Unfiltered Founders

Darren Penquite & Andy Baker
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Unfiltered Founders is a raw, real, and refreshing podcast for anyone ready to break free from the corporate grind and embrace the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship. Hosted by Darren Penquite and Andy Baker—two former corporate professionals turned business owners—this show dives deep into the highs, lows, and everything in between of starting and scaling a business. Each episode features candid conversations about the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship: the wins, the losses, the sleepless nights, and the lessons learned along the way. Whether you're just considering taking the leap or you're a seasoned business owner looking for perspective, encouragement, or the next big idea, Unfiltered Founders delivers honest insights and practical advice—with a dash of humor and a whole lot of heart. Tune in for stories that inspire, advice you can actually use, and the kind of support every founder needs but rarely finds.

Episodes

  1. 10/01/2025

    How AI Is Reshaping Jobs—and One Founder’s Journey Proves Why It Matters

    Send us a text The future stopped knocking and walked right in. We brought on Brian Anderson, CEO and founder of Augusto Digital, to unpack what happens when AI’s “someday” becomes “right now,” and how a founder turns a severance check into a strategy that compounds. Brian traces the mindset shift that carried him from a well-worn corporate path to nine years of building—hours of audiobooks in the car, reframing wealth as ownership, and the day he anchored a boat and told two friends they were either starting a company or swimming back. It’s equal parts gritty and practical, the kind of story that makes you rethink what’s possible in your own lane. We go deep on the AI learning curve: starting with chat-based tools, then elevating AI into a true thought partner that asks sharper questions and accelerates decisions. From there, it’s all about ROI—mapping processes, piloting real automations, and building partnerships that marry models with data, workflows, and guardrails. Brian explains why entry-level roles are shifting first, how agents are absorbing repeatable tasks, and why the real moat in an “intelligence is commoditized” world becomes your proprietary data, domain expertise, and distribution. We also tackle the uncomfortable stuff: existential risk, control, and the ethics of speed. If you’ve wondered when AI meets the physical world, we go there too—robots as the hands, models as the brain, and why blue-collar work won’t be immune. Along the way, Brian drops blunt, useful advice for would-be founders stuck in comfortable loops: audit your beliefs, build assets, choose focus over shiny objects, and create a business that can run without you. Ready to map your first automation or rethink your strategy around data and trust? Hit play, then tell us the one process you’d automate tomorrow. And if this conversation moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs the nudge.

    33 min

  2. 09/10/2025

    Beyond the Hustle: What Nobody Tells You About Starting Your Own Business

    Send us a text Ever wondered if you've got what it takes to be your own boss? The truth about entrepreneurship is far more nuanced than Instagram highlights suggest. In this reflective episode, Darren and Andy strip away the myths surrounding business ownership and serve up some startling realities. Did you know 80% of small businesses survive their first year? That might actually be better odds than keeping your corporate job long-term. However, the five-year survival rate drops to 50%—and the reasons why reveal what truly separates successful entrepreneurs from the rest. The hosts dive deep into what can't be bought with startup capital: grit. While funding matters, the entrepreneurial mindset is what carries business owners through inevitable challenges. They explore why pursuing business ownership purely for financial gain is a recipe for burnout, and why passion must fuel your venture. From practical funding strategies (including tapping your retirement funds without penalties) to the realities of franchising, Darren and Andy provide actionable insights for those considering the leap. They share personal experiences about their first business moves—from forming LLCs to creating "absolute piece of crap" starter websites—proving that perfect beginnings aren't necessary for ultimate success. What makes this conversation particularly valuable is its honesty about entrepreneurial psychology. The hosts explore how successful business owners approach problems differently, viewing challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. They also emphasize the importance of surrounding yourself with trusted advisors who will "poke holes" in your ideas before you invest everything into them. Ready to explore whether entrepreneurship might be your path? This episode offers both encouragement and a reality check that could save you years of misdirected effort. Connect with us through your podcast platform or the contact form in our show notes—we'd love to hear where you are in your entrepreneurial journey.

