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On the show
From 12 epsHosts
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Recent episodes
The AI Skill Every Working Adult Needs to Learn | Spencer Handley
Jun 23, 2026
1h 20m 01s
Why Great Businesses Need Stewardship, Not Just Capital | Douglas Song
May 26, 2026
1h 21m 30s
Stop Planning. Start Building. (His Rule Will Challenge You) | Daniel Innovaté
May 12, 2026
54m 18s
What It Really Takes to Build a Brand People Love | Andy Marshall
Apr 27, 2026
1h 08m 50s
Why Mentorship Is Broken (And How to Fix It) | Eve Peeterson
Apr 8, 2026
53m 02s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/23/26 |  The AI Skill Every Working Adult Needs to Learn | Spencer Handley | What happens when a musician, software engineer, educator, and entrepreneur all show up in the same person?In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Mark Cleveland sits down with Spencer Handley, Founder and CEO of Sonora, to explore a career built on curiosity, learning, and challenging conventional thinking.Spencer shares the story behind Sonora's growth from a guitar education company into a modern learning institution that has helped nearly 6,000 students—including multiple Grammy winners—reach new levels of mastery. He also discusses the recent national attention surrounding Sonora's AI transformation, what actually happened behind the headlines, and why he believes learning to work with AI may become one of the most important skills of the next decade.Along the way, the conversation explores accelerated learning, entrepreneurship, creativity, the future of work, building companies around personal passion, and what world-class performers can teach all of us about continuous growth.In this episode:• Why curiosity has been the common thread throughout Spencer's career • The two-year guitar plateau that ultimately led to founding Sonora • How Sonora has helped thousands of musicians accelerate their learning • Lessons from Grammy-winning artists and elite performers • What really happened when Sonora rebuilt its technology stack • The opportunities and risks AI presents for founders and professionals • Why Spencer believes learning how to manage AI agents is becoming a critical skill • The future of education, work, and human creativityWhether you're a founder, creator, educator, musician, or someone navigating the rapid changes happening in business and technology, this conversation offers practical insights and a thoughtful perspective on what comes next.Links & Resources 👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur NetworkThe Time article: The Small Businesses Already Replacing Workers With AISpencer's response: AI Didn't Replace Our Workers. It Replaced Our SaaS Stack.Connect with Spencer: 🌐 Sonora Music Education 🌐 Spencer Handley's website 🌐 Pioneer Species 🎸 Playback Sessions on YouTube 📸 Spencer Handley on Instagram 💼 Spencer Handley on LinkedInSonic Sphere: sonic-sphere.comConnie Yang: Connie Yang on Instagram Connie Yang's portfolioAbout the Host Mark Cleveland is an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor who works at the intersection of multiple ventures. As the voice behind The Parallel Entrepreneur, he explores how founders build aligned businesses, strong teams, and sustainable momentum, without forcing themselves into a single path.Key Moments 00:00 Introduction & Spencer's bold prediction about AI 00:43 Welcome to The Parallel Entrepreneur 01:17 The common thread: curiosity and learning 02:00 What is Sonora? 03:00 Why Grammy winners still take lessons 06:38 Studying music at UCLA and the search for mastery 07:38 The "intermediate plateau" that changed everything 10:20 The teacher who transformed Spencer's playing 12:05 How Sonora was born 14:05 The science of learning and creating momentum 17:15 Teaching through transformation, not information 19:45 Building community around mastery 23:00 Creative projects, side ventures, and parallel entrepreneurship 27:00 Why Spencer learned to code 30:00 Using software to solve your own problems 33:30 The entrepreneurial advantage of technical skills 36:15 AI, agents, and the future of work 44:25 The TIME Magazine story 47:40 What really happened inside Sonora's AI transformation 50:30 Why the middle-management layer may disappear 52:00 The human work AI can't replace 55:10 Rebuilding an entire SaaS stack 58:40 Pioneer Species and teaching AI skills 01:01:10 Flow, energy, and avoiding burnout 01:05:20 How Spencer decides what to build next 01:08:50 Managing multiple ventures without losing focus 01:12:40 Lessons from world-class musicians 01:15:20 What Spencer has changed his mind about 01:17:30 The future of learning, AI, and human potential 01:19:10 Final thoughtsSubscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, operators, and creators building extraordinary lives across multiple ventures.#ParallelEntrepreneur #MarkCleveland #SpencerHandley #Sonora #ArtificialIntelligence #Entrepreneurship #FounderStories #CreatorEconomy #FutureOfWork #BusinessPodcast© Parallel Entrepreneur, LLC 2024- 2026 | 1h 20m 01s | ||||||
| 5/26/26 |  Why Great Businesses Need Stewardship, Not Just Capital | Douglas Song✨ | stewardshipentrepreneurship+5 | Douglas Song | Prodos Capital | South KoreaUnited States | entrepreneurshipleadership+5 | — | 1h 21m 30s | |
| 5/12/26 |  Stop Planning. Start Building. (His Rule Will Challenge You) | Daniel Innovaté✨ | buildingcreativity+4 | Daniel Innovaté | AI | — | product designentrepreneurship+4 | — | 54m 18s | |
