The BOSS Podcast with Gregory Shepard

What story does your brand tell? This week on Startup Science Podcast, Greg talks with Park Howell, the world's most industrious storyteller. Park has spent over 35 years growing purpose-driven brands by up to 600% through strategic storytelling. As host of Business of Story and author of Brand Bewitchery and The Narrative Gym for Business, he's helped thousands clarify their brand narrative to connect authentically. His illustrious client list includes Dell, The Home Depot, Hilton, and Walgreens. Recognized as Advertising Person of the Year, Park consults, teaches, and speaks globally about the immense power of stories to build brands and amplify their impact. Tune in to hear Park's tried-and-true tactics for crafting compelling narratives that engage your audience and elevate your mission. You'll come away inspired to tell your own transformative brand story.About Park Howell: Park is known as The World's Most Industrious Storyteller having grown purpose-driven brands by as much as 600 percent. He is a 35+ year veteran of the advertising industry and now consults, teaches, coaches, and speak internationally to help business, sales, and marketing leaders excel through the stories they tell.He is the host of the popular weekly Business of Story podcast, which is ranked among the top 10% of downloaded podcasts in the world. Park published Brand Bewitchery in 2020 to help you use his proven Story Cycle System to craft spellbinding stories for your brand. In 2021, he co-authored The Narrative Gym for Business, a short 75-page guide on how to use the foundational narrative framework of the ABT (And, But, Therefore) to make you a more confident, compelling and persuasive communicator.

In the second part of Greg's conversation with Alice Bentinck, the co-founder of Entrepreneur First, they dive deeper into the topic of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Alice shares her vision and mission behind Code First: Girls, a not-for-profit organization that has taught 30,000 women to code for free while they were at university. She explains why diversity is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage for startups and investors. She also reveals the simple fact that every founder needs to understand to succeed in the competitive and fast-changing world of technology. If you missed the first part of our interview, where Alice talks about how to be a founder and her new book “How to Be a Founder”, make sure to check it out. And don't forget to subscribe to the Startup Science Podcast for more inspiring and informative episodes with the best minds in tech.

What does it take to be a founder of a successful tech startup? How do you find the right co-founder, idea, and market? How do you overcome the challenges and uncertainties of building something from scratch? In this episode of the Startup Science Podcast, Greg talks to Alice Bentinck, a co-founder and General Partner at Entrepreneur First, an international talent investor that supports individuals in building tech companies. Alice shares her insights and advice on how to be a founder, based on her experience of creating and investing in hundreds of startups across the world. Whether you are an aspiring founder, a curious student, or a seasoned entrepreneur, you will learn a lot from Alice's wisdom and stories. Tune in and discover how you can unleash your potential and create an impact with technology.

Greg wraps up his conversation with Argyris Stasinakis, the inspiring Executive Partner and Board Member at MarineTraffic. In this episode, Greg and Argyris dive into the intersection of science and business and explore the challenges of executing ideas in the early stages of a startup. Argyris shares his insights on how MarineTraffic was able to retain top talent and prevent the team from spreading too thin, all while maintaining a strong vision and focus on innovation. Join them as they uncover the secrets to building and scaling successful startups, from recruiting and retaining top talent to navigating the challenges of growth and expansion. Argyris provides valuable advice on how startups can leverage their unique strengths and resources to achieve their goals and create a lasting impact in their industry. Whether you're an entrepreneur, scientist, or simply interested in the world of business, this episode is a must-listen.

On this episode of the Startup Science Podcast, Greg has the privilege of speaking with the one and only Argyris Stasinakis, a true visionary and pioneer in the world of maritime technology. Join them as they explore Argyris's journey, from his early days as an entrepreneur to his current role as Executive Partner and Board Member at MarineTraffic. Discover how he turned MarineTraffic into a global leader in ship tracking and data intelligence, revolutionizing the way we understand and navigate the world's oceans. Argyris shares his insights on the importance of innovation, collaboration, and resilience in building successful businesses. He also discusses the exciting acquisition of MarineTraffic by Kpler, and the potential for data intelligence to transform the maritime industry's future. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or simply interested in the world of business, this episode is a must-listen. So grab your earbuds and join us as we embark on an inspiring journey with one of the brightest minds in the world of business.

In the conclusion of Greg's conversation with Umran Beba and Korhan Beba from the Beba Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation, Umran & Korhan discuss the importance of building a strong team and how academia is preparing the next generation of start-up entrepreneurs.

Greg welcomes Umran Beba and Korhan Beba from the Beba Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation to the podcast. Umran is the foundation's founder and is an experienced senior business executive with over 30 years of experience in general management, talent, and diversity. Korhan is the foundation's Executive Director and has 25 years of experience working with large multinational companies managing global brands and market research projects. Together their mission is to assist aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into applications, commercial products, and/or services for global markets. In part one, Umran & Korhan share the inspiration for the foundation and how they're currently supporting entrepreneurship.

