Growth Pioneers

On this episode Doug speaks with Mitesh Agrawal the CEO of Positron.ai. Positron is advancing the world of AI hardware right here in the Biggest Little City, with their first product that provides 3X the performance of NVIDA at a lower cost. They discuss the changing landscape of AI, the importance of purpose built hardware and Positrons unique value. They discuss the Positron team, their investors and their success to date as well as dive in the future for them in our region.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Jon Dalton, President of the Nevada Coalition for Psychedelic Medicine. JD, a former Navy SEAL of 23 years, shares his personal story of overcoming debilitating depression and anxiety because of multiple traumatic brain injuries and combat related trauma. They discuss the current state of Veterans mental health, suicide rates and treatment modalities. They explore the promise of psychedelic medicine in addressing mental health challenges facing Veterans and the barriers to access. They deep dive into NCPMs role in changing policy in Nevada and outline a legislative framework for providing access regulated legal access.

On this episode of the Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Sean Montgomery. Sean has a PhD in Neuroscience, is an immersive experience artist, and the founder of a medical wearables company. They talk about Sean's journey to Reno and dive deep into his current product which detects minor cognitive decline. They also have a wide ranging conversation about the future of wearables as it relates to consciousness, subtle energy, meditation and human flourishing.

In this episode of The Growth Pioneers Podcast, I'm thrilled to welcome David Ezell, a brand strategist at Meta and host of the podcast How to Ride a Roller Coaster. David shares his journey as a recent transplant from Dallas to Reno, bringing a unique perspective on ecosystem building in both cities. Together, we dive into his experiences interviewing entrepreneurs, his insights into the dynamics of Reno and Dallas, and the future of entrepreneurial growth here in Reno. David's dynamic personality and passion for the entrepreneurial mindset make this conversation both engaging and inspiring. Join us as we explore the nuances of building supportive communities for entrepreneurs and the exciting possibilities for Reno's future.

In this episode of the Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Candi and Juston from the EDAWN entrepreneurial team. They discuss the why behind Startup Week, its impact on the community and some key insights and highlights from this years event. They also discuss the Reno Startup Deck 4.0, the importance of core values in community building, their personal motivations for doing this work and new events and programs for the ecosystem for the rest of 2024 and into 2025.

On this episode of Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Rachel Macintyre, the City of Reno Activation Manager, to explore the transformative power of revitalizing urban spaces. Rachel shares her journey as a serial entrepreneur, detailing the highs and lows of her career and how she has channeled her passion for creation into projects that breathe new life into downtown Reno. From activating underutilized spaces to fostering a vibrant community, Rachel's story is one of resilience, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of positive change. Tune in to discover how entrepreneurship can be a powerful tool for urban renewal and community empowerment

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Tyson Falk the Government and Public Affairs manager of Ioneer. Ioneer is a mining company that has discovered a unique deposit of Lithium and Boron in Nevada. They discuss the local, regional and global significance of Lithium, Ioneers unique value proposition and the exciting prospect the project has on Nevadas Economy.

On this episode of the Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Jennifer Mcdonald who is The Assistant Director of Activism Special Projects from the Institute for Justice (IJ). The IJ is a national nonprofit law firm dedicated to protecting individuals' rights against government violations. Jennifer Mcdonald started her career in California politics before transitioning into evidence-based policymaking, earning an MPA along the way. Jennifer joined IJ, where she spent seven years on the research team, focusing on issues like food trucks and home-based businesses. At IJ, she now works on the activism team, engaging in legislative and policy work at various government levels. IJ's mission includes safeguarding property rights, eminent domain, First Amendment rights, and economic liberty. They believe everyone has the right to earn an honest living doing what they love, without unnecessary government barriers like restrictive occupational licensing laws and high fees. Tune in to learn about the impactful work IJ does to support entrepreneurs, and their commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem. For one of Reno Startup Week's engaging discussions, the institute for justice will be hosting an interactive discussion session.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Matt Nordby the Founder and Managing Partner of Flume Ventures based in Incline Village. Matt is an amazing human with a really interesting career path. He was an young executive at Sun Microsystems, went on to start a company, which was later sold, then became the President of Playboy Enterprises , and is now currently in the role of managing partner at Flume. Flume is a non traditional venture fund with some really impressive partners including Scott McNealy from Sun and Dave Duffield from PeopleSoft and Workday. They have a unique thesis and are committed to supporting Nevada's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

