Founder Unfiltered - What Founders Think But Never Say

Mylance
  • 5.0 (8)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Formerly Six Figure Secrets of Fractional Experts, Founder Unfiltered is the show about the stuff founders don't talk about: the identity crisis when you go from operator to leader, the weird shame of self-promotion, the gap between who you are and who your business needs you to be. Hosted by Bradley Jacobs, founder of Mylance — a LinkedIn thought leadership platform for B2B founders — this show gets into the psychology, the patterns, and the honest conversations that actually move the needle. No hacks. No hype. Just the raw truth about what's really holding you back.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Real Reason Your Marketing Is Not Working with Sara Nay

    Sara Nay didn't walk into Duct Tape Marketing as CEO — she started as an intern. Sixteen years later, she leads the company and has co-authored Unchained: Breaking Free from Broken Marketing Models, a book that challenges the traditional agency model and makes the case for why small businesses should own their marketing rather than outsource it entirely. Bradley Jacobs sits down with Sara to unpack what it actually takes to build a scalable marketing strategy — starting with the foundational work most businesses skip. Sara walks through Duct Tape Marketing's "Strategy First" process: brand audits, competitive research, ideal client profiling, and the Marketing Hourglass framework — a model designed to guide customers from awareness all the way through referral. She also shares her perspective on AI's role in marketing today, how to use it as a thought partner rather than a content-generation shortcut, and why generically AI-written content is one of the biggest threats to brand differentiation right now. The conversation also covers LinkedIn best practices for B2B founders, the importance of tracking beyond vanity metrics, and why packaging your services into a defined offer — rather than doing everything for everyone — is what allows you to scale without burning out. Sara's journey from introvert who dreaded public speaking to CEO running a 15-person team is a masterclass in growth mindset, intentional discomfort, and showing up consistently. Connect with Sara Nay: LinkedIn | ducttapemarketing.com 📖 Book mentioned: Unchained: Breaking Free from Broken Marketing Models by Sara Nay Learn More: Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/

    35 min

  2. FEB 12

    This Podcast Has a New Direction. Here’s Why.

    I'm making a major shift in this podcast's direction, and I want to bring you along for the journey. After six years of supporting fractional executives and independent consultants, I'm broadening the focus to serve all founders—because the challenges we face are universal. Whether you're selling expertise, building a product, or launching an agency, the emotional journey is remarkably similar: self-doubt, distractions, procrastination, and the constant question of sustainability. This pivot stems from a simple realization—I'm most passionate about supporting people who are truly committed to the founder journey. The tactical advice will continue, but I'm placing heavier emphasis on emotional regulation, navigating self-doubt, and building structures that work for your life. Because here's the truth: incredibly smart, hardworking people still struggle to bring products to market and build sustainable businesses. The only real failure is giving up. Founders are the backbone of innovation, solving the next generation of problems. But this journey forces you to face your fears, habits, and identity. I'll be sharing my own struggles with distraction and avoidance, and we'll navigate this together. Founders supporting founders—that's what this is about. Learn More:Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 Welcome and podcast direction shift 01:15 Why independent consulting became my passion 03:20 The key distinction between consultants and founders 05:45 Moving toward the emotional founder journey 07:30 What holds founders back from success 09:10 My personal struggle with distraction 11:40 Business as self-development journey 13:25 Why founders supporting founders matters 15:50 My advisor mistake early at Mylance 18:05 The rebrand and what's coming next 19:30 Mylance Stratus updates and LinkedIn power 20:45 Final thoughts and signing off

    15 min

  3. FEB 6

    The Uncomfortable Truth About Building a Sustainable Fractional Business with Scott Abbott

    Most entrepreneurs fail because they separate systems from soul, treating purpose and profit as opposing forces instead of complementary partners. Scott Abbott, founder, CEO, best-selling author, and coach with 35 years of experience building and scaling companies worldwide, joins Bradley Jacobs to dismantle this myth. Scott shares hard-earned lessons from raising $15 million in venture capital during the dot-com era, admitting he once didn't know the difference between a P&L and a BLT. Through conducting over 10,000 coaching sessions, he's developed practical frameworks that transform leadership theory into actionable utilities. His books "Boss Up" and "Boss Up Moments" focus on the nine core competencies that create sustainable business operating systems. The conversation explores why fractional work offers superior flexibility over traditional employment, with Scott advocating for a 65-70% contractor to 30-25% W2 employee split for optimal business health. Bradley and Scott discuss embracing hard things, doing work you don't want to do, and building measurables into every role—even for solopreneurs. They tackle AI integration, avoiding premature hiring, and revenue diversification strategies, including Scott's example of a semi-retired coaching friend earning $150K annually while maintaining additional income streams. The core message: success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal, but good systems, structure, alignment, and smart goal-setting dramatically improve your odds of building a business that serves both your purpose and profit margin. Learn More:Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 - Introduction to Scott Abbott 00:46 - What makes Scott different as coach 02:40 - Biggest entrepreneurial roadblocks 04:15 - Marrying purpose with profit 06:57 - Accountability for solopreneurs 08:53 - Installing systems as discipline 11:30 - Core competencies framework 14:45 - AI integration for businesses 18:20 - Avoiding premature hiring decisions 21:35 - Fractional vs full-time employees 24:50 - Multiple income stream strategies 28:10 - Progress over perfection mindset 31:45 - 65/70 contractor to W2 ratio 33:13 - Fractional work flexibility benefits 36:16 - How to work with Scott Abbott 37:44 - Final words on systemization 39:50 - Closing remarks

