EDITOR’S LETTER
earreaders,
D The Idea is the Start. The Integration is the Art.
Thestartupworldlovesasimplenarrative:abrilliantidea,agarage,andahockey-stickgrowth chart.Buttherealityofbuildingsomethingenduringin2025israrelythatclean.Themost formidablefounderstodayarenotone-dimensionalvisionaries;theyareintegrators.They possessahard-wonfluencyinmultiplebusinesslanguages—people,technology,finance,and operations—andtheirtruegeniusliesintheirabilitytoweavethesethreadstogether.Itisthis rarecapacitytoconnectdisparateworldsthatdefinestheentrepreneursinourannualguide, “The10BestStart-upFounderstoWatchin2025.”
Ourcoverstory,BranoVargic,Co-FounderandCEOofTalentSquare,isamasterclassinthis veryconcept.Hiscareerisnotastraightlinebutadeliberate,multi-continentaljourney designedtounderstandhowbusinesstrulyworksfromeverypossibleangle.WithaPhD exploringtheintersectionofcultureandleadership,hebuiltafoundationinhumansystems. Butitwasinthe‘neck-breaking’innovationenvironmentofSoutheastAsia,leadingdigital transformations,wherehisdualexpertisetrulyconverged.HeisnotanHRleaderwholearned abouttech,noratechleaderwhounderstandsHR.Heisfluentinbothlanguages,allowinghim tobuildatechnologycompany,TalentSquare,whichisfundamentallyhuman-centricatits core.Hebuildssystemswithanacuteawarenessofthepeoplewhopowerthem.
Thisfounder-as-integratormodelisvisibleacrossourlist,showcasingleaderswhobringunique perspectivestotheirventures.WeseeitinthespecializedcybersecurityfocusofRobBullerat CyberhillPartners,theimmersiveinnovationofEdwardSalvatierraatMorvion,the community-buildingcraftofLoriJonesatBlackologyCoffeeCompany,andtheeducational pioneeringofLeilaCentneratCentnerAcademy
Thefoundersinthesepagesaremorethanjustrisk-takers.Theyaresystem-builders,culturesetters,andrelentlessexecutors.Theyremindusthatthemostdurablecompaniesarebuiltnot onasingle,fleetingidea,butonafoundationofdeep,multifacetedexpertiseandan unwaveringcommitmenttoexecution.
HappyReading!
PaNKAJ GHOLAP MANAGING Editor
theusaleaders
THE USA LEADERS IS AN ILLUMINATING DIGITAL PLATFORM THAT DRIVES THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN LEADERS DISRUPTING TECHNOLOGY WITH AN UNPARALLELED APPROACH.
Cover Story
10 BRANO VARGIC
N T E N T S
Cover Story
BRANO VARGIC
Founder and CEO I Talent Square
Blending Tech, Talent, and Transformation
IIntoday’sfast-movingstartupworld,growthoften outpacesunderstanding.Companiesscalerapidly, sometimesoverlookingthepeopledrivingthat momentum.ButleaderslikeBranoVargic,CoFounderandCEOofTalentSquare,don’tjust followthepace-theyrethinktheplaybookaltogether.
Brano’scareerisanythingbutlinear.Hemovedacross industries,roles,andgeographiesbydesign - notby default.Hisgoal?Tounderstandbusinessfromevery angle.Groundedinamaster’sinHRand organizationaldevelopment,andshapedbyaPhD exploringhoworganizationalandnationalcultures influencebusiness&leadershipbehavior,Branobuilt afoundationrootedinpeople,systems,andcontext.
HebeganinconsultingattheHayGroup,focusingon leadership,performanceandrewardstrategies.Buta turningpointcamewhenaclient-CEOofoneof CentralEurope’sleadingbanks - invitedhimto becomehisHRDirector.ItwasBrano’sfirstmove fromadvisingtobuildingandexecuting.
Thatledtobroaderroles:M&AProgramManager, thensixyearsinSoutheastAsiaasCOOinconsumer financeandlifeinsurance,whereheledmajordigital transformations.InSoutheastAsia,hegothisfull flavourofwhatdigitalizationreallymeans.Asheputs it: “The speed of innovation adoption in that region is neck-breaking. I learned how to integrate, test, pivot, and do it all again - sometimes within days.” Itwasn't justabouttechnology-itwasaboutrethinkingservice deliveryfromadigital-firstperspective,withcustomer experienceatthecenter.Thispartoftheworldplayed adefiningroleinshapingBrano’sproductmindset andtechskillset.
Itwasherethattwothreadsofhisexperience-deepHR understandingandhands-ontechleadership-startedto converge.NotjustanHRpersondabblingintechora coderguessingatHR,Branobroughtbothfluencies together
RewritingHowTalentSourcingHappens
TalentSquaredidn’tbeginasabigidea-itstartedasa bottleneck.Branoandhisteamwereknee-deepinsocial mediacampaigns,promotingjobopeningsonsocial mediafortheirclientsmanually.Eachcampaignneededa PPCexpert,creativeinput,andconstantmanagement.It wasslow,expensive,andimpossibleoratleastsuper priceytoscale.
Meanwhile,Branowaswatchingotherindustriesleap forward.Shopifyturnedanyoneintoanonlineseller YouTubeturnedanyoneintoacreator.Canvamade anyoneadesigner. Why hadn’t HR marketing caught up? Thatquestionlitthefuse.
Theteamsetontobuildado-it-yourselfplatformthatlet recruitersruntheirowntargetedjobadcampaignswithout agenciesormarketingteams.Justlogin,uploadajob description,andlettheAIhandletargeting,copywriting, andcampaignexecution.Crucially,TalentSquarewas builttoreachpassivecandidates-the70%ofthe workforcewhoaren’tactivelyjobhuntingonjob boardsbutmightstillbeopenforanewjob,should therightopportunitypresentitselfandispresentedin attractiveverbalandvisualformat.
Itwasn’tbuiltovernight.Beforelaunchingfull automation,Branoandhisteammanuallyranhundredsof socialmediajobcampaignsacrossdifferentindustriesand regions.ThisbecameTalentSquare’s“secretsauce.”That real-worldtestinghelpedtheteamgatherthedataand insightsneededtotraintheirtargetingalgorithms-notin theory,butinpractice.
Inonetest,TalentSquare’splatformwenthead-to-head withatopPPCexpert.Samejobvacancy,samesocial mediabudget,sameaudience.Manualtargetingset-upvs. AIdrivenautomatedtargeting.TheAI-drivencampaign deliveredthesamenumberofleadsbutdiditfaster,with almostzerosetuptime,andathalfthecost. Clients report lowering their cost-per-lead by 40% and cutting campaign deployment time from hours to minutes
“And if you fail, you’ll still walk away with more knowledge than you could ever gain by playing it safe.”
Cover Story
“Don’t let fear or overthinking hold you back. Try it so you don’t live with regret.”
FromSmarterAdstoSharperHires
TalentSquarebringsperformancemarketingprecisiontotalent sourcing.Atthemoment,theplatformisfullyintegratedwith FacebookandInstagram,enablinguserstolaunchcampaigns quicklyandeffectively.Theteamisactivelyworkingonnew socialmediaintegrations,withTikToknextinline(decisionon TikTokasthenextintegrationisbasedpurelyonusers’demand). TheultimatevisionistoembedAIthatnotonlyexecutes campaignsbutalsoadvisesusersonhowtosplittheirsocial mediabudgetsacrossvarioussocialplatforms-basedonan analysisofthecompany’sindustryandthecomplexityofthe positionthey’rehiringfor.
Thisisagame-changerforcompanieshiringinmultiplelocations orinhighlycompetitivesectors.It’sgainingtractioninEurope, whereleanrecruitmentteamsmuststretcheveryeuro.Branois nowactivelylookingforearlyadoptersintheU.S.,knowingthe marketisfundamentallydifferent-faster,louder,andmore saturated. “You can’t just transfer a European playbook here,” he says. “We’re finding our way, one conversation at a time.”
Beyondvisibility,TalentSquarefocusesonconversion:how manypeopleclick,land,andexpressinterest.Campaignscan goliveacrossMetaplatformsinsevenclicksandsevenminutes. Thesystemtransformsjobdescriptionsintosharp,engagingads, completewithvisuals,toneofvoice,andsmarttargeting.
Recentresearchshowsthatcampaignsusing dynamictargetingandbehavioraldataachieve upto3xhigherclick-throughrates,and83%of TAleaderssayefficiencyisnowtheirtoppriority givenstagnantorshrinkingrecruitmentbudgets.
Andthemarketisfollowingthisshift.According toanotherrecentindustryresearch,74%of employersnowsaysocialmediaistheirmost importantemployerbrandingchannel,andover 50%plantoincreasespendonsocialrecruiting in2025.Thisreflectsabroaderreality:jobboards arenolongerthefirststopfortalent-attentionhas movedtoscrollable,story-drivenplatformslike Instagram,TikTokorLinkedIn.
