Guest: Alexxander Purcell, DOT Solutions & Support Engineer

Industry: Trucking / Logistics / Compliance

Company: Verified First

Focus: FMCSA compliance, audit readiness, safety management, owner-operator success

Specialty: DOT-regulated fleets, safety consulting, freight operations, small business coaching

✅ Alexxander breaks down how truckers can get blacklisted with freight guard reports—and how one bad broker review can sideline you for months.

✅ Hear how he ran a business for five years while paying 20% in merchant fees, just to keep credit card payments flowing.

✅ Discover the truth behind gross vs. net revenue in trucking—and why drivers who think they’re being underpaid might be missing the real math.

✅ Alexxander shares brutally honest advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: “If you’re not ready to lose everything, don’t do it.”

✅ Learn about the chargeback trap—how rendering services doesn’t mean you’ll get paid, especially when the customer's spouse disputes the charge.

✅ He’s consulted over 3,000 trucking companies and reveals the most common myths, mistakes, and margin misconceptions in the industry.

✅ A candid discussion on generational privilege, market access, and why today’s “too many choices” can be just as paralyzing as yesterday’s scarcity.

✅ Personal reflections on entrepreneurship, family, legacy, and the grandmother he wishes he could’ve sought advice from before it all began.

In this raw and no-BS episode of The Innovators Impact, Darnell Perkins sits down with Alexxander Purcell, a DOT compliance expert and trucking industry veteran, to explore the real-life trenches of entrepreneurship in logistics. With a background that includes homelessness, merchant rejection, and paying sky-high processing fees just to stay afloat, Alexxander opens up about what it actually takes to build—and survive—in the freight world.

From helping thousands of owner-operators to guiding them through the gritty realities of FMCSA audits and financial pitfalls, Alexxander emphasizes the cost of ambition. He shares battle-tested lessons on why most people misunderstand profit margins in trucking, the dangers of underestimating overhead, and the emotional toll of trying to go solo in a brutal industry.

Whether you’re scaling a fleet, thinking of becoming an owner-operator, or simply curious about what business looks like when no one hands you the keys, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, clarity, and hard-won wisdom.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception truckers have about starting their own company?

A: That they’ll keep the gross. In reality, after costs, they may make less than when they were a company driver.

Q: How do freight guard reports impact drivers?

A: They can blacklist you with brokers for months—with no appeal process.

Q: What should people know about merchant accounts?

A: Just getting one can be a nightmare. Alexxander paid 20% in fees for years because mainstream banks shut him out.

Q: Why do most first-time entrepreneurs fail?

A: They underestimate the emotional, financial, and personal toll. You need full commitment—or it’ll break you.

Q: Is it easier to succeed today than for past generations?

A: Yes—and no. Today you have tools and access, but so many options can be just as paralyzing as no options at...

Company Stats:

Guest: Michael Blank, Arms, Munitions, & Capital Markets Professional

Industry: Firearms / Ammunition / Manufacturing

Company: Gen X Arms and Ammunition (GXAA)

Focus: Ammunition innovation, founder strategy, manufacturing ops, IP protection

Tech Stack: Ballistics, CNC machining, small batch ammo production, federal & state grant navigation

✅ Michael shares the highs and heartbreaks behind the 2545 Sharps round, a beloved cartridge that gained traction in the firearms community—yet earned him zero profit due to investor fallout.

✅ Learn how creative founders can access $85K+ demo gear, free shop time, or programming resources by simply asking and offering strategic value.

✅ Understand why federal research funding might cost you ownership of your idea—and why state-level grants or angel networks are safer options.

✅ Discover the dangers of bringing on the wrong capital partner too soon, and how one $500 misstep tanked a $25M raise.

✅ Michael walks us through the importance of surrounding yourself with a strong, experienced team—even if it delays your launch.

✅ Hear practical stories of navigating IP law, licensing traps, and how to protect your invention before it’s market-ready.

