DC Entrepreneur

Jake Kramer, Managing Partner of FedTech is guest on this season's final episode of DC Entrepreneur. FedTech is a venture builder that thrives at the intersection of US entrepreneurship, breakthrough technologies, and mission-driven organizations. Since 2015, they've been driving forward deep tech ventures across the DoD, NASA, DoE, universities, and federal labs. Through their startup studios, accelerators, internal innovation and corporate venture programs, FedTech works with individuals, companies, and government agencies to stay at the bleeding edge of innovation.Kramer is concurrently a venture partner at NextGen Venture Partners and Thundermark Capital, formerly working at Goldman Sachs and as a U.S. Army Officer. NextGen Venture Partners is a network-driven venture firm that brings together hundreds of part-time venture capitalists to invest in their portfolio of entrepreneurs. Thundermark Capital is a New York and San Francisco based Venture Capital firm investing in Deep Tech, specifically early-stage rounds of startups innovating in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics and other Deep Tech areas. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Jay Newton-Small, CEO and Founder of MemoryWell, a digital storytelling platform for seniors, speaks to George on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. You'll hear how Newton-Small got the idea for the start-up when filling out paperwork to get her father into assisted care after he was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease. As a TIME Magazine correspondent, journalist, and author of Broad Influence, she wrote his story down to help her father's caregivers understand his past better. In this conversation, Jay talks about how MemoryWell worked with Brookdale Senior Living for their pilot program, how she bootstrapped the idea through Kickstarter and by winning pitch competitions before focusing on fundraising, and how her involvement through accelerators such as TechStars and the Halcyon Incubator helped her learn to build a business. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with friend of the podcast Dr. Joseph Cardillo, PhD, about his new book "12 Rules of Attention: How to Avoid Screw-Ups, Free Up Headspace, Do More and Be More At Work." Dr. Joe is an inspirational speaker and nationally best-selling author of multiple books in the fields of health, mind-body-spirit, and psychology. In this conversation Dr. Joe talks about how entrepreneurs can get off of autopilot and refocus their attention throughout their daily lives and in their work. You'll learn about the three "Mindwares" and what are the differences with attention, mindfulness, and awareness. Dr. Joe also talks about how using a "power word" can focus your attention, how to talk to your brain by using a "self-scan," and how studying martial arts inspired him to learn more about attention. Plus he has some fantastic tips on how to deal with the stress nearly all of us are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

On this episode George speaks with Colin Moffett and Joel Daly co-founders of Artemis Ward. Colin and Joel met at Mindshare Interactive, one of the old guard of digital agencies, in 2005. They made the move to one of the world’s most prestigious agencies in 2008, building a large team and servicing top clients. Despite this success, Colin and Joel often talked about what life would be like if they could produce the same (if not better) work of a big agency without all the red tape. In 2015, they decided it was time: Colin and Joel made the leap to start Artemis Ward. Colin is a highly experienced strategist and former Georgetown professor. He believes smart and agile agencies are needed more than ever to help brands and organizations navigate a complex world. Joel is insight-driven, loves design and UX, and is the host of CreativeMornings/DC.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Robert L. Longyear III, author of "Innovating for Wellness," is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. Innovating for Wellness examines crucial innovations at the intersection of digital health technology and value-based payment. Robert speaks with George for an in-depth conversation about health care policy, innovation, and how that relates to health-tech & mHealth. Their chat delves into how this relates to patient-generated clinical data, human care teams, and telehealth as part of the patient journey.***Avenue—a Wanderly company—is a digital health company with a mission to provide highly modular and scalable care management programs with technology and clinical staff whose model supports turn-key remote-patient monitoring, chronic disease management, and post-acute services. Their belief is that driving patient-based innovations is the best path forward toward building a health system that promotes and proactively assists patients in their pursuits of health and wellness in light of the chronic disease epidemic facing the U.S.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks to Erik Rind the CEO of Imagine BC on this episode. ImagineBC aims to be for blockchain technology what “You’ve got mail” was for the Internet. It's a membership based platform that helps its community earn money for sharing their data. Inspired by a talk that Jaron Lanier gave, Erik started the company to correct the privacy and ethical issues that big tech companies pose to their users. In this conversation Erik shares his vision for how people can begin to be compensated for sharing their data. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

