Fervent Four

Hosted by Zack Miller, Tim Ryan

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313

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Where Hampton Roads entrepreneurs tell their stories. Since 2020, The Fervent Four Show has been the weekly conversation connecting the entrepreneurs, innovators, and community builders shaping the future of Hampton Roads, Virginia. Each Thursday at 11 a.m. EST, hosts Tim Ryan and Zack Miller sit down with founders, CEOs, investors, and ecosystem leaders to explore the real stories behind regional growth — from bold startups and 757 trailblazers to nationally recognized brands born right here. Whether you're launching your first venture or scaling your next big idea, these candid, conversational episodes deliver insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, and business growth that will keep you fired up long after the mics go off.

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June 16, 202656 min

What NASA Has to Build Before We Can Live on the Moon

NASA is known for rockets, astronauts and moonshots. But at NASA Langley, the work is also about what happens before and after the launch: the testing, partnerships, aeronautics, technology transfer and long-term thinking that turn impossible ideas into repeatable progress. Joseph Gasbarre, Director of the Strategic Partnerships Office at NASA Langley, talks through the next era of exploration — from Artemis and returning to the moon, to hypersonics, commercial space, regional air mobility and what it will take to build a lasting human presence beyond Earth. The conversation moves from Star Trek and roller coasters to heat shields, lunar infrastructure, AI, NASA's "front door" for innovators, and why Hampton Roads continues to play a major role in the future of flight and space. 0:00 Why going to the moon more often changes everything 2:44 NASA is more than rockets and shuttles 3:04 From Star Trek fan to aerospace engineer 4:14 Artemis, launch day and years of NASA work coming together 7:46 What NASA Langley may study from Artemis reentry 9:04 Testing heat shields, speed and reentry at 32,000 mph 11:15 G-force, roller coasters and Pennsylvania amusement parks 16:31 How NASA recruits the next generation of talent 19:21 Mars travel, moon launches and escape velocity 20:47 Could humans live on the moon or Mars? 23:21 What space movies get right and wrong 24:18 How NASA thinks decades into the future 25:18 NASA's view on AI as a tool 26:32 The rise of commercial space companies 27:08 How innovators can partner with NASA 29:59 Hypersonics and faster commercial flight 31:17 The sonic boom problem and NASA's X-59 32:32 How NASA Langley looks at strategic partnerships 35:13 Putting more things on the lunar surface 36:17 Why launch cadence matters for innovation 37:01 NASA's coming "front door" for partnerships 37:34 Risk, safety and lessons from NASA history 39:48 The infrastructure we don't yet have around the moon 42:23 Handling public criticism and NASA education 45:25 Competing for talent in the space economy 49:35 Why people stay at NASA: mission 50:28 What Joseph wants to see before retirement 51:51 The first "A" in NASA: aeronautics 52:36 The future of flight, eVTOLs and regional air taxis 54:44 What Hampton Roads food should go to the moon? 56:21 Why this is an exciting time to be at the forefront Subscribe to The Fervent Four: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Innovate757?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fervent-four/id1596516837 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7egTPUyiUEZF4QACNKBYI6?si=f9b82187dee54d12