On this special episode of the podcast Doug speaks with his colleagues Juston Berg and Katie Freeman about Reno Startup Week. They discuss the rationale for Startup Week, the importance for the startup community and its value alignment with EDAWNs mission. They dive deep into the events, people and activities that are making Reno Startup Week a unique inaugural event. Sept 25-29 RenoStartupWeek.com

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Dennis Ferris the Founder and CEO of Dragonfly Energy. Dragonfly is one of Reno's Startup success stories, having started a decade ago and recently going public. They have a wide ranging conversation on the technology, the business and the personal side of the Dragonfly story. They also discuss energy storage and Nevadas Lithium Loop.

On this episode Doug speaks with his good friend Tony Lillios. Tony is a serial entrepreneur, endurance athlete , integral coach and president of the Reno/ Tahoe EO Chapter. They go deep into leadership development topics including what is enough, overcoming resistance, living well and much more.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Mo Collins the CEO of Entrepreneurial communities. They discuss the recent Nevada entrepreneurial ecosystem report going deep into the challenges, opportunities and recommendations outlined for Reno, Las Vegas and Rural Nevada.

On this special episode of the podcast, Doug speaks with his dear friend and coach Robert Ellis about his new book Coaching From Essence. They discuss Roberts personal journey, how it informed his philosophy, coaching methodology and led to his first book.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speakers with Kate Cotter, the executive director of the Sierra Psychedelic Society and the Nevada Colition for Psychedelic Medicine. The discuss a wide range of topics exploring the potential of psychedelic medicines for healing, the role of her organizations in eduction and advocacy and much more.

On this episode of the podcast , Doug speaks with the CEO of Mental, Anson Whitmer. Mental's goal is to improve mens mental health using proven tools and daily practices which are easy to integrate into daily life. They have an in-depth conversation on the factors effecting mens mental health and the tools and philosophy Mental employs to address these them.

On this episode Doug speakers with Eaton Dunkelberger the CEO of the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada. They cover a wide range of topics on philanthropic giving, structures, strategies and the important roll the foundation plays in transforming communities.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaker with Edward Park the founder and CEO of Neuro Reserve, a neuro protective supplement company. Ed's passion for tackling cognitive decline comes from a deeply personal place. They discuss a broad set of topics around brain health, diet and the role of supplements in this informative and moving conversation.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Dawson Lamb, CEO of Loop another Gener8tor cohort company. They discuss Loops service in detail and get into the Dawsons origin story. He is a young and engaging founder and with deep Nevada roots.

In this episode Doug speaks with Anklet Fender the CEO of Grant Cycle, one of the Gener8tor Reno/Tahoe Cohort companies. They discuss the ups and downs of her journey , the unique challenges of scaling a tech company in a small town and the benefits of the Gener8tor.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Dan Feliciano the CEO / Cofounder of Clotheslyne. Clotheslyne is democratizing wash and fold laundry service through its Airbnb style marketplace. They cover topics including, the psychology of laundry, the challenges of 2 sided marketplaces, the value of the Gener8tor investment accelerator and more.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Heather Brown the Co-founder of Startup Vegas. Heather is a passionate and dynamic leader with a background in community organizing and politics. They deep dive into the state of startups, entrepreneurship and economic development in Las Vegas.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Kaitlyn Schlesinger, CEO of KS Strategies. They deep dive into the B Crop, discussing the benefits, the process, the potential pitfalls and case studies. Kaitlyn is a dynamic, articulate and authentic leader driving change in Las Vegas. For a free B Corp mini assessment check out https://forms.gle/F8gg16L9wiDVniaj8.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Maggie Brickerman and Jared Byer from Gener8tor. Gener8tor is a nationally ranked top quartile venture fund and investment accelerator program. They cover a ton of ground on the role of accelerators, why Gener8tor is different and how to apply in Nevada. https://www.gener8tor.com/investment-accelerators

