A Founder's Life

Leo Gestetner
  • 5.0 (5)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Join me as I explore the powerful intersection of entrepreneurship, health & wellness, and parenthood. In each episode, I’ll be interviewing inspiring individuals who excel in one or more of these areas, sharing their stories, insights, and lessons. My goal is to provide valuable takeaways that can help you thrive both personally and professionally.

  1. 3D AGO

    How Saying “Yes” Built a 16-Year Business - Scott Leff - S6 - E4

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife    • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife    • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest Website: http://www.leffcommunications.com/ Substack: https://substack.com/ ⁨@lefffield⁩   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmleff/ What does it really take to build a business that lasts? In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Scott Leff shares the honest, unfiltered journey of building a B2B content agency over 16 years, from freelancing without a plan to leading a 28-person team serving global clients. Scott breaks down the realities most founders experience but rarely talk about: uncertainty, saying yes before you’re ready, learning through failure, and figuring things out as you go. He also dives into the importance of health, agency, and building a life that works alongside your business. If you’re building something or thinking about it, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, success, and the entrepreneurial path. In this episode, we cover: •Why most entrepreneurs “fall into” business •The power of saying yes (and when it backfires) •Lessons from failed and unprofitable projects •When to say no — and even fire clients •The role of failure in long-term success •Why agency and control matter for mental health •Balancing work, family, and personal life •The importance of learning from others LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    20 min
  2. The Army Lesson That Built My Career - Darren Lauda - S6 - E3

    MAR 11

    The Army Lesson That Built My Career - Darren Lauda - S6 - E3

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife    • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife    • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Darren Lauda LinkedIn: Darren Lauda Email: daren@outsetops.com Website: https://www.outsetops.com In this episode, Darren Lauda shares his unconventional path from joining the U.S. Army after high school to building a successful career in enterprise software and launching his AI forecasting company, Outset. Darren opens up about the early years of his career in software sales, working his way from receptionist to executive leadership at major technology companies. He also shares a deeply personal moment when a voicemail from his young son forced him to reevaluate his priorities and completely rethink how he approached work, health, and family. We discuss entrepreneurship, leadership, fitness, discipline, and why founders must learn to fail fast and iterate quickly. What you’ll learn: • Why entrepreneurship always takes longer than expected • The dangers of putting career ahead of family • How Darren rebuilt his health and fitness after years of neglect • Why forecasting is critical for scaling companies • The mindset founders need to move quickly and learn from failure ⏱️ CHAPTERS  0:00 – From Army Service to Software Sales 1:05 – Building a Career in Enterprise Software 4:28 – The Voicemail That Changed His Priorities 8:05 – Health, Fitness & Personal Discipline 14:58 – Advice for Entrepreneurs: Fail Fast LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    19 min
  3. When Your First Business Fails - Lindsay Gorril - S6 - E2

    MAR 6

    When Your First Business Fails - Lindsay Gorril - S6 - E2

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife    • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife    • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Lindsay Gorrill Website: https://www.stargoldcorp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-gorrill-b98b07176/ In this episode, Lindsay Gorrill shares his remarkable journey from chartered accountant to mining entrepreneur — building multiple mines around the world and navigating the extreme highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Lindsay talks about starting his first company with just $60,000, nearly going bankrupt, building operations across India and Canada, and why gold and silver remain critical hedges in a world filled with debt. We also explore the realities of the mining industry today, the importance of environmental responsibility, how travel shaped Lindsay’s worldview, and the mindset required to survive the brutal early years of entrepreneurship. What you’ll learn: • Why belief in yourself is essential for entrepreneurs • The brutal early failures behind successful companies • How global travel shaped Lindsay’s leadership philosophy • The reality of building a mine from discovery to production • Why gold and silver may play a critical role in the future economy ⏱️ CHAPTERS  0:00 – From Chartered Accountant to Mining Entrepreneur 1:00 – The First Mine and Early Failures 2:17 – Global Mining Projects & India Expansion 7:26 – Family, Balance & Life Outside Business 11:23 – Pivotal Moments and Advice for Entrepreneurs LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    15 min
  4. Building Wealth Without Losing Your Soul - Ken Salazar - S6 -E1

    MAR 4

    Building Wealth Without Losing Your Soul - Ken Salazar - S6 -E1

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife   • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife   • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Ken Salazar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-salazar-00198a8/ Website: https://www.gosilveredge.com/ Email: ken@gosilveredge.com Ken Salazar is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years in payments and fintech. From investment banking during the tech bust to scaling and exiting a payments business — and later buying it back — Ken shares hard-earned lessons about growth, leadership, and purpose. We talk about why America is still behind in payments innovation, how COVID accelerated digital adoption, and why scaling too fast can destroy a company. But more importantly, Ken opens up about a deeply personal realization at age 31 — when outward success left him feeling completely empty. What you’ll learn: • Why founders must not “scale broke” • The hidden dangers of private equity pressure • How success can mask personal emptiness • The discipline behind faith, fitness, and family • Why you can’t do anything alone — but must own everything yourself ⏱️ CHAPTERS  0:00 – From Investment Banking to Payments 1:49 – Reinventing Payments & Fintech Exit 13:29 – Faith, Family & Daily Discipline 35:16 – Success Without Fulfillment 37:42 – Don’t Scale Broke & Final Advice LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    36 min
  5. A Founder's Life Season 5 Recap