In the conclusion of Greg's chat with Alessandro Marianantoni, the Founder of M Accelerator, Alessandro provides some guidance for startup entrepreneurs and talks about how his program is helping entrepreneurs avoid potential landmines.

Greg is joined by Alessandro Marianantoni this week. Alessandro is the Executive Director and Founder at M Accelerator in Los Angeles which offers programs to serve southern California and International Startup ecosystems and provides students, early stage, and later stage founders with skills to grow their startups. In part one, Alessandro explains why M Accelerator isn't the typical startup program and how their coaching sessions provide guidance through the several stages of startup development.

In the conclusion of Greg's talk with Magnus Grimeland, the Founder of Antler, Magnus discusses why his team does not define Antler as an accelerator, and he shares some advice on what every startup entrepreneur should always do first.

Greg welcomes Magnus Grimeland to the BOSS Podcast. Magnus is the founder of Antler, a global early-stage VC, investing and enabling thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide to realize their dreams and change the world. In part one, Magnus shares his inspiration for helping leaders build businesses and what he learned from his experiences at Facebook, McKinsey, and Harvard.

Greg concludes his conversation with Jan Arp and Elisabeth Laett, the Managing Partners at the Holt Xchange. In part two, Jan & Elisabeth talk about the importance of product management and why they believe “fintech is life.”

This week, Greg is joined by Jan Arp and Elisabeth Laett, the Managing Partners at Holt Xchange, a global seed-stage Venture Capital fund investing in fintech business application companies across the globe. In part one, Elisabeth explains how Quebec has become the Silicon Valley of Canada, and Jan shares why the Holt Xchange was founded and why it invests in early-stage Canadian and International fintech companies.

In the conclusion of Greg's conversation with David Cook, the Executive Director of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, Dave talks about the hands-on activities incorporated into his program and the accomplishment he is most proud of at the University of Houston.

Greg often discusses what academia is doing to improve the entrepreneurial failure rate, and this week he's highlighting one of the best programs in the country. The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston has been named the #1 undergraduate entrepreneurship program in the United States for the third consecutive year. On the podcast, Greg is joined by David Cook, the Executive Director of Wolff Center. In part one, David shares what sets The Wolff Center apart from other entrepreneurship programs and the biggest changes he's seen from student/entrepreneurs.

Greg wraps up his chat with Jeffery Potvin, the Founder & CEO of Open People Network. OPN is a group of entrepreneurs and business pros who help startups with business fundamentals, technical and tactical outcomes that help build future leaders. In part two, Jeffery talks about the importance of founders seeking out mentors, why he thinks robotics will explode in the next 3-5 years, which changes can provide the biggest impact on the startup investing ecosystem.

Jeffery Potvin is Greg's guest on the podcast.  Jeffery is the Founder & CEO of Open People Network, a group of angel investors helping accelerate the growth through The Supporters Fund and Pitchit Program. In part one, Jeffery shares what inspired him to become an angel investor, what differentiates OPN from other investment groups, and what he's doing to improve the entrepreneurial failure rate.

Greg concludes his chat with Paul Roben. Paul is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Commercialization at UC San Diego and has been tasked to “drive innovation across all areas of campus, and to speed university innovations to markets in California, the nation, and the world.”  In part two, Paul talks about the importance of community outreach and the common mistakes he sees entrepreneurs making.

Over the past decade, institutions of hiring learning have been intentional in cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs. One of them is UC San Diego. This week, Greg is joined by Paul Roben, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Commercialization at UC San Diego. In part one, Paul shares how UC San Diego prepares the entrepreneurs of tomorrow today, how he defines innovation, and why students need to embrace failure.

Greg wraps up his chat with Hall T. Martin, the Founder of TEN Capital Group, where his team helps companies raise funding from angels, venture capital, and high net worth individuals. In part two, Hall shares some sage advice for investors, emerging sectors for investors, the importance of a 'growth story.'

So you've got a startup, what do you do next? You'll probably need capital to scale up. This week, Greg is joined by Hall T. Martin, the Founder of TEN Capital Group. His team helps companies raise funding from angels, venture capital, and high net worth individuals. In part one, Hall shares the benefits of angel investor networks, the major differences between incubators and accelerators, and which cities have become the next great tech hubs.

Greg wraps up his talk with Matt Blumberg, the Founder & CEO of Bolster, a talent marketplace for on-demand executives and board members, and the author of Startup CXO: A Field Guide to Scaling Up Your Company's Critical Functions and Teams. In part two, Matt talks about how visionary founders can become good managers, the importance of adding independent directors to your board, and why he thinks the entrepreneurial failure rate is so high.

