A Few Things with Jim Barrood

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. History of NFHA3. Michael's impact on organization; AI in housing/financial services4. April 28-30 Responsible AI Symposium  https://events.nationalfairhousing.org/2025AISymposium5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re fair housing and technologyLisa Rice is the President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), the nation's only national civil rights agency solely dedicated to eliminating all forms of housing discrimination and ensuring equitable housing opportunities for all people and communities.  Lisa has led her team in using civil rights principles to bring fairness and equity into the housing, lending, and technology sectors. She is a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Board of Directors, Center for Responsible Lending Board of Directors, FinRegLab Board of Directors, JPMorgan Chase Consumer Advisory Council, Mortgage Bankers Association Consumer Advisory Council, Freddie Mac Affordable Housing Advisory Council, Fannie Mae Affordable Housing Advisory Council, Quicken Loans Advisory Forum, Bipartisan Policy Center's Housing Advisory Council, and Berkeley's The Terner Center Advisory Council.  She has received numerous awards including the National Housing Conference's Housing Visionary Award and was selected as one of TIME Magazine's 2024 ‘Closers.'----Dr. Michael Akinwumi translates values and principles to math and code. He ensures critical and emerging technologies like AI and blockchain enhance innovation, security, trust, and access in housing and financial systems, preventing historical injustices.  As a senior leader, he collaborates with policymakers and industry to strengthen protections and advance innovation. A Rita Allen Civic Science Fellow at Rutgers, he developed an AI policy tool for state-level impact and co-developed an AI Readiness (AIR) Index to help state governments assess their AI maturity.  Michael also advises AI companies on developing, deploying and adopting responsible innovations, driven by his belief that a life lived for others is most meaningful, aiming for lasting societal change through technology.#podcast #afewthingspodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys2. Ben's Coaching approach3. Tara's coaching approach; future coach for college students4. Ben's book, CLIMB5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re health and mental health.Tara Thurber is the Founder | Director of Partnerships at DefinedTalent and Head Coach | FUTURE COACH. She is a connector, committed to helping people realize their visions and take action to bring them to life. With over 15 years of experience in recruitment, talent acquisition, HR services and career development, she focuses on empowering businesses and individuals to uncover meaning, direction and purpose in both their professional and personal journeys. Her expertise enables her to focus on innovative, people-centric solutions covering multiple industries and a diverse community of talent. As a certified life and career coach, Tara helps people find their True Core, encouraging them to discover their potential while guiding them toward success and happiness.-----Benjamin Kenyon is a veteran NBA Performance Coach and the founder of Climb Performance Coaching. After 11 seasons in the NBA—most recently as Director of Performance for the Philadelphia 76ers—Ben now helps high-performing executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders find clarity, sharpen focus, and overcome burnout.He's also the author of CLIMB, a powerful guide that lays out the framework he uses with his clients to help them reset, refocus, and perform at a high level—without sacrificing their wellbeing. Backed by 20+ years in elite performance and driven by data and purpose, Ben combines real-world tools with bold energy and outrageous optimism.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Thierry's career journey  2. Nokia Bell Labs history and current research3. AI and Generative AI4. Space and network on the moon5. Trends, challenges and opportunities in techThierry Klein is the President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia. His global multi-disciplinary team conducts fundamental and applied research focused on new Nokia value chains, business opportunities and ecosystems.  Bell Labs Solutions Research pursues research and innovation into advanced technologies, architectures, systems and applications beyond Nokia's current product and solutions portfolio, including research into advanced sensing technologies, AI-based knowledge systems and fundamental algorithms, autonomous software and data systems, and integrated solutions and experiences.Prior to his appointment as President of Bell Labs Solutions Research, Thierry was the Head of the Integrated Solutions and Experiences Research Lab at Nokia Bell Labs, leading a global research team dedicated to applied research, innovation and advanced technologies with the mission to design, develop and prototype massively disruptive solutions, systems and experiences for the next human-industrial revolution.  The research domains span new wearable devices, cloud robotics and drones, image and data analytics, industrial process optimization and automation enabled by 5G networking and edge computing technologies.Previously, he was the Head of Innovation Management for Vertical Industries with a focus on the transportation, automotive and connected industries sectors. He also served as the Founding Vice-Chair of the Board of the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA), a cross-industry association bringing together the telecommunications and automotive industries that he helped found and launch in September 2016.  He was also the Program Leader for the Network Energy Research Program at Bell Labs, Alcatel-Lucent with the mission to conduct research towards the design, development and use of sustainable future communications and data networks. He served as the Chairman of the Technical Committee of GreenTouch, a global consortium dedicated to improve energy efficiency in networks by a factor 1000x compared to 2010 levels.He joined Bell Labs Research in Murray Hill, New Jersey in 2001 and his initial research was focused on next-generation wireless and wireline networks, network architectures, algorithms and protocols, network management, optimization and control. From 2006 to 2010 he served as the Founder and CTO of an internal start-up focused on wireless communications for emergency response and disaster recovery situations within Alcatel-Lucent Ventures.#podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. The Meet Group3. Noom4. New book Designing Success and female entrepreneurship5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re health, wellness and techGeoff is the CEO of Noom. He is also a serial entrepreneur and long-time public company CEO.He co-founded The Meet Group, a NASDAQ-listed social dating and live-streaming company connecting millions of active users globally. Geoff served as The Meet Group's CEO from 2013 to 2023, leading it through its sale for $500 million in 2020.Geoff grew a live-streaming video & creator economy revenue stream from $0 to in excess of $200 million annualized. Post-acquisition, Geoff also served as co-CEO of the parent company ParshipMeet Group, which includes a portfolio of dating apps including eharmony, MeetMe, Tagged, Lovoo, Skout, Growlr, among others.Under Geoff's leadership, The Meet Group was early to social networking, mobile apps, live-streaming video, and creator economy. A driving force of industry consolidation, Geoff acquired 4 companies and was acquired twice.With smart viral marketing, Geoff grew MeetMe from nothing to millions of active users. With product and strategic vision, he acquired and turned Tagged into a live-streaming video leader. With Livebox, he created a successful enterprise Creator Economy service powering some of the top-grossing social apps in the US.Leveraging product and technology to transform the user experience, Geoff successfully transitioned The Meet Group from an advertising model to a fast-growing live-streaming video & creator-economy solution, ultimately attracting tens of thousands of Creators and powering some of the largest social apps in the world.Under Geoff's leadership, the video Platform-as-a-Service enterprise product that he conceived of — Livebox — launched and grew to power 6 of the top 50 social apps in the US by revenue.Geoff is an expert in building culture across disparate teams. As CEO of The Meet Group, he acquired and integrated 4 companies: Tagged, LOVOO, Skout, and Growlr, into one cohesive culture.While building culture, Geoff also drove efficiency, realizing major cost synergies while growing top-line revenue at every acquisition target, through a combination of off-shoring and building a single shared services platform to power multiple apps.Geoff is the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner for the Philadelphia Region.Geoff graduated from Harvard University in 2000 with a BA in Economics.------Catherine Connelly is an entrepreneur, engaging speaker, and author of Designing Success: Lessons from 20 Years as a Female Tech Entrepreneur. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM9C9CC4Catherine co-founded The Meet Group, a NASDAQ-listed social dating and livestreaming company connecting millions of active users globally. The Meet Group was acquired in a $500 million sale in 2020.Catherine's nearly two decades of entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding myYearbook at fifteen, creating what would eventually become The Meet Group, and leading brand strategy and marketing for The Meet Group through a series of mergers, acquisitions, and rebrands.Catherine graduated from Georgetown University and holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner for the Philadelphia Region in 2011.  Catherine has been featured on CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, MTV, ABC News, Fox News, CosmoGIRL, BusinessWeek, the San Francisco Chronicle, and CBS. Catherine writes the newsletter Growing Up Startup, sharing lessons inspired by her entrepreneurial journey.  Subscribe and learn more about Catherine's free office hours at: cconnelly.me.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Kay's career journey2. The startup/funding landscape, particularly for women3. Springboard accelerator and thesis4. Trends, challenges and opportunities re new ventures and fundingKay Koplovitz is the founder and former Chairman & CEO of USA Networks, the SyFy Channel and USA Networks International, a multi-billion-dollar cable program company. Ms. Koplovitz ran the network for 21 years before stepping down in 1998, at which time it was sold for $4.5 billion. She is the visionary who created the business model for cable networks by introducing the concept of two revenue streams: licensing and advertising, adopted worldwide. It all started with her insatiable curiosity about satellite communications, a concept she first heard from author Arthur C Clark and his work on geosynchronous orbiting satellites. It was the introduction of satellite distribution into the cable industry that launched an industry. In 1998, then-President Clinton appointed Kay to chair the bipartisan National Women's Business Council (NWBC). Her research found that $104 billion in venture capital went over the transom, but only 1.7 percent went to women. VCs in Silicon Valley told Kay they had never seen any women come to pitch them. It was time to open the door to VC capital and bring women in. By 2000, Kay was compelled to launch Springboard Enterprises, which she co-founded as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) accelerator that propels women-led companies in technology and life sciences to raise capital, now powered by a community of over 5,000 industry specific experts. They lift them to scale and sustainability with access to capital, business partnerships and an entrusted global community. In 2014, Ms. Koplovitz co-founded the New York Fashion Tech Lab (NYFTL.com), bringing promising technology companies in collaboration with the fashion and consumer retail industry. Today they are leading Ai technology integration in Retail.In its 25 th anniversary year, Kay continues as Chairman of Springboard Enterprises, where, under her leadership, the organization's mission is to present and connect essential resources to over 930+ Springboard entrepreneurs. The measure of its success is in the results. A strong 25-year track record validated the value of Springboard Enterprises' alumnae, totaling $61 Billion in value since its launch, with 237 exits to strategic acquirers and 28 IPOs.  