    52 min

  3. 09/04/2025

    When You Know Your Worth, You Change Your Future

    Send us a text What does it take to walk away from a steady paycheck and bet everything on yourself? Ruben Perez, founder of RP Flooring, shares his extraordinary journey from frustrated corporate employee to thriving business owner in just eight months. After years of building customer relationships and exceeding sales targets for someone else's company, Ruben faced the moment many dream of but few pursue—breaking free from corporate America's constraints to launch his own venture. The catalyst? A company that repeatedly failed to honor commitments and treated him as replaceable despite his outstanding performance. When his employer told him "if I knew you'd leave after five years, I never would have hired you," Ruben knew it was time to bet on himself. The transition wasn't without challenges. Ruben candidly shares his early struggles with delegation, admitting he initially tried to handle everything from sales and installation to bookkeeping and inventory management. The breakthrough came when he realized his time was better spent leveraging his true strengths—building relationships and providing flooring expertise his customers couldn't get at big box retailers. "I could spend three hours balancing my checkbook, or I could land four or five jobs in that time," he explains. What sets this conversation apart is Ruben's insight into the entrepreneurial mindset. He emphasizes how surrounding yourself with other business owners creates not just networking opportunities but neurological changes that enhance leadership capabilities. His customer-centric approach—sometimes turning down jobs when materials don't meet his standards—demonstrates how small businesses can outcompete corporate giants through personalization and genuine care. Whether you're contemplating your own entrepreneurial leap or simply need inspiration to pursue what you're truly worth, this episode delivers powerful lessons about trusting yourself, delegating effectively, and building a business with reputation and relationships at its core.

    55 min

  4. 08/27/2025

    Corporate Tears to Business Cheers: Ryan's Escape Plan

    Send us a text The psychological toll of corporate work became unbearable for Ryan, who found himself in tears at his HR director's office—a breaking point that would ultimately transform his life. After years in manufacturing management positions at companies like General Mills, working second shift and missing precious family time, Ryan made a decision that would reshape his future and lead to unexpected entrepreneurial success. When COVID hit and his employer slashed salaries by 50% while still requiring full-time office presence, Ryan reached his limit. With his wife's unexpected support, he invested in a PuroClean franchise, writing that nerve-wracking $55,000 check that marked his commitment to a new path. The timing proved fortuitous—just as he'd received a promotion at his corporate job, making the decision even more difficult. What makes Ryan's story particularly fascinating is how one business decision snowballed into multiple ventures. Today, Ryan and his wife operate five separate business entities between them. His wife transformed from schoolteacher to running both a daycare for teachers' children (with all school holidays off) and a seasonal food truck. Meanwhile, Ryan expanded from restoration services into real estate, purchasing buildings with issues his restoration business could fix, creating a brilliant synergy between his ventures. The mindset shift has been profound. "There's this part of you that kind of dies inside when all your efforts are for somebody else," Ryan explains. While he still works similar hours, the psychological difference is night and day. Even his relationship with money has completely transformed—from thinking $3-4K was significant to running $25K biweekly payrolls without blinking. His first million in sales left him "dumbfounded" as he adjusted to his new reality. For entrepreneurs contemplating their own leap, Ryan's parting advice resonates with hard-earned wisdom: "Take the leap, hold on, and keep your head on a swivel—it's a wild ride." His journey proves that sometimes the scariest decisions lead to the most rewarding outcomes.

    43 min

  5. 08/14/2025

    Pro Tips and Tee Shots: How One Man Built a Golf Empire

    Send us a text Ever wondered what it takes to transform a simple idea sketched on a napkin into a multimillion-dollar business? Noah Horstman, founder and CEO of Golf Garage, takes us on his remarkable journey from golf-obsessed kid to visionary entrepreneur who built Southern Oregon's premier indoor golf facility. Noah's story begins at Bear Creek Golf Course, where as a 12-year-old he worked in exchange for free golf time, eventually falling in love with the game after connecting with the ball on his ninth hole ever. His path through competitive college golf to becoming a PGA Professional laid the groundwork for understanding both the technical and business sides of the sport. After winning teaching awards and gaining experience at facilities across the country, Noah identified a crucial gap in the market – a comprehensive indoor golf training facility that could serve as both a skill development center and community hub. What makes this conversation truly valuable for aspiring entrepreneurs is Noah's candid discussion of the obstacles he faced. After 40 potential financiers rejected his concept, a chance reconnection with a high school golf teammate led to securing the $4.8 million needed to break ground. When construction costs ballooned by an additional million dollars, Noah had to quickly pivot his business model to generate immediate revenue. Through it all, he maintained his core vision while adapting to market realities. The Golf Garage success story highlights several crucial entrepreneurial lessons: the importance of building a supportive community around your vision, knowing when to ignore naysayers while listening to constructive feedback, and balancing business ambitions with family life. Noah's philosophy of putting family first while creating opportunities for them within the business offers a refreshing perspective on work-life integration. Ready to pursue your own entrepreneurial dreams? Listen now to gain actionable insights from someone who risked everything on a vision and is now planning nationwide franchising opportunities. What would you risk to build something extraordinary?