Theplatformalsointroducestoolstypicallyoutof reachforsmallandmid-sizedbusinesses.First amongthemisanAI-poweredhatespeechmanager, alreadyusedinthelasttwopresidentialcampaigns inCentralEurope,nowembeddedintoTalent Squarecampaignmanagertomoderatead commentsinrealtimeandprotectemployerbrands. NextinlineisanAIvoicescreeningassistant, currentlybeingintegratedandexpectedtogolive bytheendofsummer2025.
Thisassistantwillconductfirst-roundinterviews andprovideatrafficlightevaluationtohelp recruitersquicklyassessfit.Inthefuture,avideoAI creatorwillalsobeadded,enablingusersto produceentirecampaigns-visuals,copy,andassets -withoutneedingexternalhelp.Especiallyfor SMEs–withoutmarketingorHRdepartmentsbut inneedofcandidates–thedo-it-yourselfaspectof theplatformisakeytoefficiency Together,these toolsstreamlineworkflowsandprovideenterprisegradeprotectionwithouttheenterprisepricetag.
ReframingtheTalentMindset
Morethanatalentsourcingplatform,TalentSquare encouragesteamstorethinktalentitself.Brano believesnocandidateiseverthewrongcandidatejustnottherightone .Proactiverecruitmentis yet keyhere:withvariousAI-poweredtalentmatching toolsnowavailable,companiescanevaluaterole-fit forallapplicants-notjustthosesuitedforthe currentvacancy.
Candidateswhoaren’tselectedtodaycanstillbescreened,tagged,andrevisited laterforpotentialrolesinvariousorganizationalareas-sales,compliance,risk, customerservicesandothers.TalentSquaresupportsthismindsetbyenabling recruiterstobuildlong-termtalentpoolsandmaintainemployervisibilitybeyond theimmediatehiringcycle.
Branooftenasks: How can rejected candidates become company brand ambassadors - or even clients - if they aren’t already? Inahiringclimatewhere candidatesarebombardedwithoptions,employerbrandingisn’tabonus-it’sa baseline.HRleadersareresponsibleformakingsuretheircompanystaystop-ofmind.Everyinteraction,eventhosethatendinrejection,leavesalasting impression.Andifyou’renotconvertingacandidateintoahire,perhapsyoucan convertthemintoanadvocate.Weoftentalkaboutcustomerandemployee experience,nextinlineiscandidateexperienceandspeciallyrejectedcandidate experience.
Recruitment today is a long game. Building a pipeline isn’t just a tactic - it's the strategy.
SpreadingtheMessage
Changinghowcompaniesfindtalent isn’tjustaboutbuildingsoftwareit’saboutshiftingmindsets. EducationisbuiltintoTalent Square’sDNA.Theteamregularly publishesinsights,hostswebinars, andspeaksateventstohelp recruitersrethinkwhat’spossible. “Evangelization is part of our daily work,” “We’ll talk to Branosays. anyone who’s willing to listen.”
Thatconversationoftenbeginswith apprehensionaroundautomationand AI-particularlythefearthatthese toolsmighteventuallyreplace recruiters.ButTalentSquareseesit differently Automationisn’tabout cuttingpeopleout;it’sabout clearingtheclutter.Bytakingover repetitive,time-consumingtaskslike campaignsetup,adtargeting,and initialscreenings,AIgivesrecruiters timebacktofocusonwhattheydo best:buildingrelationships, collaboratingwithhiringmanagers, andshapingcandidateexperience.
Italsoempowersrecruitersinaway that’slongoverdue.Nomorewaiting foragency-designedvisualsor hopinginternalmarketingmakes yourhiringcampaignapriority With TalentSquare,recruiterscanlaunch professionallybranded,highperformingcampaignsontheirownquickly,easily,andwithout bottlenecks.
Thisbeliefguideseverycustomer interaction.Whetherwalking someonethroughperformancedata orspeakingatindustryevents, theteamdoesn’tjustpromotethe
product-theyhelpreframe recruitmentitself. “If we want the industry to change,” Branosays, “we have to do more than sell - we have to teach.”
Andtheindustryislistening.The majorityofHRleadersnowrank socialmediaastheirtopchannel foremployerbrandvisibility,and 61%believeAI-powered advertisingwillbecriticalfor stayingcompetitiveinrecruitment overthenexttwoyears.
WearingEveryHat
Runningastartupisrarely glamorous.Branomightbejumping frominvestorcallstoproductsprints tolegalpaperworkinasingleday Hedescribesitlike “juggling ten tennis balls while forty more are on the floor.”
YetBranowouldn’ttradeit. “The pace is insane, but I’ve learned one thing - momentum is everything,” he says. “No matter how chaotic the day gets, I try to always zoom out and see the bigger picture. It’s easy to drown in the operational grind, especially in a startup. But if you don’t keep your eye on where you’re going, you’ll just keep running in circles. My job is to steer the ship, even when I’m in the engine room.”
Thatmindsethasalreadypaidoff. TalentSquarewasbootstrapped fromdayone-noventurecapital, justbelief,sweat,andresolve. Sincelaunch,thecompanyhasbeen selectedasasemifinalistatthe SlovakStartupAwardsandjoined theFastForwardaccelerator program.It’salsoearnedearly recognitionfromglobalHRtech communitiesandstartupwatchers.
WhatmakesBranoproudestisn’ttheawards,though-it’swhatthey represent. “We built all this in just over a year,” hesays. “A tiny team, no outside funding, and a ton of conviction. That’s what it takes.”
AFounder’sMindset
ForBrano,successisn’tjustaboutthehire.It’saboutimpact,speed,and adaptability.Metricslikeimpressionsandclicksmatter-butonlyifthey leadtorealconversations.Recruitment,inhisview,shouldborrowfromecommerce:trackthefullfunnelandkeepoptimizing.
“Hiring is not a form you fill out,” hesays. “It’s an active, strategic effort. I’m always asking: what’s our conversion rate? How do we improve it? What’s the drop-off? If we treated job ads like e-commerce campaigns, we’d get way better results - and we’d stop pretending job boards are enough.”
Thisperformance-drivenmindsetrunsdeepatTalent Square.It’saboutempoweringteamstomovefast,test continuously,andimprovewhatworks. “I don’t believe in vanity metrics,” “Likes and shares don’t Branoadds. matter if no one applies or engages. We care about outcomes. That's how you build a hiring engine that actually works.”
He’salsocautiousabouthowtheindustrydefines success. hesays. “Everyone talks about cost per hire,” “But from my experience, it’s a tricky measure. When I was CHRO, we changed the definition of cost per hire multiple times over five years. There were long debates - should the cost of the HR IT system be included? Should it reflect time-to-fill or the rigor of interview rounds? Even within the same company, cost per hire can vary wildly between departments. Some hiring managers prioritize speed, others prioritize fit. It’s not one-size-fits-all.”
ThisclarityanddisciplinealsoextendintohowBrano approachespartnershipsandinvestment. “Don’t chase capital. Chase alignment,” “One good partner hesays. beats ten wrong ones. I’ve learned that the hard way I don’t want just money - I want people who understand what we’re building and why.”
Thatfoundermindsetbecameevenmoreimportantas TalentSquarebeganseekingearlyadoptersintheU.S. “The American market is a different ball game,” he explains. “You need traction, storytelling, and presence - fast. But you also need people who believe in you before the big numbers show up.”
Ratherthanchasingscaleforitsownsake,Branois focusedonfindingtherightfootholds:smartpartners, ambitiousclients,andearlybelievers. “We’re not selling hype. We’re building trust.”
Thattrustisalsoguidingthecompany’sgo-to-market strategy.TalentSquareiszeroinginonindustrieswhere traditionalsourcingtoolsfallshortandthecandidate poollivesonline-onplatformslikeFacebookand Instagram.Theseincludehealthcare,hospitality, logistics,skilledtrades,manufacturing,andstaffing agencies-sectorsallgrapplingwithpersistenttalent shortages.Andastheplatformexpandsitsintegrations toincludeadditionalsocialmediachannels,thatlist willonlygrow.
OfftheClock
Outsidethestartupworld,Brano’sdaysareoftendefined byschoolruns,cookingdinner,andlongwalkswithhis dog. “That's where I do most of my thinking,” hesays. “Walking clears the head. It's where I try to make sense of things, even when there's no time to truly unplug.”
Withthreechildrenandabusinessthatneverreally sleeps,truework-lifebalanceismoreofatheorythana dailyreality “I try to be present,” headmits. “But when you’re building something from the ground up, the lines blur. Your mind keeps running long after the laptop closes.”
Still,thatefforttostaygroundedmatters.Long-distance friendships-fromVietnamtoEurope-remainavital partofhislife. “Some of my closest friends are thousands of miles away, but I try to keep them close,” hesays. “They remind me who I am outside of my job title.”