On this episode, George speaks with Dawn Myers, founder of THE MOST and of The Vinetta Project. THE MOST is a beauty-tech company looking to disrupt an $87 Billion dollar Industry featuring natural hair products for women of color, to help address the invisible pain points in textured hair styling. Dawn lives to inspire entrepreneurs to walk in their purpose and build out their visions through her legal background and work as an entrepreneur. Dawn is a start-up ecosystem architect, having launched and managed educational programming for entrepreneurs throughout the Washington metropolitan area. As Ambassador to Black Girl Ventures and Director at The Vinetta Project, Dawn develops seminars, bootcamps, and accelerator programming for up and coming founders of color. The Vinetta Project is a capital platform and deal flow pipeline that supports high growth female tech founders. It helps source high potential female founders with proven business models, offering them unprecedented access to proprietary events, resources, exclusive networks and capital from vetted investors. Vinetta has one of the largest databases of Seed to Series A female founders in North America, and has helped women access over $180 million in early stage investment.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Chad Frey is guest on this episode in a policy discussion about the advancement of the hemp industry as a whole. As a board member of four industry associations, Chad is an expert on the legal initiatives, industry policy and federal compliance regarding hemp and cannabis regulations. As the executive director for the Nebraska Hemp Industries Association—one of the nation’s leading hemp advocacy organizations—Chad works closely with legislators to help create new infrastructure for a new commodity with the purpose of guiding the industry in the right direction. Even though we are living in a very progressive cultural climate, Chad claims that the biggest obstacle the industry faces is lack of education and the stigma associated with the hemp and legal cannabis industries which fuel his mission.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Dave Forbes is the food entrepreneur and owner of Disturbingly Delicious Foods. His sauce creations are healthier than most of the stuff in the grocery store that also taste great. Dave's first creation was a kale-based substitute for ketchup when Forbes was throwing a high school graduation party for his son. After obtaining a patent on this product, he began selling "Kalechup" at the Falls Church Farmers market. He's since gone on to create over 70 different sauces which he sells in a retail storefront and kitchen including "Mayonot," "Faux Queso," and "Yumchup." Dave's background as a software design guru has helped inform how he goes about creating his unique food creations, many of which are great for vegans, people on low-sodium diets, or those doing the Whole 30 or Keto diet. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Jonathan Wasserstrum the CEO of SquareFoot. SquareFoot is a tech-driven commercial real estate company that helps companies find their next office space by providing transparent access to inventory, brokerage services, and a flexible spaces. The New York City-based start-up, which was created in 2011, raised $16 million in 2019 in a Series B financing round having raised $29 million total since its founding. SquareFoot’s platform features over 300,000 office listings, with 5,000 new listings posted monthly. The company has executed over 1,300 leases to date. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Jake Sandler, CEO and Founder of ChangeRoots is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. ChangeRoots is an app designed to help build a post-partisan political system in the United States. The app provides easy access to information about politicians, insights into their behavior, and allows users to easily provide positive or negative feedback through their campaign contributions. The platform also clearly identifies which politicians’ behaviors are partisan or post-partisan. Their mission is to help root out toxic partisanship by using micro-donations to reward leaders with integrity and fire self-interested partisans, equip the public to influence politicians to prioritize wellbeing over political loyalty. **UPDATE @ 1:30 pm on 6/26/2020: ChangeRoots will be shutting down. In an email statement from Jake: "We are returning investors 100% of the money they've put into this latest round and dissolving ChangeRoots on July 3rd. It's been a beautiful journey. We are deeply grateful for all those who believed in us and supported us." Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Jessica Carson is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur where she talks about the complex wiring of start-up founders. Jessica is the Expert in Residence on Entrepreneur Mental Health and Wellbeing at Georgetown University, and is the author of “Wired This Way.” She’s also a former Director at NextGen Venture Partners. In this illuminating conversation, which happened back in April, she delves into her new book "Wired this Way" where she talks about the archetypes of creators and the unique mental health issues they face, such as burnout, substance abuse, and stress. "Wired This Way" is "a user’s manual for self-understanding, self-acceptance, and self-care as an entrepreneurial spirit." Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with entrepreneur Denton A. Malcolm, Chairman of D.A.M Companies, LLC known as Rude Kid-da-ReggaeRap Inventor, who has been implementing the new genre ReggaeRap™ over the last fourteen years as part of the Rude Kid Entertainment Label Group. He is currently promoting his new hit single "How We Roll" in rotation in the major US markets, UK, Canada, Costa Rica and the Caribbean. We talk about his work in the fashion, print, and media industries with his other ventures, Vibez Universal Productions, Vibez Universal, LLC, Bomb.com Magazine, and Celebrity Style Catering.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks to his friend Mikey Heard, an entrepreneur he met over a decade ago. When working as a web developer he created the social group Meetin.org which he grew from a Washington, DC based events group to a volunteer-run international organization planning real life events in cities worldwide. After working on that idea he worked on Tap Drive, a read only HD with Willie Blount (Episode 4) which his team was able to raise money for, but wasn't able to successfully launch. He talks about growing up poor on a farm commune in California and the drastic change he experienced moving to San Francisco. Mikey now focuses full time on his real estate portfolio thinking of his next new project.Thinking of creating a podcast? Buzzsprout is the easiest way to start your show!Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