In 2016, Ms. Koplovitz co-founded Springboard Growth Capital to bring growth-stage investments to women-led companies, building iconic brands with the digital consumer in mind and a path to profitability in sight. She previously served on corporate boards of CA Technologies, Time Inc., Liz Claiborne, Kate Spade, ION Media Networks, Oracle, Instinet, Nabisco, General Re, and over 25 years as trustee on the nonprofit boards of The Paley Center for Media and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including: 1. Mike's career journey2. How education has changed since pandemic3. AI related opportunities challenges4. New book5. Future trends and forecastsMichael B. Horn strives to create a world in which all individuals can build their passions and fulfill their potential through his writing, speaking, and work with a portfolio of education organizations. His new best-seller is Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career. https://www.amazon.com/Job-Moves-Making-Progress-Career-ebook/dp/B0CV7SGF6SHe is also the author of the award-winning Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns; Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools; Choosing College; Goodnight Box, a children's story; and the forthcoming From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)creating School for Every Child.Michael is faculty member at Harvard and co-founder of and a distinguished fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, a non-profit think tank. He cohosts the top education podcasts Future U and Class Disrupted. He is a regular contributor to Forbes.com and writes the Substack newsletter The Future of Education. Michael also serves as an executive editor at Education Next, and his work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, and NBC.  Michael is a senior strategist at Guild Education, which partners with leading employers and organizations to help offer education and upskilling opportunities to America's workforce. He serves on the board and advisory boards of a range of education organizations, including Imagine Worldwide, Minerva University, and the LearnLaunch Institute and is a venture partner at NextGen Venture Partners.Michael was selected as a 2014 Eisenhower Fellow to study innovation in education in Vietnam and Korea, and Tech&Learning magazine named him to its list of the 100 most important people in the creation and advancement of the use of technology in education. Michael holds a BA in history from Yale University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys2.  Scaling Shoott3. Launching Lexore (formerly Frame Me)4. Lessons learned5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re photo and video industriesSequoia Blodgett is a visionary entrepreneur at the intersection of media and technology. As the CEO and co-founder of Lexore, an AI-powered video production platform, she is transforming how agencies create high-quality video content.Drawing from her extensive background in filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and venture capital, Sequoia empowers brands to craft compelling narratives that drive organic traffic and enhance customer engagement.She began her career in the entertainment industry, directing music videos for top-tier artists like Justin Bieber and Future. Her passion for entrepreneurship led her to co-star on ABC Family's Startup U, where she shared her journey as a tech entrepreneur.Her professional path includes pivotal roles at companies such as M13, Black Enterprise, and Truist, where she merged her creative expertise with innovative business strategies.Sequoia has earned accolades for her work, including multiple Telly Awards and the prestigious Women in AI Award. She is also recognized as a former venture-backed entrepreneur under Tim Draper's Draper Associates and as a mentor and entrepreneur-in-residence, guiding startups in their growth journeys.Through Lexore, she continues to leverage her expertise to simplify video production, enabling businesses to achieve exceptional results while scaling their digital presence.---With a diverse background in investment banking, strategic finance, documentary film producing, and acting, Jennifer combines her passion for all-things-process with my love of art and storytelling to manage growth, strategy, and operations for Shoott alongside my amazing team.As an actor, she was a longtime company member of The Bats at the Flea Theatre in NYC. She also performed in productions at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Yale Cab, and National Black Theatre, among others. In film & TV, she's appeared in The Other Two, High Fidelity, The Village, The Blacklist, and Bored to Death as well as in numerous on-camera and voiceover spots for Citi, AT&T Wifi, Samsung, Geico, and Manhattan Mini Storage. From her time as an actor and creative, she saw firsthand how most artists struggle because their lives are gig to gig and they can't find enough work to sustain a career. It became her mission to see if we could create a business model that could help artists stay artists while providing a value-driven service for clients, which is what led me to her work co-founding and growing Shoott.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

It was great, as usual, to chat with Len Green, CPA, MBA, serial entrepreneur and founder/chair of The Green Group. He shared his wisdom and practical insights during a wide ranging AMA session. * Links to full convo in comments We discussed a few things including:1. Len's entrepreneurial journey2. How entrepreneurs can save money 3. Preferred corporate structures for new and growing businesses4. Things to consider as we await new Trump administrationLeonard C. Green is a CPA, MBA, and Entrepreneur. He is founder of The Green Group, which is a provider of Tax, Accounting, and Consulting Services.Len is also involved in 14 businesses in diverse markets. He is one of the original investors of the Nasdaq publicly traded Blue Buffalo pet food company, the fifth largest company in the United States in this category. In addition, his involvement includes a financial services firm, real estate, thoroughbred horses, sports, a couple of publicly traded businesses, and several charities. Len also sits on the Board of Directors for a number of companies and foundations.In the past 20 years, Len has taught two of the most highly rated entrepreneurial courses at Babson College - one structured similar to Donald Trump's Apprentice TV series, and the other a family business/social entrepreneurship business course. His classes have been featured on CNBC Squawk Box and ABC TV.His featured articles on family business succession planning, company evaluations, structuring organizations, and maximizing tax deductions have appeared in over 200 newspapers across the country including the The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Star-Ledger, Boston Globe, Entrepreneur Magazine, INC Magazine, Forbes, and the CEO Forum.Len's best-selling book “The Entrepreneurial Playbook” has been translated in Chinese and Arabic.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys2. Crypto/blockchain history3. Bitcoin timeline and latest surge4. How Biden administration affected industry and expectations under Trump5. Trends, challenges and opportunities relating to crypto Lou Kerner is a Founding Partner of CryptoOracle, a Crypto VC and Advisory firm focused exclusively on investing and advising entities leveraging, blockchain, cryptocurrency, smart contracts and decentralization.Lou has been a Crypto enthusiast, investor, public speaker and thought leader since 2013. Lou regularly hosts conference calls and Meetups with Crypto industry innovators attended by hundreds of Crypto enthusiasts and investors from around the world. Lou is currently ranked among the most influential Crypto bloggers on Medium, regularly keynotes major Crypto industry events, and often appears on TV or in print talking about Crypto.----Nisa Amoils is Founder and Managing Partner at A100x Ventures where she invests in early stage Blockchain/AI companies.  She has been in VC for over 13 years with multiple unicorns and exits. She  previously worked for Dragonfly Capital, Scout Ventures and used to practice securities and corporate law at Anderson Kill. She serves on Boards of public and private companies and Wharton. She has been named top 50 women of web 3, Business Insider's Women VC's to watch, 2021 systematic leader in asset management, top 100 Women in Fintech, and top 50 global Blockchain thinkers. She is a producer and host of Business of BlockchAIn at Nasdaq on Bloomberg, Fox as well as a Forbes writer. She holds a business degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.  She is the author of a best selling book on financial inclusion of women in web 3 https://www.amazon.com/WTF-Happening-Women-Tech-Founders/dp/1544502893----Sal Ternullo has a deep professional  experience in financial services and web3 with more than 10 years working across leading traditional financial institutions, global consulting firms, as well as multiple years of experience operating an early stage web3 venture capital fund.  Throughout his career, Sal has built a reputation in the market defined by integrity, innovation and execution building a $20+ million Big 4 consulting business in the US market while driving standards formation through thought leadership with  a 2021 industry whitepaper that formed the basis of new legislation to enhance consumer protections which passed at the state level in Texas in 2023 and is now being considered at the Federal level in the House and Senate. #podcast #afewthingspodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys 2. Roboburger and Shark Tank success3. Unionwear's long term growth4. How the ecosystem has supported them5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re manufacturingMitch started Unionwear in 1992 with six sewers and a contract to make baseball hats for Ralph Lauren.Now Unionwear is one of the largest private employers of Newark residents, with 175 employees, and contracts to manufacture baseball hats and uniform headwear, medical bags and backpacks, and binders and portfolios for every branch of the armed services, every presidential candidate for decades, domestic manufacturers like Budweiser and Chrysler, and fashion brands such as Vineyard Vines and Supreme.Unionwear won the SEAMS Domestic Textile Association's inaugural 'Reshoring Award" for bringing textile jobs back to America in 2019 and was named to Fortune Magazine's Inner City 100 list. Mitch has received the New Jersey Manufacturing Lifetime Achievement Award from NJBIA and was just named to NJBIZ magazine's 100 most powerful businesspeople in NJ and 10 most powerful people in New Jersey Manufacturing.Mitch has been named an Industry Scholar at Rutgers Business School and is on the board of Newark Regional Business Partnership, NJ Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Newark Workforce Development Board, where he has served as Chairman.Mitch is a frequent panelist, podcast guest, and guest lecturer on topics including fair labor, lean manufacturing, cloud mobile ERP, cobranding with Made in USA, and has appeared on TV shows ranging from The Profit to The Daily Show.