Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur | Start and Grow Your Own Business

The creator economy is projected to become a half-trillion-dollar industry, but the path from idea to income is littered with tech headaches and complexity. In this episode, we sit down with Bruce Skaar, a systems-thinking entrepreneur with a background at Nike and Microsoft, who is on a mission to eliminate these barriers. Bruce breaks down the massive opportunity within the creator economy and reveals how high the true barriers to success really are, despite low barriers to entry. He introduces his revolutionary platform, CreatorApp, which functions not as an AI assistant, but as an "AI co-founder" that builds your website, funnels, and email sequences for you. This episode is a masterclass for any wantrepreneur who wants to turn their passion into a real, scalable business without getting lost in a maze of expensive, unintegrated tools.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
The Massive Opportunity: Understand why the creator economy is set to double by 2030 and how you can claim your piece of this half-trillion-dollar pie.
Barriers to Success vs. Entry: Learn the critical difference between getting started (easy) and actually succeeding (hard), and how to navigate the common pitfalls like the paradox of choice.
The "AI Co-Founder" Mindset: Discover the game-changing shift from using AI as a chatbot to leveraging it as a "doer" that executes the business-building tasks you hate.
Simplify to Amplify: Why an all-in-one platform can save you time, money, and headaches, allowing you to focus on creating content and serving your audience.
From Passion to Profit: Get a clear roadmap for turning any niche interest into a monetizable business with multiple revenue streams like sponsorships, digital products, and more.
The Power of Consistency: Uncover why consistency, not complexity, is the ultimate key to gaining traction and building a loyal audience in the creator space.
📝 About Bruce Skaar
 Bruce Skaar is the founder and CEO of CreatorApp, an AI-powered platform designed to help creators and entrepreneurs build, launch, and scale their online businesses from a single hub. With a rich background spanning brand marketing at Nike and technology consulting at Microsoft, Bruce brings a systems-thinker's approach to solving the biggest challenges in the creator economy. He is passionate about removing technical complexity so entrepreneurs can focus on their genius. Bruce also publishes AI Strategy Signals, a twice-weekly LinkedIn newsletter covering enterprise AI trends.
🎯 Bruce’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
"If you have an idea that you believe in, that you are passionate about, really just take the steps to actually start doing something... you have to start and be consistent and keep pushing forward."
📢 Memorable Quotes
"We're expecting the creator economy, in essence, to double between now and 2030... I think it's never a better time if someone wants to take an idea, something they're very passionate about." – Bruce Skaar
"We created Creator App to have models tuned to these specific tasks... you don't have to think about prompt engineering... It all does it internally so that you can just focus on what you want to do." – Bruce Skaar
"The intent is to really remove those barriers... how the AI works is that it's— there's 6 different agentic modes that are... tuned for [specific workloads]." – Bruce Skaar
💡 Actionable Takeaways
Identify Your Passion Project: Write down one niche idea you're passionate about that you could build content around. Don't overthink it—just start.
Commit to a "Just Start" Schedule: Choose one platform (LinkedIn, TikTok, a blog) and commit to posting just once a week for the next month.
Audit Your Tech Stack: List all the software tools you currently use. Are there opportunities to simplify and consolidate with an all-in-one platform?
Shift from "AI Chat" to "AI Do": The next time you face a business task (like writing an email sequence), find a tool that can execute it for you, not just give you ideas.
🔗 Links & Resources
Website: https://creatorapp.us/
Connect with Bruce on LinkedIn
Follow CreatorApp on LinkedIn

Ever lost a customer over something that seemed insignificant? In this Solo Sunday episode, Brian shares a recent, frustrating customer experience at a local UPS Store that holds a powerful lesson for every entrepreneur. It’s a story about a single piece of paper, a $3 charge, and a moment that cost a business a loyal, high-value customer for life. Brian breaks down the psychology behind the interaction and reveals the one simple thing the employee could have done to turn a negative experience into a massive win. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to understand the crucial difference between a one-time transaction and a long-term customer relationship.
✨ Why This Matters for You 
This isn't just a story about bad customer service; it's a masterclass in building a business that people love and stick with. For you, this means:
Understanding that long-term customer value is always more important than a small, short-term profit.
Learning how to turn moments of friction into opportunities to build unbreakable loyalty.
Realizing that every single interaction, no matter how small, defines your brand's reputation.
