Super Bowl Ads, Celebrities, and the Death of Surprise

If You Can't Take a Week Off, You Don't Own a Business (with Jordan Solender)

Most founders don't actually own a business. They own a job that pays them better. In this episode, Borzou and Amanda sit down with **Jordan Solender** — operator across IT services, event and concert production, video, telemarketing, and a Maryland DJ company — who's known for one thing in particular: getting himself out of every business he touches in **6 to 9 months**. Jordan walks through the exact playbook: the **week-off stress test** that exposes what's broken, why intake and handoffs are the first place to automate, how his DJ company's post-sale flow uses AI-generated welcome videos and 48-hour DJ intros, and why **founders don't micromanage because they love control — they do it because it makes them feel useful**. If you're stuck being the help desk for your own team, this one's the kick in the ass. ### Topics Covered - What "getting out of the business" actually means - Why every business hits the same walls (and yours isn't a snowflake) - How AI killed the excuse for not automating - The post-sale automation flow at Maryland's DJ Family - The week-off stress test — when to do it, when to do it again - Building an SOP library (and why Use Whale won out) - How granular an SOP should actually be - Process problem vs. people problem — using personality data in hiring - Founder ego and why micromanaging feels useful - Cutting Slack out of your life and training your team to bring solutions, not problems This episode is brought to you by **NickelBronx**. Connect with us Borzou –  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bronxzou/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borzou/ Amanda –⁠ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/akfischer/ Jordan –  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordansolender/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordan.solender/ And give some love to our sponsor: https://nickelbronx.com/ Brand strategy, websites, and content for companies that want a real edge.  If you enjoyed today's episode, follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review — it helps other brand builders like you discover the show.

Rethink, Reimagine, Rewire: The Founder's AI Playbook (with Seema Alexander)

Most founders are either tool-hopping or sitting on the sidelines. Both are losing strategies. In this episode of Where Brands Get Their Edge, Borzou and Amanda sit down with Seema Alexander — Co-Chair of DC Startup Week and AI transformation consultant — to break down how founders actually need to be thinking about AI in 2026. Not as a shiny object. As infrastructure. Guest Seema Alexander, AI Transformation Consultant & Co-Chair, DC Startup Week 🎙️ AI CEO Podcast | LinkedIn: /in/seemaalexander Topics Covered * The Rethink, Reimagine, Rewire framework for AI adoption * Why AI fluency (not just tooling) is the real competitive advantage * How data is becoming every company's most valuable moat * Narrow agents vs. agentic AI — and why the distinction matters * DNA-matched cannabis recommendations as a case study in unique data sets * What founders should automate first and what to protect from AI * Why brand matters more than ever in an AI-commoditized world * Preparing the next generation for a job market we can't fully predict Connect with Us Borzou — Instagram @bronxzou [https://www.instagram.com/bronxzou/] | LinkedIn Amanda — LinkedIn /in/akfischer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/akfischer/] Sponsor This episode is brought to you by NickelBronx — brand strategy, design, and marketing for founders who want a real edge. nickelbronx.com [https://www.nickelbronx.com/]

Super Bowl Ads, Celebrities, and the Death of Surprise

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2501586/fan_mail/new] Forget the game. This episode is all about what really mattered during the Super Bowl: the ads, the halftime show, and what they reveal about where brand, creativity, and culture are headed. Borzou Azabdaftari and Amanda Fisher break down why this year’s Super Bowl leaned harder than ever on celebrity over creativity, why surprise has quietly disappeared from advertising’s biggest stage, and which brands still managed to stand out anyway. They unpack Bad Bunny’s record-breaking halftime show and the cultural backlash around it, debate Coinbase’s polarizing karaoke ad, compare DoorDash and Instacart’s celebrity plays, and question why pharma brands felt especially strange during the broadcast. This episode is a sharp, honest look at what brands are afraid of right now—and what they need to relearn if they want to actually earn attention. Connect with us Borzou – ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bronxzou/] & ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/borzou/] Amanda – ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/akfischer/] And give some love to our sponsor ⁠NickelBronx⁠ [https://nickelbronx.com/] Brand strategy, websites, and content for companies that want a real edge. Some of the ads we mentioned: Coinbase [https://youtu.be/ox__f7ZdFyM?si=bDuxX-cKlKUI3hPu]  Shatner [https://youtu.be/M5LRly_IwqI?si=ftlf-ufKeahiXOjc]  BudLight [https://youtu.be/z-P6OzmgCyY?si=KkP1Wx180jp61ytq]  Dunkin [https://youtu.be/x3wI8j-z3Iw?si=P_EMDRVDh5oxg37K] Thanks for tuning in to Where Brands Get Their Edge, brought to you by Nickel Bronx. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review—it helps other brand builders like you discover the show. Want more insights? Visit nickelbronx.com [https://www.nickelbronx.com/] for brand strategy tips and tools to help your business stand out.