How I Made the Leap to Starting My Own Business is part of The DC Entrepreneur Live Show which happened on Thursday, May 30 at 7 pm. On the show you'll hear from three different entrepreneurs in a panel discussion: Chad Hall, the founder and CEO of remodelmate, a marketplace for buying, selling, and managing home renovations online. Chad also worked in sales and growth at online daily deals company LivingSocial. Monica Kang, founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox® where she helps companies and leaders transform their organizations through the power of creativity. She's also the author of Rethink Creativity: How to Innovate, Inspire, and Thrive at Work. Andrew Dana, co-owner of DC's highly successful, Timber Pizza Co and buzzed about new sister restaurant, Call Your Mother (a Jew-ish deli.) From the "Boca Raton-meets-Brooklyn" interior at the deli to serving up delicious pies from their mobile wood-fired pizza truck, this native Washingtonian is bringing something new to the DC food scene. Special thanks to Alex Vidales @dcpodfest and Spaces co-working for helping produce the show. https://dcentrepreneur.brownpapertickets.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

On this episode of DC Entrepreneur​, George speaks to Francesco Amodeo the owner and president of Don Ciccio & Figli​ on location at his distillery in Ivy City. The establishment, which features both a production facility and tasting bar, is bringing amari-based craft cocktails to DC based on recipes from Amodeo's family from the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Amaro drinks are bitter herbal liquers commonly consumed as digestifs.From Don Ciccio's website: Francesco ‘Ciccio’ Amodeo began his journey in the hospitality industry as a young boy growing up in the small town of Furore, Italy, a quaint, tight-knit hamlet of just over 800 residents. With an extended family supplying the town with its most celebrated chefs, winemakers, and artisanal liqueur makers, Amodeo became an epicure at a young age, and began his life-long love affair with hospitality. Deciding to follow in his family’s footsteps, Amodeo got his first job at the age of 14, working under the mentorship of Marisa Cuomo, one of Italy’s most respected winemakers. He continued his apprenticeship at his uncle's restaurant in Positano. Uncle Amodeo soon pulled young Francesco behind the cocktail bar, and in that moment, an Amalfi Coast alchemist was born. He had found his true calling in hospitality, and Francesco continued his tutelage at the town’s only resort. At Furore Inn Resort young Amodeo came of age, and received many specialized certifications of his expertise. In 2004, he became a Master of Food and Beverage Management, but not before his certification as a Master Sommelier for the A.I.S. of Napoli, Italy. He is a Master Barman through the A.I.B.E.S. of Salerno too. In the spirit of adventure, Francesco travelled to Washington D.C. in 2005. Seeing its potential as an epicurean capital, he decided to return in February 2006 to make D.C. his home. Francesco became prominent in the evolving hospitality scene, lending his expertise to notable establishments including Butterfield 9, Hook, Café Milano, and Bibiana Osteria Enoteca. But there was something else stirring in his blood. Francesco began to research and experiment with handcrafted liqueurs in his free time. With over a century of family history in the business, at the age of 29, Francesco started Don Ciccio & Figli. His vision: to bring the signature flavors of his hometown back to life, and share the artisanal ‘Rosoli’ with the world.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Steve Salis a DC-Based, serial entrepreneur and executive, who has founded an impressive portfolio of brands under his company Salis Holdings. He’s the owner of Kramerbooks and Afterwords cafe—the iconic 44 year old bookstore in Dupont Circle—the owner of Ted’s Bulletin; the founder of Federalist Pig American BBQ restaurant; a co-founder of real estate venture Prefab Partners: and former CEO of &pizza. In Ballston, Virginia he’s recently opened Sidekick Bakery. Steve has invested in these concepts because he believes in the strength of their collective brands, saying "anytime you're buying a company, it's like you're buying someone's art."Steve talks about his path to becoming a business owner and his motto and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to "get comfortable being uncomfortable."Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

