Épisodes

  • Inside the Mind of a Former Xerox CEO | Steven Bandrowczak

    Inside the Mind of a Former Xerox CEO | Steven Bandrowczak
    Aug 4 2026

    There are very few people who have led transformation at the scale Steven Bandrowczak has.

    After leading global technology businesses including DHL, Lenovo, HP and ultimately serving as CEO of Xerox, Steven joins Mark Cleveland to share the leadership lessons he's learned from decades of navigating disruption, reinvention and technological change.

    One of the most surprising moments in this conversation comes when Steven argues that AI shouldn't be owned by IT, it should be owned by HR. His reasoning challenges the way most organisations are approaching AI today and completely reframes how leaders should think about building the workforce of the future.

    But this episode is about far more than artificial intelligence.

    How do you reinvent before you're forced to?

    How do you lead people through uncertainty?

    How do you build organisations that embrace change instead of fearing it?

    Steven shares lessons from reinventing Xerox, leading through major acquisitions, learning from failure, mentoring future leaders and why leadership, not technology, is still the deciding factor between companies that thrive and companies that disappear.

    If you're building a business, leading a team or trying to understand where AI fits into your organisation, this conversation offers practical insights from someone who has led through transformation at the highest level.

    𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲;
    • Why Steven believes AI should be owned by HR, not IT
    • Why reinvention is harder than transformation
    • The biggest mistake leaders make during change
    • Why company culture determines whether acquisitions succeed
    • The real reason businesses fail to capture value from AI
    • Why fear is the biggest obstacle to innovation
    • How entrepreneurs should think about disruption
    • The importance of solving real business problems
    • Building organisations that can adapt faster
    • Leadership lessons from more than four decades in technology
    • Why kindness may be one of the greatest leadership advantages

    𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗰𝘇𝗮𝗸
    Steven Bandrowczak is the former Chief Executive Officer of Xerox and previously served as the company's President and Chief Operating Officer. Across a career spanning more than four decades, he has held senior leadership roles at DHL, Lenovo, HP and Avaya while leading major technology transformations across global organisations.
    LinkedIn

    Today, Steven advises CEOs and boards on AI strategy while teaching the next generation of technology leaders at Northeastern University.

    𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀:
    SOL Consulting - Website
    SOL Consulting - Linkedin

    The Parallel Entrepreneur Podcast

    𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 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.
    LinkedIn

    Chapters
    00:00 AI or Employees? Why It's Both
    00:36 Introducing Steven Bandrowczak
    02:03 Reinventing Xerox as CEO
    06:22 Why Mergers Fail
    08:32 Keeping a 100-Year-Old Company Innovative
    12:13 Why AI Is Accelerating So Fast
    15:40 Leading People Through AI Change
    17:57 Why HR Should Own AI Agents
    20:29 What the Nortel Collapse Taught Steven
    24:22 Why AI Can't Replace Strategy
    28:54 Growing Up in Queens & Becoming Fearless
    33:49 Leadership, Kindness & Reading the Green
    36:07 Building an AI Strategy That Creates Value
    39:03 The Biggest Business Risk Today
    41:10 Why Companies Aren't Getting Value from AI
    43:02 The Future of Parallel Entrepreneurship
    48:18 The CEO's Responsibility to Build Leaders
    51:15 Reverse Mentorship & Developing Talent
    53:10 What Steven Is Reading
    55:51 What He'd Tell His Younger Self
    57:53 Closing Thoughts

    Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, operators, and creators building extraordinary lives across multiple ventures.
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    59 min
  • The Comfort Trap Every Entrepreneur Must Escape | Joe De Sena

    The Comfort Trap Every Entrepreneur Must Escape | Joe De Sena
    Jul 21 2026

    Joe De Sena has built one of the world's most recognised endurance brands.
    As the founder and CEO of Spartan, he's spent decades proving that resilience isn't something you're born with. It's something you build.

    In this conversation with Mark Cleveland, Joe shares the business philosophy behind Spartan, why comfort quietly destroys ambition, how surrounding yourself with the right people changes your future, and why entrepreneurs should deliberately seek challenges instead of avoiding them.