Discovering the power of letting your customer "win"—a simple mindset shift that can lead to explosive word-of-mouth growth and retention.
📝 Key Takeaways
Let Your Customer Win. The ultimate lesson is to find small moments where you can give your customer the feeling of winning. It’s not about giving things away for free, but about being flexible and prioritizing their positive experience.
Focus on the Feeling, Not the Price. The problem wasn't the $3 charge; it was the feeling of being treated unfairly and transactionally. Customers remember how you make them feel far longer than they remember what they paid.
Small Moments Have Big Consequences. A seemingly tiny interaction over a single sheet of paper resulted in the loss of nearly $1,000 in annual recurring revenue for that store.
Empower Your People. The employee could have made a simple judgment call to honor the advertised price, creating a happy customer. Empower your team to prioritize customer satisfaction over rigid policies.
Build Relationships, Not Transactions. Brian contrasts the bad experience with his former UPS store, where the owners knew him and went the extra mile. This relationship-first approach is what secures long-term business.
🚀 Put It Into Action
This week, find a way to let your customers win:
Identify one small, low-cost thing you can do to make a customer feel special. Could you waive a small fee, upgrade their order, or simply honor a request that's slightly outside your normal policy?
Review your processes and ask yourself: "Where are we being rigid in a way that might create a negative feeling for our customers?"
Next time a customer expresses confusion or frustration, instead of defending your policy, ask yourself: "How can I make this person feel like they've won this interaction?"
🔗 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 hear this powerful customer service lesson

Ever wondered if your professional expertise could become a thriving business? In this episode, we sit down with Wendy Votroubek and Julie Davenport, the powerhouse duo behind Integrity Legal Nurse Consulting PDX. Wendy, a nurse with over 30 years of experience, transformed her deep medical knowledge into a nationwide consulting firm that bridges the gap between medicine and law. This episode is a masterclass in turning a specialized skill into a scalable, remote-first business. Wendy and Julie pull back the curtain on how they built a rock-solid infrastructure using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the power of investing in business coaches, and why doing "unscalable" things like sending handwritten notes is their secret to winning and keeping high-value clients. If you're looking to build a business with a strong foundation and scale your impact, this conversation is packed with actionable wisdom.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
Turn Your Expertise into a Business: Learn how Wendy leveraged 30+ years of nursing experience to create a unique and in-demand consulting service for attorneys.
The Power of SOPs for Scaling: Discover why creating detailed Standard Operating Procedures from day one is crucial for building a remote team and ensuring consistent, high-quality work.
Invest in Yourself to Grow: Hear why Wendy has hired a business coach since the very beginning and how investing in mentors, your team, and yourself is the fastest path to success.
Mastering Client Relationships: Learn why "old school" tactics like prompt email replies and handwritten thank you notes are non-negotiable for building loyalty and generating word-of-mouth referrals.
Building a Remote-First Team: Get an inside look at how to successfully onboard, mentor, and manage a nationwide network of subcontractors to serve clients across the country.
The 90-Day Sprint Strategy: Understand how setting intentional goals every quarter and practicing gratitude can transform your mindset and drive massive business growth.
Embracing an "It Takes a Village" Mentality: See why the most successful entrepreneurs shed their ego, hire people smarter than them, and build a team of experts to handle marketing, bookkeeping, and finance.
📝 About Wendy Votroubek + Julie Davenport
Wendy Votroubek is the founder of Integrity Legal Nurse Consulting PDX, a firm she started in 2010 to help attorneys nationwide build stronger cases through expert medical analysis. With over 30 years as a registered nurse and three published nursing textbooks, Wendy is a true expert at translating complex medical data into clear, compelling narratives. Julie Davenport brings 8+ years of clinical and leadership experience to her role as Operations Manager, where she helps scale the company’s systems and nationwide team. Together, they lead a team of nurses who provide invaluable insights for legal cases, demonstrating how deep professional expertise can be the foundation of a powerful and impactful business.
🎯 Wendy’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
"Surround yourself by people who know more than you... I'm not worried about hiring nurses that are smarter than me. I embrace the fact that those nurses are intelligent in what they do."
🎯 Julie’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
"I think ego or thinking that you know it all is the absolute downfall... Be humble and grateful when asking for that help because you can't do it all and it really takes a village."
