Audacity of Entrepreneurs

How do you turn corporate messaging into authentic human connection, build trust with high-stakes audiences, and elevate your brand through cinematic storytelling?
In this episode of Audacity of Entrepreneurs, Nick Uresin sits down with William Kruse, founder and creative director of Clever. William shares his perspective on documentary filmmaking, motion content strategy, long-form branded storytelling, and the irreplaceable value of human connection in an increasingly AI-driven market.
Together, they explore how business leaders can bridge the gap between entertainment-quality media and commercial marketing to build long-term authority and customer loyalty.
William Kruse is a former filmmaker with nearly two decades of experience in independent cinema, production, and creative direction. Through Clever, he helps healthcare and medtech brands create series-based short documentaries that connect deeply with patients and physicians alike. Combining a background in film theory from Notre Dame and industry production from Florida State, William brings a rare mix of artistic vision, strategic messaging, and execution discipline to modern brand strategy.
William explains that true audience engagement comes down to authentic human stories rather than pitch-heavy commercial spots. He breaks down how dropping into cities to shoot broadcast-quality series in 48 hours creates high-value brand assets, why longer runtimes serve information-hungry audiences in regulated spaces, and how documentary archetypes allow viewers to see themselves in your message. He also takes a passionate stand on the front lines of the creative response to AI, advocating for genuine human empathy in visual media.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why standard corporate video fails and how documentary principles fill the gap
How to bridge the divide between commercial marketing and independent filmmaking
The power of series-based content for sustained audience engagement and touchpoints
Why high-stakes industries (like healthcare) require longer-form, information-rich storytelling
How high-end broadcast production values instantly elevate brand authority
The mechanics of motion content strategy, production, and activationWhy conducting deep audience research before writing a script guarantees high engagement
How executing 48-hour sight-unseen shoots builds high-impact content on tight schedules
Why human intelligence and authentic connection will outlast automated creative AI
How documenting real human experiences leaves a lasting business and visual legacy
If you're an entrepreneur, marketing executive, agency leader, or brand strategist, this conversation is packed with practical lessons about choosing the right content format, overcoming market friction, engaging complex audiences, and building a brand that stands out.
Subscribe to Audacity of Entrepreneurs for more unfiltered conversations with founders, executives, and business leaders about the decisions, challenges, and strategies behind building remarkable companies.
Whether you're launching your first startup or leading an established company, this conversation is packed with practical strategies you can implement immediately.
👍 If you enjoyed this episode, Like, Subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations with founders, executives, and entrepreneurs building remarkable businesses.
#Entrepreneurship #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #ScalingBusiness #EOS #BusinessSystems #KPIs #Amazon #Startup #CompanyCulture

How do you turn your expertise into authority, authority into trust, and your personal story into a lasting business legacy?In this episode of Audacity of Entrepreneurs, Nick Uresin sits down with Greg Mischio, founder of Winbound Digital Marketing Agency. Greg shares his perspective on content, thought leadership, authority, and relationship-building. Together, they explore how entrepreneurs can turn expertise and storytelling into meaningful business opportunities.
Greg Mischio is a writer, entrepreneur, and digital marketing strategist with a strong focus on content and thought leadership. Through Winbound, he helps businesses use expertise, research, storytelling, and strategic distribution to establish authority. He also brings a deep passion for writing, including books and memoirs that preserve people's experiences and ideas.
Greg explains that true authority ultimately comes down to trust. He shares how personal experience, original research, and credible third-party experts can strengthen thought leadership. He also discusses why business leaders should be visible in their company's content and how podcasts can create powerful relationships beyond traditional marketing.
Greg explains how conversations, podcasts, books, and personal stories can deepen relationships and preserve valuable experiences. For him, legacy is ultimately measured by the impact you make, not simply by the success you achieve.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why authority is ultimately built on trust
How personal experience and storytelling strengthen credibility
The role of research and third-party expertise in thought leadership
Why executives should be visible in their company's content
How to balance content creation with effective distribution
Why podcasts can become powerful relationship-building tools
How content can create business-development opportunities
Why your personal story may be more valuable than you realize
How documenting your experiences can contribute to your legacy
Why lasting impact matters beyond financial success
If you're an entrepreneur, agency owner, business leader, or aspiring founder, this conversation is packed with practical lessons about making the leap, finding your competitive advantage, acquiring customers, and building a business that lasts.
Subscribe to Audacity of Entrepreneurs for more unfiltered conversations with founders, executives, and business leaders about the decisions, challenges, and strategies behind building remarkable companies.
About Audacity of Entrepreneurs
Hosted by Nick Uresin, Audacity of Entrepreneurs features conversations with founders, CEOs, and business leaders sharing practical insights on entrepreneurship, leadership, sales, and business growth.
#Entrepreneurship #Marketing #BusinessGrowth #AgencyOwner #Entrepreneur #DigitalMarketing #PersonalBrand #PodcastMarketing #AI #AudacityOfEntrepreneurs