----Audley is the CEO and Partner, as well as the inventor and the restless mind behind the RoboBurger.He has been passioned by robotics and automation from a young age, and one of his teenage years robotics prototypes got him a scholarship at Carnegie Mellon.He attended Carnegie Mellon, receiving a BS in Business. During his senior year (2004) he started the Hkan Hookah Bar and Grill. There he learned what it takes to run a restaurant and the problems associated with a large staff and facility.Audley went on to start a career in the field of analytics in New York City, amassing 14 years of experience leading analytics teams for companies of all sizes. Over this time he guided many businesses to higher ROI, through cost reduction and optimization.He focuses on the operations side of the business such as partner management, the operations team, servicing units and inventory control databases and optimizations of our systems.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. AI and education3. AI and talent/workforce4. Amber's book  5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re AI and education/talentAlex Swartsel is managing director of Jobs for the Future (JFF) Labs' Insights practice, a growing team that helps decision-makers across the  education-to-career landscape understand and prepare for the emerging trends, technologies, and innovations shaping the future of work and  learning.  JFFLabs's rapid insights process and transformative trends research agenda focus on core areas impacting the future of work and learning—including AI, the metaverse, climate resilience, lifelong learning, aerospace, robotics, and other emerging fields. Alex is also leading the launch of JFF's new Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work.Before joining JFFLabs, Alex served as chief of development, finance, and external affairs for Teach for America's Washington, DC, region and as a senior advisor to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, co-designed global strategic planning at the Motion Picture Association, and built and led the communications team for then-first-term U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.Alex chairs the board of directors of Capital City Symphony and is also a longtime member and former chorus president of the Choral Arts Society of Washington. She holds a BA summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.----Amber Ivey “AI” is currently a Vice President at a non-profit where she leads a team that helps governments drive impact. In her prior role, as the Senior Director for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, she led a team that assisted governments in utilizing data and performance management for decision-making.  Furthermore, she played a key role in the design and launch of the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance. The program aims to train 100 mayors and their senior leaders throughout the Americas on utilizing data to achieve better outcomes.  Formerly, she worked at The Pew Charitable Trust—a nonprofit focused on solving today's challenges by using data-driven, nonpartisan analysis. Here, Amber led the data collection and organization efforts of a first-of-its-kind research study on how all 50 states and the District of Columbia use data to solve complex problems, improve the delivery of government services, manage resources, and evaluate effectiveness.  Before joining Pew, Amber served at Maryland StateStat, a performance-measurement and management office established by former Governor Martin O'Malley (D). Following the change in administration, she helped facilitate the transition by demonstrating the effectiveness of data-driven decision-making through StateStat. Additionally, she played a key role in the establishment of the Governor's Office of Performance Improvement under Governor Larry Hogan (R).  Before joining the State of Maryland, Amber was a logistics manager for a Fortune 50 company where she used data to drive efficiency, productivity, and profits. She switched from private to the public sector to use her skills in service of government efficiency. She has her MPA and J.D. and is excited to serve at the intersection of data, technology, public policy, and law.  She is also the creator of the AI for Kids podcast–which breaks down AI for kids–and the author of "AI... Meets...AI."#podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed a few things including:1. Jordan's career journey2.  Historical progress3. Latest AI developments4. How we can leverage AI5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re AIJordan is an AI strategist and founder and host of Everyday AI. Everyday AI is a fast-growing media company helping everyday professionals grow their companies and careers with Generative AI through its daily livestream, podcast and newsletter.Everyday AI is a Top 10 tech podcast on Spotify, and Jordan has taught prompt engineering basics to thousands of people, from entrepreneurs and small business owners to software engineers and Fortune 100 execs. He's been a featured keynote speaker on GenAI, as well as a Coursera instructor for GenAI.Previously, Jordan was an award-winning multimedia journalist and also worked with companies like Nike and Jordan Brand before starting his own Chicago-based digital strategy company called Accelerant Agency.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed  a few things including:1. Guy's amazing career journey2. His perspectives on the latest technology 3. Insights on entrepreneurship4. Guy's new book, Think Remarkable5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re startup landscape, tech, etc. Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva and host of the Remarkable People podcast. He was the chief evangelist of Apple, trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation, Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador, and special assistant to the Motorola Division of Google. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University, an MBA from UCLA, and an honorary doctorate from Babson College. He lives in Watsonville, California.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. Gen AI and education3. Nihat's iLearn schools4. Jason's teaching and AI journey5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re tech and educationNihat Guvercin is an educational administrator passionate about enhancing public education through technology. He holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, a Master of Education in Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics, providing him with a solid educational foundation and diverse experience.  He has been recognized for his accomplishments, notably as the Administrator of the Year by the NJ Charter Schools Association in 2010. Guvercin is well-versed in current educational trends and best practices, having spoken at numerous Ed-Tech and leadership conferences.Since 2008, Guvercin has been the CEO of iLearn Schools Inc., where he has showcased his visionary leadership. He is dedicated to creating student success opportunities, firmly believing in education's transformative power. His commitment to excellence is evident in all his endeavors.At iLearn Schools, Guvercin's leadership and vision drive the commitment to innovative education that equips students for success in the digital age.----Jason Gulya is an English professor and Chair of the Artificial Intelligence Council at Berkeley College in New York. He is also an AI consultant and Keynote speaker. A prolific content creator and social media influencer, Jason is vocal about the use of AI in education.  He has earned a significant following through his practical and balanced advice. Jason has worked with thousands of educators, students and administrators to leverage AI. He has been featured in Insider and Forbes for his approach to education and AI.He holds a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Rutgers University.  #podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. The startup/funding landscape3. TJ's heathcare fintech venture4. Garnet's fund/thesis5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re new ventures and fundingGarnet Heraman is a serial entrepreneur and investor with 25 years experience at the intersection of innovation + technology. Originally from the island nation of Trinidad & Tobago, he was educated at Columbia University (BA), NYU (MBA) and The London School of Economics.As a dotcom entrepreneur Garnet had 3 exits, 1 of which was to a publicly traded company. As an investor, he is co-founder and managing partner of Aperture® Venture Capital, a seed stage fintech fund backed by 7 different Fortune 500 corporations. He is also an LP in other VC funds such as NY InsurTech Fund II and the Berkeley Skydeck Fund, as well as a prolific angel investor.Garnet is highly sought after as a startup technology expert, appearing in over 30 business publications and at events on 5 continents. He is currently finishing his first book, due out in early 2025.----TJ Ademiluyi is the CEO & Co-Founder of Alaffia Health, a healthtech company that uses AI to detect overcharges in health insurance claims. After gaining first-hand insight from working at his family's medical billing company, TJ is striving to reduce healthcare costs by tackling a $300 billion medical billing error and waste problem.  TJ has led Alaffia to save its clients nearly $40M to date, and due to his achievements, was named a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Thier career journeys2. The startup landscape3. Matt's investments, entrepreneurial ventures and defense industry4. Ryan's drone company5. Discuss trends, challenges and opportunities re new ventures and defense industry  Matt Higgins is a noted serial entrepreneur, growth equity investor as Co-founder and CEO of private investment firm, RSE Ventures, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Burn The Boats.He is also an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School where he co-teaches the course “Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer.”  Mr. Higgins' deep operating experience spans multiple industries over his 25-year career, which he draws upon to help founders navigate complex situations in order to reach their full potential.----Ryan Gury is the CEO & Co-Founder of PDW, a drone technology company revolutionizing small robotics for the DoD. The drones fit in a servicemember's backpack and allow them to call in their own air support – precisely the same kind of tactics being employed with great effect in Ukraine. PDW also won a Guinness World Record for their C100 drone. #podcast #AFewThings Podcast

