The Founders' Journey

• Dan Cremons, Founder of Accelera Partners

  In this episode of The Founders' Journey, Ryan Heckman sits down with Dan Cremons, the newly appointed and sole Strategy Architect at Rallyday Partners, to explore his evolution from middle-class Cincinnati roots to becoming a transformative force in private equity - challenging industry norms with a refreshingly human-centered approach.Dan shares his journey from Alpine Investors to founding Accelera Partners, authoring two books, and teaching at Chicago Booth. They dive into his "people working with people to do stuff for people" philosophy, why spreadsheets can't replace leadership development, and frameworks that align organizational efforts with velocity. Tune in as Dan reveals how companies ignite when employees work at the intersection of talent, energy, and meaning - lessons learned not in boardrooms but in Louisiana warehouses and company turnarounds.Dan Cremons is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday Partners private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

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• Frank Longobardi, Executive Chairman of the Board & Nancy Catarisano, Founder & CEO of Insero Advisors

  In this episode of The Founders' Journey, Ryan Heckman sits down with Nancy Catarisano and Frank Longobardi of Insero Advisors to explore their remarkable journey from startup founders to industry leaders in the rapidly evolving accounting sector.Nancy and Frank share insights on navigating what might be the fastest-changing professional services landscape today - balancing technological innovation with human-centered culture. They discuss the industry's pressing challenges: workforce demographics, capital requirements for growth, and the surprising influx of private equity investment. Tune in as they reveal how their Rochester-based firm maintains small-company agility while executing with national-scale vision - proving that "unsexy" industries often drive the most exciting transformations.Frank Longobardi & Nancy Catarisano are not investors in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

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• Vance Brown, Executive Elder at Thrivers Leadership Institute

  In this episode of The Founders' Journey, Ryan Heckman sits down with Vance Brown, renowned entrepreneur and civic leader, to explore his evolution from ambitious North Carolina student to Colorado software pioneer. Vance shares his remarkable journey through three successful software ventures - from family-run Buildsoft to billion-dollar FrontRange Solutions to bootstrapped Cherwell Software.Vance reveals the emotional undercurrents of entrepreneurship - from early competitive drive to debilitating burnout - and his pivotal shift from success to significance. They discuss how personal crises became catalysts for growth, the spiritual dimensions of leadership, and how Vance transformed Colorado Springs' tech ecosystem through Exponential Impact and the National Cybersecurity Center. Tune in for profound insights on building companies with purpose and finding meaning beyond achievement.Vance Brown is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

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• Tariff Talks: A Special 3-Part Series — Part 2: Main Street with Tim Van Mieghem, Co-Founder & Partner, The ProAction Group

  The Founders’ Journey: Special 3-Part Series, Tariff TalksIn April 2025, sweeping new tariffs triggered market turmoil, shook CEO confidence, and sparked urgent questions across the business landscape. At Rallyday, we responded the way we did during COVID - by calling trusted voices on the front lines. And this time, we hit record.In just 48 hours, we captured three candid conversations exploring this moment from every angle: Wall Street (macro + markets) Main Street (operations + strategy) Your Street (mindset + leadership)All three episodes are available now — no politics, no punditry. Just clarity, curiosity, and practical insight to help you lead through what’s next.Part 2: Main Street with Tim Van Mieghem, Co-Founder & Partner of The ProAction GroupIn Part 2, we shift from Wall Street to Main Street, where the ripple effects of tariffs are being felt in real time by business owners, operators, and the teams that keep America running. Ryan is joined by Tim Van Mieghem, Co-founder & Partner of The ProAction Group and a nationally recognized supply chain expert for private equity-backed companies, to discuss how leaders are adapting to sudden cost increases, sourcing disruptions, and shifting customer demand. Tim shares a deeply grounded framework for seeing clarity, acting decisively, and even using this crisis to create lasting culture change. He reminds us why operational excellence is still the ultimate lever — and how relationships, not spreadsheets, will determine who wins in this new era. Whether you’re a CEO, an operator, or an investor, you’ll walk away with actionable insights for steering your organization through uncertainty. Tim Van Mieghem is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

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• Tariff Talks: A Special 3-Part Series — Part 3: Your Street with Brian Kight, Author of DailyDiscipline.com

  The Founders’ Journey: Special 3-Part Series, Tariff TalksIn April 2025, sweeping new tariffs triggered market turmoil, shook CEO confidence, and sparked urgent questions across the business landscape. At Rallyday, we responded the way we did during COVID - by calling trusted voices on the front lines. And this time, we hit record.In just 48 hours, we captured three candid conversations exploring this moment from every angle: Wall Street (macro + markets) Main Street (operations + strategy) Your Street (mindset + leadership)All three episodes are available now — no politics, no punditry. Just clarity, curiosity, and practical insight to help you lead through what’s next.Part 3: Your Street with Brian Kight, Author of DailyDiscipline.comThe final chapter in our series hits closest to home — your street, your team, and your mindset. Longtime Rallyday partner and performance coach Brian Kight joins us for a riveting discussion on what it really means to lead during uncertainty. Brian doesn’t just offer platitudes — he delivers frameworks. He reframes adversity as opportunity, reminds us that belief follows action (not the other way around), and makes a compelling case for why the real competition right now is between disciplined responders and emotional reactors. This episode is for the leader in the mirror — the one whose response will define your team’s future.Brian Kight is not an investor in one or more of Rallyday private funds and did not receive any cash or non-cash compensation for participating in this podcast.To nominate a founder or to nominate yourself as a future guest speaker on our podcast, please submit your nominations here. www.RallydayPartners.com

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