    They also explore Joe's unlikely path from cleaning swimming pools in Queens to Wall Street, launching Spartan after years of failure, navigating 9/11, surviving COVID, and ultimately helping obstacle racing reach the Olympic Games.

    This isn't just a conversation about fitness.
    It's about leadership, business, discipline, resilience and building a life you'll actually be proud of.

    In this episode:
    • Growing up around hustle and learning business before adulthood
    • The three lessons that shaped Joe's career
    • Why relationships matter more than transactions
    • Leaving a successful business to start over on Wall Street
    • The long road to building Spartan
    • What entrepreneurs get wrong about comfort
    • Why difficult goals literally reshape your brain
    • Future memory and finishing what you start
    • Building companies around purpose instead of money
    • The importance of community and environment
    • How to stay motivated for decades, not weeks
    • Why the journey matters more than the destination
    If you're building a business, leading a team, or simply trying to become a stronger version of yourself, this conversation is full of timeless lessons.

    About Joe De Sena
    Joe De Sena is the Founder and CEO of Spartan, the world's leading endurance sports and obstacle racing brand operating in more than 40 countries. He is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, endurance athlete and one of the world's leading voices on resilience, discipline and human performance.

    Links & Resources:
    Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network:

    The Parallel Entrepreneur Podcast:

    Connect with Joe De Sena:
    Website:
    LinkedIn:
    Instagram:
    X:
    Facebook:
    YouTube:
    Spartan:
    Joe's Books:

    About 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.
    Linkedin

    Key Moments
    00:00 Why your brain avoids hard things
    00:00:45 Meet Joe De Sena
    00:02:03 Growing up around hustlers and the Bonanno family
    00:06:37 Four rejections before Cornell said yes
    00:12:19 Leaving construction for Wall Street
    00:16:15 How failure led to building Spartan
    00:18:37 Launching an endurance race after 9/11
    00:22:38 The Parallel Entrepreneur mindset
    00:26:17 Why comfort is the real enemy
    00:29:16 Future memory and why finishing hard things matters
    00:31:14 Building an environment for peak performance
    00:33:15 Journey vs. destination
    00:35:30 Reinventing Spartan during COVID
    00:37:05 When data tells you to compromise
    00:38:12 The 15-year vision to reach the Olympics
    00:40:10 Building a mission bigger than money
    00:43:40 Joe De Sena's challenge for every entrepreneur

    Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, operators, and creators building extraordinary lives across multiple ventures.

    #Entrepreneurship #Business #Founder #BusinessLeadership #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #HighPerformance #SuccessMindset #Resilience #PersonalDevelopment #BusinessPodcast #JoeDeSena #Spartan #ParallelEntrepreneur #MarkCleveland
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    45 min
  • How to Build an Extraordinary Life Without Following One Path | Ian Adamson

    How to Build an Extraordinary Life Without Following One Path | Ian Adamson
    Jul 7 2026

    What do engineering, world championship sport, product innovation, television production, and the Olympic movement all have in common?

    In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Mark Cleveland sits down with Ian Adamson, Chair of the World Pentathlon Multisport Obstacle Commission, to explore a career built on curiosity, continuous learning, and saying yes to opportunities most people would never consider.

    Ian has spent decades moving between engineering, elite sport, business, product development, and global leadership. From designing products for Nike and competing as a professional adventure racer to helping guide obstacle sports into the Olympic movement, his career is proof that the experiences we collect often become our greatest advantage.

    Along the way, the conversation explores parallel entrepreneurship, decision-making, resilience, innovation, engineering thinking, AI, adventure, leadership, and why living an extraordinary life often begins by embracing the unexpected.

    In this episode:
    • Why Ian believes your greatest superpower is the ability to learn
    • How engineering shaped his approach to leadership and problem solving
    • The mindset behind managing multiple careers at once
    • Walking across China... twice
    • Why saying yes creates opportunities you could never plan for
    • Lessons from building world-class sporting events and international organizations
    • What innovation looks like when you're too early for the market
    • How AI is accelerating discovery and changing the way we learn
    • Why the Olympic movement is about creating better humans—not just better athletes
    • The importance of curiosity, legacy, and leaving the world better than you found it

    Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, engineer, athlete, or simply someone who enjoys learning from people who have taken an unconventional path, this conversation offers practical wisdom and a refreshing perspective on building a meaningful life.

