Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Amber Melanie Smith, founder of Change Kit, and Danny Rosin, co-founder of Brand Fuel and Band Together, about the unique challenges and "soul" required to lead in the nonprofit and social entrepreneurship space. Amber shares her journey from a cross-country volunteering road trip to founding Activate Good, while Danny discusses his "prankster" roots and his mission to use business as a force for good through his B Corp.

They dive deep into the burnout crisis facing the sector, with Amber highlighting that 70% of nonprofit staff are considering career changes, and Danny explaining how to break the "starvation cycle" of fundraising by investing in leadership as mission-critical infrastructure. The pair also explore the technical side of doing good, discussing the importance of choosing the right legal structure and finding a donor’s "love language" through AI and collaboration. Plus, Amber and Danny share moving stories of impact—from a homeless volunteer to a parent seeing their child’s life changed through music—proving that anyone can be a change-maker with the right support.

Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

Host Trevor Schmidt chats with Hutchison law partner and former D1 athlete Anna Tharrington and Mike Halpert, CEO of Ver Coaching, about Mike's journey fueled by a sense of "calling" to develop an app that uses VR headsets for athlete vision training. Mike explains that the technology improves hand-eye coordination and performance by training the eye muscles to work better in sync with quick, measurable results. He highlights the impact on mental confidence, citing the vast improvement one athlete made; going from struggling at the plate to hitting an at-bat home run after using the app. Mike shares the honest challenge of being a founder, stressing the need for a strong support community and the mindset that you "have to be okay with failure". Plus, Anna tries out the Ver Coaching app and the results are impressive!

Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

On this episode of the Founder Shares podcast, host Trevor Schmidt is joined by Chelsey Warren, Founder and Principal of Spark People Advisory, and employment lawyer Ashley Pittman (Hutchison PLLC), who tackle the critical "people" aspect of any growing company. Chelsey shares her strategic approach to hiring, retention, and knowing when to bring in HR expertise, while Ashley provides the essential legal perspective on compliance, noting how rules change as a company crosses employee count thresholds. The discussion covers practical, tough topics for founders, including best practices for consistent interviewing to avoid costly mishires, why candid feedback is more effective than formal performance improvement plans (PIPs), and the legal best practices for termination, emphasizing the value of severance and non-disparagement agreements to mitigate risk.

Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

In this special edition of the Founder Shares podcast, we go on location to the 2025 Grepbeat Startups to Watch event. Host Trevor Schmidt speaks with judges and founders about what it takes to build a successful startup in North Carolina's vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founders share how they've leveraged everything from social media and AI to a deep understanding of their communities to achieve remarkable growth. The episode provides an inside look at the "founder special sauce" and the crucial elements—from a strong team to a data-driven approach—that turn a promising idea into a company to watch.

Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC.

In this episode of the Founder Shares podcast, host Trevor Schmidt sits down with Ardis Kadiu, founder and CEO of Element451. Ardis shares his journey from an engineer to a successful entrepreneur, recounting how he spun off a software company from his marketing agency to solve a core problem in student recruitment. He candidly discusses the early days of grinding in a small Dumbo, Brooklyn office and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which ultimately became an "accelerant" for his company. Ardis also talks about the critical role of AI in their product, his experience navigating a multi-million dollar acquisition, and his decision to step away to pursue a new venture.

In this episode of the Founder Shares podcast, host Trevor Schmidt sits down with Runbin Dong, founder and CEO of Scale Social AI. Runbin shares his unique journey from corporate tech to small business owner, inspired by his mother's retirement and their handmade dumpling business. This experience led him to identify a critical gap in digital marketing, particularly the need for authenticity amidst a flood of AI-generated content. Discover how Scale Social AI empowers loyal customers to become a brand's biggest marketing asset by transforming real customer experiences into scalable, authentic content, and how Runbin navigates the challenges of entrepreneurship, balances work and family, and plans for the future of his rapidly growing company.

What if AI could turn supply chain disruptions into a competitive advantage? On this episode of Founder Shares, Chris Andrassy, co-founder and CEO of Astral Insights, shares how his company is using AI-powered business intelligence to help companies predict and resolve supply chain issues before they happen. With a vision to apply artificial general intelligence to the supply chain, Astral Insights is transforming how businesses navigate uncertainty. Chris discusses his entrepreneurial journey, lessons on startup growth, and why supply chains are the next frontier for AI-driven transformation.

Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC and is edited and produced by Earfluence.

What does it take to guide a company from early investment to a major private equity transaction?

In this special Founder Shares live episode, recorded at Raleigh-Durham Startup Week, Tim McLoughlin of CoFounders Capital and Joshua M. Hayes of Hutchison PLLC share the inside story behind the $175 million investment in Element451, a Raleigh-based higher education CRM platform.

What challenges arise when spinning out a new tech company from an existing business? How do investors, founders, and legal teams work together to navigate uncertainty, build resilience, and close major transactions? Tim and Josh offer real-world insights on evaluating early-stage companies, managing through crises like COVID-19, and preparing for a successful exit—including the fast-paced deal-making that led to Element451’s acquisition.

Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC and is edited and produced by Earfluence.