✅ Why falling in love with your idea can blind you to market reality—and how to test if anyone else actually wants it.

✅ Michael delivers a masterclass in tactical scrappiness—from bartering machine time to leveraging underutilized assets for prototyping.

✅ Get raw advice on founding solo, protecting your strategic vision, and avoiding common founder ego traps.

✅ This episode is a must-listen for builders in hardware, regulated industries, or anyone inventing against the odds.

In this episode of The Innovators Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Michael Blank, a seasoned inventor and founder of Gen X Arms and Ammunition, to unpack the reality behind startup innovation in the firearms space. Michael’s story blends ingenuity, legal battles, heartbreak—and a whole lot of tactical wisdom.

From inventing the now-cult-favorite 2545 Sharps cartridge to being forced out of his own company by rogue investors, Michael pulls no punches as he reflects on what went right, what went sideways, and what every founder needs to understand before chasing a big raise.

He shares critical advice on working with manufacturers, leveraging equipment partners, and even how to borrow five-figure lasers for free if you make a compelling enough case. Michael also warns against the “free money” trap of federal R&D grants, which can come with IP ownership clauses that kill commercialization.

If you’re building anything physical—especially in a capital-intensive, regulated, or IP-heavy space—this conversation will arm you with real talk on surviving the grind, making smarter bets, and staying in control of your mission.

Q: How do you balance innovation with ownership protection?

A: Don't stop at your first patent. Lawyers miss key points. Learn what you need to protect—and do it fast.

Q: How do you fund big ideas without early capital?

A: Leverage relationships. Ask machine shops and suppliers for demo access, discounts, or programming time.

Q: What’s the biggest trap with government R&D support?

A: Federal grants can come with clauses that give away your IP. State grants are usually cleaner.

Q: What should founders focus on in the early days?

A: Build your team. Even if you’re introverted or early, credibility...

Guest: Josh Asbury, Founder of BrokerPro

Industry: Freight Tech / SaaS / AI Automation

Company: BrokerPro

Focus: TMS & workflow solutions for freight brokers and carriers

Tech Stack: AI, TMS platforms, automation tools, email triage, PDF parsing, content optimization

✅ Josh shares a powerful story of a small business owner moved to tears after finally gaining visibility into his own analytics, showcasing how tech can change lives.

✅ Learn why Josh believes AI should augment, not replace, teams—freeing people to do higher-value work rather than cutting headcount.

✅ Discover how freight brokers are leveraging automation to deal with high email volume, quote comparison, and quote response prioritization.

✅ Hear why Josh encourages his team to experiment with AI tools—but emphasizes thoughtful judgment, editing, and content quality.

✅ Josh and Darnell explore the “brain drain” risk in younger generations over-relying on AI without learning foundational skills.

✅ Explore how remote work, the pandemic, and generational shifts are shaping workplace culture—and how older professionals can help guide younger ones.

✅ Tech nostalgia meets future-thinking: from iPods and CDs to streaming and AI-powered development, this episode brings both heart and innovation.

In this episode of The Innovators Impact, host Darnell Perkins welcomes freight tech founder Josh Asbury for a deeply thoughtful conversation on AI, automation, leadership, and the human impact of technology. Josh, the founder of BrokerPro, blends hard-earned SaaS wisdom with personal stories—like the small business owner who got choked up seeing his Google Analytics for the first time.

Josh walks us through his belief that AI is a tool to empower—not replace—people. From back-office automation to quote filtering in the freight world, he explains how smart tools can help teams get to better decisions faster. But he also shares his concern about the long-term risks of over-reliance on AI, especially among younger professionals who may miss out on critical development in writing, coding, and communication.

This isn’t your average “tech will save us” chat. Josh opens up about how he leads his team to use AI with integrity, why judgment and editing still matter, and how his own tech journey—spanning multiple decades—shapes his perspective. Together with Darnell, they reflect on the responsibility of seasoned professionals to mentor the next wave of talent in an age where remote work, AI, and automation dominate the landscape.

