Episodes

Jacob Piasecki co-founded an NIL agency out of a college townhouse in 2021, right as the rules changed to let college athletes finally get paid. In this episode, he explains how that industry actually works, from donor-funded collectives to seventeen-year-olds suddenly supporting their family's mortgage, and why the agency business is still, at its core, about people.

A retired Air Force general who flew the C-17 is now building fireproof, waterproof walls, and warning anyone who'll listen about where surveillance technology is headed. Brigadier General (Ret.) Blaine Holt joins the show to talk about his path from the cockpit to Xeriant, what his company is actually building, and why he believes the real fight right now is between sovereignty and globalism.

Corey Apirian has spent two decades solving one problem: getting inventory closer to the customer. In this episode, the CEO of DaVinci Micro Fulfillment explains why the old model of one giant warehouse is breaking down, what a micro fulfillment center actually looks like, and why he named his company after Leonardo da Vinci.

Bruna Lima left agency life for a Brazilian village with no gas station and no hospital, and it changed how she thinks about branding for good. She built Branders Studio from there, now serving US clients from a quiet village outside Warsaw, Poland. This episode covers what she learned moving between Brazil, Austin, and Poland, and why she thinks almost nothing in marketing is actually urgent.

Daniel Certner spent a year and looked at almost 1,000 businesses before he found the one he wanted to buy. Now he owns Fleet Packaging, sourcing custom packaging for US brands from factories in 30 countries. On this episode, he breaks down what a real business acquisition actually looks like, from spotting a red flag in a seller to why he still trusts the diligence process he leaned on three years ago.

Bas Janssen built a software platform that turns a brand's strategy into hundreds of pieces of quality-gated content, without the "AI slop" that comes from a single ChatGPT prompt. He and Chris talk through the shift from Google rankings to LLM visibility, why structure beats speed in AI content, and how agencies are using programmatic SEO to scale without falling apart.

Tino Triste traded a stint in the Portuguese Marines for a career that took him from photography to SEO to building his own app with AI, without ever learning to code. He explains how he took over development of Flutura, a CBT therapy platform he built with his wife, and why he thinks the real skill now is managing AI instead of just prompting it. A personal one for Chris too: Tino shares his hometown of Bolton, UK.

Katie Cleary spent years searching for someone who understood what she was going through. After being diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disease following her second pregnancy, she found almost no support built for moms managing chronic illness, so she built it herself. Now the founder of Autoimmune Mom, Katie joins the Rebellious Times Podcast to explain what autoimmune disease actually is, why it takes women years to get diagnosed, and the advice she wishes someone had given her sooner: stop co...

Steven Eugene Kuhn is a citizen servant leadership architect, bestselling author, entrepreneur and U.S. military veteran who served during the Gulf War. After leaving the military, he built an international entrepreneurial career that he says included operating approximately 20 businesses across 10 countries, alongside involvement in political organizations and advisory work. Steven is the founder of Take Back America, an initiative focused on developing citizen servant leaders and encouraging A...

Michael Chen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Yondu AI, a robotics startup developing general-purpose AI-powered robots for industrial automation. A graduate of MIT's robotics program and alumnus of Y Combinator (YC24), Michael is helping bring artificial intelligence into the physical world by building robots capable of performing repetitive warehouse and manufacturing tasks alongside human workers. Michael's passion for robotics began in childhood while helping his family's restaurant, where he bu...

Andrew Sheehan is the Founder and CEO of SustainabilityExamples.com, a platform that helps organizations discover, share, and learn from verified sustainability initiatives. Combining his background in marketing with a passion for environmental impact, Andrew created the platform to make sustainability knowledge more accessible and actionable for businesses around the world. Before launching SustainabilityExamples.com, Andrew built a successful career in marketing after beginning his professiona...

John Spagnuolo is the President of IQ Reseller, a leading ERP platform built specifically for the IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) industry. With more than 16 years of experience in enterprise technology lifecycle management, John helps organizations streamline the secure processing, refurbishment, resale, and management of used IT equipment across global markets. Before leading IQ Reseller, John built his career inside the ITAD industry, beginning as an intern before progressing through operations, ...

Vanessa Jacobs is the CEO and Co-Founder of Circulo, a technology company helping brands transform the post-purchase customer experience through a unified platform for warranties, repairs, trade-ins, re-commerce, and customer engagement. Her work focuses on helping retailers build stronger customer relationships long after the initial sale. Before founding Circulo, Vanessa founded The Restory, one of Europe's pioneering luxury fashion repair businesses. Working with brands such as Harrods, Selfr...

