Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

Brian Lofrumento
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Brian Lofrumento reveals everything you need to go from wantrepreneur – or someone who WANTS to own their own business – to a money-making, action-taking entrepreneur. Discover exactly how to start a business and build a raving audience of fans and customers who want to buy your stuff, and learn exactly how to best serve your customers and clients by building a customer-centric line of products and services. Brian has built multiple six-figure businesses, including a six-figure SEO agency at the age of 24, and now helps thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world grow, automate, and scale their businesses by implementing high-converting marketing strategies and systems into their businesses. Visit the show online and get a free copy of the book, Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, at TheWantrepreneurShow.com.Our show is made possible by the financial, time, and knowledge contributions of our amazing guests. Together with the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur host and team, our guests believe in the power of entrepreneurs lifting up other entrepreneurs, and their contributions make it possible for us to reach wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs all over the world.

  1. 1364: How a "Hell Yes" Moment Can Change Your Entire Career Path w/ Jim Tarpo

    11H AGO

    1364: How a "Hell Yes" Moment Can Change Your Entire Career Path w/ Jim Tarpo

    Ever feel like you’re on a zig-zag path with no clear destination? This episode with Jim Tarpo will make you realize that’s your greatest strength. Jim shares his incredible journey from a high-stakes electrical engineering job at GE to becoming a freelance programmer, a backlit art gallery owner, and the inventor of a consumer product, Grippy Bands. This episode is a masterclass in heeding the "entrepreneurial nudges" that pull you toward your true calling, even when it makes no logical sense. For any wantrepreneur feeling stuck or believing their path has to be linear, Jim’s story is the permission you need to embrace curiosity, work through confusion, and build businesses that truly light you up. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to recognize and act on the "goosebump moments" that signal a major career shift is needed.The essential mindset required to work through doubt and confusion for extended periods while building your vision.Why your unique perspective is your biggest competitive advantage (and why only YOU can see certain opportunities).How to transform an everyday observation—like a light fixture or a rubber band—into a viable business concept.The power of saying "yes" to an uncertain opportunity and having the courage to figure out the details later.Actionable advice for pivoting from a technical, service-based career into a creative, product-based business.How to reframe getting laid off from a job as the ultimate launchpad for your entrepreneurial freedom.📝 About Jim Tarpo  Jim Tarpo is a lifelong engineer, inventor, and creative entrepreneur who has spent four decades turning curiosity into successful businesses. After starting his career as an electrical engineer at General Electric, he forged his own path as a freelance test engineer. In a classic entrepreneurial pivot, he took a hard left turn into the art world, founding Fluorescent Gallery to create stunning backlit architectural art. His creative journey continued into fine art photography and most recently, the invention of a clever consumer product called Grippy Bands. Jim’s story is a powerful testament to the magic that happens when you follow your intuition and aren't afraid to build the plane as you fly it. 🎯 Jim’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "There are things that only you see and only you are good at... If you're looking at something and you think it should be a certain way, trust yourself." 📢 Memorable Quotes “When I hung up the phone, I really could not come up with a reason to say no... it went from a maybe, it went from a no to a maybe to a hell yes, I am out of here.” – Jim Tarpo“I was willing to work in a state of doubt and confusion for a long period of time, because I knew, I knew that it was going to pay off.” – Jim Tarpo“I look up at the moon and I'm like, this is freedom. I said, I need this all the time... This is the meaning of being self-employed, being an entrepreneur.” – Jim Tarpo🔗 Links & Resources Visit Fluorescent Gallery’s websiteVisit Jim Tarpo Photography’s websiteVisit Grippy-Bands’ websiteConnect with Jim on LinkedIn

    34 min
  2. 1363: The Engineer's Secret to Finding Your Business's Hidden Bottlenecks w/ Mark Inge

    1D AGO

    1363: The Engineer's Secret to Finding Your Business's Hidden Bottlenecks w/ Mark Inge

