What actually drives high performance in business and leadership?

On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Curtis Sprouse, Founder & CEO of EurekaConnect, LLC, to explore the science behind how humans perform, make decisions, and lead effectively.

Drawing from behavioral science, neuroscience, and decades of leadership experience, Curtis explains why self-awareness, environment, and genetics all play a role in shaping how individuals and organizations perform. The conversation dives into how leaders can better understand human behavior, define the right problems inside organizations, and create conditions where people actually perform at a higher level.

Mark and Curtis also discuss how cultural narratives influence how people perceive difficulty, why many organizations misdiagnose their real problems, and how leaders can build stronger teams through trust, clarity, and intentional communication.

Curtis shares practical frameworks for improving decision-making, developing leadership capability across an organization, and helping individuals better understand their own behavioral patterns.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• What modern science reveals about human performance and decision-making
• How genetics and environment influence behavior and leadership ability
• Why defining the right problem is the key to solving organizational challenges
• The role of self-awareness and self-regulation in high performance
• How communication and societal narratives shape mindset and leadership
• Strategies for improving team performance and organizational effectiveness
• Why pursuing truth and staying open-minded is essential for growth

Curtis also discusses his broader mission through Institute for Biomedical Entrepreneurship and how behavioral science and biomedical innovation can work together to create meaningful societal impact.

For entrepreneurs, leaders, and operators looking to build stronger teams and make better decisions, this episode offers a deeper look at the science behind how people think, act, and perform.

📌 Connect With Us:
Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167

📌 Find Out More About Curtis Sprouse:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtissprouse/
https://eurekaconnect.com/
https://www.ibeinc.org/

What if entrepreneurship is simply about getting on the right train, and staying on long enough to reach the next opportunity?

On this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Skye Banks, COO of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), for a global conversation about small business, leadership, and what he calls the "Opportunity Train."

Operating in more than 80 countries, ICSB connects policymakers, educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs to strengthen small businesses worldwide. Skye shares how his entrepreneurial mindset, fueled by curiosity and pattern recognition, led him to international leadership, the cannabis industry, and front-row exposure to how entrepreneurs operate across cultures.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What the "Opportunity Train" really means for entrepreneurs

• How global markets view risk, failure, and innovation differently

• Why small businesses are the backbone of economic development worldwide

• How ICSB funds and sustains a global, mission-driven organization

• Lessons from the cannabis industry and navigating regulatory complexity

• Growth strategies rooted in reinvestment, collaboration, and long-term thinking

• Why consistency and authenticity define strong leadership

• How AI is reshaping small business strategy and competitive advantage

Skye makes it clear: opportunities don't always look obvious when they arrive. The key is positioning yourself, building community, and staying consistent long enough to capitalize when the train pulls into the station.

For founders, small business owners, operators, and growth-minded entrepreneurs who want a broader perspective beyond their local market, this conversation delivers global insight with practical application.

📌 Connect With Us:
Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167

📌 Find Out More About Skye Blanks:
https://www.instagram.com/skyeblanks/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/skye.blanks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/skyeblanks/
https://www.skyeblanks.com/biography/
International Council for Small Business: https://icsb.org
Premo Cannabis: https://premocannabis.co
https://hermantodd.com/index

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Justin Giuffrida, founder and CEO of Citizens All Day, to explore what it really takes to scale a hospitality brand while staying true to culture, community, and purpose.

Justin shares his journey from Australia to the United States and how he built Citizens from a single New York City café into a multi-state, fast-growing lifestyle brand with ambitious national expansion plans. Along the way, he reveals the leadership challenges, capital decisions, and operational trade-offs that come with scaling a people-driven business in a competitive industry.

Mark and Justin dive into the concept of building a "community-first brand," the realities of entrepreneurship versus the romanticized version founders often imagine, and the mindset required to grow while still feeling like you have not arrived yet. Justin also discusses the importance of mentorship, the role of advisory boards in navigating growth, how optimism must be balanced with realism, and why embracing the entrepreneurial journey matters more than chasing a destination.

This conversation is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs, founders, and leaders looking to grow businesses without losing their culture, their people, or themselves in the process.

If you are building a brand, scaling a company, or leading a team through growth, this episode delivers valuable lessons on leadership, resilience, and long-term vision.

📌 Connect With Us:
Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167

📌 Find Out More About Justin Giuffrida & Citizens All Day:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-giuffrida-02187769/
https://citizensallday.com/
https://www.instagram.com/citizen.allday
https://wefunder.com/citizenscoffee
https://www.linkedin.com/company/citizens-cafe-holdings/