“What I do know is this: building a company forces you to confront yourself constantly. Your strengths, your limits, your blind spots. And if you’re lucky, your values get sharper with every step.”
AWordfortheBrave
Ifthere’sonethingBranohaslearnedfromhisjourneyfromcorporateboardroomstostartupchaos-it’sthat courageisn’tloud.It’squiet,persistent,andoften invisiblefromtheoutside. “I’ve worked with some incredible people,” hesays. “And the bravest ones aren’t always the ones giving speeches or raising funding rounds. They’re the ones who show up every day, stay in the game when it gets tough, and do the work nobody sees.”
Hisadvicetofellowfoundersoranyoneatacrossroads? Don’tconfusenoisewithprogress. “There’s a lot of noise in the startup world. A lot of chasing the next big thing. But your path doesn’t have to be loud to be real.”
“Find your pace. Surround yourself with people who care more about building than bragging. And if you canbuild something that makes others better. That’s the best kind of success.”
www.morvion.com
www.blackologycoffee
www.skribbleinc com
EDWARD SALVATIERRA
EdwardSalvatierra
doesnotlookata spreadsheetfirst.Helooksataface.Itmightbe aphotographhetookyearsago,astranger caughtinamomentofunguardedthought,orastillfroma film,whereanactor’seyesconveyawholestory.Thisis hisanchor.Inaworldofalgorithms,datapoints,and automatedcampaigns,Salvatierrabeginswiththehuman element.AsthefounderandCEOofMorvion,he operatesinthecomplex,sometimescontradictoryspace betweentechnologyandstorytelling.Hisworkrequires himtobebothapoetandanengineer
Hisprimarychallengeisnotoneofcodeorcapital,butof translation.Howdoyouteachamachinetounderstand heartbreak?Howdoyouuseartificialintelligencenotto replacehumancreativity,buttoamplifyit?Salvatierra leadshisteamthroughthisdigitalfrontier,buildinga companythatusesAI,augmentedreality,andvirtual realitytocraftbrandnarratives.Yet,hiscoreresponsibility istoensurethatbehindeverybrilliantpieceoftech,a humanpulseremains.Heisinthebusinessofconnection, andhisjourneytothispointtaughthimthattrue connectionisforgednotinperfection,butinstruggle, failure,andtherelentlesspursuitofastorywelltold.
TheFirstFrame
ThepathtoMorvionbeganin2015withacamera.Before hewasaCEO,Salvatierrawasaphotographer,learning theworldthroughalens.Hedevelopedaneyefor composition,light,and,mostimportantly,thedecisive momentwhenanimagetellsastory
Thisfascinationwithvisualsnaturallyledhimintothe worldofadvertising,wherehelearnedtoshiftfromsimply capturingmomentstocraftingmessages.Hesawhowa compellingnarrativecouldmoveanaudienceanddrive action.
Togroundhiscreativeinstinctswithtechnicaldiscipline,he pursuedaformaleducationinaudio-visualproductionin 2017.Thisexperiencewascritical.Ittaughthimthe architectureofstorytelling—howsound,editing,and visualsworktogethertobuildacohesiveandimpactful narrative.Helearnedthepracticalskillsneededtobring complexideastolife,balancingartisticambitionwiththe realitiesofproduction.Thisdualunderstandingofartand executionwouldbecomethefoundationofhisleadership style.Heunderstoodwhatittooktodreamupanideaand whatittooktoactuallybuildit.
LessonsinAlchemy
In2018,Salvatierratookhisfirstentrepreneurialstep. HefoundedAlchemyMedia,anaudiovisualandadvertising company Theventurewasanintense,hands-oneducation inleadershipandinnovation.Fortwoyears,hedovedeep intotheworldofdigitalmarketing,learningfirsthandthe pressuresofrunningabusiness,managingateam,and deliveringforclients.Thecompanywasacrucible,testing hisresolveandforcinghimtoadaptconstantly.
Ultimately,AlchemyMediacloseditsdoorsin2019.By manymeasures,itwasafailure.ButforSalvatierra,the experiencewasinvaluable.Ittaughthimresilience.
Helearnedthatfailureisnotanendpointbutadatapoint—a sourceofcrucialinformationforthenextattempt.The ventureinstilledinhimahabitofexperimentationanda willingnesstopivot.Thelessonsfromthischapterwerenot aboutwhatwentwrong,butabouthowtobuildbetterthe nexttime.Thisfirsthandknowledgeofstruggleand perseverancewouldlatershapetheentirecultureofhisnext company.
ANewBlueprint
Aftertheintensityofhisfirstventure,Salvatierraspenttime refininghisvision.Heremaineddriventofindanewwayto tellstoriesinthedigitalspace.In2022,helaunchedhis secondcompany,whichhecalledEmotiveFrames.The missionwasclear:toblendadvancedtechnologywith emotionalstorytellingtocreateexperiencesthattruly connectwithpeople.Hebuiltateamwithastrong foundationindigitalmarketingandcreativestrategy,ready toexplorethepotentialoftoolslikeAIandmixedreality
Asignificantmomentofvalidationarrivedwhenthe companyreceivedanawardinDubaiforitsleadershipin techcollaboration.Thisrecognitionaffirmedthattheir approachwasnotjustinnovativebutalsoimpactfulona globalstage.Shortlyafter,Salvatierradecidedtorebrandthe company.Hewantedanamethatbettercapturedthecore mission.“EmotiveFrames”becameMorvion,aname chosentoreflectthecompany'sgoalofcreatingworkthat movesglobalaudienceswhilerespectinglocalcultures.The newnamemarkedanewchapter,onebuiltonaclearer, moreambitiousstrategicvision.
TheHumanAlgorithm
OneofthegreatestchallengesSalvatierrafacesasaleaderis managingthedelicatebalancebetweendata-drivenprecision andhumancreativity.Herecognizedearlyonthepowerof AItotransformmarketing.Inthefirstquarterof2023, MorvionfullyembracedAI-poweredstrategies,usingdatato tailorexperiencesandautomatecampaigns.However,a pivotalearlyprojectrevealedthelimitsoftechnologyalone.
TheteamdevelopedacampaignthatusedAItogenerate versatile,personalizedcontent.Thedata-driveninsights wereimpressive,andthecampaignadjustmentshappenedin real-time.TheAItoolsperformedtheirfunctionperfectly. Butthemessagingfeltcoldandtechnical.Itlackedthe emotionaldepthneededtoconnectwiththeaudience.The precisionofthemachinehadovershadowedthesoulofthe story
Acknowledgingthisgap,Salvatierradirectedhisteam tochangetheirapproach.TheybegantouseAIasa collaborator,notareplacement.TheyinfusedtheAIgeneratedcontentwithhumanemotion,relatable anecdotes,andauthenticstorytelling.Theresultswere immediate.Morvionsawasignificantincreasein audienceengagement.Peoplespentmoretimewiththe contentandformedastronger,moregenuineconnection withthebrand.Thisprojectbecameaguidingprinciple forthecompany:technologyshouldservethestory,not theotherwayaround.
TheCollaborativeEngine
ThecultureatMorvionisadirectreflectionof Salvatierra’sjourney.Hebelievesthatcreativitythrives inanenvironmentofcollaborationandexperimentation. Heactivelyworkstobreakdownsilos,creating opportunitiesforpeoplefromdifferentfieldstowork together AtMorvion,itiscommontoseedatascientists brainstormingwithartistsormarketersteamingupwith technologyspecialists.Thiscross-pollinationofideas sparkscreativityandallowstheteamtoapproach challengesfromnewandunexpectedangles.
Regularbrainstormingsessionsareacornerstoneofthe company’sprocess.Salvatierrafostersaninclusive atmospherewhereeveryteammemberfeelsempowered tosharetheirthoughts,nomatterhowunconventional. Heunderstandsthatthebestideasoftencomefrom unexpectedplaces.Thisapproachalsoextendsto failure.Heviewsmisstepsnotassetbacks,butas valuablelearningopportunitiesthatprovideinsightsfor thefuture.
Thisbeliefwastestedduringadigitalstorytelling projectthatheavilyfeaturedintricateAI-driven narratives.Thetechnologywasadvanced,butuser feedbackwasclear:theexperiencewasoverwhelming. Theaudiencefounditdifficulttoconnectemotionally withthestorybecausethetechnologywastoointrusive. Salvatierraandhisteamlistened.Theywentbackand simplifiedtheinterface,pullingbacktheAItoletthe narrativebreathe.Theexperiencetaughtthemacrucial lessonaboutbalancinginnovationwithuserneeds.It reinforcedtheideathatthemostpowerfultechnologyis oftentheoneyoudon'tnotice,theonethatseamlessly enhancesthehumanexperience.Bycultivatingaculture thatcelebratescollaborationandembracesfeedback, SalvatierraensuresthatMorvionremainsagile, innovative,andfocusedonitscollectivegoal.
