En Factor Podcast

Jeff is the Co-Founder of Next Level Brands Hospitality, and also the Co-Founder of Forbici Modern Italian restaurant. If you are in Tampa Bay area, you must have surely heard of the food and service of Forbici.

Jeff Gigante is a Florida native, has successfully developed a diverse collection of restaurant concepts, for 25 years, by earning a reputation for hospitality, community involvement, and philanthropy.

Apart from being in the Hospitality industry, Jeff is also a Partner at Train Up First, Grand Theming Studios and Human Media Group. Jeff served as a Co-Founder to the well-known Ciccio Restaurant Group for 25+ years in Tampa until October 2020.

 

Key Words - Opportunity recognition, restaurant industry, hospitality  

My guest on today’s episode is Aaron May. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Florida State University, Aaron went on to begin his career as a tennis professional. Working in the tennis industry until he became The Director of Tennis at Esplanade Golf and Country Club. Aaron applies an entrepreneurial mindset in life and in 2019 saw an opportunity to pivot into a full-time career as a self-employed realtor. Today, Aaron is a leading Realtor at Coastal Luxury Partners representing some of the region's finest properties. Listen in as we talk about the importance of finding opportunities, taking action and executing past failure.

Keywords: Coach, Tennis, Time, Trust, Selling, AI, Success, Failure, Real Estate

Joseph is an alumnus of the University of Florida, and is a serial problem solver with more than 35 years of banking and business experience. His business journey is highlighted in his new book which was released in late June 2022. It details the crisis in 2008 with a touch of humor and the book is called “The Zero-Sum Game”

In today’s conversation, we would love to learn more about his career trajectory, his inspiration behind writing a book, and what he thinks of the current market trends.

 

Key Words – Banking, Housing Crisis, Inspiration, Book Writer, Resilience, Real Estate 

Welcome to The En Factor! Today, I am privileged to host a true maverick, Robert "Bob" Johnstone. Bob’s journey isn’t just a tale of sailing or business, but the story of an entrepreneurial spirit that's guided him across the seas and through the realms of innovation. From learning to sail at two years old, to co-founding the internationally recognized J/Boats and MJM Yachts, he’s always had an unyielding desire to chart new territories.

These entrepreneurial waters led him to pen "Maverick Marketer", a captivating memoir fusing together tales of sailing, love, and entrepreneurship. Through the lens of his entrepreneurial mindset, Bob shares how passion and persistence can lead to incredible breakthroughs. The lessons he's learned from building over 14,000 boats, earning 20+ 'Boat of the Year' awards, and being inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame are truly invaluable.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an avid sailor, or just someone who loves a good success story, Bob is here to inspire and encourage you to navigate your own entrepreneurial journey with confidence. Let's set sail into the conversation!

Keywords: Boating, Sailing, Innovating, Vision, Consumer Research, Value, Distribution, Networking

 

My guest on today’s episode of The En Factor is Andres Klaric. Andres is the co-founder of Fuse Finance, a next-generation loan origination software that builds custom workflows and integrations without compromising scalability and security.  Prior to starting Fuse Finance with his former Harvard Business School MBA classmate, Andres worked as an analyst, associate, and VP for Murdrick Capital, Crescent Capital Group, and H.I.G. Capital.  Timing and experience played a significant role in creating the opportunity for Andreas to take the leap from the corporate finance world to business founder and pursue his mission of creating value for others.  In our conversation, Andres shares how working in auto sales as a teenager, the pandemic, the economy, and listening to feedback from the market came together to provide his pathway to entrepreneurship.  

Keywords: Sales, Finance, B2C, B2B, Mission, Empathy, Rejection, Trust, Respect, Mentor

Ira Kaganovsky Green, is the founder and owner of Free Brands Inc. Inspired by her 3 friends who were diagnosed with breast cancer and were told to switch to natural products, Ira got to work in her kitchen to create a line of natural cosmetics for her friends. Since then, the brand grew significantly and is now offered in over 300 spas across the United States. 

 

Key Words: Opportunity Recognition, Sales, Pivoting, Parenting as an Entrepreneur.    

Sandy Yawn is best known as Captain Sandy. Sandy is a renowned superyacht captain with over 30 years of international maritime experience. In addition to being an established and respected captain, she is also the series lead on Bravo’s hit show, Below Deck Mediterranean. Sandy is one of only a handful of female leaders in her industry and is paving the way for women in the boating space. Throughout her life, Sandy has displayed incredible resilience and excellence as she became a female role model and rose to the top of her industry.

 

Key Words - Leadership, women in leadership, maritime industry, resilience, brand building  

Welcome to The En Factor, conversations with entrepreneurs.  I’m Rebecca White and my guest on today’s episode is Executive Director of Tampa Bay Tech, Meghan O’Keefe. Meghan graduated with a B.A. in Communications from John Carroll University, where she played competitive soccer all four years. Since then, she has worked in a variety of industries before joining the non-profit sector at Tampa Bay Tech, whose mission is to radically connect the tech community in Tampa Bay. On top of all that Meghan enjoys spending time with organizations like Where Love Grows, Truth North Society and Masterminds Tampa Bay. We can’t wait to hear her entrepreneurial journey on The En Factor. 

Keywords: Innovative Thinking, Tech Community, Tech Ecosystem, Talent, Women, Failures, Networking 

Welcome to The En Factor, conversations with entrepreneurs. I’m Rebecca White and my guest on today’s episode is Brooke Evans. After graduating from Florida State University, Brooke began her career in public accounting. Since then, has amassed about 20 years of progressive financial management experience. She is committed to the Tampa community and serves on a variety of organizations including the Florida Funders Investment Committee, ACG Tampa Bay’s Board of Directors, and previously as the Chairperson of Tampa Bay Technology Forum (TBTF). Brooke is driven by her desire to help others around her succeed and applies her knowledge and vast experience as the CEO of CFO Alliance, an outsourced CFO and professional consulting firm, where they believe, “it takes an entrepreneur to understand one.” We can’t wait to hear her entrepreneurial journey on The En Factor.  

Keywords: Accounting, Spouse, Support, Resilience, Servant-Mentality, Sales, Serendipity, Valuation

Brenden is a public speaking coach, the founder and president of MasterTalk, and is passionate about helping people build confidence through the development of public speaking skills. Leaning into his mission to serve others, Brenden developed a track record that proved critical to his ability to launch MasterTalk as a corporate training company. Listen in to hear how serendipity and an industry expert, who later became his mentor and business partner, helped him recognize the opportunity to turn his side hustle into a successful business.

Keywords: Public Speaking, Born Entrepreprenur, Culture, Trust, Coaching, 520 Rule, QIT, Fear