention, reaches beyond a narrow audience and supports meaningful business growth. TOPICS COVERED The difference between accidental and repeatable virality Why storytelling formats outperform social media hacks What Brendan learned from testing 5,000 content…

Evan Marks joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now for a conversation about mental performance, emotional awareness, and making better decisions under pressure. Evan explains why emotions should be treated as information rather than ignored and how creating mental space allows people to consciously choose their next behavior. Ryan and Evan examine why people often wait for confidence or motivation before taking action, even though behavior usually changes before feelings do. They discuss how repetition, consistency, and intentional choices create momentum and gradually build greater confidence and self-trust. The episode also covers aggressive patience, procrastination, resilience, emotional reactions, and how small improvements compound over time. Evan shares practical ways athletes, executives, traders, and business owners can slow down mentally, reduce interference, and perform closer to their full potential. Through M1 Performance Group, Evan works with high performers on focus, resilience, decision-making,…

Navin Goyal joins Ryan Alford to discuss the realities of venture capital and why most companies may be better served by staying scrappy instead of immediately pursuing outside investment. As a physician, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Loud Capital, Navin has experienced funding from both the founder and investor sides of the table. Ryan and Navin explore active capital, the execution gap that appears after funding, and how experienced operators can help companies grow while using less money. They also discuss the pressure that comes with institutional investment, the cost of giving away equity, and why raising capital should never be confused with building a successful company. Navin also explains how AI can help leadership teams organize private company data, identify the activities producing real value, and eliminate distractions that consume time without moving the business forward. The episode offers a grounded framework for founders deciding whether investment will truly accelerate the company or…

Luke Yarnton joins Ryan Alford to discuss why the future of influencer marketing belongs to customers—not celebrities. As co-founder of The Rave, Luke shares how brands are identifying influential customers already purchasing their products and turning them into long-term ambassadors through authentic relationships and community building. Ryan and Luke explore how micro and nano influencers outperform traditional celebrity campaigns, why trust matters more than follower count, and how affiliate marketing, referrals, and customer communities are reshaping brand growth. The conversation also covers practical strategies businesses can use to activate existing customers and create sustainable word-of-mouth marketing. Topics Covered The evolution of influencer marketing Ambassador marketing Customer advocacy Micro and nano influencers Affiliate marketing Community building Referral strategies Authentic brand partnerships Customer acquisition Ryan Alford and Luke Yarnton discuss modern marketing

Mark J. Kohler joins Ryan Alford on Right About Now to talk about how entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and small business owners can think differently about taxes and wealth. As a tax attorney, CPA, author, and educator, Mark explains why the tax code is not just something to fear once a year, but a tool business owners can learn to use legally and strategically. Ryan and Mark cover the difference between earning more money and keeping more money, including how side hustles, rental properties, 1099 income, and business expenses can create real advantages when handled correctly. Mark also shares why business owners need to stop fully delegating their tax strategy and instead become the CEO of their own tax team. The episode also dives into family payroll, family board meetings, Roth IRAs, self-directed IRAs, crypto, and how small business owners can involve their families while building wealth. It is a practical, high-energy conversation about taking ownership of your money, understanding the rules, and using…

Ryan Alford sits down with Matthew McGrory, CEO and co-founder of Arwen.ai, for a conversation about AI, brand safety, social media moderation, and the business value hidden inside comment sections. Matthew explains how Arwen helps brands manage toxic content, protect communities, and identify the customer questions, buying signals, and insights that often get buried in high-volume social conversations. The episode also explores where social media may be headed next, including more commerce, more AI-driven interaction, and more pressure on brands to respond in real time. Ryan and Matthew discuss the idea of X becoming a larger social, commerce, payment, and advertising platform, and why that kind of future changes how brands should think about engagement. They also cover the tension between moderation and free speech, what “lawful but awful” content means, and why brands need tools that protect their channels without removing legitimate opinion. This is a strong episode for marketers, founders, brand…