June 9, 202657 min

The AI Opportunity Most Nonprofits Are Missing

Nonprofits are being asked to do more than ever with teams that are already stretched thin. But what happens when AI gives mission-driven organizations the capacity to move faster, understand donors better, and spend more time on the relationships that actually drive impact? Jim Funari, CEO of StratusLIVE, joins The Fervent Four to talk about how AI, software, and digital engagement are reshaping the nonprofit world. From donor relationships and fundraising to team capacity and national reach, this conversation explores why technology is no longer just back-office support. It is becoming central to how mission-driven organizations grow, serve, and survive. https://stratuslive.com/ The conversation also highlights a Hampton Roads company making serious waves well beyond the region. StratusLIVE was named to the initial tranche of the IHR200, Innovate Hampton Roads' list of the 200 most promising and important privately owned businesses in Hampton Roads — a reminder that major technology companies are being built right here in the 757. https://www.innovate757.org/ihr200/ 00:00 Mistakes Teach More Than Wins 02:11 Why Nonprofits Struggle to Market Themselves 04:20 What StratusLIVE Actually Does 05:36 Building a Nonprofit Tech Company 08:05 Staying Current in a Fast-Moving Tech World 11:13 How AI Can Help Nonprofits Do More With Less 13:02 Is There a First-Mover Advantage in Nonprofit AI? 14:01 Why Focus on Nonprofits? 15:51 The Next Generation of Nonprofit Fundraising Tools 17:29 Using AI Agents to Reduce Back-Office Work 18:53 Will AI Replace Jobs or Create More Capacity? 21:47 Bringing National Customers to Virginia Beach 24:21 Building a Business With Family 27:48 Local vs. Remote Talent in Hampton Roads 30:15 Hiring for Curiosity and Team Fit 34:03 Why Curiosity Matters in Leadership 36:02 Raising Capital in Hampton Roads 40:44 Why the Team Matters More Than the Idea 41:57 What Founders Overlook About Execution 43:43 Finding Your First Customers 46:15 Why Mistakes Are Better Teachers Than Wins 47:34 Adjusting Strategy as the Market Changes 51:17 National Impact Through Corporate Giving 53:44 A Hampton Roads Company Creating Big Impact 54:11 Why Nonprofits Need Technology at the Table 55:41 Where to Eat in Virginia Beach

June 2, 202655 min

How to Build a Business That Lasts for Decades

What does it really take to build a business that lasts for decades? Building an agency or service-based business is not just about landing the first client. It is about hiring the right people, delivering consistently, earning trust, surviving hard seasons, and making decisions that protect the company long after the excitement of launch wears off. In this episode of the Fervent Four Show, Tony Cortinas, president and cofounder of Marathon Consulting, shares what he has learned from building a Hampton Roads technology consulting company that has lasted 20 years. The conversation covers Marathon's early leap of faith, the story behind the company's name, the discipline it took to grow without sacrificing quality, and why people, culture, and client relationships have remained central to the company's success. Marathon Consulting was also named to the first group of 20 companies selected for the IHR200, Innovate Hampton Roads' curated list of the 200 most important privately owned, growth-scalable businesses in the region. https://marathonus.com/ Watch the full conversation to hear what building a lasting business really looks like, and why endurance may be one of the most underrated forms of business success. Learn more about the Fervent Four Show: https://www.innovate757.org/ferventfour/ (0:00) Building relationships, starting the business, and launching before the Great Recession (2:04) Managing time between company building and client work (2:43) History and background of Metro Information Services and Keene (4:52) Phased approach to launching the company (7:04) Initial funding and relationship with Town Bank (7:29) Company growth and employee numbers (10:17) Origin of the Marathon name and logo (13:49) Community involvement and support (18:06) Influence of Metro and Keene on company culture (19:26) Multi-step interview process and hiring standards (22:13) Key qualities sought in potential hires (23:48) Transitioning from client-facing roles and rewriting old systems (25:32) The impact of AI and automation on consulting (29:57) Predictions on AI's effect on jobs and consulting (32:50) Evolution of Marathon Consulting's partnership structure (38:28) Opening an office in Richmond: Challenges and strategies (44:47) Future plans for geographic expansion and service offerings (46:37) Overcoming growth plateaus and breaking through employee milestones (48:27) Scaling challenges with growing teams (49:35) Transition from small to large team dynamics (50:10) The importance of food in company culture (51:34) Returning to the office post-pandemic (52:10) Reflecting on two decades of business growth (53:18) Employee retention and long-term staff (54:16) Future branding and company milestones (55:16) Episode wrap-up and final thoughts

