Shakin' Hands

In this episode of Shakin' Hands, Jack sits down with Felipe Milanes, a Panama-born chef whose global culinary journey has taken him from working under legends like José Andrés in Washington, D.C., to competing internationally, before returning home. While Felipe shares pieces of his story, the heart of this conversation delves into the realities of building something authentic in an industry fraught with pressure and expectat...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran sits down in Panama City with Boris Weinberg, the entrepreneurial force behind PanamaStartups. The conversation explores the raw realities of starting a business in a country where institutional support for startups is still lacking. Boris shares the grassroots beginnings of PanamaStartups, a founder-led movement focused on peer mentorship, community support, and shared knowledge. They u...

In this episode, Jack sits down with Karen Gibbs, founder of Scholar Shine, a platform revolutionizing how students choose careers. Karen shares her journey from a decade in corporate marketing to launching an EdTech company in Panama. She explains how Scholar Shine uses AI and expert advice to match students with career paths and help schools better guide their students. The conversation dives into challenges in the Latin American...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran interviews Felipe Echandi, the co-founder and CEO of Cuanto. The conversation dives deep into Latin America’s fragmented digital economy and how Cuanto is building tools to empower small merchants to sell online and through social media. Felipe also shares his experience serving on Panama’s Banking Superintendency, helping reform outdated regulations to match the speed of internet innova...

Jack Moran sits down in Panama with the co-founder of Bocao, Jaime Pérez, a chocolate company that takes the "bean to bar" model to heart. Rooted in a family farm and driven by youthful ambition, Bocao was built to showcase Panama's rich cacao to the world. The conversation dives deep into the agricultural strengths of the region, the painstaking process of sourcing and manufacturing, and the brand's commitment ...

In this episode, Jack sits down with Juan Diego Gálvez, co-founder and CEO of PayCaddy, a Panamanian fintech transforming digital financial infrastructure across Latin America. Juan shares how their “Fintech as a Service” model allows any company to launch financial services faster. The conversation dives into the challenges of earning trust from traditional banks, building resilient API infrastructure, and the rise of embedded fin...

Jack Moran sits down with Sofia Fasquelle, co-founder of SimpleAF, a studio in Panama that designs sustainable accessories from recycled materials. Sofia shares the backstory of how her team turned discarded material into functional fashion items. The conversation dives into the challenges of prototyping, scaling responsibly, and navigating regional innovation gaps. She highlights how intuition and cultural awareness shaped their b...

Jack sits down with Sebastien Hilaire, founder of Prospect1, a Panama-based sports intelligence startup that helps teams identify, develop, and promote athletes through contextual performance data. They dive into how the platform supports more intelligent decision-making and what it’s like building a tech company in Panama’s emerging startup scene. Sebastien shares what’s working and what is not when doing business locally and the ...

In this episode, Jack Moran meets with transformational mentor Juan Pablo Carrizo in Panama City to explore how energy, intention, and consciousness shape our lives. The two discuss emotional healing, sobriety, and breaking free from limiting beliefs, insightful topics for any entrepreneur seeking deeper clarity and alignment. Juan shares how internal shifts can lead to external success, both personally and professionally. This epi...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran sits down with Ryan Eleuteri, founder of Charleston Beverage Company, the makers of Charleston Bloody Mary Mix, and the executive director behind Charleston’s charity boxing tournament, Battle on the Brick. Ryan shares the gritty realities of building a beverage brand from scratch, scaling authenticity into a business model, and the lessons learned from both entrepreneurship and starting...

In this episode of Shakin' Hands, Jack sits down with the co-founder and chief creative officer of Twelve South, a company known for designing elegant accessories that seamlessly integrate with Apple products. Andrew shares the brand's origin story, including how a single prototype evolved into a global product line admired for its craftsmanship and functionality. They dive deep into the challenges of scaling a physical p...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jeff Bobby co-founder and VP of Social Strategy at SwiftSift shares the unfiltered story behind his pivot from a family-run medical business and military service to co-founding a disruptive AI-driven mobile app. Jeff dives deep into his entrepreneurial upbringing, the evolution of SwiftSift from a VIP concierge service to a smartsocial discovery platform, and how mentorship shaped his journey, espe...

Michael Novielli shares his journey from Wall Street to the world of tech, where he's co-founded SwiftSift, an AI driven mobile app set to revolutionize the search experience. He discusses the frustrations with traditional search engines and how AI, particularly ChatGPT, inspired his shift into the tech world. Michael reflects on the lessons from his career, including the importance of resilience, mentorship, and effective com...

In this episode of Shakin’ Hands, Jack Moran sits down with serial entrepreneur and investor Ryan Covert to unpack what it really takes to build a modern business, and a modern life. From launching Tidewater, a next-gen private club in Charleston, to exiting multiple companies, Ryan shares raw insights on vision, team building, operational clarity, and personal growth. The conversation covers the evolving definition of success, the...

In this episode of Shakin' Hands, Jack Moran talks with serial entrepreneur and Event.Gives CEO, Sam Staley, about turning a school auction challenge into a full-scale fundraising platform. They discuss scaling software businesses, strategic partnerships, and how to build companies with an exit in mind. Staley shares insights from pioneering the first metropolitan-scale WiFi network and the importance of persistence in entrepr...

In this episode of Shakin' Hands, Katrina Wylene shares how she became a top 1% insurance producer by dominating luxury property insurance's high-risk, high-reward niche. She reveals how to tap into untapped markets, build strategic relationships, and confidently close million-dollar deals. Katrina also dives into the mindset shifts that fueled her success, the impact of therapy and self-work, and the importance of emotio...

Real estate investor Devan Carroll, founder of Deventum Properties, joins Shakin' Hands to share his journey from startup hustler to managing millions in transactions. He breaks down key strategies for wholesaling, flipping, and scaling, highlighting the power of off-market deals, mentorship, and efficient systems. He and Jack discuss persistence, networking, and delayed gratification in building long-term wealth. 

Devan Carrol...

This episode of Shakin' Hands explores personal transformation and overcoming deep-seated mental and emotional barriers. Jack talks with Holly Melohn, an empowerment and transformation coach who works with individuals to heal trauma, release limiting beliefs, and step into a more empowered version of themselves. The two discuss how past trauma, self-limiting beliefs, and subconscious patterns shape our lives. They discuss tech...

Katelyn Annemarie Brush, the founder of Natured Marketing, is a business and leadership coach based in Denver. The episode explores entrepreneurship, personal development, and sustainable business growth, focusing on shifting from an employee mindset to a CEO perspective. Katelyn shares insights on building a business that aligns with personal values, attracting ideal clients, and leveraging community for success. She also highligh...