From Spaghetti to Growth

This week, I had the opportunity to speak with Lizzie Ens, an embodiment of determination and resilience that beautifully contrasts with her humble Amish origins. She is the trailblazing founder of 'UnDiet Yourself', a significant challenger in the health and wellness industry. As a board-certified nutritionist and personal trainer, Lizzie's comprehensive approach to wellness demystifies the path to holistic health. Her innovative platform prides itself on promoting gut health, hormonal balance, and a newfound relationship with food. Lizzie's extensive experience and expertise radiate through 'UnDiet Yourself', underscoring its authenticity. She shared a lot of insights on her journey on how to find your niche, embody it in your platform that is uniquely yours, and how to use passion to drive your actions every step of the way. In this episode, we discuss:  👉The importance in being authentic to yourself when it comes to personal branding 👉Personal relationships in business and how you can’t do it all alone 👉How an unorthodox background can give you a unique edge in business 👉What it takes to grow a successful social media following and engage with your audience 👉Some misconceptions in the health, nutrition and dieting space  Some key points: (03:30) - the driving force behind starting a business,  (06:23) - from personal training to "Undiet Yourself",  (09:26) - finding your platform,  (14:39) - going back to basics,  (17:26) - standing out in the market,  (18:36) - being authentic,  (28:57) - growing a following on instagram,  (32:30) - finding the right platform,  (34:40) - feeling lonely in business,  (37:56) - getting unstuck from your spaghetti (39:02) - proudest moment in business,  (43:26) - closing thoughts and how to reach out to Lizzie 🌎Reach out to Lizzie Ens📌 Are you suffering from adrenal fatigue? Check out Lizzie’s free resource for getting your adrenals under control here Instagram https://www.instagram.com/undietyourself/?hl=en Undiet Yourself https://undietyourself.live/LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzie-ens-58708b122 Homepage https://www.lizzieens.com/escaping_my_reflection 🌎Reach out to Seema Ponda Alexander Disruptive CEO Advisory https://www.disruptive.ceo/LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemaalexander IG: https://www.instagram.com/seemaalexander/?hl=en Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here. 🎤 Podcast post-production EZPZ Podcasting  

Fintech pioneer and seasoned entrepreneur Aditya Kurjekar shares his insights on building a successful business, emphasising the importance of a support system; making use of mentors, wherever you can find them; and having the courage to take calculated risk. Aditya makes the case that it’s not necessary to leave your large company to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions, it’s possible to do great things within larger organizations as well. There are pros to pursuing entrepreneurial ambitions within a larger organisation: the path of going out on your own can be lonely for business owners. If you do take the plunge, however, you have to be prepared for various challenges, such as the necessity to completely pivot or even rebrand your business. Tune in to hear Aditya’s tips for how to go about this. In this episode, we discuss:  👉Critical insights on entrepreneurship within the Fintech and content creation space 👉How to create a winning industry conference - story of Money 20/20 👉 The importance of a dependable support networks and mentorship for sustained business growth. 👉The skills needed to develop a winning product that captures the market. 👉 The pros and cons of entrepreneurship inside vs outside big companies About Aditya Khurjekar Aditya Khurjekar is a serial entrepreneur and industry leader in FinTech, having founded MEDICI (formerly LTP — Let's Talk Payments) and served as its CEO. With it recently being sold and aquired by Prove, Aditya now contributes his expertise to integrate MEDICI's capabilities and drive new product innovation in the realm of identity solutions for the emerging internet. Previously, Aditya was a founder of Money20/20 (largest fintech conference worldwide),and  held a number of leadership positions at Verizon Wireless, , Lucent Technologies, Bell Laboratories and more. Some Key Points: (05:06) Aditya’s initial reason for starting a business (06:48) initial steps in the corporate world your family and support structure are invaluable as a founder (08:51) you don't have to be outside of the corporate world to show entrepreneurial spirit (12:18) Getting involved with Fintech when it was still a new arena, building the money 2020 conference (15:43) Running a profitable conference and charging what you are worth (18:39) Sponsorships are critical, how does one find good ones? (22:13) Let's Talk Payments and creating content as a business (24:36) Pivoting to a new company: Medici Global (28:35) Some tips for rebranding your business (32:40) Making an exit from Medici Global (33:33) Being a CEO can be lonely, but you should follow your conviction anyway (36:15) The transition period between different businesses (38:20) The future for Aditya (39:11) Aditya's advice for founders in the spaghetti phase 🌎Reach out to Aditya Khujekar LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/khurjekar Twitter https://twitter.com/khurjekar?lang=en 🌎Reach out to Seema Ponda Alexander Disruptive CEO Advisory https://www.disruptive.ceo/LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemaalexander IG: https://www.instagram.com/seemaalexander/?hl=en Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here. 🎤 Podcast post-production EZPZ Podcasting