| 4/27/26 |  What It Really Takes to Build a Brand People Love | Andy Marshall✨ | brandingcommunity building+3 | Andy Marshall | A. Marshall HospitalityPuckett’s | Williamson County | brandingcommunity+5 | — | 1h 08m 50s | |
| 4/8/26 |  Why Mentorship Is Broken (And How to Fix It) | Eve Peeterson✨ | mentorshipleadership+3 | Eve Peeterson | Estonia | — | mentorshipleadership+3 | — | 53m 02s | |
| 3/18/26 |  Why Founders Don’t Succeed Alone | Dakota Simpson✨ | founder successentrepreneurship+4 | Dakota Simpson | Nashville Entrepreneur CenterBoring Company+4 | — | foundersentrepreneurship+6 | — | 21m 59s | |
| 3/11/26 |  Operational Debt Is Slowing Your Company | Stephanie Johnson✨ | operational debtbusiness strategy+3 | Stephanie Johnson | Parallel Entrepreneur | — | operational debtfractional CEO+3 | — | 6m 57s | |
| 3/4/26 |  Strategic Alignment of Talent, Tech & Data | Amy Henderson✨ | strategic alignmentleadership discipline+5 | Amy Henderson | HCA Healthcare Physician ServicesNashville Technology Council | TennesseeNashville | strategic alignmententerprise growth+8 | — | 10m 05s | |
| 2/25/26 |  Women in Tech, Real Relationships & Nashville’s Growth Story | Meg Chamblee✨ | Women in TechnologyNashville tech community+3 | Meg Chamblee | UDigWomen in Technology of Tennessee+1 | NashvilleTennessee | technologyleadership+6 | — | 21m 59s | |
| 2/18/26 |  Designing for Trust: Customer Experience, Bias & the Human–Automation Balance✨ | customer experiencedesign+5 | Suzi Earhart | CCXP | — | customer experiencetrust+5 | — | 13m 14s | |
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 2/11/26 |  Why Today’s Leadership Playbook Breaks in the Age of AI✨ | leadershipAI transformation+4 | Amalia Goodwin | Slalom | — | leadership courageAI governance+3 | — | 17m 38s | |
| 2/4/26 |  Why the Future of Entrepreneurship Starts in Schools✨ | entrepreneurship educationleadership development+4 | Dr. Jeremy Qualls | MarkifySpikey First+2 | — | entrepreneurshipeducation+5 | — | 16m 14s | |
| 1/28/26 |  Why AI Strategy Fails Before It Starts | Jon Hilton✨ | AI strategyleadership+3 | Jon Hilton | LBMCWest Point | — | AI initiativesleadership mindset+3 | — | 16m 23s | |
| 1/21/26 |  Stop Doing Tasks AI Can Handle: Shauna Sprague on Automation & Human Potential | In this special Innovation Series episode of Parallel Entrepreneur, hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Shauna Sprague, an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years of experience helping Fortune 500 organizations navigate technology transformation.Shauna is known for helping leaders move beyond the AI hype and into confident execution—building clear roadmaps, designing intelligent workflows and agents, and scaling automation responsibly. She's led AI initiatives across 49 business units and brings hands-on experience with tools like AWS, Power BI, Zapier, n8n, and LangChain.In this episode: • Why most people aren't afraid of AI — they're just overwhelmed by it • How to move from curiosity to confident AI execution (without getting lost in buzzwords) • The "automate the mundane" mindset that gives teams time back for meaningful work • A parent-friendly AI hack: photo → sports schedule → fully automated calendar • The first practical tools to start with, even if you don't have a big budget or deep technical expertise • When to use workflows, automation, RPA, and when it's time for AI agents • Why working at the top of your skill set is becoming the new competitive advantage • How to scale AI responsibly, and why human-centered, inclusive AI mattersShauna brings clarity, humility, and a deep sense of purpose to a topic that feels overwhelming for a lot of teams. If your organization has been circling AI wondering where to start, this conversation will help you take the next step, with confidence.Chapters: 00:00:00 "Eliminate the task — make yourself valuable" 00:01:13 Introducing Shauna Sprague + what this episode is about 00:02:45 Shauna's core idea: automate the mundane, protect the human work 00:03:34 The parent use-case: photo → sports/school schedule → calendar automation 00:04:02 Daily AI assist: meeting digest + LinkedIn "who I'm meeting with" rundown 00:05:33 Why resistance is normal (and how skeptics become champions) 00:05:52 The low-cost starting point: RPA tools for ~$20/month 00:06:09 When teams "graduate" to agents (LangChain / LangGraph) 00:06:41 Working at the top of your skill set (sales example: stop the busywork) 00:07:50 The empowering question: "Where do I start with AI?" 00:08:15 First recommendation: Zapier + plug-and-play automations 00:08:40 Practical example: Gmail automation + VIP alerts (and filtering sales emails) 00:09:13 Time back unlocks creativity (resources aren't the limiter anymore) 00:10:02 Upskill move: build something in n8n + become the hero 00:10:26 Closing thought: "They don't lay off valuable people"ABOUT OUR GUEST Shauna Sprague is an AI strategist, architect, and TEDx speaker with 20+ years in technology innovation. She has led AI and automation initiatives across 49 business units, built intelligent workflows and agents, and developed AI personas that streamline operations and increase efficiency. She's also a board member, STEM advocate, and champion for inclusive innovation. Shauna Sprague on LinkedInABOUT THE HOSTS Mark A. Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network.Johnny Anderson — Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the EC, and host of The Impodsters™.👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network 👉 Subscribe for more stories from entrepreneurs who thrive across multiple ventures—and live aligned lives. 👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who leads across lanes.👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network 👉 Subscribe for more Innovation Series conversations with builders and operators. 👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who's ready to make AI practical.#ShaunaSprague #ParallelEntrepreneur #InnovationSeries #AILeadership #PracticalAI #AIStrategy #Automation #AIForBusiness #FutureOfWork #HumanCenteredAI #InclusiveAI #DigitalTransformation #NashvilleTech #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipPodcast© Parallel Entrepreneur, LLC 2024- 2026 | 11m 13s | ||||||
| 1/14/26 |  Why Community Is Nashville’s Superpower — A Conversation with S3 CEO Rod McDaniel | In this special Innovation Series episode of Parallel Entrepreneur, hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson sit down with Rod McDaniel, CEO of S3 Recycling Solutions and Board Chair of the Greater Nashville Technology Council.Rod's journey, from growing up in public housing in Nashville to leading a nationally recognized, mission-driven tech recycling company, is a powerful example of what community, purpose, and leadership can create.In this episode: • Why community is Nashville's greatest strength • How mobility, transit, and opportunity are deeply connected • What's fueling Nashville's new leadership renaissance • How to use "dead time", traffic, commutes, swims, for growth • Why passion outside of work strengthens culture inside it • How companies relocating to Nashville are shaking things up • The surprising role of musicians, artists & creators in tech culture • The city's collaborative DNA, and how to protect itRod's story is as grounded as it is extraordinary, and this conversation is filled with the kind of insight that only comes from someone who's built a life on purpose, service, and second chances.Chapters:00:00:00 Introducing Rod McDaniel: Competitive Drive & Entrepreneurial Roots 00:01:10 Early Lessons from Sports, Discipline & Team Culture 00:03:05 Learning to Win Without Burning Out 00:05:00 First Ventures and the Reality of Risk 00:07:15 Navigating Failure, Pressure & Self-Doubt 00:09:40 Building Confidence Through Repetition and Trust 00:12:05 Leadership Beyond the Title 00:14:30 Accountability, Standards & Personal Ownership 00:17:00 What Real Grit Looks Like Over Time 00:19:20 Building Teams That Actually Work 00:21:45 The Importance of Culture Before Scale 00:24:10 Why People Matter More Than Process 00:26:30 Decision-Making Under Uncertainty 00:29:00 Growth, Patience & Long-Term Thinking 00:31:25 Lessons Learned the Hard Way 00:33:40 Balancing Ambition with Perspective 00:36:00 Redefining Success at Different Stages 00:38:30 Community, Connection & Giving Back 00:41:00 Nashville's Role in Shaping Leaders 00:43:20 Creating Impact Beyond Business 00:45:40 Advice for Founders in the Middle 00:48:10 Staying Grounded While Scaling 00:50:30 Final Reflections on Leadership & LegacyABOUT OUR GUEST Rod McDaniel is CEO of S3 Recycling Solutions, a 5x Inc. 5000 company and Best Place to Work honoree. A native Nashvillian and community advocate, Rod has driven more than 3,000% revenue growth, speaks nationally on sustainability and leadership, and serves on major boards including the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and Nashville Technology Council. Rod McDaniel on LinkedInABOUT THE HOSTS Mark A. Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, entrepreneur, M&A advisor, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur Network.Johnny Anderson — Nashville tech leader, GNTC board member, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the EC, and host of The Impodsters™.👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network 👉 Subscribe for more stories from entrepreneurs who thrive across multiple ventures—and live aligned lives. 👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who leads across lanes.#RodMcDaniel #S3Recycling #NashvilleTech #LeadershipPodcast #MissionDrivenBusiness #CommunityLeadership #EntrepreneurStory #Inc5000 #SustainabilityTech #FaithAndBusiness #PurposeDrivenLeadership© Parallel Entrepreneur, LLC 2024- 2026 | 25m 47s | ||||||
| 1/7/26 |  Nashville’s Tech Future: Why the Pieces Are All Here | Mark Blaze | What happens when a city stops waiting for permission and starts acting like the technology hub it already is? You get Nashville's tech moment, and leaders willing to build it together.Mark Blaze is the kind of leader communities grow around. As President & CEO of the Greater Nashville Technology Council, he's less interested in headlines and more focused on connection, collaboration, and long-term impact.In this Innovation Series episode, recorded live at the Greater Nashville Technology Council Innovation Summit, Mark joins hosts Mark Cleveland and Johnny Anderson for a grounded, honest conversation about what makes Nashville different, and what it will take to turn momentum into global prominence.If you care about ecosystems, talent, leadership, and building something bigger than any one company, this conversation is for you.In this episode:Why Nashville already has "all the pieces of the puzzle" How public–private partnership accelerates real innovation What servant leadership looks