Ryan Alford talks with Devora Rogers, Chief Strategy Officer at Alter Agents, about how consumer decision-making has changed and why old marketing assumptions are not enough anymore. Devora explains “shopper promiscuity,” the growing challenge of brand loyalty, and why consumers now use more sources of information before making purchase decisions. The episode explores the tension between brand building and performance marketing, including why brands can over-focus on bottom-of-funnel tactics while ignoring awareness, trust, and meaningful differentiation. Ryan and Devora also discuss brand narcissism, attribution myths, human research, podcasts, catalogs, and why marketers need to understand the full context behind a buying decision. Devora shares lessons from her work with Google’s Zero Moment of Truth research and explains why real people still reveal insights that AI-generated or synthetic respondents cannot. This is a practical episode for marketers, founders, and business leaders who want to understand…

Ryan Alford talks with Monica Nassif, founder of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, about the founder story behind one of the most recognizable brands in household cleaning. Monica explains how her mother’s Midwestern practicality, frugality, and grit became the foundation for a brand that felt different from anything else on the shelf. The conversation moves through the early days of Caldrea, the decision to create Mrs. Meyer’s, the challenge of selling into Whole Foods one store at a time, and the failed Target test Monica chose to walk away from before the buyer kicked her out. Ryan brings the marketing and operator lens, while Monica brings the hard-earned retail wisdom of someone who built a brand by understanding the consumer, the shelf, and the category. They also talk about creativity, packaging, fragrance, social media, product development, and Monica’s book I Bottled My Mother. This episode is especially useful for founders, marketers, and CPG operators who want to understand what it really takes to build a…

Ryan Alford sits down with Chris Allen for a conversation that starts with Netflix’s Million Dollar Secret and quickly turns into something more useful for founders, marketers, and operators. Chris shares how he went from finance to business school to startup life, why he believed consumer products now need a face as much as a formula, and how that belief pushed him toward reality TV. The episode also explores what happens after the cameras stop rolling. Ryan and Chris talk about online attention, brand leverage, content testing, influencer economics, and why sales and influence still sit at the center of almost every business outcome that matters. Chris is candid about the pressure of instant visibility, the challenge of turning attention into revenue, and the bigger question of what success actually looks like after a public breakthrough. It is a smart episode about celebrity, strategy, and using visibility as a business tool instead of just a vanity metric. Topics Covered Chris Allen’s background in…

Ryan Alford talks with Rick Jordan about one of the hardest founder arcs to navigate: building real momentum, scaling quickly, and then being forced to confront what happens when part of that structure fails. Rick walks through taking his company public, the acquisitions that accelerated growth, and the liabilities that later turned those wins into a painful and expensive reset. The conversation is honest about the things founders do not always say out loud. Ryan and Rick unpack the emotional side of leadership, the tendency to internalize every failure, the danger of writing checks just to buy more time, and why entrepreneurs often carry burdens no one else inside the company truly feels. They also talk about what comes next: rebuilding with stronger structure, teaching other business owners what Rick learned the hard way, and focusing on scalable systems that can survive more than just the first burst of momentum. It is a candid, useful listen for anyone trying to grow without confusing speed for…

Ryan Alford talks with Chris Josephs, co-founder of Autopilot, about how political stock-trade tracking became one of the most talked-about ideas in finance media and how that momentum evolved into a real investing business. Chris explains the origin of the Pelosi Tracker, why the topic hit such a nerve with both parties, and how Autopilot now gives users a way to follow portfolios from politicians, hedge funds, AI-driven strategies, and vetted independent investors. The conversation also digs into product design, marketplace thinking, and what Chris believes is broken in traditional investing. Ryan and Chris explore the black-box problem with advisors and retirement accounts, why transparency matters more than ever, and how accountability can become a real competitive edge in a world increasingly flooded by AI-generated noise. They close by talking about virality, founder strategy, and the difference between chasing attention and using attention to build durable trust. It is a useful episode for…