SourceTop-Notch Supplies Without Burning Cash
Let’sbehonest:
Mostsmallbusinessesoverspendonsupplies.Notbecause they’rereckless.Becausethey’rebusy.Buried.Swamped.
Andwhenyourattentionisdividedbetweenkeepingthe books,hiringtherightpeople,managingcustomerissues, andkeepingyourproductorservicealive—thelastthing youwanttodoishuntforbetterdealsoninventory,parts, orpackaging.
Buthere’sthecatch: Suppliesquietlybleedyourprofitmargins.
Notdramatically.Notinonebig,flashymistake. Butdripbydrip,invoicebyinvoice—untilyoulookat yourP&Landwonderwhyyour20%marginlooksmore like9%.
ThatStopsNow.
Thisisnotapostaboutcouponcodesorgeneric“cutcosts” tips.
Thisisatacticalframeworkthatlean,resourceful foundersusetobuybetter,smarter,faster—without compromisingonquality.
Let’sunpackit.Linebyline.Nofluff.
1.You’reNotaCustomer—You’reaBusinessPartner
First,changethewayyouapproachsuppliers.
Mostbusinessownerstreatsupplyvendorslikevending machines:putinarequest,gettheproduct,moveon.
Thatmindsetkeepsyouina transactionaltrap—whichiswhere youoverpaythemost
Greatoperatorsflipthescript.
They build supplier partnerships,not justvendorlists.Thatmeans:
· Callingyoursupplierinsteadof emailing.
· Askingaboutbulkthresholds, paymentterms,freight arrangements.
· Lettingthemknowyourorder frequencyandaveragevolume.
· Negotiatingnotonthepricetag— butontherelationshipvalue.
Becausehere’sthetruth: Vendorscareaboutpredictability morethanprice.
Ifyou’reareliablerepeatbuyer,many willofferflexiblepaymentwindows, earlyaccesstoinventory,oreven waiveshippingfeestokeepyouloyal.
Don’t ask for a discount. Ask for a better deal long-term.
2.StopBuyingfromtheFrontPage
Retailersoptimizetheirwebsitesand catalogstomakeyoubuyfast—not smart.
Ifyou’resourcingfromthesamefive suppliersaseveryoneelse,usingthe defaultSKUs,andneverasking: “Who’sactuallybuildingthisstuff?” —you’reeatingmiddlemancosts everytime.
Thesmarterplay?
Goupstream.
· Forequipment:Findthe manufacturers,notjustthe resellers.
· Forrawmaterials:Locateniche orregionalsupplierswho specializeinyourspace.
· Foroperationaltools:Consider refurbishedorhigh-qualityused gear
Areal-worldexample?
Farmersbuyingbulkfeedbins directlyfromregional manufacturersaresaving30–50% comparedtothosebuyingvia supplychains.Why?Nomarkup layers.Andthesebinslast10+ years—whichmeansmoreROI perdollarspent.
Used ≠ cheap. Sometimes it's just smart buying from businesses who upgrade faster than they depreciate assets.
3.LocalIsn’tJustEthical—It’s Efficient
Toomanybusinessessleepontheir localvendorsbecausetheythink “local”means“limited.”
That’swrong.
Localsourcingcangiveyou:
· Fasterturnaroundtimes(no7dayshippingdelays).
· Lowerlogisticscosts(local pickup,nofreight).
· Betterservice(becauseyou’rea knownface,notorder#934201).
Andhere’salittle-knownpower move:
Barteringwithlocalvendors.
Thinkdesignservicesinexchange forpackaging.Orpromotingtheir brandtoyourcustomersin exchangefordiscountedgoods.
Trust and proximity build creative deals — not just invoices.
4.BuyinBulk—ButOnlywithaStrategy
Yes,buyinginbulksavesmoney.Butonly when:
· Youusethatproductconsistently
· Youhavethestoragespace.
· Youcanabsorbtheupfrontcostwithout cashflowpain.
Otherwise,bulkisatrapdisguisedasadeal.
Ifbulkpurchasingfeelsrisky,groupbuying isyoursecretweapon.
Formapurchasingalliancewith3–5other businessesinyourniche.
Splitthecost.Splittheshipment.Keepyour marginstight.
Thisworksespeciallywellfor:
· Packagingmaterials
· Perishableingredients(withsynchronized productionschedules)
· Maintenancepartsorconsumables
Buying together creates scale advantages without scaling too fast.
5.PlaytheTimingGame
Suppliersrunoncycles.
· End-of-quarterclearance.
· Off-seasonpricing.
· Holidayoverstockselloffs.
· Fiscal-year-closediscounts.
Knowingthisgivesyouastrategicedge. Don’tjustbuywhenyourunout.Buywhen thepricecurvedips.Thebestoperatorsuse purchasecalendars. Theyplanprocurementwindowsaround thesecycles—notonpanicreorders.
Setalertsforseasonaltrendsinyourindustry
Keeparunning“nextbuy”list.
Even10%offacross20SKUs,4xayear— that’sthousandssavedannually.
Buy early. Buy when the market blinks.
6.ChallengeBrandLoyalty
You’renotNike.Youdon’tneed brandconsistencyontheboxes youopenbehindthescenes.
Ifyou’repayingapremiumjust because“that’sthebrandwe’ve alwaysused”—askyourself: Isitactuallybetter?Orjust familiar?
Comparison-shopwithspecs. Lookatmaterialquality, warranty,leadtimes—notlogo recognition.
Newerorupstartbrandsoften overdeliveratlowerpricesto buildmarketshare.Youwinby testingandswitchingwhere possible.
TryA/Btestingyourtopfive purchaseswithalternative suppliersquarterly. Trackcost,performance,and feedbackfromyourteam. Familiarity feels safe. But margins don't lie.
7.CreateaSupplierScorecard
Tostayruthlessaboutyour supplychain,trackmorethan price.Buildamonthly/quarterly supplierscorecardwith:
· Costperunit(including delivery)
· Productdurability/returnrate
· Leadtimeaccuracy
· Paymentflexibility
· Responsiveness
Thenrankyourvendorsand ditchthebottom20%. Noemotion.Justperformance. Greatbusinessesdon’tjusttrack sales metrics.Theytrack spend performancewiththesame discipline.
If you’re not measuring supplier performance, you're not managing it.
8.DocumentYourProcurement Playbook
Here’sadirtytruth:Mostsmall businesseskeepsupplysourcing“inthe owner’shead.”
Thentheownergetssick,hiresabuyer, orscales—andchaosfollows.
Don’twingit.
StartasimplesupplySOP:
· Whereyoubuyfrom(and2–3 backups)
· Whyyouchosethem(price,quality, relationship)
· Howoftenyoubuy(andseasonality notes)
· Whatdealyou’venegotiated(and renewalterms)
Documentingthissavestime. Trainsyourteamfaster. Protectsyoufromkey-manrisk.
Systems scale. Scramble doesn’t.
FinalWord:SmallBusiness,Big Advantage
Thedifferencebetweenascrappy businessandascalableoneoften sitsininvisiblesystems. Procurementisoneofthem.
Whenyoushiftfrompassive buyingtoactivesourcing,you unlock:
· Highermargins
· Moreresilience
· Lessstress
Youstopreactingandstart operating
Sowhetheryou’rerunningarural supplyshop,aSaaSstartupwith physicalcomponents,oralocal foodbrand—rememberthis: Everydollaryousave without sacrificing quality dropsstraightto profit.
Smartsupplychainsaren’ta luxury.They’reaweapon.
Usethemlikeone.
Centner Academy
LEILA CENTNER FOUNDER
Moreover,theschoolprioritizes developingemotional intelligenceandresilienceinits students.AsaConscious Disciplineschoolthatfocuseson thedevelopmentofdiscipline withinthechild,Centner Academyiscommittedto providingtoolssuchas mindfulness,self-awareness,and self-regulationtosupporttheir students’growthinto emotionallyintelligentand resilientadults.
TheAcademy’sBrain Optimizationprogramis anotherstandoutfeature,with nutritiousandhealthyfoodanda physicaleducationprogramthat supportsneurodevelopment.The academicsareequallyrigorous
“At Centner Academy, our academic approach is designed to prepare our students for success in a rapidly changing world.”
andengaging,withacrosscurricularproject-basedlearning approachthatallowsstudentsto divedeeplyintotopicsofinterest whilemasteringessentialskills.
