This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for founders and leaders who want to reclaim focus and build sustainable high performance in a world filled with distraction. Many entrepreneurs confuse busy work with meaningful output, but the real edge comes from deep work, clarity and intentional attention.

My guest is Steven Puri, founder and CEO of The Sukha Company, whose background includes producing Oscar-winning visual effects and building venture-backed startups. We explore why remote work often feels chaotic, how blurred boundaries erode productivity and why deep work is becoming increasingly rare and valuable.

Steven breaks down what flow states really are, why they drive your best creative work and how your environment and systems can help you enter them more consistently. We also unpack practical habits founders can adopt to protect focus, reduce overwhelm and move their business forward without burning out.

Tune in if you’re ready to stop reacting all day and start creating space for the deep, focused work that actually moves your business forward.

Steven Puri has been a senior executive at two major motion picture studios and has raised over $20M in venture capital. He produced digital effects for Independence Day, which won the Academy Award for Visual Effects, and later founded multiple startups—including one successful exit. Steven now leads The Sukha Company, a focus and flow platform designed to help people achieve sustainable high performance. He lives in Austin, TX.

Website: thesukhacompany.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevenpuri/

1. Episode 281. Remote work isn’t the problem—your leadership might be — Rethink how remote work and leadership intersect. https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/remote-work-isnt-the-problem
2. Episode 262. Stress management — Why managing stress is a leadership and productivity decision. https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/stress-management
3. Episode 94. 5 ways to maximize productivity from my favorite book: Make Time — Practical strategies for reclaiming your time and attention. https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/5-ways-to-maximize-productivity

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for founders who want to build a company that actually makes money from the start. If you’re thinking about what to prioritize early, or how to refocus a business that isn’t generating consistent revenue yet, this episode will help you reset.

If I had to build a company from scratch today—with no audience, no awareness and no momentum—I’d start with revenue.

In this episode, I walk through exactly how I’d rebuild a company with the goal of getting paying customers as quickly and intentionally as possible. I break down how to identify a problem people are already paying to solve, how early sales shape smarter decisions and why focus makes everything, from messaging to growth, easier.

This episode is about building from reality, not assumptions, and letting revenue guide what you build next.

Tune in if you’re building something new, rethinking your priorities or ready to stop guessing and start selling with more clarity.

1. Why you must know how to sell: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/why-you-must-know-how-to-sell
2. Why you should learn to love selling w/ Mark Cox: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/why-you-should-learn-to-love-selling-with-mark-cox
3. It’s not time to slow down: generating business at the end of the year: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/generating-business-at-the-end-of-the-year

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok:

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for founders who know visibility matters but still hesitate to put themselves out there.

My guest is KJ Blattenbauer, a PR strategist and the author of Pitchworthy: The No-Fluff Playbook to Publicity That Pays Off. KJ helps founders use media and storytelling to build credibility and grow their businesses.

KJ and I talk about the biggest misconceptions around PR, especially the belief that visibility is self-promotional or ego-driven. Instead, this conversation reframes public relations as a way to build trust, shorten sales cycles, and help the right people find you at the right time.

We unpack why PR is less about attention and more about credibility and long-term growth, including why waiting until you feel “ready” often holds your business back. We also discuss why being visible is not vanity, but responsibility, and how personal branding and company branding work best together as buyers increasingly want to understand the humans behind the business.

Tune in if you’re ready to rethink PR, step into visibility with intention, and use storytelling as a growth lever instead of something you avoid.

KJ Blattenbauer is a powerhouse publicist who turns overlooked experts into headline news. With nearly 30 years of experience, she’s the go-to pro when you’re ready to stop being ignored and start owning the spotlight. Known for her bold yet approachable style, KJ delivers clear, actionable strategies that have been featured everywhere from Forbes to Architectural Digest. She’s also the author of the DIY PR book, How to Be a Media Darling, and Pitchworthy, a modern guide to building lasting visibility and authority.

Website: https://www.hearsaypr.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kjblattenbauer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjblattenbauer/

Book: https://www.hearsaypr.com/buy-my-book

1. Genuine connection & straight talk w/ Amy Volas, Founder & CEO, Avenue Talent Partners: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-amy-volas
2. Credibility isn’t about age, it’s about how you show up: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/credibility-isnt-about-age
3. Being bold: Why playing it safe won’t get you noticed: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/be-bold-and-get-noticed

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for founders who keep hearing, “We don’t have budget,” and assume their price is the problem. Most of the time, it’s not. The real problem isn't the price itself, but the narrative surrounding it and whether buyers genuinely grasp the value you’re offering.

I break down why perceived value matters more than the number itself. When you sell features instead of outcomes, urgency disappears and your offer starts to feel optional. Pricing pushback is rarely about the cost. It’s about confidence, proof and whether buyers truly believe this will work.

This episode walks through how to strengthen perceived value so pricing feels justified instead of uncomfortable. That includes anchoring pricing to ROI, giving buyers better context for comparison and surfacing the emotional payoff behind a purchase. When you position yourself as the safest choice instead of the cheapest one, the entire conversation shifts.

Tune in if you’re ready to stop lowering your price and start raising your pricing power.