“Everything is figureoutable. Trust that you can figure it out” Whatever business you have today is going to look different in six months, in a year. Get creative.” Heidi DeCoux is a serial entrepreneur who’s built four businesses with 50%+ profit margins, sold 3 of them, including a 7-figure exit, and has appeared in magazines and websites like Forbes.  She’s become known as “The Optimizer” because she’s passionate about helping entrepreneurs optimise their businesses and life. She’s now gearing up to launch her newest company, Alchemized Teams, designed to help small businesses build winning teams. In this episode: 👉Acquire invaluable insights for thriving as an accomplished serial internet entrepreneur. 👉Learn to pinpoint and capitalize on market gaps for unparalleled business success. 👉Uncover the importance of personal evolution in separation from the entrepreneurial pack. 👉Realize the power of tending to mental health for both personal and professional gains. 👉Experience the effects of coaching and consulting on your business' rapid growth. The entrepreneurial journey is marked by a multitude of ups and downs, from successes to failures and learnings. As entrepreneurs navigate their path, they develop valuable insights, skills, and knowledge that can help them refine their approach, mindset, and business strategy. Reflecting on one's own journey can provide a wealth of lessons that can help entrepreneurs make more informed decisions and set more realistic expectations for their businesses. During her conversation with Seema, Heidi DeCoux shares her personal experiences, including the importance of being adaptable, identifying under-served markets, and creating businesses that align with personal values and strengths. Throughout her journey, Heidi has created serveral internet business, utilized resourcefulness, and has learned to pivot and build momentum throughout each opportunity. She offers practical lessons and priceless wisdom that can serve as guidance for entrepreneurs looking to navigate their own paths to success. Some key points (04:28) -  Heidi’s early entrepreneurial journey  (07:18) - creating the fast filing method,  (13:15) - Heidi’s journey in the very early days of online marketing (14:43) - scaling through internet practices,  (18:51) - challenges in running an agency,  (21:01) - launching a business in a box,  (28:08) - pitching your ideas,  (33:16) - niche marketing strategies (37:33) - the reality of entrepreneurship,  (39:13) - building a winning team,  (41:32) - investing in yourself,  (42:30) - taking a sabbatical,  (45:25) - streamlining the hiring process,  (50:01) - taking time off for mental health,  (54:31) - importance of alignment, 🌎Reach out to Heidi DeCoux Website https://heididecoux.com/LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/heididecoux/ IG https://www.instagram.com/heididecoux/?hl=en 🌎Reach out to Seema Ponda Alexander Disruptive CEO Advisory https://www.disruptive.ceo/LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemaalexander IG: https://www.instagram.com/seemaalexander/?hl=en Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

“There is an infinite amount of stuff we don't know about space. There is an infinite amount of things we have not and never will actually explore.“ Eric Ingram is a trailblazing entrepreneur with extensive experience in the space industry. As the founder and CEO of Scout Space, a company focused on developing groundbreaking orbital products and services, he has become a notable figure in promoting space safety and transparency. Apart from his work with Scout, Eric is also a board member of the Space Frontier Foundation and an active ambassador for Astro Access, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering disability inclusion in space exploration. His journey as a CEO has been filled with invaluable lessons on pivoting and self-awareness, making him an inspiring guest for aspiring entrepreneurs. In this episode 👉Discover the intersection of entrepreneurship and space exploration and its impact on the future. 👉Learn why pivoting plays a crucial role in business success and longevity. 👉Uncover the importance of self-awareness in identifying and pursuing your true passions. 👉Explore various funding opportunities available for groundbreaking businesses. 👉Delve into the immense potential of the growing space industry for innovation and expansion.   Some key points   (03:04) - driving force for starting a business  (06:07) - interest in space  (09:18) - scout’s mission in space  (14:07) - eric's background,  (16:08) - Scout's early days  (18:05) - market research (22:19) - Scout's mission (25:51) - the importance of diversity and inclusion (28:25) - grants and government contracts  (32:04) - success story: launching payloads into space (36:09) - scout's dual use focus  (37:06) - exciting things on the horizon for Scout  (42:15) - importance of pivoting in business  (42:46) - lack of awareness in the space industry  (43:19) - be curious and learn (44:30) - final thoughts 🌎Reach out to Eric Ingram LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericsingram Scout https://www.scout.space/aboutTwitter https://twitter.com/eric_ingram?lang=en 🌎Reach out to Seema Ponda Alexander Disruptive CEO Advisory https://www.disruptive.ceo/LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemaalexander IG: https://www.instagram.com/seemaalexander/?hl=en Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