like at a city-wide scaleThe importance of finding, developing, and retaining tech talent Why collaboration — not competition — is the region's real advantageHow reverse mentorship strengthens modern leadership What it will take for Nashville to earn worldwide tech prominenceChapters:00:00:00 Welcome to the Innovation Series from the Nashville Innovation Summit 00:01:20 Introducing Mark Blaze & the Greater Nashville Technology Council 00:02:35 Why Nashville Is the Best Place to Start and Grow a Business 00:03:55 Geographic Advantage, Tax Policy & Momentum 00:05:10 "We Have the Height" — Nashville's Natural Gifts 00:06:30 Collaboration as a Competitive Advantage 00:07:45 Servant Leadership and Mark's Influences 00:09:10 Learning from Reverse Mentorship 00:10:40 Government as a Partner in Innovation 00:12:20 Public & Private Investment Working Together 00:13:55 What's Still Missing — And Why Nothing Is Broken 00:15:30 Connecting Talent, Capital & Opportunity 00:17:10 The Vision for Nashville's Tech Ecosystem in 3 Years 00:18:45 Finding, Developing & Retaining Talent 00:20:30 The Region's "Special Sauce": Its People 00:22:10 Final Thoughts on Community, Leadership & What's NextShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Mark Cleveland's LinkedIn PostConnect with Mark Blaze • LinkedIn – Mark Blaze • Greater Nashville Technology Council – technologycouncil.comAbout Our Hosts • Mark Cleveland — Managing Director at Kensington Park Capital, founder, M&A strategist, and host of the Parallel Entrepreneur • Johnny Anderson — Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, advisor, and tech community leader👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network 👉 Subscribe for more stories from entrepreneurs who thrive across multiple ventures—and live aligned lives. 👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who leads across lanes.© Parallel Entrepreneur, LLC 2024- 2026 | 11m 50s | ||||||
| 5/22/25 |  Michael Built a Cybersecurity Empire—Then Let Competitors Use His Tools | What happens when a cybersecurity veteran automates the work his competitors still struggle to deliver? He builds the future—and lets them use it.Michael Peters is a rare kind of founder: one who leads both with technical depth and creative clarity. In this episode, we dive into the frameworks behind his companies Lazarus Alliance and Continuum GRC, the origin of the HORSE Project, and how he balances operational intensity with deep personal discipline.If you're building more than one thing—and trying to stay grounded while doing it—this conversation is for you.In this episode:• How Michael turned spreadsheet pain into an AI-driven compliance platform• His decision to turn down a major buyout• What it means to lead a “family-responsible” company• How he manages time, noise, and multiple companies with intention• His upcoming leap from cybersecurity to sci-fi storytellingChapters:00:00:00 Introducing Michael Peters: Venture Catalyst & Cybersecurity Pioneer00:01:52 Lazarus Alliance: Audits, Compliance & Global Reach00:04:15 From “Spreadshits” to Automation: Birth of Continuum GRC00:05:03 The HORSE Project: One Question, Many Frameworks00:06:21 Automating the Boring Stuff00:06:45 Pivoting to Continuum GRC and Passing on a Buyout00:09:41 Navigating Jurisdictions: From FedRAMP to GDPR00:11:07 Why We Let Competitors White-Label Our Tech00:12:18 My First Business: Cannons, Cabins & Capitalism at Age 900:13:34 Hacking Bell Labs and Exploring the Internet in the 90s00:14:49 Selling My ISP in 1995 Before the Web Was Cool00:16:00 Using AI to Transform Compliance & Technical Writing00:17:30 Time Management, Focus Time, and Email Discipline00:20:08 Structure, Boundaries, and Protecting Family Time00:22:45 Creating a Family-Responsible Culture at Work 00:25:50 Managing Auditors vs. Software Creatives00:27:20 Overcoming Upward Delegation with Great Leadership00:28:35 Aligning Vision Across Two Very Different Companies00:30:00 The Traits That Make Parallel Entrepreneurs Thrive00:31:30 Why I Work in 15-Minute Bursts00:33:01 Advice to My Younger Self: Be Bolder00:35:30 The Power of Younger Friends and a Growth Mindset00:37:21 Books on Our Nightstands00:38:50 Engineering Meets Creativity in My Daily Workflow00:40:30 Solving Problems Before They Become Disasters00:41:42 Biggest Challenge: Bureaucracy vs. Innovation00:43:29 What’s Next: A Sci-Fi Trilogy at 4 A.M.00:46:32 The Books I’ve Written and the LifeLock Exit00:48:19 Togetherness, Legacy, and Mars00:50:49 What You Didn’t Ask: The Secret Sauce I Won’t ShareShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereConnect with Michael Peters - LinkedIn – Michael PetersContinuum GRC - continuumgrc.comLazarus Alliance - lazarusalliance.comTo Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others by Daniel Pink - https://www.danpink.com/books/to-sell-is-human/ The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind by Gustave Le Bon - https://www.amazon.com/Crowd-Study-Popular-Mind/dp/1636000169 Time Anxiety by Chris Guillebeau - https://www.timeanxiety.com/ Securing the C Level: Getting, Keeping, or Reclaiming that Executive Title by Michael Peters - https://www.amazon.com/Securing-Level-Getting-Reclaiming-Executive/dp/146796882X The Holistic Operational Readiness Security Evaluation: HORSE Project Series: Governance Documentation and Information Technology Security Policies Demystified by Michael Peters - https://www.amazon.com/Holistic-Operational-Readiness-Security-Evaluation/dp/1468063871 👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/#about-me👉 Subscribe for more stories from entrepreneurs who thrive across multiple ventures—and live aligned lives.👍 Like this episode? Leave a comment or share it with someone who leads across lanes. | 53m 11s | ||||||