Whether you’re building SaaS, working in logistics, or just trying to navigate the future of work, this episode will leave you with practical tools, real stories, and a renewed sense of what tech should really be about: people.

Q: Should AI help companies cut staff—or help them grow smarter?

A: Let AI handle the scut work. Reassign people to value-adding roles like business development or carrier relationship management.

Q: How do you prevent AI from becoming a crutch?

A: Expect your team to explore tools, but coach them to use judgment. AI helps, but editing and clarity still matter.

Q: What worries you about the next generation’s use of AI?

A: Brain drain. When kids rely too much on AI, they miss out on foundational skills—and the human mentorship that shapes real growth.

Q: What’s your company culture around AI adoption?

A: Full support—as long as it...

Guest: Dr. Regina Atim, PharmD, MBA, Founder & CEO, Clinicians Touch ALLYVE

Industry: Health Tech / Maternal & Cardiovascular Health

Company: Clinicians Touch ALLYVE

Focus: Improving maternal outcomes through AI-powered clinical decision support, digital engagement, and health equity innovation

Tech Stack: AI/ML, Clinical Decision Support, EHR Integration, Patient Monitoring, Digital Interfaces

Themes: Responsible AI | Health Equity | Cardiovascular-Maternal Link | Root-Cause Medicine | Patient Empowerment

✅ Regina shares how growing up in Philadelphia, supported by community programs, shaped her passion for science and health equity.

✅ Hear how her first venture in healthcare consulting laid the groundwork for launching Clinicians Touch ALLYVE.

✅ Discover how her current platform supports mothers through prenatal and postpartum stages using AI, but with a human-first lens.

✅ Learn how Regina balances innovation with regulation, ensuring AI tools are ethical, safe, and inclusive.

✅ Understand why she believes heart health is the true foundation of maternal care—and why we must center women’s voices in clinical decisions.

In this inspiring episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Dr. Regina Atim, PharmD, MBA, a powerhouse in women’s health and biotech innovation. As a pharmacist, technologist, and two-time founder, Regina’s mission is deeply personal and profoundly urgent: to tackle maternal health disparities—especially in Black communities—by combining technology with compassionate care.

She introduces her company, Clinicians Touch ALLYVE, and its AI-enabled platform that guides clinicians and patients through personalized, lower-burden maternal care. From root-cause diagnostics to reducing administrative noise, Regina is reimagining what patient-centered innovation can look like.

Regina also opens up about her early influences, the systemic challenges in AI training data, and why human connection must remain at the heart of digital health.

Q: What inspired you to start Clinicians Touch ALLYVE?

A: Seeing the alarming maternal health stats—especially for Black women—made me realize we needed real change, and tech could help.

Q: How do you ensure AI is ethical and inclusive?

A: Representation matters—from the teams building AI to the data it’s trained on. Garbage in, garbage out.

Q: What does “quality care” mean to you?

A: It’s not just outcomes—it’s trust, simplicity, and helping people feel seen, heard, and supported.

Q: What's your biggest win so far?

A: We’ve built and begun testing our MVP—and finally, people are listening. Women’s health is no longer a footnote.

00:00 – Meet Dr. Regina Atim & Her Mission

01:20 – Childhood, Science, and the Power of Access

03:30 – First Venture: Healthcare Consulting & EHR Optimization

06:00 – Launching Clinicians Touch ALLYVE

08:45 – Cardiovascular Health and Maternal Outcomes

11:00 – AI as Clinical Decision Support, Not Replacement

13:00 – The Challenge of AI Bias in Healthcare

15:45 – The Role of Community & Early Mentorship

18:20 – Redefining “Quality of Care” with a Root-Cause Lens

21:00 – Product Milestones and New Recognition

23:30 – How to Support the Mission and Get Involved

LinkedIN:

Guest: Stefano Melchior, 3x Founder & CEO of BeChained

Industry: Industrial AI / Energy Optimization

Company: BeChained

Focus: Helping manufacturers cut operational costs with AI-powered energy efficiency and predictive maintenance

Tech Stack: Agentic AI, Reinforcement Learning, Digital Twins, Industrial IoT, Demand Response, Sustainability

Programs: Techstars | Norrsken | MassChallenge US | Draper University | EEX

✅ Stefano shares how two failed startups paved the way for BeChained—and why failure was essential to finding focus.

