In this episode, special guest Brandon Mastrangelo—business coach, facilitator, and in-house advisor at Inspyre, New York State’s largest business incubator. Brandon helps founders identify the behaviors and mindset shifts needed to move a business from survival to sustainable growth, with a deep commitment to supporting entrepreneurs in underserved communities.

Brandon shares his unexpected and very human career path—from working in a Pennsylvania fiber mill and learning Spanish on the factory floor, to HR roles, economic development work in Boston, financial literacy education, refugee support, and ultimately business advising. His throughline? A belief that people deserve kindness, fairness, and access to the tools they need to succeed.

We explore:

• The behavior shifts entrepreneurs must make to scale (communication, strategic clarity, trust, delegation, and identity work).
• Why innovation matters for small businesses—and how Brandon’s team supports it through accelerators, intrapreneurship programs, and a new venture studio.
• The realities of serving minority-owned and underserved entrepreneurs, and the profound relationships built along the way.
• Brandon’s personal story of burnout, being laid off, launching his own coaching practice, landscaping to bridge income gaps, and finding meaning through resilience.
• The health and lifestyle changes that now anchor him.

Brandon’s journey is a powerful reminder that careers aren’t always linear, leadership requires identity shifts, and communities thrive when entrepreneurs are supported with dignity and care.

Connect with Brandon:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandonmastrangelo
Website: bmastrangelo.com