CreatingaThrivingLearning Community
LeilaseesherselfastheChief HappinessOfficerandfocuseson motivatingherteamandleading byexample,alwaysemphasizing theimportanceofkindness, compassion,andhumilityin everythingtheydo.AstheCEOof theschool,shetakesonavariety ofrolesandresponsibilities,allof whichareaimedatcreatinga thrivinglearningcommunity.Her toppriorityistoensurethateach student’sindividualneedsaremet,
whichsheachievesbyprovidinga broadrangeofacademicprograms andextracurricularactivitiesthat fostercriticalthinking,problemsolving,andcreativity
Leila’sapproachiscenteredon cultivatingfutureleaderswithhearts whocannavigatetheuncertainand ever-changingworldwithintegrity, grit,andagrowthmindset.Inaddition toshapingtheacademicprograms offeredbytheschool,Leilaalsotakes ahands-onapproachtocultivatinga cultureoflearningandgrowthwithin theinstitution.
“We have a strong culture of learning, growing, and problem-solving.” “If we model this for our students, we are successful!” addsLeila.
EducationfortheFuture
Leilaiswellawareoftheflawsinthe currenteducationsystemandthedire needforchange.Accordingtoher,the educationsystemwasdesignedfora differentera,anditnolongercatersto theneedsoftoday’sstudents.The traditionaldefinitionofsuccess, namelyfinishingcollegeandpursuing traditionaloccupations,isnolonger theonlyoption.Sheunderstandsthat happinessleadstosuccessratherthan theotherwayaround.
Inlightofthis,CentnerAcademyis focusingondevelopingskillsthatwill helpstudentsthriveinany circumstance.Emotionalintelligence, resilience,agrowthmindset,and criticalthinkingareemphasizedto helpstudentsbecomesuccessful regardlessofthechallengestheymay faceinthefuture.
Leilaunderstandsthattomakea positivechange,heracademyneedsto beagileandresponsive.Beingastartupinstitution,theycontinuously
“
“We empower our learners with research-backed learning strategies that foster problem -solving and critical-thinking skills.”
iterateandrespondtonewinformation toensurethattheeducationsystem theyprovideisrelevantandbeneficial tothestudents.
LivinglifetoFullest
Leilaisoftenaskedabouthowshe maintainsahealthywork-lifebalance. Inherresponse,shehighlightsher personalpassionforherworkandher commitmenttomaintainingher physicalandmentalhealth.Having spentyearsoptimizingherbrainand
health,Leilahasahighlevelofenergy comparedtotheaverageperson.This enableshertoworklonghours,asshe isdeeplycommittedtoherworkat CentnerAcademyandCentner Wellness&Spa.
Despiteherbusyschedule,Leilamakes timeforherhobbiesandinterests outsideofwork.Sheenjoysspending qualitytimewithherlovedones, exploringnewplacesandcultures,and throwingpartiestobringpeople together
You’renottryingtolookcute.You’retryingtolook credible.
That’stheunspokenruleintheearlyphaseofbuildinga business.You’rewearing12hats,workingpastmidnight, andwatchingyourcompetitionslaptogetherpolished websiteswith“teams”thatdon’tevenexist.And yet—hereyouare,seriousaboutsolvingarealproblem.
Good.Butifyourbusinessdoesn’t look thepart,itwon’t earn thepart.Peopledon'ttrustwhatfeelstemporary Youneedtobuildvisibleproofofpermanence.Fast. Withoutabigteam,withoutcapital,andwithoutneeding to“scale”anythingjustyet.
Thisisn’taboutfake-it-til-you-make-it.Thisisabout operating like a real business—evenifit’sstilljustyou.
Herearefiveeasywinsthatmakeyourbusinessfeel established,trustworthy,andrealfromdayone.
1.OfferaRetirementPlan—EvenIfYou’retheOnly Employee
Noonetellssolopreneursthis,butthefirstinternaltrust signalisn’tpayroll.It’splanningfor your future.
Youmightthinkretirementplansareforcorporations. They’renot.Thankstopooledemployerplansand platformsbuiltforleanbusinesses(likeGuidelineor HumanInterest),youcannowsetupa401(k)foryour companywithouthiringanHRteamorpaying enterprisefees.
Whatdoesthisdo?Ittellsyourbrain—andanyone lookingclosely—thatthisbusinessisn’tasidehustle. It’salong-termentity You’resettinginfrastructure forgrowth.
Evenbetter?It’stax-smart.Youreduceyourtaxable income,investforthelonghaul,andturn“I’mfiguring thingsout”into“I’mbuildingsomethingthatlasts.”
That’snotoverhead.That’s positioning.
2.SecureaWorkspaceThatSignalsCommitment
Youdon’tneedglasswallsandping-pongtables.Butyou do needaphysicalsignal—internalandexternal—that thisisnotahobby.
Here’sthething:workingfromyourcouchmayfeel efficient,butitblursboundaries,dilutesfocus,andchips awayatyourauthority Aworkspace—evenasmall one—correctsthat.
Pickyourflavor:
· Aco-workingdeskwithyourbusinessnameonthe door.
· Asharedofficeyoushowuptotwiceaweek.
· Aregisteredvirtualbusinessaddressthatisn’tyour home.
Whateveritis,makesureitgivesyouaplaceto be the businessowner.Physically.Routinely.
Whenyouseparate“livingspace”from“workingspace,” yourmindshiftsfrom trying toworkto owning thework.
Clientsfeelthatenergy.Sodoyou.
3.GetaBrandedEmailandCalendarSystem.Today.
Ifyou’restillemailingfromYourName1987@gmail.com, you’releavingmoneyonthetable.Harsh,buttrue.
Abrandedemail(likeyourname@yourbusiness.com) takes15minutestosetupviaGoogleWorkspaceor Microsoft365.Thebenefitsareimmediate:
· You’retakenseriously.
· You’renotfilteredintospam.
· You’renotexplainingwhatyourbusinessiseverytime yousendamessage.
Youalsogain:
· Asharedcalendarthatletsclientsbookmeetingswith zeroback-and-forth.
· IntegrationwithCRMs,projecttools,andfilestorage systemsthatstreamlinehowyouwork.
Moreimportantly,youeliminateconfusion.Nobody’s wondering,“Isthislegit?”
Youwanttrust?Startwith clarity Andclaritybegins withtheemailyousendat8:47a.m.onaMonday
4.AutomateClientOnboardingBeforeYouBurnOut
Theearlydaysoflandingclientsfeelexciting—until theydon’t.
Ifyou’remanuallychasingpaperwork,askingthesame sixquestionsoneverycall,andresendingZoomlinks becausesomeonelostthem...you’renotrunninga business.You’rechasingchaos.
Fixthatwithasimpleonboardingsystem.Noexpensive softwareneeded.
· UseGoogleFormsorTypeformtocollectclient details.
· SetupCalendlytobookmeetings.
· Automateconfirmationemailswithclearnextsteps.
· PlugitintoNotionorTrellototrackprogress.
That’sit.
Thissystemdoesn’tjustsaveyourtime—it builds trust Newclientsfeellikethey’reenteringsomething structured.Theystopsecond-guessing.Youstop over-explaining.
Youlookexperienced.Theyfeelsecure.
Bonus:youcreatebreathingroomtoactuallydothe workyouwerehiredfor
5.MakeYourWebsiteDeadSimple—andFunctional
Ifyourhomepagesays“ComingSoon,”you’relosing leads.
Youdon’tneedafancysitewithparallaxscrollsand animations.Butyou do needthebasics:
· Whoyouhelp
· Whatyouoffer
· Howtobookorcontactyou
That’sit.Onepage.Maybetwo.
Add:
· Aphotoofyou,notstockart.
· Acoupleofrealtestimonials,evenifthey’refrom betaclients.
· Aschedulinglink.
· AclearCTA—whatshouldIdonextifI’m interested?
Stripthefluff.Killthejargon.Don’ttrytoimpress. Tryto explain—clearly,quickly,confidently
Thegoalofyoursiteisn’tto“wow.”It’stoconfirm legitimacyandcreateaction.
Whensomeonevisits,theyshouldsay:“Oh,thisis forme—andthispersonisreadytotalkbusiness.”
FinalWord:MakeTheseFiveMovesandYou’ll NeverLookSmallAgain
Professionalismisn’taboutscale.It’sabout structure. Youcanbeasolofounderandstilloutshine businesseswithfive-personteamsbecauseyou thought through the details
Thepointofthesefivemovesisn’taesthetics.It’s optics that support operations.Theyletyou:
· Raiseyourperceivedvalue.
· Justifyyourrates.
· Retainyourbestclients.
· Sleepatnightknowingyourhouseisinorder
Noneofthesestepstakemorethanafewhours.But eachonebuildsthebonesofabusinesspeopletrust.
Don’twaituntilyou“hireyourfirstemployee.” Thesearethemovesthat get you there.
You’renotjustbuildingabusiness.You’rebuilding the infrastructure of confidence.
Onesmallwinatatime.