“A lot of times as a founder you don’t want to make any mistakes. You’re too scared. But when you can't act as a beginner or even try things out, you're never gonna make it.” For Nirav Sheth, success was never inevitable. Through hard work, dedication and a twist of fate, Nirav managed to turn his web design and development business into a thriving eCommerce operation in the health and wellness niche. But the success of Anatta, Nirav’s company, doesn't just stop there - with over 95% of business coming from referrals, Nirav has built something bigger than just a business. The importance of identifying a niche and developing a clear focus cannot be overstated in the world of e-commerce. Doing so helps businesses differentiate themselves from competitors, enabling them to effectively reach their target audience. A well-defined focus also allows entrepreneurs to maximise their resources and efforts, ensuring that their business thrives in its specialised field. In the podcast, Nirav Sheth reveals how he successfully managed to pivot his business to concentrate on e-commerce, specifically in the health and wellness sector. It was this clear sense of direction that allowed Anatta to thrive and grow, as it attracted like-minded clients in the same field. The keen focus on the health and wellness space also helped Anatta to establish itself as an industry leader in this particular niche, further contributing to its overall success.  👉In this Episode 1.Tackle insecurities and blind spots to unlock untapped entrepreneurial potential. 2.Discover the true essence of company culture and why hiring operationally driven staff can skyrocket success.  3.Stand out in competitive markets by cultivating savvy positioning techniques. 4.Harness the power of pivoting your business for exceptional results. 5.Reap the benefits of restful vacations to dig up fresh perspectives and innovative ideas.   👉 Some key points: (01:44) Disruptive CEO Business Academy (04:13) Building his first business from the bedroom of his parents’ house (05:55) Making a choice between the traditional path vs entrepreneurship (07:38) Initially Nirav set out to create a simple consulting business (10:18) The dynamics of running a business with your best friends as partners (12:06) The chicken and egg problem of getting clients vs hiring people to do the work Nirav made use of contractors for many years before hiring employees (14:19) Nirav focused heavily on selling his services while outsourcing the work Hustling for initial gigs without being entirely sure about pricing or timelines  (15:51) Going from the small business mindset to the next step up Gradually pivoting from niche Wordpress development to E-commerce (18:09) Going all-in on your quality of work can eventually lead to referrals that will sustain your whole business (19:51) How to make your service business more "sticky" and secure recurring revenue: Going from billable hours to retainers (23:49) Sometimes you have to say NO: what to do with clients who turn out to be not good fits  (26:51) How to determine who to say YES to, who to say NO to: over time Nirav has developed a solid list of requirements for his clients (29:56) The importance of the values and culture of both your clients and the people your hire: integrity, accountability, joy for one’s work (32:42) The problem of Ego: being an expert can sometimes get in your way. We must strike a BALANCE.  (38:12) Personal development is closely related to business success and being an effective leader (40:18) Going from a solopreneur to a CEO: Handling over your daily operations to a COO can be difficult but helps you get to the next level (43:13) Make sure you build annual price increases into your contracts and make sure your customers are aware  (46:07) Becoming truly intentional and going from spaghetti to growth: figure out your brand positioning as precisely as possible (49:07) Sometimes you have to sell people on your ideas WITHIN your organisation (51:16) Nirav's advice for founders who are stuck in the spaghetti phase Take a vacation, avoid too much tunnel-vision (53:29)    🌎 Reach out to Nirav Sheth LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirav-sheth-anatta Twitter https://twitter.com/NiravBSheth Anatta https://anatta.io/ 🌎 Reach out to Seema Ponda Alexander Disruptive CEO Advisory https://www.disruptive.ceo/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemaalexander IG: https://www.instagram.com/seemaalexander/?hl=en Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