    Links & Resources

    👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network
    🎧 The Parallel Entrepreneur Podcast

    Connect with Ian Adamson:
    💼 LinkedIn
    🌐 World Pentathlon Multisport
    🌐 World Obstacle

    About 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 & Ian's extraordinary career
    01:36 Managing energy across multiple careers
    04:47 From engineer to world champion athlete
    09:01 Building a global sport and the Olympic movement
    12:04 Why saying yes changes everything
    15:24 What Ian would tell his younger self
    16:02 Walking across China... twice
    19:06 Breaking impossible goals into achievable steps
    21:04 Why learning how to learn matters most
    23:00 Innovation, timing, and being too early
    26:30 The power of constant pressure
    29:10 The parallel entrepreneur mindset
    34:37 Identity, curiosity, and lifelong learning
    37:47 AI, discovery, and the future of learning
    45:21 Why everyone should train like an astronaut
    46:39 Lessons from the ocean and thinking beyond ourselves
    50:23 Engineering, safety, and managing risk at scale
    54:29 The Olympic movement and creating better humans
    58:23 Final thoughts

    Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors, operators, and creators building extraordinary lives across multiple ventures.

    #ParallelEntrepreneur #MarkCleveland #IanAdamson #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Innovation #Olympics #Engineering #AdventureRacing #ObstacleRacing #BusinessPodcast #PersonalGrowth
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    59 min
  • The AI Skill Every Working Adult Needs to Learn | Spencer Handley

    The AI Skill Every Working Adult Needs to Learn | Spencer Handley
    Jun 23 2026
    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
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    1 h et 20 min
  • Why Great Businesses Need Stewardship, Not Just Capital | Douglas Song

    Why Great Businesses Need Stewardship, Not Just Capital | Douglas Song
    May 26 2026
    What happens when an entrepreneur spends decades helping founders transition, scale, and protect the businesses they've built?In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Mark Cleveland sits down with Douglas Song, founder and CEO of Protos Capital, for a wide-ranging conversation on independent sponsors, lower middle market acquisitions, leadership, succession planning, AI, uncertainty, and what founders often overlook when preparing for growth or exit.Doug shares lessons from dozens of transactions across multiple industries, including how he evaluates leadership teams, why organic growth still matters more than acquisition rollups, and what makes a business resilient in a world filled with constant disruption.But this conversation also becomes deeply personal.Doug reflects on immigrating to the United States from South Korea as a child, watching his parents build a life through entrepreneurship, and how that experience shaped the way he thinks about people, stewardship, and long-term value creation.The conversation also explores:The rise of the independent sponsor model Why succession planning is becoming urgent for founder-led businesses AI adoption in lower middle market companiesHow great operators handle black swan eventsWhy culture and people matter more than spreadsheets Building blue-collar entrepreneurship pathways for the next generationThe difference between growing fast and growing well Legacy, learning, and designing a life with intentionWhether you're building, scaling, buying, selling, or simply trying to lead well through uncertainty, this episode offers a rare combination of strategic insight and lived experience.Subscribe for more conversations with founders, operators, creators, and visionaries building in parallel.About 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.About the Guest Douglas Song is the Founder and CEO of Protos Capital, an independent sponsor firm focused on lower middle market businesses. For more than 25 years, he has worked alongside founders and management teams to help businesses grow, transition, and navigate acquisitions with a people-first approach centered on long-term value, stewardship, and community. Links & Resources 👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders building aligned systems across business, education, and community.👍 If this episode resonated, leave a comment or share it with someone shaping the future of leadership.Key Moments 00:00 Why founders need transition plans, not just exits 00:47 Introducing Douglas Song and Protos Capital 01:30 Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) explained 03:00 Independent sponsors vs. traditional operators 05:00 Why operators matter more than dealmakers 06:01 The coming succession wave for founder-led businesses 08:15 What "another bite at the apple" really means 11:50 How Protos measures investment success 12:40 Defining the lower middle market 13:50 AI adoption in family-owned businesses 16:30 Using AI during due diligence 17:20 What founders overlook before a transaction 20:00 Growth by acquisition vs. organic growth 23:40 Why organic growth still wins with buyers24:38 Evaluating leadership teams under pressure 27:40 Black swan events and constant uncertainty 31:35 Managing leverage and protecting downside risk 35:22 Is Douglas Song a parallel entrepreneur? 37:20 Lessons learned across multiple portfolio companies 41:15 Why flexibility matters more than fixed timelines 44:20 Different types of capital partners 46:35 What makes founders great partners 49:27 Mentoring the next generation of independent sponsors 52:25 Why community matters in business 53:48 Protecting culture after acquisition 55:08 Doug's immigrant family story and entrepreneurial roots 57:20 Building blue-collar entrepreneurship pathways 01:01:45 AI, uncertainty, and creating opportunities for young people 01:06:05 Books, learning, and the concept of flow 01:10:12 Writing letters to his children 01:11:40 Advice for navigating uncertainty 01:13:40 Restoration, creativity, and balance 01:15:45 Formula 1, Monaco, and memorable experiences 01:17:18 Doug's long-term life plan and legacy goals 01:20:14 Final reflections and closing thoughts#ParallelEntrepreneur #DouglasSong #PrivateEquity #Entrepreneurship #MergersAndAcquisitions #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #IndependentSponsor #AI #FounderJourney© Parallel Entrepreneur, LLC 2024- 2026
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    1 h et 22 min
  • Stop Planning. Start Building. (His Rule Will Challenge You) | Daniel Innovaté