| 5/15/25 |  The Power of Curiosity: Carla Bailo on Smart Cities, Boardroom Wisdom, and Transforming Mobility | In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Mark Cleveland welcomes Carla Bailo—an industry visionary who’s helped shape the future of mobility, from General Motors and Nissan to leading the Center for Automotive Research and winning the USDOT Smart City Challenge for Columbus, Ohio. Carla shares stories of innovation, mentorship, boardroom leadership, and the importance of building systems that serve every citizen.Carla's bold curiosity and relentless learning has had great impact on transportation, public policy, and corporate governance. From deploying bus rapid transit in underserved neighborhoods to baking the perfect baguette, this episode celebrates the human side of engineering and entrepreneurship.Chapters List:00:00:00 – Introduction to Carla Bailo00:01:00 – Carla's Impact on Cities and Roads00:03:19 – Columbus Wins the Smart Cities Challenge00:06:50 – Rethinking Mobility for Underserved Communities00:10:13 – Logistics Innovation: Rickenbacker Middle-Mile Project00:12:45 – A Flyer on the Door: Communication Gaps in Tech Projects00:15:23 – Paralleling Transportation, Economic Access, and Planning00:18:36 – Start Small, Learn Fast: Scaling Smart City Systems00:21:24 – Asking Better Questions: Carla’s Mentoring Style00:23:33 – Think in Seven Generations: Long-Term Urban Planning00:25:58 – Carla on Joining Corporate Boards and Boardroom Roles00:28:00 – Lessons from Her Father on Responsibility and Preparation00:32:29 – Learning Upstream Oil & Gas Through Hands-On Curiosity00:34:20 – CEO Oversight and Navigating Shifting Political Climates00:37:22 – What Makes a Great Board and a Good CEO00:40:55 – Mentoring Done Right: Listening and Mutual Learning00:46:50 – Grandparent Wisdom and Generational Teaching00:49:49 – The Joy of Embracing the Unknown00:53:07 – Baking Baguettes & Balancing Curiosity with Relaxation00:54:40 – Surviving as a Woman Engineer in the ‘70s and ‘80s00:57:54 – Final Reflections: Making a Difference at ScaleShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereCarla Bailo, NACD.DC on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-bailo-nacd-dc-604ba19/ Smart Columbus - https://smartcolumbus.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com US Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge - https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-announces-columbus-winner-unprecedented-40-million-smart Society of Automotive Engineers – https://www.sae.org/ Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation - https://awafoundation.org/ The Road to the Top is Not on the Map: Conversations with Top Women of the Automotive Industry by Carla Bailo – https://www.amazon.com/Road-Top-Not-Map-Conversations/dp/0768000920The Road Forward: More Conversations with Top Women in the Automotive Industry by Carla Bailo – https://www.sae.org/publications/books/content/r-513/ Women in Mobility Bundle by Carla Bailo - https://www.amazon.com/Women-Mobility-Bundle-Carla-author/dp/1468603574/ Enjoy this episode? Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with fellow entrepreneurs! For more insights and to join our community, visit parallelentrepreneur.com. | 59m 53s | ||||||
| 5/8/25 |  Part 2 - Currency Chaos, AI Freedom & The Future of Value | Matthew Joynes | Welcome back to The Parallel Entrepreneur for part 2 with British-American polymath Matthew Joynes. In this fast-paced sequel we dive into:• How Matthew rescued a bankrupt currency-trading firm and scaled it to $1 B+ in volume.• Why he calls Bitcoin “a collectible—like Beanie Babies” and predicts its slide back to reality.• Dollar dominance, tariffs as modern-day tribute, and the hidden mechanics of fiat liquidity.• AI-driven disruption—from accountants to animation studios—and the rise of “one-person unicorns.”• Freedom as America’s true currency, and how Gen-Z parallel entrepreneurs can seize the moment.Stick around to the end for Matthew’s no-BS advice on patents, cap tables, and turning unused assets into new revenue with AI.Chapters:00:00:00 Matthew Joynes Show Teasers00:00:32 Part 2 Kick-Off With Matthew Joynes00:01:19 From Law to Saving a Bankrupt FX Firm00:04:28 Market Manipulation: Gold, Silver, Currencies00:06:12 Bitcoin Debate: Commodity or Currency?00:09:39 Crypto Regulation & Generational Wealth Gaps00:11:20 Money Creation: Share Price as Printing Press00:13:00 “Bitcoin Is a Beanie Baby”00:13:54 Why the Dollar’s Purchasing Power Rose00:14:44 Tariffs, China’s Trap & Deflation Forces00:17:11 Digital Dollar, CBDCs & Surveillance Risks00:18:28 Freedom as America’s Ultimate Currency00:22:21 Rethinking Value in an AI-Robot Economy00:23:59 Tariffs Through a Business Lens00:25:15 Tribute Economy & the Stock-Market Train00:31:01 Adapt, Adopt, Change: Redefining Failure00:33:54 Patent Wars Versus Creative Marketing00:35:37 Why Patents Usually Waste Money00:38:50 Gen-Z’s Parallel Entrepreneurship Boom00:41:54 Pinpoint Apps & the Free-Service Model00:45:40 Renting Idle Assets With AI Matching00:47:27 Knowledge Is Cheap, Everything as a Rental00:49:12 Phones, Cubes & Voice-First Futures00:51:38 “Spend the $20 and Learn AI”00:53:37 Animation Disrupted: IP vs. Algorithms00:56:00 Final Takeaways & Thanks to MatthewShow Notes:Matthew Joynes – LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjoynesGamevice - https://gamevice.com LifeMed AI - https://lifemed.ai/ Pulley - https://pulley.com/CompaniesHouse.gov (free UK company filings)👉 Subscribe for more conversations that unleash potential everywhere.🎧 Listen to the audio pod & get extras: https://theparallelentrepreneur.transistor.fm/🚀 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/ | 55m 02s | ||||||