TheairinthekitchenattheInter-FaithFoodShuttle smellsofonions,thyme,andpossibility.LoriJones movesthroughthestainless-steellandscapewitha practicedeconomyofmotion.Sheisshowingastudenthow toproperlyholdachef’sknife,herhandguidinghis.Her voiceiscalmanddirect,herinstructionsclear.Here,among theclatterofpansandthehumofindustrialrefrigerators, Jonesisinherelement.Sheisnotjustteachingsomeonehow tocook;sheisprovidingamapforanewbeginning.
Totheoutsideworld,LoriJonesisatwo-timeinternational award-winningentrepreneur,thefounderandCEOof Blackology Coffee Company.Sheisakeynotespeakeranda transformationalcoach.Butinthiskitchen,sheisateacher,a mentor,aleaderwhounderstandsthatasecondchanceoften startswithasingleskill.Thisrole,managingtheCulinary ApprenticeProgramforindividualsfacingunemployment andotherlifechallenges,istheheartofherstory.Itisafullcirclejourneyforawomanwhooncefoundherowncareerin ashes,onlytobuildanewlifefromtheembers.Herwork nowistohandthatblueprinttoothers,showingthemthata crisisisnotjustanending,butaspacewhereanewlifecan bebuilt.
TheFirstCourse
Longbeforeshebuiltacoffeeempire,LoriJonesbuilt communitiesaroundadinnertable.Herpassionforfoodtook rootearly,andshechanneleditintoaculinarycareer Asa headchef,shefoundpurposeincreatingmealsthatdidmore thanjustnourishthebody.Food,forher,wasamediumfor connection.Thiswasmostevidentduringhertimeasthe headchefforasororityhouseattheUniversityofNorth CarolinaatChapelHill.
Forhundredsofyoungwomenawayfromhome,shewas morethanacook.Shecuratedseasonalmenus,ledakitchen team,andcreatedanenvironmentthatfeltlikeasanctuary Sheblendedtraditionwithnewideas,transformingthedining hallintoaplaceofcomfortandcommunity
Shelearnedhowtomanageateam,howtoplanand executecomplexoperations,andhowtoservea communitywithintention.Thisexperiencewasherfirst realleadershiplaboratory.Ittaughtherthatservicewas notaboutsubordination,butaboutanticipatingneedsand creatingspaceswherepeoplefeelvalued.
TheUnraveling
In2020,theworldshutdown,andthefoundationofLori Jones’slifecracked.TheCOVID-19pandemicswept throughthefoodserviceindustry,andshelostherjob. Thelayoffwasmorethanaprofessionalsetback;itwasa personalcrisis.Asasinglemotheroftwoboys,shefound herselfatacrossroads,thepathforwardobscuredby uncertainty Thecareershehadbuilt,thecommunityshe hadserved,vanishedalmostovernight.
Manywouldseethismomentasadefinitiveend.For Jones,itfeltlikeaprofoundandunsettlingsilence.The dailyrhythmofthekitchendisappeared.Thepurposethat haddrivenherforyearswasgone.Yet,inthatsilence,she foundadifferentkindofdirection.Shecallsitadivine redirection.Itwasaforcedpausethatcompelledherto lookinwardandaskafundamentalquestion:whatnext?
AKitchenTableEpiphany
Theanswerbeganwithamorningritual.ForLoriJones, coffeewasneverjustabeverage.Itwasaquietmoment ofpeaceandprayerbeforethedaybegan,asymbolof warmthandamediumforreflection.Withnojobanda deepwellofpurpose,sheturnedthispersonalritualintoa professionalvision.Fromherownkitchen,shestartedto buildBlackologyCoffeeCompany.
Theideawastocreatealuxuryminimalistcoffeebrand thatcelebratedBlackcultureandlow-aciditybrews.It wasanextensionofheridentity:intentional,rootedin service,andunapologeticallyauthentic.
Thebeginningwashumble.Shestarted atlocalpop-upmarkets,herbrand growingorganicallythroughwordof mouth.ButJoneswasaquickstudy.She threwherselfintolearningthemechanics ofdigitalentrepreneurship.Shelearned webdesign,searchengineoptimization, branding,shippinglogistics,andgrant writing.Itwasacrashcourseinbuilding abusinessfromthegroundup.
Shedidnotjustsurvivethepandemic; shebuiltaninternationalbrandfromits chaos.Blackologyexpandedbeyond premiumbeanstoincludemerchandise, coachingprograms,anddigitalresources forotheraspiringentrepreneurs.She turnedthecrisisofherlayoffintoa calling,buildingacompanythatwasnot justabusiness,butatestamenttoher resilience.
BrewingaMovement
LoriJonesdidnotjustcreateaproduct; shebuiltaplatform.BlackologyCoffee Companybecameavehicleforherlarger missionofserviceandempowerment. Thebrand’ssuccessisintrinsically linkedtoitspurpose.Aportionofits proceedsgoestononprofitsthatsupport survivorsofdomesticviolence,sexual assault,andcancerresearch—causesthat resonatewithherdeepsenseofempathy.
Hercommitmenttocommunityextends beyondherowncompany.Sheserveson theBoardofDirectorsforthe ReintegrationSupportNetwork,an organizationthatworkswithyouth impactedbysubstanceuse,mentalhealth challenges,andthejusticesystem.Inthis role,shehelpsguideeffortstopromote wellness,self-advocacy,andhealthy relationships.Itisanaturalextensionof herwork,creatingsafespacesfor transformationforthosewhoneedit most.Throughherbusinessandher volunteerwork,Jonesdemonstratesthat legacyisnotmeasuredinprofit,butin impact.
Leadingacompanywhileraisingtwoboysdemandsaunique blendofstructureandgrace.LoriJonesnavigatesthis complexitywithfierceintentionality.Herlifeisacarefully orchestrateddancebetweenboardroomstrategyandbedtime stories,betweencustomercallsandcarpoolduty.Sheserves asthePTAVicePresidentathersons’school,seamlessly integratingherleadershipskillsathomeandinherbusiness.
Disciplineisheranchor.Sheusesdigitalplannersandtimeblockingtechniquestoallocateherenergytothetasksthat mattermost.Herdaystillbeginswiththatsacredcoffee ritual,aquietmomentofgroundingbeforethewhirlwind begins.Butperhapsthemostsignificantevolutioninher leadershipstylehasbeenherdecisiontostopdoing everythingalone.Foryears,sheworeherabilitytocarrythe entireloadasabadgeofhonor.Shehassincelearnedthat truestrengthliesindelegationandtrust.Shenowhires virtualassistantsandleansonhercommunity,drawingclear boundariestoprotectherpeace.Herchildrenwitnessnotjust amotherwhoworkshard,butaleaderwholeadswithafull heartandaclearmind.
Herworktodaybringsherjourneyintosharpfocus.As theCulinaryApprenticeProgramManagerandInstructor attheInter-FaithFoodShuttle,shestandsbeforepeople whoareexactlywhereshewasjustafewyearsago: unemployed,underemployed,lookingforasecond chance.Shedevelopedtheprogram’sentirecurriculum, acomprehensivecoursethatearnedaccreditationfrom theAmericanCulinaryFederation.Itistheonlyprogram ofitskindinNorthCarolina.
Thisachievementisnotjustaprofessionalmilestone;it isaprofoundpersonalone.Inthatkitchen,shedoes morethanteachknifeskillsorplatingtechniques.She mentorswithcompassion,fostersself-worth,andopens doorstocareersthatonceseemedimpossible.Shesees thetransformationinherstudentsastheylandtheirfirst culinaryjobsandreclaimtheirfutures.Theirwinsare herfuel.“Helpingothersbelieveinthemselvesismyreal jobtitle,”shesays.Itisthethreadthatconnectsthechef, theentrepreneur,themother,andthementor.Itisthe workofbuildingalegacy,onepersonatatime.
TheDailyGrind
TheFullCircle
Ifyou’restillcold-pitchingforbacklinks,you’re5yearslate.
Mostentrepreneursknowbacklinksareessential.TheymovetheSEOneedle. Theybuildauthority Theygetyoufoundbeforeyourcompetitorsevenrefresh theirhomepage.
Buthere’swhattoomanyofthemstillmiss: Youdon’tneedtopitch.Youneedtosolve.
That’stherealgamebehindbrokenlinkbuilding.
Nosmoke.Nomanipulation.Justfindingwhat’sbrokenonline—andoffering somethingbetter
TheGameHasChanged—AndMostFoundersMissedtheMemo
Askanyearly-stagefounderwhat'sharderthanfindingcustomers.You’ll probablyhear: “Gettingseen.”
Thatusuallyleadsto:
· Endlessblogposts
· Socialcontentthatbarelymakesitofftheground
· Coldemailstowebsiteswithyourbest,mostpoliterequestforabacklink
Whichgetignored.Ordeleted.Orlandyouinsomeone’s“pleasedon’temail meagain”folder
Why?Becauseyou’reaskingpeopletodo you afavor. Brokenlinkbuildingflipsthatscript.
Insteadofpitchingyourcontent,youshowupwithafixtotheirproblem—and therightpeople want tohearfromyou.