In today's episode, we have the incomparable Todd Herman--a serial entrepreneur, the best performance coach in the world, author, speaker and overall family man! Todd Herman has been working with the highest achievers in sports and business for over two decades. He is the creator of the multi-award-winning Leadership & Skills Development Program, 90 Day Year, and author of the WSJ bestselling book, ‘The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life’. He also authored a children’s version of the book called, ‘My Super Me’, was later released to help kids find their own superhero within and be more confident and courageous.  Todd’s professional programs are delivered annually to over 200,000 professionals in 73 countries. Named by the Boston Herald as a “Training Superstar,” Todd has been featured on The Today Show, PBS, Sky News, Inc Magazine, CBS and Business Insider among others. Originally from Alberta, Canada, Todd now lives in New York City with his wife and three children. 👉You will learn: 1. How uncovering the power of Imposter Syndrome can drive insatiable growth instead of hindering you 2. Why exploring your passions can lead you to become an entrepreneur quite by accident (and that’s OK!) 3. Understanding the importance of luck and how it plays a role in entrepreneurial success. 4. What it really takes to achieve excellence at a very high level 👉 Some key points: (02:54) What was the driving force that made Todd get into business in the first place? Todd fashions himself an "accidental entrepreneur" (06:18) Todd recounts the first time he got serious about making money Todd's days in 4-H. Good old fashioned manual labour gave Todd his first taste of what it means to earn your own money (12:51) Todd discovers coaching and is shocked to learn what he could charge for his expertise (15:35) Luck can play a huge role in your eventual success (16:13) Advice for people who are transitioning from their side-hustles to full-on entrepreneurship (25:48) Out of all the marketing mediums to deploy, speaking is one of the most powerful (29:42) Todd made use of books and mentors when starting out (32:59) Todd recommends a holistic approach to both his coaching clients and for thinking about your business (39:35) Despite not being a certified psychologist, Todd found his own unique way to conduct mental game coaching (41:39) Don't assume your coaches have everything figured out: A mentor can sometimes show you what NOT to do (43:48) Impostor syndrome was much less of an issue for Todd since he got mentorship from the very best at a very early stage (45:50) When did Todd have his breakthrough from spaghetti to business moment (47:37) As Todd's coaching business grew, how did he change his pricing model? (49:43) Todd explains how he eventually scaled his business and gives an overview of his 90 Day Year concept (55:40) Todd shares a personal highlight from his career so far (58:20) The Alter Ego effect is Todd's landmark book (01:02:10) Some advice for people that are in the spaghetti phase with their new business 🌎Reach out to Todd Herman Website https://toddherman.me/LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddherman1 IG https://www.instagram.com/todd_herman/?hl=en The Alter Ego Effect (BOOK) 🌎Reach out to Seema Ponda Alexander Disruptive CEO Advisory https://www.disruptive.ceo/LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemaalexander IG: https://www.instagram.com/seemaalexander/?hl=en Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here. 🎤 Podcast Production Everglade Media IAOG12gyoxe4IPY5ywOn  

On today's episode of the From Spaghetti to Growth podcast, we have one of my favorite female founders on, Mariam Nusrat a US-based Pakistani entrepreneur who is the founder of GRID, a tech startup unleashing the power of video games for social change. Their platform Breshna.io, empowers users to create, share and monetize their own educational video games, with no code and at lightning speed; think Canva for video games.  She shares the journey of moving from a services (side hustle) business to a accidental tech startup. Her interview is the brass tax in building a tech startup in the open--and how you can find investors, users, and advocates through sharing your progress of every step of the way. Learn how "VC"  twitter got Breshna their first investors. And so much more goodness... To date Breshna has gained significant traction: 43k+ users who have created more than 43k games. The team is now building Breshnaverse, a carnival-themed metaverse, where users will be able to display their own video games.  The team is backed by investors including Paris Hilton's 11:11 Media, Blockchain Founders Fund, Alpha Sigma Capital, Formless Capital, TechMeetsTrader and TABLE management Mariam is on a mission to empower the next 100m people to tell their stories through video games and has been recognized on the Forbes Next 1000 List and is a recipient of the Clinton Global Initiative University Honor Roll Alumni Award.  So excited for you to listen in. You can reach Mariam at: Twitter: https://twitter.com/breshnagame IG: https://www.instagram.com/gamingfordev/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/breshnagame/ Discord: https://discord.com/invite/uZhJBv3gmR LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamnusrat/ For all the info and resourcese to help you move from spaghetti to growth and learn more about the host, Seema Alexander, please visit www.disruptive.ceo. BIO: Mariam Nusrat is the Founder of GRID, a tech startup unleashing the power of video games for social change. Their platform Breshna.io, empowers users to create, share and monetize their own educational video games, with no code and at lightning speed; think Canva for video games.  Mariam is a US-based Pakistani entrepreneur, with 7 years in the purposeful video games sector and 12 years of experience in the Edtech space, working at the World Bank across 22 different countries. For this work, she has been recognized on the Forbes Next 1000 List and is a recipient of the Clinton Global Initiative University Honor Roll Alumni Award.Mariam is on a mission to empower the next 100m people to tell their stories through video games. Be sure to head to disruptive.ceo/podcast, you can grab todays show notes and access my free resources to uncover opportunities and strategies to turn your unique spaghetti into growth, together! If you found value in todays episode, please rate, comment and subscribe on your podcast platform and stay tuned for the next episode!

