Season 1 • Episode 10 • December 2, 2025
When purpose defines your business plan
Michael O’Neil, Founder, Get Well
FOUNDING DC
WITH HOST DAN SIMONSGet inside the minds (and hearts) of the most inspiring entrepreneurs building impactful ventures in and around our nation’s capital.
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A Business Podcast Revealing the Stories Entrepreneurs Usually Keep to Themselves
What happened? What didn’t? Would they do it differently today? What failures led to something better than imagined? What’s next?
These candid conversations — led by entrepreneur and restaurateur Dan Simons — reveal the highs, lows and in-betweens that come with nurturing an idea and building it into a thriving enterprise.
Season 1 • Episode 9 • November 4, 2025
From dishwasher to multimillion-dollar deal: The journey of a DC insurance giant
Alan Meltzer, The Meltzer Group (Acquired by NFP)
Season 1 • Episode 8 • October 7, 2025
You can’t cut your way to greatness: Playing the long game in a short-term world
Brett Schulman, CAVA
Season 1 • Episode 7 • September 2, 2025
From bussing tables to building a $100M+ biz: DC-based restaurateur on people, profit and purpose
Dan Simons, Founding Farmers Restaurant Group
Season 1 • Episode 6 • August 5, 2025
From Olympian to entrepreneur: Redefining winning and building a legacy in youth sports
Dominique Dawes, Dominique Dawes Academy
Season 1 • Episode 5 • July 1, 2025
How millions of cupcakes made saying no to private equity and yes to success on their own terms easy
Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, Georgetown Cupcake
Season 1 • Episode 4 • June 3, 2025
How to fail 63 times and still win big: Rule breaking, investing and the entrepreneur’s mindset
David Gardner, The Motley Fool
Season 1 • Episode 3 • May 6, 2025
Building a business by listening to your customers, taking yourself seriously and scaling smart
Susan Tynan, Framebridge
Season 1 • Episode 2 • March 31, 2025
Cold sweats, close calls and the agility to survive: The realities of entrepreneurship
Mark Ein, Venturehouse Group
Season 1 • Episode 1 • March 31, 2025
Turning setbacks into shelf space: Know when to push and when to pivot in business
Seth Goldman, Honest Tea & Just Ice Tea
Testimonials
"This podcast proves DC isn’t just politics — it’s packed with passionate entrepreneurs making real moves."
"Pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build something great in the nation’s capital."
"Every episode leaves me feeling inspired and motivated. Love hearing the real stories behind local success."
"Down-to-earth advice, inspiring guests, and conversations that stick with you."
"This podcast gets better with every episode. Honest, insightful and full of energy."
"Feels like eavesdropping on the playbook of DC’s most driven founders."
"A front-row seat to the bold ideas and brilliant minds redefining DC business."
About
Dan Simons
Dan is co-founder of the Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, a collection of award-winning farmer-owned restaurants and affiliated food and beverage businesses committed to sustainable practices, community engagement and hospitality excellence. With experience nurturing purpose-driven ventures, Dan brings a deep appreciation for the principles that guide business leaders now.
His thoughtful, human-centered style invites guests to dig beyond the obvious to share what makes their enterprises — and themselves — exceptional.
ABOUT
FOUNDING DC
“Founding DC” is a radio-style podcast that pairs WTOP News with local restaurateur and entrepreneur Dan Simons to get inside the brains (and hearts) of local founders of some of the Washington, D.C., area’s most successful business ventures.
Recorded primarily in front of a live, business-focused audience with Dan as host, these candid and lively conversations reveal the highs, lows and in-betweens that come with nurturing an idea and building it into a thriving enterprise.
Each episode delves into the origins of these ventures, the personal values that shape their leaders and the unique strategies that drive their continued success.
Through these conversations, our mission is to pay it forward to current and aspiring entrepreneurs by spotlighting the unique paths forged by local founders who came before them.
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