Ryan Alford sits down with Anya Cheng, founder and CEO of Taelor, for a conversation about AI, commerce, branding, and why data is becoming the defining advantage in the next generation of startups. Anya shares how she identified a real customer problem inside fashion and style, why most men do not actually want to shop, and how Taelor was built to remove friction through a mix of AI, logistics, and human styling support. Ryan and Anya also dig into the balance between brand and performance marketing, the changing role of SEO in a ChatGPT world, and why founders should be thinking less about building models and more about owning differentiated data. The episode becomes a bigger discussion about business moats, customer behavior, and how the most valuable AI companies may come from industries that do not look flashy at first glance. They close with a sharp look at live shopping, social commerce, and where Anya believes U.S. consumer behavior is headed next. It is a useful listen for entrepreneurs trying to…

Ryan Alford talks with Jason Feifer about what it really takes to build a durable career in a world that keeps changing faster than people expect. Jason explains why he stopped waiting to be discovered, why every path carries risk, and why adaptability is often the trait that separates the people who keep growing from the people who quietly get left behind. The conversation also digs into storytelling, audience psychology, and what makes content genuinely useful instead of just self-congratulatory. Jason shares how he thinks about serving an audience, why he prefers problem-solving stories over simple success stories, and how that mindset has shaped his work at Entrepreneur and on Build for Tomorrow. By the end, the episode becomes a bigger conversation about how to think long term without becoming rigid, how to stay useful in changing markets, and how to recognize that every decision carries risk whether you move or stay put. It is a thoughtful listen for anyone building a business, a brand, or a career…

Ryan Alford talks with Tanner Chidester about the difference between looking productive and actually building a business that makes money. Tanner explains why so many founders are trapped in the wrong tasks, why leads and sales volume still matter more than most people want to admit, and how weak follow-up systems quietly kill otherwise good businesses. The conversation also covers offer design, guarantees, branding, Tanner’s book Infinite Income, and the habits that separate solopreneurs from leaders who can actually scale teams. Ryan brings the operator and agency perspective, while Tanner brings the blunt, tactical lens of someone who has built, sold, hired, fired, coached, and learned the hard way. By the end, the episode becomes a bigger conversation about what it really takes to move from information to action. That includes doing the hard thing you have been avoiding, accepting that no one is coming to save you, and building something strong enough that the market does not need to be convinced as hard…

Ryan Alford sits down with Brad Rothenberg for a conversation about the part of American soccer most casual fans never really see: the opportunity gap behind the game. Brad explains how the pay-to-play system creates barriers for talented athletes who have the skill to compete, but not the money or visibility to get into the right pipeline. He also breaks down how Access U works around that reality by helping students with tutoring, test prep, college counseling, recruiting, and the support needed to turn athletic talent into a real education pathway. Ryan helps connect the conversation to bigger themes around economics, sports business, merit, and long-term development. That makes this episode relevant not just to soccer families, but to anyone interested in opportunity, talent pipelines, youth sports, and how systems either unlock or waste human potential. Topics Covered The economics of pay-to-play soccer Why talented players fall outside the formal development system How Access U supports…

Ryan Alford sits down with Tom La Vecchia for a smart conversation on what luxury brands are really selling now — and why modern brand strategy is less about pure exclusivity and more about cultural participation. Using the rumored AP x Swatch collaboration as the centerpiece, Tom explains why giving more people a way into the brand does not necessarily weaken the grail product. Instead, he argues that it can strengthen long-term demand by creating nostalgia, recognition, and early emotional attachment before the consumer has the budget to buy the flagship version. Ryan brings the operator and brand-builder perspective, challenging the idea from the standpoint of old-school scarcity and luxury signaling. Together, they unpack why some watch brands stayed culturally relevant while others missed the shift, and why owned media, borrowed interest, and patient brand seeding matter more than ever. Topics Covered The business logic behind AP x Swatch Why exclusivity is now emotional as much as financial How culture…

