The Conscious Entrepreneur

EP 91: Meet the New Host of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast

Most podcasts talk tactics, but The Conscious Entrepreneur turns the spotlight inward.
 
This episode marks a new beginning for The Conscious Entrepreneur as Alex Raymond passes the mic to Sarah Lockwood, the show’s new host. They reflect on the recent summit in Boulder and the kind of conversations that matter most to this community, the ones that don’t just skim the surface.
 
Sarah shares why she raised her hand to take on this role and what keeps her so invested in the work. As the CEO of HiveCast, she’s helped hundreds of founders launch and grow their podcasts. But here, she’s stepping into something more personal: creating space for honest conversations about the fears, habits, and thought patterns that shape the entrepreneurial journey.
 
What happens when we stop comparing our beginnings to someone else’s highlight reel? How do we keep showing up when the pressure to hustle never really lets up? Sarah and Alex unpack these questions and more, with a shared belief that the real growth happens behind the scenes, in community, through vulnerability, and with a little less pretending.
 
Alex isn’t disappearing; he’ll still be around. But with Sarah at the helm, the podcast enters a new season, one built around thoughtful interviews, lived experience, and ideas you’ll actually want to take back into your life and work.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcome and Summit Recap
01:04 Meet the New Host: Sarah Lockwood
02:30 Sarah’s Entrepreneurial Journey
05:12 The Story Behind HiveCast
08:37 Why Podcasting Matters
17:52 Rethinking Hustle Culture
20:31 Habits and Inspiration for Entrepreneurs
23:40 What’s Next for the Show
 
Links
Connect with Sarah Lockwood:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lockwoodsarah/
Website: https://hivecast.fm
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 90: Guard Your Joy

Guarding your joy while leading high-stakes work is not optional. It is the only way to last.
 
Dr. David Johns sits down with Alex Raymond for a conversation on what it means to lead without losing yourself. What keeps you grounded when the work feels endless? How do you stay in the fight without letting it consume you? 
 
Drawing from his journey, from growing up in Inglewood to serving in the Obama White House and now leading the National Black Justice Coalition, Dr. Johns shares how his leadership is shaped by purpose, community, and a deep sense of responsibility. He talks about centering the voices that are too often excluded, especially in education, and calls out the difference between performative gestures and true accountability. He reflects on the emotional cost of this work, the need for spaces that restore rather than drain, and why joy is something worth protecting at all costs. The episode also touches on his podcast, Teach the Babies, and his belief that love and dignity must be foundational in any conversation about democracy and schooling.
 
For entrepreneurs trying to lead with both heart and backbone, Alex and Dr. Johns’ conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to choose between ambition and integrity, and that doing the hard thing doesn’t mean doing it alone.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meet Dr. David Johns
01:58 Who Are You Beneath the Work?
05:14 Purpose, Passion, and Leadership Philosophy
07:10 Centering the Most Marginalized
11:13 Guarding Your Joy and Protecting Your Peace
14:44 The Power of Community
21:18 What It Means to Nourish Yourself
23:48 Why He Launched Teach the Babies
27:10 Education, Democracy, and the Fight for Equity
30:52 Real Allyship vs Performative Action
36:36 From Ally to Accomplice
 
Links
Connect with David Johns:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdavidjohns/
Website: https://nbjc.org/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 89: Mood Follows Action

Happiness isn’t a finish line; it’s the system you build every day to actually enjoy being alive.
 
Brian Dubow had the career, the money, the validation, and none of it made him feel fulfilled. So he stepped off the path, studied the science of happiness, and rebuilt his life from the inside out. In this episode, he joins Alex Raymond to share what he learned along the way and how entrepreneurs can stop chasing success and start creating lives that feel good to live.
 
Brian breaks down the “MAGIC” framework (mindfulness, activity, gratitude, inspiration, and connection), and explains how simple daily habits can have a bigger impact than any external win. Could feeling better have less to do with getting more, and more to do with doing less of what drains you? Is your energy, not your output, the real measure of progress?
 
