Just Get Started

Brian Ondrako
  • 5.0 (98)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Just Get Started Podcast is your go-to guide for breaking free from self-doubt, stepping outside your comfort zone, and taking action toward the life and business you truly want. Each episode dives into the real, messy journey of starting something new—whether it's leaving corporate, launching an idea, landing your first clients, or pushing past the mental barriers that try to hold you back. Through tactical insights and raw, relatable conversations, you'll gain the clarity, confidence, and motivation to stop overthinking and to just get started!

  1. #487 Deb Liu - How to Use AI Without Losing the Human Edge

    6D AGO

    #487 Deb Liu - How to Use AI Without Losing the Human Edge

    Deb Liu has spent over two decades at the center of tech's biggest moments including PayPal's IPO, Facebook Marketplace, and four years as CEO of Ancestry. Now she's back as co-founder of Ember AI, building enterprise workflow automation at a moment when everything is moving faster than ever. In this episode, Deb gets honest about the career setbacks that almost pushed her out of tech, the personal losses that forced her to pause, and why she couldn't sit out the AI revolution. You'll walk away with practical thinking on how to say no without guilt, how to build teams that never get stuck, why "creator vs. consumer" is the most important distinction for the next generation, and how AI will reshape the way we all develop judgment and expertise at work. Chapters: 0:00 How Deb Liu Went from PayPal and Meta to Founding an AI Startup 2:30 How Generative AI Arrived Faster Than Anyone in Tech Predicted 3:45 Rapid Fire Q1 - What to Do When Things Get Hard 6:10 Rapid Fire Q2 - How to Know When to Say Yes or No to Opportunities 7:30 Rapid Fire Q3 - How to Stay Motivated When Results Are Slow to Come 9:05 Rapid Fire Q4 - How Introverts Can Learn to Speak Up and Lead at Work 12:00 Rapid Fire Q5 - How Taking a Risk at PayPal Changed Deb Liu's Entire Career 13:45 How to Build a Startup Team Culture That Stays Unblocked and Moves Fast 18:50 How AI Is Changing Entry-Level Jobs and What the Workforce Needs to Do About It 23:15 How to Help Kids Become Creators in a World Built for Consumers 26:35 How Ember AI Helps Companies Automate Without Needing Software Engineers 35:55 How AI Can Expand Access to Therapy, Education, and Opportunity at Scale Find Deb Online Website: https://debliu.com/  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahliu/⁠  Substack: https://debliu.substack.com/  Ember AI: https://ember.new/ 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianondrako  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    40 min
  2. #486 Charlene Li - From AI Curious to AI Fluent in 90 Days

    APR 28

    #486 Charlene Li - From AI Curious to AI Fluent in 90 Days

    Charlene Li is a New York Times bestselling author of seven books, founder of Altimeter, and CEO of Quantum Networks Group. A Harvard graduate and globally recognized expert on digital transformation and disruptive leadership, she has advised 49 of the Fortune 100 and spoken at the World Economic Forum, TED, and SXSW. Her latest book, "Winning with AI: The 90-Day Blueprint for Success," gives leaders a practical framework for creating real business value with AI, not just experimenting with it. In this episode, Charlene breaks down the difference between predictive, generative, and agentic AI, shares why AI is a leadership problem first and a technology problem second, and gives founders a concrete path to going from AI-curious to AI-fluent in just 90 days. If you want to stop dabbling and start winning with AI, this episode is your starting point. Chapters: 0:00 Welcome Back and Charlene's New Book Launch 0:36 Charlene's Background and the Leadership Thread Through All Seven Books 1:25 Defining AI, Generative AI, and Agentic AI in Plain Language 3:02 What a Founder's Work Week Could Look Like With Agentic AI 6:35 Does AI Scare You? Charlene's Honest and Balanced Take 8:06 The Five Human Traits AI Will Never Replace 11:24 Why Gen Z Is More Skeptical About AI Than Boomers and Gen X 15:32 What the 13% of Companies Actually Winning With AI Do Differently 19:14 Strategy First: Stop Asking What AI Can Do, Ask How It Helps You Win 22:43 Why AI Fluency Is a Leadership Problem, Not a Technology Problem 27:55 The One Prompt Trick That Transforms How You Work With AI 32:36 Which AI Tools Charlene Actually Uses Every Day 38:57 How to Stay Current When Everything Is Changing and Where to Find Charlene: Website: https://charleneli.com  Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/charleneli Youtube: youtube.com/charleneli Winning With AI book: winningwithaibook.com 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianondrako Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    44 min
  3. #485 Chris Schembra - The Loneliness Epidemic Can Be Fixed But It Requires Friction

    APR 14

    #485 Chris Schembra - The Loneliness Epidemic Can Be Fixed But It Requires Friction

    Chris Schembra is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, gratitude strategist, and founder of the 747 Club — a dinner party experience that has brought together tens of thousands of people across the globe. In this episode, Chris takes us back to July 15, 2015, the night he invited 15 strangers to his 300-square-foot Manhattan apartment, made a simple pasta sauce, and asked one question that changed everything: "Who have you never thought to thank?" What emerged wasn't just a dinner — it was a movement. Chris breaks down the concept of "designed friction" and why our obsession with frictionless connection has made us lonelier than ever. You'll walk away with three actionable pillars — presence, intimacy, and coherence — to start building more meaningful relationships starting today. Find Chris Online: Website: ⁠http://www.chrisschembra.com/⁠ Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/schembra/⁠ Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome & Chris Challenges Brian to Do the Opposite 1:39 — July 15th, 2015: Brian Sets Up the Origin Story 2:44 — Chris Begins: Life Before the Dinner Party 4:41 — The Moment in Rome That Changed Everything 6:01 — From Murphy Bed to Pasta Sauce 7:37 — The First Dinner and the 7:47 Gratitude Question 9:04 — How Chris Got 15 Strangers to Show Up 10:41 — How the Gratitude Question Was Born 14:36 — How to Reconnect When Most People Won't Even Send a Text 20:48 — The League of Gentlemen: How a Breakfast Became a Brotherhood 28:12 — Virtual vs. Real: Hybrid Is How We Connect 29:40 — Frictionless Design Has Left Us Empty in the Soul 35:14 — The Cult of Trauma and the Victim Mindset 43:00 — Three Pillars to Design Friction in Your Life 48:52 — The 747 Club Invitation: Book the Flight, I Dare You 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust. 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    53 min
  4. #484 Teresa Quinlan - Why Your EQ Matters More Than Your IQ

    MAR 31

    #484 Teresa Quinlan - Why Your EQ Matters More Than Your IQ

    Teresa Quinlan is an executive leadership coach and accomplished athlete who specializes in the intersection of emotional intelligence and leadership excellence. She works with CEOs, SVPs, and mid-level leaders who are willing to do the real work of developing their EQ — not just their technical skills. In this episode, Teresa breaks down the difference between emotional intelligence (EI) and the emotion quotient (EQ), and introduces her powerful framework: IQ + EQ = TQ (Talent Quotient). You'll discover why most people's view of emotional intelligence is far too narrow, which two overlooked EQ skills — independence and flexibility — are holding leaders back, and how to use the ABCDE method to build emotional self-awareness starting today. Whether you're leading a team, raising a teenager, or just trying to show up better in your own life, this conversation delivers practical, immediately actionable insight. Chapters: 0:00 — Welcome & Intro to Teresa3:36 — Who Teresa Works With8:10 — EI vs. EQ: Clearing Up the Confusion12:42 — The IQ + EQ = TQ Equation16:19 — Rapid Fire Question 1: Momentum Over Motivation18:15 — Rapid Fire Question 2: Redefining Enough22:09 — Rapid Fire Question 3: Who Teresa Admires for Taking Action25:44 — Rapid Fire Question 4: Teresa's High-Touch Operating System28:09 — Rapid Fire Question 5: How Teresa Approaches Goal Setting30:33 — How to Know When You Need to Work on Your EQ34:20 — When Excitement Becomes an EQ Problem38:13 — The 15 EQ Skills (And Why Most People Only Know 2)40:41 — The Overlooked Skill: Independence42:39 — The Overlooked Skill: Flexibility45:58 — A Real-Time EQ Practice for Parents and Leaders51:27 — One Action to Start Building Better EQ Today (The ABCDE Method) Find Teresa Online: Website: https://www.iqeqtq.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresaquinlan12/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresaquinlan12/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@teresaquinlan6292 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    55 min
  5. #483 Casey Brown - Your Prices Are Too Low and You Don't Even Know It