Ryan Alford sits down with Ismail Vali for a conversation that turns online gambling into a much bigger business and policy discussion. Ismail explains why he believes illegal and unregulated operators still dominate huge parts of the online gambling market, why legal operators have struggled to capture the economics people assumed they would, and how regulators remain behind the technology that changed the game years ago. He also lays out how offshore gambling, illegal streaming, and prediction-style products are creating a broader ecosystem that is harder to regulate and easier for consumers to stumble into than most people realize. Ryan brings the entrepreneur and free-market lens, pushing on consumer choice, overregulation, and where the line should actually be drawn. That back-and-forth makes this episode especially strong for listeners interested in business, policy, regulation, digital markets, and the unintended consequences of pretending a fast-growing market does not exist. Topics Covered The…

Ryan Alford sits down with Josh Troy for a deep conversation on what actually creates predictable revenue in modern B2B sales. Josh explains how revenue operations, outbound systems, content, trust, and AI all fit together, and why most businesses are still chasing activity instead of building a true revenue engine. He also breaks down the difference between generating leads and generating pipeline, why cold calling still works, and how smarter follow-up systems can unlock more revenue without spending more on new leads. Ryan brings the operator and marketing lens, Josh brings the sales systems and RevOps lens, and together they unpack what founders, sales leaders, and growth-minded businesses need to understand if they want their revenue to become more reliable. Topics Covered What RevOps really means in practice Why predictable revenue matters more than one-off wins The role of AI in modern outbound strategy Why cold calling is still working How content builds trust and pipeline What businesses get wrong…

Ryan Alford sits down with Justin J. Giangrande, Founder and CEO of NETWORK, for a wide-ranging conversation on how NIL is reshaping college sports from the inside out. Justin explains what athlete representation actually looks like in the NIL era, why schools, conferences, and brands are all still figuring out the rules in real time, and why the real power in college sports now sits with a handful of decision-makers who still have not fully aligned. He also breaks down how his firm approaches school negotiations, why the best deal is not always the biggest one, and what parents need to understand before trying to navigate this world alone. Ryan brings the business and brand lens, Justin brings the operator and agent lens, and together they unpack why NIL is both a mess and a massive opportunity. This episode is especially useful for parents, athletes, marketers, and anyone trying to understand where the business of college sports is actually headed. Topics Covered NETWORK’s role in collegiate sports…

Ryan Alford sits down with Jeanne Sparrow for a conversation about leadership, communication, and why authenticity is more than just “being yourself.” Jeanne shares how her media career, family storytelling roots, and work as an author and speaker shaped her view that real influence comes from spoken communication, memorable stories, and service to others. She also explains why so many teams struggle internally before they struggle externally, and why spoken confidence is becoming a bigger advantage as more people rely on text, email, and AI to do their talking for them. Ryan connects with Jeanne especially around marketing, persuasion, and what it really means to sell an idea in a way people remember. This episode is especially useful for leaders, entrepreneurs, speakers, and anyone navigating a career or identity transition. Topics Covered - Jeanne Sparrow’s path from radio and TV to speaking and authorship - Why stories stick more than lists or information - How authenticity and service work together -…

AI is changing more than workflows — it is changing what teams are, how leaders lead, and what kinds of people businesses need next. In this episode, Ryan Alford talks with Veronica Shelton, co-founder of Oak Theory, about accessibility, inclusive design, neurodivergent thinking, leadership without ego, and why curiosity is often the trait that separates good founders from great ones. They also go deep on the practical side of AI adoption: how roles are blending, how companies can stay lean without losing humanity, and why resisting change is no longer a viable option. Ryan connects with Veronica especially around founder leadership, team evolution, and the challenge of helping people adapt to a world where AI is becoming part of nearly every role. The result is a smart, current conversation for anyone building a company, managing creative work, or trying to understand where modern work is actually headed. Topics Covered Veronica Shelton’s path into product design and creative tech Why curiosity drives real…