In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge speaks with Sally Facinelli, CEO of Salty Dawg Pet Salon, about how she’s building one of the most human-centric franchise models in the pet grooming industry. Sally shares her journey from leadership and mentoring to scaling a national brand, offering powerful insights into systems-driven growth, empowering franchisees, and building a business that prioritizes both customer experience and operational excellence. If you’re interested in franchising or breaking into the booming pet care space, this conversation is packed with lessons you’ll want to apply.

Sally Facinelli’s career is grounded in empowering others—especially women—to lead with confidence. As the CEO of Salty Dawg, she has taken that passion into a high-growth franchise that offers spa-quality grooming experiences for pets. Unlike traditional grooming salons, Salty Dawg is built to reduce stress for pets, using high-end products and creating a calm, consistent environment.

Sally took over after the original founder, John, passed away and has since guided the brand into its next phase of growth. Her focus? Helping franchisees succeed with well-documented systems, proven processes, and turnkey business support. Franchise owners don’t need to be groomers themselves—instead, they benefit from Salty Dawg’s expertise in staffing, operations, and customer experience, while they focus on running and scaling their business.

Franchising, Sally explains, isn’t just about replication—it’s about optimization. From franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) to lease negotiation support and supply chain discounts, Salty Dawg is designed to give entrepreneurs a head start and a strong foundation.

Sally Facinelli is the CEO of Salty Dawg Pet Salon, where she leads the company’s growth through strategic franchising. A longtime advocate for female leadership and entrepreneurship, Sally brings decades of business experience to mentoring new franchisees and building a brand rooted in compassion, quality, and operational excellence.

Salty Dawg Pet Salon is a national pet grooming franchise offering a spa-like experience for pets and a turnkey opportunity for entrepreneurs. With a focus on high-end grooming services, soundproofed salons, and expert staff training, Salty Dawg empowers franchisees with the tools and support needed to succeed in the growing pet care market.

• Salty Dawg Website
• Sally Facinelli on LinkedIn

• A Unique Grooming Model: How Salty Dawg redefines the pet salon experience with quality, comfort, and consistency.
• Systems Matter: Why operational manuals, training, and legal compliance are non-negotiables when franchising.
• No Grooming Experience Required: Franchisees focus on managing and scaling, not clipping and washing.
• Franchisee Support: From location selection to product sourcing and staff training, Salty Dawg provides hands-on help.
• Growth Potential: Franchisees can start with one...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge chats with Lisa Levy, Founder and CEO of Lcubed Consulting, about how innovation and self-reliant leadership can drive business success. Lisa brings over 16 years of consulting experience to the conversation, sharing her framework for empowering teams, streamlining operations, and fostering a culture of continuous innovation. Her story—intertwining a love of live music and her journey as a bold business strategist—offers valuable perspective for entrepreneurs navigating growth and transformation.

Lisa opens up about one of her biggest passions: live music. As a lifelong groupie and advocate for joy outside of work, she shares how music fosters unity and serves as a powerful metaphor for teamwork and harmony in business. This sets the stage for the real focus of the conversation—how founders can let go of control, empower their people, and create businesses that grow without their constant oversight.

At Lcubed Consulting, Lisa helps founders overcome common delegation roadblocks, such as the fear of losing control or the belief that they are the brand. Her solution: teach leaders how to build self-reliant teams by instilling trust, clear communication, and accountability. She also introduces her “innovation engine” framework—a repeatable process that encourages idea generation, prioritization, and real-world testing to ensure businesses evolve with market demands.

Lisa’s approach isn’t about overhauling your company overnight—it’s about making intentional shifts that activate your team’s full potential. Whether you’re scaling operations or refining your strategy, her clarity calls and blueprint can help you uncover friction points and identify simple, high-impact changes.

Lisa Levy is the Founder and CEO of Lcubed Consulting, where she specializes in aligning people, processes, and technology to enable scalable business growth. A dynamic strategist and speaker, Lisa empowers business leaders to build self-sufficient teams and embed innovation into their company culture.

Lcubed Consulting partners with founders and executives to optimize internal systems, drive accountability, and spark innovation. The firm’s proven frameworks help businesses grow sustainably by reducing operational friction and empowering leadership teams to execute with clarity and confidence.

• Lcubed Consulting Website
• Lisa Levy on LinkedIn

• Live Music & Leadership: How Lisa’s passion for live music illustrates the value of unity and joy outside the boardroom.
• Letting Go of Control: Founders must learn to delegate and empower their teams to avoid burnout and stagnation.
• The Innovation Engine: Lisa’s framework for fostering consistent, meaningful innovation across an organization.
• From Chaos to Clarity: Aligning people, processes, and tech to create scalable, sustainable growth.
• Special Offer for Listeners: Access Lisa’s innovation engine blueprint and book a free 60-minute clarity call.

Lisa Levy’s episode offers a powerful reminder that innovation and...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge speaks with Andrew Poles, Founder and CEO of Andrew Poles Executive Coaching. Andrew is an executive coach who helps startup founders and small business owners build leadership capacity, navigate high-pressure growth, and scale their ventures effectively. With a background in entrepreneurship and a passion for personal development, Andrew brings practical insights to leaders striving to grow not only their companies—but themselves.

Andrew works with two key audiences: high-growth startup founders (particularly in tech and medtech), and small business owners navigating more stable, bootstrapped environments. For tech founders, challenges often revolve around investor pressure, scaling quickly, and transitioning from doing everything themselves to leading others. These leaders must rapidly establish culture, process, and structure in what Andrew calls a “pressure cooker” environment.

Small business owners face a different set of obstacles. Without investor capital, they're often bootstrapping their operations and must maintain long-term stability while building sustainable growth. Andrew supports both types of founders with customized coaching that helps them sharpen leadership skills, foster emotional resilience, and drive strategic clarity—even amid chaos.

He also discusses how systemic disruption—especially through AI—is reshaping how companies build, operate, and scale. While software companies can now move faster with leaner teams thanks to AI, product-focused businesses face greater uncertainty from external factors like tariffs and supply chain instability. Andrew’s coaching helps founders stay grounded and make smart decisions amid uncertainty.

Andrew Poles is the Founder and CEO of Andrew Poles Executive Coaching, where he helps entrepreneurs grow as leaders while scaling successful businesses. With a background in startups and a deep understanding of leadership psychology, Andrew guides founders through personal and organizational transformation.

Andrew Poles Executive Coaching offers 1-on-1 coaching, leadership development, and strategic guidance tailored to entrepreneurs, founders, and executives. Andrew specializes in helping leaders in high-pressure, high-growth environments build the clarity, confidence, and capacity needed to scale both themselves and their companies.

• Andrew Poles Website
• Andrew Poles LinkedIn

• Startups vs. Small Business: The different leadership challenges faced by tech startup founders vs. bootstrapped business owners.
• The AI Shift: How artificial intelligence is changing the way software companies operate and compete.
• Leadership Pressure: Why transitioning from self-management to team leadership is one of the hardest leaps for first-time founders.
• Personal Development: Andrew’s philosophy that a founder’s growth directly shapes the company’s trajectory.
• Holistic Success: The importance of blending business goals with personal growth to create long-term fulfillment and impact.

Josh Elledge’s conversation with Andrew Poles delivers valuable insights for entrepreneurs navigating high-stakes leadership roles. Whether you're building a unicorn startup or growing a steady...

In a compelling episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge speaks with Marie Newman, President of Marie Newman Studio, about her remarkable journey from entrepreneurship to public office and now, strategic consulting. Marie shares lessons from her book, A Life Made from Scratch: Lessons from a Controversial Congresswoman, Mompreneur, and Unstoppable Political Activist, offering practical guidance for anyone at a career or life crossroads. This conversation explores Marie's transition from business owner to U.S. Congresswoman and highlights her continued advocacy for health equity, small business development, and personal reinvention.

Marie Newman’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and public service. She began as an entrepreneur, starting her own business while navigating the challenges of childcare and work-life balance. That hands-on experience—combined with advocacy work in women's rights and gun reform—ultimately led her to run for Congress, where she became the first woman elected to represent Illinois’ Third Congressional District.

Marie’s time in office was marked by a deep focus on health equity and economic justice. Even after her tenure in Congress, her mission continues. She now consults with venture capital and private equity firms, helping healthcare companies grow and better serve underserved populations. Her passion stems from the reality that 40% of Americans rely on Medicaid—and many still struggle to access the services they need.

Marie also speaks candidly about setbacks and imposter syndrome. She recalls losing her first political campaign before ultimately winning in 2020 and emphasizes that self-doubt is common, even among high-level leaders. Her advice? Embrace uncertainty and tackle hard things head-on—because real leadership means picking up the "sticky ball" that others ignore.

Marie Newman is the President of Marie Newman Studio, a strategic consulting firm that advises clients in health equity, small business development, and social impact. A former U.S. Congresswoman and lifelong advocate, Marie draws from her experience in both business and politics to help individuals and organizations navigate complex transitions.

Marie Newman Studio is a consulting practice focused on strategic planning, organizational development, and career transition support. The firm works with private equity and VC-backed companies, healthcare innovators, and mission-driven leaders who are driving real change in their industries and communities.