May 26, 20261 hr 0 min

The Bigger Strategy Behind Pharrell's Something in the Water

Something in the Water was never just about music. In this conversation, Robby Wells breaks down the bigger strategy behind cultural moments, regional storytelling, and building events that make people feel ownership in where they live. Wells is a branding and cultural strategy leader who has worked behind the scenes on major Virginia moments like Something in the Water and Mighty Dream. His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, events, culture, commerce, and community impact, helping turn big ideas into experiences that make people think differently about their cities. From Pharrell's influence, Something in the Water, Mighty Dream, and Atlantic Park to Noodle, Newport News, skateboarding, city branding, and the next generation of builders, this conversation explores why culture can change how a city sees itself, and why emerging leaders need access, belief, and a real chance to take the ball and run with it. 0:00 Thinking bigger and being free to dream 0:17 Robby Wells joins the conversation 0:45 Moving from Los Angeles to Virginia 1:14 The assumption that Robby and Pharrell grew up together 1:59 How skateboarding shaped Robby's view of creativity 4:00 Skateboarding, hustle, and innovation 7:17 Atlantic Park and the skater mindset 9:10 Culture, commerce, and modern city-building 10:30 Why festivals can be bigger than ticket sales 11:33 Why some people only see the surface 13:01 Understanding the festival experience 14:00 Applying big-brand strategy to the 757 16:14 Why others have to take the ball and run with it 17:01 Elephant in the Room and what happened next 21:12 The gap between emerging builders and the establishment 24:32 Lionel Sapp, AI, and giving builders a real shot 25:56 Everybody wants to be invited 28:25 Bringing the future into the room 29:46 Thinking small, systemic doubt, and taking chances 32:28 How to give more people a shot 33:32 Risk-taking, doubt, and learning to move anyway 34:12 Free to Dream and why big ideas matter 36:01 What "Something in the Water" really means 37:54 Creating emotional ownership around an event 39:35 Could Something in the Water come back? 40:52 Why Newport News needed more than another music festival 41:49 Building the pitch for Noodle 42:55 Collective illusion and changing a city's story 45:05 Culture, science, music, and Newport News' opportunity 47:05 Handling negativity while building something new 49:45 How negative narratives become accepted 51:22 Using AI to imagine the future of Newport News 53:42 Why Noodle's programming came together so easily 54:49 Robby's first impressions of Virginia 57:15 The people who changed how Robby saw the region 59:34 Favorite food in town and closing thoughts Watch more episodes of The Fervent Four Show: https://www.innovate757.org/ferventfour/ Learn more about NOODLE: https://www.noodlecon.com/ Follow Something in the Water: https://www.instagram.com/somethinginthewater/ Learn more about Mighty Dream: https://eitr.com/ Follow Innovate Hampton Roads: https://www.innovate757.org/

May 19, 202659 min

Former Navy SEAL on Why Starting a Business Was Harder Than SEAL Training

Former Navy SEAL and Neptune Shield CEO Nicholas Rocha joins The Fervent Four Show to talk about military service, entrepreneurship, veteran transition, mental health, and why building a company can be harder than elite military training. After 26 years in the Navy, nine combat deployments, and a career inside one of the most demanding communities in the world, Rocha found himself facing a different kind of challenge: figuring out life after service. In this conversation, he shares how veterans can find a new mission through business, why the right team and support system matter, and how entrepreneurship can give former service members purpose, structure, and a reason to keep going. Rocha also opens up about veteran suicide, his own moment of crisis, the "Quick Reaction Friends" concept, and why asking for help can be one of the strongest things a person can do. This episode is for veterans, founders, military families, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build something meaningful after a major life transition. https://neptuneshield.com/ 0:00 Intro, giving veterans a new mission 1:22 How Nick first connected with Virginia Cup 2:17 Failing eighth grade, ADHD, and finding structure 4:07 Catching up in school and discovering the Navy 6:20 Seeing Navy SEALs for the first time 7:47 How Nick entered the SEAL pipeline 11:19 Why SEAL culture used to stay quiet 14:00 SEAL books, public stories, and what not to reveal 17:20 Why "team" matters more than "SEAL" 19:18 What was harder, Neptune Shield or the SEAL teams? 22:00 Why so many startups fail 23:57 Starting a CBD company to help his daughter 28:02 Transitioning after 26 years in the Navy 30:22 The crisis veterans face after service 32:30 The cost of training a Navy SEAL 33:30 "Everybody dies, but not everybody truly lives" 34:44 Helping veterans understand the new battlefield 35:30 Nick opens up about his own crisis 38:15 Quick Reaction Friends and suicide prevention 42:42 How the same framework applies to business 44:46 Why veterans need tools, resources, and a plan 46:16 Why founders have to ask for help 47:44 Showing up and doing the work 53:20 Could Neptune Shield expand to other cities? 54:38 Validating technology with operators 56:05 What's next for Neptune Shield 58:01 The food of Hampton Roads 59:42 Closing thoughts The Fervent Four Show Where Hampton Roads entrepreneurs tell their stories. Since 2020, The Fervent Four Show has been the weekly conversation connecting the entrepreneurs, innovators, and community builders shaping the future of Hampton Roads, Virginia. Each Thursday at 11 a.m. EST, hosts Tim Ryan and Zack Miller sit down with founders, CEOs, investors, and ecosystem leaders to explore the real stories behind regional growth — from bold startups and 757 trailblazers to nationally recognized brands born right here. Whether you're launching your first venture or scaling your next big idea, these candid, conversational episodes deliver insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, and business growth that will keep you fired up long after the mics go off. Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fervent-four/id1596516837 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7egTPUyiUEZF4QACNKBYI6?si=704d8e723f3842f5 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Innovate757?sub_confirmation=1

May 12, 20261 hr 6 min

From Wall Street to Building 757 Angels

Organized startup capital has been one of the biggest challenges for cities across the country, and Hampton Roads struggled with it for decades. That started to change in 2015 when Monique Adams helped launch 757 Angels, building one of the region's first organized angel investment networks focused on backing high-growth startups and entrepreneurs. After surviving the pressure of Wall Street investment banking in New York, Adams brought that experience to Hampton Roads and helped shape a new era of startup investing in the region. In this episode of The Fervent Four Show, Adams reflects on what it really took to build 757 Angels, from investor skepticism and startup risk to the pressure of creating systems, relationships, and infrastructure for a startup ecosystem that was still finding its footing. The Fervent Four Show is where Hampton Roads entrepreneurs tell their stories. New episodes every Tuesday at 6AM. Explore more: Innovate Hampton Roads https://www.innovate757.org/ferventfour/ 0:00 Why Startup Capital Was a Problem in Hampton Roads 1:41 Meeting Monique Adams and the Origins of 757 Angels 5:12 Surviving Wall Street Investment Banking 12:29 Leaving New York for Hampton Roads 17:12 The Reputation That Followed Monique Into Virginia 21:48 The Lunch That Changed Everything 23:24 The Self Doubt Behind Building 757 Angels 29:37 "There's No Way This Is Part Time" 35:35 The Biggest Problem With Angel Investing 41:20 Why 757 Angels Never Became a Fund 49:00 The Real Mission Behind 757 Angels 50:48 Building the Startup Pipeline in Hampton Roads 52:45 "Hard Things Are My Middle Name" 56:14 Handling Pressure While Building an Ecosystem 58:13 The People Who Helped Shape Monique's Career 1:00:25 Learning the "Power of the Pause" 1:02:26 Why She's Going to Meet the Dalai Lama 1:04:13 What Founders Still Need Most 1:06:25 Final Thoughts

May 5, 20261 hr 5 min

"Your Baby's Ugly" — The Truth Most Agencies Won't Tell You

Most marketing doesn't fail because of bad ads. It fails because the foundation is broken. In this episode of The Fervent Four Show, Nicole Newsome, CEO of Qantm Creative, breaks down what she calls "radical honesty" — the willingness to tell clients the truth, even when they don't want to hear it. From firing toxic clients to rebuilding broken brands before spending a dollar on ads, this is a conversation about doing the hard work first and building businesses that actually last. If you've ever wondered why your marketing isn't working, this is probably why. 00:00 Intro 02:20 Nicole's background in sales and startups 05:45 What "radical honesty" really means 08:50 "Your baby's ugly" and fixing broken businesses 12:40 Why most marketing fails before it starts 16:30 Firing clients and protecting your team 20:40 Building a culture of trust and transparency 25:10 Radical honesty in personal relationships 29:30 Compensation, leadership, and trust 34:10 Side hustles and the modern workforce 38:30 AI in marketing, threat or advantage 43:10 SEO vs AEO and the future of search 47:30 Showing up in the 757 ecosystem 51:00 Building better businesses in Hampton Roads https://qantmcreative.com/

April 28, 20261 hr 11 min

The Hidden Business Value of Comments (Most Companies Ignore This Data)

