Driven: Unscripted Success

In this conversation with Debbie Wildrick, a seasoned executive in the food and beverage world, we explore the secrets behind launching, scaling, and surviving in the ultra-competitive beverage industry. Debbie’s experience—from leading beverage strategy at 7-Eleven to consulting early-stage brands—gives listeners a masterclass in what it takes to stand out and succeed.
We discuss the importance of starting at the ground level, understanding retail dynamics, and what it means to truly differentiate your product. Debbie also shares her insights on navigating shelf placement, overcoming brand challenges, and her current mission: empowering brands through education with her upcoming program and book.
 
--------------------------------------------------------- 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 episode, Doreen shares her journey from growing up behind the Berlin Wall to becoming a successful tech entrepreneur in the U.S. She discusses launching a niche communication automation company, bridging critical tech and human response, and thriving in a competitive American market.
Mike and Doreen dive deep into the immigrant advantage, the life lessons of martial arts, and how real growth comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone. Doreen also shares her personal values on capitalism, freedom, and what it means to keep evolving—personally and professionally.
Key Takeaways:
Why challenges are growth in disguise
What sets her company apart in the tech space
How martial arts taught her life and leadership lessons
Her bold views on capitalism vs. socialism
Advice for staying curious and continuously improving
 
--------------------------------------------------------- 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 of Driven: Unscripted Success, Mike Mannino sits down with global telecom executive Pablo Mlikota for a raw and inspiring conversation about leading international expansion in a rapidly evolving industry. From building cross-cultural teams in the Middle East to navigating the intense telecom downturn of the early 2000s, Pablo shares what it really takes to thrive as a leader on the global stage.
Pablo reflects on the personal challenges that reshaped his life and career, including health scares in the family and major professional crises—like running a company through bankruptcy proceedings. He also dives into what makes a high-performing team, why diversity and generational mix matter, and how he's helping his company pivot from traditional telecom to AI-driven tech solutions.
If you’ve ever wondered what it's like to lead with resilience, adapt across cultures, or scale a business internationally—this episode is a must-listen.
Key Topics Covered:
Life and business lessons from living and working in the UAE, China, and Latin America
Why diversity and generational mix can supercharge team performance
How to lead through crisis and restructure a company under bankruptcy
The importance of cultural intelligence in leadership
Pablo’s thoughts on AI, passive income, and building a meaningful legacy
--------------------------------------------------------- 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, Dr. Shan Nair, founder of Nucleus, shares how his company acts as a "one-stop shop" for startups expanding overseas. From payroll and taxes to legal compliance across borders, Nucleus does the heavy lifting so entrepreneurs can focus on scaling—without stepping into financial or legal landmines abroad.
You’ll learn the overlooked risks of hiring contractors internationally, why cutting corners on global setup can cost you more in the long run, and how laws in countries like Belgium or India differ radically from those in the U.S.
Dr. Nair explains:
Why most startups underestimate the true cost of going global
What "calculated risk" really means when entering a new market
Horror stories of companies who did it wrong (and how to avoid them)
How Nucleus creates simplicity, speed, and trust for fast-moving startups
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------- 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.

From the dugouts of professional baseball to the high-stakes world of real estate syndication, Chris Caffrey brings a story of grit, reinvention, and growth. In this candid conversation with host Nareman Hamdan, Chris opens up about the transition from athlete to investor, the mindset needed to overcome personal and professional setbacks, and how strategic relationships shape his success.
Listeners will hear how a double shoulder surgery changed his outlook on life, why emotional intelligence and consistency matter more than talent, and how Chris turned adversity into a platform for coaching others through commercial real estate. He also shares what excites him most in today’s market, and the key habits that fuel his continued growth—like early morning routines, health investments, and mentorship.
Whether you’re an aspiring investor or someone seeking a powerful reminder of how life’s detours can create new roads, this episode delivers value, authenticity, and insight.
 