Alex and Brian’s conversation also touches on the role of discipline in happiness, why mood follows action, and how small systems can keep you aligned when the pressure ramps up. For anyone who’s ever looked successful on paper but felt off inside, this episode offers a reset and a practical way forward.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Brian’s Journey from Corporate to Happiness Coaching
08:23 The Science Behind Happiness
10:17 Happiness as a Choice and the Power of Discipline
13:32 Redefining Happiness: Enjoying the Passage of Time
18:00 Mood Follows Action and the Role of Systems
19:35 The MAGIC Framework Explained
21:00 Mindfulness and Managing Distractions
24:10 Movement and Physical Energy
29:03 Rewiring Your Mind with Gratitude
37:09 Finding Daily Inspiration
42:41 The Power of Meaningful Connection
 
Links
Connect with Brian Dubow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dubow/
Website: https://hitofhappiness.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
 
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 88: What to Expect at The 2025 Conscious Entrepreneur Summit

Most entrepreneurs want exponential growth. Few pause long enough to ask what’s quietly getting in the way.
 
In this episode, Alex Raymond shares what’s ahead for the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit, happening May 28th and 29th in Boulder, Colorado. This is the one event built entirely around the well-being of entrepreneurs, and it’s designed for those who are serious about scaling both their business and their inner capacity to lead.
 
Sarah Lockwood, the founder of HiveCast and longtime member of the community, joins Alex to ask the questions many potential attendees are already thinking. Is it worth stepping away from the day-to-day? What’s different about this event? And how does a theme like “10x Growth” apply to someone who isn’t chasing vanity metrics?
 
They walk through what to expect, from the small, curated outdoor workshop with Dr. Benjamin Hardy to the larger summit day packed with speakers like Michael Freeman, Brad Feld, and Rachel Romer. The lineup covers both the internal and external work of growth, with plenty of space for connection, reflection, and actual momentum.
 
If you’re ready for clarity, challenge, and community, all in one place, this is why the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit belongs on your calendar: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/#tickets 
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Conscious Entrepreneur Summit Overview
02:32 How the Agenda Is Personalized
04:04 Theme of the Year: 10x Growth
06:16 Dr. Benjamin Hardy Workshop and Keynote
12:06 Regulating the Nervous System for Growth
14:23 Michael Freeman on 10x Personal Growth
16:06 Fireside Chat with Brad Feld
18:13 Rachel Romer’s Story of Resilience
20:26 Jim Dieters on Building Boldly
22:58 Expressive Movement with Shine Living Community
26:31 Tickets, Community Dinners, and Integration
 
Links
The Conscious Entrepreneur Summit: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
 
Connect with Sarah Lockwood:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lockwoodsarah/
Website: https://hivecast.fm
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 87: The Entrepreneur’s Mental Balance Sheet

Building a business is one thing; holding your vision steady through growth, pressure, and uncertainty is something else entirely.
 
Alex Raymond sits down with John Sampogna, the co-founder and CEO of Wondersauce, to talk about what the entrepreneurial journey really demands once the excitement wears off. John shares how he built a 100-person agency, why he created a “mental balance sheet” to manage the emotional costs of leadership, and what he learned from selling his company while staying true to its original vision. How do you scale without losing yourself in the process? How do you know when a business opportunity is truly right for you, not just financially but personally?
 
John also digs into the realities of leadership that rarely get talked about: why bottlenecks are your best feedback loop, why approachability matters more than you think, and why a thriving business culture starts with making space for mistakes. He challenges entrepreneurs to rethink what scale really means in the age of AI and shares why lasting success depends on more than just growth metrics.
 
If you are building a business and want to do it with intention, resilience, and clarity, this conversation will give you a much-needed shift in perspective.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:14 Holding a Long-Term Vision Through Growth and Uncertainty
03:49 Selling Wondersauce and Choosing the Right Partner
09:01 How the Founder Role Changes After Acquisition
10:02 Navigating Earn-Outs, COVID, and the Rise of AI
12:10 Building a Mental Balance Sheet for Emotional Resilience
15:00 Scaling a Business Without Burning Out
19:25 Bottlenecks as a Signal for Operational Change
22:05 Creating Psychological Safety and Strong Leadership
25:59 Smart Marketing and True Differentiation for Entrepreneurs
32:44 How AI Is Redefining the Idea of Scale
 
Links
Connect with  John Sampogna:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsampogna/
Website: https://www.wondersauce.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 86: Being A Dumb-Ass Is Your Superpower

Real leadership isn’t being the smartest person in the room. It’s creating the kind of culture where people feel safe enough to say, “I don’t know.”
 
In this episode, Alex Raymond talks with Garry Ridge, the former CEO of WD-40 and the author of “Any Dumb-Ass Can Do It.” Garry shares how a moment of “jumping in to fix it” early in his career completely reshaped his approach to leadership. That shift, from problem-solver to coach, set the foundation for one of the most admired cultures in business, with 93% employee engagement and a company-wide commitment to learning and accountability.
 