What if your customers could become one of the strongest forces helping you grow your business?
In this insightful episode of Audacity of Entrepreneurs, Nick Uresin sits down with Stephen Dean, COO & Co-founder of Keona Health, for a practical conversation about customer relationships, healthcare call centers, referrals, product development, resilience, and turning customers into advocates.
Stephen shares how Keona Health works with healthcare call centers using a healthcare CRM designed to improve patient service, simplify complex workflows, and help organizations operate more effectively. He explains why healthcare call centers can be incredibly difficult to manage, with some workflows involving millions of possible paths and agents often needing months of training before they can work independently.
But the conversation goes much deeper.
Stephen explains how Keona Health builds close customer relationships through regular operational meetings, executive reviews, data analysis, focus groups, and customer communities. By listening carefully, measuring what customers may take for granted, and helping them solve real problems, the company creates relationships based on mutual investment.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why strong customer relationships can become a powerful growth engine
How regular operational meetings help uncover customer pain points
Why executive conversations should focus on business results and strategic goals
How Keona Health measures complex healthcare call center workflows
Why comparing performance over time can reveal meaningful improvements
How customer data can become useful marketing content
Why warm referrals can be more effective than cold outreach
How case studies can turn satisfied customers into advocates
Why listening to customers can lead to valuable product ideas
How customer feedback helped shape Keona Health's healthcare CRM
Why measuring a problem matters before trying to solve it
How collaboration can make customers feel invested in a product
Why mutual investment is at the center of strong customer relationships
How Stephen's early life on a farm helped shape his resilience
Why entrepreneurs need to keep investing in others during difficult times
Stephen also opens up about growing up on a farm, moving frequently after his father began working for a military contractor, living in 14 states, working inside early-stage startups, and eventually discovering that entrepreneurship gave him something traditional employment could not.
He also shares how Keona Health's first product evolved after a customer encouraged the company to expand beyond its original focus. That customer feedback helped shape the broader healthcare CRM Keona Health provides today.
His message is simple but powerful: measure what your customers take for granted, help them improve it, and they can become some of your strongest advocates.
If you're an entrepreneur, SaaS founder, executive, or business leader looking to improve customer retention, generate referrals, develop better products, or build deeper customer relationships, this conversation offers practical lessons you can apply.
🎙️ Listen to the full episode and discover how stronger customer relationships can help you improve your product, create advocates, and grow your business.
#Entrepreneurship #CustomerSuccess #SaaS #HealthcareTechnology #CustomerExperience #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ProductDevelopment #CustomerRetention #AudacityOfEntrepreneurs

