Driven: Unscripted Success

Thomas St. John didn’t start with a fund, a team, or a fancy investor pitch—he started by reading books and buying one single-family home. In this candid conversation, Thomas walks us through his journey from self-managing properties to building a syndication business that prioritizes investor trust above all.
He opens up about lessons learned during the 2008 crash, the risks he took (and wouldn’t recommend), and why being conservative in underwriting has earned him long-term success. You’ll hear about his decision to focus on team growth, market exploration beyond the Midwest, and how being a girl dad drives his entrepreneurial fire.
Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, this episode offers relatable insights on risk, mentorship, reading habits, and doing business with integrity.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode, Jason Cherry shares his unconventional path from aspiring forensic psychologist to leading IT infrastructure in healthcare. From dropping out of college to landing a pivotal internship, Jason’s story is about grit, learning from mistakes, and adapting with purpose.
He talks about the culture shock of moving from urban Chicago to West Columbia, the mission-critical nature of hospital IT systems, and how staying calm during emergencies sets the tone for success. Jason also opens up about embracing AI in healthcare, leading teams with empathy, and why he believes extreme ownership is key to being an effective leader.
Whether you're in tech, leadership, or just navigating your career path, this episode is packed with inspiration, practical wisdom, and a few laughs along the way.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What happens when a frustrated pet parent decides there has to be a better way to care for our furry friends? You get Maya Shaposhnik, the passionate founder behind Vetted, a mobile app that's transforming the way we approach pet health.
In this episode, Maya shares how her experience as a French Bulldog mom—feeling rushed at vet visits and left with more questions than answers—inspired her to flip the script. Instead of pet parents feeling powerless and overwhelmed, Vetted puts them in charge using gamification, habit-building, and vet-designed tools like “Dr. Poop” and “Dr. Weight.”
She talks about the highs, the pivots, the crashes (literally), and the grind of startup life—plus the lessons she's learning as she leads her company through a major growth phase in the U.S. market.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this inspiring and eye-opening episode, Stanley Adwell—serial entrepreneur and founder of IntelliSteel Group—joins Nareman Hamdan to share how cold-formed steel frames are revolutionizing construction by replacing traditional lumber. Broadcasting from his Texas facility, Stanley discusses how his company uses cutting-edge technology to manufacture precision-engineered steel frames that are faster, stronger, lighter, and more affordable than wood.
Stanley takes us through his journey from startup struggles and near-closure to leading the largest cold-formed steel framing company in the U.S. He shares stories of risk, resilience, and his servant-leadership approach that’s empowered employees—many from unlikely backgrounds—to become key players in a construction movement.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Josh opens up about the unexpected path that led him into business ownership, sharing how he went from civil engineering graduate to buying into the very company where he worked. He discusses the highs, the uncertainties of making payroll in the early days, and how his introverted nature shaped — and challenged — his leadership style.
Listeners will hear insights into site civil engineering, the importance of being a problem solver, and how Josh leverages continuous learning to grow both professionally and personally. He also touches on financial literacy, personal growth, and his evolving role as a mentor and father.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What does it take to stay mentally strong while building a business from the ground up? In this episode, we sit down with serial entrepreneur Steve Spiro, one of the original minds behind Audible, to dive into the unfiltered reality of startup life—from sleepless nights and risky decisions to building a billion-dollar exit.
Steve shares the wild origin story of Audible, including how the idea came from a kitchen table conversation, how they convinced publishers to believe in digital audio, and how they ultimately sold the company to Amazon. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing—he walks us through the brutal cash crunch moments, the dance with venture capitalists, and the emotional toll of building something from nothing.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

Michael Berdan brings an inspiring story of grit, innovation, and adaptability. From his beginnings in Toronto to working with elite aerospace companies like Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney, Bell Helicopter, and even NASA, Michael shares how he navigated a career full of complex engineering challenges.
He reveals what it’s like to work on billion-dollar aircraft for Saudi royalty and secret government projects, as well as how he started his own aerospace business in the wake of 9/11. But that’s not all—Michael shares how his daughter inspired him to enter the renewable energy space, creating BE-Wind, a company focused on small wind turbines for homes, farms, and off-grid systems.
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

What happens when a simple hobby turns into a booming business? Guillermo Wenzel joins us to share how he went from flying drones for fun during COVID lockdowns to launching Drone Sky Visuals, a thriving drone services company serving Miami and beyond.
You’ll hear how Guillermo navigated the early days of entrepreneurship without a business background, how Google Ads helped scale his brand, and why flying drones has taken him from job sites to the soccer field with Manchester City.
From aerial architecture and road mapping to creating stock footage and filming for global productions, Guillermo’s journey is a blueprint for turning passion into profit—without a roadmap.
This episode is for anyone thinking of starting something on the side, wondering how to take the leap, or just curious how drones can power an entire career.
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Tran, a security systems sales engineer who’s built a career at the intersection of tech, service, and grit. Anthony brings over a decade of experience working with major government agencies like the DOD and Homeland Security. Starting as a cable puller and rising through the ranks, he shares how deep knowledge and attention to detail in access control can mean the difference between vulnerability and safety.
Anthony opens up about leadership lessons learned from Boy Scouts, why communication makes or breaks both teams and security plans, and how he took a major risk that led to a contract win—without even walking the job site first.
Oh, and there’s paintball, too. A lot of it. Coaching a rising youth team in South Carolina, Anthony reveals what this chaotic sport taught him about strategy, team growth, and building trust.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.

In this flavorful episode of Driven: Unscripted Success, Mike Mannino sits down with renowned chef and restaurateur Bruno Fonseca, the visionary behind Foreigner Restaurant and Bruno’s Oysters in Central Florida. Bruno shares the inspiring journey from growing up in Rio de Janeiro to becoming a leader in the fine dining world, known for an immersive, no-menu dining experience where chefs serve you directly at the counter.
Discover how Bruno built his dream from pop-ups and plant shops, weathered the storm of COVID-19, and created something truly rare — a place where the love of food, people, and team come together nightly. He opens up about what really sets his restaurant apart, the importance of intentional service, and how building a strong team is at the heart of everything he does.
Whether you're in hospitality, business, or simply love a good underdog story, this episode will leave you inspired.
 
-------------------------------------------------------- Be a Guest: Are you a successful Naples-area business owner, entrepreneur, or professional with insights to share? Apply to be a guest at Driven: Unscripted Success and share your expertise with a wide audience eager to learn about you.