This week, Greg talks to Matt Blumberg, the Founder & CEO of Bolster, a talent marketplace for on-demand executives and board members. Matt shares the inspiration for his new book, Startup CXO, why founders need to prepare themselves mentally for an exit way before they exit, and why organizations should think of themselves as a 'talent machine.'

Greg wraps up his chat with Carmine Gallo, the author of Talk Like TED, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, and Five Stars: The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great.  In part two, Carmine discusses the most common misconceptions when it comes to public speaking, the importance of being a performer, not a presenter, and what he thinks made Steve Jobs an amazing speaker.

Greg welcomes “communications guru” Carmine Gallo to the podcast. Carmine is a keynote speaker, Harvard instructor, and international bestselling author of Talk Like TED, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, and his latest book, Five Stars: The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great. In part one, Carmine talks about the impact of transformative communication on entrepreneurs, the importance of storytelling, and the not-so-secret formula for great public speaking.

Greg concludes his chat with Ian Altman, the creator of the Same Side Selling methodology.  In part two, Ian talks about the question's companies must ask themselves when it comes to making a decision, why the term 'closing the sale' should be replaced by 'confirming the sale', and what kind of effect the pandemic has on B2B sales.

Greg welcomes Ian Altman to the podcast.  Ian has built a billion-dollar company, written a best-selling book, and created the Same Side Selling methodology.  In part one, Ian talks about the meaning behind 'integrity-based business growth' and the benefits of his Same Side Selling methodology.

Greg finishes his chat with Octavian Pantiș, the co-founder of the training company Qualians and the author of the new book, Dark Cockpit. In part two, Octavian discusses the similarities between entrepreneurship and aviation, how entrepreneurs can prevent accidents, and why sometimes having too much talent can be a problem.

The pandemic forced teams around the globe to shift to a virtual new normal, but did everyone do it right?  This week, Greg welcomes Octavian Pantiș, the co-founder of the training company Qualians and the author of the new book, Dark Cockpit. Octavian talks about why remote work is here to stay (whether we like it or not), the importance of rewarding your team's output, and the major differences between organizations and cultures from country to country.

Greg wraps up his chat with Marshall Sandman, the managing partner of the world's first VC fund backed by influencer founders. In part two, Marshall discusses why he's not only involved in the influencer space but also the entire ecosystem that the influencer space impacts, how he shuts out the noise and focuses on his goals, and how he uses social media platforms like Clubhouse to find investment opportunities.

Greg has met with hundreds if not thousands of investors, but this week on the podcast he's joined by Marshall Sandman, the managing partner of the world's first VC fund backed by influencer founders. Marshall is on the mission to help social media stars monetize their value and he's also using the power of social media to find deals and investors. In part one, Marshall talks about his early days at Goldman Sachs, what inspired him to create Animal Capital, how he mixes social media with venture capital.

Greg wraps up his discussion with Harvard Business School professor and author of the new book, Why Startups Fail, Tom Eisenmann. In part two, Tom shares some of the best traits of a successful entrepreneur, why success with early adopters can be misleading, and how investors can choose a good deal.

Greg has dedicated his life to improving the entrepreneurial failure rate and he's been asking the same question for years: Why do more than 75% of startups fail? This week's guest might have the answer. Tom Eisenmann is a Harvard Business School Professor and the author of the new book, Why Startups Fail: A New Roadmap for Entrepreneurial Success. In part one, Tom discusses why he decided to focus on entrepreneurship at Harvard, the importance of getting a management team aligned, and the patterns that account for the vast majority of startup failures.

Greg concludes his discussion with bestselling author, financial therapist, and wealth coach, Barbara Huson.  In part two, Barbara shares how you can change your beliefs by changing your thinking, the major themes of why women that are struggling with money today, and the inspiration for her new book, Rewire for Wealth.

Barbara Huson is Greg's guest this week. Barbara is a financial therapist, teacher and wealth coach who's written seven books including her latest, Rewire for Wealth. In part one, Barbara shares how she financially empowers women, why there are fewer female entrepreneurs, and how neurological differences between men's and women's brains influence their investment decisions.

Greg wraps up his chat with Roger L. Martin, the author of “When More is Not Better: Overcoming America's Obsession with Economic Efficiency.” In part two, we find out who the 'super villains' are when it comes to the decline of middle- and lower-income families, if capitalism and democracy are mutually exclusive, and what entrepreneurs and companies can do to make the world a better place.