    MAR 17

    #483 Casey Brown - Your Prices Are Too Low and You Don't Even Know It

    Casey Brown, pricing expert and author of Fearless Pricing, shares her journey from chemical engineer to entrepreneur and pricing consultant. Casey unpacks why most businesses — regardless of size or industry — are leaving money on the table due to fear-based pricing decisions. She explains the psychology behind underpricing, the dangers of unnecessary discounting, and why a customer objecting on price is actually a buying signal. Casey also gets personal about her path from poverty to Fortune 500 to founder, the lessons of niching down early, the importance of meditation, and her evolving pursuit of a more intentional, peaceful pace of work. Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Elevator Pitch 03:10 The Origin of a Pricing Geek 05:20 The Leap from Corporate to Entrepreneur 10:10 Niche Down Sooner 13:55 Post-It Note Wisdom 17:50 Mantra & Mindset Under Pressure 19:30 Imposter Syndrome & Self-Doubt 26:55 Pricing Blind Spots & Fears 30:55 How to Set the Right Price 42:20 Price Objections Are Buying Signals 44:50 Why You Need Pricing Meetings 47:40 Action Item & Fearless Pricing Find Casey Online: Personal Website: www.caseybrown.com Business Website: www.boostpricing.com Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/caseybrownboost/ Youtube: www.youtube.com/@boostpricing 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    52 min
  6. #482 Tyler Denk - Stop Renting Attention: Build an Audience You Actually Own

    MAR 3

    #482 Tyler Denk - Stop Renting Attention: Build an Audience You Actually Own

    Tyler Denk built beehiiv after seeing how chaotic newsletter ops were at Morning Brew—writers pasting Google Docs into fragile HTML, ads tracked in spreadsheets, growth tools scattered everywhere. beehiiv’s goal: one ecosystem for publishing, growth loops, monetization, websites, surveys, and automations. Tyler explains the double-edged sword of shipping fast: it wins users, but every feature creates maintenance debt, and one weak feature can taint the whole product. He shares what newsletter formats win, why owned distribution matters for companies, and how he monetizes beyond ads through high-ticket founder masterminds. Chapters: 0:00 Welcome + Tyler’s newsletter journey0:40 The Morning Brew problem: “duct-taped” systems everywhere 3:04 Building the referral program + growth mechanics 3:35 Leaving Morning Brew: non-compete tension and rebuilding trust 4:42 beehiiv’s vision: growth + monetization + platform ecosystem 6:07 Product philosophy: shipping fast vs. maintaining quality 12:01 Fixing surveys + the “cool down week” operating rhythm 15:19 What newsletter formats win right now? 17:06 Big Desk Energy origin story 17:49 If Tyler had to start over: what newsletter he’d build now 20:36 Costa Rica masterminds + monetizing beyond sponsorships 20:49 Rapid Fire Q1: Book that shaped him most 22:35 Rapid Fire Q2: How he filters advice 23:41 Rapid Fire Q3: Fear he hasn’t shaken 27:45 Rapid Fire Q4: Reset button for stress 31:09 Rapid Fire Q5: Fortune cookie message + “only control effort” 36:57 Newsletter checklist for companies: why owned distribution matters 41:27 Action item: test internally, iterate, then publish 43:31 Wrap-up + where to find Tyler Beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk/ Twitter: https://x.com/denk_tweets Big Desk Energy Newsletter: https://mail.bigdeskenergy.com/ 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    44 min
  7. #481 Justin Welsh - The Simplest Way to Build a Business That Lasts

    FEB 17

    #481 Justin Welsh - The Simplest Way to Build a Business That Lasts

    In this conversation, Justin pulls back the curtain on what actually makes a business last. Not hacks. Not virality. Not chasing quick wins. He talks about learning to solve real problems—the kind that keep people up at night—and why most “good ideas” fail because they never go deep enough. He shares how he tracks progress, how he thinks about money and energy, and why optionality matters more than speed. You’ll hear why action creates momentum, why saying “yes” changed the trajectory of his career, and how building a runway, relationships, and clarity gave him the freedom to reinvent himself—again and again. This isn’t an episode about getting rich fast. It’s about building something honest. Something sustainable. Something that still works when the hype fades. And if you’ve ever felt like you’re meant for more—but can’t quite name what that is—this conversation might help you take the next step. Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction 1:31 — The “brewery dream” + why you haven’t started (yet) 4:29 — Why Justin shifted from tactics to deeper storytelling 8:21 — Rapid Fire kickoff 8:48 — Rapid Fire #1: Most valuable KPI (visitors to intended place) 11:13 — Rapid Fire #2: Fear (irrelevance… and who you are after) 14:38 — Rapid Fire #3: Meeting he never misses (weekly money meeting) 16:23 — Rapid Fire #4: Mentor (Cyrus + the ZocDoc “yes to everything” story) 19:07 — Rapid Fire #5: Fortune cookie message (get in rooms with opportunity) 23:07 — How to quit smart: runway, pipeline, relationships (risk reduction) 28:22 — Support at home: panic attack, burnout, and getting his life back 33:28 — The unlock: life is a video game (reinvention > expertise) 36:10 — The 3 pillars of a real business: pain, attention, offer 40:01 — Finding the “bleeding neck” problem (how to dig past surface-level pain) 45:08 — The long game + first action step: 15-min customer interviews (use AI to extract language) About Justin: Justin is a former startup executive who helped build two startups past valuations of $1B, teams of 150+ people, and raise over $300M in venture capital. After building his own one-person business past $10M, he’s helping 100,000+ experts turn their expertise into income with his masterclass, The Creator MBA. Find Justin Online: Website: https://justinwelsh.me Masterclass (Creator MBA): https://justinwelsh.link/the-creator-mba Twitter: https://twitter.com/thejustinwelsh LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinwelsh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejustinwelsh 👋It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com

    49 min
  8. #480 John Miles - The Mattering Crisis: Why So Many High Achievers Feel Empty

    FEB 3

    #480 John Miles - The Mattering Crisis: Why So Many High Achievers Feel Empty

    John Miles explains why burnout and disconnection often stem from one overlooked issue: mattering. He shares how chasing achievement without meaning leads to emptiness, and why intentional choices—especially in relationships—restore fulfillment. Through rapid-fire insights on sunk costs, mentorship, and self-doubt, John offers practical ways to realign with what truly matters, including why he believes these lessons must start in childhood. Chapters: 00:00 — Welcome + stacking reps over time 01:35 — John’s mission: the idea of mattering 04:40 — Loneliness, burnout, and invisibility share one root 08:30 — Why modern life is eroding real connection 12:40 — Rapid Fire #1: Sunk costs & knowing when to quit 16:55 — Rapid Fire #2: Who he admires but never met 20:15 — Rapid Fire #3: Almost quitting—and pushing through doubt 24:10 — Rapid Fire #4: Mentors and how to approach them correctly 28:20 — Rapid Fire #5: Planning the year vs spontaneity 31:10 — Success, meaning, and the hedonic treadmill 35:40 — “Should vs Could”: values, control, and self-honesty 41:00 — Why John wrote children’s books about mattering 44:30 — Building the Matteringverse + where to find John Find John Online: Website: https://johnrmiles.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milesjohn/ X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/John_RMiles Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_r_miles/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLdXATpxf8LP3riC0_mkKw TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@john_r_miles Blog: https://www.theignitedlife.net/ Podcast: https://passionstruck.com/passion-struck-podcast/ 👋 It’s your host, Brian! Come say hi! Website: https://brianondrako.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/  Or, if you’re struggling with sales, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter and learn how to lead better sales conversations, spot weak deals early, and build a pipeline you can actually trust.📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com/subscribe

    45 min
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5
out of 5
98 Ratings

About

The Just Get Started Podcast is your go-to guide for breaking free from self-doubt, stepping outside your comfort zone, and taking action toward the life and business you truly want. Each episode dives into the real, messy journey of starting something new—whether it's leaving corporate, launching an idea, landing your first clients, or pushing past the mental barriers that try to hold you back. Through tactical insights and raw, relatable conversations, you'll gain the clarity, confidence, and motivation to stop overthinking and to just get started!

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Ondrako
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    523
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Brian Ondrako
  • Show Website
    Just Get Started

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