On today's episode of the From Spaghetti to Growth podcast, we have a very special guest, Ryan Lee, who is known as the world's leading "lifestyle business entrepreneur." Ryan has built five 7-figure and two 8-figure businesses, and he has coached over 100,000 successful students. In this episode, Ryan shares his unfiltered and raw story about how he went from chaotic beginnings to intentional growth and success. Ryan talks about his various businesses and how he scaled them to success. He shares his process for figuring out whether a venture would be successful or not, and his take on the mindset required to deal with the ups and downs of business. According to Ryan, resilience and serving the right people are the two most important things to succeed in business. Ryan also discusses his latest venture, ryanlee.com, and how he's gone full circle in the business world. He shares his advice for people who are stuck in their own spaghetti and how they can turn their ideas, hobbies, passions, and personality into a rockin' business. If you're an entrepreneur looking to learn how to scale your business and turn it into a lifestyle, then this episode is for you. If you want to learn more about Ryan, visit him at  www.ryanlee.com for more advice, tips, and inspiration for building your micro-lifestyle business.  Time Stamps of Our Conversation (02:16) What was the driving force behind Ryan starting a business in the first place? (05:14) An overview of Ryan's various businesses so far and where he is today.Ryan exited one of his nutrition companies a month ago and is now free to carry on teaching people about business. (08:11) One of Ryan's most successful businesses is called Freedom: we talk through how he scaled the "Netflix for entrepreneurs" to 7 figures (14:31) What was Ryan's process for figuring out whether Freedom would be a successful venture or not? (21:38) Ryan's take on the mindset that is required to deal with the ups and downs of business. The number 1 thing you need is RESILIENCE. Equally important is to serve the right people. the people that you are able to serve the best, not necessarily the ones that everybody else is serving (27:18) Ryan's 2nd business took him from services to e-commerce: we explore the story of Rewind (40:54) Dealing with impostor syndrome when you're starting out on your journey (48:27) Ryanlee.com is Ryan's latest venture and there's some spaghetti! (51:38) Ryan's career is now in the legacy phase (53:24) Ryan has gone full circle in the business world and is now free himself. What advice would he give people who are stuck in their own spaghetti? (59:43) How to reach out to Ryan   Ryan Lee's Bio: Ever since creating the world’s first sports training membership site in the late 90s, Ryan Lee has personally built five 7-figure and two 8-figures businesses (and coached over 100,000 successful students).. all while working from home and never missing a single one of his four kids activities. Because of his success, Ryan has been called the world’s leading “lifestyle business entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur magazine and has been featured in dozens of books, magazines and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. If you want to learn how to turn your ideas, hobbies, passions and your personality into a rockin’ business - then listen to Ryan! Be sure to head to disruptive.ceo/podcast, you can grab todays show notes and access my free resources to uncover opportunities and strategies to turn your unique spaghetti into growth, together! If you found value in todays episode, please rate, comment and subscribe on your podcast platform and stay tuned for the next episode!  

As the 1% of crazy in this world —(A.K.A. passionate entrepreneurs, builders, experts and disruptors)  —the process from moving from the throwing spaghetti against the wall phase of business to finding what sticks is not always easy, yet one of the most pivotal moments in an entrepreneurial journey. As a business growth strategist and creator of the U.N.I.Q.U.E. Method™, who has advised and coached close to a 1000 entrepreneurs, tech founders, expert practitioners, and CEOs throughout the world to have their breakout year(s) in business, the From Spaghetti to Growth podcast was born to share the real unfiltered journeys of successful entrepreneurs that took them from their chaotic beginnings in their business to finding what stuck (and everything in between).  If you are a founder seeking inspiration, tips, and strategies to take your business to the next level and turn your spaghetti into growth, this is the podcast for you. Now, let’s start growing! Be sure to head to disruptive.ceo/podcast, you can grab todays show notes and access my free resources to uncover opportunities and strategies to turn your unique spaghetti into growth, together! If you found value in todays episode, please rate, comment and subscribe on your podcast platform and stay tuned for the next episode!