1. How to humanize your brand w/ Rich Turgeon, Creative Director & Head of Brand at AtlasFX: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/richard-turgeon
2. Discounting: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/discounting
3. 6 ways to persuade your prospects to buy (revisited): https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/persuade-your-prospects-to-buy-revisited

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok: @jackie.hermes

Website: jackiehermes.com

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is a reflection on the conversations that stayed with me most over the past year.

After sitting down with founders, CEOs and operators who have built truly impressive businesses, what stood out wasn’t just what they built, but how they think, lead and move through challenges.

I was fortunate to have so many conversations with impressive founders and leaders that reshaped how I look at growth, leadership and what it actually takes to keep going when things get hard.

You’ll hear insights on:

1. Why entrepreneurship doesn’t get easier (but you get better at handling it)
2. How growth becomes repeatable when you design for it
3. Why strong leadership starts with curiosity, emotional intelligence and listening instead of having all the answers

Thank you to every guest who shared their perspective this year, and thank YOU for being here and continuing to listen. 💛

1. Choosing a billion-dollar mindset w/ Suneera Madhani, Founder & CEO of Worth AI: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/suneera-madhani-founder-of-worth-ai
2. How to grow and exit—again and again w/ Lior Weinstein, serial entrepreneur & Founder of CTOx: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/lior-weinstein
3. Think like a CEO w/ Patrick Thean, CEO of Rhythm Systems: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/patrick-thean
4. Building a portfolio career w/ Ilana Golan, Founder & CEO of Leap Academy: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/ilana-golan
5. What if we launched a buzz-worthy campaign? w/ Michael Ray, Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/michael-ray
6. The step-by-step process of a successful rebrand w/ Abby Bruckner & Michelle Breen, lead creatives at Accelity (Pt. 2): https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/abby-bruckner-michelle-breen-accelity-pt2

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who always starts the new year already feeling behind.

January doesn’t magically reset your habits, your workload or your pressure—and pretending it does is why so many people abandon their goals before February even hits.

This episode explores what actually holds people back, why motivation fades so quickly and how changing your environment and systems does far more than trying to rely on discipline alone. This isn’t about reinventing yourself or shaming yourself. Just making it easier for your current self to win through clear behaviors, better structure, and consistent check-ins.

Tune in if you want to turn pressure into progress this year, and learn the four shifts that make goals work in real life, not just on paper.

1. Re-examine your habits to start the new year off strong: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/re-examine-your-habits-in-the-new-year
2. It’s not time to slow down: generating business at the end of the year: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/generating-business-at-the-end-of-the-year
3. 8 ways to start fresh in marketing and sales for the new year https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/8-ways-to-start-fresh-in-marketing-and-sales-for-the-new-year

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok: @jackie.hermes

Website: jackiehermes.com

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone tired of overcomplicated business advice and ready to build something profitable, simple and real.

My guest is Safeer Qureshi, CEO at SPG Media, angel investor, and operator who has built companies across aviation, med-tech and AI by doing the opposite of what traditional business playbooks preach.

Tune in for a refreshing, no-nonsense look at building businesses that actually make money, and for Safeer’s simple question that every stuck entrepreneur needs to ask: what’s the fastest way to get a customer to pay me today?

Safeer Qureshi is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of SPG Media who has spent nearly two decades helping founders simplify growth and build profit-first companies. He co-leads CodeStack Capital and has incubated and scaled ventures across aviation, med-tech, AI, logistics, retail, and software development. His portfolio includes SPG Media, Knock it! Pro, Datafluent, Quickie, and Limitless Tire, where he focuses on operational execution, founder development, and stripping complexity out of business models. Safeer is also an international TEDx speaker known for his belief that simplicity drives momentum and that real experience, not theory, is what shapes successful entrepreneurs.

Website: https://spg-media.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/safeerq/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spgmedia/

• Building a portfolio career w/ Ilana Golan, Founder & CEO of Leap Academy: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/ilana-golan
• Scaling a franchise empire w/ Mike Andes, Founder of Augusta Lawn Care: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/mike-andes-founder-of-augusta-lawn-care
• Getting in front of investors + funding underrepresented founders w/ Alex Chompff, angel investor and serial entrepreneur: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/alex-chompff

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok:

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone building something slow, imperfect, and real.

This milestone, 300 episodes across four years, has become one of the most consistent things I’ve ever created. I share how this podcast started with no real plan, just a desire to talk honestly about entrepreneurship, and how consistency carried it through burnout, life changes and every version of myself along the way.

Tune in for a reflection on the four lessons I’ve learned from showing up imperfectly, consistently, and sometimes reluctantly for 300 episodes. This one is a thank you, a reminder, and a promise: the messy, honest work continues—and the next 300 are going to be even better.

• Should you start a podcast? Pros, cons, and how to get started: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/should-you-start-a-podcast
• I decided to start a podcast. Now what?: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-decided-start-podcast-now-what-jackie-hermes/
• Why should I create content?: https://www.jackiehermes.com/podcast/why-should-i-create-content

✨ This podcast is produced in partnership with Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

If you're ready to level up your B2B marketing, check us out.

→ accelitymarketing.com

🎧 Catch up on past episodes, submit topic ideas, and learn more

jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐ Love what you hear? Please leave a 5-star rating on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts to help more entrepreneurs find the show.

📲 Let’s connect!

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thejackiehermes/

Instagram: @thejackiehermes

TikTok: @jackie.hermes

Website: jackiehermes.com