#162 - James Orsini on Leadership, Innovation, VaynerX, vYve & the Future of Entrepreneurship
Release Date: 12/15/2025
#172 - Why Pain Changes Us and Why Vision Changes Us More | Udo Erasmus
The Necessary Entrepreneur
Udo Erasmus, founder of Udo’s Choice and a longtime thinker on health and human nature, joins Mark Perkins on The Necessary Entrepreneur for a reflective conversation about pain, purpose, and understanding how we’re wired as human beings. Udo explains why pain often forces change, but why pursuing a clear vision is far more powerful and sustainable. Drawing from decades of observation and experience, he outlines his framework for understanding the six parts of human nature and why most people struggle without a clear understanding of their internal makeup. Throughout the conversation,...
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#171 - How Synchrony Is Redefining Social Connection for Neurodivergent Adults: Rebecca Matchett
The Necessary Entrepreneur
Rebecca Matchett, co-founder of the Synchrony App, joins Mark Perkins on The Necessary Entrepreneur for a real-world conversation about building a startup before you fully know what you’re getting into, and why that can actually work in your favor. Rebecca shares what she learned launching her first company, the mistakes founders only recognize in hindsight, and the hard-earned lessons that now shape how she builds. They dig into early product decisions, marketing and branding at the startup stage, and what it really takes to turn an idea into a functioning, growing app. This episode cuts...
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#170 - Mike & Kass Lazerow Return — “Shoveling Sh*t” and the Truth About Building Companies Together
The Necessary Entrepreneur
*Quick Note: Audio quality varies in parts of this episode. We chose to share it anyway because the conversation was too valuable to hold back. Thanks for listening. Mike and Kass Lazerow return to The Necessary Entrepreneur for their second appearance with host Mark Perkins, delivering another candid, no-BS conversation about the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, and long-term success. As serial entrepreneurs, investors, and co-founders of Buddy Media, acquired by Salesforce, Mike and Kass bring hard-earned perspective from decades of building, scaling, and enduring inside...
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#169 - How Entrepreneurs Should Actually Think About Money | Patrick Rogers (Elkridge Advisors)
The Necessary Entrepreneur
In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, Mark Perkins sits down with Patrick Rogers, Partner at Elkridge Advisors, for an in-depth conversation on wealth management for entrepreneurs, financial decision-making, and building long-term financial clarity as a business owner. Patrick advises founders, executives, and high-earning entrepreneurs on financial planning, investing, and capital strategy, especially during periods of growth, liquidity events, and business transitions. In this episode, he breaks down the most common financial mistakes entrepreneurs make, why complexity often creates...
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#168 - Why Execution Beats Hype in Business — Tyler Dunagin on Scaling Turnserv
The Necessary Entrepreneur
What does it really take to build a scalable company in an unglamorous, operationally intense industry? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Tyler Dunagin, Founder and CEO of Turnserv, to unpack what it actually looks like to build a high-growth business in the vacation rental and hospitality space, where execution, reliability, and trust matter more than hype. Tyler shares the real story behind founding Turnserv, a platform built to solve one of the biggest pain points in short-term rentals: coordinating cleanings, inspections, and turnovers at...
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#167 - Why Most Businesses Collapse Under Their Own Systems with Val Coin (VIA Technology)
The Necessary Entrepreneur
What does it really take to bring order to chaos inside a growing business? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Val Coin, Founder and CEO of VIA Technology, to unpack how systems, process, and operational clarity become the hidden advantage for scaling companies, especially in manufacturing and complex organizations. Born in Italy and now based in Australia, Val shares his unconventional entrepreneurial journey, from early exposure to disciplined European manufacturing to building a global ERP and technology consultancy that helps companies regain...