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Chris Yount. Chris was the CEO of Fortifiber Corporation a family business which Chris recently sold. They discuss the intricacies of running and selling a family business, what you do after the sale, the importance of boards for entrepreneurial companies and more.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Elizabeth Redmond. Elizabeth founder Coworkr an IOT workplace dynamics company which was acquired by rZero. They discuss her Entrepreneurial journey, the changing landscape in office space being a founder and a mother and more.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Kim Lane the COO of Right To Start. Right to start is dedicated to unleashing entrepreneurial opportunity for everyone by breaking down barriers and changing government policies which hamper entrepreneurial growth. They discuss many aspects of the Right to Start initiative in this engaging and important conversation.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Adam Kramer, CEO of nZero (formerly Ledger8760). Adam is a dynamic and passionate CEO whose committed to combatting climate change. They cover a lot of ground discussing leadership, startup ecosystems, carbon accounting and more.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Chris Hsu, the cofounder and CEO of Azibo. Azibo is high growth SaaS startup building a one-stop-shop financial platform for landlords. Chris is a down to earth, dynamic and accomplished founder on a hyper growth trajectory. They have a fun and engaging conversation on the future of real estate, venture capital, the benefits of Nevada and much more.

On this episode of Growth Pioneers, Doug speaks with Veteran Entrepreneur Renne Hanson. Renne is the founder of Vertical Athletics a manufacturer of Major League Baseball branded headbands and accessories. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of COVID, the importance of American manufacturing, supporting veteran owned business and much more.

On todays episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Dr. Andrew Brandeis the co-founder and CEO of OK Capsule a private label supplement personalization company. They cover many topics including, the role of supplements in wellness, personalized health care, conscious leadership, startup culture, Zen meditation, burning man and more.

On todays episode Doug speaks with Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill. They discuss the importance of innovation , long term thinking and true leadership in local government. They also explore a number of the key challenges facing the region including homelessness, workforce housing and the role of technology in addressing key environmental issues in Lake Tahoe.

On todays episode of the podcast I speak with serial entrepreneurial turned venture capitalist and private equity investor Robert Goldberg. Roberts work in the venture and private equity communities led to his insight of a dual crisis facing America one of Incrementalism and alignment. We do a deep dive into his insights and explore the implications on business, politics and society at large.

On this episode of the podcast Bryan McArdle of EDAWN returns to talk about the current state and future of the Reno Startup Community. They discuss the changing landscape of the community, the impacts of covid, the influx of founders and talent from California, the importance of the flywheel effect on wealth creation, the growing number of local startup unicorns and much more.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Reno Entrepreneur Clint Vernon. Clint is the CEO of Message Desk a startup who simplifies business text messaging for small business. We discuss Clints origin story, his passion for small business, the challenges and opportunities of shifting from small business to high growth startup and much more.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks his dear friend, psychiatrist Dr. Matt May about mental health and the Cognitive Behavioral model (CBT). Matt is one of kindest, wisest and most impactful people in Doug's life. They cover a broad range of topics centered around mental wellbeing in this thoughtful conversation.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Adam Kiefer Cofounder and CEO of the Reno based startup Talage. They discuss the origin story of Talage, the challenges and opportunities Adam has faced along his journey. They also discuss the broader impacts of startups on communities and much more in this lively and engaging conversation.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Jeff Burkland the owner of Burkland & Associates, the nations leading fractional CFO service provider. Jeff and Doug discuss startup financing strategy in-depth covering topics including managing founder dilution, aligning incentives with investors and choosing the best financing vehicle. The explore the pros and cons of SAFEs, Convertible Debt, Venture debt and much more in this informative conversation.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with his dear friend of over 15 years, Jeff Schox. Jeff is the founding partner of Schox PLC a boutique patent law firm, the General Partner of Trucks.vc a seed stage transportation focused venture fund and the Founder of Schox Philanthropy. They cover many topics including patent strategy, early stage investing, the future of autonomous vehicles and the power of founder philanthropic giving. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jschox/

On this episode of the podcast, Doug speaks with Serial Entrepreneur and Author of The Core Value Equation, Darius Mirshahzadeh. They deep dive into the power of core values to create team alignment and increased productivity and profitability in organizations. They discuss family core values, the challenges of midlife and personal struggles with self aggression and finding balance in life.