What
Broken
LinkBuildingActuallyLooksLike
Let’sbreakitdown,startup-operatorstyle.
Whatitis:
Abacklinkstrategythatinvolvesspottingdeadlinks onhigh-quality,relevantsites—thenofferingyour contentasthereplacement.
Whatit’snot:
Coldemailingwithageneralpitch.Beggingfor exposure.Hopingyourblogis“goodenough”to earninterest.
Themethod:
· Youfindalinkonareputablesitethatnolonger works.
· Youlookupwhatthatlinkusedtobe.
· Youhave—orcreate—contentthatfillsthegap.
· Yousendaconcise,helpfulnotetothesiteowner offeringyourcontentasthefix.
It’sclean.I’slogical.Andmoreoftenthannot—it works.
Becausethepsychologybehinditissimple:You’re helpingthem.Notaskingforanything.
WhyThisWorksSoWellRightNow
Onlinecontentbreaksfasterthanitgetsindexed. URLsexpire.Pagesmove.Blogsgetdeletedor archived.
Andwhenthathappens?Websiteownersarestuck withbrokenpages—andnoclueuntilsomeoneflags it.
Thatsomeonecouldbeyou.
Googlehatesdeadlinks.Visitorsbouncefrom pagesthatdon’twork.Andeditorsdon’thavetime toauditeveryoldarticleontheirsite.Whichis exactlywhythey’lllistenwhenyousay:
“Hey—Inoticedthislink’snolongerworking. Here’ssomethingyoumightfindhelpfulasa replacement.”
Andbecauseyourcontentisrelevant,timely,and solvesthesameproblem?Theoddstiltinyour favor
Thisisn’tjustSEO.It’sreputation-building.Inside digitalspacesthatalreadyhavetraffic,trust,and influence.
TheToolStack(YouActuallyNeed)
Let’sgetclear:Youdon’tneed10toolsorafull SEOagencytopullthisoff.
Butyoudoneedto focus on the right steps.
Step1:Findbrokenlinksonhigh-authoritysites. UsetoolslikeAhrefs,CheckMyLinks(afree Chromeextension),orScreamingFrogtoscan relevantwebsites.
Step2:Vetthepage.
Don’twasteyourtimereplacinglinksonpagesno onevisits.Checktraffic.Seeifit’sstillranking.
Step3:Matchthecontent’sintent.
Don’tjustlinktoyourhomepage.Offeraresource thatgenuinelymatchestheoriginallink.Ifitwasa “howto”guide,linktoyourguide.Ifitwasalistof tools,linktoyourproductincontext.
Step4:Reachoutlikeahuman. Short.Clear.Useful.Nobragging.Nofluff.
Trysomethinglike:
“Hi[Name],Ifoundabrokenlinkonyour[Article Title]—theonepointingto[OldURL].Icreateda [briefdescriptionofyourresource]thatcouldwork wellasareplacement.ThoughtI’dflagitincase you’reupdatingthatpage.”
That'sit.Nosalestone.Nohype.Justvalue.
HowSmartFoundersTurnThisIntoStrategic Visibility
IfyouonlyseebrokenlinkbuildingasanSEO hack,you’llmissthebiggeropportunity
Smartentrepreneursuseitto:
· Gettheircontentinfrontofpre-built,targeted audiences
· Earnplacementsondomainswith existingtrafficandtrust
· Buildrelationshipswitheditors andsiteownersintheirniche
· Secureevergreenbacklinksthat quietlycompoundovertime
Insteadofchasingpodcastinterviewsor payingforPR,theyreverse-engineer relevance.Onehelpfulemailatatime.
Becauselet’sfaceit:Youdon’tneed more visibility.
Youneedtherightvisibility—on websitesyourcustomersalreadytrust.
Here’sWhatNottoDo(Don’tBurn theBridgeBeforeYouCrossIt)
Agoodstrategystillneedsgood execution.Here’showbrokenlink buildinggoessideways:
· Pitchingrandomcontentthat doesn’tmatchtheoriginal. Ifyourlinkdoesn’treplacethevalue that’smissing,don’tsendit.Editors aren’tlookingforgenericfiller.
· Skippingthequalitycheck.
You’reaskingsomeonetovouchfor yourwork.Makesureyourcontentis uptodate,helpful,andactually good.
· Blastingcopy-pasteoutreachto100 sites.
Massemailsscreamspam.Andthey rarelyland.Writelikeaperson. Referencethearticle.Respecttheir inbox.
· Focusingonlow-trafficsites. Ifthepageisn’trankingorgetting readers,don’twasteyourtime.Every backlinkshouldserveyourvisibility, notjustyourvanitymetrics.
· Chasingvolumeoverstrategy. Tenstrategicplacementsonreal pagesbeat100randomlinks.Every time.
Thisisn’tanumbersgame.It’sa network-buildinggame.
DoneRight,ThisBuilds
Long-TermTrust
Look—thereareeasierwaystogetbacklinks.Youcanpayforthem.Youcan guestpost.Youcanwriterounduparticlesandtagpeopleuntilsomeone notices.
Butbrokenlinkbuildingstandsoutbecauseitdoesn’taskforfavors.Itcreates wins
· Forthesiteowner?Cleaned-upcontentthatbooststheircredibility.
· Forthereader?Ahelpfullinkthatworks.
· Foryou?Aplacementthatearnstrust and traffic.
That’swhyhigh-growthteamsuseitearly.Beforerunningads.Beforechasing press.Beforetryingtoscalewithcoldoutreach.
Becauseonceyoulandafewofthese? You’vegotrealestateonpagesthat already matter—andatrailoftrustbehind everylink.
FinalThought
MostentrepreneursthinkbacklinksareaboutSEO.
That’sonlyhalftrue.
Thesmartonesknowthey'reaboutreputation.
Andthefastestwaytobuildthatreputation?
Fixwhat’sbroken—thenoffersomethingbetter.Startthere.Onelinkatatime.
RobBullerdoesnotmerelyparticipatein thetechnologysector;heactivelyshapes itstrajectory AsFounderandManaging PartnerofCyberhillPartners,heconsistently navigatesandredefineshowenterprisesapproach criticaldomains:cybersecurity,artificialintelligence, andcloudtransformation.Robtranslatescomplex technologicaladvancementsintotangiblebusiness impact.Thisdedicationhassolidifiedhispositionas apioneer,aforcewhoexertssignificantinfluence withintherapidlyevolvinglandscapeofmodern technology.Heidentifiesfundamentalproblems. Hebuildssolutionsthatscale.
CyberhillPartners,LLC,whichRobleads,delivers specializedprofessionalengineeringservices.The firmprovideshigh-qualityenterprisetechnology solutionstoFortune500andgovernmentclients. Cyberhillcollaborateswithleadingtechnologyfirms inAI,cybersecurity,andcloud,combiningitsexpert serviceswithinnovativesoftware.Thisapproachis notincremental;itlaysnewfoundations.
ForesightasPower:TheBlueprintofDisruption
CyberhillisnotRob’sfirstventure.Overtwo decades,hehasfoundedmultiplecompanies.This entrepreneurialjourneyincludesPahu,recognizedas theworld’sfirstAI-basedidentitysolution.Pahu holdsapatentpending.Itprovidesmachine-tomachine,AI-generatedauthentication,integrating withplatformslikeAuth0.Itsmobileapplication functions.Pahuidentifiesuserswith99.9% accuracy,leveragingbillionsofdatapoints.This levelofprecisionisnotaluxury;itstandsasa fundamentalrequirementforsecuredigital interaction.
Rob’sabilitytoanticipatemarketshiftsbecame evidentearlyinhiscareer.Inthelate1990s,while Amazongainedtractionsellingbooksonline,Rob introducedanonlinegroceryshoppingplatform.
Itofferedin-storepickup.Hedidthisyearsbeforemajor retailerslikeWalmartandTargetadoptedsimilarmodels. Heenvisionedthe“buyonline,pickupinstore” experience—anow-standardpractice.Hepredicteda fundamentaltransformationinconsumerbehavior This demonstratedaninnatecapacitytoperceiveemerging patternsandbuildinfrastructureforfuturedemands.
Hisacademicbackgroundreflectsadisciplined,analytical mind.RobholdsaBAintheBasisofBiologicalBehavior (pre-med)fromtheUniversityofPennsylvania. HepossessesaDepartmentofDefenseTopSecret Clearance.Aftergraduation,hefacedapivotalchoice:a financecareeronWallStreetoratechnologypathatPrice Waterhouse.“Ithoughttomyselfthattechnologyisgoing togrowintosomethingbig,”Robrecalls.“Iwantedtobe apartofthiskindofgrowth.Thatisreallywhatstarted mycareerintechnology.”HeenteredanintensiveMITIS program,wherehetrainedinprogrammingandsystems thinking.Programming,Robexplains,demandsextreme specificity.Onemustinstructaprogramabouteverypiece andpartforproperconstruction.“Thisrequiresadifferent kindofthinking,”headds.“AndIlovedit.”This rigorous,logicalapproachunderpinshisabilitytodissect complexproblemsandbuildrobustsolutions.
