Growth Stage

It's hard to get money, so why should paying be difficult too? Turns out, the red tape and process for payroll is wildly complicated (taxes, filings, remittance, yadda yadda) and the myriad of payroll systems in place makes it even more difficult. In this episode we're joined by CEO and Founder of Check, Andrew Brown, and Eric Tarczynski, Founder at Contrary, to discuss getting paid!

Ghost kitchens certainly aren't a thing of the past. In fact, the market for these dark kitchens is alive and well, and they are fueling the fire for food delivery growth across the globe. From your favorite fast-food chains to virtual kitchen concepts, ghost kitchens are providing the infrastructure and (dead)pans to keep your appetite fulfilled. In this episode, we're joined by the Founder and General Manager of YourKitchen, Yousif Kurdi, and Roelof Opperman, Managing Director and Head of Europe at Fifth Wall. Tune in to learn about a typical human's profit and loss statement, the development of ghost kitchens, and how Yousif plans to manage running YourKitchen as he serves as the captain for Saudi Arabia's Winter Olympic team.

Food tech has received a cornucopia of attention recently. But have we bitten off more than we can chew with lab-grown meats or vertical farming? These ideas are important, without doubt, but they're a small piece of the pie. What if we just found a better way to make food last longer? In this episode, we're joined by CEO and Co-Founder of Farther Farms, Mike Annunziata, and Monica Varman, Investor at G2 Venture Partners, to help us decide if these preservatives add real value or are just half baked. Tune in to learn about Farther's origin stories, why they began with fries, the current and future state of the food supply chain, and much more.

Taking a "moonshot" used to mean something. But in recent years, private industry has not-so-quietly begun to pile into what was once reserved for governments, satellite companies, and the handful of supporting players. The race to space is no longer about the miracle of putting something in orbit, it's about deploying capital. Houston, we have competition. On In this episode we're joined by CEO and Founder of Varda, Will Bruey, and Tess Hatch, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, to shed light on the gravity of the situation.

We've all asked ourselves at one time or another "Where the f*ck is my package?" The truth is, there's a host of people who care a lot more than you do - a whole supply chain. Visibility into these complex networks doesn't just provide reassurance, it unveils a heap of information on how to improve them. In this episode we're joined by CEO and Founder of Tive, Krenar Komoni, and Harpi Signh, Partner at Innovation Endeavors, to discuss the complications and sensitivities of supply chain visibility.

We'd all like to use our bodies like a Ferrari, but maybe end up treating it like a trash compactor (T-1000 vs. Bender). Solutions are obvious (sleep, diet, etc.), but tracking/accountability always fall short. Personal devices are not new, but desire and ability to understand the power of these tools is evolving, quickly. In this episode we're joined by CEO of Oura, Harpreet Singh Rai, and Tim Chang, Partner at Mayfield Fund, to discuss the growing and improving world of quantified self and digital health.

It's obvious smaller businesses can have fewer digital touchpoints, but that doesn't mean they have less data...or that this data is less valuable. Connecting the unconnected is still just in its infancy, as a growing number of companies have decided to just suck it up and start building APIs for the everyman. In this episode we're joined by Founder of Codat, Peter Lord, and Medha Agarwal, Principal at Redpoint Ventures, to discuss the business of API development and growing world of opportunities for it.

The fresh foods aisle has needed a cleanup for a while. Grocery stores have hardly changed in 100 years, and many delivery startups have chosen to piggy back off of that lack of innovation. Micro fulfillment offers an entirely new way to shop and distribute fresh foods - a tool food commerce will need in its bag.  In this episode we're joined by Founder of Farmstead, Pradeep Elankumaran, and Jett Fein, Partner at e.ventures, to discuss the paradigm shift in grocery, delivery and the rise of micro fulfillment.

The sad thing about the banking industry is no one has given it credit for evolving. But it's obvious Silicon Valley isn't leaving this one a loan. Ok, we're done with the puns. In this episode we explore the rise of challenger banks, the fate of the current banking model, and how the near future might serve you checking accounts and lattes at the same time. In this episode we’re joined by CEO of Mercury, Immad Akhund, and Mark Goldberg, Partner at Index Ventures, to discuss the rise of digital banking. 

Money Ball vs. Liar's Poker - the data and analytics of sports betting. For as long as there have been sports, people have been trying to figure out how to bet on them. And as these markets have grown (although we still love a good chariot race), so too have the opportunities to make the action just a little bit sweeter. In this episode we're joined by Co-Founder of Simplebet, Joey Levy, and Vasu Kulkarni, Partner at Courtside VC, to discuss the evolution and implications of a sports betting and analytics.