    Are you drowning in admin work and repetitive tasks that keep you from focusing on what truly matters? In this episode, we sit down with Mark Inge, a former mechanical engineer turned founder of SmartWork Automation, who reveals how to reclaim dozens of hours a week by leveraging the power of AI and automation. Mark breaks down the critical difference between AI and automation and explains why finding the real problem in your business is the key to unlocking massive growth. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur feeling overwhelmed, showing you how to streamline your operations, enhance your client experience, and get back to the high-value work that actually moves the needle. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to diagnose the "hidden bottlenecks" in your business that create downstream chaos and stunt your growth.The "manufacturing assembly line" framework for mapping your business processes to instantly identify areas ripe for automation.Why starting with a problem-first approach, not a solution-first one, is crucial for getting real value from AI and automation.How to use AI to enhance the human touch in your client onboarding, creating a magical experience that sets you apart.The key difference between AI and automation, and how to strategically combine them to build a powerful, efficient operational system.Why the businesses that experiment with and implement AI in the next year will gain a massive competitive advantage.📝 About Mark Inge  Mark Inge is the founder of SmartWork Automation, a company dedicated to helping small business owners eliminate repetitive tasks and reclaim their time. With a background as a mechanical engineer and process optimization consultant, Mark brings a unique, systematic approach to solving business inefficiencies. He moved from optimizing physical manufacturing lines to optimizing digital business workflows, driven by his own experience with overwhelm in the corporate world. His expertise lies in identifying the "upstream problems" that most entrepreneurs miss, allowing him to build custom systems that create real, tangible results. 🎯 Mark’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "In the next year, we will see so much value added in my opinion to the businesses that leverage this technology correctly. And I think those businesses are going to be pulling ahead of the pack." 📢 Memorable Quotes  “Automation doesn't have to remove the humanity from the things that you do. It can really allow you to work on that even more by taking away the areas of the tasks that you do that don't add a lot of value.” – Mark Inge“If we can solve a problem that either saves you money or boosts your energy, you're going to be so much better off.” – Mark Inge“A lot of the entrepreneurs that I know, they have a little bit of a challenge with authority. I want to do it the way that I want to do it.” – Mark Inge🔗 Links & Resources Visit SmartWork Automation’s websiteConnect with Mark on LinkedInFollow SmartWork Automation on LinkedIn

    35 min

  3. 2D AGO

    1362: Are you EXPECTING to be wrong? It might help...

    Do you find yourself constantly asking for advice, watching YouTube videos, or reading books, hoping to find the “right” answer before you take action? This Solo Sunday episode is a wake-up call for every entrepreneur stuck in analysis paralysis. Brian unpacks the critical difference between being an advice collector and a true experimenter. He shares personal stories—from achieving a 15% email reply rate to building a top-ranked podcast—by breaking all the conventional "rules." This isn't just another motivational talk; it's a practical guide to shifting your mindset from seeking permission to creating your own data-driven path to success. ✨ Why This Matters for You Adopting an experimenter’s mindset is the key to unlocking real, sustainable growth: It frees you from the fear of being wrong and the pressure to find the "perfect" strategy before you start.It empowers you to take action and create momentum, because clarity comes from doing, not just thinking.It helps you build a business that is uniquely yours, based on what actually works for your industry, your audience, and you.It turns every "failure" into a valuable lesson that gets you one step closer to your next breakthrough.It puts you in the driver’s seat, allowing you to innovate and build evidence for what truly moves the needle in your business.📝 Key Takeaways Experiment > Advise. Stop waiting for the right answer from others. The most valuable insights will come from your own tests and experiments.Answers Expire. The strategies and tactics that worked for someone else yesterday—or even for you last year—are not guaranteed to work today. The game is always changing.Embrace Being Wrong. True experimenters expect to be wrong. Like Thomas Edison, they see every failed attempt not as a failure, but as discovering another way that doesn't work.Create Your Own Clarity. As Jeff Bezos said, you only need about 70% of the information you wish you had to make a decision. The other 30% comes from taking action and seeing what happens.Your Path Is Unique. No one has been on your exact journey. Stop trying to follow someone else's map and start charting your own course.Your Only Benchmark Is You. Instead of asking "What's a good reply rate?" ask "How can I improve my current reply rate?" The goal is constant improvement, not hitting an arbitrary external metric.🚀 Put It Into Action This week, commit to being an experimenter: Identify one area in your business where you’ve been stuck collecting advice or waiting for the "perfect" plan (e.g., marketing copy, sales outreach, content strategy).Ask yourself: What is one small, low-risk experiment I can run this week to get real data?Launch the experiment without attachment to the outcome. The goal isn’t to be right; the goal is to learn.🔗 Stay Connected Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episodeConnect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrianShare this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to stop planning and start doing.

