That mindset became his edge. Early on in his career, without outside funding or technical experience, Panagoulias launched Web4Realty, a marketing and sales platform for real estate professionals, with just a laptop and the urgency to make something work. He taught himself to sell, cold-called every day, and closed the company’s first 500 clients by sheer persistence. “The biggest challenges were sales and distribution. I knew that even with the best product, if I couldn’t sell it, I wouldn’t survive,” he says. “So I went all in on sales. I had no money for ads or marketing, so I leaned into outbound sales—cold calling every day. I single-handedly closed the first 500 clients by picking up the phone. I read every sales book I could find and taught myself how to sell. That skill became my biggest asset.”
That self-created momentum became the engine behind a company that scaled to over $20 million in revenue before being acquired. And instead of slowing down after his exit, Panagoulias turned his focus to solving new problems. His latest venture, Jobtable, was born from real-life pain points. Two of his co-founders run a successful plumbing business and couldn’t find software that was simple, effective, and affordable to manage jobs and teams. So they built one—and Panagoulias helped turn that internal tool into a platform now used widely across the construction industry.
Though the tools he builds are digital, his approach is deeply human. He believes in leading with clarity, owning your role, and not waiting for permission to make progress. As a mentor to hundreds of founders through platforms like GrowthMentor, and the host of the podcast Founder Views, Panagoulias is known for getting straight to the point when it comes to giving advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. “The most common trap is overthinking and trying to make things perfect before launching,” he says. “I live by the motto ‘Ready. Fire. Aim.’ Too many founders get stuck in the ‘aim’ phase—they plan, polish, and tweak endlessly, waiting for the perfect moment. But that moment never comes. The best way to learn is by doing. Take action, learn from real feedback, and iterate fast.”
He brings that same no-excuses ethos to his YouTube series, Hard Knock SaaS, where he shares hard-won lessons and playbooks for building lean, durable companies from the ground up. And his team-building approach is just as intentional. “The best co-founder dynamic is like yin and yang: complementary skills, mutual respect, and absolute trust. Each person brings strengths where the other lacks, and that only works when communication is honest and direct.”
But for Panagoulias, success isn’t just measured in revenue or reach. It’s about alignment: between your values, your work, and the people you surround yourself with. “Family, freedom, and independence. My family is my anchor—nothing comes before them,” he says. “I won’t sacrifice quality time or peace of mind for a paycheck or status. I’ve always built businesses with the goal of creating freedom—not just financial, but freedom over my time, how I live, and who I work with.”
Over the years, he’s seen the patterns that set great founders apart. And through conversations on his podcast, he knows what it takes to win. “A few consistent themes come up: the best leaders are lifelong learners, they take care of their health like it’s a competitive advantage, and they think much bigger than most people around them. That mindset—growth, discipline, and bold vision—separates the great from the average,” he says.
Panagoulias is proof that you don’t need pedigree, funding, or perfect timing to build something that lasts. You need conviction, grit, and the willingness to show up when it’s hard. And if you’re all in—no Plan B—that’s more than enough.