 
---------------------------------------------------------- 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 drives someone to run a marathon in every single U.S. state? Meet Elizabeth Simon, a marathon enthusiast, author, compliance executive, and adoptive mom, who shares her powerful journey of grit, perseverance, and purpose. In this episode, Elizabeth opens up about how a single 5K sparked a decade-long goal that ended with her running 50 marathons across all 50 states—even doing two in one weekend!
She also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her professional career as VP of Compliance and Risk, her challenges and joys as an adoptive parent, and how her experiences have inspired her creative work—including her newly published novel, Barren, available now on Amazon.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How Elizabeth trained for back-to-back marathons across the country
What the running community means to her
The emotional challenges of parenting adopted children
The intersection of compliance, ethics, and risk management in her career
Her debut novel and what inspired its modern take on biblical characters
 
--------------------------------------------------------- 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 thought-provoking episode, Mike Mannino and Nareman Hamdan dive into the trillion-dollar world of procurement with Keith McFarlane, CTO of Globality. Keith breaks down how AI is transforming enterprise spending, helping companies make smarter purchasing decisions, and optimizing supplier relationships at scale.
Listeners will get an insider's look at how Globality’s AI-driven platform is reshaping the future of procurement—from reducing inefficiencies to driving value with intelligent automation. Keith also shares his personal career journey, lessons from overcoming setbacks, and what excites him most about the rapid advancements in AI.
What You’ll Learn:
Why procurement is the next big frontier for AI
How automation is enhancing—not replacing—procurement teams
The biggest challenge Keith faced in his career and how he overcame it
Creative insights on passive income, including AI-driven business models
The future of engineering and work in an AI-first world
--------------------------------------------------------- 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, Mike sits down with Benjamin Macgowen, Chief Operating Officer at Hi ABA, to dive into the world of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. Ben shares how his extensive business experience led him to this impactful field—one that’s helping children on the autism spectrum manage behavioral challenges and lead more independent lives.
Ben unpacks how ABA works, from diagnosis to treatment, explaining how insurance funding has broadened access to therapy. He discusses the growing autism spectrum, industry challenges like staff burnout, and what makes a truly effective clinician. Ben also provides advice for aspiring COOs, emphasizing strategic prioritization, organizational balance, and long-term vision.
The conversation also touches on passive income, side hustles, and how organizations can empower employees to build careers while supporting personal growth. Ben closes with insights into Hi ABA’s evolving vision and how listeners can reach out if they’re curious to learn more.
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------- 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 of Driven: Unscripted Success, Mike and Nareman sit down with Jennifer Ann Johnson, the powerhouse behind True Fashionistas, Florida’s largest lifestyle resale store. A former model and actress turned serial entrepreneur, Jennifer shares how her humble roots shaped her passion for fashion and entrepreneurship.
You’ll hear how she went from a bridal shop in her house to launching a multimillion-dollar resale brand, all while juggling motherhood, leadership, and coaching other entrepreneurs. Jennifer opens up about the betrayal that forced her to rebuild from scratch, how “Founder’s Time” keeps her focused, and the lessons she’s learned from taking big risks.
Plus, she dives into building passive income through her coaching academy and shares her favorite mindset-shifting books for entrepreneurs.
 
---------------------------------------------------------- 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 eye-opening episode, we sit down with Brian Bass, founder of Bass Global, Inc., to explore the world of medical communications—a field many don’t even know exists. From writing educational content for healthcare professionals to developing patient-facing materials seen in doctors’ offices, Brian’s journey into medical writing is as surprising as it is inspiring.
Brian shares how he transformed a freelancing gig into a full-blown business, assembling a team of top-tier writers and editors. He opens up about risk-taking, bad career moves that led to amazing outcomes, and how flexibility and honesty have shaped his leadership style.
We also dive into the challenges currently facing the medical writing field—from disappearing data on trusted government sites to the cautious adoption of AI—and why the stakes are higher than ever when it comes to delivering factual, science-based content to patients and professionals alike.
You’ll hear about:
How Brian built his business from scratch after a career pivot
What it takes to be successful in medical writing today
How AI is disrupting the industry—and what to watch out for
The importance of flexibility in entrepreneurship
How Brian leverages passive income through smart business and real estate strategies
 
---------------------------------------------------------- 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.