Alexander Harstrick is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of J2 Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in advanced computing, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. He previously served as a US Army intelligence officer and worked with the Defense Innovation Unit and AFWERX, helping deploy nearly $2 billion in defense funding to US startups. Alexander holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree from Columbia University.

Jonathan Bronson is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of J2 Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in advanced computing, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. He previously worked at Boston Consulting Group, served as COO of Backpack Health, and worked at D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments. Jonathan holds a PhD from Columbia University, where he developed AI tools to analyze biochemistry experiments.

Dual-use investing becomes compelling when a technology can succeed in the commercial market while also solving meaningful government or national security needs. But that broader potential only matters if the business has strong product-market fit and a viable path to scale. What separates a compelling dual-use company from one that simply has a defense application?

Alexander Harstrick, a former Army intelligence officer and seasoned venture investor, argues that the strongest dual-use companies are built around genuine commercial demand rather than government contracts alone. He emphasizes that military relevance should expand a company's opportunity, not substitute for product-market fit. Jonathan Bronson, a PhD-trained scientist with experience across consulting, startups, and investing, adds that helping founders navigate government procurement can create a meaningful advantage when the underlying business is already strong. Their perspective shows why strong business fundamentals, repeatable demand, and commercial product-market fit are essential to making dual-use investing work.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Alexander Harstrick and Jonathan Bronson, Co-founders and Managing Partners at J2 Ventures, to discuss the dual-use investing edge. They explore commercial product-market fit, military procurement, and technologies that serve both consumer and government markets. They also share lessons from fundraising, portfolio companies, and missed investments.

John Bowen is the Founder and CEO of CEG Worldwide and CEG Insights, firms that provide coaching and strategic insights to financial advisors serving affluent clients. A 26-year financial advisor, he managed up to $2 billion in assets before becoming CEO of Assante Capital Management, where he more than tripled assets under management to over $25 billion. John has authored or co-authored numerous books, including The Greater Game, and combines empirical research, AI, and decades of industry experience to help entrepreneurs and advisors build more scalable, successful businesses.

Exponential growth is about more than increasing revenue — it's about building a business that creates greater freedom, impact, and lasting significance. But how do entrepreneurs move beyond being the person who makes everything happen to building an organization that can thrive without them?

According to John Bowen, a financial services entrepreneur and researcher, exponential growth comes from shifting from operator to architect and intentionally building the systems, intellectual property, and relationships that allow a business to scale. He highlights how proprietary research, collaboration, and AI can create powerful leverage while helping entrepreneurs protect their time and increase their impact. Drawing from thousands of successful entrepreneurs, John shares the ten multipliers outlined in The Greater Game and explains how he applied these principles throughout his own career. He also emphasizes designing a business around freedom and legacy, not simply financial success.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with John Bowen, Founder and CEO of CEG Worldwide and CEG Insights, to discuss achieving exponential growth and building a business around freedom and legacy. They explore the shift from operator to architect, the role of AI and intellectual property, and the ten multipliers behind exponential growth. John also shares lessons from building and selling businesses, along with how he uses his Greater Game Dashboard.

Bob Serling is the Founder of Licensing Lab, where he helps businesses improve their products, positioning, offers, and marketing through deep customer intelligence. He created the Customer Created Framework, which uses insights from actual customers to uncover why they buy and what experience they want. His work includes developing a skateboard toy featuring Tony Hawk's branding and co-creating licensed assessment software used by Fortune 500 companies. Bob also helps businesses identify valuable intellectual property and turn it into new revenue streams through licensing.

Johann Nogueira is the Director at Ai Tech Advisory, a consulting company that helps businesses implement AI solutions and navigate digital transformation. He is a serial tech entrepreneur, SaaS founder, and AI strategist with more than two decades of experience building and growing companies. Johann has founded and scaled multiple technology ventures, including White Label Suite, and has completed several business exits. He is also the Founder of Business Authorities, an entrepreneur education platform focused on helping business owners scale through strategic insights and resources.

Licensing can turn existing ideas, processes, and expertise into scalable revenue without requiring an entirely new business model. How can entrepreneurs turn what they know into scalable revenue streams without adding more complexity or overhead?

Veteran licensing strategist Bob Serling believes entrepreneurs often overlook the value of their own intellectual property, from specialized knowledge and business processes to marketing systems and unique solutions. He explains that licensing is less about creating something entirely new and more about finding ways to package existing assets so others can use, sell, or benefit from them. Johann Nogueira, a serial entrepreneur and business builder, shares how he applied these concepts across his companies through referral models, software licensing, and strategic partnerships. Their experiences reveal how licensing can create leverage, unlock new income opportunities, and help businesses grow beyond traditional models.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Bob Serling and Johann Nogueira to discuss how entrepreneurs can license intellectual property to create new revenue streams. They explore the toll booth method, strategic partnerships, and turning internal systems into valuable assets. Bob and Johann also share lessons from the Tony Hawk licensing deal, White Label Suite's growth, and using AI to uncover business opportunities.