What does it take to keep building when everything you’ve built comes crashing down?

On this episode of Fractional Frequency, we sit down with entrepreneur and business builder Edward DuCoin, whose 40+ years in business have taken him from starting his first company at 18 with just $500 to building companies with hundreds of employees and taking multiple businesses public.

Edward shares the mindset behind what he calls the “insane belief” required to build something from nothing and what happens when success takes an unexpected turn. We talk about setbacks, trust, risk, resilience, reinvention, and how to know when to keep pushing versus when it’s time to change direction.

We also look at Edward’s work with AI and automation through Orpical Technology Solutions, and why he believes technology has the potential to make people more human, not less. From lessons learned through decades of technological change to what different generations can learn from each other, Edward offers a grounded perspective on where business and work are headed next.

This is a conversation about building, losing, rebuilding, and continuing to bet on the future.

In this episode of Fractional Frequency, we’re joined by Julie Gawle, a Change Communications Advisor and Senior Change Strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex transformations across technology, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, and more.

Julie shares what organizations often get wrong about change communication—and why simply keeping employees informed isn’t enough to create meaningful adoption. We explore the critical role leaders and managers play in helping people navigate uncertainty, build trust, and turn organizational change into lasting behavior change.

We also talk about measuring whether change is actually sticking, preparing frontline leaders for transformation, and what organizations need to rethink as AI and digital transformation continue to accelerate the pace of change.

If your organization is going through change, this conversation offers practical insight into moving beyond the announcement and creating the conditions for people to actually embrace what comes next.

What happens when AI makes fraud faster, cheaper, and nearly impossible to spot?

On this episode of Fractional Frequency, we’re joined by Shlomi Beer, Co-Founder & CEO of ImpersonAlly, an AI-powered cybersecurity platform helping global brands like Booking.com, Calvin Klein, Etsy, and Pandora fight impersonation fraud.

Shlomi shares what first led him to build ImpersonAlly after seeing how easily even savvy consumers could fall victim to sophisticated scams—and why impersonation fraud has become a much bigger problem than fake websites and ads.

We dive into how AI is changing the threat landscape, from highly convincing phishing attempts and fraudulent websites to deepfakes and AI-generated voices. Shlomi also explains why cybersecurity companies have to constantly reinvent themselves as attackers evolve their methods.

Beyond technology, Shlomi shares lessons from building his second company, including what he learned from his first startup, how he approaches hiring and responsibility, and why founders need to be willing to let go of frameworks and tools that no longer work.

What if AI could make us better learners—not replace us?

On this episode of Fractional Frequency, we’re joined by Ronan Wall, a leader at Dosen, an AI-powered learning and development platform helping organizations rethink how people learn and apply knowledge at work.

Ronan brings a unique perspective shaped by years at the intersection of technology, business, and learning. We dive into why traditional corporate training often struggles to translate into real-world behavior, why generic learning content isn't always effective, and what personalized learning can look like in an AI-driven workplace.

We also explore how organizations can use AI to empower their people, make knowledge more accessible when it’s actually needed, and create learning experiences that are practical, relevant, and connected to the way people work.

And when it comes to learning and development, how do you actually measure success? Ronan shares his perspective on the metrics that matter and how companies can connect learning outcomes to real business results.

In this special behind-the-scenes conversation, we're turning the microphone toward Billie, the Operations Manager helping keep Fractional Frequency moving behind the scenes.

From coordinating guests and preparing for recordings to managing production, publishing, and promotion, Billie gives listeners a look at what it actually takes to produce a podcast from start to finish. We'll talk about the challenges that come with producing each episode, the unexpected parts of the job, and what happens when things don't go according to plan.

We'll also get personal with a look at Billie's favorite Fractional Frequency moments, what makes a great episode, and the lessons she's learned along the way. To close, we'll have some fun with advice for aspiring podcasters and a few things listeners may be surprised to learn about Billie.

In this episode of Fractional Frequency, we sit down with Paige Arnof-Fenn, Founder & CEO of Mavens & Moguls, a global fractional CMO firm she built more than two decades ago, long before fractional leadership became mainstream.

Paige shares lessons from a career spanning Wall Street, Procter & Gamble, Silicon Valley startups, and more than 25 years as an entrepreneur. We explore why she chose the fractional model after 9/11, why a portfolio of clients can provide more resilience than a traditional corporate career, and how marketing has evolved from intuition to a data-driven discipline.

We also dive into the growing importance of personal branding, why everyone is responsible for managing their own reputation, and what leaders often get wrong about marketing, AI, and social media.

From bootstrapping a business and making difficult decisions about clients and team members to building a global network of independent professionals, Paige offers practical lessons on leadership, culture, resilience, and building a business on your own terms.

On this special one-year anniversary episode, STRATIVIS founders Erin Todus and Amy Crook look back on the year that turned an ambitious idea into a growing business.

They share the highs worth celebrating, the lows that tested them, the lessons they learned the hard way and the people who helped bring STRATIVIS to life. From building a business and growing a team to navigating uncertainty, taking risks, and figuring things out in real time, this is an honest reflection on what year one really looked like behind the scenes.

They also look ahead to what’s next for STRATIVIS, the opportunities they’re excited about, the impact they want to create, and the vision guiding them into year two.

One year in. A lot learned. Even more still to build.

What does it really take to leave a successful corporate career and build a company from the ground up?

In this episode of Fractional Frequency, we sit down with Ike Nwabah, co-founder of Basalingo, to discuss the realities of bootstrapping a startup, building a two-sided marketplace, and leading through uncertainty.

After years in executive leadership roles at companies like Autodesk, AT&T, Cisco, and Armor, Ike made the leap into entrepreneurship to solve a deeply personal problem: helping children learn new languages through activities they already love, like music, sports, dance, and art.

Together, we explore:

• Why Ike chose to bootstrap instead of raising venture capital
• The unique challenges of building a marketplace that requires both supply and demand
• Leadership lessons from transitioning out of corporate America
• Building culture with a lean team of family members, interns, and subject matter experts
• The one metric every bootstrapped founder should be watching
• Advice for professionals navigating layoffs and unexpected career changes

Whether you're a founder, operator, product leader, or someone considering taking the entrepreneurial leap, this conversation offers practical insights on leadership, growth, and building something meaningful from the ground up.