    19 min
  4. 1361: How to Turn Your Business Data into an Unstoppable Content Machine w/ Jessica Valenzuela

    4D AGO

    1361: How to Turn Your Business Data into an Unstoppable Content Machine w/ Jessica Valenzuela

    Jessica Valenzuela, co-founder of GoGoGuest and the new AI marketing platform Mowie, joins the show to pull back the curtain on the future of marketing—which is happening right now. Jessica breaks down how AI is moving beyond generalized tools like ChatGPT into specialized platforms that can analyze millions of your business's unique data points (even the messy, "unstructured" ones) to craft a perfect brand strategy and hyper-targeted content. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur looking to gain a competitive edge. You'll learn how to leverage the data you already have to create marketing that feels personal, timely, and incredibly effective, saving you the cost of expensive agencies while delivering better results. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business Unlock Your Data Goldmine: Discover how to leverage "unstructured data"—like customer reviews, emails, and online menus—to uncover powerful insights and drive your marketing strategy.Go Beyond Generic AI: Understand the massive difference between a general LLM (like ChatGPT) and a specialized AI tool that acts as a mini, hyper-focused expert on YOUR brand.The AI-Powered Camera: Learn how new AI tools can take your existing product photos and place them in countless new, on-brand scenes, creating endless visual content without expensive photoshoots.From One Idea to the Next: See how Jessica’s team identified new opportunities within their first business (GoGoGuest) to build an even more powerful, next-generation solution (Mowie).The Future Role of Agencies: Hear an agency founder’s perspective on how AI will augment, not replace, human creativity, and where the real value of marketing professionals will lie.Build an Ecosystem, Not Just a Product: Learn from Jessica's experience scaling GoGoGuest through strategic partnerships and integrations, creating a powerful distribution channel from the ground up.📝 About Jessica Valenzuela Jessica Valenzuela is a seasoned entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience building innovative, tech-forward companies. She co-founded GoGoGuest, a platform that helps hospitality and restaurant brands grow by leveraging their internal data, scaling it through a powerful ecosystem of over 30 strategic partners. Today, Jessica is building the future of marketing with Mowie, an AI platform that transforms millions of unstructured business data points into a cohesive brand strategy and hyper-targeted content. Her journey is a testament to the power of curiosity, seeing inefficiency as an opportunity, and relentlessly building what comes next. 🎯 Jessica’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs "Know why you're doing it... know that the journey is a big part of it. And it's a long game." 📢 Memorable Quotes "We are seeing that data and AI really, really is able to bring things to the present where you can actually define and listen to the signals that's available in your data and be able to utilize that for creating your strategy.""Our private beta customers have said it's better than an actual real camera lens that's taking a photo of their products... you can do it in a minute or two.""I think it really takes a lot of grit to be an entrepreneur... there's a lot of passion there, just a lot of focus, there's also a lot of resilience, but curiosity and, and to me, I'm still just learning."🔗 Links & Resources Visit Mowie’s websiteConnect with Jessica on LinkedInFollow Mowie AI on LinkedInFollow Mowie AI on Instagram

    35 min
  5. 1360: The Surprising Way This Doctor Turned YouTube Reviews into a Revenue Stream and Business w/ Dr. Joshua Guttman