Most companies already have the data they need—they're just ignoring it. In this episode, we break down how comments expose customer intent, fix your messaging, and drive smarter decisions, featuring insights from Marc Weinberg of YourComments.AI. 0:00 Why negative comments stick more than positive ones 3:49 Intro to Marc Weinberg and YourComments.AI 6:28 The core problem, too many comments to actually use 7:57 How companies like Tesla use customer feedback at scale 10:07 Why most people ignore comments, and why that's a mistake 11:36 Comments as a business intelligence tool beyond social media 13:12 The role of bots, spam, and platform limitations 16:28 Why big platforms don't solve the problem 18:16 Real time comment insights and future use cases 21:05 Understanding sentiment and customer perception 23:14 The psychology of feedback and decision making 29:12 Comments as signals, not noise 33:17 Filtering data, positive, negative, and patterns 35:03 The real challenge, what to do with the data 38:00 Using AI to uncover trends, intent, and patterns 41:10 The risk of audience capture when listening too closely 43:08 Using repeated questions to improve messaging and products 46:09 How creators and companies use comments to build new products 49:45 Why some content wins, and what comments reveal about it 56:18 The shift from social connection to algorithm driven content 58:04 Cutting out noise and focusing on signal 1:00:17 The mental cost of ignoring how comments affect you 1:02:47 Building better teams and communication through feedback

April 21, 20261 hr 4 min

Why This Coworking Model Keeps Selling Out

Most coworking spaces struggle. This one doesn't. In this episode of Fervent Four, we break down the model behind a business hub that keeps filling up, not because of flashy marketing, but because it actually works for the people inside it. Gene Granger, Managing Director of The IncuHub, shares how a community-first approach, flexible memberships, and relentless visibility across the region have turned a simple workspace into a growth engine for entrepreneurs. From HUBZone strategy to word-of-mouth referrals and what they call "return on collision," this is a real look at what happens when you build for business owners instead of just renting desks. If you're building a business, or thinking about where and how to do it, this is worth your time. 00:00 Intro and trophy banter 02:00 Meet the guest behind the growth 03:10 From one location to rapid expansion 07:30 The real strategy behind networking 11:40 Why no event is too small 15:00 What a HUBZone actually is 18:45 Expansion into a new market 22:45 Why this model is outperforming others 29:50 The power of community and "collisions" 30:00 Who this actually works for 31:45 How location strategy plays a role 37:20 Daily routines and discipline 41:00 Culture vs typical coworking 46:20 How people are getting in early 49:00 Behind the scenes of building it 52:30 Office culture and real conversations 56:00 Why this market is heating up 58:40 Startup World Cup and big ideas 59:40 Why this region is undervalued 1:02:00 Presidents? https://theincuhub.com/

April 14, 20261 hr 4 min

The Silicon Valley of Water Is Being Built in Virginia

Most people think it's just another utility bill. They're wrong. The organization behind it is responsible for cleaning millions of gallons of wastewater, protecting our waterways, and now, turning that same water back into drinking water. In this episode of The Fervent Four Show, Jay Bernas breaks down how Hampton Roads is becoming the Silicon Valley of water technology, from recycling wastewater into drinking water, to reversing land subsidence, to building a sustainable water supply that could impact millions. This isn't theory. It's happening right now. And chances are, you had no idea. 00:18 The moment it became more than "just a bill" 01:08 The "Silicon Valley of Water Tech" idea 03:03 Why people think they pick up trash 04:02 The wild origin story (oysters + raw sewage crisis) 05:17 The SWIFT program explained 06:00 The aquifer problem no one is talking about 07:30 Why Hampton Roads is sinking 09:01 Can we actually reverse sea level impact? 10:11 You're drinking 30–40,000-year-old water 11:18 The economic impact (billions saved) 14:01 The truth about where water comes from 15:26 Would you drink recycled water? 18:20 The vision: Silicon Valley of water 22:13 Tech impacting millions globally 24:32 The $400M innovation breakthrough 26:19 AI + water (this is where it gets crazy) 28:30 The future of fully automated plants 31:13 What happens to jobs? 34:54 The jobs nobody wants (and why that matters) 36:13 Clean water is the most important invention ever 39:09 Inside the culture 42:38 What the aquifer actually looks like 46:36 Where your toilet water actually goes 48:47 Clean water for a penny per gallon 50:53 Why nobody knows this story Learn more about HRSD: https://www.hrsd.com/