Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

In this special collab episode of Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur, 16 founders come together to answer one deceptively powerful question:
What does "hard work" mean to you, and how is it different from when you started your business?
It's a wide-ranging episode about what hard work really means once volume stops being the measure — from swapping busyness for stillness, to learning to make the ask, to discovering that AI has moved the hard part from typing to thinking. Across all seventeen answers, one thread holds: hard work stopped being about how much these founders could carry, and started being about what they have the discipline to put down.
For any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur who still measures their effort in hours logged, meetings taken, or how exhausted they feel at the end of the day, this episode is a reset. Seventeen founders, across wildly different industries, arrived at strikingly similar conclusions: hard work isn't disappearing as they grow — it's relocating, from the doing to the deciding, from the hours to the judgment behind them.
🎙️ Meet the Collab Week Contributors
Lisa Larson — Mindful Corporate Mastery
After 25+ years in corporate tech, Lisa founded Mindful Corporate Mastery to help high-performing professionals manage stress and decisions differently than she once did.
Website: https://www.mindfulcorporatemastery.com/
Nate Hebbert — SelfWare Consulting
A former software engineer at 3M, KPMG, and Domo, Nate now runs SelfWare Consulting, helping tech companies and small business owners beat burnout without pausing growth.
Website: https://selfwareconsulting.com/
Shawn Sundsvold — GoldBear Media
Shawn co-founded GoldBear Media with his wife Kelly in 2020, helping small and medium businesses get more out of social media and email marketing.
Website: https://goldbear.media/
Erik Berglund — Loominary
Erik founded The Language of Leadership and Loominary, building skill simulation systems that let people practice their business's hardest conversations.
Website: https://www.loominary.io/
Sheri Roder — Get UnStuck HQ
After 40+ years in corporate life, Sheri launched Get UnStuck HQ, a coaching practice that helps clients turn a messy, complicated choice into a decision they can act on.
Website: https://www.getunstuckhq.com/
Brandon Pankey — Blue Pine Works
Brandon is co-owner and Operations Lead at Blue Pine Works, an arboriculture and land stewardship company, building the systems behind the business he runs with his partner.
Website: https://bluepineworks.com/
Kevin Kertes — advanceMEN Coaching
A former 30-year music industry executive, Kevin now runs advanceMEN Coaching, helping capable men confront postponed decisions and move forward with confidence.
Website: https://www.advancemencoaching.com/
Brandon Katz — DreamLever
Brandon is founder and CEO of DreamLever, an AI system that learns a business from its own meetings and drives the right work forward, after 4 years as Chief of Staff at Fine Fettle.
Website: https://www.dreamlever.ai/
Raamon Newman — New Mavericks
Raamon co-founded New Mavericks 25 years ago as a full-time meditating monk, and now leads CEO development work with founders scaling companies into the billions.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raamonnewman/
Patricia Ballivian — Altura Strategies
Originally from Bolivia, Patricia founded Altura Strategies to help growing businesses align their operations, systems, and people.
Website: https://www.alturastrategies.net/
Sara Reece — Workmind
Sara is CEO and co-founder of Workmind, helping organizations use operations-first automation to eliminate friction and grow without adding headcount.
Website: https://workmind.cloud/partners/
Mike Gross — Michael J. Gross, LLC
With 35+ years of experience, Mike runs Michael J. Gross, LLC, providing practical ISO training and consulting built on what already works.
Website: https://mj-gross.com/
Stephen Custer — Dry Humor Marketing
Stephen built Dry Humor Marketing as a one-man show helping businesses tell their story through video, photography, and web design, before hiring his first contractor last November.
Website: https://www.dryhumormarketing.com/
Drew Mehta — ThinkFraction
After 20+ years in corporate, Drew founded ThinkFraction to help owner-operators fix the leaks in their back-end workflows and put AI to work the right way.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhroovmehta/
Rami Akeela — Nera Systems
With 20+ years in hardware, software, and cryptography, Rami founded Nera Systems, a confidential AI company helping enterprises use AI on their most sensitive data.
Website: https://nera.systems/
David Beltran — Accord Intelligence
After 14 years at IBM in cybersecurity and identity, David founded Accord Intelligence, building the decision layer that helps organizations govern and trust their AI.
Website: https://www.accordintelligence.ai/