Garry explains why admitting what you don’t know isn’t weakness but the beginning of trust. He unpacks the idea of “dumbassery” as a leadership superpower, and why removing fear in the workplace creates room for growth, innovation, and genuine connection. What can happen when you stop calling things failures and start treating them as learning moments? What will change when your company values are more than just words on a wall?
 
This episode offers ideas for leaders who want to build purpose-driven companies without losing their people, or themselves, in the process. From the power of clearly ranked values to the surprisingly effective “Maniac Pledge,” Garry provides a framework for creating a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and proud to contribute.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
03:13 Learning Moments and Redefining Failure
05:25 “I Don’t Know” as a Leadership Superpower
07:28 Psychological Safety and People-First Cultures
14:16 Purpose, Values, and the Will of the People
21:44 Purpose Beyond Product and Real Accountability
33:19 Leading with Love
 
Links
Connect with Garry Ridge:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garryridge/
Website: https://thelearningmoment.net/
Website Quiz: https://thelearningmoment.net/quiz/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 85: Nobody Cares About Your Crappy Little Startup

Building a business with purpose will push you to grow in ways you probably didn’t expect. What happens when your ambition outpaces your timing? Or when your team starts breaking down and you realize the real issue starts with you?
 
In this episode, Alex Raymond talks with Brian Dally, the co-founder and CEO of Groundfloor, a fintech company that gives everyday investors access to real estate debt. Brian shares what he learned from starting too early, betting on the wrong timelines, and eventually paving the way for a market that wasn’t quite ready for him.
 
Brian also opens up about a turning point in his leadership when a blowout between two teams during a family ski trip forced him to confront the culture he had helped create. That moment led to a reset, not just in how the company operated, but in how he saw himself as a leader.
 
What do you do when your company hits a wall? How do you stay committed when the cost of building starts to feel personal? Brian reflects on his spiritual life, his leadership missteps, and the values that guide him today. He also shares the habits that keep him steady like hiking Colorado trails, practicing mindfulness, and checking in with the people who matter most.
 
If you’re building something ambitious, this conversation will make you think more deeply about the kind of person you’re becoming in the process.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
03:07 Early Challenges of Launching Groundfloor
05:55 The Cost of Being Early
08:10 Lessons from Republic Wireless
12:09 Personal Growth Through Leadership
14:45 Faith, Vulnerability, and Inner Work
16:48 How Company Culture Broke and Got Rebuilt
23:05 Big Goals, Ambition, and Opportunity Cost
30:59 Real-World Impact on Customers
34:02 Habits That Keep Brian Grounded
 
Links
Connect with Brian Dally:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdally/
Website: https://groundfloor.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 84: A Look Inside the Conscious Entrepreneur Summit

Most entrepreneurs think they need a new growth strategy. What they actually need is a better relationship with themselves.
 
In this episode, the tables turn as Sarah Lockwood, the founder of HiveCast, interviews Alex Raymond about the upcoming Conscious Entrepreneur Summit, happening May 28–29 in Boulder, Colorado. Now in its fourth year, the summit offers something most business events miss entirely: a chance to work on the person behind the company.
 
Alex shares how the idea for the summit came from countless conversations where founders showed up to talk about strategy but ended up revealing stress, fear, and self-doubt. What if those internal struggles are actually the bottleneck in your business? And what would happen if you had space to name them, examine them, and move through them?
 
This year’s summit features Dr. Benjamin Hardy, the author of 10x is Easier Than 2x, leading a small-group workshop on the psychology of exponential thinking. Dr. Michael Freeman, a leading voice in entrepreneur mental health research, will speak on how entrepreneurship can become a path for deep personal growth.
 
Sarah and Alex also talk about what makes this event feel so different. The connections are real. The conversations go deep quickly. And the room is full of people who are serious about growth, not just in revenue, but in clarity, confidence, and capacity.
 