    40 min

  4. JAN 29

    The Lie We Tell Ourselves About Business Goals and Happiness

    I'm marking the 100th episode by sharing a candid reflection on the emotional ups and downs of building Mylance over six years. I recently told my business coach something surprising: I wasn't feeling motivated to work on the business. Not burned out, just disconnected from the daily work. The breakthrough came from a simple question he asked: what business activities do you actually love? The answer revealed I genuinely enjoy talking to customers, building software, writing content, analyzing metrics, and designing products. The problem wasn't the work itself—it was my fixation on outcomes like revenue growth and retention metrics. When we chase numbers instead of connecting to our purpose, motivation evaporates. I share how refocusing on what I love (solving problems for fractional professionals and building meaningful tools) reignited my passion and paradoxically drives better business results. This episode challenges the "I'll be happy when" mindset that plagues founders. The bar for happiness is surprisingly low once basic needs are met, and external milestones never truly satisfy because there's always a next goal. True fulfillment comes from aligning daily activities with your zone of genius, serving customers you genuinely care about, and separating your identity from business outcomes. I encourage you to spend 1% of time setting goals and 99% identifying the activities you're amazing at that solve problems you care about—because that's when both joy and success follow. Learn More:Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 Introduction to Episode 100 00:48 Business at core: solving problems 01:36 Honest truth about founder journey 02:17 When motivation disappears 02:45 Activities Bradley actually loves 03:23 Focusing on why vs outcomes 04:21 The trap of milestone thinking 05:06 Money doesn't equal happiness 05:55 It's never going to be enough 06:52 The cliche about enjoying journey 07:46 The paradox of detachment 08:25 Applying paradox to business 08:56 Bradley's independent consulting win 09:44 Why Mylance was started 10:22 Building sustainable businesses 10:38 Introduction to Stratus product 11:26 Energy shift changes everything 12:03 Separating identity from outcomes 12:34 Aligning business with purpose 13:15 You won't love every part 14:23 Building business models all day 14:39 Final thoughts on fulfillment 15:08 Check out Mylance and connect

    15 min

  5. JAN 22

    Your Nervous System Is Running Your Business (Whether You Admit It or Not) with Jenni Gritters

    Building a sustainable solopreneur business requires more than just expertise – it demands intentional business development and strategic time management. Business coach Jenni Gritters, author of The Sustainable Solopreneur, joins Bradley Jacobs to discuss the frameworks that prevent the common "year three wobble" that derails many independent professionals. Jenni reveals why successful solopreneurs should cap client work at 25-30 hours weekly, dedicating significant time to relationship building and business development. She shares insights on moving beyond referral-dependent revenue models, developing sustainable marketing strategies, and the importance of optimizing for joy alongside financial goals. The conversation covers practical strategies for avoiding the "panic hustle" cycle and building business systems that support long-term growth and fulfillment. Learn More: Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.co Connect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 - Welcome and Jenni Gritters Introduction 00:26 - Writing The Sustainable Solopreneur Book 01:41 - Accountability and Book Creation Process 02:13 - Defining Sustainable Business Practices 02:56 - The Year Three Business Wobble 03:43 - Intention vs Flexibility Framework 04:36 - Transitioning from Expert to Business Owner 05:26 - Sustainable Business Development Time 06:21 - 25-Hour Work Week Structure 07:31 - Avoiding the Panic Hustle Cycle 08:24 - Relationship Building vs Marketing 09:42 - Overcoming Marketing Resistance 11:01 - Moving Beyond Referral Dependency 12:35 - Pricing and Value Communication 14:26 - Time Management and Energy Allocation 16:35 - Building Sustainable Revenue Systems 18:22 - Financial Planning for Solopreneurs 20:15 - Mindset and Belief Work Importance 22:48 - Managing Business Growth Phases 25:31 - Client Boundary Setting Strategies 27:49 - Revenue vs Joy Optimization 30:12 - Chosen Storms Philosophy 32:43 - Strategic Joy and Magnetic Selling 34:04 - Entrepreneurship as Chosen Storms 36:12 - Jenni's Services and Programs 37:24 - The Worldbuilders Ecosystem 38:16 - Closing and Contact Information

