Founders is a podcast where we sit down with leaders from various industries and backgrounds who are making a difference in their communities and building something meaningful. Each episode explores their stories, their habits, the mentors who influenced them, and the importance of purpose and alignment. The goal is to equip, encourage, and inspire the next generation of leaders to go further and dream bigger.
How Doing What They Enjoy Led to 300K Followers | #009 with Firetruck Karaoke
One grocery run. One Ella Langley song. 600K views in 12 hours. Logan and Tucker of Firetruck Karaoke share the story behind the videos, the lessons they’ve learned, and why you should enjoy what you do. Founders Episode 9 is out now. 🚒
25 Oct 2026
Leadership Lessons From a President: Inside the Mind of Gadsden State’s President | #008
Alan Smith was a student at Gadsden State 35 years ago. Today he’s the president.
In Episode 8 of Founders, I sat down with Alan at Gadsden State’s Advanced Manufacturing and Workforce Skills Training Center. We talked about how he grew up as the new kid in school, left teaching to build a custom cabinet business, came back to education for his family, and worked his way up from adjunct instructor to president.
We also got into:
The two-word mission he uses to align 600 employees across five counties
Why burnout hits when you work outside your purpose
The law of the thirds and how to get people to buy into change
His non-negotiable habits, including a 4 AM start
The leadership books and podcasts that shaped him
If you’re building a business, leading a team, or trying to grow into your next level, this one’s for you.
📥 Get the free episode notes: https://founders-podcast.kit.com/4e76f56f94
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3wWF_-afIp0?si=JyE0saCoVmGrRaoG
Founders is a podcast where we sit down with leaders who are making a difference in their communities and building something meaningful. Subscribe for more conversations like this.
11 Oct 2026
The Secret to Doing Many Things Well: You Won't Believe Everything This Man Does | #007
A professor, Army chaplain, pastor, husband, father of 6, and board member sat down to talk about time. Not theory. The actual frameworks he uses to run all of it without burning out, and how you can apply them to your own life this week. Founders Podcast, Episode 7.
Get Deric's Founder Notes for the breakdowns, systems, and resources from this episode:
https://founders-podcast.kit.com/9ed4b9e256 (https://founders-podcast.kit.com/9ed4b9e256)
7 Oct 2026
Bodybuilder, Veteran, Midlife Health Coach: On Building the Life You Want
David went from sleeping on his dad's couch to building Live Against the Tide. In this episode he shares what it took to get there. We discuss health, rest, alignment, and why balance might be the wrong goal.Hit the follow button to support the channel!#FoundersPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderspodcast) #LiveAgainstTheTide (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/liveagainstthetide)
7 Oct 2026
How Losing Their Son Led Them to MAXimize Mental Health | #005
They never planned to start a nonprofit. After the tragic loss of their son they went on to start one, and it's making an impact in their community!On this episode of Founders, we sit down with the founders of MAXimizing Mental Health, Inc., David and Kelly Cochran, to talk about the loss of their son, and how that loss impacted their community in ways they never saw coming.They talk openly about building a nonprofit around mental health, how their faith kept them standing when nothing else could, and how the hardest season of their lives showed them their purpose.If you're a young founder still searching for your "why," this one will stay with you. Sometimes purpose doesn't come from a business plan. Sometimes it comes from pain you'd never choose.💙 Support the mission: Donate, volunteer, or learn more at maximizingmentalhealthinc.com🎙️ Subscribe to Founders for more real conversations with the people building our community. Hit subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss an episode.If you or someone you love is struggling, you're not alone. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.#FoundersPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderspodcast) #MAXimizingMentalHealth (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/maximizingmentalhealth) #MentalHealthAwareness (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mentalhealthawareness) #PainIntoPurpose (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/painintopurpose) #FaithOverFear (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/faithoverfear) #Nonprofit (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/nonprofit) #Entrepreneurship (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship) #YoungFounders (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/youngfounders) #Grief (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/grief) #FindYourWhy (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/findyourwhy) #MentalHealthMatters (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mentalhealthmatters) #CommunityImpact (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/communityimpact)
7 Oct 2026
From Orphan to Mayor: How Joe's Discipline x Servanthood Beat the Odds | #004
