Podcast
From the Ground Up
Hosted by Grit Daily - John Boitnott · EN
Building something from nothing isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes vision, relentless determination, and a willingness to push through the unknown. Join John Boitnott on From the Ground Up, a podcast from Grit Daily, where founders, creators, and industry leaders share their raw, unfiltered stories about making it — or sometimes, barely surviving the ride. From the pivotal moments to the unexpected lessons, this is where real talk meets real experience.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ranbir Chawla
1w ago00:32:28Tap to summarizeRanbir Chawla, founder of Vardalux Collections, shares how a lifelong love of cars, watches, and mechanical beauty became a business built around smarter collecting. Drawing on decades in technology, consulting, and luxury markets, he explains why the right physical assets can create access, preserve value, and bring real enjoyment when bought with discipline. The conversation explores watches, cars, alternative assets, networking, and why collectors should focus on quality, provenance, scarcity, and personal meaning.
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Gina Fossitt
1w ago00:28:59Tap to summarizeGina Fossitt, founder of Dandelion BevEd and creator of the Less Booze, All the Buzz community, is helping people rethink how they drink without sacrificing connection or experience. Drawing on nearly two decades in beverage education, she explores the rise of mindful drinking, the changing habits of younger generations, and why consumers increasingly want options that fit every occasion. The conversation examines entrepreneurship, community building, and the future of drinking culture.
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Mary Howerton
3w ago00:32:41Tap to summarizeMary Howerton, founder of La Belle Route Custom Tours, joins From the Ground Up to discuss how intentional travel can create deeper cultural connection and more meaningful experiences. She shares how her decades in educational and experiential travel led her to build a company focused on immersive journeys rather than checklist tourism. The conversation explores literary trips, fandom travel, student programs, accessibility, and how travelers can design trips around purpose, story, and connection.
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Janese Murray
3w ago00:37:49Tap to summarizeJanese Murray, founder of Inclusion Impact Consulting, joins From the Ground Up to discuss how workplace culture, feedback, and inclusion shape professional growth. She explores why playing small can become a career trap, especially for women navigating rooms where they may be underrepresented. The conversation covers imposter syndrome, perfectionism, mentorship, speaking up, and how professionals can better understand the value they bring.
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Anthony Vinci
Apr 2700:35:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Anthony Vinci, founder and CEO of VICO, explains how his company is using AI, mathematics, and data science to forecast global events and improve high-stakes decision-making. Drawing on his background in intelligence, technology, hedge funds, private equity, and his book The Fourth Intelligence Revolution, Vinci breaks down why leaders need to think in probabilities rather than binary outcomes. The conversation explores prediction markets, geopolitical risk, supply-chain resilience, AI’s impact on startups, and why modern entrepreneurs need to build forecasting into how they run their businesses.
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Kirsty Sharman
Apr 2100:35:06Tap to summarizeKirsty Sharman, founder and CEO of Referral Factory, shares how she built a company around one of the most overlooked growth channels in business: existing customers. This conversation explores her entrepreneurial journey from South Africa to Europe and Armenia, along with her views on referral marketing, SEO, and building an AI-first company. It is a candid look at what it takes to grow a modern business in a fast-changing digital world.
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Andy Hedrick
Apr 1300:33:05Tap to summarizeAndy Hedrick shares what has changed in sales and why so many deals are lost before a real conversation ever happens. He explains his 2V2R framework and how companies can improve close rates by showing value, proof, and credibility earlier. This episode is a practical look at what modern buyers respond to and how sales teams can adapt.
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Greg Whalen
Apr 200:32:02Tap to summarizeGreg Whalen, CTO of Prove AI, joins the show to explain why the biggest challenge in generative AI is not just building models, but making them observable, governable, and supportable at scale. The conversation explores telemetry, AI governance, and why leaders need to get closer to the details as software development changes under GenAI. It is a practical look at what enterprises must do now to avoid operational pain later.
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“Mo” Maureen Cowie
Apr 200:38:24Tap to summarizeMo Maureen Cowie, founder of Seahorsegal Designs, joins the show to share how a passion for handmade jewelry grew into a brand centered on affordability, individuality, and beauty. From custom pieces and natural stones to her philosophy on confidence, creativity, and self-trust, Cowie brings a refreshing perspective on building a business with heart. The conversation also explores positivity, social media, and how small acts of generosity can spark something much bigger.
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Ed Dua
Mar 900:35:02Tap to summarizeSilicon Valley investor Ed Dua shares the journey from coder to venture capitalist and the lessons he has learned backing more than 100 startups. He explains how IAC Ventures evaluates early-stage companies, why vertical AI is attracting serious investor attention, and what founders often misunderstand about raising capital. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and why the best opportunities may come from entrepreneurs who deeply understand the problems they are trying to solve.
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