The Failure Factor
Where entrepreneurs get real about their stories and turn failures into lessons for success.
Hosted by Megan Bruneau, The Failure Factor explores the journey of business owners, entrepreneurs and thought leaders who have faced significant challenges, persevered through adversity, and emerged triumphant providing listeners with insights to navigate their own entrepreneurial paths
There's a myth out there that failure is career-ending and that success is achieved without any bumps in the road. In reality, it's surviving rock bottom what gives entrepreneurs the experience, confidence and edge that ultimately causes them to thrive.
Packed with actionable insights, vulnerability, and inspiration, each episode aims to help you navigate your own challenges and grow stronger through adversity.
- Update frequency
- every 33 days
- Average duration
- 51 minutes
- Episodes
- 50
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2025
Lifeway CEO Julie Smolyansky On Leading While Grieving, Navigating A PR Crisis, And Managing Mansplainers
In this episode of The Failure Factor, Megan talks resilience, sexism, and changing the world with Julie Smolyansky. Julie became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over L…
The League Dating App Founder Amanda Bradford on Having Difficult Conversations And Getting Comfortable With Rejection
Simon "Thor" Damborg on The Danger of the Personal Brand, Dating in a Culture of Toxic Masculinity, and The Only Way Entrepreneurship is Worth It
Simon "Thor" Damborg is a former competitive CrossFit athlete, small business consultant, and the owner of Raincity Athletics and the Functional Fitness League in Vancouver, Canada. In this episode,…
Lumion's Amy Briant and Lisa DeLarco Bonoff On Dealing With (and Learning From) a Painful Co-Founder Split
Amy Briant and Lisa DeLarco Bonoff are the founders of Lumion, a skincare product line revolutionizing skin health technology. In this episode, Amy shares the story of her painful split from a co-fou…
Former Adult Film Star Turned Designer Jessie Andrews On Being Fearless And Not Letting The Past Define You
At 25 years old, Jessie Andrews is the founder and CEO of four successful businesses. Formerly an adult-film star and international DJ/Producer, she's now also a globally sought-after photographer, i…
Mark Sisson on Risk-Taking, Resilience, and the Failure That Cost Him $1m
Ollie Pet Food Co-founder Gabby Slome on Overcoming "Analysis Paralysis" and Considering Both Head and Heart in Decision-Making
Gabby Slome is the co-founder of Ollie; an all-natural, human grade dog food delivery service. In this episode, brought to you by Discover LMS, she shares how she overcame “analysis paralysis" and w…
Sarah Merrill of “Big Kid Problems” on Growing & Monetizing Social Media, Overcoming Fear, and Leaving Your 9-5 Responsibly
It's one thing to leave a job you hate to follow your dreams; but what about leaving that "cushy" job that's not totally terrible? In this interview, brought to you by Discover LMS, Sarah Merrill of…
THINX CoFounder and Serial Entrepreneur Miki Agrawal On Bouncing Back From Adversity
Known for taboo industry innovation, controversial subway ads, and a publicly challenging departure from her role as CEO of THINX Period Underwear, Miki Agrawal is a serial entrepreneur, author, and …
Cassandra Bodzak on Scaling The Conscious Personal Brand – Twice
Cassandra Bodzak is the founder of the online mind-body-soul support community, Aprecity.com,and best-selling author of "Eat With Intention." She's a global meditation and wellness teacher, host of E…
'The Hundreds' CoFounder On Leaving Law To Follow His Dreams, Building A Trustworthy Brand, And Coping With The Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster
Bobby Kim (also known as Bobby Hundreds) is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The Hundreds – a massively popular streetwear line worn by celebrities such as Kanye West and Justin Bieber. H…
Founder & CEO Megan Driscoll on Building A PR Agency, Using Fear As A Motivator, And Not Wanting Kids
Megan Driscoll is the founder and CEO of Evolve MKD, a public relations and social media agency in New York City. She's grown her business from one employee (herself) to 19 in two and a half years. B…
Danielle LaPorte On Being Fired From Her Own Company And Dealing With Haters
Danielle LaPorte is an internationally renowned speaker, writer, entrepreneur, and blogger. The wise, hilarious, self-proclaimed "seeker" has mastered scaling the personal brand; but prior to Daniell…
HigherDOSE Founders On How An Unfulfilling Modeling Career And Near-Death Experience Led To Their Ultimate Success
Lauren Berlingeri and Katie Kaps are the founders of HigherDOSE, the infrared sauna experience that's taking over NYC. In this episode, they share with Megan how past career challenges have led to th…
The Mistake These Women Made When They Launched Their Apparel Brand
Christina Carbonell and Galyn Bernard are the founders of Primary.com, a direct-to-consumer children's clothing company known for its evergreen basics and affordable prices. Tune in to hear them disc…
Failing Every Day And Being A Successful First-Time Founder
Lauren Foundos spent a decade on Wall Street before starting Forte, a boutique fitness streaming platform. A first-time founder, Foundos stresses spending wisely, building authentic partnerships, det…
The Whole 30's Melissa Hartwig on Overcoming Addiction, Repairing Business Relationships, and Building a "Fiercely Loyal" Community
Melissa Hartwig is a Certified Sports Nutritionist, co-author of the New York Times bestsellers The Whole30 and It Starts With Food, and the author of Food Freedom Forever and The Whole30 Cookbook. S…
Gang Member Turned Multimillionaire Hit Rock Bottom Following Bankruptcy
A former gang member, Ryan Blair is now a self-made multimillionaire, New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and CEO of the global healthy lifestyle company, ViSa…
How This Feminist Serial Entrepreneur Found "Beauty" In Failure
Shalini Vadhera is a serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, beauty expert and internationally recognized TV personality. From jewelry and fashion entrepreneur, to celebrity makeup artist, to Founde…
Matt Mayberry Ended His Football Career His First Game In The NFL
Matt Mayberry realized his dream of becoming a professional football player, then watched it all crumble in a instant. He suffered a career-ending injury in his FIRST game in the NFL. Shattered both …