Founders in Full

Dan Ritzke
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Founders in Full explores the future of family-focused solutions—from innovative tech startups to mission-driven services and products that help parents, caregivers, and families thrive.Each episode features candid conversations with founders on what it really takes to start and scale: from customer research and product-market fit to brand positioning and marketing strategies that drive growth.Whether you’re a family-focused founder, investor, or advocate, you’ll hear real stories and practical lessons on finding your ideal customer, crafting trust-building messaging, choosing the right channels, and prioritizing time and budget when every decision counts.Hosted by Dan Ritzke—Fractional CMO and FamTech Marketing Consultant—Founders in Full shares the stories and insights of the people shaping the next generation of family-centered solutions.

  1. Paul Sullivan | The Company of Dads

    FEB 19

    Paul Sullivan | The Company of Dads

    Paul Sullivan, Founder of The Company of Dads and longtime former New York Times columnist, shares how a personal decision inside his own family led to a broader mission: redefining what modern fatherhood looks like at home and at work. When Paul’s wife launched her own asset management firm in 2013, he stepped into the role of “lead dad” — the go-to parent managing the mental load, logistics, and day-to-day responsibilities of raising their three daughters. What began as a quiet, almost “undercover” shift evolved into a national platform serving millions of fathers navigating similar transitions. We explore: ✅ Why COVID became the catalyst that moved him from “undercover lead dad” to founder ✅ The data behind the 25 million lead dads in America — and why they’ve been largely overlooked ✅ How workplace culture still discourages fathers from taking leave or stepping fully into caregiving ✅ Lessons from leaving a high-profile career at The New York Times to build something from scratch ✅ The painful (and expensive) early founder mistakes that reshaped his approach to growth ✅ Why supporting fathers isn’t just about dads — it’s about equity for working moms and healthier companies Paul’s story is a powerful reminder that cultural change doesn’t start with policy — it starts with visibility. By giving fathers language, community, and credibility, he’s helping reshape the future of work and family in real time. 👉 Learn more about The Company of Dads: https://thecompanyofdads.com/ 👉 Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sullivanpaulj/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 1m
  2. Dr. Ashley Blackington | Dovetail

    FEB 12

    Dr. Ashley Blackington | Dovetail

    Dr. Ashley Blackington, Founder of Dovetail, shares how her 15+ years as an occupational therapist—and one unforgettable hospital moment—shaped her mission to build better infrastructure for caregivers. After watching families navigate medical crises alone and overwhelmed, Ashley set out to create tools that reduce friction, increase clarity, and keep caregivers from falling through the cracks. What began as a hand-drawn paper planner during the early days of the pandemic evolved into a digital platform designed to help families coordinate care, communicate clearly, and stay organized during some of the most stressful seasons of life. We explore: ✅ The hospital experience that cemented her focus on caregivers—not just patients ✅ Why she chose to build outside traditional healthcare and insurance systems ✅ How a COVID-era paper planner became the foundation for a tech startup ✅ The decision to go direct-to-consumer before pursuing larger B2B channels ✅ Lessons learned building a tech company without a tech background Ashley’s journey is a reminder that caregiving spans every stage of life—and that the best FamTech solutions are built from lived experience, empathy, and a deep understanding of the people they serve. 👉 Learn more about Dovetail: https://dovetaildesigns.co/ 👉 Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 21m
  3. Karina Muller | Maripossa Wellness

    12/10/2025

    Karina Muller | Maripossa Wellness

    Karina Muller, Founder of Maripossa Wellness, shares how her journey from individual therapeutic work to large-scale corporate wellness programs led her to build a model centered on human connection, psychological safety, and adaptive teaching. What began as one-on-one support evolved into a mission to equip entire teams—nurses, investment bankers, educators, tech professionals—with the tools they need to navigate stress, burnout, and emotional regulation in the workplace. We explore: ✅ How a pivotal hospital partnership pushed Karina from private practice into group-based wellness and training ✅ Why “finding champions” inside organizations helped her scale early pilots into long-term programs ✅ The power of customizing wellness tools for different audiences—from ICU nurses to software engineers to senior executives ✅ Why she teaches instructors to blend method and personality—80% structure, 20% authenticity—to build trust and connection ✅ Stories from the field, including how a team’s anxiety over an office redesign led to a workshop on boundaries, space, and emotional regulation Karina’s work is a reminder that wellness programs only make an impact when they’re built around real human experiences—not templates. Her approach blends evidence-based tools with deep empathy, creating environments where people feel understood, supported, and equipped to manage the emotional realities of work. 👉 Learn more about Maripossa Wellness: https://www.maripossawellness.com/ 👉 Connect with Karina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinamuller/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 18m
  4. Amy Briggs | Aviva

    12/05/2025

    Amy Briggs | Aviva

    Amy Briggs, Founder & CEO of Aviva, shares how her unexpected path from pediatric speech-language pathologist to tech founder led her to build a virtual scheduling assistant designed to give parents back their time—and their sanity. What began as a desire to lighten the mental load for families became a mission to eliminate the invisible labor of managing school forms, appointments, activities, and the endless stream of emails that govern modern parenthood. We explore: ✅ How Amy’s work with children and families revealed the emotional and logistical weight parents carry ✅ The pivotal moment that pushed her from private practice into entrepreneurship ✅ Why her first startup idea failed—and how that clarity led to Aviva ✅ How she built a scrappy, non-scalable alpha, ran 20 testers through it, and confirmed parents’ deep need for automation ✅ The challenge of building a tech product without a tech background, including mentorship, hiring the right developer, and navigating Google’s strict security review ✅ Her early branding and marketing approach as a bootstrapped founder Amy’s story is a reminder that founders don’t need a traditional tech background to build something meaningful. With the right insight, persistence, and empathy for the problem, you can create tools that truly lighten the load for families. 👉 Learn more about Aviva: https://www.withaviva.com/ 👉 Connect with Amy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-briggs-87b59a94/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 27m
  5. Mike George | Soaring Families