Block Party: How South Block Built a Cult Brand (with Amir Mostafavi)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2501586/fan_mail/new] What does it really take to build a cult brand in a trend-driven industry? In this episode of Where Brands Get Their Edge, Borzou and Amanda sit down with Amir Mostafavi, founder of South Block, to unpack how a local smoothie shop grew into a 21-location brand by obsessing over product, culture, and community. From pioneering açaí bowls on the East Coast to building a leadership-first company culture, Amir shares the real lessons behind scaling without losing the vibe. They talk about why aesthetics now matter as much as macros, how Gen Z “eats with their eyes,” why data can ruin good marketing, and how purpose needs to be lived, not marketed. If you’re a founder or marketer trying to grow without becoming generic, this episode is for you. Guest Amir Mostafavi Founder, South Block Website: https://southblockjuice.com [https://southblockjuice.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southblock Topics Covered * How South Block grew from one shop to 21 locations * Why product alone isn’t enough to build a lasting brand * Community-first branding and culture at scale * Gen Z, Instagrammable food, and visual-first marketing * Protein, creatine, and functional food trends * Leadership mistakes founders make when scaling * Why grassroots marketing beats pure data-driven decisions Connect with us: Borzou – ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bronxzou/] & ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/borzou/] Amanda – ⁠LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/akfischer/] And give some love to our sponsor ⁠NickelBronx⁠ [https://nickelbronx.com/] Brand strategy, websites, and content for companies that want a real edge. Thanks for tuning in to Where Brands Get Their Edge, brought to you by Nickel Bronx. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review—it helps other brand builders like you discover the show. Want more insights? Visit nickelbronx.com [https://www.nickelbronx.com/] for brand strategy tips and tools to help your business stand out.

Why Founders Are Choosing Bermuda (And Why It’s Not for Everyone)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2501586/fan_mail/new] Bermuda isn’t a tax haven, a loophole, or a shortcut—and that’s exactly why serious founders are paying attention. Connect with our Hosts: Borzou:   https://www.instagram.com/bronxzou/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/borzou/ Amanda: LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/akfischer/ And give some love to our sponsor: https://nickelbronx.com/ In this episode of Where Brands Get Their Edge, Borzou Azabdaftari and Amanda Fisher sit down with Anthony Howell, Bermuda’s Overseas Representative and Director of the Washington, DC Office, to break down what actually makes Bermuda a credible global business hub. We cover: * What “regulatory clarity” really means in plain English * Why Bermuda attracts fintech, insurance, and digital asset companies * Why Bermuda is intentionally not for underfunded or bad-actor startups * Headquarters vs subsidiary vs satellite office strategies * How Bermuda compares to Dubai, Singapore, and other global hubs * The lifestyle, talent, and long-term trust advantages founders care about * And yes—the truth about the Bermuda Triangle If you’re a founder thinking globally and building for the long term—not looking for shortcuts—this episode is for you. Thanks for tuning in to Where Brands Get Their Edge, brought to you by Nickel Bronx. If you enjoyed today’s episode, follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review—it helps other brand builders like you discover the show. Want more insights? Visit nickelbronx.com [https://www.nickelbronx.com/] for brand strategy tips and tools to help your business stand out.