Raw and Real Entrepreneurship

What does it really look like to build a business while silently drowning in debt? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, host Susan Sly sits down with Daniel Bussius, founder and CEO of Built by Love®, as he shares how he ended up $90,000 in personal debt—and the decision he now calls his biggest mistake. He opens up about scrapping a fully produced course, initiating a software build before the right structure and alignment were in place, and the emotional toll of building outside his calling.

Daniel reveals what he’d never do again—not just in business, but in life. Susan and Daniel talk about the tension between growth and ego, how spiritual misalignment derails even the best intentions, and why clarity matters more than momentum. This isn’t about theory—it’s about the real cost of building the wrong thing for the wrong reasons.

About Daniel Bussius:

Daniel Bussius is an award-winning marketing strategist, best-selling author, and founder of Built by Love®. He’s advised Fortune 100s, celebrities, and high-growth startups, generating $50M+ in client revenue. Creator of the Marketing RAMP® system and author of Marketing Built By Love, Daniel helps brands build trust, scale impact, and market with heart.

Connect with Daniel:

Website: https://danielbussius.com/

LinkedIn: @danielbussius/

About Susan Sly:  

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepause.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://susansly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trusted Partners:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.susansly.com/trustedpartners⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn⁠⁠:⁠⁠⁠@susansly⁠⁠⁠

What happens when success looks good on paper but feels empty? Clara Capano opens up about why she walked away from a lucrative six-figure opportunity—because it didn’t align with her values,  vision, or role as a mom. In this episode, Clara and Susan unpack what it takes to lead with clarity—and how that decision became the start of greater purpose, profit, and peace. Clara shares the intentional planning system she uses to set goals, stay accountable, and create freedom through structure—an approach that ultimately became the foundation for her trademarked CLARATY™ Success Method. You’ll learn how to use clarity as your checks-and-balances filter to align decisions with your vision and build a business that reflects who you truly are.

About Clara Capano:

Clara Capano is a speaker, author, and founder of the CLARATY™  Success Method—helping leaders shift from burnout to balance. A business owner and single mom, her journey from overwhelm to clarity fuels her mission to empower others to lead with purpose, focus, and impact. She’s also Executive Director of the You Are My Light Foundation, supporting survivors of human trafficking.

Connect with Clara:

• Website: https://www.claracapano.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claracapano/

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepause.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://susansly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Trusted Partners:⁠ ⁠https://www.susansly.com/trustedpartners⁠⁠
• LinkedIn⁠⁠:⁠⁠@susansly⁠⁠

Sally Mueller helped shape the modern retail experience—leading iconic designer collaborations and category reinventions during her 25-year career at Target. Now, she’s co-founder and CEO of Womaness, a fast-growing brand breaking the silence around menopause and empowering women in midlife. In this raw conversation, Susan Sly and Sally unpack what it takes to pivot from powerhouse executive to startup co-founder, pitch 40+ VCs in a pandemic, and scale into national retailers like Walmart, GNC and Ulta Beauty. This isn’t just a brand—it’s a movement. If you’re building something bold, this episode is your blueprint.

About Sally:

Sally Mueller is the Co-founder and CEO of Womaness, a brand changing the conversation around women’s healthy aging with innovative products that offer solutions from head to toe—and everything in between. A consummate business builder, Sally specializes in retail and brand innovation. Her trend-forecasting expertise has benefited companies such as Target, Who What Wear, and VERSED skincare. She spent over two decades at Target Corporation, beginning in Apparel Merchandising and later moving into Marketing. Recognized as an industry leader, Sally is known for her business acumen across the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle sectors.

Connect with Sally:

• Website: www.womaness.com
• Instagram: @mywomaness
• Instagram: @thesallym
• LinkedIn: Sally-Mueller
• LinkedIn: Womaness

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thepause.ai/⁠⁠⁠
• Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://susansly.com⁠⁠⁠
• Trusted Partners: ⁠https://www.susansly.com/trustedpartners⁠
• LinkedIn⁠:⁠⁠@susansly⁠⁠

After a devastating snowmobile accident at 40 mph that left him with 18 broken bones and punctured lungs, Navy SEAL Commander and CEO Mark Divine knew something had to change—not just in his body, but in his leadership. In this powerful episode, Mark joins Susan Sly to share how the crash became a defining turning point: dismantling outdated business models, releasing toxic partnerships, and rebuilding every aspect of his life with radical alignment. From breathwork and trauma recovery to CEO clarity and spiritual recalibration, this is a masterclass in transforming adversity into authentic, purpose-driven growth.

About Mark:

Mark Divine, Ph.D., is a retired Navy SEAL Commander, leadership expert, and New York Times bestselling author. With over 30 years of experience in Zen meditation and breathwork, he integrates mental toughness and holistic development in his teachings. His latest book, Uncommon, offers insights into achieving personal excellence through his “warrior monk” philosophy.

Connect with Mark:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdivine
• Website: markdivine.com

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

• Website: ⁠⁠https://thepause.ai/⁠⁠
• Website: ⁠⁠https://susansly.com⁠⁠
• Trusted Partners: https://www.susansly.com/trustedpartners
• LinkedIn:⁠⁠@susansly⁠

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with David Young—founder of Federated Computer and the visionary behind Joyent, the cloud infrastructure company that powered Twitter and Tumblr before its $170M acquisition by Samsung.

David shares an unfiltered account of building innovative cloud technology, losing his company due to personal struggles, and rebuilding his life through endurance sports and a renewed entrepreneurial mission. Now, with Federated, he is challenging Big Tech’s dominance by helping startups protect their data, cut software costs, and scale with open-source solutions.

Susan and David explore the future of open source, cloud innovation, startup resilience, and what it truly takes for founders to recover, rebuild, and lead on their own terms.

Whether you are a founder, investor, or navigating your next chapter, this episode will challenge, inspire, and equip you with the mindset and tools to rise stronger than ever.

About David Young:

David Young is a pioneer in cloud computing and the founder of Joyent, the company behind early infrastructure powering Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tumblr. He helped invent technologies like Node.js and cloud-based virtual machines. Now, as founder of Federated Computer, he’s focused on open-source solutions that help startups scale securely and break free from Big Tech.

Connect with David:

Website https://www.federated.computer/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpaulyoung/

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website ⁠https://susansly.com⁠

Website ⁠https://thepause.ai/⁠

LinkedIn ⁠@susansly

What happens when visibility doesn’t automatically lead to a business? For Kirpa Sudick — former contestant on The Bachelor Season 23 — the next step was clear: build a brand rooted in purpose and long-term value.

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly speaks with Kirpa about how she transitioned from public figure to business owner, scaling a coaching brand with authenticity, content strategy, and operational discipline. They explore how to build trust in a noisy market, the role of AI in supporting productivity, and why emotional clarity matters for sustainable growth.

If you’re building a business around your message, this episode offers clear, tactical insights for creating momentum and staying aligned as you scale.

About Kirpa Sudick:

Kirpa Sudick is a spiritual content creator, intuitive guide, and manifestation coach helping others break free from limiting beliefs and step into their highest selves. With a background in transformational work and a deep understanding of consciousness, she blends humor, relatability, and profound insights to make spirituality accessible and empowering. Through her content on TikTok and Instagram, she shares wisdom on intuition, manifestation, and breaking free from the matrix, inspiring thousands to rewrite their realities. Her mission is to help others embody their power, trust the unseen, and manifest effortlessly—while keeping it real, fun, and expansive.

Connect with Kirpa:

Instagram: @kirpasudick

TikTok: @kirpa_sudick

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website https://susansly.com

Website https://thepause.ai/

LinkedIn @susansly

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with John Worthington, founder of Sircles —a social recommendation app that raised over $1M in just six days on WeFunder and is on a mission to disrupt the Yelp model.

They get candid about the real cost of building a startup, leading through chaos, and the emotional resilience required to scale. John shares his personal ‘why,’ how Sircles is creating a platform rooted in trust—not reviews—and why a community-first ethos is their greatest strategic advantage. If you’re raising capital, facing founder fatigue, or building something from the ground up, this is your strategic pause.

About John Worthington:

John Worthington is a serial entrepreneur who’s built and scaled multiple businesses from the ground up. He’s the founder and CEO of Sircles, one of the most successful crowdfunded startups in tech without VC backing. His “Riding the Escalator” strategy has redefined how startups grow, turning investors into loyal users and brand advocates.

Connect with John:

Website: https://sircles.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sircles/

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website https://susansly.com

Website https://thepause.ai/

LinkedIn @susansly

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, host Susan Sly sits down with Hikari Senju, Founder of Omneky, to discuss his journey from a creative childhood to scaling innovative startups. Hikari dives into his early entrepreneurial experiences, the rise of generative AI, and how AI is transforming advertising. He also reveals the challenges of raising capital—having pitched to hundreds of investors—the power of networking, and how introverts can thrive in business. Susan and Hikari break down the realities of acquisitions, the importance of finding the right investors, and the vision behind Omneky. This episode is packed with real-world insights on building, funding, and scaling a business in the AI era.

About Hikari Senju:

Hikari Senju is a computer science graduate from Harvard University with a passion for technology and design. He founded his first startup, QuickHelp, an on-demand tutoring app, which he later sold to Yup.com and became their Head of Growth. During his time at Yup.com, Senju observed inefficiencies in content spending and the potential of AI in advertising, which inspired him to establish Omneky in 2018. Senju’s background in computer science, entrepreneurship, and his experience with AI technologies led him to create Omneky, an AI platform that generates, analyzes, and optimizes personalized ad creatives at scale.

Connect with Hikari:

Website https://www.omneky.com/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hikari-senju-63780199/

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website https://susansly.com

Website https://thepause.ai/

LinkedIn @susansly

In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with Susan Groeneveld, Founder of Sylvester.ai, to discuss the bold pivot that reshaped her AI startup. Initially launched as a B2C pet health platform, Susan made the strategic decision to shift to B2B, securing key contracts to expand into veterinary clinics and successfully raising funding in today’s tough investment climate.

Susan G shares practical insights on raising venture capital, the unique challenges female founders face, and how to attract the right investors. She also dives into AI’s impact on pet health, the power of strategic pivots, and why founders must think bigger to scale successfully.

If you’re an entrepreneur navigating AI, health tech, or pet care, this episode is filled with actionable strategies to help you scale, secure funding, and build a high-growth business.

About Susan Groeneveld:

Susan Groeneveld is a serial entrepreneur specializing in agriculture, animal health, and AI-driven technology. With 25 years of experience, she has led commercialization for global companies, co-founded an award-winning marketing agency, and launched Sylvester.ai, an AI platform transforming pet health. A 2023 top 5 finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year in Women in AI, Susan is a leader in innovation, scaling startups, and tackling global challenges in agriculture and veterinary care.

Connect with Susan Groeneveld:

Website https://www.sylvester.ai/

LinkedIn   @susangroeneveldab

Instagram @sylvester_tech/

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website https://susansly.com

Website https://thepause.ai/

LinkedIn @susansly

AI is shaking up industries, but what does it mean for female founders in today’s challenging funding environment? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly sits down with five-time entrepreneur Melinda Wittstock—AI innovator, venture partner, and CEO of Podopolo. They break down the impact of AI disruptors like DeepSeek, the funding freeze on U.S. grants, and why women-led startups deliver higher returns yet still struggle for capital. Melinda shares raw insights on hiring, scaling, and staying scrappy in tough times. If you’re a founder navigating today’s startup landscape, this episode is a must-listen.

About Melinda Wittstock:

Melinda Wittstock is a 5-time entrepreneur, AI innovator, and Founder and CEO of Podopolo, the AI and blockchain-powered podcast platform revolutionizing discovery, engagement, and monetization. Honored as 2024’s “AI Pioneer of the Year,” she also invests in women-led startups as a venture partner at Zero Limits Capital. A former award-winning journalist for the BBC, Times of London, and CNBC, she created a BBC TV show reaching 20 million viewers and was praised by Steve Jobs for her interviewing skills. Melinda hosts Wings of Inspired Business, empowering female founders to succeed without tradeoffs.

Connect with Melinda:

Website: https://melindawittstock.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindawittstock

About Susan Sly:

Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

Connect With Susan:

Website https://susansly.com

Website https://thepause.ai/

LinkedIn @susansly