📢 Memorable Quotes
"I think as business owners, we all think that it's all on our shoulders... When you expand your team and invest in yourself, you don't have to do it yourself. You have access to other people's brains.” – Wendy Votroubek
“Uncertainty is just a part of it. So then embracing the uncertainty and realizing that you can get to the other side of it.” – Wendy Votroubek
"...we do things like handwritten thank you cards, gifts for certain holidays for our clients to really maintain that, that relationship." – Julie Davenport
"The human element is still very important to us and very important to a lot of our clients. And as of now, AI is not permissible in the courtroom. So as far as our nurses that do expert work and give their opinions and actually testify in court, AI can't replace that." – Julie Davenport
💡 Actionable Takeaways
Systematize Your Core Processes: Start documenting your workflows today. Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for your most common tasks to ensure quality and make future hiring seamless.
Set 90-Day Goals: Ditch the overwhelming annual plan. Break your vision down into quarterly goals to create focus, build momentum, and track progress more effectively.
Do Something Unscalable: This week, send a handwritten thank you note or a thoughtful gift to a key client. Small, personal gestures build powerful, lasting relationships.
Identify Your Next Hire: Make a list of tasks you shouldn't be doing. Your next step is to find someone smarter than you at those tasks and bring them onto your team, whether as a contractor or employee.
Seek Out a Mentor: Find a business coach or a thought leader in your industry. As Wendy proves, investing in outside guidance is a shortcut to overcoming challenges and accelerating growth.
🔗 Links & Resources
Website: https://legalnursepdx.com/
Check out the Entrepreneur’s Toolkit
Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
Connect with Julie on LinkedIn
Follow Integrity Legal Nurse Consulting PDX on LinkedIn
Follow Integrity Legal Nurse on Instagram

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Kevin Damoa, a true force of entrepreneurial energy and innovation. Drawing from over two decades in high-stakes logistics—from combat tours in Iraq to managing flight modules at SpaceX—Kevin is now tackling one of the biggest challenges in modern freight. He founded Glīd Technologies to solve the century-old, broken handoff between road and rail, building an entire ecosystem of autonomous vehicles and AI software from the ground up. This episode is a masterclass in founder mentality, showing you how to identify and solve massive societal problems, integrate complex systems, and maintain unwavering focus on your mission. Tune in to learn how to think like an innovator, embrace failure as fuel, and build a business that truly moves humanity forward.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
How to identify and tackle a century-old problem with a first-principles approach, even when others say, "that's how it's always been done."
The power of integrating hardware, software, AND people to create a complete ecosystem solution that competitors can't touch.
Real-world lessons from bootstrapping for three years and how to navigate the "drought" before finding the right funding and partners.
How to adopt a military and SpaceX mindset to fail fast, learn from your losses, and continuously readjust your strategy to keep moving forward.
The critical importance of building for your community and why making them the first and last thing on your mind is key to long-term success.
Why waiting for perfection is the enemy of progress and how to find the courage to take action on your vision NOW.
How to stay focused on your core mission and see opportunity (tailwinds) even amidst macroeconomic turmoil and geopolitical tensions.
📝 About Kevin Damoa
Kevin Damoa is the founder and CEO of Glīd Technologies, a visionary company connecting the nation's roads and rails into a single, seamless logistics network. His journey began at age 17 when he enlisted in the US Army, completing two combat tours in Iraq specializing in railhead logistics. After 12 years in the military, he brought his expertise to the private sector, managing logistics for SpaceX's interplanetary ambitions and the F-35 program at Northrop Grumman. As the founder of a certified service-disabled veteran-owned small business and winner of the 2025 TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield, Kevin brings a unique, battle-tested perspective on solving massive problems with strategy, grit, and an unwavering commitment to moving the world forward.
🎯 Kevin’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
“Stop waiting for perfection to come and smack you in the head and say, 'hey, I'm here.' It'll never come... Trust that the vision and the mission that you've set out to do, now is the time to actually do it.”
📢 Memorable Quotes
“I remember at SpaceX, we used to celebrate every launch and every blowup because there's victories and losses that are embedded in the lessons that are taught.” – Kevin Damoa
“Pay rent for your work here on Earth to support your community by the works of your hands. And that's exactly what I do. I do it by the work of my hands in order to move humanity forward.” – Kevin Damoa
💡 Actionable Takeaways
Stop waiting for the "perfect time." Identify one small, immediate step you can take on your business idea today and execute it.
Re-evaluate your business model. Are you solving just one piece of the puzzle (hardware OR software) when you should be building an integrated ecosystem?