What if one of the best ways to build stronger teams is simply to play more?
In this episode of Audacity of Entrepreneurs, we sit down with Meredith Martini, CEO of PlayWorks Group LLC, to explore how play can help build trust, psychological safety, stronger relationships, and more engaged teams. Learn why play is more than just having fun, how leaders can bring playful thinking into everyday work, and why team building works best when it becomes part of company culture.
You'll also hear practical ideas for icebreakers, playful communication, remote team activities, and handling workplace tension in healthier ways. Meredith shares why leaders should start small, respect employee boundaries, make play part of the regular work rhythm, and create environments where people feel comfortable connecting, contributing, and speaking up.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why play can help build trust and psychological safety at work
How leaders can introduce play without making employees uncomfortable
Simple icebreakers that help teams connect and communicate
How curiosity, humor, and storytelling can create a more playful culture
Why employees should have the choice to participate at their comfort level
How remote and global teams can use play to build stronger connections
Why team building should happen during work hours whenever possible
How regular play can strengthen trust, engagement, and team relationships
Why play can support learning, creativity, innovation, and performance
The business cost of low engagement, poor retention, and employee turnover
Meredith also shares how her childhood, family experiences, work with young people, and study of counseling helped shape her understanding of the power of play and eventually influenced the work she does today.
Whether you lead an in-person, hybrid, or fully remote team, this conversation offers practical ways to make play part of your workplace culture while building stronger relationships and more connected teams.
👍 If you enjoyed this episode, Like, Subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations with founders, executives, and entrepreneurs building remarkable businesses.
#Entrepreneurship #Leadership #TeamBuilding #CompanyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #PsychologicalSafety #RemoteTeams #PlayAtWork #BusinessGrowth

What if getting unstuck in business starts with understanding what you can control, measuring what truly matters, and building a clear plan for the future?
In this insightful episode of Audacity of Entrepreneurs, Nick Uresin sits down with Melanie Asher, MBA, CEPA, Adjunct Professor at Saint Martin’s University, Co-Founder & CEO at Validera, and Founder & Fractional Executive at Omicle, for a practical conversation about business growth, valuation, changing markets, customer acquisition, and long-term planning.
Melanie shares how businesses can respond when revenue is inconsistent, growth has stalled, or market conditions are changing. Instead of focusing on outside forces that cannot be controlled, she explains why founders should examine their strategy, systems, policies, technology, metrics, and other areas they can directly improve.
At the center of the conversation is Melanie's Unstuck Audit, a methodology that examines nine key areas of a business, including vision and strategy alignment, brand positioning, go-to-market and revenue maturity, founder dependency and leadership, operational maturity, financial performance, risk, compliance and IP, growth and expansion readiness, and transition, exit and personal readiness.
The goal is not to predict exactly what will happen five years from now. It is to build a stronger and more valuable business that is prepared to adapt when conditions change.
In this episode, you'll discover:
How the Unstuck Audit helps businesses identify where they are stuck
Why founders should focus first on what they can control
How to turn a long-term business vision into an actionable plan
Why a 5-year plan should prepare a company for change, not try to predict the future
The nine business areas examined through the Unstuck Audit
How business readiness and market attractiveness affect business value
Why founder dependency can become a major barrier to scaling
How leadership alignment can influence business growth
Why likes, comments, and shares may not be the metrics that matter most
How the right metrics can connect business activity to meaningful goals
Why licensing or franchising can sometimes create new paths for growth
How AI is changing marketing, testing, advertising, and customer acquisition
Why personal referrals continue to create strong trust in B2B sales
Why podcasting can require patience before producing meaningful business results
Melanie also shares her own path into entrepreneurship. She explains how curiosity shaped her journey, from asking questions in school and college to discovering entrepreneurship through hands-on projects. That same curiosity continues to influence how she approaches business problems today.
The conversation also explores how companies such as Amazon and Netflix adapted their strategies as markets and technology changed, and why businesses need the ability to adjust instead of simply chasing what happened last week.
Her message is clear: you cannot predict every change, but you can build a business that is better prepared for what comes next.
If you're an entrepreneur, founder, or business leader dealing with inconsistent revenue, stalled growth, changing market conditions, or long-term planning, this conversation offers a practical way to understand where your business stands and what to improve next.
🎙️ Listen to the full episode to discover how the Unstuck Audit can help you create a 5-year plan, strengthen your business, increase its value, and prepare for growth.
#Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #BusinessStrategy #Leadership #UnstuckAudit #BusinessValuation #StrategicPlanning #B2BMarketing #FounderLeadership #AudacityOfEntrepreneurs

