In this episode of The Entrepreneur's Logbook Podcast, host Zachary Bernard sits down with Jamie Uppenberg, co-founder of Runway Group, a specialized firm helping FinTech startups navigate complex regulatory landscapes while building scalable compliance programs. As a former chief compliance officer at five different FinTech companies, Jamie brings rare operational expertise to an industry often dominated by theoretical approaches.

Jamie shares her hard-won insights on the two critical mistakes that sink most FinTech startups: either over-investing in product perfection while neglecting marketing, or the inverse—building impressive marketing campaigns without a solid product foundation. She emphasizes the importance of finding the MVP sweet spot and maintaining disciplined spending, especially as investment dollars have tightened in recent years.

The conversation dives deep into Runway's unique methodology for building compliance programs from the ground up. Unlike traditional consultants who come from legal or regulatory backgrounds, Jamie's team has actually lived inside FinTech operations, understanding how these fast-moving companies actually function. Rather than overwhelming clients with every compliance gap at once, they create prioritized roadmaps that tackle the highest-risk areas first—typically starting with anti-money laundering and financial crimes prevention—while ensuring companies can maintain revenue and growth momentum.

Jamie explains how her approach differs from document-heavy compliance programs, focusing instead on operational excellence: "Can you do what this document says?" This practical methodology helps FinTech companies build programs that actually work when regulators and banking partners come asking for proof of compliance activities, not just policies on paper.

The discussion also explores Runway's integrated model, where compliance consulting works hand-in-hand with specialized FinTech legal counsel and strategic advisory services. This collaborative approach eliminates the common problem of conflicting advice from different vendors, allowing the team to synthesize legal requirements, operational realities, and strategic positioning into cohesive recommendations.

For founders considering building compliance programs in-house, Jamie offers crucial hiring advice: look for professionals who can build systems "with a Google Suite and a dream"—not just those accustomed to enterprise-level resources. She stresses the importance of objective reporting and clear communication about program progress, warning against purely anecdotal updates that leave leadership in the dark about their actual compliance status.

Whether you're launching a payments platform, building lending infrastructure, or creating the next generation of financial services, this episode provides actionable insights for navigating the regulatory challenges that can make or break FinTech ventures in today's environment.

Jamie Uppenberg – Runway Group

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-uppenberg
• Website: https://rnwy.group/

Zachary Bernard – We Feature You PR

• (00:00:00) - The Entrepreneurs Logbook Podcast
• (00:00:51) - Fintech Compliance Expert Jamie Uppenberg
• (00:01:45) - What's the One Thing All Startups Get Wrong?
• (00:03:57) - How to Find The Right Balance For Your Company
• (00:04:47) - Have You Got the Money to Grow?
• (00:06:05) - How To Get Fintech Companies To Be Compliant With the
• (00:11:26) - WSJD Live: The Fintech Compliance Program
• (00:16:38) - What to Know Before Hiring a Compliance Program Designer?
• (00:19:21) - Expertise in Fintech at Runway Consulting
• (00:24:58) - How to Reach Jamie Uppenberg on Podcast

In this episode of The Entrepreneur’s Logbook: Lessons from Growing Businesses, Zachary Bernard speaks with Axel Meierhoefer, founder of Ideal Wealth Grower. Axel, a former Air Force officer turned real estate investor, walks us through the “Ideal Wealth System” he developed after navigating a complex 1031 exchange during the Great Recession. Together, they tackle the common missteps new investors make, namely, focusing on individual properties rather than building a robust network of inspectors, lenders, property managers, and turnkey providers. Axel explains why performance, cash flow and returns, should trump the age-old mantra of “location, location, location,” and how securing one-year warranties and vetted partnerships can shield investors from unexpected repair bills, especially when they’re managing assets from thousands of miles away.

Zachary and Axel then dive into the mindset shift required to become the “king or queen of your own empire.” By treating each investment portfolio as a business, clients learn to assemble a team of “employees”, from appraisers to contractors, who work on their behalf, freeing them to focus on strategic growth. Axel breaks down the concept of the Time Freedom Point, guiding listeners through a simple exercise to calculate their monthly expenses, project cash-flow goals, and determine how many properties they’ll need to achieve true financial independence. He also shares how steady rent increases and paid-off mortgages compound over time, turning a modest real estate portfolio into a multi-million-dollar empire that funds your lifestyle on your own terms. Whether you’re just curious about real estate or ready to build passive income, this episode offers actionable insights for professionals seeking to escape the time-for-money trap.

Contact Information

Axel Meierhoefer – Ideal Wealth Grower

Website: https://idealwealthgrower.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameierhoefer/

Zachary Bernard – We Feature You PR

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itszachb/

Websites:

• https://www.wefeatureyou.com/
• https://zacharybernard.com/

Want press/podcast/TV features? Visit wefeatureyou.com

• (00:00:00) - The Entrepreneur's Lockbook: Where to Start Your Business
• (00:01:11) - Axel Mayhofer
• (00:02:10) - What Would You Do Different in the Franchise Industry?
• (00:03:37) - Real Estate Network
• (00:12:05) - Real Estate Wealth Group
• (00:17:40) - Financial Freedom and Investing
• (00:25:48) - How to retire on a $10,000 a month income
• (00:27:35) - "When Will I Reach My Time Freedom Point?"
• (00:33:58) - How To Get In Touch With The Wealth Grower

In this episode of The Entrepreneur’s Logbook: Lessons from Growing Businesses, Zachary Bernard speaks with Patrick Burns, founder of Patrick Burns Co., a B2B brand-building and revenue-generating agency that helps companies accelerate their go-to-market efforts with strategic digital marketing. After cutting his teeth at two tech startups and earning a degree from Indiana University in 2014, Patrick launched his own firm in 2016. Since then, he’s amassed over 100,000 followers, generated millions of content views, and closed six-figure deals with industry giants like PwC, CVS, Honeywell, and State Street.

Patrick lays out his playbook for rapid, intent-driven growth. He walks through how his team uses a sophisticated technology stack—powered by tools like Clay for outbound campaigns and AI-driven workflows in ChatGPT—to identify prospects showing real purchase signals before engaging them. By splitting roles among dedicated specialists (an account manager, a marketing copywriter/tech operator and an SDR), Patrick ensures every campaign is executed with precision, high deliverability and messaging honed for conversion. On the content side, he shares why a blend of authentic thought leadership and emotionally driven, algorithm-friendly posts builds brand awareness without unrealistic lead-generation expectations, and how a consistent two-week publishing sprint can quickly book qualified inbound meetings.

Contact Information

Patrick Burns – Patrick Burns Co.

Website: https://www.patrickburns.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickburnsco1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickburnsco/

Twitter: https://x.com/patrickburnsco

Zachary Bernard – We Feature You PR

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itszachb/

Websites: https://www.wefeatureyou.com/ | https://zacharybernard.com/

Want press / podcast / TV features? Visit wefeatureyou.com

• (00:00:00) - What would you do to grow your business faster?
• (00:00:35) - The Entrepreneurs Logbook Podcast
• (00:01:43) - What Would You Do To Build Your Startup From scratch?
• (00:03:17) - How To Get a Lead Out of Your Campaigns
• (00:05:23) - Cold Outbound vs. Outbound
• (00:06:38) - How to Create Content That Drives Results
• (00:10:21) - How To Structure Your Outbound Campaigns
• (00:12:03) - How to hire the right talent with AI
• (00:14:47) - How To Market Yourself to the Technology Industry
• (00:16:37) - Lead Generation: The Outbound Side