    5D AGO

    1360: The Surprising Way This Doctor Turned YouTube Reviews into a Revenue Stream and Business w/ Dr. Joshua Guttman

    Dr. Joshua Guttman, a nationally recognized expert in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), shares his incredible journey of transforming his deep medical expertise into a thriving consulting firm, Peachtree POCUS. He reveals how he identified a massive gap in the healthcare market where over 5,800 hospitals lacked the operational systems to implement cost-saving, life-improving technology. This episode is a masterclass for any wantrepreneur on how to leverage specialized knowledge, create win-win solutions for an entire industry, and build a multi-faceted business from the ground up. Dr. Guttman gets real about learning sales, marketing, and time management from scratch, proving that you don't need a business background to become a successful entrepreneur. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to spot a massive, underserved niche within your own industry and build a business to fill that gap.The strategy for creating a "win-win-win" business model that benefits customers, partners, and your bottom line.Why creating content (like YouTube reviews) can unexpectedly become a powerful branding tool and a new revenue stream.How to overcome the "expert's curse" and learn essential business skills like sales and marketing from zero.The blueprint for evolving your business offerings based on organic customer feedback and market demand.How to build a business that offers multiple monetization streams, from direct consulting and online courses to influencer-style partnerships.Practical tips for managing your time and setting boundaries to build a successful company without burning out or sacrificing family life.📝 About Dr. Joshua Guttman  Dr. Joshua Guttman is the founder and CEO of Peachtree POCUS, a consulting firm focused on optimizing point-of-care ultrasound operations. As an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University and a fellowship-trained ultrasound educator, Dr. Guttman brings over a decade of clinical and academic leadership to the entrepreneurial world. He is a nationally recognized expert who has authored numerous research studies and textbook chapters, but his true passion lies in being a "physician builder." Dr. Guttman brings a unique perspective on bridging the gap between high-level professional expertise and scalable, impactful business innovation. 🎯 Dr. Josh’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "I would say especially for the wantrepreneurs, just do it. Don't think about it... don't get scared... You've got to take that leap and make that decision to just get into it." 📢 Memorable Quotes "We're doing great for people while making money doing it... and the hospital saving money... and so that's where we all kind of come together to innovate to the point that's better for patients." – Dr. Joshua Guttman"I didn't appreciate how much fun it would be to learn new things. And so how did I do them? I read a lot and I talked a lot." – Dr. Joshua Guttman"It's wonderful to have people say, 'I think what you provide is valuable and I'm going to pay money for it.'" – Dr. Joshua Guttman🔗 Links & Resources Visit Peachtree POCUS’ websiteConnect with Joshua on LinkedInFollow Peachtree POCUS on LinkedInFollow Peachtree POCUS on XFollow Peachtree POCUS on FacebookFollow Peachtree POCUS on Instagram

    32 min
  6. 1359: Gamified Therapy: Hacking Your Brain for Entrepreneurial Success w/ Jules Wordcraft

    6D AGO

    1359: Gamified Therapy: Hacking Your Brain for Entrepreneurial Success w/ Jules Wordcraft