| 5/1/25 |  Part 1 - AI Will Erase 20th Century – Parallel Entrepreneur Matthew Joynes on Money, Cap Tables & Super-AI | What happens when super-AI makes lawyers, accountants—and even capitalism—obsolete?British-American “apex” parallel entrepreneur Matthew Joynes (PGA producer, GameVice inventor, LifeMed AI founder) joins host Mark Cleveland to smash the china shop of old-school business.In this high-voltage conversation you’ll learn:▸ Why Joynes says the real product of your company is its share price▸ How LifeMed AI replaces 90,000 manual billing jobs with 120 staff and a neural network▸ The fatal cap-table mistakes that make a start-up “un-investable”▸ Post-capitalist realities: one-person, billion-dollar AI companies, robot labor, 7-day weeks disappearing▸ Practical first steps for founders—tokenization, options, warrants, “buying your own time,” and moreChapters:00:00:00 Matthew Joynes Show Teasers00:00:26 Meet Matthew Joynes, “Apex” Parallel Entrepreneur00:02:31 Why AI Will Rewrite History00:09:29 The Fear (And Opportunity) in AI00:12:27 From Blind to Seeing: AI As New Vision00:13:30 Work, Creativity, and Post-Capitalism00:15:54 Parallel Entrepreneurs as Creators00:17:24 What Matthew’s Reading Now00:18:50 Why Every Tech Founder Is Parallel00:22:00 “Your Product Is Your Share Price”00:25:32 Biggest Mistakes in Forming a Company00:29:10 Turning Shares Into Currency00:30:27 Building an Investable Cap Table00:37:52 Competing With (And Eating) Yourself00:38:45 AI As Your Personal Teacher00:44:10 Follow Your Curiosity, Not Just Passion00:49:30 Selling a Film With Just Script & Poster00:52:20 AI Accelerates Every Creative Idea00:56:55 Letting Go, Buying Your Own Time00:57:30 Stop Spending on Others—Invest in Yourself00:59:17 Teaser for Part TwoShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereMatthew Joynes – LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewjoynesGamevice - https://gamevice.com Stolen (2012) - http://www.stolen-movie.com/ Bullet (2014) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdF9Vcv4cCo I Am Soldier (2014) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LIqnkUl0zA Marmadue (2022) - https://scfilmsinternational.com/current-films-animation-titles/marmaduke-3d/Dragonkeeper (2024) - https://dragonkeepermovie.com/ LifeMed AI - https://lifemed.ai/ Pulley - https://pulley.com/Brendan Iribe - https://brendaniribe.com/ Backbone One - https://playbackbone.com/ Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network: https://www.parallelentrepreneur.com/ | 1h 00m 11s | ||||||
| 4/24/25 |  Start Paralleling: Mark Cleveland on Multiplying Your Impact | Stop juggling. Start PARALLELING. Entrepreneur, community‑builder and podcast host Mark Cleveland takes the Creative Mornings stage to share why the future belongs to parallel thinkers—people who let multiple passions run side‑by‑side so each fuels the next.Whether you’re a founder with five side projects, an artist‑parent, or a multipotentialite who refuses to “pick a lane,” this 15‑minute talk will give you:• A new definition of success (alignment, not hustle)• Real‑life examples from the Parallel Entrepreneur Network • A 60‑second guided reflection you can do right now • Practical prompts to weave business, art, family and growth into one powerful tapestryChapters:00:00:00 Intro — What “parallel” really means 00:01:55 The origin of The Parallel Entrepreneur project 00:04:17 Case study: Caitlin MacGregor’s aligned life 00:07:08 Insight: The power of slowing down 00:09:40 When stillness feeds creativity 00:11:32 Paralleling vs. Pivoting 00:13:05 Guided reflection exercise 00:14:40 Final invitation + takeaways Join the community:https://ParallelEntrepreneur.com/Subscribe for more talks & founder stories: https://www.youtube.com/@ParallelEntrepreneur?sub_confirmation=1 Key Quotes“Success isn’t in speeding up; it’s in letting every lane of your life feed the others.” “When who you are shows up in everything you do, stress becomes spaciousness.”Connect with Mark• Twitter – https://twitter.com/MarkCleveland • LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark‑cleveland/ • Podcast – https://parallelentrepreneur.com/podcast Connect with Creative Morningshttps://creativemornings.com/Show Notes:Share and engage with this video on LinkedIn: Click here | 11m 15s | ||||||
| 4/17/25 |  From Basement Startup to Global Brand: Tim Ozgener’s Parallel Journey | Looking for inspiration on juggling multiple business passions? Tim Ozgener might just be your blueprint. He helped take CAO Cigars from a basement startup to a global best-seller and then founded OZ Arts, a cutting-edge contemporary arts hub in Nashville. Now launching Oz Family Cigars, Tim blends art, science, and storytelling into every venture. In this episode, he and Mark Cleveland explore:• Following Your Heart: Why Tim chose cigars and contemporary art• Improv & Entrepreneurship: Leveraging “Yes, And” to handle surprises & spark creativity• Exiting at the Top: Inside the CAO sale, key lessons in valuation & deal structure• Nonprofit vs. For-Profit: Contrasts in building teams, mission, and sustainability• Staying Centered: Yoga, mindful scheduling, and choosing environments that fuel innovationParallel Entrepreneurs, subscribe now and tell us in the comments which Oz insight struck your fancy—was it engineering meets art, or harnessing improv in daily business?Chapters List:00:00:00 Meet Tim Ozgener: Nashville’s Multi-Passionate Unicorn00:01:14 Why Follow Your Passions?00:02:23 The Art & Science of Cigars00:05:09 Improv Skills in Business00:07:14 Launching OZ Arts: A Different Kind of Startup00:09:22 The Power of Authentic Connection00:12:13 Lessons from Dad: Engineering Meets Entrepreneurship00:15:18 Time Management & Team Trust00:19:00 Nonprofit vs. For-Profit: Contrasting Cultures00:22:00 Building Global Distribution00:29:08 The CAO Exit Story00:37:14 Yoga, Flow & Mindful Entrepreneurship00:42:00 Embracing Failure & AuthenticityShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereCAO Cigars - https://www.caocigars.com/ OZ Arts - https://www.ozartsnashville.org/ Crowned Heads Cigars - https://www.crownedheads.com/ Oz Family Cigars - https://ozfamilycigars.com/ The Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell - https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Tipping-Point-Overstories-Superspreaders/dp/0316575801/ Headway app - https://headwayapp.co/ Art Basel - https://www.artbasel.com/ Ken Cope Consulting, LLC - https://kencopeconsultingllc.com/ | 58m 04s | ||||||
| 4/10/25 |  From EdTech to CyberTech: Justin’s Parallel Entrepreneur Path | AI and security compliance could make or break your next venture. In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Mark Cleveland sits down with Justin Beals, co-founder of Strike Graph, to dive into frameworks, data risk, and that special systems-thinking spark that turns small wins into scalable success. Leveraging his EdTech expertise to tackle security compliance for billion-dollar enterprises, Justin’s story is a masterclass in spotting trends and executing effectively.Key Highlights:• Opportunity Filtering – The three questions Justin always asks before launching a new product.• AI as Internal Auditor – How Strike Graph deploys large language models to verify compliance automagically.• Co-Founder vs. Solo Act – Winning arguments for teamwork, board partnerships, and the joys of not going it alone.• Music & Mental Health – Surprising ways that daily creative outlets (and old-school Ashtanga yoga) keep Justin’s energy fresh.Ready to sharpen your parallel potential? Subscribe now and share which insight resonated most—AI? Mentoring? Or making that “hundredth monkey” leap?Chapters List:00:00:00 Introduction to Justin Beals and StrikeGraph00:02:02 Spotting Opportunities: Three Key Questions00:04:10 Building Strike Graph: Why Framework Matters00:06:06 Understanding Risk in Entrepreneurship00:08:19 Systems Thinking & Data Models00:12:09 Trends in Cybersecurity and Business Impact00:14:31 Surviving a Downturn: B2B SaaS Realities00:16:18 Co-Founders & Good Investors00:19:43 Leveraging AI in Cybersecurity00:22:35 Mentoring & Measured Learning00:27:25 Creativity and Leadership in Entrepreneurship00:33:13 Lessons Learned in Business and Co-Founding00:40:36 Navigating Change with Venture Backers00:43:19 The Emotional Landscape of Collaboration00:45:18 The Art of Flexibility in Leadership00:46:20 Shifting Focus: From Sales to Strategic Partnerships00:48:00 Scaling with Core Values00:51:38 Identifying Aha Moments in Customer Experience00:53:57 The Impact of AI on Business and Society00:57:52 Empowerment through Creative Technology00:01:05:47 The Future of AI Companions00:01:08:21 Lessons from the Past: Advice for the Future00:01:18:58 The Essence of AI and PoetryShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereSecure Talk podcast - https://www.strikegraph.com/secure-talk-podcastStrikeGraph – https://www.strikegraph.com/ Roundbox Global - https://roundbox.com/Koru - https://www.koru.global/Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan - https://www.amazon.com/ZEALOT-Life-Times-Jesus-Nazareth/dp/140006922X Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC – AD 1000 by Barry Cunliffe - https://www.amazon.com/Europe-Between-Oceans-9000-BC-AD/dp/0300170866 The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three-Body_Problem_(novel) Hundredth Monkey Effect - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundredth_monkey_effect | 1h 08m 47s | ||||||
| 4/3/25 |  The Human Side of Hustle Ft Robert Hartline | What happens when a merger you can't control threatens to destroy your 22-year business overnight? Meet Robert Hartline—parallel founder who scaled his wireless stores to $100 million, only to face a brutal T-Mobile merger that forced him to shut down half his locations in months. In this candid episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Robert reveals why he believes in dancing through chaos, harnessing AI for decisions, and leading from a place of love.Key Highlights:• Secrets of a $100M Scale – How Robert powered up his cell phone stores with EOS and big-picture “why.”• Dark Night of the Merger – The day Google listings vanished, store traffic plummeted, and Robert sold to survive.• Harnessing AI as "Idea Manager" – Why we should treat AI like a creative partner, not a threat.