What if the biggest obstacle to your business's growth isn't your strategy, your marketing, or your team… but you? In the powerful finale to this week’s special solo series, Brian reveals the fifth and final question he uses to spark his biggest inflection points of growth: "Who and what do I need to become?" This isn't just about goal-setting; it's about identity-shifting. Brian unpacks why the skills, habits, and mindset that brought you to this point are rarely the ones that will get you to the next, and why true, sustainable growth in your business starts with your own personal evolution. Get ready for the most challenging—and most rewarding—question of the entire series.
✨ Why This Matters for You
Embracing this question is the key to breaking through your current ceiling:
It forces you to move beyond tactics and focus on the fundamental driver of your success: you.
It’s the antidote to stagnation. If your business feels stuck, this question reveals the personal changes needed to get it moving again.
It transforms how you show up in sales, leadership, and even during setbacks, building resilience and confidence.
It helps you intentionally design your future self instead of letting circumstances dictate who you become.
📝 Key Takeaways
What Got You Here Won't Get You There. The central theme of entrepreneurship is change. To level up your business, you must be willing to evolve and become a new version of yourself.
Your Business Is a Reflection of You. Your company’s growth is directly tied to your personal development. As you grow, so will your business.
The Five Core Growth Questions. This episode culminates a series built on powerful inquiry. The full set includes: Where is my universe expanding? (Episode 1560) 
What can I do now that my future self will thank me for? (Episode 1561)
What if I could only work 4 hours per week? (Episode 1562)
What would I be doing if I was less patient? (Episode 1563)
Who and what do I need to become? (This episode)

Action Over Consumption. These questions aren't just for listening. The real value comes from disconnecting, sitting with a pen and paper, and doing the deep work to find your own answers.
🚀 Put It Into Action
This week, schedule your own "Executive Time" to answer the final question:
Find a quiet space, like a coffee shop. Leave your laptop behind and put your phone on "Do Not Disturb."
Take out a notebook and write this question at the top of the page: "To achieve my biggest goals for next year, who and what do I need to become?"
Brainstorm freely. Think about the skills you need to learn, the habits you need to break, the mindset you need to adopt, and the leader you need to be.
Circle one thing you can start working on today to begin that transformation.
🔗 Stay Connected
Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode.
Loved the solo series? Drop Brian a personal email at hello@imetbrian.com and let him know what you thought.
Connect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrian.
Share this episode with a founder who is ready for their next level of growth.
📣 Special Thanks and Shout Out to Our Team and Guests!
A huge shout-out to Laura from the podcast team for all her incredible work behind the scenes! She has been coordinating with past guests to create some very special collaborative episodes. Get excited and make sure you’re subscribed, because the first one drops tomorrow, and you won’t want to miss it

We’re often told that patience is a virtue in entrepreneurship. But what if it’s actually holding you back? What if the key to your next breakthrough lies in being… less patient? In this solo episode, Brian flips the script on conventional wisdom. After spending the week discussing long-term thinking, he introduces a powerful contrarian question that forces you to create urgency and take immediate action. He explores how a healthy dose of impatience can be the antidote to tinkering, perfectionism, and waiting for the “right time.” This isn't about being reckless; it's about manufacturing the urgency needed to turn your ambitious goals into today's reality.
✨ Why This Matters for You
Injecting a little impatience into your strategy can radically change your results:
It stops you from endlessly tweaking websites and logos and forces you to focus on what matters: getting clients and generating revenue.
It creates the self-imposed deadlines and urgency that are often missing when you’re your own boss.
It’s the fastest way to cut through the noise and identify the most direct path to your goals.
It helps you break out of the "someday" mindset and shifts you into an action-oriented state now.
It reveals hidden opportunities for quick wins that build the momentum needed for the long game.
📝 Key Takeaways
Urgency is Self-Imposed. As an entrepreneur, no one is going to force deadlines upon you. If you’re serious about growth, you must learn to create your own sense of urgency.
Action Over Academia. Being less patient moves you from theoretical planning (designing funnels, perfecting copy) to practical action (making sales calls, shipping the product).
Contrast Creates Clarity. True growth comes from balancing the long-term vision with short-term, aggressive action. You need both patience and impatience in your toolkit.
Patience Can Be a Trap. Too much patience, with no sense of urgency, quickly becomes stagnation. It’s an excuse to avoid taking the bold actions required for success.
Manipulate Your Time Horizon. Just like world-class athletes seem to slow down time, you can manipulate your time horizon. Asking "What if I was less patient?" shrinks the timeline and forces you to focus on the essential moves.
🚀 Put It Into Action
This week, pick one area of your business where you’ve been “patiently” waiting for progress. Then ask yourself Brian’s question:
What would this look like if I was LESS patient?
What’s the most direct, immediate action I could take to get a result this week instead of next month or next quarter?
Stop tinkering and start doing. Whether it’s reaching out to 10 potential clients or launching the imperfect version of your offer, take one “impatient” step today.
🔗 Stay Connected
Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode
Connect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrian
Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs a dose of urgency to get unstuck

Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of tasks, busy all day but not making real progress? In this special Solo Sunday episode, Brian shares a powerful, game-changing question he's been asking himself for nearly 20 years: "What if I could only work 4 hours per week?"
Inspired by Tim Ferriss's classic book, The 4-Hour Workweek, Brian reveals how his biggest takeaway wasn't about passive income, but about the incredible power of constraints. He breaks down why limiting your time forces you to ruthlessly prioritize, spark creativity, and focus only on the activities that create the biggest impact. This isn’t about working less; it’s about thinking more strategically to achieve more.
✨ Why This Matters for You
Embracing constraints is a superpower for entrepreneurs who feel overwhelmed:
It’s the ultimate antidote to "busywork," forcing you to distinguish between motion and progress.
It sharpens your focus on high-leverage activities that truly move the needle.
It unlocks creative problem-solving and innovation by forcing you to find better, faster ways to get things done.
It eliminates the procrastination of "dilly-dallying" on things like logos and websites when you should be focused on revenue-generating actions.
📝 Key Takeaways
Constraints Breed Creativity. Just like artists who limit their medium to create masterpieces, entrepreneurs can use time constraints to produce their most innovative work and solutions.
Prioritize Ruthlessly. When you only have 4 hours, only the most essential, impactful tasks make the cut. It forces you to find your 80/20.
Clarity Through Limitation. This question isn't about actually working 4 hours; it's a thought experiment to gain clarity on what truly matters for growth.
Action Over Perfection. With limited time, you don't have the luxury of overthinking. You're forced to act on the most important things, even if imperfectly.
Constraints Drive Growth. By stripping away the non-essential, you create space and focus for the actions that lead to real, tangible expansion in your business.
🚀 Put It Into Action
This week, take this question seriously. Don’t just listen to it—sit with it.
Block out 30 minutes, grab a pen and paper, and answer: If I could only work 4 hours on my business next week, how would I spend those 4 hours?
What tasks absolutely must be done?
What would you immediately stop doing?
Be honest with yourself. The answer will reveal your true priorities and what you should be focusing on right now.
🔗 Stay Connected
Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode in this special solo series
Connect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrian
Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to stop being busy and start being effective.

Are you constantly caught up in the daily grind—the immediate tasks, the urgent emails, the next sale—and losing sight of the bigger picture? In this Solo Sunday episode, Brian Lofrumento pulls back the curtain on one of the most powerful reflective questions he uses to drive massive, long-term growth in both his life and businesses. He shares the simple yet profound question that forces you to think like a legacy-builder, not just a day-to-day operator. Using the 10-year journey of this very podcast as a prime example, Brian illustrates how the biggest wins are a result of small, consistent actions that compound over time, even when the rewards aren't immediate. This episode is your catalyst to stop just working in your business and start building the one your future self will thank you for.
✨ Why This Matters for You
Adopting a long-term mindset is the difference between building a short-term cash machine and a long-term empire:
It frees you from the tyranny of immediate results, allowing you to invest in assets like an audience, a brand, or a powerful new skill.
It provides the motivation to stick with big projects (like a podcast or YouTube channel) through the early days when it feels like no one is listening.
It helps you make smarter, more strategic decisions that pay dividends for years, not just for the day.
It reframes your perspective on time, turning it from an enemy into your greatest ally for compounding growth.
📝 Key Takeaways
The Two-Business Mindset. You are always building two businesses at once: the business that pays the bills today, and the business that will create your legacy in five years. You must intentionally build both.
The Time Will Pass Anyway. This powerful lesson from Brian's mom is a game-changer. A year from now, you’ll either have a year of progress on your long-term goal, or you won’t. The time will pass regardless of your actions.
Embrace Delayed Gratification. The most transformative assets in business—a loyal audience, a trusted brand, a #1 podcast—are never built overnight. True success requires the discipline to play the long game.
Short-Term Needs vs. Long-Term Vision. While it’s crucial to win today, it's the long-term actions you take that create disproportionate results down the line. It's not about choosing one over the other; it's about balancing both.
Assets Compound, Tasks Don't. Building an email list, a content library, or a strong network are assets that grow in value over time. Answering emails is just a task. Prioritize building assets.
🚀 Put It Into Action
This week, shift your time horizon. Ask yourself Brian's question: "What is one thing I can start doing today that my self in 5 or 10 years will be incredibly grateful for?"
Is it finally starting that YouTube channel or podcast you've been thinking about?
Is it dedicating 30 minutes a day to learning a high-value skill like sales, copywriting, or AI?
Is it committing to a health and fitness routine that will give you more energy and longevity?
Pick ONE thing and take the very first, smallest step possible to begin building it this week.
🔗 Stay Connected
Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode
Connect with Brian on Instagram @imetbrian
Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to zoom out and focus on their long-term vision