✅ Learn how BeChained’s AI platform delivers 20%+ energy savings, translating into a 7% reduction in cost of goods sold.

✅ Explore the power of reinforcement learning and digital twins in automating energy-intensive industrial processes.

✅ Hear how Stefano scaled from a solo founder to a global team across Barcelona and Minneapolis—while building a strong, values-driven culture.

✅ Get personal insights on emotional resilience, leadership, and why “never give up” is more than just a mantra.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins talks with Stefano Melchior, founder and CEO of BeChained, a company using cutting-edge AI to make industrial manufacturing dramatically more energy efficient.

With a background in mechanical engineering, enterprise procurement, and business analytics, Stefano brings a rare combination of technical rigor and business insight. After two startup failures—one that tried to compete with Google Docs, and another that fell apart due to team misalignment—he built BeChained with clarity and intention.

BeChained now specializes in optimizing five industrial processes (including water systems, air compressors, and thermal loops), helping clients like steel plants and food processors save millions in energy and maintenance. The secret? A combination of agentic AI, digital twins, and reinforcement learning, applied to real-world factory equipment.

Stefano also reflects on his evolution as a founder—from launching solo to building a distributed, mission-driven team. He emphasizes the importance of listening, both to your team and to yourself, and shares why emotional intelligence is just as important as technical expertise when scaling a company.

Whether you're a tech founder, manufacturing leader, or someone curious about AI’s industrial potential, this episode delivers a compelling look at what it means to lead with purpose, precision, and persistence.

Q: What did your early failures teach you?

A: You need focus and the right team. Vision without alignment is a recipe for burnout.

Q: How does BeChained quantify its impact?

A: We deliver 20%+ energy efficiency, which typically translates to 7% savings in cost of goods sold—huge for industrial manufacturers.

Q: What was hardest about being a solo founder?

A: You're the bottleneck until you build a team that shares your mission and feels ownership in the journey.

Q: Why reinforcement learning?

A: Because it's ideal for optimizing repetitive, constraint-bound industrial tasks, just like autonomous vehicles adapt to changing road conditions.

Q: What advice would you give day-one...

Company Stats

Guest: Vladimir Baranov, Founder, Coach & Creator of Human Interfaces

Industry: Leadership Development / Startup Coaching

Company: Human Interfaces

Focus: Coaching technical founders in communication, leadership, and fundraising

Tech Stack: Fintech, aerospace, deep tech, human development, venture-backed scaling

Episode Highlights

✅ Vladimir shares his journey from engineering to finance to space tech—and why none of them felt complete until he stepped into founder coaching.

✅ Learn why many technical founders fail—not because of their product, but because of the “interface” problem: poor communication and leadership skills.

✅ Discover how fear and introversion block startup success—and how to beat both through repetition, improv, and mission-driven outreach.

✅ Vladimir explains the “doctor vs. patient” metaphor for better pitching, and why understanding others’ mental models is key to traction.

✅ Get actionable ideas for building leadership skills outside the office—from organizing birthday parties to leading nonprofit efforts.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Vladimir Baranov, a former engineer turned founder coach, to explore the human side of startup success. Vladimir built systems in fintech and aerospace, launched multiple startups, and even helped send instruments into space. But it wasn’t until he started working with people, not just products, that he found his true impact.