Embrace failure as a learning opportunity. The next time something goes wrong, document the lesson learned instead of just focusing on the loss.
Schedule daily "executive time" to assess your financial health, track your plan's relevance, and maintain a clear mind through reflection or meditation.
Define your business's core mission and how it serves a specific community. Make that the central focus of your strategy and decision-making.
🔗 Links & Resources
Visit Glīd Technologies’ website
Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn
Follow Glīd on LinkedIn
Follow Glīd Technologies on X

In a world buzzing with AI hype, most enterprise-level projects are quietly failing. Robert Toshiyuki Morrell, founder of ThreddSync and an AI expert since 2009, joins the show to pull back the curtain on why this is happening and what entrepreneurs can learn from it. He breaks down the critical "execution gap" between AI strategy and real-world results, revealing why simply giving your team access to AI tools—a practice he calls "token sprinkling"—is a recipe for wasted investment. This episode is a masterclass for any wantrepreneur or entrepreneur looking to move beyond surface-level AI use and build a truly intelligent, efficient, and scalable business. Robert provides a practical framework for integrating AI deep into your business functions for maximum ROI, while also addressing the risks, governance, and the future of work.
💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business
The Intelligence Layer Ladder: Learn a step-by-step framework for successfully adopting AI, moving from individual productivity hacks to deep, enterprise-level integration.
Why “Token Sprinkling” Fails: Understand why giving everyone access to ChatGPT isn’t a real AI strategy and how to avoid this common, wasteful mistake.
From Cost Center to Profit Driver: Discover how to tie every AI initiative directly to your core business KPIs, ensuring you get a tangible return on your investment.
De-Risk Your AI Adoption: Uncover the critical importance of governance, guardrails, and compliance in making AI reliable and avoiding the high failure rates plaguing the industry.
The Future of Your Team: Get a forward-looking perspective on how AI creates new roles focused on management and judgment, rather than simply replacing jobs.
Capitalizing on Macro Trends: Learn how the rise of the gig economy and the AI talent gap creates massive opportunities for savvy entrepreneurs.
Build Your Own AI Solution: Hear about ThreadSync's plan to release its internal tech stack, Solidarity, to empower more entrepreneurs and developers to build credible AI tools.
📝 About Robert Toshiyuki Morrell
Robert Toshiyuki Morrell is the founder of ThreddSync, an operator-led firm that helps enterprises deploy, manage, and scale AI. With a background that began in mathematics before pivoting to technology, Robert has been deeply involved in AI and machine learning since his graduate studies in 2009—long before it became a mainstream buzzword. His extensive experience consulting for companies from startups to the Fortune 500 gave him a unique insight into the "execution gap" that plagues AI adoption. This led him to found ThreddSync, a company that uniquely combines high-level advisory with hands-on execution to ensure AI initiatives deliver real, measurable business outcomes.
🎯 Robert’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs
“Don't listen to the media. Turn off social media... play with the actual tools because that's really going to inform you what's truth versus what's hype.”
📢 Memorable Quotes
"80-85% of pilots fail... throughout all this time, we have not been able to solve this problem. And so clearly there's an execution gap." – Robert Toshiyuki Morrell
"We can automate the tasks away that we do individually each day, but one thing that we can't automate just yet is our judgment, our expertise, our knowledge." – Robert Toshiyuki Morrell
"You shouldn't look at AI like a technology upgrade... what that's creating is compressed timeframes for when new innovation is going to come to market." – Robert Toshiyuki Morrell
💡 Actionable Takeaways
Schedule AI Playtime: Block off one hour this week to experiment with an AI tool you haven't used before. Don't try to solve a business problem; just learn its capabilities and limitations.
Identify One Core Process to Improve: Instead of thinking about small tasks to automate, identify one multi-step process in your business (e.g., client onboarding, content creation) and brainstorm how AI could streamline communication and collaboration within it.
Map AI to a KPI: Before investing time or money into a new AI tool, write down exactly which business Key Performance Indicator (KPI) it will improve and how you will measure that improvement.
Create a Simple Guardrail: If you or your team use AI for content creation, establish a simple rule, such as "All AI-generated text must be fact-checked and edited by a human for brand voice before publishing."
🔗 Links & Resources
Visit ThreddSync’s website
Connect with Robert on LinkedIn
Follow ThreddSync, llc on LinkedIn