On June 27, 2024 we discussed AI in Life Sciences with Jot Chahal, Johnson & Johnson, Patricia Leuchten, Diligent Pharma and V. "Bala" Balasubramanian, PhD, MBA, Orion InnovationJot Chahal is Vice President, Global Digital Health at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, where he is accelerating the commercialization of digital health assets across the pharmaceutical business.Partnering with our regions, technology, and R&D leaders across the globe to build digital health (SaMD, DTx) capabilities and drive business growth across all therapy areas.He is an entrepreneurial and results-driven health technology executive with twenty years of experience in driving top-line profitable growth through innovation, and data-driven strategies across industries, services, and markets globally.Patti Leuchten is a pharma industry leader and entrepreneur with a focus on driving improvements in clinical trial execution, at scale, through innovative solutions.In 1999, she founded The Avoca Group, whose Avoca Quality Consortium paved the way for Diligent Pharma and the Diligent Qualification Platform.Dr. V. “Bala” Balasubramanian is currently SVP and Global Head of Industry Solutions Group for Healthcare and Life Sciences at Orion Innovation.He is responsible for defining the GTM strategy, solution and service offerings for the HLS division, exploring digital transformation initiatives to further the needs of clients, and providing thought leadership to the industry.It has resulted in Orion being featured in Gartner and Everest Peak Matrix Benchmark Reports in 2022 and 2023. He has recently written about opportunities and challenges with respect to GenAI in Life Sciences.Prior to Orion, Bala was the Co-Founder and CEO of Cabeus where he was responsible for strategy, leadership and vision for both service offerings and a cloud platform to transform the regulatory value chain for Life Sciences.#ai #drugdiscovery #clinicaltrials#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. Mental health crisis3. Karin's startup and product4. Harvey's work relating to #AI in #Healthcare5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re AI and healthKarin Andrea Stephan is a visionary leader and serial entrepreneur with over three decades of business experience. Her passion for empowering people to reach their true potential led her to co-found Earkick, an AI-powered companion that measures, assesses, and improves mental health in real-time.  With degrees in music, management psychology, and digital management, she leverages technology to serve humanity. Having spent most of her life abroad, Karin continuously picks up new languages and thrives on outdoor sports while striving to decode human behavior.-----Dr. Harvey Castro is a multifaceted medical professional, entrepreneur, and AI futurist dedicated to revolutionizing healthcare through innovative technology. With over 20 years of experience as an ER physician, he has been recognized multiple times as ER Doctor of the Year by D Magazine and has consistently been named a "Best Doctor" since 2014. In 2024, he was named one of the top 30 Healthcare IT Influencers Worth a Follow.Dr. Castro holds an MD from The University of Texas Medical Branch and an MBA from the University of Tennessee. His medical training includes a residency in Emergency Medicine at St. Luke's University Health Network. Beyond his clinical expertise, he has served as an E4 Specialist & Dental Assistant in the United States Army Reserve.An active thought leader in AI and healthcare, Dr. Castro is the Chief Medical AI Officer at Helpp.ai, focusing on AI-driven fall prevention and workflow automation. He is also the CEO of Medical Intelligence Ops, which integrates Large Language Models into healthcare. Additionally, Dr. Castro holds advisory roles at PONS and Cellotex, and serves as a Strategic Advisor for ChatGPT & Healthcare, the Singapore Ministry of Health, and the Texas Medical Association.Dr. Castro is a prolific author, with notable works including "Bing Copilot and Other LLM: Revolutionizing Healthcare With AI" and "ChatGPT-5 and Healthcare: Revolutionizing Modern Medicine." He is also finalizing his book, "The Unofficial Guide to AI Mastery: Key Insights from 54 Pioneering TED Talks on Artificial Intelligence," which delves into the transformative impact of AI on healthcare.Dr. Castro leverages his extensive expertise to educate and inspire, offering courses on AI in healthcare and success reinvention. His digital presence includes a cloned podcast on gptpodcast.com and AI products on convowithgpt.com. Through his work, Dr. Castro aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and practical healthcare applications, ensuring ethical integration and a focus on the human elements in AI.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:  1. Their career journeys  2. The mental health crisis3. Kara's research and new book, Over the Influence4. Lauren's practice5. Trends, challenges and opportunities re social media and mental healthKara Alaimo, PhD, is a communication professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she created the university's academic programs in social media.  Her book Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back, which explains how social media is affecting every aspect of the lives of women and girls and what we can do about it, was published in March. She has been writing for CNN Opinion about the social impact of social media and issues affecting women and girls since 2016.  She is a former spokesperson in the Obama administration and communicator at the United Nations and speaks frequently to parents and students in schools about how to handle kids' social media use.  For more information, visit www.karaalaimo.com and follow her on Instagram, Facebook and X.---Lauren Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C is a mother of two, a writer, a former lawyer, and a social worker specializing in supporting millennial moms and young women through life transitions.  Through her counseling practice, Lauren facilitates psychoeducational groups and coaching workshops to empower postpartum and other women in corporate settings, provides therapy to individuals and couples in New York, Connecticut, and Florida, and contributes thought leadership on topics like maternal mental health, gender equity, and working parenthood.  Learn more about Lauren at www.TheCounseLaur.com or connect with her on Instagram (@thecounselaur) or LinkedIn.#mentalhealth #socialmedia  #podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed Steve's impressive journalistic background and then  the state of the battery and electric vehicle industries, domestically and globally. Steve LeVine is Editor of The Electric, a publication on the future of batteries, electric vehicles, and the new mobility.  The Electric is owned by The Information. Sign up for the pilot: https://www.theinformation.com/newsletters/the-electric  Steve is a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Foresight, Strategy and Risks Initiative, and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Previously, Steve was a foreign correspondent for eighteen years in the former Soviet Union, Pakistan and the Philippines, running a bureau for The Wall Street Journal, and before that writing for The New York Times, the Financial Times and Newsweek.  In recent years, Steve conceived and launched the Future newsletter at Axios, The Mobilist, a blog published at Medium, and before that was on the launch team at Quartz, where he was Washington Correspondent.  Steve has written three books. The most recent is The Powerhouse: America, China and the Great Battery War, which was long-listed for the FT-McKinsey book-of-the-year prize in 2016. In 2007, Random House published The Oil and the Glory, which chronicled the struggle for fortune and power on the Caspian Sea. BusinessWeek magazine selected it as a Top 10 book for the year. In 2008, Random House published Putin's Labyrinth, a profile of Russia through the life and death of a half-dozen Russians. #EV #electricvehicles #autonomousvehicles #tesla #byd #ford #kia #mercedes #BMW #VW #GM #podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys2. The mental health crisis3. Jen's vision/promly4. Danielle's research and vision for Thrive Genetics + The Child Code5. Trends, challenges and opportunities in healthJennifer Libby has been a psychotherapist for over 20 years treating at-risk adolescents. Jennifer has been sounding the alarm for many years about the rapidly emerging youth mental health crisis exacerbated by less than responsible social media platforms. Frustrated by the slow movement by the social media industry to “do better” for kids, and in response to her own family tragedy, Jennifer founded Promly as a healthier alternative to legacy social media. Jennifer's advocacy for better treatment of youth by Big Tech was well received recently in Washington, D.C. where she spoke to a large group of U.S. House Representatives regarding her on-going efforts (informed by client experience and Promly's Gen Z advisory board) to have YouTube remove and/or disrupt the algorithm for the “how to tie a noose” and “how to hang yourself” videos that provide step by step video instructions often created by teens themselves. Of note, suicide by hanging in children and teens has increased by exponential numbers in the last 10 years. It is examples like this that drive Promly to re-imagine how social media can “do better” for teens. Jennifer also speaks publicly on a variety of other mental health concerns impacting teens and has provided consultation with numerous agencies including Center for Humane Tech (producers of the “The Social Dilemma”) on best practices for teens and tech. ---Danielle Dick, Ph.D. is the Greg Brown Endowed Chair of Neuroscience and a Professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers University, where she directs the Rutgers Addiction Research Center. She is an internationally recognized and award-winning expert on genetic and environmental influences on addiction, child development, and human behavior. She has led and contributed to more than 20 grants from the National Institutes of Health, with grant funding totaling 55 million dollars. She has 450 peer-reviewed publications and has won numerous national and international awards for her work. She has been named one of the most highly cited researchers in the world across all fields of science. Her first book "The Child Code: Understanding Your Child's Unique Nature for Happier, More Effective Parenting" was published by Penguin Random House in September 2021.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

On Jan 30, 2024 we discussed a few things including the latest  state of AI in #healthcare and #pharma. Panelists include:Kash Patel is the Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Information Officer, Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey's largest and most comprehensive health network. Mr. Patel has more than 25 years of experience in technology leadership, ranging from start-ups to multinational corporations and is a seasoned leader in health care with a strong focus on innovation and building great teams. Before HMH, Kash was the Vice President and Chief Digital Technology Officer at Penn Medicine.Donna Conroy has 25 years' pharmaceutical industry experience as both a Fortune 500 pharma executive and entrepreneur. Her career has focused on bringing science to patients. First as a microbiologist, then at Schering-Plough, where she led sales and marketing teams and built a $1.2B line of business.Named one of NJ's Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs, Donna led SciMar's acceptance into the Merck Digital Science Studio 2023 cohort and 2021 acceptance into Microsoft for Startups. She is a graduate of Microsoft's prestigious Women in Cloud Accelerator and was named 2021 Top 10 Most Successful Women in Cloud Entrepreneurs.Rohit Vashisht is the co-founder and CEO of WhizAI, a generative AI-powered analytics platform purpose-built for Life Sciences and Healthcare. WhizAI was recently recognized by Inc Media as one of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the US. He has over 20 years of experience in enterprise software sales, product management, development, and strategy. As a tech entrepreneur, Rohit has built successful businesses and was CEO and co-founder of Sverve – an influencer marketplace that was acquired by Bloglovin and rebranded as Activate.#lifesciences  #drugdiscovery #innovation #podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

On Jan 31, 2024 we discussed a few things including the latest  state of #entrepreneurship, #funding and #acceleration. Speakers included:Kange Kaneene, is the Vice President of SAP.iO Foundries North and Latin America and Caribbean, SAP's global network of no-equity ask external startup accelerators. SAP.iO Foundries provide technical and go-to-market support to help startups integrate into SAP's portfolio and accelerate entry into SAP's ecosystem to be easily accessed and deployed by SAP customers. In her role she has overseen sourcing for 6 cohorts and has accelerated 38 startups, 66% of which are led by underrepresented individuals. This has resulted in 1 exit and $570M+ raised by the startups collectively.Gary Stewart is the Managing Director of the Techstars New York City Accelerator powered by J.P. Morgan. Born in Jamaica, he grew up in the Bronx, where he attended the Bronx High School of Science before attending Yale College and Yale Law School. He is a VC-backed, exited serial entrepreneur; an early-stage investor that managed a $1.6 billion start-up portfolio; a professor who has taught entrepreneurship at Yale Law School and IE Business School in Madrid, and been invited to speak at Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford and INSEAD; and a former contributor to Forbes Magazine. He is passionate about ensuring that underrepresented and overlooked founders get access to the social and financial capital that they need and deserve.The co-founder of Cela Innovation, John Lynn is a globally recognized expert and industry leader in startup accelerators. John has spoken on the topic at the World Economic Forum in Davos as well as in multiple locations within China, throughout Japan, Haiti, Aruba, and the USA. His work has been published in Forbes, TechCrunch, Business Insider, and at the Nasdaq. Cela builds startup accelerators with the world's most influential institutions. Corporations, universities, venture capital groups, and governments all work with John and his team to set up their innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Cela is a venture-backed company, with an active list of corporate, university, and government client partnerships.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. Discuss Raja's vision/European market3. Discuss the 1Huddle story and vision4. Talk about how LinkedIn has helped your business/career  5. Best practices for leaders leveraging LI and other social mediaSam is the CEO and Founder of 1Huddle, a workforce tech company that upskills, trains, and motivates employees through the use of science-backed, quick-burst mobile games. Sam has managed and coached sales and leadership teams for publicly held, private sector, and franchised companies across the globe for more than 15 years.In 2015, Sam founded 1Huddle on the belief that every worker deserves access to the job training, support, and mentorship needed to win on the job. With a diverse array of clients across the globe, 1Huddle has impacted people in a wide range of sectors. Key clients include the U.S. Air Force, UEFA, vineyard vines, Loews Hotels, ESPN, Audible (an Amazon Company), Novartis, Madison Square Garden, the City of Newark, and more.  With a mobile-first approach to preparing the modern worker, a mobile library of 3,000+ quick-burst employee skill games, an on-demand game marketplace that covers 16 unique workforce skill areas, and the option forpersonalized content, 1Huddle is changing the way organizations think about their training – from a one-time boring onboarding experience to a continuous motivational tool. Put simply, 1Huddle is making training more fun, effective, equitable, and accessible for the entire workforce.-----Raja is a Moroccan-born entrepreneur who moved to Switzerland at the age of six. She secured her MBA degree and worked in banking for some time, but her heart was not in it. Raja wanted to feel passionate about the projects she worked on and explore her ideas in entrepreneurship. She began meeting other entrepreneurs in Geneva, but progress was slow due to her limited experience and network.In 2015, Raja moved to Oslo, Norway, where her Norwegian husband had received a job offer. She decided to start her own company and has since launched multiple ventures. She was the CEO of TheFactory, one of the largest accelerators in Norway and launched thehub.io, the largest job platform for startups in the Nordics.Raja is also an angel investor in 70+ startups and has advised thousands of founders since 2015. In 2020, she launched The Visionary Company to give founders access to the best practices and tools to accelerate their fundraising and scaling. Raja is a serial-entrepreneur, Head of Fintech at The Factory, Startup Advisor, and Speaker.#linkedin #branding #entrepreneurship #investing #funding  #podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed a few things including:1. Jordan's entrepreneurial journey2. Everyday AI podcast + Newsletter3. Opps and Challenges related to #AI4. Forecast for 20245. Guidance for young and oldJordan is an AI strategist and founder and host of Everyday AI. Everyday AI is a fast-growing media company helping everyday professionals grow their companies and careers with Generative AI through its daily livestream, podcast and newsletter.Everyday AI is a Top 10 tech podcast on Spotify, and Jordan has taught prompt engineering basics to thousands of people, from entrepreneurs and small business owners to software engineers and Fortune 100 execs. He's been a featured keynote speaker on GenAI, as well as a Coursera instructor for GenAI.Previously, Jordan was an award-winning multimedia journalist and also worked with companies like Nike and Jordan Brand before starting his own Chicago-based digital strategy company called Accelerant Agency.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including: 1. Mark's entrepreneurial journey 2. Creative Good timeline 3. His radio show, Techtonic 4. Forecast for 2024 - state of technology; CES; AI 5. Future trends Mark is the founder of Creative Good, the New York-based consultancy and creative platform that he founded in 1997. He has spent his career writing, speaking, and advising teams about how to create better products and services. He has created a number of his own projects, too.For over two decades, Mark Hurst and his team at Creative Good have advised a wide range of clients - in media, healthcare, technology, financial services, ecommerce, and more - about how to build better businesses by treating customers well.Hurst is also the creator of the Good Todo mobile productivity platform, the world's first cross-platform todo list, which he described in his first book, Bit Literacy, which introduced the "empty inbox" method of managing email (now better known as Inbox Zero).Since fall 2017 Hurst has hosted Techtonic - see techtonic.fm - a weekly FM radio show on WFMU. Here's the Techtonic podcast.Also in 2017 Hurst ran two Skeptech events questioning today's digital technology, held at WFMU. Hurst is also the founder and host of the Gel conference, which featured the first stage presentations of Khan Academy, Wikipedia, and other world-changing projects.In 2015 Hurst released the 2nd edition of his book Customers Included, which describes how teams and organizations can create successful products and strategies by including customers.In 2013 Hurst's column The Google Glass feature no one is talking about went viral, gaining worldwide media attention (and translations into six languages) and starting a conversation about the privacy implications of Google Glass and wearable tech.Brooklyn 1776, the educational mobile videogame by Hurst and the Creative Good team, won the 2016 Brooklyn Innovation Award for best indie video game.Mark holds bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science from MIT. He's also an Eagle Scout, a patented game designer (U.S. Patent #5048839), and studies Mandarin Chinese in his spare time. He lives in New York City with his wife and son.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their impressive career journeys2. The OpenAI/Sam Altman drama3. Best practices for leaders of various size and types companies4. For-profit versus non-profit boards5. Differences between boards of directors and advisory boardsBenjy is an executive with broad experience incorporating strategy, finance, operations, organization design, executive coaching and leadership development with extensive investment experience in venture capital, private equity, public markets and investment banking. Have served on the boards of numerous public and private companies. Experiences have included working with both for profit and non profit enterprises and have crossed biotech, higher education, technology, health care services, media, Internet, digital, financial services, telecommunications, alternative energy, agriculture, aerospace, steel, energy, defense, industrial, consumer and China. ----Brandon has a dynamic, 25-year leadership career spearheading several businesses with emphasis on growth, revenue, and sales performance. He has run many high-growth environments, including start-ups, turnarounds, and $1B+ dollar businesses. As a serial entrepreneur, he has a proven record of founding new businesses and advancing them through growth and acquisition, merger, or roll-up including ScripPoint, Veridian, and AviaraMD. He is the driving force for Xevant's vision, new market strategy, revenue growth, technology development, and partner alliances. #boards #governance #leadership#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. Their unique leadership experiences3. LEAP overview4. Advice for young peopleMicheline Nader, BSN, MPH, DESS is a serial healthcare entrepreneur, best-selling author of “Leap Beyond Success/ How leaders evolve” Amazon: https://a.co/d/apvf7td and “The Dolphin's Dance/ Discover your true self through five steps powerful journey into conscious awareness,” and the President of Jesra Foundation Inc. She also serves as a trustee of Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), chairs the Board of Advisors at Silberman College of Business, and serves on national boards and other nonprofit organizations.As a healthcare entrepreneur, Micheline was the founder and CEO of the Blue Dolphin Healthcare group, a long-term care company that owned and managed a chain of skilled nursing homes facilities in the Midwest. After 15 years of operations, Micheline successfully sold her company to a public healthcare group.As a best-selling author in the areas of self-development and leadership, Micheline creates value for individuals and organizations with a focus on personal development, leadership growth and cultural transformation though embracing a mindset and creating passionate and purposeful engagements.Micheline is also an active philanthropist through her family's Jesra Foundation, which focuses on education and health.Prior, Micheline led a successful career in hospital administration where she held executive positions at the American University Hospital of Beirut and the American Hospital of Paris and co-founded Chateau Westmount, a long-term care facility in Montreal, Canada allied with McGill UniversityMicheline holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the American University of Beirut and a doctoral degree (DESS) in Healthcare Management from Paris-Dauphine University.https://www.michelinenader.com/  -----Stephen Bozer is currently the Senior Vice President of Human Health at Flavine North America, a diversified global pharmaceutical company. He is leading the Sales & Marketing team in the U.S. office. He is an analytical chemist by training, and has held senior positions in Quality Control and Marketing & Sales during his career.Stephen has over 25 years of global pharmaceutical experience at several companies, including Teva API, Berlex Laboratories (now Bayer) and Key International. He travels extensively in Europe and Asia and excels in a diverse multicultural business environment.  Stephen has a BS in Biology from Binghamton University (SUNY) and an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.#leadership#podcast #afewthingspodcast 