• Marie Newman Studio Website
• Marie Newman on LinkedIn

• Entrepreneurial to Political Shift: Marie’s story of moving from small business ownership to Capitol Hill, driven by advocacy and personal purpose.
• Health Equity Advocacy: Insight into why health equity remains a critical issue—and how Marie helps companies address it through scalable solutions.
• Facing Imposter Syndrome: Marie normalizes self-doubt and shares how to reframe it as a strength for growth and leadership.
• Tools for Aspiring Public Servants: Resources and planning guides on

In a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge sat down with Sivan Iram, Co-Founder and CEO of Flow Specialty, a pioneering insurance brokerage. In this engaging conversation, Sivan shared valuable insights on how Flow is changing the landscape of commercial insurance, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline processes, enhance expertise, and reduce costs.

The insurance industry has traditionally been seen as slow to innovate, with many brokers relying on outdated systems and manual processes. However, Flow Specialty is redefining what’s possible by integrating artificial intelligence into its services. AI is not just a tool for improving efficiency; it’s also helping to enhance the depth of expertise available to businesses seeking coverage. By using AI to automate tasks like data extraction and policy comparison, Flow is providing brokers with better, more accurate options tailored to their clients' specific needs.

In addition to streamlining processes, AI in insurance allows brokers to quickly assess the best policies for their clients, offering a level of accuracy that simply wasn’t possible with traditional methods. This makes the entire insurance process faster, more transparent, and ultimately more beneficial for the end customer. For SMBs, who often don’t have the same resources as larger enterprises to manage complex insurance needs, this approach is a game-changer.

The use of AI is also allowing Flow to offer specialized services to businesses that might otherwise be overlooked by traditional brokers. Many small and medium-sized businesses struggle to secure appropriate coverage because they don’t fit the “typical” mold of large clients that brokers prioritize. Flow’s AI capabilities ensure that even the smallest accounts receive personalized attention, ensuring that businesses are properly protected from risks they might not have even considered.

Sivan Iram is the Co-Founder and CEO of Flow Specialty, where he leads efforts to revolutionize the insurance industry. With a deep understanding of the challenges SMBs face in securing specialized insurance, Sivan is on a mission to provide businesses with innovative solutions that drive efficiency and reduce complexity.

Flow Specialty is a cutting-edge wholesale insurance brokerage that focuses on helping businesses acquire tailored commercial insurance, including specialized products like directors and officers insurance, cyber liability, and professional liability. Flow’s AI-driven approach empowers brokers to deliver more precise, efficient, and effective coverage solutions, particularly for SMBs.

• Flow Specialty Website
• Sivan Iram LinkedIn

• Flow's Unique Approach: How Flow is using AI to streamline insurance brokerage and improve service for small and medium-sized businesses.
• The Role of AI: Flow’s AI system passed an insurance certification exam, proving its expertise and demonstrating its potential in revolutionizing the industry.
• The Importance of Cyber Liability Insurance: Only 20% of small businesses have cyber liability...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge speaks with Luciana Núñez, Executive Coach at The Preston Associates and author of Coaching Power: Leading with Coaching to Create Individual, Team, and Organizational Outperformance. Luciana shares her deep passion for understanding human dynamics, her approach to building empowered leadership teams, and the actionable framework outlined in her new book. If you’re a founder or executive looking to level up your leadership and foster a high-performing team culture, this conversation offers strategic insight and practical tools.

Luciana opens up about the human-centered influences that inform her coaching practice—particularly her appreciation for interpersonal storytelling, like in the series The White Lotus, which reveals the layered complexity of relationships. She sees a strong parallel between coaching and storytelling, noting that both require empathy, deep listening, and a willingness to challenge assumptions. Drawing from this, Luciana encourages leaders to observe how they engage with others and to reflect on the subtle cues that impact team dynamics.

Professionally, Luciana emphasizes that 70% of her coaching work focuses on team coaching—not just individuals—which she believes is a more scalable and sustainable way to transform organizations. At The Preston Associates, she collaborates with a global network of coaches to implement systems-level leadership development. As companies face rapid growth or operational complexity, she helps leadership teams align on values, communication, and accountability—turning fragmentation into cohesion.

Luciana also underscores the importance of coaching in navigating today's VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) environment. With up to five generations now represented in the workforce, leaders must adapt to evolving expectations—especially from younger employees who prefer empowerment over command-and-control leadership. Through her book Coaching Power, Luciana provides a step-by-step guide for leaders looking to adopt a coaching mindset, offering tools for giving feedback, driving clarity, and promoting self-leadership across all levels.

Luciana Núñez is an executive coach and thought leader in leadership transformation. As a partner at The Preston Associates, she specializes in helping senior executives and teams unlock peak performance through a coaching-centered approach. She is the author of Coaching Power, a practical guide for leaders aiming to drive measurable business outcomes through people empowerment.

The Preston Associates (TPA) is a global executive coaching firm that partners with leaders and organizations to create sustainable, high-performance cultures. Through tailored coaching, strategy facilitation, and leadership development, TPA supports organizations navigating complexity, change, and growth.