    In this mind-bending episode, we dive into the world of game design with Jules Wordcraft, a self-proclaimed “polymath autodidact” who is revolutionizing tabletop role-playing games. Jules shares how unique life experiences—from growing up with a bipolar mother to being the “white sheep” in a family of criminals—fueled a lifelong obsession with physics, psychology, and storytelling. This isn't just a conversation about games; it's a masterclass in critical thinking, system design, and the raw, unfiltered drive that separates wantrepreneurs from entrepreneurs. Tune in to learn how the logic of game design can give you a powerful new framework for solving business problems, training your team, and building a reality of your own making. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to apply "gamified therapy" principles to train your team, test leadership skills, and build resilience in a safe, simulated environment.The entrepreneurial superpower of being a "polymath autodidact" and how connecting unrelated fields can lead to breakthrough business innovations.Why questioning the fundamental rules of your industry is the first step toward building a truly unique and scalable business.A powerful framework for turning your most challenging life experiences into the fuel for your entrepreneurial mission.How to leverage AI as a creative soundboard to validate logic and build better systems, not as a replacement for critical thinking.The mindset shift required to stop waiting for permission and start building the world and business you want to see.📝 About Jules Wordcraft  Jules Wordcraft is a game designer, forever game master, and the innovative mind behind World of Wordcraft. Driven by a lifelong obsession with physics, psychology, and story, Jules set out to build a modular gaming framework from scratch after finding existing systems lacked logical consistency. As a self-taught polymath, Jules brings a rare perspective to entrepreneurship, connecting seemingly disparate fields to innovate in gaming, corporate training, and even therapy. Jules' journey is a powerful testament to transforming personal challenges and a non-traditional background into an unstoppable entrepreneurial force. 🎯 Jules’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Never give up, never surrender." This simple but powerful quote from the movie Galaxy Quest encapsulates Jules’s core philosophy. True entrepreneurs don’t wait for permission or give up when things get hard; they see a problem and take ownership of the solution. 📢 Memorable Quotes  “If I can do something, I should do something... if you want something done bad enough, just go take care of it yourself.” – Jules Wordcraft“We're the only species on the planet that can change reality. Like if we think we want to build a building... we put a building on a plot that wasn't there before.” – Jules Wordcraft“Every interaction that I have has been broken down to a statistical probability of how do I get the most joy out of this interaction for everyone involved?” – Jules Wordcraft🔗 Links & Resources Visit World of Wordcraft’s websiteConnect with Jules on LinkedInFollow World of Wordcraft on LinkedIn

    32 min
  7. 1358: The End of Expensive SaaS? Why Custom Software is Your Next Big Move w/ Andrew Stabeno

    JAN 13

    1358: The End of Expensive SaaS? Why Custom Software is Your Next Big Move w/ Andrew Stabeno

    Is "vibe coding" making programmers obsolete? In a world buzzing with AI-powered development tools, it's easy to think you can build a complex, secure application with just a few prompts. Andrew Stabeno, a business-minded developer and digital nomad, joins the show to reveal why that's a dangerous misconception. He explains that while AI is a powerful tool, it’s accelerating the opportunity for entrepreneurs to create custom software tailored to their exact needs, rather than replacing the experts who build them. This episode is a must-listen for any entrepreneur tired of paying for bloated, expensive SaaS products that don't quite fit their workflow. Andrew breaks down how the new tech landscape makes custom solutions more accessible than ever, allowing you to build exactly what you need, save money in the long run, and gain a significant competitive advantage. Drawing from his experience running a software agency in Jordan, he also provides a masterclass on how to ethically and effectively tap into the global talent pool to bring your vision to life. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business  Why "vibe coding" is a powerful collaborator, not a replacement for skilled developers (and the critical security gaps AI can’t fill on its own). How to identify the tipping point when it’s more cost-effective to build your own custom software instead of paying for multiple, oversized SaaS subscriptions. The strategic advantage of building bespoke tools that perfectly match your unique business operations, rather than forcing your processes to fit a pre-made solution. A look into the future: why niche, custom-built software will become the new standard for small and medium-sized businesses. How to leverage the global talent pool to build high-quality tech without breaking the bank, and why a cultural "bridge" is key to success. The step-by-step process of turning a business pain point into a custom software project, from initial consultation to MVP and ongoing maintenance.📝 About Andrew Stabeno  Andrew Stabeno is a business-minded developer, digital nomad, and founder of the software development agency Mount Seir Tech. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Andrew has spent 16 years living abroad and is currently based in Amman, Jordan. He is passionate about leveraging technology to create opportunities and has a specific desire to bring high-quality tech jobs to the Middle East. Andrew's unique perspective comes from bridging the gap between American business needs and the incredible, often untapped, talent within the global tech community. 🎯 Andrew’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Be adaptable... if you're not adaptable, then... you could be irrelevant tomorrow." 📢 Memorable Quotes “I think it is going to be instead of needing 20 programmers, you might need two, but it just means you can build more stuff in a shorter amount of time.” – Andrew Stabeno“Before you know it, it's like, man, you put about as much time into making all these software packages that you're paying per user per month... you could have like almost built your own with AI at this point.” – Andrew Stabeno “You could get... a bunch of credit card information stolen because you told [AI] to store some credit cards in plain text because you didn't know any better. And it said, ‘Sure, I can do that,’ and didn't say you shouldn't.” – Andrew Stabeno🔗 Links & Resources Visit Mount Seir Tech’s websiteConnect with Andrew on LinkedInFollow Mount Seir Tech LLC on LinkedIn