We discussed a few things including the latest #AI trends, #ChatGPT, #GenerativeAI, ethical and #responsibleAI.Speakers included:Neha Shah is the Cofounder and President of GEP and a Certified AI faculty from the VJAL Institute. She has been a pivotal force in developing GEP from its beginnings into a globally recognized leader in digital supply chain and procurement transformation.  A purpose-driven entrepreneur and executive, Neha steers the company's growth strategies, forging and managing strategic relationships at the C-level with clients and spearheading complex transformation engagements.  A constant source of innovation and inspiration, Neha is the key driver of GEP's AI, sustainability, DEI and social initiatives strategies. In 2023, she was named Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year for New Jersey.Bruce Molloy advises companies on AI, M&A, innovation, and technology. He helps the C-Suite and Board get “directionally correct,” is mentor to new companies and is also an investor.  Bruce holds a patent for a “cognitive processor” and has built and run two AI companies, one which made it to IPO. He has 25 years of industry experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning and is considered a visionary.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:  1. Your corporate and entrepreneurial journey2. Investment banking lessons - Arcus insights3. Y Combinator insights4. State of the funding and accelerator markets5. Future trends domestically and globallyEdrizio is a former Y Combinator visiting partner. A Dominican immigrant raised in Harlem, Edrizio dropped out of college and joined the U.S. Air Force, becoming an aircraft technician to make ends meet. He later returned to college, worked on Wall Street, and earned his MBA from the Wharton School.In 2013, Edrizio co-founded Arcus, a fintech company that raised $20M from Y Combinator, Initialized, Citi Ventures, SoftBank, and a16z. In 2021, Arcus was sold to Mastercard, in its largest Latam acquisition ever.  #podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Jason and JP's career journeys  2. How Jason founded Swear3. JP's assessment of media and misinformation landscape4. How to protect against misinformation and deepfakes5. Tech trends, opportunities + forecastsJason Crawforth, founder of Swear.com, has been building technology companies for over 25 years. Jason has a track record of success and has been awarded multiple times by Inc Magazine as running one of the fastest growing private technology companies in America.  Jason and his teams have designed, built, deployed, and managed hundreds of information technology systems for Fortune 100 companies as well as a pioneer in the mobile app space with over 30 million downloads of his solutions.-----Joao-Pierre S. Ruth covers tech policy, including ethics, privacy, legislation, and risk; fintech; code strategy; and cloud & edge computing for InformationWeek. He has been a journalist for more than 25 years, reporting on business and technology first in New Jersey, then covering the New York tech startup community, and later as a freelancer for such outlets as TheStreet, Investopedia, and Street Fight.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Gary's legal, corporate and entrepreneurial journeys2. Techstars vision3. Tips for entrepreneurs4. State of the funding and accelerator markets5. Future trends   Gary is the Managing Director of the Techstars New York City Accelerator powered by J.P. Morgan. Born in Jamaica, he grew up in the Bronx, where he attended the Bronx High School of Science before attending Yale College and Yale Law School.  He is a VC-backed, exited serial entrepreneur; an early-stage investor that managed a $1.6 billion start-up portfolio; a professor who has taught entrepreneurship at Yale Law School and IE Business School in Madrid, and been invited to speak at Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford and INSEAD; and a former contributor to Forbes Magazine.  As someone who has seen firsthand that talent is distributed evenly but opportunity is not, he is passionate about ensuring that underrepresented and overlooked founders get access to the social and financial capital that they need and deserve.  As an investor, he is particularly interested in companies that aim to change the world with a specific focus on healthcare, health and beauty, edtech and financial inclusion.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Atul's corporate and entrepreneurial journey2. Kitchen United's story3. Industry challenges and opportunities - ghost/dark kitchens4. Insights/trends relating to retail, food and delivery5. Lessons learned - importance of relationships/friendshipsAtul was previously the  Chief Buisness officer of Kitchen Unitied. Previously, he was most Director of Global Business Development for McDonald's Digital, a business unit formed to help spur technological innovation across the restaurant. In this capacity, Atul forged partnerships across the technology ecosystem – ranging from payment platforms to voice activated ordering to food delivery initiatives – to help McDonald's build the ‘restaurant of the future'.Prior to this role, Atul founded and sold a big data start-up in the sales intelligence space. He has also been the turnaround CEO of a company in the Knowledge Process Outsourcing industry, led business development for an enterprise software company, and been an investment banker focused on what was, at the time, a burgeoning e-commerce ecosystem. Across all these roles, Atul has been driven by a desire to hasten the adoption of new technologies and processes for disruptive business growth.As someone who doesn't cook (he's cooked fewer than 5 meals all year), Atul is a firm believer in the growing market in food delivery.Atul spent much of his life internationally and has lived in 8 countries including Japan, the UK, and Saudi Arabia. Atul graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. How James founded AI for Good3. Lacey's unique path to social entrepreneurship4. TechAid Vision5. AI trends, opportunities + forecastsAs CEO of the AI for Good Foundation, James Hodson is responsible for building economic and community resilience through technology. Since 2015, the AI for Good Foundation has worked with national and municipal governments, the UN, OECD, and many others to design, develop, and deploy tech-enabled policies/solutions for social, economic, and institutional transformation.  AI for Good works extensively in Ukraine with more than 40 staff on the ground and strategic partnerships with Ukraine's Presidential Administration, Ministry for Digital Transformation, Ministry of Culture, and every regional government, providing sanctions recommendations, infrastructure resilience, deployed technology expertise, and real-time aid intermediation for regions covering more than 8M civilians.  Hodson completed doctoral studies in Artificial Intelligence as a Marie Curie Fellow at the Jozef Stefan Institute in Slovenia, holds undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Philosophy from Princeton University, and previously founded and led the AI Research Group at Bloomberg in New York from 2012-2015. His academic work spans complex network analysis, natural language processing, labour economics, corporate finance, and accounting, as well as holding multiple AI patents and being an active angel investor in the "tech for good" space.----Lacey is the CEO and Co-Founder of TechAid, an application that enables a data-driven approach to humanitarian aid, reconstruction and local economic resilience.  Lacey believes dignified access to proper nutrition, medicine, hygiene and shelter are fundamental human rights for families everywhere, that should not be dictated by the arbitrary nature of one's birthplace or gender. She is passionate about the potential of combining existing technologies to facilitate the connection of food supply with demand, and turning the tide of the escalating global hunger crisis.  Previously, Lacey led Finance and Strategy as a Co-Founder at Proxi.co, a Techstars ‘21 interactive mapping software startup that she joined after 5 years at Amazon as a Principal Product Manager and Finance Manager leading multinational teams in Customer Loyalty, Operations, WW Prime and Hardlines. Her other work in the private sector includes Category Finance at Starbucks, leading Espresso & Brewed North America, as well as working her way up from a rotational Financial Analyst to Vice President/Relationship Manager during the first eight years of her career at Wells Fargo, where her lending experience spanned verticals including: SaaS, hospitality, gaming, restaurants, healthcare and commercial real estate.  #podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Their career journeys  2. How Jim landed in an investing career3. Nina's unique path to entrepreneurship4. State of investing landscape/outlook5. Trends, opportunities in biotech and ecosystemJim Gunton has invested in privately-held growth technology companies for more than 20 years. Before co-founding in 2001 the $80 million NJTC Venture Fund, Jim was a partner at Edison Venture Fund and a manager at Oracle Corporation in the Silicon Valley. He served formerly as a Governor of the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NASBIC).Jim earned a BS from Stanford University and an MBA with distinction from Duke University. He has served on the board of numerous private and public companies including Achieve3000, Amber Road (NYSE: AMBR), CytoSorbents (NASDAQ: CTSO), InstaMed, IntegriChain and CareGain.-----Nina Tandon is the co-founder and CEO of EpiBone, a biotech company that grows bone and cartilage for skeletal reconstruction. With decades of experience as a scientist and entrepreneur, Nina is known for her TED Talks, has published in Forbes magazine, and was featured on the Netflix series “Human: The World Within.”  Recognized for her accomplishments as a female scientist and entrepreneur, Nina was named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company Magazine; an Ernst & Young Winning Woman; and Goldman Sachs' 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, among other awards. Nina holds a master's in Bioelectrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and two advanced degrees from Columbia University – an MBA and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

Yat Siu moved to Hong Kong in 1996, where he set up Hong Kong Cybercity, the first free web page and email provider in Asia. In 1997 Yat joined AT&T Solutions' System Integration practice, but left in 1998 to set up Outblaze, which developed innovative web-based multilingual white label communication and collaboration services.Yat Siu's steady leadership and vision steered Outblaze through the Dotcom Bubble and several subsequent crises. Outblaze became a world leader in white label hosted web services, winning numerous awards and accolades. With over 75 million end-users under management, Outblaze secured clients and partners from all over the world and business sectors, including service providers, telecommunications operators, corporations, academia, media and publishing companies.In April 2009, Outblaze messaging assets were sold to IBM and incorporated in IBM's LotusLive suite of services. IBM also used the Outblaze assets to open its first cloud computing laboratory in Hong Kong. The transaction established beyond doubt that -like banking and finance services- Hong Kong's local information technology can compete on a global scale.Yat Siu was called World Economic Forum Global Leader of Tomorrow and a Young Global Leader of Tomorrow. He has also been awarded for his contributions in business and society: Standard Chartered Platinum Achievers Award, the URENCO Innovation Award, and, for the execution of his vision at Outblaze, the IT Excellence Product Award, Linux Business Adoption Award 2003 and the Asia Pacific Information & Communication Technologies Award 2003. Most recently he won the Young Entrepeneur Award from the Hong Kong Business Awards 2009.

We discussed a few things including:1. Their DEI and entrepreneurial journeys  2. Lessons learned3. Randal's insights on data and diversity + new book4. Gina's experience in the nonprofit, arts world  5. Trends, opportunities and challenges in diversity space Dr. Randal Pinkett, author of DATA-DRIVEN DEI, is an entrepreneur, innovator, and DEI expert. He is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of BCT Partners, a global research, training, and data analytics firm whose mission is to provide insights about diverse people that lead to equity.An international public speaker, Dr. Pinkett is the author or co-author of Black Faces in High Places, Black Faces in White Places, Campus CEO, and No-Money Down CEO. He holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from Rutgers University; an M.S. in computer science from the University of Oxford; and an M.S in electrical engineering, plus an MBA and Ph.D. from MIT.  The first African American to receive a Rhodes Scholarship at Rutgers University, he was inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame as a high jumper, long jumper, sprinter, and captain of the Rutgers men's track and field team. Dr. Pinkett was also the Season 4 winner of the reality television show, The Apprentice.----Gina Pisasale (she/her) is a dramaturg, educator, and Director of Equity and Organizational Culture, a newly created position, at McCarter. She has been engaged in formal EDI work within American theater institutions for almost 20 years, and is an alum of TCG's EDI Institute and artEquity's National Facilitator Training program. As an EDI Facilitator, she has designed and implemented trainings and workshops at People's Light, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, West Chester University, and Drexel University.Previously, she was the Resident Dramaturg at People's Light, which involved facilitating the company's EDI work and practices of inclusive making. As a freelance dramaturg, she has worked with companies such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, GoKash Productions, PlayPenn, Arden Theatre Company, Harrisburg Shakespeare Festival, and A&E Biographies. She is an occasional Senior Lecturer at University of the Arts and her areas of research include Asian American theater and performance, Korean diasporic performance, American dramaturgy, and representations of race within the American Theatre.She has presented her research and organized panels at numerous conferences including IFTR in Seoul, South Korea, LMDA, ASTR, AAA, PTRS, and CAATA and has given lectures at Villanova University, the University of Maryland, and Temple University. She received a BA from the Univ of Richmond, an MA from Villanova Univ, and is ABD PhD at the Univ of Maryland.#DEI #diversity #culture #talent#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Stacey's corporate and entrepreneurial journeys2. Lessons learned3. Branding and Social Media4. College and career guidance 5. Importance of EmpathyIn the world of branding, few experts possess the savvy and instinct of Stacey Ross Cohen. An award-winning brand professional who earned her stripes on Madison Avenue and at major television networks before launching her own agency, Stacey specializes in finding, cultivating, and perfecting brands.  She is CEO and founder of Co-Communications, a PR, marketing, and design agency headquartered in New York. Since 1998, Stacey has coached individuals and businesses in various industries — from real estate to healthcare to education — and expertly positions their narratives in fiercely competitive markets.  Stacey is extremely passionate about helping college-bound students develop and activate their personal brands to become tomorrow's leaders. A staple at industry conferences, Stacey recently made her debut on the TEDx stage.  She is a contributor at HuffPost, Thrive Global, and Entrepreneur magazine and is frequently featured in national media. She holds an MBA from Fordham University and a Media, Technology, and Entertainment certificate from NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business.#branding#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Claudette's and Alex's corporate and entrepreneurial journeys2. Lessons learned3. Claudette's startup and the cyber landscape/talent4. Alex's venture and state of tech talent5. Trends, opportunities and challenges in cyber/talentClaudette is a global information technology leader with more than 20 years of success leading digital transformations, optimizing infrastructure and designing new approaches that improve service and cybersecurity experiences. She has worked in the technology industry for several organizations such as Deloitte, Metropolitan Police Services, North York General Hospital, Bank of Montreal and TD Bank.At BMO, Claudette served as the Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Technology Employee Experience, and at TD she was the Global Executive Officer for Protect Fusion & Cyber Experience.Claudette is an active member of the Canadian innovation ecosystem. She is the Founder of the Black Arts & Innovation Expo, and the Chair of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR), a group of senior business leaders committed to fighting systemic racism within the innovation economy. McGowan recently co-led the launch of Phoenix Fire & The Firehood, a multi-million dollar women-focused angel fund and network for women in technology.Her commitment to community is evidenced by her multiple board/council appointments for leading organizations such as SickKids Hospital Foundation, CILAR, Elevate Technology Festival, Women in the Economy Task Force, and the U.S. Consul General of Toronto U.S. & Canada Innovation Council.----Alex is a patented inventor and has raised $1.2 million dollars for his startup Vipeline. Prior to that he refined the marketing program and raised DX Agency's revenue by 30% in one year.Previously, he increased Hot Sauce's total revenue by 500% over his tenure. He is an experienced manager of buyer and marketing teams for more than 30 years.#talent #cyber#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Len and Bud's professional and entrepreneurial journeys2. Family businesses, the opportunities and challenges3. Family business dynamics: favoritism, spouses/in-laws, non-family mgmt/outsiders, death4. Outlook and trends in business and how they might affect family businessesLeonard C. Green is a CPA, MBA, and Entrepreneur. Len is founder of The Green Group, which is a provider of Tax, Accounting, and Consulting Services.Len is also involved in 14 businesses in diverse markets. He is one of the original investors of the NASDAQ publicly traded Blue Buffalo pet food company, the fifth largest company in the United States in this category. In addition, his involvement includes a financial services firm, real estate, thoroughbred horses, sports, a couple of publicly traded businesses, and several charities. Len also sits on the Board of Directors for a number of companies and foundations.In the past 20 years, Len has taught two of the most highly rated entrepreneurial courses at Babson College - one structured similar to Donald Trump's Apprentice TV series, and the other a family business/social entrepreneurship business course. His classes have been featured on CNBC Squawk Box and ABC TV.His featured articles on family business succession planning, company evaluations, structuring organizations, and maximizing tax deductions have appeared in over 200 newspapers across the country including the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Star-Ledger, Boston Globe, Entrepreneur Magazine, INC Magazine, Forbes, and the CEO Forum.Len's best-selling book “The Entrepreneurial Playbook” has been translated in Chinese and Arabic.---Bernard J. D'Avella, Jr. ('Bud') is an experienced attorney and mediator who has advised or led family businesses for his entire professional life. From age 12, Mr. D'Avella worked in his father's pharmacy, which he went on to help manage in his late teen years.  He relied heavily on that family business experience to become one of the most respected thought leaders in the area of family business and estate planning law, where he has focused his advisory practice for over 45 years.  From 1973 to 1998, Mr. D'Avella represented family businesses and was the managing partner for 11 years at Hannoch Weisman, the second largest law firm in New Jersey. From 1998 - 2011, Mr. D'Avella combined his lifetime of legal and family business experience as President and Chief Operating Officer of Prudent Publishing Company, a mid-eight figure family-owned business based near his home in northern New Jersey.  Bud is an author and conference speaker on topics pertaining to family business, and is a sought-after consultant and advisor to family businesses.#familybusiness  #podcat #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Richie's entrepreneurial journey2. Mobeus' innovations3. Industry challenges and opportunities4. Insights/trends relating to #VR and #AR5. Lessons learnedRichie is the co-founder of Mobeus and a pioneer of #Immersive #AI, a groundbreaking technology that combines #computervision, #machinelearning, and natural user interfaces to enable a new level of interaction between humans and machines.  With a passion for innovation and commitment to creating new technologies, Richie's vision and leadership have made Immersive AI a transformative #technology that is revolutionizing the way people interact with machines.  As a sought-after speaker and thought leader, Richie is widely recognized as one of the most influential experts in emerging technologies. His work has earned him numerous accolades and awards, and his insights into the future of technology have had a profound impact on the business world.  Richie has worked with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and startups, helping them to navigate the rapidly-changing technological landscape and to identify new opportunities for growth and #innovation.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:  1. Klasko's healthcare and innovation journey2. His tenure at Jefferson3. Industry challenges and opportunities4. Insights/trends relating to health and education sectors5. His new book and how music and DJing have affected his lifeStephen Klasko, M.D., M.B.A. is an author, an entrepreneur and a believer in the creative and optimistic transformation of healthcare and higher education. He has been a CEO, a university president, and a dean of two medical colleges. Currently he is pursuing his passion to bridge academic health centers with the emerging world of #digital medicine and #innovation.  As President of Thomas Jefferson University, he directed a merger between an almost two century old health science university and a nationally ranked university for design and architecture, heralded by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the “few successful mergers between academic entities.”  As CEO of Jefferson Health, he presided over the growth of the system from $1.5 billion to $9 billion including the acquisition of Health Partners Plan, making Jefferson the first integrated delivery and financial system in Philadelphia history.His most recent book, “Feelin' Alright: How the Message in the Music Can Make Healthcare Healthier” uses music and creativity to tackle some of the thorniest issues in healthcare, academics and health equity. His fifth book (with Hemant Taneja of General Catalyst) in 2021, “UnHealthcare: A Manifesto for Health Assurance” has become the manual for both founders and health system CEOs for bringing together the venture capital world with the traditional healthcare ecosystem and has been translated in several languages.Dr. Klasko serves as an Executive in Residence at General Catalyst, North American ambassador for Sheba Medical Center in Israel, and as CMO and Operating Partner of Abundant Venture Partners.  He is also the lead independent director of Teleflex, a seventy-year-old NYSE medical device company. In 2022, President Biden appointed him to the National Board of Education Sciences.Over the past five years he has been awarded by Fast Company as one of the “top 25 most #creative people in business,” by Modern Healthcare as the “#2 most influential person in #healthcare” and by Ernst and Young as the “#entrepreneur of the year.”#healthtech#podcast #AFewThings

David co-founded and leads AeroFarms, an award-winning certified B Corporation revolutionizing agriculture through its vertical farms and innovative technology platform. On a mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity, AeroFarms provides the perfect conditions for plants to thrive, taking agriculture to a new level of precision and food safety while achieving up to 390 times greater productivity compared to field farming and using up to 95% less water and zero pesticides. Through its proprietary technology platform, AeroFarms sells great-tasting leafy green products and has developed multi-year strategic partnerships with government and major Fortune 500 companies to help uniquely solve agriculture supply chain needs.AeroFarms has been recognized as a Circular Economy 100 company, listed on Fast Company's 2019 list of Most Innovative Companies and featured on Inc. Magazine's list of the 25 Most Disruptive Companies. AeroFarms received the New Jersey Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence and ranked number one on the 2020 FoodTech 500 list, which highlighted global entrepreneurial talent at the intersection between food, technology, and sustainability. AeroFarms received the inaugural Global Sustainable Development Goal Award for Zero Hunger, was listed as one of Time Magazine's 2019 Best Inventions, and received The Ethical Corporation's 2020 Responsible Business Award in Sustainable Innovation.David dedicates his time to several local and international organizations. As a member of the World Economic Forum, David co-founded and co-chaired the Young Global Leaders Circular Economy Taskforce and was a member of the World Economic Forum Global IoT Council. David was also a member of the U.S. delegation to the B20 Sustainable Food System Taskforce, which advises the G20. In addition, David serves as Chairman of the Board of The EVERY Company, the leader in non-animal based egg proteins, manufactured through precision fermentation. He is also on the Board of Directors of Aspire, the world leader in insect proteins, and also serves as a Managing Trustee of New Jersey's Liberty Science Center, a prominent U.S. interactive science museum. David is a mentor at Endeavor, as well, where he helps impact entrepreneurs. David is the founder of Hycrete, a nano-technology company that he led between 2002 and 2009. David was previously an Adjunct Professor at the New York University Stern School of Business where he taught Entrepreneurial Finance, and was privileged to co-chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's Agriculture Transition Committee in 2017.David was honored by the Liberty Science Center as a 2019 Genius Innovator and recognized as Ernst & Young's (NJ) Entrepreneur of the Year (Food and Beverage). He was named the 2021 3BL Media Responsible CEO of the Year for a Public Benefit Corporation and one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs at Goldman Sachs' 2019 Annual Builders and Innovators Summit. In 2008, the World Economic Forum recognized David as Technology Pioneer for his nanotechnology company and in 2010 as a Young Global Leader.David received his BA from UNC Chapel Hill and holds an MBA from Columbia University. He competed for the U.S. in fencing where he was a finalist at a world cup and represented the NYAC, winning three U.S. National Team Fencing Championships and two individual silver medals.  #podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

