Suzy of Suzy and the Substitutes shares the story behind her new rock single “21st Century” and the long road that brought her into music as an independent artist. She discusses the message behind the song, her unusual creative process, and the collaborators who help shape the band’s rotating sound. The conversation explores persistence, reinvention, rock’s tradition of social commentary, and why it is never too late to pursue the music that has always been part of you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mimmo Cricchio, an independent travel advisor with Fora Travel, discusses how a family business rooted in Italian hospitality became the foundation for his career in travel. Drawing on his background with his family’s Baltimore restaurant and years spent helping travelers experience Italy, he explains why thoughtful planning, local knowledge, and human relationships still matter in an age of DIY booking tools. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, meaningful travel, client trust, and why a great trip should feel enriching rather than stressful.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Vedaprabhu Basavarajappa, founder and CEO of BeamGrid, shares how conviction, grit, and deep technical expertise helped him build a company focused on intelligent RF infrastructure. From satellite-to-phone connectivity to infrastructure monitoring and future wireless energy systems, BeamGrid is working to make connectivity, sensing, and energy move more seamlessly through space, air, and structures. The conversation explores deep tech entrepreneurship, government-backed innovation, RF engineering, and why the hardest companies may also be the most important to build.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pierre Aurimond, founder and CEO of FlexMode, is building a sports-based community platform designed to help professionals connect in the real world. In this episode, he explains why traditional networking is losing relevance, how Miami's wellness culture inspired FlexMode, and why shared experiences create stronger connections than social apps ever could. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, community building, and the growing demand for meaningful offline interaction in a digital-first world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Janese Murray, founder of Inclusion Impact Consulting, breaks down why performance alone is not always enough for women of color navigating corporate spaces. She explores executive presence, personal brand, mentorship, sponsorship, perfectionism, and the pressure to code-switch without losing oneself. This conversation offers a grounded look at how professionals can build influence, manage the internal critic, and move through work with more strategy and self-belief.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian Fielkow, author of Make Safety Happen, explains why safety is much bigger than compliance and why strong defenses often create stronger growth. Drawing from leadership roles in trucking, logistics, and risk-intensive industries, he shares how culture, trust, and operational discipline can become competitive advantages. The conversation explores everything from acquisitions and employee retention to AI's changing role in coaching and workforce engagement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Vinci, CEO of Vico, joins the podcast to explain how AI-powered forecasting can quantify uncertainty and help people make better decisions. Drawing from his background in intelligence and investing, he shares how predicting probabilities—not certainties—can shape everything from global policy to everyday life choices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sid Dobrin joins the podcast to discuss his book The Not So Perfect Machine and why artificial intelligence is already shaping daily consumer life in ways most people never see. He explains how AI influences shopping, media, scams, pricing, trust, and decision-making, while offering practical ways people can regain control.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Grit Daily Startup Show, host Phillip Lanos sits down with Canadian-born aviation technology pioneer and global business executive, Louis Bélanger-Martin. As a seasoned entrepreneur who spends nearly six months of the year in the air, Louis shares his three-decade journey of transforming the commercial passenger experience. From co-founding DTI Software to eventually leading acquisitions that formed Global Eagle Entertainment—a $650 million integration of media and satellite services—Louis has consistently shaped how the world stays entertained at 40,000 feet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Luke McEndarfer, president and CEO of The National Children’s Chorus, shares how a childhood love of singing grew into leading one of the country’s major youth choral organizations. The conversation explores music education, access, leadership, classical music’s need for renewed public connection, and programs like Project Unison at Compton High School. McEndarfer also reflects on building a national nonprofit from its earliest stages and why music remains one of the most powerful ways to bring young people back to themselves and each other.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.