    Stop Planning. Start Building. (His Rule Will Challenge You) | Daniel Innovaté
    May 12 2026
    There's a new kind of builder emerging.Not slower. Not more careful. Just… faster, sharper, and a little harder to categorize.In this episode, we sit down with Daniel Innovaté, product designer, creative entrepreneur, and one of the most naturally adaptive builders you'll come across.Daniel doesn't just talk about ideas. He turns them into real, working products, sometimes in minutes.We explore what it actually looks like to build in this new era:Creating apps in 15 minutes instead of 6 monthsUsing AI as a collaborator, not a threatManaging 10+ parallel projects without losing directionWhy being a generalist might be the real advantage nowAnd how speed is changing the way we think, build, and solve problemsAt one point, Daniel shares how he built a fully functional app for his dog… on a plane… before landing.It sounds trivial. It's not.Because underneath that story is something bigger: We're entering a moment where ideas don't have to sit in notebooks anymore. They can come to life instantly.But speed comes with tradeoffs.We also get into:The tension between creativity and AIWhy most people resist new tools (and what that really means)The shift from centralized platforms back to community-driven systemsAnd why nature—not technology—might be the real counterbalanceThis conversation isn't about doing more.It's about seeing what's possible when friction disappears.About Daniel Innovaté Daniel is a product designer, builder, and creative entrepreneur known for turning messy, early-stage ideas into polished, live experiences with unusual speed and clarity. He operates across multiple ventures, blending design, technology, and creativity to build platforms that solve real problems, fast. Daniel Innovaté on LinkedIn Idea Factory AgencyAbout 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.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Building 20+ revenue streams at once 01:20 Welcome to The Parallel Entrepreneur 01:50 Introducing Daniel Innovaté 03:00 How we met (and why it stuck) 04:30 From Soviet refugee to builder 06:30 The mindset of a parallel entrepreneur 08:30 Why generalists win in today's world 08:50 AI vs creativity (what surprised Daniel most) 10:45 Collaborating with AI as a creative 12:30 The speed of AI (and why it's hard to keep up) 13:40 "AGI already happened" — Daniel's perspective 14:05 How he chooses what to build next 15:45 "Just build it yourself" — the new playbook 16:50 The magic of building ideas instantly 17:00 The 15-minute app story (for his dog 🐶) 18:25 What "parallel entrepreneur" really means 19:05 Are younger builders embracing AI? 20:40 Why experts resist AI tools 21:30 Don't start a company for every idea 22:25 What inspires Daniel to create 23:40 Turning ideas into real products overnight 24:00 Inside ecom.ai (automating product catalogs) 27:45 What happens when AI removes busywork 28:30 What we'll do with all this extra time 29:20 From 1,000 lines of code to 250,000+ 30:00 Why older frameworks of thinking are breaking 31:30 Speed vs quality (and finding the balance) 32:30 AI as a creative collaborator 33:20 The shift away from centralized platforms 35:00 Identity, expression, and building something personal 36:05 Trust, relationships, and the next currency 36:50 The reality of modern dating (unfiltered) 38:30 The case for slowing down 40:15 Nature vs technology 41:10 Reinventing lending (Folio Capital) 44:05 Turning images into video (render.realestate) 46:10 Protecting ideas in a fast-moving world 48:20 Building feedback loops into products 49:00 Raising capital + building in public 50:05 Reverse mentorship (learning both ways) 51:30 When mentorship backfires 52:40 Protecting your energy as a builder 53:20 Closing thoughts#ParallelEntrepreneur #DanielInnovaté #AIBuilder #BuildWithAI #ShipFast #IdeaFactory #GeneralistAdvantage #MultipleVentures #BuildInPublic #FutureOfWork #AICollaboration #ProductDesign #FounderMindset #JustBuildIt #TechEntrepreneur #ImmigrantFounder #Resilience #Innovation #MarkCleveland #ParallelEntrepreneurPodcast © Parallel Entrepreneur, LLC 2024- 2026
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    54 min
  • What It Really Takes to Build a Brand People Love | Andy Marshall