If you’re the kind of founder who wants to scale your business without losing yourself in the process, The 2025 Conscious Entrepreneur Summit might be exactly what you’ve been looking for. Get your tickets now and don’t miss your chance to join the exclusive 10x Workshop with Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Seats are limited!
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Sarah Lockwood on the Conscious Entrepreneur Community
04:45 The Origin of the Summit and Why It Matters
08:20 Personal Growth as a Business Strategy
13:00 Big Ideas from Past Speakers
15:55 Ben Hardy and 10x Thinking
24:15 Why In-Person Connection Still Wins
26:50 Founder Well-Being with Dr. Michael Freeman
29:00 JV vs Varsity Thinking for Entrepreneurs
35:20 Who the Summit Is For
 
Links:
Dr. Srikumar Rao on The Conscious Entrepreneur:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conscious-entrepreneur/id1708478000?i=1000641708365
Gay Hendricks on The Conscious Entrepreneur: ​​https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-conscious-entrepreneur/id1708478000?i=1000630685954
Touched by Fire Publication: https://michaelafreemanmd.com/Research_files/Are%20Entrepreneurs%20Touched%20with%20Fire%20(pre-pub%20n)%204-17-15.pdf
The Conscious Entrepreneur Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/
Benjamin Hardy Website:  https://www.benjaminhardy.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/Connect with Sarah Lockwood:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lockwoodsarah/
Website: https://hivecast.fm
 
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 83: From Sales Leader to CEO: Mark Kosoglow’s Leap into Entrepreneurship

Most outbound sales strategies rely on volume and noise. Mark Kosoglow is betting on something different: relevance, proof, and actually caring about the people on the other end.
 
Mark helped scale Outreach to over $230 million in revenue as its first sales hire. Now he’s a first-time founder and CEO at Operator, a startup built inside the GTM Fund, where he’s rethinking what outbound should look like and calling out what’s broken. What happens when you stop chasing reply rates and start focusing on provable business problems? How do you build a company without tying your self-worth to the outcome?
 
In this episode, Mark sits down with Alex Raymond to talk through the emotional ups and downs of entrepreneurship, the decision to say yes to starting something new after being fired, and how “work hard and have fun” became the filter he uses to make decisions. He shares lessons from working alongside leaders like Manny Medina and the Chu Brothers, his take on building authentic company culture, and why he treats the CEO role like a sales role: listening first, solving second.
 
If you’re tired of the spray-and-pray approach to sales or wondering how to stay grounded while building something ambitious, this conversation will land.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Mark Kosoglow: From Outreach to Operator
03:16 Lessons from Catalyst and Customer Success
06:56 Why Outbound Is Broken
13:46 The “Great Ignore” and Rethinking Sales Math
17:43 Starting Inside a Venture Fund
21:24 Hiring, Delegating, and Lessons from Past Leaders
27:36 Leading Through the Emotional Highs and Lows
35:20 Daily Habits, Book Recommendations 
 
Links
Connect with Mark Kosoglow:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkosoglow/
Website: https://www.operator.ai/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
 
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 82: Winning the Cookie Wars: Bennett Maxwell’s Playbook for Growth and Resilience

Surviving a lawsuit, scaling a franchise, and losing 125 pounds all pointed Bennett Maxwell toward one surprising realization: his nervous system had more influence than he ever imagined.
 
Bennett joins Alex Raymond to talk through the chaos and clarity that came with building Dirty Dough. When Crumble, a billion-dollar competitor, sued him over sprinkles and box shapes, he could have folded. Instead, he went bold. His response—cheeky billboards and viral content—caught fire and helped fuel the sale of 450 franchises in just two years.
 
But what happens after the adrenaline fades? What if growth brings a whole new kind of pressure? Bennett shares how success forced him to confront his health, his identity, and his relationship to stress. He talks about selling his first company, hitting his financial goal, and realizing he still felt miserable. That moment led to a full-body reset from gastric sleeve surgery to daily meditation to red-light therapy and vagus nerve stimulation. He even carved out half his workweek to focus on his mental and physical state.
 
This episode raises a bigger question: can you really lead well if your nervous system is fried? Bennett’s story is a reminder that personal growth and business growth aren’t separate, and that sometimes the most strategic move is stepping back.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction 
01:37 Mental Resilience and the Power of Detachment
03:37 Franchising Dirty Dough
05:52 The Cookie Wars with Crumble
08:06 Handling Stress During the Lawsuit
10:32 Decision-Making and Personal Mission Statement
14:52 Raising Capital During the Lawsuit
17:07 Importance of Surrounding Yourself with the Right People
21:06 Consciousness and Physical Health
23:34 Focusing on the Nervous System
28:19 Using Tools to Optimize Mental Health
30:10 Importance of Regulating the Body
32:24 Experience with Ketamine and Psychedelics
 
Links
Connect with Bennett Maxwell:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-maxwell-703717126/
Website: https://bennettmaxwell.com/
 
Connect with Alex Raymond:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/
Website: https://amplifyam.com/
HiveCast.fm is a proud sponsor of The Conscious Entrepreneur Podcast.
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm