Think of Gov. Wes Moore as Maryland’s chief entrepreneurial officer. He didn’t take a traditional path to the top. He served in a combat zone in Afghanistan, built an edtech company, wrote multiple bestselling books and became Maryland’s first Black governor by running as an anti-establishment Democrat, initially polling at less than 1%.

In this episode, the governor leaves the politics at the door and talks with host Dan Simons as a founder, leader and entrepreneur. They discuss what military service teaches you about startup culture, how to lead a 60,000-person organization while still moving like a startup, what it takes to rebrand an entire state, how mission-driven leaders measure success and why the best entrepreneurs are the ones who climb without a rope.

If you’re a founder, entrepreneur or business leader looking for lessons on leadership, resilience, scaling and building something that matters, this is the conversation for you. Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and watch the full episode on YouTube.

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Apothékary sells one tincture every 90 seconds on TikTok. That’s not luck — it’s nine months of disciplined investment before a single dollar came back.

Shizu Okusa is the founder of Apothékary, a nature-based wellness brand she built from zero to $40 million in revenue and into 1,800 retail doors in six years. But her origin story is not what you’d expect. She walked away from a Wall Street trading desk to work on a banana farm in Mozambique for $30 a day.

Dan and Shizu dig into why, how Shizu stays immune to praise and criticism, the cost of blind spots and what second-time founders still get wrong.

This is a conversation about believing in yourself before anyone else does — and what it looks like to build a company rooted in both numbers and humanity.

If you’re a founder, entrepreneur or business leader looking for lessons on leadership, resilience, scaling and building something that matters, this is the conversation for you. Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sarah Chen-Spellings knows venture capital — and she’s helped redefine where it flows. As the driving force behind the former Beyond the Billion, the world’s first and largest consortium of VC funds committed to investing in women-founded companies, she played a pivotal role in closing one of the industry’s biggest gaps. In under nine months: $1B pledged, $1B+ deployed, 1,300+ companies funded, and 16 unicorns created, including Canva, Oura Ring and Poppi.

But Sarah’s not stopping there. In this episode, she breaks down why investing in women isn’t philanthropy — it’s performance — and how diverse teams consistently outperform. It’s a must-listen.

Subscribe and listen here or watch the full episode on YouTube.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shark Tank success doesn’t happen by accident — it takes 50 failed ideas first. Justin Baer built a $75 million men’s lifestyle brand after his 7-year-old daughter told him to post a TikTok video. What followed: a deal with Mark Cuban and Peter Jones, a refusal to sell on Amazon and a habit of cold calling his own customers. Don’t miss him break down his direct-to-consumer playbook for Collars & Co. Listen here or watch on YouTube. A WTOP Founding DC podcast.

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What happens when you step back from nearly two years of conversations with some of the region’s most accomplished founders and entrepreneurs?

You discover that the lessons learned in their varied industries, backgrounds and ventures may be different, but they boil down to a simple truth: The Way Out Is Through.

In this special Founding DC episode, Dan Simons weaves together insights from founders, business leaders and changemakers, including David Trone, Dominique Dawes, Seth Goldman, Susan Tynan, Sarah Chen-Spellings, Mark Ein, KJ Hughes and Wes Moore. Their stories reveal how perseverance, adaptability and a willingness to face challenges head on are often the true drivers of success.

From failed ideas and unexpected setbacks to breakthrough moments and lasting impact, this episode is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t a sprint. It’s an endurance sport. And the people who win are the ones who keep moving forward.

Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and watch the full episode on YouTube.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jason Fraley interviews R&B/soul icon Musiq Soulchild, who performs tonight at the historic Warner Theatre in Washington D.C. He called in to preview the show and reflect on his journey to land over a dozen Grammy nominations. Stay tuned until the end to hear all about his love of “Star Wars.” (Theme Music: Scott Buckley’s “Clarion”)

Jason Fraley interviews Grammy-winning R&B star Ledisi, who salutes blues legend Dinah Washington at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland this Friday and Saturday. She called in to preview the shows, discuss Dinah’s legacy, and reflect on her own career hits like “Pieces of Me” and “Anything for You.” (Theme Music: Scott Buckley’s “Clarion”)

Jason Fraley chats with sports talk radio legend Andy Pollin, who left the D.C. airwaves this week after nearly 5 decades. Andy generously called in for THREE HOURS to reflect on his career, from pioneering the 24-7 sports talk radio format at WFAN in New York., to chronicling the Dan Snyder era on WTEM 570/980 in Washington D.C. Stick around until the end for rapid-fire quips on his beloved colleagues, from Tony Kornhesier to Steve Czaban.  (Theme Music: Scott Buckley’s “Clarion”)

Jason Fraley interviews horror filmmaker Eli Roth, who delivers his newest scary movie “Ice Cream Man” in theaters nationwide today. He called in to preview the film, discuss some of his inspirations, and explain why it’s even scarier now that he’s become a father. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley’s “Clarion”)

Jason Fraley marks the 30th anniversary of Lewis Black hosting his very first “Back in Black” segment on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” on July 3, 1996. They spoke when Black brought his “Let Freedom Laugh” tour to Warner Theatre in Washington D.C. in 2015 on a triple bill with the legendary Dick Gregory and Tom Smothers of The Smothers Brothers. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley’s “Clarion”)