Ace Founder

45Fusion
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Behind every breakout SaaS company is a founder who saw a broken, invisible problem and chose to bring a solution to life. Ace Founder is where we tell those stories. No corporate talking points. No polished PR. Just the unvarnished reality of the journey—the near-misses that almost broke the company, the hard-won lessons, and the sheer grit required to scale. Whether they are disrupting cybersecurity, launching service models, or scaling SaaS, we talk to the people building what didn't exist yesterday. Welcome to the reality behind the build.

  1. 3 hr ago

    The Story Of Black Knight Risk Management With Otuoze Baiye

    Our guest in this episode of Ace Founder is Otuoze Baiye, founder of Black Knight Risk Management. Otuoze is one of those founders you come across on LinkedIn and just have to get on the show. A West Point graduate, former US Army Missile Defense Officer, and bank regulator who never planned to start a company — until the federal government gave him no choice. In this conversation, Otuoze shares the story behind Black Knight Risk Management — a consultancy helping regulated firms and government agencies implement emerging technology, including AI, without falling foul of the regulators. 📚 What We Talk About: 00:06 From missile defense officer to bank regulator to founder — a career nobody planned 08:11 Why being in the bottom third at West Point led to one of the most unique career paths in cybersecurity 16:00 The story behind the name — and why Black Knight means more than just a chess piece 18:47 What Black Knight does — and why every AI implementation starts with the use case, not the tool 25:30 Why bringing AI into a regulated firm is a cross-functional problem, not an IT problem 32:51 What makes Black Knight different — and why nobody else has been both a missile officer and a bank regulator 35:44 How he uses LinkedIn — and why getting over the cringe factor changed everything 42:14 Final tip — say yes to more things and see where it takes you 💭 Key Quotes: "I have never worked this hard in my entire life — and the Army is a 24/7 job." "I don't come in and tell people to fire half their developers. I'm there to make the team they have better using technology." "You have to just get over years of looking cringe on LinkedIn. That's the only way it's gonna happen." "Whether people are talking about me good or bad — this is the only way I'm gonna make money." "Make connections. Say yes to as many things as possible. Step out of your comfort zone and see where it carries you." 🔗 Connect With Our Guest: Website: blackknightrm.com LinkedIn: Otuoze Baiye Black Knight LinkedIn Black Knight YouTube channel

  2. 6 Sept

    The Story Of Driscop With Idris Ayoade

    Our guest in this episode of Ace Founder is Idris Ayoade, founder of Driscop Limited. Idris is one of those founders you come across on LinkedIn and just have to get on the show. A threat intelligence analyst turned entrepreneur who spotted a problem hiding in plain sight — 20% of the UK's 5.9 million small businesses get cyber-breached every year, and most of them never saw it coming. In this conversation, Idris shares the story behind Driscop — an AI-powered cybersecurity platform helping small businesses detect threats before they click, not after they've lost everything. 📚 What We Talk About: 00:06 How a career in infrastructure engineering led him to cybersecurity and eventually Driscop 06:37 The story behind the name Driscop. 09:17 What Driscop does — from AI threat detection to training nudges that teach you to think before you click 14:50 How they landed their first pilot customers. 24:22 The £50,000 invoice fraud story that shows exactly why small businesses need this 30:23 The biggest win — getting selected from 500 applicants into the Barclays Black Founder Accelerator 34:37 The biggest lesson — why trying to do everything at once is the fastest road to burnout 💭 Key Quotes: "Getting someone interested is not the same as getting them to become a customer." "We are encouraging people to think before they click, not click before they think." "The biggest win isn't one event. It's seeing Driscop move from an idea in my head into something people are willing to test, challenge, and help develop." "It's better to not be busy and do the right stuff than to be busy doing a lot of stuff that leads nowhere." "Filtering the noise in the midst of the chaos — that's been the biggest lesson building Driscop." 🔗 Connect With Our Guest: Website: driscop.co.uk Driscop Training platform Company LinkedIn Idris LinkedIn profile

  3. 29 Aug

    The Story Of Navigara With Jirka Bachel

    Our guest in this episode of Ace Founder is Jirka Bachel, founder of Navigara. Jirka is one of those founders you come across on LinkedIn and just have to get on the show. A 20-year software engineering veteran who built a browser that competed with Chrome, survived a plane crash over Venice, and then went on to build a data-driven platform that Fortune 500 companies and unicorns came knocking for after just one LinkedIn post. In this conversation, Jirka shares the story behind Navigara — a platform that gives engineering managers the data they need to run their teams like a business, not on gut feeling. 📚 What We Talk About: 01:10 The plane crash over Venice that almost ended everything 14:29 From selling burned CDs at 12 to 20 years in software engineering 15:47 How he built a Google competitor and a Chrome competitor in the Czech Republic 22:04 What Navigara does — and why customers call it Engineering Moneyball 27:33 How one LinkedIn post landed him two Fortune 500 companies 29:00 Why he believes one exceptional person beats three average hires every time 44:59 The biggest challenge — getting engineers to trust data over instinct 54:17 The biggest win — watching engineers compete to be the best developer of the week 💭 Key Quotes: "A man has two lives. The first one ends when you realize you have only one life." "Engineering teams are managed by guts and experience. There is no data." "Our customers call this Engineering Moneyball — and I love that." "One exceptional person with AI can do amazing stuff. More people just makes it harder to align." "Roadmap delivery is our mantra. Everything else follows from that." 🔗 Connect With Our Guest: Website: navigara.com LinkedIn: Jirka Bachel

  4. 24 Aug

    The Story Of Defense Cybersecurity Group With Vincent Scott

    Our guest this week on Ace Founder is Vincent Scott, founder of Defense Cybersecurity Group.Vincent's path into entrepreneurship is unlike anyone we've had on the show. A US Naval Academy graduate, Gulf War veteran, and former cryptologist who spent his career breaking into other people's communications for the US Navy — he now helps defence contractors meet their cybersecurity obligations before the government comes knocking.In this conversation, Vincent shares the story of building Defense Cybersecurity Group, why detection is the most undervalued skill in cybersecurity, and why his biggest win had nothing to do with revenue.📚 What We Talk About:02:23 From horse ranch to Naval Academy to Gulf War cryptologist04:54 Inside the world of cryptology10:00 The Naval roots behind the company name12:00 Helping defense contractors meet their DOD cybersecurity obligations21:00 Why this extends to UK and Australian companies27:00 Building an AI defensive agent to fight back against AI attacks29:00 Why detection is the most undervalued skill in cybersecurity37:13 How he used LinkedIn to land his their first clients44:59 The biggest challenge — scaling from an army of one54:17 The biggest win — providing healthcare for his employees💭 Key Quotes:"If you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur.""Detection is the most undervalued skill in cybersecurity. Prevention gets 80% of the effort — but prevention is going to fail.""There are no bad regiments, only bad colonels.""The best thing you can do is make the right decision. The next best is make the wrong decision. The worst thing you can do is not decide at all.""In two years you can be a cybersecurity expert — because what came before that is probably old think."🔗 Connect With Our Guest:Website: https://www.cybersecgru.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-scott-cybersecurity

  5. 11 Aug

    The Story Of N8N Labs With Jovan Miljevic

    Our guest this week on Ace Founder is Jovan Miljevic, founder of N8N Labs.Jovan is actually a repeat guest of the podcast. Having sold his previous ad agency, Bounty Hunter, he's back to share the story of his new venture — N8N Labs, an AI automation agency helping companies run leaner, move faster, and stop drowning in manual processes.In this conversation, Jovan gets into what it actually looks like to build an AI agency from the ground up — the early clients, the failed projects, the noise in the market, and why his biggest tip as an AI founder is to be more human.📚 What We Talk About:01:00 Jovan's story — from boutique travel portal to ad agency to AI automation03:30 Why he sold Bounty Hunter at its peak and what the process actually looked like09:42 Why AI native agencies are valued differently — and why the model is so lucrative right now14:16 What N8N Labs does and how it's grown beyond just the N8N platform16:44 How a lean team of 8 is delivering what most agencies need 30 people to do24:00 How their first clients found them through AI search — not referrals27:00 The biggest win that had nothing to do with revenue30:27 The biggest challenge — cutting through the noise and helping clients understand what they actually need36:00 Is software dead? Jovan's take on AI and the future of SaaS43:25 How they use AI agents to run their own content and website operations50:40 Final tip: develop your human capabilities first💭 Key Quotes:"When you are an AI native agency, you're not billing for hours. You're building systems that compound for a client.""The biggest challenge is battling the slop — people asking for tools that aren't right for their problem.""AI is not going to replace us. It will hopefully make us better.""An AI guy telling you to be more human — take that seriously.""Everything in life requires consistency. It's more about you than the network."🔗 Connect With Our Guest:Website: https://n8nlab.ioLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jovan-miljevic/

  6. 29 Jul

    Building Enterprise-Level Cybersecurity For Small Businesses with Derek Hardmon

    Most founders think cybersecurity is a technology problem. Derek Hardmon says it's a business problem — and that's exactly why most small businesses get it wrong. In this episode of Ace Founder, Derek — founder of Secure Technology Consultants and a 20-year veteran of IT and information security across banking, healthcare, and regulated industries — breaks down how small and medium businesses can build a cybersecurity program that actually works, without breaking the bank. If you've ever thought "we're too small to be a target" — this episode is specifically for you. 📚 What We Talk About: 01:00 Derek's background and what Secure Technology Consultants does 02:00 The story behind the name — and why simple and direct always wins 03:09 The five things every founder needs in place before anything else 06:04 Why cybersecurity has to be driven from the top down — not bottom up 07:46 The two types of small businesses Derek encounters — and why both are at risk 09:26 Why hackers don't target you specifically — they just check every door until one opens 11:21 Why your small business might not be the target — but your bigger client is 13:25 How Derek interviews and onboards a new client from day one 15:36 How to build a cybersecurity program from scratch — step by step 17:24 Why having policies isn't enough — you have to prove you're actually using them 21:21 Why starting a cybersecurity culture early is a huge advantage for new businesses 23:47 Why cybersecurity isn't a technology problem — it's a business function 💭 Key Quotes: "You can't afford cybersecurity? You really can't afford a breach." "It's not good enough to just have these things in place. You have to show you're actually performing these tasks." "Think of cybersecurity not as technology — think of it as a business function, a living, breathing entity within your organisation." "Hackers are checking doors. All they need isn't locked." "If it's coming from the CEO, it's going to be better received than coming from somebody like me." 🔗 Connect With Our Guest: Website: securetcllc.com LinkedIn: Derek Hardmon

  7. 13 Jul

    The Story Of WellBox: Building A Corporate Gifting Powerhouse With Justin Gilchrist

    In this episode of Ace Founder, we sit down for an awesome chat with Justin Gilchrist, the brains behind Wellbox. Justin gets incredibly real about what it takes to build an enterprise corporate-gifting company, especially since the idea was born of pure desperation during the 2020 lockdowns. We dive into why he chose bootstrapping over VC money to protect his peace of mind, how he's secretly using AI to slash hours of work, and why he's finally realizing he can't ignore LinkedIn anymore. It's a super candid, fun, and insightful conversation you won't want to miss! ⏱️ The Playbook (03:22) The Origin Story: How facing a terrifying £60k in monthly overhead forced a desperate—but genius—pandemic pivot.(06:56) What's in a Name?: Why Justin crowdsourced the company name on WhatsApp and used his old business's logo for two years just to launch faster!(10:22) Inside the Business: How a lean, tight-knit core team of just 11 people manages gifting for 87% of the FTSE 250.(19:00) The Data Obsession: Why Justin is an unapologetic data nerd—and how tracking what people linger on shapes every gift Wellbox builds next.(22:38) The Amazon Voucher Debate: A brilliantly honest take on why a gift card gets forgotten in your account, but a hamper keeps reminding you who sent it.(24:23) HR vs. Sales: The Split ICP: Milestone gifting, cutting through 50,000 cold emails, and why these two buyers need completely different languages.(27:18) The VC Temptation: The brutal reality of 2023, and why resisting the urge to take investor money to scale blindly was his toughest (and best) decision.(33:17) The Biggest Win: The surprising mix of luck, skill, and 25 years of mistakes that led to building his dream team.(37:49) The AI Advantage: A total game-changer on how Wellbox uses AI workflows to turn 4-hour catalog tasks into 10-minute breezes.(43:48) The LinkedIn Trojan Horse: Justin's hilarious, humble confession about his current social media presence—and why he knows capturing attention is the only way forward.(46:53) Founder Hindsight: Justin's number one piece of advice for anyone stuck in the "perfection" trap.(47:33) What's Next: Why building a startup is like flying a train while trying to build a plane mid-air. 💡 Key Takeaway "If you're anywhere near the start, just start. Don't obsess over things being perfect or even right. You've got plenty of time to correct it along the way, but just get to whatever validation looks like for you as quickly as possible, before you lose momentum." — Justin Gilchrist 🔗 Links & Resources Connect with Justin Gilchrist: Find him on LinkedInCheck out Wellbox: wellboxes.co.uk

  8. 7 Jul

    How Founders Can Use AI in Financial Decision Making with Igor Tutelman

    Your business is making money. But do you actually know where it's going?Most founders check their bank balance, see the number went up, and call it a win. But profitable-looking and actually profitable are two very different things — and that gap is exactly where businesses quietly stall.In this episode of Ace Founder, Igor Tutelman — CPA, founder of IOTA Finance, and self-described "Not Your Father's Accountant" — breaks down how small business owners can stop flying blind with their finances, and why AI might be the most underused tool in a founder's financial toolkit right now.If you're building a business and the money side still feels like a mystery, this one's for you. 📚 What We Talk About:00:26 Igor's background and what IOTA Finance actually does for founders01:38 What it means when the business model works but the financials don't02:26 The "Bank Balance Barry" problem — and why it's more dangerous than you think03:37 The gas station attendant analogy — what AI job displacement really looks like historically07:55 Why founders need to be paying attention to AI when making financial decisions09:14 Why your first hires matter more than almost any other decision you'll make10:28 How to grow your client base without automatically adding headcount12:52 The three AI tools Igor's team uses daily — and what each one is best for17:00 The Fable situation, AGI warnings, and what it means that AI is now self-improving20:22 Should founders be using AI to make financial decisions? Igor's honest take22:42 Why a bad prompt is more dangerous than no prompt at all24:13 The one thing every founder should start doing with AI this week💭 Key Quotes: "No, AI is not going to take your job. But somebody who works with and appreciates AI might.""It's like getting access to Bill Gates' executive assistant — and it's foolish not to use it.""We're not worse at thinking. We're just better at deciding and worse at gathering — and that's actually a good trade.""ChatGPT for communication. Perplexity for research. Claude for execution.""Become a little kid with AI. Go play around with it. There's no good way to do it other than by doing it."🔗 Connect With Our Guest:Website: iota-finance.comLinkedIn: Igor Tutelman

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Behind every breakout SaaS company is a founder who saw a broken, invisible problem and chose to bring a solution to life. Ace Founder is where we tell those stories. No corporate talking points. No polished PR. Just the unvarnished reality of the journey—the near-misses that almost broke the company, the hard-won lessons, and the sheer grit required to scale. Whether they are disrupting cybersecurity, launching service models, or scaling SaaS, we talk to the people building what didn't exist yesterday. Welcome to the reality behind the build.

Information

  • Creator
    45Fusion
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 45Fusion
  • Show Website
    Ace Founder