Now, through his company Human Interfaces, Vladimir helps technical founders master the one thing most of them were never taught: how to lead, pitch, connect, and communicate. This episode dives deep into his frameworks for building “human interfaces”—skills that unlock fundraising, hiring, team-building, and growth.

Whether you're a shy engineer or a scaling founder, this conversation is packed with hard-won wisdom on how to lead without faking it, pitch without panic, and grow without losing what makes you human.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: What made you shift from building tech to coaching humans?

A: After two startups—one sold, one fizzled—I realized the most valuable leverage wasn’t in code. It was in people. Helping technical minds communicate and lead felt far more impactful.

Q: What’s the biggest communication blind spot for engineers?

A: They often assume others think like they do. But your model of the universe isn’t universal. Learning how others process info is critical to influence.

Q: How can introverts start building soft skills without feeling fake?

A: Practice safely. Toastmasters, improv, side projects—they all give you “reps” without risking your job. Skill comes before confidence.

Q: How much does fear hold people back from stepping up?

A: A lot. But you don’t defeat fear—you out-practice it. Fear shrinks as repetition grows.

Q: What’s your advice for someone who feels stuck on an island?

A: Find your co-travelers. Join communities, meetups, or even run your own event. Progress multiplies when shared.

Chapters

00:00 – Meet Vladimir Baranov & His Journey to Founder Coaching

01:40 – From Robotics to Finance to Startups

03:00 – Why Selling His Startup Felt Emotionally Empty

04:00 – Discovering Impact in the Aerospace Sector

05:00 – Where Technical Founders Get Stuck

06:50 – Building “Human Interfaces” as a Framework

08:15 – The Doctor vs. Patient...

Company Stats

Guest: Austin Sun, Co-founder of Clausey

Industry: Legal Tech / AI

Company: Clausey (clausey.ai)

Focus: AI-powered contract intelligence

Tech Stack: AI agents, NLP, legal automation, early-stage SaaS

✅ Austin shares how 10+ years in AI, tech, and energy led him to launch Clausey—an AI tool built to transform contract management.

✅ Hear why his failed 2016 startup taught him that code alone can’t win—and how business acumen changed his trajectory.

✅ Learn about the “four generations” of contract handling, and how Clausey is ushering in the fourth: AI-native contracts.

✅ Discover the three key criteria Austin uses to choose co-founders—and why trust and mindset alignment matter more than money.

✅ Austin offers a grounded take on AI’s future: it’s not here to replace everyone—but it will reward those who learn to wield it.

In this episode of The Innovators Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Bo(Austin) Sun, co-founder of Clausey an AI startup aimed at simplifying contract intelligence for businesses of all sizes. With a background spanning computer science, deep tech, law, and entrepreneurship, Austin has worn many hats—but found his stride at the intersection of automation, legal tech, and practical business use cases.

Austin breaks down how Clausey isn’t just about “reading contracts”—it’s about shifting how we interact with them altogether. From saving time on post-signature obligations to closing the gap between legalese and business decisions, Clausey is designed to empower teams, not replace them.

Austin also dives deep into his personal founder journey—why his first startup failed, how he spent years finding the right co-founders, and what it means to launch with vision before chasing venture capital. If you’re a founder navigating AI, or a professional looking to adapt to this tech wave, this episode is a roadmap you’ll want to follow.

Q: What does Clausey actually do for contracts?

A: We extract key data from signed contracts—terms, parties, deadlines—and present it in a clean, intuitive UI. It’s like Notion meets Excel for contract ops.

Q: Why didn’t you raise VC early?

A: Because we didn’t need to. We wanted to build proof first—then scale. Rushing into VC too soon can hurt more than help.

Q: How do you pick a good co-founder?

A: Trust, mindset, and unique expertise. You’re basically choosing a marriage partner—only you'll spend more time with them than your spouse.

Q: Is AI going “too far”? Will it take jobs?