In this episode George speaks with Chris Brauckmuller, Chief Product Officer and Creative Director of Fundrise. Chris is involved in all investor-facing aspects of the business, from new product development to the visual presentation of the platform. Prior to joining the Fundrise team, Chris ran his own independent interactive design studio for three years and spent two years as an interactive designer at a large digital agency, where he took design leadership on accounts for the Fortune 500, including Microsoft and BAE Systems.Fundrise allows individuals to diversify their portfolios into private market real estate investments. Fundrise launched their first online opportunity seven years ago after working with the SEC through multiple filings and audits. The concept was largely made possible due to the JOBS Act of 2012. As a result, Fundrise has invested in nearly $2 billion worth of real estate across the country and has 500,000 members.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Today's guest is Mimi Millard, the CEO and founder of De Lune. De Lune helps those experiencing period pain find relief through its safe and natural Pain Tonics, PMS Pills and chocolates. The origin of Mimi's products came from when she fainted due to complications from a popular painkiller she used to treat her debilitating period pain. From there, she began experimenting with the different organic herbs and natural ingredients to help with dysmenorrhea, while working out of DC's Union Kitchen. Mimi then built a team of researchers, physicians, and dietitians to create the products and help manage and eliminate some of the worst period symptoms—which the company calls "Solutions designed for bleeders by bleeders."Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

David McCourt is an Irish-American entrepreneur and founder of Granahan McCourt Capital. McCourt speaks about his new book "Total Rethink: Why Entrepreneurs Should Act Like Revolutionaries." McCourt is one of the world’s most successful, award-winning business people, widely recognized for using technology and innovation to improve the lives of underserved communities by deploying new revolutionary ways of thinking. Over the last thirty years he has founded or bought twenty companies in nine countries, becoming a leader in the technology, media and telecommunications industries. An Emmy award-winning producer, McCourt’s work has included prime-time documentaries that highlight the world’s most prominent problems. McCourt’s production of critically acclaimed children’s TV series Reading Rainbow became the most watched show in the classroom in the United States.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Today's guest is Shafer Minnick, owner and founder of PULSE House of Fitness which features DC’s first and only VersaClimber fitness studio. Shafer is a former SoulCycle instructor who discovered the VersaClimber when he was undergoing physical therapy after a work-related injury and is betting big that people in the District will love the experience—not to mention the brief, half-hour workouts that take place at PULSE. Shafer also discusses his own personal fitness journey from achieving major weight loss and conquering emotional eating to becoming a Top Instructor for ClassPass. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