    48 min

  6. 08/07/2025

    Logistics Entrepreneur's Journey Through Motherhood

    Send us a text

    50 min

  7. 07/23/2025

    A Salary is a Drug They Give You to Make You Forget Your Dreams

    Send us a text "A salary is a drug they give you to forget your dreams." These powerful words from our guest, Eli, CEO of the Medford Chamber of Commerce, capture the essence of our eye-opening conversation about entrepreneurship, wealth-building, and breaking free from the employee mindset. Eli's journey from Hollister retail employee to successful business owner and Chamber CEO reveals the transformative power of entrepreneurship. He shares the pivotal moment when, at age 25, he discovered a peer making $55,000 monthly while he had been content aspiring to earn $60,000 annually. This revelation changed his perspective forever and set him on the path to financial independence. We dive deep into practical strategies for starting a business with minimal capital—as little as $200-400—and how to build a successful side hustle before quitting your day job. Eli challenges common misconceptions about entrepreneurship, explaining that the average multimillionaire has at least five different income streams and that working 40 hours per week simply isn't enough to achieve extraordinary success. The conversation explores the critical importance of personal development, with Eli revealing how he transformed from someone who mocked vision boards to setting 60 annual goals and achieving them systematically. His insights on surrounding yourself with successful entrepreneurs, learning to identify market demands, and developing an abundance mindset offer a blueprint for aspiring business owners. For listeners in Southern Oregon, we also discuss Medford's promising economic future, including the exciting Creekside Quarter development project that could bring $1.7 billion in economic impact to the region. Whether you're contemplating your first business venture, looking to expand your existing operation, or simply tired of the limitations of traditional employment, this episode provides the motivation and practical wisdom to take that next step toward financial freedom. Connect with your local chamber of commerce today to find the network and support you need to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

    45 min

  8. 07/08/2025

    Scratch an Itch, Find a Niche: The Mental Game of Entrepreneurship

    Send us a text What if your biggest business obstacle isn't market conditions or competition, but the voice inside your head? In this transformative conversation with mindset expert Collin Henderson, we uncover how entrepreneurs can break free from the mental barriers holding them back from true success. Collin shares his remarkable journey from Division I athlete to pharmaceutical sales to founding Master Mindset LLC. His personal struggle with performance anxiety and perfectionism led him to discover powerful mindset techniques that completely transformed his results—techniques he now teaches to entrepreneurs, sales teams, and athletes worldwide. The conversation dives deep into practical strategies that any business owner can implement immediately. Collin explains how our brains are "worry machines" designed for survival rather than success, and offers tools to counteract the negative thought patterns that sabotage performance. His mantra "I'm not defined by this" provides a powerful framework for separating self-worth from business outcomes. We challenge the glorified "hustle culture" that leaves entrepreneurs burned out and unfulfilled. Instead, Collin advocates for what he calls "grooving rather than grinding"—finding energy-giving activities and delegating the rest. His three-year transition from side hustle to full-time business owner serves as a realistic roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs who want sustainable success without sacrificing wellbeing. Whether you're struggling with business fears, decision paralysis, or simply feeling that your work has become a grind, Collin's insights will help you reclaim your entrepreneurial spark. As he powerfully states at the end: "The body has limits, but the mind is limitless." Ready to transform your entrepreneurial mindset? Listen now and discover how mastering your internal game might be the most profitable business move you'll ever make.