    11/24/2025

    Mike George | Soaring Families

    Mike George, Founder of Soaring Families, shares how three decades of caring for his son with complex medical needs led him to create a platform that helps families move from overwhelm and exhaustion to confidence and hope. What began as a personal journey evolved into a mission to help caregivers build stronger support systems and navigate their care responsibilities with clarity and resilience. We explore: ✅ How Mike’s family caregiving experience shaped the foundation of Soaring Families ✅ Why writing his book was both emotional and validating—and how it revealed the universal challenges caregivers face ✅ The evolution from his early Caregiver Support Formula to today’s Pink Book, a simple system families use to organize care and reduce stress ✅ How partnerships with organizations like ALS societies and dementia care groups are bringing diagnosis-specific frameworks to more families ✅ Why YouTube and authentic storytelling have become core to Soaring Families’ outreach ✅ What excites Mike most about the future, including AI-powered tools designed to simplify caregiving Mike’s journey is a powerful reminder that even the most complex caregiving stories can be filled with strength, resilience, and possibility—especially when families have the right support. 👉 Learn more about Soaring Families: https://soaringfamilies.com/ 👉 Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeg-bmg/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 5m
  6. Anthony Snowell | LifeSummary.ai

    10/31/2025

    Anthony Snowell | LifeSummary.ai

    Anthony Snowell, Founder of LifeSummary.ai, shares how his background in computer science—and his personal experience navigating the chaos of family documents after losing his mother—inspired him to build an AI-powered platform that helps families simplify, organize, and truly understand the most important parts of their lives. What began as a personal challenge to make sense of everyday financial and insurance paperwork has evolved into a mission-driven company using AI with intention: not as a gimmick, but as a tool to help people live with more clarity and confidence. We explore: ✅ How Anthony’s journey from college baseball player to serial tech entrepreneur shaped his approach to building purposeful products ✅ The inspiration behind LifeSummary.ai and how it turns scattered documents into meaningful, actionable insights ✅ Why the best AI products don’t replace people — they empower them ✅ How founders should talk about AI in their marketing without making it the headline ✅ Lessons from multiple startups and what it really takes to build technology that earns trust Anthony shares honest reflections on entrepreneurship, resilience, and how life’s toughest moments can lead to the most impactful innovations — especially when you build with empathy and intention. 👉 Learn more about LifeSummary.ai: https://lifesummary.ai 👉 Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asnowell/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 13m
  7. Barrie Farivar | Leaf

    10/16/2025

    Barrie Farivar | Leaf

    Barrie Farivar, Founder of leaf, shares how her experience at Google—and her life as a mom—sparked the idea for a private audio app designed to help families preserve the voices and stories that matter most. What began as a personal project to capture her children’s first words has evolved into a mission-driven platform empowering families to build digital legacies that feel as intimate and meaningful as old photo albums. We explore: ✅ How Barrie’s own family experiences inspired her to create a simple, private way to record and share life’s most meaningful sounds ✅ What she learned transitioning from Google’s structured environment to the unpredictability of startup life ✅ How she validated the idea for leaf before building the first version of the product ✅ Why audio (not video or social media) is the perfect medium for authentic connection across generations ✅ How she’s positioning leaf to serve families in a space where tech and emotion intersect Barrie shares honest reflections on startup life, product development, and balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship—and why the most powerful innovations often start with a deeply personal need. 👉 Learn more about leaf: https://www.sharewithleaf.com 👉 Connect with Barrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrie-altshuler-farivar-83927b8/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 8m
  8. Tim Carstensen | Foam Party All Stars

    10/08/2025

    Tim Carstensen | Foam Party All Stars

    Tim Carstensen, Founder of Foam Party All Stars, shares how a summer side hustle turned into a thriving entertainment business that brings joy to kids (and relief to parents) across the Chicago suburbs. A full-time elementary PE teacher by day, Tim started the business with one foam cannon, a DIY website, and a few postcards—and quickly grew it into a multi-location operation serving hundreds of daycares, schools, and families each year. We explore: ✅ How Tim’s entrepreneurial streak—and a knack for working with kids—helped him build a fast-growing brand from scratch ✅ The marketing tactics that fueled early growth, including old-school postcards and parent referrals ✅ How he balances teaching full-time, running a seasonal business, and raising three kids  ✅ The challenges of scaling—hiring the right people, automating marketing, and keeping up with demand ✅ What it means to build a brand that parents trust and kids absolutely love Tim shares candid lessons on starting small, thinking creatively, and staying intentional about growth—even when your “side hustle” takes off faster than expected. 👉 Learn more about Foam Party All Stars: https://foampartyallstars.com 👉 Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-carstensen-b6a914a/ Connect with me (Dan Ritzke): I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results. 👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/ 👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/ Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder: 👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/

    1h 3m
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About

Founders in Full explores the future of family-focused solutions—from innovative tech startups to mission-driven services and products that help parents, caregivers, and families thrive.Each episode features candid conversations with founders on what it really takes to start and scale: from customer research and product-market fit to brand positioning and marketing strategies that drive growth.Whether you’re a family-focused founder, investor, or advocate, you’ll hear real stories and practical lessons on finding your ideal customer, crafting trust-building messaging, choosing the right channels, and prioritizing time and budget when every decision counts.Hosted by Dan Ritzke—Fractional CMO and FamTech Marketing Consultant—Founders in Full shares the stories and insights of the people shaping the next generation of family-centered solutions.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan Ritzke
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Founders in Full
  • Show Website
    Founders in Full