In this episode we catch up with Dr. Joseph Cardillo, PhD, an inspirational speaker and sought after expert on personal energy with a conversation about how entrepreneurs can stay energized and avoid burn-out. Dr. Joe is a nationally best-selling author of several books in the fields of health, mind-body-spirit, and psychology. His books include Body Intelligence – Harness Your Body’s Energies for Your Best Life; Can I Have Your Attention- How to Think Fast, Find Your Focus and Sharpen Your Concentration; and the body-energy classic, Be Like Water and he has co-written books for Harvard Health Publications. Dr. Cardillo is an expert in Attention Training™ and creative thinking and has taught his methods to over 20,000 students at various institutions. He holds a PhD in holistic psychology and mind-body-medicine. Feature articles on Dr. Cardillo’s work have appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, The New York Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Toronto Globe, The Seattle Post, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, REBOUND (The Official Publication of the National Basketball Retired Players Association), Family Circle, FIRST for Women, Women’s Health.Com, Curve, American Fitness Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Natural Health, Natural Solutions, MSN, The TodayShow.Com, AOL, Natural Awakenings and GoodHouseKeeping.com. “O” (The Oprah magazine) and The Chicago Tribune.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

After getting diagnosed with Lyme Disease, Hannah Olson's mind was intact, but the physical demands of a traditional 9-5 job were not compatible with her treatment—nearly forcing her out of the workforce. Rather than accept this fate, Hannah founded Chronically Capable on the simple belief that no one should ever have to decide between their health or their ambitions. Over 133 million Americans suffer from a chronic illness and have to sacrifice their dreams to accommodate their illness. With Chronically Capable, workers only need to work when they feel well enough, and get paid before their medical bills are due. Her startup hopes to bring a previously ignored pool of talent into the workforce. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Martin Ditto, President and CEO of Ditto Residential, a leading-edge urban design and development company, is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. Ditto is looking to make his mark in "wellness real estate" and build out a co-living concept in the District. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Kestrel Linder, CEO of GiveCampus on this episode of DC Trep. GiveCampus is a digital fundraising and volunteer management platform for educational institutions which is used by more than 600 leading schools around the country. Kestrel talks about the need to modernize philanthropy for the next generation and how technology can help higher ed institutions keep their alumni engaged by making fundraising an enjoyable and social experience.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Chad Hall, the founder and CEO of remodelmate, a marketplace for buying, selling, and managing home renovations online. Prior to founding remodelmate, Hall worked in sales and growth at Washington, D.C.-based, online daily deals company LivingSocial and as a product specialist at regional general contracting powerhouse Long Fence and Home.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Andrew Dana, is guest on today's episode. He's the co-owner of DC's highly successful, Timber Pizza Co and buzzed-about new sister restaurant, Call Your Mother (a Jew-ish deli.) From the "Boca Raton-meets-Brooklyn" interior at the deli to serving up delicious pies from their mobile wood-fired pizza truck, this native Washingtonian is bringing something new to the DC food scene. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Jason Fudin CEO and co-founder of WhyHotel, an alternative lodging service that operates pop-up hotels in newly built, luxury apartment buildings. His startup recently secured $10 million in Series A funding from Highland Capital Partners after scoring $3.9 million in seed funding earlier this year. WhyHotel has properties in DC and Baltimore and is expanding into Ballston Quarter, Centro Arlington and The Boro in Tysons. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

This episode's guest is Justin Antonipillai CEO of WireWheel, a cloud-based data privacy and protection platform that helps companies manage compliance with global privacy regulations like the GDPR and CCPA. Justin is the former acting Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce working under Secretary Penny Pritzker during the Obama administration. There, he led the Economics and Statistics Administration, which includes two of our nation's leading information agencies: the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. From 2013 until 2016, Mr. Antonipillai led the U.S. Negotiating Team in reaching the E.U.-U.S. Privacy Shield with Europe. He also previously worked as a partner with Arnold and Porter representing private equity, M&A, corporate restructuring and commerce and bankruptcy litigations.Mr. Antonipillai was selected one of the "Top 40 Lawyers Under 40" by Washingtonian Magazine, and one of the "Top 40 Business People Under 40" by the Washington Business Journal. In 2016, Mr. Antonipillai was awarded the National Intelligence Medallion by Director James Clapper.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Author, futurist, and entrepreneur Byron Reese speaks about robots, AI, and the future of technology and humanity. Find out about the differences between general AI and narrow AI, the ethics of technology and innovation, and if robots will take all our jobs through automation. Byron is a great thinker and thought leader about technology, and his vision of the future is generally an optimistic one. We talk about his book The Fourth Age, which give a history of the evolution of tools in our society, offering a vision for a technology-filled future. "Technology is like this little trick that humans learn to multiply what we’re able to do."—Byron ReeseSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Melanie Charlton and Julie Weber, the partners of Brllnt on this episode. We talk about the stark realities of running a marketing agency, the art of compromise in entrepreneurship, and their journey of keeping a marketing design firm afloat during a rough patch. They also talk about what they've learned working for some of their clients, and how they lead their company with both candor and compassion. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