    34 min
  8. 1357: Think AI Will Take Your Job? It Might Make You a Founder Instead w/ Carol Zhu

    JAN 12

    1357: Think AI Will Take Your Job? It Might Make You a Founder Instead w/ Carol Zhu

    In a world overflowing with AI-generated content, how do you turn the noise into revenue? Carol Zhu, CEO of DecodeNetwork.AI, has the answer. Drawing from her high-level experience at tech giants like AWS AI, TikTok, and Credit Karma, Carol breaks down the massive, untapped opportunity in the AI creator economy. She reveals how her company is building the "monetization layer" for AI, connecting digital art to physical commerce through print-on-demand, brand partnerships, and content licensing. This episode is a masterclass for any entrepreneur looking to find a real business model within the hype, showing you how to extract signal from noise and build a valuable company in the fastest-moving industry on the planet. 💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business How to identify and fill the critical monetization gaps in the exploding AI market.The strategy for turning AI-generated content into tangible, sellable products like home decor and apparel.Why AI is creating a new class of entrepreneurs by decoupling creative expression from technical skill.How to find the "signal in the noise" and build a business that curates high-quality AI content.The playbook for using print-on-demand and brand partnerships to scale your AI-driven business.The key differences between targeting the mass market versus enterprise clients with a new AI venture.📝 About Carol Zhu  Carol Zhu is the CEO and co-founder of DecodeNetwork.AI, the monetization layer for AI creativity. With a rich background as a product lead at AWS AI and a founding project manager at TikTok Shop, Carol has deep expertise in scaling consumer products and navigating the complexities of the artificial intelligence stack. Her unique vantage point, shaped by roles at iconic companies like Credit Karma, gives her incredible insight into building viable, revenue-generating businesses on the cutting edge of technology. 🎯 Carol’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs  "Believe in your correct contrarian and push it forward." 📢 Memorable Quotes  “What AI has changed... is that it decoupled self expression, or artistic expression or creative expression from the skills itself.” – Carol Zhu“The supply of creativity gets largely unlocked.” – Carol Zhu“What's the real problem now is to extract signals out of noises... out of the 15 billion images, there must be some top really good ones.” – Carol Zhu🔗 Links & Resources  Visit DecodeNetwork.AI’s websiteConnect with Carol on LinkedInFollow Carol on Instagram

    37 min
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About

Brian Lofrumento reveals everything you need to go from wantrepreneur – or someone who WANTS to own their own business – to a money-making, action-taking entrepreneur. Discover exactly how to start a business and build a raving audience of fans and customers who want to buy your stuff, and learn exactly how to best serve your customers and clients by building a customer-centric line of products and services. Brian has built multiple six-figure businesses, including a six-figure SEO agency at the age of 24, and now helps thousands of entrepreneurs from around the world grow, automate, and scale their businesses by implementing high-converting marketing strategies and systems into their businesses. Visit the show online and get a free copy of the book, Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, at TheWantrepreneurShow.com.Our show is made possible by the financial, time, and knowledge contributions of our amazing guests. Together with the Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur host and team, our guests believe in the power of entrepreneurs lifting up other entrepreneurs, and their contributions make it possible for us to reach wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs all over the world.

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