    47 min

  9. 06/26/2025

    Betting on Yourself: Why Entrepreneurship Changes Everything

    Send us a text What does it really mean to bet on yourself? In this candid conversation with entrepreneur Cory, co-founder of Synergy Insurance Solutions, we dive deep into the mindset shift required to leave the perceived safety of corporate America for the unpredictable—yet potentially more rewarding—world of entrepreneurship. Cory's journey from professional tennis coach to successful business owner offers a fascinating roadmap for anyone considering taking the entrepreneurial leap. He shares how his sports background instilled the competitive drive and resilience needed to thrive in business, particularly when facing rejection. "You're going to have to put in the extra reps," Cory explains, comparing business networking to athletic training. "In the business world, it might be doing a lot of elevator pitches and going to a lot of networking events or conferences." Throughout his 24-year entrepreneurial career spanning three different businesses, Cory has discovered the power of strategic partnerships. Rather than trying to do everything himself, he's consistently partnered with people whose operational strengths complement his sales and business development expertise. This approach has allowed his ventures to scale in ways that would have been impossible alone. His story of pivoting from Showtime Marketing to Showtime Golf demonstrates the importance of recognizing when something isn't working and having the courage to change direction quickly. Perhaps most compelling is Cory's perspective on freedom versus security. He frames the choice between entrepreneurship and corporate employment as being "a bull or a cow," asking listeners to consider what they truly value. "If I earn less money doing this versus climbing the corporate ladder, I'm okay with that because ultimately I value my time over the money piece of it." In an age where corporate jobs are increasingly vulnerable to disruption, the ability to control your own destiny may be the greatest security of all. Ready to reconsider what true security means in your career? Listen now to challenge your assumptions and perhaps find the courage to bet on yourself.

    47 min

  10. 06/12/2025

    Leap of Faith: From Corporate Job to Entrepreneurial Freedom

    Send us a text What does it really take to break free from corporate America and build a thriving business? In this candid conversation, Andy and Darren strip away the glamorized veneer of entrepreneurship to reveal the raw, unfiltered reality of business ownership. Andy shares how he strategically transitioned from corporate life by maintaining his employer as a client while building his marketing consultancy. After discovering his marketing agency was growing into territory that didn't align with his strengths, he pivoted to franchise consulting and brokering, adapting his skills to flourishing opportunities. Darren recounts his dramatic exit from healthcare executive leadership during COVID, when ethical conflicts over patient isolation policies became unbearable. Leveraging his 15-year broadcasting background, he launched a media production company that evolved organically into real estate photography and video—a niche he never anticipated but that provided consistent demand regardless of market conditions. Both entrepreneurs emphasize that successful business owners possess an almost obsessive level of self-discipline. "Most entrepreneurs are on the spectrum," two previous podcast guests independently observed—a revealing insight into the unique mindset required. Contrary to popular belief, many service-based businesses can launch with minimal capital investment. The real requirements are clarity about your core competency, willingness to delegate non-essential tasks, and the ability to distinguish between a hobby and a viable business model. Perhaps most importantly, they debunk the influencer-promoted myth that business ownership means passive income and beach vacations. The reality? "A successful business becomes a freight train that grabs you by the hair and drags you along behind it." Yet despite the challenges, the freedom to make decisions aligned with your values and the potential to build something meaningful on your own terms makes entrepreneurship worth every obstacle overcome. Ready to explore your entrepreneurial potential? Join us weekly for more unfiltered insights to help you survive, thrive, and find clarity on your business journey.

    1h 1m

  11. 06/05/2025

    Going All In

    Send us a text Hosts Darren and Andy have an unfiltered conversation with DeanO Fisher.  DeanO is an expert in the hospitality services and the event industry. He shares his experiences in these areas and goes in depth on the mindset and presence it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

    52 min

  12. 05/29/2025

    The Journey of Starting a Business

    Send us a text Andy and Darren have an unfiltered conversation with guest Evan Moore.  Evan is the founder and CEO of Real Frequency, a college consulting company that’s redefining how families approach the college journey. He doesn’t just guide students through applications and school lists — he helps families cut through the stress and unknowns so parents can show up as cheerleaders, not task masters,   Real Frequency specializes in helping students find their best-fit across four key pillars: college life, academics, finances, and environment.  then launch into the next chapter with confidence, clarity, and purpose.   When he’s not working with families or athletes, Evan’s in the classroom teaching Strategic Thinking at Gonzaga University. His classroom energy mirrors his mission: help young people unlock who they are, align their priorities with purpose, and go after big goals that actually matter.

    52 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Unfiltered Founders is a raw, real, and refreshing podcast for anyone ready to break free from the corporate grind and embrace the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship. Hosted by Darren Penquite and Andy Baker—two former corporate professionals turned business owners—this show dives deep into the highs, lows, and everything in between of starting and scaling a business. Each episode features candid conversations about the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship: the wins, the losses, the sleepless nights, and the lessons learned along the way. Whether you're just considering taking the leap or you're a seasoned business owner looking for perspective, encouragement, or the next big idea, Unfiltered Founders delivers honest insights and practical advice—with a dash of humor and a whole lot of heart. Tune in for stories that inspire, advice you can actually use, and the kind of support every founder needs but rarely finds.

Information

  • Creator
    Darren Penquite & Andy Baker
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Unfiltered Founders
  • Show Website
    Unfiltered Founders