In this episode you'll hear from Casey Berman the Managing Director of Camber Creek, a strategic venture capital firm with offices in DC and New York. Their portfolio includes local start-up companies Fundrise, GoCanvas, and WhyHotel. Casey talks about the real estate technology market, Camber Creek's approach to "de-risking" investments, and what he looks for in a start-up as a venture capitalist. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Toya Gavin the founder of Legally Bold, a consulting business designed to help women lawyers find a path to career satisfaction. She's also the founder of Toya Gavin Law a virtual law firm set up to help entrepreneurs with business formation, contracts, and IP law. Toya has a J.D. from George Washington University Law School and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Rutgers University and is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks wth Eric Kozlik, founder of the Modern Bar Cart podcast and Embitterment Bitters where he talks shop about entrepreneurship, podcasting, cocktails, and poetry. The Modern Bar Cart Podcast is a cocktail podcast for home bartenders and industry pros alike and features interviews with bartenders, distillers, and cocktail authors. Eric regularly does deep dives into the most important topics in mixology, creating your portal into the shaken, stirred, strained, and garnished world.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Gareth Lewis, founder of Sekoyia, a subscription box company that offers environmentally friendly products. We talk about how he is helping build an eco-impact movement empowering subscribers to make a positive environmental difference. Gareth also speaks about why we need to focus on sustainability and creating green-collar jobs. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

This episode features the Fourth Annual Timmy Award Winners from the event that took place on October 25 in Washington, DC. Featured are Andrew Aragon, Melissa Theiss, Theresa Hebert of Best Tech Startup Quorum; Best Tech Manager Rochelle Sanchirico of mHelpDesk; Mitch Phillips and Nazanin Ramezani of Whereowhere, Best Tech Work Culture; and Grant Elliot, CEO Ostendio, Best Tech Workplace for Diversity. Also featured is a conversation with Peter Korbel founder of StoreMe an app-based luggage storage solution who also was a co-founder of Blender Workspace in NYC and Fojol Brothers food truck in Washington, DC.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Marcus Bullock, CEO and founder of Flikshop talks about his journey into entrepreneurship as a returned citizen after he served a prison sentence in his youth. Flikshop is a tech startup that allows users to communicate with an incarcerated family member or friend via a mobile app which prints their digital message out as a postcard and mails it for 99 cents. The idea came from when Bullock remembered how meaningful it was to hear from the outside world while in prison. Bullock also talks about what he has learned as an entrepreneur, his ideas about tech innovation, and his thoughts about start-up life.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Sheena Franklin, former lobbyist and creator of Well-Kept Beauty is this week's guest on DC Entrepreneur. We talk about how she changed her career path, the state of the FDA's regulations of the cosmetics industry, and how the app she created helps people learn about expiry dates for their makeup and skincare products. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Sahaj Sharda, CEO and founder of Dynos and author of the book Extinction of the Price Tag is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. Sharda speaks about his book, which he published with New Degree Press as part of his studies at Georgetown. He speaks about how companies are benefiting from dynamic pricing, who is using it, and how he became interested in the topic. Sahaj also talks about his company Dynos and how he applied the concept of dynamic pricing to drive customers to the the local restaurant scene in off-peak hours. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