Doug interviews the wise and talented co-founder of Optimizey, Pete Koomen. They discuss Petes entrepreneurial journey with Optimizey from its earliest days at Y-Combinator through the recent sale to EpiCenter. He shares valuable insights on the power of experimentation, creating a scalable culture and the personal growth required to scale along with your company in this fun and engaging conversation.

In this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Julie Arsenault, CEO and Founder of Panty Drop a Reno based startup that sells, size-inclusive women's panties via a subscription service. Julie is a remarkable founder and shares a ton of her experience around scaling, finding product market fit, fundraising and more in this fun and engaging conversation. www.PantyDrop.me https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliecarsenault/

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. They talk about her origins in politics, the challenges she has faced running a city during the pandemic and her own personal tragedy. The discuss the mental health crisis in the county and some of her initiatives to address it in Reno.

On this episode of the podcast cast Doug speaks with Stephen Hurst the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Mind Medicine Inc. Stephen has dedicated over 20 years of his life to the development of Neurotransformational Medicines. We cover a lot of topics including the different approaches to treating addiction, the stigma associated with psychedelic inspired medicine and the opportunities ahead for patients and the industry.

On this episode of the podcast Doug speaks with Adam Saven the CEO of PeopleGrove. They discuss the importance of mentorship and cultivating alumni connections to improve higher educational outcomes. The challenges hiring and fostering a cohesive culture with a remote work force. They dive into Adams background, his core values and lessons learned pivoting and scaling PeopleGrove.

In this episode of the podcast, Doug speaks with serial entrepreneur Allison Clift-Jennings about her journey as an entrepreneur and experiences running a venture backed startup while transitioning to a transgender woman. They discuss the struggles of building hybrid / remote teams, the ups and downs of building high growth startups and go in-depth into her personal lived experience as a CEO from the lens of both a man and a transgender woman. Allison Jennings https://www.linkedin.com/in/amcjen/

In this episode of the podcast, Doug speaks with serial entrepreneur and startup lawyer Craig Macy about how changing your relationship with the law can save time, money and brain damage. They discuss common first time founder mistakes, the importance of an abundance mindset and aligning incentives with your advisors and partners to set yourself up for success. Craig Macy https://www.steamlaw.com/about

In this episode of the podcast, Doug speaks with Jeannie Reeth Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at University of Nevada and curator of the 3rd Annual International Womens Entrepreneurial Symposium (IWES). They discuss the challenges facing female entrepreneurs, the power of building networks, the role of men in supporting female entrepreneurs and much more. IWES March 9th 2021 8am-2pm https://www.unr.edu/business/initiatives/iwes Jeannie Reeth https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannie-anderson-reeth/

In this episode of the podcast, Doug Erwin speaks with Michael Bumann about his life as a first responder, father of 4 and CEO of Red Dot Management a rapidly growing financial services company. They discuss many topics including developing a win/win/win business model, the importance of community support for entrepreneurs, the role of the fire service in developing his leadership style and the impact of being a medic at Burning Man among many other topics. Michael Bumann https://reddotmgmt.com

In this episode of the podcast, Doug speaks with his dear friend and EDAWN colleague Bryan McArdle about the past, present and future entrepreneurial ecosystem building efforts in Reno. They discuss “the why” behind ecosystem building, its impact on economic development and the value of supporting startups for community growth. They discuss Seed funding, community core values and the power of putting entrepreneurs first. Reno Seed Fund www.RenoSeedFund.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanmcardle/