Dave Finocchio launched Bleacher Report in 2008 with three friends from middle school. Self-described 'sports nuts,' the Notre Dame alumni saw an opportunity in filling the 'white space' in the sports media world. Bleacher Report is now the second-largest digital sports publisher, with a loyal monthly audience of more than 60 million. The company sees more social engagement across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram than any other publisher (sports-related or not) in America. But getting there wasn't without its challenges. As emotionally developing early 20-somethings in a 300 sq-ft office (without air conditioning!), 'emotions ran hot' and conflict and ego threatened the company's survival. Learn how Dave and his team overcame the challenges of founding with friends and transformed Bleacher Report into the massively successful enterprise it is today.

Courtney Nichols Gould is the CoFounder/CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins, a company she launched with her cofounder and husband, Gordon, just over 5 years ago to bring more health to more people every day (in the shape of a really tasty and trustworthy gummy). In this episode, Courtney shares how she went from "leading from fear," to creating a culture with virtually no turnover that's gotten STRONGER as the number of employees has increased. Listen for her favorite alternative to meditation, what her office offers instead of ping pong tables, and what she believes are the most important leadership skills.

Gunnar Lovelace is the founder and co-CEO of Thrive Market, the fastest growing health-food e-commerce company in history. In this episode, Gunnar tells the story of a previous "failure," after which he found himself hitting rock bottom. He describes the learnings he took from the experience that contributed to his massive success with Thrive Market. Entrepreneur or not, you won't want to miss this profoundly inspiring interview in which Gunnar shares his authentic wisdom for relating to failure and achieving startup success.