Gotham had Bruce Wayne. Rainbow City has Mayor Joe Taylor.He lost his parents when he was young. No handouts. No blueprint. But somewhere along the way, difficulty became his discipline. He's a comeback kid, a veteran, a serial entrepreneur, former first responder, and now he's building a "promising" city.In this episode we got the full story: the hard road that formed him, the principles that kept him, and the vision he's casting for what this city is becoming. This conversation will light a fire under you.#Founders (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founders) #AnOnyxPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/anonyxpodcast) #MayorJoeTaylor (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mayorjoetaylor) #FromOrphanToWorldBuilder (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fromorphantoworldbuilder) #BuildTheMan (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/buildtheman) #BuildTheVision (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/buildthevision) #NorthAlabama (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/northalabama) #Entrepreneurship (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship) #Leadership (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/leadership) #Discipline (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discipline) #LocalLegend (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/locallegend) #FounderStories (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderstories) #WorldBuilder (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/worldbuilder) #PodcastAlert (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/podcastalert) #Excellence (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/excellence)
7 Oct 2026
Marriage x Business: How We Built Both | #003
We had no idea that marriage would become the greatest business school we ever attended. Adela and I sat down for an honest conversation about what actually built our marriage and what carried that same foundation into building Onyx. It was two things: Faith and fitness. Those two disciplines shaped Adela into the creative force she is today and me into the man I am.
In this episode we talk about:
— 7 years of marriage and what we've learned— How Adela found her path in design— Our faith journey and why it's the foundation of everything— How fitness forged us individually and as a couple— What building Onyx taught us about building a lifeIf you're building a business, a marriage, a life, this one's for you.
#Founders (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23founders&__tn__=K) #FaithAndFitness (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23faithandfitness&__tn__=K) #MarriageAndBusiness (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23MarriageAndBusiness&__tn__=K) #BuildTheman (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23BuildTheMan&__tn__=K) #Onyx (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23onyx&__tn__=K) #FounderStory (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23FounderStory&__tn__=K) #ChristianEntrepreneur (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23christianentrepreneur&__tn__=K) #MarriedEntrepreneurs (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23marriedentrepreneurs&__tn__=K) #PersonalDevelopment (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23personaldevelopment&__tn__=K) #BuildTheVision (https://www.facebook.com/reel/hashtag/?q=%23BuildTheVision&__tn__=K)
7 Oct 2026
From $2 to $2 Million: How One Risk Changed Their Lives | #002
Steven got into the roofing industry with $2 to his name. He ground it out, learned the game, and built his way to a six figure income in sales. Most people would have stopped there, that's the dream for a lot of guys.He left anyway.In this episode of Founders, Steven and Devyne of Evergreen Roofing tell the full story: what it took to walk away from comfort and security, what faith actually looks like when the stakes are real, and how a vision that once seemed impossible became a multimillion dollar reality.This isn't a conversation about hustle. It's about what happens when God gives you something so clear and so big that staying comfortable is no longer an option — and you work like you believe it.If you're sitting on a vision and waiting for the right moment, this episode is your sign.🎙️ Founders — An Onyx Podcast🔔 Subscribe for conversations with founders, leaders, and builders.www.onyxstudios.co#Founders (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founders) #Entrepreneurship (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship) #FaithAndBusiness (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/faithandbusiness) #FounderStory (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderstory) #ChristianEntrepreneur (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/christianentrepreneur) #BuildSomething (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/buildsomething) #BusinessPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businesspodcast) #EvergreenRoofing (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/evergreenroofing) #StartupStory (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startupstory) #PersonalDevelopment (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/personaldevelopment)
7 Oct 2026
35 Years of Business Advice in 19 Minutes | #001
Terry and Marty share the story behind their rise at Telesystems. Terry's path ran through Gadsden State, trade school, and business school before he knocked on the Telesystems door looking for a job, never imagining he'd one day be part owner. A conversation about starting small, staying faithful, and rising further than you thought possible.
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