Sandra Miley is the Founder and Owner of MacKay Miley Consulting, where she advises organizations on AI transformation, business transformation, change management, and marketing leadership. Drawing on decades of executive experience, she helps companies navigate complex organizational change while aligning technology investments with measurable business outcomes. Known for her practical approach to enterprise transformation, Sandra works with leadership teams to improve AI adoption, foster cross...

Rob Kaminski is the Co-Founder of Fletch, an Austin-based product marketing consultancy that helps B2B startups improve positioning, messaging, and go-to-market strategy. Drawing on a background that spans biomedical engineering, sales, and startup growth, Rob works with founders to clearly communicate the value of their products and stand out in competitive markets. Through Fletch, Rob champions a product-led, hyper-focused approach to growth, helping startups identify their ideal customer prof...

Kelsey Hensley is the President of Novex Supply Chain, a founder-led third-party logistics company providing warehousing, omnichannel fulfillment, and nationwide distribution solutions. She has spent her career in supply chain, beginning in finance and accounting roles before transitioning into entrepreneurship through the acquisition of her first logistics business. Known for her resilience and transparent leadership style, Kelsey transformed an acquisition that nearly failed into a thriving bu...

Malur Narayan is the CEO and Co-Founder of Xtrium, an AI-powered platform that helps manufacturers identify materials, evaluate sourcing risks, and accelerate procurement decisions. His work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, manufacturing, and global supply chain resilience, helping organizations navigate increasingly complex material ecosystems. Malur has spent more than three decades building technology companies, leading innovation initiatives, and researching artificial in...

Calister Maloney is the Co-Founder of MedCore Digital, a healthcare-focused digital marketing agency dedicated to helping medical practices build stronger online visibility, attract more patients, and establish long-term digital authority. His work combines healthcare industry expertise with modern marketing strategies designed specifically for providers operating in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. Based in Dubai, Calister leads an internationally distributed team that leverages A...

Travis Laws is the President of WIN Warehouse, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting excess corporate inventory with nonprofit organizations that can use those products to better serve their communities. By combining logistics expertise with a purpose-driven mission, WIN Warehouse helps reduce waste while making essential goods more affordable for charities across the United States. Under Travis's leadership, WIN Warehouse continues to modernize its operations through AI-powered inven...

Usman Sheikh is the Founder and CEO of Agentive, an AI-powered sales intelligence platform built to help revenue teams identify buying signals, streamline sales workflows, and improve productivity. Agentive combines artificial intelligence with deep sales expertise to help organizations focus more time on meaningful customer engagement and less on administrative work. Before founding Agentive, Usman built a diverse career spanning architecture, technology, enterprise software, and go-to-market s...

Justin Davis is the Founder of Eleven Dunbar, a community built around meaningful human connection, curiosity, and personal growth. Before launching Eleven Dunbar, Justin spent more than two decades building technology startups, leading product and go-to-market teams, and contributing to multiple successful acquisitions across the enterprise software industry. Today, Justin focuses on helping entrepreneurs and professionals reconnect with purpose, authenticity, and community. His work explores t...

Digital Marketing Agency Los Angeles: Patty Ross on Building Golden State Marketing Where a business is located shouldn’t determine the opportunities available to it. Yet for many entrepreneurs around the world, perception can be just as challenging as competition. In this episode of the Rebellious Times Podcast, I sat down with Daniel Okafor, Founder and CEO of Brandoxel Media, to discuss building a digital marketing agency in Nigeria, winning clients internationally, and inspiring the next ge...

Joey Waid is the Founder of Phone2Table, an Austin-based startup developing a grocery shopping and meal planning platform that helps consumers make healthier, more informed purchasing decisions. His entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by customer discovery, continuous product testing, and a passion for solving everyday problems through technology. Based at Capital Factory in Austin, Joey is committed to building products that evolve through real-world feedback rather than assumptions. Alongs...

Jeen Filz is the Chief Operating Officer of Bottle Nexus, a leading alcohol e-commerce platform helping beverage brands build direct relationships with consumers while navigating the complexities of the US three-tier distribution system. His career spans premium spirits, brand marketing, Diageo, and digital commerce. Originally from the Netherlands, Jeen has spent his career helping some of the world's leading beverage brands embrace digital marketing, e-commerce, and data-driven customer engage...