Stocks are back! And you don't need a three-piece suit and a huge tie to be a trader anymore...you don't even even need a computer or to own a whole share. Access to wealth management hasn't really ever been for the masses, but our guests are changing that. In this episode we’re joined by Co-CEO of Public.com, Leif Abraham, and Frank Rotman, Founding Partner of QED Investors, to discuss the evolution and implications of a personal wealth management revolution.

Don't even trip dawg, this one's a bit meta, but we got you on this one, broh. The Growth Stage Podcast explores the nature of problems being solved with products, and in this episode, we look at the problem of Product itself. Product is a proper noun here. We’re joined by Co-Founder of unicorn Pendo, Eric Boduch, and Rick Zullo, of Equal Ventures, to discuss Product's ecosystem and roots in every success story. 

Times are weird. That's all we need to say right now. We checked in with a few familiar faces to see what they're up to, and how their business has adapted. We're in the car with Will Szczerbiak (and his kids) on this one. Have a listen, we've all got the time... New longer form episodes in the works!

Times are still weird. So we’re gonna continue being different... Last week we checked in with a familiar face, this week we're introducing a new guest, but in a shorter format. Rick Zullo from Equal Ventures, a fund 1 seed stage investor in NYC, joins us to talk shop, thesis investing, and Rick & Morty. Cartoon references aside, this one is denser than a Tim Ferris podcast in a black hole...Wubba lubba dub dub!!!!

Times are weird. That's all we need to say right now. We checked in with a few familiar faces to see what they're up to, and how their business has adapted. Have a listen, we've all got the time.   New longer form episodes in the works!

The moronic circus of rearview mirror watching WeWork haters (who also seem to have a knack for lumpish puns) are to be moving on to the next town (Gloatsburg?). But they've left behind all the good stuff - the multi-billion dollar industry of Co-working. We've taken that opportunity to examine the cultural and generational phenomenon made famous and infamous by one company's spectacular public meltdown...but pursued and driven forward by many others, who have done a better job of managing the potential.

Trucking has an almost mythological American cultural status. And there's a reason. It's got it all - the "American Dream", "Rags to Riches", "David vs. Goliath"...and more recently, with the help of our guests..."Nerd Gets The Girl". In this episode, we’re joined by Anshu Prasad, CEO of Leaf Logistics, and Will Szczerbiak, Greycroft Partners, to discuss trucking's profound reach, impact and technological awakening in one of our favorite episodes yet. No trucker speed required, Joseph Campbell eat your heart out, this is the hero's story of trucking.

Companies are hoarding data now. And good for them, cus, well…it’s f*cking everywhere. And hidden amongst and in between the zettabytes of data sitting in cold storage (and probably some old newspapers and a few dead cats) there’s an incredible amount of insight into our world. In this episode, we’re joined by Alex Rinke, CEO of Celonis, and Chris Olsen, Drive Capital, to discuss how to keep ourselves delightfully entertained with all this…data.

What do starting a disruptive game-changing business and writing a hit screenplay have in common? Lots of assholes think they can do it. While the word "disruption" may rank among the most annoying and overused phrases in the modern business lexicon - there's definitely something to it. Philip Krim, CEO of Casper, and Spencer Lazar, General Catalyst, help us wrap our minds around this idea. Is it crazy to bet the farm on a "portfolio of one" or crazier to start one of Caspers 200+ copycats? Is betting it all the only way to change it all? Our fourth episode explores the questions about true 'disruption' that have been keeping you up at night.

As it turns out AI is hardly artificial anymore (slaps knee). The hardest part is making an intelligent decision about what to do with it (slaps knee again, we could do this all day). We’ve employed our own personal Skynet, Sophie Vanderbroek and Rudina Seseri, to help us understand and break down this both very new and very old cutting edge idea, and where we may see it take us. Impending robot apocalypse? Yes, well I understand your view on this now, Hal.

Has the tidal wave of born-digital upstart brands killed traditional retail? Are these “game-changing” newbies everything they seem, or is something else going on? Scott Friend and Mark Weikel, two serious OGs, still on the front line of retail’s undulating landscape, give us a peek behind the curtain to help us figure out “…the f#*k is going on here?!?”

Most people you know are barely fully autonomous, what makes you think cars are anywhere close? This industry is so new, so dynamic and so clever, even our heavy hitter guests can’t agree on how things will develop. The Jetson’s car? That's like, uh, so unrealistic. The premier episode of Growth Stage brings Noam Barden and Eric Paley into the octagon to help enlighten us on just how much is a play with the next generation of transportation. First episode jitters? With an opener like this…psssshh.