Masters and Founders

In this episode of Masters and Founder, host Dan Dillard sits down with Dr. Ken Wisian at Austin’s Ibble Studios. Dr. Wisian is the Associate Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology’s Environmental Division at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Wisian discusses the importance of following your passions. He shares how following his passions for science fiction and military history guided him in his career path. A path that led him to a fulfilling career that he would gladly live all over again. After graduating with a physics degree from UT Austin, Dr. Wisian started his career as a navigator in the Air Force. It's there he learned that it is better to be flying over the battlefield rather than be on it. He later went on to achieve a doctorate degree in geophysics. Dr. Wisian now researches geothermal energy in hopes to solve the energy crisis within the next couple of years. 

In this episode of Masters and Founders, Host Dan Dillard welcomes his guest, fellow serial entrepreneur and long-time friend, Joshua B. Lee to the show. Dan and Josh sat down together at Austin’s Ibble Studios to talk about the highs and lows of Josh’s journey as an entrepreneur. Josh is the founder and CEO of StandOut Authority, which he started in 2014. StandOut Authority helps businesses grow their influence and optimize the human connection through LinkedIn. Focusing on H2H connections, rather than B2B or B2C, Josh’s energy and passion comes through in everything he does. But that wasn’t always so. It took a bad bet and the loss of several businesses to make him realize, you have to understand failure to be able to appreciate success.And as a founder and business owner, Josh has seen plenty of both — and learned a whole lot about what really matters along the way. He got his start in 2003 working in online marketing for businesses like MySpace and Google, and over the two decades that followed, went on to start 16 businesses and author a book called “Balance is Bullsh*t.” In their conversation, Josh shares the proudest moments in his career, why seeking counsel has been instrumental for his relationships and personal growth, and digs into why sharing stories of both successes and failures as entrepreneurs is so important for the next generation of founders.Learn more and watch the podcast at foundingAUSTIN.A founding_media production.

Cortney Jones is a social worker, Child Welfare advocate, and the Executive Director and Founder of Change 1, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support services that improve the lives of children, youth, and families that experience the Child Welfare system and other Health & Human Services systems.She joins hosts Dan Dillard and PJ Christie for the final episode of Search & Convert’s Founder Spotlight series to share her experiences as a founder, the work that Change 1 accomplishes, and her involvement in Search & Convert’s Black Businesses Matter initiative. Highlights include: Cortney’s journey from social worker to founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit Change 1 How Change 1 works in the community to support children transitioning out of the Child Welfare system The unique challenges that entrepreneurs face when they’re founding a nonprofit organizationWhy it’s important for people working with Foster Youth to have lived experiences in the Child Welfare system  The challenges that entrepreneurs of color face as a direct result of their raceHow you can help Change 1 manifest their goals to build a one-stop drop-in center for Foster Youth and young adults who have emancipated from the system This Founder Spotlight series is sponsored by Search and Convert, an Austin-based marketing agency that can help your business get more leads through your site.

Jonathan Chaka Mahone is an artist, activist, and entrepreneur. He is one half of the dynamic hip hop duo Riders Against the Storm alongside his wife Ghislaine Qi Dada Jean, as well as the designer behind the fashion line NefrFreshr. Through this creative work, Mahone recognized and experienced injustice in how Austin supports artists of color. He shares his experiences and tells us how he created the Black Live Music Fund and DAWA to address these needs and alleviate these systemic issues.Mahone joins hosts Dan Dillard and PJ Christie for the second Founder Spotlight in Search & Convert’s series to shine light on systemic issues in Austin, share how he combines art and activism to effect change in our community, and discuss his involvement in Search & Convert’s Black Businesses Matter initiative. Highlights include: How Riders Against the Storm was an entry point for Mahone to start NefrFreshr, the fashion lineHow NefrFreshr combines ancestral wisdom and present perspective to share a message while looking fresh at the same timeHow Austin fails to support Black musicians, and how the Black Live Music Fund helps to address that issue How DAWA aids community frontliners and artists of color in times of crisis How to recognize your community’s needs and provide solutions to those needsThe importance of being involved in the community to uproot systemic issues and keep them from getting worseThis Founder Spotlight series is sponsored by Search and Convert, an Austin-based marketing agency that can help your business get more leads through your site.

Shannon Stott, improviser, teacher, and founder of Improv | On and Off the Stage, sits down with founder of Search & Convert PJ Christie and our host Dan Dillard to talk about her experiences as a founder and her involvement in Search & Convert’s Black Businesses Matter initiative. Highlights include: Stott’s journey from corner office to entrepreneur How improvisational skills can translate in our day-to-day lives, helping us connect to ourselves and others Why Search & Convert believes you have to get to know a client before you can provide SEO services to them The challenge that Black entrepreneurs face when they are looking for support but want to avoid being in service of empty, performative gestures Stott and Christie’s advice for entrepreneursThis Founder Spotlight episode is sponsored by Search and Convert, an Austin-based marketing agency that can help your business get more leads through your site. Read more, listen, and watch at foundingAUSTIN.

This week Dan is chatting with Chris Condit. Chris along with his now wife Mandy founded the Texas 4000 in 2004. Chris is a Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor having been diagnosed at age 11. He created the Texas 4000 as a way to continue the fight against cancer by raising funds for research and sharing hope, knowledge, and charity throughout the continent. Chris felt that creating the longest charity bicycle ride in the world, from Texas to Alaska, would be an appropriate way to fight the nation’s greatest disease threat.Guest: Chris ConditHost: Dan DillardProducer: Myrriah GossettAudio Engineer: Jake WallaceLearn more about Chris and the Texas 4000: https://www.texas4000.orgFounding Media YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLyxQReKL3jHiwd0BXsTcGQA Founding Media PodcastFounding Austin

This week Dan is chatting with Jody Goehring. Jody is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Hyde Park Ventures. and previously served as Vice President and Head of Corporate and Business Development at digital promotions giant RetailMeNot, Inc. Jody was an Associate Director in the Technology, Media, Telecom investment banking group at UBS Investment Bank in New York where he advised on a number of M&A and financing transactions. He also gained management consulting experience at Booz Allen Hamilton. Hyde Park Ventures' portfolio includes Boston-based Hyde Park Burgers, and the third largest Five Guys franchisee in the United States.Guest: Jody Goehring Host: Dan DillardProducer: Myrriah GossettAudio Engineer: Jake WallaceLearn more about Jody and his work: www.hydeparkventures.comFounding Media YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLyxQReKL3jHiwd0BXsTcGQA Founding Media PodcastFounding Austin

This week Dan is sitting down with Prentice Howe, Owner and Chief Creative Officer of Door Number 3. Prentice has worked with some of America’s most iconic brands including Minute Maid, The UPS Store, Anheuser-Busch and JBL. Prentice’s work has been recognized nationally and internationally in prestigious shows such as Cannes Lions, London International Advertising Awards, the Webby Awards and Communication Arts. Dan, Ryan Francis, and Prentice go over how he got his start and why values are an important part of any brand strategy.Guest: Prentice HoweHost: Dan Dillard, Ryan FrancisProducer: Myrriah GossettAudio Engineer: Jake WallaceLearn more about Prentice and his work: https://www.dn3austin.com/peopleFounding Media YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLyxQReKL3jHiwd0BXsTcGQA Founding Media PodcastFounding Austin