Jennifer shares the hard lessons behind building a successful business, from taking a 50% pay cut and leaving a $10.5 million company to creating a business on her own terms. She discusses entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, rejection, execution, client value, and why she refuses to rely on long-term contracts. Jennifer also explains why fundamentals always matter, why she embraces doing things differently, and why she sees herself simply as a business owner—not a “woman business owner.” This conversation is about choosing the harder path, pushing yourself, creating value, and making the most of the opportunities in front of you.
#WomenInBusiness #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #CareerGrowth #BusinessLeadership #WomenLeaders #ProfessionalGrowth #SuccessMindset #Entrepreneur #Resilience

Remote work offers flexibility, but it can also create one of the biggest challenges for distributed teams: isolation.
Jacqueline Wales discusses the realities of remote work and why staying connected matters even when employees are comfortable working from home. The conversation explores remote teams, workplace connection, hybrid work, employee engagement, and the importance of maintaining strong relationships across geographically distributed organizations.
Discover why the future of work isn't just about where people work—it’s also about how connected they feel to their teams.
Topics covered: remote work, workplace isolation, hybrid work, remote teams, employee engagement, workplace culture, distributed teams, and the future of work.
#RemoteWork #HybridWork #RemoteTeams #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork #DistributedTeams #Leadership #WorkplaceConnection #AudacityOfEntrepreneurs

What does it take to become #1 in your sector and build a company buyers actually want to acquire?
Nick sits down with Mark Addison, CEO and founder of Rocket Science, to explore category creation, bold positioning, thought leadership, business growth, valuation, and successful exits. Mark shares lessons from launching 31 brands and being involved in 16 successful exits, including how to uncover the “non-obvious” value inside a business, turn it into a credible audacious claim, and use strategic positioning to become a market leader. He also reveals lessons from a medical software company with 22 million records, an ad blocker that reached 1.3 billion downloads, and a wine business that grew from zero to $20 million in ARR.
#AudacityOfEntrepreneurs #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #CategoryCreation #BusinessValuation #ThoughtLeadership #StartupGrowth #MergersAndAcquisitions #Leadership

What does it take to walk away from a successful career and start over as an entrepreneur?
Yanni Wattenmaker shares the deeply personal story of leaving her 13-year career as the executive director of a national breast cancer nonprofit to pursue a life built around purpose, flexibility, and entrepreneurship.
Yanni discusses the six months of self-reflection that led to her resignation, the financial risks of leaving a stable paycheck, overcoming fear and self-doubt, and building two mission-driven businesses—a property management company and the Her Health Compass podcast. Together with host Nick Urison, they explore work-life balance, networking, resilience, gratitude, podcast growth, and the realities of creating a business that aligns with your values.
If you're considering a career change, launching a business, or searching for inspiration to pursue your passion, this conversation offers practical advice and honest insights into the entrepreneurial journey.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to know when it's time to leave your career
Managing fear and uncertainty during major life changes
Building multiple income streams as an entrepreneur
The importance of networking and meaningful relationships
Why work-life balance should be a business priority
Lessons from launching and growing a successful podcast
Developing resilience through entrepreneurship
Creating a business around passion while maintaining financial stability
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, business owner, executive, or professional considering your next chapter, this episode is filled with valuable takeaways to help you move forward with confidence.

Scaling a business requires more than hard work—it requires the right people, strong leadership systems, and measurable accountability.
Discover how successful founders build high-performing teams by hiring the right first employees, implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), creating a culture employees want to be part of, and tracking the KPIs that matter most. Learn leadership lessons from Amazon's operating philosophy, how AI is reshaping client expectations, and why authentic relationships remain a competitive advantage.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, founder, executive, or business leader, this episode delivers practical strategies for building a company that grows with clarity, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability.