It’s no secret that running a business is tough. But as any founder knows – one way to make it easier is to learn from the best of the best.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of entrepreneurship experts you should follow for everything from advice on running and scaling your business, to tips on building the right team, and guidance on finding new customers.
Think we missed someone? Let us know at @GustoHQ on Twitter or email us at [email protected].
At Gusto, we empower entrepreneurs. Whether you’ve been an entrepreneur for decades or just decided to start a business, we’re here to support your growth through our award-winning platform – helping you take care of your team with payroll, HR, and benefits.
James Altucher
Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
James is a prolific writer, successful entrepreneur, chess master, podcast host, Top 10 Linkedin Influencer, and venture capitalist. He has started and sold several companies and is actively invested in or advises over 30 companies in areas ranging from tech to energy, healthcare, and biotech. Check out his podcast, The James Altucher Show, for lively stories with fascinating guests sharing their personal stories on finding financial freedom and creating more fulfilling lives.
Karen Cahn
Karen Cahn is the Founder & CEO of IFundWomen, the go-to funding marketplace for women-owned businesses and the people who want to support them with access to capital, coaching, and connections to launch and grow sustainable businesses. We admire her commitment to other women entrepreneurs – follow her for a regular dose of inspiration as you build your business!
Natalie Eckdahl
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
Natalie is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, coach, and podcast host. Natalie helps women entrepreneurs own their role as CEO through business training, on-air coaching calls, and expert interviews. If you want to learn how to master your mindset, grow as a leader, refine your strategies, build your team, and gain visibility in your industry, be sure to follow Natalie!
Melinda Emerson
Facebook | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
Melinda F. Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” is a small business expert and an internationally renowned keynote speaker on small business development, social selling, and online marketing strategy. As CEO of Quintessence Entertainment, Inc., her Philadelphia-based marketing consulting firm serves Fortune 500 brands that target the small business market. She is also an author, newsletter writer, and podcast host. Be sure to check out her weekly episodes on The SmallBizChat Podcast for advice from leading entrepreneurs on scaling your business.
Alfred Edmond Jr.
Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
Alfred Edmond Jr. is the SVP and Editor-at-Large of Black Enterprise, where he provides brand, marketing, and content leadership. He is also an award-winning journalist, co-hosts nationally syndicated B. Lifted Up! Radio, and is recognized as an expert on business and economic trends, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and leadership development. While any entrepreneur will benefit from following Alfred, we especially admire his support and mentorship for Black entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses and their leadership skills.
Jason Feifer
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter
Jason Feifer is the Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur magazine, a podcast host, book author, keynote speaker, startup advisor, and a self-described “nonstop optimism machine.” No matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, follow Jason for his perspective as a leading journalist on entrepreneurship, having interviewed some of the largest names in business. He also regularly publishes advice for any entrepreneur seeking inspiration to keep going in the face of adversity. Check out his article on finding motivation in the face of setbacks.
Tim Ferriss
Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
Tim Ferriss is an early-stage technology investor/advisor, the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers, and the host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, one of the world’s most popular podcasts. Tim is particularly known for his book The 4-Hour Work Week, a step-by-step guide to building a lifestyle of living more and working less. As one of the most notable minds in entrepreneurship, he is a must-follow for his expertise in building businesses that allow you to spend more time doing what you love.
Sima Gandhi
Sima is the founder and CEO of Creative Juice, a leading business banking and funding platform for creators and other independent small businesses – and named both a Forbes Top 50 fintech and a Fast Company Most Innovative Company. Sima has been recognized as a thought leader by Fast Company, Forbes, LinkedIn, Marie Claire, and more for her knowledge of the creator economy. She was also featured on our very own SMB Tech Innovators podcast, where she shared what defines a creator, why they should treat themselves like a business, and how Creative Juice was built to handle every financial inquiry a creator could have.
Liz Giorgi
Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
👋I’m a second time founder who sold her 1st biz to go after an opportunity that NO ONE ELSE believed in.
— Liz Giorgi (@lizgiorgi) October 22, 2021
And guess what?
$0 to 5M run rate in 15 months
$6M run rate in 16 months
$7M run rate in 17 months
AND we are ahead of pace to do $8M in 18 months.
AMA.
Liz Giorgi is CEO & co-founder of soona, a two-time media entrepreneur, an Emmy award winner, and a passionate advocate for women in business. She’s also created the Candor Clause, an open-source legal disclosure for inclusion in fundraising documents to kick off conversations between founders and investors about gender equality, and to tamp down on discrimination in venture capital. Follow Liz for her advice on leading a startup, listening to customers, and fostering a positive mindset.
Michael Girdley
Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
My friends made $10M+ using strategies only available to business owners.
— Michael Girdley (@girdley) April 2, 2022
Here’s 8 for you to start using:
Michael is a business builder working at the intersection of investing and operations, helping start, fund, launch, and then serve on the boards of technology companies. With over 30 years of experience, Michael regularly shares surprising business tactics, psychology, and the occasional joke in his newsletter, GirdleyWorld.
Greg Head
Greg is a champion for practical SaaS founders building valuable software companies without big funding. He’s a founder, mentor, advisor, host of the Practical Founders Podcast and moderator of Practical Founders Peer Groups. To gain knowledge on successful founder stories without big funding, give The Practical Founders Podcast a listen!
Bryan Kramer
Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author, and Forbes contributor. He also sparked the Human-to-Human H2H movement, which set out to humanize business through more straightforward communication, empathy, and celebrating our imperfections. For advice on building real connections among your team, give Bryan a follow.
Rieva Lesonsky
Rieva is the CEO, President, and Founder at GrowBiz Media, a content and consulting company specializing in covering small businesses and entrepreneurship which also owns SmallBusinessCurrents.com. She is also a contributor to SmallBizTrends covering employment, retail trends, and business. She is a must follow for the latest insights and data on the small business economy, including this great article for AllBusiness.com on steps for starting a business.
Henry Lopez
Henry is a serial entrepreneur, small business coach, consultant, and podcast host. He enjoys building and operating small businesses and helping others achieve their business ownership dreams. We love keeping up with his podcast, The How of Business, where he speaks with other successful entrepreneurs about practical advice, tips, and techniques for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. We really enjoyed this episode on how small businesses can use AI!
Lauren Maillian
Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter
Lauren Maillian is a change agent committed to diversity, innovation, equity, and inclusion. She’s an award-winning marketer, prolific investor, advisor, entrepreneur, and board member with a multi-hyphenate career spanning over 15 years. She also writes a newsletter, Insights by Lauren Maillian, where she shares her POV on social impact, inclusion, investing, innovation, and why brand storytelling matters. We love her recent interview with TechCrunch!
Gene Marks
Gene Marks is a best-selling author, business keynote speaker and columnist. He regularly contributes to publications including The Guardian, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Accounting Today, The Hill, and The Philadelphia Inquirer on topics ranging from entrepreneurial resilience to artificial intelligence for small businesses. We particularly love his recent article for The Philadelphia Inquirer on tax credits for small businesses.
Mike Michalowicz
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
Mike is an author, entrepreneur, and lecturer dedicated to eradicating entrepreneurial poverty. He is the author of seven business books and is the founder of Profit First Professionals, an organization designed to support accountants, bookkeepers, and other financial professionals to substantially differentiate themselves in the market. For insights on how to create unstoppable teams, give Mike a follow.
Barry Moltz
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
As a small business expert, speaker, trainer, radio host, and author, Barry helps small businesses get unstuck. He has founded and run small businesses with great success and failure for over 25 years and has hosted the Small Business Radio Show for over 13 years where he speaks with small business experts and entrepreneurs. Follow Barry for the formula for taking your company to the next level!
Brian Moran
Brian Moran is the founder and CEO of Brian Moran & Associates, a consultancy firm for entrepreneurs, self-starters, and small and midsize companies, with the aim of helping them achieve business growth. He is also the founder of SmallBusinessEdge and the leader of the Pitney Bowes-sponsored SMB Experts, a panel of today’s leading business advisors, thought leaders, and influencers. If you’re facing any blockers in running your business, give Brian a follow for his thoughtful advice and perspective.
Arjay Ruggles
Arjay Ruggles is the CEO of HomeRoom, a full-stack community technology solutions company, and PlayTyme. They strongly believe in community as a driver for growth and its crucial role in the future of business. We enjoy their TikTok, where they share learnings from their own experience as a Black and queer founder.
Codie Sanchez
Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
@realcodiesanchez The one line you need to remember when negotiating deals: “You can have your price and my terms, or my price and your terms… but you can’t have both. ” The Secret: Control the terms, you control the deal. Swipe left for more biz content to help you build wealth & achieve financial freedom. #financialfreedom #smallbusiness #businesstok #boringbusiness #dealmaking #dealmakingtips #entrepreneurtok #bizownershelpingbizowners #mainstreetoverwallstreet #fyp ♬ original sound – Codie Sanchez
Codie Sanchez is an investor, writer, entrepreneur, and the founder of Contrarian Thinking, a media company that teaches people to think critically and challenge unconventionally with “boring businesses.” Subscribe to her newsletter, Contrarian Thinking, for insights on how to scale your business, or advice on how to acquire businesses and boost their profitability.
Maggie Sellers
Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter
Maggie is an entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and TikTok guru, popular for her fun and approachable take on DTC trends that are shaking up the retail space and educating her followers on the world of venture capitalism. She is the Founder and CEO of Creative MES, which is behind some of the biggest consumer brands and consumer technology tech as an investor, consultant, and creator. If you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding of venture capital, Maggie is a must follow.
Emmy Sobieski
Emmy Sobieski is an investor, advisor, author, and entrepreneur passionate about sharing high-leverage career paths. She is a co-founder and COO of Competitive Storytelling, Inc., and COO of Performative Speaking; both help world-class founders use storytelling to change the world. She also recently published her first book, $100M Careers: The 5 Fastest Career Paths to Wealth Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, which is a great read if you’re interested in growing your career path.
Steve Strauss
Steve Strauss is often called “the country’s leading small business expert.” A best-selling author and USA TODAY’s small business columnist, Steve is a thought leader, global speaker, spokesperson, content creator, and author of 18 books, including his latest, Your Small Business Boom, and the best-selling Small Business Bible. To learn everything from how to use social media to engage customers and how to generate leads with LinkedIn, we recommend keeping up with Steve.
Tomasz Tunguz
Tomasz is a managing director at Redpoint. He is an active blogger at tomtunguz.com and is co-author of Winning with Data, which explores the cultural changes big data brings to business and shows you how to adapt your organization to leverage data to maximum effect. If you’re interested in learning about data’s role in your business, we recommend Winning with Data!
Gary Vaynerchuk
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube
Gary Vaynerchuk, commonly known as Gary Vee, is a Soviet-born American entrepreneur, author, speaker, podcast host, and Internet personality. Gary is considered one of the leading global minds on what’s next in culture, relevance, and the internet and is a must-follow for any entrepreneur. We love his podcast, The GaryVee Audio Experience, where he shares snippets from Gary’s DAILYVEE video series, interviews, and fireside chats.
Rob Walling
Global sales tax compliance 🎉😑
— Rob Walling (@robwalling) April 25, 2023
Not necessarily fun, but here’s a practical conversation about thinking it through for SaaS 👇 https://t.co/ffAwVs8Jcq
Rob Walling is a serial entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and angel investor. He is the author of three books, runs MicroConf, and hosts the podcast Startups for the Rest of Us, where he’s recorded over 650 episodes to help you launch and grow your startup. He is particularly passionate about bootstrapped startups, and we recommend listening to his podcast for advice on how to raise funding, successfully lead a startup, and more.