• Mindset & Breathwork – Tools Robert swears by to stay calm, refocus, and unlock “superhero energy.”• The Clark Kent vs. Superman Moment – Overcoming shame, embracing authenticity, and letting your real self shine.If you’re juggling multiple ventures—or dreaming of it—hit Subscribe and share in the comments which breathwork or AI tip resonates most with you!Chapters List:00:00:00 Introduction to Robert Hartline00:00:47 Scaling to $100M & EOS Discipline00:03:01 How Robert Reframes to Discover His “Why”00:08:38 The T-Mobile Merger: From Momentum to Meltdown00:14:20 Darkness, Divorce, and Post-Merger Fallout00:19:45 The COVID Mask Pivot & Parallel Entrepreneurship Gone Wild00:23:49 AI as Your “Idea Manager” 00:27:40 The Energy of Connection and Creation00:30:12 How to Flow: Add Love, Breath & Movement00:32:43 Unique Ability and the Power of Community00:34:56 Discovering Your Why and Core Values00:37:16 The Role of Love in Business and Life00:40:00 Clark Kent vs. Superman: Embracing Your True Self00:42:46 AI as a Decision-Making Tool00:50:07 Energy Management and Personal Practices00:52:17 The Biggest Gift Ever & the Future00:54:56 Slowing Down to Speed Up00:58:15 Wrap-Up & GratitudeShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereThe Decision Experience - https://thedecisionexperience.com/ Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) - https://www.eosworldwide.com/ Soma Breath Guided Breathwork Training and Certification- https://www.somabreath.com/ Wim Hoff Breathing - https://www.wimhofmethod.com/breathing-exercises Strategic Coach by Dan Sullivan - https://www.strategiccoach.com/book-a-callTraction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman - https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-book Driven: Understanding and Harnessing the Genetic Gifts Shared by Entrepreneurs, Navy Seals, Pro Athletes, and Maybe You by Douglas Brackmann and Randy Kelley - https://www.iamdriven.com/ 10x Is Easier Than 2X: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy - https://10xeasierbook.com/ The Three Marriages: Reimaging Work, Self and Relationship by David Whyte - https://davidwhyte.com/store/book/the-three-marriages/ Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert - https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/CallProof, sales tracking app - https://callproof.com/ | 1h 00m 38s | ||||||
| 3/27/25 |  Surviving to Serve: A Parallel Entrepreneur’s Comeback Ft Dr. Michael Sprintz | How do you launch a thriving medical practice, then pivot to a fast-scaling software startup—all while staying laser-focused on patient care, personal growth, and 24 years in recovery? In this episode, Mark Cleveland welcomes Dr. Michael Sprintz, an anesthesiologist-turned-tech-entrepreneur tackling chronic pain, addiction, and complicated billing structures in healthcare. Dr. Sprintz shares how resiliency, authentic leadership, and “flow” guide his parallel ventures.Highlights:• From OR to Revenue Tech – Why Michael traded the surgical suite for software code.• 24 Years Sober – How recovery principles shape his resilience in business.• Nail Compliance, Stop Revenue Bleed – The healthcare billing problem Michael solves.• Mindset Hacks – Handling stress, negativity, and “the shadow self” with unshakable resolve.• Chasing Flow – Moving from “hustle 24/7” to deeper creativity and real presence.Chapters List:00:00:00 The Journey of Dr. Michael Sprintz00:01:45 Resilience and Tenacity in Recovery00:04:27 The Intersection of Pain and Addiction00:06:40 Lessons from Entrepreneurship00:09:00 Aligning Vision and Values00:10:39 The Birth of Solarian00:13:21 Navigating the Software Landscape00:14:08 The Role of AI in Healthcare00:16:13 Market Response and Growth Strategies00:18:14 The Art of Adaptation00:20:07 Authenticity in Business00:22:08 Future Aspirations and Innovations00:24:48 Best Advice Received: What you sell your company is not what you created at first00:28:52 Helping Others See Beyond Their Current Reality00:29:53 Understanding the Opioid Crisis and Healthcare Misalignment00:32:45 Balancing Stress and Personal Life as a CEO00:34:13 Time Management and Effective Communication00:35:56 Lessons from Life and Death Experiences00:37:43 Finding Meaning and Making Ethical Decisions00:39:37 Embracing Technology and Uncertainty in Healthcare00:41:27 Reflecting on Past Accomplishments and Future Risks00:42:55 Living Life with No Regrets00:43:55 The Impact of Literature on Personal Growth00:45:14 The Connection Between Humanity and Business00:52:44 Art, Music, and the Flow of Life00:57:13 Trusting the Process and Letting GoShow Notes:Share and engage with this interview on LinkedIn: Click hereCellarian Inc., healthcare software that improves diagnosis, treatment, documentation and risk-management for substance use disorder and other diseases - https://www.cellarian.com/ A Life of Meaning: Relocating Your Center of Spiritual Gravity by James Hollis - https://jameshollis.net/hollisBooks.html Living with Borrowed Dust: Reflections on Life, Love and Other Grievances by James Hollis - https://jameshollis.net/hollisBooks.html The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – https://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0062315005/ Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss – https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805 Mark’s 2025 Bhavana – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twS9UpeqeF0 | 1h 00m 49s | ||||||
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