    What It Really Takes to Build a Brand People Love | Andy Marshall
    Apr 27 2026
    Most people think they're building a business.But every now and then, you meet someone who's building something deeper, something rooted in people, place, and community.In this episode of The Parallel Entrepreneur, Mark sits down with Andy Marshall, Founder & CEO of A. Marshall Hospitality and the driving force behind Puckett's. From his early days in the grocery business to transforming a small market with two gas pumps into a destination known for food, music, and connection, Andy's journey doesn't follow a typical path, it evolves with purpose.Puckett's didn't grow because of a playbook. It grew because it meant something to people. And over time, that approach hasn't just worked, it's scaled, without losing what made it matter in the first place.Now, Andy is stepping into a new chapter, running for Mayor of Williamson County. Not as a career politician, but as a builder shaped by decades of leading teams, serving communities, and creating places people care about.This conversation explores what that kind of leadership looks like:How Puckett's became more than a restaurant, it became a community staple The discipline behind long-term growth Why community isn't a byproduct, it's the foundation What it means to lead beyond your business And why stepping into public service felt like the next right moveThis isn't just about hospitality. It's about building with intention, and carrying that into leadership at a different level.Learn more about Andy and his work:Puckett's RestaurantAbout Andy MarshallAndy Marshall on FacebookAbout 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.About the Guest Andy Marshall is an entrepreneur who built his career the long way, starting in the grocery business before transforming a small-town market into what is now Puckett's, one of the most recognized hospitality brands in the region. As Founder and CEO of A. Marshall Hospitality, he's spent years scaling a business without losing its identity, focusing on experience, consistency, and community. His work reflects a belief that great businesses aren't just built to grow—they're built to matter.Chapter: 00:00 "Son, you sound like an entrepreneur." — the moment that started it all 00:31 Welcome to the Parallel Entrepreneur — Season 2 intro 00:58 Who is Andy Marshall? Host introduction 01:50 Mark's first visit to Puckett's Grocery in Leapers Fork 02:22 Andy's origin story: selling soap, Sunday suppers, and his dad's words 04:25 Buying his first grocery store at 26 — and eventually selling four 05:43 Leapers Fork finds Andy: two gas pumps and an instinct 06:36 Cooking becomes the calling card — then music, then community 07:07 11 restaurants later: how do you keep the magic at scale? 07:46 Going from one to two: the duplicability question09:35 Why Andy keeps choosing the hardest businesses 10:30 Passion over logic: following the entrepreneur instinct 11:40 "My dad taking me in" — mentorship and what that phrase really meant12:12 Growing up: divorce, a stepfather, abuse, and learning to survive 16:13 Landing in Williamson County — the place that saved his life 17:12 How adversity became leadership: people skills forged by necessity 18:24 Adapting, reading people, and becoming a natural leader 20:03 Parallel vs. serial entrepreneurship — and why the difference matters 21:04 Superpower: sitting in the other person's chair 22:58 People just want to be heard 23:01 Boys & Girls Club, the Ed Moody Award, and giving back to youth 24:05 Understanding and leading the next generation of workers 27:09 Not everyone is the same — coaching, adaptive leadership, and bad eyesight 28:28 Family business: how Claire became president of A. Marshall Hospitality 30:20 Claire's path — from #1 MTSU graduate to company leader 31:14 Teaching Claire entrepreneurship through Hattie James Creamery 32:14 Dave Ramsey's advice, Claire's return, and succession clarity 33:21 The company's finances today: zero personal debt 33:56 Build a brand before you talk about a franchise 36:26 Coaching daughters, crossing the dad/coach line, and asking better questions 37:40 Emily and Cliff — the rest of the Marshall family in and out of the business 39:34 Williamson County's schools: the foundation of everything 40:21 The hat comes out — Andy is running for county mayor 41:11 Why now: 24 years of Rogers Anderson, and who comes next 43:49 Politics has gotten polarizing — but Andy's all in 44:14 The call to Bill Lee: "I can't think of anybody better" 46:49 Marsha Blackburn, Rogers Anderson, and the conversation that sealed it 49:15 Jenny's two-page letter — and the Bible study Andy wrote back 51:35 What Andy is most excited about: getting past the ...
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    1 h et 9 min
  • Why Mentorship Is Broken (And How to Fix It) | Eve Peeterson

    Why Mentorship Is Broken (And How to Fix It) | Eve Peeterson
    Apr 8 2026

    There's a moment in every founder's journey where the question shifts.


    Not "What am I building?" But "Who am I becoming?"


    In this conversation, Mark sits down with Eve Peeterson, an Estonian strategy and transformation leader who has led across private industry, government innovation, and national startup ecosystems.


    From working her way up in hospitality… To leading Estonia's startup strategy… To now building a global mentorship platform…


    This is a conversation about reinvention, leadership, and what it actually takes to build ecosystems that work.


    They explore the real differences between US and European startup cultures, why mentorship is misunderstood, and how the best leaders keep learning, especially when they're the ones teaching.


    And maybe most importantly… Why your next evolution doesn't require starting over. Just saying yes.


    What You'll Learn:

    • Why "perfect before launch" is holding founders back
    • The real difference between US and European startup thinking
    • How mentorship should actually work (and why it usually doesn't)
    • Why leadership is the root of culture — whether you like it or not
    • How to keep reinventing yourself without losing who you are


    About 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.


    About the Guest Eve Peeterson is an Estonian strategy and transformation leader with over 20 years of experience across hospitality, creative industries, and national innovation. From leading Startup Estonia to building cross-border initiatives like Nordic Tech Valley, she now focuses on leadership development as the founder of Leadrs.online, a mentorship platform designed to make better leadership more accessible. Eve Peeterson on LinkedIn


    ⏱️ Key Moments
    00:00 – If you're the smartest in the room…
    02:10 – Why she came to the U.S. (and what she got wrong)
    05:10 – Mentorship: Europe vs U.S.
    07:03 – The mistake founders make: waiting too long to sell
    08:51 – Reinventing yourself (again and again)
    14:24 – "Maybe I am an entrepreneur"
    18:56 – Why Estonia punches above its weight
    26:40 – Starting over when nobody knows you
    28:22 – Why teaching is the best way to learn
    31:14 – The biggest hiring mistake founders make
    32:43 – Leadership sets the culture
    40:04 – The decision that changed Estonia's future
    43:38 – What innovation actually means
    49:47 – What she's taking from this experience


    Links & Resources


    👉 Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network


    👉 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders building aligned systems across business, education, and community.


    👍 If this episode resonated, leave a comment or share it with someone shaping the future of leadership.

    #ParallelEntrepreneur #EvePeeterson #Leadrs #MentorshipMatters #MentorshipIsBroken #LeadershipDevelopment #Reinvention #StartupEstonia #EuropeanStartups #GlobalEntrepreneur #FounderMindset #WomenInBusiness #PersonalGrowth #StartupCulture #CareerReinvention #BetterLeadership #NeverStopLearning #Estonia #MarkCleveland #ParallelEntrepreneurPodcast

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    53 min