    36 min

  6. JAN 15

    Confidence, Self-Doubt, and the Messy Reality of Being a Founder

    Every founder faces the same paradox: you need to project confidence to attract clients, while internally battling imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Bradley Jacobs gets real about the emotional challenges of building a business and how your limiting beliefs directly impact your growth. Discover how subtle self-sabotage—like settling for convenient guests instead of ideal ones, or using AI shortcuts instead of going the extra mile—keeps your business smaller than it could be. Bradley shares nervous system regulation techniques, practical frameworks for getting comfortable with scale, and how to balance vulnerability with the confidence your clients need to see. This is essential listening for any fractional executive or B2B founder navigating the messy middle of business growth. Learn More:Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 Introduction and episode overview01:42 Why founders get it differently01:57 We're all just figuring it out02:50 How founders hold businesses back03:50 The cost of showing up at 70%05:13 Bradley's corner-cutting patterns06:00 Nervous system work for scaling07:23 The body knows when it's unsafe07:32 Exercise: picture 10x growth09:40 Building systems for scale09:56 Making safety and possibility real10:50 Learning from delusional founders12:45 Marrying confidence with humanity13:57 What holds you back in life14:26 Owning your growth edges14:56 Authenticity in the AI age15:17 Closing thoughts

    16 min

  7. JAN 8

    The Trust Fall: Ellie Holbert Let Go of Her Biggest Client—and Earned 3× Her Corporate Salary

    In this powerful follow-up conversation, Ellie Holbert returns to share her remarkable first year as an independent consultant. Just 10 months after launching MPAC Advisory Services, Ellie has not only exceeded her corporate salary by 30-50%, but built a pipeline worth 11X her former income—with 96 active opportunities. What makes Ellie's journey even more compelling is how she achieved these results. After taking her own employee engagement survey and "failing," she made a counterintuitive decision: instead of working harder, she started taking better care of herself. The result? Her business grew faster. She now takes every Friday off to spend with her daughter, has landed six active clients (five inbound), and does only work that's completely aligned with what she loves. Bradley and Ellie dive deep into the mindset shifts that fueled this growth—from creating capacity by letting go of misaligned work, to understanding that limiting beliefs set the upper boundary for what's possible. Ellie shares her framework for consistent business development, the spiritual and practical elements of building a fractional practice, and why "the universe cannot hand you the next chapter while your hands are gripping the last." This conversation goes beyond tactics to explore the deeper personal transformation required to build a thriving independent consulting business. Learn More:Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 Welcome back Ellie Holbert 00:50 Journey recap: corporate to consulting 02:47 10 months in business success metrics 04:17 Intentional life planning for 2026 05:16 Flexibility trap: when freedom isn't 06:37 Taking own employee engagement survey 07:22 Business development strategy overview 10:10 LinkedIn approach and ICP targeting 15:32 Saying no to misaligned opportunities 19:45 Creating capacity for better clients 24:18 Mindset work and limiting beliefs 28:56 Spiritual aspects of business growth 33:41 Upper limits of what you believe 38:08 Progress through surrender & alignment 39:27 Why behind taking business risks 40:02 Pipeline results: 96 opportunities 41:40 Macro environment isn't an excuse 42:41 Coaching independent consultants 43:14 Final thoughts and gratitude

    44 min

  8. JAN 1

    2025 in Review: 3 Things That Built Mylance — and 3 I’m Leaving Behind

    Closing out 2025 with complete transparency about what worked, what failed, and what I'm taking into the new year. As the founder of Mylance, I'm sharing the three strategies that drove real results—52 consecutive podcast episodes, powerful automation systems, and a game-changing business pivot—alongside the three patterns I'm leaving behind in 2025. This is about more than reflection. It's about going narrower and deeper in 2026: serving one customer (B2B founders and fractional executives), solving one problem (consistent LinkedIn presence), and delivering one solution (our LinkedIn thought leadership tool). If you've struggled with consistency, focus, or saying no to distractions, this episode offers a roadmap for building a more sustainable, profitable consulting practice. Learn More:Scale your fractional practice: https://mylance.coConnect with Bradley Jacobs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-r-jacobs/ 00:00 Welcome and episode introduction 01:23 What worked: consistency in marketing 01:50 Publishing 52 episodes and 300+ posts 02:42 Systems that enabled consistency 03:18 Using AI and automation strategically 04:22 Airtable automation example 05:38 Why motivation isn't enough 06:25 Long-term content nurturing customers 06:35 Major business pivot from lead gen 07:01 Challenges serving fractional executives 07:33 Narrowing to one customer and tool 08:22 What didn't work: accommodating everyone 08:55 Setting clear boundaries with customers 09:31 Serving B2B founders on LinkedIn 10:01 Leaving behind "pick your brain" calls 10:36 Protecting time for building 11:17 Why we create content instead 11:39 Internal and external distractions 12:10 Discipline for deep focused work 13:02 Morning deep work effectiveness 13:31 Going narrower and deeper in 2026 14:14 Check out the LinkedIn tool 14:45 Content strategy and voice learning 15:01 Invitation for an incredible 2026

    15 min
See All (116)

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Formerly Six Figure Secrets of Fractional Experts, Founder Unfiltered is the show about the stuff founders don't talk about: the identity crisis when you go from operator to leader, the weird shame of self-promotion, the gap between who you are and who your business needs you to be. Hosted by Bradley Jacobs, founder of Mylance — a LinkedIn thought leadership platform for B2B founders — this show gets into the psychology, the patterns, and the honest conversations that actually move the needle. No hacks. No hype. Just the raw truth about what's really holding you back.

Information