A: AI is a tool. Whether it replaces jobs depends more on a company’s financial health than the tech itself. But if you know how to use AI, you’ll stay relevant longer.

Q: What advice would you give to someone nervous about AI?

A: Learn the tool. Learn it now. Not knowing AI in the coming years will be like not knowing how to open a laptop.

00:00 – Meet Austin Sun & His Journey

01:00 – Academic Roots: CS, MBA, and Law

02:30 – What Clausey Actually Does

03:30 – The 4 Generations of Contracts

06:00 – Learning From a Failed Startup

08:00 – Choosing the Right Time to Launch

11:00 – Clausey's Product Timeline & Pilots

14:00 – Why They Delayed VC Funding

15:30 – The 3 Rules for Picking Co-Founders

21:00 – Sweat Equity vs. Financial Buy-In

26:00 – Can AI Go Too Far? Austin’s Take

31:00 – A Call to...

Company Stats

Guest: Aras Sheikih, Entrepreneurial Lead at UCSD, Founder & CEO of Janus Innovation Hub

Industry: Innovation / Education / Tech Incubation

Company: Janus Innovation Hub

Focus: Immigrant-founded startups, interdisciplinary innovation, early-stage incubation

Tech Stack: Distributed teams, startup incubation, cross-border venture building, early-stage mentorship

Episode Highlights

✅ Aras shares his journey across four countries and how each shaped his entrepreneurial playbook.

✅ Learn how Janus Innovation Hub is uniquely designed to support first-gen immigrant founders.

✅ Discover why “mismatch” is the root of most problems—and how reducing it unlocks opportunity.

✅ Hear why global, hybrid teams outperform local-only models in today’s innovation economy.

✅ Aras breaks down why universities must evolve—and what real-world skills matter now.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Aras Araie, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Janus Innovation Hub. From his roots in Iran to ventures in Dubai, Australia, and now California, Aras has built and exited companies while navigating the complex challenges of startup life as an immigrant.

Now based in San Diego and working with UC San Diego, Aras is on a mission to equip first-generation immigrant founders with the tools, mentorship, and frameworks they need to succeed. He unpacks why the “mismatch” between talent and opportunity is the root cause of entrepreneurial failure—and how Janus is closing that gap with tailored support.

From distributed team strategies to hard truths about higher education and the future of AI-driven work, Aras brings a global, pragmatic lens to the innovation conversation. Whether you’re scaling your first startup or looking to build more inclusive ecosystems, this episode offers sharp, actionable insight.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: What inspired you to start Janus Innovation Hub?

A: I saw a gap—first-gen immigrant founders had potential but no tailored support. I wanted to build a new kind of playbook for them.

Q: Why San Diego?

A: Culture. UCSD gave me the right vibe, resources, and support. The ecosystem here is collaborative and diverse—perfect for what I do.

Q: What’s the biggest lesson you learned during COVID?

A: How to lead distributed teams. That experience became a core strength—it’s now one of our competitive advantages.

Q: Where do companies go wrong with remote work?

A: They force returns because they don’t know how to manage people virtually. It’s a communication issue, not a productivity one.

Q: What’s your best advice for founders just starting out?

A: Find your tribe. People don’t invest in your pitch—they invest in your story and your mission. Find those true believers early.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Meet Aras Sheikhi

01:30 – A Global Entrepreneur’s Journey: Iran to Dubai to Australia

05:00 – Founding Janus Innovation Hub: The Immigrant Founder Gap

08:40 – UCSD & Choosing San Diego Over the Bay Area

11:30 – Team Building Across Time Zones: Lessons from COVID

14:30 – The Remote Work Debate: Why Hybrid Wins

17:20 – Culture, Trust & the San Diego Startup Ecosystem

20:00 – The “Mismatch” Theory: Root Cause of Most Business Problems

23:00 – Innovation as Problem-Solving for Real People

26:10 – The Future of Work: Virtual, AI-Driven

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of