Modern Founders

Barrett Williams
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship

Modern Founders is conversations about how to build companies in the modern era. We deconstruct the intersection of high-level business strategy and consumer psychology to find out what actually works in today’s digital landscape. Hosted by Barrett Williams, founder of MeloAd Media. We go beyond the surface to uncover the frameworks and mindsets used by some of the best business minds to win in the modern ever-changing economy.

  1. Aug 2

    Does Getting in Shape Make You a Better Business Man?

    Thanks for tuning in!! If you like what you see go check out my socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/ Website: https://meloadmedia.com/

  2. Jul 22

    The Reality Of Scaling a Business Solo

    Thanks for tuning in!! If you like what you see go check out my socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/ Website: https://meloadmedia.com/

  3. Jul 13

    How to Hire Where Your Weakest And Drive Your Business Forward | Sue Bortone

    Building a team is one of the biggest challenges an early-stage entrepreneur will face but hiring full-time employees may not be the best place to start. In this episode, Barrett sits down with Sue Bortone, founder of Noble Talent, to discuss how entrepreneurs can build a strong team without taking on unnecessary overhead. Sue shares how to identify the weaknesses holding your business back, use fractional and freelance talent effectively, create better processes, and know when it is finally time to make your first hire. We also discuss: • Why you should hire for your weaknesses • The benefits of fractional and freelance talent • How to find people you can trust • What to budget for your first hire • Why cheaper talent can sometimes cost you more • How Sue grew Noble Talent from a solo business into a team • Why networking is essential for early-stage founders Connect with Sue and learn more about Noble Talent: Website: https://www.nobletalent.group/ Follow Modern Founders for honest conversations, practical strategies, and lessons for building your business: Instagram: ModernFounder.pod YouTube:  @Modern.Founders  Website: https://meloadmedia.com/ Subscribe for more conversations with founders and experts who can help you build smarter, grow your team, and move your business forward. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction 01:47 – How Sue entered the recruiting industry 03:17 – Why she created Noble Talent 04:41 – The biggest hiring mistake solo entrepreneurs make 06:35 – Identifying the weaknesses in your business 07:05 – What fractional hiring means 08:38 – Why freelancers work well for small businesses 10:17 – Where to find reliable freelance talent 11:37 – Fiverr, LinkedIn, and freelance platforms 13:41 – How much should you budget for your first hire? 16:07 – Hiring entry-level talent 18:32 – Managing remote and international teams 21:19 – Creating processes before making a hire 23:06 – Using advisors for only a few hours per quarter 25:52 – Sue’s journey from employee to founder 28:31 – Building a more transparent recruiting company 31:19 – The challenges of Sue’s first year in business 33:27 – Building relationships instead of making cold pitches 35:14 – Sue’s biggest advice for early-stage entrepreneurs

  4. Jul 8

    The Unfiltered Reality Of Entrepreneurship In 2026 - Jerry Brazie

    Most business advice online makes entrepreneurship look easier than it really is. Jerry Brazie has built more than a dozen companies and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. In this episode, he shares the realities of building a business, making sales, hiring employees, balancing family, and pushing through discomfort. We discuss why founders need to stay involved in their businesses, why hiring too early can hurt you, and why real conversations will always matter more than online shortcuts. CONNECT WITH JERRY The Kronos Group: https://thekronosgroup.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jerrybrazie/ FOLLOW MODERN FOUNDERS YouTube:  @Modern.Founders  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/ Work with Barrett: https://meloadmedia.com/

  5. Jul 1

    5 Questions Every Early-Stage Entrepreneur Needs to Answer

    5 Questions Every Early-Stage Entrepreneur Must Answer What do you do when shit hits the fan and your podcast guests fall through? You pivot, you hit record, and you make something out of nothing. That is Business 101. In this rare solo episode, I'm getting completely out of my comfort zone to tackle 5 questions that early-stage entrepreneurs face the exact same hurdles I’m navigating in real-time. No "guru" hype, no Miami condo LARPing just raw, honest truths about building a company from the ground up. Inside the Episode: Question 1: How do you know if you're building something real or just doing busy work? Question 2: When should you actually hire your first person? (Plus: My breakdown on outsourcing video editing and thumbnails). Question 3: Why does business feel so much harder than the advice makes it sound online? Question 4: What should early-stage founders focus on first: Brand, Sales, Systems, or Content? Question 5: How do you keep pushing forward when the results feel painfully slow? **** The power of uncapped potential and loving the daily hustle. Connect With Us & Support the Show 💬 Join the Conversation: I want to hear from you. How do you keep going when results feel slow? What's your business superpower? Drop your thoughts, questions, or your take on "business LARPers" in the comments below! Subscribe to  @Modern.Founders  Don't miss an episode. Hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications! Instagram: Follow us @modernfounders.pod for daily clips, value drops, and behind-the-scenes content. And as always if your looking for affordable, high-impact digital marketing, social media management, or ads that actually move the needle for small businesses. Check out my agency: MeloAd Media.

  6. Jun 22

    8 Months of Building a 7 Figure Agency Taught Me These Lessons

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/ YouTube:  @Modern.Founders  My Website: https://meloadmedia.com/ In this solo episode of the Modern Founders Podcast, Barrett talks through what the first 8 months of building a business have actually looked like. No fluff. No fake highlight reel. Just the honest reality of starting from scratch, getting your first clients, working more than you expected, figuring out what you’re actually good at, and learning how to think long-term as an early-stage founder. This episode is for anyone building a business, thinking about starting one, or trying to figure out what kind of company they actually want to create. The biggest takeaway: don’t just chase what’s hot right now. Build around what you’re good at, what you can stick with, and what has the potential to grow over the next 10, 15, or 25 years. Follow Modern Founders for more real conversations and lessons from early-stage entrepreneurs. Timestamps: 0:00 – Welcome to the solo episode 0:45 – Who Barrett is and what Meload Media does 1:45 – What 8 months in business has really felt like 2:30 – Entrepreneurship vs. a 9–5 4:30 – Why Barrett started his business 6:30 – The risk and pressure of starting young 7:25 – How he got into social media and content 9:45 – Getting let go and starting the LLC 11:40 – The first client and early months 13:00 – Moving from LinkedIn management to full-stack marketing 15:30 – Building a business that can actually scale 16:10 – Scalable industries vs. service businesses 18:30 – The difference between hot trends and long-term businesses 21:00 – What makes Barrett’s marketing approach different 23:00 – Why now is a great time to build 24:15 – Thoughts on AI agencies and AI consulting 28:30 – What young founders should focus on 30:30 – Final thoughts on business, money, and legacy

  7. Jun 15

    How to Use AI Employees to Grow Your Business Faster Than Ever | Chad Owen

    Connect with Chad Owen: Chad's Website: https://www.stimulus.io/ Connect With Me: MeloAd Media: https://meloadmedia.com/ Barrett Williams: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/ Episode Summary: In this episode of Modern Founders, Barrett sits down with AI consultant Chad Owen to discuss how early-stage entrepreneurs can use AI employees to scale without growing a team. Chad shares his transition from filmmaker to consulting, why founders quietly become their own company bottlenecks, and how to practical steps to delegate menial tasks like inbox management, sales prep, and onboarding workflows to AI Work Smarter, Not Harder: We drop actionable strategy teardowns like this every single week to help you scale your business automatically. Hit that SUBSCRIBE button and turn on notifications to join a community of modern founders building the future. Like this video if you're ready to get out of your own way!

  8. Jun 8

    25-Year CEO Shares How AI Makes This the Best Time to Build a Business | Michael Lavista

    The Reality of 25 Years in Tech & Business with Mike LaVista 🚀 In this episode of Modern Founders, I sit down with Mike LaVista, the founder of CAXI. Over the last 25 years, Mike has navigated the rapidly changing world of technology, shifting his company from hand-coding in Notepad to building advanced AI-driven solutions. We talk openly about the mistakes, the growth spikes that almost broke the business, and the frameworks he used to scale. 🔗 Connect With Us Follow Barrett Williams & Modern Founders: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernfounders.pod/ Connect with Mike LaVista & CAXI: Website: https://www.caxy.com/ Mike's LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaellavista/ ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction & The Evolution of CAXI 01:25 - Staying Ahead of the 25-Year Tech Curve 02:10 - The Mistake of Skipping Industry Conferences 03:15 - Using Data & AI to Solve Real Customer Problems 05:28 - US-Based Teams vs. The Chaos of Offshore Outsourcing 06:15 - How AI is Wiping Out Overseas Tasks 08:14 - The Citibank Breakthrough: Going from Zero to One Thousand 09:39 - Surviving the Growth Spikes That Almost Killed Us 11:44 - The Startup Dilemma: Pricing Strategy & Cash Flow 13:42 - Moving Beyond "Hiring People You Like" 18:06 - Hire Slow, Fire Fast: A Founder's Real Job 18:44 - Validating Ideas: Talking to Customers First 20:55 - Burning the Boats: Handling Self-Doubt & Loneliness 26:13 - Side-Hustlers: The 80/20 Rule for Product 27:25 - Narrow the Focus, Broaden the Market: Finding a Niche 31:30 - Staying Sane: Long-Term Visions & Goal Setting 33:38 - Loving the Game & Making Your Own Luck 39:07 - Shifting from Developer to Sales Lead 41:15 - Systems Thinking: The E-Myth Playbook 43:03 - Rapid Fire: Essential Books & Underrated Advantages

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About

Modern Founders is conversations about how to build companies in the modern era. We deconstruct the intersection of high-level business strategy and consumer psychology to find out what actually works in today’s digital landscape. Hosted by Barrett Williams, founder of MeloAd Media. We go beyond the surface to uncover the frameworks and mindsets used by some of the best business minds to win in the modern ever-changing economy.

Information

  • Creator
    Barrett Williams
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Barrett Williams
  • Show Website
    Modern Founders