Greg created this podcast for two reasons: Improving the failure rate of entrepreneurs and wealth distribution. While the rich are getting richer faster, the middle- and lower-income families have fallen so far behind it would take generations to recover. But why? This week, Greg is joined by Roger Martin, the author of “When More is Not Better: Overcoming America's Obsession with Economic Efficiency.” In part one, Roger shares the inspiration for his book, why the rich are getting richer faster but middle-class family have fallen so far behind, and the greatest vulnerabilities the pandemic has exposed.

Greg wraps up his conversation with TV and Podcast host, best-selling author and the CEO of the C-Suite Network, Jeffrey Hayzlett. In part two, Jeff shares how entrepreneurs can build a bigger, bolder version of themselves, what he's learned from hosting a podcast, and how he evolved from the CMO of Kodak into a business media thought leader.

This week Greg is joined by a business rock star, Jeffrey Hayzlett. Jeff is a TV and Podcast host, best-selling author and the CEO of the C-Suite Network. In part one, Greg and Jeff discuss how companies were able to succeed during the pandemic, how entrepreneurs can shut out the haters and what it means to be a 'hero business'.

Greg wraps up his conversation with Patrick McKenna, an experienced entrepreneur, investor and business leader.  In part two, Patrick discusses how he founded LiveOps and scaled it from a single office in Palo Alto to a workforce with 20,000 employees and how his military experience prepared him for the dangerous world from entrepreneurship.

The best investment opportunities don't always emanate from Silicon Valley. This week, Greg is joined by Patrick McKenna, an entrepreneur, investor, and the Founder of One America Works. Patrick has invested in dozens of companies, many of which are located outside of the 94027 area code. In part one, Patrick shares what inspired him to search for investment opportunities in places like Austin and Baltimore, how the pandemic has broken the monopoly cities like New York and San Francisco had on high-paying jobs, and why he invests heavily in remote first businesses.

Greg wraps up his conversation with Bill Caskey, the author of “Same Game New Rules” and the host of the Bill Caskey Podcast.  In part two,  Greg and Bill talk about shifting your mindset when it comes to making a pitch and the importance of building your personal brand as a sales professional.

Every entrepreneur can't do it all, but they do need a particular set of skills to succeed. Joining Greg this week is Bill Caskey, a business coach that helps executives and sales teams prosper by developing new skills for their success. Bill is the author of “Same Game New Rules” and the host of the Bill Caskey Podcast.  In part one,  Bill discusses how he became a business coach, the meaning behind his 'Mindset + Mechanics = Results' concept, and the importance of understanding the buyers perspective.

Greg wraps up his chat with Dakin Sloss, the Founder and General Partner of Prime Movers Lab. In part two, Dakin shares why his team is considered founder friendly and why their group is so attractive to investors.

This week, Greg hangs out with Dakin Sloss, the Founder and General Partner of Prime Movers Lab. Dakin's company made news last week when they announced that they had raised $245 million for its second early-stage investment fund. In part one, Dakin explains what his team was able to accomplish with their first round of funding, how they support dozens of scientific disruptors and why Prime Movers Lab exists.

Greg wraps up his conversation with Anthony Scaramucci, the Founder and Co-Managing Partner of SkyBridge. In part two, Anthony discusses what the incoming Biden Administration means to the economy and why he thinks regulating cryptocurrency is a good idea.

Is bitcoin about to go mainstream? This week SkyBridge Capital announced the launch of SkyBridge Bitcoin Fund LP, but is crypto currency something entrepreneurs should get involved with? Joining Greg on this episode of the BOSS Podcast is the Founder and Co-Managing Partner of SkyBridge, Anthony Scaramucci. In part one, Anthony talks about why SkyBridge got involved in Bitcoin and why "old school" Wall Street traders love cryptocurrency.

Greg wraps up his discussion with David M.R. Covey, the co-author of the best seller, “Trap Tales: Outsmarting the 7 Hidden Obstacles to Success.” In part two, David talks about the 'accumulation mentality' and who he thinks are the best leaders of all time.

This week, Greg is joined by David M.R. Covey, the world-renowned expert in Leadership Development, world class key-note speaker and co-author of the best seller, “Trap Tales: Outsmarting the 7 Hidden Obstacles to Success.” In part one, David shares which habits he inherited from his legendary dad, Stephen R. Covey and what 'traps' all entrepreneurs should avoid.

Greg concludes his conversation with Gary Fowler, the CEO and Co-Founder of GSD Venture Studios. In part two, Greg finds out why Gary has been called "one of the best execution CEOs in tech” and Gary has some advice for young entrepreneurs about creating connections in the industry.

On this episode of the BOSS Podcast, Greg is joined by Gary Fowler, the CEO and Co-Founder of GSD Venture Studios. Gary talks about the importance of finding the right partner and why he's known as the "AI Guy."