Len Green, Founder and Chairman of The Green Group, has had a long and distinguished career as an entrepreneur. He has been recognized nationally as a tax expert and family business consultant.​Len prides himself on being a trusted business advisor to highly successful people who need more than just a "bean counter."​Education: Len is a graduate of the Harvard Business School's Owner and President Management Program. He received his Master's Degree in Taxation, with Honors, from New York University and his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University (Accounting).​Experience: Len has extensive experience as an owner, advisor, or investor in many diverse businesses, including, but not limited to:A. A pet food companyB. A thoroughbred horse breeding and racing operationC. A professional sports teamD. A commercial real estate management corporationE. Start-up entrepreneurial companiesExpertise: Len has expertise in the areas of tax and accounting, family business and succession planning. His articles have appeared in over 200 newspapers across the country, including: the New York Post, Wall Street Journal and Star Ledger. He has contributed articles to The Thoroughbred Times, Real Estate Times, Babson Entrepreneurial Review, Babson Alumni Magazine, Practicing Law Institute "Estates and Trusts" manual, The Practical Accountant, The Journal of Taxation and many others.​In 2013 and 2014 Len has been featured in multiple publications, including a Forbes.com article in regards to the thoroughbred industry, INC Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine.​Teaching: Len has been Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Business at a few universities, including Babson College. He is a winner of the Appel Award for outstanding contributors to the entrepreneurial spirit in academia, and is listed in "Who's Who in U.S. College Professors."  ​Board Experience: He has been on the advisory board of over a dozen family-owned businesses and consults with over 1,000 clients. His board experience includes three non-profits and a publically traded company. ​Author: In March 2017, Len released his first book, "The Entrepreneur's Playbook" based upon his renowned entreprenerial course taught at Babson College.  Since the book launched, it has become a top seller for business professionals. The Entrepreneur's Playbook invites readers to be virtual students in Len's Playbook Classroom and has been called an “essential guide for aspiring entrepreneurs.” ----Bernard J. D'Avella, Jr. ('Bud') is an experienced attorney and mediator who has advised or led family businesses for his entire professional life. From age 12, Mr. D'Avella worked in his father's pharmacy, which he went on to help manage in his late teen years. He relied heavily on that family business experience to become one of the most respected thought leaders in the area of family business and estate planning law, where he has focused his advisory practice for over 45 years.  From 1973 to 1998, Mr. D'Avella represented family businesses and was the managing partner for 11 years at Hannoch Weisman, the second largest law firm in New Jersey. From 1998 - 2011, Mr. D'Avella combined his lifetime of legal and family business experience as President and Chief Operating Officer of Prudent Publishing Company, a mid-eight figure family-owned business based near his home in northern New Jersey. Bud is an author and conference speaker on topics pertaining to family business, and is a sought-after consultant and advisor to family businesses.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Lauren and Tiffany's entrepreneurial journeys2. The state of remote work worldwide3. Best practices for digital nomads domestically and globally4. Challenges and opportunities relating to #remotework5. Future trendsLauren is author of Global Natives, a book and Substack newsletter about borderless living and the work from anywhere movement. When she's not writing, she works as Executive Director at SafetyWing, a Y Combinator alumni and all-remote company, where she leads Plumia, the moonshot mission to build a country on the internet.  She was an early adopter of remote work and has lived as a digital nomad since 2013. Today, her work focuses on the intersection of technology, business, policy and human behaviour. She tweets @LaurenRazavi.-----Tiffany is an Email Copywriter and Digital strategist who also happens to travel around East Africa as a digital nomad. As she works effectively with clients to win big with email campaigns you'll definitely find a cup of coffee near by and a willingness to learn new things.  When she isn't writing or strategizing you can find her playing with her children, sight-seeing in nature, or enjoying a life of freedom with her husband.  #podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a number of things including:1. Aisha's career journey2. Lessons learned that have helped her succeed3. Audible's community initiatives + inventive engagement in urban economic development4. Harriet Tubman Monument Project5. Outlook for Newark and region as tech hubAisha joined Audible, Inc. as the VP of Urban Innovation as part of the recently launched Global Center for Urban Development. Her efforts focus on Audible's investment in advancing equitable development, racial justice and economic empowerment in its corporate hometown of Newark, N.J. and in cities worldwide. Ms. Glover has nearly 20 years of experience as a convener, champion and agent for economic empowerment and social justice.She's served in leadership economic development positions in both Newark and NYC including as President & CEO of Invest Newark under Mayor Ras J. Baraka, as President & CEO of the Newark Alliance and as VP of External Affairs at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation.She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York, a Masters of Public Administration from Baruch College of the City University of New York and an executive leadership certificate from the Columbia Business School, School of Social Enterprise.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a number of things including:1. John's corporate and entrepreneurial journey2. How he started Toonstar3. Opportunities ahead for web34. Insights on the rapidly changing NFT ecosystem5. Future trendsJohn is CEO and Co-Founder of Toonstar, the Web3 animation studio behind The Gimmicks, a community-driven animated NFT series produced in partnership with Sixth Wall, the digital arm of Mila Kunis' Orchard Farm Productions.Prior to launching Toonstar, he spent over a decade at Warner Bros. and DreamWorks developing franchise properties including Harry Potter, DC, LEGO, Looney Tunes + Shrek and driving innovation in various marketing, business development, digital content creation and tech commercialization roles.He's also a self-confessed media junkie and child of Saturday morning cartoons who's on a mission to help forge the future of interactive entertainment in Web3 + unlock animation for creators around the world.#podcast #AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Polina's media and entrepreneurial journey2. How and why she started The Profile3. Media industry challenges and opportunities4. Her new book; lessons learned5. Future trends; tips for young people Polina Marinova Pompliano is the author of 'HIDDEN GENIUS' and the founder of The Profile, a media organization that studies successful people and companies.Previously, she spent five years at FORTUNE where she wrote more than 1,300 articles and earned the trust of prominent investors and entrepreneurs. As the author and editor of Term Sheet, FORTUNE's industry-leading dealmaking newsletter, Polina interviewed the industry's most influential dealmakers, including Melinda Gates, Steve Case, Chamath Palihapitiya, and more.#AFewThingsPodcast #podcast

We discussed a few things including:1. Rebecca and Justin's entrepreneurial journeys2. The #tech and #startup #ecosystem worldwide3. The state of the entrepreneurial community in the midwest4. Challenges and opportunities ahead5. Future trendsRebecca is a CNBC contributor, author of a newly published book Silicon Heartland, and a media entrepreneur.Her research and writing about Asia's entrepreneurial boom led to three prior books that have been published in multiple languages: Silicon Dragon (2008), Startup Asia (2011), and Tech Titans of China (2019).A guest on BBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, and NPR, and a quoted expert in the New York Times, she also has spoken at the Brookings Institution, Asia Society, and many universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Oxford.Rebecca has written for several publications including Red Herring, Forbes and Harvard Business Review, and was an international editor at Ad Age and Multichannel News.In addition to her features and special reports for CNBC, she also contributes to thought leadership papers published by major firms.In 2010, inspired by the many entrepreneurs she interviewed in emerging hotspots, she launched Silicon Dragon Ventures as a media platform covering tech innovation and venture capital frontiers and hosting events globally, including in China, Israel and the U.K. as well as Silicon Valleys in the U.S.Her new book, Silicon Heartland, brings Rebecca back to her homeland to explore the region's comeback from the Rust Belt as a Tech Belt ─ and to discover the roots of her own journey.-----Justin was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. After a decade in the investment banking industry, I decided to pursue my passion for biking and tap into the changing world of mobility and electrical vehicles.Starting and scaling a brand during covid brought a long list of challenges but all of those have resulted in a resilient brand. #podcast#AFewThingsPodcast

We discussed a few things including:1. His tech and entrepreneurial journey2. How and why you started Neeva3. Industry challenges and opportunities4. Insights on AI, ChatGPT and Generative AI5. Future trends and forecasts; tips for young peopleSridhar is a co-founder and CEO of Neeva, an AI powered, ad-free private search engine. Prior to founding Neeva, Sridhar oversaw all of Google's Advertising products, which included search, display and video advertising, analytics, shopping, payments, and travel. He is also a Venture Partner at Greylock Partners.

We discussed a number of things including:1. Ty's career journey2. How SM and LinkedIn can be used for different goals  3. What's working well on LinkedIn right now; insights from new research4. What entrepreneurs get wrong when using social media + LinkedIn5. Trends to keep an eye out for Ty is Director, Market Engagement, The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, a think tank funded by LinkedIn studying the future of B2B marketing and decision making. She is also Co-Founder of TransformHer, the premier conference for professional women of color and allies in technology.  With research, Ty engages and educates the industry in partnership with the leading marketing effectiveness thinkers and organizations such as Cannes Lions, ANA, and IPA to help better define the category, and drive growth.  Ty is passionate about connecting people with information needed to make intelligent decisions, sharing research to help marketers be more productive and successful with a bit of humor. An award-winning marketer, international speaker and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the 800 meters, Ty is a top B2B marketing influencer teaching B2B marketing as well as leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion.  Marketers benefit from Ty's marketing experience at Google Inc, consulting within IBM as a social business manager and leading her own B2B consulting practice where she authored "Marketers of Tomorrow: A Step-by-Step Toolkit for Inbound Marketing". Beyond marketing, Ty served as the President of LinkedIn's Black Inclusion Group (BIG) for several years.  Today, Ty serves on the Digital Marketing Institute's Global Advisory Council, on the Board of Directors for the American Advertising Federation and as an Adobe Insider with top executives, experts, and pioneers in technology. Ty is a frequent industry and academic speaker on the marketing circuit, having appeared at INBOUND, Adweek, Festival of Marketing, ADCOLOR, Marketing Society Changemakers, Ghana Tech Summit, Adobe Summit and the Digital Summit events to name a few. In her career, she has delivered marketing education to thousands.