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From 0 to $54M: How Brandon Harris Built Playmaker and Sold It

Welcome back to The Founder’s Table — the show where we sit down with leaders who shape industries through innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things the right way. Today, I’m joined by Brandon Harris, Founder of Invested Inc and the original mind behind Playmaker, one of the fastest-growing sports media brands of the last decade. Brandon and his team scaled Playmaker from the ground up to more than 25 million followers, launched over 30 original shows, worked with some of the biggest names in sports, and ultimately led the company through a major acquisition by Better Collective for up to $54 million. Since then, he’s focused on building his next venture, Invested Inc — a data-driven investing and AI platform designed to help everyday investors make smarter, more informed decisions. Along the way, he’s also helped launch new media properties with stars like Shaquille O'Neal, Angel Reese, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and many others. In this episode, we dive into: • Brandon’s journey from the early Playmaker days to building a global sports media brand • What it really took to grow Playmaker to 25M+ followers • The behind-the-scenes story of the acquisition and exit process • Key lessons from navigating a major deal and scaling inside a large organization • How hiring, culture, and structure evolved during rapid growth • What he learned working with major athletes and creators • Why he pivoted from sports media into AI and investing • How artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of retail investing • The vision behind Invested Inc and its premium platform AltIndex • What excites him most about what he’s building today • The long-term legacy he’s working toward as a founder This episode is packed with insight for founders, operators, investors, and anyone building a modern media or technology company. Connect with Brandon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisnext/ 📌 Subscribe to The Founder’s Table for more conversations with leaders driving real-world impact.

From Shop Intern to President: Justin Hatfield on Leading HECO’s Family Business | Founders Table

Welcome back to The Founder’s Table — the show where we sit down with leaders who shape industries through innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to doing things the right way.Today, I’m joined by Justin Hatfield, President of HECO, a company trusted nationwide to keep industrial motors and rotating equipment reliable, efficient, and long-lasting.Justin’s story is equally impressive and unique. Even though HECO is a family business, he didn’t step into leadership — he earned it. Over the last 20+ years, he’s worked his way up from a shop intern learning AC and DC motors hands-on, to leading the entire organization as President. That experience gives him a perspective most executives never get: what reliability means at the ground level.In this episode, we dive into:Justin’s journey from shop intern → technical expert → PresidentThe advantage (and responsibility) of growing up in a family business but working your way upWhat HECO actually solves for industrial plantsWhy plants struggle to “see the issue,” “fix the issue,” and “keep it from coming back”The biggest equipment-reliability mistakes companies makeWhat real predictive maintenance looks like vs. industry buzzwordsIndustries seeing the biggest shift in motor reliability needsHow technology has changed the motor/equipment spaceWorkforce insights — hiring, skilled trades shortages, and long-tenured teamsHow HECO keeps quality consistent across repair, predictive service, field service, and equipment managementJustin’s approach to helping customers make smarter long-term decisionsWhat’s next for HECO and the industrial reliability sectorThis episode is full of insight for anyone in manufacturing, engineering, industrial operations, maintenance, or leadership.Connect with Justin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhatfield/📌 Subscribe to The Founder’s Table to get more conversations with leaders driving real-world impact.

Inside Hospital Revenue Recovery: Jane Sidler on Leadership, Data & Growth | Founders Table

Welcome back to The Founder’s Table, where we sit down with leaders who are transforming their industries through innovation, resilience, and thoughtful leadership.Today, I’m joined by Jane Sidler — CEO and CFO of Accelerated Claims, Inc. (ACI), a company specializing in motor vehicle and workers’ comp claim recovery for hospitals and health systems across the country.Jane brings an exceptional blend of financial strategy, operational leadership, and deep technical expertise. Throughout her career, she has helped organizations scale through periods of 50% year-over-year growth, while reducing debt, improving systems, modernizing analytics, and building smarter operational workflows across finance, IT, applications, and reporting.In this episode, we dive into:How Jane’s early experience in SAP, analytics, and operations shaped her leadership mindsetWhat ACI actually solves for hospitals — and why claim recovery is so complexThe biggest inefficiencies in traditional motor vehicle & workers’ comp claimsThe role of data and automation in modernizing healthcare financeHow to balance technology-driven decision-making with human nuanceThe realities of hiring in highly technical, compliance-focused environmentsWhat roles are hardest to fill and retain in healthcare financial operationsHow Jane aligns cross-functional teams across IT, finance, applications & field opsWhat leaders overlook when scaling in healthcare financeACI’s next chapter — and how technology will reshape claim recoveryIf you’re interested in healthcare finance, operations, data, or leadership — this episode delivers a ton of insight into how real-world systems work behind the scenes.Connect with Jane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-bray-sidler-mba-78766a32/📌 Subscribe to The Founders Table for more conversations with leaders transforming their industries.

Danny Horboychuk: Leading 400+ Territories at The Brothers That Just Do Gutters

Welcome back to The Founder’s Table, where we sit down with leaders who are shaping industries and building businesses that last.Today, I’m joined by Danny Horboychuk — President of The Brothers That Just Do Gutters Franchise Corporation, one of the fastest-growing home service brands in the U.S., with more than 400 territories nationwide.Danny’s journey is one of the most unique I’ve featured: from professional musician → teacher → operator → franchise leader, to now overseeing a national network built on professionalism, trust, and people-first service. Under his leadership, The Brothers That Just Do Gutters has redefined what contractor service can look like — and created a blueprint for scaling excellence in a traditionally inconsistent industry.In this episode, we dive into:Danny’s unlikely rise from the music world into national franchise leadershipThe moment he realized he was ready to lead at scaleWhat “reinventing contractor service” really meansHow The Brothers maintains consistency and quality across 400+ territoriesThe systems, frameworks, and training models behind their growthThe biggest challenges new franchisees face — and how Danny guides themThe realities of hiring skilled labor in today’s home service marketHow culture, trust, and people-first leadership fuel franchise successDanny’s vision for the future of The Brothers That Just Do GuttersThis episode is a powerful look at franchising, leadership, team building, and what it really takes to scale a service brand nationally.Connect with Danny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-horboychuk-cfe-2a898065/📌 Subscribe to The Founders Table for more conversations with leaders building America’s backbone industries.

Building Healing at Scale | Joy Delisle, CEO of Buckhorn Children & Family Services

In this episode of The Founder’s Table, I sit down with Joy Delisle — CEO of Buckhorn Children & Family Services, a mission-driven organization providing critical services to children and families across multiple states. With more than two decades in behavioral and mental health, Joy has built and led programs across residential treatment, foster care and adoption, addiction recovery, and family preservation. Her leadership is grounded in evidence-based care, operational excellence, and deep compassion for both clients and staff. We explore: * What drew Joy into behavioral health and shaped her leadership philosophy * Her transition from frontline and clinical work into executive leadership * The mission and impact of Buckhorn Children & Family Services * How to scale quality, consistency, and clinical excellence across states * The staffing and retention challenges facing behavioral health today * How to lead teams through growth, burnout, and emotionally demanding work * What Joy looks for when building strong, values-aligned teams * How she approaches innovation while keeping people at the center of care * Her vision for Buckhorn’s future and the legacy she hopes to leave Connect with Joy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-delisle/ This episode offers an honest and insightful look at what it takes to lead with purpose in one of the most challenging — and most important — industries.