Calling all small business warriors who feel chained to their business! Do you run your business or does your business run you? You’ve poured your blood, sweat and tears into it and it is time to set yourself free. I’m Bobby Mascia – owner of a wealth management firm, family office, manufacturing business, 18 store Dunkin Franchise, and de facto business coach. My goal? To liberate your business— whether it be operationally, prep for a sale, a legacy handover, or self-management. The roadmap to this freedom is something we will uncover together in Business Unchained.” Join me as I learn about fellow entrepreneurs, dissecting their past, present, and future.
About Dr. Jenny Woo
Dr. Jenny Woo is an educator, entrepreneur, and founder/CEO of Mind Brain Emotion, a company incubated at Harvard Innovation Labs that helps children and adults build emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and communication skills. With a Ph.D. in cognitive science and a master’s from Harvard, she has worked in human capital consulting at Deloitte, talent strategy at Cisco, and career coaching at UC Berkeley.
She is the creator of award-winning card games, including 52 Essential Conversations and 52 Essential Coping Skills, used in 50+ countries. Her work has been featured in CNBC, Forbes, FORTUNE, Fast Company, and more.
As a mother of three, Dr. Woo is passionate about helping families and professionals navigate modern challenges, build resilience, and create meaningful connections.
Reference Links:
Mind Brain Emotion Social Media
Dr. Jenny Woo Social Media
Episode Highlights:
What if the key to raising successful, resilient children isn’t about perfect grades or packed schedules—but something far more profound? In a world dominated by social media, academic pressure, and emotional recessions, how do we ensure our kids grow up with the emotional intelligence to thrive?
In this episode of Business Unchained, host Bobby Mascia sits down with Dr. Jenny Woo to discuss her journey from corporate consulting to creating tools that help families and workplaces develop essential human skills.
[07:54] ”When I say village, it doesn’t have to be a lot of people, but you really need that relationship. It could be a partner, a friend, a mentor to just help you stay on track and keep going.” — Dr. Jenny Woo
[09:46] ”We are experiencing an emotional recession. We don’t quite know how to talk to each other anymore.” — Dr. Jenny Woo
Dr. Woo explains how her company creates tools like conversation cards to help families and workplaces build emotional intelligence.
At its core, Dr. Woo’s story is about the power of emotional intelligence, resilience, and the belief that success isn’t just about academic or professional achievements—it’s about building meaningful connections and leading a balanced, fulfilling life.
In this episode:
Vincent Finaldi, known to friends as Vin or Vince, is a seasoned professional with 18 years of experience in the Telecom industry. As the VP of Sales at TeleCloud, he excels in working directly with clients and partners to achieve remarkable results. With a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Fairfield University, Vincent’s expertise lies in his ability to “get stuff done” and make things happen.
Beyond the office, Vincent’s true passions lie in raising his three children to be kind and responsible individuals and cherishing quality time with his family. A firm believer in leading a good and healthy life, Vincent is dedicated to balancing his professional success with personal well-being.
Whether at work in Morristown or enjoying downtime in Florham Park, NJ, Vincent exemplifies a commitment to excellence in both his professional endeavors and personal life.
Reference Links:
Vincent Finaldi’s Social Media
TeleCloud Social Media
Episode Highlights:
In this episode of “Business Unchained Podcast,” we have the privilege of delving into the unique dynamics of family businesses with Vincent Finaldi, Vice President of TeleCloud, a family-owned business in the service and technology sector. Through Vin’s personal journey of taking over the business after his father’s passing in 2021, we explore the complexities of family enterprises, leadership transitions, and the invaluable lessons learned during trying times, including those brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversational spotlight is on the significance of formal structures, delineated roles, and transparent communication within family-owned businesses, offering profound insights for managing and evolving such enterprises.
[23:45] “When the patriarch leaves, it’s a big deal in a family. His death forced us to formalize things because we realized our mortality.” – Vincent Finald
The conversation underscores the challenges of distinguishing between family roles and business roles. Vin draws parallels between a family business and a sports team, underscoring the necessity of clear responsibilities and accountability for achieving success. Emotional attachments can engender an apprehension toward treating the business with the same professionalism as would be in a non-family enterprise, potentially impeding long-term growth and prosperity.
In response to these challenges, Vin and his siblings proactively sought to formalize their business structure. Their proactive measures included consulting legal experts to establish buy-sell agreements and safeguard their shares. Recognizing that legal agreements alone were insufficient, they sought the guidance of Dr. Mark Celentano, an organizational expert with specialized experience in family businesses.
Vincent also shares insights into the significant transformations experienced by their company, particularly in terms of strategic hiring. With a team of 20, they made four pivotal appointments, signifying substantial growth for a small organization. Vincent, as an extrovert, candidly expresses his sentiments about the draining nature of the remote work environment, believing it had a negative impact on the morale of the organization.
[29:57] “It was like that post-COVID running remotely, and I’m an extrovert, my brother’s an extrovert, so after you do internal calls on video, working remotely for a year, it gets pretty draining and saps the soul out of an organization.” – Vincent Finaldi
Furthermore, Vincent outlines their strategic planning process, which leverages the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to set lucid goals for the future. Their three-year vision encompasses ambitious targets, including reaching 30,000 subscribers and expanding the team to 30 members. Let’s dive in!
