As Josh shares his background, it becomes clear that his music career laid a solid foundation for his entrepreneurial endeavors. He explains, “The skills in jazz are exactly translatable to the world of business today.” This connection between jazz and business is a recurring theme, emphasizing the need for improvisation and adaptability in today’s fast-paced environment. 

Josh compares traditional business structures to classical music, where precision and adherence to notes reign supreme. He argues that today’s leaders must embrace a jazz-like approach, thriving in uncertainty and using situational awareness to navigate challenges. **“We have to perform at our best without all the notes in front of us.”** This philosophy encourages creativity and quick adaptation, essential traits for modern entrepreneurs.

The discussion takes a personal turn as Jeremie reflects on witnessing Josh’s passion while performing. He notes, “You can see the joy in your face when you’re playing.” This joy, a hallmark of both musicianship and entrepreneurial spirit, underscores the importance of passion in achieving success.

Josh’s insights remind us that whether we’re on stage or in business, the ability to improvise, listen, and adapt can lead us to greater heights. “We’re being called to lead in a really different way.”

Check out the full episode!

Growing up on a farm in central Iowa, Tim Handorf learned invaluable lessons about entrepreneurship before he even knew what that meant. In a recent episode of Boardroom Blitz, he shared insights from his upbringing that shaped his approach to business today.

Farming as a Foundation

Tim vividly recalls the hard work of farm life, saying, "When you're growing up in it, you don't like it, right? It's a lot of hard work. No one likes getting up at 6 AM and shoveling pig crap." Yet, he recognizes that those early mornings and laborious tasks fostered a strong work ethic and resilience.

He reflects, "Farmers are entrepreneurs. I grew up in this entrepreneurial background and didn't even know it." The lessons learned from observing his father's dedication and the demands of running a farm have stayed with him, influencing his career long after he left that life behind.

The Journey to G2

Tim's path eventually led him to co-found G2, a platform that has revolutionized the way businesses evaluate software. Today, G2 boasts over six million verified reviews and attracts around 200 million software buyers yearly. As Tim describes it, "If you've not heard of G2 in the last decade, you've probably been living in some sort of a bubble universe."

The transition from farm life to tech entrepreneurship may seem vast, yet Tim sees parallels between the two worlds. "I remember that morning when I was out there shoveling manure, and now I'm shoveling software reviews. No matter what you're shoveling, you've got to do it in a way that makes the customer happy."

Closing Thoughts

As we reflect on Tim's journey from the fields of Iowa to the forefront of the software industry, it's clear that every experience shapes who we become. Whether in the boardroom or on the farm, the core principles of hard work, dedication, and a customer-first mindset remain vital.

From her early days at Deloitte to becoming its chair, Janet shares the real operating principles behind an extraordinary leadership journey: why she looks for gaps instead of titles, how she builds trust by showing up fully for her team, and why the best leaders are often the ones who make room for other voices (not the ones who try to be the loudest in the room).

We break down the mindset that took her from operator to CEO to board chair, including:

• The three criteria she uses to decide whether a role is worth staying in,
• Why “lowercase I” impact often matters more than grand strategy,
• How to spot dumb systems before they waste years of everyone’s time,
• What great boards actually owe their CEOs, and
• The early signals that a leader may be wrong for the company’s next chapter

Janet also opens up about the decisions that looked irrational from the outside but turned out to be pivotal, including launching Deloitte Digital and stepping away from a role most people would have clung to. Along the way, she explains why she believes the future of work, especially in the age of AI, is one of the most important issues facing businesses and society right now.

If you care about leadership, career growth, board dynamics, or the future of work, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom you can actually use - whether you’re building a company, leading a team, or trying to figure out what your next chapter should be.

In this episode of Boardroom Blitz, we talk with the Trajektory founder and CEO about the lessons he carried from the baseball diamond into the boardroom, building a company in the sports industry, making decisions with imperfect information, and why good data still requires good judgment.

We also tackle one of the great intellectual debates of our time: why Star Trek is science fiction and Star Wars is basically fantasy with spaceships.

Leadership, entrepreneurship, sports, analytics, and a healthy amount of nerd nonsense. Pretty much our kind of conversation.

Key topics

• Trust-building with conservative clients
• Scaling from zero to 640 clients
• In-office culture as a competitive advantage
• AI strategies for automation and oversight
• Venture capital support and long-term vision

In this episode of Boardroom Blitz, Emily, the Founder and CEO of Evergreen, shares how her search for a quick, nourishing breakfast for her daughter inspired her to begin making waffles in her own kitchen. That personal project eventually became Evergreen, a rapidly growing frozen breakfast brand built around whole grains and recognizable ingredients.

Emily takes us behind the scenes of the company’s origin story, the transition from idea to retail shelf, and the persistence required to build a consumer packaged goods brand from the ground up. She also opens up about raising venture capital, what founders should consider when choosing financial partners, and the lessons she has learned while scaling Evergreen.

Whether you’re building a business, considering outside investment, or simply curious about how an everyday consumer problem becomes a national brand, Emily’s story is packed with candid insights and entrepreneurial inspiration.

Learn more about Evergreen at https://eatevergreen.com/.

Learn more about 1871 at: www.1871.com