• The Preston Associates Website
• Coaching Power on Amazon
• Luciana Núñez on LinkedIn

• The rising demand for team...

In a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge sat down with Zachary Bernard, founder of We Feature You PR, to explore how AI and storytelling are reshaping the public relations landscape. Zachary shared his passion for authentic communication and offered valuable insights into media strategies, podcasting, and the future of earned media. If you’re a founder or business leader seeking organic growth through meaningful visibility, this episode is a must-listen.

Zachary’s approach to public relations is rooted in earning trust, not just attention. He emphasizes that effective PR isn’t about buying exposure—it’s about earning it through strategic placements in publications that matter to your audience. Rather than chasing broad media hits, he advises founders to prioritize niche outlets and tailored storytelling that speaks directly to decision-makers. This shift away from generic, high-volume PR toward targeted and authentic media engagement is where long-term brand value is built.

The conversation also tackled the rising role of AI in public relations. Zachary clarified that while AI tools can help with research and ideation, they’re no replacement for human authenticity. In fact, as synthetic content becomes more prevalent, people will crave real human voices and experiences more than ever. He encourages businesses to use AI to refine messaging, but always pair it with emotional intelligence and human connection—especially when pitching to journalists or appearing as a podcast guest.

Speaking of podcasts, Zachary sees them as one of the most powerful tools for founder visibility today. Unlike traditional media, podcasting allows for longer-form, authentic conversations that build trust with listeners. He offered tactical advice for those new to guesting, including researching your target shows, tailoring pitches, starting with smaller podcasts to build confidence, and promoting your episodes after they air. These simple but effective strategies can dramatically increase your PR success and position you as a credible expert in your field.

About Zachary Bernard

Zachary Bernard is the founder of We Feature You PR and host of The Entrepreneur’s Logbook podcast. With a focus on earned media and organic brand growth, he helps founders and executives gain visibility through strategic PR and podcast features.

About We Feature You PR

We Feature You PR helps founders and business leaders earn media placements and podcast features that build credibility and organic authority—without relying on paid ads.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

• We Feature You PR Website
• Zachary Bernard on LinkedIn

Episode Highlights

• Why earned media beats paid advertising for long-term brand credibility
• How AI is reshaping PR—and where human authenticity still wins
• Tactical steps to pitch yourself as a podcast guest
• The difference between broad vs. niche PR strategies
• Why storytelling is the foundation of any successful PR campaign

Conclusion

This episode with Zachary Bernard makes one thing clear: the future of PR lies in authenticity,...

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge speaks with Ted Whetstone, executive coach and transformational leadership expert. Ted shares how deep introspection, philosophical inquiry, and a values-based approach to coaching can empower today’s leaders to move from managing tasks to inspiring real change. If you’re a business leader looking to develop teams that think critically, grow independently, and lead with authenticity, this conversation offers valuable and actionable insights.

Ted Whetstone isn’t your average executive coach. Drawing inspiration from the lives of breakthrough thinkers like Darwin and Da Vinci, Ted weaves his passion for writing and philosophical reflection into his leadership practice. Living in Santa Monica, he finds daily clarity in nature walks—balancing introspection with strategy. This connection to self-awareness and nature forms the bedrock of his coaching philosophy.

Professionally, Ted focuses on C-suite leaders and executives managing $100M+ organizations. His approach emphasizes individual one-on-one coaching to help leaders uncover blind spots and clarify thinking. He believes true leadership is about facilitating others’ growth, not solving problems for them. Through empowering questions and thoughtful engagement, Ted helps leaders inspire intrinsic motivation in their teams—transforming reactive managers into proactive visionaries.

He also highlights the evolving role of AI in coaching. While tools like ChatGPT can support cognitive processing, Ted emphasizes that no machine can replace the nuanced, human connection required for real transformation. His message? Use AI to assist, but never forget the power of presence.

Ted Whetstone is a transformational executive coach who specializes in working with high-level leaders across complex organizations. Drawing from decades of experience and a deep philosophical grounding, Ted empowers clients to cultivate introspection, overcome leadership plateaus, and drive meaningful impact within their teams and industries.

• Ted Whetstone's Website
• Ted Whetstone on LinkedIn

• How reflection and nature fuel better leadership decision-making
• Why great leaders ask questions instead of offering solutions
• The critical difference between motivation and inspiration
• How to shift from management to facilitation in team development
• The role and limits of AI in leadership coaching

Conclusion

Ted Whetstone reminds us that transformational leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating the space where others can discover their own. From strategic introspection to empowering conversations, his approach helps leaders unlock sustainable growth within themselves and their teams. If you're looking to deepen your leadership impact, Ted’s insights provide a compelling starting point.

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