    FEB 26

    A Founder's Life Season 5 Recap

    Season 5 was about more than business. It was about: • Vision before revenue • Growth through discomfort • Learning from failure • Contentment over ego • And building support systems that matter If you missed an episode, go back and catch up now. Season 6 is coming soon. Subscribe so you don’t miss it. LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    4 min
  6. What Startup Failure Taught Me About Fear - Brad McGinity - S5 - E18

    FEB 18

    What Startup Failure Taught Me About Fear - Brad McGinity - S5 - E18

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife    • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife    • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Brad McGinity LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcginity/ What happens when your career in SaaS, your faith, your marriage, and your health all collide in real life? Brad McGinnity, Chief Revenue Officer at Tithely, shares his journey from stumbling into startup sales to leading revenue at a 50,000-customer global fintech platform serving churches and nonprofits. We talk about startup pressure, almost running out of cash, getting married young, raising three daughters, rebuilding after divorce shaped his teenage years, and why he believes in exercising every single day — no matter what. What you’ll learn: • Why founders shouldn’t chase the exit • How near-bankruptcy builds confidence • The “GPA method” for balancing life roles • Why exercise is non-negotiable for leaders • How faith and business can align ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 – SaaS Career, Tithely & Serving Churches 3:08 – Marriage, Kids & Building a Family Young 5:38 – Soft 60, Health Habits & Daily Discipline 13:54 – The GPA Method for Life Balance 18:23 – Divorce, Startup Fear & Advice to Founders LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    22 min
  7. Building Trust, Media, and Community at Scale - Jeffrey Hayzlett - S5 - E17

    FEB 11

    Building Trust, Media, and Community at Scale - Jeffrey Hayzlett - S5 - E17

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife   • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife   • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Jeffrey Hayzlett Website: https://c-suitenetwork.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayzlett/ Podcast: All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett What happens when an entrepreneur stops chasing plans—and starts building momentum instead? In this episode, Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chairman of the C-Suite Network, former Fortune 100 CMO, media executive, and serial entrepreneur, shares his unfiltered journey from early entrepreneurship to Kodak, Bloomberg, Celebrity Apprentice, and building one of the largest trusted executive networks in the world. We talk about leadership, time protection, media as a business strategy, family, health, mentorship, and why success comes from focusing on hearts and minds—not just scale. What you’ll learn: • Why most careers aren’t planned—and why that’s okay • How Jeffrey built and sold hundreds of companies • Why leaders must guard their time relentlessly • The shift from “spray and pray” marketing to community • How family, health, and mentors shaped his leadership ⏱️ CHAPTERS  0:00 – Entrepreneurial Beginnings & Early Wins 3:42 – Kodak, Media, and the Shift to Digital Leadership 6:30 – Building the C-Suite Network & Trusted Communities 16:03 – Family, Health & Personal Rhythms 32:04 – Mentorship, Pivotal Moments & Advice for Founders LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    32 min
  8. How to Build Businesses That Last Generations - Tim Metzner - S5 - E16

    FEB 5

    How to Build Businesses That Last Generations - Tim Metzner - S5 - E16

    This episode of A Founder’s Life is brought to you by Thankz, helping founders scale with reliable remote talent. Get $1,000 off your first month by emailing founders@thankz.com with the subject line Founder’s Life. 🌐 Follow A Founder’s Life  • YouTube:   @AFoundersLife    • LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-founder-s-life-podcast/  • Instagram: @afounderslife    • Spotify & Apple Podcast: https://linktr.ee/afounderslife 👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Tim Metzner LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timmetzner Company's Site: https://www.fireroad.io/ Free daily booster shot of motivation: www.dailymo.co What does balance actually look like when you’re building companies and raising a family at the same time? In this episode, Tim Metzner, serial entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, and co-founder of FireRode, shares his journey from early startup life to building venture-backed companies while staying deeply present as a husband and father of four. We talk about family integration, health rhythms, faith, seasons of intensity, and why building with the right people matters more than doing everything yourself. What you’ll learn: • Why balance comes in seasons, not perfection • How to integrate family into entrepreneurship • Why health and fitness must be calendar “rocks” • The power of building with the right people • How faith shaped Tim’s leadership journey ⸻ ⏱️ CHAPTERS (5 total, accurate) 0:00 – Early Startup Life & Ecosystem Building 2:51 – FireRode, Investing & Tech-Enabling SMBs 5:30 – Family Integration & Being a Present Founder 9:17 – Health, Fitness & Sustainable Energy 19:23 – Faith, Identity & Advice for Founders LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/leogestetner Website leogestetner.com/leo Subscribe Now! youtube.com/@afounderslife?sub_confirmation=1

    22 min
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About

Join me as I explore the powerful intersection of entrepreneurship, health & wellness, and parenthood. In each episode, I’ll be interviewing inspiring individuals who excel in one or more of these areas, sharing their stories, insights, and lessons. My goal is to provide valuable takeaways that can help you thrive both personally and professionally.

Information

  • Creator
    Leo Gestetner
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 A Founder's Life
  • Show Website
    A Founder's Life

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