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#166 - William Spengler on Building a Scalable Recruiting Firm, Incentives, and Leading with Accountability
The Necessary Entrepreneur
How do you build a people-first business that actually scales, without bloated bureaucracy, misaligned incentives, or empty culture talk? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with William Spengler, founder and principal of Frederick Fox, a high-growth, equity-driven recruiting firm redefining how staffing agencies operate. William shares the real-world lessons he’s learned scaling Frederick Fox to nearly $10 million in revenue, growing a national team of recruiters, and building a model centered on ownership, accountability, and operational discipline....
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#165 - Thais Saenz on Leadership, Culture, and Building High-Performing Teams as You Scale
The Necessary Entrepreneur
Why do some leaders consistently build high-performing teams while others struggle despite strong strategy and experience? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Thais Saenz, founder and CEO of Saenz Global, a leadership and organizational development firm that helps companies scale through stronger culture, clarity, and execution. Thais brings a global perspective on leadership, performance, and human behavior, drawing from years of experience working with executives, founders, and teams navigating growth, change, and complexity. She explains why...
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#164 - John Mitchell Reveals the Hidden Pattern Holding Entrepreneurs Back
The Necessary Entrepreneur
Why do smart, capable people still feel stuck, despite working hard and doing “all the right things”? In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with John Mitchell, founder of TheMissingSecret.org, to explore the unseen forces that shape success, fulfillment, and decision-making for entrepreneurs and business leaders. John challenges the idea that success is simply about effort, strategy, or motivation. Instead, he introduces the concept of the “missing secret”, the internal patterns, beliefs, and mental frameworks that quietly determine how people show...
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#163 - Ben Lytle on Leadership, AI, and Thriving Through Rapid Change
The Necessary Entrepreneur
In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Ben Lytle, serial entrepreneur, futurist, former CEO of Anthem, and author of The Potentialist, to explore how business leaders can thrive in the fastest period of change in human history. Ben explains why fear-based leadership leads to bad decisions, why resilience alone is no longer enough, and why the future belongs to those who focus on preparedness, constant learning, and wisdom. Drawing from decades of experience building companies and studying human potential, Ben shares how AI and intelligent automation...
info_outlineOn this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with James Orsini, President of Startup Operations at VaynerX, longtime partner to Gary Vaynerchuk, former public company CEO, and one of the most respected operators in modern marketing, leadership, and business growth.
With over 40 years in corporate America and more than a decade inside the high-speed entrepreneurial engine of Vayner, James shares hard-earned insights most founders never hear. From helping scale VaynerX from 400 to 2,000+ employees to launching vYve, a transformational program for Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurs, James breaks down what it truly takes to build profitable, enduring companies today.
In this deep, wide-ranging conversation, Mark and James unpack:
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Why “perfection is the death of creativity” and how it cripples entrepreneurs
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The difference between an entrepreneur and an intrapreneur
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How Vayner scales rapidly while staying grounded in fundamentals
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The real state of AI in business and why growth planning is being ignored
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Why so many companies stall at $5M–$10M and how to break through
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What leaders misunderstand about brand, marketing, and company culture
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The unexpected power of humor, animation, and mascots in modern advertising
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How to attract top-tier executive talent, even as a small business
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The mindset shift founders need to avoid burnout and lead sustainably
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Why AI-driven workforce disruption will create more entrepreneurs
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What James means when he says: “Right is right. Doing the right thing is always the right thing.”
James also offers rare behind-the-scenes insight into the Vayner ecosystem, today’s fast-changing business landscape, and how leaders can innovate without abandoning core fundamentals.
Whether you're a solo founder, a growing CEO, or navigating the crossroads between corporate and entrepreneurial life, this episode is packed with real-world wisdom you can use immediately.
🎙️ The Necessary Entrepreneur, hosted by Mark Perkins, features real conversations with founders and leaders who’ve built businesses worth studying.
📌 Connect With Us:
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📌 More About James Orsini, VaynerX & vYve:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-orsini-4b1aaa7/
https://www.instagram.com/jamesorsini/
https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmythepencil
https://x.com/JimmyThePencil
https://www.threads.com/@jamesorsini
https://vaynerx.com/
https://vyve.vaynerx.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/vyvebyvayner/