Create the Future

23 - Validate First, Build Second: How John Walsh Scaled an EV Bus Company by Reducing Startup Risk

In this episode of Create the Future, host Rick Williams speaks with John Walsh, Founder and CEO of Endera. John shares his entrepreneurial journey, from launching businesses at just 25 years old to building and scaling an electric bus company in a rapidly evolving market. Drawing on lessons from private equity, automotive restructuring, startup failures, and customer development, John explains why the most successful founders validate demand before building products. He discusses the importance of product-market fit, learning from failure, hiring talented teams, raising capital, acquiring and scaling manufacturing facilities, and creating a culture where honest feedback leads to better decisions. John also shares insights on leadership, delegation, working with advisors and boards, and navigating the opportunities and challenges within the electric vehicle industry. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE. [https://rickwilliamsleadership.com/podcast/]

22 - Leading with Grace: How One HR Executive Transformed Adversity into Opportunity with Bobby Humes

In this episode of Create the Future, your host Rick Williams speaks with Bobby Humes, CEO of BH Consultancy and former HR Director for the City of Seattle. Bobby shares his leadership journey, including receiving anonymous critical letters while modernizing Seattle's HR department, battling imposter syndrome, and navigating resistance to change. He discusses how executive coaching transformed his perspective, leading him to launch his own consulting business. Bobby emphasizes the importance of building a trusted support network, slowing down to bring others along during change, and prioritizing self-care to lead effectively. Check out Bobby's work HERE [www.bhconsultants.co]. Connect with Bobby on LinkedIn HERE [https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachbobby]. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE [https://podcast.rickwilliamsleadership.com/podcast-guest].

21 - Advocating for Equity and Inclusion: A Story of Courage, Conviction, and Creating the Future with Eugene Manley

In this episode of Create the Future, your host Rick Williams speaks with Dr. Eugene Manley, Jr., Founder and CEO of STEMM & Cancer Health Equity. Dr. Manley shares his journey from inner-city Detroit to becoming a mechanical engineer, molecular biologist, and patient advocate. He recounts a pivotal leadership moment when an uninvited speaker demanded keynote status at his lung cancer health equity summit. Dr. Manley stood firm, sending a direct, professional email refusing the demand. The episode explores themes of self-advocacy, navigating race in professional spaces, ADHD, and leading with conviction over compromise. Check out Dr. Manley's work HERE [https://innovationforimpactllc.com]. Connect with Dr. Manley on LinkedIn HERE [https://linkedin.com/in/eugenemanleyjrphd]. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE [https://podcast.rickwilliamsleadership.com/podcast-guest].

20 - When Life Demands Change: How One Woman Reclaimed Her Identity and Created a New Future with Rhonda Petit

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, your host Rick Williams speaks with Rhonda Petit, Founder of 3X5 Coaching LLC. Rhonda shares her journey from a 34-year sales career to becoming a leadership coach. She discusses the pivotal decisions she made at 40, including leaving a demanding job and ending her marriage, driven by her struggle with codependency and approval addiction. Rhonda emphasizes the importance of authentic leadership, self-awareness, and making values-driven decisions from within, rather than seeking external validation, to become a sovereign leader. Check out Rhonda's work HERE [www.rhondapetit.com]. Connect with Rhonda on LinkedIn HERE [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondapetit8htg/]. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE [https://podcast.rickwilliamsleadership.com/podcast-guest].

19 - The Growth Formula: Empowering Teams to Scale a Family Business with Adam Povlitz

In this episode of the Create the Future Podcast, your host Rick Williams speaks with Adam Povlitz, CEO & President of Anago Cleaning, about his journey from finance and IBM to leading his father's three-tier commercial cleaning franchise. Adam shares how he started at the bottom, learned every role, and eventually scaled the company from $67M to $100M in just 19 months by delegating strategically and hiring senior leaders. He also discusses repositioning Anago as a technology-driven company, developing the Clean Com app and Anago Clean Suite, and fostering a collaborative leadership culture that values constructive challenge over conformity. Check out Adam's work HERE [https://anagocleaning.com/]. Connect with Adam on LinkedIn HERE [https://www.linkedin.com/in/apovlitz/]. Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE [https://podcast.rickwilliamsleadership.com/podcast-guest].