Robmaintainsastrongpassionforemerging technologies.However,healsorecognizesrecurring cyclesintheindustry.“Itoftenfeelslikewe’rewatching thesamemovieplayoutinnewformats,”hestates.This clear-eyedperspectivepreventscomplacency;itcompels continuousinnovationandstrategicadaptation.
BuildingBridgesofInfluence:Cyberhill’sStrategic Design
Rob,aprovenpioneerine-commerce,AI,and cybersecurity,buildssolutionsdesignedtoimprovelives. HefoundedCyberhillin2017.Atthattime,cloud computingboomed,andcybersecurityconcernsamplified forcompanies.“Itwasaripeopportunitytohelp companies,”heasserts.
Founder and Managing Partner I Cyberhill Partners
“Ourviewfromtheverybeginningwasthatas enterprisesexpandtothefringeswithIoT,they needtobesmarter,moresecure,andscalable,” Robexplains.“Soscalableiscloud,smarterisAI, andmoresecureiscybersecurity Theseare Cyberhill’sthreemainareasoffocus.”Thisclear articulationdefinesCyberhill’sstrategicpurpose. Robpositionedthefirmattheintersectionofthese critical,convergingtechnologies.
LivingnearWashington,D.C.,atthetime,Rob immersedhimselfindiscussionsaboutregulations andpolicy-making.Theseconversationsinspired Cyberhill’sfounding.Thenameitself,drawnfrom CapitolHill,symbolizestheintersectionof governanceanddigitalsecurity.Robenvisions Cyberhillasacrucialbridge.Itelevatesthe importanceofcybersecuritybyemphasizing complianceandregulatoryalignment, transformingatechnicalnecessityintoastrategic imperative.
Cyberhillspecializesinengineeringfuture-state softwaresolutionsforFortune500andU.S. Governmententities.Itdeliverscomprehensive implementationservicesthatdrivesuccessand security.Robandhisteamengagedirectlywith leadersinvolvedintechnologystrategiesand operationsacrossbusinesses,includingCIOs, CISOs,CTOs,andChiefArtificialIntelligence Officers.Theyhelptheseleaderspreventissues relatedtocorporatedataandcybersecurity—issues that,ifunaddressed,canseverelyimpacta company.“Wehelpthemsolvetheseissues,”Rob states,“andwe’vebeenverysuccessfulinthat.”
Cyberhillalsoassistslarge,multi-billion-dollar multinationalcompanies.Robcitesclientswith extremelycomplexenvironments,including200 domainsanddatacentersspanningSingaporeand theNetherlands,utilizingbothAWSandonpremisesystemsinNewYorkandSanDiego. Theseenterprisesoperateatmassivescale, managingenormousvolumesofdataacrossglobal infrastructures.Robexplainsthattheirexpansive networkscreatepervasivecybersecuritythreats. Dataconsumptionbecomesessentialforbusiness operations.CIOsoftenleadcostcenters,limiting theirinternalcapabilities.“So,wecomeinand helpforaperiodoftimeandsolvetheproblem,” Robclarifies.
“OneofthethingsthatsetsCyberhillapartisthat webringanentireteamtoeveryengagement,” Robexplains.“Wedon’tjustsolvethe problem—weempowerourclients.”After implementation,Cyberhillprovidescomprehensive resources,suchaswebinarsandtraining documents.Thisensuresclientteamsareequipped forlong-termsuccess.“Ourgoalistoteachpeople tofish,notjusthandafish,”headds.Thisstrategic approachcultivatesdeeperclientrelationshipsand extendsinfluencebeyondimmediateservice delivery
Cyberhillhasexperiencedconsistentgrowthsince itsfounding.“Everyyearhasbeenagrowthyear,” Robconfirms.“Now,withwhatwearedoing, thingsarestartingtotakeoff.Andwearestill evolving.”Thistrajectorysignalsacompanybuilt forcontinuousadaptationandexpansion.
TheBattleforMindset:ElevatingTechnology’s Role
Robdirectlychallengesapervasive,outdated notion:technologyasmerelyacostcenter. Hearguesthatitservesasthecoreengineof modernbusiness.ConsiderGoogleandAmazon. Theyoperateprimarilyontheweb.Everyone interactswiththefrontendoftheirbusiness. “That’stheirstorefront,”Robpointsout,“and they’reworthtrillionsofdollars.”Ifacompany lacksthetechnologyinfrastructuretokeeppace withgrowingbusiness,orifbusinessand technologyarenot“joinedatthehip,”that companywillfallbehind.GoogleandAmazon, conversely,willnotfallbehind.Theirentire businessintegratesseamlesslyintotechnology
“AlotofCEOsorboardslookattechnologyasa costcenter,”Robstates.“Weneedtothink differentlyabouttechnologyattheC-leveland boardlevel;itispartofthebusiness.”Hedemands afundamentalparadigmshift.JPMorganrecently announceditsuseofAIandquantumtechnologies acrossmultipledivisions.“That’sexactlythekind ofalignmentweneedmoreof,”Robsays, “technologydrivingbusinessoutcomes.Itshould bethepairingoftechnologyandbusinesstogether togrow.”Thisdirectandpersistentadvocacyaims tore-educateexecutiveleadershipandredefine technology’sstrategicrole.
CultivatingExcellence:TheLeaderasaForce Multiplier
Robidentifiesoneofhisgreatestachievementsas offeringpeopletheopportunitytoexcel.“It’s aboutwhatwebuildandwhatweleavebehind,” headds,emphasizinglong-termimpact.Whenhe wasapartneratKPMG,hecollaboratedwith SteveTemares,thenCFOandactingCEOofBed Bath&Beyond.Temaresrequiredan e-commercesite.“So,webuiltanincredibleBed Bath&Beyonde-commercesite,”Robrecalls, “andwepioneeredorderonline,pickupatthe store.Wealsolaunchedoneofthefirstonline weddingregistries,whichhadneverexisted before.”Theseinnovationsbecamea$3billionto $4billionannualrevenuegeneratorforBedBath &Beyond.
Robfindsdeeprewardinobservingformercolleagues,from hise-commercebuildsorstartups,grow,succeed,andpursue newopportunities.“It’sfulfillingoneverylevel,”hesays. Acrosseveryventure,Robhasintentionallybuilthighperformingteams.Hefostersaculturewherepeoplethrive. Manybelieveitisa“privilege”toworkathiscompany Robremembersamomentwhenhandingoutstockoptions: onepersonstated,“Idon’tneedequity.Itisjustanhonorto workhere,andIlovebeingwithallthesepeople.”This anecdotehighlightshisabilitytoattractandretainelitetalent bybuildingacultureofsharedpurposeandhighperformance.
AsManagingPartner,Robperceiveshisroleasacoach. Heguidesateamofhighperformers.Heencourages discipline.Heidentifiesareasforimprovement.Heprepares themforfuturechallenges.“I’matremendousassettothe companyinthatrole,”heasserts.“Thesedays,Ispendmore timeworking on thebusinessthan in thebusiness.” Hepossessesdeepexperienceandinsight,whichheshares openlywithhisteam.Hisabilitytoenvisionthecompany’s futureallowshimtocoachwithbothstrategicclarityand practicalsupport.WhileheoverseesCyberhill’sfinancialand legaloperations,hefindsgreaterfulfillmentinmentoringand leadership.
Robandhisteamdrawsignificantenergyfromtheircurrent projectsandfutureprospects.“We’reworkingonincredible initiatives,partneringwithexcitingclients,andhaving meaningfulconversationsaboutfutureopportunities,” hestates.Thismomentumdrivesmotivationandinspiration. Greatleadership,Robbelieves,balancesvisionandservice: settingcleardirectionwhileequippingtheteamwiththe necessarytools,resources,andsupportforsuccess.
TheRelentlessPursuit:AdaptingtotheNextWave
“Thewayforwardismoreclients,morepartners,more people,”Robdeclares.HeenvisionsCyberhillfollowinga naturalbusinessevolution:growinginsize,increasing revenue,developingalongsideclientsandpartners.Roband histeamconsiderexpandingtheirfootprintgloballythrough mergersoracquisitions,particularlyinEurope.However, theirimmediatefocusremainsgrowthwithintheU.S.“There isathoughttoexpandinternationally,butnotthisyear Maybenextyear,”hesays.Theyalreadyserveclientsin Canada.
Theircorevaluesremainconstant:“executingeffectivelyfor allourclients”and“doingrightbyourpeople.”AsManaging Director,Robintendstocontinueensuringthateveryone receivescare,learns,grows,andachieveswork-lifebalance.