CEO and co-founder of LePrix Elise Whang talks about the rebranding of her luxury fashion consignment startup from the initial concept called SnobSwap. A first time founder, Whang talks about how she found her footing as an entrepreneur, how she's gone about fundraising for her company, and her experience as a female founder in the startup ecosystem. Elise has been recognized as one of DC's 40 Power Women, DCA Live Red Hot Entrepreneur, and 40 under 40 in Tech.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Nathan SooHoo is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. Nathan served as Business Development Manager for Trulioo where he helped build partnerships and worked on strategic sales for the company's GlobalGateway product before moving to Facebook. Nathan is also an investment committee member for the UCLA VC Fund whose portfolio includes Cloudera, DogVacay, Twitter, SolarCity, SmartestK12, RivalMe, Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, and Vicept Therapeutics. He is also formerly the lead analyst for Venture Scanner, a startup market reporting and data research firm.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Monica Kang is this week's guest on DC Entrepreneur. Monica is the author of Rethink Creativity: How to Innovate, Inspire, and Thrive at Work. The book was born out of her own challenge of becoming 'unstuck' by changing up the daily routines and habits to which we are accustomed. Monica is also the Founder and CEO of InnovatorsBox where she helps companies and leaders transform their organizations through the power of creativity. Monica teaches entrepreneurship at BAU International. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Gbenga Ogunjimi is an identity strategist, speaker and advisor who redefined his career as an international entrepreneur. He is the author of "Borderless Voice, The Power of Telling your Story and Defining your Identity" and is the founder of GO Global, Inc. where he is a coach and consultant who regularly speaks to groups about how they can find their brand identity. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Meet entrepreneur Jonathan Wossene who shares his story about creating Melted Element candles, a premium retail business he started from his apartment in Alexandria, Virginia. Melted Element candles are destination-inspired, soy-based candles which burn clean, something that differentiates them from the rest of the marketplace. Jonathan tells the story of how his cat inspired the business and helped launch him on a new trajectory to create the premium candles, which have appeared at the West Elm pop-up at Union Market, the Ritz Carlton and featured on CNN. He also shares stories about his love of music and flight, and a previous startup he worked on in the aerospace industry. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Dr. Gerald Gordon, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. He discusses the resources available for business startups in Fairfax County, which is home to some of the largest private sector employers in the region. Fairfax has the highest density of startups in NoVa according to Fosterly's 2016 census, and is also home to many large IT and government contracting businesses.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks to Jay Kim, Chief Strategy Officer of Upskill. We talk about the Skylight platform for smart glasses, the internet of things, and how Augmented Reality will take over the world as part of Industry 4.0. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

This episode of DC Entrepreneur Radio features Brett and Alex who started Grape Intentions, a wine club that helps do good by giving a percent of their online purchases to select charities. Brett who had training as a sommelier and Alex had run a rowing repair shop, a sport the two friends have in common. They talk about how they developed the startup, the issues and challenge behind shipping a product like wine, and how they developed a 'palate picker' algorithm to help customers confused by foreign wine labels discover the ideal wines for them.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Sam Sabin, tech reporter with DC Inno, a local blog that covers what's happening in the technology startup scene in Washington, DC. In this episode, we review some of the big tech headlines of 2017 and speak about what's in store for the future of the region. [Full Length edit]Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

George speaks with Isaac Oates, founder of Justworks, via remote conversation in this episode of DC Entrepreneur. The company raised $33 million dollars after their last Series C round for a total of $53 million over the past five years. Isaac talks about his career path from being in the U.S. Army reserve, to selling his company Adtuitive to Etsy. He also speaks about Justworks' value proposition, the tech behind the scenes that runs the company, and the unique regulatory challenges of working on a company that focuses on HR. This episode also features special guest to the studio Charlotte the dog, who unexpectedly makes her first appearance as co-host of the show. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Listen to my conversation with Lance Kramer about starting Meridian Hill Pictures, a production company he founded with his brother Brandon, both of whom created the documentary, "City of Trees" (now on Netflix). Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)

Podcaster Jennifer Crawford is guest on this episode of DC Entrepreneur. We discuss the upcoming DC Podfest on November 10-11, and why she thought DC needed to have its own conference focusing on podcasters. Jennifer discusses the challenges creative entrepreneurs face, and why it's even tougher for creative class to get recognized for their talent. She also talks about her work helping people with their social media campaigns, her work for Podbean, and her improv troupe: the Improv Imps, and how she's been balancing this with her podcast the Jelly Vision show! Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/georgeindc)