What fuels a leader's journey? It's a question many founders and CEOs ponder daily.

The answer might surprise you: it's all about mindset, integrity, and putting people first.

In this episode of The Dreamfuel Show, host Kevin Bailey sits with David Mann, a military veteran, entrepreneur, and investor. David shares his insights on values-driven leadership, emphasizing the importance of genuinely caring about people professionally and personally to create a desirable company culture that leads to great results. He also discusses the challenges and lessons learned from his journey, including overcoming his ego, the impact of his faith, and transitioning leadership experiences from the Navy to the business world.

Key Takeaways:

1. Suffering and Growth – David shares how adversity fueled his personal development, highlighting faith as a guiding force.
2. Humble Leadership – David outlines transitioning from arrogance to humility, stressing that the best leaders empower their teams.
3. Abundance Mindset – Focusing on what you can give rather than what you can get can unlock endless opportunities and build stronger, more sincere connections.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:55) From Navy to private equity

(04:35) Navigating high-stakes challenges with integrity

(08:25) Why core values matter more than numbers in private equity

(11:44) Building people-first cultures

(19:46) Faith and abundance mindset

(25:44) Why daily routines matter

(28:38) Importance of humility in leadership

What drives success? It’s an answer we’re all searching for.

And the answer is simpler than you think: Embrace your journey, make tough decisions, and find balance in professional and personal life.

In this episode of The Dreamfuel Show, host Kevin Bailey sits down with Daniel Hershberg, founder and CEO of the Amateur Golf Society of America. Daniel opens up about the challenges and rewards of his 16-year entrepreneurial journey.

Kevin and Daniel also discuss the importance of making hard decisions, maintaining work-life balance, and the benefits of choosing the right partners in business.

Key Takeaways:

1. Family & Business Dynamics – Daniel talks about drawing a boundary between family life and business, and why it’s best to build a business with people you’re not close to.
2. Lean Startup Strategy – Making lean, tough choices for the sustainable growth of your startup.
3. Founder Wellness – Daniel emphasizes health and balance through yoga, family time, and managing stress to avoid burnout.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:
(00:00) Managing joy and entrepreneurship

(00:41) Golf on your terms with Amateur Golf Society

(01:54) Challenges of founding a business with family

(06:18) Importance of lean startup and funding strategies

(11:37) Balancing work and personal life as a founder

(114:39) Empowering leaders to connect at the Amateur Golf Society

Ready to uncover the secrets of founding a successful startup? Spoiler alert: It’s all about choosing the right partners.

In this episode of The Dreamfuel Show, host Kevin Bailey sits down with Clayton Thompson, seasoned founder, and CEO of multiple thriving SaaS startups. Clayton shares the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of clear boundaries and wise partner choices.

From the pain of parting ways with a friend-turned-cofounder to the joy of raising millions in funding, Clayton’s stories are raw, real, and incredibly insightful.

Key Takeaways:

1. Choose Your Partners Wisely – Clayton's journey taught him a hard lesson about mixing friendship with business.
2. Build Your Support Network – Clayton emphasizes the importance of networking and seeking mentorship, which can accelerate your growth and keep you from feeling isolated.
3. Master the Art of Adaptability – Clayton talks about evolving from a lifestyle business to a high-growth company, proving that flexibility and learning from mistakes are key to long-term success.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:
(00:00) How to set clear boundaries in business partnerships

(02:11) Major challenges of starting a business with friends

(06:08) Practical advice for early-stage founders

(08:09) Why networking and mentorship are crucial for startups

What fuels a founder's journey from an ambitious dreamer to a successful entrepreneur?

The path is often paved with relentless pressure, heartfelt connections, and moments of profound self-discovery.

In this episode, Kevin Bailey sits down with Santiago Jaramillo and Adam Weber, Co-founders of Emplify. Together, they've navigated the turbulent seas of start-up life, gone through the highs of meteoric growth, and faced the stark realities of selling their company for $50 million.

Santiago and Adam reflect on their ten-year journey, from their unexpected meeting to the hard choices of transitioning out. They open up about their battles with self-doubt, the burn of near-burnout, and the intimate brotherhood they've created through shared trials.

Key Takeaways:

1. Synchronicity in Partnership - Santiago and Adam discuss the importance of finding the right partner in business.
2. Burnout and Mental Health - Santiago talks about nearing burnout and the crucial decision to explore an acquisition to safeguard his mental and physical health.
3. Clarity Through Change - Adam shares a significant moment when a leadership retreat helped him realize his true passions, leading to a career shift from sales to leadership development.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet Santiago and Adam

02:28 The power of synchronicity

07:02 The emotional rollercoaster of success

11:45 Burnout and the decision to exit

13:27 Need for self-care to overcome triggered state

20:32 Soul-searching retreat that led to career clarity

What drives success? It’s a question every founder ponders. And the answer might be simpler than you think: Self-awareness and authenticity.

In this episode, Kevin Bailey sits down with Matt Tait, CEO and founder of Decimal. Together, they discuss Matt’s journey—his triumphs, rough failures, and the invaluable lessons learned from launching three companies.

Matt’s story is full of insights that remind us that while business can break us, it also builds us into the best version of ourselves.

Tune in for a conversation that’s as inspiring as it is heartfelt.

Key Takeaways:

1. Retracing Steps — Matt emphasizes the importance of founders taking a deep dive into self-reflection before starting a company. He shares how understanding who you are today and who you aspire to be can significantly impact the growth and success of your business.
2. Embracing Failure — Decoupling your identity from your business provides a solid foundation for controlling your reactions and, ultimately, emerging resilience and even more drive. Matt shares his experience with failure at Füdē, highlighting its brutal impact but also the invaluable lessons it brings.
3. Values Over Ego — Matt explores how prioritizing moral decisions over ego boosts long-term trust and loyalty within a team and why doing the right thing—even when it’s difficult—matters deeply in creating a lasting legacy.

Resources

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:50 Meet Matt Tait, Founder and CEO

01:44 Lessons from founding Füdē and Decimal

04:17 The pitfalls of following your ego

06:31 The importance of self-honesty

08:23 Decoupling identity from business

10:46 The competitive advantage of self-understanding

13:05 A story from the trenches

17:52 Personal growth through entrepreneurship

19:01 Leading through the pandemic

What happens when your passion collides with a bigger challenge?

Join host Kevin Bailey and Max Yoder as they dive deep into conversation with Jon Speer, a remarkable founder who knows the highs and lows of entrepreneurship like the back of his hands.

Jon shares his story of how an investor's decision shifted his company's direction, initially causing frustration but ultimately leading to collaboration and success.

Jon navigated the emotional rollercoaster of startup life, the strain on personal relationships, and the importance of meaningful connections. He shares how visualization, trust, and a grounded approach to life goals helped him through some of his toughest moments.

Key Takeaways:

1. Trust Through Transparency - Jon opens up about his journey toward building trust, especially with his co-founder, David.
2. Vision-Driven Pivot – Jon faced a pivotal moment when an investor suggested a broader product concept. Instead of sticking rigidly to his initial idea, Jon embraced this new direction, which led to greater success.
3. Personal Sacrifices for Professional Gains - Balancing work and life is tough. Jon discusses his long hours and personal sacrifices while building his company.

Resources:

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:
00:00 Jon’s journey before he started Greenlight Guru
06:11 From boring jobs to independent consulting
10:30 Exchanging work for equity
19:35 Self-investment to majority equity and trust
27:02 Mental performance program for tech leaders
37:01 Visualization and a family living together
40:01 Securing JMI Equity offer
48:48 Navigating disorientation and finding clarity in a new direction
54:30 Cherishing meaningful relationships with love and presence

Stress, ego, and a desperate search for approval. In this episode of The Dreamfuel Show, Mark Masters breaks down the tech industry's silent productivity killers.

Mark shares his remarkable journey from enduring a life-threatening heart defect to reflecting on his values and priorities. This experience reshaped his approach to business and life, turning him into a true example of self-awareness and consideration of others' input for the most rapid kinds of advancement.

Tune in to feel inspired, understood, and armed with insights to transform both your personal and professional life.

Key Takeaways:

1. Strength in Vulnerability: Mark's deeply personal story about facing eminent death from a birth defect makes it clear: vulnerability isn't a weakness: It's actually a superpower in disguise. Learning to live in a state of always being open to being wrong makes your vulnerability into a Super-Advantage and helpful “truth detector.” It also helps you connect deeply with your team and customers.
2. Own the Mind Share: Learn to Control the larger overarching mindshare narrative over your entire market niche and force your competitors to exist within an accurate narrative bubble of your own design. This occurs when you understand your customers better than anyone else. Mark talks about building a media empire by searching for and super-serving underserved audiences. It's all about asking the right questions first because the right answers only come when you start asking the right questions.
3. The Ego As “Frenemy”: Mark also discusses the pitfalls of ego and why your children and your spouse will never, ever be in love with your ego. The ego is, therefore, a “frenemy” because it always will be far more your most aggressive enemy than ever a friend. He warns against the twin dangers of dismissiveness and impulsiveness – traps that can derail even the most successful enterprises. Instead, he encourages a culture of asking the right questions and genuinely listening to understand customer needs.

Resources:

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to The Dreamfuel Show
09:17 How being open and vulnerable leads to success
12:10 Success reinforces value, but beware of ego's ugliness
18:58 Parental influence drove Mark’s success through hard work
25:00 How Steve Jobs' marketing strategy revolutionized computer usage
37:12 Improving efficiency and collaboration through a customer-driven approach
40:43 Focusing on the marketplace, customers, and media dominance
43:48 Saving money, asking the right questions, and avoiding waste

What gets you through the toughest moments in business?

In this episode of The Dreamfuel Show, Kevin Bailey sits down with Anna Heiny, an accomplished runner and neuroscience expert, who shares her journey of balance and perseverance.

From running a half marathon while 23 weeks pregnant to staying positive in the face of adversity, Anna's story is a testament to the power of mental resilience.

Anna and Kevin discuss the critical role of mental preparation, focusing on the tips and techniques that Anna employs both on the track and in the boardroom.

You’ll hear about the parallels between endurance running and the grueling path of leadership—both requiring discipline, drive, and the ability to embrace discomfort as a sign of giving your best.

You won’t want to miss it.

Key Takeaways:

1. Mental Mastery in Motion–Anna shares her secret for staying positive and focused, even when things get tough.

2. Embrace the Discomfort–Anna ran a marathon while pregnant. Crazy, right? She’s learned to embrace the stress and use it as fuel.

3. From Race to Leadership–Drawing parallels between running a marathon and running a business, Anna and Kevin share some insights on resilience, staying in the flow, and maintaining balance.

Resources:

• Click here to apply to Dreamfuel's Octane Mental Performance Program for Tech Leaders

Timestamps:

00:00 Endurance, discipline, and Anna’s drive to be the best in running

07:13 Mental techniques for enhanced athletic and academic success
15:15 Focusing on the positives and how negativity hinders growth
21:01 Journaling for accountability

25:05 Choosing gratitude over negativity in facing challenges

28:11 Anna, on Missing the Olympic trials

38:03 Embracing discomfort as a way to improve